December 31, 1888

"Miss Cora, you're pulling again."

Cora immediately stopped what she was doing and sat patiently for Minnie, who was trying to pin her hair. "I am sorry. I suppose I'm a little anxious."

"What for, Miss?" the maid asked.

A small smile appeared on Cora's lips as she gazed from her own face up to Minnie's. "Well, this is the last party I'll attend in this house. As Cora Levinson, at least. If I come back for any occasion, it'll be as Cora Crawley, Viscountess Downton. I suppose I'm just getting a bit overwhelmed by it all."

Minnie smiled back. "You'll be going back to England in just three days, Miss. Aren't you excited?"

"I am," Cora confessed. "I've been wanting to get back there as soon as we left."

"Yes, I remember."

Cora was a bit embarrassed now at how she'd carried on the whole way back to New York back in August. Despondent and curt and utterly heartbroken at the months stretching ahead without Robert. She read the books he had loaned her, and she had written him letters—most of which she hadn't sent—and dreamed of returning to Downton Abbey.

But strangely, Robert had been right about their time apart. As soon as Cora returned home to New York and had her usual engagements and outings with friends and everything, the ache in her heart seemed to lessen. She was distracted by ordinary life, which was quite the blessing under the circumstances.

And soon enough, summer turned to fall, and then the holiday season took up all her time. Thanksgiving had been wonderful this year. Bubbe came all the way from Cincinnati and brought a live turkey from a nearby farm. Though she always seemed to like Harold much more than Cora, so it was a bit of a bore to be passed over for her brother over and over and over again. It was one of the only times that Cora and her mother were ever really allied in anything. When Isidore Levinson's mother came to visit, the unwanted Levinson women were cast aside and left to their own devices.

Thankfully, Bubbe left before Christmas as she did not like to travel in snow if at all possible. That meant that Christmas had been grand and wonderful as it had been every year they'd lived in New York. The tree was enormous and beautifully decorated by the servants, including some extras that were hired for holiday time. Cora got to wear beautiful gowns in rich, deep colors and heavy, sumptuous fabrics. Something about the wintertime made her want to wear emerald and plum velvet. When the weather warmed, she would surely be just as in love with pale pink and pastel blue. But she would be in England by the time the weather warmed again.

While the holiday festivities were going on, the upcoming move and wedding were bustling in the background. Another maid was hired so that Minnie could supervise the packing of all Cora's things. Slowly but surely, the cases and trunks were filled with clothes and a few small keepsakes.

And now, just three days before Cora and Martha set sail once again with Minnie and Lillian to go back to Downton, nearly everything in Cora's room was all packed away. Anything that Cora did not need in the next week was already sent ahead of their arrival, as Martha had arranged with Lady Grantham. Cora's room was rather sparse now. Only the essentials remained.

Minnie had finally finished pinning Cora's hair, leaving her free to move once more. Cora sighed and reached for the small mauve bottle of perfume that sat in starring position on her vanity. She put a few drops on her fingertips and rubbed it over her neck and chest, and she smiled when the perfume wafted to her nose.

"That is a lovely scent, Miss Cora," Minnie complimented.

"I don't think I could have ever asked for anything so perfect," Cora answered happily. "I never would have dreamed Robert would get me something like this."

"Lord Downton has very good taste."

Cora grinned wider. "I think he does. After all, he is marrying me," she joked.

The two young women shared a laugh, but Cora's quickly died on her tongue. She got on so well with Minnie. Trusted her. Loved her. They were friends, really. As much as a lady and her maid could be friends. And Cora was thankful that Minnie would be accompanying her back to England. But when Cora became Lady Downton, she would be provided with a proper lady's maid at the Abbey. Minnie would be returning to America with Cora's family after the wedding. And Cora would have to say goodbye.

Really, Minnie was just one more person in a long, long line that Cora would have to leave. She was leaving everything behind to marry Robert. All her friends and her whole family. Everything that Cora knew would be across the ocean from her new home. If it weren't for Robert, Cora would be worried about being lonely. But she was getting married. Her new husband would keep her company, and their love would ease any homesickness or loneliness she might feel, surely.

A knock came at the door, interrupting Cora's thoughts. Martha came in to check on her daughter. "How's it coming, dear?" she asked.

"Nearly ready," Cora informed her. She stood up so her mother could inspect her party dress. "What do you think?"

Martha eyed her daughter up and down, taking in the deep blue satin gown trimmed with white fox fur at the collar. She smiled. "You really are a stunning girl, Cora. I shall be at a loss for beauty when you go."

"You are coming with me, Mother," Cora reminded her. "We'll be in England for two months before the wedding, remember? That was your idea."

"That was Lady Grantham's idea," Martha corrected. "It was my idea for you to come home for the holidays, but it was the Countess who decided that the engagement needed to be longer so we could plan the wedding details after that. If you ask me, she's trying to delay things so there will be more time for you or Robert to call it off."

Cora frowned. "That's a terrible thing to joke about."

"I'm not joking! That woman is against you, mark my words."

"Well, we know how much Lord Grantham is counting on my signing my money over to the estate. They wouldn't risk losing that," Cora pointed out. It was a practical point and probably closest to the truth. But really, Cora hoped more than anything that Robert really did want to marry her and wouldn't break their engagement for anything. With the distance and the months apart and the cold politeness of his letters, there was some reason to doubt. Perhaps it was naïve and foolish that her heart should shout so loudly over her head. But the little voice in the back of Cora's head could not be entirely silence as it whispered her doubts: he did not love her, he would find someone better while they were parted, she would be left brokenhearted and humiliated the moment she stepped off the ship in England.

"Come on," Martha said, leading Cora out of the bedroom. "The party is getting started. Let's have one last night of celebration in this house all together. And if I have too much to drink and start weeping at midnight, just know that it's because I'm going to miss you so much, dear."

It really was quite sweet of her to say, and so Cora took her mother's arm so they could walk down together and kissed her cheek. If Mother was always like this, Cora would miss her very much, too. But as with everything else, marrying Robert would be well worth all the sacrifice. All would be revealed in this next year. Cora hoped it would prove to be a good one.