A/n: Thank you for all who have taken the time to review, it means a lot to me! SMUT warning...

Isobel, his darling Isobel, never one to shy away from taking command of a situation was becoming shy and inverted in intimacy. Richard wasn't about to let her become a passive player in this, if this was going to progress any further, he needed to know that she was all in.

He maintained eye contact but he lifted up his hands in the air and she instinctively grabbed the hem of his undershirt and lifted it over his head. Her eyes were immediately drawn to his chest and before she had time to think about it, she was running both her hands up his chest from his flat belly to his nipples., letting his chest hair run through her fingertips.

When her hands reached his shoulders he could no longer restrain himself and his lips found hers in an open mouth kiss. He wrapped his hands around her delicate waist as they both deepened the kiss. He then brought his hand to the back of her neck to support her as he passionately drove his tongue into her mouth. She groaned so loudly that he knew he had awoken the fervent women inside.

Isobel brought her hands to his wet hair and had a tight grip. It was as if she needed the support to keep from falling. They kissed passionately for a few more minutes before Richard moved his lips to her neck and found the place in the hollow of her neck that he always found so attractive. He grabbed the skin with his mouth and sucked hard on her neck. She let out a breathy "Oh Richard" in a soft moan in his ear.

He stepped back to look at her face and her eyes were wide and wanting. She looked as much affected by situation as he was. He was trying to find the courage to say "I love you" to her. Instead, he let his fingers talk for him. He traced her lips with his fingertips then he moved his fingertips to her chin, down her neck, and he then traced the hem line of her blouse.

Isobel responded by reaching between them and running her palm down the length of his arousal, making a clear statement that she wanted to take this further.

"Isobel…are you sure?" he softly asked. She continued to stroke him as she closed the distance between then saying "No, I'm not sure, but I am not turning back now"

It had been about two decades since Isobel had felt the pleasure of a man, she didn't realize how desperately she missed it. She didn't think she would ever be comfortable enough with another man the way she had been with Reginald but that wasn't the case with Richard. On top of being comfortable, she was surprised to realize that she wanted Richard desperately.

Richard grabbed her hand and led her to the small bed in the room. Before Isobel sat down on the bed, she reached behind her and undid the fastening of her skirt. Richard then assisted her with her top and she stood before him in a very thin slip.

She brought her hands to his trousers and helped him out of his remaining clothes. Isobel was overwhelmed with his physique. He was thin and fit and had an impressive arousal. She reached out to run her hands over his chest and around his back, pulling him to her.

As the space between them closed, Richard reached down and grabbed the hem of her slip. He slowly maneuvered her slip around her waist then Isobel raised her arms so he could take it over her head. They now stood completely naked before one another.

Richard backed her onto the bed and then he lay on his side to avoid crushing her under his weight. He wanted to ravish her from head to toe but he wasn't sure where to start so he let their lips find each other. The kiss was now nervous anticipation as they both had a few minutes to contemplate what was about to happen between them. It was a slow, tentative, gentle kiss.

Isobel could feel the butterflies start deep in her belly and then a tingling sensation spread throughout her pelvis area. She couldn't stop herself from pushing her hips into his arousal. Richard responded by deepened his kiss. He worked his hand from her neck to her shoulder, then down her side, and finally up to her right breast where he massaged it with his entire hand before pinching her nipple lightly between his fingers.

Isobel took a sharp intake of breathe and her hips reacted again, this time of their own volition. Richard propped himself on his elbows over her as he prepared to enter her but she put her hand on his chest saying "I haven't done this in about 20 years, so please go slow"

Richard nodded his head but couldn't find any words, being completely overcome with the vulnerability she was showing to him. It was a softer side that he rarely got to see. He would be as gentle as possible but since this was the furthest he had ever been with a woman, he didn't have any experience go on.

He brought his hand from her breast to her upper thighs and slowly found her opening with his fingers. As a doctor he had delivered many babies and was well acquainted with the female anatomy but this experience was completely different. She was warm and wet and waiting for him.

He penetrated her slowly and she gripped his back with her nails and he entered her completely. She lifted her hips off the bed to meet him and he couldn't control the moan that came out of his mouth. They seemed to be cognoscente of the fact that Mrs. Pegg was in the next room because they both fought hard to keep silent.

He slowly pulled in and out of her as they stared into each other's eyes. It was romantic and sensual as opposed to passionate and aggressive. When he pumped into her again Isobel instinctively closed her eyes and Richard brought his lips to his favorite spot on her neck. Without much forethought, he then brought his lips to her ear saying "I love you my darling Isobel"

Isobel's eyes shot open and she stared at the ceiling. She was thankful that Richard still had his face buried in her shoulder so that he couldn't see her reaction. She felt afraid suddenly.

The thought was quickly suppressed when Richard moved his mouth to her breast and her eyes instinctively closed again. His touches made her feel alive. He turned them to their sides and with his hand on her hips he flipped them so she was on top. He wasn't sure he could last much longer and he wanted her to control the momentum.

Her body took on a mind of its own. She grabbed the head board of the bed to keep from falling over. In all her years with Reginald, she rarely got the opportunity of being on top and it took her by surprise how quickly she came. She drove her mouth into his to keep from crying out. As she rode out her orgasm her flipped her on to her back and gave her two quick thrusts, quickly catching up with her as his organism caught the tail end of hers.

Their lips broke part, and then they took a few moments to catch their breath. He rolled on to his side to allow her some space and Isobel immediately sat up announcing "I'd better get back to Mrs. Pegg, before she comes in looking for me"

Richard spent about 10 minutes in the room by himself, walking around in pajama bottoms while he dried his clothing as best he could next to the fire. He needed to talk to Isobel, she dressed and left the room with no more than an "I see you soon."

When he finally got his still damp clothing on in a respectable fashion he walked through the door into Mrs. Pegg's living room. "Thank you very much for the pajamas" he said as he handed the folded pair back to Mrs. Pegg. "Where is Isobel?"

Mrs. Pegg looked up in surprise, "She left and said you needed her to get back to the hospital to check on a patient, did you not say that?"

Richard quickly covered his shock with "Oh, yes, I just didn't realize she left that quickly?" He thanked Mrs. Pegg a few more times, he had trouble recalling what he did or did not say to her, then he used Isobel's excuse of needing to get back to the hospital and he quickly found himself walking a quite a clip back to Downton village.

He didn't' see Isobel anywhere in his travels and he had a moment of indecision of where to go next. Finally he resolved on heading home to contemplate the very strange ending to his day.