I was hoping to post this on Sunday for #unofficialdas9, but I didn't quite make it. Anyway, here is a Season 1 AU one-shot.

5 August 1914

Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes set out for Ripon in the afternoon. They each had some errands to run and decided to go together, to enjoy some precious time alone. There wasn't a great deal of time, because they had to be back before dinner, but it would be more time than they were accustomed to having. They quickly took care of their errands and then strolled around the town arm-in-arm. After a half hour of this, they came across the Register Office. They wouldn't have given it much thought until the door burst open and a young couple came out of the building. They were holding hands and laughing together as they walked away. They were both dressed as though for a special occasion and the woman wore flowers on her hat and carried a small bouquet in her free hand. Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes stopped to observe the newly married pair making their way down the street.

"They look so happy," she observed.

"May it last all their lives," he replied. Then he turned to her and, after some hesitation, he spoke quietly. "Elsie, would you marry me today?"

Mrs. Hughes was taken by surprise. "Today!"

"I haven't got a ring or anything and we don't have an appointment. But I thought we could try."

"Is this what you planned when you asked me to join you in Ripon?"

He shook his head. "I hadn't the slightest plan of doing this when we left Downton, but I'm feeling strangely impatient and impulsive."

She looked thoughtful, mulling the idea over in her mind.

"I'll still love you if you say no," Mr. Carson said, his eyes twinkling.

She smiled. "Why not? It won't hurt to try."

He gave a nod and they approached the entrance of the Register Office and went inside. Mr. Carson left Mrs. Hughes seated on a bench and went to ask the clerk whether there was any hope of his mad wish to be married today.

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4 August 1914

The chitchat that normally accompanied cleaning up after a major outdoor event was much more subdued than usual. Lord Grantham's announcement of war had shaken everyone. Many of the guests left almost immediately, the rest following within an hour. Mr. Carson went back to the house. Mrs. Hughes went into the tent where the food was being collected before being taken back to the kitchen. Seeing that everything was as it should be, she made her way to the back door and went inside. She peeked into the butler's pantry and was disappointed to find it empty. She made her way to her sitting room and was surprised to find Mr. Carson there waiting for her. He was seated in the chair at her desk, looking off into space. When she entered the room, he shook off his abstraction and spoke.

"I hope you don't mind my being here," he said quietly. "Perhaps you'd prefer to be alone at this difficult moment."

Mrs. Hughes considered for a moment before closing the door. She pulled up a chair and sat down facing him. "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I would rather not be alone at the moment and I always find your presence comforting."

Mr. Carson couldn't summon up a smile, but he nodded. "I sought you out for the very same reason. You comfort me, Elsie."

Mrs. Hughes felt a little breathless. It had been a long time since he had called her by her Christian name - not since she was head housemaid. He was always correct regarding proper and respectful forms of address and had called her nothing but Mrs. Hughes beginning the day she first wore the chatelaine. It wasn't difficult to guess what might have shaken him out of his usual habits. She would have been surprised to find many people not shaken by the events of the afternoon. She felt decidedly off-kilter herself. Mrs. Hughes held out her hand and he took it. "You are my best friend, you know," she murmured.

Mr. Carson squeezed her hand and nodded again. "I think I did know. And you're very dear to me, as well, Mrs. Hughes."

"Then we will have to comfort one another, no matter if the war lasts days or years."

"And no matter what it might bring. It's the uncertainty, the fear, that makes times like these so trying."

"My greatest fear, I'll admit, is for the young men," Mrs. Hughes said. "Are we destined to lose any of our charges?"

"I don't like to think of it," Mr. Carson replied. "But I hope they all tell their loved ones how much they care before going off to face the guns."

She nodded in agreement. "I don't know what it says of my character that part of me is selfishly glad to have been born a woman. I'll never be asked to serve my country in that way. I'm not sure how I could brave it."

"You brave it in your own way, Mrs. Hughes. You will wish them well and you will pray for them. Those are no trivial things."

"I will do what I can, at any rate."

Mr. Carson sighed heavily and they were silent for a little while. "All this talk of death and bravery… it affects me deeply."

"I can see that it does," Mrs. Hughes said gently.

"I can see something of myself in the men who will fight."

"Oh?"

"I am too old to be expected to risk my life on the battlefield, but I feel an odd compulsion to confess something."

"What sin could you have to confess?" she asked wonderingly.

"Not a sin. No, that's not what I meant. It's another kind of confession I'm thinking of."

Mrs. Hughes wasn't sure she understood his meaning, so she simply waited in silence. He would come to the point on his own time, if he wanted to tell her.

He studied the expression on her face. "You don't know what I'm talking about," he mused. "Well, I will explain myself. I want to confess my love and devotion to someone dear to my heart."

She had never understood his blind partiality to the eldest of the Crawley girls, but she could still honor the unselfishness of his love. His motives were wholly pure. "I hope Lady Mary knows how lucky she is to have you as a friend," she said, a hint of teasing in her little smile.

Mr. Carson's brows drew together in confusion. "What has Lady Mary got to do with-" And suddenly he understood what she thought. He rushed to correct her. "No, no," he began. "You misunderstand me. It's you, Elsie. I love you."

Mrs. Hughes was suddenly flushed and flustered. "Me?" she asked in disbelief.

"Do you doubt me?" he wanted to know.

She was breathless again and her voice wavered a little. "I mustn't doubt you. I know you would never say such a thing in jest."

He was looking at her face, now conscious of a new concern. "Mrs. Hughes, you must not fear that I will ever press you on the subject. You have indulged my selfishness, but I have no expectations, only a wish that you understand that you are loved and cherished. But let us speak of it no more."

Mrs. Hughes blinked back tears. "I hope you will speak of it again."

Mr. Carson's eyes grew wide. "What?"

"Never call it selfishness, my dear."

"Then you…?"

"Yes, I do."

Finally, he smiled. He drew her hand to his lips and kissed it. "And will you…?"

She returned his smile. "Of course I will," she murmured.

"Elsie, may I…?"

She thought she knew what he probably meant, but she didn't answer. She wanted to hear him say it.

"May I kiss you, my dear girl?"

"You may," she agreed.

He stood up and pulled her to her feet. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her firmly. Her hands crept up his chest and met behind his neck.

#####

5 August 1914

It was settled. They would be married that very day, in just one hour's time. Mr. Carson and Mrs Hughes left the Register Office in search of two items, but they would be back in an hour whether they found them or not. As they were leaving the building, they nearly ran into the young couple they had seen earlier, who had obviously just been married.

"Excuse us," Mr. Carson said.

"No, it's entirely my fault," the young man answered. "I left my hat inside, you see, and was in such a hurry to retrieve it that I paid little attention to my surroundings."

"Congratulations to you both," Mrs. Hughes said. "We saw you as you were leaving a few minutes ago."

"Thank you very much," the young woman replied, smiling softly at her new husband. "I believe Simon and I will be very happy."

"I'm sure you will," Mr. Carson answered her. "You've inspired us, you know."

Simon was puzzled. "How so?"

"We're about to be married, though we had no such intention this morning," Mrs. Hughes explained.

"Then he proposed to you this very morning? Oh how wonderful!" the young bride exclaimed.

"Not exactly. I proposed yesterday, but we'd not decided when to marry until we saw you two leaving the building."

"Emily," Simon said, then briefly whispered something in her ear. Emily looked at the bouquet in her hand and smiled. She held it out to Mrs. Hughes.

"You'll need one of these, won't you?"

"Oh, but surely you'll want to keep it!" Mrs. Hughes protested.

Emily shook her head. "I really don't have any use for it now. Perhaps it will bring us all luck. Just think - two weddings in one day!"

"Well…" Mrs Hughes wavered.

"It's yours," Emily insisted, putting it in Mrs. Hughes's hands.

"Very well. I thank you."

"Now all we need is a temporary wedding band," Mr. Carson mused. "I was thinking of getting a piece of ribbon from one of the shops."

"It's your lucky day." Simon pulled a small knife from his pocket and quickly cut free a piece of silky golden ribbon hanging from the bouquet in Mrs. Hughes's hands. He took Emily's hand and demonstrated how Mr. Carson ought to wrap and tie the ribbon round his bride's finger.

Mr. Carson was impressed. "I think it must be!" he agreed, taking the ribbon from Emily and putting it in his pocket.

"Now I really must go fetch my hat," Simon told them, before going inside. Emily remained outside with the older couple.

"We really can't thank you enough," Mrs. Hughes was saying.

"We're glad to help. I think I'll be telling my friends this story when we get back from our honeymoon."

"I'm sorry none of your friends could come to your wedding," Mr. Carson remarked.

Emily shook her head. "Don't be. We wanted it this way. We have too many friends and relations, if there can be such a thing. We didn't want to wait until a grand wedding could be planned. Surely you can understand." She raised an eyebrow and Mr. Carson flushed a little.

"No wedding of ours was ever going to be grand," Mrs. Hughes put in. "But I believe we can understand the impatience you speak of."

Simon appeared, his hat firmly on his head, and whispered in his wife's ear again. She nodded in agreement at what he said. Then he addressed Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. "We've not even been properly introduced yet, so I hope you won't think us presumptuous, but we would be honored if you would allow us to serve as witnesses to your marriage."

Mrs. Hughes was speechless for a few moments, but Mr. Carson replied smoothly. "Then we must become acquainted at once. I am Charles Carson and this is Elsie Hughes. And you are Mr. and Mrs…?"

"Ashley," Emily finished for him. "Simon and Emily Ashley."

"Are you quite sure you can spare the time?" Mrs. Hughes asked.

"Quite sure," Simon assured her. "We have no precisely fixed schedule and we can easily catch the next train without changing our plans."

Mrs. Hughes smiled. "Then I suppose it's all settled."

A little over an hour later the Carsons and the Ashleys parted ways, having exchanged addresses and wished each other well. The younger couple caught the train and Mr. and Mrs. Carson waited for the bus back to Downton.

"I almost can't believe it," Mrs. Carson mused. "I've never known you to be so impulsive."

"I can hardly believe it myself. But you have a sort of ring on your finger that proves it."

"I'll treasure it always," she replied.

"I do mean to get you a proper wedding band soon, Elsie."

"I'll still keep my little ribbon ring, though. It will remind me of this special day."

Mr. Carson kissed his wife's cheek and she flushed a little. "You're very sweet to me, Charles."

The bus arrived and they climbed aboard. "I'm glad you think so," he remarked. "I'm not certain I've always been very sweet."

"It doesn't matter. You loved me. And that pleases me."

He squeezed her hand. "I'll love you until I die. Perhaps even longer."

She looked up into his eyes and the world around them fell away. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew it wouldn't feel right. A squeeze of the hand was one thing, but really kissing her out in public did not fit with his ideas of what was proper. Even kissing her cheek as he had was pushing his limits, but he hadn't been able to help himself. "You're so beautiful, Elsie."

She blushed. "Oh, Charles, stop."

He smiled. "I'll keep saying it until you believe it."

She sighed happily. "How can I argue with that?"

"You can't," he said, a hint of mischief in his tone.

She laughed. "You're very handsome yourself, you know."

He didn't say anything, but he couldn't hide his smile. "Elsie, how will we tell everyone? They'll think we've gone mad."

"Let's not think about it just yet. It's our secret for now. We'll talk about it tonight. I want to enjoy my magical wedding day for a few more hours."

"All right, a few more hours. But you're far off if you think I'll keep you a secret for much longer, no matter what happens."

He nodded. "I love you, Elsie."

"And I love you, Charles."

They sat in comfortable silence all the way back to Downton.

The end.

Any reviews are appreciated. Have a great week!