14. Ask Any Fool

"Robert?" Cora called, moving at a pace through the door to his study. He was sitting, seemingly relaxed. "There you are."

"I was going to come find you-" he started.

"I've been thinking a lot. About what we're to do. I know what I have to do when it comes... and if it's what I have to do... It'll be hard but I'd try if-"

"Cora, what are you talking about?" he asked, getting up from his chair and moving past her to close the door.

"Mama told me what I have to do once the baby is here-"

"What will happen? I didn't realise there was any other option besides bringing it up as ours."

"A story will be invented while the baby goes away to live with a childless couple."

"I haven't agreed to that!"

"But..." she trailed off, feeling confused by his reaction. "It's not what you'd want?"

"Either way, you are the child's mother, it should live with you."

"Oh... I see." Now Robert looked like the confused one as he sat back down in his arm chair. "I'll write to my mother and have her expect us-"

"We're going to America?" he asked as though it were a deluded idea.

"The baby and I - isn't that what you were saying?"

"I don't want you to go. I meant stay here. Both of you, stay here."

"Robert, I can't make you do that-"

"It's too late. Either way, I will be this child's father. Blood or no blood, it will live in our house, on this estate and be our fourth child," he said with a new determination, he got to his feet again, about to go to her.

"I can't make you do that," she tried not to tremble with the hope of reuniting with him. Robert stayed where he was.

"You already have. That is the ultimatum you've given me. You, I, our life and this baby. You'd never be happy with me again if I let you give it away and we never knew for certain..."

Cora nodded, feeling her boost of confidence begin to dwindle as she calmed with Robert's words.

"I might have taken longer to see I couldn't live like that if I'd not almost lost you. I'm not thankful that the flu almost took you from me, but I am thankful I've seen reason sooner," his voice took a more serious tone. "I don't blame you anymore..."

She met his eyes with a look of surprise on her features. Robert came closer, taking her hands in his, he looked down and continued, his voice somber.

"He did this to you," Robert said slowly and she quickly understood. "If this thing hurts you - in any way - I will find and kill Evelyn Napier."

Her blood ran cold at the fierceness of his promise, the striking penetration of his blue eyes on hers. Cora knew it wasn't about his love for her - though perhaps it was partly. It was about possession, Evelyn had taken something of Robert's and in doing so, he'd left a mark. An insult, a claim on what was Robert's. And Lord Grantham did not like to share. And so previous to speaking with Cora, Robert had decided it was about time he reclaim his wife as fully as was possible...

Becoming partners again wasn't easy. They each agreed to a reluctant schedule in which Robert was permitted to her room for 3 out of 7 nights a week, so as to take things slowly as they reconciled.

During one day in early August, the sun had blotted out behind a few looming clouds, giving shade to the grounds. The opportunity for a leisurely walk lended it's self and so Cora and Robert set out together. Not intending to go far as the air was still thick and humid, they strolled together down the driveway.

"You start," Robert said, smiling as he watched her think. Able to forget everything in these rare, short lapses of friendliness with her.

"Questions."

"Children."

"Play."

"Game," Robert said.

"Cards."

"Towers."

She thought for a moment, "buildings."

"Gutters."

"Bricks."

"Downton."

"Home."

He smiled. "I hope so."

"Do you forfeit, Mr Crawley?"

"Absolutely not. House."

"Shed."

"Shed!?" He asked. Cora giggled and shrugged. He sighed and shook his head. "Wood."

"Trees."

"Swish."

"Move," she said after a while. Robert opened his mouth to say something and stopped. Coming to halt just underneath the shade of the trees, he turned to her.

"Have you... felt it yet?" he asked, mainly out of curiosity. And he often felt he didn't ask about it enough.

"I have..." she nodded slowly, not meeting his eyes.

"You didn't say."

"I didn't think you'd want to know... And I didn't want to push things."

"Tell me next time?" he asked, quietly hopeful. He was replaying the memory of Mary first kicking. Being the first-time father he was, he was very much anxious when Cora told him the baby was 'kicking'. His expression had clearly amused Cora because she'd been unable to stop laughing long enough for her to tell him it was normal. The doctor had been sent for immediately and on his arrival, Robert had plenty of embarrassment to face for his ignorance.

Cora saw the far-away look in his eyes and smiled.

"Robert?" she squeezed his arm. "Darling?"

He warped back into the present on feeling a fresh sadness at realising it had been far too long since she'd called him by anything endearing.

"Yes?" he cleared his throat.

"You seemed to be living somewhere else for a moment."

"Just remembering something... Is that Edith?"

Cora looked away across the grass as Edith scanned the grounds and found them, hurrying forwards and waving something in her hand. She reached them, panting heavily.

"Mama... I've got a letter."

"So I see. Is it that urgent?"

"I think so..." Edith said, the colour fading from her cheeks a little. "But I wish to tell you alone, mama. I don't think I'd like papa to know just yet..."

Robert rolled his eyes and tsked.

"Alright. I'll see you inside, Cora," he felt their daughter's eyes on him as he pressed a kiss to Cora's cheek.

"Alright," she watched him start walking towards the house with a slight quirk in her lips.

"Mama, my letter."

"Oh, yes... What is it?" Cora turned back to Edith, folding her arms and standing next to Edith as she unfolded the letter.

"I'd like to ask if we might have a gentleman to stay."

"The Captain has finally come back to you?"

"Well, no... Mr Napier has."

"What?"

"He writes he very much enjoyed his stay here and should like to personally deliver to me some news. He's quite insistent that he can't write it down or say it over the telephone."

"No."

"What? Why?"

"It's... it's indecent for a gentleman to impose himself." Cora had gone white, goosebumps rising over her back. "Do... Why do you want him to come here?" she asked, struggling to find the right response to Edith's request.

"Well, I quite like him, mama. And I want to hear this news. Besides, I'm not an idiot, I can see I've not exactly got a long line of suitors. Of course I did rather hope Captain Willows would have stayed in touch... but Mr Napier is very nice."

"Mm..." Cora murmured, she was starting to feel rather light-headed.

"Can I confirm the invite then, mama? I can't see why you should disapprove if he was good enough for Mary."

"I don't think it's entirely appropriate, Edith."

"Why ever not?"

"It's... it's better to keep him interested. Don't invite him straight away," she gave an uneasy smile but it was enough for Edith to think that she had her mother's approval.

"Well, alright," Edith grinned. "I'll write back in a few days," with that, she turned and made for the house.

"Alright..." Cora tried not to panic, finding the intensity of the warm weather suddenly making her cold sweat. She reached one hand out to a near tree to steady herself, her other hand going instinctively to her stomach, closing her eyes, she concentrated on taking deep long breaths. After calming slightly, she opened her eyes again, leaning against the tree. Dread swirled in her chest as she looked downward at her now-prominent baby bump.

Mr Napier,

I must write to express that you would not be welcomed at Downton since Lord Grantham is aware of the events transpired a matter of months ago. Therefore I must insist you remain distant and refrain from writing to any one of my daughters or myself, though particularly I know you have communicated with Lady Edith. We do not wish to be privy to your 'news'.

Sincerely,

The Countess of Grantham

Dear Lady Grantham,

I don't wish to upset your family in any way. But I'm afraid I must remain insistent that I speak with Lady Edith on topic of Captain Willows. I wish our friendship had not been ruined with guilt on both our parts. You knew my mother, the late Lady Branksome and I should wish-

Another two pages of Evelyn's letter remained but Cora didn't read his words. Now knowing she couldn't keep Evelyn at bay alone, she decided it was time to tell Robert. Whether they were ready to talk of him or not, she wasn't sure. But what she did know was that if Robert found out about Napier's perseverance before Cora told him, there'd be a fresh reason for blame to turn her way. She chose their London visit to bring it up with him, fully intending to carefully broach the subject before their return to Downton...

When he accompanied Cora South to London, Robert found the silence between them as they travelled not as uncompanionable as he'd imagined it might be. They were certainly getting along much better, even if it was more friendly than affectionate... When it came time to visit the practise, he was almost wishing their short stay had not been so short. He sat in the waiting room, reading one of the complimentary newspapers with a cup of tea the receptionist had organised for him. But as he was so caught up in his newspaper, he didn't realise quite how long he'd been sitting there. The last of his tea was cold and he'd almost gotten through the paper.

"Excuse me, do you know how long the appointment was for?" Robert asked the young woman behind the desk.

"'Fraid not, sir. I can ask if you'd like?"

"No, that's alright... Thank you."

He waited another ten minutes before Cora finally emerged. He smiled at her but she didn't look his way, she seemed to be struggling to hold together.

"Another appointment, madam?" the receptionist asked.

"No, there won't be. Thank you."

The girl looked saddened for Cora, Robert felt himself tense with worry. He stood up, abandoning his paper and offering her his arm as he put his hat back on. She took it.

"Cora?"

"When we get back to the house," she whispered, clutching his arm tightly as they left. The strength of her grip surprised him and she didn't relent on her hold until they were out of the motor and back inside the house where she broke down in tears almost instantly.

"What? What it is?" he asked in alarm. "What did they tell you?"

The footman hastened to disappear once he closed the door, allowing the two of them some privacy so talk.

"It's the baby isn't it?" he panicked. "Has it gone?"

She held her head in her hands.

"It's worse than that," her voice came out muffled and thick with her upset.

"Tell me it's not going to hurt you," he pleaded.

She took a long breath to steady herself before she wiped her eyes and looked up at him. "The doctor explained that since the flu epidemic, many women who fell victim to the illness whilst being with child have born... they've born..."

"Born what?"

"Robert, I might bear you an unhealthy child."

"Unhealthy? By what means?"

"I don't want to explain it in detail..." again she attempted to hold back her tears. "But the baby will most likely be sick if I was pregnant during the illness."

Robert was heartbroken. But quickly heartbreak turned to rage. Cora watched his face light with his fury as he opened his mouth to growl something abusive about Napier.

"Before you say anything, I've something else to tell you..." she interrupted. "He wants to come Downton. And though I have expressly told him not to come, he is insistent. He's even contacted Edith to try and get to Downton through her. Robert, I've tried to deal with it, can we just hope he'll take the warning and stay away?"

"Absolutely not."