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When Simon woke the next morning, Cora's head lay on his chest. She was still fast asleep. He smiled. She was as beautiful as ever. He did of course still worry about what Robert would do if he found out. Simon dreamed that he married Cora. He dreamed of their wedding. He could almost still see the confetti of rose petals dancing in her coffee hair. It seemed  far fetched in their current situation, but divorce was becoming  more acceptable. The Crawley's aren't a  modern family, but then again Cora wasn't a Crawley was she? Levinson. That's what she said. Oh how he wished that he had met her then, when she was still free to be with him.

No matter, they could still be together. Mistresses weren't uncommon - were they? The problem was, he didn't want Cora to just be his mistress, he wanted her to  be his wife. His alone.

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Downton Abbey - Downstairs

Carson was measuring wine. Her ladyship was due back that evening from her art viewing with Mr Bricker in London. Lord Grantham didn't seem to like Mr Bricker while his wife took an immediate shine to him. Naturally Carson agreed with His Lordship. Mr Bricker was not much more than a travelling salesman, a dreamer at that. 

Thomas was reading the paper- or rather pretending to. He was watching Miss Baxter and Mr Moseley  flirt with each other in their quaint, awkward way. He was happy for them, kind of. It always hurt him to see a couple in love, when he could never be in a real relationship without fear. Fear of being fired or even arrested. He wished that he was like other men. That he could look at a woman and want her and not have to smother the feelings he had for her brother.

All was well. Anna was helping Lady Mary dress for dinner and Bates was silently pining for her. The matter of Mr Green was not yet resolved, (although they had been left alone for quite a while). Bates seemed to be afraid to let  Anna out of his sights for even a moment. Love was all around. Mrs Hughes went to join her fiancé. She still couldn't believe that after all this time they were to be married. Or that he even felt that way about her in the first place."Charlie!" she called. "Elsie!" he replied. It felt nice to call each other by their first names. There was no need for formality at this stage, or at their age- as Elsie often chuckled. "Where is my beautiful bride to be?" Charlie asked, spinning around to kiss Elsie. "Ever the flatterer," she smiled. Charlie smiled back but then frowned a little. 

"Is there something the matter?" Elsie asked, her concern causing her eyebrows to furrow. "Oh nothing for you to worry about Elsie my dear," he answered standing up as he did so. She touched his face. "You can tell me anything, now that we are to be married and everything" she said softly. "It is honestly nothing. It isn't even to do with me really. It's just that His Lordship is rather frustrated lately, and it seems to all stem from that Mr Bricker fellow. I just can't get rid of the feeling that Mr Bricker is up to no good. I have never seen His Lordship in such a state." Elsie patted his back kindly, "It will all come right in the end, you'll see Charlie. I do wish that you would stop worrying about the family so much." Charlie sighed and nodded. "You are right, I'll just forget about it." Elsie smiled "I am always right Charles!" And she left the room.

Charlie Carson sat. He still had a nagging feeling but he tried to let it go, for Elsie's sake if no one elses. He truely loved her and would do anything to make her happy. He chuckled to himself as he thought of her reaction to his proposal. He checked his pocket watch - time for dinner!

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Just some Carson and Mrs Hughes there. Hope you are enjoying it so far!
{SaskatFishcakes}xxx

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