A/N: The beginning of this story seemed to write itself but the epilogue has been a tougher task to tackle. This chapter came in at almost 5000 words and so I have decided to break it into two and I hope you enjoy this first part…which includes the introduction of a newly activated Ringtones character.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Julian Fellowes and ITV, the plotline and character interactions are strictly mine, no copyright infringement intended! ;-)
The Beginning of the Epilogue
Elsie awoke to sonorous snores on the pillow next to her. She turned over to look at the man lying sound asleep beside her. He looked so boyish when his face was slack in slumber and several unruly locks of his hair curled down over his forehead. She tried to think back to what her life was like before Charles Carson came into it but those memories had faded quickly in the last couple of years to be replaced with the warm and happy ones that they had made together.
The shadowy memories of last night began to creep back and try as she might, she could not push them aside and go back to sleep. After several frustrating attempts to keep her breathing even and her heart from racing, she finally decided to get out of bed and go downstairs to the kitchen for a cup of tea. She found that simple tasks like making a cup of tea often helped her focus her thoughts and renew her positive energies.
As she turned the corner at the landing, she saw a light on in the kitchen and thought to herself that Charles must have forgotten to turn it out before he came to bed last night. She stopped short when she saw Isobel sitting at the breakfast bar, staring off into space. Isobel started upright at the sound of a clearing throat and realized that Elsie was standing in the archway.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," apologize Elsie.
"No…I'm the one who should apologize, I was completely in another world," said Isobel with a wry smile. "How are you feeling?" She saw the irritation flicker across Elsie's face and started to apologize again, "I'm sorry…"
"Please don't apologize again," interrupted Elsie with a deep sigh. "I suppose that's how it's going to be for the next few weeks…everyone asking how I'm feeling and then apologizing for 'every little thing."
"I'm afraid that people are going to be wary about how to approach you, they don't want to upset you or contribute to your discomfort," said Isobel after several moments of consideration. "How would you like for people to approach you, to treat you?"
"Just don't treat me differently, I want things to go back to the way they were."
"That could be difficult for people, Elsie. But I'll certainly try my best." She took a sip of her tea and grimaced. "Cold," she said in response to Elsie's raised eyebrows.
Elsie laughed and walked across the kitchen, "Shall I put the kettle on?"
"Thank you, should we consider starting breakfast soon?" asked Isobel as she hopped down from her barstool to dump her cold tea into the sink. "Richard is such a bear if I let him sleep too late and he's usually very hungry when he first wakes up."
"God, no! Charles won't let me touch anything in his kitchen except the electric kettle and the corkscrew," Elsie exclaimed with a wide smile that quickly turned to a frown as her face fell.
"What's the matter?" asked Isobel with a puzzled look on her face.
"Nothing's the matter," began Elsie with an edge to her voice, "I just…I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound angry." She shook her head and slumped down in her seat.
Isobel's head nodded in sudden understanding, "If you want people to treat you the same as before, then you need to act the same as before." She placed her arm around the younger woman's shoulders and gave her a sympathetic squeeze. "It's alright to laugh and have a good time, those are the feelings and the memories that are eventually going to wash away all the bad ones."
Elsie turned to look up at Isobel and a motion caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She looked over and saw two very bleary eyed men standing in the kitchen archway. Charles stood there looking very sexy in his flannel pyjama trousers and white undershirt showing off his toned arms and shoulders while Richard looked a bit like the schoolyard whipping boy wearing his trousers from last night and one of Charles' undershirts which was two sizes too big. Both were unshaven and sporting matching standup cow-licks but still managed to look appealing to their women.
"Speaking of bears," said Elsie in a stage-whisper, jerking her head in their direction. Isobel looked over and giggled before walking over to Richard and pulling his arms around her waist to give him a hug. She reached up to caress his cheek and wrinkled her nose, "Scratchy!"
Richard just looked at her blankly and asked, "Is there any tea?"
"Just ready," said Elsie reaching up into the cupboard to retrieve two clean mugs.
"You didn't let her touch anything in the kitchen, did you?" asked Charles raising an imperious eyebrow at Isobel.
"Nothing but the kettle and the corkscrew," she said repeating Elsie's words from earlier.
"Thank goodness," he replied with a chuckle as Elsie scowled at him. "If you would be so kind as to give me a hand in the kitchen, Isobel, I would be more than happy to put breakfast on the table."
"Aye, aye, Captain!" said Isobel saluting Charles. They both turned when they heard Elsie cry out.
"Richard! Your hand!" Elsie saw the bruises and cuts on Richard's hand when he reached out to pick up his mug of tea. He flexed his injured fingers and looked down to see her eyes brimming with tears.
"You shouldn't have," she whispered hoarsely as the tears began to fall.
"I would do it again in a heartbeat, lassie," he said softly as he gathered her to his chest while she cried. He looked up hesitantly and tightened his arms when he saw Charles' nod of approval.
"I should have done it," muttered Charles under his breath as he turned to the refrigerator to take out the eggs and bacon for breakfast.
"No, you shouldn't have," admonished Richard turning Elsie so that he could look down into her face. "Your job may have been at stake and if Branson would have had you arrested for assault…you needed to be here for Elsie."
"Still…" pouted Charles setting out his knives and cutting board.
"Still, nothing!" snorted Richard trying to lighten the mood. "If you had been fired from Grantham, Crawley and Sons, I would have felt obliged to give you a job in the interim." He went on when everyone turned to look at him in surprise, "And let's face it, with Charles designing lingerie, everything would have been split-front babydolls and boyshorts!"
It took a moment for it to sink in that Richard was referring to that night in the restaurant on Valentine's Day when Charles sat ogling a particularly revealing design sketch. He felt Elsie poke him in the ribs as she began to giggle at the image of Charles in Richard's studio holding up bits of spangled fabric and lace to see which he preferred in the light. Soon they were all laughing and it wasn't long before Charles and Isobel began placing full English breakfasts in front of everyone.
-o O o-
Since Charles and Isobel had done the cooking, Elsie and Richard were clearing away the dishes when the doorbell sounded through the townhouse. Since they would not normally have been home this time of day, Charles frowned and went to answer the door, ready to give short shrift to whatever hapless salesman was standing on their doorstep.
"Am I to assume that dress-down Friday has now moved to Thursday?" the acerbic tone of Lady Violet's voice was unmistakable coming from the kitchen archway.
"Hmph," Charles cleared this throat from behind her, "We weren't expecting guests…or clients, at home this morning. She said she's come to see you, Elsie." Richard scrambled to pull out a chair at the table for her Ladyship to sit in.
"Thank you…Mr. Clarkson is it?" She looked up at him coyly and then looked pointedly at Isobel with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, Cousin Violet," she said with an edge to her voice, "This is Richard Clarkson of Clarkson and Sons, Clothiers."
"Tsk, tsk, forced to sleep rough on the sofa I see," Violet said giving him an insincere smile.
"He didn't sleep on the sofa," replied Isobel with an air of forced nonchalance.
"Hmph!" snorted her Ladyship while shifting away from Richard, "I would have thought him more of a gentleman than to make you sleep on the sofa, Cousin."
"I didn't sleep on the sofa either, not that it's any of your business," huffed Isobel. Richard's head had been moving back and forth between the two women as if he was watching a tennis match and his jaw dropped at her revelation while Lady Violet looked smug at having confirmed her suspicions. "Close your mouth Richard, you're catching flies!" Isobel said quickly.
"As the young people would say…TMI, Isobel, TMI!" Lady Violet turned to Elsie and placed her hand on the younger woman's arm. "And how are we doing this morning?"
"I…am doing fine this morning, Lady Violet," said Elsie testily, "How are you?"
"Tsk, tsk, no reason to be testy, Ms. Hughes," said her Ladyship drawing herself up stiffly. "I'm only the messenger in this case."
"I apologize, your Ladyship," said Elsie hanging her head. "You said you had a message?"
"Yes…well…" Lady Violet paused for a moment, she had not intended to hurt anyone's feelings, least of all Ms. Hughes'. "I'm sorry, Ms. Hughes, I seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. Perhaps we could begin again?" She looked hopefully over at Elsie.
Elsie could feel the irritation rising but knew that the Old Dragon wouldn't be assuaged until she'd at least acknowledged the apology and Lady Violet did seem sincere. Elsie nodded and gave her a tight smile.
Charles recognized Elsie's frustration and broke in, "We'll be back in the office on Monday, could this not have waited until then?"
"Actually, it could not," said Lady Violet turning to look up at Charles. "Robert said to tell you that he could not get the new desks delivered until Monday afternoon so he thought you might consider taking another day off?" Charles glanced over at Elsie with a raised eyebrow.
"We had several meetings scheduled for today and tomorrow that Anna would have had to move. It would depend on what she was able to accomplish," replied Elsie with a shake of her head.
Charles nodded and turned back to her Ladyship, "We'll check with Anna this afternoon…I guess we could always set up shop in the conference room itself."
"Charles," Elsie began quietly, "We could return to our old office."
"NO!" he said vehemently, "We are NOT…"
"Shush, now," she said soothingly, rising from her chair to stand in front of him. "It wouldn't necessarily be comfortable but it would not be impossible." She placed her hands on his hips and bent to tuck the top of her head against his stomach. He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her neck and then placed his hands on her shoulders to raise her up so that he could look into her eyes. "I'll have you and I'll have Anna there with me…it will be alright," she said closing her eyes and snuggling against his chest. His arms tightened around her and he leaned his cheek on the top of her head. "As I said last night, he doesn't get to win this time."
"Well said, Ms. Hughes," remarked Lady Violet with genuine admiration for the younger woman. "And that brings me to my other message. Branson spent the night in the gaol." Everyone turned to look at her in surprise. "He took a swing at Robert later that evening and Robert registered a complaint against him and the local constables removed him from the premises last night."
"What will happen to him?" asked Elsie.
"Not much. A drunken brawl is hardly a capital crime," snorted her Ladyship. "He will likely be fined and released within a couple of days…unless criminal charges are filed against him."
Charles had to hand it to the Old Dragon, she knew how to play to someone's conscience. "Elsie, you don't have to put yourself through all of that, not out of some sense of guilt."
Elsie turned her back on Charles to look fully on Lady Violet. "What would happen if I didn't press charges?"
"Well…Sybil has thrown him out and I suppose the marriage will be annulled. She finally admitted that he threatened her on more than one occasion but never actually assaulted her." Lady Violet now looked Elsie squarely in the eye. "I won't pretend that any of this does not hinge on your experience, Ms. Hughes. I want you to know that both Sybil and Robert will swear out complaints against him and support you in court…should you decide to press charges."
"With all due respect, your Ladyship," began Charles as he reached out and pulled Elsie back against his chest in a protective gesture, "I find it hard to believe that Lord Grantham would allow his daughter to expose herself to the courts and the media should such a case be brought to trial. And I find it equally hard to believe that he would risk the reputation of his company and its holdings to such a scandal."
"My son, was forced to see reason when faced with the loss of his client base," she said evenly.
"Pardon?" asked Charles incredulously while the others stared at her in disbelief that word would have gotten out and caused a scandal already.
"Hmph," Lady Violet cleared her throat and fiddled with an invisible piece of lint on the cuff of her jacket. "I know that I should have spoken with you first, Isobel but…I told Robert that if he didn't support Ms. Hughes in this matter that Izzy and Violet's would seek legal counsel elsewhere. And that we would take our consultants and stakeholders with us." She looked surreptitiously at Richard to gage his reaction as one of their chief stakeholders and partners. She let out a surprised squeak when Richard leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
"I'll never complain that you are the silent partner and should act accordingly again!" exclaimed Isobel grinning from ear to ear. "You did exactly what I was planning on doing!" She rose from her chair and ran over to throw her arms around her business partner and plant a huge kiss on her cheek knowing that it would irritate the elderly woman.
Lady Violet scrunched up her face in discomfort at all the displays of affection that she was receiving and finally stood from her chair. "Ms. Hughes…please consider that criminal charges will be the only way to put that young villain behind bars where he belongs."
Elsie still stood within the comfort of Charles' encircling arms and she could feel him stiffen at her Ladyship's request. "I will consider it," stated Elsie quietly as she felt his arms tighten around her.
"Thank you," said Lady Violet with an understanding smile. "Mr. Clarkson, if you would be so kind." She placed her hand inside his elbow as they began to walk towards the front door. "I hope that you didn't injure your hand too badly…I would have liked to have been there to see it," she smiled radiantly up at him and he winked at her and covered her hand with his as they crossed the foyer.
A/N2: I hope you liked this introduction of Ringtone Violet to the cast of characters for these little fics.