Teatime proved to be a challenge, for several reasons. Emma was behaving quite outrageously, especially towards Edith. Mrs. Paxton's doing no doubt, Anthony thought darkly. The child was insolent to Edith and the expression of Edith's face was stormy at best. "What I meant, Emma," Edith was saying to the child, "was that we were all tired from the train ride. Tomorrow I'm certain we will be able to get out of the hotel. In fact, I believe Anthony has said we would."

Anthony sighed heavily. He hadn't intended on bringing Emma and the entourage along as he showed Edith his surprise. Still, he reflected, perhaps in might be alright anyway. "Yes of course," he added brightly. "In fact, let's make a picnic of it," he suggested, trying to appease the child and lighten the mood in the room.

"That sounds lovely," Edith said with a smile. "What do you think Emma? Shall we have a picnic?"

Emma looked glumly at Edith. "You…you're the one that always needs to rest. You stay here and Anotee and me will have a picnic."

"And I," Anthony corrected quickly. "And no, we will not leave Edith here alone. If this attitude continues, little one, you will find yourself the one being left," he warned.

He could feel Mrs. Paxton's eyes on him, boring a hole almost. Her attitude hadn't been much better than Emma's. In face, it was almost as if she knew how he and Edith had spent their afternoon. The woman was annoying him even more than the child. And her poor son was simply sitting on the edge of his chair looking for all the world like he would like to disappear into it.

Emma wasn't quite finished yet, however, and glared at Edith. "I don't like you. Me and Anotee was just fine until you came."

"That's enough," Anthony snapped. "You will apologize to Edith."

Emma glared at him, her jaw set firmly and her eyes narrowed. It was obvious the child had no intention of apologizing. "Very well, then…you may return to your room with Mrs. Paxton. And if your attitude doesn't improve by the morning, you will remain in your room all of tomorrow." Emma began to cry and Edith looked at him, astonished. Looking from one to the other, Anthony felt miserable. But he couldn't think of any other way; the child needed to understand.

Mrs. Paxton shot Edith a scornful look and began to gather the children. Her expression sent Anthony over the edge. "Mrs. Paxton, once the children are settled, I would like a word." Even to his ears, his voice sounded domineering, certainly an oddity when contrasted with his usual soft spoken demeanor. Mrs. Paxton, obviously startled, simply nodded and walked the children out.

Turning to Edith, he suddenly was filled with trepidation. Hadn't she been saying what a good father he will make and now, here he was losing his temper simply because Emma was in a bad mood. Sheepishly he looked across the room to see her stifling a giggle. Puzzled, he simply stared, wondering again at the marvelous twist his life had taken.

"I fail to see what is so amusing," he said abruptly, unsure of where his vehemence came from so suddenly. But having Edith laughing at him when he was trying to take her side in things was irksome, to say the least. She burst into laughter and put up her hand as if to hold him off while she tried to contain her amusement. It only flustered Anthony more. "Really, I don't understand why you are laughing…" he muttered crossly.

"It's just…" she giggled again, this time covering her mouth with her hand to try to hide it. "Well, you were just trying to be so stern and …" She giggled again.

"And what?" He frowned in an effort to understand but her behavior perplexed him.

"And you, my darling husband," she said softly as she stepped toward him, "you simply don't have it in you." She was smiling at him as she spoke, taking some of the sting from her words. "I can be firm when it is required," he declared, straightening to his full height. "I did command others during the war."

"Very gently, I'm sure," she replied as she reached him and snuggled into him. "But on the home front, darling, you are just a softy."

"I am not…at least, not when discipline is required. Of course, I would rather not have to…" She started giggling again. "The child needs discipline," he tried again. His thought was interrupted by her hands travelling up his torso to his shoulders, her long graceful fingers kneading at the back of his neck. "And I ummm… well, I…hmmmmm…." He felt his knees as well as his resolve melt and knew the rest of his body was in danger of following suit.

A knock sounded at the door and Edith dropped her hands with a sigh. A thought fluttered through Anthony's mind that she had intended for the caresses to go farther but he dismissed it quickly. After all, it hadn't been but two hours since they had… He opened the door and looked at Mrs. Paxton, who was standing nervously in the hall. "Yes, Mrs. Paxton… do come in please." Moving away from the door, he let the woman in the suite. Edith had stepped over to a chair by the window and sat curiously.

Mrs. Paxton stood stiffly in the center of the room, watching him as he closed the door behind her and turned to face her. "Mrs. Paxton, I wanted a word with you because… well, for reasons that I believe I understand but can't condone, you seem to be working against Lady Edith where Emma is concerned."

"Working against?" the woman asked in confusion.

"Yes, I believe things are being said, in front of the child, that are contributing to her attitude toward my wife." He paused to collect himself but Mrs. Paxton began talking. "Sir Anthony, I have done no such thing. Miss Emma is very headstrong but she is also frightened; everything keeps changing for her."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Edith's head snap up and her body stiffen in the chair. She was looking intently from him to Mrs. Paxton in confusion. "Yes, things have been changeable but just as Emma begins to become happy with her new situation, she suddenly regresses and I believe you are to blame. It has come to my attention that you have your own motives for not wanting to see Lady Edith settled comfortably as my wife and I assure you, your motives will lead to dismissal if Emma's behavior continues."

Mrs. Paxton's eyes widened. "Yes, I understand. Now if you will excuse me?" Anthony nodded to dismiss her and she hurried from the room.

"What was that all about?" Edith asked.

"Exactly what I told Mrs. Paxton. She is to refrain from making comments about you in front of the child. Mrs. Paxton's attitude is an unpleasant influence on the child."

"But you mentioned motives?" Edith was wearing an expression that he recognized, the one that told him she didn't understand but she wasn't going to stop until she did.

"Yes, well…apparently Mrs. Paxton…well….she um…I didn't realize that…."

Edith's eyes widened and she began to laugh softly, confounding Anthony again. "Now why are you laughing?" he barked.

"Oh Anthony, you really don't realize how irresistible you are, do you?"

"I…no, I'm not…well, except perhaps to you…At least I hope to you but…"

"Yes, you are…to me any other woman with eyes. You are sweet and kind and charmingly handsome."

"You are too kind," he said with a slight bow of his head. "And I would expect a wife to find me those things, at least a little but…generally women tend to ignore me."

"Then they are stupid women," Edith said as her eyes danced at him. "You are the best treasure in Yorkshire, perhaps even in all of England…and certainly in my world."

"Thank you, my sweet. I…well, you are very generous with your praise."

"Might I add humble to the list of attributes?"

"Edith, I really wasn't…"

"I know Anthony." She stood again and walked to him. "But you see, I can understand Mrs. Paxton's infatuation with you. I've felt the same about you for years. And now I have an advantage that Mrs. Paxton doesn't."

"Well, as my wife I suppose…"

"Yes darling, as your wife, I know all of your attributes and get to sample them regularly." She reached down and cupped his manhood in her hand, giving him a gentle but telling squeeze. Anthony heard his gasp as he felt his legs turn to jelly in the most blissful manner.

Dinner that night proved to be an extended flirtation for the couple. Finally trusting that their feelings for one another were real, both were more relaxed and at ease. Much to Anthony's delight, Edith's more modern approach to their relationship helped matters, once he got over his own reticence. As he gazed across the table into her dark, sparkling eyes Anthony decided that the old ways were far too restrictive for what he was feeling. No wonder so many of his generation seemed old before their time. But with the playful atmosphere created by Edith's cheek, Anthony was feeling younger than he had since Maud's death. At that very moment, he felt her toes running along the inside of his leg. She must've slipped out of her shoe and was counting on the long table cloths to hide her mischief. Just as he looked up in surprise at her, he heard his name being called from someone behind him. "Anthony, is it really you?"

Startled and chagrinned with the interruption, Anthony turned slightly to see who was greeting him. Recognizing instantly his former commander, he rose and offered a smile. "General Mac…"

"No, no…none of that between us Anthony," the man replied. "Besides, I've just left the service…just plain old Sir George again or to my friends, George. We still are friends, aren't we Anthony? After everything you went through because of me, I…"

"Yes, yes, of course. It was war and you had to send someone…" Anthony could feel Edith's curiosity from across the table. "Sir George, I'd like to introduce my wife, Lady Edith."

Sir George stepped around Anthony and smiled at Edith before taking her hand and kissing it lightly. His eyes twinkling he turned to Anthony. "Anthony, I had no idea you had it in you…capturing such a beautiful young woman as this. Are you certain she is your wife?"

Anthony caught Edith's flush and amusement out of the corner of his eye but his attention was on his former commander. "That was uncalled for…to imply that my wife is anything less than…"

Sir George chuckled. "Calm down, old boy. I wasn't implying anything really. No, not at all." Turning back to Edith he bowed slightly. "My apologies if I've offended you, Lady Edith. I am simply surprised that Anthony has married someone as young and charming as I find you."

Edith stopped just short of rolling her eyes and looked from Sir George to Anthony. "I don't know why you would be surprised. Anthony has so very much to offer any woman."

"Yes, yes, of course he does. But he's always been so serious, you see…far too serious minded. Most of the young ladies I meet have their minds on frivolities but I am certain there is much more to you for Anthony to have married you, Lady Edith."

"There is, George," Anthony said, still ill at ease. "And you are quite right of course, to be surprised to find someone so young and appealing attached to an old codger like me but for some reason, she is."

"Up here looking after your property?" Sir George asked.

Anthony sighed. "No, we are …"

"It is our honeymoon," Edith said pointedly. "Our first night of it actually."

Sir George started to chuckle again. "Oh, well then…you don't need an old buffer like me hanging about spoiling your fun. But it is good to see you, Anthony…to see you looking so much better. And Lady Edith, I'm certain you have something to do with Anthony's recovery. I thank you for it and…I am very pleased to have been introduced. Perhaps we will see one another again before you leave the area." He shook Anthony's hand briefly and hustled off through the tables toward the exit.

Anthony sat down, feeling awkward again. "Was that… you called him general and Sir George?" Edith asked.

"That my darling was General George Mark Watson MacDonogh. I knew him before the war; he was in the Royal Engineers but somehow landed in Military Intelligence. His orders sent me to France and into the hands of the Germans. He thought I blamed him for it but…it was war."

"Yes, I know of him and his record. You…you served under him…in Intelligence?"

"Yes, well… not at first but once it was discovered I speak German fluently and know something about modern mechanization, I was sent to him. He had need of officers who could understand this new way of fighting and the new mechanized weapons. Sadly none of us were prepared for the more barbaric weapons the Germans unleashed on our men." Anthony felt gloom settle over him as he recalled the war years and his service under Sir George. "But let's not dwell on that lost ime, especially on our honeymoon, hmmmm?"

Edith smiled warmly at him. "No, of course not. But…well, I knew you were…are very brave but I had no idea…"

"It was war, Edith. We did what we had to do to survive. I wouldn't call it brave, just… self defense."

"Well, you have your opinion and I have mine," she replied. "And you are my brave hero, my very darling hero."

"Well, when you say it like that…" Anthony quipped, shaking off the sorrow that George had brought.

Don't ya just love to hate Mrs. Paxton? Teeheeheee...

I had a little fun in the end there with General George Mark Watson MacDonogh. Thought it would be fun to have Anthony so well placed in his service and his personal acquaintances. But I'd been thinking about how much rounder Anthony's face was before the war and how lean and haunted he was looking after. More and more I think they did that on purpose, although I haven't seen or heard it mentioned. But watching the fabulous Mr. Bathurst in Dracula, his face is not as gaunt looking, more like Anthony was originally. His hair is fuller and not as gray as we last saw Anthony. I'm thinking all of that was to show the effects of war on a gentle soul like Anthony. Anyway, that really doesn't have much bearing on the story, just my mind ambling around.