One Snowy Afternoon
AN: the characters are not mine. I owe many thanks, as always, to my wonderful beta, granthamfan! This is my contribution to the Cobert Holiday Fanfic Exchange, with the prompt word "farm".
December 1924
It was nearing Christmastime again. Cora and Robert were beside themselves regarding what to do to surprise the grandchildren. Of course, they would each be getting loads of gifts. Cora and her knack for shopping saw to that as she had every year when Mary, Edith and Sybil were growing up. However, something to make the season truly memorable was what they wanted to accomplish.
Everything appeared to fall into place when Tom introduced a new acquaintance he'd made in his work as agent who owned a farm that boasted a herd of actual reindeer.
"Oh, Robert," Cora exclaimed, "can't you just see how their little faces will light up when they see reindeer from the actual North Pole?"
Robert frowned. "They're not from the North Pole; they're from Ripon!"
Cora rolled her eyes. "Well, of course! But they don't know that. What's wrong, Robert? Where's your Christmas spirit? It's so fun to have small children in the house again! Don't you remember how much fun it was when Mary, Edith and Sybil were young?" Her voice lingered over Sybil's name like a caress. "That's what's wrong, isn't it, Robert? She loved the holidays."
"It isn't easy even a few years later," he confessed. "But you're right, Cora. I do need to think about making it fun for the children. Perhaps it will become more fun for me, as well."
"That's more like it!" Cora was thrilled. It was true; the past few years without the joy and sparkle Sybil brought to the Christmas season had been very dreary in that regard. "I know Sybbie will approve," she said quietly, "and appreciate all that Donk is doing to help keep her mother alive in her favorite holiday."
"Why don't we go and see the reindeer for ourselves?" Robert started to smile. "It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow and with this cold weather, we've been closed up in the house more than long enough. Then we can plan our outing with the children later in the week."
"Riding through the snow," Cora asked, "just with you by my side?"
"Yes," Robert confirmed with his grin getting more mischievous.
"You don't suppose we could go ice skating?" Cora tantalized him, bringing up a favorite winter pastime that had become even more fun once the skating had ended.
"You never know," Robert said. "We might have all sorts of adventures."
The next day was overcast but a little warmer, though Cora was certain that it looked like it was about to snow at any minute.
"Sunny, Robert? Really?" She tried not to laugh as they got into the car. "This should be a day for a sleigh ride," she said. "A car quite ruins the mood of such a great adventure!"
Robert and the chauffeur exchanged a knowing look, as Robert's eyes twinkled with mirth.
"Just wait, Cora. You might find yourself wonderfully surprised."
They rode the few miles to the farm in silence; Cora reflecting on how to best surprise the grandchildren, Robert in eager expectation with how to delight his wife. When at last they had reached the farm, Cora could already see the reindeer in their enclosure, leaning down to nibble on the hay scattered at their feet.
"Look! They're perfect!" Cora declared.
They climbed out of the car and Robert gave a nod to the chauffeur who, to Cora's surprise drove out of sight without them.
"Robert? What are you doing?" She pulled her coat around herself a little tighter. The wind was beginning to blow and the snowflakes were beginning to fall.
"You said you wanted a carriage ride, my darling," Robert turned around and gestured toward a large red sleigh with bells, harnessed to even more reindeer. "This is for us, on a snowy afternoon."
"Robert! It's so beautiful!" Cora threw her arms around him and held him close. She began to kiss him, each kiss more passionate than the one before. "This might be even better than ice skating!"
Robert blushed a little. "Cora! Not out here where anyone can drive by!"
"Then where?" She asked breathlessly as she continued to kiss her husband and unwind the scarf from around his neck before her fingers found the buttons of his coat.
"In there," Robert, unable to resist what his wife was beginning, nodded toward the barn. It was the closest place they could reach before becoming lost in passion. "Thankfully when I rang the farm last night, they said no one would be here until nightfall."
Cora practically shoved him into the barn and landed on a large bale of hay, where she proceeded to undress him further.
"Remember our first time skating?"
"Oh, do I." Robert returned the favor by peeling off layers of Cora's clothing and giving her at least one kiss for each one she had given him on the way into the barn. "It was actually colder in that drafty bedroom than it is in here. I find it pleasantly warm!"
"Me too, Robert; me too," Cora said. "It's always pleasantly warm when you're around."
The best part of the afternoon passed as they engaged in terrific fun, a tangle of arms and legs and discarded clothing in the hay.
Robert sighed as he stared up at the ceiling of the barn. "My, Cora, you never cease to surprise me. Here I was trying to surprise you with the sleigh, but you were the sneakier of the two of us."
Cora giggled. "I like to keep you on your toes," she said, "or, rather, off of them. Watching you standing in the snow, looking so wonderful, I couldn't resist. Do you think they've sent out a search party yet?"
"I should hope not," Robert checked his pocket watch in the dim light. "It's only five o'clock. Shall we try the sleigh and see how it navigates the road home? I've arranged to keep the reindeer until tomorrow night, so there will be plenty of time to let the children take their turns."
"I'd love to go on a sleigh ride with you," Cora smiled.
They dressed quickly and were surprised to see that a significant amount of snow had accumulated during the afternoon.
"It's so perfect!" Cora nearly squealed with delight. "You know how to drive this?" She was incredulous as she watched her husband climb into the sleigh and take the reins.
"Would you believe," Robert began, "that even after thirty-four years of marriage there may still be a few things you don't know about me?"
"Obviously there are," Cora answered as she climbed in beside him.
"Absolutely." He started the reindeer in motion and they flew over the newly formed piles of snow.
Cora was so entranced by the glittery snow falling in large, perfectly formed snowflakes and the scenery flying by like something out of a storybook that she hardly spoke during the journey back to Downton. She clung to Robert and wished for the ride to never end.
When they turned into the long drive that led to the castle, Robert and Cora were both surprised by the beauty that the snow created as it fell upon the house and grounds. It looked like a painting of the perfect winter early evening with the warm, gentle light spilling from the windows out onto the white ground outside.
Robert pulled the sleigh into the stable area where several stable hands stood ready to attend to the reindeer once Robert and Cora has climbed out of the sleigh.
Robert offered Cora his arm. "Shall we?"
"Of course," she said as she linked her arm with his and walked through the snow toward the front door.
The house was buzzing with activity when they entered.
Sybbie ran up to them with a huge smile. "Donk! It snowed! It's really going to be Christmas!"
Robert scooped up the small girl and carried her over to one of the massive windows overlooking the grounds.
"Yes, it is, my dear girl. Did you know that this was your mother's very favorite holiday? She loved the snow, too. In fact, you looked so much like her when you came to tell me about the snow, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me!"
"I know," Sybbie answered. "Guess what George and I did today? We wrote our letters to Father Christmas and then Aunt Mary put them in the fire so Father Christmas can read them in the smoke at the North Pole. Have you ever been to the North Pole, Donk?"
"I don't believe I have," Robert replied, just as he had answered such questions from Sybil at the same age.
Cora blinked back a bittersweet tear at the interaction between them before going upstairs to change out of her snow-covered clothes. It was as if time had turned backward, but still retained all the joy of the present. It had been a hard fought for kind of joy, but it was joy no matter the way it developed.
It was a very cheerful evening with the adults spent from their exciting day and the children chatting happily about the upcoming visit from Father Christmas before nanny took them up to bed. Later that night, as total darkness fell over Downton and most of its residents were asleep and dreaming, the sound of two pairs of ice skates and laughter could be heard in the distance.
The End