AN: This chapter once more carries straight on from the last, but after that the plot line does pick up, quite quickly. This chapter is definitely still M rated until the line break further down, so if you don't like M stuff, skip to there and the story continues as it were.

He watches her as she recovers from their union. His hands gently stroke over her tummy but he doesn't bring himself to speak, unsure of her state of mind following their coupling. He knows his brow furrows as he watches her pull her chemise back over her head, her mouth unable to hide the grimace at the pain of movement. She sits for a further moment her mind seemingly far away and then she kisses him. Her murmur of thanks against his skin makes him start.

"What are you thanking me for? I should be thanking you."

"Hardly." She shuffles beneath the bed clothes, her fingers swirling on his chest. "You were very patient. Not many men would let a woman have her pleasure and suffer in discomfort like you did." Her cheeks stain a shade of pink he'd seen a lot in the last hour or so. He sees the logic of her reply but he can't help but think she doesn't give herself enough credit. He'd hurt her, of that he was sure and yet here she was thanking him, making him out to be a hero. A hero he certainly wasn't. He'd taken her to bed against his own better judgement, against the rules of society, but worse than all that was the fact he'd enjoyed it, found pleasure in it. The woman before him was to be his wife, and he'd found pleasure in her. His father would laugh in his face, tell him he obviously didn't know what pleasure was.

"It was a small price for me to pay to make sure you were content. I wanted to make sure you weren't afraid of me."

"I could never be that." He smiles weakly back at her. Not sure where the real Cora ends and the woman trying to be what he wants begins.

"Even so, are you sure you enjoyed yourself?"

"Did you?" He swallows back the anger flaring inside him at that remark. Those were definitely words coming from the woman who was trying to be what he wanted.

"That was not the question Cora. I want to check you enjoyed yourself."

"What would you class as enjoyment?" He bites his lip, unsure if she genuinely doesn't know what he is getting at or if she's nervous about expressing her enjoyment.

"Well, was it better than you expected? Or worse maybe? Did you like the things I did?" He watches as her cheeks stain again and she turns her face to the pillow before rolling onto her tummy, fiddling with the edge of the fabric.

"I did. And it was better than I thought. A little painful, but still very nice." She keeps her gaze firmly on the pillow. Robert can sense her uneasiness and reaches a hand to rest upon the small of her back.

"Cora. You don't need to be nervous. I'm only asking because I want to make this easier for you, more enjoyable. I told you earlier that I don't wish to have a mistress, that I don't want to break my promise to you. And that's true, but not the only reason. I find you very attractive Cora, I won't deny it and I know that if I can earn your trust and make you see the good points of being my companion in everything, my wife and my lover our marriage has a real chance." She twists her mouth from side to side her teeth digging at her lip as she digests his words. He stares blankly at the back of her head waiting for her to answer, what he'd said was true, he wished her to be an important part of his life but he knew his parents were going to be difficult towards her and that at times he'd be unable to protect her, she had to fend for herself, but in the part of marriage that was theirs he wished her to be content and if possible very happy. She eventually turns to face him, a stray droplet of water at the edge of her eye.

"It was all very nice. Enjoyable. I liked the way you kissed me, and...and the things you did with your fingers." She looks hurriedly away from him again her face blossoming into a dark pink. He shuffles closer and buries his nose against her neck. He nips once at her ear lobe with his teeth.

"And I liked the way you ran your hands over my chest." The truth was there was many things he'd never forget about the first night he and Cora had spent together. He wouldn't forget the look on her face as she'd experienced that first release, or the innocent questions she'd asked him, the blushes that appeared on her cheeks and the sound of her gasping his name were all memories that he would cherish. "And, how stunning you look naked." She twirls her face towards him even though his nose is still rubbing at her neck.

"Really?"

"Yes, quite stunning." As if to explain his point, desperate to prove to her that she is more to him than a mere way to get money for his failing estate, he trails his hands over her back and lifts her chemise so he may touch her bare skin, his hand drifts around her sides and eventually encounters the soft flesh of her breasts. "I'm not saying this is going to easy Cora. Any of it, my parents are likely to annoy you and I don't suppose we will agree on everything. But I think we have a chance and for me that starts with you believing what I say, particularly when we are like this. I'm no liar, you're beautiful, stunning, I always thought you were." The words tumble from his mouth in an almost incomprehensible jumble, but when she turns in his arms, her lips parted, fingers reaching for his hair he knows she's understood.

Her lips move possessively against his, her nails scratching at his scalp. Her legs loop effortlessly around his waist as he straddles her body. He can't get over how much she appears to desire being with him. He fumbles with her chemise for a second before she laughs and lifts it swiftly over her face. Her head falls back onto the pillow with a sigh as he brings his lips to her breasts, his tongue swirling across the peaks. His arousal stiffens when her fingers trail over his chest, they hesitate a little at his abdomen before they brush lightly over him, a blush flowers on her cheeks. She strokes her finger more roughly as she watches his face, which Robert doesn't doubt shows a strained expression as he tries to keep in control of himself. When her thumb rubs the tip firmly he has to take her hand and still her movements, her brow crinkles and her eyes narrow.

"Did you not like that?"

"I did Cora, very much, that was the problem." She nods, an understanding shown on her face. He massages the backs of her thighs having assumed they might be a little sore from earlier, when she sighs he brings his lips to hers again.

It isn't long before he gets so absorbed in their kissing, and the feel of her fingers on his body that he feels himself slowly losing control. Her hips lift every few moments, and her feet dig against his buttocks as she seemingly tries to coax him inside her.

"Robert, please." The desire in her voice makes him open his eyes, only to find her watching him, he opens his mouth to ask her permission anyway and she nods before he speaks, as if anticipating him. He pauses taking in her face and the swirl her hair makes on the pillow. She was just so beautiful, and she desired him, him above all those other men, this wonderful woman wanted to spend her life with him. He lowers himself inside of her and he's pleased when she murmurs his name, her eyes closing in contentment, rather than the pain that had caused them to squeeze together the first time.

This time is different, whether it's because the worry that had consumed him the first time as she'd tried to hide her pain is not there, or whether it is simply because she is moving with him, her hips pushing upwards into his, sounds of pleasure whistling through her open mouth; whatever it is, it's different, better. Not that he thought the first time had been bad, it had been far from that, he'd just wished he hadn't had to hurt her. His pace quickens above her, and Robert feels the beginnings of her climax as her walls begin to shake around him. Ignoring his own burning desire he bites his lip in concentration desperate to make sure she climaxes with him this time. Her body arches against his soon after, a moan of satisfaction echoing in the sticky air; he joins her a split second later.

They lay together, watching each other for some time, the air stills but the humidity remains but somehow neither of them wish to open the window, the hot air no different from their clammy skin.

"Would you like me to return to my room." Robert shakes his head, this time, and only this time, he vows to himself will he allow himself the liberty of sleeping by her side. Her eyes drift shut and Robert watches as she falls into a peaceful slumber. The sight is quite extraordinary, watching her sleep, her mind obviously at rest gives him a thrill he'd never felt. He knows he shouldn't be surprised the whole evening had given him a thrill he hadn't expected when it had begun. The hands on his body, her hot lips on his skin, they were things he'd dreamed of and now they were a reality, he couldn't quite believe it. But somehow above all those things, above seeing her naked, something he never expected would happen, his father had told him was to be the joy of a mistress not a wife, it was watching her sleep that made his heart quicken in something other than desire. The liberty of watching her sleep could perhaps be extended through their honeymoon? With this question being swirled around his mind, he also fell into a peaceful slumber.

His hand presses something warm, soft, as the birds begin to tweet outside the window, the panel frosted over with the February chill. His eyes startle apart at the feel of the flesh that's not his own. The sight before shocks him for a moment until the night before comes flooding back, the fight, the burning flames and then Cora. He surveys the curve of her nose, the long, elegant strands that are her eyelashes. The parting of her lips as she breaths slowly in and out. Her flesh remains beneath his fingers, his hand unwilling to move from its creamy texture. She stirs as he swirls his finger across her stomach, his other hand reaching into the curls of her raven dark hair. With the sunlight rising behind him, flashes of it illuminating her skin he can't believe that she could possibly look more stunning than she had the night before. Her eyelids flutter open and she regards him, slowly, calculating, as if assessing his mood before she reaches forward and swirls a stray curl of his hair around her finger before pushing it back to lie atop his head. Her touch is feather light, her soft skin gracing only the surface of his forehead. When she retracts her hand he encircles her wrist with his own fingers and lifting her hand to his mouth, he kisses her palm, his tongue dancing over the lines that some would say mark her life. He glances up to meet her eyes and is pleased to see her smiling, her eyes shining. He releases her hand in favour of her lips, dropping a chaste kiss to them as he admires her still laying form.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"I did, thank you. Although my bed next door is more comfortable than this one." He chuckles, and runs his hand over her stomach beneath the sheets.

"That's good, seeing as most of the time, all of the time I imagine, we shall be together in your room." He says the words before he's thought them through and hurriedly speaks again when a blossom of pink spreads across her face. "Only if you want me of course. I won't force you." She shakes her head from side to side and reaches up to stroke his cheek.

"Of course I want you, don't you ever ask me again. I was only going to say, that I look forward to the occasion." A blush covers his own cheeks this time and he captures her lips with his. He gets so lost in her lips that he doesn't hear the familiar creak of the floorboard outside his dressing room before the door swings open and his valet stands in the doorway, his face a beetroot pink.

"I'm ever so sorry m'Lord."

"I don't believe I have rung for you yet this morning Peters. What on earth are you doing here?" His voice bounces of the wall as she shouts at the man before him. It wasn't that he was that bothered but it was hardly fair on Cora.

"Robert," Her tiny hand reaches up to rest upon his shoulder and he turns his burning eyes to her. "I'm sure Peters was just worried that you hadn't called." Robert closes his eyes, desperate to regain his control.

"I'm sorry Peters for my outburst. But I warn you, things are likely to change now I am to be married and I will desire you to wait until I call."

"Very good m'lord."

"And if I hear gossip among the servants or if you are stupid enough to mention this to Lord and Lady Grantham there will be trouble. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly m'lord." The gentleman leaves and Robert flops back onto the pillow, Cora's face appears above him a second later.

"It appears I'm going to need a new valet." Her brow furrows.

"He made a mistake. I'm sure he won't do it again, you were rather terrifying!" She laughs and he can't help but let his hand wander to rest against her stomach.

"Do you like me angry?" She blushes a little and when she blushes he simply kisses her nose, her blush a perfect answer. "It's not that. I've been convinced for a while that Papa has been getting the man to spy on me and report what I do. I'm afraid it could result in a sticky situation at breakfast for both of us."

"Well. We will go down together and support the choice we made." He smiles a tiny sigh rushing from his mouth.

"You are quite amazing." He punctuates each word with a gentle kiss to her lips.

The next ten minutes or so pass in a rush as he changes, not bothering to call for Peters. He exits his dressing room into the hall and waits outside Cora's door. She emerges some time later, her hair carefully coiffed upon her head and her corset tightened to what Robert can only imagine as being very uncomfortable. They walk down the stairs in silence the gentle swish of her dress the only sound. At the bottom step he slips his hand into hers, why he doesn't know, to prove to her he will protect her perhaps. She squeezes his hand and they walk to the dining room. They've barely made it through the door when his own parents and Cora's mother swivel to face him. He doesn't comment on his mother's unusual appearance at breakfast, Peters had been gossiping, obviously.

"Ah, so you have decided to grace us with your presence and in your clothes. Splendid." His mother's shrill voice cuts through the room, rather than reply he walks Cora around the table and after kissing her palm and whispering his command to 'ignore them,' into her ear he proceeds to serve her breakfast.