AN: this is just a couple of unconnected follow on scenes from Series 2. This first one is set the night after the dinner where Lavinia comes back to Downton and then a Robert and Cora have a little fight. He calls her unfeeling. The second is set some time after episode 8 when she has the flu. Hope you like them.
Cora is unsurprised when Robert, upon entering the room climbs straight into bed and kisses the top of her head.
"I'm sorry I was angry with you earlier. I shouldn't have said you were unfeeling, that was below the mark." Robert is relieved when she smiles at him, albeit reluctantly.
"Thank you. I'm sorry as well, in your defence it was unfeeling of me to say you didn't want grandchildren." Robert shuffles under the sheets and he's pleased when Cora does the same.
"I guess I was just upset you were pressing Sir Richard's case and seem to have forgotten Matthew, it's just-"
"It would be so much simpler if Mary married Matthew so their son could inherit Downton. I understand that, and I agree." It troubles Robert slightly that Cora should think all he cares about is Downton and not what his girls or her want. That's not really the reason he wishes Mary to marry Matthew, yes, it would be simpler but there's more to it than that, at least in his mind, obviously he's not showing it very well.
"It's not just that. I hold onto the idea of Mary and Matthew because we know she loves him and I want her if at all possible to marry because she loves the man. Marriage is so much nicer if you love your partner." Cora smiles at his little compliment and let's him press a chaste kiss to her lips. She's much relieved that he hasn't forgotten his heart and solely wants to sacrifice Mary for Downton. "And then Matthew still loves Mary and it all gets exasperating." Cora looks up sharply at his disclosure, had Matthew been speaking to Robert about such things?
"How do you know he still loves her," she ventures, "doesn't he love Lavinia?"
"Yes, in a way. But mainly Lavinia is there to protect his pride. Mary hurt him in some way before the war and he didn't want to come back here, unattached, to be hurt by her again. So, he proposed to the sweet, pretty Lavinia. He cares for Lavinia, but he doesn't love her as much as he does Mary." Cora's mind races at the facts before her, is there still hope for Mary?
"But, just because he doesn't love Lavinia, doesn't mean he loves Mary."
"If he loved Mary as I think he loved her then he will never love anyone else. Just as I wouldn't be able to love anyone as much as I love you." Her lips find his of their own accord and Robert relishes in the touch he's missed for so long, finally he thinks I might be getting Cora back. Just as he pushes his tongue against her lips trying to part them just a little wider so he may slip his tongue further into her mouth, she pulls away. He tries to mask his disappointment.
"Poor Lavinia, in love with a man who can give her no children and can never fully love her, because he loves another." Robert senses an opportunity to have her back in his arms.
"I think she'll be alright. We married with you willing to give up everything and head over heels in love while I only was only sure I liked you. And look how that turned out." She smiles as his hand draws circles on her arm, she lays her head on his chest, quite exhausted.
"I don't remember you being violently in love with another woman though."
"Did I never tell you about Charlotte?" Robert grins as she sits bolt upright and stares at him. Cora swats him on the arm when she sees his face and realises he was just winding her up.
"Don't tease me about something so serious. You scared me."
"I'm sorry, shall I make it better?" Before she can answer she feels his hands grab her waist and pull her atop him, his mouth already moving in hungry kisses over hers. She very almost loses herself in his embrace, but her tiredness catches up with her and she pulls away.
"I'm sorry darling, not tonight. I'm just too tired." She doesn't miss the look of disappointment on Robert's face and she vows to herself she'll make up for it later in the week. No doubt he's a little needy, it has been some time since they'd made love. She tries to banish these thought from her mind as she turns out the light, she needs to sleep.
