The Acquisition of Memories

by BorneToFlow

Embarking on their honeymoon, Charles and Elsie begin to process the events of their wedding day and those leading up to it. A series of internal reflections; lengthy, fun & sometimes in-depth conversations; &, interspersed with requisite amounts of playful holiday fun & honeymoon adult times. From Ch19 rating is a tasteful but strong M. Some S5/6 JF canon is blissfully ignored.

10. Chapter 10- From the Actions of Angels

The Acquisition of Memories. Chapter 10- From the Actions of Angels

When they finally reach Kings Cross Station in London, a porter collects their luggage and directs Charles and Elsie Carson to the correct underground platform to take them to the Ritz Hotel. Another porter meets them at Green Park Station and ensures that they, and their luggage, make it safely to the hotel foyer. Charles is sure to tip each porter adequately for their service and then signs the hotel register with great pride and a slight flourish of his wrist Mr and Mrs Charles Carson, Downton Abbey, Yorkshire. Elsie, by his side, smiles demurely, and also with quite a note of pride when she sees his elegant and strong script mark their partnership in public for the first time.

Once they are up in their room, Charles also tips the bellboy and moves to Elsie's side, to tuck her hand once more into the crook of his arm. Elsie, for her part, has stopped stock still on the parquetry of the little foyer entrance to their suite – for it was most assuredly a suite and not just a simple hotel room. Elsie's free hand goes to her chest as she holds her breath. Charles looks into the apartment properly for the first time, and then quickly looks back to Elsie's face- for as much as the room's appointments impress him as being as elegant any of the guest rooms at the Abbey, it is Elsie's response to it that holds him enraptured. Like a little girl on Christmas morning- he thinks with a smile. His Elsie- transformed into a pretty young thing with a richness of presents awaiting her under the tree. Such a change he has never seen in her before. It takes his breath away.

And Charles feels that he knows what this transformation is based upon. He knows that Elsie will often stand silently in some of the rooms of the Abbey once all of the housemaids have finished their tasks. Yes, he knows she is often just being her normal, diligent and professional housekeeping self, as she checks the standards of their cleaning and scrubbing, the accuracy of the setting of the counterpanes and pillows. But Charles also knows that she sometimes just stops in the stillness of a room that is finally empty of the bustle of staff or family to take in all of that grandeur and to breathe in the beauty of it all. He often fancies that she thinks the same things he does of the elegant furniture and appointments of so many rooms in the Abbey: how is it that human minds have designed such a space? How is it that other human hands had understood that vision and somehow converted these dreams of beauty into a solid, carved reality that can be lived in? How is it that human hands have crafted such lovely furniture, and crystal, and painted works of art out of nothing more than wood, and sand, and clay. The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals*, indeed!

Yet, Charles has always felt that there is a small knife twist of sadness to Elsie's observations of the rooms at Downton – that in these moments of delight and quiet awe there also stands the spectre of the knowledge that such grandeur and beauty will never be for her. But he does not sense this now. Thank the Lord. Now there is unadulterated wonderment on her face and she is kindling with a warm glow of happiness. Elsie turns to Charles and her eyes shout gaily to him This is all for Me! Charles feels laughter bubbling up from deep inside him just at seeing the joy upon her face. He laughs heartily out loud as he grasps her in the biggest, strongest bear hug he can manage, lifting her small frame off the floor as she throws her arms around his neck. Then he spins them around on their miniature foyer dance floor and kisses her soundly on the lips.

"I am ever so glad when you are happy Mrs Carson" he rumbles brightly against the softness of her hair as he slows and finally lowers her to the ground. They giggle like small children in a candy shop and then stand together for a moment longer in one another's arms, just looking around at the opulent rooms of the fully serviced suite that will be their first, albeit brief, home together as husband and wife.

CECECECECE

*(Hamlet : Act 2, Scene 2, Line 307)