A/N: The thing with writing an extra chapter when your story is technically speaking already finished, is that you run the risk in over-indulging yourself in writing some more pointless, cotton candy fluff.
Especially the last part boarders on that.

Chapter 6

They adjusted to married life surprisingly easily, as if they´d been waiting all their life for this, for their time together. Almost naturally they found a routine that suited them both.
She loved keeping her own house and adamantly refused to accept any helped, even if Lord Grantham assured them that he would be more than happy to send one of the housemaids over to give her a hand. She found a great satisfaction in sweeping her own floors and dusting her own bookshelves.
The only concession she did concerned the kitchen. Since she´d had her food prepared for her since she´d went into service at the age of fourteen she had never learned how to cook properly. At first she had attempted to rectify this deficiency, only to discover that she didn´t possess even the slightest hint of talent in that area.

Charles, the dear man, never said a word and cheerfully munched away his coal potatoes, while she began to fret more and more that she would starve the pair of them.
One afternoon, when she´d come home rather late from the market, she´d found him in the kitchen, trying his hand at a Shepard's pie. The result had been delicious and insisting that he rather enjoyed cooking he had tried out various other recipes over the following week. Eventually she surrendered all her claims to the kitchen and let him ensure they were both well fed.

Having the opportunity and the leisure to pursue their own interests led to them discovering interesting new things about each other.
As he had intended, Charles devoted a lot of his time to making a study of the British gentry and in time became a rather adapt genealogist.
She joined the Church´s choir and soon the weekly rehearsals on Thursday morning became one of the highlights of her week. She´d forgotten just how much she enjoyed singing and being at liberty to do just that, without having to worry about other responsibilities.

Now that they no longer had the weight of the household of an entire estate resting on their shoulders, their health didn´t so much improve, but became easier to deal with. He still suffered from gout, but now that he didn´t have to be up on his feet for the most part of the day, it became considerably less painful and when he´d been up half the night because of the throbbing, he could at least sleep in for a few more hours.
Her eyes continued to be easily tired, but it was a relief not having to go over the tiny scribble in the account books anymore. And to divide her energy better over the day, she´d started to take a short nap in the early afternoon, ensuring that they could keep up their tradition of spending quiet evenings in each other´s company.

But it was the growing intimacy between them that was the greatest source of her happiness. At first she´d worried a bit about it. She´d been courted in her youth, but once she´d become housekeeper, she´d left every thought of entanglement behind her. The thought of embarking on the greatest romance of her life at this age and stage of her life had nearly overwhelmed her in the beginning. Of course she´d always loved him, but it had been a rational, practical kind of love, restricted by their position and propriety.

She had long ago accepted that she would never experience passion, but here she was: past her retirement, married, deeply loved and very much in love.
And so they set out on the road to intimacy together; hesitantly and careful, but with the same amount of anticipation as if they were youngsters.
"We have all the time in the world now," he used to reassure her. "There's no hurry for the rest of our lives." And she was convinced there wasn´t a gentler man in the world than Charles Carson.

A little to her surprise they suffered no shortage of visitors. Mr Crawley and Lady Mary visited regularly and after the birth of their first son Reginald they asked the both of them to become his godparents.
She continued to hear sporadically from Ethel, who had found employment in Ripon. Mrs Bird came by often and as time went by Charles fell into a steady friendship with Richard Clarkson. As a result she was thrown more often in the path of Isobel Clarkson and soon they discovered they had quite many things in common and a friendship between them formed as well.
Anna became one of their most frequent guests, if her work permitted it, she tried to come over for tea at least once a week.
On one of those afternoons Elsie had commented to her how surprised she was that everyone seemed to find their way to their cottage so easily. Pleased, for she had feared that after leaving the bustle of a grand house behind, they´d come to feel a little lonely, but surprised nevertheless. Anna had just smiled her sunny smile and asked: "You really don't know, do you?"
Upon her silent shake of the head, the girl had continued. "It's because you can never leave here and not be in better spirits than you were before you came. Everybody agrees on that. It's just so obvious that you are happy here together that it's a joy to come here and be allowed to share some of that happiness. You know…" a shadow of sadness passed over her face. "I don't know when Mr Bates will be free again and sometimes I worry so much about all this time that is wasting away and that's never coming back. But then I come here and I look at you and Mr Carson and I just know that everything will be alright. That the waiting is worth it."

"Oh my dear girl…" too choked up to say anything else she'd squeezed her hand tightly and gotten up refill the teapot.

The day had started out differently than she'd grown accustomed to ever since they'd moved into the cottage. It was a chilly morning in autumn again and instead of waking up curled against the warm and solid body of her husband, his side of the bed was already empty. Frowning she put on her dressing-gown and slippers and made her way to the kitchen where she could hear the rattling noise of several pans being handled. Stepping inside she found Charles fully concentrated both on stirring the eggs and frying the bacon. The smell of fresh toast and coffee filled the kitchen and her stomach growled.

"Good morning, love." He'd noticed her entering and after turning the burners down he gathered her in his arms for prolonged kiss. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," she hummed, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his chest. "What's all this?" she asked then, eyeing the stove.

"I wanted to make you breakfast," he told her. "Just go into the room, I'll be out shortly."

She went back into sitting room and noticed he'd already set the table and had even cut some asters from the garden to put in a vase on the table.
They had a lovely, leisured breakfast together after which she cleared the dishes away and got dressed. When she returned to the sitting room she found him waiting for her, looking a little nervous and holding a small wrapped package in his hand.

"I hope you like it," he told her when he slipped it in her hand, looking extremely anxious. She knew she would love whatever he had gotten her unconditionally, but once she had opened the box that had emerged from the wrapper she gasped in shock and surprise. "Oh Charles…" She was looking down at a three-string necklace made out of red coral beads and a lovely golden lock, adorned met red coral as well.
"It's beautiful… but you shouldn't have."

"Nonsense," he told her firmly, taking the necklace from her and putting it on. Once it was secured around her neck, he trailed his fingers over her cheek and temple. "For the past fifteen year or so I wanted to get you something really nice for your birthday. Something that showed how much you mean to me. I can't tell you how many times I've stood in a jewellery shop in London, staring at some necklace or ring that would have looked absolutely beautiful on you without being at liberty to actually buy it for you. I always had to settle for a proper gift; chocolates, or a book… but not anymore."

She'd fallen in his arms after that and kissed him senseless, thinking she was the luckiest, most spoiled woman on earth.

But it hadn't end there. The post brought various cards and letters and a special delivery from Downton. Daisy had made her a beautiful birthday cake, complete with candles.

At the end of the morning she'd quickly gone out to the village for half an hour to ran a few errands. When she entered her street again, she just saw Anna exiting the house, going into the opposite direction. She was too far away to hear or notice her and Elsie was left to wonder at the unusual timing of her visit until she reached the front door.
She was barely inside when Charles was in front of her, taking her basket from her and helping her out of her coat.
"Was that Anna I saw leaving just yet?" she asked him. "I thought she was coming tonight?"

"She is," he answered hastily, colouring slightly. "She was here because… I have another surprise for you and I needed Anna's help to bring it about."

She was floored to discover this. Her birthday had never been the cause of much fuss, mainly because she had never let it. But today she seemed to falling from one surprise into the other.

"Close your eyes," he told her, looking as excited as a young boy. She did as he asked and felt him take her hand and guide her through the room. They came to stand at what she guessed was the dining table.
"Can I look now?" she asked, highly curious now.

"One more moment…" he told her and she heard him move something around and then a tiny cry.

Instinctively, she opened her eyes instantly and stared straight into a wicker basket, containing a small kitten.
"Oh Charles!" she exclaimed for the second time that day and melting right on the spot. "What a precious little thing!"
She scooped it up in her hands and cuddled it against her chest where it immediately started to purr loudly.

"According to Anna it's a little girl," he told her, wrapping his arm around her waist and reaching out to stroke the tiny head with one finger. "It really was all that was missing, wasn't it?"

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with love and happiness. "It was…" she replied, her voice almost disbelieving, thinking she could possibly be more happy than she was at this instant. Turning slightly in his arm, she wrapped her one hand around his neck and guided his head down to hers. He kissed her deeply and passionately, wrapping her up in his embrace and pulling her as close as possible, the kitten sleeping soundly between them.

Eventually they broke away, breathless and beaming. "Let me get this little one," he told her softly, taking the cat from her hands, "and you go and take your nap. The whole lot will be over here tonight and you'll be needing your energy for that."

"Will you join me?" she whispered back, giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "It's going to be a long evening for you as well."

He grinned adorably and nodded. "Off you go, I'll be there in a minute."

She went into their bedroom and changed into her nightgown before getting under the sheets. She was already half asleep when she felt him crawling in bed behind her and pulling her in his arms. Snuggling close into his warmth, she was asleep in seconds.

If you´d like to see a picture of the necklace Charles got her, take a look at my Live Journal. I´m Miss Puppet on there too.
Thank you all very much for reading, reviewing and encouraging me!