I am very sorry for the delay! Hope you're still with me. It's been a little difficult to continue the story since I haven't had the time to think about it in a while. So I don't know if this chapter makes sense/is realistc, but it popped into my head and I thought it would be fun to write. Hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 8

Back to normal?

A few weeks had passed since things downstairs had changed and still were the same. Life was busy, but now that Carson had realized that he had a family, a real family, he was even happier with all he had at Downton. He was more often in a cheerful mood and less grumpy. He was whistling or humming a song while polishing the silver and more than once he couldn't ban that happy grin from his face which most of the time Mrs. Hughes had put there. The hall boys were utterly confused by these new habits of their leader. They didn't trust this less strict side of him and weren't even dreaming of challenging him by not working properly. But the longer this change was with them the more used they all got to it and suddenly it was like nothing ever had changed. Only Mrs. Hughes and Mrs. Patmore, both rather satisfied with what they had achieved, saw, heard and felt the change and enjoyed it with every day that passed.

One evening, after everyone had gone to bed, Carson found the cook and housekeeper in Mrs. Hughes' sitting room. They were having a cup of tea and a nice little chat about this and that. When he heard the cook's voice, he decided to knock which usually he never did. He entered and found both women looking at him with a relaxed smile on their faces.

"I'm not interrupting something important, am I?", he asked, staying close to the door.

"No, not at all", Mrs. Hughes replied, but there was something in her eyes that told him she was lying.

"We were just discussing some women's topics. You wouldn't be interested", assured him Mrs. Patmore. She put her cup back on the tray and got up from her chair, picking up the tray to return it to the kitchen. "I'm sure you've come to discuss household matters. I'll leave you to it."

Carson stepped aside, so that the cook could leave. "Good night, Mrs. Patmore", he said.

"Night", she answered and disappeared in the hall way. He closed the door softly behind her and turned his attention to Mrs. Hughes who hadn't moved from her chair. She had placed her hands in her lap and watched him closely.

"What were you really discussing?", he asked curiously, while he walked towards her and sat down.

Her gaze followed him while he crossed the room to sit next to her. "Never mind", she said, trying not to blush. Mrs. Patmore kept teasing her about him and always asked very boldly if anything serious had happened between them yet. Mrs. Hughes was at a point where her friend pushed her into the most improper thoughts and the memory of the few harmless kisses she had shared with the butler only made it worse. Said butler raised two bushy eyebrows at her, but to her relief didn't go on about it. Instead he asked after Sophie.

"She is doing much better. I do believe the support we have given her has helped her. But losing your mother stays with you forever, doesn't it?"

He nodded in agreement. "It is one of the many scars you find on yourself when you're old and look back."

Mrs. Hughes was surprised at him making this very true statement. But then hadn't he lost his mother too at one point? And herself as well? "Maybe we should pick a less sad topic for our conversation", she suggested.

He gave her a knowing glance. There were some memories they both tried to avoid. "How was your day?"

"Busy."

"Busy", he nodded in agreement. "I think it's better if we head to bed. Unless there is anything important you'd like to discuss?"

She smiled. He didn't feel comfortable with asking her after any private things directly, so he simply made a detour, knowing she would get what he really meant. "No, only that I think we shouldn't yet stop keeping an eye on Sophie. The household matters can wait until tomorrow."

"Don't worry. She'll be alright." He gave her a warm smile and got up. He loosened his tie and collar, removed his jacket and then offered her his hand. She took it gladly and rose from her chair. They walked upstairs, not letting go of the other's hand. When they reached the door that would separate them for the night, Carson pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead lovingly. He had started doing that a while ago. Mrs. Hughes gave him a tender smile. "Good night, Charles."

"Good night, Elsie." He watched her disappear into the women's quarters, inhaling deeply her scent that remained in the air around him. One day he would ask her to become his wife and retire to one of the cottages. When he was tired of work or too old for it. But right now he loved his work more than ever, because he saw her differently. He saw everything differently. Somehow better and lighter.

After twenty years of property, Mrs. Hughes was more than happy that something had changed. Downton shone brighter these days for her than ever. It had never been home, because even though the butler had been there, he hadn't been there in the right way. Now he was. He more and more turned from the butler back into Charles. He still loved his work, but she knew he looked at it from a slightly different angle. And that was why she truly felt home at Downton for the first time in all these years. He had told her to be patient for a little longer. Had told her that she knew how he struggled with change. But in the end that had not mattered. It had just happened by itself and he was happy with it. She was happy with it. Everything felt better now, because he had finally started to see things different. He had finally started what she had tried to make him do for years.

The next morning Sophie woke the staff who were all not looking too peppy when they attended breakfast. The nights were short. Sleep wasn't a guest who stayed long. But just like every morning the smell of fresh toast and tea caused the rare words that were exchanged to turn into quiet chatter. The day had started like always and since nothing special was planned upstairs everybody went about work. Nothing at all warned them that things would roll over later that day.

Mrs. Hughes had just returned from one of her tours when Daisy stormed towards her. "Mrs. Hughes! Come quickly!"

"What is it?" Daisy seemed quite terrified which alarmed the housekeeper.

"I don't know! It all happened so fast", the young girl shouted already running back to the kitchen. Mrs. Hughes quickened her pace, almost run after Daisy and stormed into the kitchen. She was a little short of breath. Her eyes searched the room for Mrs. Patmore. When they spotted the cook, Mrs. Hughes wasn't sure how to react. Beryl Patmore was standing in the middle of the room with the most stunned expression on her face Mrs. Hughes had ever seen. And Mrs. Patmore wasn't one for being stunned. Except of the two women's odd behaviour everything seemed in order. "What in heaven's name is going on?"

Mrs. Patmore shook her head like she had just awakened from a terrible nightmare. "I'm not sure. It all happened so fast." She looked around as if she were looking for something. "We were preparing dinner when this man walked in. He commanded for Sophie to accompany him home immediately and that was it. When I asked him who he thought he was he simply told me that his daughter was to live with him now and that I should find myself a new kitchen maid." Now fury got a hold of the cook. "This bloody man just stole my kitchen maid", she shouted and grabbed a rolling pin, holding it like it was a deadly weapon. "How dare he!"

"Mrs. Patmore!", Mrs. Hughes shouted to make the cook come back to her senses. When she thought that it was possible to talk to Mrs. Patmore, she began with the unpleasant process of getting more information. "So you say Sophie is going to leave Downton to live with her father?"

"Apparently", the cook replied.

"Has she handed in her resignation or said that she would any time soon?"

The cook thought for a moment. "No", she answered then. "I don't think she has. She looked rather shocked to see her father and not too happy when he ordered her to go with him."

Mrs. Hughes already knew where this was heading and she couldn't put in words how less she wanted to be confronted with Sophie's obviously mad father. "Where are they now?"

"Packing suitcases, on their way to the village… Who knows", was the answer.

Mrs. Hughes let out an exasperated sigh. "I suppose you expect me to get your kitchen maid back?" It was more a rhetorical question. There was no way she would let Sophie leave because her father wanted her to do so.

"That would be nice, thank you", the cook said, but Mrs. Hughes was already busy with sending Daisy to check if Sophie was still in the house while she stormed towards the butler's pantry.

Carson was going over the wine ledgers, when someone smacked the door open. He jumped from his chair and thought that the door must have been smashed into the wall. When he saw Mrs. Hughes he also dropped his pen. Whatever was going on someone was going to be in trouble and he prayed that it wasn't him. Her Scottish temper was terrifying. "Mrs. Hughes?", he asked carefully, grateful that the room and his desk separated them at the moment.

"You better come quickly", she said. "I think Sophie is being kidnapped."

His eyebrows almost reached his hair line. "Pardon?"

"You got what I said. I need your help. Come on!"

He was quite sure he hadn't got what she had said, but obeyed and followed her. Daisy was rushing down the stairs. "I couldn't find them", she said breathlessly.

"Find whom?", Carson asked when the next person stormed towards them. It was Raff. "Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Carson, Sophie is being kidnapped!", he shouted and for a second it looked like he would grab the two heads of staff and drag them to the back door.

"Sophie is being what?", Carson shouted back and starred at the three people in front of him who seemed to know more than he did. Whatever Raff said next, his accent was so strong and he was speaking so fast that his tongue must have tripped a few times and Carson absolutely understood nothing. Now his temper was rising too. "Would someone please have the kindness to explain properly what is going on?"

"Sophie's father turned up and has taken her with him. If I got it right because he wants her to live with him", Mrs. Hughes answered.

"Why is that a problem? If she wants to leave and puts in her resignation then…"

"But she doesn't want to! He is forcing her too", Mrs. Hughes continued.

"He is her father", Carson tried, but regretted it immediately.

"Charles Carson, I expect you to go with me now and get Sophie back. She is a good worker and a kind person and will not be forced to leave by a man who is out of his mind." That order was so clear to him that he followed Mrs. Hughes outside and onto the path that led to the village. They could see the two in the distance. Carson was shocked when Mrs. Hughes started running, but in the end he had no choice, but to run after her. It wasn't a nice experience at his age to run and soon every part of his body seemed to crack and hurt. Mrs. Hughes despite her age seemed to have no such problem. When they got closer, they could see that Sophie's father was dragging her with him and carrying her suitcase with the other hand. Clearly one suitcase was not capable of transporting all her possessions, thought Carson. And the grab looked rather painful.

"Sophie!", Mrs. Hughes shouted. "Mr. Hobbs! Stop!" Both of them stopped and turned around. Sophie was crying and it was obvious that she was glad to see butler and housekeeper who now also stopped. Carson tried to hide that he would have loved to just sit down where he stood to make the pain leave his body. He remained in his butler pose, trying to catch his breath. He didn't know how Mrs. Hughes managed to speak without taking a deep breath after each word.

"Mr. Hobbs, would you be so kind and explain this?", she asked him. He eyed her from feet to top. Mr. Hobbs was a small thin man with an unshaved face, cold grey eyes and dark grey hair. His tweed suit was old and unpleasant to look at. His whole appearance was unpleasant to look at. "I'm taking my daughter home", he said and his voice was an unpleasant creaking sound.

"But I want to stay here!", Sophie exclaimed and tried to free herself.

"Be silent, girl! I am your father and you do as I say." He turned back to Mrs. Hughes. "As a widower you will clearly understand that I need my daughter to take care of me as long as she is unmarried."

"Don't you care about what your daughter wants?", she asked

"What could she want?"

"I want to stay. I have told you ten times at least!", Sophie shouted and finally managed to get away from her father. "I want to stay at Downton and work here. I won't take care of you and the household."

"There you go, Mr. Hobbs. Sophie stays. You'll have to order your life differently", Mrs. Hughes said and took Sophie's hand. Carson had watched the entire exchange and was surprised, but proud how Mrs. Hughes fought for the girl. Mr. Hobbs seemed unsure what to do next, but if Carson was right than his anger was fading.

"I see", he finally mumbled. "If you want to stay, then stay."

"Thank you, Da", Sophie said. "I'll write to you." She took her suitcase from him. "I understand that now ma's gone you struggle to continue without her, but you will manage."

"If you say so", he replied. He still didn't look happy. "Sorry to trouble you", he told Mrs. Hughes and Carson.

"Let's forget about this, shall we?", the housekeeper answered.

"Yes", Mr. Hobbs agreed. "I'll be on my way. Don't forget to write, Sophie!"

"I won't", she promised. They watched him walk away until he disappeared around a corner. Sophie let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. That was rescue in the last minute."

"That it was. Are you alright?"

"I think so. You must understand that my father has been a little helpless after my mother's death. He did all sorts of things he usually wouldn't do", she explained. "I better go back to the Abbey before Mrs. Patmore tears Daisy into pieces because of all the work." With that she hurried back. Mrs. Hughes followed, stopping when Carson remained rooted to the spot.

"Charles, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, just asking myself why exactly you needed me. It seems that you could handle all that quite well by yourself."

"Don't be daft! You were my backup if Mr. Hobbs had been less easy to deal with."

"You took me with you in case violence was needed to get Sophie back?", he asked astonished.

"To be honest, yes. That was my intention."

"What you must think of me, Elsie!", Carson said, shaking his head.

"Only that I know you would go far for the ones who are close to you even if you would never admit it", she teased.

"Well, that is to be true, I suppose." He offered her his arm, relieved that everything had been sorted out. At the Abbey they went back to work and it was like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Carson was summoned to the library later that day to speak with his lordship about the wine order that was to be made soon. He walked by his pantry and spotted Mrs. Hughes who was talking to someone on the phone. She didn't use it often, but the sight wasn't unfamiliar. He didn't give it a second thought, but he still shook his head thinking about earlier. It had been quite odd, but he was glad that Sophie stayed and very proud on the housekeeper. For the shortest of moment he felt regret take over him. She would have made a wonderful mother if only things had been different. He quickly left the path of these kind of thoughts and decided to be happy with what they had now and might have in the future.

His lordship was in a rather chatty mood, asked about how things were downstairs and Carson took the opportunity to inform him about the earlier incident, leaving out a few details. Quarter an hour later Carson returned downstairs, the papers concerning the next wine delivery in his hand. It was quiet in the servant's hall. He presumed that everyone tried to get a quiet moment before dinner. Absentminded he entered his pantry, turned on the light while closing the door. He was surprised to find Mrs. Hughes sitting at his desk. She was pale. Some strains of hair were out of place, falling into her face. Her eyes were reddened. He spotted a few tears on her cheeks. She didn't look at him, not even when he approached her slowly and stopped standing in front of the desk. "I have spoken to her ladyship", she said.

"About what?", he asked carefully.

She looked him in the eyes. "About leaving."

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