AN: I thought this would be only one chapter long, but I kept on thinking about what had happened before and what would happen next. So, as it is, this story will be three chapters long. Thank you all very much!
They had kissed in the register. He had been almost chuckling with happiness, she had beamed at him. And then, it had been a lingering kiss full of hopes and dreams, right after they had exchanged their vows and been proclaimed husband and wife. After all those years of having to hide what they felt for each other and then, more recently, the very few times they had managed a stolen moment and a small caress or a kiss, for John being able to do so in public felt liberating, but also like being terribly exposed. Anna was overwhelmed, the solemnity of the ceremony being replaced by the softness of his lips and his fingers holding hers.
It was finally all right. The golden band on her finger and both their names on the official looking document said so.
On their way to the bus stop, they had kissed again, taken the opportunity in a deserted alleyway. It had been short and sweet, and Anna had actually giggled a little at the thought that now they were allowed to do this and so much more. Still, a public street was hardly the right place.
Going back home in the bus had never seemed this fast. They had been silent for a while, looking at each other or at their entwined hands on her lap, smiling at each other with eyes that were so much eloquent than words. He had caressed the back of her right hand and, even with their gloves on, she had felt how warm and reassuring that gesture was.
He had asked when they should tell the staff they had married and she had shrugged. A little part of her wanted them to know, to throw a little party at them downstairs, to hear their congratulations and wishes and even unrequested pieces of advice. She knew none of that was really important, though; nothing was, but the touch of his hands and the sound of his voice. He had tried to imagine what Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes would say. She knew they would be happy; he hoped the butler would not die of the impression. At this, both had chuckled and, by the way he had looked at her, Anna had been sure it had been taking him a great deal of self-control not to bend over to close that impossibly small distance, and kiss her again.
The walk to the house from the bus stop had been both a joyful experience and a very frustrating one. John had confessed he had wanted to take her hand in his, where it now belonged. She had replied that she wished he would hold her arm, the two of them walking as close as humanly possible. They knew that both things were out of the question if they were going to keep their wedding a secret.
They had arrived to the back door, the courtyard had been deserted. It was to be expected, with everybody working tirelessly around the convalescents, or helping out with preparations for Miss Swire's funeral. Anna had wondered how she would manage to show the concern expected for the situation, when she felt full of joy, yearning to beam to the world.
She had been about to go inside when John had taken her gloved hand and gently pulled her towards a corner hidden beneath a pile of empty crates.
He had held her waist with his large hands and pulled her towards him. Her own hands had rested on his chest, as if that had been their proper place since the beginning of time.
"I love you," John muttered, his lips hovering over hers. "So very, very much." She had stood on tiptoes, closing the space between them.
That kiss that had started slowly and innocently had become urgent, both mouths moving, learning, starting to recognise. John had taken her lower lip on his and Anna had felt her knees buckle, lost in the wonderful feeling. She was curious, so she took his lip on hers, too, tasting him, eager to get to know all of him.
John moved his hands up her back. "We need to go inside," he said hoarsely. "Or I won't be able to control myself."
"Then don't."
He had looked at her and his eyes had been so full with love she had felt her heart was about to burst. There had been another emotion, though. One she had glimpsed sometimes before, on that rare occasions they had managed to steal some time for themselves together. Hot, urgent.
"If only you knew how much do I wish to."
He had pressed his forehead to hers and had taken a deep breath. She had beamed at him. "There will be time. Soon." She refused for their fears and the pending threat of Vera's investigation to ruin them this. They were husband and wife, now, after all sorts of battles and bumps on the road, and nobody would take that away from them.
"I know," he had said, before giving her a small kiss on the tip of her nose. "We'll make it happen." And for once there had not been a hint of doubt in his voice and she had had no difficulty believing him.
Still, they had been there, and a couple more minutes would not count for much now. So he had leaned down again, properly this time, nibbling at her lips. His hands had gone up and down her back, and she had felt both warm and shivering, in a new so very pleasant way.
He had stopped, and before she had had time to protest, he had encircled her with his arms. She always felt small when they were near, but this time it had been different. She was still small, all right, but it had become clear that this had been his place all along: protecting her. Anna knew he would not agree with this statement, with that annoying and endearing way of his of feeling he was not worthy of her. She knew better, though.
"Mrs Bates?" he had whispered, and she had heard a small note of doubt in his voice, as if he had been testing those words aloud, not sure if they were the right ones.
"Mr Bates?" she had said, looking up at him. Now that was familiar enough and both had chuckled.
"Should we go inside?" it had been clear that for him the proper answer to that question was "no", but that he would do what was right and expected of them.
Anna had nodded, and with a small smile, she had rummaged into her small bag. "I've had this for ages. Never thought I'd use it again." She had produced a small, delicate silver chain. Deliberately slowly, she had taken off her left glove. She had been about to remove the ring when he had taken her hand into his. His eyes fixed on hers, light dancing in them, he had kissed her finger, right next to the ring, and then he had taken it off. Anna had smiled, and a moment later she had threaded the golden circle on the chain, and fixed it around her neck.
She had not failed to notice the way John's eyes had followed her hands during the entire operation, lingering a bit where the ring had disappeared, inside the hem of her dress.