A/N: First off: Thank you so very much, Batwings79, for giving this fic the once over! I really appreciate it!
So, this is deep within the realms of M-ness. I thought it was time for Charles and Elsie to finally have some uninterrupted 'grown up time'.

As always: reviews are very much appreciated!

Sometimes she doesn't believe her good fortune. That his lordship and his wife have gone to London to visit Lady Mary and Mister Crawley who are in London for the season. That they have taken Miss O'Brien and Mr Bates. That the Dowager Countess' butler has asked for Anna's help and the other maids have gone with her, all to give the dower house a good going over. Thomas and the footmen decided to go into the village, seeing the fair being set up.

There was no-one in the house. There were no duties to see to, no tasks to perform. The weather was glorious: the sun kisses the treetops and filters through the dusty windows of the attic room. Elsie folded the last of the dust sheets and put them in the trunk and took her time going downstairs. She could hear Charles humming in the library. For a moment or two she pretended Downton Abbey was her house, where she was mistress and Charles was in his own library, not his employer's.

She stood still when he came out of the library, holding a small book. Poetry, she thought. For a strict, tall, confident butler, he was quite the romantic. Sometimes at night, when they shared the leftover wine and kisses on the settee, he would recite Shakespeare's sonnets to her. She knew it was his way of telling her he loved her and she loved him for how he let her know. She loved him too. She hoped he knew from her looks at him, the sway of her hips as she ascended the stairs. From her kisses and the way she said his name. Her mind wandered to what happened the other day, before Charlie had interrupted.

His hands on her skin had felt so right. His lips kissing hers, his desire grinding against her own. Ever since, she had day dreamt of what would happen if there were together alone. How he might kiss her again, how his hands would travel down her back to caress her bottom. How he would lift her skirt and undo the ties of her knickers and how she would undo his tie, unbutton his waistcoat and shirt. How she would pull his trousers down and how she would sink her fingers in the soft flesh of his lower back.

She held onto the railing and smiled back as he looked up to see her standing there. He lowered his hand, holding the book and without speaking he joined her on the stairs. She turned to him and laid her arms around his neck as he lowered his face to kiss her. His kisses were hot and hungry and Elsie couldn't help but moan as he dropped the book and put his hand on her breast.

With the family out and the hot weather, she had chosen to wear a loose dress that didn't require a corset, making her feel cooler and free and having his touch so directly on such a sensitive area, made her knees buckle. Charles steadied her, his arm around her waist. Their tongues dueled and she stroked his cheek, the soft skin of his neck and then took off his tie and started on the buttons. His fingers softly pinched her nipple and she felt a burst of desire run down her core.

His lips trailed from her own lips down her jaw to suck and nip at her neck and collarbone. She could feel the skin of his chest, the curls there tickled her palm. His undershirt was warm and she pulled it from the waistband of his trousers. "Come..." she breathed in his ear and took his hand in hers, taking him up the stairs with her.

"Where..." he asked. His question resounded in her head. She knew she would never make it to the servants' rooms in the attic.

"Blue room..." The room was hardly used since Mr Pamuk had been found dead in there.

They kissed and groped at each other, stumbling down the corridor. He reached for the doorhandle and pushed the door open. The door closed with a heavy thud as he kicked it shut behind them. Elsie pulled at the sleeves of his jacket and shirt, undressing him effectively. His hands worked at the hooks at the back of her dress and he took the pins from her hair, making it fall down her shoulders and back.

More kissing as he removed his shoes and vest. Elsie made short work of her dress and kicked off her shoes. She took a moment to look at him and he stared back at her. They were breathing heavily and she reached out to touch him. He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his chest, where she could feel his heart beat. She glimpsed a smile at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked. Ever the gentleman.

"Yes." She answered. She had never been more sure of anything in her life.

They closed the distance and fell on the bed. She helped him with his trousers, he slowly, agonizingly slowly, took off her stockings, placing kisses along her thigh, her knee, her shin. Her shift was in the way and she took it off, revealing her naked torso to him. Charles licked at her breasts and stroked her chest first, then her abdomen. He sat up and kneeled before her, pulling off her knickers carefully. He took off his own shorts and she gasped at the sight of his nakedness.

He softly rubbed the skin of her thighs, higher and higher, reaching the triangle of moist curls. Elsie bit her bottom lip, a bit apprehensive to what was happening, until his hand cupped her and his fingers caressed her folds and she bucked her hips, uttering a soft cry. He looked up at her, checking if she was alright. She nodded, moistening her lips, reaching out to him. He hovered over her and leaning on his underarms, he pressed his chest against hers.

Feeling his weight on top of her felt wonderful. Safe and right and she opened her legs, pushing her core against him, coaxing him to enter her.

"You can still say 'no'..." he whispered hoarsely.

"I don't want to say 'no'..." she replied. "I trust you..." She added, hoping he wouldn't need more explaining.

"We'll take it slow..." His voice was a mere breath and he pushed himself up from the bed and laid his hands on her shoulders, running them down her breasts, bending over, kissing and sucking her nipples, further down, until he found the little nub at the front of her depths and put a bit of pressure on it. Elsie moaned, her body moving of its own accord.

Then she felt how he placed himself at her entrance and bit by bit, he slid himself inside of her, not moving just yet, letting her get used to him filling her. She was startled by how he appeared to fit perfectly within her after the initial feeling of being stretched, inch by inch. He kissed her tenderly and looked at her.

She cupped his cheek with her hand and allowed herself to move under him, letting him know she was alright. Gently he started moving in and out, first just fractions of his length, but more and more as she moved with him. Elsie allowed herself to make soft noises and she wrapped herself around Charles, her fingers digging in his back, her lips on his shoulder, kissing, licking, biting. He slid his arm under her waist, his other arm under her shoulders and pulled her against him.

"I love you..." she heard him murmur and she turned to him, tears in her eyes.

"I love you..." and she could feel how the tears spilled from her eyes, running over her cheeks. He stopped moving.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes... Oh, yes..." How could she let him know that it was her love for him that was overwhelming her right now? She kissed him, searingly, knowing of nothing else to do. "I am very much alright, my love."

They were quiet and still for a moment, just feeling each other, unable to get any closer. Charles wiped the remnants of Elsie's tears away and started moving again, lowering her on the bed, his hands next to her shoulders. She held onto him, panting as his moves became more erratic and the knot in her lower belly tightened more and more. He grabbed her thigh and changed the angle of his strokes, allowing himself to slide against her.

She urged him on, arching her back, her eyes closed. He thrust in her, faster and faster still. She moaned, concentrating on the build up inside her. She heard herself cry out as she felt the sudden release fall over her, clutching on to Charles for dear life.

New tears were forming in her eyes, but he didn't see. His eyes were closed as he lost himself completely, her legs still tight around his waist. He leaned forward and she welcomed him to her chest, kissing his face. After a while he pulled out of her and laid down beside her, pressing her against his chest, her head cradled on his shoulder, his arms around her. Every now and then, he kissed her hair, her temple, his fingers idly caressing the underside of her breast.

"We mustn't fall asleep. They will all be back soon." Her voice sounded hoarse. Had she really been that loud, or was it because she was not used to making noises of that kind?

"I'm aware of that. But i don't think i can get up just yet..." he demonstrated by lifting his arm and letting it drop, his hand landing on Elsie's stomach. She placed her hand over his.

"This was..." she searched for the right words. "Wonderful. Thank you."

Charles turned over and kissed her. His hand dwelled from her shoulder to her side, leaving a trail of goosebumps.

"I hope i didn't hurt you..."

"Oh no." She smiled again. She felt as if she would never be able to stop smiling. "No, it was..." She kissed him again.

"I'm glad." He laid his hand on her cheek. "I really love you, you know."

Elsie nodded. "Yes... i love you too."

"Come. We'll get dressed and make ourselves presentable. Though i think i have never seen you look more beautiful than you do now." He yawned. "Sorry... I am not used to this kind of vigorous exercise."

She sat up and looked at him over her shoulder.

"I am sure time will cure that, Charles..."

A/N: So... where will they go from here?