"Cora" Robert breathed her name against her lips as their kiss deepened and he pressed her gently against the large trunk of the shady tree. She had placed her hands around his neck and was currently sending shivers down his spine by lacing her finger around the hair at the base of his neck and caressing his shoulders. She felt so good against his body, her lips so smooth, her mouth wet and enticing. This was becoming more than he could take. His fiancée was the most beautiful woman he had laid eyes on and he was eager to make her his in every possible way. As if reading his mind Cora flicked her tongue against him in greater passion and he felt her body shiver beneath his touch.
Robert's hands were against her body sending bursts of flame ignite at his touch. One arm had pulled behind her waist crushing them together with the tree trunk at her back. The other had slid down the side of her face caressing gently, before dropping in excruciatingly slow pleasure down the soft skin of her neck, along her shoulder, around the curve of her breath … which caused her to moan into his mouth and kiss plunge her tongue more eagerly against his own. His roaming hand came to rest on her hip, where it joined the flatness of her stomach and she felt her knees go weak. His touch sent her to heaven and she did not know how to control herself when they found themselves like this. It was happening with greater frequency as their engagement continued, Cora knew if they had ever had the chance to be alone for an extended period of time she may just lose her virtue altogether. It shocked her to her core that she didn't think she would even mind. She loved Robert, she craved his touch, relished in the feel of his lips, felt desperately alone when he was not with her. Their fevered coupling against the tree grew to greater heights as Robert lifted his lips from hers and placed them against her neck. It was the first time he had kissed her there and she thought in earnest she would have fallen to the ground had he not had one arm firmly around her waist. His breath was hot against her neck and she leaned against hi lips needing more of what he was giving. She ran her hands further up the back of his head pulling gently at the hair she had threaded into her fingers. His hand that rested against her stomach blazed a trail down her hip coming to rest against her backside lifting her slightly with one hand as he gave it a firm and delightful squeeze. Almost out of instinct Cora lifted the leg connected to that part of her backside and wrapped her leg around his calf.
"Oh my heaven!" Cora breathed, unable to contain the sounds her body was making. He had stirred her into distraction, his tongue and lips against her neck and the now the top of her chest. His body pressed against hers as if they were a single person. His hand squeezing her backside causing her to squirm in delight. "Robert. Oh Robert, oh my gosh, oh"
Robert felt his arousal come to full attention as he pressed against Cora's body. His lips tantalizingly close to her breast and the feel of her backside in the palm of his hand was enough to bring him to the brink. But that coupled with the way she lifted her leg up and around his calf had caused her legs to open just enough that he was pressed directly against her womanhood … he could not think anymore. Damn her dressed, damn his trousers. He wanted her and he wanted her now. She was undoing him with every gasp of pleasure that left her lips. The feel of her hands pulling his hair, the way she felt beneath his touch … he groaned out loud and pushed against her more purposefully.
Cora felt the extent of Robert's arousal against the top of her thigh and it jolted her back to reality. Yes it felt good to be touched by him. Yes she loved him. Yes, yes, yes her body screamed. Her mind took notice of his prodding manhood against her reminded her of her virtue, to pull back, to wait until they were married. That thought coupled with her remaining uncertainty about the actual act of consummating their impending marriage finally caused her to release her grip on his hair and drop her leg,. "Robert" she said breathlessly, "We mustn't" … " We have to stop". She heard Robert let out a frenzied sigh and then felt the coldness envelope her body as the heat of him pulled away from her. She remained where she was, back against the tree trunk and took in the air to her lungs as she smoothed her skirts and gathered herself. She felt for Robert as she watched him take several steps away from her and turned his back to her as he smoothed his hair with his hands. She was not upset by this, she knew he was aroused, she knew he needed to calm down, she knew it was hard for him.
After a few minutes she stepped away from the tree and came up next to him placing her hand in his.
"We shall be married soon my love" she offered with a gentle smile. Robert looked at her and returned her smile.
"I do not mean any disrespect to your father, but if he does not get here soon I may have to punch him square in the jaw when I see him" Cora laughed out loud and knew it was his way of saying he was looking forward to the wedding. "I am sorry Cora, my self control in this area is beginning to come undone. I will take greater care to protect your virtue from now on"
"Well, don't protect it too much" Cora said squeezing her hand.
"That is not helping Cora" he replied with a strained smile. "I think we should return to the house before we get into anymore trouble" he said as he let go of her hand and placed it in the bend of his arm to lead her back through the large garden estate toward the house.
Cora and Martha had come to Downton a month after the engagement. There had been the engagement ball hosted at the Crawley's London home, then several celebratory dinner parties held by some of the Crawley's oldest friends. Eventually it had been decided that it was time to remove them from the distraction of the season and plan the wedding at Downton. It would also give Cora a chance to learn about her new home and become accustomed to the way things were done there. It had been his father's idea to open the long empty Dower house for the Levinson's, thus allowing them their own residence as they waited the last three weeks for the wedding. Mr. Levinson was coming to the wedding, but had needed an extra 2 weeks to settle some business affairs. Robert might actually hurt him if he delayed any further. He was desirous to get things settled with Cora's money, but the overwhelming feeling he had was to take Cora to his bed and discover her body. He had never had a woman affect him this way, he felt happy that she would be his.
It was later that evening as they were gathered in the drawing room after dinner that Cora found herself drawing in her breath in shock. She had covered her mouth with her hand and felt her body go weak as she had made her way back to the chair upon which she had previously been seated. She had overhead something awful and she felt that she could faint. It was then that the men rejoined the ladies and Robert had entered smiling brightly at her before walking past her to speak to Lady Anglesy. He gave her a wink as he crossed her path and set about his duties as host in his home. Cora felt more at ease at seeing Robert, but the fear that had crept in her heart after what she had heard was still there, drumming in the back of her heart and causing her mouth to go dry. It was not true it could not be. She lifted the drink offered her by the footman from the tray and took a large unladylike gulp. Of course it was her mother who noticed her and she received a stern look of disapproval from her.
As they travelled back to the Dower house Martha scolded her for throwing back her drink like a sailor. Cora had told her she was overreacting, to which Martha had expressed her keen displeasure. Half way through her second scolding Cora's mother stopped and looked at her daughter's face, the tears on the brink of falling.
"What is it Cora?" Martha asked concerned. Cora had no choice, she shared what she had overheard and to her pleasure her mother scoffed at it with a swat of her hand.
"Why do you concern yourself with what these people say? Robert is marrying you. You can not wish more than that"
"I'm going to ask him about it" Cora stated matter of factly, her shoulders squaring in a determined line.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you dear. You might not like what you hear" …. And with that the fear that had been drumming in the background paraded through her heart.