A/N: There has been so many stories written around Cora and Robert's early marriage but only a very few ever focus on (or even mention) Rosamund, so I have decided to write my perspective on her early life. This story won't focus a lot on Cora and Robert, there are already plenty of stories written about this period of their relationship, but there will be mentions of them throughout! Everyone has different opinions on the ages of Robert, Cora and Rosamund, but for the purposes of this story, Robert and Cora are a little older than Rosamund. Robert and Cora have just returned from their honeymoon at the start of this story. (I will be using the titles of Lord and Lady Downton for Robert and Cora, as I've gathered that's the general head canon for the Earldom's courtesy title?) We know very little about Rosamund's life, so I find her terribly interesting. I hope you enjoy.

1890

Patrick enters the drawing room of Grantham House to find his family assembled for tea. Violet is sitting beside Robert on one sofa, while Rosamund and Cora sit on another talking quietly.

"I've just received a letter," Patrick announces, stopping before everyone. The room falls silent as all eyes turn to Patrick. "Lord Warrington has returned from France! He wrote to inform me and says he looks forward to seeing us at the Aynor Ball this evening."

Violet and Robert raises their eyebrows and Rosamund frowns.

Cora looks confused. "I'm sorry, who is Lord Warrington?"

"The Marquess of Warrington," Violet answers, in a tone that suggests Cora should know this already. "We expect him to marry Rosamund, although no formal agreement has ever been made."

Cora looks at Rosamund in surprise but Rosamund is looking down at her hands. The butler opens the door and a footman enters with the tea, pausing the conversation.

Once everyone has received a cup of tea, Robert brings up Lord Warrington again. "I wonder why Lord Warrington has decided to return from Europe now. He's been there for years, he seemed pretty settled."

Violet frowns. "I think it's fairly obvious. Rosamund has been presented and he will want to see if they will suit. He has spent more than enough time abroad." Violet shakes her head disapprovingly as she speaks. "I feel for his mother, left in Scotland in that large castle."

Rosamund narrows her eyes. "And that's where you wish to send me."

Violet mirrors her daughter's expression. "Your cousin Susan seems quite happy in Scotland, as Lady Flintshire, and she's a lot more isolated than you would be if you married Lord Warrington. You won't get a better offer. There's not one Duke looking to settle down this season, and only one Marquess besides Lord Warrington, but he seems pretty attached to Lady Alice."

Rosamund opens her mouth but shuts it again, her brow furrowed in irritation.

Robert tactfully asks Patrick how his morning went, and the conversation drifts away from the subject of Lord Warrington. Once everyone has finished their tea, Violet excuses herself to lie down before the ball this evening and Patrick follows a few minutes after to finish some work, leaving Robert, Cora and Rosamund in the drawing room.

"Well, I haven't seen Warrington since he left for France," Robert remarks. "It will be nice to see him again."

Rosamund nods, although she doesn't care much for the Marquess. Rosamund was fourteen when he left for France, and her memories of him are hazy. They met as children occasionally but never had much interest in each other. To Rosamund, he had just been another boy who played with Robert.

--

The Aynor Ball is an annual affair, always conducted a few weeks into the London season and hosted by the Earl and Countess of Aynor. It's usually a large ball and this year will be no exception. The venue of the event is Aynor House - a large townhouse where the Earl and Countess reside during the London Season - which is situated a few blocks away from Grantham House. The townhouse has a large ballroom which comfortably holds over a hundred guests.

Rosamund walks behind her parents, Robert and Cora as they enter Aynor House. A footman takes their coats and they're shown into the ballroom, where many guests have already arrived. Patrick and Robert split off almost instantly, heading towards their respective groups of friends. Violet stops to talk to different acquaintances around the ballroom and Rosamund notices a few of her friends across the dancefloor. Rosamund excuses herself, leaving Cora with Violet.

Lady Katherine, Lady Isabella and Lady Margaret are all from respectable families and grew up alongside Rosamund. The four were often placed in nurseries around the country together as their parents visited each other or mutual friends. Rosamund makes her way towards them.

Katherine notices Rosamund first. "Ros!" Katherine studies Rosamund in approval. "You look beautiful!"

Rosamund blushes as Isabella and Margaret nod their agreement. "Thank you, Kitty." Rosamund chose a new green gauze to wear tonight, as the colour complemented both her hair and eyes, and she's glad someone noticed.

"Have you seen Lord Warrington yet?" Isabella asks, cutting straight to the point.

Rosamund shakes her head and subtly scans the room. "Is he here yet?"

"Yes," Katherine says. "I saw him with my brother not ten minutes ago. I suspect Robert will be with them now."

Margaret grins. "Is he handsome?"

Katherine grins back, and Rosamund gossips with her friends as guests continue to arrive, filling the ballroom. Her dance card - which is attached to her wrist with a pretty green ribbon - starts to fill up with the names of gentlemen.

"Look!" Katherine whispers to Rosamund. "Lord Warrington is there."

Rosamund leans close to Katherine to see where she's looking. She notices her brother, drinking with a few other men. As her gaze travels along the group, Rosamund is captivated by a man who can only be described as devastatingly handsome. He's not as tall as Robert but he's more muscular. His hair is dark, ebony black and his neat moustache and beard are the same colour. He appears good natured as he talks to Robert and the other men around him. Everyone seems absorbed by the story he's telling. Rosamund's breath hitches as she watches him. "Oh, my."

"The one to the left of the man talking?" Katherine clarifies.

Rosamund's gaze drifts the smaller, fair man Katherine is talking about. "Oh."

Katherine giggles at Rosamund's disappointed tone. "Who were you looking at?"

"The one talking." Rosamund looks back at the man. She can't study him properly from afar but even from across her room, she can see that he's much more handsome than most of the men present. He's no longer talking, but grinning as he listens to one of the other men. "Who is he?"

Katherine shrugs. "I'm not sure. My brother only introduced me to Lord Warrington."

"He seems rather tanned for England."

"I suppose he must have been travelling. Perhaps with Lord Warrington, they look quite friendly." Rosamund and Katherine both turn away from the men and concentrate on Isabella and Margaret again. "I would love to live in France for four years."

Margaret disagrees. "You'd get scandalously freckled."

"My mother would not approve," Isabella adds.

Rosamund grins. "It sounds heavenly."

"Your mother certainly wouldn't approve," Isabella says, smiling,

"All the more reason to go," Rosamund replies. Isabella grins back at her.

"Oh, golly," Katherine interrupts. "Lord Warrington is coming this way. With your brother, Ros." Katherine winks at Rosamund. "Good luck."

"Rosamund!" Robert calls as he approaches. Isabella and Margaret part, so Rosamund can walk forward to meet her brother. Robert comes to a halt in front of Rosamund. Lord Warrington does the same. Rosamund smiles politely as Robert makes the necessary introductions. "Warrington, my sister, Lady Rosamund. Rosamund, Lord Warrington."

Rosamund takes the opportunity to study Lord Warrington. His features are unremarkable and his hair is a dull blond, already showing patches of white. He seems friendly as he smiles at her. "Lady Rosamund," he says, brushing his lips against her knuckles.

Rosamund bows her head. "Lord Warrington."

"I hope you will afford me the pleasure of one of your dances this evening?"

"The pleasure would be mine," Rosamund answers, passing him her dance card. Lord Warrington writes his name in one of the two remaining spaces and returns the card to her. "Until then," he says, smiling again. "Good to see you, Downton."

Robert nods. "Warrington." Rosamund watches as Lord Warrington moves away through the ballroom, surprised by the lack of feeling she felt when talking to him. Even when he touched her, she didn't feel a single spark. She had always imagined that once Lord Warrington returned, there would be an inexplicable pull between her and the man destined to be her husband. Violet would roll her eyes and tell Rosamund to stop reading novels if she ever voiced that thought aloud.

"Well, what do you think of him?" Robert asks, interrupting Rosamund's reflection.

Rosamund shrugs. "I barely spoke to him, Robert. I have no basis on which to make any judgement."

Robert grins. "Well, I'm just glad you're not shooting him down already."

Rosamund smiles. "If someone doesn't come up to my standards, why should I waste my time on them?" Robert doesn't answer. He knows it would be futile to try. "Can I ask, who is the man you were talking to before you came over?"

Robert frowns. "Which one?"

Rosamund looks at the handsome man she was studying a few minutes ago with Katherine. "The dark haired one."

Robert glances back at the corner from where he came to see who his sister is talking about. As the other two men are blond, Robert instantly understands who she means. "Oh, that's Marmaduke Painswick. He spent some time with Lord Warrington in France. He's very interesting. He's been all over Europe, he's got some terrific stories."

Rosamund raises her eyebrows. "What are his prospects?"

Robert shrugs. "I'm not entirely sure. I gather he's extremely wealthy but he hasn't a highly respectable birth. I believe his father was a businessman."

"As is Cora's father," Rosamund comments, sounding amused.

Robert grins again. "Yes. Why are you so interested?"

"It's no matter."

"Alright, well, I'll see you later." Robert heads back towards the corner he came from and Rosamund turns back to her friends. Before they can interrogate her, the band slows, indicating that the dancing will start soon. The men who promised them dances split them as they take their positions on the dance floor.