The orchestra was striking up a waltz when the Crawleys arrived in the ballroom. Edith had pleaded illness and Isobel a quite mysterious engagement with Dr Clarkson, so there was just Mary, Cora, Rose and Robert. With the throng of guests there, they all spent very little time together, but for Cora this particular ball was very special, the ballroom having been the setting for her first meeting with Robert.

Excusing herself delicately from the current conversation between Rose and a handsome young man she seemed to be very fond of, and noticing Rose looked very pleased to be left without a chaperone, Cora left the ballroom and stepped out onto the cool terrace, gazing up at the stars. She had always loved these moments in dances, when she could just leave the busy music and excited laughter behind and look at the beautiful night sky. And then, a memory stirred from the depths of her mind, a memory of her standing in this exact place, looking at the stars, wearing a newly purchased turquoise gown, lost in her own world. She had been admiring the beauty of the surroundings when Robert had come up to her and nervously asked her if she would like to dance. They had gone back into the ballroom together, and she had felt as if her heart was going to explode as she twirled around the room, feeling safe and secure in his arms. They had danced together all night long, and here she was again in the same ballroom with him, thirty-five years, three children and a world war on. They had buried a daughter, a cousin and a son-in-law, and welcomed a grandson and granddaughter, and somehow she felt as though their relationship had not changed, that they still loved each other just as deeply as they had when they were younger.

They had been through so much together, Cora thought to herself, remembering when they were first married and were awkward around each other, always wondering what the other was thinking and never daring to ask. She remembered telling Robert she was pregnant with Mary and how wrapped his arms round her and said he had never imagined it was possible to feel as happy as he did. When he left for the Boer war, she felt as though she would never smile again, but he had returned, and when she met him at the train station they had kissed as though it was a thousand years and not two and then returned to Downton and their bedroom – Cora blushed at the memory.

The outbreak of war had challenged their relationship, and they had argued so many times, she had felt guilty for neglecting him, and, somehow, she had felt as if he felt guilty too, and she couldn't imagine why. She knew that her Spanish flu had worried him, and maybe he felt as though he hadn't taken enough care of her, but was that really the reason?

Sybil's death had broken them completely. She blamed him and he felt sorry and they both needed each other, so, so much yet it had taken Dr Clarkson's affirmation of Sybil's probable death whatever the circumstances to realise this. They had shared memories of their dear daughter, they had wept together and comforted each other, and realised just how close they had come to losing the other person. They had found each other, they always found each other, they would always find each other, and Cora felt like the luckiest, happiest woman alive whenever she was with him.

She heard quiet footsteps behind her, and before she even turned around she knew it was Robert.

'I thought you might be here,' he said with a warm smile.

'Yes,' she said, 'there suddenly seemed no better place to be than the place where I was made so happy so long ago,'

'Do you know, I can still remember us meeting?'

'I thought you were the handsomest man in the room,'

'I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world,'

'You asked me to dance without even giving me your name,'

'You accepted without even asking for it,'

'I thought you'd tell me!' she protested, 'you seemed to forget that little detail,'

'I forgot everything when I was looking at you. I still do, Cora, I think every sensible thought is driven out of my mind when I look at you,'

'And I you. My mother asked me why I was suddenly smiling so much,'

'My sister asked me if I'd been drinking,'

They laughed, and he drew her closer to him before gently kissing her on the lips.

'Robert! People will see us, surely,'

'You said that last time,'

'Well,' she inclined her head and he kissed her again, both savouring every moment of their happiness, with the stars shining above them and the light sounds of jazz music coming from the ballroom.

'We must be the happiest people under the stars,' she murmured.

'Would you like to dance, Cora?'

'For old times' sake?'

'Yes, and because you are still the most beautiful woman in the world,'

'And you are still the handsomest man, and there is no one I would rather dance with, tonight and for the rest of my life.'

'I will always dance with you, Cora.'

And he twirled her around the dance floor just like he did thirty-five years ago.