After the angst of Series 5, I'm relishing the opportunity to write some Cobert fluff! Thank you, dearest friend, for the request! I hope it lives up to your expectations! I've been having Granny Cora and Grandpapa Robert (Donk) feels ever since that glorious little snippet of them playing a laughing with Sybbie in Episode 3. So, when I saw this prompt I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I hope you enjoy it!
Cora looked up from her book as a soft knock sounded at her bedroom door. "Come in," she called, expecting to see her husband or lady's maid. She smiled brightly as Sybbie peeked her head around the door.
"Morning, Granny," Sybbie said shyly.
"Good morning, my darling," Cora replied. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
"Donk and Daddy have gone out, and I wanted to play. Will you play with me, Granny?"
"Of course, I will! Shall we go back to your nursery and play with some of your dolls?"
Sybbie looked around bashfully, almost as if she were slightly afraid to voice her next thought. "I want to play dress up."
Cora's gave her granddaughter a mischievous smile as she left her chair to ring for Baxter. "I think that's a wonderful idea, Sybbie. I'll have Baxter bring up some of my dresses and jewelry."
Sybbie's eyes grew wide as her grandmother came over and picked her up, giving her a kiss on the cheek before placing her atop the bed. "You'll let me wear one of your pretty dresses, Granny?"
"Of course," Cora smiled. "We have to make you look like a proper young lady."
Sybbie giggled and clapped her hands excitedly. She didn't often get to see the adults when they were dressed for dinner. When she did, she always looked at her Granny with a sense of wonder at the beautiful dresses she wore. The prospect of getting to wear one was very exciting.
Baxter arrived within a few minutes, and was asked to bring up two of Cora's dinner dresses along with her jewelry, hair pins and tiaras. Sybbie grew more excited by the minute, watching as Baxter returned with the items Cora had asked for. As the lady's maid was laying out the clothes and jewels, Sybbie turned expectantly to her grandmother. "Granny, can I fix your hair?"
Cora glanced at Baxter. "Love, Miss Baxter already fixed Granny's hair for the day. I'd hate for all of her hard work to be undone."
"Oh, don't worry about that, m'lady. I can have it fixed again before luncheon. Who knows? I believe Miss Sybbie may do a better job," Baxter intoned, winking at the little girl.
"Very well, then," Cora laughed as she began removing the pins from her hair. "Thank you, Baxter."
Cora helped Sybbie into one of the dresses, laughing with delight at the look of elation on the little girl's face. She placed one of her smaller tiaras on her head, and a delicate necklace around her neck. When Sybbie turned to the cheval mirror to take in her reflection, Cora's eyes filled with happy tears as the child squealed in delight. She was so like her mother. Cora could remember her own Sybil's penchant for new frocks. She thought of how proud Sybil would be of her daughter. "You look beautiful, my darling," Cora breathed. "I'm going to slip into the washroom and put on my own dress. But, I'll need your help to fasten it."
Once Cora was dressed she sat in the floor, allowing Sybbie to brush out her hair. Over the next several minutes, Sybbie took great care with her grandmother's hair. Cora was sure that almost every hair pin-decorative or otherwise-she had ever owned was in her hair. But she couldn't bring herself to mind. She was having far too much fun spending time with her granddaughter. She and Sybbie were so absorbed in their game that neither had noticed Robert standing in the doorway until he cleared his throat.
"Donk!" Sybbie cried gleefully. She did her best to run to him, but was slightly impeded by the material of her grandmother's dress. Robert caught her just as she tumbled forward.
"Don't the two of you look beautiful? What's the occasion?"
"Sybbie wanted to dress up. Somehow, she convinced me to let her fix my hair."
"Doesn't Granny look pretty, Donk?" Sybbie grinned, admiring her handiwork.
"Always," Robert agreed, smiling adoringly at his wife. "Cora, luncheon will be served in an hour or so. Sybbie? Would you and George like to join us today?"
"Can we?" Sybbie gasped, overjoyed at the prospect of getting to eat in the big dining room.
"Of course you may," Robert smiled. "I'll let Granny change you out of this dress, and then you can go to the nursery to tell George and Nanny. We'll come and get the both of you before we go down."
Sybbie left the room soon afterward, kissing the cheeks of both of her grandparents before bounding into the hallway and heading for the nursery. Closing the door behind her, Robert turned to his wife. The pair burst into laughter as Cora picked herself up out of the floor and walked to her vanity. "You must think me very foolish, sitting in the floor like that and letting Sybbie do my hair."
"Nonsense," Robert assured, coming up behind her and helping remove the myriad of pins from her hair. "I think you are adorable."
Cora looked caught his eye in the mirror, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "Do you now?" she teased.
"Hmm," Robert hummed. "I always have. Adorable, beautiful, alluring, enchanting…"
Cora laughed and shook her head. "That'll be enough of that, Lord Grantham. You know flattery will get you everywhere. And, we can't be late for luncheon. The children would be most upset." With that, she rose from her chair and made her way to the bell to ring for Baxter. After walking back across the room, she wrapped her arms around Robert's waist and kissed his cheek before whispering, "But, there's always this afternoon."