Make sure you have read all previous chapters before you read this. Notifications have been on the fritz lately, and stories aren't always in order by most recent update.
Mrs. Bute worked out fairly quickly what she had observed in the past few days. She still could not assume anything from the butler's unusual behavior, but she was determined to watch him closely in the coming days. She was curious, but also concerned. Over the last few years she had developed a sort of familial affection for Mr. Carson. He wasn't quite like a father or a brother. Perhaps more like an uncle or a cousin. He did remind her of a cousin of hers - a clergyman who was strict and stern, but had a warm heart underneath it all. Not many people would describe Mr. Carson as kind, but Mrs. Bute was one of them.
After seeing Mr. Carson speaking even more snappishly to James than usual, Mrs. Bute commented to Mrs. Patmore, who had also witnessed it, that she was concerned about Mr. Carson. "He seems out of sorts," she noted. "You've known him for a long time. Do you know why he might be behaving so oddly?"
Mrs. Patmore looked surprised. "Oddly? He is hard on James almost as a rule. It's hardly unusual."
"That's true, but that isn't all. He nearly snapped Anna's head off this morning for nothing."
"Did he?"
"Yes," Mrs. Bute answered. "And I think after all of these years you have probably noticed how crabby he gets during the last few days of the Season."
"That I have. But what's that got to do with his shouting at James and Anna right now? There must be a month left, at least, before we leave London."
"Well, he's acting as if it were three days before the move back to Yorkshire, but just as you say we've at least a month to go. He snaps and he shouts, but he's distracted from his duties himself, quite unusually."
Mrs. Patmore looked thoughtful. "He is, at that," she mused. "Can you make anything of it?"
Mrs. Bute kept her further observations to herself, shaking her head at Mrs. Patmore. "Nothing. But if it goes on much longer, I may ask him myself if anything is wrong."
"Ha. Good luck with that," Mrs. Patmore said. "I hope you have better success with him than James did, when he's in such a mood."
Mrs. Bute laughed. "I can handle it. Besides, I'm only occasionally the recipient of his surliness, even when he's at his worst."
Just then, the object of their speculation approached them. "Everything all right?" he asked, a serious expression on his face.
"Quite all right, Mr. Carson," Mrs. Bute assured him, and Mrs. Patmore nodded.
"I'm glad I have you both here," he commented. "I'd like your opinion on the arrangements for tomorrow night's dinner. It's an extremely important dinner and I'd like to get it all settled as soon as possible."
Just then, James appeared. "Afternoon post, Mr. Carson," he announced, handing Mr. Carson his letters and disappearing as quickly as he could.
Mr. Carson flipped through the letters quickly, but one of them drew his particular attention and he looked at it for a moment before he turned back at the housekeeper and cook. "I'll leave you to your work. I must deal with this letter, that is, with all of these letters immediately." He turned on his heel and went into his office, closing the door behind him. Mrs. Patmore and Mrs. Bute kept completely silent and were rewarded with what they had been listening for; the click of the lock echoed through the empty tiled corridor. The two women looked at one another.
"Very odd," Mrs. Patmore observed. "He wanted to speak to us as soon as possible, but now suddenly his letters are more important." She shrugged. "Well, I must get back to my work." They had been standing in the doorway to the kitchen and Mrs. Patmore went inside, calling out orders to her kitchen maids.
Mrs. Bute went to her office. Mrs. Patmore was right about one thing, but not the other. Mr. Carson had suddenly and inexplicably abandoned an important conversation, but it was for one letter, not all of them. Mrs. Bute decided not to proceed any further with her investigation. At first she had been worried about Mr. Carson, but if she had put together all of the events of the last few days correctly, she needn't worry about him. She would make no assumptions, and she was not a gossip; but she was perceptive. She did not decide or judge; she only observed. From here on out, unless she noticed anything alarming, she would leave him to himself. Whatever did or did not happen was between Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. She hoped, however, that it would end happily.
To be continued...
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