Sunset
"Do you think you'll like it? Being retired, Mrs. Carson?"
Mrs. Elsie Carson stopped packing the crate and bit her lip thoughtfully. She looked at the younger woman and sighed.
"I think so, Anna. Oh, I know we'll miss the activity sometimes, being in the thick of things. But there's something to be said for peace and quiet."
"Do you think you and Mr. Carson will find enough to do to keep busy," she asked as she stood on her tiptoes to take a decorative china plate off the shelf and wrap it carefully in paper.
Elsie stood in the middle of her nearly bare sitting room and smiled.
No matter how many times she'd slapped his hands away and glared at him as she tried to do up her corset, he wouldn't leave off teasing her, tugging the ties loose as soon as she'd fastened them and stroking lightly along whatever bare skin he could reach. And when she'd threatened to get rid of the blasted thing so they wouldn't be late for breakfast, he eagerly pulled it apart, ignoring her half hearted protests, claiming to be helping her. She could feel the tremor of his rumbling chuckle in her own chest as he had pulled her to him, and her hands had crept under the hem of his vest before she knew what they were doing. He'd lifted his eyebrows when she'd said that fair was fair, and if he was going to interfere with her undergarments in the morning, she could give as good as she got. And they were late of course, turning aside the speculative glances of the staff, with sharp looks and furrowed eyebrows until all attention was back on the toast making its way around the table. So no one could see his little jump as she ran her hand slowly up his thigh.
"Mrs. Carson?" Anna asked, turning to look at her curiously when she didn't answer her question right away.
"Hmmm? Oh…yes. I'm sure we'll find something to occupy our sunset years," she said, nodding absently.
A little smile crept over Anna's lips as she turned to reach for another plate.
"Of course you will."