A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and follows! I'm glad that you are sticking whit this fic :) I hope you all like this chapter. Happy Friday.

Disclaimer: Same as chapter 1-11.


John had arrived that night an hour later than usual. Dinner was cold on the table, and Anna was by the window waiting for the sight of him. Eventually, she saw him climbing up the stairs, tired and weak.

She rushed to the door, and when she opened it to see his large figure she hugged with dying urgency. His arms wrapped around her middle, cradling her like like a small child.

'What's the matter, love?' He asked when he pulled away enough to face her.

'You are so late...I was worried. I was about to go downstairs to look after you.'

'We had a big dinner. The men stayed drinking until later.'

She nodded in understanding and hugged him again.

'Shouldn't we go in and spare ourselves from this cold?' He smiled into her hair and she giggled before closing the door behind them.

John took off his coat and hat and saw that Alma was sleeping in her crib. Looking around the inviting warmth of their flat he noticed that there were two plates with food in the table.

'You didn't eat?'

'I was waiting for you.'

'Anna.' He sighed. 'You shouldn't have waited for me.'

'I wanted to.' She smiled. 'I want us to dine together.'

With his smiled reaching his eyes he sat down at the table while Anna warmed up their dinner.

'Did you write to your lawyer?' She asked between mouthfuls looking straight at her plate.

'I posted the letter today. Don't worry.'

'I'm not worried.'

'You aren't?' He grinned.

'I just want things to get settled. That's all.'

John nodded while he finished the last of his meal. He knew that she was worried about it, and truth to be told he was too. He couldn't write to Vera personally and he didn't want to see her, but settling things through his lawyer wasn't easy.

Standing up from the table he walked towards the crib where Alma laid asleep. He leaned towards her hair with his palm. He noticed then that she was losing the dark hair she had and near her temples lighter hair was growing. He smiled.

'Anna? Have you seen this?'

Anna approached them and smiled at her daughter. 'She's been losing a lot of hair lately.'

'I think she's turning blonde.' John looked at Anna. 'Just like you. She'll look like a little princess.'

'She's our princess already.' Anna said leaning her head against his shoulder.

'I need to take a bath before bed.'

'Alright, I'll prepa...'

'Wait.' He held her by the wrist and brought her even closer to him. 'Why don't you join me?'

XXXXXX

Anna was shy and nervous as he filled the tub with buckets of hot water. It would take more than half an hour to do so; to bring the water to boil and throw it in the tub. After it was mid full they had to mix cold water for it to be possible to use. Sometimes the water was too hot and that was easily fixed but when it was too cold no one had the courage to wait for another boiling bucket of water to be ready. But tonight...tonight the water was perfect.

He took his robe off and walked towards the tub naked, making Anna blush. This was still new to them, but John wanted it to be usual.

He tested the water smiling in appreciation and stating how perfect it was. Slowly he entered the tub and sat down, while Anna watched his every movement from afar, wrapped around her robe, trying to hide every piece of skin.

'Won't you come in?'

She blushed even more at his question and giggled. He was covered with water now and she could only see his hairy chest, but she knew what the water was hiding.

'You don't have to be embarrassed, love. Come here, please.' His hand was stretched in the air waiting for hers to fill it with her warmth.

She accepted it and held it tight after discarding her robe and letting it fall on the floor.

'You are beautiful.' He whispered in awe. 'So very beautiful.'

She shook her head no as his eyes roamed every inch of her body. He helped her to sit down in the middle of his legs, with her back to his chest.

'No?' He asked, and watched as she shrugged her shoulders. 'Well, let me tell you, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in all my life.'

'And how many women have you see in such a state, Mr Bates?' She teased him.

'More than I remember.' He felt her hand hit his good leg underneath the water.

'Silly beggar! What do you mean?'

John laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist before saying that in Africa women walked around naked all the time. Anna knew this, she had read enough about tribes and traditions of the Africans.

'And I'm sure you would stare at them.'

He smiled into her shoulder. 'Not as much as I stare at you.'

'I'm going to let you be and blame it on you being young, John Bates. And don't you think you fool me. I know very well what happens between white men and native women.'

'What do you mean?' His eyes were wide and although she couldn't see them she knew.

'You know what I mean, but as I said, I'll let you be and won't bother you with that.' She smiled turning her neck slightly to look at him from the corner of her eye.

John kissed her neck then, with his mouth opened leaving a wet trail and a bite there.

She giggled against her hands and sprinkled him with water.

'I love you.' He said against her hair and gently he moved his hands from her waist to her breasts.

'I hope she sleeps in.' She murmured placing her hands on his, encouraging him to massage her. And he did. He pinched her slightly too while she moaned of pleasure.

'Don't you think you changed in any way, Anna. If anything I find you more beautiful now.' He kept leaving wet kisses all over her neck and shoulders and in a bold motion she brought her hand behind her and between them to stroke him. At first he flinched at the contact, not expecting her to do such a thing, but then he relaxed in her hand. The feeling of her hand on him under water was just too amazing and the desire to be joined with her was just too much to bear.

'Anna.' he begged. His voice calling her name as a prayer. She understood, but didn't know what to do. Never in her life had she imagined she would be in a tub with a man.

With ease and experience he lifted her and brought his legs together, sitting her down on him. Parting her legs and adjusting herself she could feel his desire trapped between them and she shivered at the sensation. Her heart was racing and her breathing was heavy along with his. Although they were sitting in the water she could feel the warmth of her insides already so ready, tightening at the thought of what they were about to do.

'Is this alright?' he asked. 'We can change...'

'No, this is alright.' She leaned her back against his chest as he kissed her hair once again. He dropped one hand between her legs trying her and realising she was as ready as he was.

He then shifted them again, grabbing her waist he lifted her again, gently, and even more gently when he put his manhood in place and let her sink on him. John moaned when he met her warmth, and as she slid her body down on him he closed his eyes in desperation. The feeling almost too much too bear. He encouraged her by holding her hips and helping her to adjust. Trying not to push her into him but failing. Her wetness so different from the water around them. A feeling that could possibly kill any man.

At first she felt a bit of discomfort, but he certainly knew that and gave her time to get used to him in this position. When she took him as far as she could she let her head fall against his shoulder, and he brought his arms protectively around her. He kissed her hair, her neck and every bit of skin he had access to, and when he felt her moving her hips against his skin he smiled and groaned. 'You feel so wonderful, Anna.'

She kept rubbing and moving herself against him and he answered her as best as he could. Her name never far from his lips, and his hands always all over her skin. There was water spilling on the floor but neither seemed to care. Anna brought her hand to her mouth and he dropped his hand between her legs, once again. The last thing she wanted now was for Alma to wake up and interrupted them. As if reading her mind, he grinning against her hair before speaking. 'We have to keep it low.' Before he knew it her arm was wrapped around the back of his neck while the other was on his hand, encouraging him even further, telling him what to do, what she liked. A moment later she came to her end, with a choked cry and a low moan. He didn't last long after her and soon he joined her in the after bliss.

He could feel the sweat on his brow although the water was already cold. They would freeze if they stayed too long. 'We better dry off and go to bed.' he said into her wet hair while one of his hands played with her locks. 'That was the best bath I've ever had.' She felt him giggle against her.

'I hope it won't be the last.'

Soon after they were dressed and in bed, laying in each other's arms, words of eternal love and promises were exchanged, as were kisses, caresses, and not so innocent touches and as before they were lost in each other again. But when John tried to get rid of Anna's nightgown someone else had other ideas, and the cries of a young baby were the next noise that was heard. They laughed at the situation and at the knowledge that it wouldn't be the last time it would happen.

XXXXXX

'I can't do that!'

'Oh come on! I'll pay you well.'

'You don't understand, Albert! I can't give you that information.'

'Here,' Mr Gordon place twenty pounds on the table. 'And now?'

Mr Gerald looked at the money with want in his eyes. Twenty pounds! That was a lot of money. He hesitated for a moment. The money was calling his name.

'What do you want me to do?'

'So, you know Mrs Hughes. The housekeeper in the big house?'

'Yes, I know her...for years now.'

'Well, the next letter she posts to Anna or John Bates. Do you hear me? Anna or John Bates. Bates.' He emphasised. 'You write down the address on it, and send it to me.' He explained slowly.

'But...' His conscience was screaming. 'Why on Earth do you need that? For what?'

'Listen, it's not for me. It's for a friend of mine.'

'Mr Bates was his Lordship's valet. Wasn't he?' His mind was trying to figure out what Gordon was asking him.

'Yes he was.'

'Why don't you ask Mrs Hughes herself then? And Anna...Anna was the housemaid.'

'All right, pay attention. There's twenty pounds on this table, and if you want them you'll do as I say. That's it. No more nor less, you know the better for you.'

The man nodded silently and when he reached for the money Gordon took it away.

'You send me the address first.'

'What?'

'I'll give you half of it now, then...you'll see the rest once I have the address in my hands. Understand?'

'Understand.'

Two days after, Mrs Hughes posted a letter. It was addressed to Anna Bates. Mr Gerald's conscience crisis didn't speak higher than greed, and before too long he was writing down Anna's address and sending it to Albert Gordon. Another two days after that, the coveted secret address was in the wrong hands.