"The results show...the lump is benign."

Elsie bursts into tears and laid her head back on the pillow, nearly overwrought with emotion and relief. Charles eyes welled with tears too and he put his head in his hands. Dr. Clarkson let the news soak in and stood quietly.

"Are you sure Doctor...are you absolutely sure?" Charles has stood to address him.

"Mr. Carson, the scientists, doctors who have reviewed this report, in London, are at the top of their field. In fact, I asked them, as a favor to his Lordship to scrutinize as if it were there own."

Charles nodded in acceptance then leaned down to kiss Elsie firm on the mouth. "I love you.." he whispered in her ear as they embraced. "I love you so much." He walked to Dr. Clarkson and extended his hand out of sheer elation and pride. "Thank you Dr. Clarkson. Thank you..."

"Well I didn't' do anything but I am glad to deliver this news to both of you. We will need to discuss surgery at some point and we will want to know if this has anything to do with your current condition. We certainly do not have to talk about that now but we will need to soon." He crossed the room and takes Elsie's hand in his and smiled. "I'm happy Mrs. Hughes...please forgive me...Mrs. Carson."

"Dr. Clarkson, you can call me whatever you like!" She squeezed his hand with as much strength as she can muster. "Thank you," she smiles.

"I'll leave you two." He started to leave.

"Dr. Clarkson...when do you think I can go home?" Elsie questioned.

"I think in a day or so. I want to make sure you're blood pressure stays steady another day. But, you won't be able to work for some time. I am going to order bed rest if I am going to release you."

"I can handle that...I just want to be home."

Charles had gone back to the Abbey during the day now that he knew Elsie was going to be okay and it was just a matter of time for her strength to return. He woke early and came to the village each morning by 6 and spent an hour with her. Then he came at the end of the evening to tuck her into bed but was returning to sleep at her insistence.

Elsie felt there was more to tell and she had prodded Charles and he just kept reassuring her that they needed to focus on her getting stronger. Each time he said this, she felt a pang of fear. She couldn't imagine anything being worse than the threat of cancer but she felt like she knew him well enough to know that he was hiding something.

One afternoon when Clarkson was doing his rounds, Charles was away at the house, Elsie asked him. "Dr. Clarkson. Have you ever found why it is, I had this...hemorrhage?" She could tell immediately he was reluctant which angered her. "Don't you think I have right to know about my own body?"

"Mrs. Carson. It's just that..."

"It's just that I asked him not to tell you." Charles' deep bass voice echoed from across the room.

Dr. Clarkson spun around. "Oh Mr. Carson..."

"WHY?" Elsie questioned, her tone thick and severe.

"Because I wanted you to recover a little more...before..." Charles joined her bedside and took his hat off.

"Before what? Maybe the both of you are underestimating me emotionally! Now I want to know what is going on...right now!" She demanded.

Both men were taken aback by her demands and looked to each other as if to say, help!

"Elsie..." Charles sat and reached over to take her hand and she jerked it away.

"No! Tell me!" She

That Scottish fire was sparking and Charles knew he better tell her. His heart was torn. He knew this would devastate her and yet, he agreed, she had every right to know. He just wanted so desperately to protect her and take away the hurt. He turned and gave Dr. Clarkson a woeful look and the doctor gave him a slight nod and turned to go quickly before Elsie could say anything.

Just as she opened her mouth to inquire why Dr. Clarkson left the room, her face was slightly red with anger, Charles just said it. "You had a miscarriage." The room filled with total silence and Charles bowed his head..

"What?" She asked quietly.

An expression of deep pain, regret, loss, spread across his face. His eyes filled with tears. "You...were...pregnant...and your body...just couldn't...handle it. You uh...you almost died Elsie...almost bled to death." He locked eyes with hers and a tear escapes down his cheek. "I almost lost you." he whispers.

Elsie said nothing; she turned her head to the side and sat stunned. The silence was the loudest thing Charles had heard in while. That great sense of loss, sadness, came rushing in and it made sense now. She brought her hands up, covering her face and soon her body began to shake with quiet sobs.

Charles wasn't sure what to do, to say. His heart broke for her, for him, for the loss of a child that might have been had he acted on his feelings years ago. He thought that he would never forgive himself for robbing her of the opportunity to be a mother.

His attention was caught by a sound in the direction of the door. Lord Grantham stood motionless, quickly realizing the fragility of the moment. Carson left where he was and joined Robert near the door. "Has there been a set back?" he asked.

"No..not exactly." Charles glanced back toward Elsie who had turned on her side and then nudged his Lordship out into the hall.

"I'm sorry Carson. I went for a walk and ended up here, wanting to know how Mrs. Hughes was? I see it's not the best timing."

"It's good of you to come milord but yes it's not the best time. Elsie…Mrs. Hughes just received some devastating news."

"Oh? What is it? Can you tell me?" Lord Grantham questioned as if Charles was a close relative.

Charles lowered his gaze to the floor. He didn't want people to know what really happened. He didn't' want to embarrass Elsie but he considered that His Lordship has been through this and he might be the one person Charles' could go to.

TBC….