I decided to increase the rating to M starting this chapter. It is just a little bit more risqué. It is also very long – my longest chapter to date. I hope you enjoy it.
And… today's chapter is dedicated to my lovely beta on her birthday! Thank you Cherry88 and Gelukkige Verjaardag….
Anna looked a sight in her Sunday best. She wore a beautiful pale blue dress with lace accents around the collar and a lace camisole underneath. Her head donned a dainty hat to match her elegant dress. Her stocking and shoes were white as was the coat that lay beside her. He had never seen her looking so refined and the only other time he had seen her that lovely was on their wedding day. Mr. Bates came upon her in Mrs. Hughes sitting room, waiting anxiously, out of sight of the others, with a small bag by her side. She was nervous and excited and her smile widened when she saw him, dressed in his suit, ready for them to make their departure. They had agreed to meet in this room with Mrs. Hughes' permission, so as not to evoke any questions on their destination so late in the day. Mrs. Hughes had agreed that having everybody see them out of uniform after the dinner gong had been rung would only elicit stares, questions and teasing. None which would be welcome at all.
"You look lovely," he pronounced, unable to take his eyes off her. He gently put out his arm to reach hers and when she took it, he twirled her around so that he could get a complete view of her. He was amazed by her radiance. The expectations for tonight made her glow in anticipation. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes sparkled. Her dress made her eyes look beautiful, as they matched their hue.
"That's a lovely dress Anna. Is it new?"
"New to you, yes. It belonged to Lady Mary. I adjusted it for my height, but, it fits perfectly. I've already worn it on several occasions."
He was not pleased that she had to use previously owned frocks, even if they were elegant and from the Earl's daughters themselves; he wanted her to have new things, pretty things and he would make sure of that, just as soon as he had his position back. Still, nothing could be done about that now, and she did look a picture.
He leaned in close enough to not be heard in the hallway. "The dress looks pretty on you, but I can't wait to see it off you."
"Anna's eyes widened at the thought and she blushed. "Mr. Bates, are you trying to get me to break my promise to Mrs. Hughes?"
"Not at all darling. Let's get out of here."
He picked up her bag with his and headed towards the door, Anna right behind him.
They walked towards the Inn with an expedited pace. This was a real treat for Anna. She had only stayed at a hotel once, during Lady Mary's wedding trip to the South of France. There, she was staying in the hotel's servant's quarters, so, it was not like a real hotel stay for her. She was expected to pick up after herself and make her own bed every day. Thus, this stay, even if it was to the Grantham Arms and not considered a full service hotel, was different. She could experience things as a paying customer, not a servant. She was entitled to all the benefits. Furthermore, she was staying with her husband and that had her giddy with excitement.
Mr. Bates held her hand the whole walk through. She now carried her own bag in one hand, he carried his deftly in the same hand that gripped his cane. Soon enough, they reached the village and came upon the entrance to the Inn. They stopped in front of the door and looked at each other one last time before they walked through. This was it, the moment they had been waiting for.
Just then, the door opened with a raucous jolt and out came Dr. Clarkson, intruding on their moment. He was as surprised to see them, as they were of him. He was sporting a concerned look on his face. They were too familiar with the Doctor's moods, having spent many years in close company when he administered the convalescent hospital in Downton. They both knew something was happening.
"Is there something wrong, Doctor?" asked Mr. Bates, wondering if they could be of any help to him.
"Mr. and Mrs. Bates, I wouldn't go in there," he said and turned against them. One look at the couple who had bags in their hands was enough for him to surmise that they intended to spend the night. He sighed with lamentation and affixed a sign to the front door.
They read "QUARANTINED – PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK". They looked at each other confused.
Dr. Clarkson continued. "I've just confirmed one case of Tuberculosis with a guest. I am afraid that I have to shut down the premises and quarantine everybody inside until the entire place can be disinfected and scrubbed down. I have gathered blood samples of all the employees and current guests to determine if anybody else has been exposed, although, I dare say that it will take weeks to get the answers back."
They both looked dejected. "So, it is not safe inside?"
"Not really. If you go inside, you are proceeding at your own risk. Unless you have urgent business in there, I would not go in."
He shook his head from side to side to emphasize his point. He looked rushed, then added:
"I must bid you farewell. I have to process these samples for immediate departure on tomorrow's first train."
"Thank you Doctor," they muttered and saw him walk off hurriedly in the direction of the hospital.
They stood facing each other and for a second, they didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It wasn't possible that even this, most generous gift, would not put them on the path to share uninterrupted time together.
"What do you want to do? Go in?" Mr. Bates had clearly written horror on his brow and hoped Anna did not want to take the risk. He would do anything for her, but this was beyond the realm of reasonable.
"No," she responded. "Being with you would give me no greater pleasure, but the stakes are too high. I'd rather have you for eternity, not just one night."
He brought her forward and held her close.
"My sentiments exactly. I would never risk your well-being my darling. Our time will come, sooner or later."
"Will it? It seems everything we attempt doesn't work out. This is getting very tiring."
Mr. Bates exhaled audibly.
"I know darling. It seems we cannot get this right. We'll just have to wait for our cottage."
"So, what do we do now?" uttered a morose Anna.
John noticed how absolutely miserable she looked. He completely understood. If it were not at the forefront of his mind that he could be in a worse condition, back in prison, he would have her same outlook. He knew it was not that she did not understand - his Anna was very adaptive and extremely patient. This was just very frustrating. It was truly impossible to imagine that even with the kindness that had been bestowed upon them, they finally had a place to spend the night together, with everybody's blessing, that the forces of nature would coincide to work against them.
For her, he would not let these challenges get him down.
"Well", he paused to think. "Quarantine at the Grantham Arms does not mean that we have to go back to the house immediately. We'll have no choice but to return as we have nowhere to sleep, but as long as we are back before midnight, we should be fine. We rarely have time off at this time of the evening. We can start out by taking a walk and see what we can come up with."
She managed a half smile, her brow furrowed in concern.
"We've walked so much already this evening. I can't imagine that you'd want to walk any more if we still have to walk back."
"Nonsense. We're both dressed up, we shan't go home immediately….. and we're not walking to Ripon, only around here. I can manage."
"Lead the way, then." She took his arm as a smile spread across her face. They both picked up their bags and set out to take the village stroll.
"This is so aggravating." They took their first steps into the main street that bordered the Inn and pub.
"I know darling, but, it mustn't get you down. We'll soon have our cottage."
With some cheek, Anna answered, "I'll believe it when they give us our keys."
He couldn't help chuckle at her response.
The village was not very big and within a quarter of an hour, they had already walked around the entire town. There were no shops to visit and no pedestrians to encounter at this hour. It was still early in the night, but it was late for anybody else to be out on the street. Housewives were finished with dinners at home and children were being put to bed. There were not that many options for amusement or entertainment if the Grantham Arms was closed. John realized that they might have to go back home, much sooner than he had anticipated.
As they came across the town square again, they crossed in front of the courtyard for the church and the adjoining cemetery. Anna stirred. She seemed to have an idea. They couldn't be properly together, but maybe they could enjoy themselves just a little. All of their futile attempts of the past days had been just that. In the absence of their actual joining, their touching and kissing had proven pleasurable amusement. They had promised Mrs. Hughes that while on estate grounds and the house, they would behave. It was all in exchange for this one night together at the Inn. It weighed in Anna's mind that they had made the deal and they had not received their end of the bargain, except they had. It was not Mrs. Hughes fault that the Inn was quarantined until further notice. They were not on estate grounds now, they were in the village. Even though Lord Grantham owned the village, their deal did not extend to this location. This technicality might work to their advantage now. Once they turned to go home, they would have to keep their part of the bargain, so, this might be their only opportunity.
"Mr. Bates," she called to get his attention.
"Yes."
"I have an idea. Follow me this way." She excitedly tugged on his arm to change his direction.
"What kind of idea, love?" he asked surprised as Anna led him into the church's courtyard. "You couldn't possibly want to pray at this time, could you? The church is closed."
"NO! Praying is the furthest thing from my mind. I know there is a private little shed behind the church and next to the cemetery. Let's see if it's open."
John still did not understand what her plan was. Did she want to pursue intimacy, on church grounds? She continued to lead him through the open space and reached for the farthest wall, now attempting to walk towards the back of the property.
"And if it is open, what would you want to do?" he inquired with trepidation and a hushed voice in case somebody was around. He was not opposed to any opportunity to partake in married activities, but, being so close to the church felt a little sacrilegious, even if they were not inside. Given a choice, he wouldn't really want to be intimate with his wife so near an ecclesiastical setting. It wasn't anything having to do with faith. He was hardly a religious man, Anna was much more devout than he ever was. His challenge was the closeness to the cemetery. That was more of a problem. There were dead people there.
In an exasperated voice that hinted at humiliation for having to clarify, Anna answered, "Must I explain, Mr. Bates? If the shed is open, it will be private. We can maybe get comfortable."
John did understand, his well-lived past rendering him far from naive. Anna's annoyed face, though, convinced him that it was the perfect opportunity to tease his wife. She'd done that several times at his expense and it was his turn. She was beautiful when she was annoyed with him.
"Comfortable for what?" He asked, feigning ignorance. "Visiting the Dead? Maybe we should pay Ms. Swire, Lady Sybil and William a visit during the day when it is less menacing out here." He said that as he realized that they had reached the shed that Anna marked for their encounter.
Anna sighed. "Are you being coy with me, Mr. Bates? Do you really not understand?" She opened her eyes wide and with her characteristic sass, added, "… Or maybe, the thought of spending some more quality time with your wife bores you and you would rather go back to the Abbey to read a book and drink some tea, all in the company of Ms. O'Brien and Thomas. I could accommodate you either way. It's your choice…."
Her reverse psychology made him chuckle. She always had a way with words and could use them quite to her advantage. It was time to stop the teasing.
"Come here." He pulled her forward and kissed her soundly, confirming quite blatantly what choice he had made. He pulled away from her and cupped her chin, shifting her face so that they were looking at each other. Her eyes were bright with happiness. "When you put it that way, there is no choice. It's always you who I'll choose." He didn't think it was possible, but her eyes widened up much brighter than they were. The reflection from the moon hitting her pupils made them the loveliest he had ever seen them at night. He was almost lost in them, but recuperated his wits quickly to ask Anna how she really felt about their surroundings.
"Love, don't misinterpret me. I want nothing more than to share another adventure with you" and he winked to reinforce his point, "…. But, does it not bother you that we are only a few yards away from the dead?" He pulled back momentarily to point into the distance with his arm. There were tombstones within a few feet. He swayed the same arm from one side to the other, presenting the evidence of where they were. "I've been in some very horrid places in my life, but even for me this is a little macabre."
Anna's first reaction was to laugh, very loudly. She then noticed that his face tensed. Perhaps she had been too insensitive with her reaction. She proceeded to speak in a more cautious tone that was laced with a little bit of incredulity. "Mr. Bates… Are you telling me you are scared?" She was trying hard not to laugh. John Bates - combat trained war veteran who had seen his share of death, John Bates - former convict and twice incarcerated man who had been held with the likes of society's worst derelicts, John Bates - former husband to the nastiest women who ever drew breath, John Bates - former drunk who likely had seen his share of rough places, was scared? She couldn't believe it. Even after almost ten years of knowing him, he could still surprise her.
He defensively added, "No, I am not scared. This place is just….. creepy. That is all." He said he was not scared and he showed his typical stoic face, but even in the moonlit darkness, Anna could tell there was a certain tension reflected in his eyes. She knew he would never admit to a woman, even his wife, that he was, indeed, scared. She would have to coax him into the shed and distract him.
Biting her lip to avoid laughing, she countered, "Mr. Bates, I should be scared, and I am not." She took his hand in hers again and pulled him towards the small structure. She tried the latch and discovered, quite happily, that the shed was not locked. As she pulled the door open to discover a small, sparsely filled space, she added, "We will not be defacing any graves, or walking among them, or even looking at them." She tilted her head to point into the shed. "We would be in here." She looked down so that he did not see her bite her lip once again to stifle the laugh that was threatening to escape her. She breathed deeply and looked up again and noticed that he still had a weary look on his face. If she managed to get him inside, she knew she could distract him easily. If she could not get him inside, they'd go back to the house and their evening together would be over. Everything depended on her following words.
"Now, I understand that this place is creepy and I agree that it is less nice than all the other 'choice' locations we've been to." She raised her eyes to emphasize silently the ridiculousness of their situation," but, if you do not want me to think that my husband can't handle me in the darkness, you'll come inside with me." She reached up onto the tips of her toes, as close as possible to his ear. "I'll distract you, you'll not even know where you are." She sucked his lobe gently, then moved down to his neck.
The next thing she knew, John took her in his arms and stopped her movements with his own lips. The intensity with which he came at her was a surprise, she'd not had to do much to crumble his resolve. Surprising as it was, Anna was ready to participate and responded with equal fervor. Their bags lay forgotten outside of the shed, along with his discarded cane.
Now convinced, he separated himself from Anna momentarily. "Let's move inside," and stepped through the threshold first. "Don't close the door yet," he announced, "We need to see what is in here first."
It was very sparsely filled, which was good because they could move around. It seemed, though, that it was too sparsely filled. There weren't any chairs to sit, or any benches. Just some empty sacks on the ground, some tools lined against the wall and a work ledge. It was a tall room, and it had a metal structure for a roof, elevated several centimeters from the top. The elevation allowed for cool air to come through the opening, but, it also left in the other direction, thus the room was not too cold. John thought that it might smell musty or dirty, but, the breeze atop helped clear the ambiance.
Still, he couldn't see a way for it to be put to use. At least, none that he could submit his beautifully clad wife to.
"I'm sorry Anna, there is no place to sit and the floor looks absolutely filthy. This may not be the best location. Not while you are wearing that….."
He couldn't see the amused grin that took hold of his wife's face. He thought she would be reasonable and agree to desist from their plans, but she was not reasonable. She knew this might be their only chance for an unforeseen amount of time. It was worth getting a little dirty.
She confidently exclaimed, "I can't imagine that any of our previous locations were the best either. I am sure you can come up with something," She pushed him further inside by attaching herself to him and making him move back. She closed the door behind her and then reached her arms around his neck, bringing herself as close as possible to him. "You've taught me that there are several ways that we can be together. Surely there is something else to teach me." Her breasts were pushed up against his chest and even through all of the layers of clothing, he could feel them. It sent a shiver through him. On tiptoes, she brought her face within inches of his. "What is it you've said? We'll have to be creative?" Her teasing tone turned very serious and her voice morphed into something that sent additional shivers down his spine. As sultry as she could manage, she enunciated her words carefully. "Get creative John." She clamped down on his mouth and there was no way to resist her, especially now that she had used his Christian name. They kissed with urgency and enflamed desire.
Part of him was glad that she was so willing and audacious because he needed her, he was desperate for her. All their failed attempts made him want her more. Her boldness and insistence made her very alluring in his eyes. She was so much more than he could ever hope for. It was impossible to not love her. She was strong, confident, caring and beautiful; but this side of her, her naïve, yet sensual and daring nature was making him mad for her. It was making him lose control. He felt like his blood was boiling. It was apparent to him that she was experiencing the same. Judging by the heat emanating from her, she was close to combusting herself. If they didn't consummate now, he thought he would burst.
It was impossible to keep themselves away from each other. He would not have insisted, not in a place like this, wanting her to feel comfortable, but, now he fully understood that this was beyond him or beyond her. It was about them and they would be together, no matter what, no matter if a cottage was made available to them, not matter if they had promised Mrs. Hughes. They would make it happen.
And now, hardly allowing their lips to separate, Anna was busy undoing the buttons of her coat, while he did his. Almost in unison, they allowed them to fall. Anna helped Mr. Bates with his waistcoat as he fiddled with his tie and collar. They came off quickly and all three landed on the floor. Anna still wasn't clear what they might do, and thought that he would undress her completely and make her lay atop the empty sacks. Thus, she started on her dress. It was cinched at the waist with a tiny decorative belt, which she undid quickly. She pulled it from around her frock and let it fall. Still preoccupied with his mouth, she didn't see it drop, but heard it.
Mr. Bates had other plans, though. He couldn't undress his wife, not out of doors, not in this weather, even if the temperature of the room was not as cold as could be. He would not fully undress her unless they were in a bed somewhere, comfortable and private. She had said that he should get creative and it was just as easy for them to enjoy if he propped her against the work ledge. It was the right height and she was very petite, so her weight would not overburden the structure. It might just do. They did not need to be completely undressed for that. He was mad to consummate, to be inside her, but he mentally reminded himself that she deserved more attention than he did. She had been very frustrated by this experience and he wanted to pleasure her first and foremost. He would be able to direct his attentions to her easily there.
They could barely see, except for the sliver of moonlight that was coming through the exposed parts of the raised ceiling, but he could see her attempt to unhook her dress.
"Don't darling. We'll be here all night. You have too many hooks." He moved away from her mouth, starting with her jaw. He was peppering kisses across the length of it, making his way under her ear.
She shuddered at the effect his touch was having on her, but managed to ask, "What then? How will we manage?" Her hands had started on his shirt buttons and she had already managed to open two before he answered. His hands were pulling at her skirt, gathering the fabric to pull it higher. He needed to feel her.
"I mean to put you on that ledge. It's the perfect height to allow you to take me in if….. "He was suddenly embarrassed to say it. She had demonstrated her willingness to adapt in the last few days, but, it seemed impossible for him to say specifically what she should do. He hoped she understood and not need his explicit instructions.
"If I what?" she asked anyway.
He was a man of few words and instead, decided to show her. He reached down for his coat and walked her backwards until she was a few inches from the ledge. He separated from her, moving forward for just enough time to clear the ledge of the few articles that lay atop it. He then placed his coat on top, hoping to spare her outfit any soiling. She had few pretty things as it was. He wouldn't have it ruined because of this tryst. He turned around to look at her and she had used the time wisely, having removed her hat. It joined her coat on the ground and now she was busy pulling out the pins in her hair. With one final movement, it fell free, cascading around her shoulders. She was in the path of the moonlight and she looked lovely, radiant, a goddess in her own right. Why no man had attempted to woo her before he came into her life, he wouldn't understand. She was so beautiful.
He stood in awe for a moment.
"What is it Mr. Bates?"
"Nothing. You just take my breath away."
Still looking at her with adoration, he positioned her in front of the ledge and placed both his hands on her waist. She understood he meant to move her and she nodded her assent. He took her gently and in one swift movement, he placed her where she needed to be. The ledge seemed to hold her weight with no problem.
Instinctively, she pulled him forward, parting her legs what little she could with her skirt all the way down.
"Let me pull my skirt up," she whispered in his ear between gentle kisses to his ear, neck and jaw.
"No, allow me."
John took the fabric and gathered it on both sides, moving it up as far as it would go. His heart stopped, when his fingers grazed lace on her upper left thigh. Anna raised her hips gently to allow him to bring the fabric of her dress as high as her waist. Was that what he thought it was? She had only mentioned it once, when he was in jail. She had bought a garter in France. He had dreamt about that garter, many times. He had not wanted to ask about it, as their trysts had been of the unconventional type.
His hand went back to where he had felt it and there it was.
"Anna…" was all he could say as his hands massaged her thigh. His finger grazed the skin above it, barely touching the garter. His touch was so sensuous, Anna had a hard time keeping still on the ledge.
"Anna," he said again. "You're wearing the garter."
"We were supposed to be at the Inn. I wanted you to find it when we were in bed. It is not as nice here," she said between gasps.
"It's just as nice here. I promise..." He kissed her to prove his point, then stretched her left leg out. He reached his head down to be level with the garter. He took it between his teeth and brought it down slowly. His teeth grazed her leg. Even though she was still wearing her stockings, the sensations it was producing made Anna tremble with excitement. She had to hold on to the ledge for fear of falling over and to stabilize herself. He brought it down over her knee, then lifted his head to kiss Anna again. His hand completed its removal. He tossed it with the pile of their belongings on the ever growing heap on the floor.
He pulled from her mouth again to look at her. He placed his hand on the rim of her knickers and she nodded in agreement, raising her hips enough for him to pull them down. He continued with the movement over her legs until he had freed her of them. They too went on the floor.
"Will you remove my stockings?" she whispered in his ear before moving down to place kisses on his exposed chest. His shirts was still tucked neatly into his pants, but there were enough buttons opened so that she could see most of his chest.
"No, I like them on."
Her most intimate parts were on display and she thought it only fair to get her husband into the same state, so, she reached for his pants and undid the fastening very quickly. They dropped before he had time to react. In the darkness, she ran her hand over his bulge that was protruding within his shorts, begging to be let free.
"Fair is fair, Mr. Bates. You now have access to me. I would like to have access to you."
That was bold, he thought as he intercepted her hand. He loved that she was willing to do anything. He loved that she was so selfless, all the time. Now, though, was about her and he would make sure.
"Yes my love, but all in due time. You wanted me to teach you something, so here it is. I've not done this to you before."
His hands reached for her core and massaged the area right beneath her curls. She jumped a few inches off the table, not expecting such a direct touch from him. She had felt it immensely. In the last couple of days, his hand had touched her lightly and it had generated the most amazing sensation, and now that his hand was there again, it was no different. She instinctively raised her legs, opened wider and wrapped them around his hips. Secretly, Mr. Bates was relieved that he hadn't needed to tell her what to do. She understood where this was leading, although she did not expect what he did next. When two of his fingers entered her, she moaned loudly and clutched at his shoulders. She closed her eyes, enjoying the delicious sensations. He was definitely being creative. Those fingers started a rhythm in and out and his mouth met hers again.
Without thinking much, Anna reached for his shorts with the hand that was not sustaining her balance and pulled them down below his hips. His manhood sprung out and she managed to take hold with her hand without looking. He hadn't taught her this before. On their wedding night, she had asked to touch, and she did so with curiosity, not knowing what sort of pleasure she could impart by just stroking or rubbing him. She had only touched then, but this time, she was more adventurous. She wanted to emulate the pleasure he was bestowing on her.
She let her hand circle around his shaft and starting to bring her hand up and down. He gasped loudly and stopped momentarily with the work he was doing on her. She groaned at the absence and he started again with a renewed fervor. While she was moving her hand up and down, her husband was concentrating on her. It made her slow down, as pleasure started to build within her. He noticed the change in her face; he could tell she was near. He continued to move his fingers within her and his other hand concentrated on massaging her in the same area. Whatever he was doing, it felt divine.
"Let it come Anna. I love you. "
"John" was all she could say and her hands had stilled completely with what she was doing to him. She couldn't even answer back how much she loved him. "John" was the only thing she could say and she said it louder and as the feelings built within her, she jerked back, hitting the wall behind her. The flimsy walls and rafters shook and swayed momentarily upon the impact. She had reached her peak, and she couldn't remember ever feeling this euphoric before. It was a different feeling than when she and John had been together the first time. To a certain degree, now, without the fear and nervousness of their first night together, she was relaxed enough to enjoy the sensations and to think of what she should be doing to spur those same sensations in him. Sated, she slumped forward again and he stilled her, holding her against him.
It was an intoxicating feeling and she imagined herself flying in the sky, riding on the back of a bird whose wings flapped beneath her. This sensation felt so real, that through her haze, Anna could hear screeching and flapping. She was not in any shape to understand what was happening, but Mr. Bates was more alert and realized that when Anna had banged against the wall, she somehow had dislodged a bat who had been sleeping from one of the rafters. In the darkness, when they came in, they had not seen it. It was now swooping at them, having felt threatened by their movements.
For the first few seconds after reaching her moment, Mr. Bates had protected her by bending over her, but, the bat had already come down on him twice and it was time for them to make a move. As best as he could, he had managed to pull his shorts to cover himself. It would not be practical for the bat to scratch any of him that was currently on display.
"Anna, are you alert?" She shifted beneath him.
"What is happening Mr. Bates?" she mumbled incoherently.
"There is a bat in here and it is attacking us, we need to get out. Can you run for the door and open it while I pull up my pants?
"A bat?" She continued to hear the flapping of the wings and could hear the screeching. She didn't need him to answer to realize that he was right.
"Yes. And we must get out now, before it gets any angrier."
Not needing to say anything else and shocked into an alert state by the gravity of the situation, Anna pushed Mr. Bates away and jumped off the table. She hadn't removed her shoes, or stockings, so, getting to the door was easy, and as he requested, she opened it wide, stepping outside. She held it open for him as he bent down, retrieving his pants that were pooled at his ankles and as he pulled them up, past his waning erection, he limped towards the door. She closed it immediately behind him.
The cold hit them immediately, as it was late at night, and they were not wearing any of their protective layers. Unfortunately, they were outside and all their belongings were inside – with the bat.
"Mr. Bates, our things are inside. What are we going to do? We can't very well stay out here too long and we can't walk back without our things."
"We're going to have to go back inside, to get them."
She made a horrified face, but he was right and she knew it. Even though outwardly, she was dressed and could get away with arriving back at Downton with no knickers - her hat, gloves and coat were also in there. She could not go back looking the way she did. She would catch a cold and gain the wrath of Mrs. Hughes. Mr. Bates was in a worse state. He still had his shirt and pants, which he had now fixed appropriately, but his waistcoat, tie, collar, coat, hat and gloves were in there also. There were no options to weigh. Facing an upset Scottish Housekeeper was a scarier feat, than the prospect of battling a rabid bat.
"What do you suggest?" she asked as she came close to him, trying to stay warm. He pulled her forward and rubbed her arms. It helped a little.
"Well, I'll go in and try to bring everything out. I'll take as many trips as I have to." She could tell he was sore. He winced when he said the last part. No doubt the poor posture of their public sleeping had not helped. It had not even been 24 hours. On top of that, they shared the long walk to the village with their bags. Then, he'd done that to her, also standing, and applying stress on his leg. She would never infer that he could not manage, though. She knew that he would always do whatever was necessary, regardless of the consequences for him. Maybe she could sway him in another direction.
"Bats are dangerous Mr. Bates. You can catch rabies."
"I know, and that is why I don't want you in there with me."
"We both need to go in. It will be faster."
"Absolutely not, my love. I don't want you anywhere near that creature."
"Don't be daft. We both need to go in; we just have to plan better and neither of us should get hurt. If you have to take several trips, we'll be here all night." She attempted not to laugh when she said the next thing, "… and we would be here amid the tombstones and I don't think you want that." She also remembered to reference the bats. "They're nasty little beggars. Two against one are better odds."
He looked at her skeptically.
"Yes, I have an idea." Anna eyed their bags and his cane, lying a few feet from where they were. "We can maintain the door open with our bags. As long as the door is open, we can go in quickly. There would be more moonlight streaming in as well. I suggest you go in with your cane and you swing at it while it is swooping down on us and while you are doing that, I will gather all of our things quickly. As soon as I have everything I will bring it outside and you can walk out after me."
Mr. Bates had to reason that it was actually a good idea.
"That might actually work, love." He kissed her temple in appreciation. He pulled her apart to look at her. "Do you really want to do this? Are you willing to go back in?"
"Of course Mr. Bates. If we go in as a team, and you look out while I do the gathering, we are less likely to get hurt than if you sacrifice yourself." With her customary sass, she added, "Imagine if you were hurt. What would I tell people? – You sacrificed yourself for my knickers?"
He chuckled at the idea. Of course they had more than her knickers in there and they needed to start heading back if they were going to make it back to the house before they were locked out. With the soreness in his leg, it would take them longer. They had to do this now. "Are you ready to try? He's likely still upset."
"We can't be out here forever, so, let's get this over with." Anna moved to where their things lay abandoned. She handed him his cane and picked up the bags. He opened the door quickly and moved backwards with it, lest they attack him straight away at the door. The creature did not come out when the door was opened and Anna bent down carefully to place the bags right in front of it. The door was now kept ajar completely and they stood behind it, ready to make their attack. They could still hear the squealing inside, so, they knew that it was definitely still upset.
"Remember my coat on the ledge. Everything else should be together in the heap where we left it. I'll go in first."
He was about to go in, when Anna stopped him with her hand on his shoulder.
"What?" he asked and turned around. She reached forward and kissed him effusively. It was a nice kiss and he looked at her with both confusion and appreciation.
"That was for good luck and for being the sword wielding hero."
He smirked in amusement and raised his eyebrow at her incredibly facetious comment.
"Sword wielding?" He turned to look at his cane that was raised and ready to go.
"It's as powerful as a sword if you believe, so go in there and protect me."
He placed a quick kiss on her forehead, in appreciation for her words of encouragement, then just as quickly, turned around. He raised the cane again in anticipation. He stepped forward and Anna followed right behind him. In the next moment, he went inside and Anna crouched on the ground to avoid any unnecessary strokes of his deadly cane. She went to his coat first. She could hear flapping close to her head and Mr. Bates swinging at the creature. She retrieved it and moved toward the center of the room. He must have missed the first time, because she could still hear flapping and she could hear him swinging at it. She couldn't look up to see what he was doing, she was concentrating on finding their thing. She was also confident that her husband would protect her. All she could hear was the endless screeching. There was so much, she thought that there had to be more than one. One single bat could not screech that consistently or that loudly. She didn't let that stop her and to make sure she could carry everything out, she used his coat as a base to pile everything else she could reach. Thankfully, the open door did provide a sliver of moonlight that was illuminating the discarded items on the floor. She picked one by one as quickly as she could.
"Are you finished love? I am sorry to tell you this, but there is more than one right now swooping at us. We need to get out now."
She had just gathered everything and was making her way out.
"I have everything. I am moving out," she exclaimed.
"Good, because, my sword has made them a trifle more upset and I don't think I can hold them off much longer."
He started to walk backwards.
"I'm out," she said as she ran a few feet away from the shed, their belongings crushed to her chest.
"He stepped out, ever swinging his cane at the creatures who had followed him all the way to the door. With his leg he managed to clear the bags that were keeping it ajar and with one quick movement, he took hold of the door with his other hand and closed it, falling against it, on the outside. He was breathing loudly, exhausted at the effort he had put out to keep them away from them. He had to remain there a moment, gauging if he could move about. He hadn't needed to move his leg much while he was in there, but he had swung his cane with much effort, consistently and frequently, and all of that extreme exercise in the cold would make his arm muscles quite sore. He wasn't sure they could sustain his weight on his cane. He would find a way, though, he didn't want to be an invalid for his wife, not now, not when they had just been reunited.
The closure of the door decreased the noise of the screeching although it was still audible. The raised roof was the culprit, carrying the clamor into the wind. Anna set their things on the ground. Mr. Bates attempted to move forward. He had tossed the cane to the ground and he limped towards her. He needed to share this happy moment with his wife. They laughed as they embraced and shared a quick celebratory kiss.
"How many were there?" she asked innocently. Thinking there had been only one or two. There was only one when they left the first time.
"I counted about six. There could have been more."
"Six?" she became pale when she heard. "There was only one. Wasn't there?"
"Well, yes, the first time there was only one. The others must have been sleeping, quite possibly the open door and the ruckus of the first bat must have woke them. I'm glad you got everything, though."
"I did. Let's get out of here before we catch our cold, and before we get locked out," reasoned Anna as she tied the belt around her waist. She quickly pinned up her hair, while Mr. Bates finished buttoning his waistcoat. In the next minute, he had put on his hat, as had she. They looked every bit as proper – except - Anna moved their coats around looking for one more article. She couldn't find it.
"What is it love?"
"I can't find my knickers. I think they are still in there."
Mr. Bates first reaction would have been to laugh, but he suppressed it for her sake. She looked genuinely concerned.
"Your knickers? Are you sure they are not under our coats?" he asked as he pulled his up. She had just pulled hers and they weren't there. The only thing under the coats was the garter. She reached down and put it in her bag. She didn't want to forget it either.
"I forgot my knickers, they weren't in the heap with the other things. You pulled them off closer to the ledge. I didn't see them. They are still in there." She pulled on her coat, as he pulled his on. It was cold out and they had already been without them for too long.
As much as he tried to suppress the feeling, he just couldn't take it anymore and he started to laugh. She was initially affronted by his insensitivity, but, the more she heard him laugh and analyzed the situation, the funnier the situation seemed to her and she couldn't stop from joining in and laughing too.
"Anna love, I am terribly worried about you getting cold down there, but, honestly, are we going to need to go back? Can we leave them?"
She could still hear the bats making noise. It wasn't one, they were now six. They didn't have her name and could never be traced back to her. They were common knickers, nobody would ever guess they came from Downton. They were the newest and nicest pair she owned and had changed into them especially for this occasion, yet thankfully, she had others. Nobody knew they were here, there would be nobody knocking on Mrs. Hughes door to turn them over to her; and Mrs. Hughes couldn't possibly call her in to ask if they belonged to her.
As she pondered over her predicament, Mr. Bates proffered an alternative.
"Love, as soon as I get my position back, with my first salary, I will buy you the nicest pair of knickers around. They will be nicer than these. We can order them from a catalogue."
She was just about to tell him that they could leave without them, but, this was a really nice offer. Only a Valet salary could pay for catalogue purchased knickers. As a housemaid, she usually made her own and on occasion, since becoming a Lady's Maid, she had purchased store-bought in Ripon. Those were the ones that now lay opposite the shed door. This would be very nice indeed if her husband bought her a new pair; something a married woman should wear.
"Perfect, we'll leave them and I will take you up on your offer."
"She reached up to kiss him quickly and he put his arm around her. Maintaining a stoic face, he grabbed her behind, pinching her through her coat.
"Hmmm, no knickers. We'll see if I can make it back to the Abbey without any stops on the way."
She swatted his hand gingerly.
"We'll have none of that unless you want to sleep outdoors. Let's go, Mr. Bates."
A/N: Sorry guys, I couldn't resist….. at least Anna has had some relief. I promise that they will be together SOON!
I did read that there are bats in Yorkshire, many types. There were mixed accounts of whether they would attack or not. For the sake of the story, those found in the shed, did….. I hope none of you belong to the Society of Bat Protection. Just in case, none were harmed in the writing of this story. Mr. Bates is actually a terrible shot…
Thank you for the lovely reviews. The story is almost coming to an end. Two more chapters…
I will also be on the road next week, so there could be a delay of up to two weeks in posting. I will do my best to get it out sooner.