Ok! I cranked out another quicky! J This will be it for a few days! It's Memorial Day weekend here in the states so Happy Holiday to everyone here!

Chapter 6

Robert sat up on the side of the bed, his head wet with perspiration; he had tossed and turned all night; his dreams a horrible jumble of devastating scenes. He sighed heavily remembering…Cora and Sybil and another female figure he could not place, but felt familiar to him. Cora and Sybil were stranded in a boat, on a lake, and he was trying desperately to reach them and could not. Every time he got close the boat would veer in another direction and he was helpless to save them.

He would awaken thankful to rid his mind of the horrible thoughts only to fall asleep again, the dream starting where it left off. By morning he was exhausted and deeply disturbed. The woman he could not place was standing on the shore, begging him to help them. Cora and Sybil's screams for help kept resonating in his head. He sat for a long while on the side of the bed, his thoughts heavy.

He thought of Carson and Mrs. Hughes; he thought long and hard about Carson, considering the ache in his own chest, at the thought of not being able to get to Cora, and realizing how his heart must ache now. He is struck with a deep empathy for this man who had given him and his family so many years of devoted service. Robert was suddenly ashamed that he had not immediately granted Carson's request. Like so many times, it was his wife who made sense of it all. He looked at the clock, it was barely 5. He went to Cora's bedroom and stood watching her sleep for a moment before reaching down to kiss her tenderly on the forehead.

She stirred and her blue eyes opened slowly. "What is it?" she whispered.

"You're beautiful." He knelt down and brushed a dark curl away from her eyes.

Cora smiled. "What time is it?" She sat up to look toward the windows.

"It's early darling. And I'm sorry to wake you. I just have been thinking about what you said and...I want to do right by Carson and Mrs. Hughes. They deserve each other and..." he paused and sighed. "They deserve to be with each other...to love and..." He shook his head and lowered it. "Oh Cora, I can't imagine my life without you."

Cora reached up to touch his face. "Darling, I knew you would realize how important this is."

"I had a dream, Cora. It was simply awful. I couldn't get to you and Sybil. I tried and you were screaming and Sybil..." Robert swallows hard and tears rush to the surface, threatening to spill over. "Sybil..." he whispers and the tears come.

She sits up and motions for him, "Oh sweetheart...come..." Robert, like a little boy, gets in the bed beside her. She gathers her to him. "Shhh...it's okay."

"Oh Cora...I wasn't there when Sybil needed me the most." He searches her eyes.

"Robert, we promised each other we would never speak of that again." He lays his head gently on her chest, she strokes his hair. Soon the closeness and raw emotions lead to more. They make love; deep, connected passion that only comes from understanding someone so fully.

Charles squinted and looked at the clock. It was almost 6. He allowed himself to sleep in a little longer since he only went to bed 3 hours earlier. He was surprisingly alert and awake, wanting to see what this day would hold. He knew who he wanted to be holding, as much and as long as the day would allow. 'Elsie...my sweet Elsie,' he smiled as the words left his lips. His dreams had been filled with her, the way she touched his lips in that way that was quickly becoming his favorite thing about her. He wondered how she slept and hurried to wash up and get dressed so he could find her.

He was disappointed when he got downstairs and she was not in her sitting room. He shook it off and was thankful she had decided to sleep in too. He started his work with a spring in his step and hummed a little tune.

Elsie stood quietly, gazing out the window, at the sun rising slowly over the eastern edge of the estate. She had left the quiet of the servant quarters hours before, for the comfort of one of her favorite rooms in the castle. It was far away from the hum of the rest of the house and she often retreated there to clear her mind, dream, and think about the man she loved so deeply. The room, itself, reminded her of home….Argyll; the modest house she grew up in, the blue and cream hues gave her that warm feeling of being in her mother's kitchen, listening to her sing as she cooked. If she couldn't be in Charles' arms, naturally, this was the place that could soothe her pensive soul.

She soon smoothed the bed spread back to its perfect condition, where she had rested her body for part of the night. She was anxious to see Charles, hoped he had gotten a few hours of sleep. Mentally, she pushed down the foreboding and smoothed her dress out, checked her hair pins, steadied herself and closed the door of the quiet and walked into the noise of the life that had been hers for more than 20 years.

He saw her, crossing the landing of the second floor above the Saloon, and was puzzled. 'Why was she coming from that way'? Charles thought to himself. She didn't see him but his eyes followed her as she reached the grand staircase. It was customary the staff not use the main staircase but both of them knew that no family would be up this early so she turned onto the stairs and saw him watching her. They both smiled without speaking. He watched her ascend the stairs; imagining her in a white gown and coming down to take his arm and become his wife.

She reached him and glanced about her before stretching up on her toes to place a warm greeting on his lips. "Good morning, love." She purred in that morning voice that he had only heard on a few occasions. He took note of it. He was mentally filing away the things that were endearing her to him, the things that were driving him mad with love and desire for her and the things that he would claim as 'only for him'.

He quickly realized she was wearing the same dress as last night. "My love…why are you in the same dress?" He glanced up stairs again and thought about where she had come from. "Did you sleep?"

"Not much, but I'll be okay. I slept all day remember?" She smiled and put her arm around his waist and nudged him to walk with her. "How are you this morning? Did you sleep?"

He followed suit, wrapping his arm around her small waist and walking slowly toward the staircase leading downstairs. "I did sleep some. I feel good…happy." He looked at her and pulled her a little tighter to his side. "Are you okay? Why didn't you sleep?"

Before they reach the stairs he turns her in his arms. "Be honest with me. We are in this together and I want to know everything you are feeling..the things that keep you awake at night, the thoughts that keep you going and your fears…about the future."

Elsie could barely comprehend the man Charles had suddenly become. It was the man that was in her dreams; the man that she longed for. His confidence in them seemed a thousand times greater than it was even yesterday. She wanted to share everything with him, all of her. She laced her arms through his and let her hands rest on his lower back. She pulled him to her, their bodies pressed together. "I will Charles. Not now but later. I promise." She again reached to kiss him and he leaned down to meet her lips.

They stayed that way for a long while, she touching his lips with her fingers just before they parted. He kissed her finger tips and sighed contentedly. "Oh Elsie.I wont last long like this. Let's get married!" He exclaimed with a childlike glee.

She laughed and pulled back a bit. "NOW?"

"Yes! Now!" He grinned.

"What about our jobs Mr. Carson?!" she asked sarcastically.

"I don't care about anything but you, Elsie Hughes. We have a life to live…together! I want it to start as soon as possible!"

She still chuckled knowing that he would not; they could not leave service right away. But with abandon and blind love she agreed! "Okay! Let's get married!"

TBC…..