Chapter Five: Mrs. Darling

December was nearing it's end. They had finally received a confirmed date for His Lordship's return. December 22nd had replaced Christmas as the season's main occasion. While some Christmas decorating was done, the staff's true mandate was to prepare Downton Abbey for the return of her master. They were given only nine days notice.

Before this news, Mrs. Hughes had considered Lady Grantham to be a reasonable and even benevolent employer. But the past week had made her start to wonder. The entire house was now subject to Her Ladyship's inspecting eye. Suddenly, perfection was no longer good enough. Mrs. Hughes had absorbed the development with a sympathetic professionalism. She walked the tight line between placating Her Ladyship and protecting her girls.

"The curtains in the music room are dusty, Mrs. Hughes. Please have them seen to."

"Yes, milady." Elsie knew it was pointless to tell Her Ladyship that the curtains had been aired only last week even though the room had been unused in all the time Elsie had been at Downton.

Under the increased workload, Mr. Carson had been forced to suspend his visits to the nursery, handing 'Peter Pan' responsibilities off to Miss Randall, who was not nearly as enthusiastic a reader as the butler had been.

Every morning, before dismissing the staff from breakfast, Mr. Carson gave them the countdown. "Four days until the ship arrives in Southampton. That gives us ten days until the whole family returns. Your extra efforts are noted and appreciated." Then everyone would scatter about the house to perform their various tasks.

"Mrs. Hughes?" Elsie was surprised to see Mrs. Patmore and her scullery maid entering her sitting room.

"How may I help you Mrs. Patmore?" Elsie really did not have much time to spare, but did not see any chance of putting Mrs. Patmore off.

"Go ahead, child. Tell her." Mrs. Patmore prompted. The poor girl looked terrified, she had only been at Downton for a short time and had not ever before spoken to Mrs. Hughes.

"It's Anna, isn't it?" The girl nodded timidly. She could not be more than twelve years old. "What is it child? If Mrs. Patmore believes you should tell me, then you must trust her. If she's brought you here to waste my time, she will answer for it; not you." Mrs. Patmore's face challenged Mrs. Hughes to try and make her answer for anything. But the joke and the housekeeper's smile helped the girl relax.

"It's just that, when I went to light Her Ladyship's fire the past two mornings, all her windows were open. This morning, the room was very cold; very cold, indeed."

"Her windows were open? How could that be?" Mrs. Hughes would need to speak to Miss O'Brien about this. "Thank you, Anna. Thank you, Mrs. Patmore. I shall look into this immediately."

Mrs. Hughes tracked down Miss O'Brien in the boot room. Elsie did not blame the Lady's Maid for hiding from her mistress. "Miss O'Brien? Do you know anything about Her Ladyship's windows?"

Miss O'Brien shrugged noncommittally. "She asked me to open them for her the past few nights. The weather was not too cold two nights ago, so I obliged her. Last night, I refused because it was much colder, but this morning I found she had managed to open them somehow."

"Why would she want her windows open?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Came the curt, Irish reply.

"Thank you, Miss O'Brien." Mrs. Hughes said, meaning quite the opposite. She left the boot room to return to her office. Sitting at her desk, Elsie closed her eyes and resisted the urge to rest her forehead on the desk. She needed to center herself before tackling this new issue with Her Ladyship. Every conversation with Lady Grantham in the past week had resulted in more work for the housekeeper and her staff. She would have to be delicate when addressing the subject of the open windows.

Elsie was still planning her approach when she heard his knock on the door. A little of the stress she'd been feeling lifted as she called out, "Come in, Mr. Carson."

"Do you know my knock or am I the only one brave enough to disturb you?" He inquired with mock seriousness.

"Some would say brave and some would say foolish. And, if only you were the only one. I am thinking of installing a revolving door, like they have in the big London hotels."

"I should think that would be most distracting. But I hope this won't be too much of a disturbance. We leave for London in three days and I just wanted to give you this, before I forgot." He handed her the small, leather bound book. "To read while I am away. I thought you could use a little levity, given the week you've had."

"Thank you, though I doubt I will have much time for reading, Mr. Carson. I have received instructions to air out and deep clean every room in the house before you return in nine days. That's an entire season's worth of work in just over one week's time."

"I suspect there is no need for such action, Mrs. Hughes. I trust that you will have the house in perfect order without overworking the staff or yourself. And you are all to enjoy the usual time off on Christmas. Her Ladyship is understandably anxious for Lord Grantham's homecoming but I think, in this case, her instructions may be considered advisory rather than mandatory."

"Can I get that in writing? It will be my head if she is dissatisfied. Has she ever been like this before?"

"Not that I've seen."

"I am a little worried about her. Apparently, she's been sleeping with her windows open and I am left to determine why."

"Sleeping with her windows open? She'll make herself ill." Why did that sound familiar to him? "I could speak to her, if you like."

"Would you, Mr. Carson? I would be exceedingly obliged."

"But I will have to ask your assistance in return, Mrs. Hughes."

"I should have known there was a catch. What can I do to help, Mr. Carson?"

"The more I consider Her Ladyship's plan to meet Lord Grantham's ship in Southampton, the worse of an idea I believe it to be. She is aware of my opinion on the matter, but she is not planning on heeding my advice. I don't dare raise the subject again. Perhaps you can help me convince Lady Grantham to allow me to meet the boat alone and bring him to the Painswick's in London."

"Miss O'Brien has her ear more than I. You should ask her."

"I wouldn't ask Miss O'Brien to help me bathe the dog, let alone with something this important. You're clever, Mrs. Hughes. All I ask is that you keep an eye out for any opportunity to perhaps remind her of how much work it will be to transport the children so far. Or point out that it is uncertain exactly when the boat will arrive and they will be more comfortable waiting in London, should the boat be delayed."

"I'll do what I can, Mr. Carson. If you believe it will help."

"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes, I believe it will."

"Perhaps you should ask the Dowager to aid you as well. I am sure she will agree with you and she is quite adept at steering Lady Grantham." Usually without Her Ladyship's realizing it.

"That is an excellent suggestion, Mrs. Hughes. No one could resist the combined efforts of two such formidable wills." In the servant's hall, the drawing room bell rang. Roger's feet scurried into the kitchen. "Roger," Mr. Carson called after him, "I shall take up the tea today. You need to make sure all of His Lordship's clothes have gotten a proper airing. Thank you, Mrs. Hughes. I hope you will find time to enjoy the book."

"Thank you, Mr. Carson. I am sure I shall. And thank you for your help with Her Ladyship."

He smiled and went into the kitchen to retrieve the tea service.

Cora was surprised to see Carson serving tea that afternoon. For the past week, the butler had turned everything but dinner service over to Roger, allowing himself time to focus on other duties.

"You must feel very comfortable with your preparations to take time to serve me this afternoon, Carson." Her tone was almost accusatory, but Carson ignored it; raising is chin imperiously as he poured.

"Things are falling into place, My Lady. The staff have worked very hard and I am confident we will be more than prepared for His Lordship's return."

"I know I don't have to tell you how important it is to have everything perfect."

"Indeed, you do not, My Lady." He handed Lady Grantham her tea and returned to stand beside the settee. After a few moments, he cleared his throat.

"Yes, Carson? Have you something to say?"

"There is one matter that has come to my attention that has confounded me, My Lady."

"It is very unlike you, Carson, to be unsure of anything."

"And I am finding it very frustrating. Might I appeal to Your Ladyship for advice?"

"I shall help in any way I can, Carson." She sipped her tea and looked up at the butler curiously.

"I am given to understand that Your Ladyship may be endangering her health by sleeping with the windows open."

Lady Cora frowned down at her cup and saucer. "Someone has been telling tales on me?"

"Someone is looking out for your well being." Afraid of overstepping, Carson waited for her response.

"It's your fault, Carson; yours and Rosamund's" Lady Grantham finally scolded him.

"My Lady?"

"It's that fool play. It's put such silly thoughts in my head."

"I was not aware that you knew anything of the play, My Lady."

"Do you think I didn't notice when the dog was wearing a maid's cap? When you abandoned the story, the girls appealed to me to continue it. According to Lady Sybil, Miss Randall does not 'do the voices'. We finished the play the other evening. You know how it ends, don't you?"

"Yes, of course, but what has that to do with keeping the windows open?" But then he remembered. "Oh. I see."

"Yes, I feel ridiculous, Carson. But the image of that mother, sitting in the nursery, night after night, waiting for her children to come flying home…"

"It is a poignant image, My Lady. And if it were warmer out, I would not discourage you from keeping the windows open if it comforted you. But, for your health, I must beg you to reconsider."

"Not to worry, Carson, I shall leave the windows shuttered tonight. I give you my word."

"Thank you, My Lady. And you've nothing to worry about. I believe His Lordship will be more than satisfied using the front door."

Lady Grantham's grateful smile was matched by that of the housekeeper listening at the drawing room door.

TBC...

A/N The story will be taking a slightly more serious turn now, as Robert comes home from Africa, but we'll still have some fun with Carson and the girls and Elsie. Thank you for the reviews, I was not able to respond personally to the reviews from last chapter, as I am trying to update daily, but I will try to do so for this one.