A week later, back at Downton, Cora and Robert were walking, their daily walk after luncheon. It had become a routine after they've come back from their honeymoon. This and the 'night duty time' was all they spent together in a day. After Lady Laurel's ball, there was no word from Kara, nor Robert said anything related her, which calmed Cora's nerves to great extent. Kara wasn't the only one who had ever drooled over or flirted with Robert but Cora had this feeling about her which wasn't right, like an itch she can't read and it drove her mad that day, and the next two days they were in London. But the next two days were spent attending a dinner at Lord Flintsher's house, husband to Robert's cousin and next day was spent at Rosamund's and gladly no one brought up that Kara Dixon.
Maybe she was just excited to see Robert, and vice versa. They had been friends, right? Very good friends. There was nothing to be jealous about. Cora's thoughts were interrupted by Robert;
"Watch this step!", Robert exclaimed.
"What..oww!, too late", Cora chuckled a little.
"Are you hurt?", Robert asked so tenderly, it made her want to take him in her arms this instant but she shook the thought.
"I'm fine", she replied softly.
They continued walking, when Robert asked, "You are very quiet today".
"Oh? Am I? Sorry, I was day dreaming", Cora replied, just realizing that they hadn't said a single word since they started their walk.
Robert chuckled a little. He found Cora absolutely adorable. She was sweet, charming and innocent. Almost like a porcelain doll. "What about?", he asked.
"Oh, this and that". Typical American, he thought. She was a breath of fresh air at Downton, a welcoming change and Robert was always in awe whenever she spoke at ease. He realized that she was always nervous when someone was with them, but she was only at ease with him. He felt sad for her and he always tried to make her smile but the issue was; he didn't know how. He didn't love her, but he liked her, very much. She was a beautiful, sweet and an intelligent person which he greatly admired.
Robert heard Cora humming and smiled to himself. He'd love to hear her sing, he bet she had a beautiful voice, he didn't want to interrupt but he suddenly remembered something and spoke.
"Cora, my dear, did Mama tell you the plans for next week?" ,he asked squeezing her hand on the crook of his arm.
"Oh, no, she didn't", she answered.
"Oh, she must've forgotten. The thing is that Mama and Papa's anniversary Is next week but Mama didn't realize earlier and set a ball here at Downton, two days after their anniversary. It's their 25th so there's going to be a big party. Almost the same people are invited to the ball the next two days, so Mama thought is foolish if they were to come and go and then come back again. So what they've decided is that the guests will arrive on the day of their anniversary, after luncheon, I suppose and will stay till the day of the ball and would leave the next day. So they'll stay almost four days here" , Robert explained .
"Oh, how exciting!", She was thrilled, four days without her being in the spot light, what a bliss!
"Who are coming?" , she asked, excited to know more.
"Oh, all the neighboring lords and the ladies. A few from London, mostly the people you met at Lady Laurel's ball . There will be plenty of women your age, wait I have a list..", he took out a list from his pocket that he had decided earlier to hand over to their butler, Williams after their walk.
"Lady Alice, Lady Charlotte, Lady Susan, Lady Margaret, Rosamund, of course and Lady Kara as well..", he ended the list with a smile on his face.
Kara Dixon. Of course, she'll come.
All the excitement was flooded by nervousness in a matter of seconds.
Why? Why her? But no, I will not feel threaten or jealous. She's just an over friendly women, it's her nature, that's it. But I have to keep an eye on her.
Cora felt bad, honestly. She wasn't like this; snoopy and the plotting type, but it was just this Kara Dixon, that drove her mad and she didn't even know why.
Why does she make me so uncomfortable? Why do I have a bad feeling about her? Lady Margaret is very friendly with Robert too, I don't feel uncomfortable when she is around Robert. Then why this Kara? WHY?
"Cora, are you alright? You've turned white as a sheet", Robert asked, his voice full of concern at the sudden change of expressions.
"Oh, nothing , I'm alright, I was just thinking about the arrangements for the bedrooms", she replied sweetly.
"Oh", he said smiling, "That's alright, my dear, you can discuss later with Mama. Should we head back now?"
She only nodded and suddenly gripped his arm tighter. Robert noticed the increased pressure of his arm, but didn't mind. They walked back to the house in silence. But Cora could almost hear the storm raging inside her.