I have a bit of constructive criticism for you. I've been reading this story and I like the idea and I think the editing is very smooth and clean. However, this style is tedious. Their thoughts suffocate their dialogue- and while I appreciate knowing how awkward their situations are, I feel like the story is being guided by their thoughts rather than their interactions.

Oh, what a lovely thing to wake up to! Even if I did have to ride the horse before I could read it!

I loved it. It was captured beautifully, the tensions and the feeling that they were on the edge of a precipice. I actually felt nervous whilst reading it, due to the HUGE risk of misunderstanding that would set them back to the start. I'm so glad that they seem to understand each other now, so very glad! It would break my heart if they were to revert back to acting as they did at the beginning - please don't let this happen!

The proposal was, well, so sweet and innocent of Matthew and I loved that! I also loved (I seem to be using that word rather a lot!) their walk back to the hotel, them both realising that being in each others arms felt right - they need to understand that it will always feel right and it will all be perfect!

I think that the way you moulded in Mary's delaying tactics into this was very well done, but much more understandable in this, and even Matthew understands that which is nice to see - not another misunderstanding!

I am, however, rather apprehensive about the future... I am assuming that it will not run smooth, as these things never do, and that is making me very worried! Please don't make me wait too long to find out!

Alice x

I like the how your description of the weather and gathering dusk give a me feeling of change from comfort (indoor, warm) to discomfort/unease (it's late, chilly) then relief (back to warmth and light). It's how I felt as I read the conversation. M & M almost start to begin to get comfortable, then veer away. Poor things, trying to figure out how they can have a relationship in which they can figure out how they feel... and have more of that fun sex too. They can't date or live together; it's family outings, illicit lovers, or marriage. Gah!

I kept waiting for Matthew to declare his love but you are too real for that simplistic kind of writing. Just post the next chapter already.

Oh my god, the sexual tension was incredible! I've been re-reading the previous chapter pretty much every few days since it was posted. I was so incredibly happy when you posted an update today! I love the depiction of the raw feelings between them without forcing it into the emotion of love. I really enjoyed how honest they were with each other. There was no real 'damage control' just an honest assessment of where they were. I hope that there will be some more lovers trysts between them soon. There's absolutely no way that they will be able to keep their hands off each other for long! Amazing job ladies!

They are dear, Matthew and Mary, but they have such trouble left to their own devices. Still, they were honest with each other and that is something. Looking forward to the next installment.

SO MUCH TENSION. I LOVED IT! (Yes caps were essential to express that).

I don't even know where to start (and apologies for a probable lack of sense...I am full of cold and drugged up). Firstly, the so-full-of-sexual-tension-over-tea-and-teacakes-and-soup-that-I-actually-blushed-conversation in the teashop. Goodness ladies, are you trying to ruin every quaint thing for me? :D Secondly, Matthew and the whole definition of being lovers...bless him! Favourite quote is: "I suppose that - to declare ourselves lovers would imply a certain - repetition, or regularity, of the act of love." OH and that they both want to repeat it! And since you've already told us that it is a 'smutty epic'...*nudge nudge wink wink*. AND when he walks her back to her room..."subconsciously taking in the route". They're going to do it again before the holiday is over, aren't they? :D

I also loved the proposal...so...gah! And them walking back and being so comfortable with their arms round each other! I also love that Mary knows she feels something more than just a physical attraction to Matthew but isn't ready to address it just yet. OH and him treating her...feelings that I can't explain! And finally, their reluctance to go back to the hotel, and their 'reality', and away from their afternoon bubble.

Wonderful. Can't wait for the next installment! :)

*Apologies again for incoherency...it made sense to me at least!

OrangeShipper has already heard the basics of how I feel about this chapter and the story in general but I thought I would keep to a promise I made myself and actually review.

First, to extrapolate on my tumblr post, this story make me want to nuzzle my face to my computer screen, I love it so much. (Truth be told, I want to do that with all your fics).

As far as this chapter goes, I really appreciate that neither Mary nor Matthew are quite sure that they love each other. The entire discussion in which they both danced around their feelings out loud and in their head was just delicious. Mary and Matthew, in my mind, were no where near being ready to really be married even at the end of the first series, so I think it is fully necessary that they have a good deal of contemplation and work to go through before anything is resolved.

Thank you for once again providing such a well thought out and well written chapter!

I'm very curious to see how things will progress from here. Will they become lovers? Or did someone spy on them, which will naturally force them to marry (something everyone in the family wants anyway.) I thought their awkwardness felt very in-character for this time in their relationship...poor Matthew, so undone by her. And Mary, incapable of expressing what she really thinks and feels, or even of knowing it.

Love it.

I...wow. :) That was just so unbelievably sweet and just so...creative! First off, I ADORE the idea that Mary - with her prior experience - would then label her and Matthew as "lovers" (as she did with Pamuk!) But the idea that Matthew would think it would be a regular occurrence makes sense as well...oh that conversation was just SO well handled! Just a FASCINATING redux of ep 7 - except that, with the added intimacy between them, the idea of Mary delaying an answer to a proposal makes TOTAL sense (and one Matthew would even support!) There's something so tentative and lovely and fragile about their relationship, as it's seemingly invisible to the public eye (though I ADORED their kiss outside - like neither of them can accept this return to "reality"). :) Impeccably written and characterized, as always...you're both so incredibly talented. :D PLEASE update soon! :)

We've had mad hot sex, now let's have tea. So English!

Okay, it's been more than a week and no new chapter... please don't keep us waiting.

Not since i first saw the sex scene with Brad Pitt in Meet Joe Black, have i involuntarily groaned out loud!. I was lost in it.

That was by far, the best M/M sex scene i have ever read and i've read them all. I have kept it minimised in my phone since i first read it and i tap into it at least 5 times a day. Not proud of that, but i'm helplessly addicted now and there's no going back. Oh my God, even the mention of "Matthew's belt buckle" and i'm groaning again :-/

Totally agree with Serena89 (as always) stand up sex, is just... wonky.. And when he stuttered- "i have never..i haven't.." i was completely undone. The most delicious, honourable man in England is still a virgin..GROAN.

It was phenomenal. Don't know how you're going to top that, but i reckon you will give it a fair bash..please..groan..

Wow! I need a cold shower! Just found this and I love it. Will never never think of Scarborough Castle in quite the same way again ;-)

Really interested to see how the interplay changes between them in the cafe now everything is different.

I cannot wait for the consequences of this 'meeting'. I'm glad you guys thought of it and decided to write a more realistic fic, it will be very interesting to see what happens.

great chapters :) am looking forward to the next ones.

x kissthespider26

You two are like milk and honey in my tea! Such a great combination. I'm salivating over heah!

Just started lurking on the DA fanfiction forum and other such places and you write the best M/M stuff I've seen so far. Actually some of the best fanfiction and I've been doing this a LONG time. Of course, this is AU in many ways because knowing what we know about Matthew, he would not be so willing to go there so easily. He has serious issues with guilt. But, I do love the internal dialogue that each one of them has debating whether this should happen and what it exactly means once it did happen. And I do like the fact that this isn't just about the lust, but there is an underlying emotion there.

This seriously makes me wish that DA was on a cable channel or that Dan and Michelle would do a feature film just so we could see this! (So odd because I usually like my period dramas a little more subdued, but these two...the chemistry!)

oh Good God Almighty! This whole chapter was so intense I needed to take breaks but couldn't, so my heart raced faster while reading it and marveling at the fact that it was described in such an intimate way I felt like a voyeur.

I love standing up sex, I think it's not used enough in M/M fanfictions (in my book, it comes second only to shower sex) so that was, of course, a bonus.

Interesting the fact that Mary tried to compare her Pamuk experience to this one, only to discover that they were incomparable. Pamuk was an act of exciting rebellion, but Matthew...was just Matthew, and the strength of this realization (the fact she wanted *him*, plain and simple) spurred her into forgetting about propriety, guilt, reason and just let herself go. I also liked the fact she noticed how Pamuk didn't care about her experience, while Matthew's thought (even if he was lost in the daze of desire) was to her, he didn't want to hurt her. That is my boy!

The most beautiful moment was, of course, when after the peak of their bliss they searched and found each others again, tenderly, but only when their connection was finally broken Mary started to panic. Honestly, I thought that when she saw her white coat filthied with mud she could've had a breakdown (ideally, her pureness once more lost, her coat a mirror of her fall. But I'm glad Matthew readily calmed, soothed her even before she could let her mind go there. She did nothing wrong, because what she did was out of love).

I'm also glad it didn't end exactly with a proposal. I mean, I'm sure Matthew will do the decent thing, but for now it didn't occur to him - that belongs to a world made of rules, and expected behavior, and as long as they're in their castle nothing matters. I was sad when they had to leave. I felt like I myself was abandoning a surreal, beautiful, magical world. Back to reality. I can see why Mary and Matthew felt the air abandoning their lungs as they took the final leap.