As always, my thanks to chelsie fan.

"You want to do what!?"

"Retire, M'Lord."

The faces of the family in the library were quite the sight. He'd expected no less than their shocked expressions. Mary's eyes went as wide as saucers at the pronouncement, and she stared at him in alarm. Mr. Carson couldn't meet her eye; he looked politely, if awkwardly, over the shoulder of Lord Grantham, awaiting his reaction.

Lady Grantham spoke instead. "Carson, is something wrong?"

"Yes and no, M'Lady."

"But you are not unwell," Lady Grantham clarified, still worried about some hidden health problem they'd all missed.

"No, M'Lady.

"Then what is this about?" demanded Lord Grantham.

Mr. Carson clasped his hands a little tighter behind his back and lifted his chin. "It is about Mrs. Hughes."

"What about Mrs. Hughes?"

"I'm worried she may be…unhappy with her current situation, and that makes me unhappy, M'Lord."

"Unhappy? And why on earth should she be unhappy?"

"But of course she's unhappy!" The entire room was caught off guard by Lady Edith's exasperated pronouncement.

"Edith?" questioned Lady Grantham.

Lady Edith was practically beside herself. "She's alone, sightless, in house she doesn't know, with family she's never met! How could any of us sit here and honestly think she's happy?!"

An uncomfortable silence followed. Lady Edith looked indignant, Lord Grantham confused, and Lady Grantham rather upset. Losing Mrs. Hughes had been sudden; obviously there would be a period of adjustment. This seemed like a very rash reaction for their loyal and devoted butler.

"And because of this you wish to retire?!" said Lord Grantham disbelievingly.

"Yes, M'Lord."

"That makes absolutely no sense."

Lady Mary, who had been watching the proceedings silently up until now with a preoccupied look on her face, stood up abruptly. "Oh, Papa! He's miserable! Can't you see that? He's been miserable since the minute she stood just there and told everyone she wasn't well."

Lady Mary turned to Carson apologetically, "Sorry, Carson, but it's true."

Lord Grantham was having trouble coming to terms with this. "Forty years serving this family, and all of a sudden you're miserable?!"

Mr. Carson managed to look Lord Grantham in the eye. "Yes, I am, M'Lord."

Lord Grantham opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Mr. Carson cleared his throat awkwardly. "If I might speak plainly, M'Lord?"

"Why the hell not?!" said Lord Grantham throwing up his hands. "Perhaps you can explain to me this ridiculous proposition."

"As I said, I would like to retire. If I were no longer employed at Downton, then I might care for Mrs. Hughes, instead of having her cousins do it. She doesn't know them, M'Lord. It doesn't seem right."

"No, it doesn't," agreed Lady Grantham quietly.

Lord Grantham gave his wife a disapproving a look, and she glared back. He turned back to Mr. Carson. "So what now? You disappear in a puff of smoke to do what exactly? Be her nurse? Marry her? How do you think this is going to play out, exactly?"

"It will play out however Mrs. Hughes wishes it to play out, M'Lord."

"And suppose she doesn't wish to come at all?"

"That is a risk I'm willing to take, M'Lord."

"Because you're miserable," he shot a look at his eldest daughter. "Well, if she doesn't come back, don't come groveling to me for your job back."

"Robert!" admonished Lady Grantham. "Don't say things you do not mean! If Mrs. Hughes stays in Blackpool, then Carson will come back and resume his post as usual. It's bad enough we've lost Mrs. Hughes; you'll not turn him out."

Lord Grantham did not look very pleased to be undermined in this way, but he had to concede that his wife was right. This was Carson they were talking about here. Charles Carson. No one had served the family better.

"There is one thing I don't understand," said Lord Grantham.

The things you don't understand would fill a great many books. Mr. Carson rarely thought of his employer in such an unsavory way, but this entire conversation was making him decidedly irritated. He knew Lord Grantham hadn't truly meant it, that it had been said because he was caught off guard by the news, but the suggestion that he would not be welcome back still cut deep.

"If this is what you wanted, why didn't you say so before she left? Why not plan this from the beginning?"

Mr. Carson shifted uncomfortably. "It didn't seem appropriate."

"And it's appropriate now?"

"It's … necessary now, M'Lord."

This confused Lord Grantham further, but Lady Mary smiled reassuringly at him.

"Of course it is," she said. "If this is what you want, Carson, then so be it. I'm sure nothing we can say will stop you now."

Her tone was one of unwavering support, despite the fact that she was rather hurt to hear he would be leaving. Mr. Carson smiled at her gratefully. "No, I don't think it would, M'Lady."

"Well," said Lady Mary, "I suppose it's settled. How soon might a cottage be ready?" She directed this question to her father, as if daring him to disagree. Mr. Carson watched with bated breath.

Lord Grantham hesitated and Lady Mary pounced, "Unless, Papa, you plan instead on banishing him from Downton in payment for his years of loyal service?"

"Of course not!" sputtered Lord Grantham, looking indignant. "But Carson…are you quite sure?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I assume you wish to get this underway immediately."

"If I may," he said carefully. "If I am to have a cottage, as Lady Mary suggests, I would be close enough to assist my replacement in settling in. Mr. Barrow might be capable of taking over, or I could suggest a few outside candidates, if you prefer."

"Let's not put the cart before the horse. We don't even know if Mrs. Hughes will wish to return," said Lord Grantham. "We will see to finding a cottage, and perhaps you will or will not have reason to use it right away. If you do, we will discuss your replacement then."

This was the best answer Mr. Carson could have hoped for. "Thank you, M'Lord."

Lady Grantham clapped her hands together, as if to declare some sort of adjournment to the conversation. "Well," she said, "it seems there is a lot of work to be done." She pulled the bell. "Carson, you go organize your things. I'm sure we can see to the cottage for you. Perhaps we might be able to enlist Anna's assistance?"

"Yes, M'Lady."

"Other than her, why don't we keep this from the rest of the staff for now? Until we're sure that you will not be returning to us."

"Very prudent, M'Lady." He had not thought of that, but it was a very good idea. He had not been able to contemplate what he might do if she really did say no, but it was a possibility they had to consider.

"Thank you, Carson." He was being dismissed, and he nodded politely to them. Once he'd left, Lady Mary took it to run after him.

"Carson?" she called.

He turned in surprise. "Yes, M'Lady?"

Lady Mary looked over her shoulder to confirm they were out of earshot of her parents. "Before you go," she said. "You might consider speaking with Mr. Travis?"

Mr. Carson gave a start. He'd not expected that. "I suppose you're right, M'Lady."

"I think it might… expedite things upon your return. I could do it for you if you like."

"You would do that for" - he almost said 'us,' but stopped himself at the last moment; there was no 'us' yet - "me, M'Lady?"

"Carson, I would be happy to."

For a moment, Mr. Carson was struck by just how much she had grown since the unfortunate death of Mr. Matthew. Love and motherhood had changed her, and she could see clearly how very painful losing Mrs. Hughes was for him. Mr. Carson was quite touched by the offer. "Thank you, M'Lady. Thank you very much."

"Not at all, Carson," she said, giving him a warm smile. "And never mind Papa; he's just surprised, that's all. It will take him some time."

Mr. Carson made a small noncommittal noise deep in his throat. The words of his employers had been both very hurtful and very kind; it was difficult for him to reconcile both feelings. Instead he focused on the important young woman before him, who had not thought to question or dismiss him. "Your support alone means the world to me, M'Lady."

"Well, I do not wish for you to leave us, but we are all behind you, Carson. Even Papa. Or he will be."

She looked so determined that he couldn't help but smile at her. "As you say, M'Lady."

Lady Mary nodded at him. "Now, let us get on. As I understand it, we both have much to do."

And with that, Mr. Carson's idea was properly underway.

TBC