Chapter 10 together at last

"Everyone, thank you for being patient." Robert said, "Thankfully Lady Edith hasn't ruined her life by marrying that noxious waste of space we saw earlier but she will be getting married and this time with my blessing. Sir Anthony Strallan has taken care of Lady Edith and were it not for him she would almost certainly be dead. I'm ashamed that I did not realise sooner that he loved my daughter or that she loved him. Sir Anthony now has the use of both arms after minor surgery so at least he can carry my daughter over the threshold."

"That's not the only place he'll carry her either," O'Brien whispered to Thomas who ignored her.

"Well for the second time today here goes, "Travis said, "Dearly beloved."

Edith and Anthony spoke their vows clearly and Anthony was visibly trembling with emotion as he skipped the ring into her finger.

"With this ring I thee wed with my body I thee worship and with all my worldly goods I thee endow." he said.

Travis pronounced them man and wife and Edith thought she would faint from sheer happiness.

"Thanks for your help, Aunt Rosamund," Edith said.

"You're more than welcome Edith; you can pay me back by being blissfully happy."

"Oh I am." Edith's eyes shone as Anthony put his arm around her waist."

"Congratulations Edith dear," Violet said. She turned to Strallan, "I am afraid I misjudged you and I hope you will forgive me, Sir Anthony, because I know that you will be very happy together."

"It's forgiven and forgotten Lady Grantham," Strallan smiled.

They went to the wedding breakfast and had a most enjoyable time.

They took to the dance floor and Edith melted against her beloved, looking up into his beautiful blue eyes.

"If we had got married last time we could not have done this, my beautiful Lady Strallan," he whispered in her ear.

"I know but we are together now and forever," she kissed him on the lips.

"I look forward to making you Lady Strallan in much more than name later on," her murmured.

Edith flushed although she knew she could not wait to be alone with him.

"Behave yourself," she teased although the light in her eyes and smile on her face told him she felt the same.

Strallan was talking to Rosamund and Robert. Mary threw her arms around her sister.

"I'm glad to see you so happy," Mary said, "no one deserves it more than you. I am sorry I made things so difficult for you early on."

"We're all different people to what we were before the war," Edith said, "anyone who claims the war years did not change them is clearly lying."

"I second that," May said, "Well don't expect to get any sleep tonight."

Edith grinned, "Sleeping is the last thing I plan to do tonight; making up for lost time is my first and only priority."

Finally Lady Edith Strallan found herself beside her husband on their way home. He had planned to take her to Europe and Edith could not wait. She held his hand tightly and he smiled at her.

When they reached Locksley he gathered her in his arms and carried her in.

"You weren't conscious the first time I did this," he whispered as he set her down on the floor.

Mrs Grayling had set out some wine and cakes for them."

"Thank you Mrs Grayling," Edith said, "and thank you for helping out,"

"You are more than welcome, Lady Strallan; Thank you for making him the happiest I have ever known him to be. The late Lady Strallan would have approved for sure."

They sat in the sitting room.

"I don't feel right about drinking wine after, well you know..."

"I understand my love," he took her in his arms, "Come on, I want to make you mine."

She shivered in anticipation; all her nerve endings tingling.

Once in the bedroom he had locked the door, Mrs Grayling had covered the bed with rose petals and placed lit candles around to give the room an intimate ambience. He removed his tie.

"Ties aren't easy especially for women who have no experience in these matters," he said.

"Thank you for the consideration," she said softly.

He kissed her then; a heady passionate kiss that took their breath away as they explored mouths with lips and tongues.

"Wow!" Edith gasped as she got her breath back, "That was some kiss."

She began to unbutton his shirt and gasped as she revealed a well defined chest with a thin smattering of greying hair. He removed it and pulled her into his arms.

"Oh my lovely Lady Strallan," he breathed, "I never thought tonight would ever come."

She ran her hands up his chest and across his broad shoulders, caressing his scars and kissing them. His breath caught in his throat as he realised every kiss, every caress said that she loved him despite his physical flaws. Her hands roamed down his back as she leaned in to kiss him again. She traced his operation scar.

"You are gorgeous, Sir Anthony Strallan," she murmured, "Oh I did not know it was possible to love someone as much as I love you right now."

"I didn't know it either my lovely."

He removed her wedding dress and gasped as it slipped down her body to reveal her ivory skin, small breasts and well shaped legs. He was struck by her beauty and angry with the man who had spoiled her in the eyes of the world but not in his. He planned to show her what the first time should have been like and was thankful that she had been unconscious so had not realised the full horror of what was being done to her.

When he pulled her close to him so they both stood naked there were tears in those lovely blue eyes of his.

"Please don't cry Anthony my love; you really are my knight in shining armour."

"I'm not crying because of that, my love; I am crying because of your incredible beauty and because I want you so badly it pains me to think of it."

She pressed close, fully aware of his need much as she was suddenly acutely aware of her own. She looked into his blue eyes.

"I want you Sir Anthony Strallan; my own gorgeous lovely husband; I want you so much that all my nerves are tingling and I need you too. I need you to show me how it should be."

He ran his hands over her back, tracing her spine with his fingertips which made them both shiver violently.

"Oh Edith my darling," he laid her on the bed.

O'Brien was undressing Cora for bed.

"That was quite a day my lady."

Cora laughed, "It certainly was; but I am so glad he was exposed for the coward he was."

"Daisy is indignant about that, my lady. She said William got a white feather but at least it shamed him into joining up.. That man didn't seem to care."

"No he didn't, "Cora shivered, "she could have married him, O'Brien."

"It was a close thing my lady but at least she has got the man she always wanted now; please give them my best wishes, my lady. I could not get near them earlier and I don't think Mr Carson would have let me anyhow."

"Sir Anthony Strallan has more than earned his right to marry her, O'Brien."

Edith lay in Strallan's arms; it was the early hours of the following morning and he had tenderly made love to her all night long; introducing her to sensual pleasures she had never dared contemplate. Now they lay resting and slicked with the sweat of their carnal exertions.

"My darling Anthony; thank you for showing me how it should have been,"

"You were never soiled in my eyes, Lady Strallan," he stroked her back, "I would have walked through the fires of hell for you."

"I would say you had my darling; thank you for everything."

He nuzzled her bare shoulder.

"You are more than welcome my lovely," he murmured, "I never knew what love meant until the first time you looked into my eyes."

She kissed him and they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

Sir Anthony and Lady Edith Strallan had been back from their honeymoon a week when Violet invited them for tea.

Sir James Kelly was convicted of failing to comply with a conscription order, of drugging with the intent to rape and various financial irregularities and sent to prison for ten years. He could not be charged with rape itself because Edith was unable to testify given that she had been unconscious throughout. He was unable to make good on his threats for which everyone was grateful.

"You should be doubly glad you got out of it, Edith," Violet said, "not only was he a dirty coward but a fortune hunter as well. Thank you for taking care of her, Sir Anthony."

"It's a pleasure, Lady Grantham," Strallan smiled.

"What did he put in your wine, Edith?"

"I'm not sure, Granny, but the police have been over his place and found the glass with sediment in it. Inspector Carey seemed to think it might have been veronal but they are running more tests to be sure."

Anthony clasped her hand and she smiled at him.

That evening they returned to Locksley to hear the latest news that Sir James Kelly had committed suicide in prison.

"He lived and died a coward" Edith said, "That is something no one will ever say about you my love."

He held her close to him and kissed her lips, "You are so desirable my lovely Lady Strallan."

She took his hand,

"Follow me,"

He let her lead him upstairs; knowing that he had never been as happy as he was right now with his lovely Edith. He had messed up but he had more than redeemed himself and her. Now he looked forward to years of happiness and by the look in her eyes nothing mattered more than that moment.

He removed his tie

"How do you want me tonight, Lady Strallan?"

"Naked and breathing desire," she flirted.

A broad smile graced his handsome features and Edith's heart soared.

Finally they had a future which would be untainted by the past and with that she was more than content.

THE END