Hello. I'm sorry to those of you waiting for a chapter of 'Widows' Houses,' I had every intention of having a bash at it tonight but this trailer-based plot-bunny bit me and I HAD to write it out.

I've been reading a number of angst-y interpretations of the falling veil. I didn't see it like that AT ALL. I hope you enjoy and forgive me this bit of silliness.

Despite his excitement he put her down gently. She couldn't say for certain that her feet touched the ground.

They were both dizzy, but who had time to worry about a silly little thing like gravity. If anything it was only holding them back, anyway.

The giggles, an infection that was passing between them like a particularly virulent cold, had only gotten louder as he had spun her thought the air. Their joyful outpouring belied the supposed clandestine, yet in reality very obvious and politely overlooked, nature of their escape, but as they were outside, recapturing a poignant memory, and everyone else was inside, getting squiffy at their wedding reception, it was unlikely that they were putting anyone out too greatly.

He sobered a little, capturing her eyes with his ardent gaze as he tightened his steady grip on her tiny waist. "I do love you," he said earnestly.

Her chest heaved a little as she tried to calm her breathing. And her racing heart. Her smile did not diminish in size but turned somewhat shy as she dropped his gaze again and stepped in to him, resting her cheek on his shoulder, her face in the crook of his neck.

He could feel her lips on his skin as she breathed her reply; "I love you, too."

Gently he began swaying in time with the music of the quartet. Inside, the foxtrot would be performed with precision and grace. Outside, anything beyond the gentle shuffle of lovers in an embrace would have meant that there was far too much distance between them.

At the end of the piece, he tried to dip her, but she held him too tightly and too close for that to work and as she went back, he went over too.

Recovering her footing somewhat, she surrendered once again to the hilarity between them as she dissolved in his embrace, leaning into his solid arms, knowing he would hold her up.

Hold her up he did as, in one sharp movement, he lifted her again, swinging her legs into the air once more but this time capturing her behind the knees with his other arm.

Cradled securely, she protested mildly; "Your back," not really wanting to give up her position of comfort.

He smiled down at her before leaning forward to kiss her gently. Lovingly. Passionately. His eyes sparkled as he pulled back. "Never you mind my back. It'll be fine anyway- I'm on my way to bed."

She smirked and quirked an eyebrow. "Do you expect to get much sleep?"

"I hope not!" He replied, tossing her further in the air to reposition her as he rushed into the open building.

Her squealing giggles died with his forward motion as he came up short at the bottom of the stairs. The door to the right of the staircase had just swung open, revealing the hiding place in which her younger sister had sequestered herself with her recently, and very quietly, acknowledged admirer.

She sniggered anew, setting him off in the process, as she noticed the intense blush spread across the face of a man at least twice her senior, caught like a naughty schoolboy with his hand in the cookie jar.

They looked at each other and grinned. He shrugged, jostling her in his arms, and then she shrugged as well as he turned to their shocked audience and affected a little bow.

He began his climb again at a pace that left her breathless. Or maybe that was in anticipation of what was to come. Or the giggles that, once triggered between them, seemed impossible to stop.

As they reached the second floor landing he finally figured out what she had been doing with her hands during the ascent and a cloud of white was pulled from its place in her hair to in front of their faces. She waited until he was in a good position and then pushed out, sending the veil soaring in a flurry that was again, momentarily, reminiscent of that blissful scene in the snow.

"Edith, catch!" She shouted down to the stunned onlookers. "I'll let it be your something borrowed!"

The sound of outright chortling was cut of suddenly by the slamming of a door and thunderstruck, at the bottom of the grand Downton staircase, Edith and Sir Anthony watched the gossamer veil float down like a graceful swan. Well, they had to watch something as they certainly couldn't meet each other's eyes!

Please let me know what you thought :D