My very first Downton fic - figured why not introduce myself to the fandom with a little festive multi-chapter? Not exactly based on Fairytale of New York by The Pogues but I've taken a little inspiration from the song for the chapter titles. General disclaimer: I don't own the mentioned song or Downton Abbey etc. And also, this fic is rated T but at time it's quite a highly rated T so read at your own peril! Enjoy, bye!

Chapter One: When You First Took My Hand On That Cold Christmas Eve
December 24th, 1889

"And remember not to say anything or Granny will get cross."

"But why?"

"Never mind why, Edith! Really, if I bothered answering all of your questions I wouldn't have time to do anything. My life would be wasted on being your... your answerer."

"What's an answerer?"

"Edith!"

"Sorry... Will Granny be very cross if I can't be quiet?"

"Yes, Granny says that children should be heard and not seen... I think. Which means we must be very grown-up and not talk at the table unless someone talks to us. Didn't the governess tell you all of this? Really you have a mind like a dollshouse."

"A dollhouse? Why?"

"Dollshouses have a lot of doors."

"So?"

"And windows."

"Why isn't Cousin Freddie in here yet?"

"He's late."

At that moment the adults paraded into the parlour. Mary grabbed Edith's arm in an iron-grip, threatening to cut off her blood circulation if she dared to utter a word. Patrick and Violet entered first, followed by Robert and Cora and finally Rosamund and Marmaduke. Edith gazed at them all in awe. She'd seen them done up in their posh day-wear on rare occasion but she'd not yet been allowed into the dining room during meal times, being only 5. Edith's little mouth dropped open as she looked up at her mother in wonder, absorbing every detail of her appearance. The way she giggled charmingly as her father spoke sweet things Edith couldn't possibly understand at that age in her mother's ear. The fabulous white feathers that she donned in her hair, the shimmer of shining beads on her emerald-green dress, the long black gloves that covered her dainty pale hands. Edith rather very much wanted to be an adult in that moment.

"Edith close your mouth," Mary hissed, inflicting her with a warning stare. Freddie slipped into the room unnoticed and walked over to join them. He and Mary exchanged a knowing glance as he smoothed back his dark hair and assumed his place.

"Oh Edith, darling don't you look such a big girl all done up?" Cora bobbed down in front of her and smiled, pushing back her second daughter's wild little blonde ringlets.

"Thank you, Mama," Edith smiled, turning to Mary for encouragement. Mary nodded, rolling her eyes. When Edith turned back, Cora had rejoined Robert, her heart sank just a little.

During dinner, the adults happily chatted away while Freddie and Mary whispered between themselves. Edith struggled to keep up with what the adults were saying, focussing on eating her dinner as she'd been taught to by the governess - Devil Helger as Mary so often called her.

"And when shall we expect that woman?" Violet was asking Cora, disdain dripping from her expression as she forked a bean sprout.

"I believe we're to expect her on the 27th. She'll arrive just before luncheon."

"The 27th? Why on Earth would one travel right around Christmas?" Violet looked around in confusion but nobody answered her. Cora bit her lower lip to refrain a smile as she sneaked a glance across the table at Robert who was focussing hard on his food.

"It'll be a pleasure to meet Cora's mother again," Rosamund piped up in one of her brief moments where her thoughts weren't distracted with inappropriately touching Marmaduke underneath the dinner table. "It'll be the first time you meet her, won't it Marmaduke?"

"I believe it-umph!"

"Are you quite alright, chap?" Patrick asked, frowning in concern while Marmaduke shot the evils at a giggling Rosamund. Discreetly, he managed to slip a hand beneath the table to massage his sore spot.

"Quite well thank you, Patrick. I just... lost my train of thought and said 'um.'"

Rosamund broke out in a fit of silent laughter while the rest of the adults looked at him with mixed suspicion and disbelief.

"Good as long as everything's alright," Patrick said carefully, stifling a yawn as he fidgeted with the collar of his shirt.

"Rosamund, control yourself. That behaviour is completely inappropriate in front of children," Violet snapped, turning back to observe her husband.

While out of her mother's vision, Rosamund made silent eye contact with Cora just as she was sipping from her wine, Rosamund crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out. Cora spluttered rather ungraciously into her drink, while Marmaduke hid his amusement behind a napkin. Violet's death stare settled on Cora, clearly it was time to play mean.

"Cora do you have an announcement for us this Christmas?"

"I... umm," Cora frowned, looking over at Robert. "I don't think so?"

"Well what a shame..." Violet sighed, pausing to collect everyone's attention. "I recall asking the same question the previous Christmas - and even the Christmas before that but if not then..." Violet tilted her head in apparent disappointment and Cora realised her intent.

"Mama, there's no need to bring that up now. It's Christmas Eve, we should be talking festivities," Robert glanced across the table at his wife but she didn't look up, her head hung, almost hiding the rosy stain of humiliation on her cheeks. She should have been expecting Violet to play that card, for a while the subject had been left alone to a point that Cora almost believed it might go away.

"Ready to go through?" Rosamund asked, breaking the silence that had collected in the room. The women rose from their seats, along with Mary, Edith and Freddie and half the party went through into the dining room.

"Mama will say goodnight to us now," Mary whispered to Edith.

"But I'm not nearly ready to-"

"Shh!" Mary slapped a hand over her mouth. Edith squirmed out of her hold, a sulky pout on her lips. The three of them lined up, Rosamund pressed a kiss to Freddie's cheek and bade goodnight to her nieces before joining Violet at the card table. Cora gathered her dress and perched on one of the sofas, beckoning Mary and Edith over.

"Well done both the of you, you were so very well behaved this evening," Cora smiled at them, kissing a reluctant Mary and then turning to Edith. "Well done, darling."

"Goodnight mama," Edith whispered.

"Goodnight, my dear one."

Cora watched the three of them tail out of the room and went to take her seat at the round mahogany table. Six card games later and Violet was fed up of losing, it seemed karma was not in her favour as Cora victoriously claimed title as the winner in every game despite Violet picking what they played. (All Cora every seemed to want to play was Dumpling Euchre and Violet was convinced that was because it was an American game and as such she would no doubt know how to cheat.) Rosamund was unbothered, after the men had joined them she looked most distracted in their last two games.

Violet excused their matches and went to join Patrick. Rosamund, finally released from the obligation of post-dinner Rummy, went to join Marmaduke on the sofa. Cora met Robert beside the fireplace.

"Manage to survive mama's wrath?" Robert grinned, turning his back to the roaring flames to meet Cora's waiting arms.

"So it seems. She is not very happy, she lost every game."

"No matter, so long as I have you all to myself now," Robert quirked an eyebrow and Cora smiled knowingly, sliding her hands up his arms to settle on his broad shoulders.

"I've bought your Christmas present this year."

"Mm and I'm most excited to see it." Robert was always very predictable but very successful when it came to presents for his wife. Every year, no matter what the occasion, she received some item of expensive jewellery while everyone else got either a hunting novel, wristlet or pocket watch.

"It's a special one this Christmas."

"It is?" Cora's enthusiasm dropped ten notches.

"It is," Robert's look of childish pride instilled some amusement in Cora and she couldn't help but smile as he beamed at her, his hands slipping down her waist and settling at her lower back.

"Patrick are you quite sure you're fine? You look terribly warm," Violet muttered.

"I'm fine, it's just the heat from being so close to the fire."

"We're not beside the fire, Patrick. We're next to the window!"

"Oh..."

Meanwhile on the sofa, Rosamund received dirty little promises from her husband while his hands roamed her thighs.

"Ohh..." Rosamund moaned as he assaulted her with kisses down her throat, her eyes rolled back in her skull. Marmaduke stopped his teasing.

"Keep watch or I'll have to stop," he muttered. Rosamund's eyes fluttered open, settling on her parents while Marmaduke's pressure on her inner thigh increased as his touch went where she craved.

"It's a most disconcerting thing to be watching my parents while you do this to me..."

Marmaduke chuckled, dipping his head lower as his lips took an intrepid journey down his wife's skin, reaching as far as her low-cut dress would allow.

"Marmaduke!" Rosamund gasped, loud enough to capture the attention of the two other couples in the room. Marmaduke whipped his head up, headbutting his wife's chin on his way up. Guilt scrawled across his face as he felt eyes on him from everywhere.

"Rosamund, I'm sorry," he apologised, his hand clinging to hers while she rubbed her jaw with a sour frown.

Violet strutted over to their settee and separated them both, plonking herself between the two of them as though they were naughty children. Despite her pains, Rosamund couldn't help but sneak a mischievous look at Marmaduke as he sat on the other side of Violet looking quite shell-shocked.

"I think we'll be going to bed now," Robert announced. "Goodnight everyone."

"Goodnight," Cora added as they made their way out of the room.

"Well, I think we'll be heading upstairs too..." Rosamund rose from her seat in trepidation, as though waiting for Violet to haul her butt to the lions but she stayed quite still. Marmaduke hurried after Rosamund after mumbled 'good nights'.

Violet sighed, leaning back on the sofa and looking up at Patrick in exhaustion.

"Robert is wrapped around the foreigner's little finger, the foreigner can't even produce an heir, Rosamund is so terribly ill-behaved at social occasions and Marmaduke... Marmaduke is so awfully middle-class."

"Come now, my dear, it can't be as bad as all that."

"Cora?"

"You can come in, Robert," she called out to him, finishing rubbing her lotion onto her hands, she turned in her chair and smiled at him. Robert went over to his side of the bed and untied the cord on his dressing gown, slipping it off his shoulders and leaving it on the chair. Cora got up and did a double-take of him.

"What are you wearing?"

Robert shrugged and looked down at himself. "We're not going to bed."

"We're not?"

"No."

"You could have told me that before I got undressed."

"Where we're going you won't want to be in your dinner wear."

"Then pray, tell me - where are we going?"

Robert grinned. "For your Christmas present."

Cora groaned and slapped a hand to her forehead.

"Must we do this right now, Robert? I'm tired."

"It'll be worth it," he promised.

"Why can't we do it in the morning?"

"It won't be the same."

"Please tell me it's not bedroom activities outside of the bedroom."

Robert chuckled, "Not quite."

"Well... what am I to wear?"

"Walking clothes? I'll help you get changed."

Cora sighed, tossing up her hands in defeat as she opened up her closet and pulled out a long blue tartan skirt, white blouse, riding boots and a long-sleeved, black winter coat. Robert patiently helped where she let him and shortly she too was dressed for outdoors. Robert peeked out the window and turned to her in excitement.

"It's snowing!"

"Great..." Cora's enthusiasm wasn't much improved, considering it had snowed at Downton constantly on and off for the last three days.

"Come on!" Robert took her hand and the pair of them tiptoed down the hallway, down the stairs, into the drawing room and out through one of the doors that led onto the tea patio. Robert firmly closed the door after them and turned to her, watching the spiralling snow falling around them. Cora couldn't help feeling a quiver of thrilling anticipation despite her initial reservations for leaving the warmth of her bed, no clothes and Robert's bare skin in exchange for a cold walk in the snow. It was rather spontaneous of him - even if it was heading towards midnight and the snow was falling thicker and faster about them.

Robert pulled her into his chest, his cheeks already pink, his nose cold against hers as he dipped in to steal a kiss from her lips. He mumbled something against the warmth of her wet mouth but it was inaudible to her ears. She clung to him like the dancing snowflakes about them might be the very thing that could tear them apart. She gasped when his lips left hers, their hurried breaths visible against the cold.

"We better be quick - it's starting to come down," Robert looked up at the sky and then back at her with a boyish grin. He took a moment to look at her. In that special way he did only when they were alone, setting the familiar but all too welcoming flame in her heart burning a little bit brighter.

"Let's go!" He clung tight to her hand as they ran through the snow. Cora tried to keep up with him, seeing as she had no idea where they were headed and he did. Their tracks were quickly covered as the ever changing white world around them hide their trail from the rest of the world. After a few minutes running, a light up ahead glowed promisingly against the gloom of the winter sky. As they got closer, the shape of the stables became clearer.

"Quick," Robert panted, pulling Cora into the warm wooden shack. Robert pulled the door to behind them. He laughed breathlessly, leaning against a stall while he collected himself. Cora shook her head, grinning madly though she didn't know why. She was cold and wet and quite a way from the safety of her bedroom but she was with Robert. His chest still heaving as he crossed the distance to her, arms wrapping around her waist and lifting her up before she had chance to protest. She squealed while he spun them around. Eventually stopping, he let her down to the floor, letting their moment of intimacy ride up as he leant in to kiss her. She was marvel in his eyes. Dark curls all windswept and out of place, melting snowflakes still caught in her thick dark lashes, piercing blue eyes even more vivid against the paleness of her exposed skin and the light flush of her cheeks. Her lips vibrated with a quiet moan as his lips lingered on hers, indulging in one more of her soft kisses. He could spend forever in her kisses.

"Delightful, Lord Downton, as this trip has been I do hope that's not all we came out here for," she teased. He grinned, and let his hold on her release, walking over to a stall.

"Lady Cora Crawley, I present to you," he said most flamboyantly. "Your gift from I, your devoting husband for Christmas 1899." Robert pulled open a latch and swung open the top half of a stall. Cora stepped forward a little apprehensively, and out of the darkness of the stall a pair of deep brown eyes settled on her.

Cora couldn't contain her smile and her eyes lit up, she stepped forward, slowly extending her hand in offering. The mare nodded her head, snorting and pressing forward against the confines of the stall door, the horse blew hot air onto Cora's hand, pushing it's muzzle into her hand.

"Do you like her?"

"Yes..." Cora whispered, her hand trailing up the animal's head. "Oh, yes she's beautiful."

"I did alright, right?"

"You did splendidly, my darling," Cora smiled, turning her attention to her husband.

"I know we used to ride a lot before the girls were born... I thought perhaps getting you your own horse might encourage us to start doing it together again."

Cora nodded, an unexpected surge of raw emotion filling her up, she looked down at her feet.

"I'd like that very much..."

Robert's smile faded.

"Cora?" She looked up and he saw the tears in her eyes. "Cora, whatever is the matter?"

"Oh, Robert," she smiled, reaching out for him. "I do love you so very much," she whispered against his neck, blinking back her involuntary tears.

"And you know I will forever love you back... but what's wrong? Is it what mama said at dinner? Because you know I'll be talking to her about it-"

"It's not just that... I'm so happy, Robert. You've made me happier than I could ever hope for and while you've fulfilled every duty to me, to our family, to Downton. My one and only job... purpose, I believe I will fail you."

"Cora, you'll never be a failure to me... You have given me far more than you know. And producing an heir is not your only purpose. Regardless of what mama says, I will not let the happiness in our future be stolen by the expectancy for us to have a boy. As far as I'm concerned it's one minor detail in many."

"Darling Robert..." she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and settling her head on his chest.

"Whatever we face, we face together... Including our mothers."

Cora giggled, tilting her head upwards, eyes fluttering closed as she sought out his lips. Steadily she pulled him backwards towards a large pile of rather comfortable looking hay...

"Cora-" Robert muttered against temptation and her clear advances. Cora sat herself down and pulled him with her, her arms snaking around his neck once more as her legs fell apart for him. "Really? Here?"

"What's wrong?" She frowned up at him, sensing his doubt.

"In the hay?" Robert looked around. Cora shrugged, confusion evident on her face. "Isn't it quite possible to... pick up diseases and such?"

"Well I don't know. If you're worried ask the new village doctor about it."

"And what do I say? Hello Doctor Clarkson, I just wondered whether I may have contracted an infection whilst ravishing my wife in some hay?"

Cora giggled, lying back and shaking her head in dismay.

"Fine not in the hay," she sat up, her knees squeezing his sides. "Will against the wall do?"

"The wall!?"

"Robert," Cora looked at him quite seriously, her hands roaming through his hair as she delicately let her lips graze his cheek. "I need you."