AN: Thanks for all the lovely reviews. This one is all Cobert with a small touch of Baxley. Chelsie will be back next chapter and Baxley will make their first true appearance! Enjoy!
Cora sits at her dressing table staring unblinking at the reflection before her, her thoughts thinking of only how her evening alone with Robert will unfold. Will it be like one of the evenings they used to spend together when they were within the first years of their marriage, or the more romantic evenings of the months after he had admitted his love for her. Both had been perfect in there own way, they'd laughed together and kissed and danced all in a rainbow sequence, the evenings seemed to last forever his hands seemingly never leaving her, his eyes following her every move. She'd felt so loved and she wanted that again. That feeling of being someone's and belonging where you had chosen to spend the rest of your life. The door to her bedroom opens and with it her fixed gaze breaks as the reflection of her maid appears in the glass.
"Is this the one you mean m'lady?" Baxter holds the dress up for her inspection. It was a dress she'd had her dressmaker make for her some months ago. In the months before Bricker to be exact. She'd had it made some weeks before her wedding anniversary, which was ironically nearly upon them again, with the expectation that Robert might have arranged to take her out either on the day or some time during the week and she'd had the dress made for that. It was a dress she'd never wear before the rest of the family and it had taken some courage to describe what she had wanted to the dressmaker who, despite Cora's obvious nervousness at such a suggestion had cross questioned as to whether at her age and in her position it was entirely suitable. It was a modern style, something she'd seen Edith wear part of and Rose another part but neither had worn both at the same time. The straps were non-existent and instead the dress was held around her neck on a small string of beads and tied at the back, something they called a halter neck. Unlike the dresses that Edith wore with this style of strap, Cora's was backless. It was a risqué style she knew but she had wanted it for Robert. He had been wary of the new fashions but had begun to embrace them in the last year even mumbling against her skin some nights that it was deeply distracting for him to be able to see so much of her creamy skin as he tries to eat his dinner. She had chosen to have the gown made in a rich blue, it was darker and less startling than peacock but brighter then navy.
"Yes Baxter. Thank you."
"That's quite alright m'lady." Cora stands and Baxter slips the dress effortlessly over her hair that's she'd already delicately styled. Thankfully not a single curl falls from the coif, other than the one that Cora had asked to be left dangling at her neck, specifically to tantalise her husband. She was well aware he was going to drag the evening out after she'd teased him so naughtily in the library that afternoon. "Which jewels would you like tonight m'lady. I've laid out the pearls from the other night as they match the beads on the halter neck but I wondered if there was something specific his lordship would like?"
"You're very thoughtful Baxter. The pearls would match perfectly but his lordship does have some favourites, or rather," she delves into the back of her dressing table drawer and pulls from the back the smallest, most precious box in her collection. It's not the most expensive, most glittering or biggest jewel in her collection but it is the most precious. Not because it is a precious or rare stone, the pendant is just plain gold but it's what the symbol of the heart shaped pendent with the open centre means to Cora and her marriage that is important. "This is a present Lord Grantham gave to me on our first wedding anniversary, but I only wear it when we are alone."
"Oh?" Cora laughs at the questioning expression on her maid's face. She never thought she'd find a maid she valued as much as O'Brien but Baxter had somewhat stolen her heart. She was dear, in many ways like a friend, not perhaps like Mary and Anna but they were getting there. Cora teased Baxter about Molesley and recently Baxter had got into the habit of teasing her about Robert and it was a real relationship, not the strange one she'd had with O'Brien which, if she thought back to it, she was never quite sure where she was at any given moment.
"My mother-in-law is convinced it's not grand enough for the Countess of Grantham. Equally his lordship had it made for me and she despises any public displays of affection. By not wearing it I save myself the trauma of an argument." Baxter laughs and when she recovers Cora passes her the pendent.
"It's beautiful m'lady. His lordship has very good taste, but then I suppose I knew that when he'd chosen you for his wife."
"You flatter me Baxter but let's not forget the fact his lordship desired my money a little more than me."
"Not now."
"No. Not now." She sighs as thoughts of the first sad few months of her marriage flitter slowly in her mind.
"I'm sorry m'lady I've dampened your spirit."
"Not at all. How's Molesley? I haven't had an update since Monday. Has he said anything more to you or asked you to the cinema or something?" She sees Baxter blush and she swivels quickly on her chair. "What is it?" She'd grown more emotionally invested than Robert thought necessary in Baxter's private life. She didn't like to admit it, but she loved all the modern ways in which men and women could go out together and from all she'd heard from, and seen between Baxter and Molesley, she was sure they'd be well suited. And the fact Baxter was obviously smitten, well the whole thing screamed for her to help the younger woman find the love she so deserved.
"He has mentioned a film that it coming to Ripon next week that he has invited me to go and see with him." Cora shocks herself when she glasps her hands together and springs from her chair only just refraining from grabbing the woman in a heartfelt hug.
"Have you a dress to wear?"
"Yes and a few old jewels of my mothers."
"Show me the dress tomorrow and you can always borrow my pearls, I have a couple of strings."
"M'lady, that's very kind but I think you've perhaps forgotten my past."
"I haven't. I trust you and I want you and Molesley to marry."
"I think perhaps you're even ahead of him m'lady, it's taken some time to reach this point."
"Yes well, that's men. Trust me when I say it will be nothing, then everything all at once." Baxter smiles and nods her head softly in acknowledgment of the fact. "His lordship and I never danced together until the day he proposed to me and on that day we also very almost kissed for the first time. It's still the same now, I either get Robert hanging on my every word or we don't speak all day." She fails to notice the slip of her tongue in the conversation that is becoming more and more personal. But then it had been the same way for the last few months, ever since Baxter and Molesley had come to the library with their evidence to save Bates before Christmas, they had been having ever more personal conversations.
Robert stands in his dressing room listening to the lively laughs coming from the adjoining door and he shares a look with Bates.
"Miss Baxter and Lady Grantham seem to get on very well."
"Yes," Robert had been reluctant at first about the friendly relationship forming between the pair, particularly when Cora started taking an interest in Baxter's private life. But as had been the custom lately Cora shot him to the ground exclaiming about all his friendships and the enjoyable trips and visits he takes with his friends when all she has is all the toffee nosed aristocrats his mother likes. He had lost the fight and ever since had watched the looks the pair passed between them in a state of nervous curiosity, he was convinced Cora talked of him to her maid in return for gossip on Mr and Mrs Carson and Baxter's relationship with Molesley. "They share romantic gossip. Baxter talks of downstairs and Her Ladyship of her own marriage. From what she has told me she wishes to make a match between Miss Baxter and Mr Molesley, but don't spread that any further than Anna otherwise I'll be in the dressing room."
"Does she talk of Anna and I?"
"No, the main targets are the newly married Carson's and Baxter's possible romance." Bates laughs and Robert smiles.
"It sounds like the stories Anna sometimes tells me of how Lady Mary has asked her for advice on this or that, although I must say Anna is a better secret keeper than her ladyship. You seem to know all that goes on whereas I know little of what Lady Mary says."
"Ah yes, but no doubt Baxter knows the information will be fed back to me. Her ladyship has no reason to keep it to herself unless asked to, whereas Anna is Lady Mary's servant. She is being paid for her discretion and trust."
"Of course, you are quite correct." Robert notices the crinkle of annoyance in Bates' eyes and turns quickly to face him.
"Bates, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm just saying hat I don't doubt Baxter filters out what she doesn't want me to know because she knows I'm going to be told whereas Lady Mary doesn't filter what she says to Anna, she asks Anna for her opinion because she trusts her, she expects the information to go no further." When Bates nods briefly he knows he's got his friend back on side again. "Equally, deep down I think I'm pleased she has such a good relationship with Baxter. She was so upset when she lost O'Brien, although heaven only knows why, and now she has a true friend like I have you and Lady Mary has Anna."
"Quite right m'lord." He finishes by brushing the shoulders of Robert's jacket and then takes the discarded day clothes from the bed. "Is that everything?"
"Yes, thank you Bates. You may have the evening off. I'm sure I can get myself ready for bed. And if not I have no doubt Her Ladyship can help me." The sparkle he knows is visible in his eyes is reflected in those of his valet and the gentleman nods and then leaves. He doesn't knock as he turns the handle into Cora's bedroom. What he doesn't expect to see when he opens the door is an empty room. His brow furrows and he heads towards the bathroom thinking Cora may be freshening up in the cool but as he passes the dressing table he spies the elegant, loopy writing that could only belong to Cora. He whips the note from its resting place to read the elegant swirl: 'Meet me in the Drawing Room. Cora xx' the two kisses attached to the tail of her 'a' make him smile, it's the way she's signed her name ever since the long months they'd sent apart when he'd been fighting.
He's well aware he practically runs down the stairs to the drawing room but he slams the brakes on both mentally and physically when he enters and the vision of his wife fills his mind. She had always filled his mind, ever since the first time he'd seen her picture in the list of debutantes and then weeks later when he finally saw Miss Cora Levinson in the flesh he was sure he'd gasped out loud. This time, well, this time he knows he's gasped out loud when she giggles.
"You like it?" He watches as she twirls effortlessly on the spot the hem of the short dress has tassels on the bottom which swings outwards with the movement.
"It's, you're gorgeous, stunning. You always are. I'm just not used to seeing quite so much of you." She giggles again and sashays to his side, as he moves to envelope her in his arms he finds out two new features of her appearance that he had not noticed from a distance. There is no back to the dress, his hands have met smooth flesh but more importantly laying between her collar bones is the heart pendent he hadn't seen in over two years. The heart pendent that had been a symbol of his love ever since he'd given it to her. He picks it up between his fingers and twists it around, the dark blue risqué dress with no back and no shoulder straps long forgotten in the face of the gold band. The gold band that is almost as important as the one she wears on her finger, nestled near her heart.