Elsie and Charlie looked lovingly at each other as the door to their new bedroom closed to, as the two girls left them. Elsie felt her heart beat nervously in her chest and she didn't feel sure what to do next, but neither did Charlie. There was an awkward silence between them, which neither of them wanted, but it was going to take one of them to be brave and make that first move.

'We don't have to do this you know, we never have to do anything that you don't want to do.' Charlie said as he chose to be the first to break the mood and he spoke tentatively to his wife, but with a tone that conveyed so much love and admiration for the woman that he loved and adored above all others.

He watched as Elsie took a few steps towards him and rested her hands on his chest as she tried to find the words to tell him exactly how she felt and what she wanted. She knew that she wanted this, more than she thought that she ever could have, but she was nervous and it was tarnishing the moment.

'Mr Carson…Charlie, there is nothing I have ever wanted more than to be with you, the way I do now. I cannot guarantee that it's going to be easy for me, but I do know that I can trust you, more than I have ever trusted anyone else in my life and there is so very much that I want to share with you, including this,' she said as she moved a little closer to him and he wrapped her into his arms in a warm and very loving embrace, but he still couldn't bring himself to say everything that he wanted to tell her.

He dipped his head lower and kissed her tenderly, hoping that it would at least convey some of his love and the comfort that he offered her and the kiss soon deepened. This time their kiss seemed very different, as they no longer had to fear being caught or being accused of impropriety as they were now married, at long last, and in a private room of their own and on their wedding night. Charlie soon slowed the kiss down again and placed his forehead against hers.

'We will take it very slowly; I'll go entirely at your pace and if you need to stop at any time, just let me know, alright?' He whispered and she gently nodded her head as she felt her nerves mix with excitement inside her. She placed a gentle kiss to his lips, barely touching him at all, before she removed herself entirely from his embrace and disappeared into the dressing room.

She peered tentatively inside and looked at the neatly made bed, which Ella had indeed made up for them, just in case, and her daughter had also, very kindly, laid out their night things for them, which she passed out to Charlie, before closing the door behind her. She couldn't help but think how neat the bed was and what a good job Ella had made of it. If she hadn't been a Lady she would have made a very good housemaid, Elsie thought, which made her laugh lightly.

As she sat on the edge of the bed and began to remove her shoes and stockings, the thought of her daughter made her mind drift back to that fateful night and she tried desperately hard not to think about it. Tonight wasn't going to be like that, tonight was going to be wonderful. It was going to be an act of love and pleasure for her, not the vile, degrading actions she had experienced all those years ago. She kept telling herself this, over and over again as she allowed her dress to drop to the floor. Now sat in just her corset, her mind began to wander and race once more, her heart thumped painfully hard and her stomach felt to be doing somersaults. She tried desperately hard to get a grip of herself, but it was proving to be rather difficult.

Suddenly, there was a gentle tap on the door which made her jump, as the deep, loving voice filtered into her from the other side.

'Elsie are you alright in there?' Charlie asked with concern and she realised that she'd been sat staring into space for almost ten minutes.

'Yes…yes I'm fine; I'll be out in just a second.' She said as she quickly snapped back into the here and now, slipped on her nightdress and released her long hair from the pins that Ella had placed in it earlier that day. She quickly checked her reflection in the mirror before slowly opening the door and saw him standing in his red striped pyjamas, waiting for her.

He smiled nervously at her and took in the beauty of her appearance; the way her long wavy hair sat down her back and around her face, the way her nightdress clung to her womanly form. Although he had always been attracted to her and thought her to be a real beauty, he had never seen her looking like this before and it made him fall even more in love with her.

He took a few steps towards her and enveloped her in his arms and gave her a loving, reassuring smile. He kissed her forehead and then moved to her lips as he felt her hands snake their way up his chest.

'I've never seen you look more attractive than you do just now Elsie; I am one very lucky man indeed.' He complimented and she gave him a very shy smile in return. He could feel her body shivering beneath his hold and he was unsure whether this was nerves or because she was cold.

He slowly rubbed his hand up and down the top of her bare arm as he tried to find the words to make his suggestion, without sounding forward or presumptuous. She happened to notice his nervousness and felt comfort in the knowledge that she wasn't the only one who felt a little out of place, but now that she was in his arms, she felt a little more reassured, a little more confident and a little more at ease that everything was going to be alright.

'Shall we…I mean…would you like to…' Charlie stammered nervously, but this time, it was her who placed her hand comfortingly on his forearm and spoke words of comfort.

'Yes let's; this room might be the nicest in the house, but it certainly isn't the warmest.' She said as she stepped away from him and they made their way over to the bed, pulled back the many layers and shivered their way into them.

They wriggled around for a few moments as they tried to make themselves comfortable, the cold of the sheets making their skin erupt in goosebumps until the heat from their bodies warmed them up. As they settled down and rested against the cool pillows, they looked lovingly at each other, with nervous anticipation for what was about to come.

With too much distance between them, Elsie shimmied over a few centimeters until their bodies were practically touching. She ran her hand over his chest up to his top button, where she began to play with it, a gesture that they both found to be pretty comforting. Her eyes glanced up from her fingers and met with his, which had been watching her intently.

'Are you alright?' He whispered lovingly as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

'Hmmm,' she said sleepily as she began to relax more in her new surroundings. 'It seems strange to be sharing a bed with someone.' She commented with a slight smile as she continued to fiddle with his top button.

'Would you rather be alone?' He asked uncertainly.

'No, Mr Carson; it wasn't a complaint, just an observation.' She said and then they both smirked when they realised that she had called him Mr Carson. 'Heavens, I think it's going to take quite a while for me to get used to calling you Charlie.' She laughed.

'Likewise,' he agreed and finally, it seemed that they had both ran out of things to say, to stall their passion any longer and as if fate was giving them a helping hand, the top button Elsie had been playing with all this time, finally popped open, revealing just a little more of his chest and a couple of greying curls of chest hair.

He reached up his hand to brush some of her hair from her face and gently caressed her cheek as he then placed his lips to hers. They kissed slowly and tenderly as they enjoyed the sensation of being in each other's arms, all the while caressing each other and exploring their bodies. He still maintained his gentlemanly demeanour though, ensuring that he never over stepped the mark or rushed her into anything.

He wanted tonight to be so very special for her, well for them both, as he had waited such a long time to be with her and for this moment, but he could tell by the way that she was responding to him that she wasn't yet ready for it to happen. As much as he wanted to show her what it felt like to be truly loved and valued, he knew that he couldn't rush her, but he did feel a slight change in her and that was a positive sign.

As they continued to kiss she moved herself a little closer to him, so that, although they were still laid slightly on their sides, he was now a little more on top of her. She felt his hand that hand been caressing her back, move slightly lower down and at his movement she felt her breath hitch in her throat and he felt her body tense. He stopped kissing her to look at her and make sure that she was alright.

'Is everything alright Elsie? Am I…am I moving too fast for you?' He whispered.

She thought about it for a few moments and cursed herself for feeling so silly about it all. He was her husband, the love of her life and the kindest most loving man she knew; of course it was alright for him to move his hand down her back, but she still felt a bit unsure and he could see that that was the case, but that she was too unsure of herself to say so.

'It's alright; you can tell me when you don't feel comfortable. I shan't continue unless I'm absolutely certain that you are happy.' He said and he felt guilty when he saw tears forming in her eyes. He was about to pull away from her to give her some space when she stopped him.

'No, don't stop,' she whispered back as she wiped away her tears. 'I'm sorry Charlie; you must think me a silly old fool.' She said as she forced him to remain where he was, with her wrapped in his arms.

'Elsie Carson, I think you neither silly nor a fool and I certainly don't think you are old.' He replied with a soft smile as he began to slowly draw small circles against the small of her back, which, this time, she found to be comforting and relaxing.

'It sounds so wonderful to hear those words…Elsie Carson, that is. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm now your wife.' She smiled, which he returned.

He placed a couple of chaste kisses to her lips and then down her jaw line to just below her ear and it felt so sensual that she felt her eyes flutter close slightly and her head tilt back just a little and she thought about how very easy it would be to get lost in the moment at this time. As he continued to place light kisses to her neck, he began to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, things that he had always dreamed of saying to her, but never felt that he could until now and this time he felt her body change beneath his, she was beginning to relax into his touch.

'Would you feel comfortable for me to place my hand on your hip?' He whispered, without interrupting his kisses to her neck and she gasped back her reply to him.

'Yes,' she whispered breathlessly and it made him smile to see and hear her enjoying herself and to know that he was the cause.

This time his hand slipped effortlessly down her back and over her hip, which made her writhe below him and he felt one of her hands, which had been resting on his shoulders, sneak up his back and into his hair. She had to admit to herself, that now she was a little more relaxed in his hold, that his touches were so soft and gentle and yet they were strong, masculine and commanding at the same time and she could feel her body begin to ache for more. He felt her readjust her position, so he halted his caresses and kisses for a few moments to allow her to make herself comfortable again and was taken slightly aback once she had finished and had then pulled him back to her, so that he was now laid on top of her.

Once again he rested for a few moments, to give her time to get used to this close development and to give him time to catch his breath, but he could feel her fidgeting beneath him and his brow creased in concern.

'Is everything alright Elsie?' He asked as he tenderly brushed her cheek.

'Yes, yes…or at least it would be, but my legs are feeling rather restricted.' She said as she tried to make herself comfortable, but she found the bottom of her nightdress to be forcing her legs into a position that wasn't particularly comfortable.

'Oh I see,' Charlie whispered with a small laugh. 'Well we can soon fix that; if you want to that is?' He said as his laugh became a little more serious and she felt his hand slowly run down her hip to her thigh, where he began to pull up the bottom of her nightdress. He shivered slightly at the sensation of her shapely legs, which were very muscular from all the years of walking round the Abbey and up and down stairs. He kept watching her intently, ensuring that her eyes gave him no indication that she was uncomfortable with his actions, but he suddenly felt her hand over his once he had pushed her nightdress up as high as her waist and he stopped instantly.

'That's high enough Charlie; I'm not ready for you to see…well, all of me yet, I'm sorry.' She whispered and once again he gave her that loving, reassuring smile that he'd given her so many times tonight.

'That's perfectly alright my love; it needn't go any higher than that.' He said as he gave her a tender kiss as he repositioned himself again. As he did so, he felt one of her, now free, legs bend up to his hip and he wondered if she would mind if he ran his hand over the smooth skin of her thigh once more.

He carefully placed his hand on her knee and they watched each other as he ran his hand very slowly up her thigh, brushing against her hip and then coming to rest against the soft, supple skin of her stomach. A small part of her felt uncomfortable with this, but she knew that she would have to fight against some of her discomfort if this was ever going to work. His hand now sat flat against her ribs, just below her left breast and he wasn't going to go any higher than that; he resumed his attention to her lips, whilst his thumb gently caressed her skin. Her hands continued to roam his neck and in his hair, but she suddenly felt the need to feel more of him than his pyjama shirt was offering her.

Her hands slowly moved from the back of his neck to his chest, where her delicate fingers worked the buttons, popping them open one by one to reveal more of his muscular chest and broad shoulders, as she pushed the garment from him and allowed it to fall to the floor. She had known that he was muscular from the way he had felt beneath the thin material, but she hadn't realised just quite how toned he really was for a man of his age. She assumed that it was down to all the years of carrying trays, lifting boxes and carrying out all of those other duties as the butler of the house.

Her hands ran over his bare back, over his smooth shoulders and down his chest. She enjoyed the sensation of his chest hair beneath her fingers and he enjoyed the feeling of her running her fingers through it. He kissed her passionately and was delighted that she was kissing him back, as they both ran their hands over their freed skin, until, finally, it seemed that they had the same thought, as both of their hands reached the waist band of the other's lower garments.

Once again Charlie stopped his kissing of his wife to ensure that what he was doing was right and that she was truly ready for the next step; as desperate as his urge was becoming, he would not rush her into anything that she wasn't ready for and he knew that this next step would be probably one of the biggest steps for her to take, a hurdle that he wasn't convinced that she was truly ready to get over.

He looked into her eyes and ran his fingers lightly over the waist band of her underwear, seeking permission from her, which took a few moments for her to agree to. She nodded her head slightly, as she placed her hand on to his cheek as she gently caressed him and watched him intently. As with every other movement he had made, he began to peel away her underwear slowly, giving her the opportunity to object if she needed to, but she didn't; even though he felt her tense up slightly as he moved down her legs. He tried not to look, once her underwear was removed, he didn't think she would appreciate that and she did take note of this and she was grateful for his tact.

Finally, the last piece of clothing between their most intimate areas was Charlie's pyjama bottoms, on which Elsie's other hand, still hovered. There was very little space between them now and she could feel him pressing slightly against her. So as to avoid making her feel uncomfortable, he had placed one hand underneath her shoulder and he was caressing her hair and face with the other, avoiding touching her inappropriately; but now it was time for her to take that final leap of faith and to allow herself to truly be with him. As she pushed them down slightly, her hand sitting on his hip bone, she felt his hand covering hers.

'Are you absolutely certain?' He whispered.

'I've never been more certain about anything in my whole life.' She whispered back with true conviction and she watched as he skilfully removed his trousers.

Now there were no longer any material barriers between them and she could feel him firm against her as he rested on top of her once again. Both of their hearts were beating furiously, a mix of passion and nerves as they resumed their kissing and they both knew what was going to happen next, but Elsie knew that it was going to have to be him who took the lead and he knew that he would have to wait for the perfect moment.

He resumed his kissing of her neck, his lips finding the area that had caused her so much arousal before and his hands slowly worked their way over her body as she allowed her hands to roam his again. Her breath quickened in her throat and once again she could barely keep her eyes open. He paused for a very brief moment, before taking that final step.

She felt him as he slowly pushed into her and he feared that it may all be too much for her, but as their bodies joined together into one, she finally felt complete, as if her missing piece from her jigsaw had been found. He laid on top of her for a few moments and stared lovingly into her eyes as she gently caressed his hair. Once he felt reassured that she was completely at ease with him, he began to move his hips slowly and sensually, motions which began to stir pleasure within Elsie that she never thought was possible.

As they made love to each other, Elsie's past suddenly seemed to melt away and she became a different person. As she let her passion consume her, her hips raised to meet with his, their breaths seemed to become synchronized and her gentle moans in his ear told him that all was well. He was such a gentle lover, desperate to please her, to show her love and tenderness, but eager not to hurt her. But he could never hurt her, not now all of her fears and anxieties had drifted off into the night and she welcomed him with trust, love and passion.