- So, Mrs Bates, tell me, how did you get acquainted with Mr Green? asked Mrs Bader-Ginsburg.
It was the end of September, and Anna was meeting her attorneys for the third time since she had met the other victims and officially hired them. After spending some time explaining to her in details how the court worked and how the trial would unfold, they had now started preparing her for her testimony. The goal was to make Anna tell her story so many times that it would become automatic, and to give her a chance to be prepared for the unpleasant questions the defence attorney was bound to ask. Once more, Anna started telling them about the two days before the attack happened, how Green had flirted with her and how she had responded in a friendly and good-natured way.
- And you don't think that somehow, at some point, you said, or did something that led Mr Green on? That made him think you were open to some extra-marital activities?
Anna frowned, and answered hotly:
- Of course not! I would never do that! I only chatted with him in a friendly way, that's all. I never meant anything more.
She started rubbing her eyes with her fingertips and sighed.
- I'm sorry Mrs Bates, said Mrs Bader-Ginsburg. I know this is tedious, but it's necessary. You have to be prepared. The defence will try to put the blame on you.
- I know, I know. Alright, let's go on.
- What were you wearing that night?
- My service uniform.
- That's good, because the defence won't be able to argue that you were dressed "provocatively".
- I never dress provocatively.
- And even if you did, that would be no excuse to assault you, but that's something men often use to justify their misdeeds. I believe your torn clothes have been retained as evidence by the police.
- Yes.
- That's good. That will help us tremendously, along with your doctor's report and testimony. That was very clever of you to hand them to the police.
- That has really nothing to do with me… Mrs Hughes, the Housekeeper decided of that.
- Well she was well-advised.
Half an hour later, Anna and John were on the return train to Downton. They were becoming familiar with that particular journey as time went by and they went to York regularly. Anna was sitting at John's side, her head resting on his shoulder, and her hand was nestled in his. She sighed:
- I wish this trial would begin soon, so that we can finally put all that behind us. I feel like it's holding me back.
- We should know soon enough. Didn't Mrs Halimi say the date was to be set this week?
- Yes she did.
As they entered the Servants' Hall just before the gong hour, Mr Carson called after Anna.
- Oh, Anna, you're back. There was a letter for you on the afternoon post. Looks official, he said, handing her the CPS marked envelope.
- Thank you Mr Carson.
She tore at it and started quickly reading it as the Butler headed to ring the gong.
- January the fifteenth… she sighed when she was done. More than three more months waiting…
John gently squeezed her shoulder.
- It'll soon be there, you'll see.
- Not that I'm looking forward to it really, but… at least when it'll be over we can finally really move on. Anyway, she concluded, folding the letter and putting it in her pocket, we should go, we don't want to keep them waiting.
x x x x
- Good evening my Lady.
- Good evening Anna, responded Lady Mary with a warm smile. How was your meeting today?
- It's… trying, but necessary, or so the attorneys say. They want me to be well-prepared for my public testimony before the Court.
- I guess it can't hurt to be prepared. Maybe if Papa or Mrs Hughes had been prepped by an attorney before testifying at your husband's trial, it would have gone differently.
- Who knows… wondered Anna. Anyway, I think they'll want to see you, and Mrs Hughes too, at some point before the trial. Since you're both listed as accusation witnesses.
- Alright, I'll go if they ask me.
- Thank you my Lady. I am so very grateful for your support.
- Oh nonsense Anna. You've earned it fair and square, keeping my secrets, carrying this poor Turkish gentleman in the dead of night…
Anna chuckled at the memory.
- We've had our moments, haven't we my Lady…
- We certainly have. And this will be our next moment. We are going to put that sorry excuse of a man behind bars, for a long time hopefully. Have you had any news on the date of the trial?
- Oh, yes, indeed, I just received the CPS letter, answered Anna, pulling the envelope out of her pocket and showing it to Lady Mary. It's scheduled to begin on January the fifteenth, and it should last for three days, they say.
- January… I had hoped for you it would be over by Christmas.
- I had hoped too, but well. We'll have to make do with this.
Having finished getting her ready, Anna looked up to Lady Mary through her mirror and asked:
- Will that be all my Lady?
- Yes, thank you Anna. See you later.
Anna nodded and left the room.
x x x x
Later that night, Anna and John were walking back to the cottage, in the light chill of that early Autumn. They were silently going hand in hand, but Anna sighed several times, until John asked:
- What is it love? You seem disturbed.
- Nothing, it's just… I'm tired of being reminded of it everyday. I wish I could fast-forward time until next year, and just have it done with. I'm tired of having to go to York every now and then, of those endless questions… And at the same time, as anxious as I am for it to be over, each time I picture myself having to talk about it in front of the whole Court, I feel sick to my stomach. Just the thought of seeing his face again…
- It will surely be hard my darling, but you'll have me and several other people around you to support you. Lady Mary, Mrs Hughes, the attorneys. The other victims. Just try and remember why you want to do it.
- Yes, you're right, they need me. We have to have justice served.
As they were coming to the cottage's door, John opened and stood back to let her in, then helped her out of her coat and hat. When he had hanged them off the hook, he bent down near her ear and whispered:
- Would you like some tea, or might I offer you something a little more… racy, to take your mind off things, Mrs Bates?
They had made some progress in the previous weeks regarding intimacy, and there had been some shared pleasure, but they had not yet made it to the point where they could have a full physical relationship, nor reached a satisfying conclusion otherwise. Hearing John's suggestion, Anna looked back at him with a crooked smile, and decided to play coy:
- Why, Mr Bates, I wonder what you have in mind…
- Something that could be agreeable to you Mrs Bates, he answered mysteriously. That is, only if you want to, of course.
Anna didn't know what specific idea he was thinking of, but by now she had learnt to be trusting again, and she knew that if she ever told him no he would not insist. So she thought to herself that maybe it was time that she relented a little bit of control to him. She knew he would never use it against her, and that he would ask for her permission before crossing any major step.
- Alright, I'm curious Mr Bates, she smirked.
- I suggest we head upstairs then, Mrs Bates. As much as I would enjoy sweeping you off your feet to carry you up the stairs, I'm afraid it would not end well…
It was their own little game to call each other Mr and Mrs Bates prior to intimate moments. Anna could never tire of hearing him say her married name out loud, even after several years. With a naughty smile, he took her hand and led her to their bedroom. He stripped of his waistcoat and shirt (the jacket had been discarded downstairs), then turned around to her.
- Come here, love, he whispered.
And with the gentlest moves, he started to undress her. Her heart was racing in her chest when he had taken off every item of clothing but her shift and undergarments. He brushed her flushed cheek with the back of his hand, and asked:
- May I go on?
Anna closed her eyes and inhaled a shaky breath, then looked at him with a confident smile:
- Yes, she breathed.
He lifted her shift over her head, and then proceeded to rid her of the last pieces. Her cheeks were now burning so bright that the dim room seemed to lighten up. Her eyes stayed fixed on the ground, until he lifted her chin to make her look at him.
- Anna, my beloved wife, you are so very very beautiful and I am so very very lucky to have you.
Her eyes shone with unshed tears, and she uttered a little surprised cry as he did sweep her off her feet and gently sat her on the edge of the bed. He stood in front of her, bending upon her to deposit wet kisses just above her collarbone. She took his head into her hands and brought him to her mouth to offer him a kiss, but he quickly broke the contact, and put his hands on her knees, to pull them gently apart. He came closer and knelt in front of her, between her legs. She grabbed his arms and tried to make him stand up, objecting in a worried tone:
- John, your knee! You're going to hurt yourself.
But he shook his head, and silenced her with a kiss on her lips.
- Don't worry my love. Just enjoy. And let me know if anything bothers you, alright?
Kneeling down in front of her, his head was just in front of her breasts, which he took advantage of for a start. While his mouth took care of each of them in turn, his hands were slowly roaming the inside of her thighs, threading small circles from her knees up, carefully approaching her center, but not yet touching it. Her breath was becoming shakier, and he felt like moving on to the next step. Putting both his hands on her hips, he made her sit back a little, then kissed his way down to her belly button, while pushing her gently backwards.
- Lie down, darling.
She obliged, and folded her legs to put her feet up on the edge of the bed. For a moment, he continued stroking her inner thighs and belly. Anna closed her eyes and relaxed. Just the feel of his breath on her most sensitive areas made the fire inside her burn wild. She whimpered and her hands seized a fistful of sheet when his lips softly made contact with the place where she ached for it so much.
- Oh Lord, she sighed.
A few minutes of expert work with his tongue, lips and fingers fuelled the fire into a raging blaze, until she was close to oblivion. He knew he could easily take her over the edge by slipping two fingers inside of her, but he suddenly feared that she was not ready for this, and that it would trigger her. He lifted his head just a second, and looked at her hesitantly. She heard his untold question, and nodded to him her permission. He smiled and got back to his task, and when he felt it right, entered into her. She arched her hips to welcome the rediscovered sensation. He marvelled at the little sounds she made as he built her up for the final act. As expected, it didn't take long until she cried:
- Oh good God, John!
And he felt her convulsing under his touch. He smiled to himself as he slowly guided her down her high. He winced as he got up again, he had indeed strained his knee, but he couldn't care less, the result was well worth the inconvenient. When he laid at her side on the bed, he saw that she had hidden her face in her hands and her shoulders were shaking. He kissed her shoulder and whispered:
- Are you alright my love?
She only nodded, while she let the wild emotion that was rushing through her at that moment wash away. When she put her hands away, he finally got a look at her tears-washed face, and he saw the brightest of smiles on it. She pulled him into a fierce kiss, before whispering to his ear:
- Thank you John, so much. There was a time when I thought I could never feel that bliss again. Thank you for bringing me back from the darkness.
- I am very happy to have been able to give that to you again. See, that wonderful body of yours is working just fine, he joked. I love you so much Anna.
- I love you too.
As she was slumbering into contented sleep a little while later, she though of John's birthday coming the following week, and she knew she wanted to offer herself to him on that very day. A light smile lingered on her face as she dozed in his arms, while his hand lovingly combed through her hair.
Well, well. A little more steam... We're getting closer ;)