The Acquisition of Memories- Chapter 17: When the Muse Takes You.
A/N: Just a quick dialogue drabble chapter that I thought of- for who doesn't talk about the show they have just seen on the way home from the theatre?
Don't worry, the hotel and the 'moonlight and music and love and romance' aren't going anywhere! (Sorry- still in Astaire-ville- I cannot help myself! (The italics just then are lines from a song in the film Follow the Fleet (1936)- Let's Face the Music and Dance, by Irving Berlin. Sorry no links- just go and watch the whole film!) ;P
I will up the rating to M for Chapter 18, just to be on the safe side. For Chapter 19, the volume will most likely 'go all the way up to eleven', to quote Nigel from Spinal Tap :) - so set the filters accordingly after this one if you can't find them.
Thanks for the reviews, something glitchy is happening with FF and so many have not posted it seems, but I do get them all.
Regards,
BorneToFlow
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As the Hansom cab tries to make its way clear of the masses of people still milling around Leicester Square after the various theatres in the precinct have emptied, Elsie considers Charles closely in light of his reactions to the evening's entertainments. He has surprised her. She did not think that he would show such enjoyment at being back at the theatre, given the palpable air of embarrassment he has had about this aspect of his past.
"Charles," she starts tentatively, " I have to admit to being a little surprised when you told Mr Astaire how much you liked the show. I rather thought you would hate to be back in a theatre again. You weren't just being polite were you?"
"On the contrary, I did mean what I said about the work being stylish, even if the music and fashions have changed so much. But, I guess it is the preserve of the young to go out there and change the world, isn't it?" He asks rhetorically.
She looks at him in askance.
Seeing that Elsie wants more of him Charles continues, "But I actually did find the show quite charming and amusing. It did my heart good to see so many bright young things doing their best to lighten the world up a little." He turns serious all of a sudden and lets out a long sigh. "It just sometimes feels like it has taken the world so long to crawl out from under all of that grief and gloom from the war. And being on the memorial committee has brought it all back for me- more than I anticipated. They were such very dark times."
"Aye, that they were," Elsie quietly replies, a sliver of sadness crossing her eyes. But she does not want Charles to stop, for it may not be a topic she can turn him to so easily in the future. And really, it feels normal, Elsie thinks, to speak this way together at the end of a day- just as we have on so many nights back at the Abbey. It is a precious time for both of them, Elsie knows. It is a time when truths are revealed in safety and goodwill.
"I don't know," Charles haltingly proceeds, "...and then Mr Astaire reminded me so much of our William,- so precise and dedicated, and polite too… and... I realised, once again, all that can never be for our young lad, and for so many young lads, really… no place for them to carve out their lives, to work hard and create something good in this world... But then, tonight, there it was -all this life, -all on show again- and then the silliness, and the beautiful dancing, and the crowd were all having such fun… and… I guess it all made me realise what an important job it is... in the end- to try to make people happy…- And maybe that is what can stop all of that darkness happening again… I suppose… I hope... Hmmm… I guess it all made me think, too- that... that maybe that is what sent me to the stage in the first place: to make people happy. And so maybe I shouldn't be so embarrassed about it all anymore... I don't know. It was all so long ago… But I do think that maybe that is also what I have really been doing all this time in service, Elsie, - trying to make people happy. Don't you think?"
Elsie smiled in new adoration of her complex and beautiful man. She had expected some anger or resentment from Charles about having to go to the theatre, but not all of these sophisticated insights, and easy openness to the fun of it all. Wanting to lighten his mood again after his somewhat unexpected and melancholic musings, she states surely, "And I would say, Mr Carson, that you have been a resounding 'hit' on that front, as Mr Astaire might put it. And, if this honeymoon surprise gift from the Grantham's is any indication, you have many admirers who think the same."
"Oh, I do think that it was the Downton Double Act that swung this little adventure our way, Mrs Hughes!" He smiles mischievously at her, one bushy eyebrow raised high.
Elsie chuckles and smiles broadly back at him. Well, he has made me happy once again, that much is certain!
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