NdA: Hello! It's me I was wondering if.. You'd like to read :) Another Cobert, this time Horror Theme! It's gonna be a little longer than my previous stories and I hope I'll do a fine job.
Every chapter will be introduced by a song's lyric.

As you might know, I'm not English so I'm sorry for my mistakes :) please review and help me with my skills - I'd like to thank lizzeemcullen for her support - enjoy!

brief summary - 1890. Rosamund, Robert's sister, arrives at Downton Abbey in order to help Cora to settle in. She has a gift for the newlywed couple: a mysterious board game with carved letters..

[we don't know how Violet Crawley acted when her hudband was still alive, so it might be slight OOC for her compared to what is shown on the serie] - Horror - Hurt/Comfort - Romance.


Hello from the other side. (Hello)

1890
Cora was a fragile little creature, always blushing, shy of the world surrounding her, so distant from what she was used to.
The American fairy princess came from the remote Hamilton county everyone was talking about from several months, for she had married the wealthy earl of Grantham, the most desired lord in the Yorkshire and environs. Everybody talked about her and heritage as the salvations of Downton, and that it couldn't be denied for sure.
But she loved Robert. Cora loved her husband with all her heart.
With time, she realized that maybe the feeling weren't the same from his side.
Cora felt stupid for not notice, though she was so happy with herself finding love in England, the possibility of being a queen into an estate such as his, wife of the most handsome and longing bachelor of his land.
Her mother did warn her. She said "all that glitters is not gold". Cora did thought she had found gold, a rare diamond, along with happiness and love.. she had got to go back to reality quite soon after the wedding.

"Cora, dear.. are you all right?" Violet Crawley, her husband's mother, woke her up from her thoughts. Cora smiled, taking a sip from her teacup with grace.

"Of course, I'm sorry, mama." her mother-in-law wasn't quite used of having her calling that way, but sure she would have.

"Oh don't be sad. Robert's very busy." the older woman made click her tongue "I know you feel lonely in here." Cora looked in her direction with a sweet smile which Violet couldn't help but return.
Yes, she felt lonely indeed: she was a foreigner, in a new home with a new family and Violet appeared to understand her.. for how funny it could seemed.
The worst part, however, was having her own husband so distant from her except of course the sporadic nights he visited her.. and that for sure couldn't be a topic conversation with her mother-in-law.

"It's all so new to me." Cora sighed a little. She tried so hard to cover her American accents, but most of the times she failed. "I wish I could better understand how things work.. I'd like to make myself useful."

"Oh don't worry, dear. There'll be time for that." Violet set a couple of pat on Cora's thigh "Settle down for now and then you can concern about giving Downton an heir." the woman chuckled. Cora knew she said that to ease her sorrow but it had the exact opposite effect.
The only thought of the nights she spent with Robert mortified her. She knew Robert was attached to her, cared for her.. but not in the was she hoped and dreamed of.. not yet, perhaps.
It was possible that Robert was as much uncomfortable as she was? As much shy as she was? Maybe he did love her but couldn't prove to her what were his feelings.
She just needed to wait a little longer.

"What are you smiling about?" Cora almost dropped the cup. Violet was looking at her with a curious expression. "You're such a peculiar creature." she huffed, shaking a little her head.

"I'm very sorry. I was just thinking about this.. new adventure. I wish to make your son very happy." Violet grinned

"You certainly are." the older woman putted her cup on the table next to her "And you will." she reassured her new daughter with another smile "But I imagined you feeling alone in this big house.. especially for this earlier periods.. with Robert all busy and so on."

"You're kind, mama." Cora was genuinely curious, but she couldn't expose herself too much.

"No need." Violet waved her gloved hand and moved a little apart, fearing that the American princess wanted to hug her or doing something similar "I wrote to my daughter Rosamund to come over and help you to settle in."
Cora remembered Rosamund very well. She had met her few times before the wedding and she was the only one – since then – who had the ability of making feel her at home. She was enthusiastic and had the gift of gab, she always made feel Cora part of something even when she was completely out of her space.
"You remember her?" Cora gasped, realising she had been quiet once again.

"I do. With delight." Cora's blue eyes were wide open "When will she arrive then?"

"It's a matter of days." Violet, once sure she was out of the woods from hugs or any other signs of affection, reached her hand and held it "I know it's hard now." Cora smiled: it was. Maybe she had misjudged her.. Violet knew more than she could have ever imagined. "But.. you'll both find the hidden factor to become a wonderful couple. There are many kinds of love.. and it can also bloom all of a sudden.. or out of blue times."


"Greetings, Levinson! Your knight has arrived!" Cora laughed while welcoming Robert's sister into the estate. Rosamund rushed to her first, hugging and kissing her before her brother, mother and father. Violet of course didn't appreciate it.

"Oh it's like the Civil War again: North.." she looked at her servants in smart uniforms, her husband Patrick and her perfect son "..and South." then she moved her disappointed glance upon the two young ladies exchanging hugs and whispering from ear to ear while heading inside.
Violet scoffed. She hoped she hadn't caused the revolution. Cora wasn't suppose to receive encouragement to behave like she did in America, at the contrary she needed to be transformed into a perfect English Lady.
Perhaps her daughter was the last person she needed "I wonder if I did the right thing-"

"You did, mama." Robert smiled a little, watching his wife and his sister chatting close "I haven't seen Cora smiling in days."


Robert was pleased: Cora seemed to enjoy his sister's company.. he hated seen her sorrowful and lonely for he didn't know how to help her. They weren't in love, not yet at least, and he was so embarrassed every time he was near her that his inexperience held him completely back from really knowing her or showing her his deep affection.
Her sister always had been a strong personality and Robert didn't have any idea how to deal with a delicate creature like his wife.. he needed time.
However, indeed, he wouldn't failed his duties of husband.
He would have always take great care of her, he would have make her feel loved and desired, he would have make her happy. He swore.
Oh, he didn't deserved Cora.

"Come on lovebirds, time to get along!" Robert jumped on his bed. At the time he realized his sister Rosamund, dragging hir wife from her wrist, had entered his room, he grasped the covers and raised them just below his chin.

"What are you doing?" he asked frenetically. He was wearing his pyjama but he felt just as exposed as he was naked.

"Don't be so shy, Robert. We both have seen what has to be seen." Cora blushed violently while Rosamund pulled her again onto his bed. She wished she could talk with such openness.. maybe one day.

"I've brought something from London.. you may like. It's fun at least." only then Robert noticed the box under his sister's left arm. It was quite big and it seemed rather heavy too.

"What is it?" Cora's soft and curious voice caressed the air.

"You'll see." Rosamund sat on her kneels, so did Cora and Robert, though reluctant, did the same. The red-haired woman opened the package with a delight smile, revealing a mysterious board with carved letters and a curious pointer with a hole.
Cora had the feeling of knowing the object but just couldn't remember.

"Are we supposed to be wowed?" asked Robert in cynical voice.

"You are." huffed Rosamund, placing the wooden board between them and the pointer randomly of the surface. "It's an ouija board." she explained, loosing hopes from receiving enthusiastic responses.

"I don't like it." Cora had barely mumbled. Robert was unusually quiet.

"It's just a game. It'll be fun." Rosamund sighed in frustration, trying to convince them both to play "We could know each other better." she glanced Cora. That was her weakness. Cora knew and also Robert knew: he hadn't got the chance to refuse for Cora had already agreed.

"All right." he huffed. "How does this thing work?"

"We can ask the spirits anything we'd like to know." Cora already had goosebumps, but she wanted to be as strong as Rosamund, so she forced herself to be brave and smiled. "Can I lead?" she asked enthusiastically. Neither Cora or Robert had anything against it.
They followed Rosamund instructions to the letter and by the time they were ready, Rosamund cleared her throat.

"Hello." she paused, glancing around "Can you hear us?" nothing happened.

"This is rather silly-"

"Shht." Rosamund scolded his brother with firm tone. He sighed and decided to play along, at least for Cora.

"Is there someone with us?" Rosamund was talking with solemn voice. The pointer trembled, then moved quickly upon "Yes".

"You pushed it!" yelled Robert.

"I did not!" replied his sister.

"I saw you."

"You saw wrong!" Rosamund sighed "You're scaring Cora!" said then, sure it was the only way to shush his brother.

"I'm not-" he remained with his lips open when he noticed Cora's pale face "I'm sorry.. I got carried away." he smiled sweetly to his wife.

"That's better." mumbled Rosamund, closing her eyes again "Is there someone with us?" she repeated. The pointer moved to the centre of the board, then again "Yes". The woman looked excited to her companions and licked her lips. "Can you tell us your name?" nothing. She was about to ask the same question, but the arrow rushed to "No".

"Rude." chuckled Robert, making grow a shy smile onto Cora's rosy lips.

"I'm ignoring you." mumbled between teeth the red-haired woman "Are you a good spirit?" the pointer didn't move.

"What does this mean?" Cora's voice was just a whisper. She didn't want to did something wrong. Rosamund shook her head.

"Are you still with us?" their fingers were driven once again on "Yes". "Are you a good.. spirit?" Rosamund swallowed. "No".

"Let's stop, please. It's creeping me out." begged Cora. Rosamund nodded frenetically.

"This is ridiculous." sighed Robert, laying his back onto the pillow and raising his hand from the pointer.

"NO!" Rosamund was looking at him with a frightened glance.

"Wh-what did I do?" Robert hurried to go back in his position.

"You must never, ever, break the circle!" she was really angry.. or scared?

"Wasn't it just a game, Rosie?" he smiled with a guilty face.

"It's too late now anyway." she dragged the pointer with all their finger on the word "Goodbye" and pronounced it with a low voice, so did Cora and Robert.

"What happens now?" Cora's voice was even lower than before.

"I have no idea."