New Year's Eve
A/N Well, well, well. You will have what you asked for; my first attempt at writing something that might be considered M. I suppose it's still gentle however, because I am simply unable to mention certain details… but I hope you like it anyway. Please please let me know!
Epiphany.
o-o-o-o
January the 6th was a Saturday, and the Crawley family spent the weekend at their London residence, to host a New Year's party. They had taken many of the Downton staff with them this time, but Lady Grantham had managed to convince her husband to leave the butler home.
'I know you don't like Barrow very much, but he did a good job at New Year's Eve taking his responsibility. I think he could manage a weekend in London, to prove himself worthy for the job. Carson deserves a quiet weekend after the holidays, he isn't as young as he used to be,' she had pleaded.
'You are right as usual,' the Earl had said. 'I've noticed it, too. His knee worries him, he never complaints but I got the truth out of Bates. Very well, Barrow can act as butler while we're in London. But I still don't like him!'
Lady Grantham thanked him with a sweet kiss.
'You'll have Bates with you there, isn't that a comfort?' she smiled.
'It is,' he said, returning the kiss. 'That reminds me, he shouldn't forget to pack my grey suit; I'll go up and check.' He stood and left the room.
Lady Grantham leaned back in her chair, smiling contently. It was true she wished the butler would have a quiet weekend for a change, but she also remembered a conversation with her granddaughter Miss Sybil Branson. The girl had presented her daddy with a beautiful drawing when she and Tom were having tea together.
'It's the fireworks! It was very pretty Daddy, but I did miss you, and then Elsie had her colouring pencils and said I'd draw you a picture and Carson would help me. And he did!'
'Did he?' Tom and she had asked, bewildered.
'He did! He let me sit on his lap and we made the drawing together. See? These stars are made by Carson, and these too, but I did this part and this here, all by myself.'
'It's a beautiful picture and I am very happy you made it for me,' Tom had said. 'You know what? I'll put it in a frame on my desk. How is that?'
The girl laughed with delight and cuddled up to him. Over her dark hair, he grinned at his mother in law, knowing she was thinking the same.
'I thought you were a little afraid of Carson?' Cora inquired.
'I was, but Elsie said he is really sweet and he is. And he gave her such a big kiss at midnight!' Sybil giggled.
'Dear me! Did she like that?' Cora asked her granddaughter.
'Oh yes, she put her arms around his neck and she said, thank you Charles. Is that Carson's real name?'
'It is, but it's a big secret,' Cora whispered, a conspiring look on her face.
'I won't tell,' the girl promised.
Cora grinned.
o-o-o-o-o
So Mr Carson was given a quiet weekend and if he had to be really honest, he was glad. A few peaceful days would do him good. The staff was diminished; ladies' maids and valets, Barrow, Mrs Patmore, Daisy and half of the kitchen crew and many footmen had been shipped over to London for the weekend. Even Nanny and the children were going.
Only half of the staff were staying behind. Including himself and Mrs Hughes; his Elsie.
While he was happy about that, he found it left him slightly nervous as well.
The night before, when they were having their evening tea together, and, from New Year's Eve on, their evening kisses and cuddles as well, Elsie had crawled on his lap and taken his face between her hands.
'Charles, I've found the perfect place for us. Tomorrow night, please?' she'd asked.
'Oh yes, my love,' he'd answered.
But today he felt restless and couldn't get rid of that feeling. Since there was no family to serve breakfast to, Mr Carson had treated himself to the rare luxury of a morning bath and had enjoyed it immensely. Scrubbing and cleaning every inch of his body with soap and brush, rinsing with clean water, hot and then cold, he got out of the tub feeling ten years younger.
Dressed in clean but comfortable clothes he went to the kitchens and had some of the toast and eggs the kitchen staff prepared, along with a cup of tea.
Then he went to his office, ready to attack his paperwork. The busy holidays had made him neglect the ledgers and especially the wine stock needed to be checked.
Mr Carson spent almost the whole day doing his paperwork, a task he found relaxing, especially when he wasn't disturbed by calls at the door or having to serve lunch. He had taken one of the most promising young footmen with him into the wine cellar, where they spent more then an hour checking and discussing the stock. Normally an afternoon spent like that would leave him relaxed, but now something kept nagging.
And it hit him full force when, after dinner, Elsie made a swift appearance in his office, bringing him a cup of coffee and a kiss, after which she told him she had prepared the Edinburgh room in the North wing, and she hoped to meet him there at ten thirty.
Another kiss and then she left.
Well. The North wing and the Edinburgh room were a good choice, he thought. No one would caught them there. This time of the year the guest rooms in that wing were draughty and chilly and seldom used. However, a good fire in the hearth and some hot stones in the bed might very well…
He choked on his coffee.
Dear gods, it's really going to happen, he thought in alarm.
o-o-o-o
Swallowing, he opened the door of the Edinburgh room hat evening at ten and as he'd expected, a fire was roaring, candles were lit, the curtains were closed and Elsie sat in one of the chairs near the fireplace, dressed in a white nightgown, hair still up. On a small table between the two chairs sat a bottle of Talisker and two glasses.
He sat down in the other chair and she smiled and poured a small amount in each glass.
'I thought you might like a bit of Dutch courage, I know I do,' she whispered sweetly.
'Thank you.' It was, in fact, just what he needed.
'Slàinte,' she raised her glass.
'Slàinte mhath,' he answered and a radiant smile appeared on her face.
'Charles, you speak my language!'
'Only this,' he confessed. 'I learned it while in Scotland with the family.'
'It's brilliant, mo leannan,' she said.
'Dare I make a guess what that means?'
'Go on.'
'I'd say it means I'm the smartest and most handsome man in the world,' he joked.
'Something like that,' she chuckled while moving onto his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It wasn't their first kiss, but the sensation of her in his arms with only the thin nightgown between his hands and her warm body made it feel like a first to him. The wee dram of whisky and her playful banter had made him relax, but now he began to feel slightly nervous again.
'Charles?'
'Yes, love?'
'I know it's silly but…I love the feeling of having my hair handled…would you undo it for me, please?'
'Of course.' She turned around on his lap and he kissed the back of her neck before he started searching for the hairpins. One by one he removed them, slowly releasing the long chestnut coloured locks from the bun she wore every day. When the last pin was removed, he spread her hair over her shoulders and began massaging her scalp, which resulted in her almost purring with delight.
'Charles, you have no idea how wonderful that feels…it's always one of the best moments of my day, and to have you doing it to me…' she whispered. He shove the hair aside and kissed her neck once more. 'Oh Charles, that makes me…'
She sighed and then slid from his knees and took his hand to pull him on his feet as well.
'Come…' she whispered and lead him to the large bed. There she kissed him again and began to remove his tie and collar with swift fingers. He felt his knees tremble.
'You're terribly overdressed, mo leannan,' she said, as she crawled upon the bed.
Of course. Yes. He began to help, unbuttoning his waistcoat and shirt, and sat down to remove his shoes and socks. Finally he was down to just his underwear and she lifted the covers to invite him into bed with her.
Like he'd expected, the bed was warmed with hot stones and he smiled and moved over to wrap her in his arms.
It has to be now, he thought to himself, suddenly feeling extremely nervous.
He cleared his throat. 'Elsie?'
'Mmm?' her head lay on his shoulder, her fingers playing with his chest hair.
'I wondered. Have you…I mean, have you… I mean…ever…' he stammered, feeling terrified.
But the wonderful woman in his arms understood. She leaned on her elbow and bent over him to stroke his cheek tenderly.
'That is so very thoughtful of you, Charles,' she said. 'And yes I have, although it's been a long time.'
Thank heavens for that, he thought. At least one of them would know what to do then.
When he didn't answer, Elsie frowned.
'Charles, I'm sorry if that bothers you. But I didn't want to lie about it. I was pretty when I was young, and so…'
He cut her off.
'No, no my darling, it's nothing like that. And you're still pretty.' He sighed. 'It's just that I… well, I do not have that kind of experience.'
It took her some time to process that revelation. He couldn't mean…at his age?
She stroked his face again.
'Oh Charles…do you mean you've never…but what about your days on the stage? Alice?'
'Grigg was the ladies man back then, and I loathed the way he treated those girls. He laughed at me of course, and I suppose it's why Alice turned to him. I only ever kissed her hand. I didn't want to be as disrespectful as Grigg was, in my eyes. When she left me I was disappointed and bitter, and so I went into service and became a footman and a butler. Now you know, Elsie. I have never been intimate with a woman before.'
There, he'd said it. His shameful secret. The virgin butler in his sixties. What would she think of him? Oh, no doubt she'd find him pathetic. A loser. A pompous fool in a livery who played boss but didn't know what to do with a woman. He swallowed. The first time he was in bed with a woman, the one he loved with all of his heart, and he had to spoil it.
She said nothing.
So he made up his mind.
'I'm sorry, Elsie,' he said and moved towards the edge of the bed.
She had been speechless, too bewildered to react, but his movement shocked her into action.
'Charles, no! Don't go!' she scooted upright and grabbed his arm. 'Don't go…don't leave me. Please, I love you and I want you…' she pleaded.
'You wouldn't want someone like me,' he growled.
'Of course I do, I love you and you said you love me too… please don't leave me, don't you love me? Don't you want me?'
He couldn't resist her pleas.
'I love you with all of my heart and I want you my darling Elsie, so much. But I don't…'
He didn't finish his sentence and she said nothing, just waited for him to continue.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed.
'I don't want to disappoint you, Elsie.'
She felt her heart break a little. What was it in society, that made men think they'd have to be a Valentino in bed? She scooted over to sit beside him and nestled herself in his arms. She just cuddled up to him until she felt him relax a bit.
'Oh Charles, my dearest, you could never disappoint me. You are the man I love, the only man I have ever loved,' she whispered against his chest.
He dropped a kiss in her hair.
'I'm sorry darling. I just don't want to lose you,' he whispered.
'You will never lose me Charles, never. We'll sort this out. Do you trust me?'
'Yes,' he said.
'Come back to bed with me then. I'll show you what to do, it isn't difficult and it will be wonderful. I promise.'
So he went back and lay down beside her. She removed his underwear, wrapped her arms around him and they shared a passionate kiss. Then she turned on the small lamp on the nightstand.
'Please remove my nightgown, Charles,' she whispered.
He did. He had never seen a naked female body before but there she was, on the bed, next to him. Her pale skin looked golden in the light from the lamp. He stared at her breasts, the soft skin of her belly, the curve of her hips.
'Feel me, Charles,' she smiled. 'Please.'
He swallowed. Gingerly he reached and touched her bare shoulder. So soft. His hand stroked the smooth skin and moved downwards. Her breasts were full and soft and he cupped and kneaded them carefully, then he ran his finger across her nipple. Her answer to that surprised him.
'Charles that is so good, ' she moaned.
He bent his head and kissed the creamy skin of her breast and then the hardened nipple, and she lifted his head and kissed his mouth with a passion he'd never experienced.
'I love you Charles, I love you so much…please,' and she took his hand and placed it on her round, soft belly. He stroked it gently, surprised that there was even smoother skin than her breasts, and bent down to kiss and taste al that lovely white skin.
'You're so very soft, so very lovely…the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,' he sighed, moving up to kiss her breasts again.
She held him in her arms and kissed his temple.
'Thank you my dearest,' she whispered.
'It's true. And not because I've never seen it before...it's because it's you, the woman I love with all of my heart. I thought I loved Alice, but now I see how wrong I was. I'm so sorry, Elsie.'
'Don't ever be sorry Charles,' she breathed and then she spread her legs. 'Please, touch me.'
He hesitated but she took his hand and guided it to her centre.
He spent some time stroking and caressing soft flesh he had never felt before. It wasn't like anything he'd imagined. He slid his fingers between the folds and she squirmed.
She was hot and wet there. He tentatively slid a finger inside her and she groaned.
'Gods… yes, oh Charles!'
He looked up in shock but she smiled. 'It's all right Charles, I like to be touched there… be gently my love… now touch me here please, yes, oh yes…' when his fingers stroked a small, hard piece of flesh among all the warm wetness.
He was surprised when she removed his hand and moaned 'not yet', but he didn't complain when she turned over and straddled him.
'My turn now,' she declared, giving him a wicked smile.
She bent down and began to kiss him. His mouth, his neck, his collarbone. He sighed and she moved her body down, kissing his belly and stroking his groin.
Then she reached down and squeezed him gently before taking him in her mouth.
He saw stars.
'Elsie, Elsie…'
She released him and straddled his lap again, and then carefully lowered herself over him, moaning blissfully. She bent over to kiss him and he wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close to him, just holding her tight, enjoying the feeling of her warm body against his. When he released her she sat up right and began to move.
'I love you Charles, I love you…'
He felt something explode inside of him and then he felt like he had died and gone to heaven.
o-o-o-o
When he woke up it took him a few minutes before he was able to recognise his surroundings.
He was in bed, naked, and Elsie's naked body was sprawled across his own.
He wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her against his chest, but he didn't dare open his eyes, not yet.
'Elsie, are you really here? Or am I dreaming?' he asked.
'I'm really here,' she said.
'So we really made love last night?'
'We did, and it was so wonderful,' she smiled and kissed him. 'But it's half past five so we should return to our own rooms.'
He sighed. 'It was heaven on earth, my darling girl. But I don't want to do this anymore.'
'What?' She was shocked, and tears hit her eyes.
He startled when he realised how his words had sounded.
'Oh no love, I just meant I don't want us to have to sneak back to our rooms before dawn! I love you Elsie and I want to be your husband. Let's get married tomorrow and leave service. I have quite a bit of savings and his Lordship has offered me a cottage near Ripon, for a very agreeable price. It has a garden, and you can have a cat.'
She wiped her tears, curling up against him.
'A cat?'
'Yes, you said you had a cat that you were fond of, as a child.'
'I did,' she smiled. 'His name was Willow. Will you really allow me to have a cat?'
'Anything you want my darling girl, as long as you'll marry me.'
'You know I do,' she said.
'I am lost without you,' he whispered in her ear.
'I know,' she smiled.
o-o-o-o
THE END
Unless…. x george. Leave a review if you van find the time, and tell me what you think!
