Summer
The question caught her completely off-guard.
They had been cuddling on the settee, happily discussing possible destinations for a summer holiday when Charles suddenly turned to Elsie, "Why did you offer me your hand that day in Brighton?"
Elsie looked up from the small map on which she had been tracing her finger along the southern coastline, "What?"
Charles straightened his posture, the trace of a smile on his lips, "That day at the seaside, after Lady Rose's Season, why did you offer me your hand before we tread into the surf?"
"What has brought this on?" Elsie blushed slightly, feeling slightly off kilter from the abrupt, and she felt, leading question.
"It is just something I have wondered about."
She inhaled and opened her mouth to answer, but bit her bottom lip instead.
"Go on." Charles leaned towards her, his hands neatly folded in his lap.
Flustered, she turned her head away from him, "I just…well… you seemed unsure of yourself and I thought you would feel more secure…"
Charles leaned his head even closer to her, "Steady. I believe steady was the word used that day."
"Very well," she nodded, "I thought you would feel steady if I held your hand."
"And that is the only reason?"
She crossed her arms as she leaned back against the settee, "What are you fishing for, Charles Carson?"
"I'm not fishing for anything. As I said, it is just something I have wondered about."
Elsie looked at him for a moment before pushing herself up off the seat and taking a few steps towards the fireplace. "Do you remember the night of the ball when I found you in the pantry sleeping in your chair? You had a cup of tea in your hand?"
Charles nodded, "I do."
She crossed behind the armchair, resting her hands on its back, "I looked at you sitting in that chair and realized you and I were getting on. I believe I said that to you on the beach."
"You said we were getting on and could afford to live a little."
Elsie raised her eyebrows, "You have a good memory."
His voice was steady, but soft as he replied, "You don't forget the words that change your life."
She slipped around to the other side of the chair and took a seat, his words causing her to feel flushed and light headed.
"You were telling me about when you found me in the chair."
Elsie fought to gather her wits, "Well, as I said, I realized we weren't as young as we once were and I began to wonder how much longer you would go on with such a demanding work load."
"But what about you?"
Elsie looked at him blankly, "What about me? I had Becky. I knew I would be going on."
Charles sat back with a look of confusion on his face, "Which is what has made me wonder. In taking my hand…"
"In taking your hand, I was being..." she sighed, frustrated with herself. "…reckless, or… I don't know." She stopped speaking, her focus fixed on Charles face as the summer day came back to her in an instant. She was suddenly awash in the feelings she had experienced when she offered her hand; feelings as true and present as if she were back on the beach, sand under her feet and the warm sun on her face.
She rose from the chair and crossed back to the settee. He could see tears in her eyes as she leaned down and placed her right hand on his left cheek. "I do know. I looked up and there you were. You and your pushed up trousers and sleeves and your mussed hair and your worried face…and just you: my dearest friend. I needed you in that moment. I needed you to trust me and to depend on me…and to want to touch me. I needed you to need me because I needed you. That's the truth,:" She let out a small laugh as tears spilled down her cheek, "I had no grand designs on our future, Charles. I did it on impulse." She placed her other hand on his right cheek, leaning down until their foreheads touched, "I just needed you."
Wrapping his arms around her waist, Charles pulled her onto his lap, her head resting against his right shoulder. He laced his left hand fingers through hers' as they sat in silence, the impact of her confession still resonating.
Elsie finally looked up at him with a small smile, "You said, 'you don't forget the words that change your life'."
Charles ran his hand down her back and along her hip, pulling her tightly against him, "I did."
"I've told the truth. It's your turn."
"The truth? The truth is your words gave me hope. I had never even considered it possible that you might think of me as more than a peer; a friend certainly, but nothing more, but then you said we could afford to live a little- you held my hand and said we- and you changed my life because I suddenly had hope that you and I could be we."
Elsie kissed away a tear that was sliding down his cheek before leaning back against his shoulder and wiping her own eyes. She let her gaze travel over the room before it fell on their entwined hands and matching gold wedding bands. She shook her head and happily sighed, "All of this because of an impulse on a summer's day."
Charles lifted her hand to his lips, gently kissing her wedding ring, "Summer in Brighton, then?"
Elsie nodded, "Summer in Brighton."
I think the postcard on the bulletin board said "Brighton"-? Using it for this anyway... Hope everyone is having a lovely day- you are all so gorgeous and kind with your time spent reading and reviewing. THANK YOU