Richard had just finished tying his tie when Audrey tapped him on the shoulder from behind. Turning he saw that look on her face that said he was in trouble.

"You've been smoking in here haven't you?" she said narrowing her eyes at him.

"Well I...maybe...alright I did, but it was just one cigar."

Putting her hands on her hips she tutted "Richard you know how much I dislike you smoking in the house let alone in our bedroom."

Placing his hands on her waist her pulled her closer to him, her hands coming to rest on his chest. "I know and I won't do it again. Forgive me?...I did get you Bertie"

"Yes you did and he is very sweet...alright I forgive you but don't do it again" She tried to sound stern but as she had told him last night she could forgive him anything, especially when he looked her like he was now.

"Thank you darling" his said pecking her lips.

Audrey smiled her fingers reaching up to straighten his tie "What are your plans for today?"

"I thought I'd visit mother, take some of the flowers from last night for her. You know how she liked a party" he said sadly

Audrey pulled him into her embrace "That's a lovely idea darling, I'll come with you, we can take Bertie"

A they walked to the front door Adam appeared from the dining room "Ah Adam there you are, Richard and I are going out for a while. We'll be back before lunch."

"Oh, off on a romantic tryst, getting on a bit for that aren't you?" Adam smirked

Audrey narrowed her eyebrows at him "No we are not 'getting on a bit', now if you want us we'll be in the woods...making love" Audrey grinned at Adam's shocked face as she took Richard's hand.

"Come along darling" she said tugging him along with her with Bertie following close behind.

Richard had a stunned look on his face as his wife pulled him out the door.

"Audrey, why on earth did you say that?"

"Well it was the way he assumed we were to old for all that, he just annoyed me" she grumbled as she straightened Bertie's lead.

Richard wrapped his arms around her waist "I know darling, but after this morning I have no doubts about our fitness for those activities" he said burying his face in her neck.

"Mmm and I'm up for a repeat performance whenever you are darling. You know I love it when you ravish me." She chuckled

He lifted his head to look at her with passion filled eyes "If Bertie wasn't with us, I'd take you into those woods right now and do just that."

"Next time he stays at home" Audrey said determinedly pointing at Bertie.

Richard held Bertie's lead as Audrey placed the flowers on Maria's grave, making sure they looked perfect.

"It doesn't seem that long since she's been gone" Richard whispered.

Audrey stood and held his hand squeezing gently "I know darling"

"I came here to talk to her when you left me you know. She always used to give me advice about you before we were married. Normally followed by a saying from old Czechoslovakia"

"I can believe that, she always had an old saying" Audrey chuckled

They spent a few more moments there before Audrey asked "Are you ready to go darling?"

Richard nodded "Yes, let's go home. Come on Bertie"

Later that afternoon Audrey was kneeling beside Bertie. She was attaching a small box to his collar, an anniversary present for Richard. She had bought it before all the business of Farmer Tom had happened and had been so surprised at the party last night that she had forgotten all about it.

Making sure it wouldn't fall off she opened the door to the drawing room and sent Bertie in.

"Good boy Bertie, now go and find Daddy" she whispered patting him on the back.

Richard was reading the newspaper when he had the strange feeling he was being watched. Lowering his paper slightly he looked around but not seeing anyone he went back to reading.

Seconds later he felt a tap on his shin, putting his paper down he saw Bertie staring up at him.

"Hello boy, what have you got there?" He said noticing the box tied to his collar.

Undoing the ribbon he read the attached card:

Happy Anniversary Darling

I love you

Audrey x

He looked up and saw Audrey standing in the doorway.

"Aren't you going to open it darling?" She asked coming to sit next to him.

He smiled and opened the box. Inside was a Cartier watch, he usually wore a leather strap but this was a metal bracelet style.

"Audrey this is beautiful, thank you darling"

She grinned glad he liked it, she hadn't been sure when she bought it "There's an inscription on the back" she told him.

Turning the watch over Richard read the inscription,

My love for you knows

No bounds.

It's timeless

and endless

"Darling this is...Thank you, I love you"

"I love you too" she leaned in and kissed him deeply, his arms wrapped round her wait bringer her closer to him.

Emmeridge walked into the drawing room to find his employers locked together in a passionate embrace. He rolled his eyes at the sight before him, honestly he thought to himself arguing one minute and the next they were all over each other.

He cleared his throat to get their attention.

Richard and Audrey broke apart at the sound, breathing heavily they turned to see Emmeridge.

"When you've finished smooching, Lunch is ready" he said

"Emmeridge! How dare you speak to us like that" Richard angrily replied

"Sorry Sir But lunch is still ready" Emmeridge said before leaving the room.

"Honestly the nerve of him talking to us like that, why can't we get rid of him" Richard grumbled

Audrey stroked his cheek trying to sooth him "Because darling, he's the best we could get, you know how hard it was to find someone"

"Yes I suppose you're right" he said standing and holding out his hand to her "come on then before we get told off again"

Audrey opened her eyes as the morning sun began to shine through the curtains. Turning on to her right side she saw Richard facing her, still fast asleep.

She smiled and reached to move a grey strand of hair that had stuck up during the night. He really was her very own Prince Charming, he wasn't perfect but he was the the love of her life.

She ran her fingers along his moustache, she had loved doing this since they had got married.

"Twenty five years of marriage and you still like doing that while I sleep" he muttered with his eyes still closed.

"I can't help it darling you know how much I love it. Don't you remember how devastated I was when you shaved it off that time" She answered

"I remember, I don't think you spoke to me for a whole month"

"Not as long as that darling, but I did rather enjoy the rough stubble you had for a while" she said blushing at the memory of how he had used that stubble to drive her crazy.

"Yes I seem to remember that"

"But if I'm honest your chest hair is my favourite, just the right amount, so masculine." She said as she ran her hand over his chest, her fingers raking through the hair there and kissed him softly on the lips.

"Mmm…" whispered Richard, moving his face to the nape of her neck.

Suddenly he grabbed her waist and rolled on top of her settling himself between her now parted thighs, peppering her face with kisses

"I love everything about you my lovely, beautiful wife…" he said before kissing her.

Audrey held him close, running her hands through his hair as they exchanged increasingly passionate kisses.

Richard slowly ran his hand up her thigh hitching her nightdress up as his hand moved higher.

Breaking the kiss Richard tugged on her nightdress "Take this off darling" when he saw her nod he pushed it up to her chest then let her pull it the rest of the way off over her head.

He ran his gaze over her body "You are still as beautiful as the day I first met you Audrey" he murmured as he trailed kisses down her neck to her chest.

Audrey held the back of his neck as his lips moved to the swell of her breast. She tugged gently on the ends of his hair bringing his eyes up to hers.

"And you are still the most handsome man I've ever met." She said caressing his cheek.

"I only wish we had met sooner darling" she said, running her finger along his chin.

Richard raised his eyebrow, "Would you have married me over him?" he didn't like to talk about her first marriage it only upset her. But he had often wondered what would have happened if they had met sooner.

Audrey sighed "The way I feel about you I believe I would have"

He was slightly shocked at her answer "Even if it meant you wouldn't have had the manor?"

"Some things are more important than bricks and mortar darling, you taught me that" She said kissing him again enjoying the taste of him on her lips.

"The question is would you have married me?" She whispered against his lips.

Richard sighed "I can honestly say the answer is yes. I would have fallen in love with you whatever the circumstances of our meeting"

He nuzzled his nose against her neck. "Do you remember the first time we made love in this room"

"Yes" she nodded "It was when we came back from that trip to London after we got engaged"

"It was in the morning, we were so tired the night before we just fell asleep in each others arms." Richard said kissing her neck.

"I was kissing you just like this…" he said huskily against her throat.

"Then you told me how much you loved me" Audrey finished wrapping her arms around his neck.

Richard moved his hands under her shoulders holding her to him. The feeling of her breasts pressed against his chest sending a jolt to his lower half.

"And I still do Audrey" He kissed her then, a slow passionate kiss that made her body tingle in anticipation.

"I love you to Richard, so much my darling" she murmured against his lips before taking them in a searing kiss.