It was going to be a bad day. Yesterday, Mrs. Hughes had caught Mr. Carson with his face curled in pain four times. More in one day than she could ever remember. His knees gave him misery, and she knew he would be exhausted and irritable today. She'd made a few remarks in the past, but he'd made it clear that it wasn't going to be a topic of conversation between them.

So she was caught unaware when he sat down with a sigh later that evening and said, "I'd like to discuss something with you, Mrs. Hughes."

"That sounds rather mysterious," the unflappable woman responded.

"I'm sure it does not surprise you to know that I have been having increasing trouble with my knees."

She inclined her head slightly to indicate her agreement.

"I'm sure it also does not surprise you to know that I have never before considered leaving Downton."

She frowned at this. He was right. She had assumed he would live and die here, as he'd mentioned once before. Retirement was for the wealthy. The working class did not simply stop working when the mood struck them. They worked until they could work no longer. And then one might be taken care of by family. Those with no family might have been looked after by a benevolent employer. Often, they were not. There were poorhouses and workhouses for a reason. Most of the workforce made just enough to live on. Certainly not enough to set aside for a later time in their life when they'd like to sit comfortably in leisure. But his statement indicated that something had changed. A sensation that she could not quite describe as panic settled in her limbs, making them heavy.

He was leaving.

She didn't respond to his last comment. She waited for him to continue.

"I can no longer continue with my duties as butler." He would have sounded calm and contained to anyone in the world but her. She could sense the underlying distress in his voice.

"It pains me to tell you this, Mrs. Hughes, and I know you will tell no one else, but I nearly fell the other day when my knee locked up. I'm sure it does not need to be said how important it is to me that I not embarrass the family in any way." He looked to her then, his face showing an unusual desire for her to grasp his meaning.

She swallowed and said softly, "I understand."

He nodded with relief but his face still showed his pain.

"It is time for me to leave Downton," he stated firmly.

She sat further forward in her chair and took a breath to begin her questions. He stalled her by placing his hand in the air.

"I have plans." He stopped and glanced at her to be sure she was listening. She nodded impatiently. "On the advice of a visitor to Downton years ago, I made some investments which turned out to be rather good ones. I have enough on which I can live comfortably, without assistance from anyone."

Relieved, she let out the breath she'd been holding.

"I know that it will be difficult to leave here, and I will miss everyone. But Lady Mary is settled now with her new husband. And there will be plenty of highly qualified butlers from whom to choose, now that the war has seen to the dissolution of many of our great estates." He shook his head sadly at this. "I feel that now is an acceptable time to leave the home I have known for most of my life." He looked to her then.

She searched for the right words. "I will miss you, Mr. Carson. Though I am glad to know that you will be safe and comfortable." It was not as difficult as she might have thought to say these words of goodbye to him. It pained her, certainly, but she'd had nearly a lifetime of practice to hide her emotions. It was one of the foremost duties of a servant. Now he sat forward in his chair and his face flickered an expression that indicated he had something further, something uncomfortable, to say.

"Mrs. Hughes. I'd like to put forth an idea to you. If it causes you any discomfort, you must say so and there will be no ill feelings between us, I promise you." Managing to sound slightly rehearsed but sincere as well, he waited.

"Go on," she said, curious.

"Only I wondered," his gaze went to the floor between them, "if you might be at all happy to come with me."

At her silence, he dared to look at her face. She looked for all the world as though she had not heard him. Her expression remained unchanged and she stared at him, unblinking.

He hurried on, "I am able to provide for us both, quite comfortably, in fact. I've done the figures," he glanced at his desk as though he were about to get up and show her.

She shook her head slightly and held up her hand to stop him from rising. Instinctively, she sensed that she needed time to think about his offer. Questions pummeled her brain. What did this mean? Was he asking her for her hand? Did he love her? That was unlikely, as he'd never mentioned anything before. Did he want her as nursemaid? Simply a companion?

Then, in an instant, it didn't matter. Suddenly, the idea of leaving work and being with this man was overwhelmingly appealing. She'd simply never thought of it as a possibility, because until this moment, it wasn't. And so she knew immediately that, in fact, she needed no time at all.

"Yes," she said simply. Softly. "Yes, I would like that very much." She paused for a moment to appreciate his shocked face. "Thank you for asking me, Mr. Carson."

His face showed that he couldn't quite believe this turn of events. In a tone that sounded as though he were explaining a situation to someone who couldn't quite grasp all the negatives, he said, "We'll be married, then…"

"Well, I hoped you weren't asking me to live with you unmarried," she said easily, wearing a smile.

He let out a breath and, with a smile, exclaimed, "Well! I must say I didn't expect…" He looked at her then. "Mrs. Hughes," he turned to her fully. "Thank you. Thank you for accepting. I will make you as happy as I am able." His grave sincerity brought tears to her eyes that she hoped he didn't see.

"Thank you, Mr. Carson," she was just able to whisper. "I will do the same."

He wanted to take her hand, hold her, kiss her to show her his devotion to the vow he'd just made. But it was too soon. He didn't know what she wanted from their future together, but there would be plenty of time now to find out.

She was neither surprised nor disappointed that he showed her no physical affection that night. Not knowing his entire reasoning yet for his proposal, she would be content with simply spending her days with him. If he wanted more of her, she would give it gladly. Time would tell.

They said their goodnights much as they did every night, but neither was able to fall asleep as easily as they were used to. In rooms separated by a single wall, neither minded the excited wakefulness in the slightest.