Dinner was scheduled for seven o'clock. The Bennetts recommended the two couples go to a restaurant not far away from the inn and try their famous scampi. There were only about two restaurants in the whole village anyway, so their choice was quite simple.
It was a very warm evening. Both Mrs Hughes and Patmore made extra effort to look nice. It took them both a while to get the sand and salt out of their hair, but they managed.
"You have dolled yourself up, haven't you? Special occasion, hey?" Mr Patmore teased her friend.
"You're the one to talk, look how smart you look!" Mrs Hughes retorted back.
"Nothing wrong with trying once in a while," The cook replied. "Now that I've got a husband." Her lips started quivering and once she gave in, both her and Elsie burst out laughing.
"Talking of…" The housekeeper saw an opportunity after they'd stopped giggling. "…you know." She looked over her shoulder to check if the men walked far enough behind not to hear them.
"Husbands?"
"Yes." She nodded and the nerves took over. "Mr Carson suggested we might spend our evening doing something nice together."
"We can get some drinks or go for a walk around the village after dinner?" Mrs Patmore suggested with a smile, but her friend rolled her eyes.
"I mean together as in - just the two of us." Elsie clarified.
"Oh," The cook paused. "I see."
"You don't mind, do you?"
"Well, I-"
Elsie didn't let Beryl finish. "I thought you might also appreciate some time to yourselves." She suggested with encouragement.
"You are right, and I don't mind at all," Beryl reassured her friend.
After that, they walked in silence for a few moments before Mrs Patmore chimed: "Who would have thought Mr Carson could be such a Romeo."
"Heavens!" The housekeeper was in shock. "Don't let him hear you talk like that!"
The cook then pointed at the restaurant sign in front of them; "we're here," and they both stood and waited by the entrance for their spouses. The two men caught up to them in no time and they all headed inside the ancient-looking restaurant.
"The Bennetts were right; this place is a must-see" Mrs Patmore looked at the group.
They were all enchanted by the atmosphere and decorations; fish nets hanging from the ceiling filled with hand-carved wooden shellfish and seashells of various sizes.
"Ah, I have a feeling, I have visited this place before…" Mr Mason said as he was sitting down. "…with me cousin."
"Oh, did you indeed?" Mr Carson was waiting for a review.
"Well, I wouldn't say visited exactly or not at least like we do now." He gestured towards their table. "The waitress was kind enough to leave us some scrapes after a long day's shift - whatever the guests didn't scoff up their plate."
"I see…" Mr Carson raised his eyebrow with disappointment and mild judgement.
"If I remember it correctly, which I think I do, we're in for a treat!" The farmer concluded.
They placed their orders and soon had plates full of scampi set before them. The group was spellbound by the smell and flavour of food, popping the tiny, battered lobster pieces into their mouths one by one.
"Is it as good as you remember then, Mr Mason?" The housekeeper joshed as she dipped her food into the white sauce.
"Even better, Mrs Hughes!"
"I'm surprised this place isn't full of tourists." Mr Carson added as he was refilling their wine.
"Quite right, I'd expect it to be at least as full as the beach this morning, if not more." Albert agreed. "Actually, we could go for a walk down there after we're done here, it will be empty now, and very nice in the moonlight."
Mrs Hughes shot Mrs Patmore a quick yet insistent look.
Beryl returned her look and spun to face her husband. "Actually, Albert, why don't we go alone, if the Carsons won't mind." She immediately realised how bold that sounded and swallowed loudly.
"I think that's a wonderful idea." His smile and enthusiasm immediately calmed her down.
"We don't mind." Mr Carson glanced at his wife with a raised eyebrow and an appreciative smirk.
Elsie smiled to herself; her plotting had worked once again.
This evening, filled with good food and good conversation, was a delight for all parties. Mr Mason told them more stories from the time of his youth when visiting the area. The Carsons listened to all of them closely and finally started feeling like they were getting to know the real Albert Mason and becoming good friends with him.
They ordered a second bottle of white wine and desserts.
"I think Mrs Carson might have stayed in the sun for just a minute longer than necessary, it's starting to show now." Mr Mason noticed and laughed after he finished one of his stories.
Mrs Hughes instantly put her hands on her warm cheeks. "My, my. It might just be the wine." She joked. "Is it really bad?"
"No," Mr Carson reassured her. "It's charming." And made her face even redder with his comment.
"I used to get sunburned, coming here as a kid, but I suppose I got used to it. Then working at the farm, I spend most me days out and about anyway."
"There was never much chance of getting used to the sun for us, Mr Mason." The housekeeper laughed.
"That is right, we spend most of our days inside, I can only get tanned from the smokes and fumes in the kitchens." The cook agreed.
"Well, I better go to the ladies' room, to see what the damage is." Elsie was still a bit conscious about her burning cheeks.
"I'll tell you what this reminds me of." Mrs Patmore exclaimed, looking around the room, after Mrs Hughes had left the table.
"Of what?" The farmer was curious.
"The double rendezvous Mrs Hughes and I went to with Sergeant Willis and Inspector Vyner."
After that sentence, Mr Carson froze, he could feel blood rushing into his cheeks, he suddenly found it hard to swallow.
After a few seconds - that felt more like long agonising hours to him - he managed to bring himself to speak. "When was this?"
"It was late Autumn after Lady Rose was presented. Long before that horrible Mr Green business." Beryl explained.
"I see."
"I thought you knew." Mrs Patmore seemed puzzled, she started to recognise she might have accidentally let the cat out of the bag.
"No, I didn't know, Mrs Patmore." The butler declared, with his teeth clenched. Just a few hours ago, they were reminiscing about that day on the beach. Now he knew that it didn't mean anything to her; she only went and dated and did God knows what with other men a few months after.
"Mrs Hughes only came along because I made her." Mrs Patmore tried to save the situation.
"Was it on that night when she said you both needed to go to the village to arrange a surprise for Lady Edith at 7 o'clock in the evening?"
"Well… I am not sure-"
"I never believed that for one second." He snapped, interrupting her.
"Mr Carson, I really don't think she-"
"What's going on here?" Elsie asked softly as she was returning to the table. She immediately sensed the change of atmosphere - you could cut the tension with a knife.
Mr Carson looked up at his wife, one second of eye contact felt like a thousand daggers in his heart, he immediately looked away.
He took a few shillings out of his wallet, put them on the table in front of the Masons, and grabbed his coat.
"Are we leaving?" Mrs Hughes was getting more and more confused as well as worried.
"I am." He replied sternly, walked around the table to avoid her, and headed towards the exit.
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