Carson brushed the shoulders of Robert's coat down with the rough bristles of the brush. The scratching noise filled the room. "Anything else, my lord?" The valet caught Robert's gaze in the mirror and stood waiting, back straight, shoulders square.
Robert shrugged his shoulders in his dinner coat and lifted his chin in inspection. He watched Carson behind him. "No." He paused. "But I was wondering..."
Carson raised his thick brows, and lowered his eyes down his prominent nose, his attention totally trained on Robert. However now that Robert had his attention, he wasn't sure how to mention what he intended to speak about. After all, he couldn't bloody well say, "how long have you known about my wife's pregnancy?" No. No, that wouldn't do.
"Yes, my lord?" Carson asked after there was an expectant silence, filled with the ticking of the clock on the mantle.
Robert cleared his throat nervously and straightened his cuff links. He had lost his nerve. "Never mind." He cleared his throat and nodded to Carson as he left.
He moved through the dividing door into Cora's room; the light blue of her room had an airy atmosphere compared to the darkness of his dressing room. Although airy, he felt his chest constrict a bit as his eyes settled on her. His beautiful Cora. In all her black she stood out against the lightness of the room. She sat at her vanity, fingering an onyx bead of her bracelet as Perkins pushed another pin into the curls of her hair. At the sound of the door closing behind him, she looked up at him, her eyes bright and smiling.
"I'll only be a minute more," she said evenly as she looked to her reflection in the mirror.
Robert sat deep in the chair near her and propped his elbows on the armrests. His took in the curve of her shoulders and arms and before he realized it, he was staring intently at her stomach. A baby. His baby.
"Robert?" She was staring at him.
He looked up into her face and hummed a bit. She smiled back. "How was your day with Jarvis?"
He didn't want to talk about it, so he nodded and changed the subject. "I hope your day was productive. Did you find a new maid?"
Cora thanked Perkins and stood to pull on her glove. "Yes, I believe we have. I hadn't realized what a harrowing process it all was. The interviews alone took nearly three hours. Dreadful."
He was only half-listening. He was staring at her stomach once more. There was a baby there.
"Robert?" Again, she was staring at him.
He stood as well and walked to the door to open it. "Let's go down, darling. Mama does not tolerate tardiness." He was answered by a small, appreciative laugh.
He walked with Cora down the stairs. They took them slowly and he listened to the soft groan of the wood beneath the red carpets as they descended together.
As the reached the bottom, Robert grabbed her hand. The silk of her glove was soft to the touch. He squeezed it lovingly and was delighted to have his hand squeezed in return.
As they entered the drawing room, Marmaduke stood to greet them.
Violet and Rosamund sat on opposite ends of the room, both in chairs. A fire was crackling and popping in the hearth and Williams was offering a tray of drinks to Mama. She waved him off, politely, and he came near Cora and Robert as they entered. Robert took one and Cora whispered a soft "no, thank you" before moving to the couch. She sat near Rosamund who smiled and leaned toward her, saying something. Robert wanted to hear, but Marmaduke was there instead. "I've done it."
Robert looked into Marmaduke's face. A handsome man, he stood a touch taller than Robert, but more slender. He had hair the color of a tea stain and mirthful gray eyes.
"I've bought the place in London." It was a large residence, each room boasting a proud color and magnificent art. It was detailed and ornate...Rosamund loved it.
Robert raised his brows. "Have you? Then, congratulations." He extended his hand in warm sincerity and Marmaduke took it happily.
"The sellers were quite adamant I buy now, though the wedding's been pushed back. I'm glad though. It'll give Rosamund plenty of time to set up house, though I dare say traveling from Downton to London can be exhausting." He gave a happy chortle and sipped some of his drink. Robert looked around and noticed the ladies were all listening now.
Rosamund straightened up and looked at Robert and then Mama. "Perhaps I can open the London house? Hmm? Save me the trouble of coming back and forth. Mama, you can stay with me if you'd like. Dust away the cobwebs."
Mama shifted in her chair and sniffed, "Oh, no no. London in the autumn makes one so very tired."
Cora brightened, "Oh, I don't know. May be nice for a change in scenery."
Rosamund nodded an agreement, but Mama once again refused. Waving her hand slightly, she closed her eyes and pursed her lips.
Rosamund looked at Cora and took a breath in. It didn't go unnoticed by Robert that it looked like a sort of disappointment.
"Dinner is served, my lady."
They all stood and followed Mama into the dining room. To Robert's surprise, however, his mother did not sit at her usual place. Robert and the others stood slightly stunned as she sat gracefully in a chair near the end of the table, leaving the seats for the heads of the household open. The group only stared.
Violet, after placing the serviette in her lap looked up, "Well is anyone going to join me?"
Robert looked at Cora. They walked to the open chairs and sat, looking across at one another. Cora breathed heavily.
Marmaduke and Rosamund sat as well and thanked a footman as he poured their wine.
"Robert?" He looked next to him at his mother. "Has Jarvis said any more about the taxes?"
Robert picked up his glass. "Not really, no." He took his drink in gulps. Suddenly the room felt very warm sitting at head of household, looking across to his pregnant wife, discussing the taxes he kept avoiding to think about.
Mama shook her head. "Oh, I was hoping he would. But of course I'm to leave you with all the business, aren't I?"
"Yes, I'm afraid so, Mama." He took another swallow of his wine.
After dinner was over and everyone moved for the bedrooms, he found himself hot, a touch dizzy, and hopelessly bothered. Bothered by the stress of the day, by the new roles he was fast accumulating, surely. But he was bothered physically as well. He felt restless and strangely drawn to his wife the entire time in the library after dinner. He wasn't sure if it was perhaps the excess of wine or perhaps it was the way the dress and corset she wore pressed on her chest, which he happily noticed had grown considerably. How had he not noticed before?
He tied his housecoat to the side as Carson finished in his dressing room and went through the dividing door. Cora sat up in bed and read from her book. His vision seemed a little hazy, but the way the candlelight washed over her was nearly breathtaking.
She looked up when she heard him.
"There you are!" She closed her book and tilted her head toward him. "I've been waiting for you."
He removed his dressing gown and threw it over a chair, kicking his house shoes off as he walked toward her. "Have you?"
Cora grinned, mischievousness twinkling in her eyes. "Of course I have, you flirt. I thought for sure your mother would say something."
He slid into the cool sheets and immediately began to press kisses to his wife's perfumed neck. "Say something?" He repeated.
She hummed in reply, her eyes closed in pleasure. She sighed. "Yes. At your constant touches and caresses."
He decidedly ignored the conversation and put his lips to hers heatedly, pressing his hand to her head.
She smiled against his lips and he felt her gaze looking for his eyes. Slowly he was drawn atop of her, lost in the smoothness of her legs, the softness of her curves, and the warmth of her skin. He could hear her breath in his ear, small hums and moans of delight enticing him further.
He moved in a hot blur of drink and lust, letting all of the tension of the collective stresses slowly dissipate into the air through his skin, now beginning to glisten from his exertion.
Cora moved her hips and arched her back beneath him, and he felt overwhelming desire for her. He felt overwhelming affection for her. His wife, his darling wife that...oh! With a sudden panic he pulled away, sitting up, and looked down at Cora's furrowed brows and perplexed expression.
"Robert? What on earth is the matter?" She propped herself up on her elbows.
"I don't wish to hurt you...".
"What?" Cora shook her head. "You're being ridiculous. You haven't hurt me."
Robert repeated himself. "I don't wish to hurt you or the b..." he stopped as the word tried to slip through his lips, realizing quickly that she hadn't in fact told him yet.
Cora's expression melted into the warmth of gentle smile. She took a breath. "Or the baby?"
Robert could barely breathe. He sat stupidly still for a moment before he spoke. "Then it's true...".
Cora nodded, tears beginning to glisten in her eyes. "I'm pregnant." The words came out soft and sweet, so sweet in fact, he felt his own eyes threatening to well up.
He instinctually glanced down to her now bare stomach and somewhat nervously placed his hand over it. The touch drew a soft breath of a laugh from his wife. She was absolutely radiant.
"How..." She interrupted herself, stumbling over the word. She shook her head. "I was planning on telling you. Soon."
Robert moved his hand a bit on her skin. "I know. The truth is that I overheard you this afternoon. With Mama."
They were silent for a moment, Robert's hand on her abdomen, and Cora smiling as she looked on. He looked up at his wife, still propped on her elbows. The mother of his child. He began to try and picture it, small, dark haired, perhaps he'd have Cora's eyes.
Then suddenly a whirlwind of questions came into his mind. He knew nothing about pregnancy, not really. He watched as she tilted her head happily, and gazed up at him.
"When?" His voice was small.
Cora was still smiling as she lifted her chin to answer. "Late March. A spring baby."
Robert nodded. "And when will you begin to...".
She laid back into the pillows. "Begin to show?"
Robert swallowed. She answered him in a dreamy voice. "The doctor says in maybe another month or so."
He moved his hand again on her stomach. She looked at it. "Though, Perkins and I have already noticed a difference in my dresses." She smiled bigger. "He's growing. I haven't felt him move yet, but it should be soon. The next couple of weeks."
He imagined the tiny infant fluttering around beneath his hand. His child.
Robert smiled. "Oh, my dearest one." He brought his hand to her face. "And you? Have you felt well? If I had known...".
"I've been fine," she moved her lips to his palm and kissed it. She sighed as she continued. "I've been tired. And perhaps a little nauseous." She giggled. "And have wanted to eat nothing but toast and strawberries."
Robert laughed out loud. "I'm afraid it's rather the wrong season for that."
Cora laughed as well. "Yes, but all the same, the yearning is relentless. Quite a determined little thing."
Robert looked back at where his child grew.
"I'm so happy, Robert."
He caught her gaze. Her lip had begun to quiver and she blinked back tears in her shimmering eyes. "I'm so very happy."
His heart thumped tremendously from excitement and, now, worry. Another life was coming because of him. It was enough to make any man feel daft, even if he were expecting it to happen eventually. Another life to mold and to teach. He was drawn from his thoughts by a soft hand on his cheek. He brought his eyes to his wife's, who searched his own. "You are going to make the most wonderful father, Robert."
He stared at her, and she repeated it. "I know it."
He smiled, his worries evaporated by the look in her eyes. He lowered himself to her again and began to kiss her softly, the urgency of before gone and now replaced by the soft burn of the love he felt for her. He pulled back after a moment, but Cora shook her head. "It's perfectly safe."
"I won't hurt either of you?"
Cora smiled. "Either of us."