He had managed to sip his way through two cups of tea and three biscuits before he found himself face to face with Martha. She had been watching him for some time now, but he had been otherwise occupied by varying members of the family which he was grateful for.

Martha was not backwards in coming forwards, "Did you trick her into this somehow?"

Robert decided it was time to face up to her, even if it meant going against everything he knew. He placed his tea saucer on the poof and smiled politely at his ex- mother – in – law. Scrapping up every inch of charm he possessed, Martha was going to be the hardest nut to crack.

"Hello Martha, so lovely to see you."

Her eyebrows disappeared into her hair and he had a vision of Mary in another 30 years and tried not to laugh. He refrained from running his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit which would surely give him away.

"If you are referring to Cora, than no, I did not."

Martha looked him up and down and he felt extremely self-conscious, how had Cora grown up with this? She clicked her tongue, "I assume she is selling her home to live with you?"

His silence seemed to answer her question and she linked her arm through his and tugged, "Walk with me for a minute." He did as asked, looking around desperately for someone to save him. No such luck, everyone else was too engaged in their own conversations. Martha managed to lead him out of the library and into the downstairs sitting room where they wouldn't be overheard.

She seemed to soften slightly, looking her age for once. "I just want you to know that whatever happens, I support you."

"You do?"

"Look." She began to pace, "I know at time we haven't gotten along as well as we could have, yadda, yadda, yadda, but." She stopped then and turned so they were face to face, "I think that you are much better for her than Simon and Cora isn't the type to be alone. She obviously trusts you and after this morning's revelations, I thought you should know that I am happy for you both."

Robert nodded, the words seemed to stick in his throat, this was far too much for him to take in. Perhaps Rosamund was right, perhaps their mothers were plotting something, or at the very least discussing them.

"But."

Here she trust her finger into his chest, "If you do anything I deem remotely harmful to her, and I mean anything. I will ruin you Robert Crawley. Once was more than enough." She removed her finger and gave him a smile, "Now we should probably get back so I can go and get ready."

When they returned to the library where tea was still being served Cora was nowhere to be found.

The warming from Martha stuck in his mind and he wondered what exactly he was getting himself into. He had received a similar warning from her father when they had first become engaged, but thankfully nothing had ever come of it. It was well past 5 now and he looked around to see the room emptying out.

He just had to get through the next few hours and then they would be free at last. Well free from their family.

She stepped into her dress and sighed. Afternoon tea had been long and quite frankly she was not in the mood to socialise all night. Robert and her mother had disappeared and so she had decided to go upstairs and take a shower begin the process of getting ready.

She had also forgotten just how snug her dress was as she pulled it over her shoulders. She fiddled with the curl that fell over her face and leant into the mirror giving herself a final once over. She looked fine she supposed, certainly not as young as she used to, but much better than other women her age. She smiled to herself and sat at her vanity to slip on her shoes.

He made his way down the hallway hoping that by now she would be ready to go down. He had decided against interrupting her when she was getting ready. If it was one thing he knew, women hated being interrupted while they were getting ready, well it always seemed to take them twice as long. He was pleased to be left alone in that time, he didn't know how much luck Cora would have in that regard.

He looked at his watch, 15 minutes early, perfect, that way they could make sure Mary was set for a good night. And give him time for a drink, he would need one by the end of the night. He hummed to himself as he approached Cora's door, how lovely to have her on his arm tonight. She had aged remarkably well and was still as beautiful as the day he met her, though she seemed to forget that at times.

He pushed open her door (not bothering to knock) to see her bent forward her dress gaping, her hair covering her face at her vanity.

He cleared his throat and she looked up brushing her hair aside, her face flushing as she pulled up her dress which was exposing indecent amounts of her chest.

She looked suitably embarrassed as she quickly stood, almost his height in her heels, her voice a whisper,

"Would you do me up?"

His eyes flicked to her exposed skin causing her to flush even more. She turned before he had the chance to gawp anymore, his fingers reaching blindly for the buttons which lined the back of her dress. He stepped closer to her, a crackle of electricity separating them, his eyes on hers in the mirror as his fingers moved up her back, pulling her into her dress.

The more buttons he did up, the tighter the dress got, pulling at her hips, her breasts soon disappearing from view much to his disappointment. She quickly passed him a necklace which he wordlessly placed around her neck, doing up the clasp with alarming dexterity.

She turned when he was done and pressed herself into him, her lips capturing his in a meaningful kiss.

He would willingly take her there and then, but he knew she would never allow it. She pulled away and he grabbed her hip, his eyes meeting hers promising things which he wouldn't dare say out loud.

"You look beautiful Cora."

"Thank- you Robert."

He pressed another kiss to her lips and gave her a final squeeze before letting her go. "Now you should reapply your lipstick so we can go down."