May 1925

Mary paused, her hand hovering in a fist in front of the door. She looked at Tom who shuffled in place, hands rammed in his pockets. Taking a deep breath she knocked, waiting for a reply. When the silence continued, she knocked once more.

"Please leave me." The words muffled by the thick wood.

Mary turned the knob slowly and walked into the room. She hadn't been in there since the night her mother died. Seeing it again, as neat and tidy and bright as it always had been but without her mother in it made Mary's heart skip in grief. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. The smell of her mother's perfume still hung in the air. She grabbed Tom's hand, his palm sweaty, in a need to feel grounded.

"I said I wanted to be alone." Robert's voice was thick and his speech slow.

Mary watched as he brought a glass of amber liquid up to his lips and took a drink, refusing to look at them. He sat by the fire, his eyes not leaving the flames and the fingers of his free hand rubbed a shiny object between them. Mary squinted and her hand went to her chest as she recognized the brilliance of her mother's engagement ring. Clearing her throat, as much to dislodge the knot there as to get Robert's attention, she began to speak.

"Papa, we need to speak with you about the Delaney farm."

Robert continued to stare at the fire, playing with the ring and sipping his drink. Tom stepped forward.

"They're in arrears, Robert. With no hope of paying back. They've been approached by a group that breeds racehorses. They want to buy the farm and build stables there. It will be a promising business venture for Downton. But we need to act now."

Robert looked up slowly, his eyes glassy and red rimmed. "Do what you think best."

Mary and Tom exchanged glances. "Papa, how much have you had to drink already? It's barely noon."

"Not enough, apparently." Robert had turned his stare back to the fire.

"Papa," Mary's voice broke as took a hesitant step closer. "I know your heart is broken. But you cannot go on this way. You have barely left this room in weeks. She wouldn't want this for you."

Robert stood swiftly and flung his glass into the fireplace. The sound of it's shattering overtook the room and Mary jumped back. Her father turned to her with hard eyes and pointed his finger.

"You have no idea what she would want." Robert said between clenched lips. "Now, you two do what you need and do not come in here again."

Sinking back down into his seat, Robert rested his forehead on his hands, shoulders slumped forward. Tom put a hand on Mary's shoulder and led her out of the room. Her back was stiff under his touch but once they were in the gallery, he could feel a slight tremble begin.

"Mary, are you alright?" Tom asked quietly.

With her hand over her mouth, she shook her head and Tom pulled her into an embrace, feeling the wetness grow on his shoulder.

Edith and Mary were in the drawing room when Carson entered, announcing the arrival of their grandmother. They both stood as Violet entered.

"My dears, how are you?" Violet asked, coming over to them and pecking each girl on the cheek.

"Holding up Granny." Edith replied. "Which is better than we can say for Papa."

Violet sighed and shook her head slowly, her lips turned down. "Tom told me what transpired the other day."

Mary's eyes widened slightly. "He went to you?"

"He's worried about all of you. As am I." Violet reached toward her granddaughters and took each one's hand, squeezing gently. "I know you are both hurting, but we need to help your father. You cannot take his actions right now to heart. I'm going to go upstairs to speak with him."

The sound of the drawing room door startled them. Mary and Edith inhaled deeply as their father appeared in the doorway. He nodded at the women without making eye contact but they could see the circles under his eyes. He stepped hesitantly in the room and cleared his throat several times.

"Mama, I didn't know you would be here today."

Violet walked quickly to Robert and put a hand on his arm. "I came to see how you are. I'm glad to see you down."

Robert's eyes darted to his mother and he gave her a tight smile before focusing on the carpet again. "Yes, well, I have some business in Ripon, so I came to get the car."

Violet's eyebrows wrinkled together and she opened her mouth to speak. Before she could Robert turned to Mary.

"I'm sorry about the scene I caused the other day. I hope you've recovered."

"Papa, we all miss her terribly…" Mary stumbled on her words as Robert's eyes creased in pain and his lips drew into a bloodless line.

"Yes, well, I should be going. Enjoy your visit, Mama." Robert turned to leave but was stopped by the tight grip Violet had on his arm.

"Do you think you should be alone today?" Violet asked softly, the break in her voice barely perceptible.

Robert placed his hand over hers and gently removed it. "I'll be fine." And with that he left quickly.

"What is today?" Edith asked her grandmother, who was still staring at the door. Violet turned, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. She gave them a wavering smile.

"Thirty-six years ago today, your father married your mother."

The car came to a stop along the curb and Robert stepped out as Jarvis held the door for him. The bell on the door rang as he opened it and he looked around the shop, overwhelmed by all of the choices.

"May I help you with something sir?" The store clerk asked.

"Um, yes actually. Do you have…" Robert fumbled in his coat pocket, finding the empty glass bottle and showing it to the man. "This?"

The clerk put on his glasses and read the label. "Ahh, a wonderful scent! Come right this way."

Robert followed the man and was led to the shelf that housed a dozen bottles. He picked the one he needed carefully and brought it to the front counter. The clerk wrapped the bottle as Robert pulled the bills out of his pocket.

"Is this a favorite?" The man asked.

"Yes." Robert replied.

"What's the special occasion?"

Robert faltered, then said softly. "Anniversary."

"May you have a happy one." The man called out to him. Robert's back stiffened and he quickly exited the shop.

"If you wouldn't mind, Jarvis, could you drop me off at the church?" Robert asked loudly over the sound of the car.

"Absolutely my lord. Should I wait for you?"

"No, I'll walk back, thank you." Robert climbed out of the car and headed toward the church yard. He walked under the familiar arch toward the cemetery.

Robert's breath clenched in his chest and it stuttered there. He hadn't expected her headstone to be done already, but there it was. Her name carved into the cold stone and the dates of her life underneath. He bit his lip hard, trying to hold himself together and he shakily bent down, placing the flowers he bought on the new grass just starting to sprout over her grave. It was the first time he had come to this spot since burying her and he hadn't been prepared for the weight of reality to crash into him as it was now. Robert brought his hands up to his face, inhaling and exhaling rapidly behind them, losing the inner battle as his chest tightened. A sob broke from him as he was surrounded by the scent of her perfume, which must have gotten on his hands after holding the bottle. Stumbling to the ground, he sat on the hard earth, giving up to his grief. His hand went to his chest and felt around in the breast pocket for her ring, bringing it out and kissing it before clutching it tightly.

Losing track of time, Robert sat at Cora's grave until he had exhausted all the tears he had left. Breathing heavily he thought about leaving, finding he couldn't just yet.

"Do you know how much I loved you? From the beginning Cora. Always from the beginning. I was just too much of a fool to know what the feeling was." Robert whispered, tracing her name on the stone.

"She knew." The voice made Robert jerk. He hadn't noticed the shadow that had been cast over him as she approached, blocking out the sun.

"How did you find me?"

"Jarvis said he dropped you at the church. As I had doubted you'd suddenly felt the need to confess I could only guess there was one place you'd be." Violet bent to place her own flowers near Robert's. Robert rose up to stand near his mother, both looking down.

"She was beautiful that day."

Robert let out a short laugh. "I'm surprised you were able to notice through your fury and disapproval."

"I may have not approved but I wasn't blind. And I didn't approve as much for Cora's benefit as yours."

Robert turned to her and squinted his eyes together in question.

"You were marrying her for her money. Or so you said. I felt badly for you both, worried that a union like that would lead to misery. She was so young, and clearly head over heals for you. I didn't think she'd make it very long doting on a husband who didn't reciprocate her feelings. Thousands of miles away from home."

Robert sighed and wiped at the still drying tears on his face.

"But then I saw the way you looked at her when she walked down the aisle. I'd never seen that look on your face before. It was like your world had suddenly been illuminated and I knew then what you obviously did not yet. That you were hopelessly in love with her too."

Robert's laugh was watery, his chest swelling in emotion again.

"Cora saw that Robert. She couldn't take her eyes off of you either that day. She knew what you felt, even before you could tell her."

Robert reached for Violet's hand, startling her by his touch. She grasped it firmly.

"I forget sometimes, that she isn't here. I wake up in the morning and turn expecting her to be there…" Robert's words were barely audible.

"It will never get easier Robert." Violet said gently. "But it will get manageable."

Robert turned to Violet, his eyes showing his pain. "I know."

Violet gave Robert's hand a final squeeze and she turned, heading back to the car that waited for her. Robert kissed his fingers and placed them on the cold stone, before following her.

A/N: Thank you everyone for sticking through this. It was really hard to kill Cora, but hopefully it made for a good read.