NdA: Hello, hello :) thank you so much for follow - and favourited - this story as well, I'm truly touched.

I'd like to give my gratitude to witchoesed, Countess of Cobert, sinciyoufellinlovewithme and Melz96 who took time to review the first chapter. You made my day!

Here's the second update. I hope you enjoy it!

I included a small lyrical-cameo in honour of Rose - better, her actress - because.. I love Rose ;)

Please forgive my mistakes, I'm not English, R&R so I can improve my skills!

Two.

'Crack'. She could've heard that noise. She didn't.
The thin icy surface on the black stone cracked under her foot.
In a blink of an eye she could've slip and fall. She held her breath while finding a balance once again.
She turned her palms to face the black sky, her arms still wide open.
Purple. Sage flowers, she smelled, and she felt home.

⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓⁓

Mid-June 1890

Cora slowly walked into the library. It was becoming her favourite room in the whole estate for some times now: in the morning, the bright light bated all the shelves and books into a strange halo of mystery and if Robert would've found a little spare time, he would've laid on the couch with her, reading with cooing voice one of her favourite novels; in the afternoons and evenings they spent endless time talking about their future, instead. They had already made plan about the baby's schools, horses, titles and skills, its beauty, inherited from its fairly mother and its pride, inherited from its resolute father.

She smiled silently, leaning her fingers on the top of the couch, her glimmering blue eyes fixed on the back of her husband: few were the times when she saw him sitting before the piano and she didn't want to distract him.

As soon as the light, yet peaking, notes filled the air, Cora involuntary started to swing on her heel and toes, back and fort, again and again. Her heart was almost aching due to the beauty of what she was witnessing: her beloved husband hitting with his raw finger the piano's keys, playing an old, sweet, lullaby.

"Lavender's green, dilly dilly, lavender's blue.." she mimicked with her lips while slowly walking to her Robert. She waited for the right time to place her hands on his shoulders.

Robert startled a little, the melody cracked for a moment.

"If you love me, dilly dilly, I will love you.." Cora sang with a heavenly, delicious voice that made Robert's heart melt at once. Her slim arms crossed on his chest while she leaned over him, resting her chin upon his head.

"You ruined my surprise, Cora Crawley." he teased, rubbing her arms with his warm hands. "I thought I had nine months more to practice." he turned slightly his head and kissed her pale skin.

"I can teach you." she peeped with an enthusiastic voice, unfolding her embrace and taking a seat next to him. "We can play the baby's lullaby together."

Robert smiled while his wife's fingers joint his under Cora's feathery touch and guide.

"It will be perfect, my darling."

"But Robert you promised me!" she cried with her childish voice. Robert had to show his disappointed face while inside he was giggling for his wife's behaviour.

"I know, my dearest. We can practise tomorrow and I can certainly read you tonight before bed, tough." he tried to kiss her forehead but she stepped back, pouted and crossed her arms on her chest. "I totally forgot about mama's picnic to Eryholmes."

Cora huffed.

"Only if you swear." she warned him. Robert nodded tragically.

"Cross my heart." he said firmly "Beside we can sneak out for an hour and take a little walk on our own.. near the river perhaps." he was using his fake-uncaring voice and she could only imagine what he had in mind. Had he arranged something near the river? If only the temperature would have been little warmer she could've asked Robert if they could just dip their toes into the limpid waters.. "Now don't let your mind travel too much, dear." Cora woke up from her thoughts only when her husband touched her nose with his finger. Cora nodded and sighed.

"I hope you won't fall asleep tonight when you'll read me Little Women."

Robert whined loudly "Again?!"

She had to admit it: that place was incredible. Cora almost liked that house more than Downton Abbey itself. With all those red bricks, the green ivy hanging here and there across the facades and the beautiful trees and flower all over the garden.. if only was allowed, she would have begged Robert to take her to Eryholme every spring.

She enjoyed that sight, that air, that flowers and those trees, she enjoyed even the quiet sound of the rushing waters in distance, with bees and birds singing all over. Of course her mother-in-law didn't agree.

"I forgot about the bees." huffed Violet, waving her gloved hands around her face.

"That's the nature waking up for spring and summer." it wasn't a secret that the older woman found Cora's glee just an unpleasant symptom of her pregnancy and often she gave her in return a sympathy smile. "It's even getting rather warm, don't you think, Robert?"

"I do." he chuckled. He loved witnessing to the quiet fight of those two. "Would you care to join me for a walk?" that what the question she was waiting since the arrival. She jumped off her seat and settled her dress.

"To the river?" she forestalled, swiping her arm beneath his.

"Yes. I'd like to show my favourite spot when I was a child." at those words, Violet fussed on her chair.

"On that rock?!" she mumbled, almost out of breath "Are you out of your mind? You could slide!" Robert sighed.

"Mama, it's not a rock it's a flat stone above the river.. it's totally safe. I promise."he patted his wife's hand "Beside I'm not a fool. I won't risk Cora and my child's life that way, don't you think?" Violet got distracted by another bee.

Robert sighed. "We'll be back soon, papa." Patrick nodded a smiled to the couple before diving again into his book.

"Robert, I was thinking that maybe we could come here more often." she was the first one who didn't know if that was a request, a question or a proposal and her tone of voice contained all the three possibilities.

"You like it here, don't you?" Robert was smiling while guiding her across the forest he explored palm by palm as a kid. The trees were of course larger and higher and some new trees were born all around, the moss had spread all over, filling the air with that unique essence, but in the substance, nothing had changed. Robert knew the paths by heart.

"I do. Very much." Cora confessed, bowing to cross a fallen trunk and a low branch that Robert tried to lift for her. "I love this forest, that red house.. I love these perfumes and this quiet with birds and insects. It's all so peaceful."

"Do you really hate Downton that much?" asked Robert ironically and she blushed, lowering her eyes

"I do not hate Downton. It's just.. quieter here." she cleared her throat "I'd like to spend some time with just my husband." Robert smiled and took advantage of a difficult ground to kiss her on the cheek.

"You will become Countess, lady Grantham one day, my darling. It'll be easier day by day. You'll be a wonderful mistress of the house." Cora bit her lower lip.

"Do you think so?" she held his arms stronger and jumped off a rock.

"I know so, my dearest." he sighed and glanced proudly around "Here we come."

That place was Heaven.

The placid water of the river ran crystal clear through the ground, weaving around the tree's roots, carrying away colourful leaves and bricks; just below a towering, green, weeping willow, near the curve of the river, there was a great flat stone, which leant over the water.

"Robert, it's beautiful." Cora was almost afraid of invading that little breach of paradise and Robert had to pull her toward his favourite spot. From there they could see the forest of poplars trigger a storm of with pollen, like snow, they could see the lines of the river and the little waterfall in distance, ending in a quite large pool, less than a couple of metres deep.

Robert urged his wife to sit on a prominent root and for a long moment he watched her blue eyes glimmering due to the sun sneaking thorough the tiny leaves.

She was stunning.
She looked like a fairy into that forest, like she belonged there, into that mystic beauty of quiet and sounds.

"Now I'll show you how to live this spot at full potential." he giggled, kneeling down and starting to unbuckle her boots. Cora didn't complain when he freed her legs from the silk socks either and rose her dress just above her knees.
The cold stone beneath her feet gave her chills and when he feet met the water, she giggled as a long shiver ran on her back; Robert watched her settle down and did the same, joining her just a couple of minute later.

"I hope our child won't hide for hours in the forest like you did." Cora was flapping her feet back and forth, splashing his legs from time to time.

"Who told you I hid for hours?" he was faking a hurt face expression.

"I imagined it." he simply said, smiling victorious.

"All-right. But if so we'll know where to search." Cora nodded and laughed with him, then she rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying his presence and the stunner of the wood.

"Look Robert!" her finger pointed a little brush on their left he didn't notice. He giggled: those were common sage flowers.

"You like them?" Cora nodded, slipping her head deeper on the crook of his neck. "If you promise not to move I'll pick some for you." she huffed and shook her head, promising with a condescending voice.

Cora waved her feet once more, her palm resting on the cold stone beside her legs. She sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying that ultimate peace surrounding her, until she felt her hands freezing and wet.
She quickly opened her lids and rose her palm, glancing blankly at the unexpected stream of water rushing on the stone on which she was sit on.
Cora urged herself to get up to prevent her dress to get soaked but when she tried to stand, that little stream became a rill and a real river and before she could realize, she slipped and fell into the watercourse.

"Rob-" she almost chocked.

It was June, yet the water was cold as ice.
Cora fought tenaciously against the strength of the river but every time her feet failed the grip on the pebbled on the bottom, she was dragged a little more toward the waterfall. It was not higher than one metre, yet she couldn't know if sharp rocks or other dangerous things were expecting her just at the end of it.
She held her breath when the waters dragged her down into the green pool in the middle of the forest.
She would have laughed.
That unplanned dive hadn't been bad after all, if it weren't for the chills and the fright and the soaking dress that made her movements very difficult.
Cora spread her arms, trying to get to the surface for she was running out of air.. but she couldn't.
Her ears, even under water, were caught by a sinister noise: it was cracking ice.
Ice? In the middle of June?
With horror she realized that just above her head the water had turned into a thick layer of frost. She couldn't breath, she couldn't get out.
She began to punch with all her strength but it seemed no use; she was alone, trapped and dying among cold waters with no one to save her in time.

Robert kissed his wife on the top of her head before leaving her side, padding barefoot on the ground toward the purple bush. The strong scent of sage tickled his nose and immediately smiled, imagining his wife's face when she would have realized what kind of flower she had laid her eyes on.
He made a tiny a colourful bouquet and tied up the stems with a long blade of grass; he was about to head back to Cora when he dropped the flowers.
Messy purple dots spread onto the dark ground.
He couldn't move, shocked and horrified by the sight before him: Cora on the edge of the stone, her arms spread open, her white dress lightly waved by the wind. What was she doing?

"Cora, don't move!" he began to run to her, but just a second before he could catch her, she stepped forward, jumping into the river without a blink. "Cora!" hundreds of birds fled away.

Robert hearted raced within his chest. Why on earth Cora jumped into the river like that? Why was she walking peacefully into the cold waters, following the flow, escaping every attempt of his to catch her?

Oh the waterfall was so near..

"Cora, I beg of you! Stop!" he jumped a trunk, striving to follow the river without enter the water to keep the both of them from wastefully slide. "Watch out, Cora!" he was a couple of metres far away from her when she let herself fall into the natural pool tailing the waterfall.

Robert ran again, not caring if his heart was bursting, not caring if his lounge were burning. He watched frenetically the bottom of the lake, searching for his wife and there she was: lying on the foot with her eyes open, an enigmatic smile curving her lips and her hands gracefully leant on her stomach.

He didn't think twice before diving in, pulling her out and crying of joy when he heard her choked breath starving with air.

"What have you done, my darling?" his voice was cracked, full of both concern and relief while he carried her out of the water toward the nearest forecourt of dry grass to let her recovering "What have you done?" he asked again, but her glance was only terrified.

"I-I slipped. For the water.. and then the ice-" her eyes began to water.

"Ice?" What was that all about? She was clearly confused. Maybe he had mistaken what he saw. Quizzing her with more question didn't seem the best ting to do at the moment "Don't worry my darling, I have you." he held her strong, sighing content when he realized she was just scared.
Cora snuggled against his chest, happy for the sunbeams warming their skins. He smelled like sage and when she opened her eyes and her last tears fell down onto her cheeks, she saw lots of those purple flowers.
They were beautiful despite they were sage's.
She quite loved that scent.
Cora felt safe and warm into her husband's embrace.. she was home.