Oops, I almost forgot this chapter is rated M. Long live Andith! Downton, unfortunately, belongs to Julian Fellowes, not me.

Now, that everyone had left, the demons Edith had successfully battled in the days prior to the ceremony, came roaring back with a vengeance. It had been easy to keep the doubts at bay, and to feel confident and secure in her decision to marry Anthony while busy dealing with Michael, her father's disapproval, and last minute details of the wedding but now that the deed was done, so to speak, suddenly, the young woman was filled with uncertainty. Anthony ever in tune with Edith's emotions, noted that his wife, god it felt so right to refer to her in that manner, had become rather quiet and, in her family's absence, seemed a bit anxious.

As he took in her countenance, the baronet noticed Edith looked drawn, completely spent, as if she were carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. "You must be exhausted, my sweet, I feel quite done in myself, perhaps we should call it a night and retire" he suggested.

Anyone else would probably not have noticed the slight flinch or the look of uneasiness that flashed ever so briefly across his new bride's face, but Anthony had and he was pretty certain as to the cause of the young woman's discomfort.

"Edith, I'm not suggesting anything other than simply resting" he began cautiously. "Ours is not a traditional arrangement and as such, there are no expectations for tonight. You, my dear will determine the physical and emotional boundaries of this marriage. Please, don't feel as if you are in any way obligated to me. Physically or otherwise. It's perfectly fine..." the older gentleman paused, fighting to bring his emotions in check, "if you'd feel more comfortable continuing to sleep downstairs" he lied.

The strawberry blonde, who'd simply stared at the rug throughout the one-sided conversation, giving Anthony the impression she'd not heard a single word he'd spoken, glanced up timidly, "Oh, would you rather I stayed down here?" she asked.

"Of course not" he answered sharply, immediately regretting his tone. Not wanting to cause the young woman any further distress, he continued softly, "I love you, Edith. Please, won't you, tell me what's troubling you. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of us being intimate, don't be, I'll gladly wait until you're..."

"No, it isn't that. Aren't you..."

"Aren't I what?"

"Aren't you the least bit bitter or upset to be bound to a wife who's carrying another man's child? At the very least, you must be disappointed. I'm disappointed in myself" she admitted, sighing heavily, "how on earth can you find me desirable or even think of touching me? I feel so" she paused, searching for the words to express her dismay, "awkward and unworthy."

The tall blond, gazing tenderly at his wife, reached out to stroke her cheek, "I've no right or reason to be upset at something that occurred before we met. No one's perfect, my dear and although it's not something we can ignore or pretend never happened, surely you can agree, our time will be better spent focusing on what's to come rather than on what's past. Have I made you happy?"

"Yes" the redhead murmured, "happier than I've ever been."

"As you have made me. We only need focus on that happiness and the arrival of this child. At the moment, I find nothing else concerns me. Now, shall we go up?" he asked, turning towards the stairs.

"No, not yet!" Edith clutched at the baronet's arm, "How...how can you not... resent this child? He or she will always be a reminder of... my indiscretion. You must feel some animosity towards him or her? If not now, surely in the future."

Of all the responses Edith might have expected from Anthony, laughter had not been among them and she stared at him dumbfounded.

"I don't mean to seem insensitive sweetheart, it's just, well, that seems to be the question of the day."

"I don't understand" the strawberry blonde's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Earlier, you asked how I'd managed to convince your father to accept our marriage. Well, he also had concerns has to the treatment this child would receive at my hand. And, as with him, since I'm not often very good at expressing my feelings with words, l think it best to show you."

Taking his wife by the hand, Anthony led her upstairs, stopping just outside his bedroom door.

Feeling Edith tense up, he gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze has he bent to kiss her temple, "Now, if you recall, your father and I mentioned in passing, a wedding present just prior to the ceremony?"

Edith nodded.

"A lot of thought went into that particular gift. I wanted it to be meaningful, a sort of testimony to my commitment to you. An equal amount of time was spent trying to determine when it would be best to reveal that gift. I had actually planned to wait a bit, but now, it seems the simplest way for you understand that I wholeheartedly accept this child is to see for yourself. Tonight."

The young woman tried to speak, but the baronet held up a hand, "If not for this baby, Edith, we might never have found each other. Therefore, I could never harbor any feelings except eternal gratitude towards him or her. And, I solemnly promise to love this child as though it were my own flesh and blood."

Having said his piece, the older gentleman, placing a hand at the small of her back, led Edith towards the doors which separated the master from the nursery. Placing a hand on the doorknob, he took a deep breath and flung the door open, gesturing for the young woman to enter.

A hesitant Edith looked from Anthony to the room and back to Anthony, who nodded encouragingly towards the young woman. Stepping gingerly inside, the redhead gasped delightedly, "A nursery! Oh my goodness, Anthony, this is...I'm...speechless...how did you...when did...I don't know what to say."

"Do you like it?"

"Like it? I ADORE it! It's such a lovely gesture" she sighed, snuggling her face against a stuffed bear. Crossing the room, Edith ran her fingers gently along the edge of the antique crib, "where on earth did you find this?"

"Stored away in the attic. At least five generations of Strallan children have used that particular crib." The older gentleman grinned delightedly, "I was beginning to think I would be the last."

A beaming Edith suddenly sobered, "But... this baby isn't... a Strallan" her voice faltered.

Moving to stand in front of her, Anthony tilted the strawberry blonde's chin upward, his soulful blue eyes staring intently into Edith's brown ones, "As far as I'm concerned, it is." he whispered, before leaning down, to place what was intended to be an innocent kiss to her cheek. Instead, Edith, turning her head slightly to the right, deliberately brushed her lips against his, eliciting a low growl from the baronet.

After allowing himself a few moments to bask in the sweetness of her kiss, Anthony pulled back, albeit reluctantly, "Edith, please don't feel as if you have a duty..."

"Shhh" the young woman interrupted, bringing a hand up and pressing a warm finger to his lips, "I can assure you, Anthony, this has nothing to do with duty and everything to do with desire." Her lips grazed lightly against his earlobe, "I've wanted you since that night you kissed me in the library at Downton."

At his wife's admission, the tall blonde felt a sudden surge of heat in his loins, "are you sure?" he asked breathlessly, his pulse racing as the memory of their kiss replayed in his mind.

"I love you, Anthony and I want to be with you" Edith pleaded, not caring that her voice betrayed the urgency of her need, "please, make love to your wife." And, then before her courage failed her, she glanced into his eyes, "I want you" she confessed, her voice thick with emotion, "all of you."

Withering under the intensity of the baronet's unyielding gaze, Edith felt her confidence falter, "I know I'm rather plain and unattractive..."

"To me, you are perfect" Anthony declared, scooping her up and carrying her to back into the master suite. Setting her down at the edge of the bed, he slowly undid her dress, slipping it from her shoulders, before gently coaxing her back onto the covers and stretching out beside her, "and, before this night is over, my sweet, I'll prove it' he muttered, kissing her throat as his hands moved to undo the clasp of her bra.

After kissing and cuddling for what Edith deemed far too long, the strawberry blonde, growing ever impatient, slid her hands around Anthony's broad shoulders, pulling his body flush against her and causing the baronet to groan at the rush of pleasure he felt as his bare skin pressed against her warm body. Trailing his lips down the slope of her breast, he briefly flicked his tongue across her delectable rosebud pebble before fully latching onto her nipple, causing Edith to rock against him has she cried out from the spike of pleasure that flared between her hips. Smiling, Anthony continued trailing kisses down the length of her stomach, until he brushed against the thatch of coppery curls between her thighs, her warm, sweet, musky scent making him painfully erect as she whimpered and gasped, quickly finding her release under the teasing strokes of his tongue. Working his way back up, the tall blonde eventually positioned himself at her core and Edith, unable to wait any longer, reached down, guiding him to where she so desperately needed him to be. Entering her, Anthony, fought to keep his control, stifling a groan against the hollow of her throat. Dear god, she was warm and wet, maddeningly so and when she pushed against him, waves of heat seared through his body and he rocked forward, pushing deeper and deeper with each thrust until, together, they found a blissful rhythm. Anthony, sensing he was near completion, brushed a thumb across Edith's nipple, thrusting harder and deeper as his wife ground against him. Gasping out his name as she came, the young woman shuddered beneath him, pulse after pulse of pleasure coursing through her body. A few strokes more and Anthony found his own ecstasy, clutching his wife to him as his release rocketed through his spent body.

Exhausted and blissfully happy, the couple, dreaming of the wonderful promise the future held, drifted contentedly to sleep.

I'm thinking one more chapter and that will be the end. As always, thanks for taking time to read and review! I appreciate each of you more than you can know!