THE POWER OF PERSUASION-2

Hello. Thank you very much for all the reviews after first chapter. As always you all have faith in me and I shall do my best to not let you down. As you remember, in the first chapter Beryl asked Elsie if she could talk to Charles about putting Archie's name on Downton memorial. Let's see how it went...

Elsie watched as Charles poured a wine into her glass. They were sitting in his pantry, as they did every night, chatting about the day events. Elsie was waiting for the right moment to start the conversation about Beryl's nephew. She had to wait until he will relax completely and forget about his evening duties, contemplating if everything went usually loosen up a little after the second glass and that was what she waited for. She looked at him with hope in her eyes and she initiated the difficult conversation.

"Mr Carson there is something that I wish to speak to you about. It concerns the memorial and Mrs Patmore's nephew."

"I'm not sure I understand Mrs Hughes. What does Mrs Patmore's nephew has got to do with the memorial?"

"Well, that's the thing. Maybe I will start from the beginning. You remember that Archie-that is Mrs Patmore's nephew was shoot for cowardice during the war."

"Yes, I remember."

"You see, this was very difficult experience for Mrs Patmore and her whole family. They've suffered a lot."

"I'm sure they did, but I still don't understand what's that got to do with our memorial?"

"Just let me get to the point."

"Of course, I'm sorry."

"The poor lad was probably suffering from shell shock. We now know more about this terrible disease and it's hard to judge what was really going on in there."

"I have a great sympathy for Mrs Patmore and her whole family."

"I thought that you do. That's why I want to ask you a favor. You see, they are building a war memorial, just like ours, in the village where Mrs Patmore's nephew lived, but the local committee thinks that he is not worth to put his name in there."

"I can understand their motives."

"Do you really?"

"Well, I'm sure that they have a proper regulations for these cases."

"That very well maybe, but because of that, Mrs Patmore and her sister are suffering from great distress and Mrs Patmore thought that a good solution would be, if we could add Archie's name on our memorial. We could say that his name was put there because of the family connections and nobody would be surprise that it wasn't on their local memorial."

"Mrs Hughes..I'm not convinced that I'm hearing this right. Are you truly suggesting adding the name of the coward to our memorial?"

"Mr Carson, please don't be so harsh. We just talked about how the shell shock destroyed this young boy's life"

"I can understand, but this should not be the reason to glorify such attitude!"

"Mr Carson, that would mean a lot for Mrs Patmore and her family, can we just skip the rules, just this once to ease someone's pain?"

"Certainly not Mrs Hughes. Where would it all lead? What message would we give to the other men, who sacrificed their lives for king and the country? For those who stayed till the end, fighting everyday to stay alive? I'm sorry Mrs Hughes, but putting that boy's name on our memorial is not an option for me."

"So you won't do it?"

"I'm sorry but I will not."

"And you won't even consider it?"

"That is out of the question."

"I see Mr Carson. In that case, I will have to give this message to Mrs Patmore. She was really hoping that you will agree, but since you won't...A bid you goodnight Mr Carson."

"Goodnight Mrs Hughes"

Elsie left the room, leaving Charles with mixed feelings and a clear sign of inner pain on his face. His beliefs were invariable. He believed in a sanctity of some things. There were questions that should not even be considered, but still...Seeing the woman that he loved more than anything else in this world, so stressed, turning to him in need, with hope that he will help her and having to refuse her that favor, was more than he could handle. It was the first moment when he had to choose between the rules that he always believed in and his immense love that he had for Elsie. He sensed that making the decision that he just made, will not help him to win her heart...

Few moments later-Mrs Hughes sitting room...

"So he said no? Just like that?"

"I'm afraid that he did Mrs Patmore. I'm so sorry..I did the best I could, but you know how stubborn and intransigent he can be."

"I know..But still I was more than sure, that he won't refuse the favor if you will ask him..You can always twist him around your finger."

"As you see, not always. There were no arguments that could persuade him.."

"So my poor nephew will be disgraced now. In the eyes of the whole village and everyone will find out about the cause of his death. Oh, what a terrible experience this will be for my sister..I just can't believe it, why does it have to happen to us?"-Mrs Patmore started to cry...

"Oh please don't cry Mrs Patmore...I can't stand to see you hurting.."

"I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable, but I just can't help it..."-tears were running down Mrs Patmore's cheeks openly.

"You do not make me uncomfortable..I just don't want to see you like this. Will it help if I tell you that I will try one more time? And this time, I promise that I will succeed and Archie's name will be on memorial?"

"But how are you going to do that? He already said no and that's final.."

"He said no, but that is not final. Not yet. Not until the memorial will stand in the village. I will do my best to make it for you."

"Thank you..You are a true friend. I won't forget your kindness..."

"As you are Mrs Patmore, as you are...Now go to bed. You are tired. I will talk to him again tomorrow. I promise. Good night."

"Good night and thank you."

Beryl left, leaving Elsie with a feeling that she has a difficult job to do. How will she manage to convince him, since today she did everything she could to give him a concrete arguments and it didn't work? Thinking about Mrs Patmore's suffering, she knew that she had to do something. That kind soul was with her all the time, through her health scare and she just couldn't leave her alone with this. What if?...What if sticking to the facts was indeed not the best idea for a conversation with Mr Carson? What if she...? No, she couldn't do that...She blushed at the very thought of it..She knew that there were women who did such things, who would use their charm to get what they wanted from men, but she was never one of them..She condemn women like that. But in this case..It was different. Elsie was fully aware that even reaching for such drastic measures, was something else in her case, because she wouldn't have done it with calculation...She could combine the true feelings that she had for Charles, with a need of the moment...In this concrete situation, the end really justified the means and that was exactly how Elsie meant to play this out...

I know that you will probably hate me for stopping at this moment, but sorry ;-) We have not got to the main point yet...I leave you here, wondering what would Elsie do to persuade Charles, so Mrs Patmore would be happy? Stick with the story and you will find out..Sorry for any mistakes and please make me happy by leaving a review. See you soon!