After a while of rolling about in the snow, kissing, Robert cupped Cora's face in his hands – both bare now – and smiled up at her. "As much as I like where this is going, darling, I think perhaps this setting would be a bit uncomfortable."
Cora lifted an eyebrow, but kept grinning, and rubbed her hands along the front of his coat. "And where exactly did you think this was going?"
"Um…" he said, momentarily confused.
Laughing at his obvious bewilderment, Cora flicked snow out of his hair. "I'm only teasing, Robert. But don't you think the children will set upon us as soon as we step in the door? It's still their tea time."
"What else would you suggest?" He chuckled, threading his fingers into her hair and looking at her lovingly. As much as they had continued to enjoy their marital intimacies over the years, both had also become more and more partial to enjoying them in their own room, generally in their own bed – where they didn't have to worry so much about being interrupted or if they fell asleep together afterward. "I would say the sleigh, since you've seen fit to put so many nice blankets in there, but I wouldn't want to spook the horse."
Cora grinned at him while he continued to chuckle, running a gentle thumb over the lines this formed around his eyes. She still found him as handsome as ever, and she adored him even more in the past years for how he'd become around his family – around her. "I guess we'll have to chance it. Perhaps we can sneak in unnoticed."
"Or," he began, moving the hand not twisted in her dark tresses down to slip around her waist in an embrace, "if they accost us, I'll put my foot down. I am still Earl of Grantham."
Robert didn't expect her to start giggling uncontrollably, her torso vibrating against his through their coats.
"And just what are you giggling at?" he inquired, tempted to tickle her so she'd continue her giggling.
"You would never put your foot down with those children. Not the way you'd like to. They all have you wrapped around their tiny fingers."
"They do not!" he expostulated, incredulous. "Just the other day I told little Violet that she could not have more than two sugary biscuits."
"And then what did you let her have instead?"
He colored, cutting his eyes to the side, sheepish. "Three iced tea cakes," he murmured.
"See?" She giggled again.
"That doesn't mean I can't put my foot down when necessary," he insisted, his lower lip extending in a pout.
Cora touched his lip with the tip of her forefinger and stopped giggling. "Of course you can, Robert," she agreed.
But Robert knew from her tone and the look on her face she was placating him. So he dug his fingers into her sides, tickling her.
"Nooooo," she laughed. "Please!" She struggled to get away from him, rolling backward. He merely rolled with her, his fingers traveling up under her arms, loving to hear her laughter.
Becoming winded, Robert finally enclosed her loosely in his arms, lying there with her, catching his breath and listening to her do the same. Cora lay her head upon his shoulder, smiling.
"If we're going to attempt sneaking in and upstairs to have enough time before the dressing gong, we should head back, darling," she said gently. "Unless you've changed your mind."
"Bite your tongue, Cora," he said, prompting a low chuckle from his wife. Sitting up with Cora on his lap, he kissed her once more, caressing her face and neck. He then gave her a hand to help her up before standing himself. Brushing the pair of them off the best he could, Robert rewound her scarf about her neck, unwilling that she should feel a chill as she drove them back.
Cora gazed into his eyes while he did this, a look of pure adoration upon her face. She handed him his gloves, which had ended up in her pockets somehow. He put them on and smiled at her, slipping his arms around her waist and holding her close one last time.
"It was a marvelous surprise, Cora. Thank you." Robert bent his head and kissed her, in some ways reluctant to go back.
Somehow sensing this, Cora murmured, "We can come back another afternoon, you know. There should be snow on the ground quite often in the next month or two." She grinned, sliding a hand down to pat his behind.
He felt a tremor of excitement at her action and her little smirk and remembered now why he'd wanted to go back home. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the sleigh and tucked the pair of them beneath the blankets, once again admiring the manner in which Cora handled their conveyance as they started home.
As Cora became more confident in her driving skills, she chirruped loudly, urging the mare to trot at a quicker rate. Robert continued to watch her, how the wind lifted her hair, the pink in her cheeks, the sparkle of her eyes, and the complete joy in her smile. It was one of those times that he couldn't believe just how much he loved her.
Moving his arm down from her shoulder, he circled her waist with it, nuzzling his face against her throat, pressing soft kisses there. Cora giggled. "Robert, you're supposed to be enjoying the scenery."
"I've seen the scenery," he said, lifting his head to say this into her ear. "I'd rather do this." Robert nibbled her earlobe and snaked a hand between her coat buttons, grazing his fingers over her abdomen through her dress.
Delightful shivers that had nothing to do with the cold danced up and down Cora's spine. "Darling, I'm trying to drive the sleigh," she said in a voice that didn't quite manage to be stern.
"And you're doing a wonderful job, Cora," he hummed against her jawline.
Over the next few minutes, Cora maintained her concentration, getting used to what Robert was doing. But then… "Robert!" she gasped, looking over at him with wide eyes.
"Mmmm" was his only reply as he twirled his tongue in the tiny hollow beneath her ear and glided his bare hand along her thigh, his fingers having found their way under her coat and dress below the blankets.
"Robert, you're going to make me do as that song says and get us caught in a drifted bank! Stop that!" She squirmed a bit, but that only made his hand slip higher.
"No, you won't," he muttered into her ear. But he kept fingers tracing light patterns along her inner thigh, watching her for a moment, waiting.
She turned her eyes front and leaned her temple against his forehead. "As long as we don't swerve, darling."
"Really?" he asked in some surprise.
"Before I change my mind, Robert."
Robert pressed a kiss to her cheek and then trailed kisses down under her chin, trying to cover every inch of skin above her scarf. While he did this, he also grazed his hand over her thighs, up and down, every pass bringing him closer to her panties.
Cora sighed, keeping her eyes open, even though she wanted to close them, and keeping her hands secure around the reins, although, as he finally pressed his fingers against her, she wanted nothing more than to curl her hand around his wrist to guide him. Not that he necessarily needed such guidance after four decades of pleasuring his wife.
When he pushed the fabric aside, stroking her with renewed fervor, his breath hot against her throat, she gasped. "Oh dear," she breathed, wetting her lips and very deliberately training her eyes front.
As Robert whispered sweet endearments next to her ear, holding her about the waist still, his hand worked to stoke a fire within her. Cora's hands began trembling around the reins, but she – in some way she really did not know – kept the sleigh steady, and the mare seemed unruffled. Honestly, her scarf began to feel too warm, heat rising into her face and down her neck, and she let out great puffs of air in her endeavor to split her attention between driving – and how Robert now drove her wild.
Cora let out a series of keening cries, the horse pricking her ears at the sound. After a few moments of writhing against Robert's hand, Cora felt her legs clinch around it, and she blinked her eyes hard while she moaned. At this, knowing he'd given her this pleasure in this way, and feeling her rock on the seat as she calmed down again, Robert became somewhat aroused himself.
"Cora?" he ventured.
"Yes," she said, her breathing starting to return to normal.
"We'll be there soon, won't we?"
"Darling, I'm barely keeping myself together after that; I need a little more time to recover," she panted.
"But, sweetheart, I – well, that made me quite eager," he intoned, pressing a kiss to her neck again, his voice husky.
"Eager?" she repeated, somewhat baffled by the word. She turned her head to glance at him.
"Yessss," he hissed into her ear. "Eager." He'd finally withdrawn his fingers from her, but his hand still rested upon her thigh, and he gave it a meaningful squeeze. Then he lifted his head to give her a certain look.
Cora nearly giggled. "Oh…. That sort of eager." She smirked at him. "Well, you'll just have to try and think of something innocuous for another five minutes at least. That's the quickest we can be at the house."
"But, Cora," he murmured, "I can't think of anything else. I'm completely under your spell."
"You might have considered that result when you started being so naughty under these blankets," she replied in a teasing voice. "You knew I couldn't reciprocate, darling, as much as I'd like to help you." She couldn't help chuckling.
Robert groaned. "Your sense of humor appears at the oddest times, my dear."
"I'm sorry, Robert. I know I shouldn't laugh at you. But we really will arrive soon," she said, her tone more serious.
"I very much hope the children stay in the drawing room," he muttered, realizing that he should draw away from her, but unable to. He nestled against her, wishing the time when they would have no barriers between them to be closer.
And, finally, the barns came within view, and Robert sat up straighter, not wanting the groom to see him practically in his wife's lap now. It only took a few moments to hand the horse and sleigh over to the groom, and Robert grasped Cora's hand, trudging through the snow with her as quickly as possible to the front door.
"Robert," Cora laughed, panting, "you're going too fast; I'm afraid I'll trip over my own feet at this rate."
"I apologize, darling, but I am in somewhat of a hurry here." But he slowed his steps a trifle, turning to smile at her.
While outside, Robert's coat covered him modestly enough, but he prayed they would encounter no one once inside, because it would make for an incredibly embarrassing situation. Of course, he thought, I could refuse to give up my coat at the door. Yes, that will work.
He entered the door with Cora, helping her off with her coat and handing this to Barrow. But when the butler tried to take his own outer garment, Robert nearly skipped half a step back from his outstretched hands. "Oh, no, Barrow. I will keep this on, I think. I got it quite dirty whilst out this afternoon, and I'll just wear it upstairs to put in with the other laundry."
Barrow raised an eyebrow, having taken in Cora's also dirty coat and her lack of reluctance to relinquish the garment, and also the flushed faces of the pair. His eyes strayed downward for a mere instant, many years in the household having given him some insights into his employers. Yet, he simply nodded and put his hands down. "Very good, Lord Grantham," he said. "The children are still in the drawing room if you would like to –"
"No, no," Robert interrupted, already taking both Cora's shoulders and steering her into the hallway. "They're not to know we've arrived home, Barrow." He looked over his shoulder as they walked away, telling him, "If you would be so kind as to keep our presence to your –"
"Grandpapa!" came a high-pitched shriek from the doorway of the drawing room.
"Bloody hell," Robert mumbled. Cora stopped, and Robert pressed himself close to her back, his hands still on her shoulders, not wanting the children to see anything they shouldn't.
"Where have you been?" little Violet inquired, putting her hands on her hips.
Cora almost choked trying not to laugh. "Grandpapa and I had somewhere to go this afternoon."
George appeared in the doorway behind little Violet. He cocked his head at his grandparents. "Grandmama, why do you look so mussed? And, Grandpapa, you still have your coat on."
Before either of them could answer, Sybbie walked out, Rosy clinging to her hand and taking careful steps. "Horsey!" Rosy screeched, dropping Sybbie's hand and reaching her arms out toward Robert. Before she could lurch forward, though, Sybbie bent down and caught her around the waist.
"Rosy, you can't run inside the house," she admonished.
"She's only a baby, Sybbie," Charlie retorted as he, too, came up behind the others. "She doesn't know any better." He rolled his eyes.
Turning to look up at him, her face stern, Sybbie pursed her lips. "You do, but you don't mind either. So, I suppose you're a big baby?"
"Oh God," Robert whined, pressing his head down onto Cora's shoulder as the children began squabbling, Rosy straining against Sybbie's hold around her middle, her arms waving and crying out "horsey! Horsey!"
Cora's lips twitched, but she knew that Robert's "eagerness" would soon die in this noise, to be replaced by a headache.
"Grandpapa, are you alright?" Little Violet exclaimed over the rest and stared at him, her eyes round.
"No," he groaned, not moving. "Cora," he whispered into her shoulder just loudly enough for her to hear, "soon they'll all be out here, and we won't have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves." He sounded pathetic.
Cora raised her voice so the children would hear. "Quiet, all of you. Stop quarrelling and go back into the drawing room to finish your tea."
"But, Grandmama! Grandpapa –"
Shaking her head sternly, Cora put her hands on her hips. She wasn't often severe with the children, but she felt the press of Robert's arousal against her behind, even through his coat, and her own excitement had been renewed. "Go back in the drawing room and finish your tea. Grandpapa isn't feeling well, so I'll be taking him upstairs and putting him to bed." She could tell Robert grinned against her shoulder at this.
The children grumbled, but started returning to the drawing room.
"Now," Cora whispered, suppressing a chuckle as Robert steered her once more, almost pushing her up the stairs. She knew he couldn't wait for her to put him to bed.
