August 8, 1888

Robert woke up feeling able to breathe for the first time in a long time. He was home at Downton in his own bed. The guests were all gone. No Americans to entertain. No extra people underfoot. Just normal, regular life. Robert could not have been happier about that. Everything had finally returned to normal, thank goodness.

And, even better, the Levinson dowry had been promised. The money wasn't in the estate yet and would not be until the marriage in March, but they knew it was coming. Papa would not have to reduce the staff or make any cuts to expenses come Christmas. Robert had succeeded. Downton was saved.

At last, life could go back to normal. It would be five glorious months until Robert had to worry about his engagement and eventual marriage. Oh he promised Cora he would write, but that wasn't much of a burden. He would be able to return to his ordinary pursuits without worrying about her. For the majority of their acquaintance, he had worried as to whether she liked him and would possibly agree to marry him. And then ever since she accepted his proposal, he was instead worried about the guilt of taking advantage of her love for him. She loved him and he did not love her, and yet for the sake of Downton, he would marry her anyway.

He would surely find plenty of enjoyment in his marriage, he was certain. If kissing Cora was this wonderful, heaven save him on the honeymoon. But there again, he was using her. Her money and her body. And he could only hope that her love for him would be enough to keep her happy. He wouldn't be able to bear it if she were unhappy. Robert was taking so much from her, and if he thought about it too much, it might make him sick with guilt. He had never liked being put in this position, having to use some wealthy young woman to save his home, but it was his duty to Downton as the next Earl of Grantham. So too, it would be his duty as a husband to ensure that the wife whose money and affection and virtue he was stealing was at least happy. It was least that he could do was try and see that she was happy. And maybe him not loving her would not be a problem.

Whatever their future had in store, it would not begin until Cora returned to Downton in January. She was in London for the next two days, being entertained by Rosamund—Lord help them all!—and then she would be back in New York until the new year. Robert could be at peace until then. He could enjoy the hunting season and then his birthday and then one final proper Christmas at Downton with just the family. All the rest could wait.

Robert went down to breakfast that morning with a slight spring in his step, knowing that he and Papa could read the newspaper and discuss the estate and be uninterrupted. No one else at breakfast to bother them or to be concerned about.

He took a long walk with Norman. The weather was beautiful and he was alone with his dog. It was all he ever wanted, really. Everything was absolutely wonderful today. Nothing was going to bother him.

Of course, that was before he returned to the house and saw a carriage approaching. He reached the door before it did, thankfully, so he could go in and see whether they were expecting company.

"Oh Robert, good, I'm glad you're back," Mama said, bustling down the stairs.

He frowned. "What's going on?"

Mama stood tall and proud and had a little smirk on her face that never failed to make him nervous. "Baronness Glossop and her daughter are coming for luncheon. You should join us."

Robert was positively gobsmacked. Della Howard, daughter of the Baron of Glossop was the biggest bore Robert had ever met. She had her coming out the same year as Rosamund, and there was a reason Lady Della was still unmarried five years later. She was perfectly behaved and very well bred and her family was quite old and well-monied, but she was dull as dishwater in both appearance and manner. Her eyes were small and beady, and her nose was slightly too big for her face, and she had a mole on her jaw that seemed to draw all attention away from her golden blonde hair which was admittedly her only truly beautiful feature. And she was exactly the sort of person that Mama had hoped Robert would marry. Lady Della would make a perfect future Countess of Grantham. Gracious and perfectly capable of taking on all the tasks that came with the role that Mama currently filled.

"Come now, Robert, get changed into something presentable!" Mama snapped.

It was all so sudden that Robert hardly knew what to do. He just went upstairs and called for Willis to help him change from his walking clothes into more suitable attire. But as time went on, Robert got more and more upset. And by the time he went back downstairs to the dining room for luncheon, he was positively livid.

Mama had seated him beside Lady Della, of course, and Robert could hardly stand the sight of her. He tried to keep calm. He greeted her politely. But he did not engage in conversation, and only spoke in single-word sentences through the whole meal. He spent most of his time chewing angrily and glaring at his mother.

But then Lady Della made a comment he could not ignore. "I understand you were only in London a short while for the season, Lord Downton. I hope you found it enjoyable."

"I am not very fond of London usually," he said disagreeably. "Though I was able to spend a great deal of time with a lovely young woman to whom I am now engaged to marry."

"Oh my, I wasn't aware of that," Lady Della responded in surprise. "Congratulations to you and your fiancée."

Robert just grunted and took a sip of water. He could feel Mama's angry glare boring a hole into his head.

After lunch, Robert excused himself, feigning estate business, as the ladies went to the drawing room to have tea and cakes. Mama was positively furious at him, he could tell. But he knew what she was doing and he would have none of it. He shut himself in the library with Norman and found a book to read to calm himself down.

"Robert, how dare you be so rude to our guests!" Mama scolded upon finding him in the same place about an hour later.

"Have they gone?" he asked petulantly, not even bothering to look up from his book.

"Yes, and they both commented on your despicable absence."

He put the book down, knowing they were both gearing up for quite a row. "I was not aware we had guests arriving today, so you cannot fault me for not rearranging my day to suit the disruption. And, even worse, I cannot believe you would try and throw that poor young woman at me when I am already engaged to be married! The announcement will be printed in the papers tomorrow!"

"You will not be seeing that girl for five months. And there has been no payment or formal arrangements. You could very well change your mind. There are far more suitable ladies to step into my shoes," Mama pointed out.

"None who will be able to pay a dowry like Cora's," Robert reminded her. "Besides, I will not go back on my word. I have asked Cora to marry me, I have put a ring on her finger, and I will marry her!"

Mama rolled her eyes at him. "You're being purposefully obstinate. She will be a nightmare as a viscountess and even worse as countess, and she will not make you happy."

"She will save Downton," he insisted. "That in itself will make me happy."

"You are making a terrible mistake, Robert," she warned.

"Be that as it may, it is my mistake to make. It is the choice I am making to secure Downton's future." He huffed in frustration. "Now, I do not want you bringing any more of those ladies to bother me over the coming months. We're leaving for Duneagle in three days, and when we get back, I intend to carry on as I did before I went to America, assisting with the estate and living my life." Robert stood up and left the room, calling to Norman behind him.

Today was supposed to be such a nice day. How could it be that he was now absolutely sick to his stomach?