After ages between updates, I'm working hard (on this for a change). I've played with another point of view here and would love to hear if you think I did her justice.
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Wish I did. Earn nothing from them. Wish I did.
The Dowager Countess paused at the door to the hospital. A moment of anxiety passed over her at the thought of entering, but only a moment; she was Lady Grantham after all. While she had every right to be here in her role as co-chair of the hospital committee, her mission today was a surreptitious one. The object of her errand was sitting stiffly on bench that looked particularly hard with his bowler in his lap and staring straight ahead. She straightened her spine, took a deep breath and walked fully into the room.
It was a measure of Carson's distraction that he took a moment to register her entrance. When he did, he rose so quickly that he nearly dropped his hat.
"Milady, I apologize. I did not realize...," he began.
She cut his apology off with a wave of her hand, "I am merely here to check on the hospital in my role as chair of the committee. I take it that Mrs. Hu-, ahem, Carson is occupied at the moment."
"Yes," Carson grimaced, "she is, that is, Dr. Clarkson is performing the biopsy now." His eyes flitted briefly to the door he'd been guarding before returning to meet hers solemnly.
She took in the slight sag of his shoulders and the faint lines of worry around his eyes. The need to provide comfort overwhelmed her and she spoke quietly, "It will be well, Carson."
His eyes darted back to the door and the corners of his mouth drew down briefly before he agreed, "It will milady, even if it is not completely well."
She nodded, understanding his seeming contradiction completely. He had been present while she cared for her own Robert during his final illness, after all. "In any case, she has found an excellent nurse in you. I am sure."
Carson's eyes narrowed and he stiffened at her words, but he didn't speak. Under any other circumstances, she would have allowed him to remain silent, but that would not have accomplished her goal. "You don't look forward to your role as Florence Nightengale?"
He grimaced. "It is not that milady. I will, of course, care for my wife, but I hope that..."
"Carson," she cut him off when he paused, "you don't have to explain anything to me. I think what you have done is commendable. Not many men would go so far for a colleague."
His back straightened a bit more and his chin jutted forward almost defiantly, "I did not marry Mrs. Carson solely to be her nurse."
She lifted her eyebrows at him, surprised not at his words but at his tone, "Well, I am certain that once you are past all this she will make an excellent companion."
A muscle in his cheek twitched, and his eyes narrowed, "There is no doubt about that, milady, but companionship alone would be a poor basis for a marriage."
"I disagree, Carson," she said, noticing with satisfaction that his eyes had not drifted back to the door once during their exchange, "I believe that companionship could be the very best basis for a happy union."
The muscle twitched again and his eyebrows lifted. Inclining his head slightly toward her, he said, "Perhaps milady, but it is best if there is something more." He was obviously trying to placate her without ceding his point.
"I believe that you are growing romantic Carson," she said lightly, "Perhaps you should have been a poet."
"Hardly milady," he scoffed, and his eyes started to drift toward the door again. She coughed to regain his attention.
"You do not have to agree with me on every point, Carson," she said once he was focused on her again. "You have every right to be wrong."
The muscle in his cheek twitched twice, and he blinked slowly but remained silent. Good, he was obviously angry now.
"But you do not believe that you are wrong," she said carefully.
His lips tightened for a moment before he spoke in a carefully modulated voice, "In this case, milady, I believe that I am not."
"At least you concede that it is only in this case, Carson," she said archly.
His eyebrow lifted and his next words were spoken softly, "It is because in this case I have special knowledge."
"Oh, how intriguing! You make it sound like an exciting mystery," she needled him just a bit more.
There was no time for the muscle in his jaw to twitch this time. The words were obviously out of his mouth before he realized that he was saying them out loud and loudly. "There is hardly any mystery in how I feel about my wife."
"And how would that be?" she couldn't help herself from asking.
He blanched, obviously concerned about his outburst, but to his credit he answered her question with only the slightest hesitation, "I care for Mrs. Carson very much. I would even say that I cannot bear the thought..."
She cut him off. Curious as she was, she would not embarrass him. "There is no need to say more. I well remember what it is to wait outside a door for news, as I am sure that you can recall."
Her thoughts drifted back to her own dear husband's final illness. Carson had been a constant for her at that time. Between Mrs. Dunmore and him, there had never been any need to worry about the running of the house. She had been able to concentrate all her attention on caring for and serving the man she had spent the better part of her life with. A depth of gratitude was owed to the man standing before her now that she hoped that she had just repaid in part.
His eyes flitted back to the door again, but this time it opened to reveal a nurse in a crisp uniform. He started toward the nurse to hear her news but paused with a quick glance at her. Over twenty years of training made it impossible for him to disengage from her without permission.
"Go," she said, "I must see to the reason for my visit."
She started toward the main offices, and he was at the nurse's side an instant later, leaning toward her as he heard her news. The expression of overwhelming relief on his face revealed the outcome of the surgery. The nurse moved to lead him through the door and presumably to the woman he 'cared deeply for.' He paused, however, and turned back to face her.
"Thank you milady," he said, a smile softening his grim features.
"Whatever for?" she asked in mock surprise.
"For distracting me," he answered, "I see what you were about."
"I have no idea what you mean," she answered as innocently as she could manage and turned away once more toward the offices. After a moment, she heard his steps as he walked through the doorway. She smiled to herself. They would do very well together indeed. Companionship was a good basis for a marriage, but love was the very best basis. It was obvious that her old butler had found his love and would not let her go without a hard fought battle.
Reviews are welcome as always.