Christmas at Downton (F) Part 2 Now Added!

[NoV]

Just discovered Downton Abbey! Only watched the first two seasons (and loving it!). Thought I’d try a sneeze-fic based in Downton – kind of covers my fetish for both sneezing and maid uniforms Hopefully more to follow... Enjoy

Christmas At Downton (F)

Anna tried to brush the dust from her uniform as she emerged from the store cupboard, but to little avail. She stooped and picked up the box of Christmas decorations, holding them at arm’s length to avoid further smothering herself in the fine, grey powder that seemed to coat everything like a grubby snowfall. Making her way gingerly through the servants quarters, she could not help but smile – the thought of another Christmas at Downton always gave her a warm, happy feeling inside. And yet this one seemed even more special, for this time she would be spending it with the man who had so transformed her life, who had made her see possibilities beyond what she imagined to be her lot.Mister Bates.

The thought of him brought warmth to her cheeks, her lips curling unstoppable into a smile. So consuming was her reverie that she almost didn’t see the implacable bulk of Carson before it was too late. At the last minute she managed to slow and avoid colliding with the formidable butler.

‘Miss Smith,’ he growled, eyebrows raised disapprovingly. ‘Watch where you’re going girl – you’ve got your head in the clouds of late.’ Anna lowered her head, the dusty box still clasped before her.

‘Sorry, Sir – I was just taking this up to the tree. Like you asked me, Sir’Carson breathed in, puffing out his chest. His voice, when he spoke, betrayed a glimmer of humour hidden beneath his gruffness.

‘Well see that you attend to it at once Miss Smith,’ he said. ‘Lord Grantham is always appreciative of a well dressed tree.’Anna nodded and slipped around the butler, heading for the stairway that led to the hall.

She sniffed, cursing the dustiness of the storage cupboard and the hint of an itch that was starting to build in her nose. The more she sniffed the more intense the itch seemed to become, and she longed to be able to put down the box and blow her tingling nose on her handkerchief, but feared that to delay would only incur the wrath of her superiors.

Three sudden, desperate gasps later, Anna knew she would have to sneeze now, or risk a full-on allergy sneeze in the main hall – in front of the other staff and any other members of the household who had come down to watch the tree take shape.Her face collapsed into its usual unstoppable sneezy expression. In the shadowy darkness of the corridor, she managed to place the box of decorations on a convenient chair and fumble awkwardly for her handkerchief. Despite the furious tickle in her nose, forcing her breath to come uneven and desperate, she managed to bring the lacy cloth to her nose and mouth, just as the full force of the sneeze came roaring through her body.

Anna sneezed!

The first explosion forced her to bend sharply at the waist, her maids bonnet and blonde hair tumbling in violent disarray into her face; her eyes screwed tightly shut, her mouth open wide with the force of the release. The echo of the sneeze rolled through the dusty corridors, reverberating off the ornate walls and cornices.

Almost instantaneously, Anna wound back for another explosive outburst.The second was, if anything, even louder than the first. She delivered it into her handkerchief, strands of her hair flickered tantalising across her face, giving ever more fuel to the tickle that ran frantically through her nostrils.

‘Oh no,’ she gasped, her palms still clasped tightly over her nose and mouth, her eyes hazed with the desire to sneeze and sneeze, and expel every speck of dust that had found its way into her irritated sinuses. A third sneeze was building, building like a hurricane, inescapable.

‘HaaaaaaaHHH....HHHAAAAAAAHHHHH...’ she almost shrieked, the build-up taking control of her trembling body.

‘Miss Smith – what on earth is the matter? We can’t have you sneezing like that around his lordship can we?’

Anna froze mid-sneeze. She knew how ridiculous she must look; eyes slitted, mouth half-open, hands and handkerchief ready to receive the truly colossal sneeze that was building in her chest. But she could not release, would not dream of losing control – in front of Thomas, the head footman who she saw now leaning against a cabinet, the dim glow of a cigarette casting a red eye through the gloom.

‘Oh dear – just how would Lady Grantham feel about you sneezing over everything this Christmas?’ he said, an invisible smile evident in his words. ‘Not sure she’d be very pleased at all...’

To be continued...

Edited January 8, 2013 by NoV

[Dusty15]

Ahhh! I love Downton so much and you've got the characterizations of everyone down very well! I can't wait to read the next bit <3

[Chanel_no5]

Whoa..! You just discovered it... and got the characters down so well? Fantastic. This is great, can't wait to read more!!

[iety]

Whoa, I've been spending all my recent waking moments watching this show, and now there's well-done sneezefic about one of my favorite characters?? It really is Christmas :'D

[lattelover09]

So glad someone finally got the wheel spinning on the idea of downton fics. Bates and Anna...with a cold? Can you imagine!

[Cauldwell]

Please sir, can I have some more?

[Sneeze999]

Love it! More please!

[Animeeze]

As always, NoV, your stories are excellent! Keep up the awesome work

[a-tissue]

Please post more!

[NoV]

Second part as promised Sorry its taken a little while - hope you enjoy!

Clutching her incessantly tickling nose with one hand and weakly clasping the box of Christmas decorations to her hip with the other, Anna fled down the corridor, away from Thomas’s cruel jibes. She wanted to cry and sneeze at the same time, which had the effect of making her breath come in a series of gasps which she desperately tried to keep quiet.

Cursing the dust that so tantalisingly teased her nostrils only served to make her more aware of the ferocious sneeze that continued to build. She shouldered her way through two doors, hoping that this had managed to put more than enough walls between her and Thomas’s smug face, then hitched a long, frantic pre-sneeze gasp that led straight into a full-force explosion that sent her reeling to control her balance.

‘HaaaAAAAAARRRRRIIIISSSHHOOOOOOO!!!!’

The sneeze bent her double, ringing through the ancient halls and corridors, bursting around her ineffectual hand with hurricane force. Anna dared not think who may have heard her, horrified that her normal ability to control her sneezes had been so devastated by the tingly dust. Quickly she rubbed her nose with vigorous fingers. She knew that she should hurry to the main hall, to leave this place in case someone came to investigate the colossal explosion or before her presence was missed. She started through the next set of doors, only to draw back in sudden alarm at the light spilling from the stairwell, as simultaneously someone opened the door that led upstairs.

Anna dared not shut the door, for fear the movement would catch the eye of whoever approached. She drew her skirts around her and wriggled behind the floor-length curtain that stretched down the length of the corridor, the box of decorations on the held steady on the floor between her legs. She would need her hands free.

The footsteps approached, the heavy self-assured step of Carson creaking ominously. The butler prowled the downstairs, beady eye roving for anything which may upset the smooth running of Downton – and loud sneezes were most definitely on his list of dislikes. She heard him pause by the open door, tutting under his breath, his breathing heavy with displeasure.

Anna’s nose was all but trembling. If anything, the mouldy curtains were only adding the terrifying tickle that was already fluttering on the edge of control. She put both hands up to her nose, gently massaging her nostrils although the itch was too deep inside for her to have much effect. Her eyes were starting to close, her mouth opening ever so slightly, her chest heaving with increased urgency inside her suddenly too tight uniform.

‘hhaaaa...aahhhhaaaaAAAA...’

The sneeze was building, slowly and unstoppably. Still, the sounds of Carson poking around the corridor outside came dimly through to Anna, as she struggled and shuddered with the deafening sneeze that she knew had to be released.

‘aaahhhhAAAAA....AAAAHHHHH....’

‘Ah, there you are Mr. Carson,’ came a voice, and the soft footsteps of Mrs Hughes approached, tapping lightly on the boards. ‘They’re looking for you upstairs – something about the sherry?’

Carson gave a displeased sniff, seeming so close to Anna that she almost recoiled in shock. Without even meaning to she was making little gasping sounds, which she hoped her tightly pressed hands were managing to smother.

‘Really Mrs Hughes, you’d think the Countess would manage to hold off for at least a minute or two,’ Carson allowed himself, before remembering his poise. ‘But it is none the less our duty. Thank you Elise.’

Anna’s eyes now screwed tightly shut, the urge to sneeze rising and rising through her, her whole body winding up to deliver a sneeze that would surely blow the curtains to ribbons. She did not hear the butler walk off, every fibre of her being focused on holding off for a few more precious seconds.

‘HAAAAAA....AAAAHHHHHHAAAAAA.......’

There was no longer any hiding it, as she began to make an unmistakable pre-sneeze intake of breath, her body tilting back as if only to give force to the delivery.

Anna sneezed!

‘HHHAAAARRRRIIISSSSHHHOOOOO ... HHHAAAARRRRIIIIISSSSSHOOOO!!!!’

It came as a double, so violently that she jerked forwards, her head dragging the curtains so that they ripped loose from the rail above and cascaded down around her. Her maid uniform almost ripped with the contortion of her body, so powerfully did the sneeze leave her. Her hands were all but blown away from her mouth, her mouth open in a scream.

Anna had never sneezed so loudly in her life, had never felt so utterly at the mercy of the control that the dust had taken of her nose. She gasped, trying to catch her breath, terrified that the urge to sneeze would only come over her again.

Opening her eyes, she stared straight into the glare of Mrs Hughes, whose shock was obvious.

‘Really Anna,’ she uttered, ‘we need to have a serious talk – right now! And just pray that Mr Carson did not hear that, or he’ll make you answer for that...’

Hope you enjoyed J Will write more if inspiration strikes!

Edited January 8, 2013 by NoV

[Animeeze]

"Her chest heaving with incresed urgency..."

NoV, you are masterful with words. As always, amazing and excellent story