Just a short story. Enjoy my fellow Robert/Cora shippers!

darthsydious

Robert rolled over to his other side, about to put his arm over Cora. Ever since they discovered she was pregnant, she seemed to become rather hurt if he didn't try to hold her hand at night, so to ease his conscience (and keep Cora from crying) he tried his best to remember to wake up, roll over closer to Cora before falling back asleep. Only this morning, she wasn't there. Opening his eyes, he realized that her side of the bed was empty. He sat bolt up. Where on earth was she? How could a seven-month pregnant woman disappear so quietly? He got up, putting his bed shoes on despite the summer heat. He searched for his robe, it had been kicked off the end of the bed. Cora got warm at night, especially now that she was pregnant, and tended to thrash around until the blankets were tangled. As he tugged his robe on he silently cursed propriety. It was far too hot to have the silly thing on, but if he was going to wander the house in search of his wife, he couldn't very well go in only his pyjamas. As he turned, he saw the bedroom drapes had been pushed open. Moving to close them, he realized that the window was wide open. He leaned out, the moon illuminating the grounds. As he followed the moon path, he gaped, realizing he could see Cora's figure on the lawn, walking. It wouldn't do to bellow to her from there, he'd wake the house. Muttering to himself, he tied his robe, hurrying from their room.

~O~

"If you're going to go wandering in the middle of the night, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't do so alone." Robert's voice startled her.

"Oh! You gave me such a fright." She said, a hand over her breast.

"Did you hear me?" he asked, "Good grief, a woman in your condition!" he said, but Cora only shrugged.

"I didn't want to wake you. I'm perfectly alright Robert. I just was too warm. I don't know how you can stand wearing that heavy robe." He looked at her properly, suddenly realizing she was only in her linen nightgown.

"Cora!" he gasped and shrugged out of his robe, attempting to cover her with it.

"Oh Robert no! It's too hot! I'll faint if I have to wear that!" she pushed it away, but he made to put it over her shoulders again, looking about as he did so, hoping they weren't being spied on.

"You're not decent, what if someone saw you like this-"

"Who's going to see me?" she asked, tiredly pushing the robe back into his hands. "It's two 'o' clock in the morning." She pulled it off her shoulders, setting it on the bench beside her. Standing with her legs apart, she held her arms out, tipping her head back as a warm breeze began to blow. Sighing as it died down, she began to fan her nightgown back and forth, stirring the air around her legs. Robert didn't know what to do, nor wear to look.

"Would you at least come inside then? I'll fetch you a cool washcloth, or a cup of ice." He said finally

"Don't wake the servants to go all the way out to the icebox." She said. "Not until it's morning at least. Anyway it's cooler out here."

"Are you wearing shoes?" he asked suddenly as she hefted her shift up over her knees for a moment.

"No." her smile was of a mischievous nature as she lifted her hem up again, fanning herself. "You ought to walk barefoot more often."

"You mean this isn't the first time you have?"

"Certainly not." She laughed. "I used to spend my summers by the sea; we'd go walking in the sand sometimes." She wriggled her toes in the soft grass. "You ought to take your shoes off…" she said. "The grass is cool this time of night."

"I certainly won't." he said,

"Why not?" she asked, "You'll feel much better. Don't you feel better without that hot robe on?" He remembered suddenly she'd only tossed it on the bench, not handed it back to him. And he was indeed standing on his grounds in his striped pyjamas. However, as another warm breeze swept by him, he realized he did feel better.

"Well…I suppose." He said.

"Well then?" He looked at her bare feet, the grass did look cooler. His leather bed shoes seemed stickier and more stifling by the moment. Finally, he sat down, pulling them off, one by one and stepped into the grass. She smiled, seeing him wiggle his toes.

"It does feel better." He admitted,

"I told you so." he looked at his wife, swaying back and forth to keep the air moving. Putting a hand on either side of her belly, he waited a moment, waiting until he felt a gentle 'thudda-thudda-thudda'. The child's heartbeat. She placed her hands over his, watching as his frown gave way to a smile as he felt for the child. He looked up at her, his eyes softened.

"Are you certain you're alright? You're not tired at all?"

"No." she said "Just hot."

"It will be cooler by the trees." He said after a moment.

"Let's go over there then." And she started walking in the grass beside the path. He took his shoes and robe, following after her.

"You won't tell Mama about this will you?" she laughed,

"Our little secret." She promised.