AN/ Thank you all for the encouraging response! I didn't make it clear that Part One (from Marion's perspective by yours truly) would consist of 4 chapters and Part Two (from Violet's perspective written by Chelsie Fan) will have multiple chapters as well. Sorry for any confusion.

This chapter leans towards the M scale. Only Marion Crawley would consider it risque. I'm dubbing this genre 'ironic erotica' or 'irontica'. Consider yourself warned.


"Would you excuse me?" Marion all but ran to his dressing room...

In his room, Marion hyperventilated slightly as he considered what she was offering. He didn't need to consider for long. As fast as he could, he stripped down and jumped into his night clothes. His clothes from the morning were strewn about the room but he did not care. Let Haney sort the mess later, he thought.

He knocked at the door; her door.

"Yes?" She was still sitting where he'd left her looking more than a little stunned. Her eyes looked watery, as though tears threatened to fall, but his Vi was too strong for that. He did not return to her, but walked to the windows. He drew the curtains one by one to darken the room. She watched him warily as he did so.

"Shall we?" He motioned towards the bed in the muted light. Now they were on equal footing, each dressed for bed. In the darkness, Marion felt less awkward than before. Their routine was that he would join her after she'd climbed into bed. He would enter her room primed and ready, do his business and leave to sleep contentedly in his own bed. The whole process usually took less than four minutes, but this afternoon would not follow that template. This was not going to be routine. He wondered if it might take as long as ten minutes.

He was surprised when she moved to his side of the bed. He was shocked when she reached out to untie his robe sash. He was flabbergasted when she pushed the robe off of his shoulders and removed it from him. By the time she smiled up at him, he was trembling with excitement.

Now he stood only in his nightshirt which reached to his shins. Vi stood before him expectantly. All of his concentration was focused on controlling his desire. It took him a moment to realize what she wanted from him.

"Shall I unwrap my gift?" He offered shakily.

Her smile was devilishly angelic as she nodded. He reached out towards her. The back of his hand brushed the underside of her breast as he untied the sash. They both inhaled sharply at the touch. She turned her back to him and he removed the flimsy robe. Her rich, auburn hair was braided loosely and it smelled crisp, clean and freshly washed.

She turned down the bed sheet and crawled to her side of the bed. He was hypnotized by the way her bottom moved under the thin material that clung to it suggestively. His pulse quickened at the tantalizing sight. Vi slid under the covers and pulled them up to reach her chin. He saw the shape of her beneath the light summer comforter. Her outline showed clearly. He saw the shape of her two long legs. He knew them to be firm and strong. She was moving beneath the comforter. He realized she was pulling up the hem of the night dress to give him access to her sex as was their usual method. Tantalizing lingerie or not, this was just another duty for her he realized with shattering disappointment.

But she didn't stop raising the hem at her hips as he expected. She kept pulling and soon, to his thrilled horror, she pulled the nightgown over her head and dropped it silently to the floor.

She was naked! His Vi was naked beneath those sheets! All he had to do was pull them back and he would see…

"Vi! What are you doing?"

"It's your birthday, dear." She said in a calm and reasonable voice as if that would excuse anything.

Yes. It bloody well was his birthday, he told himself. His wife was offering him an opportunity to experience something unique. Who was he to reject such a precious gift?

To his wife's and his own great surprise, Marion Crawley began to unbutton his night shirt, starting with the top button. When it was open to the middle of his chest he slipped into bed and pulled the shirt over his head.

He was naked. In bed. With his wife.

The reality sunk in slowly. It felt right, but his mind screamed all the reasons it was wrong. Pushing those voices aside, he rolled onto his side to face her. Usually, the room was completely dark, but there was a dusky feel cast around the drawn curtains. Usually, he would just climb on top of her, but he was not ready mentally or physically to enter her.

"Would you like to touch me?" She asked in a voice that was both demure and alluring at once.

"Very much." He brought his hand up beneath the sheet and touched the soft skin of her belly. He imagined that it must be as white as marble, but unlike that cold stone, she was warm. His whole body tingled as he ran his hand up her torso to the underside of her breast. She shifted, pressing her breast fully into his hand. His thumb brushed over something that hardened as he caressed it repeatedly. He knew the word for this delicate piece of her anatomy, but could not think of it at the moment. All he could think of was how much he wished to suckle it, much as he had her fingers earlier.

Marion closed his eyes and ducked his head beneath the sheet. He heard Vi's groan as he latched onto her. He assumed she was disgusted by his behavior, but he could not stop. Her hand gripped the back of his head as he tickled, sucked and tasted both of her young, firm breasts. Still, he kept his eyes closed. He would at least let her retain that much dignity. He might cross the line of propriety today, but he wouldn't obliterate it. After today, he knew they must return to the normal routine.

Meanwhile, his hands were exploring her. If this was to be his only opportunity, he would be sure to touch every inch of her. One hand cupped one of her buttocks. He'd gripped her here before, but always with the fabric of her nightdress between them. Now, his fingers dug directly into her flesh, fingernails finding purchase in her velvety skin.

The sounds that she was making almost made him believe she was enjoying this as much as he was. He knew it couldn't be true, but he wanted to believe. Just for today; his birthday.

With this bold thought, he decided he was going to kiss his wife. On the mouth. While they were both naked.

He opened his eyes as his head emerged from beneath the blanket. When he kissed her, her lips opened as he felt her legs open beneath him. There was a warm wetness there. He'd never felt anything like it. No, she'd been wet on their wedding night. Fear gripped him, was she bleeding again? He touched the wetness and she purred and squirmed with, was that delight? He looked at his fingers and was relieved to find no blood.

Still, her response to his touch had intrigued him. He repeated the gesture, more slowly this time. She pushed her head back into her pillow and her chest up against him. "Mmm. Yes." She uttered. Her words shocked him. They apparently shocked her, for she quickly clamped her lips into a hard line. Still, she could not stifle her humming sounds.

Marion was confused. He'd touched her there a hundred times. It was a necessary part of entering her, but it had never been this wet and she had never responded like this. Vi really was quite a good actress he concluded.

The thought of entering her while she was like this was very exciting to him. He knew he was almost ready to enter her and deposit his seed. He was about to test his readiness when her delicate fingers closed around him. His eyes grew wide with wonder and he jerked away from her, but she did not let go. The sensation was exquisite. It felt like being inside her, but she had more control, which frightened and titillated him. He pulled away again. Again, she did not release him. If anything, she gripped him tighter and…pulled?

Marion thought he must be going mad. He was so close to exploding. He needed to be inside her. With a sudden urgency, he pressed open her wetness and plunged in. It was over in three or four quick movements as per usual, but something was different this time. Her legs were clasped behind him and she was smiling. His hips still moved of their own volition. He emptied every last drop of himself into her and finally shuddered to a stop. Exhausted, his head fell to the pillow beside her. He began to push off of her, but Vi ran her fingers through his hair and whispered one delicious word, "Stay."

He obeyed. He stayed exactly where he was, laying between her welcoming thighs. He felt her body changing around him. He felt his body changing inside her. He was so sleepy. Her arms enveloped him. As her subtle convulsions subsided, she relaxed her legs and he slipped out of her. He lay his head upon her breast and closed his eyes. This was the sleep of fatigued fulfillment.

It was his birthday and Marion Crawley had finally made love to his wife. Her seduction of him had been the greatest gift he could ever receive.

He awoke beside her the next morning. They were no longer entangled. It was no longer his birthday. The magic moment had passed. She was wearing her long nightgown, but he was still naked. He did not need to look down to know that he had his usual morning problem. He decided in an instant that he would not be coming into his chamber pot this morning. They did not have much time before Vi would be expected to ring Jennings for her breakfast tray. He rolled towards Vi. He was sure she understood; no reason to waste a chance to breed. She dutifully pulled the hem of her nightgown to her hips. He performed his husbandly act efficiently and rolled away without a word. He slipped into his robe as he stood. He retrieved his nightshirt and exited her bedroom without looking back at her once.

He knew that if he looked at her, she would see the decadent lust in his eyes. He did not want to hurt her or disrespect her with his baseness.

-00-

Marion Crawley sat down before a full plate of eggs and ham steak. The paper lay neglected to the side as he ate ravenously.

"Have they not been feeding you while I was ill?" Lord Grantham drolled.

"They've been taking very good care of me, father. It is good to see you feeling well again." Marion remembered his manners and ate more slowly.

Lord Grantham looked at his son over the top of his paper. Something had changed in the lad, but he couldn't name it. Shrugging, the master of the house thought no more of it. One would go mad if one endeavored to understand the exuberance of youth.

The next time Marion saw Violet was at luncheon. They exchanged their usual pleasantries and engaged in banal conversation. That night, Marion and Vi's mating routine was back to normal but felt somehow different. Neither of them mentioned the indiscretions of the birthday afternoon. After three weeks of more satisfying coupling, Marion was beginning to dare to hope they had finally succeeded in their joint purpose as man and wife. She should have told him to stay away by now. His calendar didn't lie. It was several more weeks before Marion let himself fully believe and a few weeks more before the doctor visited to confirm it. His Vi was going to have his baby.

Though he knew it was a ridiculous notion, Marion believed the conception must have occurred on his birthday. Her gift was even more remarkable than he'd first thought.

TBC…


AN/ Next chapter...the gift of life.

Thanks to Chelsie Fan for posting on tumblr and to those of you who reblogged.

Cover Image props to slippingandslidingATtumblrDOTcom