A/N Second update today! If you haven't read Chapter 19, go back and do that first. Thank you for all the reviews in the short time between the last post and this one. Please keep sharing your thoughts! Almost done now - one or two more chapters after this.

Chapter 20

Elsie was taken by surprise, to say the least. Lady Mary Crawley was perhaps the last person she expected to be knocking at her door that afternoon.

"Mrs. Hughes," she asked, "do you have a moment?"

"Of course, M'Lady. Please come in," replied Elsie, offering her a chair. "How may I help you?"

"I came to tell you how very glad I am for you and Carson," the young woman told her.

"Why, thank you. That is kind of you to say," the housekeeper responded.

"He loves you very much, and you've made him so happy," said Lady Mary, in so heartfelt a tone that Elsie couldn't help but be touched.

"It so happens that I return his feelings, and I'm quite happy, as well," managed Elsie, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm rather fond of him, myself, as I'm sure you know," continued Lady Mary. "It brings me joy to see him so obviously pleased."

"He cares for you, too, M'Lady – a great deal," Elsie assured her.

"He always has done, even though most of the time, I haven't been deserving of his devotion," Lady Mary said pensively.

"Perhaps he's seen something that others haven't – that you haven't," the older woman offered.

"He's seen the hope – the possibility – that a spoiled young girl can become a decent person?" suggested Lady Mary.

"I'd say it's more than a hope or a possibility, M'Lady," Elsie encouraged her. "It's highly likely, I think."

"I am trying. Losing one's husband does have a way of revealing what's truly important," continued Lady Mary plaintively, "especially when one has been too selfish to recognize it any sooner. Mrs. Hughes, I would never presume to offer you advice about marriage. I don't feel qualified to give anyone advice about anything. However, I will say that I think you'll be happier if you make the most of the time you're given. You can't know whether you'll be granted a year or ten or twenty or thirty, but if you really want to, you can find a lifetime's worth of love in a year."

Until that moment, Elsie would never have dreamed that Lady Mary Crawley could say anything that would make her eyes become moist, but it seemed the young lady possessed an extraordinary capacity to surprise her.

"Well said, M'Lady. I daresay you're right," Elsie agreed. "You're remarkably wise for one so young."

"Wisdom is not a trait anyone's ever attributed to me before," snuffled Lady Mary.

"Perhaps it's a quality you've acquired only recently," posited Elsie.

"It's no wonder Carson loves you," Lady Mary marveled. "You don't even like me, and yet you find it in your heart to be kind."

"On the contrary, M'Lady," countered Elsie, "I'm growing fonder of you every time you speak."

They both smiled affectionately.

"Carson's very lucky to have you, Mrs. Hughes," affirmed Lady Mary.

"So I keep telling him," Elsie jested.

"He's a dear man. You will take care of him?" Lady Mary implored seriously.

"You may have me sacked if I don't."

"Don't think I won't!"

"I know you will!"

Both women laughed heartily. Lady Mary rose to leave, and Elsie stood as well.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes, for your time and your kind words."

"Thank you, M'Lady, for your good wishes."

Elsie walked Lady Mary to the door and bade her good day. In the corridor, she noticed Charles, who shot her a questioning look. She just smiled back at him.