Charles and Elsie walked across the bridge hand-in-hand. Besides the time they spent completely alone, this was the part of their honeymoon Elsie had looked forward to most. They were on their way to Westminster Abbey. She had seen it from the outside, but had never actually visited. She had memories, however, of walking across the lawn at Downton Abbey with Charles as he told her all about Westminster Abbey and the Lady Chapel. She had almost felt like she was there. She had hoped she might visit someday, but at the time didn't think it very likely. Elsie would have taken Charles's suggestion that she visit London with her sister given the chance, but she had a feeling it might have been too difficult to arrange; Thora would have had difficulty getting away from the farm and she probably wouldn't have been as interested in seeing London as Elsie was. Now, however, she was going to visit a centuries-old church with a man who knew a great deal about the place. Her grip on her husband's hand tightened as they approached and Charles smiled at the expression on her face.

"Excited, love?"

Elsie looked up at her husband. "Very," she told him. "My first visit to Westminster Abbey was lovely, but I suspect this time it will be even better."

Charles smiled fondly at his wife. "I think this will be my best visit yet. More beautiful than ever," he murmured.

Elsie didn't answer, only nudging him with her elbow and looking away from him. After years of being so close, but always separated by invisible barriers, they had admitted their mutual love barely two months ago and she hadn't yet gotten used to his compliments. They had been flirting since that day at the beach, but after their engagement, when Charles came right out and called her beautiful, Elsie was often flustered. She blushed and couldn't prevent what she considered a rather foolish grin from appearing on her face. This ruffled mood was in complete opposition to her usual imperturbable state so it surprised her that she liked the way it made her feel when Charles paid her these little compliments. That he loved her was marvelous; she had hoped for it for years. She had even allowed herself to think about how it might feel to be held in his arms, what it might be like to kiss him, but she had never imagined so many of the little things. The way his eyes twinkled with a touch of mischief when he told her that he loved her ankles. The fact that he could make her feel like a queen just by kissing her hand. How he had taken to greeting her in the kitchen every morning with a pat on the bottom and a kiss on the top of her head. Elsie couldn't have dreamed these things up, but they made life and love so much richer than she had thought possible. Though there had been dark moments of longing and loneliness, she had been happy at his side for so many years, even before she had begun crossing lines, but the happiness she knew now was different. She could feel it not only in her heart, but in her face and her fingers and toes, even in her ankles; she quietly overflowed with the joy of requited love.

They reached the entrance to the Abbey and went inside. "I was going to marry you here, love, but they were booked much too far in advance," Charles told her quietly. "I couldn't wait any longer."

Elsie didn't look at him, absorbed as she was in the sights around her, but she smiled. "You say the silliest, sweetest things, my man."

They walked together in silence after that. Charles had planned to tell her all about the history and various features of the building as they walked around, but there was something sacred about this time and this place that kept him from speaking. He spent about half of the time taking in his surroundings and half of the time watching Elsie's face as she saw everything for the first time. The experience was something akin to watching her sleep; there was a certain peace about her face as she looked with wonder all around her, her lips parted slightly and her eyes wide open, trying not to miss anything. She was almost painfully beautiful. Charles felt a little breathless just looking at her.

He didn't notice how far they had gone until Elsie suddenly stopped walking. "That's it, isn't it, Charles?" she asked him softly. "The Lady Chapel?"

"Henry VII's Lady Chapel," he confirmed. "What do you think Elsie?"

She moved again, entering the Chapel. "It's astonishing," she murmured. "Just exquisite."

They stood together in silence, her hand in his, enjoying the beauty of architectural features whose names Charles knew but which he could not call to mind at the moment. It had taken men of learning and intelligence and determination to create this place, but one did not need to understand its design and construction to appreciate its delicate grace. Other visitors passed them by for a while, but eventually they made their way around the rest of the Abbey and departed quietly.

#####

"So, did you like it, Elsie?" Charles asked as they were crossing the bridge a few minutes later.

"I loved it, Charles," she replied. "It was delightful, stunning, amazing, marvelous, wonderful, and so many other things."

Charles was very pleased that she was so enthusiastic about one of his favorite places. "I'm glad." He paused for a moment. "I… have a present for you which perhaps I ought to have given you before."

Elsie raised her eyebrows in question.

He reached into his coat, pulled a small booklet from an inside pocket, and handed it to her. She glanced at the front and then flipped through it quickly. "It's about Westminster Abbey," she observed. "When did you get this?"

"I searched it out when I returned to London after our first visit to Westminster Abbey," he admitted. "I meant to give it to you when you planned a trip to London, whether with your sister or someone else."

Elsie smiled. "What a thoughtful gift, Charles. I shall treasure it always."

"I meant to read to you from it today as we walked around the church, but the silence seemed too precious to be broken."

She nodded. "Yes, it was. I don't think I've felt anything like that before."

"It's a sacred place. I suppose it makes sense that there might sometimes be an unexplained presence that can't really be described."

Elsie nodded again and was silent. After they had walked for a few minutes more, it began to rain lightly. Charles took the book from Elsie and tucked it back into his pocket to protect it from the weather. They picked up their pace, hoping to avoid getting too terribly wet. When the rain grew heavier, Charles decided they had better take a cab back to the hotel, since they had no umbrella. However, by the time he had gotten one to stop for them, they were both thoroughly soaked. It wasn't far to their hotel, but Charles noticed that Elsie was shivering, so he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his side.

Elsie sighed happily at the comfort of having a warm husband to be nestled up against as they rode through London. When they arrived, Charles paid the driver and they ran from the cab to the door of the hotel lobby, although they could hardly get any more soaked than they already were.

To be continued...

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