I am very sorry for the delay, but University kept me very busy, however I am back :D :D

1902

Twelve years after Charles Carson had come back to Downton Abbey and Robert had got married to an American heiress Elsie was promoted housekeeper, since Mrs Dill had died suddenly. Elsie Hughes was just turning 40 and it was a good year to become housekeeper.

Elsie found herself working like two people in the first two weeks after her promotion, they were short of a housemaid, but it was a very bad winter and also the post struggled to arrive.

By the end of February, when the weather seemed to be almost fixed Mrs Hughes put an advertisement for a new housemaid on the wind of the post office and on the Lady. Elsie was exhausted, she hadn't had a good amount of sleep in months, she hadn't taken her half day off for almost a year and she was so tired that more than one night she let her fork or her spoon drop on the floor because she was too tired to put it into her mouth.

"Elsie, you need to find as soon as possible a new housemaid, you are working like two people, in fact you are exhausted, and you have lost a lot of weight, you need to eat properly, not only a forkful or two of food." Said Beryl, putting on Mrs Hughes' table a tray with two cups of hot chocolate and a saucer with a couple of biscuits in it.

"I am not hungry, Beryl, I am too busy…" replied the housekeeper without lifting her eyes from the desk.

Beryl look at the housekeeper, she looked even more tiny then usual and the black circles under her eyes were very deep.

"Elsie, listen to me, I know the feeling of being at the top of the household. Don't let the anxiety take you away, it isn't good at all, you must be relaxed, all will be well, and I hope the new housemaid arrives very quickly."

"I hope it too." Replied the housekeeper, standing up from her desk, but she had stood too quickly, so she felt dizzy.

Seeing the housekeeper putting her hand on her forehead the cook was very worry.
"Elsie, do you feel well?" asked the cook, helping Mrs Hughes to the armchair.

"I am tired and I haven't eaten since lunch." Replied Mrs Hughes with a deep breath.

"Have you had your period in the last two months?"

"I didn't care about it, in the last two months. They were too busy, I didn't have time to sleep, let alone time to think about my own body."

Beryl hugged tightly Elsie, she was tense, nervous, tired and in need of a bit of rest. Beryl placed a kiss on Elsie forehead and told her: "I am sure you are going to get a new housemaid by the end of this week. Go to bed Elsie, it's after 10, I am going to check the kitchen and I am going to bed too."

While Elsie climbed the stairs Beryl was in the kitchen rinsing the cup.

Charles Carson was behind her, he was the butler now: "Mrs Patmore, where is Mrs Hughes?"

"She wasn't too well tonight, I sent her to bed." replied the cook looking at the butler, he cared very much about Mrs Hughes and he was sincerely worried about her wellbeing.

"She is working too much. But I know a possible solution to our problems."

"Which one?"

"A friend of mine has a niece, she is called Anna and she is 16, she is looking for a new job, she has been housemaid for about a year."

"Call the girl, tomorrow." Replied Mrs Patmore.

Elsie was in her bed, she was on her back, her hands on her lower abdomen. She hadn't had a period since November. She was so exhausted that she could barely stay on her feet, she wanted only to cry. In fact that night she cried herself asleep.

Anna was blonde, her eyes blue and bright. She was tall as Mrs Hughes, very tiny and very smart.

Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson interviewed her but Mrs Hughes had known the result after her first glance to the young woman.

"Anna, you can start tomorrow morning. I expect you at 8 o'clock here."

In this way Anna May Smith made her entrance in Elsie Hughes' life and she was going to leave a permanent mark in it.