LIFE IS THE ART OF CHOICE-10
Hello all. This week, I have a little more of free time, so I'm here with the new update for you... I can't believe, that I'm already writing a tenth chapter, for the story, that I intended to write for at most three-four chapters...But hey, that's me ;-) I like to prolong Chelsie's adventures. As you probably recall, in the last chapter, Charles went to Ripon to manage some things and he is back with good news...How will Elsie react? Let's find out...
Charles was so eager to talk to Elsie, as soon as he got back from Ripon, but she was busy upstairs and he didn't have a chance to do that...Later it was dinner time and he had to serve the family upstairs and what he heard there from Lord Grantham, has outshined his joy...
When they finally got through the downstairs dinner and everyone went up, Charles sat in his room, hiding his face in his hands. He was really trying to get through this situation with dignity, not to look back and everything, but some comments of his employer, who he bestowed with a highest respect, almost made it impossible for him..Some of the things he said to Charles caused his pain...
Elsie found him in this state and she immediately realized, what might have been the cause of it. She entered his pantry, closed the door behind her and she sat by him, touching his cheek with affection...
"Charlie...What's the matter love? Why are you that sad? What has he said to you, that got you into this state?"
"Elsie...How do you know that it was something he said?"
"Because I know you better than anyone does...And whatever it was, you didn't deserve it..Come here honey..I want to hold you..."
Charles didn't protest at all, when Elsie wrapped her arms around him..He put his head on her chest and surrendered to her gestures of love completely...She was soothing his back, with calming motions and placed tiny kisses on his hair...He relaxed in her arms...It was like coming home, after a horrible meeting with your boss...Those brief, stolen moments of tenderness with Elsie, have fully rewarded him the harsh moments he had to go through right now..
"Oh Elsie...What would I do without you?..."
"You wouldn't have to go through this mess without me Charlie...Maybe it would be better for you..."
"How could it be better without you? Don't ever say things like that again...He told me, that he expects us to leave till the end of the week, because he already has people who will replace us, waiting for the job...Imagine Elsie...No thank you for your faithful service, no gratitude at all..Just a hastiness to get rid of us.."
"Shh...My love...Don't think about that no more..."-Elsie kissed Charles's forehead twice and she tightened her embrace...Wasn't there some good news that you were planning to give me too?"
"Yes there were...Fortunately...Even a few good news...I managed to get a licence and we can marry in two days, because someone has resigned in the last moment..I also went to see Mrs Sanders and I told her about our situation...She has booked her best room for us and she is ready to receive us, as soon as we will marry. I visited her on my way back, so I told her, that we are planning to marry this Thursday at noon. We can move in after the ceremony...She told me, that if we want to get some of our things earlier, there will be no problem..."
"So you mean that in two days, we will be a married couple?"
"Yes...Does that scare you sweetie?"
"Not in the least...On the contrary, I'm ever so glad, that we will finally leave this house, the house which showed us no signs of respect..."
"I guess you are right Elsie..No one is more sad about that fact, but you are right...But there is not the end of good news...There is more..."
"More? Really? What more good news could you get us today?"
"During our last conversation, you told me, how important it is for you to have a church wedding, with our friends being present...I promised myself, that I would do anything to make you happy and when I settled things with our weeding at Ripon and the question of our living accomodation at Mrs Sanders, I stepped into the vicarage to see Reverend Travis..."
"Did you really Charles? Oh, that makes me so happy...So we will have a church wedding? There is no greater present that you could give me...When it will be?"
"In two weeks..That was the first available term that he had...He was so surprised, when I told him about our marriage...Of course, I had to explain the whole situation to him, but he was very understanding...In fact, when he heard about it, he offered to us or to me, something more than just a wedding term.."
"What do you mean? I don't understand?"
"You see, the lucky turn of events is, that Rev Travis has just said goodbye to his house manager- Mr Gont. He retired after forty years of service and he is currently looking for someone, who would run the vicarage for him and apparently he is experiencing some problems with finding a right person, so when he found out that I'm out of the job, he asked me, if I would be happy to work for him.."
"Charles, that's marvellous! What a lucky turn of events! So you would be like a butler for him?"
"Not exactly the butler Elsie..It's more like a house manager...He needs someone to take care of the proper function of the whole vicarage. To make sure, that the cook, the maids and all the other people, who are working for him are doing what's expected and of course, that would mean guarding some important events-when he has some important guests. It's a full time, responsible job, but I don't have to live in the vicarage...The financial conditions, that he offered are satysfying for me, so I agreed at once...I hope that you won't mind that decision.."
"How could I mind Charles?...I'm so happy that this happened...You are the most appropriate person to do this job and I suspect that Rev Travis will value you more, than His Lordship. He always speaks highly of you..."
"Elsie...I'm glad that you approve..."
"You don't need my approval Charles...So, almost everything is settled...I think that we should start to get our things move to Mrs Sanders, starting from tomorrow..\that way on Thursday, we can easily move there...I don't want to spend a minute longer here, than it's needed. I'm sure that we will find a cottage to live in soon...There is only one more question left-my work..I have to find some occupation for me in the village.."
"Elsie, I already told you, that you don't have to work...The salary that Rev Travis offered me, will be enough to maintain us both...You can be just my wife...I won't mind..."
"No Charles...That would not be good. I want us to work together, live together, do everything together...Remember that a considerable amount of your savings, will be use to buy us a cottage.. It will be better if I will work too...I'm not a woman who could spend the whole day at home, doing nothing..."
"As you wish my love..I think your independence is one of the things I love you for the most...But you have to promise, that you won't work as hard as here, so you will still have time to take care of your husband..."
"Like cook him dinner for example? I'm afraid that I'm not a great cook and you may feel disappointed..."
"I wasn't thinking about cooking Elsie..."
"Oh? And what were you thinking about Charlie...?"-Elsie smiled seductively to Charles...
"You know very well my little minx...I would have shown you right now, if..."
"I know...We should not cause another scandal at Downton, otherwise His Lordship will be ready to get us out on the street, in the middle of the night...But in two days...In two days, we will have to show no restraint..."
"Elsie..."
The kiss that they've exchanged, was filled with passion and anticipation...They had to put on hold their feelings, but there was light on the way, as they knew that in two days, nothing or nobody in the world, would stop them from expressing it to each other...
That's all for today my lovelies...I know it's too sweet and unbelivable that everything works so easily for them, but in the fiction world we can make it easy, than it is in the real world...I will update tomorrow again and we will go through the wedding in Ripon, the celebratory lunch after and of course the wedding night at Mrs Sanders guest house...Boy, I hope that Mrs Sanders has an ear plugs, because ;-) ;-) ;-) Sorry for any errors, if you liked it, please let me know and see you soon-tommorow, I hope...