Anna's POV
Walking through a park nearby the Ripon registry office, I can not help smiling as I look down at my gleaming gold wedding band, on the hand that is gripping on the arm of my husband. My husband. I can't resist looking up at him, a contented look on his face as he guides me through the park. Turning to face me, he allows his mouth to crease into a smile and puts his other hand over the one that is resting on his arm.
'Shall we sit for a while?' he asks. Knowing him as well as I do, I know he wishes to rest his leg. Nodding in agreement, we stop at the next bench and he helps me to sit down before sitting beside me. There are a million things I want to say to him. Where do I start? There are no words that do justice to how I am feeling right now. Thankfully, he breaks the silence between us.
'So, Mrs Bates.' he says with a perfect tone to his voice resulting in another smile on my face. 'How much do you love me from saving you from a spinster's life?' Our eyes meet then and we both descend into laughter.
'Mr Bates, just because I am now your wife, doesn't mean you stop treating me with the respect you have done up until now.' I playfully scold him.
'I'll always have the utmost respect for you my darling.' he replies. 'Besides, you saved me from a grumpy, lonely life so I think I got the better end of the agreement here.'
I am loving the playful element to our conversation. It's a side of himself he rarely shows. Wanting it to continue, I venture on with the teasing.
'So I should think. I could have chosen Moseley. He does have a more cheerful book collection, after all.'
'And what's wrong with my book collection?' he replies in mock protest.
'We could discuss that my love, but I fear we have to catch the bus back to Downton soon.' Amused once more, he reaches down beside me and soon my fingers are entwined with his. Watching him, I decide there is nothing more perfect than the way that his eyes dance when he laughs. Slowly, the amused expression on his face turns more reflective as he turns to look at me.
'I do love you. You know that, don't you.'
'Yes. And I love you too.'
It dawns on me that we have never actually professed our love to each other in this candid way before. He has told me, and I have told him, but the way in which we just exchanged the words has never been so assured.
'I just wish we didn't have to go back and pretend nothing has happened between us.' he sighs, looking ahead into the distance. Reading between the lines, I register his hidden meaning. He is talking about tonight. How we will say our goodnights to each other then retire to our respective rooms. At opposite ends of the servants quarters. How was that right? I knew nothing would ever be right again until we could live the way married people were meant to.
'I know, but that's unfortunately how it's got to be.' That's all I have in reply. I can tell he's disappointed. ' I'm just sorry I can't be a proper wife to you.'
'How do you mean?'
'Well, I may not be a woman of the world but I know what is meant to happen on a wedding night. What a husband expects from his wife.' This seems to provoke a reaction from him.
'My darling, I did not marry you for that.' he begins. 'And I don't expect anything from you. You have already done me the greatest honour in becoming my wife.'
'Oh,' I reply, somewhat dejected. Did he not want anything to happen between us tonight?
He must have sensed the disappointment in my voice. 'But that doesn't mean I am not one day looking forward to waking up next to you.'
I look up at him, the sincerity on his face and the beautiful thing he has just said is overwhelming but I overcome it enough to say this in reply. 'I should hope so too John. I'm done with waiting. The sooner we can live in the way in which we both want, the better.'
'And to that end.' As he says this, I feel his arm move around my shoulders. Moving closer to him is instinctual. Here we are, sitting in a public park, his arm around me and it feels wonderful. Resting my head on his shoulder, I can't remember a time when I have felt happier.