There was no scene between Robert and Cora in Season One, Episode Four at all. So, voila!
Robert appreciated Bates' solemn demeanor as he efficiently helped him ready for bed that night. Bates could always tell when he was in no mood to chat and it was definitely one of those times. After going over the unsolvable dilemma of the entail with Matthew in the library, he had already wanted to pull out his hair from frustration and retire for the night. Then his Mama found them and she was furious, stubborn and mistaken - not a good combination with Mama.
He was tired.
The entail was unbreakable. Nothing could change the firmly written and almost cruel conditions that were signed upon his marriage. There was nothing he could do; as much as he often wished there was. However, wanting things to be different didn't lessen the guilt he felt.
His Mama did not believe he was bothered by the way things were. She seemed to think he gave no thought to Mary. Of course he didn't want to see her disinherited but she insisted that he was giving up too quickly. Too easily.
None of this was easy.
When she found Robert with Matthew in the library, she scolded him endlessly - berating and talking in circles and making accusations until he had a headache. The argument continued on as he helped her into the car at the end of the evening. He wanted nothing more than to forget about it for the remainder of the night. He knew he would hear more about it the next day. And the day after - and the one after that.
"Thank you, Bates. That will be all," Robert nodded as he secured the tie on the silk robe Bates had just helped him into. Taking his Lordship's evening clothing, Bates made his exit. Robert gave a deep sigh before going through to Cora's bedroom.
Cora was sitting at her vanity, O'Brien pulling her hair back tightly into a braid. At the sound of the dressing room door, she turned and met his eyes. She tilted her head slightly and gave him an understanding smile. "Good evening, darling."
"Was it now?" he grumbled in a defeated, sarcastic tone.
She assessed his tense posture and worn expression. She didn't answer. Instead, she quickly dismissed O'Brien, not taking her eyes off of her husband as she did. O'Brien lingered, looking between Cora and Robert curiously before she left - for much longer than considered appropriate. Cora stood and gently gripped Robert by both wrists.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
He shook his head. "No. There's nothing to be done; nothing more to say. So there's really no sense in talking."
"There may not be anything to say about the entail, no," she conceded. "But there is something to say about our daughter."
"Yes," he breathed quietly as he tilted his head slightly to meet her eyes. "But I just couldn't talk to her tonight. Matthew is still here. I think he will try to reassure her that there isn't anything to be done. He fears Mama will say he's not trying to change things purely because he doesn't - and I - don't want him to. My worry is Mary sees things that way." Cora loosened a hand from his wrist and ran it up his arm.
"If it were up to me, and speaking solely as her father, I would have her inherit but - "
"- But it isn't up to you."
"No," he pulled away from her, her grip broken around his other wrist. He slouched over to the edge of their bed and sunk his weight into the mattress, the dip in it seemed larger to her– like he was heavier from his turmoil. "No, it isn't. Just as it wasn't up to me to become the Earl, I must do things as they are meant to be done. For Downton. As Earl, it makes perfect sense to me. As her father, of course it isn't as easy as that. That's what Mama believes. She doesn't think I care. And I don't want Mary to think that," he sighed and rubbed his eyes with his knuckles before pressing circles into his temples.
"So tell her," Cora encouraged and sat next to him. "Tell her that as her father, it's not easy. As hard as that may be for an Englishman to do," she teased, cupping his shoulder. "Walk with her tomorrow. Talk to her. She needs to hear that this isn't being done thoughtlessly. "
"I know," he grabbed her hand. He paused. "I think I do know what to say to her. Mama on the other hand…"
"Don't think about that tonight. She knows the terms of the entail and how my money is now part of the estate. Matthew will inherit. She must realize soon that it won't make sense to quarrel over something that can't be changed."
"Mama doesn't choose her arguments based on logic though, does she?"
"History would say not."
He smiled for the first time since he walked in –albeit a slight smile as he rolled his eyes. His smile grew however when a thought entered his head and he couldn't help but chuckle under his breath and grasp her knee under his palm. "After all…" he whispered in low tone and she leaned onto his shoulder, prompting him to voice what he was thinking.
"Yes?" she encouraged curiously.
"She argued about you," he continued and kneaded his fingers into the soft skin above her knee. "And what could be more illogical than that?"
"Well, darling, she still has arguments about me."
"Yes, of which she knows are fruitless. And completely illogical," his fingertips dug more deeply in her skin.
"So then we shouldn't expect her to accept Mary being pushed out either," she stilled his fingers on her leg, covering his hand with hers.
"But we all must," he said factually but with a hint of regret in his tone.
"Unless she marries Matthew," Cora joked.
"The sea monster?" Robert scoffed, recalling the unsubtle way Mary referred to Matthew in his presence after they were introduced.
"Ah, but now he is a sea monster trying to help her get what she believes is hers. And she couldn't accuse him of being a fortune hunter either, considering he has that fortune…"
"I didn't think you thought fortune hunting was a bad quality anyhow," he teased as he intertwined their fingers and brought her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it – letting his lips glide down to her wrist.
"No. It isn't always," she smirked as she turned her arm so he could kiss the underside of her wrist.
"Well, I didn't so easily approve of it as a young man who had no choice but to marry for money," he kissed a path up her arm. "But it turned out I would have had no choice when it came to you anyway," he drawled against her shoulder. She smiled against the thick curls that stuck out, brushing her cheek.
"Well fortunately for both of us, what we were made to do turned out to be just what we wanted. We were lucky," she uttered. Her voice faltered as Robert's tongue and lips inched along her neck, settling below her ear where he placed decadent wet kisses.
"Very lucky," he whispered ardently against her skin before finding her mouth with his own, opening her lips with his tongue and tracing smooth patterns on the underside of her lip and the roof of her mouth.
"Robert…" her hesitant throaty moan tickled against lips. Her light touch on his chest was titillating as she looked up at him through hazy eyes, feeling perplexed and warmed by his increasingly amorous behaviour. Pressing her fingers against the silk of his robe, she searched his eyes. "Robert?"
"Darling, don't you know the ways I'm fortunate for you – fortune aside?" he smirked down at his hands resting at her knees. "After a miserable evening and feeling nothing but dread for the coming days, I was in a wretched mood. All I wanted to do was sleep to forget it all and then after five minutes of talking to you, I feel infinitely better," he spoke quietly - almost shyly - but his heartfelt tone made Cora lean into him, her chin on his shoulder. She placed a feather light kiss by his collar.
"You do that for me too," she reached her hands around his back and squeezed him, nuzzling her head into his neck.
"Good," he chuckled as he squeezed back then kissed the top of her head. He held her for a moment and when his grip around her loosened, he asked, "Do you think Mary will get that too?"
"Oh. I - ," she thought.
"I mean – we arranged for her to marry Patrick. I know she felt relief that she wouldn't have to – mixed in with her grief. And, she seems adamant on not agreeing to anyone we bring to Downton as a potential suitor and now – with her future in the estate being minimal, I just want her to find her happiness," he trailed off. "Am I being silly?"
"No," Cora's whisper was quiet but insistent as she shook her head irrefutably. "No," she cupped his cheek. "Not at all."
"What are we to do?" he wondered as her hand fell down to her lap.
"Take comfort in the fact that when Mary knows what she wants, she will fight for it," she offered. "She is still very young and I have no doubts she will find happiness, Robert. It may not be the life she's envisioned or hoped for but then, neither is mine. And I am so glad for that."
"Not as glad as I am," he claimed emphatically as he brushed his lips on her forehead. When he pulled back, she still saw sorrow present behind the meaningful look he gave her – which she knew had a tendency to dominate his thoughts.
"So, are you alright?"
He huffed, making a 'pfffft' noise with his lips as he exhaled, staring down at his knees. "I've always done as I should for Downton – what is known to be right. Usually it is done without second thought but with this, I've never felt this unsettled or conflicted about doing what tradition dictates. I know I must. I must do what my forefathers would have done. After all, Downton isn't mine to do as my heart wants."
She nodded even though his eyes were still focused down at the floor beyond his knees. There really was nothing more to add to this conversation so she said simply spoke her words as she thought them. "No. But I am," her quiet and placating declaration made him raise his chin to her, finding her closer than he realized.
"Cora…" he said softly – full of gentle yearning. She felt a swell in her chest at the sound of his voice; at the tender way he said her name.
"Listen to me – I've always known Downton has a piece of your heart. It's who you are and I love you for it. And as stoic as your reputation as Earl of Grantham may be, I know that this isn't easy for you. I'm the only one who knows that the biggest piece of your heart belongs to me and our girls. I know you have to do what's right but I'm glad that it isn't easy for you," she explained and stood, offering him her hand as she did. He stood as she continued talking, her hands carefully untying his robe. "You're doing what you feel is right for the Estate, darling, as you've always done." She walked to his armchair, setting the silk garment over the arm before stepping back to him. "And the last time you made decisions that impacted Downton's future, I'd say it ended pretty well," she rubbed her hands against his chest. "Now, did you still want to go to bed to forget about tonight –or not?" there was a suggestive twinkle in her eyes that never failed to make Robert's stomach flutter.
"If only every decision I had to make were so easy," he laughed lightly against her lips as he leaned fully into her, moaning when she caught his bottom lip between her velvety lips. When her tongue lightly grazed his upper lip, his mind blurred – almost blanking. Just as she had done for him, he untied the silk sash clinging to her waist and peeled the robe off her body- his hands following in its wake.
a/n - i was worried Cora seemed out of character but really - after episode 2 or 3, she sort of seemed to relinquish the thought of Mary inheriting. I hope you enjoyed reading either way.
:)