28 October 1921
Early afternoon found Robert and Cora sailing back to the hotel. They'd just had a marvelous luncheon after spending the morning at Doge's Palace. Walking hand in hand, the two had wandered about the place, Robert telling her the different things he'd read of the history and architecture in the guide books.
As the boat glided along, Robert's hand sneaked under Cora's coat, grazing her hip. She glanced at him and chuckled as he pulled her closer. However, she had started to feel uncomfortably warm and had to practice a great deal of self-control not to push him away from her. Fortunately, the boat arrived at the hotel in record time, and she could put some distance between them as they went inside and up to their room.
When Robert started to remove her coat with that look in his eye, Cora put a hand on his shoulder, gently but resolutely.
"I'm very tired, darling. I will have a nap now, I think." She gave him a kiss and rushed into the bedroom, closing the door behind her, hoping he wouldn't decide to follow her.
His brow furrowing at this abrupt departure, Robert stood and stared at the closed door. "Curioser and curioser," he mumbled, wondering if he should check on her. Finally he shrugged his shoulders, took off his coat, and sat down with a book. How he wished he could concentrate upon it.
Meanwhile, Cora had pulled off not only coat and gloves, but every stitch of clothing she'd had on in pursuit of some relief. She dared not risk running a cold bath for fear he'd hear the water, so she settled on filling a pitcher with cold water – he can't be wondering why I need water to drink at hand, can he? – and sponging herself with it. In a way, she longed to actually burst into flames so she might turn to ash and be done with it.
For almost half an hour, Cora stood by her bedside table, dipping the sponge into the water and running it over her body, only gaining a modicum of relief from this procedure. However, she kept doing it until she felt slightly better. Her skin still flushed, she stretched out on the bed and closed her eyes. I just have to keep this from him as best as I can, she thought. He can't know, or he'll worry, and then I'll have to tell him….
As she lay there, the late night, the early morning, their wanderings around Venice, and the changes happening in her own body soon caught up with her, and Cora fell into a profound slumber.
Several hours passed before Robert glanced up from his book and pulled his watch out of his pocket, frowning. After several attempts to focus on reading, he had finally managed to block everything else out except the words upon the page. But now that he had read quite a few chapters, he began to feel uneasy.
Robert resumed his contemplation of the bedroom door, the abandoned book falling closed upon his knee. His wife seemed fatigued so often lately. Not all of the time, of course. At certain times Cora acted as if her energy were boundless, Robert struggling to keep up with her. He grinned a trifle as he thought back over the past week of their holiday. When her energy was like that… it was glorious.
But then there were the naps. He knew she wasn't always sleeping well, of course. Her fidgeting and murmuring had woke him again last night, in fact. It could be as simple as that. They were active during the day – sometimes much of the night – they weren't in their own bed at home, she wasn't sleeping as well as she might, and it made her tired.
It made sense. Cora needed rest for all those reasons. Robert nodded his head briefly. But it could also be…. Now he shook his head emphatically, endeavoring to shove that idea as far back into the recesses of his brain as possible. It would fit with some of the other pieces of her behavior, of course, if that were the case, but he couldn't entertain that notion seriously. Not yet.
Looking at his watch again, Robert deliberated over whether he should go and wake her. It was not so very late, but, to be honest, he was bored and he missed her. At home was different. There were plenty of other things to occupy his mind and his time. Of late he'd done his very best to make sure that estate business didn't take too up too much of his time, because he wanted to give her as much of it as he possibly could. She also kept busy with running the house, visiting, writing letters, helping Tom with Sybbie, and various other tasks. But Robert and Cora's time alone together had become sacred, essential, and both of them took it very seriously.
Robert sighed and put the book on the table beside him, standing up. He paced the length of the sitting room and back, ending up in front of the bedroom door. Not able to wait any longer, he reached down and turned the doorknob as quietly as possible. If nothing else, he could watch her sleep.
After noiselessly shutting the door, he turned, astounded by the sight with which he was met. Cora had developed a positive talent for catching him unawares over the past several days, he mused. Stunned as he was by the sight of his wife napping completely unclothed, not even covered by so much as a sheet, he couldn't be bothered to ask why. Instead he tiptoed closer to her.
Dragging a chair cautiously to her bedside, Robert sat down, silently regarding his wife's form with admiration, appreciation, and gratitude. This magnificent creature, this delicate nymph, whose naked body he was sure could inspire the most accomplished and celebrated of Italian painters – and they would still never do justice to her exquisite beauty… she was all his.
Robert's heartbeat sped up as he considered the lovely things he would like to do to please her right now. He considered them, and he grew slightly warm and uncomfortable sitting there, but he held back. As he continued to caress her with his eyes, he believed he could discern a small change. Her curves appeared rounder, softer in a way. Apprehending this, he sat up a little straighter in the chair, wondering if this were simply the result of her increased appetite, or those two were related more significantly….
Before he could cogitate upon this, however, Cora's eyes opened, instantly smiling at seeing Robert there gazing at her, catching at his heart. Smiling in return, he put his hand in hers.
"What are you doing sitting there, darling?" she asked, stretching a little.
Watching her stretch only served to entice him further. "I was admiring my beautiful wife, and thanking God that she's mine alone."
Cora turned onto her side, transferring his hand to her other one so she could prop herself up on her elbow. "Were you now?" Her blue eyes sparked with mischief.
"Yes, and it was all I could do not to crawl up beside you and wake you so I could worship you properly."
"Well, darling. I'm awake now." She squeezed his hand to punctuate the statement, making it into an invitation.
Robert grinned. "Yes, you most certainly are."
She let go his hand and patted the bed beside her. He all but overturned the chair in his haste to join her on the bed. Within seconds he was kissing her and laying her back against the blankets.
Cora broke the kiss and pushed at his chest. "No fair, darling. You're still clothed," she teased.
"Shhhhh…" He attempted to cover her mouth with his again, but she giggled and slipped out from underneath him, sliding off the other side of the bed.
"You're going to have to change for dinner soon anyway, Robert. You might as well get undressed," she pointed out.
Grinning, he groped at his tie, grasping an end and pulling it, then shrugging off his jacket.
"Not enough!" she cried, and suddenly darted to the bedroom door, looking back at him with bright eyes. "You can't have me until you've completely disrobed." She opened the door and disappeared behind it.
Bemused, and yet oddly fascinated by her actions, Robert worked with his shirt buttons as he walked across the bedroom, kicking his shoes off and out of the way as he went. "Cora…?" he called, stepping into the sitting room.
He saw his wife perched calmly on the settee, smirking at him. When he got near her, however, his shirt now discarded, she jumped up, giggling, and dashed over to the dining area, wagging her finger back and forth at him.
"I still see trousers," she said.
Robert ambled toward her, undoing trouser buttons, becoming eager to play her game – as long as it ended the way he wanted it to. He paused to drape the trousers over the broken chair before approaching her. Again, he got very close to her before she rushed away, her giggles following after her – as he was meant to do.
Cora stopped by the bedroom door, turning so she could watch him strip off his undergarments, her expression becoming less playful and more lustful. When he'd thrown these so they landed on top of the trousers, he put his hands on his hips and looked at her.
"You can catch me now," Cora stated, waiting for him to move.
"Well, now, I'm not sure I want to." He strode over to the settee and sat down, picking up the newspaper and opening it, hiding his grin behind it.
Flustered a bit by this turn of events, Cora went over to the settee and crouched upon it, turned toward him. The newspaper concealed her husband's face, so she placed her hand on top of it and determinedly pushed it down. At last, he was no longer hidden, and she got one fleeting glimpse of his wide grin before he threw the paper on the floor and captured her in his arms, well and thoroughly kissing her.
Once they both needed to stop to breathe, he smiled at her. "Caught you."
"You cheated!" Cora exclaimed.
Robert's mouth fell open in mock astonishment. "I did not! I simply changed the game a little." He rubbed his hands lightly up and down her back.
Her eyes narrowed a bit as she said, "I'll give you a game change." With that, she leapt out of his arms and off the settee, laughing as she rushed toward the bedroom.
But this time, Robert was ready for her. He jumped up seconds after she had, and met her just before she reached the bed. She shrieked in delight as he snatched her up by the waist and threw her on the bed, laughing as he cried out, "Minx!"
Cora tossed a look over her shoulder as she scrambled on all fours toward the other side of the bed, laughing too. Robert climbed up behind her and put his hands on her hips, stopping her and pulling her toward him.
His mouth close to her ear, he mumured in a husky voice, "Well and truly caught this time. Fair and square."
She turned her head slightly. "I concede your victory. Now, you might claim your prize." Cora gave a low chuckle.
"Oh, I plan to do just that." Robert nudged her legs a little wider apart with his knee before he pushed into her, kissing the curve of her neck. She made an appreciative noise, which pleased and encouraged him.
Cora pressed herself back against him as they found a mutually satisfying cadence. Robert supported his weight with one hand, reaching the other around to touch the base of her throat. Starting there, he lightly, purposefully ran his hand down her front, lingering at her breasts, cupping each in turn for a few lovely moments, then down her rib cage and stopping again at her abdomen. As he grazed his fingers softly here, two words surfaced above the haze of pleasure currently in his mind: What if? And all of a sudden he needed to see her face.
As Robert pulled away from her, Cora only had time to get out a confused, "Robert?" before he'd turned her gently over, covering her with his body. She looked at him, still slightly perplexed, but the adoration in his eyes and his soft smile reassured her. He caressed her face with both hands, whispering, "I love you, Cora."
"I love you too, Robert," she whispered back, smiling up at him.
Using one hand, he grasped one of her legs, indicating to her she should wrap them around his waist. Once she had, Robert bent his head down and kissed her passionately, lovingly, as he slowly entered her again. He slipped his hands underneath her, pressing her to his chest, feeling her heart beat against him. Cora twined her fingers through his hair, unable to get enough of his kisses.
It wasn't too long before they had each reached sweet release. After a while holding one another, recovering, Robert propped himself up on one elbow, his head in his hand, looking down at her and playing with her hair. Cora smiled at him, running her fingers lightly along his arm.
"Sweetheart, it's getting late," Robert said as he finally noticed how dark it was outside. "Didn't you want to go downstairs for dinner and dancing?"
Cora grinned. "I did. And I have a surprise for you this time."
"You do?" he asked, his interest piqued.
She nodded. "Yes. I do. Let's get washed up, and then you'll see." Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Just one moment." Smiling, he bent down to press a tender kiss to her lips, his hand cupping her face.
They got up unhurriedly, freshening themselves in the washroom, pulling out garments and getting ready. Cora, however, sat in her dressing gown at the vanity, taking great care over her coiffure while Robert dressed.
"Cora? Don't you usually dress before doing that?" he asked, genuinely puzzled, putting his tie around his collar.
She glanced at him briefly, a sly smile playing about her lips. "Never you mind, Robert. It's part of the surprise."
"I hope you're not planning on going downstairs in your dressing gown," he chuckled, stepping into the washroom for the mirror, so he could tie his tie properly.
Cora merely rolled her eyes and chortled at this ridiculous statement as she selected earrings.
After he was satisfied with his tie, he walked back into the bedroom and looked at his wife. "Are you nearly ready?"
"Yes, I am. I just have to put my dress on. But I want to do that alone. So, shoo." She added emphasis to this by standing up and taking him by the arm, pulling him toward the door.
"Alright, alright, darling. No need to yank my arm out of its socket." He laughed and went into the sitting room to wait.
A few minutes passed, and then Cora emerged from the room in a brand new dress. Robert eyed her up and down appreciatively as she turned all the way around so he could see the back as well. He beamed. "You look stunning, my dear. Truly stunning."
She looked down at herself and then back up at him nervously. "It's a little more revealing than anything I've ever worn. Are you sure it's alright?"
The dress certainly was revealing. A rich chocolate brown, complementing the color of her hair, it was cut in one of the newest styles, sleeveless, the neckline plunging and the hemline reaching just below the knee. The back of the dress was a deep U-shape which extended almost to the small of her back, draping folds of fabric framing a lavish expanse of bare skin.
Absolutely dazzled, Robert stepped in front of her to kiss her again, then moved his head to breathe close to her ear, "Now I'm not sure if I want to take you anywhere. I might like to have you all to myself tonight."
Cora giggled. "And what would we do if we stayed in?"
Running his fingers lightly over a bare shoulder, he said, "I don't know, but I'm not sure you'd be wearing that dress for long."
Taking one large step back, Cora grinned at him. "That might be a waste of the dress, don't you think?"
Robert smiled back. "Not in my mind, it wouldn't." He took her by the hand. "However, I did promise you I'd take you downstairs for dinner and dancing, and I will stand by my word. Although how I'm going to keep a proper distance away from you whilst we dance, I'll never know."
Picking up her evening shawl, Cora followed Robert out of the suite and downstairs, wrapping her arm around his. As they entered their chosen restaurant for the evening, Robert surveyed the room. He led Cora to their table, and his chest swelled with pride. His wife was not only undeniably the most beautiful woman in the restaurant, she so far outshone any of the other women that nearly all the diners watched as they took their seats.
Cora tore into the bread basket as soon as it was brought to the table, the exertions of the afternoon and the lack of tea having made her ravenous. While she sought to mollify her hunger pangs with bread, she chatted animatedly with her husband.
After a little while, however, she noticed that their dialogue had become a monologue. She looked up from the bread and glanced at Robert. He wasn't looking at her at all, though; instead he appeared to be glowering at the room in general, his disapproving gaze sweeping over everything around them.
"Robert?" Cora couldn't imagine what had affected him so. "Robert, is everything alright?"
After a moment, Robert brought his attention back to his wife. "Cora, I think you should put on your wrap."
She drew away from him a little in her chair, perplexed. "Whyever for?"
"Just do as I say," he nearly growled, not looking at her. As they were happily conversing before, Robert had felt a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He'd started to glance around, and quickly ascertained that most of the men in the room were unabashedly gawking at his wife.
He didn't like it.
Cora recoiled from his angry tone and dictatorial words. Through gritted teeth, endeavoring to remain as calm as possible, she answered, "No, Robert. The room is quite stuffy, and I don't want to wear it."
Robert turned his eyes upon her, his face growing red. "Cora, put it on. Now."
Her eyes began to throw out blue sparks. "No. I will not. And I will thank you not to speak to me like that." She had finally realized what had irritated him so, and it annoyed her that he was being so ridiculous about it.
"If you don't, I will take you back upstairs right now." He breathed heavily, incensed at her stubborn refusal to grant him this one request. He threw his serviette down upon the table and stood, wanting very much to block Cora from the view of as many men as possible.
"Robert," she hissed, growing more furious by the second, "you are making a scene. Sit down!"
Nearly clouting an unsuspecting waiter who was unfortunate enough to be walking by their table, Robert threw out his arms and raised his voice, bellowing, "It doesn't matter, does it?! Every man in the room is already leering at you, Cora!" His face had taken on an alarming shade of red and perspiration beaded upon his brow.
Cora glared up at him. "I can't believe you're acting in this petulant way. You might as well be a child throwing a tantrum. If you didn't want me to be seen in this dress, why did you not order me to turn around and change when we were upstairs?"
Robert's head began to pound, and he was finding it difficult to catch his breath properly. It hadn't been like that at all, he thought. He and Cora both knew it was jealousy, plain and simple, that he couldn't countenance other men ogling his wife. But he managed to puff out, "I wouldn't dream of telling you to change, Cora. You are an adult, and who am I to tell you what to wear?"
Clutching at his chest, Robert sat down, hard, screwing his eyes shut and gasping for air. No, not again, he thought.
Panic-stricken, Cora rushed over to him, kneeling by his chair, utterly unaware of anything around her. "Robert, darling, please. What's wrong?" Her heart dropped down into her stomach as she watched him, her face going deathly white. She clasped the hand that wasn't still gripping his chest.
Her voice, so full of distress, resonated in his ears, and seemed to bring him back to himself. There was still a sharp pain in his chest, but he began to breathe somewhat easier. He squeezed her hand, trying to soothe her at least that much, since speaking was still too difficult just yet.
Cora had taken up his serviette from the table, wiping his glistening forehead with it, speaking encouraging words in hushed, gentle tones, urging him to speak to her, to tell her what to do.
Robert felt the pain in his chest let up, and he took a deep breath. "Cora," he whispered.
Resisting the impulse to throw her arms around him, still not knowing what was wrong or what could make it worse, Cora had to be satisfied with kissing his hand. "Robert, please, tell me that you're alright."
Opening his eyes and turning to her, he removed his hand from his chest and touched her face. "I'm alright, darling. At least, I think I am."
Unable to resist any longer, she stood and wrapped her arms tightly around him, bursting into tears. Robert pulled her onto his lap, embracing her, whispering endearments and assurances in her ear. "Please don't cry, sweetheart. Please don't cry."
Lifting his eyes as he did his best to comfort her, Robert noticed several nervous waiters gathered around their table. Seeing that they had at least part of his attention, one came forward and tentatively asked in a thick Italian accent, "Is everything quite alright, your lordship? Might we send for a doctor?"
Robert shook his head. He had experienced this many times before, in times of extreme upset – the most recent bouts being after nearly losing Cora to Spanish flu and realizing what an ass he'd made of himself while she fought for her life, at having found out he'd lost all her money with that bad investment, and just after Sybil's death – and he had asked Dr. Clarkson about it. Clarkson had told him it was common, but that he should try not to upset himself into having these attacks on a regular basis.
Understanding that the waiters had probably been standing there for quite a while, originally drawn to their table by his angry outburst, he grew embarrassed. He'd never suffered from this in front of anyone before. He had never even told Cora. He would have to remember to tip them handsomely for their trouble. "I'm well enough now. I apologize for creating a scene."
Cora's grasp upon him tightened when she heard this, and he wasn't sure if the action was out of relief or fear. Her tears had slowed at least, and he reached for his water glass, drinking it down while he held her close.
"Cora?"
Sitting up, Cora gazed at him. "Robert." She rested her hands on his chest, her face tear-stained, her expression a mixture of relief and anxiety. "I think we should go back upstairs now."
Brushing an errant lock of hair back from her face, Robert nodded and helped her up, standing up beside her. She gathered her things off the table and clung to his arm as they left the room – not looking at anyone else.
Once back upstairs, Cora led Robert into the bedroom, depositing him in a chair as she wordlessly busied herself – filling his water pitcher and making sure it and a glass were on his bedside table, disappearing into the sitting room and reappearing with the books he'd been currently reading, retrieving a couple of handkerchiefs from his wardrobe, placing these items on the bedside table as well.
Robert observed her as she went about these tasks, still flawlessly beautiful in the new dress. He leaned back in the chair, quietly taking deep breaths, one hand pressed to his chest where the pain steadily dwindled. But the pain wasn't what bothered him. It was guilt.
So when Cora came up to him and motioned for him to stand so she could help him undress, her forehead creased with concern, he protested, not wanting to trouble her any further. "Cora, please don't fuss. I feel perfectly al—"
He stopped mid-sentence when he saw that she was near tears again. He hastened out of the chair, pressing a kiss to her furrowed brow and firmly embracing her. "No, please… Cora, I'm sorry. You can fuss over me all you like, sweetheart."
Still not speaking, Cora sighed deeply against him, then stepped back and loosened his tie. He let her help him undress, step into his nightclothes, and lead him to the bed. She drew the covers up around him, tenderly, then, when he feared she might leave, she kicked her shoes off instead. Sitting at the dressing table, she removed her jewelry and pulled the pins out of her hair. She shook her dark curls loose, and they almost completely concealed the part of her back that the dress left bare. Robert's chest constricted somewhat, but only because guilt plagued him.
Not bothering to brush her hair, she climbed onto the bed, cuddling up to him, pulling one of his hands toward her and studying it.
Robert wanted her to say something. To reprimand him for his reprehensible performance downstairs. Instead, Cora seemed to show nothing but concern for what had happened as a result. She couldn't know, and he didn't want her to know, but he was certain he had brought that attack upon himself, having gotten himself worked up so thoroughly.
He wasn't sure what to say, but he had to say something. And perhaps it would be easier when she wasn't looking at him with fear and relief and concern written across her face.
"Cora, I'm sorry. I had no right to speak to you like that. To make a scene in a public place."
Her voice came very softly, her fingers still tracing over the lines in his hand. "To get absurdly outrageously, and irrationally jealous."
Robert sighed. "Yes." He took her hand in his now, copying her motions and tracing the lines on her palm. "I worked myself into a jealous rage and it led to…" He still didn't want to tell her it wasn't the first time it had happened, to cause her greater worry, so he left it at that and continued. "I absolutely ruined your evening. We didn't even get to eat dinner."
She was watching him run his fingers over her hand, scared that if she looked at his face, saw what she knew would be there, what was already in his voice – remorse and shame – she would cry again. It was his fault. He had been in the wrong and acted preposterously. But she knew also that he had acted thus from a profound need to protect her, to keep her safe.
Because there had been one other time in the past few months when Robert had acted thus, and that was when they had been in London together, and a gentleman had set his sights upon her. Cora trembled at the memory, the subject of her dream the other morning. She believed Robert must have had the image of that man grabbing her arm somewhere in his mind when he perceived so many men eyeing her tonight.
She was right. That image was the exact one that prompted Robert to request that she conceal her charms from the rest of the room. His rage had stemmed from that memory.
Yet he knew it did not excuse his behavior.
Robert lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I'm sorry, darling. I'm so very sorry. Please forgive me. I was stupid and jealous, and I acted foolishly, and I am even more sorry that I shouted at you." He continued to press soft kisses on her hand. "My dearest one, most exquisite, wonderful, darling girl."
Cora looked up at him at last. "I do forgive you, my love. Just, please…" Her eyes filled with worry. "Please don't ever frighten me like that again. I don't think I can handle it."
He wrapped his arms tightly around her and held her. She nestled closer and relaxed against him. After about half an hour, his regular, deep breathing told her he was asleep. Very carefully, so as not to wake him, she extricated herself from his arms, kissing his temple tenderly before sneaking out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Calling down to the front desk, she ordered a large meal to be sent up, placing a hand over her rumbling stomach. When the waiter got there, she directed him to put the dishes on the table in the sitting room, then tipped him generously before sitting down on the settee and eating with great appetite.
After covering the empty dishes back up again, Cora stretched out on the settee, crossing her arms over her chest and tucking her bare feet behind a pillow. Robert had certainly alarmed her tonight, and that, combined with the memory of her earlier hot flash and what it meant to her, was too much. Cora lay there and cried herself to sleep.
