Third and final chapter of this little "one-shot." Thank you all for your reviews and support. Have a great day!
10 August 1914
An hour or so after dinner, Charles gently slid Elsie's coat up and over her shoulders and she buttoned it up. He handed her her hat. "Are you ready?" he asked.
"I've been packed for two days and all of our things went to the cottage this morning."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what?" she wanted to know.
"Elsie, we have our own home. We'll be sharing so much that we're not used to sharing."
"Is that all?" She smiled. "I won't say that everything will be perfect, but I think it will be more good than bad."
He laughed quietly. "I hadn't thought of it that way, but of course you're right."
"I can't imagine us encountering anything that can't be resolved with some combination of love and determination and we have plenty of both, between the two of us." She took one last look in the mirror and then turned to Charles.
He gestured for her to precede him through her sitting room door and out into the corridor. He hoped she did not hear his quick intake of breath as she brushed by him. Her scent was very faint - she wore no perfume, she simply washed her hair with something sweet-smelling - but it was very lovely to Charles.
"Are you nervous?" Elsie asked, as they passed through the back door and into the yard.
"A little. How about you?"
She flushed a little. "About some things more than others."
They walked on in silence. Charles understood what she meant, but he didn't know quite what he could say to reassure her. In about ten minutes, they reached the cottage that Mr. Jarvis had chosen for them. Charles pulled a key from his pocket and held it out to Elsie. "Would you care to do the honors?"
"Certainly." She smiled and took the key from him. The door opened easily and they stepped inside. The place was sparsely furnished at the moment, but they had plans for improvement. The curtains and other linens were already quite fine.
Elsie set the key aside and unbuttoned her coat. Charles helped her out of it and laid it over the back of the settee, reminding himself that finding a coat rack should be one of his top priorities. He laid his own coat beside hers as she removed her hat. "I could use a little mirror here like the one in my sitting room," she remarked. "I can't see what I'm doing without it."
"You look beautiful, Elsie, trust me."
She smiled at him. "I might just get used to you going on like that."
He smiled softly. "I'll have to change things around from time to time. I won't have you getting bored of me."
She scoffed. "As if I could."
"You might be surprised how uninteresting I can be."
"If you were such a bore, I would have known it by now," Elsie argued. "But let's not spend any more time on such a silly argument." She sat down on the settee. "Come sit with me, love."
Charles readily complied, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her shoulders.
Elsie yawned. "I'm tired."
"It's late. Perhaps we should go to bed."
She didn't answer, though she was blushing furiously.
Charles looked at her curiously, then with understanding. "I won't press you, Elsie, if that's what you're worried about."
She looked up in surprise. "Goodness, no, not worried. Nervous, yes. Worried? Absolutely not. And if you don't press me, well…" She trailed off, unsure if she should say what was on her mind.
"Well what?"
"I might press you."
He laughed. "I am perfectly willing to be pressed. Shall we go?"
Elsie smiled. "Yes, we shall." She stood and reached for his hand and they went to the bedroom.
11 August 1914
The alarm rang much too early in the morning. Charles grumbled and turned it off. Elsie sat up in bed and stretched. When she suddenly became aware that she was naked she quickly slid back under the sheets, lying on her side to face her husband. He met her gaze.
"Good morning, Elsie. How do you feel?"
"I feel wonderful," she answered. "And you?
"I feel wonderful, too. Last night I made love to the most beautiful woman in the world."
Uncertain of how to respond, Elsie changed the subject. "It's a shame we have to get up and go to the big house this morning," she lamented.
"It really is. If we could stay home I could repeat last night's bliss right now. Every part of you is beautiful."
"How would you know what I look like?" she asked. "The lights were off."
"My hands are my eyes in the dark," he murmured. "I could see you by touching you."
Elsie was starting to get used to this new way Charles talked to her, so she only blushed a little in response to his comments. "Well, sadly, we can't stay home, so we'd better get moving." She took her dressing gown from where it hung on the headboard and managed to put it on without letting her husband see much more than a glimpse of her bare shoulder. He was disappointed, but he could be patient. They'd only been married for a few days, after all. He got out of bed and put on his own dressing gown.
"If you like, I can make tea while you get dressed," he offered.
"Thank you. That would be lovely."
Before long she was ready for the day and entered the kitchen just as Charles finished preparing tea. Her cup was already ready for her. She smiled and took a sip.
"Good?" he asked.
"Better than good, because it was made in our very own kitchen."
"Indeed." And he kissed her cheek.
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That night they arrived home late again, but lost little time shedding their coats and hats. As soon as the coats and hats were tossed haphazardly on the settee, the newlyweds were in each other's arms, kissing until they were breathless. They gradually moved into the bedroom, kissing and caressing all the way. When they reached the door, Charles just paused to turn on the overhead light before Elsie slipped his tailcoat off and started on the buttons of his waistcoat. When she had removed it, along with his white tie, she was a little daunted by the collar and the studs on his shirt front.
"I might need some help here," she admitted laughingly. "Last night I only had to unbutton your pajamas."
He smiled. "I'll show you." He demonstrated slowly, first removing the stiff collar and then working on the studs down his chest. She took out the last two and he was down to his trousers and shirtsleeves.
"Now it's my turn," he murmured, taking her shoulders and turning her around to face away from him. When he started unbuttoning her dress, Elsie protested.
"The light, Charles," she whispered.
"What about it?" he asked.
"Turn it off, love." She gasped when he nibbled the side of her neck. He unfastened another button and placed a kiss on her spine.
"Do I have to?"
"Please."
"What about a compromise?" Charles suggested. He stepped away from her and switched off the light, then turned on the tiny lamp on the night table.
Elsie took a deep breath and looked around the dimly lit room, taking in the darkened corners and her shadow on the wall. "All right, then. You've persuaded me."
He quickly returned to her buttons, working quickly down the back of her dress. Soon enough, it slid from her shoulders into a puddle at her feet. She glanced again at her shadow on the wall. She could both see and feel that her husband was kissing her shoulders, the stubble on his face tickling her slightly as his lips moved from one side of her to the other.
"Now it's my turn to ask for help," he murmured in her ear. "I don't know how to get you out of this corset."
She couldn't help smiling. She quickly loosened the laces in the back, unhooked the front, and tossed the garment aside.
"You won't show me how to do it myself?" he wondered, his tone playful.
"Some other night," she replied, turning to face him. He bent and kissed her. She wasn't thinking about the light anymore, only how good she felt and how much she wanted him. It wasn't long before they had both shed all their clothing and climbed into bed together.
"Oh, my beautiful Elsie," he whispered, his hands moving over her body.
"That feels so good."
He kissed her hard before growling in her ear. "Good."
Elsie's timid caresses grew bolder, finally encouraging him to cover her body with his. He was happy to oblige her and they came together at last. The bed creaked and squeaked beneath them, but neither of them held back as they made love in the lamplight.
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An hour later, Elsie awoke to the sound of Charles humming a jaunty tune. She couldn't help laughing and he stopped. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"
"I'm not sure," she replied. "But I don't mind."
He laughed softly. "I'm feeling very chipper, thanks to you, Mrs. Carson. What a lovely night."
"Yes, very lovely." She paused. "Even lovelier than last night."
"Oh?"
"I can't say exactly how or why. Perhaps because last night's loveliness made me more aware of what I might anticipate tonight."
"It's true," he mused. "I was thinking about it all day."
"I blush to admit that I was, too." She kissed his shoulder. "I had finally learned just what it is that makes far too many young women risk everything and yield to a young man's persuasion. I'm not completely naïve on the subject, but I didn't know before just how close two people can be."
"And tonight?"
"I don't know. Perhaps it was the lamplight or your livery or something else, but I felt…" She searched for the right word.
"You felt…?"
She laughed. "I felt impulsive."
He smiled. "Just the way this whole thing started last week."
"I still have to pinch myself to prove I'm not dreaming - that I really am Mrs. Carson."
"Yes, you are," he said with satisfaction. "There's no getting rid of me now, you know."
"I certainly hope not!" She was silent for a moment, then laughed again. "But we really ought to oil this bed frame."
He chuckled, then suddenly yawned. "It must be pretty late."
"Mmhmm."
"Good night, my impulsive Mrs. Carson."
She yawned and settled in beside him. "I'll see you in the morning, Charles."
The end.
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