B&B OF LOVE AND FUN-2
Hello everyone. Thank you very much for all the reviews, messages, subscriptions and everything, that made me believe, that you are excited about this story. As always, I will try not to let you down. In this chapter, we will find out what idea Elsie has in store and how Charles is going to react to that. Hope you will like it ;-)
Elsie was dealing with few problems at one time and momentarily, she felt like it was too much for her to bear. From one side, she was observing Charles and his efforts, to hide the truth about his condition from everyone. He had more and more difficulties with doing his job and Elsie hated to see him like this.
From one side, he was so helpless, that she wanted to hug him and tell him, that it's all going to be all right, to see how his brown, trusting eyes will light with hope, knowing, that as always, Elsie will find a solution for his problems.
From the other side, she was annoyed, when he tried to mask his problems with anger, which he transferred to her and all the people that they were working it, when he felt insecure, he tended to be even more stubborn, demanding and unpleasant.
Elsie knew, that the moment when he will have to face his problems, was getting nearer and nearer. There was no way, that he could function like this longer. She was aware, that for him, quitting the work at the Abbey will be a tragedy, but she saw that from a different perspective.
For her, it was a chance to finish one chapter and begin another one, when they will be more independent and they can still spend their life productively, but without the need of being under the Crawleys jurisdiction.
The difficult situation of Mrs Patmore was another problem. Elsie was really understanding and she knew, that her friend has nobody else to turn to in those difficult moments, but sometimes, she was exhausted with the constant complaints list, that she had to listen to. For now, she didn't want to mention to her, about the idea that she had, because she wasn't yet sure, how Charles is going to react for that and his opinion was the most important one here.
Ever since that awful debacle with Mrs Patmore's B&B and the conversation she had with Charles about it, Elsie was wondering, about one possibility which recently came to her head and simply couldn't left her in peace.
They planned a B&B with Charles themselves, although Charles admitted, that it was kind of excuse to marry her, she still thought, that this plan was good enough to incorporate it. Elsie was dreaming about being financially independent, since she spent most of her life depending on others, now she felt, that it was about time to finally start something on their own.
Mrs Patmore's problems only convinced her, that the idea that appeared in her head was a perfect solution for all of them. She wanted her and Charles to create and run a B&B, together with Mrs Patmore.
The best thing that Mrs Patmore could do now, after the scandal, was to sell her house and invest in some new place and Elsie thought, that if she and Charles would sell Bruncker Road house, they would be able to buy something bigger and run it together.
She knew Mrs Patmore for so long, she was aware of all her pros and cons and even though sometimes, it was really difficult to bear her moods, she knew, that she was an excellent and efficient worker and she would have no fears, before starting a cooperation with her.
Charles also needed a change in his life right now. Elsie knew him so well, so she suspected, that even with his health going downhill a bit, he wouldn't be pleased with a full retirement yet, he was still ready for new projects and still wanted to feel needed, but without the pressure of running such a great house as Downton.
Elsie had some doubts, if running a B&B would totally deprive Charles of stress, she was guessing, that it probably wouldn't, but that would be their own responsibility and there would be no need of explaining the possible bloopers to anyone.
Besides, Elsie would made sure, that she and Beryl can take most of the duties on themselves, leaving Charles with as much work and as many duties, so he could still feel important in the project. She would have no problems with explaining that to Beryl, God knows, that they already spoke about more embarrassing things with each other.
Now, she had a difficult task to do, to convince Charles to the idea. The occasion came much quicker, than she could expect it. After a dinner at the Abbey, when Charles spilled wine on the table and he was depressed all evening.
When they came back to the cottage and Elsie made some tea for both of them, for their usual evening talk on the sofa, she felt, that the moment was right, to mention Charles about the idea. However first, she needed to comfort him.
Whenever she saw his sad face and helpless eyes, she had an instinct, to show him how much she loves him..
She kissed his hair gently and he nestled into her, seeking for comfort and the safe space of her arms... It was all he needed at the moment...
"It's all right Charlie...Nothing bad has happened..Nobody died..."
"But I failed Lord Grantham, it should never happened..."
"You are being too hard on yourself Charlie...Lord Grantham had much more difficult experiences in his life than this...I'm sure he will manage..."
"Maybe, but I still feel so useless recently...Like I don't belong there..."
"Perhaps that's a good thing..."
"How is it a good thing Elsie?!"
"Maybe it's time to consider different options..."
"You mean retirement?"
"Yes, or something else..."
"I'm not sure if I'm ready for retirement yet..."
"You know what Charlie? I think that you will never be ready for it...There will always be something else to do, some new footmen to teach, something that will need an improvement...But the world does not end at Downton Abbey...The world is big and full of possibilities..."
"I think that my world does end at the Abbey..."
"I was hoping, that after our marriage, you will not think that way anymore.."
"Oh Elsie...It's not like that...You misunderstood me...You are the most important person in my life.. Don't you ever doubt that..."
"I'm ver glad to hear that my love, but that doesn't change the fact, that you still see no other future for yourselves, than working in Downton..."
"And what other future there is, if not the Abbey? Do you see any possibilities Elsie?"
"As a matter of fact I do...Remember when recently we were talking about the plans that we abandoned? About running a B&B?"
"Yes, would you like to do it Elsie?"
"Yes, very much...Especially now, when your palsy is getting stronger and stronger...I think that leaving the pressure of managing the Abbey, would help you to get rid of some stress and you would be able to build a new, better life for yourself, for both of us..."
"And you don't think that such a project can be stressful?"
"It can be, but not as much as working at the Abbey. You see Charlie, there we would only be responsible for ourselves. You wouldn't have to worry about letting anyone down, like you are now..."
"Unless I would let you down...What if my health will not improve and I will left you all alone with this burden Elsie?"
"Well, I thought about that too and I also have a solution to that..."
"Why am I not surprised?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Elsie...You are one of the kind...You can always find a reasonable solution to all the problems, so I can't wait to hear what is your idea..."
"Charlie, this is going to be a little revolutionary...So I want you to listen to me carefully, before you will say no, or start to protest..."
"Cross my heart..."-Charles solemnly put his hand on his heart, showing Elsie, that he intends to keep his word...
"Recently I've been doing a lot of thinking..About us, our future, our B&B and Mrs Patmore's difficult situation and I think, that I found a solution which can be good for all of us..."
"I'm listening..."
"You know, that Mrs Patmore's situation is not a very good one now...After that scandal, I don't think that she will ever be able to recover...She mentioned few times, that she has to sell this place, but because she invested so much at the renovation of the cottage, she is not sure, if she will be able to create another B&B...So I thought, that we could buy something together...You, me and Mrs Patmore and run a B&B...What do you think...?"
"Elsie...You can't be serious...What about our house at Brouncker Road?"
"Well, we could sell it and Mrs Patmore would sell hers and we can buy something together and work to make a perfect B&B.."
"I'm not sure if that's a good idea...I hope you haven't mentioned anything to her yet?"
"Of course not...I wanted to know your opinion first..."
"I'm not convinced about it Elsie...This seems like a major project..."
"Charlie, think about it...If we sell our house and Mrs Patmore will sell hers, we will have enough money to buy a nice place, which would not require a lot of effort to adjust...We could all retire together and work only in the B&B..."
"All three of us? How will Lord Grantham manage this? Three key people, leaving the house at one time...?"
"Charlie, for heavens sake...He is a big boy, he will handle that...It's not like he owns us..."
"But where would we live?"
"Well, in that case, there would be no other solution for us, than to live in the B&B...We need to find a place with an annex, two annexes, so we both and Mrs Patmore could live together..."
"This sounds like a true revolution...Are we ready for this? In our age? Aren't we too old for that?"
"Speak for yourself Charlie! I do not feel old at all. I still have enough energy to run such place and what's more important, we will finally be on our own...We wouldn't have to think, whether Downton will survive, whether there will come a day, when he won't be able to hire us anymore...Think about it Charlie...We would be independent..."
"Yes and loaded with work, from dawn till dusk..."
"As we are now, but the difference is, that we would be working for ourselves, not for anyone else..."
"Elsie...I know that you are friends with Mrs Patmore, but are you sure, that you want to work and live with her under the same roof?"
"And what exactly have I been doing for the last thirty years? Oh Charles...You are so cute..."-Elsie gave her husband a kiss on his cheek..."I know that you are afraid, but think about all the advantages.. Working on our own, building something new and wonderful from scratch and helping our dear friend.. After all, we owe it to her...She helped us so much..."
"Why do we owe her?"
"Because if it wasn't for her contribution, our marriage would be deprived of one very important thing, the thing that we can't imagine living without now, am I wrong Charlie?"-Elsie asked Charles, lowering her voice, so she would sound more seductive and looking at him in the way, that made him shiver...
"Again Mrs Carson, you are so right...We do owe Mrs Patmore a lot...I know, that I wouldn't be able to live without this side of our marriage..."-Charles captured Elsie's lips, in a hot and promising kiss...
"In that case, will you consider my idea?"
"I most certainly will Elsie, but tomorrow, as now, I have something more interesting to do..."
Elsie smiled and she gladly accepted the fact, that the kiss was only an introduction and that this wonderful activity will be continued...
That's all for today's chapter my lovelies...That was quite a long dialogue, but the subject is serious and Charles has a lot of thinking to do...I think, that it's the most perfect solution for all three of them, but they need to fight many obstacles along the way...Hope you liked the chapter. Have a great weekend!