Elsie woke up early in the morning with her head pounding. Crying all night does not obviously agree with her. She miss Charles, she miss his smile, his eyes and his amazing personality, she wondered if he feels the same. She wished she'd let him explain but it's been four days, he probably hate her now and never want to see her again.
She walked down to eat breakfast but she couldn't find the appetite to eat. She doesn't feel like hungry. Her father had told her that her mother went out to buy some things but she couldn't care. Charles was a big impact to her, ever since she went out with him or just be with him, she's been happy. But it's too late to regret everything.
Elsie walked out the door going to the lake, the place who had been her audience while crying. She's been going there to just enjoy the view and block everything off. While walking she didn't notice the figure following her, she was thinking but she's not thinking anything.
She sat down on the same spot she had sat down for four days. She was so lost that she didn't notice someone was talking to her, until the person touch her shoulder which made her jump.
"Beautiful place, isn't it? " She never met Charles mother before but she knew it was her.
Elsie just nodded in answer.
Lady Melanie sat down beside Elsie "It won't do you both any good" she stated.
Elsie turn her full attention to Lady Melanie and looked at her with questioning eyes.
Lady Melanie let out a sigh "You're just torturing yourselves but I wish you could've at least let him explain. He's a mess you know, I never saw my son like that "
"What do you expect me to do then? Come barreling to your house and declare that I'm there to let him explain" Elsie scoffed at the thought.
Lady Melanie's upper lip twitch "If that's what you wish, then you can do that. Do you know what I see? " Elsie glanced up at her.
"I see two people who love each other but one of them has a trust issue, which is very admirable, but she let get it in their way and the other one who trust everything without seeing their true self" Lady Melanie stood up "Think about it Lady Elizabeth " by that she left Elsie alone again.
Elsie thought about what she said, she was right. Perhaps she could do something to maybe talk to Charles. After many decisions, she settled with what she said earlier. She couldn't take it anymore, it left her thinking that she didn't trust Charles at all because if she trusted him, she'd let him explain.
She stood up and walked back to their house. She changed her clothes and told to bring the car around. She went into the car and thought about what she will say.
Charles was a mess. He couldn't eat, his system was eating him. His mother scolded him for not eating like a child. But summoning up his strength, he prepared for the day. He was walking down the stairs when he heard her voice. He felt like backing down but he continued nevertheless.
He saw her,there standing all beautiful talking to his mother. He was staring at her not noticing her looking at him. He was snapped out of her staring when his mother patted him, leaving them all alone. He felt like crying, he has this urge to go to her and embrace her with bone crushing hug.
They were staring at each others eyes but it was broke when he saw Elsie run to him and flung herself to him. He return the embrace when he heard her crying, apologizing. He couldn't understand why she's apologizing to him, she did nothing unlike him. He pulled her away from him a bit and wiped her tears away.
He cupped both her cheeks "Why are you here? And why are you apologizing? you did nothing wrong" he said.
"I'm here to say I'm sorry for not letting you explain" he looked at her with big eyes "I didn't know the story yet" he sighed.
"Will you let me explain now then" He watched as she nodded. He studied her more noticing the circles in her eyes, they're not visible from afar but when close you can see them. But she's still beautiful, she just seem lose the twinkle in her eyes.
He led them to his mother's garden and sat down on the bench viewing the blooming flowers. He hold her hand as they sat down and started explaining what happened between Alice and him. He felt her leaning to him which he found rather comfortable. He raised his arm wrapping it around her, he pulled her to his chest basking the fact that she was with him letting him explain.
He finished telling her the whole story, she forgive him but not without scolding him for trusting anyone easily even if it's his best friend. He smiled when she ranted about Alice falling in love which is very rude and disgraceful according to her.
"Charles Carson, are you even listening to me? " He heard her pissed voice.
He cleared his throat "Of course" he hid his smirk.
"I think your not" she paused and stared at him "I love you" he tensed when he heard her utter the L big word. It's not that he's not happy, he was shocked that she feels the same.
Sensing his tense body, her eyes suddenly turn glossy and struggling away from him but he gripped her tightly so that she can't escape. He smiled at her "I love you too" he caressed her cheeks before pressing his mouth to her.
Breaking the kiss he moved back and sighed, caressing her cheeks.
"I don't know when or how. I love you, the feeling of losing you is unbearable. I can't function, it felt like someone tore a part of my heart and cannot be replaced back. When you find Alice kissing me and walking away from me, you took away a part of me." He felt her took his hand and engulfed it with her two hands.
"I felt the same. I don't know either if I can bear the thought of losing you" her tears suddenly spilled which his tears quickly joined.
They wiped their tears before getting up to walk around the garden. Both contented with each others presence. Charles led Elsie to walk to a nearby lake which she seemed to enjoy. When she leaned to him, he kissed forehead before holding the hand that was clasp around his arm.
"Charlie, if Alice ever apologize to you would you forgive her? " He heard her muttered.
Charles think about for a minute "Of course but only if you would to"
She smiled up at him "then we've come to an agreement " he chuckled.
He felt Elsie's slipped her hand before bending down to remove her shoes. He raised his eyebrow at her action but before he noticed it she was suddenly sprinting towards the ruins.
"Catch me" she shouted. He laughed at her before running after her.
After Charles dropped her home with a promise of coming back tomorrow. The ache in her chest was suddenly gone. She walked to her mother's room not bothering to knock, she opened the door and found her parents kissing each other. She covered her eyes
"Please keep it under control. My poor innocent eyes, my brain's forever traumatized " she dramatically exclaimed. She heard them chuckle.
"You can take them off now and I'm sure you and Charles had done the worst" She put her hand down finding her mother smirking at him. But before she can respond her father had beat her to it.
"I'd rather think not or I'll have a serious talk with Lord Carson" She rolled her eyes at her over protective father.
"May I talk to you? " She turned her gazed to her mother.
"Of course" her mother gave her father a look before dismissing him. Her mother patted the space next to her "What do you want to talk about? I heard you went to Downton."
"Well since you started it. Charles and I are on good terms now" She grinned widely to her mother.
"That's good then" Her mother returned her smile.
"Where were you earlier? I have this feeling that you did not buy anything " She studied her mother to find any that will give an answer away but found none.
"Any guess? " Elsie shook her head.
"I went to the Neal's " her mother stated.
She curiously looked at her "Why? "
Her mother smiled evilly "I just want to talk to Alice".
Flashback...
Lady Gaisabeth smiled thankfully at the Neal's butler. She wrote to Alice the day before yesterday requesting an audience with her. She cannot bear another day, watching her daughter's hurt look. She will try to talk Alice out of her infatuation to Charles, she won't blame her but her infatuation is not doing anything good anymore. She'd let it get over her head.
She waited as the butler went to fetch Alice. After sitting for a few minutes, she heard the clicking of heels indicating her arrival. She stood up and turn her body to the door. Alice greeted her with a smile which is sickening. Alice looked at her like she knew what she was doing here.
They greeted each other before they sat down.
"What is it you wanted to talk about, Lady Hughes?" Alice politely asked. "Does this have any connection with your daughter's broken heart? "
"Maybe. Can you just leave them alone? " She calmly requested, keeping her manners in check.
Alice glared at her but she didn't budge "And why would I do that? "
"Because it won't give you anything " She raised her eyebrow.
Alice chuckled forcely "It's giving me something just so you know".
"Pleasure, right? But does it ever occur to you that you're hurting people" She was getting angry by the minute.
"Oh believe me, I know I'm hurting them" Alice was clearly testing.
Lady Gaisabeth studied her for a minute before replying "Don't you have a heart? "
"I haven't. You can check it if you want because bastardy don't deserve any kindness."
She sighed "What did my daughter ever do to you? "
Alice appeared to be thinking but it's far from the truth " Beside from taking away Charles." Lady Gaisabeth knew that this conversation won't Leave them to any compromise.
Lady Gaisabeth breathed deeply "Just leave them be, will you or you wouldn't like the consequences of interfering to anyone's live again". She walked out of the room not bothering to say goodbye.
"Is that a threat ?" She heard Alice asked and laughed. The girl needs to go to rehab or something. She was insane.
End of Flashback...
"Let's just wait when she found who she was looking for " Elsie sighed softly.
After talking to Lady Gaisabeth, Alice decided to let Charles and Elsie alone for the moment. She kept thinking that she's not getting anything except from the pleasure of seeing someone hurt. Thinking of it, she felt ashamed. Falling to her best friend and ruining his lives, she supposed to be supporting him not finding a way to ruin his life. If she loves him, she'd just let him go and maybe someday she'd find someone who will love her back.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the tear that escape the socket of her eyes. She will leave them for a week and then maybe she can go and apologized to them. Maybe she was not heartless at all,she was just blinded by her love for Charles.
Only one or two chapters to go and I'm done. But another story will come up. Thank you for reading!