Prepared

It was bitterly cold for early November, and for the umpteenth time, Charles was pleading with Elsie to change her mind about attending the village's Guy Fawkes Night celebration, or Bonfire Night as it was now commonly known.

"…but I don't want to go. It will be freezing."

Sitting at her vanity, Elsie looked at Charles' reflection, fighting not to laugh at her beloved, his red and white striped pajama clad arms folded and a deep scowl like that of a petulant child on his face.

"We'll bundle up and there will be the bonfires to keep us warm! I'll make plenty of coffee and the potato soup you love. We will be well prepared to deal with the cold."

Elsie, soft skinned and sweet smelling having just applied a cream to her hands arms and elbows, rose from the vanity, making her way behind the pillar of pouting that was Charles. Slipping her arms under his, she ran her hands over his chest, until she reached the middle of his shirt. Nimbly unbuttoning his top three buttons, she slipped one soft hand inside, fingernails gently running through the course salt and pepper curls on his chest. "Don't worry; I'll keep you warm, Charles." Charles mood was no match for her husky whisper and caresses. She smiled as she felt the muscles in his back relax against where her breasts were pressed. Within moments Charles had pinned her to the mattress, his lips nuzzling her ear. "You win." He raised his head to look at her, adding with a smile, "You always do."

November fifth proved to be mightily cold and Charles spent the day in hope that Elsie would see reason and give up her silly desire to attend the celebration. He was greatly disappointed when late in the afternoon he walked into the kitchen to find her filling flasks with coffee and thick leek and potato soup. "They should stay nice and warm in these new flasks." Charles had responded with a deep sigh, leaving the room to change into his long johns and an additional pair of socks.

Elsie began to load her large basket with the flasks, a loaf of bread, and a tin of chocolate biscuits. She quickly added cloth napkins, several spoons, and six ceramic mugs before closing the lid. She knew she was taking far more than they would need, but she wanted to make sure she was prepared. She was just reaching for the basket strap buckle when she remembered the spare bottle of whiskey that sat on the top shelf of the pantry. She debated for a moment, finally settling on taking it. If they didn't drink it, fine; but if Charles was being particularly cranky, she would add a wee nip to his coffee to calm his nerves and warm him up. Bottle retrieved and neatly tucked in the basket, she tightened the buckle, a satisfied and excited smile on her lips.

The cold had obviously kept many of the villagers from attending the festival; the crowd was sparse, mostly gathering around the bonfires or the wagons providing hot mulled wine and other warm drinks.

"I don't think you are going to get the full Bonfire Night experience, Elsie." Charles words were muffled by the scarf he wore wrapped around his neck and face. His eyes were his only discernable body parts between his shoulders and the top of his head. Elsie was equally bundled, a scar wrapped around her head, another around her neck. While he could only see her eyes, he could tell she was smiling as he watched the firelight reflection twinkling in the seas of deep blue.

"They are still doing the firework display. The wind is calm enough. I heard a man say." Elsie had lowered her muffler as she spoke. She began to peer around the crowd, letting out a happy cry as she spotted heavily bundled Richard Clarkson and Isobel Crawley making their way towards them.

"I am delighted to see you are as crackers as we are to get out in this cold!" Isobel Crawley smiled warmly at the ex-butler and housekeeper she had grown quite familiar with over her years in Downton.

"Hello!" Elsie turned to give Charles a triumphant look, "Charles said we wouldn't see a soul we knew here. Thank you for proving him wrong."

Richard gave Charles a warm smile, "Is this your first Bonfire Night in the village, Mr. Carson?"

Charles shook his head, pulling down his muffler to reveal a small smile, "First and hopefully last."

"It isn't usually this cold. I am afraid I talked Mrs. Crawley into turning down an offer to eat one of Mrs. Patmore's delicious dinners in the warmth of the dining room at the Abbey in order to freeze with me while sipping mulled wine and dining on old Mrs. Wetherby's mince pies."

In truth, it had been Isobel who had done the asking. She had spent most of her time in the company of the Dowager Countess since her split with Lord Merton. Their relationship had eased into a fairly pleasant and often entertaining distraction, but a little bit of Violet Crawley went a long way. "I am delighted to be out in the village for the celebration." She leaned over to Elsie, divulging, "And I needed a small respite from the Dowager. As the say, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder', or at least more tolerant."

Elsie let out a small laugh, quite delighted that Isobel felt comfortable enough with her to share a playful dig at the old bat. She had always admired the outspoken doctor's widow, finding her a kind and proactive ally over the years. She knew their social circles would never quite intersect, but she appreciated the fact that the progressively minded woman warmly and openly welcomed her to orbit her upper middle class sphere.

Richard and Charles had teamed up to find a suitable place where the foursome might set out their blankets. They hunted for a spot near enough a fire to receive warmth, but upwind so that smoke wouldn't be an issue. Charles spotted a small hilly area near one of the smaller fires that was fairly free of other villagers. The hill would give them a place to recline and watch the fireworks while allowing them to be near a fire, but still upwind of the smoke. Content that their partners were pleased with location, Isobel and Elsie gamely followed the men across the field.

"We have more than enough soup and coffee, Mrs. Crawley. I would be most pleased if you would share in our dinner." Along with being prepared with extra mugs and utensils, Elsie had also made easily three times the amount of soup, bread and coffee she and Charles would be able to consume.

"That would be delightful, but only if you are sure." Isobel found the prospect of warm soup versus cold mince pies quite appealing.

A pleased Elsie nodded, "I am quite sure."

The women enjoyed the feeling of the fire's heat against their backs as the stood and watched the men lay out the thick wool blankets against the slight slope of the hill. All four managed to get fairly comfortable, although the fire didn't provide as much heat as they had hoped. Mugs of soup were passed around, as well as coffee for Isobel and Richard, while Elsie and Charles drank theirs' from the flask lids. Elsie blushed as both Isobel and Richard complemented her on the rich, creamy soup. The quartet fell into easy, comfortable conversation as they waited for the firework display to begin.

Reaching into the basket to fetch an extra flask of coffee, Elsie's hand brushed over the cold bottle of whiskey which elicited a silly grin as she remembered her last minute addition to the basket. Isobel happened look at her at that exact moment, "You've got an interesting grin on your face, Mrs. Carson."

Elsie bit her bottom lip, embarrassed to be caught out. "It's nothing, I just…" she glanced up at Charles' quizzical face, worried he would be angry with her for bringing the spirit to the celebration. She sheepishly lifted the bottle from the basket, "I forgot I put this in."

She was surprised by the smiles that lit up Isobel and Richard's faces, but Charles positively shocked her by saying, "You mean we have been sitting here freezing all night and we could have had whiskey in our coffee this entire time?"

"I take it you would like me to open the bottle?" Elsie smiled warmly at her husband.

Charles reached out to her, "Why don't you let me do the honors?"

Elsie happily handed the bottle to Charles, moving out of the way so that he had access to the coffee.

Drinks dispersed, Isobel raised her glass, "To King James and good friends!"

Richard, Elsie, and Charles chimed back, "To King James and good friends!"

Good cheer and smiles abounded as the whiskey infused coffees were consumed. Charles refilled the vessels twice more before the fireworks started. The four friends basked in the relaxed glow the whiskey had provided, comfortably reclining to take in the pyrotechnics, "oohing" and "ahhing" as the sky was filled with a series of bright bursts.

A happy Charles wrapped his arm around Elsie, her head resting against his shoulder. "Do you still wish we'd stayed home?" she whispered in his ear as a champagne colored starburst filled the sky above them.

"Of course not. I am having a wonderful time." He pulled her tight against him, kissing her head, "I should have known you would have prepared for any and everything."

Elsie lifted her head to give him a kiss on the cheek, but stopped short as her eyes fell on the twosome the next blanket over. She wouldn't have believed it if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes. Richard and Isobel were holding hands, their smiling faces resting cheek to cheek.

She snuggled back down against Charles smiling to herself, "Well, I hadn't prepared for that..."