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.

34. Chapter 34- The Ties That Bind

The Acquisition of Memories. Chapter 34- The Ties That Bind

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Then Elsie remembers what her little proposed outing was meant to be all about.

"Oh! Just a moment, Charles, I should like to carry my little nosegay with me today. And she dashes back to their luncheon table to retrieve the lovely boxed arrangement.

"Won't'you take it from the box then, Elsie?"

"Oh no. I want to keep it fresh for as long as I can."

"But where are we off to Elsie?" he asks as he escorts her through their door and towards the elevator.

"MacCulloch and Wallis" her brogue rolls over the name.

"Oh dear, why am I suddenly afraid you are about to drag me to a solicitor's office!"

"Ha, not likely! What do you think I am going to do? Ask for an annulment after our first disagreement!" She laughs as they step into the lift. "Or maybe I am dragging you along so I can force your hand into signing over all your worldly goods to me in a will so that I can promptly bump you off and live the high life- like a black widow in Wallace novel, hmm?!" she continues ribbing him. And as they see the semi-shocked but bemused look on the lift attendant's face, they both start giggling like silly children together again.

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"So what is this MacCulloch and Wallis place then, Elsie?" he asks as they exit the Ritz onto Piccadilly.

"It is a very good haberdasher that I know Miss Baxter buys supplies from for her Ladyship whenever she is down in London. She even has things sent up to Downton sometimes because their range is so good. Some things they stock just cannot be found back home, not even in York – especially for the finest threads. So, you, Mr Carson, are escorting to me to the shops this very fine summer's day."

"And where may I ask, has this desperate need for a haberdashery come from? Not that I mind escorting you to the shops of course, Mrs Carson, if that is what you desire."

"Thank you. Well, you see Charles, during lunch, sitting looking at this lovely nosegay you had arranged for me- it has inspired me to get a start on that counterpane for our bed in our new cottage and I should like to match the thread colours to these exact blooms while they are still fresh. And maybe when we get back later, I will sketch this exact arrangement for the design, and I think I will try to incorporate the same colours of your mother's silk handkerchief to, so that it looks like one is wrapped around the posy stems." Elsie is speaking quite animatedly now, "And Charles, I have an idea for the border, if we can stretch the budget to pay for it, I should like to buy some gold and silver thread for the interlocking of our six-pence and my gold ring that I would like to stitch for the border, well even if I can just manage that for the ones in each corner, although I would prefer them all the way around. Hmm… maybe if I sew with more economical thread and just highlight them each with a little gold and silver thread. Or…, maybe if not that, then more honeysuckle designed along the edges, for that would interlock each side with the bonds of our love, like you said…." Charles is struggling to keep up with the speed at which Elsie is rabbling out her plans. And he stops still in the middle of the pavement on Piccadilly and Elsie is pulled to a halt when is arm is no longer keeping apace with her. "Charles? What is it."

"Well, for a start…I don't want you to make this some sort of exercise in penance because of a simple misunderstanding that we have already resolved this morning Elsie. I don't want you always feeling bad about the way you felt and the things we may have said in the heat of the moment."

Elsie has been looking up at him quizzically this whole time as the crowds have bustled out around them. After a few more grumbles from passers-by, Elsie motions on his arm that they should move out of the main walkway and sequester themselves closer to the shop fronts to speak perhaps a little more privately.

"Come Charles, over here. Now, for a start, I can assure you that this will not become some sort of penance where I sit shedding more tears over things past. When have you ever known me to dwell excessively on things I cannot change, hmm?

"Well ... I do suppose that is true. I said it is merely because of how you mentioned being shocked by your own feelings today. I just don't want you to suffer through doing this, because of the bad memories surrounding all these things."

"Well the way I see it Charles, it's a bit like that photo frame I gave you for your picture of Alice- you chose to see it, and rightly so I might add, as a way to remember the sweet things about her. Whatever happened to that frame, by the way?" she asks suddenly as an aside, for she has just realised that she hasn't remembered seeing it in his office for quite a while now. Where did you put the photo of Alice?

"Hmm? Oh," he looks a bit bashfully at her. "Umm, that photograph is safely boxed away…"

"Whatever for?"

"Well,…you see, …when I was working my way towards thinking how I should propose marriage to you, trying to find the courage- back when we were starting to look at properties together, … I umm, sequestered a small staff photograph and had a section of it enlarged in Ripon. - of us standing side by side, and I have kept it in that silver frame you gave me because, well it seemed much more important that I should never forget the woman I do love now, and to have a constant reminder to myself of what I ultimately had to do so that I could always stay by your side …and… and so I have kept it on my bedside table." Charles' heart is pounding quite fast for some reason, suddenly embarrassed just in telling her of it.

"But Charles! That must be at least two years ago now!" She drops her voice to a level of secrecy "Do you mean to tell me, Mr Carson, that you have kept a picture of me in your..." she pauses dramatically "in your boudoir all this time?" she ribs him mercilessly with a mock-scandalised voice, but with an ever so lovely glint of bashfulness in her own eyes. What a sweet and romantic man he is!

Charles looks down at his feet and shrugs his shoulders and nods his head a little, feeling a bit of a fool about it all now, especially given it seemed to do nothing to speed along his proposal, in fact … it may have even slowed him down at times, as the spectre of her possible refusal terrified him into floundering inaction on far, far too many occasions. But as he finally looks into her eyes- he sees that most delightful light-filled smile of hers that he absolutely lives for, and he cannot help but grin like an utter fool.

"I guess we really did make it in the end, though, didn't we Elsie?"

Elsie reaches up and cups his face with her smooth gloved hand. "That we did, didn't we, Charles," and she reaches up to give him a little peck on the lips. "And despite it seeming a little risqué, I am ever so touched that you thought to keep me close to you in that way, Charles, really." He looks down bashfully again. "And if I had known it … you old romantic duffer," as she taps her finger into the cleft of his chin, "I would have given you a lock of my hair in a heartbeat to put with it."

Charles looks up again to see if there is another ribbing twinkle in her eyes at this last statement. But he actually finds her looking quite seriously at him.

"W- wouldn't that have been a bit old-fashioned for the likes of you, Mrs Hughes?"

"Would you have wanted it, Charles?"

He is shuffling somewhat nervously now from foot to foot as he looks down at them again.

"You will just think me silly and sentimental Elsie, but I would have loved to have courted you properly. I know it sounds terribly old fashioned, but I would have. Part of me wishes I still could. I would have been so honoured to have been given a lock of your hair, Elsie. But I think I would have put it in my pocket watch perhaps, to carry with me every day." Elsie's heart swells at the thought of it of this one man's devotion to her.

"You old booby," she says, feeling a little choked up herself, "then that is what you shall have." She smiles up at him with glistening eyes. "I did grow up in the same century as you Charles. I think it is a lovely idea, just like this nosegay you have given me, and if I had my chatelaine on me I would give a lock of my hair to you right now in the street- no matter how risqué that may once have been seen in our youth. But," she finishes brightly, "it is not too far to the haberdashers, they are on Dering Lane, off Bond- and I shall cut some for you when we get there." and she tugs a little at his arm to get them moving again.

Charles' eyes are glistening so happily. And his voice is a bit choked with emotion too, even as Elsie is still bubbling about in front of him slightly as they walk on. "Thank you, Elsie, and…well. I know it is a bit late for all this… But would you let me court you a little? In reverse as it were. I have never really courted anyone properly, not even Alice, for nothing is really done the right way backstage in the Halls it seems."

She looks up at his still nervous face and thinks he must be the dearest man on earth, and she is rather thrilled by the whole idea, for he has proven quite adept at surprising her with so many lovely gifts so far. Still, she cannot help but take just a little dig at her very own romantic old duffer.

"Well, all right. But what exactly would that involve, Charles? For I am afraid you have missed the boat on some things by a country mile, for it is not as you could go asking my father for his permission to court me!"

"Nautical mile."

"What's that?"

"Nautical mile, - if I have missed the boat, Elsie, not a country mile."

"Pedant," she states with a smile as she leans into him and surreptitiously jabs her elbow lightly into his side as they walk. "Well, anyway, Charles, we have already flirted at the theatre, I have received jewels from you, and a silk kerchief, we have been out dancing, and even previously avoided too much physical contact with a man I am not yet engaged to be married to. You have written me a love letter… although I will most gladly accept more of those if that is what you would like to do. … You have covered quite a bit already, Charles. I don't know what else is left to do in terms of courting. And my! you have already given me a nosegay with what is probably the world's most risqué message inherent in it as a token of your affections!" And she giggles and blushes quite red at this thought occurring to her out in public. Elsie wonders how on earth she will keep a straight face when she is dealing with the haberdashers! "Oh well, at least I have been presented before royalty first, as a belated debutante I guess!" Elsie is fairly giggling about it all now, and Charles is over the moon to see that brightest of smiles on Elsie's face again.

"Well, then does that not also mean we are about to sport the world's most risqué counterpane in our bedroom," he asks quietly near her ear.

Elsie feels his words like a shiver down her spine, and cannot help but look at him with somewhat lustful eyes as she grips onto her bottom lip quite impishly at the thought of it all- trying, and failing to stifle her broad and knowing smile.

Different again! thinks Charles as his focus is inexorably drawn to this little delight and he licks along his bottom lip in anticipation for the rest of their evening together.

"I know" she says brightly as she blushes, "Isn't that a wonderful thought, especially with all of our sweet memories of our time in London attached to it! That is why I want to make this design, Charles."

"Mrs Carson!" Charles is somewhat aghast… although he is probably blushed more with pride than shame right now, "As lovely as I am sure the design and your handiwork will be… are you sure that is what you want? What if people see it!?" he whispers out, scandalised at the thought of it all.

"And prey, who exactly is going to see it, Mr Carson?" she asks in a ridiculously haughty little voice. "Certainly no one visiting our cottage, for who goes to other's bedrooms when they are visiting? -vUnless someone is ill of course- and we would likely not have it on there then, anyway. And it most surely won't all be finished whilst we are still in rooms at the Abbey- not with the busy work we will have with the handover to Baxter and Barrow- so no housemaids will see be seeing it. And besides which, I would wager many today's young ones aren't going to recognise all the meanings of those flowers, anyway. No, Charles, people will just think it a simple flower design." Elsie squeezes his hand to reassure him this is what she wants, "And Charles, it is our memories alone that … truly bring any …other connotations alive. So, it shall keep all of our secrets for us and it will be ours alone, I promise."

"Well… if you are sure that is what you want, Elsie."

"I am sure it is what I want, Charles. I want all that your mix of flowers means to us on our counterpane, Love. It will keep these blooms alive for us, don't you see? And besides, more than anything else, it will remind me, at least, that even when things seemed to be at their worst, you were still thinking of me in this way, and even managed to stay clear enough of mind to arrange for this to be made for me at all. And so, I will remember what a very fine gentleman I have married, and just how lucky and loved I truly am." and she smiles the happiest smile up at him. "And that is also why I want to border it with motifs of my ring and our penny- I want that to surround us both when we sleep…. to remind us that we are always side-by-side, like in your photo of us, and we are always on each other's side too. I could not think of a better design for our counterpane even if I tried, Charles." And she smiles with such brightness in her eyes again that he feels transported by that same hope he felt on their day at Brighton.

"Well," he smiles back at her, "I am certain that it will look lovely, darling Elsie."

"Thank you, a chagair. Now then," she says brightly, "here we are."

oOOo

Charles mills about the shop as Elsie happily bustles about with an assistant, selecting threads and matching them to the tones of the blooms and discussing quantities needed. Charles is drawn to the various scrolls of ribbons and thinks of Elsie's hair and how he likes to brush it out and tie it into a braid for her. He carefully peruses the various shades of blues until he sees just what he is after. As Elsie has her back turned, he quietly pays for a thin length of the ribbon, the same colour blue that he sees in her eyes in the summertime- shiny and satiny and filled with joy, just as they were at the beach that day, and as they have been for so much of their honeymoon so far. He feels tickled with the happiness he always finds in Elsie's eyes and in his heart for her. Life is good.

As he is having a short piece of the full length of ribbon cut away, Elsie catches his eye from across the shop and realises what he has done. Her assistant is busy packaging all of her purchases to be forwarded to Downton, so she quietly takes a small pair of embroidery scissors from the counter, and looks to him in a delightfully unusual and coquettish manner. Elsie carefully unpins a section of her hair and unfurls the smallest ringlet around her finger and looks down to quielty snip a short length of it free- right there in front of him. Charles' heart is pounding and his eyes have widened. To him, it is the most seductive thing anyone has ever done for him in public. Elsie's eyes flutter up onto his again and she gives him the tiniest, most knowing and flirtatious little smile as she strokes the short lock of hair lightly across her lips. Charles thinks that he might faint, it is so very exciting- to court and be courted by his Elsie–love. He has actually gripped onto the edge of the counter to steady himself. She is so very pretty and blushed, and the knowledge that he already has his lady's favour makes him feel like his heart will burst. Their little flirtation has gone unnoticed by anyone else, for the shop assistants are occupied by new customers and other tasks, so any silliness two old Boobies might normally feel for acting in such a blatantly youthful, flirtatious and old-fashioned manner cannot intrude upon their shared moment. Charles'knuckless have whitened at the bench top and he licks across his suddenly dry bottom lip. Before he knows it, Elsie has crossed the room to him and he feels her steadying hand clasps his arm again.

"Are you ready to walk out with me then, Mr Carson," she intones low to him. Charles jaw is still slightly agape, but he somehow manages to command the power of speech once more for her.

"It would be my honour, Miss Hughes," and his allusion to her former maidenhood is not lost on Elsie. She feels young and giddy all over again, for all of these little plays and pleasures she can share with her man, who is so sweet and dear and innocent in his affections for her. She is truly flattered by all of his attentions.

Outside, they stroll along until they reach a small alcove between some shops and can draw themselves a little out of the path of other pedestrians. It is not the most romantic of locales, but they build their own little private space in public once more as Elsie faces him and draws his open hand before her. She places her lock of hair carefully in his palm and Charles holds his breath as she forms a small loop with it and secures the short length of thin ribbon he chose around it, tying it up in a delicate little bow. Her fingertips feather his palm and he is enthralled by their nimble dexterity and the thoughts they conjure up of all the sensual pleasures they have already shared and the promise of more that they hold for him. Then Elsie slowly draws on the chain of his pocket watch to release it from its hiding place in his waistcoat- placing it into his open palm next to her single lock of hair. Elsie has never clipped it open before, or really even looked at it up close, now that she thinks on it. It is old and has history, but it has been impeccably kept- shiny and bright, just like her man. Her fingertips lightly brush his palm again. Time has stopped entirely for Charles, as she carefully places her lock of hair in the cover of his watch and strokes it lightly into place. As she quietly clicks the cover closed to keep it safe for him, the sound seems to restart his heart and he hears himself draw in a large deep draft of air to replace the breath she has just taken away from him. He is floating on air. And smiles the most adoring smile upon her pretty, innocent and pink blushed face as she places his watch safely back in his waistcoat pocket – right next to their little sixpence.

They do not speak, but their eyes tell their whole story to each other. Charles simply offers her his arm once more and briskly tugs his waistcoat down in that little manner that he has as he draws himself up to his full and imposing height. Chin held high and smiling out at all the world, he walks proudly, heart shining brightly and tickled to his absolute core, that this fine and graceful lady has agreed to be his wife.

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MacCulloch and Wallis- Haberdashery still in existence but recently moved to Poland Street (2015/6). In 1926, they were on Dering Lane, not far from the Ritz, which is why I chose it,- an easy walk for our heroes. But Elsie could also have gone to Debenham's , Marks and Spenser or Selfridges department stores on Oxford Street around the corner for Haberdashery items if she needed to. I just thought MacCulloch and Wallis sounded far more twee! .uk/

Google maps!- Love it! Dering St is about a 250m walk up Piccadilly to Bond St then 800 m walk up before turning turn right on to Dering Lane which loops around too Oxford St. There is still a pick up of the shop front of MacCulloch and Wallis in 2015 on Google maps in street view. I think they were number 8 from memory. They moved to larger premises over Regent St in 2016 (on Poland St)

I hope you liked the fluff.

BTW- if you have any requests for things you think Charles and Elsie should face up to in this fiction- now is the time to bring it to my attention, and I will see what I can do. I only have a couple of other big ideas and canon points left in my mind that I want them to discuss.

Feedback is always greatly appreciated.

Regards,

BorneToFlow. : )