My first ever fanfic

(CHELSIE forever)

I don't own the characters in this story

Thanks for letting me borrow them Julian (you're a star)

feedback of any kind would be much appreciated! x

rated M-ish (maybe more in later chapters...)

((imagine this story happens a couple of months after the series (season 6) has finished…))

AFTERNOON TEA

"Did you want to have some tea, Mrs Hughes? I mean, Do you have a minute?" The cook got dangerously close to the housekeeper in a matter of seconds with such eagerness which startled them both.

"I wouldn't mind one Mrs Patmore thank you." Said the housekeeper and was about to sit down by the kitchen table.

"Should we go to your sitting room instead?" The cook didn't ask. Just exclaimed and continued walking toward's Mrs Hughes' room with a tray with two cups of tea while her friend looked after her in awe before she stood up and followed her.

Once she arrived and opened the door to her room, the cook was already sitting there looking very impatient. First, she was staring at her then started anxiously pouring their tea with trembling hands. — This confused Mrs Hughes.

"Whatever is the matter?" She asked with worry in her voice.

"That's just the thing Mrs Hughes nothing is the matter yet" this answer hardly calmed her down.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Well,... It's really hard for me to talk about this."

"Go on."

"Is the door closed properly?"

"I think so"

"It's really difficult to start…"

"I see"

"Do you remember the conversation I had with Mr Carson about.. you know... you and him?"

Well, that didn't seem so difficult. The cooked seemed to have calmed down while the housekeeper got a tad blushy now.

"I do, Mrs Patmore. Something like this is quite difficult to forget." She said more harshly than she intended to. "As you know well enough I suppose." She added civilly to smooth things out.

"Well, I do. And I was hoping you might show some empathy now that I'm in the same situation."

"All right, I see" Mrs Hughes knew exactly what she was talking about. However, she would never imagine Mrs Patmore would have the same worries as she did before she married Mr Carson. She remembered the cook couldn't believe her ears when she expressed her doubts.

"And give me some advice too…"

The cook interrupted her flow of thoughts. Advice? What kind of advice? She didn't think she'd be able to speak about anything of that sort freely let alone give advice. She knew she owed this to her, however, it didn't seem appropriate, for neither of them to indulge in such conversations... She decided to ignore the last comment and encouragingly nodded for the cook to continue.

"With you and Mr Carson... it was different. You'd known each other for a very long time and very well too. And even before, everybody knew there was something special between you two…" Mrs Hughes was about to protest, however, the cook didn't let her interrupt.

"I'm not sure I can say I know Mr Mason exactly. He turned up out of nowhere. What if he is only looking for companionship? He has been alone for a long time and I showed him what it's like to have a woman around with my cooking and fussing around... but.. what if that's the only thing he missed and therefore expects?"

"He had that before though, didn't he? From Daisy who was also fussing and-"

"Very well. But I was thinking it's better to be prepared." The cook didn't let the housekeeper finish. "I am not sure what he wants. And don't worry! I'm not going to ask you to have a talk with him." They both laughed at that — Mrs Hughes maybe with a bit of a quilt and more nervously than Mrs Patmore. "Nor Mr Carson. Imagine that!" The laugher now echoed in the corridor. "Eventually, there is only one way to do this. To be prepared. Prepared for all the possibilities..."

Mrs Hughes wasn't sure what she meant by prepared but what caught her attention was Mrs Patmore's determination; "so you're going to marry him whatever comes next?"

"Yes." She said confidently. "But I want to be prepared. And I have a favour to ask of you."

Mrs Hughes was now all agog. Even more so as she watched Mrs Patmore get up and head towards her desk drawers. She rummaged through them and triumphantly pulled out something that looked like a notebook. Mrs Hughes wasn't going to comment on the impertinence just yet as she was held in suspense for too long and needed to know what the cook was plotting.

She still didn't reveal the mysterious notebook and started talking again; "As I said. I wanted to be prepared." Mrs Hughes rolled her eyes. How many more times is she going to say that?

"I bought this book. It tells you what's it like to be a wife." The housekeeper knew exactly what book she was talking about; Marie Stopes' Married life... How many times had she had to confiscate that from the maids. She would have to admit however, she had a read herself a couple of times, that is why she would never judge Mrs Patmore for purchasing it, after-all, she will be a married woman soon enough.

"It has this one chapter about… you know… looking good. Looking nice for your husband. And I was thinking… I have heard many times, that this helps" she said slowly and finally put and revealed the mysterious notebook on the table in front of them.

Mrs Hughes eyes were now as wide as ever and there was a spark of anger slowly forming in them. "Why was this in my sitting room?" She finally asked.

"I hid it here because there isn't anywhere in my bedroom nor the kitchen where the maids wouldn't find it. And also... You are already married. No maid would dare question why you have it."

That being said Mrs Hughes recognised that her initial anger was a bit exaggerated. Yet still, she wanted to probe Mrs Patmore a little as she was getting flustered looking at the drawing of the lady in undergarments on the front page of the mysterious notebook.. well... a catalogue.

"What if Mr Carson sees it?" She asked and started wondering herself.

"Well, that's just the point." Said the cook and the housekeeper looked extremely perplexed and accidentally drank a little from the milk jar instead of her teacup. And didn't notice. "What is the point?"

"I thought you might want to try it out... to see if it works…"

Mrs Hughes couldn't believe her ears. After all, she was probably the only one in the whole house still wearing a corset. And now this?

"I would pay," said Mrs Patmore because Mrs Hughes hasn't said anything in a very long time.

"I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable... But I thought..."

"I could return the favour?" Finished her sentence, Mrs Hughes, remembering how uncomfortable the cook must have been talking to Mr Carson about their marriage arrangement.

"Well I wouldn't put it like that..." admitted Mrs Patmore and vainly tried to read Mrs Hughes face...

The silence was becoming tiring. They were both avoiding looking into each other's eyes. Mrs Hughes was biting her lit and staring at her knees, while Mrs Patmore was fidgeting with her teaspoon.

"I will give it a try then..." Mrs Hughes's voice was so low they could barely hear it. However, she suddenly swallowed quite loudly...

"I already almost ordered one for you but then realised you might want to pick one yourself."

"That's good thinking Mrs Patmore... Will you help me?"

And there they were. Flicking through the catalogue, admiring different nightgowns, undergarments and accessories, complaining about the prices, discussing different styles and colours, drinking tea, giggling and blushing together like young maids.