"Oh, I am so happy you came..."
"Oh, thank you! Do have a lovely evening..."
Always the dutiful hostess, Cora sent off each of their guests with a proper good-bye. No one would have ever known that something so heavy weighed on her heart and mind.
Robert - ever the gentlemen - stood stoically by his wife, and nodded to each of the guests as they left, but it was clear – at least to Cora - that his mind was elsewhere.
The last guest was barely out the door when Robert turned on his heel and headed straight to the library, without so much as a word.
Cora and Rosamund gave each other a knowing look, and Cora smiled with a small sigh as she turned to follow her husband into the library.
As she entered the grand room, she watched on as Robert guzzled down a glass of whiskey, and promptly refilled it.
She searched for the words to say to Robert, beginning nervously, "Well that was lovely evening, Mrs. Patmore certainly outdid hersel-
Robert slammed his glass down on the desk - startling Cora. She eyed him with a look of bewilderment.
"I need to speak with you," he said in a heated tone.
Cora approached him slowly and spoke softly, "And I, you-"
Robert hastily interrupted her. "I know about you and Bricker..."
Cora gave him a look of surprise, and, playing along, she asked mockingly, "Oh, and what is it you know about Mr. Bricker and I?"
Robert looked intently into his wife's eyes, "I know the two of you kissed," and with a look of disgust, he continued, "and only God knows what else-"
Cora gaped at him in complete shock. She found herselfbecoming increasingly irritated by his accusations, so she immediately cut him off, "Now wait just a minute, Rober-"
He went on, ignoring the fact she had begun to speak, "Hhmmph, it was right in front of me," he said to himself in a somewhat droll tone, as he swirled the liquor in his glass.
He looked back at his wife and pointed at her, with glass in hand, "You know, I told you I suspected Bricker of making advances , and you shrugged it off as if it was a ridiculous notion, well obviously it wasn't-"
Cora tried to cut in, sighing at his absurd insinuations, "Are you quite finished-"
Yet again, he spoke over her. And, although, she was becoming rather impatient and angry herself, she allowed him to finish speaking, knowing that she wouldn't get a word in edgewise until he completed his rant. No matter how ridiculous it may be.
Just then, Robert stepped closer to his wife, to where their faces were mere inches apart.
And, in a low tone, he said "-You know what it is that I simply cannot seem to understand? Is how, you, my wife, the Countess of Grantham, and a supposed lady-"
(With this statement, Cora's eyebrows rose; now she was really beginning to seethe.)
"- could kiss a man - who is most certainly NOT your husband - in broad daylight, for anyone to see, like, like a-a-a (he searched for the words) common whore!"
Cora had heard enough, and almost instinctually, she brought her hand up and slapped him right across his face.
Robert looked at her with an expression of disbelief, despite the fact that he knew his choice of words were out of line. And, in that instant as his wife glared at him, he saw a myriad of emotions flowing through her cerulean eyes - anger, shock, sadness, and - not the least of which - disappointment.
As her eyes began to well up with tears, Robert opened his mouth to speak, "Cora, I-" But, she had already turned to scuttle out of the room.
Rosamund crossed by the door of the library shortly afterward and found her brother sitting, and staring thoughtfully at the crackling in the fireplace.
"So, I assume Cora told you about that horrid Mr. Bricker?" she remarked as she strolled across the room to pour herself a drink.
Robert was a bit taken aback, "You knew?!"
"Yes, of course. I witnessed it. Didn't Cora tell you?"
Robert gawked at her, appalled by how nonchalant she was being about the matter.
She went on, "Oh, how cheeky he was! To do that in clear view."
Rosamund wittily commented, "So, what are you doing sitting here? Planning Mr. Bricker's demise?" She took a sip and chuckled into her glass.
Robert was only half listening, and was clearly not amused.
She tried to break the awkward silence between them. "My goodness, it's no wonder Cora was nervous about telling you! What a temper you have! She was afraid you'd go after him," she went on, "Oh, and Cora, that poor dear, she was absolutely mortified by the whole situation, especially after she gave him a good whack across the face."
Robert looked up at her with a befuddled look.
Rosamund went on, but Robert only listened faintly as his stomach sank and he realized the terrible mistake he had made.
"You'd think you were the only man whom she's ever kissed."
Robert abruptly got up, "Excuse me, Rosamund," and hurriedly walked out of the room.
As he approached the door to his wife's bedroom, he could hear muffled sobs coming from the other side. Robert stood there for a moment - reeling in his guilt and thinking of the dreadful things he had said to Cora.
When he got up the nerve, he swallowed back the lump in his throat, and knocked lightly on her door.
"Cora, please, may I come in?"
Silence.
He waited a few seconds, and slowly opened her bedroom door, gently peering around the corner.
"Cora, darling, can I to speak to you?" he said in a soft tone.
His wife sat at her vanity, and glanced up at him briefly, her red-rimmed, blue eyes were floating in tears. She patted the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, and sniffled, "Really, Robert, I don't know what more needs to be said, tonight."
"How about... I'm sorry."
Cora glanced through the mirror at him, with a mix of confusion and sadness, and just the tiniest hint of relief.
Robert smiled timidly as he walked towards her. He knelt down beside her chair and took her delicate hands into his; she reluctantly obliged.
He looked up at her, his eyes lined with tears, "My darling, I'm afraid I have been so wretchedly foolish this evening. Rosamund told me that Bricker came on to you and that you thoroughly rejected his advances. I'm ashamed to say that I indulged in the word of Lord Wilshire, who clearly did not have his facts straight," Cora sighed and nodded with a slight smile, Robert kissed her hands, and continued, "I'm dreadfully sorry for the words I spoke to you, I was just so terribly angry, and, well, jealous. I do hope you can forgive me, dearest."
Cora smiled, and looked down at their joined hands, "My dear, how could you ever think that I would do such a thing?" She looked back into his eyes and said, "I love you, and only you," giving his hands a slight squeeze.
Robert's face lit up at her sweet words, and he could not hide his grin as he answered facetiously, "Well, you see, I have this problem..."
"Oh, and what is that?" Cora responded curiously, and in a similar glib manner.
Robert smiled, "You see, it's just that I'm terribly in love with my wife, and the thought of her with another man, well, that doesn't bode well for me."
Cora giggled under her breath and shook her head in amazement at how charming he could be. "Oh, Robert..."
"You see, I very much meant what I said in my Anniversary toast to you," he clarified.
Cora responded inquisitively, "Oh?"
"Yes, my dear, each and every word."
"Hmm, might you refresh my memory?" she said with a slight smirk.
Robert grinned and slowly kissed her below her left ear, "To my beautiful wife,"
He moved and kissed near her right ear, and whispered, "The mother of my children,"
He lowered himself, kissing her neck, while growling, "My lover,"
"Mmhmm," she purred.
He then moved his lips to the other side of her neck and whispered "And...the best companion in the world."
Robert gave her the sincerest look, "Please say you'll forgive me for my incorrigible behavior?"
She smiled, "Oh, just be quiet and kiss me," she remarked with a sigh.
Robert quickly obliged by taking her face in his palms and fervently pressing against her lips.