The Acquisition of Memories- Chapter 21- The Air That I Breathe
A/N 1: Thank you for the lovely reviews. I am surprised, as always, that my writing hits the right nerves- so to speak!
Manygreentrees, in particular, (my thanks to you), has made me think about how to continue with this night of passion for our old Galapagos Boobies in a way that is fairly realistic, but can still see them with enough energy to face the demands of the outing I have mercilessly planned for them on Sunday!- the gallery and the high tea etc.
It has indeed been a long day for our heroes. I do think they are used to disrupted and shortened sleep patterns, with their working day likely hitting the 16 hour mark on most days at the Abbey, and generally 7 days a week (according to some searching around I did about the realities of life in service- no wonder they took so bloody long to notice each other and fall in love!). But, Manygreentrees is right in saying that the unusual nature of their day- emotionally strung out from the wedding, long travel times, the press of people in the city, the excitement of going to the show, the constant tension of flirting, etc.- would all prove quite tiring – and, they are not 25 years old anymore.
I have so far tried so far to imagine what is physically possible at this age, especially with regards to them having been sexually repressed for sooo, sooo long, whilst still fulfilling my own fantasies about how such things should play out. This is what I was thinking of when I wrote of Elsie's instant reaction to finally being touched, and Charles' sudden and intense release in Chapter 20. I just don't think they could have held back for long in any sort of circumstances! And as much as we all want Charles to recover quickly, for both their sakes, it is not really that realistic after such an intense finish for a 70-year-old man- bless him! So, all that said and done- this is what I came up with….
A/N 2: My musical influence when writing this is an anachronistic choice, but do go and listen to it to get in the mood. It is the song used as the chapter title, because I couldn't think of anything better to put there- a bit lazy, but ..meh!
Potentially The Air that I Breathe can be incredibly schmoozy- and indeed the original version by Albert Hammond (1972)and the most well-known cover by The Hollies (1974) both get into a bit of anthemic 70s soft rock guitar solo stuff and soar quite close to utter schmooze-dome. I think Albert Hammond's is the better version, but his voice just is not strong enough to reach the notes he has written, even if the emotion is there. There is a pretty good version on Youtube with him and Leo Sayer giving it a good go, though. Many other covers have been done too.
But for my money, almost nobody else on the planet can take a song that she hasn't written and totally own it and make it into something it was always meant to be – so go and listen to this remastered version by K.D. Lang - from the Recollection album (2010)- originally done for the … album Drag) on Spotify or this link on Youtube- watch?v=2V2PW4N-4OM
It is incomparable- IMHO. The music stays slow and dreamy and loved-out and languid throughout, and it goes for 6 minutes instead of the ubiquitous 3-4 minute radio friendly pop song- which makes all the difference as you have time to really get into it. Most importantly, K.D.'s vocals soar to just the right level at the right times. Let it play in your ears as you drift off to sleep tonight- it is heavenly, and I hope you can envision both Charles or Elsie feeling this at the end of this night. I will have them in the land of Nod by about 2 am, by my rough reckoning.
Enjoy
BorneToFlow.
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From Chapter 20- Undone
With a sudden flash of clear thought, Charles realises that he should offer Elsie his handkerchief to clean the residue of him from her skin, but his arms are uselessly limp and still trapped, and his top coat is crumpled up beneath him… and then he sees that Elsie has leant against his shirt anyway, and he giggles fiendishly at his efforts, forgetting that he would normally feel utterly ashamed.
"I think the valet service might have a time fixing up my livery in time for our dinner tomorrow, Love."
"Today, don't you mean, Charles? The hour is getting late. Anyway, I am sure they have fixed up worse messes in a hotel like this before. I know I have seen my share in the laundry at Downton."
Charles cannot help but look aghast at this revelation about her duties for the family over the years, but her smile is wicked and bright, and he cannot hold in his mirth about it all and starts grinning like a blissful fool once again.
"Oh, Elsie. My love." And he kisses her firmly on the lips, his hands now under enough of his command to be able to squeeze her about her lovely fleshy hips.
"Hmmm." She sighs her pleasure against his mouth, then asks seriously, "Mr Carson, do you think perchance you could finally take your wife to our conjugal bed?"
He looks pleased and comically bereft at the same time, for as he casts his eyes through the dressing room doorway to their room, and the luxurious bed beyond- it all seems an inordinately long way away.
"Oh, Els… Remind me of the etiquette- Would it be terribly undignified for a Butler if I were to just crawl there?"
She laughs heartily and tells him, "I am afraid it would be Mr Carson, for I'll not have any man o' mine feeling he needs to crawl his way into my arms of a night." And she kisses him firmly and lovingly on the lips before lifting his soiled shirt up over his head and tossing it aside. Then she shuffles back down his legs to take off his shiny black shoes and remove the rest of his rumpled clothes from around his ankles.
"Come on" she smiles brightly as she stands and offers him her supporting hand.
She is towering tall and gracefully, and so beautifully naked, above him and her supple warm flesh is beckoning him again. He reaches up to her, glad as he has ever been for her steady hand to hold.
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Chapter 21- The Air That I Breathe
The maids have turned down the bed in their suite, and Elsie supports her exhausted man back to it, where he falls ingloriously backwards across it, pulling her down on top of him with his momentum. Gleeful laughter overtakes them both again for a moment. Elsie's head is resting on his broad chest, and her hair is splayed out over him, fulfilling his long-held dream. One hand comes up to stroke its silkiness while his other languorously circles random patterns over her back and they sigh in mutual satisfaction. Elsie lifts her head and shuffles up to kiss him again on his tender and loving lips, and Charles finds himself ensconced in his other dream of having her veil him with her silken hair, making a private world of love and sensuality that houses them alone.
But soon certain needs overtake their blissful togetherness, and Elsie pushes herself up from him. Far too soon for his liking, and he looks confusedly at her.
"I'm sorry Charles, I will be right back, don't go anywhere."
"I couldn't possibly move, even if I were dumb enough to want to, my love."
"I know, but you should at least try to rest the right way around. Come on, why don't you lean up against the pillows. I am going to sort your clothes a bit for the valet in the morning. I will leave a note outside the door to inform the floor butler. And I could do with a glass of water. I will bring you one."
"Grmph", he moans in disappointment at losing contact with her, even for a short time, although the water will be most welcome, and the thought that Elsie will sort it so that his livery won't be too embarrassing to hand onto the staff does put his mind at ease. He relinquishes his grip on her and decides to lean up on his elbow to enjoy watching her lovely naked and full hips move in that special way as she crosses back over to her dressing room and bathroom beyond.
Elsie sees to cleaning up his suit a little, and herself, in the bathroom. She slips on a light cotton nightdress, as she is starting to feel the night chill a little. It is new but simple, and the embellishments around the neckline are a series of little blue cornflowers that she had carefully stitched herself. She smiles at how the action of sewing these each night in the lead up to their wedding had given her too much time to dwell on her fears for how she could possibly please Charles. But now she is in absolutely no doubt- tonight has been more wonderful than she could have ever hoped, not to mention ...different- and very surprising! Quite unforgettable, she muses to herself as she quickly works her hair into a braid again. She really does feel like a new and more confident woman, who now has a very passionate and attentive lover to share her life with. She feels giddy and happy about it all over again.
Before too long she returns to Charles with a glass of water, having already filled and drained it twice for herself. The dear man! He looks so disappointed that she has covered herself up- Bless him! Even though, from where she sees him, he is still in no fit state to do much about changing that fact. Besides which, Elsie suddenly feels ravenously hungry, for they last ate at around half past six that night, and they have been quite busy and active in the interim- to say the very least! She turns to the sideboard where a drinks tray and a fruit bowl is set and retrieves a small knife and a plate to peel and cut up some apples.
Charles catches the glint of the knife in her hand and blanches somewhat.
"Good God, woman! What have I done now?... Do you always bring sharp weapons to your bed?!"
Oh, he makes her laugh so!
"Oh Charles, you duffer, I am just very hungry. Aren't you? I know we are used to long hours at the Abbey, but today has been uncommonly late … and, shall we say… active, even for the likes of us" She grins at him wickedly. "Would you like some?"
"Oh you know I do" he growls low, placing the glass aside "…but only if you take that nightdress off again and come and sit here" and he pats the space he has made between his legs on the bed, as he leans up against a stack of fluffy pillows at the headboard.
She purposely ignores his suggestiveness, even though it pleases her no end. "But Charles, I am feeling the night air a bit."
"Well, I will just have to keep you warm, my dear. Come on, Love; I am not willing to give up these new pleasures quite so quickly." And he asks quietly, "Will you take it off…please?"
He feigns an overly forlorn look which makes her smile again. He really does know how to put on a show! she thinks. But she cannot deny that being able to sit so close to his warm bulk, touching his skin is a very inviting prospect. So she hands him the vittles she has collected and crosses her arms over her front to grip the fabric and pull the nightdress off over her head. She never realised that something so simple, something she has done every day of her life since she was young, could give such pleasure to him now- and at her age! He smiles and hums his appreciation as she unveils herself before him once more. Then she goes to sit between his splayed legs, pulling the covers up over them as she rests her back against his chest with a contented sigh. He draws his knees up to support her in place. It is all so new- being able to share these simple intimacies, and she wonders how she could have lived such a contented life before this point. And yet she has, she realises, even though it has been endless hours of hard work. She has always been happy at Downton. But now, life is just so much richer with Charles to share everything so closely with.
He hands the plate back to her and wraps his arms securely around her waist, stroking the sides of her tummy and hips with firm fingers, and resting his chin over her shoulder to giving her a brief kiss on her cheek. She leans more heavily into him, savouring the security and warmth of his soft belly and his large gentle hands and arms. Her very own cuddly bear- she has never had one- not even as a child. And thinking of this new gift makes her smile all over again.
"I don't think I have ever smiled so much in a single day, my love," she hums contentedly.
"Hmmm," he sighs his sleepy agreement, "I love to see you smile, it makes me feel so happy inside."
Elsie smiles for the love of him again and begins expertly peeling one of the apples into her hands. He watches her dexterous fingers with fascination and with delight in memory of how they have already brought him so much pleasure tonight. She manages to take the skin off in one long coil, dropping it to the plate.
"I'll eat that- I like the skin."
She hands the end of it up to his waiting mouth and he lazily starts chewing it in steady increments.
She cannot help from giggling again. "You sound like a noisy horse, Charles" she scoffs as he snuffles and crunches near her ear.
He makes an over the top show of crunching right near her ear, and the sound and his tickling breath makes her giggle again and shiver away from his head. He follows and places another kiss on her neck, right under the curve of her jaw, feeling it move steadily as she eats her own slice of apple.
"I like your skin too," he mumbles against her warmth.
"Mmm…me too," she moans her approval, for she does feel very comfortable in her own skin, and her response answers for her thoughts about his lovely skin. "Here- have another piece" she offers.
He releases a long, resigned sigh, nibbling the slice from her fingertips and talking around it, "Hmmph. If only, my love- yet, unfortunately, the spirit is indeed more than willing, but the flesh is weak."*
"I rather think you have misconstrued the biblical intent of that little passage, Charles!" she replies with mirth.
"Oh! Those are fine words indeed, coming from the temptress feeding me an apple in bed!"
"Oomph!" he groans in mock pain as sShe pushes her elbow sharply into his ribs and chuckles happily again.
She never thought she could share so much gentle humour with him. Another restriction of their lives in service seems to be slackening and dropping away. It is a lovely innocent pleasure to feel so relaxed in his company- finally.
"Well, anyway, I will be sure to send up a prayer of thanks for all of mankind the next time I am in church for the amazing foresight of that woman."
She snuffs out a small laugh "Oh Charles, you really are incorrigible."
"I certainly hope so, my dear, "
They continue in this way, Elsie feeding fine summer fruit up to her man, slowly making their way through two apples, nuzzling and sharing sweet kisses in between slices. Feeling fulfilled and dozy, Charles' fingertips continue lazily caressing over her sides and tummy. For Elsie, the warmth in her core that has never fully dissipated since they made it out of the dressing room to the bed is rekindling and sighs of more than just enjoyment over their shared meal reach Charles' love-fugged mind. He may not be in a fit state to take things further for himself, but he can surely see to it that his wife is ready to slip into the blissful slumber that his own body is fast headed towards.
Now finished with their repast, he takes the plate and knife from her hands and leans over sightly to place it on the bedside table, then he readjusts her body more closely up against his and starts to expand his slow exploration of her skin. She somehow makes him feel like he can do no wrong- even though everything he is doing tonight is a new experience for him. It is instinctive. Beyond conscious reasoning, and the only thing he is reading clearly are the sure signs that appear on her body before him. He follows them assiduously.
She is heavy and sleepy, and slack muscled beneath his wandering hands. But as he brushes lightly over her in sweeping motions she rises- with a certain inevitability, it seems- in slow rolling waves towards his touch. She is just so precious.
He sees her skin ripple down the lengths of her sides, following the paths of his fingers and she moans in that heavenly way she has. He could watch her like this all day and live ever after without any want for heaven again when he dies.
His hands begin to slowly circle and gently knead at her breasts as he leans over to suckle at one of those magical places on her neck. Her hips roll sinuously between his thighs as that deep groan he was searching for rises from her throat once more. As he plays with her hardened nipples, her breathing becomes heavier and shorter, and her hips roll more insistently upwards. He knows that she will not be long, so he ghosts one of his hands down her soft tummy, circling her navel lightly before dropping lower and brushing against her secret curls. She mewls softly and tries to angle to reach his hand, to have him where she needs him right now. He does not make her wait. His fingers trail through that soft hair and then briefly trace up and down where her legs meet her promised heat. Her head is lolling back against his shoulder, exposing more of her neck to his tongue's ministrations. She is breathing in shallow gasps through her open mouth as he keeps nuzzling and licking her neck. Her arm has snaked up to hold his head closer to her neck, and it makes her body stretch out long and taut and smooth. A harder tweak of the nipple still in his fingers makes her hips buck a little, and he boldly slides his gentle fingers into her valley to feel her wet warmth. Silk.
He slowly traces his middle finger up and down her outer folds, exploring softly all that delicate skin he had felt so lushly on his tongue earlier. It is still all a wondrous mystery to him. He finds that secret pearl that gives her so much pleasure, and he runs languorously around it, making her press her soft mound up firmly up into his open palm. So delightful. He concentrates his attentions on it as her groans increase slightly in volume, but they are still languid and slow. He feels her releasing slowly. More liquid warmth is flowing from her and his memory of its heady flavour- unlike anything he has ever known- makes him moan his approval at her pleasure against her neck. His sounds seem to feed her desire, and she rolls more insistently, arching delightfully into his hand as he traces lower and runs his gentle fingertip around her hot and pulsing opening. Slowly he slides a finger inside her as the base of his palm presses heavily down onto her mound. She rolls slightly and lets out a long sigh from her open lips by his ear, as her soft, undulating body seems to draw him further inside. So natural. So unforced. Such trust- letting him be within her. His heart is full. He brings his thumb over her swollen, quivering nub and he presses and makes gentle circles over it once more. She is surging in leisurely counterpoint to his slow rhythms now, looking for her own blissful frictions and he lets her find her way. She sighs high moans out over her breaths at every movement, drawing him into her pleasure, welcoming him into her body with so much of herself to give. He moves very slowly, but it does not take long. She rises- almost floating- towards her peak. He sees the blush of her gentle, rhythmic finish start to roll up her body like a languid sunrise over her whole skin as she shudders in long, gentle rills- a breeze dancing across the top of summer barley fields. So beautiful- so very beautiful. Calm, not frantic like before- wholly different but equally as entrancing. His wonder at her will never cease- that it could be so different for her this time. Finishing more like a lazy wave on the beach, at the end of a day- slowly groaning and sighing out the last heat of a searing bright day. She crests on a wave of pleasure that slowly rides taller as it comes into shore and then grows too heavy to hold its shape and it so it lollops over itself and is left spent upon the sand, before sliding away into blissful floating rest amongst the watery darkness of the night. His name- the last sigh of the day to leave her lips.
"Charles, a chagair...hmmm..."
"Sleep, silent angel, go to sleep," he whispers into her ear.
Charles kisses her one last time upon her temple, switches of the bed lamp, and slides them over onto their sides, his hand still resting protectively between her thighs and enveloping her in all his warmth as they fall into dreamless, sated sleep.
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* Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
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Lyrics-The Air That I Breathe- Albert Hammond- (1972)
If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound
Nothing to eat, no books to read
Making love with you
Has left me peaceful warm and tired
What more could I ask
There's nothing left to be desired
Peace came upon me, and it leaves me weak
Sleep, silent angel go to sleep
Sometimes all I need
Is the air that I breathe
And to love you
Sometimes all I need
Is the air that I breathe
And to love you
Sometimes all I need
Is the air that I breathe
And to love you