Harmony

Normally, Elsie enjoyed the quiet, calming walk from the village to her little cottage that she shared with her husband. She would stop to admire the field filled with flowers, listen to the birds happily singing in the trees, watch as the lambs frolicked in the meadow, or simply let her mind wander back to her childhood or something Charles said or done that put a smile on her face.

Today, however, was not one of those relaxing, peaceful days. The more steps she took towards home, the more agitated she became. Part of her hoped that Charles was at the cottage and another part of her wished for more time to compose her thoughts before seeing him. She wasn't sure which outcome would be better for him. Either way, she could safely say that her trip into the village had been less than desirable and pleasant. He had, inadvertently, seen to that.

As she entered the lane that led to their home, she stopped and took several deep breaths. She realized, as she turned her face towards the cloudless sky, that she had been arguing with him all the way home, though all of it had taken place in her mind. And yet, despite mentally ranting at him and organizing her thoughts, she found she was even angrier than before. However, she knew she couldn't avoid him, and it was growing late. Better to get on with it and let the cards fall as they may.

She opened the door to the cottage and closed it, rather loudly even by her own estimations. It felt good to make a little noise, and part of her hoped it jolted him from a nap. She took off her hat and coat, hanging them along with her handbag by the door. She would need to start their supper soon, but she was in no mood to eat. If it were up to her, she would make some tea and toast and call it a day. She wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath, slip into a fresh nightgown, and lose herself, and her thoughts, in her book. But, that was not to be.

"Elsie, are you quite well?" Charles entered the hallway and looked at his wife, concern written all over his face. One look at his puffy eyes and she knew she had roused him from a little snooze, no doubt a rather long one by the look on his face.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She did nothing to hide her clipped tone and the steely edge of her jawline.

"For starters, you slammed the door so hard that it rattled the windows. Secondly, you scared me half to death. I was asleep and wasn't sure what was happening. And lastly, I know that voice. It means you're angry, and I'm to blame … somehow."

"Well, my perceptive husband, would you care to venture a guess as to why I might be so upset at the moment?"

Charles thought very carefully about his next words. His mind raced with all sorts of possibilities, each more unlikely than the next by his estimation. "Something or someone in the village has upset you, though I don't have any inkling why or how." He reached out his hand to her, hoping to guide her into their sitting room for a chat.

When she refused to take his hand, his face fell and his brows creased with worry. Somehow, he had managed to upset his wife, though he had been alone and at home for the entire day.

She took a deep breath and released it in a puff of angry air. "When were you going to tell me?"

He was more confused than ever which only irritated Elsie more and more the longer he hesitated with an answer. "Tell you what, love?"

"Ah, I see. Very well. Keep your secrets, though you should know they're not very private anymore. Your village friends have seen to that!" Without another word, she crossed the room, brushing passed him so quickly he had no chance to question her further, and stomped up the stairs. At the top of the landing, she opened the bedroom door and for several long and tense moments, Charles heard a series of slammed doors, angry footsteps, running water, and the wardrobe door banging closed.

Charles slumped down at the kitchen table and ran his hand through his hair. How on earth had his day turned upside down so quickly? He'd kissed her goodbye, very sweetly and hugged her. He'd told her he would miss her, offered to go into the village with her, but she had insisted he take the time for himself. She'd even encouraged him to catch up on his reading or to take a nap. The night before, they had discussed cooking dinner so the fact that a meal wasn't prepared shouldn't have been a surprise, either. He couldn't think of a single chore she had asked him to do that he hadn't seen to himself or arranged for one of the younger lads to stop by later in the week. And, he hadn't ordered anything to be delivered to the post … "Damn!" It suddenly occurred to him what might have happened. He cringed, hoping that wasn't the case but deep down in his heart, he knew that was the only explanation.

Quickly weighing his options, he decided that the best course of action would be to allow her time to calm down in the bath. He would wait, rather nervously, until he heard the water draining from the tub then pour them each a glass of wine. With any luck, she would be in a more agreeable mood and he could explain himself. The best case scenario, he reasoned, would be that he could restore peace and harmony between them. The worst would be if she stayed angry, and he had to sleep in the guest room. He prayed it wouldn't go that far. They'd never gone to bed angry at one another before … at least not since they were married.

While Charles tried to keep his nerves calm downstairs, Elsie tried to ease hers in a hot bath. She had poured a very liberal amount of lavender into the steamy water, hoping the combination of the two would soothe her frayed nerves. As she slipped into the water and rested her head against the edge, she closed her eyes and replayed the scene from only a few moments ago.

The look on her husband's face had been enough to convince Elsie that he truly had no idea what he'd done wrong. No doubt, he would have a grand explanation for it all, though that did not excuse his actions. They were supposed to be equals in all things, partners for life, and yet this afternoon she had felt anything but either of those. He needed to understand that, just as she needed a reason for his behavior. She dipped a flannel into the bath water and pressed it to her face, praying for patience, guidance, and peace.

By the time her water had grown cold, she was feeling much better. She was still hurt and a little angry but nothing like before. She was also hungry, and there would be no getting around that either. She'd lost all track of time, but she felt fairly certain that supper should have been ages ago, even if it was only a sandwich and a piece of fruit.

He heard the water and it began to drain down the pipes and his ears perked up, listening intently for anything to indicate Elsie's current mood. Her steps from the bathroom to the bedroom were light, the normal padding of her bare feet across the floorboards a good sign, in his opinion. He heard the bedroom door close softly and the first step creak as she began her descent.

He was on his feet quickly, pouring them each a glass of wine and lighting a candle on the kitchen table. Charles had taken the liberty of making them each a ham sandwich, peeled and cored an apple, and placed a few of her favorite biscuits on a plate nearby. With a little trepidation, he stood by the table and waited.

When she reached the bottom step and crossed into their cozy dining area, she stopped in her tracks. As upset as she had been with him, she could not deny how sweet he was being about it all. She had come to realize that she had caught him completely by surprise, had been incredibly rude upon entering their home, and still he had done something nice for her. She took a few steps towards him and reached out her hand in silent truce.

He immediately took her outstretched hand and brought it to his lips, gently kissing the back of it and nuzzling it with his cheek. "Shall we sit and talk over dinner? It's not much but the tremor in my hand started again."

She took his hand in hers and began to gently rub it, soothing away the shakes until they both felt confident that he could hold his wine glass without spilling a drop. "I appreciate you going to so much trouble, especially after the horrible way I treated you when I arrived home."

He guided her to her usual place, and he waited until she was settled before taking his seat. An uncomfortable atmosphere shrouded them in silence until Charles finally broached the subject. He took a sip of his wine to wet his throat before he began. "I think I know why you're so upset with me."

She chewed and swallowed the bite of ham sandwich and dabbed the corner of her mouth before replying. "You tell me what you think it is that happened, and we'll start there. Fair?"

"More than fair, love." He sat back in his chair and looked her directly in the eyes. "I resigned as the chairman of the village council. I neglected to tell you about it or consult with you beforehand. You, no doubt, heard all about it from the town gossip, Mrs. Wigan, because she was there when I spoke to the council. And, most importantly, I hurt you." He covered her hand with his and gave it a tender squeeze. "That about sum it up?"

With her free hand, she toyed with the stem of her wine glass, watching as the cabernet swirled in the glass. "Bullseye, my perceptive husband. Now, would you care to explain yourself and your actions? It was so humiliating to know that half the village knew of your actions but your own wife was clueless. I pretended to know all about it when in truth that was all a lie. We are meant to be partners, Charlie, in everything. Or so I thought. Big decisions and little ones, alike. We always discussed them together. Why not this time?"

"I didn't want you to talk me out of it, for starters. I'd been thinking about it since that last ordeal with the gazebo renovations in the square. I'm not cut out for the politics of village life. I prefer to stay here and tend to our little garden, take walks with you, visit our friends … live my life as I please. It felt so much like a chore instead of something to enjoy being a part of. Surely, you can understand that. Isn't it why you declined the invitation to be on the flower committee at church?"

She felt as if the wind had been knocked from her body. "Do you really think I wouldn't listen to you and support you in your decision? I might challenge you a bit, have you consider the pros and cons of each action, but in the end, the decision was always yours to make. I've always supported you. I've always been on your side."

"I know that, and honestly, I knew you'd stand beside me once I told you of my decision. I had planned to do that tonight, as a matter of fact. I had a very good reason for it all. I never considered that you'd hear about it from someone else, though in hindsight I can see I was clearly wrong. I apologize for that and for making you feel I was hiding things from you. I'd never do that, Elsie. I hope you realize that."

"I do, though earlier today, I couldn't say that with confidence. We should both be grateful it's a good walk back from the village. I worked off quite a bit of steam before walking through that front door."

"Thank the blessed Lord above for small mercies granted," he quipped with a smile, causing her to laugh a little, too. He felt the tension starting to dissipate in the room and he heaved a great sigh of relief.

"You said … for starters. What other reasons did you have for not mentioning this to your wife?" She nibbled on a slice of apple and listened very carefully to what he was saying. She wanted to clearly understand his reasons, discuss things until they both agreed, and then move on from this unfortunate series of events.

Charles finished his glass of wine and poured them each another as he calmly explained his position. "It was supposed to be a surprise. I had truly intended on telling you this evening. It was one of the reasons I suggested we cook dinner together. I thought it might be a nice change, something new. I want to spend more time with you, Elsie. The more we are together, here in our cottage, the more I want to be near you. Sounds like a lovesick young lad, but there we have it. All those village meetings and commitments … they were taking time away from you and our life together. Call me selfish, but I'd rather spend what days we have remaining together, not separated by more duties and at the whims of others."

For the first time all afternoon, Elsie felt truly chastised. She had been so upset to learn her husband had made a big decision without discussing it with her that she'd never considered that there had been no need. When it came to their time together, they both viewed it as a precious gift, one that they cherished and protected. She always checked with him before joining Mrs. Patmore for tea, not out of any need for his blessing or approval, but out of consideration for something he may have planned for them. By the same token, he consulted with her every single time he visited the abbey or even met up with some of the other men in the village to discuss the cricket team. It was something they had always done. It was simply a courtesy.

With no warning, Elsie stood from her place at the table and slipped onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and nestling her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I never stopped to consider why you resigned, only that you did. And, frankly, I'm glad you did. The days were always so much longer when you were away, though I never said anything because I thought you were enjoying yourself."

He tightened his arms around her waist and shifted so that he could press a kiss to her temple. "Then, why, love, were you so upset when you came home? It seems to me that if we had discussed it, we would have been of one mind regarding my resignation. My reasons were noble and honest, and we both agree that we'll be happier this way."

She had that very same question float through her mind when she was in the bath. And her answer was a simple one. "I was irritated that I was the last person to know. You're my husband, and I was more than a little jealous that your admirer, Mrs. Wigan, knew something about you that I didn't. I pretended to know everything she was saying, as if we had been having lengthy discussions on the matter for weeks. In truth, I was completely in the dark."

Charles placed his finger beneath her chin and encouraged her to look at him, eye to eye. "And did the town gossip tell you what I told the committee when I handed in my notice?" She shook her head and he lightly kissed the tip of her nose. "I told them that while I appreciated the faith and truth they put in me for such a high place on the committee, my heart was elsewhere. I told them I felt I was of little use to them when I wasn't giving them my full attention because my desire was to be at home, with my wife, and spending our retirement years together. I do believe I shocked a few of them. That was not the Charles Carson they remembered, the one who was stiff-lipped, duty bound, and unbendable."

"Then they don't know you like I do," she said softly, brushing the curl away from his forehead and running her fingers through his messy hair. "Can you forgive me for the way I behaved earlier?"

"That depends. Will you forgive me for keeping the secret from you and for not talking to you first?"

"Kiss me now and I'll give you my answer later," she whispered softly into his ear.

As soon as his lips touched hers, they both felt their worlds shift back into complete agreement. Harmony had, once again, been restored in the Carson love nest, along with a deeper understanding, a renewed commitment to each other, and happier days ahead … with no meetings and schedules to keep them apart.

A/N: Posting a little early this week as I'm headed out of town on vacation. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter, and if you're so inclined, I'd love to hear your thoughts. To my guest reviewers, BIG HUGS to you as I cannot reply to you directly. Until next week … Keep Calm and Chelsie On!