So here's your treat to round off the weekend! This chapter is definitely rated M.

This has been my long weekend off, so I'm not sure how regular the updates will be one I go back to work. I am really enjoying writing the story, so I will keep working on it. I hope that you'll enjoy what's still to come. We're still only at the end of day 1 of their week away. As ever, all feedback gratefully received and deeply appreciated. Thanks everyone!

...

By the time John entered the bathroom in his robe, complete with towels, Anna was perched on the wooden chair beside the enormous copper bath, wrapped in her own robe, nibbling a slice of fruit cake. Her damp hair was piled up on her hair and tied loosely, some waves of it escaping down over her shoulders.

Mouth filled with cake, she pointed down to the floor, where two large mugs of tea and another slice of cake, along with some chocolate coated biscuits, waited.

The geysers were gushing into the bath, which was filling at an impressive rate.

John settled on the floor and helped himself to a biscuit.

"Do you think we can convince Lord Robert to get one of these for the attics, to save the maids hauling up buckets of water from the kitchen for their baths?"

"Mrs Patmore would have a fit."

"Oh I don't know, if it got people out of her kitchen, she might embrace it!"

"Mrs Patmore, embrace the future? Never. And I can't see Mr Carson approving."

"You never know," Anna brushed the crumbs off her lips and leaned forward to check the water temperature. As she did, her robe fell open slightly, allowing John a glimpse of a gently sloping breast.

Sweet heat seeped into his veins, his stomach churning with desire. Despite sharing their cottage for a while, he and Anna had never taken a bath together. For one thing, their old tin bath was too small and heating the water took an age, which rather stripped the romance out of the idea.

But here... with privacy, an enormous bath, time and hot water a plenty... John shivered with delight at the idea of what awaited him.

The bath was about two thirds full.

"Better stop there, or we'll flood the place!" Anna reached for the taps and turned to face John.

"So."

"So?"

"How do you want to do this?"

John wrestled with an idea. Prior to their conversation this afternoon, he would have suggested that she lay back against his chest, but that didn't seem like such a good idea any longer. The last thing he wanted was to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Perhaps, we should sit facing each other?"

Anna smiled at him, loving him all the more for his understanding.

"Let's give it a try. You get in first, so you don't slip trying to take the weight off your knee."

Settling back into the warm water, John relaxed and watched Anna disrobe, her back to him. He groaned inwardly as she reached up to unclasp her hair, the perfect line of her back and neck a beautiful sight to him. He longed to reach out and touch her, but knew that he mustn't. She turned to face him, her hair spilling over her shoulders.

"God you are so beautiful..."

Anna dimpled as his compliment.

John reached out a hand to steady her as she stepped into the water, looking like a Goddess from some ancient painting.

"Oooh, it's lovely. I've never had a bath so hot before."

As she settled in opposite him, with a little fidgeting, they managed to sit comfortably.

Anna sighed with relief.

John reached over the edge for his cup of tea.

"This has to be the height of luxury. Afternoon tea in the bath."

Anna giggled, snagging a biscuit.

"We must remember this for our days off."

"What a charming idea."

The chocolate biscuit melted in the steaming heat above the water. Anna crunched it up, licking the chocolate from her thumb.

"May I?"

Relieved of his tea cup and feeling wicked, John reached out for her hand, gently sucking the chocolate from her fingertips.

Anna's eyes widened.

John's blood stirred, the warm water and his wife's naked proximity, working a spell upon him.

"Why Mr Bates... "

"Yes dear?"

"I do believe you are hoping to get lucky in this bath?"

"Now wouldn't that be a new addition to the height of luxury?"

Anna giggled sweetly, gently splashing him with water.

Bates growled softly at her. "Now don't start that game, or we will flood Bill's bathroom..."

He splashed her in return, reaching over to tap her nose as she gave a happy shriek.

"John?"

"Yes dear?"

"I'm getting cramp in my legs. Could I turn around and lean against you?"

"Are you sure you will be alright?"

"Yes. Because it's my decision. Not a surprise."

Nodding, John understood a little more. A lot of Anna's issues came down to her control over the situation. It was all about choices.

Helping her to stand and turn around, he sat up, giving her more room. Slowly, she settled back against him, his arm around her waist, her head pillowed against his shoulder.

"Is that nice?"

"Mmmmm..."

He leaned around to kiss her cheek.

"You have gone pink in the face, darling."

"I wonder what could have caused that?" she teased, stroking a hand down his thigh. John gasped, the sensation of his wife's nimble fingers stroking against his leg in the hot water suddenly intensely erotic.

"Do YOU like that?"

"Oh yes... very much so..."

Snuggling back against him, Anna twisted to look up at him.

"You little minx..."

"Am I being wicked?"

"Oh yes..."

"Should I stop?"

"No..."

John was almost beyond words, as Anna's hand played up and down his leg, the sensation of her naked body moving against his was exquisite.

His own hand started to play around her waist. She gasped.

"Is that nice?"

"Yes..."

"Remember, if you want me to stop..."

"I know John. But I don't..."

Gently, John slid his hand down to tease against her thigh. Anna wriggled, burrowing back against him. As his fingers slid around to the delicate skin inside her legs she moaned softly.

"Is that alright?"

"Yes... it's... intense..."

"Should I stop?"

"No..."

Slowly, rippling the water to enhance the sensation, John played his fingertips up the inside of her leg, stroking, gently tickling. She giggled and gasped as he played against her. His other arm propped her up, under her arm, holding her safely in the water. She linked her fingers with hers.

"Oh John..."

His fingers brushed against the entrance to her sex. Already warm and swollen from the water, her folds admitted his touch easily, willingly.

Another soft moan felt from Anna's lips. Her head tipped back against his shoulder, pressing back against him, rubbing the whole of her body against him.

"Do you want more, my darling?"

"Yes... Oh God yes..."

Rather than sliding a finger further into her, John stroked a fingertip against the little bud of nerves just above the entrance to her sex. The effect upon Anna was spectacular.

"Oh... Oh John... what are you... oh..."

Stroking two fingers against her, one on either side, John found just the right rhythm as Anna strained back against him, her breath rising hotter which each groan. Her hand clutched at his thigh, kneading.

"Ah...!"

With a final gasp as John's fingertips squeezed gently at the core of her sex, Anna climaxed, her body stiffening back against him. John held her tight, willing his own blood to calm down, to stop racing with need of her. This was her turn. He could wait.

"Did you like that my darling?"

"You... you weren't even inside me... How did you...?"

"Shhhh... It's alright love."

Anna turned to face him. "That was amazing. I didn't know that it could feel like that, without you being inside me."

John smiled down at her.

"Neither did I, to be honest. But your reaction spoke for itself."

"Well... make sure you remember that one!"

John would. And did. This holiday had been exactly what they had needed, he thought. Perhaps this was what most couples found about each other when they had honeymoons. One night in a guest room at Downton Abbey had been lovely, but hadn't really given them much time to find out what each other liked in their intimacy together.

He was glad to know that he could bring Anna such pleasure and joy with such a delicate touch. Early on in their second courtship, Anna had shown a great distaste for sex. The act of having someone else become part of her was too invasive. Too intense to cope with. This had lead to a long wait before they were able to re-consummate their relationship.

If only he'd known there were other ways. But perhaps this would have been too intimate for her too. It didn't matter though. They had found each other now.

Anna shifted away. John groaned in protest.

"The water's beginning to cool. We'll be all wrinkly."

"Somehow, I don't care."

"You rest a bit longer then..." she climbed out gently, wrapping herself in a soft towel.

John gazed at her wistfully.

"You are you know..."

"Am what?"

"Beautiful."