As requested here is what I think happened after Robert returned to see Cora after finding out they were pregnant.
He felt unsteady on his legs, maybe he was imagining it but he was sure he was a bit wobbly. The last hour had given him much to think about. His whole life had invariably changed in this hour. Good Lord. A baby. At their age. Telling Mama would be interesting. Perhaps he could leave that to Cora he thought with a soft laugh. He was still completely flabbergasted. A baby. Their baby. He made his way out of the room and slowly began to ascend the stairs. It was as if seeing Cora once again would solidify the news. 4 months gone Dr Clarkson had said, my word. This changed everything. What if it was a boy? After Sybil had been born he had thought for the first time that he would not have an heir of his own, and then Cora had not gotten pregnant again and the years moved on and he had just gotten used to it. Patrick and James had been the presumed heirs … then the titanic, then Matthew … then Matthew and Mary … and now… it was mind blowing. Without noticing the distance he had made his way to Cora's room and found himself standing in front of the door. A baby. He knocked softly and entered at the sound of her voice.
Cora had laughed to herself when Robert had left to see Dr Clarkson. His face had been priceless. She could not fault him for being so shocked, he was right after all; she had not been pregnant in eighteen years. Yet here she was, pregnant when she thought for sure she had begun the change of life. She had quietly hoped in the back of her mind that she could be pregnant, but the practical side of her had convinced her heart that it could not be, never would be again. Things had been so irregular that at first she had not noticed. Then she had had a few waves a nausea which she had blamed on the business of the season. She had felt slightly rounder in the middle and had thought to cut back on her portions at meal time, just another sign she was aging. To think on it now she laughed at herself for not seriously considering the notion that she could indeed be pregnant for so long. It was entirely possible; they were regularly intimate with each other. More than regularly sometimes. Robert of course had not had the benefit of all those little indicators and the news had come as a complete shock. She knew she would never forget the look on his face when he took in the news. It was hard enough for her to comprehend. Now she lay on her bed, her hands resting cautiously on her stomach as she considered her unborn child. Their little miracle. For the first time in eighteen years she considered the idea that she could produce an heir, Robert's heir. The thought bought a smile to her face that she could not have prevented if she tried. Of course this changed things for Matthew, and in turn Mary. She could not consider that now however, they would have to make their decisions based on the information at hand, she could not be sorry for that. Hearing a knock at her door followed by Robert's voice she smiled and called out for him to come in.
Robert stood with his hand on the doorknob and stared at his wife, his pregnant wife lying on their bed. He couldn't conceal his smile as he considered that they had conceived 4 children in that bed. She turned her head to the side and smiled at him, her hand resting against her stomach. He felt a little wobbly on his legs again as he considered their baby nestled inside her and slowly closed the door behind him.
"Dr. Clarkson just left" he told her helpfully. She smiled and lifted her eyes questioningly.
"Oh." She responded with a grin, "Did he have anything of interest to say?" she asked a smile dancing behind her eyes.
Robert rolled his eyes and let out a breath. "He does like to share medical knowledge, more than I need to hear." Cora laughed at the thought of Robert cringing at Dr. Clarkson's words. The sight of Robert's lips turned up in his boyish smirk lit her heart up in happiness. He was pleased about the baby, the shock was wearing off and he was happy. She knew he would be, but for a moment when she'd told him she wondered. "What are you smirking at?" she teased turning onto her side to talk to him with greater ease. His smirk became more pronounced and he moved to sit on the bed turning his body to face her.
"I was just thinking" he said playfully, "I feel a little as if I'm returning to the scene of the crime" he let out a chuckle he could not contain and reached out to touch his wife's hand.
"What?" Cora asked the confusion evident in her voice. She had not been expecting him to say that, she thought Dr. Clarkson may have told him something of interest that Robert thought was rather naughty and was going to share. The scene of the crime? That didn't make sense.
Robert laughed out loud and leaned forward to bring his wife's delicate fingers to his lips and kissed them gently. "I meant … we have conceived 4 children in this bed" he said with a sudden flush of embarrassment.
"Oh." Cora said in surprise as the understanding dawned on her, "Robert!" her voice and the blush that rose in her cheeks expressed her shock, but the smile that crossed her face and the humor in her eyes showed Robert she was pleased with his playfulness. He turned her hand over in his and kissed the palm gently.
"I'm sorry Cora. I couldn't resist" he apologized sincerely, a gleam still present in his eye.
"Such a child" Cora muttered behind her smile enjoying the feel of her hand against her husband's lips. She loved him when he was playful. It was one of her most favorite versions of Robert. Mostly because he was truly Robert in these moments, not the Earl of Grantham, not His Lordship, rather he was Robert Crawley … her Robert Crawley, her husband. She loved the way his playful. Smile made the sides if his eyes crinkle, the way he cocked his head gently to the side. Cora let her hand slide gently from his lips to rest upon his cheek and held it in the palm of her hand and smiled up at him from her pillow. He had won her heart many years ago, a fact that she had never thought to rectify, not even once. In the bearing of his children she had come to love him even more, their lives forever connected with the creation of life.
"I think we will give everyone rather a surprise" he said softly placing his hand over the one she rested on his cheek. She was such a vision. Lying on their bed, her hair slightly undone, her travelling clothes removed for the examination earlier, her cheeks slightly pink from his naughty comments. Watching his wife's body change over the years as she'd carried his children within her had given him such an unspeakable joy he could not believe he would be able to relive it all again. He knew enough about the trauma of childbirth and pregnancy for any man, and it never ceased to amaze him that Cora would be happy to go through it all time and again. 3 times she had borne their children happily, and now she was over the moon to do it again. He was so happy he felt his heart might burst.
Cora scrunched her face up a little, "Yes I believe we will" she laughed and let her hand drop from his face bringing it back to her stomach. Their baby. Robert removed his shoes and lay down on his side across from her. Gingerly he reached his hand out to her stomach and laid it gently against her softness. Their baby was in there. He stared at her stomach for a moment before he felt her hand cover his and press against her stomach together. He looked up at her face and answered her smile with one of his own.
"Who shall be the most shocked?" Cora asked in an almost whisper.
Robert considered her question a moment, and leaned closer to kiss the tip of her nose tenderly. "Mary perhaps" he offered his answer quietly, "this news has the possibility to affect her more than any of us. Of course, Matthew" he added almost as an afterthought.
"It cannot be helped" Cora replied gently.
"No it can't" Robert said turning his eyes back to his wife's stomach. Their baby! He took his hand from her stomach and placed it on her hip, pulling her closer to him and holding her close to him. He breathed her in.
Cora let Robert wrap his arms around her and enjoyed the feeling of his body close to her. Being wrapped up in him was her favorite place to be. She loved resting her head against his chest and hearing his heartbeat against her ear. She loved the feel of his strong arms cradling her against him. She loved the way they could just lay together and talk about nothing in particular. Today was no different. Their lives had changed with today's news, and yet it was still the same, they were still the same.
"But you're happy?" she asked once more. She knew he was, she could see it in his actions and heard it in his voice when they had spoken. She knew he was happy about the baby, their baby. She just wanted to hear him say it.
"I am so happy, so terribly happy, I feel as though I could burst" he said tenderly against her hair. Cora drifted to sleep with a large smile on her face, her husband's arms around her, and her son growing inside her.