Sam and Lilly arrive about two weeks later and Cora leaves with them for Newport the same day. Mary shakes her head at this and when she says goodbye to Cora he can hear his daughter say "you are making a huge mistake". He can't hear Cora's reply and is too afraid of what it was to ask Mary. Mary is about seven months along now and he dearly hopes that Cora will come back for the birth of the baby, but he doubts it. Their lives go on almost as usual and he spends as much time with his grandchildren as he can during the day because that helps him deal with his broken heart. Those two children are a joy, always happy, usually smiling and they hardly ever fight. They are certainly not like him and Rosamund.
About two weeks after Cora has left, he and the children walk into the entrance hall and he can hear Mary on the phone. He puts Lizzie down, he had to carry her home because she was too tired to walk and he did not bring either a stroller or a nanny, and says to George "take your sister upstairs, tell nanny to get you changed," and then he listens to Mary's phone conversation. He knows he shouldn't do it, but he can't stop himself.
"Cora, it is not me you should worry about. And I am not talking about your son or his fiancé either."
…
"They have gotten married already? Congratulations. But that is not what we are talking about, is it?"
…
"You know what I mean. You may pretend to be glad that you are shot of him, but you are not."
…
"I know because I know you. And my father. You are perfect together and you know it."
…
"That is dumbest things someone has ever said to me. Honestly."
…
"Of course it is your life and your decision, but he won't wait forever. He will eventually go back to England and as Matthew and I are planning to return there before Christmas, you can be sure that my father will return there before Christmas as well."
…
"Well, I am very sorry about that."
…
"No, I am not mad at you. I just think that you are wrong. But I have warned you now and I won't say anything else on the matter. So tell me about the wedding"
He leaves after this. At least he doesn't have to worry about talking Mary and Matthew into returning to England anymore, they have apparently made their own plans already.
"How's Cora?" Matthew asks Mary during dinner.
"Insufferably stubborn. Her son got married though, it made her rather happy I think." He doesn't listen to the rest of the conversation. He has no interest in the details of Cora's son's wedding, it pains him too much. If he hadn't been so stupid when he was eighteen, that might have been the wedding of his son as well. Maybe he would have a real heir then. At that thought he looks at Matthew and admonishes himself. He has the perfect heir, there is no doubt about it.
About two weeks later a telegram arrives for Matthew with the news of his mother's engagement. They celebrate a little, but Mary, now eight months pregnant, goes to bed rather early and he and Matthew drink to Isobel and Dr. Clarkson more often than strictly necessary, and that loosens up both their tongues.
"So, what are you going to do? About Cora?"
"Nothing."
"You are mad."
"It's what she wants."
"Is it what you want?"
"No. I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
"Then do something about it."
"No."
"Why not? What is the worst that could happen?"
"She could send me away for good."
"Hasn't she already done that? It can't get any worse than it already is. Go to Newport, talk to her."
"No." Matthew starts to go on his nerves.
"You are just as stubborn her, do you know that?"
"We are quite a pair then."
"A pair of stupid, stubborn people who stand in the way of each other's happiness."
"I am your father-in-law, you shouldn't talk to me like this." He isn't serious about this and Matthew seems to pick up on that.
"You are more than that to me and you know it. And that is exactly why I talk to you the way I do. I want you happy. Go to her. Tomorrow morning once you've sobered up a little. Because now you are too drunk. As am I. If I want Mary to not kill me tomorrow, I have to go to bed now. Although, if I tell her that I talked you into going to Newport, she might overlook my hangover."
"Well, then tell her that you did talk me into it."
He doesn't make it to bed that night but falls asleep on the settee and is woken the next morning by Mary.
"Papa, the next train to Newport leaves in hour. If you want to catch it, you have to get ready."
"Alright." He thinks the sun is killing him, but Mary hands him a glass of water and an aspirin.
"Take the pill and then go brush your teeth and take a shower. You'll feel better afterwards. I'll have breakfast prepared for you in the meantime."
"What time is it?"
"Eight. I thought you might want to leave rather early. I'll have breakfast with you, if you don't mind."
"Of course I don't." He is rather glad she offered this, he would hate to be by himself now, he is too nervous.
He feels much better physically when Mary comes with him to the station. "Good luck, Papa," she says to him when he gets onto the train.
He arrives at Cora's house shortly before three but is turned away by the butler who tells him that the Dowager Duchess asked that the Earl of Grantham should not be admitted to the house.
He is about to walk back to the station when he hears someone call out for him.
"Lord Grantham, wait, please." He turns around and it is Sam who comes running up a path leading to the house.
"Have you been turned away?"
"Yes."
"Well, my mother is mad, not in general of course, but when it comes to you, she is. Please come inside with me." He only met Sam briefly when he and Lilly arrived in New York, he had already like him then, but now he likes him even more.
"Thank you, Duke."
"Sam, please. We are not at court, and even if we were, I wouldn't care." He smiles at Sam who nods and he then follows him inside.
"Lord Grantham will stay at least until tomorrow," Sam says to the butler who looks rather surprised.
"But the Dowager,"
"I know what the Dowager said, but I am the Duke and I say that Lord Grantham will stay. Please don't tell my mother that he is here when she returns."
"But,"
"No but. Do as I ask you, it is what I pay you for."
"Very well, your Grace," the butler says and leaves.
"I will have to apologize to him tomorrow, I am usually not like this. But sometimes I have to be a stuck up duke." He chuckles at this. Sam and he have quite a nice chat and he finds it a pity that he hasn't met Sam any earlier, he is a nice and intelligent young man. After a while Sam says
"I'll leave you now, Robert. My mother and Lilly must be on their way home and I will meet them before they reach the estate and then take Lilly somewhere else. So you and my mother will be quite alone."
