Chapter 3

Sir Anthony was making a very determined assault on her neck as they sat on a blanket under a beech tree. The two of them had left Downton on a mission to observer Anthony's bullocks, and after a cursory glance at two very magnificent specimens of highland cattle ("I really did see some bullocks, didn't I?"), the two of them had moved away from prying eyes to a blanket under the tree.

Before assaulting her jawline, he had taken her breath away with a very passionate kiss, made even better since she had been able to savor the feel of his lips on hers without the frantic acrobatics that had accompanied their previous encounter.

He really is quite good at this, Edith mused as Sir Anthony moved from her swollen lips to her jawline, one hand at her waist, the other curled in the hair at the back of her neck.

"Oh, Sir Anthony," Edith moaned as his tongue traced the contours oh her neck. "I'm beginning to feel quite wanton!"

Sir Anthony was also beginning to feel quite wanton, Gawd, quite the little minx aren't you, and was beginning to ponder whether he was going to go to the trouble to get her out of her corset, when Edith stopped him in his tracks.

"Talk dirty to me," she purred in his ear.

Sir Anthony froze, one hand halfway from her waist to her breast, lips at the little hollow at the base of her throat.

"What did you say?" His voice was equal parts disbelief and downright terror.

"I said, talk dirty to me." She brought his hand to her breast and arched into him.

His hand closed around her breast, and he attempted to distract her by leaning in to kiss her again. She placed her hand to his lips, surprised by the look of terror in his eyes.

"You didn't seem to have any trouble last night," Edith began, "in the barn. Remember?"

Oh yes, Sir Anthony remembered all right. Never had he spent a more enjoyable time in one of his outbuildings, but he hadn't actually spoken much during the act.

"But, that was different," he pleaded, "not quite the same at all! It was dark, and ah, you were, ahem, so a…(violent) active. Besides, it's not at all done for a gentleman to speak to a lady that way!" There, that should satisfy her, except…

She snorted in a most unladylike manner. "I'm not sure your motives or actions last night were that of a gentleman!" She stoked his face. "I so enjoyed talking about your harvester, that I thought we might, well, continue."

Relief flooded Sir Anthony, as he believed that he grasped her meaning. "Ah, yes, well," her hand was moving lower, closing on the aforementioned harvester, "I believe I, ah…"

"I'm sure you're up to the task," she cooed as she ran her fingers over the fabric of his trousers."

Anthony was definitely getting up to something, and realizing he was going to have to indulge Edith if he wished to continue, he gracefully admitted defeat.

"Very well," he sighed, I shall endeavor to perform to your expectations."

"Oh, I have no doubt about your ability to perform." Edith pulled his face closer and kissed him fully, deeply. Then, pushing him away, she said, "Go on then."

Anthony began to fumble with the buttons of her blouse, hands brushing her breasts, and as he pushed the fabric aside, he was pleasantly surprised to find her breasts encased by one of the new-style brassieres.

"Oh, Lady Edith!" He remarked as his hands cupped the fabric, thumb skimming over her nipples. "Your corset is gone!" He moved his head down so he could nuzzle the fabric.

"I thought you might like this a bit better," she responded, hands on his shoulders. "Talk to me, Anthony," she moaned as he nipped gently at a protruding nipple.

At once, Anthony felt the terror return, as he struggled to find the words to describe what he was seeing. "Your, ah, breasts, are like…" here he paused. Mounds of dough? Unbidden, images of the Mrs. Patmore filled his head. No, that would not do at all. Ripe apples? Frantically he searched for just the right words to describe her form. "The Himalayas!" He shouted against her. Edith stifled a giggle.

"The Himalayas?" she asked, helping him to undo the eyelets.

"Yes, the Himalayas," he gasped as her breasts came free. He pushed her back onto the blanket and peppered her with kisses. "The Himalayas, tall and strong, and rising proudly from the Indian plains." He kissed the underside of each breast, tongue tracing lazy circles on her skin. "Their majestic peaks waiting to be conquered," he began kissing up and down the sides of her right peak as his hand cupped the left, "and I am an intrepid explorer," this wasn't so bad, I can do this, "making my way to the summit!" He sucked one hard nipple into his mouth as Edith squirmed under him. "An intrepid explorer, braving the heights to reach heaven!" He moved to the other nipple. Edith, while thinking that this was not at all what she had in mind, found that she didn't care. His mouth and hands were working wonders on her mountains, but it was another part of her that craved contact.

"But aren't the Himalayas cold?" she gasped. "Wouldn't my intrepid explorer rather go somewhere, ah, warmer? Further south?"

Further south? What was south of the HImalayas? He nuzzled the space between her breasts to give himself time to think. Frantically recalling his geography, he ruled out India. Reminding her of Disraeli didn't seem at all erotic. He moved farther west. Persia? Turkey? No, they were all rocks and sand and scorpions. "Africa!" he cried triumphantly (was that a giggle?) as he moved down the Indian plains towards the African bush.

"Africa?"

"Africa," he said in between kisses. His tongue swirled her belly button before encountering the waistband of her skirt. He reached his hands behind her to attempt to undo the fastenings at her waist, but found himself thwarted, "damned border," he mumbled as he grasped the hem of her skirt and thrust it up to her thighs. Her beautiful legs were sheathed in creamy stockings held by garters which he swiftly moved to undo. "Your thighs are like the Nile." He nuzzled the inside of each, kissing the flawless skin. "So long and pristine." He slowly began to kiss his way up the Nile, as Edith moaned softly, hands tangled in his hair.

"But Egypt is so dry," she gasped, hips inching towards his mouth.

"Not at all, my sweet one. There are hidden oases of delights all over the continent." His mouth reached the silk of her bloomers and he reached up to slide them off her. "Yes, an oasis of delight." He kissed her oasis, before parting her and tasting the sweet nectar at her core. Edith gasped as his tongue found her delights, hands in his hair crushing him to her.

"Africa is full of surprises," he murmured, "one never knows quite what one will find. Diamonds for instance…" he nudged her open, "Diamond mining is particularly lucrative in Africa…" and latched onto her diamond. By this time, Edith was writhing beneath him. "Oh yes, Africa can be a violent place." He clamped his arm over her to keep her still.

"Anthony," Edith gasped.

"Yes, my dear?"

"You can stop talking now. I need you to focus on your mining."

Anthony looked up at her and grinned mischievously. "Oh no, I made a promise I intend to keep." He moved his mouth back to her core, mining her extensively for a few moments. "Now, what was I saying?" Edith whimpered as he stopped again. He replaced his mouth with his fingers, "Oh, yes, such a violent place is Africa." His fingers threatened to send her over the edge, when suddenly, inexplicably, he stopped.

"No!" Edith cried. "Why did you stop?" She opened her eyes and looked down at him.

"Ambush," he told her gravely.

"Ambush?" In her fog of desire she wasn't certain she had heard him clearly.

"Ambush." With a gleam in his eye, he pushed himself up and undid the fastenings of his trousers. "I shall have to use my spear to protect your diamond." He yanked his trousers down exposing the length of his spear.

"Oh, Anthony, your spear is, ah,…" frantically she struggled for the words to describe him (turned the tables on you, didn't I?). "It's, well, it's quite long and thick, isn't it?"

He took his spear in hand and moved towards her. "Oh, yes, my darling girl, quite long and thick. And very hard." He thrust into her in one motion, burying it to the hilt. "It's made specifically to do battle for you," he brought his mouth down on her, hands on her peaks as his spear continued its thrusting.

"Edith," he gasped as he felt her tighten around him, "I fear I'm going to lose this battle."

"Try to carry on for just a little bit longer! It will all be over soon!" She wrapped her legs around him.

"Edith, oh Edith! I feel death approaching! I…" he gasped and thrust his spear more quickly, "I'm going to die!"

"Oh, Anthony, I am, too!" She shuddered against him as he felt him release inside her.

Breathing hard, Anthony collapsed on top of her. Edith, regaining her senses, stroked his back gently. "My darling, that was wonderful."

Anthony rolled onto his back amidst their tangle of clothing and drew her with him. "I had no idea. I must admit," he said once he regained his breath, "that talking dirty could be so," he paused, "fulfilling."

"Neither did I." She leaned up to kiss him. "But I do now understand the term, La Petit Mort, a bit better!"

"Ah yes, the little death." He gathered her into his arms. "It certainly was well illustrated today!"

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Later that evening…

"How did you enjoy your day?" Lady Grantham asked Edith over dinner. "Did you get to see Sir Anthony's bullocks?"

Edith, blushing, glanced over at Sir Anthony. "Yes, I did, but we actually spent the day discussing mountain climbing, geography, and African diamond mining." From the corner of her eye, she saw Mary roll her eyes.

"Diamond mining?" interrupted Lord Grantham. "Do you have experience with African diamond mines, Sir Anthony?"

Anthony, coughed slightly, "Ah, yes, Lord Grantham, I have had the opportunity to delve into one or two of them."

"Really? It must be a dangerous undertaking."

"Oh, not so dangerous as scaling the Himalayas," Anthony replied, "But Africa is full of hidden dangers, as well as oases of delight."

"Sir Anthony is a man of many hidden talents," Edith remarked, looking pointedly at Mary.

"Undoubtedly," Mary said, rolling her eyes again. "I'm sure you find all that very interesting."

"Oh, I do," Edith replied, smiling smugly, "I most certainly do."