Never seen anything quite like you tonight
She knew it when she polished Lady Mary's shoes, she knew it when she sat beside him for lunch, she knew it all day long. She couldn't sleep tonight. She was too excited. Of course Anna Smith had been excited since her fiancé John Bates had told her that they were going to be husband and wife on Friday. Anna sighed happily at the thought that Friday the 11th of April she would finally be Mrs. John Bates.
She didn't realize that her sigh was a little louder than usual until Mr. Bates looked up from his book and asked: "Is everything alright, Anna?"
As he spoke she looked up from her mending straight in his eyes. She loved those hazel eyes. "Of course it is, Mr. Bates" Anna said with a smile on her lips "just thinking you know." "What are you thinking about, my love? Nothing bad I hope?" Mr. Bates was a little worried that his beloved Anna would have changed her mind about marrying him. But the second he saw her smile and the love in those ocean blue eyes of his fiancée he knew it was just him being silly. "Nothing bad at all", came from Anna´s astonishing lips. "I was thinking about the same thing I am always thinking of". She smirked at him. "What would that be?" Bates responded her smirk.
"I am thinking of the most perfect man I´ve ever met." She beamed at him. "Oh, who would that be? Do I know him?" He teased her. "Silly beggar", Anna said with a wide grin on her face. God, how much he loved her. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" John asked with one of those smiles which made his eyes crinkle. She smiled at him and at this moment the bell of Lady Mary rang. Anna looked at Mr. Bates once more and the she left for dressing her mistress for dinner. As he watched her go he smiled to himself and thought how this angel walking on earth could have possibly chosen him, an old man with a limp, to be her husband. But as soon as his Anna left sight, the bell of his lordship rang as well.
When they both sat next to each other during the servants´ dinner they could hardly stop smiling. Every now and then they gazed at each other and their smiles widened.
Eventually Anna took Johns hand beneath the table. As she did so, he was currently discussing some political issues with Mr. Branson. But when Anna entwined her fingers with his she could feel him smile.
After some time the bells of their employers rang and they both stood up to dress Lord Grantham and his eldest daughter for the night.
Anna was the first of the two of them who entered the servants´ hall after finishing her duties for Lady Mary. Anna went to the kitchen and put up a kettle of tea. As she did so Mr. Bates entered the servants´ hall and looked for his beloved one. When he heard some noise from the kitchen, he knew it was her making tea for them. John took a few steps until he stood in the door of the kitchen. Anna didn't notice him and so he to the opportunity to just look at her. She was so unbelievably stunning and gorgeous in every move she made. Mr. Bates couldn't stop the huge smile on his face. Then Anna turned around to see him standing there, smiling. She mirrored the smile of her fiancé. "Hello Mr. Bates." "Hello, Anna." He stood there in awe. "You are too beautiful to be real." Anna blushed a little at the compliment, "charmer, sit down, our tea will be ready in a little while." He did as she said and a few moments later she came along with two cups of tea and sat beside him. They drank their tea in silence, only sometimes they gazed at each other and shared knowing looks.
As all the other servants had left for bed they sat alone in the servants´ hall. Mr. Bates took a book out of his pocket and began to read to Anna. He knew she loved it. He didn't know why, but Anna loved his voice and he would do anything to make her happy. When John started to read to her she relaxed to the sound of is voice. She had never heard a more beautiful voice in her whole life. She took hold of his hand and he stroked her hand with his thumb. They sat like that late in the night. No talking was needed. She leaned against his shoulder and listened to his rumbling voice. She looked forward to this kind of evenings when they were married. She wouldn't just lean against his shoulder. She would have his strong arms around her. Her head against the most comfortable pillow she could ever imagine, his chest. She would hear his heart beating, knowing it was all hers. One night until they would be Mr. and Mrs. John Bates. After that they would only have to wait a few weeks until they could move into their own little cottage.
Round about two in the morning John stopped reading. She looked up at him with a questioning look on her face. "We must head to bed", he said with a sad but loving voice, "tomorrow will be exhausting." Anna held his gaze and said with a sad smile: "You are right, we should head to bed and get some rest. Or at least try to get some sleep." She knew wouldn't be able to sleep, but they couldn't stay in the servants´ hall the whole night. He had to give his bad leg a chance to rest. Mr. Bates chuckled at her comment "I won´t be able to sleep either but we must try." With that they stood up and made their way up to the servants´ quarter. At the point where the men´s and the women´s corridors were separated, John embraced Anna and held her for a few moments.
Both separated reluctantly. They looked at one another a last time before they went to their rooms. "I love you John, so very much." His heart fluttered every time she said those three words.
"No one can ever measure how much I love you, soon to be Mrs. Bates." They both went with a smile to their beds.
The next morning they met at breakfast. They both sat in silence only sharing some looks until the bells of their employers rang.
They would meet again at 12 o´clock in the courtyard. Both of them wearing their Sunday best. As they met outside of the big house they smirked at each other. John had waited for her and when she arrived he offered her his arm and whispered in her ear: "You look beautiful." Anna took his arm with great pleasure and giggled at his words. With her hand in the crook of his arm they went to Downton village so they could take the bus into Ripon.
When the couple finally stood in front of the registrar's office they looked at each other smiling. "Are you sure you want this?" John asked. There was always a part of him which doubted that this stunning woman, named Anna Smith, could have chosen him to be her loving husband, her lover and the father of her children.
"Could you please stop doubting!? I´ve waited seven for this and I never wanted anything as much as to be your wife. I love you, John Bates, no matter what. My love for you will never die. So please walk with me through this door and make me your wife in the eyes of the law, because in my heart I was your wife the day you entered the walls of Downton."
"I love you Anna." With that they entered the registrar's office, both smiling. They didn't stop smiling. Not when the vows were spoken, not when he put the ring on her finger and not when they finally heard the sentence `You may now kiss the bride`. The first kiss as husband and wife. It felt wonderful. They newlyweds left the office hand in hand, finally free to declare their love. "I wish you could have had a church wedding. With all your friends around." "Don't be silly. You are all the people I need. I´d rather have the right man than the right wedding."
He smiled and kissed her. He kissed her with all love he had. "You amaze me in everything you say and do, Anna May Bates." "I love you."
They took the next bus back to Downton village. There they walked arm in arm through the village until they arrived at the little tea shop. "May I invite my flawless wife to some tea?" "It would be my pleasure."
They sat at a table and drank their tea, talked about all and nothing until they had to return to the Abbey. Their employers were generous enough to grant them the time off so they didn't want to be late.
When they entered the courtyard Anna stopped "I don't want to take the ring of." "I know darling, but it wouldn't be right to show that we are married. Not with the death of young Miss Swire lingering above the house." "I know John. But it feels so good and right." "Shsh darling", he put a finger on her lips to stop her talking. "It´s only three days until you can war it where it belongs. Until then you can wear it as a necklace", he said and took a gold chain from his pocket. "Thank you John. It´s lovely, would you help me to put it on?" "Certainly my darling." They shared one last kiss before they entered the Abbey.
When Anna entered Lady Mary´s room to dress her for bed Lady Mary beamed at her lady´s maid. "Congratulations, Anna. I wish you all the best, both of you. How does it feel to be a married woman?" "Thank you m´lady. I am very grateful for giving me the time off. Well, I have only been married for a few hours though it feels great. But we haven't announced it yet, because of Miss Swire.
"Don't be, it was a very good reason to grant you some time off. And thank you for your thoughtfulness."
John Bates had never been a man who smiled very often. Today it was different. He had married the love of his life. For Robert Grantham it was unusual to see his valet smiling. He just wanted to ask when the reason came up to his mind. "Oh my lord, Bates. I am ever so sorry. I forgot that you got married today. Congratulations, I am very happy for both of you."
"Thank you m´lord."
"I will ask Jarvis to arrange a cottage for the two of you, so you can start your life there in a few weeks."
"We are very grateful for that and everything else. Thank you m´lord."
As Anna had readied Lady Mary for bed she asked the same question she always asked: "Would that be all m´lady?" "Not quite Anna, I´ve got a surprise for you and Bates." "Oh m´lady you didn't have to…" "Of course I had to. So stop taking and follow me."
Lady Mary led Anna into the guest room quarter and eventually opened a door. When Anna saw the room she was speechless and beamed to her mistress. The room was decorated with candles and the fire was crackling. Anna had always dreamed that she and John could spend their wedding night together but she thought that it would stay a dream. "You have the room for the whole night. So tell Bates he should get here and tell him to enter the right room."
"Thank you so much m´lady."
With that Lady Mary Crawley left the room and went to bed. Anna took the steps to her room light footed. She took pen and paper out of her cupboard and began to write:
`Come to room No. 11 in the guest´s quarter at half past midnight. Don't ask just get there in time and pick the right room.
I love you. `
Anna folded the paper and went down to the servants´ hall. Her husband sat on his chair and spoke to Mr. Carson. She took her seat next to him and put the folded paper in his pocket. After that she squeezed his hand and saw his eyes crinkle.
After dinner she excused herself very early for bed. John looked at her somewhat disappointed. She smirked at him and left the hall. When she was out of the room John remembered that his wife had put something in his pocket. He now excused himself for bed as well. When he arrived in his room he put out the paper and read the lines his wife had written to him. He couldn't believe it. Would they really be able to spend their wedding night together? How had Anna managed that? He looked at his clock, midnight. Half an hour was left to get him in a presentable state. He took his razor and shaved his face. He brushed the pomade out of his hair because he knew that Anna loved it that way. When he was ready he had to wait another ten minutes. In this time he began to think. He was a man who was thinking very often. His late mother used to call him `Mr. Brooder´. And as always he started to think of Anna. He realized that he had never proposed to her properly. He decided to do it tonight even though they were married. When he had made up a plan he looked at his clock once again. Five minutes to go. He stood up from his bed, grabbed his cane and with one last look in the mirror he left his room.
As he arrived at the guests´ room quarter he didn't have to look for the number of the room. He could see the light flickering beneath the door.
When he approached the door he was somehow nervous. Yet it wasn't his first time, it was the first time with the woman of his life.
He knocked at the door and slowly entered the room. There she was. His beautiful, amazing darling angel. When he entered the room she stood up and smiled sheepishly. She only wore her light night gown. "You are unbelievably beautiful." She went to him giggling and kissed him with passion and love.
When they separated he kneeled down to one knee. "John what are you doing!? That isn't the best treat for your knee!" "Shsh now. Let me propose to my wife."
He took one of her hands in his larger ones and began to speak:
"I think you know me more than know and you see me more than see. I could die now more than die every time you look at me. I think I want you more than want and I need you more than need. I want to hold you more than hold when you stood in front of me. When it´s right it´s more than right.
Sometimes words just ain´t enough for that love that's more than love.
I´m blessed as the man to have seen you in white but I´ve never seen anything quite like you tonight.
Today you agreed to be my wife. No man can be happier than I am now in this very moment. I love you Anna May Bates. You light up my life every day."
She had tears of pure joy and adoration in her eyes. "And I love you John Bates. You are the love of my life and all I need is you. Now and forever."
They shared another gentle kiss full of love before they slipped beneath the blankets and shared their first night of many together in happiness.
THE END