I really am falling into the trap we fanfic writers so often do by having our male stud muffin perform far better than most real flesh and blood men are capable of at his age. But hey, it is fanfiction so why not? This one is not quite Christmas in July but close enough, perhaps? Anyway, I hope you enjoy. And many, many thanks for sticking with my sporadic updates.


Anthony awoke on Christmas morning feeling quite lazy after Edith's Christmas Eve early gift. He'd enjoyed every moment of it once they were enclosed in their bedroom last night, from the unwrapping to his very thorough examination which led to their mutual pleasure. As he laid lethargically next to his greatest gift, he wondered how someone as wounded and as old as he was could manage to keep up with his enthusiastic young wife, fulfilling her needs. But somehow he had. It was miraculous, in his mind. Quickly, he chastised himself for even approaching the negative thoughts that sometimes plagued him about how wrong he was for her. He'd save those thoughts for another time. It was a glorious Christmas morning and there was simply too much to celebrate for him to let even the smallest grey cloud tarnish the day.

Edith began to stir next to him and he delighted in watching her movement, remembering how the very limbs that were now being stretched languidly felt against him last night in the throes of their love making. Finally, her eyes opened sleepily and as she looked at him a smile broke into her features. "Good morning, sweet one," he said softly.

"Good morning, my darling man." She reached up to cup his jaw with her hand and softly let it slide down his face. "Did I tire you too much last night? You usually are up and about by this time of the morning."

"Only in the best way, sweetest. And today is a holiday, is it not? I am allowed a bit of laziness on a holiday, aren't I?" He bent down to kiss her ever so softly on her inviting lips. "Besides, I've discovered that I've been missing out on the delightful vision of watching you awake. My tendency to be up very early needs reevaluation, I believe."

Edith chuckled. "I'm a frightful mess, I'm sure."

"Ah, but a charmingly well-loved mess," he replied.

"You're a devil, Anthony Strallan; trying to coax me into more mischief with you when you know we are due to make an appearance at Downton later this morning." She was laughing now as she stroked her lovely long fingers along his arm.

"Me, the devil?" He chuckled. "You, my dearest, are the one taunting me with your touches and … well, your state of… readiness." He lifted the covers to reveal that she was indeed ready for action, not a clothing barrier to be found.

"Entirely your fault, darling. You were the one so intent on me shedding my clothes last night, if you will recall," she teased as she reached up to kiss his lips.

"That does it," he murmured as he embarked on making this the best Christmas morning either would be able to remember.

Consequently, they arrived a bit later than expected at Downton. Granny and Mary were somewhat cross about it and Edith's Papa was also a tad aggravated, but his was only due to his excitement over handing Edith her gift and the delay in doing so. Mama was all smiles and Sybil, of course, was her usual sweet self.

The couple made no excuses for their tardiness and quickly began handing out their own gifts instead. Cousin Isobel was there, of course, along with Cousin Matthew.

Once the gifts were all dealt with and the family seated in various places around the library, Mary finally gave voice to her pique over the Strallans' late arrival. "You could have at least telephoned," she finished her bit of snarkiness with.

Anthony opened his mouth to answer but Edith's hand on his arm, settled him back in his spot on the divan. "We were too busy to telephone," she said mischievously. Anthony felt his face turning red as the meaning of Edith's words settled over the others.

Mary lost her composure momentarily as her mouth gaped open. "Vulgarity is no substitute for wit.," Granny intoned in Mary's place.

Edith smiled saucily at her grandmother. "Mary should not have inquired further, Granny. But of course, she isn't yet familiar with the things which might detain a married couple." Edith's expression was outlandishly puerile as she turned to her older sister.

Anthony glanced around the room at the various expressions. Mary was fuming, of course. Sybil was struggling not to giggle. Matthew's eyes were huge and his mouth was doing a fair imitation of a fish. Cousin Isobel was struggling to keep a neutral expression. The Dowager was displeased, of course. Cora was aghast. And of course, Robert was flabbergasted. "Edith!" he exclaimed. Anthony considered trying to rescue his wife, but this was her family and he quickly concluded that she knew best how to handle them. Inwardly, he couldn't help the small bit of pride he felt for her cheek. As a patient at Downtown, he had witnessed Mary's haughty demeaner several times and noted that few stood up to her. Edith certainly hadn't then. If being his wife gave her the confidence she needed to stand up against Mary, then Anthony was all the more happy to oblige.

As luck would have it, however, the Dowager was quick to recover. "Edith, you are a Lady, not Toad of Toad Hall." And that was enough for Anthony. "Darling," he said as he turned to Edith, "I'm afraid I'm feeling like one of my episodes is coming. I think perhaps it would be best if we were to leave."

Edith looked at him, somewhat confused. He hadn't had an "episode' in some weeks and usually they came with certain triggers, none of which were present in the library at that moment. But she took his cue without a word, apologized to her family that they couldn't stay longer and gently led her husband from the room.

Just as they were stepping outside the room, Granny was heard muttering something but Isobel's response was quite clear. "Oh, don't be absurd. There was nothing to trigger an episode here. He was simply getting his wife away from a brewing confrontation and using his illness as an excuse."

Once they were settled in the car, Edith turned to him. "You aren't really feeling an episode coming are you, darling?"

"No sweet one, I simply couldn't bear it any longer. Mary is Mary, I suppose and will always be …," he paused, groping for the right word. "Well, Mary," he finally finished. "But between her and your grandmother, I felt it was time to leave. Otherwise, someone might be hurt."

"Anthony Strallan, I can't believe you just said that! You would no more hurt a woman than… than you could hurt me."

"No, no I couldn't. But the way the two of them were ganging up on you; well, I just couldn't abide it. So rather than uttering some rather harsh words myself and perhaps undoing the relationships with your family that we're trying to salvage, I thought it best to leave."

Edith smiled at him warmly and reached for his hand, which she held in hers. Both of them were gloved against the cold winter air, but it warmed Anthony still the same. "I've never had someone fighting in my corner before," she said lightly. "I think I rather like it."

"Always, dearest one. I'll always be in your corner."

The rest of the ride to Locksley was quiet with the couple holding hands, a happy smile on Edith's face and a besotted one on Anthony's.

The Strallans gave the staff the morning off for Boxing Day and had a lie in to recover from their own very private Christmas celebration. Anthony had given Edith her gift after their return from Downton the day before and watched gleefully as she unwrapped and opened it. Consequently, he saw the tears that gathered in her eyes as she stared into the box.

"The Strallan tiara is yours, of course," he began to explain. "But it is all rubies and diamonds and set in silver, which I have always thought to be far to ornate and garish and certainly not suited with your coloring. So I had this made up for you. I hope you like it."

"It is beautiful," Edith said as she lifted the tiara from its resting place in the box. Anthony had agonized over the design but with the help of one of the maids who seemed good at drawing, he'd managed to be able to give the jeweler a clear enough representation of what he wanted for Edith. His sister had helped the process by giving the drawing and his detailed instructions to her jeweler in London. It was simple in many ways, since he was only a baronet and therefore his wife shouldn't wear a heavier more elaborate piece. The single rose gold band was set with light blue sapphires instead of diamonds with little clusters of emeralds with slightly darker blue sapphires that gave a subtle impression of flowers. The band grew larger at the front to accommodate the largest stone, a medium blue star sapphire set in a circle of the lighter sapphires and banded by tiny emeralds. He was pleased with the jeweler's interpretation of his idea for the piece and as he watched Edith slip it into her hair, he thought that it suited her coloring so much better than the traditional Strallan tiara. Beyond that, it didn't look matronly, as many of the tiaras worn by the aristocratic ladies of his acquaintance seemed. No, his lovely Edith was young and this piece celebrated not only that but her vitality.

Preening in front of a mirror later, she turned to him and smiled. "I think I shall wear it to bed tonight."
And she had done. Much to Anthony's amusement, she insisted on wearing it while they had done the marital deed; or should that be deeds, he thought. When they awoke on Boxing Day, much later than usual, the first thing she did was put the thing back in her very mussed hair and grin. "You know, sweet one, you can't ever wear that in public now," Anthony teased.

Her face fell. "Why not?"

"Because it will evoke the most scandalous images in my mind and I shan't be able to control myself," he told her earnestly, fighting the urge to break out into the most ridiculous grin.

"Oh you," she laughed before she accosted him for some morning fun, still wearing her tiara despite the rather vigorous activities they got up to.