A/N: This is the chapter that will definitely bump the rating up to an M. If you're not cool with smut you may want to skip this one

Disclaimer: See...this is how you can TOTALLY tell that Fellowes owns them and not me.

Happy to oblige Charles moved so that she was laying back against his pillows, his lips seeking hers quickly. Kissing, nibbling, sucking. He couldn't help himself as he moved to her neck, wanting to hear those sounds she'd made earlier once again. Gathering her night gown in his hand he sighed happily as his knuckles brushed the flesh of her thigh.

She pressed her leg against his hand, her back arching quite on it's own accord. "Charles... the light..." Moaning softly as his lips pressed further down her neck and then along her collar bone.

"What about it?" He paused looking up at her, inching her night gown higher, smiling as she lifted her hips so he could pull it past, and then slipping an arm around her to sit her up so he could remove it.

"Shouldn't we turn it off?" With her bare chest now pressed to his, she was beginning to find she didn't care as much. The thought of him seeing her naked had been frightening at first. She was no young housemaid anymore, gravity and years of hard work had taken a bit of a toll.

Laying her back down he shook his head, "No. I want to see you Elsie...all of you." He eased her once more back onto the bed smiling down at her. He knew he wouldn't last long, no it'd been far too long for that. He wouldn't let this be something quick though. His head dipped again, kissing over her chest slowly once again cataloguing every intake of breath, every moan. As he came to the still pink area of skin where the tea had burned he stopped looking up at her. "Oh Elsie, I'm so sorry."

Prying her eyes open she glanced down at him, her fingers running through his hair, "Whatever for?"

"For that woman throwing tea on you, for you getting lost. I shouldn't have let you go alone..." He resumed his path, avoiding the burned area and kissing down between her breasts.

She laughed, "Like you could've stopped me. You can do a great many things Mr. Carson...but telling me what to do when I've my mind set is not one of them." Her breath hitched as he descended lower, that self conscious voice in her head screaming at her. He didn't seem to mind one bit... but she was afraid. Afraid he'd not like what he saw, he would of course be far too kind to say anything about it she knew, but what if he never wanted her again because of it. Her hands stilled as she drew in a slow, shaky breath.

"You're beautiful Elsie, every part of you. God I've waited so long..." Glancing up at her he smiled, "I meant it." Once she finally locked eyes with him she was lost to the world, grinning he took her nipple between his lips slowly. Almost too slowly, he was rewarded with her body pressing up against his once more, her fingers gripping the back of his head and the bed sheets.

"Charles!" She somehow forced herself to speak quietly. No one had ever done that before, "Please...I need you. I can't..." The words were too hard to find she wanted him everywhere all at once.

He knew exactly what she wanted, but he wasn't ready to give it to her yet. At least not in the way she wanted it. Moving his mouth from one breast to the other he slid his hand down her side and eased her thighs apart. She shivered and groaned arching against him once more. He slipped first one finger in, then another. Curling them ever so slightly as he moved them in and out, his lips working over her neck once again.

She couldn't function, her entire thought process was gone. All that she knew was that this felt glorious, it was an entirely new experience in every way possible. She held tightly to his head and his shoulder murmuring his name over and over. That wonderful pressure building rather quickly, "I want...I need...Charles please...please..." Somewhere in her mind she was aware that she was begging, but she didn't care.

"Let it go love, just let it go. Let me take care of you." He pressed harder, moved his fingers faster, watching her face as she closed her eyes and finally gave in. His hand slowed as she came, but it didn't stop. As he let her orgasm take her he used his free hand to tug his pyjama bottoms off taking his shorts with them. She whimpered as he removed his fingers, not wanting the contact to end, her whimper turning to a gasp as he pressed into her slowly.

"God above Elsie..." He groaned softly pressing his face against her neck as he slid all the way in. Somehow he found the strength to wait and give her time to adjust. Once he was certain she was alright he pulled back slowly, and pressed into her again. Hips meeting hips, he worked to set a rhythm between them and she matched it. Her hands roaming his sides and his back, her legs wrapping around his hips timidly at first.

"I love you." It was the only thing she could find to say, the only thing she wanted to say. Her lips pressed close to his ear as she met his thrusts. She wasn't going to last long that much she knew for certain, she couldn't even remember if she'd ever climaxed with a man before. Not that there had been many, only quick trips behind the barn. "I love you" she whispered again her heels pressing into his lower back urging him on.

He mumbled against her neck as his pace increased, slipping a hand between them he found that sensitive bundle of nerves that he knew would push her over the edge gain and ran the pad of his finger over it until he felt her tightening around him, falling over the edge and taking him with her. His own cry muffled by her neck, hers as she bit down on his shoulder. There would be a mark in the morning for sure, but in a way he was glad. It'd serve as a reminder that this had really happened, it wasn't just another dream.

Waiting a few moments as his breathing slowed a bit rolling to his side he pulled her against him.

Her legs were tangled with his, both of them were still fairly out of breath. Her hand idly played with the hair at the back of his neck, the other reaching to brush the curl back off his forehead. "I've never... no one has ever done that for me."

Pressing a light kiss to her forehead he smiled, "I'd be glad to repeat the performance anytime you wish."

She began to very slowly untangle herself from him, feeling his arm tighten around her waist. "Stay Elsie, please stay"

"Shh I'm not leaving love. Just let me clean up a bit mm?" When he finally let her go she stood crossing to the basin and picking up a flannel. Once she was finished she bent over to pick up her night gown and his pants, smirking softly at the groan she heard from the bed. "Everything alright over there?"

"Oh yes...everything is just fine. I often wondered what you looked like without the dress on when you bent over like that though."

She threw his pants at him, hitting him directly on the face with a laugh. "Did you now? Is that the real reason why you always insist I go up first?" Pulling her nightgown on she waited for him to pull his pants on before pulling the blankets down under him and swatting his hands away as he moved to button his shirt. "Leave it."

"I'll never tell." Stilling his hands he pulled her against him once more as she laid down and then pulled the blankets over the top of them. He brushed the loose strands of hair from her face before tipping her head back and kissing her softly. "I love you."

Smiling she returned his kiss and settled in comfortably next to him. "I love you too. Get some sleep we've got to be up in a few hours."