Grantham House – London 1925.

Robert feels his consciousness coming back to him; he is struggling to open his eyes. He flinches; he feels a painful sting above his eyes near his left eyebrow. His jaw feels twice as painful. He tries to get up but his muscles hurt.

The memory of what has happened rushes back to him like a flood.

There two masked strangers came into their bedroom. Cora and Robert were shocked at the appearance of these masked strangers.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Robert bellowed at the strangers.

"We are here to get Lady Grantham," they said calmly.

Robert jumped out of the bed.

"WHAT? IS THIS A JOKE? GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW!"

Robert walked in front of Cora, trying to shield her with his body.

"Lady Grantham, you need to come with us now and nobody will get hurt."

Cora eyes were wide opened, "Get out of our house now or my husband will call the police!" Cora said to the strangers with as calm as she could, trying not to show any fear. She stood right behind Robert, pulling at his pajamas.

The masked men did not seem to be afraid of this threat. The taller and quiet one stood at the back, holding a big stick. The other one took a knife out of his coat and advanced towards Robert. Robert shoved Cora back.

"Stand back Cora. I don't want you to get hurt."

"Robert you have never fought before! What if they hurt you?"

Before Robert could answer, one of the strangers had started attacking him with his knife. His army days were long in the past. For a split second Robert felt a pang of regret for never having done anything for his physical fitness anymore since the Boer war days. All he did was to improve his mind with books.

The attacker was very agile and attacked him mercilessly. 'This mad person really intends to kill me!' Robert thought while dodging the attacks. After several successful dodges Robert saw an opening and gave two big jabs to the attacker's face. The attacker stumbled backwards and was down on the floor. The other one, the taller one with a huge stick start to advance and Robert frantically jumped at him. "Cora RUN!" he yelled at her. Cora ran out the door.

He then turned his focus back to the tall attacker, clawing at the man's mask.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Robert yelled and tried to tear his attacker's mask off and almost managed to do so before the other one, the one who Robert had jabbed, punched him in the face.

Robert fell to the floor and before he could get himself up, the attacker with the big stick gave Robert a blow to his head. He could feel warm fluid on his face. His blood. He tried to get up but could not seem to find his feet. The tall attacker then hit his stomach and punched him in the face again. He collapsed to the floor. Then he heard footsteps running out of the bedroom, on the stairs and then everything slowly went black.

"Cora…"

He looks down and sees the dried blood on his pajamas. He looks around himself again; he cannot seem to find Cora anywhere. It was not a dream. Did they take his wife away? Robert can feel a chill running down his spine at the thought and his heart seems to pound faster and faster. He runs out of his bedroom and his mind is starting to get upset beyond belief. How on earth could such assault have happened, this area is considered to be the safest area in London.

"Bates?! Oh My God!" Robert sees Bates down on the floor near the front door.

"Bates! Bates!" Robert put his fingers on Bates' neck and is relieved when he feels Bates' pulse. He then shakes him and sees that Bates face is bloodied. He must have been hit worse than me Robert thinks.

"Bates! My good man, can you hear me?" Robert shakes him a little bit more.

Bates eyes flutters open. He winches and tries to get himself up. He coughs before he can say anything, "I heard a commotion from upstairs Milord, I.. I.. I tried to stop them bu-" Bates coughs again, there is blood coming out of his mouth.

"BATES! Oh God, did you see Lady Grantham?"

"Lady Grantham managed to run away milord, but I'm afraid I don't know where she went to.. When the masked men came down I tried to stop them but I was out numbered. Before I lost consciousness I think one of them was Mr. Bicker milord, I am sure it was him milord, I could see half his face through his torn mask-" Bates coughs again.

Robert feels his blood boil in his veins.

He will kill that bastard! But first he must find his wife.

To be continued….