This story was meant to have some challenges thrown at our favorite couple. It wouldn't be called "Until we can Manage" if they would have managed so quickly. Right? So, please don't get discouraged. Consummation will come, but not for several more chapters. I thought they should have some adventures first.

I couldn't produce a story such as this one and not have a "picnic" centered chapter. This is the longest chapter yet, so, I hope it is not too tedious to read.


Mr. Bates and Anna walked back to the house unable to control their laughter. Once they managed to calm down, the moment one looked at the other, it was catalyst enough to remember their experience and they would start all over again. It was frustrating to be interrupted, but Anna was highly amused at how Mr. Bates had portrayed a drunk. He was a good actor, perhaps too good, maybe pulling from past experiences. Regardless of that, she got to see the lighter, funnier side of him and was very pleased for that. They had not achieved their ultimate goal, but every day they went out together, she appreciated him more for the perfect balance of a man that he was.

As they reached the house, arm in arm, they stopped shy of the door. Mr. Bates reached for the keys, preparing to lock the doors as soon as they made it through the threshold, but turned to face her instead, before actually opening it and going through.

"Anna, I'm sorry for another failed night." He took her hand now with a visible concern on his face and continued.

"We've been laughing because it ended funny and favorable to us, but I would have been terribly embarrassed if the tables had been turned and they had walked in on us, instead of me interrupting them. Your honor and our respectability might have been tarnished. I couldn't bear to think what might have happened."

"Mr. Bates, you need not say you are sorry. It was not your fault." He was listening intently to what she was saying and Anna continued. "Listen to me Mr. Bates. I'll agree that it would not have been favorable to us, but, Mabel and Peter would never have given us away, unless they intended to explain their reasons for being there in the first place. They had more to lose than we did, so, let's just keep this incident to ourselves, tucked away in our memory for us to remember when we are old. Our honor and respectability is intact. I would say nothing has been lost. "

Her little speech has its desired effect and she saw how he smiled again, his worry seemingly gone away. She reached up to kiss his cheek and whispered softly, "Our time will come…." As she pulled away from his cheek, he noticed her grin and eyes turn mischievous as she countered, "…. and, I wouldn't call this night a failure completely." She sucked lightly on his ear and added, "You got further today than you did the last two times. I would say you are making progress." She pulled away and opened the door herself, leaving him speechless and a crimson color. He couldn't believe his little temptress of a wife would say that, and do that, mere inches from the door where they lived and worked. Yet, she did, and she was now inside as he stood outside, trying to recuperate from her last words and last touch.

No sooner than she made it through the door, the tables turned on her when Mrs. Hughes appeared in her doorway, shocking them both. Anna must have leapt back a few inches, startled. They expected the Housekeeper had turned in when they left. She had announced her departure close to midnight when they had set off and it was now closer to half two. Mr. Bates shuddered at the thought that the kind lady might have heard any of their exchange.

"Mrs. Hughes, we thought you would have gone to sleep by now", asked a surprised Anna. Mr. Bates detected a slight irritation in her voice. He understood her completely. Anna didn't like for it to be known how late they were in coming back and now the housekeeper knew. He hoped it didn't become an issue.

"That was my intention", she lamented and rolled her eyes, "…but Mr. Carson thought it would be a good time for us to review the payroll and expenses ledger. We've been at it since then. I've just come to find a document I forgot in my parlour. We shan't be long."

"I could have helped with that," chimed Mr. Bates. "I have the time. Please let me ease your burden when you must review it again."

"That's very kind. I think I will ask for your help in the future." Her expression reflected that she meant what she was saying.

Mr. Bates and Anna had not taken off their coats, and as it seemed their conversation with Mrs. Hughes was over, they turned towards the coat rack and prepared to ease it off. From the corner of his eyes, Mr. Bates could tell that something had disturbed the Housekeeper greatly and he turned to meet her gaze.

"What is it Mrs. Hughes?"

At hearing the question and the concerned tone her husband had employed, Anna also turned towards her again.

"Your backside is full of hay." Her eyes were opened wide in disbelief. It was impossible, given the evidence before her, not to make any conjectures on how it had possibly gotten there. This confirmation that the Lady's Maid and Valet were leaving the house at night to come together made her too nervous. "You must brush it off before Mr. Carson sees it. He would not be pleased," was all she could say as a blush crept up her face. She wanted to be sympathetic towards them and reminded herself that whatever they were doing, they were not doing it indoors and nobody had complained of any indecency. Thus, even if the evidence of their dalliance was presented before her, she could not complain or chastise them.

Anna and Mr. Bates were speechless. In the aftermath of the barn incident, they had spent the entire time walking home laughing, and neither had remembered that their coats had been placed directly on the hay, in a corner, and thus it was inevitable that some had attached itself. Anna's distracting comments at the threshold also made Mr. Bates forget to check that they were completely properly attired before coming inside. They also did not expect to see anybody else awake at this hour. They were going to have to be more careful. They couldn't even look at Mrs. Hughes any more, feeling like schoolchildren caught while doing something wrong when they had been told not to. For all of the happiness they had felt earlier, this was a terrible way to end the evening.

Just then, a deep voice could be heard in the corridor coming towards them.

"Mrs. Hughes, I do want to finish this review today. Why are you taking so long?" asked the Butler, unaware of the situation that was unfolding a few yards away in the entryway.

Anna and Mr. Bates turned to face him, keeping their backs away from his line of sight. Mrs. Hughes also moved to position herself directly in front of them, blocking his view completely. Mr. Carson could tell they all looked suspicious and seemed to be hiding something. Their movements had been too obvious.

"Is something going on?" he questioned looking at all three of them with mistrust.

"Nothing at all, Mr. Carson. Let's run along." Mrs. Hughes moved forward, walking in his direction. She took his arm to tilt him around, moving him in the opposite direction from the couple at the door. Mr. Carson said nothing and let himself be led. Anna and Mr. Bates seemed rooted to the ground and before the Housekeeper disappeared into Mr. Carson's pantry, she looked over her shoulder and waived her free hand at them, gesturing for them to go on. Her silent words pleaded with them to fix the situation immediately and that they did.


"Good Morning M'Lady."

Anna cheerfully announced herself as she entered the room to bring her Mistress' daily breakfast tray to her in bed. Mr. Crawley, who was heading out of the room, nodded in acknowledgement of her presence and closed the door behind her.

"Good Morning Anna," Lady Mary answered as Anna approached her and the food laden tray was placed carefully over her blanket covered legs.

"I've decided to go with mother today on her visit to Lady Claire Sutherland in Leeds. We'll have lunch and tour her new gardens, so, I'll need the red coat to go with whatever else you had planned for me today. We leave in about an hour."

"Perfect M'Lady," Anna answered, then reflected an inquisitive look.

"What is it?" asked Mary, noting the smirk now on her Lady's Maid face.

"Nothing M'Lady. I know you are not keen on Lady Claire. I am just surprised that you would want to accompany your mother on this visit. "

"You know me too well," she answered smugly. "Yes, she is rather a bore to be around, but, with our trip tomorrow, I thought I should go with mother to not give Matthew the opportunity to ask too many questions. He is vexed that I should be away so long without him."

Anna nodded in understanding. It made perfect sense if she was trying to avoid her husband.

"Would you like the feathered hat, or the new cloche with the turquoise ribbon?

"Let's try the new cloche." Lady Mary then smirked herself as she addressed Anna. "I suspect my being out all day gives you the opportunity to spend some time with Bates. We won't be back until it is time to dress for dinner."

"I still need to finish packing for the trip, but, yes, I suspect we might be able to take a stroll through the gardens together."

"A stroll?" Lady Mary asked, clearly mocking Anna and implying that she didn't believe that they would partake of such innocent amusements, not since they had only been reunited.

Anna blushed profusely at the implication and didn't know how to respond. She lowered her gaze to not have to look at Lady Mary directly. Her mistress was fond of good natured joking, but it was never as direct as this and never regarding a couple's "alone time".

"Don't be so shocked Anna," Lady Mary said as she pulled a cup of tea to her lips. "You can utilize your time for a stroll if that's what you prefer, but, I think you can conjure up better ideas to pass the time. I know I would."

Anna's shock turned to amusement as her Lady spoke and she started smiling. Misunderstood by so many, Lady Mary was a genuine and caring mistress to have and Anna felt lucky. It was a rare to have a Lady that would suggest alternative amusement to a servant.

"Thank You M'Lady. I will." She lifted her gaze to match the young woman's and they exchanged knowing looks. Lady Mary raised her right eyebrow in a complicitous manner as Anna backed away towards the door.

"I will be back with everything you need and to take your tray away shortly."

With that, Anna left the room, intent on finding all of the components to dress her Lady for her day away.


As soon as the Ladies of the house were on their way, Anna felt relieved that she had managed to get her Lady ready with such short notice. She still had a few things to prepare for their trip, but was determined to find Mr. Bates first so that they could settle on a plan for her free time.

She thought she would find him in the servant's hall or in the Butler's pantry helping Mr. Carson, but he was not in any of the usual places.

"Are you looking for Mr. Bates?" asked Mr. Carson when he came about her wearing a forlorn look in front of his office.

"Yes. Is he not here?" she responded respectfully.

"He's offered to help me with a long overdue attic inventory. You ought to find him there."

"Thank you, Mr. Carson," she answered as she turned on her heels to head in that direction.

Anna had heard Mr. Carson for several months whining about having no time to create an attic inventory. Everything that was in the house or left over was usually ferried to the large rooms just beyond the servant quarters. She knew that they had not carried out an inventory in almost a decade and the war years only helped swell its contents. In the almost twenty years she had been at Downton, she had only visited twice. It was a rarely transited part of the house as it was a creepy and dusty, but, she would go there willingly to find her husband.

"Mr. Bates, are you here?" she called as she opened the door. Light was filtering through the few windows in the large room, yet it was still dark, cavernous and smelled dank. There was a thick layer of dust all around and she tried to not touch anything as she moved in slowly.

She heard nothing, but Mr. Bates was there, hiding behind a large dresser. The dresser was behind a large frame, ensconced in a white sheet. It hid her view of him, but he could see her. She walked aimlessly further in, thinking that Mr. Bates might be too far in to have heard her whispery voice at the entrance. He had the ability to focus and drown out all noise when he wanted, so, she didn't think anything peculiar when she didn't answer.

He didn't intend to startle her; that thought crossed his mind later. When he saw her, he was just in awe of how pretty she could be when a ray of light illuminated her face. Where she was standing, the light that filtered in from the nearest window reflected upon her golden hair and she looked like she had an aura around her. It was the closest he had ever seen her looking like an angel and he was astonished that such a beautiful creature could prefer him. She was pretty naturally, in whatever she was wearing and all he wanted was to gaze uninterrupted at her.

She passed by where he was standing and continued forward until he was behind her. She strained her head in all directions, hoping to catch a glimpse of him hard at work.

"Mr. Bates, are you here?" she pleaded again.

When he didn't answer this time, he could see her fluster slightly. She wrapped her arms around her, a clear sign that the damp coolness that permeated the place was getting to her.

Thinking he had no reason to keep himself from her any longer, he jumped out, making sure to land on his good leg. He bellowed, "Here I am, my sweet" and watched in horror as she turned and screamed in terror, clearly not expecting such a startling arrival from her husband. She was trembling at such a surprise and when she realized that it was Mr. Bates who had manufactured the alarming interruption, she twisted her lip in disapproval.

"It's only me darling," he confirmed as he came to her and wrapped his arm around her still shaking body. In response, she smacked his shoulder playfully.

"Why did you do that? - Were you trying to scare me out of my wits?"

He looked at her with remorse in his eyes, worried that he had indeed shocked her beyond his intention.

"I'm sorry Anna. I wasn't thinking. Maybe I just needed an excuse to hold you."

Anna softened when she saw his sincere look and moved her arms to rest upon his chest, laying her head against his heart.

"You never need an excuse to hold me," she answered as she felt his heart beating against her ear.

They remained this way for a few minutes, just feeling each other's warmth, happy to find a secluded and safe spot in the house where they could share this innocent and intimate moment.

He finally spoke and as he did, he ran his hands up and down her arms, perceiving that she might be cold in this place.

"Why were you looking for me love? Do you need something?"

Without moving her head from its comfortable resting place, she shared her happy news.

"Yes," she said. "I've come with an invitation. Lady Mary is gone for the day, an unplanned outing. I have a couple of hours work, but later, I will be free until the dinner gong. I thought we might have a picnic out by the temple. Are you free?"

"I will make myself free, darling. I am helping Mr. Carson create an inventory, but it will take me a while to go through all of the store rooms." He pulled her away to look at her mischievously. He smiled cheekily and crinkled his eyes. "I could manage a few hours." There was a lot of repressed desire in his look.

Anna almost stopped breathing with the look he gave her, but she calmed herself down and matched his anticipation by smiling seductively. She pulled herself away completely, aware that the heat between them threatened to rise and she couldn't get distracted now. If he dared to kiss her, she wouldn't have the power to resist him and she reminded herself mentally, that while this was a faraway and forgotten attic, they were still inside the house, off limits for any encounters between them.

"Alright," Anna said as she walked back towards the door to leave. "I'll go arrange it now. I'll see if Mrs. Patmore can spare some food and I will make us sandwiches. Let's meet at luncheon."


"Is this where you meant for us to eat?" asked Mr. Bates as Anna pulled him into a densely wooded area, about two kilometers behind the Temple of Diana. When she had said that they would go for a picnic out by the temple, he'd thought they would be much closer, yet, it had been a most beautiful stroll to reach the place. He didn't know what woods she had meant when she said she knew of a beautiful and secluded area where they could truly be alone and have lunch. He also didn't want to ask how she could be acquainted with such a secluded place; he would just let it be. As they walked, he did not recognize any of the fields and whenever they reached a beautiful clearing, he thought they had arrived. Every time, she would pull him away, confirming that they had not yet reached their intended target. While beautiful clearings abounded, he would always breathe a sigh of relief. All the areas presented were too "open" and he desired more privacy for them. Gratefully, he followed her along willingly, armed with their blanket slung over his shoulder, while she carried the picnic basket in her free arm. They walked hand in hand, unwilling to let go of each other, even for a few minutes.

"It is," she answered expectantly, not hiding the unease in her voice and hoping he found it ideal.

"It's quite lovely" and as he pulled her to him, added "…and quite private." Even with their hands full, he came down to kiss her hungrily, approving of her choice of landscape. He kissed her deeply, aware that nobody would see them so far from the house.

Anna pulled away and giggled at his bold move. "You don't waste any time, do you?"

He winked at her. "I wasted plenty of time during this stroll. I've been desperate to do that since we left the house."

Amused at his response, she suggested, "Well, why don't we set up first and have some lunch? That walk must have opened your appetite and I have an assortment for us to choose from." Their hands were still clutching each other and he released her, nodding his acceptance and acquiescing that they needed to set up camp before they could proceed with their outing.

"Here, Anna," he gestured to her in the flattest expanse he could find. "Let's spread the blanket in this area". There was rough terrain everywhere, with roots peaking out above ground. Pebbles, small rocks and moss abounded. It was secluded and not very hospitable, yet this patch was as flat as they could manage. Anna set down the picnic basket, took the blanket from him and bent down in the spot he had indicated, spreading the fabric until it was extended completely. He didn't want to be crass, but the sight of his wife's rear in the air as she leaned forward was causing him to sweat. He wanted to reach out and cup her bottom, but, he wanted also to be a gentleman. He knew she wasn't trying to be seductive on purpose; nevertheless, she was a temptress in her own right and her movements were affecting him greatly. He was quite thankful when she stood up and turned to see him. He composed himself rapidly, lest she think he couldn't behave himself.

"Come," she said and raised her arm up to his, leading him to the blanket. She sat down in a corner and watched as he maneuvered himself onto the ground. It was not a simple task, but he soon managed it. She pulled off her shoes to be more comfortable and she reached for Mr. Bates' as well. He allowed her to pull his off and she put them in a corner, neatly, just off of the blanket. Their hats, gloves and his cane were all also relegated to that corner.

She then proceeded to pull the contents out of the overflowing basket, showing him all of the variety that had been placed lovingly within it. She unpacked each item, squealing with a happy surprise.

"Mrs. Patmore outdid herself," Anna mused and he couldn't agree more. He was truly being spoilt since his release from prison a few days ago.

"There are two different pies, some roasted vegetables, some cold ham and chicken…. There is even dessert…. cinnamon apples!" Anna added in amazement. "….then, to drink, there is a bottle of cold tea."

She looked very pleased with the contents and there was a twinkle in her eye. It was plain contentment, that of everyday happiness. It suited her much better than the worried look she so often carried upon her, the result of years of uncertainty that he had put her through. She was innocently excited by their meal and it was through these mundane moments that he realized how in love he was with her. She had been his pillar of strength and achieved some great things; lived through horrid ones as well, but for all the challenges they had endured and the setbacks she had experienced, she had not sold her soul to bitterness. She could still enjoy merits of a simple meal with great enthusiasm. Her soul was untarnished and he loved her all the more for it. She deserved his undying love.

He didn't want to spoil their moment with his feelings, so, he shook himself from his thoughts to pay attention to her. When she put together a small plate for him, he accepted it gladly. If he were honest, he had to agree with her that the trek out to this little corner paradise had made him a little hungry and he indulged heartily in the feast that had been presented before him. They both ate until they were satisfied.

When it was time for dessert, Mr. Bates noticed that Anna had a sparkle in her eye. It was the look she often had when she wanted to be playful. He hadn't seen enough of it through their years together, but when he did, it was always to his benefit. He now eagerly anticipated what mischief she was concocting in her head. He didn't have to wait long to realize what she was up to when she took a slice of the cinnamon apples and put half of it in her mouth, letting the other half hang out slightly. Sustained by her knees and hands, she reached forward until she was inches from his face, enticing him to come get the other half. She intended to share her dessert playfully. As he reached forward slightly, clearly taking the bait, she slurped the apple, sucking it in completely and making it disappear. As his eyes widened in disbelief, Anna giggled, proud of herself for fooling him.

"Why, I never…" Mr. Bates said in mock protest, amused at her audacity. He surveyed the landscape of their picnic, noting the containers were all open, still with plenty of food in them. The apples were the farthest away from him and closest to her, thus, she still controlled this game. He would never be able to reach them. He waited to see what her next move would be.

"Do you want some apples?" she asked suggestively, as she took another mushy slice and put it between her lips again. She reached forward, but since he clearly expected and knew her trick, she didn't wait until she was as close as the first time to suck it in. She had retreated and was sitting on her haunches.

"I didn't think you did," she said between munches, and swallowed the morsel immediately after. She gripped the small pot that contained the apples and placed it on her lap. She shifted her position again, farther on the blanket. She was now sitting at an angle.

"Oh, so, that is the way it's going to be. Is it? You're not in the mood to share?" John retorted when Anna raised her eyebrow, challenging him to find a way to get his portion. He surveyed the layout of the blanket again, formulating a plan. His wife's legs were lying out to the side and her body was upright, supported by one of her arms that was outstretched. Her free hand gripped the container against her stomach.

He slowly reached forward and Anna leaned back. She thought he would come straight at the container and clasped it tighter, but he had another plan. Reaching for her ankles, he took hold of them and pulled her forward. She was so slight, that he had no trouble bringing them round. As John shifted her position, she fell backwards, unable to sustain herself upright any longer. She squealed in excitement as he took her ankles again, pulling her forward until she was much closer to him. Several of the pots with food were upturned, spilling on to the blanket. Within his reach now, he lifted the pot from her, even as her arms tried to keep him at bay. She was no match for him.

"You want to eat them all, do you? Well here you go. I'll help you." He took a slice of apple from the container and brought it to her lips which she sealed shut.

"Open wide," he said as Anna turned her head away from him, playfully trying to dissuade him from his task.

Seeing that she wasn't going to make it easy, he placed the apple on her lips and pressed his palm against it until it was mashed up against her mouth. She opened her eyes wide in amusement, but still moved her head from side to side, hoping to dislodge it, but the sugary cinnamon concoction kept it in its place. When it didn't fall, Mr. Bates leaned forward until he was inches from her face. She kept still now, wondering what he would do. Their eyes locked. She didn't have to wait long to discover his next step. He didn't say anything, but moved in with his mouth to remove it from her lips. He sucked the broken pieces up, and then swept the entire area with his tongue, making sure there was no more sticky cinnamon residue left. He looked at her again and the playful look that had been in her eyes was replaced with a deep desire. He could read her wishes perfectly and placed his lips on hers again and started sucking the lower lip until she opened up to him and responded fervently. They were locked in a profound kiss, immediately deepened, conveying their desire for one another. Mr. Bates tossed the open pot to one side, concerned with more pressing matters at that very moment.

They were unfavorably positioned and with one hand, he brought her head and body up, moving slowly with his until they were kissing upright. They separated for a moment to breathe and he reached out to caress her cheek.

She reached out to his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders. When he kissed her, he didn't know where their kissing would lead. They had already been in the woods in a similar situation days ago, but that time, they were just a few meters from the open road, much more vulnerable than they were now. It would be highly unlikely for somebody to cross paths with them in this forgotten corner of the woods; yet, it was much different than being shielded by the dark of night. They were in broad daylight.

"Love, we are out in the open. Is this what you want?" he asked as she whisked quickly through the buttons of his waistcoat. She was very focused, having reached the bottom in record time.

"Yes. We will run into no one. Not here." She stopped her movements to look at him and raised her hand to run through his hair. "Mr. Bates, make love to me."

It was all the encouragement he needed as he reached for her neck and started kissing from her jaw line to where her blouse started. They both shifted their legs to where they were resting on their haunches and Mr. Bates continued his assault on her neck, bringing his arms up to start with the buttons on her shirt. Anna started to lean backward, bringing him to lie atop her, but he stopped her completely, bringing her up.

When her eyes reflected a startled look, he responded. "This floor, even with the blanket, is too harsh for you to lie on. My weight on top of you will only make it worse. I would rather lie down and have you on top of me, sparing you the discomfort." She looked like she understood, but he wanted to make sure. "You understand that this will require a different positioning? Similar to the greenhouse, you'll have to do most of the work, but I will help you."

Anna nodded her consent and when Mr. Bates shifted again and brought himself down, she eased herself completely until she was nestled on top of him. She moved up to straddle him and her husband followed her, both of them sitting up. While he worked to finish opening all of the buttons on her blouse, she sought the buttons on his shirt. His lips sought her again and their tongues granted each other access while their hands struggled to liberate the layer from their bodies. When the buttons on her blouse were completed, she pushed him down with her palms until he was lying flat. Having learned her lesson in the last several days that time was not on their side, she opened the buttons of his pants, lifted herself temporarily and pulled them down until they were pooling at his knees. She passed her palm over his bulge and she felt him respond with a groan. Pleased at the effect her touch had, she positioned herself again atop him, bringing her skirt up to gather at her waist. With him now only in his shorts, she could feel him aroused and ready for her through the thin layer of her knickers. She ground down on him, and she heard him shudder again. This time, feeling him against her, made her shudder too. She felt tingling at her core and could feel she was already ready for him. At this pace, they wouldn't last long - Not after so many failed attempts. She was tempted to focus only on this, but she longed to feel the skin on his chest and paused from her actions to rid him of his shirt. His chest had a magnetic pull that she couldn't resist.

For practical reasons, Anna swatted her husband's hands when he reached for the hooks that kept her corset together. She was not afraid that they would run into somebody in this remote location, but, they were out in the open and she preferred to exercise some caution. She didn't feel comfortable removing her chemise either. The luscious tops of her breasts would be all that Mr. Bates would have to content himself with and that he did. When her blouse had been opened, revealing these to him, he assaulted them immediately, even if they could barely peek out of their trappings. Even if it was little to work with, his ministrations had the desired effect on his wife, as she moaned her pleasure audibly.

Little by little she had finished opening the buttons on his shirt and she reveled at her ability to run her hands across the hairy expanse. She loved to spread her palms against his chest and started nuzzling small kisses all over.

Mr. Bates sensed that they would finally be able to reach completion and stopped his ministrations on her chest to move his hand under her skirt. He reached for her private folds, touching her lightly, and realized that she was wet and ready for him. Anna reacted with a gasp as she felt his fingers upon her. Not wanting to waste time, he lowered his hand and found the elastic band that held the garment to her body and tugged on it suggestively.

"Anna, your undergarment, can I remove it? Will you be fine?" he asked respectfully and without moving it any further until she consented. Without speaking she propelled herself upward and since his hand was still on the garment, it came down easily. She moved around until she had removed it from her legs completely, letting them fall close to where his waistcoat and jacket lay on the ground.

He reached out to pull her close again, and she was lying on top of him. They shared another deep kiss as his hands roamed in her hair, loosening the pins that held its form together. Her hair fell all around her, framing her face. He was more aroused than ever by this image of her.

Suddenly, he started giggling. "Anna, that feels ticklish." She was massaging his chest with one hand, and the other was on his neck. In response, she shifted her hands to massage his scalp, wondering also what could have possibly made him ticklish with her touch. She always made him groan with desire; his reaction to tickling was new to her. She'd massaged him like this every time and he had never responded that way before.

Through hot and feverish kisses, John felt part of his legs starting to tingle and wondered what Anna was up to. He was already hard and ready for her and thought she might be ready for him too. Whatever she was up too, she was still making him feel rather ticklish, but, he had learned that her touch was wonderful and those fingers could make him feel amazing in a matter of seconds. He didn't want her to stop, as it seemed she was working her magic on him again. Except, she was positioned quite high to working on his legs, theirs mouths were currently working on each other and her movements in his scalp were sending soft waves of pleasure through his body right now. God, she was wonderful if she could manage all that at the same time. But could she? She was rather small against his large frame and she normally wouldn't be able to reach from his legs to his scalp.

He sat up slowly, bringing Anna with him. He had enough of their touching, kissing and petting. He needed her now.

He was just about to lift Anna so that he could remove his shorts when the tingling changed to burning. It started slowly, but he could feel the pain everywhere, not just his legs. He then realized it was not his Anna that was causing this, it was something else. He opened his eyes at the horror of his legs covered in ants. The food that was dislodged from the containers and now resting directly on the blanket had attracted them. They were over Anna too, but since she kept her stockings on, she couldn't have felt them yet.

Neither John nor Anna realized that this was happening until their lower extremities were completely covered.

Mr. Bates reacted with panic. "Ahhhh, it hurts. Anna, get off me," was all that he could manage to say.

Anna opened her eyes, not sure of what she had just heard.

"What? What did I do?"

"Get off, get off. They are everywhere." She was still dazed when Mr. Bates shifted and she fell with a thud on her side onto the blanket.

"Sweetheart, get up. There are ants everywhere." That was when she felt them. They had started to travel up her stockings and had reached the ends, above her knees. She felt the tingling as they traveled up her legs and were inching closer to her private parts.

She shrieked as they both attempted to get up. He could not manage it quickly and she had to help him. They instinctively started to slap their limbs. They also jumped, hoping to dislodge them. With her jumping, Anna's skirt had fallen to its appropriate position, but that was not helping her to make sure she was free of them.

"They are crawling up my legs, Mr. Bates; I can feel them on my thighs. They are biting me all over. I have no undergarments. I don't want them reaching my privates…. Help me", she managed to say as she continued to jump.

Mr. Bates kept slapping them off of himself and his cane was out of his way, which made his efforts rather funny.

"They are all over me too darling. I can't help you just now," answered the valet, desperately trying to rid himself of the little creatures.

At first she was panicked, but she was laughing now. The sight of both of them in this predicament was too hilarious to resist poking at her husband.

"Help, me. Mr. Bates… You've still got your shorts on. I don't - and if they get up in there before you ever manage it, who's telling how long you're going to have to wait."

He turned around, completely affected by her words. He laughed openly.

"Well, we wouldn't want that!"

She was right. She might be in more of a peril than he was. He could feel them in places he did not want to think right now. He certainly had the same reasons to worry as she did. He may have still had his shorts on, but he was lying on the ground and she had been on top of him. They had gotten to him farther and wider before they had gotten to her, but, perhaps she was easiest to help first.

They were still very much all around.

"I'll help you, and then you'll help me. Quick, hold your skirts up, as high as you can."

Anna did as she was told, revealing herself fully to her husband. It was not erotic, or enticing. It was funny. Her shirt front was still unbuttoned and with her jumping, her breasts had dislodged uncomfortably from their corset. One of her stockings was starting to slide down her knee.

He bent down close and put his hands as near as possible to her core. In a series of downward sweeps, from top to bottom, he managed to clear her.

"Are they all gone?" she asked with a hopeful face.

"It seems so. Now help me". His pants were still pooled at his ankles, his shirt was open. It seems that the ants had gotten up all over him. It was necessary to pull his shirt completely off and step out of his pants to get rid of all of them. She took her hands and much like he had done, started from his neck down. She smoothed her hands over his entire body. She took extra time to look through his chest hair to make sure none had hidden away. When she was confident his top was clear, she did the same with his lower half. She placed her opened hands as close as possible to his groin and moved downward. The little beggars were everywhere on his lower half and she worked tirelessly to make sure she had rid him of the pesky critters.

When she was finished, their eyes met and they started laughing, unable to contain themselves.

He was a sight to see, standing only in his socks and shorts on a blanket in the middle of the forest. They thought this was by far, the most illogical experience that they had had up to date. She reached for his pants and handed them to him, expecting him to start dressing. She did the same and rearranged her corset and chemise until they were properly placed and providing support.

A few minutes later, Anna's face changed and seemed hesitant.

"Mr. Bates, I can still feel them, very high up", she added timidly. "Are you sure any didn't make it in there?"

"Well darling", he answered, "some may have gotten back on you. We are, after all, still on the blanket. Put on your shoes and let's move off of the blanket."

She did so quickly and moved closer to the large tree that was right next to them. She still squirmed and he could sense she was not comfortable.

Mr. Bates blushed as he asked, "Would you like me to take a look?"

Anna flushed completely. With one arm she was holding up her skirt and her free hand rose to cover her eyes. She was embarrassed.

"Yes, Please. I can't very well do it just now."

He wasn't offended or worried about her embarrassment. He had seen her before and she wasn't embarrassed to be seen by him. These were just different conditions and a very unnatural surrounding.

"I'll have to get down."

"Do what you must." She kept her uneasiness as she lowered her head, even when her hand still covered her closed eyes.

"Are you embarrassed love? Would you rather I didn't?"

"No, I need you too. I can't very well do it and I can't ask anybody else, now can I?" She stifled a nervous giggle. "It's just new to me. Go on… please. I am positive there is something down there, please get rid of it."

He got on his knees, and felt them immediately protest, but, this would be quick and he thought he could live with the pain if it helped ease his beloved's concern. He actually decided to sit. It would be easier to maneuver. Anna was very stiff; she was not relaxed at all.

"Love, I'll need you to spread your legs a little, I can't really see. I have no access."

"Oh, right." She did was she was told.

John parted her slightly and determined quickly that no critters had indeed made it inside.

"None inside love."

She breathed a sigh of relief. She was already feeling itchy all over, had they really made it inside, she wasn't sure that she could deal with the aftermath there. Still, she could feel something.

"Have you looked everywhere? I still feel something. He looked through the golden curls just above her folds and found one lowly culprit, still hanging about. He plucked it quickly.

"Found one."

Since he was already so close to her, and to be playful, he placed a kiss on her labia before moving away.

"Mr. Baaaates. What was that?" Anna jumped, startled by his intimate touch.

"Sorry love, I didn't mean to scare you. That's the closest I've been to that region all week, and who knows how long we'll still have to wait. I couldn't resist."

Anna couldn't keep from laughing at his innocent face. He looked like a child caught with his hands in the candy jar, hoping to not be reprimanded, even with the huge amount of evidence against him.

"Oh, love. This has been the craziest week, but, I have loved every minute that we have spent together." She reached out her hands to help him get up, as he was still on the ground.

"Come, let's get dressed and get out of this place before all of the ants in this forest find us." He took her hand and slowly, he was able to stand up.


A/N: I hope this picnic scene was not too over the top. I had my second doubts on some of it, but decided to post as is.

Thank you for the lovely reviews.