I've seen Perfection

Part thirteen

Hello, my lovelies! 
Here it is. The final chapter. And it's...well, fluff. A LOT of fluff. As I already told one of my friends who so kindly agreed to read this story as well, I fear this is going to be very kitschy and sentimental, but I couldn't do anything about it, it just flooded out of my brain like this and I was unable to stop it. Ok, it actually got worse when I tried...so I finally just went with it, ignored it whenever I felt it might not have been quite in character and hope now that no one will think it to be too much of a cliché...
Soooo...it seems I just needed this (because we would never have gotten it in the series) and that's what fanfic is for, isn't it? Hope you are the sort of people who think that there is no such thing as too much fluff XD
I also have to point out that I'm quite proud of the Violet-scene here, especially as it's completely out of my own quill (not literally, but you know;) and very excited what you'll think.

My biggest wish is that you will consider this to be a worthy and satisfying ending to my story, it would make me very proud to know that you liked it until the very end, and I'm grateful for everyone who stuck with me and this story from the beginning. I couldn't have been welcomed more warmly, the support has been so amazing and helpful and I appreciate every single reader and review. Thank you all! 
And, to end with a quote from my favourite actress: I hope I've earned the privilege of your time.

____________________

"I'll be down to the village then, Mr Carson."

The Butler looked up from the wine list he had been studying and saw Mrs Hughes glancing through the door of his pantry.

"Ah, Mrs Hughes", he said, gesturing her to come in for a moment.

"Is anything the matter?", she asked slightly concerned as she closed the door. "Do you need me here? I don't have to go if-"

"Oh no, not at all", he quickly dismissed with a smile. "I...was just wondering if you would mind me joining you", he explained slowly. "It's not a very busy day, Barrow can take over for a few hours and there are some matters I need to attend to myself anyway, so why not go together?", he added quite matter-of-factly, but she could sense that he was in fact slightly nervous as he threw an almost shy glance at her.

"I would be delighted", Mrs Hughes told him truthfully, giving him a sincere and encouraging smile - to her delight and slight amusement, she could watch his unsure expression give way to one of happy satisfaction.

________________

"Carson and Mrs Hughes?", the Dowager Countess of Grantham asked in hardly concealed astounding. "Really?" 
Cora nodded confirmatory from the sofa opposite her mother-in-law.
"That's what Baxter said."

"And Carson himself", her husband added.

"It's true, then? Well, that will be...very interesting", Violet stated in a tone between disbelief, slight amusement and disapproval.

"Interesting, Mama?", Robert said questioningly, turning around from the fireplace where he was standing.

"Oh yes", his mother confirmed with her 'why do you even have to ask this'-expression.
"Just think of it. This house will be run by Mr and Mrs Carson! - Very confusing I shall say", she said with a superior look at her son, whose face, to her satisfaction, displayed the kind of shocked realisation that testified the undeniable truth behind her words.
"In my times", she went on with a solemn voice, "a Butler and housekeeper wouldn't have dreamed of marriage - let alone marrying each other! That's why housekeepers are called "Mrs", for heaven's sake!"

"I think it's wonderful", Cora proclaimed truthfully.

"So everyone keeps saying...", Violet muttered under her breath, but Lady Grantham, if she had heard, chose to skilfully ignore her.