Of Raisins And Blokes.
The night was very restless for both of them at first. Elsie fell asleep soon after sex, but tossed and turned unusually often. Charles lay staring at the ceiling, his hands folded on his chest. He would have liked to know what was making Elsie sleep so restlessly. He turned to her, gently stroked her head and lovingly placed one of his softest kisses on her forehead. Careful not to wake her, but still determined enough in his intentions, he pulled her close to him. Charles wanted to offer his sweetheart a place to snuggle up. This place should be under his arm, next to his chest, very close to him. Drunk with sleep, Elsie slid against him and, lying on her side, cuddled up close to him, just the way he liked it. She put one arm around him, one leg over his leg, her head resting against his chest. Elsie exhaled with a benevolent hum. Charles noticed how Elsie's muscles relaxed after a few moments. Her limbs now rested on his body with a pleasant weight. It felt good to be able to feel someone like this. He was moved to be able to give this strong, stubborn woman a place where she could show her softer side, where she could find security and not have to assert herself. He placed his hand on her hip and held Elsie close in his embrace. Her body finally found peace, and Charles found sleep.
When Elsie began to wake up the next morning, they were still lying close together. Throughout the night, Charles did not want to let Elsie out of his embrace. And Elsie didn't want to let go of Charles' embrace because he made her feel light and carefree. She was protected. A feeling she hadn't felt with such intensity since her youngest childhood, as precious as all the valuables in Downton Abbey put together. And a feeling that she had never dared to hope to feel again for so long. Unconditional, caring security.
It wasn't that Elsie had any worries or fears, but as head housekeeper she had a lot to think about and her head was always full. So close to Charles, so tightly in his arms, she realised for the first time in her life how light you could feel. She loved Charles for having such a magical effect on her. She had never been so weightless. Although there was barely a gap between them, Elsie still sought more of Charles' closeness, reaching up higher and higher until she bumped her head against his chin. She noticed something unusual. Something was rubbing on her forehead. To make sure, she slowly stroked her forehead to the left and then back to the right to rub against his chin. No, it just wasn't as smooth as usual. It felt unfamiliar, so scratchy. She patted her hand on his cheek in disbelief before lifting her head curiously and blinking her sleepy eyes at the spot she had previously explored with her hand. Her eyes were still sleepy, but she could clearly see a grey shadow on cheeks and chin. She propped herself up on her right elbow and hurriedly plucked the plaster off her left index finger before curiously stroking the scratchy skin on Charles' face. It was strange for Elsie to see Charles like this.
Charles had been awake for some time and enjoyed witnessing his wife's awakening with a blissful smile on his face. He took notice as her consciousness slowly began to supplant her dreams. Her breathing seemed more controlled, her limbs began to move: Tentatively, her feet brushed up and down his lower legs, she pressed her stomach even more firmly against his side, she nudged her head against his chin. And unexpectedly, a hand landed on his face.
He let her explore his face. He was aware that she had never had the opportunity to experience the unstoppable growth of male beard hair so closely. His last shave had been on his wedding morning and so a small beginning of a three-day beard has formed.
"Should I let it grow?", he asked with his eyes still closed, attentively following Elsie's curious touch. He was somehow touched to be discovered by Elsie like this.
However, completely unimpressed by his question, she continued to run her finger over Charles' cheeks.
"I could grow a moustache, or a full beard like the Vikings used to wear. Then I could also braid my hair before going to bed. Just like you." Charles took out Elsie's long plait and stroked it.
"You wouldn't dare!", Elsie burst out laughing when she finally looked into Charles' eyes.
Charles reached for Elsie's hand and brought it to his mouth to place a kiss on it.
Unexpectedly, Elsie jerked back with her hand, her face contorted in pain, and made a small sound. Charles pressed so hard against Elsie's cut that the pain stung uncomfortably in her muscles. She took a quick, unobtrusive look at the wound and noticed that the redness had increased all around. She didn't want to make a big deal of it and reassured Charles when he looked at her with raised eyebrows, puzzled.
"It was just my cut. Nothing more. You pressed on it a bit hard.", Elsie explained reassuringly and lay against Charles again. "Charlie, I'm still a bit tired. The dancing must have been too exhausting yesterday. My feet still hurt." She didn't tell him that she was also struggling with dizziness.
Wordlessly, Charles freed himself from under Elsie's body and got out of bed. Elsie looked at him and waited for him to tell her what he was about to do. She was surprised that Charles left the bed so suddenly. Not only did he leave the bed, he also left the room. She was getting more and more curious and would now like to be able to look round the corner into the bathroom. Just a few moments later, she heard water rushing into the bath.
"Do you fancy a relaxing bath?", Charles poked his head out of the bathroom questioningly. Elsie looked at Charles for a few seconds and swallowed hard, because when she saw her husband peeking out of the doorway so happily and unselfconsciously, she was thoroughly moved. Elsie gave him a smile, pushed the blanket aside and followed her husband into the bathroom.
Now it was Elsie who leant on the doorframe with her right hand. She stopped for a moment because her circulation probably felt that she had got out of bed too hastily, so she needed a short break to let all the stars disappear before her eyes. When her field of vision cleared again, she found Charles already sitting on the edge of the bath. She had to smile when she saw him in just his pyjama bottoms and remembered how this had happened.
He looked at her too, and was surprised at the powerful effect it had on him to see Elsie in his pyjama top. It was far too big for her, it barely reached halfway down her thighs and looked like a short nightdress on her. The neckline hung diagonally over one shoulder and exposed her collarbone, which was covered in delicate freckles. The sleeves were so long that her hanging left hand disappeared completely into them. Her plaited braid hung over her shoulder.
"I love you, Charlie.", she greeted her husband with flushed cheeks as she pushed herself away from the doorframe and continued to walk towards him.
As soon as Elsie was close enough for him to grab her, he pulled her to him. Slowly, Charles began to unbutton his shirt on her. He could feel the pleasure rising in his loins. For every button he undid, he rewarded himself with a kiss on Elsie's newly exposed skin. Button by button, he exposed more of her upper body. Kiss by kiss, he travelled deeper and deeper. Elsie took in the scratchy tickle of his kisses with increasing pleasure. When he reached her belly button, he opened the fabric to the left and right like a curtain. He was mesmerised by the beautiful picture of Elsie's naturally relaxed, hanging breasts. He loved them outside the stiff corset that denied him their warmth, their softness and their movements.
"It's never been so nice to take off my pyjamas.", he breathed towards her breasts, which were right at his eye level. Without hesitating for long, he took a nipple in his mouth, causing Elsie to let out a relaxed exhale, his hands gripping her hips. He teasingly circled the nipple a few times with his tongue, sucked on it with relish and did the same with the other breast after he let go of her with a smack. After caressing both breasts, he looked up at Elsie. He could see from her closed eyes and the contentedly raised corners of her mouth that she was enjoying his touch.
This relaxation quickly drained from her face. Elsie opened her eyes in shock as Charles pulled gently but firmly on her braid. He wanted to pull her down for a kiss. As soon as the shock subsided, Elsie was surprised by the burgeoning, exciting feeling of being physically led like this and she joined in the kiss. He kept the braid under constant tension. Only when he ended the kiss did he let go of the hair. Elsie straightened up and noticed that Charles' fingers had resumed opening the top, only a few buttons were still fastened. Elsie's curiosity and excitement rose. Knowing Charles with his face so close to her most intimate place was completely unfamiliar.
"Charles, don't." But Charles didn't want to be stopped, he wanted to keep moving down on her. He already thought that he would meet with resistance from her at some point. "Charles." Elsie tried to free herself from his caresses, but it wasn't easy as she didn't want to get away from him.
"Charles ... The water!" At the words, he reluctantly let go of her warm skin and turned round. The water was indeed already high. He turned off the tap and stood up from the edge of the bathtub. He turned Elsie round, she was now standing with her back to him. He kissed the back of her neck and brushed the pyjama top off her shoulders. As the top was so big on her, it didn't matter that the last few buttons had not yet been undone. The fabric slid down her body without any obstacles. She stepped out of the resulting circle of fabric on the floor and stepped into the bath, leaving her plait hanging out to keep it dry from the water. She enjoyed the warmth that now enveloped her. Charles took the small wooden stool from under the sink and placed it at the foot of the bathtub. He sat down and reached for one of Elsie's feet. He pulled it out of the water and propped it up on the edge of the bath. Charles began to massage Elsie's foot. Elsie was surprised at the extraordinary relaxation that spread through her. The warmth, the vapour and her husband's pressing hands did not allow her to think a single thought; she felt dizzy again. Every now and then a moan escaped her when Charles pressed in just the right place. She hadn't realised how relaxing a foot massage could be, she had never even come close to the possibility of receiving one.
"We still need your feet today.", he said in a pleasant monotone so as not to disturb Elsie's relaxation. "We're leaving tomorrow, and I ..."
"No, don't! Don't say those words yet. I don't want to have to think about leaving, Charlie. Let's just stay here. Just you and me."
He understood Elsie's desire only too well and began his sentence anew: "Today I'd like to stroll through the small town with you. There are a few shops here that we could stroll through. Would you like to?"
Elsie liked the idea of strolling through the streets with her husband and nodded to him with bright eyes before closing them and savouring the moment. Charles also savoured the moment, watching his wife relax while her breasts floated delightfully on the surface.
_C&E_
Deeply relaxed and satisfied, Elsie closed the room door behind them. They made their way to the stairs as Elsie apologised to Charles and hurried back into the room. Charles, meanwhile, made his way alone to the lobby to wait for her.
When Charles had gone down a few steps, he already saw him. Charles wrinkled his nose disapprovingly. This guy was standing in front of one of the bookshelves across from the front desk, his mind engrossed in one of the books he held in his long-limbed fingers. He took no notice of Charles.
Charles, on the other hand, approached one of the wing chairs and scrutinised this guy very closely, but as unobtrusively as possible. He was tall. But not as tall as Charles, he was about as tall as the bridge of his nose. And he was thin. He also seemed to be a few years younger than Charles. He had one of those modern moustaches under his nose. Charles sucked in a sharp breath. In his mind's eye, he saw Elsie running her index finger along his beard with curiosity.
Charles admitted that he was well dressed and his dark hair was neatly combed. Where was Elsie? He felt as if he had been waiting for his wife for ages, even though he had only just taken his seat. Charles was tingling with impatience. He couldn't sit idle for much longer. He finally wanted to know how he knew his wife. At last he heard someone coming down the stairs. Thank God. It was Elsie.
The stranger took his eyes off the book and turned them to the stairs. Charles could see in his face exactly how mesmerised the guy seemed to be by his Elsie. In the smile that now played around his lips, he saw an offer of friendship, of curiosity, of interest. That was something Charles didn't like at all. Charles stood up uncontrollably as if struck by lightning. Everything in his right hand was ready to beat. Right into his presumptuous grinning face. He felt his fingernails prick his palm because he clenched his fist so tightly. One of his knuckles cracked. But before he struck, he looked at Elsie again, wanting to see her reaction to this man.
He saw Elsie walking towards him. The sight of her was stunning. Charles swallowed hard and took a few remote-controlled steps towards his wife. The moment seemed to last forever, as if she were moving in slow motion. Step by step, she seemed to float down. He noticed how her breasts swayed up and down with every step. Or swayed to the left and right. He didn't know exactly, it was difficult to judge from the cramped corners of his eyes. He remembered how they had just been swimming relaxed in the water. Charles did his best to avoid looking, he wasn't alone here in the lobby. Damn, that was hard! With each of their downward steps, he noticed the voluptuous movements. He had to loosen his collar briefly with his index finger. Charles forced himself to stay in her pretty blue eyes. But the breasts were already bouncing very cheekily ... and tantalisingly. Stay on top, Charles ... just stay in the eyes! They moved so beautifully smoothly with every step she took. Up. Down. And up. And down. He gazed fixedly and tensely into Elsie's eyes. And is that a nipple showing through the blouse? No, it can't be, she's wearing her corset. But wouldn't it be nice if it was? Oh bloody God, it was hard not to look! Stay with the blue eyes.
"Why are you scowling at me?", Elsie whispered uncertainly when she reached her husband. Charles looked a little nervous. He cleared his throat.
"I was just thinking.", he pressed out without thinking. He was surprised that Elsie was suddenly standing so close to him.
"Ah. And what were you thinking about?", Elsie was interested.
Don't tell her the truth. Tell her you've been thinking about Downton Abbey. - Whether everything was going as usual. Or tell her you're looking forward to tonight. But don't tell her the truth. Don't tell her that you've been watching her breasts like a pubescent boy, almost studying them. Tell her that you've been thinking about your cottage together, about the journey home, about that strange man over there, about next Christmas, or about the book on the table in her room, but don't tell her the truth.
"Raisins."
Bravo, Charles.
"Sorry, Charlie, I didn't quite understand.", Elsie confessed, shaking her head. "Did you say raisins?"
Charles cleared his throat. "Yes ... certainly. Raisins. I was just thinking about them."
"Eh ... raisins ... ?", Elsie blinked at Charles' face, puzzled. "I thought there was nothing to think about. You either like them or you don't. It's a pretty clear-cut thing with raisins. They make it very easy, thank God, those disgusting things!" Elsie rolled her eyes. "Nobody thinks about it. I thought you didn't like them. At least that's what I thought, because every time Mrs. Patmore bakes an apple strudel, you leave the raisins on the plate."
„I'm not averse to all raisins. Some I really enjoy having in my mouth."
"What do you mean?"
But instead of answering, he just looked mischievously at Elsie. He hoped that was answer enough.
"That man over there. Who's that?", Charles promptly changed the subject, his voice sounding unusually rough. He realised that his body was tensing up again.
"Who do you mean?" Elsie looked round questioningly.
"That bloke over there. By the bookshelf." Charles nodded his head in the direction of the man.
Elsie had to think for a moment about who Charles might mean. But when she looked into Charles' darkened eyes, she realised who he meant.
"There's no one here, Charlie. If you mean the man from last mornings's breakfast, I told you all about it yesterday. I don't know him!" Elsie left Charles standing there, scratched, and made her way into the dining room to have breakfast.
Charles turned round to the bookshelf, the man had disappeared. With a hop, he hurried after Elsie.
„Well, then he may have gone. But we still haven't talked about YOUR acquaintance. Who is he?", he said and put a good face on the matter. He didn't like drawing attention to himself and endeavoured to keep a friendly expression on his face.
"Don't call him that. He's not MY acquaintance. I don't even know the man.", Elsie hissed in defence, also trying to be discreet.
"But he knows you. Or can you deny that? I find it hard to believe that you don't know him."
Elsie was miffed by Charles' mistrust and looked around the dining room. No one was here. But she wasn't surprised, as they had taken a long time to come down today - it was nearly ten o'clock. Annoyed, Charles walked towards the buffet and glanced at the stranger's table as he passed. Not a damn name card on the table.
Elsie took a seat at their table and watched her husband. Mrs. Dewshine entered the room just a few seconds after them and asked Elsie if she could have tea with milk again and if there was enough left at the buffet. Elsie thanked her politely and nodded in confirmation. As Mrs. Dewshine left her, her eyes wandered back to Charles. It seemed to her as if he was overloading his plate with unhealthy food today out of spite: bacon, eggs, sausages, cheese, toast.
"Where are your vegetables?", Elsie asked in a deliberately provocative manner, avoiding looking at Charles as she took her cloth napkin from the table.
"Your slim beau left me nothing!", Charles replied snappishly.
"You didn't say that now! Don't take it too far, Charles! I'm going to tell you for the last time...", Elsies stopped abruptly when she saw Mrs. Dewshine appear behind her back. The guesthouse owner placed the requested tea on the table and left the room again.
Elsie took a deep breath and spoke, this time trying to be more calm: "Charlie, I don't know him, believe me. I only love you. You alone." Elsie put her hand on Charles' and made eye contact with him.
As he scowled into Elsie's honest blue eyes, he realised how absurd his thoughts were.
"Would you like some bacon?", apologetically, he offered her something from his plate.
"No, thanks, just eat. But I'll get us some lighter fare.", Elsie said lovingly and got up from the table.
She returned with a bowl of porridge, which she had flavoured with a dollop of honey, and a small vine full of blue grapes. She paused in front of the bowl of fruit and eyed the selection. She gave the apples a wide berth. She wouldn't feel comfortable reaching for one. Especially as Charles seemed to have finally calmed down again and she was worried that an apple might stir up yesterday's events again. So she reached for grapes instead, which she placed in the centre of their table.
Charles watched Elsie as she poked and stirred her porridge with her spoon, but just didn't bring it to her mouth.
'Why aren't you eating?", Charles asked thoughtfully.
„Oh. I don't know, I'm not very hungry.", she smiled wanly at him.
„If I've offended you, I'm sorry. I don't want to accuse you of infidelity."
Elsie shrugged her shoulders and tried to give him a more cheerful smile. Her husband's jealousy managed to enrage her, but did not make her lethargic. The Scottish woman was always able to cope with Charles' little tantrums. Elsie herself didn't really know what was clouding her mood.
"Would you like to lie down?", Charles asked anxiously when Elsie told him about her state of mind.
Elsie said no, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if she spent the precious time of her honeymoon lying in bed. She began to eat, but couldn't manage more than a few bites.
"Is everything to your satisfaction?", enquired Mrs. Dewshine as she appeared at the Carsons' table.
Charles thanked her for asking and assured her that they wanted for nothing.
"Then you don't mind if I start clearing the buffet?", Mrs. Dewshine wanted to make sure.
"Go ahead, Mrs Dewshine.", Elsie politely confirmed Charles' words. "We're sorry to have kept you waiting so long today. We hope we haven't caused too much chaos in your daily routine."
"Oh no, Mrs. Carson, don't worry. I've made good use of the time to freshen up the young family's beds. Would you like today's edition of the daily newspaper, Mr. Carson?"
Charles gratefully accepted the offer.
After a moment's hesitation, Mrs. Dewshine added: "Allow me to ask you, Mrs. Carson, are you feeling well? You look pale."
"Thank you very much, I'm fine.", Elsie assured the caring lady and watched her leave the room.
Charles looked at Elsie. Now that Mrs. Dewshine had mentioned it, Elsie did indeed look pale.
Barely five minutes passed before the pension owner returned, an empty tray in one hand and the newspaper for Charles in the other. She handed it to him as she made her way to the buffet to clear it.
While Charles read the newspaper, Elsie once again enjoyed the beautiful view that the large glass windows afforded her today. She was again gifted with heart-warming childhood memories as she gazed out at the blossoming garden, sipping her tea quietly from time to time.
"There's a congress here tomorrow.", Charles reported disgruntledly from behind the newspaper. "It's reported that the town centre could get quite crowded these days."
Elsie didn't ask any further questions, she had to smile when she heard the indignation in Charles' words. It was no problem for her that the town was in turmoil. In complete contrast to her husband, who preferred everything to follow its regular and usual course, even if he didn't know what the normal state was.
"So many people I can proudly walk past with my husband as he walks me through the streets. Hooked into his arm. What a lovely idea.", Elsie daydreamed to herself, hoping that she would be able to minimize Charles' displeasure with her words.
He took his eyes off the newspaper and landed directly in Elsie's eyes. She, in turn, looked him straight in the heart. How beautiful she was. She brought a grin to his face.
"Shall we get going, Elsie?", asked Charles.
Elsie nodded enthusiastically, whereupon Charles stood up and helped her to get up by pushing her chair back. Immediately afterwards, he took her right hand and gave her a kiss on the back of it before placing it in his elbow.
Before they left the guesthouse, they went back to their room and got ready to go out. Due to the late breakfast, they both decided to skip lunch and therefore didn't ask Mrs. Dewshine for sandwiches today.