FASCINATION, FIRE AND FEAR-8
Hi everyone. It's been a while since I updated. Recently, I'm so hang up on my own problems, that even my inspiration has left me, but life goes on and what was started, needs to be finished. So this will be the ending chapter for this story. With little bumps along the way and happy ending. Hope you will like it.
Charles felt, that he wouldn't want their little, unplanned holiday in Scotland ever to end. It was simply wonderful to be here with Elsie. Elsie who was so different than she was in Downton. For over thirty years, he has known a woman who was always strict, full of devotion to duty, perfectly organized and she rarely let herself to go into more casual mood.
Here, she was the opposite of that woman. Elsie felt so good here, in the village where she grew up, she was happy, relaxed. However they spend their time together- regardless if it was a walk, spending time with Elsie's relatives or simply having fun together, Elsie was having such incredible energy, that Charles started to seriously consider moving here permanently.
Maybe it was about time for them both to retire. God knows, that they spent their lives working particularly hard, perhaps it was the right time to have fun and to see what happiness and relax looked like.
Elsie never expressed missing her home country to him, through all those years, he never knew, that she might have felt nostalgia about her childhood and youth years, but now he understood, that being here, among the ones that she loved, was like a balm to her soul. They forgot about their life problems, about their marriage problems, which seemed to be a distant past now. He was certainly not in any kind of hurry to get back to Downton and that was amazing itself.
Elsie indeed was having a time of her life. Not only she was in her home country, in the village which she has known so well, where every corner brought wonderful memories. She was spending time with her relatives, people who were so close to her and who she loved.
The cherry on the cake was, that Charles was with her. Now she finally felt complete. There was nothing more she needed to be happy. Just like Charles, she was constantly thinking about moving in here, to spend the years that she has left, in her favorite place in the world, but she knew, that it was not entirely her decision. Actually it was rather Charles's decision than her own. To secure his position as a man of the house, she let him decide regarding their finances and when it came to major decision like that, he would have to say yes.
She tried not to think about it too much, she was focusing on having all those wonderful moments with Charles and her family. Every new day brought new kind of adventures and promised new experiences. It was the same with nights, Elsie could bravely admit to herself, that they fully regained their lost passion. She was very much enjoying their intimate moments together.
Few days later, in the village...
Charles and Elsie were just walking on the town market and he stopped for a moment, to look at a shop display, which caught his attention. Elsie didn't notice that and she moved on. When Charles finished watching the display, he was greatly surprised, seeing that Elsie was chatting with some man, who as Charles immediately noticed, was looking at her in a way that was far from proper. In fact, he was devouring her with an eyes of a lurking predator, who is only waiting to catch his victim.
Charles's blood has boiled instantly, because he didn't like any man looking that way to his wife. He felt killer instincts, as he quickly realized, that there can only be one man looking at his Elsie that way and it has to be Joe Burns.
He felt so hurt and betrayed, by the fact that Elsie even talked to him and for a moment he was so insulted, that he had the urge, to turn around and simply walk away, letting Elsie know instantly, that she did something wrong, but then he decided, that he will not let go and he will protect "his territory"
"Oh Charles, there you are. I lost you for a minute. Let me introduce you to an old friend of mine. This is..."
"No need for that Elsie, I kind of figured out that this is Mr Burns, am I right?"
"Yes, indeed. And you must be famous Charles Carson, as I assume"
Both men shook their hands, although it looked more like an introduction to a duel, than a greeting.
"Charles Carson is correct, but I'm not sure about the famous part."
"If you managed to concquer our Elsie's heart, you must be famous."-Joe was obviously trying to be funny, but he failed. "I tried twice and failed."
"You see Mr Burns, fame has nothing to do with it, all it takes to be a right man to conquer MY Elsie's heart."-Charles pronounced the word "my" very clearly, so there wasn't any confusion.
"Congratulations and a lot of luck in the marriage. But remember Elsie, if you will ever decide to leave that dull, old England and come back where you belong, I will be here."- Joe was still trying to be funny, but it only caused Charles's fists to clench and Elsie noticed that. She sensed, that it was best to end this discussion as soon as possible.
"I'm sorry Joe, but we have to get back, I promise Emma to be on the dinner tonight and we still need to change in the hotel."
"Yes Mr Burns...I'm sure, that you are in the hurry too, you need to go back to feed your horses, mules, or whatever other animals you may have.."
"Goodbye Mr Carson. See you Elsie..."-his dreamy eyes didn't come unnoticed to Charles.
They said goodbye and went separate ways...Charles was still angry and didn't say a word on their way back to the hotel...But Elsie was not in the mood for talking either...When they entered the room, Charles was expecting to hear apologies from Elsie and instead, he was greeted with an angry attack...
"Why did you behave that way Charles?! I've known you for so long and you have never been so rude to anyone! You had no right!"
"I had every right! Have you seen how that man was looking at you? Cheeky devil!"
"What are you talking about? He was looking at me normally. There was nothing wrong with it."
"Yes it was! He was looking at you like he wanted to undress you with his eyes...I've been there, I've seen it. Even now, I still want to go back and punch him!"
"For what? For saying hello to me?"
"For thinking, that he is allowed to behave that way towards you, while he isn't! No man in the world will look like that at my woman! My wife!"
"Oh, so now you own me right? Your own woman? Let me explain something to you Charles Carson! I'm not yours or anybody elses...I am my own woman and I have been for all of my life, the fact that I'm married to you, doesn't mean that you can tell who can I talk to!"
"Elsie, I believe that we have spoken enough about this, I do not want to drag this conversation further."
"That's good news, because neither do I! I'm going for a walk and I prefer to be alone."
Elsie stormed out of the room, before Charles even had a chance to say anything...He felt awful about this whole situation. His jealousy made him unlogical and unreasonable and he knew, that it was not a good thing to leave it like that, so he folowed Elsie, assuming, that she will be on her favorite place in the moors. On his way, he collected a lovely bouquet of heather and when he got to his destination, he saw Elsie, sitting alone on the big rock, under the tree-it was her favorite place, but now it would be more poropriate to call it their favorite place...
"Elsie..."
"You are here..."
"Yes, I'm sorry Elsie, I shouldn't have been like that...I admit, but when I saw that man with you..."
"Charles, he was not with me, he was standing next to me and that's all..."
"I know, but I didn't like it...Bad memories came back..."
"You mean Alice?"
"Yes..."
"Charles, I'm not her...I will not leave you, I will not go to another man, because you are my husband, the love of my life...If I wanted to marry Joe I would have, I had two chances for that and didn't take it..."
"I'm sorry Elsie...I will never do anything like that again.."
"It's all right Charlie...I'm sorry too..I shouldn't have said what I said before..."
"About not being mine?"
"Exactly...Of course I am yours and you know that by now..."
"I do, but I'm still afraid, that it's just a beautiful dream. That one day, I will wake up being a lonely, old grump, without my beloved woman by my side..."
"I promise that you will not. Heather bouquet? For me?"
"Yes sweetie...You love those..."
"I do and I love you..."
They've kissed tenderly...
"Now tell me the truth Charlie? Dod you really want to punch Joe?"
"Very much, why?"
"It's nice to know, that at my age men would still be willing to fight for me..."
"I will punch him anytime for you Elsie...But I prefer to spend time with you...We are really happy here, aren't we?"
"We are...In fact, I was wondering, if we could think about retirement and moving here..."
"I was thinking about that too...It would be wonderful..."
"And you wouldn't mind living in one village with Joe?"
"I think that I could live with that..I can survive anything Elsie, as long as you are by my side..."
"I could say exactly the same...Charles...We will have wonderful future ahead of us...I promise..."
"Every day is wonderful with you by my side...Let's go to the local pub and drink for the future!"
"I'm all for that love...But not too much Scotch, because you know how it effects you..."
"Well, if I'm to be a good Scott, I need to learn how to handle Scotch"
"Ain't that the truth love"
That's all my friends. For this chapter and this story. I love jealous and possesive Charles...And I can totally see him punching Joe ;-) There is a promise of a very nice future for Elsie and Charles...And let's leave them in this happy moment. Thank you for reading and have a good week!