The Acquisition of Memories. Chapter 26- Adorned

"Well, I am not quite sure how this will all play out just yet, but if you please, Mrs Carson, I shall be glad to have you tell me of your cunning plan for us over dinner at the Ritz, does that suit your current arrangements for this evening?."

"Well now, I am flattered, of course, but unfortunately there may be a slight clash, for I was rather under the impression that I had already invited a certain crabby old butler, one Carson, of Downton Abbey, Yorkshire, out to dinner at the Ritz this evening. But, I do hope that he may be amenable to you joining us, my dear Mr Carson, provided of course that you can behave yourself at table tonight!" And Elsie raises a bemused but wicked eyebrow at him in askance.

Without warning, Charles pulls Elsie impulsively into a spin on the dance space, making her gasp with pleasant surprise.

"You said maybe we should have a turn about the floor before we go, Mrs Carson." Charles smiles his cheekiest, happiest smile at her as he spins her fluidly around, held tightly in his loving arms. He looks intensely into her eyes and asks her quietly, "How is it you always know what I need to hear, a chagair? How do you always manage to pull me out of my worst self and make me feel like I can do no wrong with you?"

"Oh, my love," she says seriously, returning his steady gaze, "a chagair, I was merely reflecting what we both want back onto you. You are the one who compared us to Anteros, after all,... you lovely, big and romantic old duffer!" and she cannot keep the broad smile from her face when she is in his arms this way.

And Charles hums contentedly as she holds him even tighter at his shoulder and fervently squeezes her other hand to his from within his great and gentle grip.

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*Adorn: to add to the beauty or glory of something or somebody.

Elsie and Charles maintain a contented silence in the motor-taxi ride back to the Ritz Hotel, sitting close to one another, Elsie arm tucked in its now completely customary place at Charles elbow, watching the sights of the city roll past as they turn up the Whitehall and onto Regent Street before continuing back down Piccadilly to Green Park. It has been a lovely day of easy togetherness and strengthening understanding of one another. They arrive back at The Ritz with about an hour to prepare for their dinner booking.

Elsie and Charles share a brief and tender kiss once in the privacy of their suite again in mutual thanks for such a lovely day out together. They then separate to their dressing rooms to freshen up and change for the evening. Elsie now has at least one more occasion in her life to wear her very fine wedding dress, and once more utilises the services of the room-maid to set her hair and help with dressing.

Once Charles has readied himself in his evening white tie and tails, he knocks tentatively at Elsie's dressing room door. Elsie was just dismissing Diana so she welcomes him in. It strikes her that the situation is much like the regular routines of His Lordship and Her Ladyship's evenings at the Abbey. It is still strange to her that she and Charles should see and experience the other side of this life for the first time- or at all really! Hands clasped behind his back, Charles walks up behind Elsie's dressing chair, and catches her eyes in the mirror. She thinks he looks a little nervous, but there is also a tease of recognition between them, for the lovemaking they enjoyed in this very room last night, and they smile at one another with quite some happy pride.

"Ah-humm…Elsie, I…I have something for you for tonight... " Charles starts quietly, "I hope you do not mind… "

"What is it, Charles?" she looks up at him- a little perplexed.

He takes his hands from behind his back then and reaches around from the back of her chair to hand her a slim, flat, royal blue velvet case. Their fingers brush lightly together in the exchange.

"Oh Charles," she breathes out, "what have you gone and done?" No man has ever given her a gift of jewellery before.

He looks down nervously and the fingers of one of his hands near his thigh flutters a little as he tries to contain his feelings somehow, or at least tries to focus on something so as to control his voice for what he has to say next.

"I don't know if you remember the exact day it happens to be today Elsie. It is a special day for you... and for me too, really. Did you know?"

"Well, if you mean it is the first full day of our married life together, then I would agree, it is a very special day for us." And she looks up into his reflected eyes with bright and happy love shining in hers. Elsie's fingers stroke lightly at the plush softness of the gift box, but she does not open it yet.

"Well…yes , that is true… and that is certainly part of it, Elsie. But …."he trails off.

"What is all this for, a chagair?" she asks quietly. Elsie can feel her heart quivering inside her chest with tenderness for him and with anticipation- almost a strange fear.

"Well,…you see, I was looking back through one of my old Butler's diaries, after we had set the date for our wedding, because it had struck me that we have worked together for so very long... and I wanted to know exactly when we had actually started working side by side – as Butler and Housekeeper- because I knew for you, it is thirty years this year as housekeeper… and I thought it was worth commemorating that anniversary- for when you officially took over the role. Do you recall it yourself?"

"Well, I cannot say I have even given the fact that it is thirty years any thought, Charles, much less the actual date I took over… My, my…ha!.. Thirty Years! Time does fly, does it not?" And she holds his eyes intensely within the glass.

"Yes…it certainly does," Charles replies quietly. "But it was actually only eleven months from when you arrived at Downton as Head Housemaid… on that rainy day in Autumn of '95... and today is the exact day, my love. May the 30th, 1896… that is when it all began, our time together at the helm – so to speak…and… I did initially think to give this to you before the wedding because the days are so uncannily close together… but… even though we weren't going to be anywhere so fine as this day has turned out to be- just somewhere simple in Scarborough…I… I wanted to mark the exact day for you…and I wanted it to be just for us, Elsie…and no one else…" he says as he looks down at his own hands, a little red faced and embarrassed for his sentimentality. Then very quietly, as he looks back to the mirror, he tentatively requests,"Please open it, Mrs Hughes," he whispers. And he looks nervously and longingly into her eyes.

Elsie's hands are shaking slightly as she lifts the lid.

"Oh…" she stops breathing for many seconds. "Oh, Charles… "

"Well…do you like it?" he asks nervously, his face looking concerned- much as it did when he asked her to marry him, for he has never given any lady a piece of jewellery before.

"A chagair…" her eyes are glistening- she is overwhelmed, "it is beautiful... it is… I…I have never owned anything like it…but…but, this must have cost you a small fortune, Charles…" then she finally drags her eyes from the beautiful necklace in the box to look up into his eyes. "How?…How could you possibly manage this?"

He does not answer to that.

"Pearls are for thirty years for a wedding anniversary, Elsie, so I thought it was a fair choice for this occasion too. May I?" and he gestures to help her put on the short double strand choker of cultured pearls with an embellished clasp made in a bold design from clear Bohemian crystals set around a small rectangular, light sapphire blue crystal in the centre that is to sit to one side of the hollow of her neck. It is decidedly modern with its Art Deco geometric shaping at the clasp, not overly large, but understated and elegant. Elsie just nods for Charles to proceed, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"There." He says as he finishes adjusting the clasp to the front of her neck and looks up into the glass at her glistening eyes "What do you think?"

Her throat thick with emotion, Elsie can barely speak. "I… I never expected ... Charles…and…and I just never expected anything from you- not for me just doing my job as housekeeper…Why, Charles? We do not earn this sort of money. Why have you given me something so very fine?" and now a teardrop does slide down her cheek.

"Because you deserve it, Elsie" he replies simply and moves quickly to the front of her chair, reaching for her hands to draw her up to him, then uses his fresh white handkerchief to dab at her damp cheek. Then he looks deep into her eyes.

"And because you have been my partner for thirty years already, Elsie- by my side… and it is because we won't make it to thirty years as partners in our marriage- not now – not at our ages- more is the pity. But, I wanted you to know that I would have wanted that so very much indeed- and much more besides- if only we could have… and… mainly it is because I have never seen you ever wear a necklace… and…" he looks down like a nervous school boy, "…and…I just wanted to be the man to give you one….Please tell me you approve…Elsie…" he requests, a note of trepidation in his low humming baritone, as he looks up to see her shimmering blue eyes again.

Her voice is shaky with barely held emotion that thickens in her full accent. "Well…I don't know what to say, Charles…you…you seem to have come on this honeymoon armed with a full quiver of feathers with which to repeatedly knock me down."

"Now then, Mrs Hughes!' he says more brightly, "that actually sounds very much like you know what to say!" Charles replies with laughter in his eyes. And she laughs out loud then.

"I just can't believe it Charles! It is so very beautiful…it is the finest thing anyone has ever given me- and I have been given so very many very fine things these last few days...But Charles, you must absolutely assure me you have not dug into your retirement savings too much to do this- or I will not have it- you mark me on that," and says very sternly and eyes him closely with a serious glare.

"Oh Elsie, what have I had to spend my money on all these years I have been kept at the Abbey?! Hmm? I live as simply as you do- you have never even known me to even go to a fair! I have no family to spend my money on, I barely own any books, and, yes, I have bought the makings of a small cellar's worth of our favourite wines slowly over time, but nothing excessive… and although we have never spoken of our exact financial positions, I could have easily bought Brouncker Road entirely from my own account and still asked you to marry me in the end…but I knew that you would not want that… and I wanted us to stay as equal partners in that business anyway, just as we have always been at the Abbey. And I can also assure you, Mrs Carson, that the price of pearls has dropped quite markedly in recent years, so I am not going to be mortgaging my headstone in order to pay for it once I am gone…"

Then he continues more quietly, "It is yours entirely, Elsie- I do want you so very much to have it… I…I like to see you in the midst of fine things- for that is how I have always known you at the Abbey- and I just wanted you to finally own a piece of it…and…well...it does suit you ever so much, pretty Elspeth…And I love that today you do get to actually wear it with your wedding gown, too," he finishes looking with desperate anticipation at her for a response.

"But Charles, when on earth would I ever wear it again?"

Somewhat exasperated now, "You can wear it forever after under your shabbiest housecoat if that is what pleases you, Elsie! I don't care! It is yours to do with as you wish… although… I would hope we can find some occasions in our short lives for you to wear it out of an evening again. …Now will you please keep it?..."

"Oh, I am sorry, Charles, I did not mean to sound so very ungrateful. You just overwhelm me so. Of course I will keep it!" And she stands on her tip toes and reaches up to kiss him repeatedly across his soft and cleanly shaven chin and cheeks from in between her words of endearment. "You… lovely … sweet… dear…man…a chagair…" and she finishes by pressing a heavy and loving kiss to his now beaming, smiling mouth. Charles falls helplessly into her kiss and moans greedily as it quickly turns passionate. They finally have to break away to draw breath and they stare dark and wide-eyed at one another.

"Oh Elsie," Charles groans out deep and low. "As much as it pains me, if we do not go down to dinner now, I am afraid we will end up skipping yet another meal today." And he kisses her quickly once more on the lips, but draws himself pointedly away from her, lest he falls utterly under the power of her elegant charms again.

"That actually sounds verry enticing, Mr Carson, but you are right, we should go…" and she sighs with a beguiling note of disappointment in her rolling honeyed brogue.

Elsie takes the handkerchief from Charles and uses it to remove her rouge from his lips and cheeks. Then she re-applies some more to freshen her own lips before pulling on her gloves and retrieving her purse from the dresser. She precedes Charles out to their valet stand for him to help her with her plush coat. As he does so in front of the foyer mirror, he cannot help himself- he needs to touch it. He watches the slow reflection of his two fingertips running over the smooth bumps of the tracks of her pearl necklace. His tongue runs lightly over his own bottom lip at the sensation.

Elsie looks into his darkened eyes. "It is a very modern choice, Mr Carson, but you do have impeccable taste in jewels," she says huskily.

He continues to caress and lightly press the perfectly rounded pearl buds into her supple neck. His low and gravelled voice intones to her, "I chose it because it reminded me of us…two uniform strands sitting long together- thirty years, side by side…" his fingers move down to trace the clear and blue crystal clasp, "and a lifetime's worth of polished crystalware for me, and everything is held together by the light of your crystal clear blue eyes on a bright midsummer's day." His eyes close as he leans in to smell her fresh hair at the side of her head as his other arm encircles her at her waist and draws her back closer to him. "Elspeth" he draws her name out in a whisper near her ear as he feels a shiver run down her spine as it rests against his starched shirtfront. "My love…"

Elsie is speechless once more. Her mouth has dropped open a little with wonder and with want for her beautiful poet lover.

"Charrles," she finally whispers back, her voice catching in her throat a little, "nothing in this world is as beautiful to me as the love I see in you, a chagair…" and she cranes her neck backwards a little to capture his lips in a gentle but sensuous kiss.

"Take me to dinner, Charles…Dance with me again."

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A/N:

Pearls in the 1920s- I think I have played with the truth a bit on the gift of the necklace for Elsie. wiki/Pearl#Cultured_pearls

BTW-isn't it so very convenient how fiction works and you can throw in these little serendipitous events like the date of Elsie's 30th anniversary of being a housekeeper being only one day after their wedding day! Corny, ain't I! I never actually thought of this scenario when I set out on this fiction journey – 1926 was only chosen so Charles and Elsie could go along to Lady Be Good! This '30 years' idea, quite honestly, only just occurred to me!

Anyway, a 30 years anniversary required pearls- so I went a-looking – because I needed to work out if this was actually a feasible gift for Charles to buy on his income at that time. Historical realism matters to me, as you know- but I am also willing to bend the truth when required if it means I can up the romance level- because fiction allows you that freedom – best of both worlds really!

Anyhoo!

Long strings of imitation and costume style pearls became common in the 1920s flapper era (popularised by Coco Chanel- were jewellery was chosen for design and accessorising reasons, rather than so much as status symbols of old wealth- the wearable bank account, so to speak), so these necklaces were actually within the reach of many women owning them, especially the resin/ Bakelite type ones (but probably not the servant class). That said, the advent of cultured pearls also dropped the perceived value of pearls as jewels of rarity and high status. To this day, the rarer, naturally occurring pearls still can cost a fortune, but the patent for cultured and farmed pearls in Japan changed the market completely and lowered prices markedly. There is conflicting information out there about when these farmed pearls may have hit the market. Some sources I have read state it as if cultured, or farmed, pearls were readily available from the early 1920s, when prices started dropping dramatically. But, another source says that the earliest commercial production and sale of cultured pearls was not until after 1928. Not sure where the truth lies really- but I needed this gift to be affordable for Charles, so I have gone with the former version of events.

Even so, as best as I could discover in a 1920s jewellery catalogue, a strand of long (I am assuming cultured pearls) would cost about ten pounds and up to around 50 pounds for a triple strand of long pearls. I have discovered that a butler at the turn of the 20th century would probably earn about 60 pounds a year and a housekeeper of a big house about 50 pounds a year (but we could easily think that the Grantham's were even more generous with salaries for their heads of staff). I have guesstimated that the Bohemia crystal in my little necklace design could actually have been worth a lot more than the cultured pearls! Bohemia crystal was also very popular for use in Art Deco fashion jewellery. In fact, some Czech glass makers had perfected the shaping and polishing of cheaper mother of pearl to make faux pearls. However, for this story, I am thinking of the pearls Charles has chosen as the Japanese style farmed ones. Overall, I have decided that given the higher quality of the necklace Charles gives Elsie, that it is worth around 60-80 pounds in that era. So even if Charles managed to save a third of his yearly income each year, this gift would still equate to 3-5 years of hard labour in order for him to be able to afford it. I think Charles would have done that, though, for if they are fairly well set up for retirement (well, I am conveniently assuming that they are- Mrs Patmore had 300 pounds from her sister to put into her investment property, so Charles and Elsie could have saved around 150-200 pounds each over all those years quite reasonably so as to go into partnership in a guest house a little larger than Beryl's). Anyway, Chelsie have no one to hand their savings onto when they finally shuffle off this mortal coil- so why shouldn't Charles splurge some money on one necklace for Elsie… and just…'live a little', really ?- That was my thinking anyway.

Addtional note: At a guess, I have reckoned that Elsie's French Blue pleated skirt and blouse ensemble from their gallery outing would have cost her 4-5 pounds, if you are interested.

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