Ok guys... It's my very first ff ever so please be honest. Huge thanks to granthamfan ;)
Juliett
"There you are. So I'll ask you now." Cora sat at her vanity as O'Brien made her ready for bed. Robert closed the door that separated his dressing room from their bedroom.
"Ask me what?" He stood with his hands in the pockets of his robe, and looked at Cora.
"Carson is in need of a footman, and O'Brien has a candidate." Robert fixed his eyes on some faraway point as he tried to listen. But, his mind drifted away. His earlier phone call from Murray rang in his ears. It can't be that bad. It's not possible… History can't repeat itself, can it? Dear God, what about…?
"Alfred; Alfred Nugent, my lord. He is a good worker." O'Brien looked at Robert.
"I think it sounds perfect." Cora could see that her husband seemed far away. "Robert?" The sound of his name on her lips woke him from his daze.
"Whatever you say. My dear, I have to go up to London tomorrow. I'll be catching the early train."
"That's very sudden. Do you want them to open the house?"
"No, I'll come straight back." Robert moved to get ready for bed.
"What are you going for?"
"It's nothing to bother you with." He smiles at Cora and goes back into his thoughts. She looks sideways at O'Brien. She can see that something is bothering Robert, but she doesn't want to bring up the subject while her maid is still in the room. So she waits until O'Brien has said goodnight and leaves her room. Cora climbs into bed as Robert sits on his side, his feet still on the ground and his back to her. She climbs in further and reaches for his shoulders with her hands and whispers in his ear.
"Dear, is there anything you would like to talk about? Something that couldn't be brought up earlier?" He covers one of her hands with his own, and turns his head so that he can see her face.
"No, darling, there's nothing…nothing that should bother you." For a moment he wanted to say 'wrong', but that would be a lie. Cora began to massage his shoulders and hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder and her cheek against his.
"I can see that something worries you, Robert, and that worries me. Not knowing what it is worries me even more." She closed her eyes to enjoy his closeness.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to worry you, Cora. It's some business matters that need to be dealt with as fast as it's possible. That's why I'm going to London." He turns around to face her properly, and takes her face in his hands. "Don't worry." He kisses her forehead and lips. "Let's go to sleep. Tomorrow is a busy day."
They both lie down, and Cora rests her head on his chest. But, sleep doesn't come easy for either of them. They lie awake pretending not to know that the other is no asleep, afraid to say anything. Cora has a foreboding feeling that Robert is hiding something from her. She hasn't seen him like this for quite some time. It reminds her of the beginning of the war. His faraway looks, his quietness, sentences cut off in the middle. It all started when Mary said that he seemed very nervous during his talk on the phone before dinner. She only hopes that he will take care of it and then come to her.
The next morning Cora wakes up when her husband shifts in bed and his alarm goes off. She rolls over and catches his hand which lies on the bed. "I love you," she says. He can't even look at her-look into her eyes and lie. He can't do it; not to her. "Do you want me to go with you? I can be ready if you want me to…"
"No…better not."
"Better for whom?" she squeezes his hand.
"I have to go. I can't be late." He gets up and without looking at her leaves for his dressing room. Cora hugs his pillow and buries her head in it, hoping that he will come around and let her help him.
"Robert? Robert?" Cora almost runs as she heads in the direction of his dressing room. She opens the door without knocking.
"Robert! Did you do this?" He turns around as Barrow gets him ready for dinner. Cora's smile reaches her ears.
"Did I do what?" He looks at Cora, clueless.
"Sybil! Sybil is coming! I don't know why they didn't call. They sent a telegram, and they will be here tomorrow morning!" Cora's face beams with happiness. She can't believe that Robert changed his mind and even sent the money.
"What?" he almost choked.
"It wasn't you…" Cora's hands drop to her sides.
"Of course not! Who was so stupid? Who sent the money? Can no one here really see things as they are?" Barrow finishes his work and leaves the room. Robert fights with his collar.
"I'm happy, Robert. And, I know you're happy, too; but, you simply can't see that now because there is something else that you're not telling me about. But, I won't push you." Cora folds the telegram and puts it on the nightstand and leaves, not waiting for her husband.
"Oh, thank God for you, anyway." Two tears run down Robert's cheeks as he kissing the back of Cora's hand and holds it to his lips. He looks up again and sees her beautiful blue eyes which are full of love; love for hm. They are like lights in the dark. Every time he sees them, he knows that eventually everything will work out in one way or another. But, most importantly, he knows that no matter what they'll always be with him; she will be with him.
"You know what? I'm glad we have a wedding to celebrate. Let's make sure it's a great day. If it's to be our last, let's make it a wonderful last; and, enjoy our lovely home and the lovely people we spend our life among." Robert looks at her with so much love and adoration that he can barely stand it. Cora straightens and they hold each other for a long moment. When they pull away, Cora takes his face in her hands and wipes his tears with her thumbs. She places light kisses on both of his cheeks where a moment ago there were tears. Robert closes his eyes to savor her closeness and tenderness. She leans closer and hovers over his lips so that he can feel her sweet, hot breath just inches away from him.
"I love you so much." He can barely finish his whispered confession as his lips crush into hers in a hot and wet kiss that makes Cora moan and move further between his knees. His hands find their way under her dressing gown to run up and down her back. Still kissing him, she gets up and leans Robert back in his chair as she straddles him and sits on his lap. Not breaking their kiss, so full of desire and need, she unties his robe and unbuttons his pajama shirt to run her hands over his chest. She finally breaks the kiss with a lick of her tongue to his lips and whispers in his ear, "I love you more." She then moves down his neck and his broad chest-licking, sucking and kissing all the way to his nipple. Cora can feel his manhood pressing against her femininity. His already labored breathing and soft moans only heighten her desire to make him feel good, even if only for a moment. Robert's hands cup her behind through her silk nightdress and then travel down her thighs to find the hem and hitch it up. Before he can succeed, Cora opens the last button of his shirt and takes it and his robe off, leaving him half-naked. She again takes his face in her hands and lets him suck and lick her thumb. Not able to withstand it, she takes off her own dressing gown and lets him take off her nightdress as he straightens in the chair. The sight of her perfect body makes him wild with desire for this perfect human being that is his and only his in every sense of the word. Cora lifts her body and starts to take his pants down to his knees. He kicks them off and she again lowers herself onto his lap. Robert looks up into her eyes as his hands rest on her thighs.
"No…I love you more…" He touches his hand to her cheek. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Cora, and I can't be grateful enough for having you by my side. I love you more."
She smiles at him with tears in her eyes and leans down to place a soft, loving kiss to his lips. His hands find their way to her breasts and his thumbs circle her nipples, making her moan against his lips. She runs her fingers through his hair as he buries his face in her chest and teases her nipple with his tongue. A loud, "Ohhh," escapes her lips as he continues his work with her other breast. Not really about to speak, she manages to breathlessly whisper, "Then show me, Robert." With that, she lifts and then lowers herself onto him, savoring the feeling of him inside of her. They cling to each other as they begin to move in a slow but determined way.
"Oh God, Cora." She hears his muffled words, and pushes back from him before leaning in to kiss him as she still moves above him. She puts her hands against the back of the chair behind his head as Robert's hands fondle her breast and back. Their eyes lock as their movements become more and more frantic. Robert can feel it as she begins to tighten around him which almost brings him over the edge. Only moments later, they both cry out simultaneously as their passion brings them to a blissful peak.
When they both calm down, Robert takes her in his arms and carries her to the bed. His mental and physical fatigue make him fall asleep in an instant. Cora lays her chin on his shoulder and looks at his peacefully sleeping form, noticing how different it was from the night before. She puts a finger to his lips, and he involuntarily kisses it, even in his sleep. "I love you more," she whispers.