Cora was woken only a few short hours later by the hands of her husband running along the side of her outer thigh, along her hip and back down again. Robert had obviously slept very well and was feeling rather energetic. Cora kept her eyes closed and tried not to make any sound or movement to alert him to the knowledge that he had successfully woken her. She did not feel like starting the morning off the same way Robert did today. Normally she would have turned over and joined in the exploration of each other, but after last night she was both exhausted physically and emotionally. Not least of all she could not get the image of Mr. Gregson and Edith together in Edith's bed out of her mind. It did not make her feel very partial to making love with her husband at that moment.

Robert however was not privy to any of this and thought Cora was simply playing hard to get this morning. He decided he would take her up on her silent challenge to try harder. He pulled his body closer to hers so that his chest was pushed up against her back and continued to stroke her side up and down its length. If his sweet wife was going to act as though she had not felt any of his tender caresses then he would have to up the stakes. He leaned his head down to the side of Cora's neck, which he knew was always her undoing, and placed hot, breathy kisses there and up to her earlobe. At the same time his hand moved up her side taking the edge of her nightdress with it so that his hand was touching her porcelain skin. He slid his hand further up to her chest and ran his fingers across her breasts. He heard an involuntary moan escape Cora's lips and he smiled in satisfaction at what he was doing to her.

Cora felt her body moan before she even heard the sound escape her mouth. Darn that man. 30 years of marriage had given him the most intimate knowledge about her body, where and how she liked to be touched, what she found hard to resist. His tongue and mouth on her neck and jawline were agonizingly pleasurable, but then his skin made contact with hers and his hand was upon her chest and she was having a hard time concentrating on why she didn't want to do this. He wrapped his arm over her body and pulled her from her side and onto her back and then began kissing her neck and her chest whilst running his hands over the same tingling areas with gentle caresses. Cora felt her body responding to her husband's touches, to his hot and enjoyable kisses. She felt her shoulders relaxing and the concern she was sure had been carved into her face was softening. She tried to remember why she was pretending to sleep but all her thoughts were clouded by her feelings. Robert's touch was making her wake up everywhere and she couldn't play dead anymore. Lifting up her hands to the back of his head she wound her fingers into his hair as he continued to kiss and caress her breasts and stomach. Cora let her thoughts escape her for the moment and gave in to Roberts desires. His desire had now become hers and she felt that she needed him this morning now more than ever.

Robert looked up as his wife's hands came to life gently pulling on his hair and running up and down his back. His eyes met hers and he smirked at her mischievously, "Well there you are … I was wondering how long this would be a game for 1" he teased as he pulled his body on top of his wife's, his face hovering just above hers. "Oh Robert" Cora's voice was sultry and groggy, "I just wanted to sleep" Roberts face fell until she finished her sentence, "But now thanks to you I have other desires". She pulled her hands back up around his neck to pull his lips to hers and they met in a passionate kiss. Robert groaned as he felt Cora's tongue meet his and her hands roam down his back and along his sides. The intensity grew as they continued to kiss with eagerness and passion, hands touching and tantalizing each other's skin, waking every part of each other. Cora began to undo the buttons on his pajamas and was finally able to pull it down his arms and off his body as he sat up. He pulled on Cora's nightdress and threw it to the floor as he lay back across his wife's naked body and kissed each part he could reach. Cora began to writhe beneath his touch as he increased his ministrations on her breast with his tongue and reached his hand down between her thighs. All thoughts were gone from Cora's mind except the pleasure her husband was giving her. She was starting to tremble with need and was becoming desperate to have him. With great force she pushed Robert off her and forced his back down onto the bed as she straddled him. His face betrayed the shock and surprise of her sudden and forceful movement, but his desire and excitement was written in his eyes and all over his body as Cora lowered herself onto her husband and felt him fill her so immensely. The immediate pleasure was so delicious it almost hurt. Cora placed one hand on Robert's chest and continued to sit across him, moving up and down in a constant and satisfying rhythm. She threw her head back as he reached up to touch her breasts and let out another loud groan of pleasure. Robert slid his hands down to her hips to help guide his wife's rocking motion. They rocked this way for several moments, increasing in speed and intensity as each moment went on. Robert felt her shudder above him and saw her throw her head forward in ecstasy. He could barely control himself a moment longer and her let out a loud moan as he finished inside her.

When she was finally able to move Cora climbed off her husband and curled up next to him on the bed.

"Good heavens Cora" Robert finally managed to exclaim, "When you wake up, you really wake up!" he teased. Cora swatted his chest gently with her hand. "If you can't handle it then I suggest you leave me to sleep next time" Cora replied playfully. Robert leaned down and kissed her forehead, "never" he whispered to her. They lay together for a further 10 minutes before Robert finally rose and began putting his pajamas back on. Bates was a good and discreet valet, but Robert wasn't about to go in to meet him completely naked. He and Cora could still have some secrets.

Meanwhile Cora had sat up in the bed and pulled the sheets up to cover her naked body. She would ask Robert to hand her her nightdress and ring for O'Brien shortly, but as she sat there watching her husband getting dressed once more the thoughts and memories of the previous night came flooding back to her. She shut her eyes forcefully to wipe the images of Edith and Mr. Gregson out of her mind and unknown to her she let out an irritated sigh. It was the sigh that bought Robert's attention to Cora sitting on the bed, quite distracted and her brow was beginning to get lines on it as it did when she deep in thought.

"Cora what is it?" Robert asked, confused at how she could all of a sudden have the weight of the world on her shoulders when they had only just woken up and found great pleasure with each other. Unless she really hadn't wanted to be intimate with him but he had pushed her into it? "Are you ok? Next time I will just let you sleep darling I am sorry"

Cora shook her head and forced a smile, "No Robert, goodness no. That was lovely, thank you. You made me feel light as a feather for at least a short while. Please, go ahead and wake me any time you like" she managed a genuine smile as she quickly thought about the last 30 minutes.

Robert smiled relieved, "Well if I have your permission My Lady" he laughed, but stopped as he saw Cora's expression had returned to the same concern as before. "Seriously Cora what is the matter? You are never so melancholy so early in the day. What is troubling you my dear?"

Cora looked over at her husband. He had missed a button on his pajama top and his hair was quite disheveled. Bates would know instantly how Lord Grantham had spent his morning. He looked so concerned for her, so very eager to know what the matter was. Cora envied his innocence and wondered if she need bother even telling him. She had helped Mary handle the Pamuk affair well enough, well, until the need became too great and she had to tell Robert or force Mary into a horrible marriage. This was quite different though. Edith was at continued risk as long as this affair kept going. Robert would be livid! He would probably hurl Mr. Gregson out into the garden as soon as she told him. She worried that his reaction would push Edith into his arms and out of their house. Her thoughts ran away with her and she could not decide what on earth she should do. Robert had walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it looking at her with concern. As Cora looked up into his gentle eyes she couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears. "Oh Robert." She cried as he took her into his arms. "I have the most awful thing I have to tell you" she managed to get out between sobs.

"Alright, perhaps if you calm down a bit first then we can discuss it." He tried to reassure her and stroked her back tenderly, "We have managed plenty of awful things between us my darling, I am sure we can manage this too" he said gently.

It didn't take long before Cora pulled herself together. She told herself that they would manage it just as he had said. She pulled away from Robert and took his hands in hers and began, "Robert, I am sorry but what I am about to tell you will break your heart. I want you to be prepared and I want you to consider your reaction before you fly off the handle, because my darling, I will not lose another child. I cannot lose another child because we react to this wrongly. Do you understand?" Now there situations were almost reversed. Cora was calm and prepared taking the lead, and Robert was scared and worried. He nodded his head and squeezed Cora's hand for support.

"Let me reassure you that no-one is hurt or in danger in any way. But my darling, it is about Edith ..."