Hello dears!
So I decided to take a different route. Everyone always has Elsie as the strong independent one, but in this story she isn't and Charles is... so yeah. But anyway, happy reading and I hope you enjoy it! Thank you all for reviewing also! It means so much to have your support!

The day had been slow going. They had only seen each other at meals and then she could barely bring herself to look at him, afraid she would find something unbearable. His pity, his regret of what they did. Of him taking her to bed.

The evening had gone by fairly quick. Now she was standing in the room. Their room. Waiting. What was it that needed to be said?

-—-—-

He tried to hurry through his evening chores. He knew Elsie would be waiting for him. Today had been hard, especially leaving Elsie alone after her confession about her scars. He had wanted to get on a train and go beat her parents to death for most of the day.

He made his way to the York Room. He tapped lightly on the door and he entered at her soft come in.

He took in the sight of her, clad in only her shift. And all thoughts of talk went out of his brain. He went to her then and pulled her up and flush against him. She looked at him with slight surprise, but found herself oddly empowered by the look of desire in his brown eyes. Soon they were caught up in a lustful kiss. She pushed at his jacket and had him out of his shirt quickly. He started to gather the material of her shift in his hands lifting it over her head only breaking the kiss for a single moment. She pushed him onto the bed and he only then realized his pants had been shucked, as well as his undergarments.

She untied the ribbon that held her knickers up and let them fall. He let out a groan, and reached for her pulling her under him. He ran a finger through her folds to find her more than ready for him. He took a steady breath, kissed her and plunged into her warmth. She was surprised when she felt no pain. Only and exquisite stretching to accommodate him. He began to move, and as if they were a separate being, her hips moved to meet his, thrust for thrust. She let out a small moan and the chanted his name like a mantra. She felt the coil of desire tighten, only to burst seconds later. She came undone and held tightly to him because he was the only thing to anchor her to the earth.

As he felt her tightening rhythmically against him, he pulled out and let go with a deep moan of her name. He held himself over her and kissed her gently as he reached over to grab the kerchief that was in the bedside table. He wiped his seed from her belly like the night before and then settled beside her. He pulled her gently to his side until she had laid her head on his chest.

As they laid there in silence, he remembered that they had meant to chat tonight.

"Elsie, are you still awake?"

"Yes, Charles, I'm still quite awake." She responded quietly.

"Elsie, this, what we have done...it isn't bad, maybe bad in that we aren't married. But Elsie, this doesn't make you a bad or evil person. I don't think there has ever been a better person in my life than you. You are so special. And those scars, they make you even more beautiful..." He trailed off as she pulled away and sat up clutching the sheet to her body.

"Charles, please. You wouldn't understand. My scars are to remind me that I was a mistake, that I was an evil being. I know what I am. My parents reminded me enough. I grew up thinking that, if you didn't marry, you were to never know pleasures of the flesh, and now that I know them, have known them twice, I will forever be damned to hell." Tears ran down her cheeks as she hung her head in shame.

He sat up against the headboard and gathered her into his arms. "Elsie, the consummating love, well there is nothing wrong with it. Elsie, I love you, I love you for everything you have been through. You are so strong all the time, and I'm not sure a lesser woman could do what you do constantly. But you have to let people in. Let me in to that guarded heart of yours. Let me love you."

He tightened his hold as she sobbed harder into his chest.

"I don't know how! I don't know how to let you in, I don't know how to let myself love you. I want to, I do, but every time I let someone love me it has been all for naught. Heartbreak, well it was always bound to happen." She finished weakly.

"I promise you. I'll always be here. By your side. Teaching you how to love, teaching you that it is okay to not guard yourself all the time. Elsie, emotions, all of them are okay. You are allowed to be angry and hurt at your parents. But you need to let yourself be loved, you need to love yourself." He kissed her forehead and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"I can't love myself. I don't know how..." She said quietly. She looked like a little girl. A little girl who had fallen and scraped her knee, but it would take more than a kiss to fix it, her. But Charles was determined to fix her. That's what you do for the people you love, you help put them back together.

I hope you liked it! let me know your comments, concerns, just what you think!
Much love-Samantha :)