"Mama, you must help him see sense. He is being ridiculous and stubborn. Honestly, I don't know how you ever converse with him without losing your mind" Mary raised her eyebrows and looked to Matthew and Tom for support. Neither man was willing to speak to Cora with the look that had currently set up residence upon her face. Mary was either too foolish to notice, or just didn't care and pressed on. "His views are much too old fashioned for the present environment Mama; you must help him see sense. You must …"

Cora could not listen to another word, "Please Mary, continue to tell me everything I must do for you. You know how much I enjoy being told what to do by my own children!" Cora was livid. She was disappointed at the way the discussion had gone, her stomach was in knots for Robert and she knew his feelings were hurt, she was angry at the way Matthew had handled things. Now Mary was telling her what to do. She was in no mood.

"Oh Mama, you know that's not what I mean. It's just Papa must see reason on this." Mary said exasperatedly.

"Mary!" Cora spun to look her straight on, "Your father is a very proud man, and being told things are not going well does not go easy for him. He has been steering this ship for a long time, it is difficult for him to relinquish control."

"I understand Cora, if we can just help him to see the way forward is this way it will help everyone" Tom said gently, he would not argue with Cora, not now, not ever.

"I know, I understand, and I have agreed with your position. If you think it was easy for me to stand up and tell my husband of 30 years that I agree with you and not him then you are mistaken. I know him, and what has made him angrier than anything is that he thinks I am not on his side. I will not upset him further by badgering him" Cora started to leave but turned and added, "I agree with you, I have told Robert I agree with you, but I will support him no matter what he decides. I will not go against him. You need to be prepared for that." She turned and walked quietly out of the room.

"Well, what do we do now?" Matthew asked slumping into the chair, his head on his forehead.

Mary crossed to sit next to him, "Leave it to Mama. She would never take an alternate view from Papa and leave it at that. She will talk to him, just in her own time"

"I hope you're right" Matthew said.

Robert had started up the stairs towards his room, his blood boiling, his anger marinating in the disrespectful tone from Matthew combined with the crushing blow of Cora's betrayal. She had openly sided against him, said it out loud and agreed with Matthew and Tom. It was more than his pride could take. She thought him foolish; she did not trust his abilities. By the time he reached his room he realized he could not stay cooped up inside. Perhaps a walk, or saddling Triumph and having a ride would clear his head better than the four walls of his room. Taking himself back downstairs he heard voices in the drawing room as he passed which ignited his irritation. They were still discussing him, his great disappointments, his folly. So focused on his anger was he that he almost walked right into Cora as she exited the room hurriedly.

"Robert!" she squealed as he almost bowled her over. He quickly threw his arm around her back to stop her falling down and pulled her against him to gather both their balance. She was breathing heavier than usual. He tried not to notice. She had let him down.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly looking at her briefly then looking away.

"Yes" she said thankfully, "Yes I am fine thank you. I was coming to find you actually" she tried to look at his face but he had averted his gaze. She had hurt him more than she thought. Her stomach twisted painfully at the thought. Oh Robert! She felt his arm loosen its grip around her waist and he stepped back. She felt the coolness of the air as they parted and she smoothed her skirt with her hands to busy herself. He was very upset; she knew he would need some time.

"I'm sorry Cora, I was just on my way to the stable. I need some air" he explained not looking at her.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "I understand. Of Course, perhaps when you get back you could come up to my room. I should very much like to talk with you" she moved her head back and forth until she found his eyes and held them with hers. She needed him to know he was still the most incredible man she knew. She needed him to know she loved him and admired him, but she knew he would feel emasculated by this. He didn't speak, he simply nodded his head and moved around her toward the door.

"Oh Robert" she muttered to herself as she watched him walk away.

Riding had been both a blessing and a curse. He had felt powerful again; at least the horse listened to his directions and did as he asked. He had ridden for over an hour, cantering along the clearing to the east and then meandering down the hill admiring the estate. It had felt good to get some air, to be active and get out. The downside had been the state of the Brumley's farm as he had been riding past. The equipment outdated, the fields in need of work. Old Mr. Brumley couldn't keep up since his sons had died in the war, the estate had simply taken care of them. He wondered if was as proud a man now as he had been so many years ago. He would have hated to have felt he was being a burden to anyone. Perhaps Robert had a few things to think about if he would just calm down long enough to do so.

Cora spent the better part of 2 hours in her room alone. She would normally have spent the afternoon hours downstairs, but after the blow up earlier she did not want to bump into Matthew or Mary for a few hours. She felt Tom was the purest in this whole scheme, and she found it difficult to be mad at him regardless. He would always hold a special place for her, he had been Sybil's, now she would love him as her own. She had spent the first hour trying to organize a drawer of scarves and hats for the village poor. She had meant to have O'Brien do it weeks ago, but having something to occupy her gave her a sense of purpose and so she did it herself. After that she had sat in her chaise and read some of her book in the streams of the afternoon sun. It had worn her out, all that warmth accompanied by her constant worry about Robert that she had eventually fallen asleep, her book dropped open on her lap.

When Robert finally made it back to the house he knew he had only a short while to the dressing gong. Perhaps an hour, maybe less. He didn't have time to do any business and was of no min to do so, Cora's request to visit her upon his return sitting in the back of his mind holding court above all else. He made his way to her room and knocked softly before entering. He hadn't expected her to be asleep, by the looks of her book strewn across her lap she hadn't planned on it either. The last few months had taken a toll on his wife. Losing the money. Edith's failed wedding, then losing Sybil … it all caused her intense heartbreak and he knew she was bearing up with remarkable strength despite it all. He sat on the corner of the bed and looked at the figure of his sleeping wife. The light from the window was touching the pale flesh of her cheekbone and skimming the side of her mouth. Her head was slanted to one side and the angle of her long delicate neck showed the hollow at the base of her throat. Her blouse had become slightly untucked on the side and showed the color of her nude slip underneath. Even when they were in disagreement she took his breath away. She was such a beautiful creature he could almost not take in air sometimes. It seemed to him that he had aged more and more every year, and Cora had become more and more elegant and regal. Her slender form showing slight curves following the birth of their children, her hair growing more lush each passing year, her skin softer and more porcelain. She was a vision … a vision who thought him a foolish old man. It frustrated him so. Deciding not to wake her he stood up and turned to the door. The soft sound of her voice stopping him in his tracks, he turned.

"Robert?" she said sleepily, "I am sorry, I must have dozed off" she yawned and pulled herself up to a more seated position. "Were you leaving?" she asked concerned.

"I didn't want to wake you" he explained gently returning to the corner of the bed.

"I needed to anyway" she said searching his face for an indication of his thoughts. "How was your ride?" she asked standing to move and sit next to him.

"It was pleasant. I needed the air" he said in slightly clipped tones. He didn't want to tell her his thoughts on Mr. Brumley. He wasn't ready for that yet.

She reached out and touched his arm, "Robert" she began.

"Do we really have to discuss it now?" he asked, standing to get a little distance. It was too hard to be mad at her when she was so close and so disarming.

"I think we ought to." She said forcefully, "Robert what happened downstairs …"

"What happened downstairs was everyone turned on me. It is obvious they don't need me, but what is most upsetting is that you think Matthew knows more than me. You value his opinion over mine" Robert did not even realize how upset he was about that until he said the words. He began to pace. Cora watched him and took a breath.

"That is simply not true" she said gently. "I happen to agree that given the circumstances Matthew and Tom have come up with a good plan, your plan led us in the past, theirs can lead us through the future. It is not you" Cora tried to explain.

"You took their side" Robert yelled as he threw his hands up exasperated. "You chose them." He did not wish to frighten her, he had not even meant to raise his voice, but the more he thought about it the more hurt he became.

Cora rose to her feet and spoke with force, "Lower your voice" she hissed, "I will not have this turn into an argument between us … not after all we have been through. I won't allow it"

"You won't allow it" he repeated with amazement, "really? How do you think you can manage that? You have gone against me in front of everyone and I am made to seem foolish because of it."

"It was not everyone, it was your daughter and your sons-in law, I have not chosen them over you and you are not made to look foolish … except maybe right now" she said evenly. Robert bristled and turned away from her.

"If you believed in me you would have been on my side" he tried not to sound childish, but even he heard it in his voice as he said it. It was his pride that was hurt, nothing else.

"Robert Crawley" Cora said in a stern motherly tone, she walked up behind him and put her arms around body resting then on his chest, the side of her face pressed against his back. "You are my husband and I love you, but right now you are being foolish. I love you, I support you … always, but I do not always agree with you. I have told you how I feel, I have given you my opinion, and now that is the end of it. I will not interfere anymore and I will support your decisions, as I always have done. But if you ever thought for one moment I would be that wife who sat quietly and offered no thoughts of her own then you were very sadly mistaken … I would think you have figured that out by now" he did now say anything, but he did not pull away and so Cora continued. He needed his ego stroked, she needed him to feel appreciated, and she knew how to make him feel better. He needed to hear the things she only ever thought and didn't say. "Robert, you are the best man I have ever met, you are loyal and kind, you are generous and intelligent and capable. You are the father of my children for which I give thanks every day. You are the man this entire house looks to in all things. You are the king of my heart. Nothing will change that, not now, not ever. Surely someone as intelligent as you can see that my agreeing with someone else makes no difference when compared with that"

Robert let out a sigh. "You are flattering me" he said begrudgingly.

"Yes" Cora said as she slipped around from his back to his front holding onto the lapels of his jacket. "Yes I am, because you cannot see how wonderful and strong you are because of your damned pride"

"Cora!" he said in shock, "You are a lady"

"I am your lady, and I will say damn any time I damn well please if it will get you to pay attention to what is right in front of your face."

He smiled down at her, the feisty, free spirited woman in front of him. "And what is that?"

"The woman who loves you despite your pride, and maybe even because of it." She leaned forward and placed a kiss against his lips, softly brushing his lips with her own and then pulled away.

"Well, perhaps" he said wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

"Perhaps what?" she asked, running her hands up his chest, across his shoulders and around his neck.

"Perhaps we won't argue over this, if you will kiss me again" he said with a smirk.

"Well I think I can do that" she smiled; leaning forward again they took each other's mouths in a soft lingering kiss. Cora parted her lips slightly and Robert gently slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting her, enjoying the feel of her tongue against his. She lifted her hands to the back of his neck and he pulled her closer to him. Their kiss turned more passionate as they worked their mouths against each other in a heated embrace. Robert's hands ran down from her waist and cupped her buttocks between his hands. She ran her hands through his hair.

The sound of the dressing gong interrupted the moment and they slowly pulled away, breathing deeply.

"Of course" he grumbled in her ear as they pulled apart. She laughed gently and ran her hand across his cheek.

"Hold that thought darling" she said playfully as she crossed to her closet. "I do feel sorry for Tom and Matthew" she said as Robert made his way to his adjoining door.

"Why is that?" he asked casually.

"I know how I got out of your bad books … but I don't think they have the same options available to them" she laughed as Robert's face showed surprise and then grew stern.

"No … they don't" he said with a smile.