A/N: Short update. Thanks so much for the reviews!

After Cora walked out of the room she strode down the hallway back to Mary's room to find her mother. She was in no mood to speak to Robert and if he had no problem leaving her alone for long periods of time, perhaps she should start adopting the same sentiment about him, she thought angrily. With a huff, she reached Mary's door and opened it to find her Mother and Mary playing dress up with large hats and colorful scarves that had been taken out of a large toy chest. Mary was sitting on the floor across the room wearing an enormous blue-feathered hat and sorting through a pile of sparkly jewelry that was littered on the floor around her. Her mother meanwhile, was sitting on a chaise near the door wearing a ridiculously elaborate black hat and some large fur wrap around her neck. Despite her mood she couldn't help but to giggle a bit and she could feel her anger dissipating rather quickly.

Mary was far too busy with her game to acknowledge her Mama's entry, but luckily for Cora, her own Mother was much happier to see her.

"Cora! What are you doing back here?" Her Mother asked as she sat up from the chaise and adjusted her large costume hat. When Cora didn't respond and only looked away and out the window, her Mother's expression changed to a slight frown and she motioned for Cora to come sit beside her.

"Cora darling come sit," she said, patting the empty space beside her on the chaise. Cora obeyed her Mother's instruction and she sat beside her, immediately resting her head on her shoulder and exhaling a long deep breath.

"Oh Mamma, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry to have spoiled our arrival…" Cora said. She could already feel the tears from earlier welling up again now that she was so close to her Mother.

"Cora Lev—Cora Crawley," her mother began, correcting herself. "Don't apologize to me! Just tell me what's wrong, Darling. Please?" She wrapped her arms around Cora and pulled her into a hug for a moment before releasing her and looking back at her expectantly.

"That's just it, I have no idea!" Cora cried, looking at her with eyes full of tears. "Everything was fine until this afternoon when we got off the ship. Robert yelled at me; he called me a child, and shouted at Mary. He has been sulking all afternoon now, since then." Her Mother frowned as Cora paused for a moment and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry…I'm being silly, it's nothing to worry you over, Mamma…I'm just tired I suppose."

"Oh Cora, if you can't worry me then who can you?" Martha frowned more deeply and took Cora's hands in her own and clutched them tightly. Looking at her distraught daughter all she could think of was Cora as a little girl, running into the house with the same tearful eyes from a scraped knee or a broken toy, looking to her Mamma for comfort and reassurance. Though she was a woman of nearly twenty-seven now with a family of her own, Martha looked into her eyes and saw that same little girl needing the same reassurance and her heart broke seeing her daughter so upset. But, she also knew Cora's happiness—whether she liked it or not—depended largely on Robert now, and disparaging him for some silly tantrum wouldn't do anyone any good.

"Cora my dear, I'm going to give you some advice. Now, listen before you catch me out because it's probably the last thing you want to hear."

"Then don't tell me," Cora said with a frown.

"Oh, Cora…" She reached over to tuck a stray piece of Cora's hair behind her ear before continuing.

"I don't ever want to see you upset and Robert was wrong to upset you and certainly wrong to upset Mary as well…"

"…But?"

"But, I know you two love each other and I think perhaps you should allow him some leniency."

"Mamma! You cannot seriously be defending him. You didn't hear the things he was saying!"

"No Darling, I did not…" She replied, taking Cora's hands in hers as she paused to look at her daughter again.

"But, I have gotten to know Robert over these past years and I can't imagine he would upset you or Mary intentionally. You two are good for each other, Cora; and I would hate to see your trip ruined over what I am willing to bet he already knows was a big mistake. Don't waste what should be a happy time!"

"Oh Mamma I don't know."

"Well, did he at least try to apologize?"

"No…"

"No?"

"Well, he may have. But he didn't mean it."

Martha chuckled at her daughter's stubbornness—a trait she carried herself—and smiled at Cora who had looked back to meet her gaze.

"Perhaps when he tries to apologize again—and knowing Robert he will soon—you could at least hear him out. You certainly owe one another that, at the very least."

"Perhaps…" Cora mumbled. She knew her Mamma was right; Robert may have acted rather stupidly, but surely something else was bothering him. Of that, Cora was sure. Besides, he rarely raised his voice when they argued; it was always Cora who shouted at him during arguments and he who sat quietly and allowed her to, never asking her to apologize for it later. Perhaps it was time to let him off the hook after all.

"Well," Martha said as she released Cora's hands and stood: "I am sure you two will work it all out. What am I always telling you, Dear?

Cora rolled her eyes playfully and stood up to join her before answering with a hug-

"I know, I know. Things will look better in the morning."

"Now, that's my girl!"

"I'm going to change for dinner. Thank you, Mamma." She said with a smile as she turned and headed back to her own room. When she returned to the room and opened the door though, she was surprised to find the room empty and with absolutely no trace of Robert…