Silver and Gold
Snow had been falling for most of the day, heavier at times, barely there at others. Its soft blanket of white gathered on the tree branches and the ground, transforming the grey winter day into a winter wonderland outside the Carson's cottage. Charles had even drawn Elsie's attention to the snowflake patterns formed on the window panes, finding something beautiful and unique about each one. It was something neither of them had ever stopped to consider but now, in the comfort of their home, they could afford these little pastimes, these little gateways into the simpler joys of life and love.
A roaring fire had kept the downstairs rooms quite toasty though not so warm that the Carsons hadn't relished the opportunity to cuddle up together under a thick blanket for an afternoon nap on their sofa. After lunch, Charles had suggested that they go upstairs for a little nap in their comfortable bed but Elsie had insisted they snuggle close together and watch the falling snow while admiring their little Christmas tree. She hadn't really needed to convince him. He was only too happy to oblige his wife, and in truth, he liked her idea more than his own.
The small evergreen sat in one corner of the living room, its branches not overly burdened with expensive ornaments like the tree at the Abbey, though beautifully decorated with colorful and meaningful ones, ones they had purchased together. Charles had even surprised Elsie by purchasing electric lights for the tree. And every night since, they had managed to spend a few minutes, sometimes more, curled up and enjoying the twinkling lights, every other source of light in the house extinguished except for the soft glow emanating from the corner of their sitting room and the amber warmth from the fireplace.
Their little afternoon nap had been blissful, making them reluctant to move. Elsie was more than content to remain wrapped in Charles's arms, listening to his steady breathing, his strong heartbeat beneath her ear. The quiet moments like these were ones she truly relished and cherished. Never before had she imagined the sheer overwhelming contentment and love that could be found by simply being close to the one she loved.
"Mmmm, can we stay like this forever," he asked, his rich voice sending a thrill through her body as he spoke.
"You'll hear no complaints from me," she answered with a smile and a sigh of deep tranquility, "though I fear you will eventually grow weary of me draped over you like this." She pressed a light kiss to the underside of his jaw and then tucked her head beneath his chin for just a moment longer.
"I waited a lifetime for you, my dear, and every moment I have you in my arms is a blessing. I love you, Elsie, more than you will ever know." The sincerity of his words and the warmth of his breath across the top of her head caused her shiver.
"And you, Charlie, are everything I've ever wanted in a husband. I never thought I'd find happiness like my Da and Mam. But, you proved me wrong," she said as a tear slipped down her cheek, unnoticed by Charles.
He chuckled softly. "Goodness, we'd better mark this day on the calendar! I proved Elsie Carson wrong on something. No wonder it's snowing so hard outside the cottage." His comment earned him a playful swat on the chest and a pinch to his leg.
"Just for that, I think I'll get up and go start our supper. It's a perfect night for a pot of hot soup and we still have that half a loaf of bread you bought from the bakery." Elsie gently maneuvered herself until she was sitting beside Charles, her hair looking a bit frayed from their nap.
Charles sat and admired his wife as she brushed the invisible wrinkles from her blouse and tried to straighten her hair. She was fussing with one particular wisp around her face when he reached up and caught her wrist gently in his hand. "Here, let me." With nimble fingers, with no signs of the tremors which often plagued him in varying degrees, he lovingly tucked the bit of hair behind her ear before lightly trailing his thumb down the side of her neck. His hand, large and warm, clasped her shoulder and urged her forward until he was able to capture her lips with his for a slow, sensual kiss.
"Goodness, Mr. Carson! It's a good thing I'm already seated or I'd need a fainting couch. You do have quite a way with words but sometimes you speak volumes by your actions." She used the pad of her thumb to brush across his lips, her dainty hand cupping his cheek. "Now, let me get on or we'll never eat supper at a decent time. You can keep me company in the kitchen, if you'd like."
He shook his head. "I'll leave you to the soup and bread. I'll do the washing up after, if that's fine with you?" When she nodded, he smiled. "I need to make sure we have enough firewood brought in, and I'm sure Katie would appreciate the chance to go outside before the snow piles get much higher. It was hard enough convincing her to go out this morning and that was before it really started to fall hard."
Katie, their little black and white dog, was sleeping contentedly underneath their Christmas tree but she perked up when she heard Charles speaking her name and talking of going outdoors. "Looks like your little companion won't put up much of a fuss about going out this time. I'll be sure to save her some beef before I add it to the soup pot." Elsie kissed Charlie's cheek then eased herself up from their warm, comfortable sofa and stretching. She gave a little yelp of surprise as Charles tapped her bottom playfully but she returned the teasing by ruffling his hair then proudly making her way to the kitchen.
While Elsie tended to their supper, Charles replenished the firewood supply in the wood bin, making certain they had plenty inside the cottage to get them through the next few days. Given the way the skies had looked compared to earlier in the day, he was certain they were in for another day of snow showers, possibly two. With his main task completed, Katie and Charles took a brief walk down the lane to inspect the path leading to the main road and the path leading to the Abbey, also giving Katie ample time to complete her own business outside before they both returned to the cottage and the warmth within.
"Soup and bread smell delicious," Charles complemented as he stepped up behind Elsie, the cold from his fingertips seeping through her blouse and chilling her almost to the bone.
"Goodness, you're half frozen. Get upstairs this minute and run a hot bath. The last thing I want is for you to be sick for Christmas. By the time you're done, the soup will be ready and we can eat." She shooed him from her kitchen and listened for his footsteps on the stairs before turning her attention back to the small butter cake she was making for their dessert.
Just as she predicted, by the time Charles returned downstairs, dressed in his pajamas, robe, and slippers, Elsie was taking their cake from the oven. "Charlie, be a dear and get the bowls, please. Oh, and a plate for Katie's beef. It's on the counter, just there," she said pointing towards the container to his left.
"Yes, Mrs. Patmore. Anything you say, Mrs. Patmore. As you wish, Mrs. Patmore," he said in his best imitation of Daisy.
"You'd better pray she never hears you or she'll have your hide," Elsie warned. "She's gotten much better about bossing Daisy about, thankfully." She stepped up to his side and rubbed his back. "I'm happy to see you're wearing your warm robe and slippers. You'll be quite cozy as we eat our dinner."
"Why don't you go upstairs and change, too? Then, I won't feel so underdressed for supper."
"You'll set the table and dish up the soup while I'm gone?"
"Yes … Mrs. Carson!"
With Elsie safely upstairs, Charles hurried make sure everything was exactly as he wanted it before she returned. The small table in front of their sofa was cleared of the books and replaced with a pretty tablecloth and their bowls of soup and the bread. Two wine glasses and a bottle of their favorite red wine also graced the makeshift table along with their cloth napkins and soup spoons. White tapered candles were lit on each end of the table, giving a romantic glow to the table. When he was satisfied with everything else, Charles turned out the lights in the cottage and waited, rather impatiently, for the sound of Elsie's footsteps on the stairs.
As soon as she reached the top of the landing, Elsie saw Charles standing at the bottom, looking up at her as if she was a fairy princess at her debutant ball with his hand outstretched in silent invitation. Slowly, she descended the stairs and took his hand. "What's all this about?"
"A little romantic dinner with my wife. I thought we might eat in the sitting room tonight. Dine by candle, fire, and tree light," he said, looping his arm around her waist and guiding her into the room where she could fully assess his efforts. He gave her a moment to fully take in the scene before speaking softly into her ear. "I hope you like it."
Elsie turned and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Charlie, it's perfect. Everything from the table to the candles … just perfect."
He leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, not fully kissing here but merely teasing her a little. His next words were spoken against her lips. "Turn around. Take another look." He nuzzled her nose with his before guiding her by the shoulders to do as he'd requested.
Slowly, she turned, letting her eyes adjust fully to the low light in the room. Katie was happily curled up near the tree, her empty food dish proof that she had enjoyed her dinner. The romantic table setting Charles had quickly improvised, simple yet elegant as was to be expected given her husband's former profession. The pillows on the couch had been fluffed and the blanket was neatly folded. And then, she spotted them, a quick gasp escaping her lips.
Hanging from the mantle were two beautiful stockings, one made of soft silver cloth and the other made from a similar gold fabric. "Where did those come from?" she asked with a voice filled with excitement and curiosity.
"I had them specially made for us, love. I hope you approve." He took her hand and led her over to the mantle so she could inspect them closer. "The day we bought the ornaments for the tree, we talked about our childhoods and what Christmases were like. I remember both of us had fond memories of finding our stockings on Christmas morning, seeing what Father Christmas had left." He took both her hands in his and brought them to his lips for a quick kiss. "I haven't been this excited about Christmas since I was a lad, and I think you're feeling much the same way. I thought it might be nice if we were to start our own tradition of hanging stockings from our mantle. I'll fill your stocking with little surprises … you fill mine … only if you want to, of course."
"Want to? Charlie, I'd like to see you try and stop me. You have to be, without a doubt, the most thoughtful, generous, loving husband. And the stockings are beautiful."
"I had them especially made for us. I chose the fabric with you and me in mind. Silver, well because my hair is turning more and more silver by the week, and it reminded me, in a way, of the silver cupboard and all that polishing I used to do when I was upset about something at the house, when you and I were not in complete agreement."
"Oh, I don't know about that, love. Silver always reminds me of the finer things in life … like you. It's strong, reliable, bright, and is one of the most precious things on earth," she said, wiping a tear away from his eye. "That's how I see you so I'm proud that you chose a silver stocking for yourself."
He closed the distance between them and captured her lips with his. "Would you like me to tell you why I chose gold for you?" he asked, watching as she reached out to stroke first his silver stocking then her gold one. He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her back against his chest.
"Yes, tell me, please," she asked, snuggling into his arms and enjoying the quiet closeness of the moment. When he spoke next, his lips were right beside her ear and his voice was low and soft.
"Gold is one of the most precious things on earth. I could say the same about you in my life. It's strong and durable, like someone I know quite well," he said, drawing his finger slowly down her face from her temple to her jaw. "It's simple and elegant, and has this wonderful shine." He took her left hand in his and brought it between them, directing her gaze down to the small band on her ring finger. "It also reminds me that I have the love of a wonderful woman, whose heart is also made of gold."
This time, it was Charles's turn to wipe away the tears.
"Let's forget about the soup and bread. I'm suddenly not very hungry."
Charles kissed the tip of her nose and wrapped her in a warm hug. "Well, unfortunately for both of us, I am starving. We can enjoy this lovely meal you've prepared, sample that delicious cake, talk about what we might like to see in those new stockings on Christmas morning, and then … well, then I promise to take you upstairs and do whatever you'd like for as long as you wish."
Elsie shook her head and laughed so loudly that it woke Katie from a sound sleep. "Very well, Mr. Carson. Let's sit down to supper and you can regale me with tales of childhood sweets from Father Christmas, what you hope you'll find in your silver stocking, and how you're going to make amends for turning down your wife's offer of an early night."
Charles guided her to their little makeshift dining table, helping her get settled, then joining her on the couch. He poured them each a generous glass of wine then made a toast, to his bride with the heart of gold and a stocking to match. She, in turn, made a toast to the silver lining in her life, her silver haired butler who was more precious than gold.
A/N: Oh, the struggles that went along with this story. Special shout out to my amazing friends for encouraging me to continue even though I scrapped this story and the very idea of writing more than once this past week. They believed in me when I didn't truly believe in myself, and I love them for that!
I'd appreciate it if you'd drop me a line to let me know what you think of the story and my efforts. This was written in response to the Chelsie Prompts challenge on Tumblr for a story featuring "silver and gold."
This chapter is part of the "Decisions" universe but is not intended to take the place of the Christmas special chapter to be posted with that story. So, don't forget to look for that chapter at some point on Christmas Day! Love and hugs to you all! xoxo