Christmas Eve

Of course the Carson's would have marked the 1 year anniversary of their engagement, but as it was Christmas Eve, I suspected they would have been a little busy too. This is a moment mid-afternoon where I let a few plot bunnies escape. Mid-way through the CS, Edith says she thinks that Carson must know about Marigold because Anna and Mrs Hughes do. Robert thinks that he would faint…

Elsie sat opposite her husband at the dining table in the kitchen of their love nest. She had her eyes closed and had for some time. She was getting slightly impatient.

'Can I open them yet?' she said for the third time. He groaned aloud, but smiled lovingly at her, shaking his head and stepping towards her.

'Patience is a virtue, my love.' He teased, she could tell he was closer than he had been before. She heard him place something heavy on the table. 'All right, now you may open your eyes.' She did and gasped at the sight in front of her. There were candles on the table, two glasses of red wine and a large bunch of flowers in a vase. Her eyes dropped to the thing he'd placed right in front of her and found a very large chocolate cake, still slightly warm. She looked back at him. 'I made it myself.' He said proudly.

'You…what?' Elise's face displayed a mixture of pride and pleasant surprise. Her heart swelled at the thought.

'The cake, Mrs Patmore had to give me a recipe and few instructions, but I don't think it turned out too badly. The first one I made sank a bit, but that looks like it might be just about edible. I haven't tasted it yet though, so don't get your hopes up too high.' As he had been speaking her eyes had filled with tears, but she was beaming.

'You wonderful, wonderful man.' She gushed, lovingly. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she continued to smile. She had wondered where he had hidden himself all morning. He had walked to the abbey with her, then been mysteriously absent at lunchtime, leaving only a vague message with Mrs Patmore. She realised now they were in it together. Also she'd probably been set up slightly when Miss Baxter had her upstairs making beds ready for the wedding guests arriving on Boxing Day and all morning.

'It's nowhere near what you deserve.' He continued. 'I wish I had been able to take you somewhere for dinner or away, or something, but I didn't think I'd manage to get His Lordship's approval for that. I was pushing it asking for a bit Christmas Eve off really. We've got to be back for dinner later and the usual party, but I thought we could sneak a few hours.' She reached out and took his hands.

'This is perfect.' She said smiling. She ran her thumbs across the back of his hands before he flinched and snatched the right one away. 'What is it?' she asked, her face full of fear and concern.

'Sorry.' He said sitting down. 'I caught my hand getting it out of the oven. I was shaking too much, I think it may have been more nerves than this stupid shaking though.' She lifted the hand with his and placed a gentle kiss on the edge of the fiercely red skin.

'You poor brave soldier.' She said teasingly. 'Thank you.' She continued, her own fingers trembling slightly with the emotion. 'It was a lovely idea, my love.' She shook her head, unable to formulate the words to truly convey how happy she was. Instead she leant closer to him and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, her fingers lacing with his.

'I had to do something special.' He said after a few moments, a smile playing at the edge of his lips. 'Can you believe it's been a whole year since the night you agreed to marry me?' he asked.

'Yes and no. Some days it barely seems five minutes ago and others it feels like a lifetime. I feel like we've been married much longer than we have.' She admitted.

'Let's be honest, we were married in everything but bed and name for decades.' She laughed, reaching up to stroke his cheek.

'True.' She said, she thought for a moment before continuing. 'For the record, I prefer having your name and sharing your bed.' She blushed, before quickly changing the subject. 'Now, are we going to taste this delicious looking cake my lovely husband has made for us?'

With a slice each in front of them and a glass of wine in hand they toasted themselves and their marriage. Elsie took a bite of the cake and her eyes went wide. Charles looked worried. She finished her mouthful with a grin.

'Don't look quite so terrified. It's delicious. Thank you, it's a lovely treat.' Relief washed over his face and he smiled too. They ate their cake quietly for a few moments, making idle conversation about the house and the things they had done that morning. Charles let out a heavy sigh as a piece of cake tumbled off his shaking fork. Elsie put hers down having finished her slice and took the fork from him. She stabbed the fallen piece and held it up to his mouth, smiling lovingly at him. He took his bite and tried to take the fork back, but she scooped another piece onto it.

'I feel like a child' he said sadly when she laid the fork on the empty place.

'You don't look much like one.' She teased. He gave her a weak smile. She took his hands and rubbed them gently in her own.

'I nearly spilt all that soup down me at lunch yesterday. I felt like such a fool.'

'I'm sorry. I'll have a discrete word with Mrs Patmore, perhaps we can avoid soup on the menu for a while. Or maybe schedule it on days we can be here and I'll make us something else.' She offered, her hands still caressing his. He watched the movement of her fingers.

'The only seem to be steady when you've got hold of them.' He uttered, sadly.

'You can always hold my hand if you need to feel steady.' She said gently.

'If only we had known what that would really mean.' Charles sighed heavily at his words, before smiling forlornly. 'I prefer it when you make it sound risqué.' He growled softly, trying to lighten the weight of sadness in his chest.

'I can do that too if you'd like.' She whispered, coyly, running her fingers gently along his wrist.

'I'll have to speak to His Lordship in the New Year.' He sighed heavily with his words. 'We can't carry on like this much longer. He's already been giving Andy funny looks every time he serves the wine at dinner, I'm going to have to come clean.' She nodded.

'We'll get through the wedding, then we can speak to him.' She lifted her eyes to his and with as much love and honesty she could show him she continued. 'Whatever happens, whatever decision you need to make, I'll be there. Anything that you need, you've got me, my love.' Her hands had not left his, and they had remained still in her grasp.

'I know, I can manage for now, I think.' He admitted. He looked down at their joined hands. He turned his hands over and caressed her fingers against his own. 'Thank you. I'd list everything I'm thankful for, but we'd be here for months. I don't know what I'd do without you.' He sighed.

'Come on, we were celebrating a moment ago. Let's not worry about the future now. We're here now and I love you very much, let's just enjoy that for now.'

'You're right of course, my Elsie.'

'It has been known.' She teased, trying to draw a smile back onto her husband's face. His expression shifted slightly, but it wasn't really a smile. They sat in silence for a while, hands intertwined, gently caressing each other. Words weren't necessary, their touch was enough to comfort one another.

'How was Anna today?' he asked eventually, needing to think of something different.

'She's managing. I've been trying to get her to rest, but naturally she won't.' Elsie explained.

'Hmm, like someone else I know.' He said. She rolled her eyes at him.

'Thank you.' She raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes again. He laughed. 'Her Ladyship mentioned that Miss Marigold will be going up to Brancaster when they return from honeymoon. Anna is sorting through her things for me to pack next week.'

'Lady Edith is fond of that girl isn't she?' Charlie asked. Elsie nodded. 'It seems odd now. She's to be married, she'll likely have children of her own. Why does a little orphan mean so much to her?' Elsie sighed.

'You want the truth?' she asked.

'You know it?' he was a little surprised by her words, but then instantly not. All the secrets he had in the world he would trust to his wife, perhaps he wasn't the only one.

'You're not going to like it, but I'll tell you.' She paused, putting the story together in her head. 'You remember the fire in Lady Edith's bedroom?' He nodded. 'When I cleared the room there was a photograph under her pillow, of a little girl. When Marigold arrived, she felt familiar, but I couldn't place why. She is the girl in the picture. She also bears an uncanny resemblance to Michael Gregson.' She paused again and watched the pieces of the puzzle fall into place on her husband's face.

'You mean, Marigold is Lady Edith's child?' He asked, looking confused.

'And Mr Gregson's, yes. I'm afraid so.' Charlie frowned.

'Who knows?'

'The family I believe, I'm not sure about Lady Mary but…' Charlie interrupted her.

'She knows.' He said gravely. 'There was an argument at breakfast a few months ago, when the engagement was broken off. I think she told Lord Hexham before Edith did. He stormed out as I came back with something, then he left when I was out.' Elsie sighed heavily at her words.

'I think they've buried the hatchet at any rate. They had a real barney of a fight that day, but they seem to have reconciled since.' Elsie explained. 'You don't seem as shocked as I thought you'd be.' She observed.

'I don't think there's much left to shock me these days. The world's different place. I suppose if it doesn't bother Lord Hexham, then good luck to them, I can't judge. Lady Edith certainly deserves to be happy and she clearly adores the child. I wish them luck.' Elsie smiled at her husband's words.

'I'm proud of you, Charlie.' She said with a smile.

'You're changing me, Mrs Hughes.' He teased.

'Slowly but surely. And our dear Mrs Patmore said you were a bit old to be trained as a husband.' She laughed.

'Did she now?'

'Yes. I think I disagree though.' He raised his prominent eyebrows at her words. 'You're still a curmudgeon, don't misunderstand me.' She teased, 'but you do seem to be gently improving with age.'

'Maturing like a fine wine?' he suggested. Elsie giggled, nodding gently.

'Oh, most definitely. Of the finest grape, my dear.' She leant in and kissed him gently.

'You're a pretty good vintage too.' He said, peppering gentle kisses along her lower lip.

'Less of the vintage, please.' She murmured.

'You taste like chocolate.' He groaned as his tongue found hers. They lost themselves in their kiss for a few minutes, Elsie working her way into Charles' lap.

'Hello.' He said chuckling as they pulled apart, his hands had found her way round her hips and he pulled her to him. Her hands rested on his shoulders, her fingers trailing the skin at the edge of his collar.

'We should be getting back soon.' She sighed, making no move to get up. Charlie pulled his arms tighter around her, pulling her closer.

'Not yet.' He said. She rested her head against his.

'We could just both retire, then we could sit here all day like this.' She suggested.

'That would never do.' He said, moving his head slightly to kiss her neck. She groaned. 'I'll be getting stiff legs before long.' She made to move, but he held her to him. 'I can manage a little longer.'

'I was going to suggest that we'll need to change, if we've got enough time…' she lifted her head to smile at him suggestively. He leaned round her to check the time with the clock on the sideboard.

'What are you suggesting, Mrs Carson?' he teased.

'You know perfectly well.' She stood, her hips swaying gently. She took hold of his hands 'If you want me, you can have me, Mr Carson.' She said with a teasing smile on her lips.