*The original version of this story is too hot for . To read the original, full smut version of this story head to AO3 ( /works/32707651)

I definitely need to thank my wife for her editing and feedback, as well as her support of this new hobby.

A fact that should be clarified before you read is that while his father was still alive Robert held the title of Viscount Downton, so after their wedding and until the death of the previous earl, Cora would have held the title Lady Downton.

I'm a city Gal so I'm vaguely aware that barns have hay lofts, but I'm not sure if stables do as well.

This story takes place during Season 1 Episode 3.

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Lord and Lady Grantham stood in front of the Abbey and watched as their daughter Mary rode off with all of the young men for the hunt.

"She's dismissed the groom," Robert observed as poor Lynch rode his horse back towards the stables. "I suppose Mary is too stubborn to be looked after by anyone."

"Evelyn will look after her," Cora replied, "and that's a good thing."

Robert looked up, observing the overcast sky. "Shall we go for a walk? It would be a shame to waste this fine weather before winter comes."

Cora looks down at her long, purple dress and checks her shoes. "I'm not properly dressed for a long walk, but it would be nice to walk through the gardens close to the house," she said with a smile. It was indeed good weather for a walk and she would enjoy a turn about the garden to enjoy the crisp Autumn air. She placed her hand in the crook of his arm and they set off around the house towards the gardens, the gravel crunching under their feet.

"Why is it good for Evelyn to look after Mary? Are you hoping she'll be engaged by the end of the day?" Robert grinned at her as they rounded the corner of the house.

Cora's countenance grew momentarily serious, "Don't tease me, Robert. We have three daughters who'll all need to be settled, and it's my job to make sure that they're all taken care of." Cora looked up at him with a conciliatory smile, "I promise I won't turn into Mrs. Bennett, if you promise not to tease me about it."

"Oh, all right." Robert conceded. "I just don't see what the rush is. She's still so young."

"Not so young as you'd like to think. We were engaged by the time I was her age," Cora looks up at him with a small look of concern for their eldest daughter.

Robert sighed wistfully, "Were we really that young?"

"We were, my dear," Cora smiled up at him, "and we turned out all right."

"We did indeed." Robert pauses their walk to plant a kiss on her cheek.

Cora closed her eyes for a moment to relish the feel of his lips on her skin. When Robert pulls away she puts her hand on his arm, and smiling up at him, encourages him back towards her. He knows Cora wants more, and covers her lips with his own in a warm and loving kiss.

When he pulls away this time he has a devilish twinkle in his eye. "Robert Crawley, what are you planning?" Cora asks, with an element of dread creeping into her voice. She'd seen that look in his eye before and knew it meant trouble.

Robert quickens their pace as they enter the high hedges of the garden. He knows not to go too quickly for her sake, but he is clearly eager, but for what?

And then she sees it. The secluded bench in a nook of the garden that could not be seen from the house and you could hear anyone approaching before they could see you.

Cora stared at Robert. He reminded her of a little boy in his tweed walking suit with its knee britches, and the eager smile he was directing at her certainly added to the effect.

"Robert, you are incorrigible," she shook her head with a wry smile, realizing what he wanted to do.

"We've had a bit of stuff here before," he reminded her.

"Yes, when the girls were safely ensconced with their governess," Cora couldn't believe him sometimes. "What's to keep Sybil or Edith from taking advantage of 'this fine weather' themselves and catching us?"

Robert sat on the long, backless, stone bench and patted the seat next to him. "Oh, they won't be outside today, and if they just happen to come down here, we'll hear them coming in time."

Cora's heart swelled with gladness knowing that her husband still desired her after all these years and still wished to be adventurous outside of the bedroom. That feeling overwhelmed any hesitation she may have felt. "You know I can deny you nothing," she conceded, smiling at him, her blue eyes shining out from under her eyelashes.

"You won't regret it, my darling." Robert reached out his left hand to take her right, leading her to sit next to him on the bench.

"Famous last words," Cora teased as Robert tenderly kissed the back of her hand and then flipped her hand over to kiss her palm and then her wrist.

Robert could be so gentle when he took the time, that's part of why she preferred him from among her suitors all those years ago. He had been so kind, and so gentle.

He set Cora's hand aside and grasped her neck with his hand, pulling her towards his waiting lips and stroked the side of her face with his thumb. He peppered the other side of her face with kisses starting behind her ear and moving along her jaw. When their lips met, she could feel the butterflies begin to fly about in her stomach.

As their kiss deepened, their tongues exploring each other's mouths, gently nibbling each other's lips, Cora needed to be closer to Robert than just sitting next to him on the bench. Much to Robert's dismay, she broke off their kiss for a moment, and stood. Bunching her skirt up around her knees, Cora straddled her husband's lap, her skirts acting as a kind of knee pad against the cold, stone bench.

Cora placed her hands on her husband's shoulders and took a moment to take in his features.

"How is it that you become more handsome every year?"

Robert chuckled as he replied, "I don't know, Cora. Probably the same way you become more beautiful every year."

She tucked her chin down at an angle and smiled down at him, a warm blush coloring her cheeks. God, how it drove him mad when she looked at him like that!

It was such a relief then, when Cora clutched his neck, and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Her soft lips working to satiate his need for her while also fueling the fire inside him. She blazed a trail of kisses across his cheek, and teased his ear with nibbles and such words that made Robert blush.

Cora felt the stirrings of his manhood even through his pants and snaked a hand down between them to caress it. She grinned wickedly to herself as he rolled his head back and gasped her name.

Robert managed to pull himself above the waves of his desire to lock eyes with his wife. "Shall we do what we did in Paris?"

Cora bit her lip and nodded her head, her eyes alight. It was a coquettish look that only Robert ever saw and it certainly spurred him on. She was getting ready to get off of his lap when he suddenly stood with Cora in his arms, causing her to gasp, and then set her gently on the end of the bench.

Robert gave her a wink as he lifted her skirts and headed under. "So many layers!" He exclaimed as he dug through her skirt, petticoat, chemise, and the lower edge of her combination suit, finally finding the drawstring of her drawers.

"Not as many as there used to be," rejoined Cora as she placed her hands on the bench and leaned back, lifting her hips up as Robert pulled her drawers down to her ankles. Sitting back down, she tilted her pelvis up and out while getting as close to the edge as she comfortably could to give him as much access as possible in spite of her many layers of clothing.

Robert focused his attentions lovingly on her womanhood and it was almost enough to make her completely lose herself. Almost. There was a small part of her that worried about getting caught and she kept her ears open just in case.

Many a moon ago, when the girls were young, Robert's mother had come across them in this spot. While they'd had enough time to make themselves presentable, they were both flushed and winded. Whatever excuse they'd made had left the Dowager confused and them sharing a laugh once she was out of earshot.

Robert's attentions became more ardent and she let go enough to emit a low, satisfied moan.

"What was that?" came a voice from over the hedge, followed by footsteps in the gravel.

"Robert, get up!" She hissed at him, while giving him a fervent pat on the head.

Robert quickly escaped Cora's skirts, pulling her drawers up enough to get them out of sight. Then he sat down on the bench next to her leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together in front of him to hide the noticeable tent in his pants. His hair was a mess, and he'd undone several buttons of his jacket in his efforts to pleasure his wife.

Cora, meanwhile, sat up straight, knees together, ankles together, and rested her right hand palm up in her left hand on her lap. Except for the fact that she was sitting on the end of the bench with her back to Robert, she looked quite collected, if a little flushed.

They had composed themselves just in time to see Edith and Sybil come around the corner.

"Oh! Mama, Papa, we heard a strange noise," explained Edith.

"Yes, it sounded like some kind of animal," Sybil added, then her sweet countenance became twisted with concern, "Papa, are you quite all right?"

"I.." Robert began, lamely.

"Your father took a little tumble while we were out for a walk," Cora quickly interceded.

Sybil began to move towards her father, "Papa, do you need a hand getting back to the house?"

Robert quickly put a hand up to keep her from getting too close. "I'll be fine. I just need to rest for a minute."

Sybil chuckled to herself, realizing that her parents were trying to conceal something. She turned to her sister, "Edith, come along. I have something I want to show you before you go on your church tour with Matthew."

Edith's brow furrowed in confusion, "But I don't understand; that didn't sound like Papa."

It was Cora's turn to move them along, "Edith, dear, go along with your sister. You don't want to keep Matthew waiting. "

Edith shook her head as Sybil took her arm and led her away.

Cora and Robert looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes and listened as their daughters' footsteps faded and their voices died down.

"That was close," Cora said, letting out the breath she'd been holding in. She looked over at Robert, his tent pole now even more pronounced, and a gleam in his eye.

"I have an idea."

"Is it too much to hope that it's going up to my room and getting properly undressed before we have our bit of fun?" Cora knew that it was.

Robert simply took her hand and tried to lead her away. "Wait a moment," she replied as she stood up. Cora proceeded to completely remove her drawers and shoved them into his jacket pocket. "Look after those for me, Robert."

"It will be my honor," he responded playfully.

"And what do you intend to do with that while we're on our way to wherever it is you wish to take me?" Cora moved closer to him and gave him a playful smirk as she brushed her hand over his erect manhood through his britches.

He closed his eyes tightly and rolled his head back at the sensation, "Good God, Cora, the things you do to me!" He regained control of himself and simply said, "We'd best move quickly!"

Before she knew it Robert had dragged her to the stables just in time to see Lynch leaving for his luncheon.

"Fancy a roll in the hay?" He asked with a mischievous grin.

She teasingly replied, "Need I remind you, sir, that I am the Countess of Grantham, and rolling in the hay is clearly beneath my station."

"Lady Downton didn't have a problem with it," Robert smiled back as he grabbed her at her waist and pulled her tight to his body. The memories of previous trysts play through both of their minds as he began a pattern of hot kisses on her cheek as the high neckline of her dress prevented him from kissing her any lower.

Cora laced her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and guided his head back so that their eyes could meet. She gave him a loving smile as she replied, "Well, Cora Crawley doesn't have a problem with it at all."

The look that passed between them communicated so much more than words could ever say. As lovely as it was to be Lord and Lady Grantham, it was so beautiful to simply be Robert and Cora Crawley when they had the chance. The smile that now decorated Cora's face came up to her twinkling eyes, and made Robert want to cover her in love, to show her how happy she had made him. His lips met hers in what he hoped was a tender kiss.

Cora knew he was trying to be gentle, but his heightened state of arousal betrayed him and the tender kiss quickly deepened as his tongue entered her mouth.

He pulled away and took her by the hand, leading her to the ladder that led to the hay loft. Cora stopped him for a moment to grab a saddle blanket. "I'm not letting this dress get ruined," she explained as they began their ascent.

They spread the blanket over the hay and fell to their knees in the middle of it, lips finding lips, hands exploring as much as possible though their clothing.

Robert grabbed Cora firmly by her waist and started to push her to lay on her back, but she shook her head no.

"I'd like to try something different," she said with a smile. With that she placed her hands on his shoulders, and pushed Robert back onto the blanket. He smiled down at her as she released his manhood from his britches.

She could remember the first time she had seen him fully exposed and being quite shocked at the size of it. She had had almost nothing to compare it to, having only ever seen her brother naked when they were children. But as she took him into her hand, she couldn't help but think that his was the perfect size for her. Their first few joinings were painful, but as they became more experienced with each other it seemed as though they fit together perfectly.

Cora gathered her skirts, stood, and positioned herself over Robert's erect steed. As she slowly lowered herself onto him she enjoyed how it took his breath away to be enveloped in her depths. They made love until they both found their release.

All of the strength had been sapped from her and Cora slumped forward, burying her face in her husband's neck. She could feel Robert's hot breath blowing past her ear as she herself panted against his neck.

"Did my Middle Western Cowgirl enjoy her ride?" Robert smiled as he gently stroked the nape of her neck.

Cora chuckled as she raised her head enough to reply, "She had a terrific time."

After they'd taken a few more fortifying breaths she gave Robert a quick peck on the cheek and she rose to her feet. "We'd better get back to the house before we're missed."

Robert stood up and made himself presentable. "And before Lynch returns," he added as he brushed a curl that had come loose from her coif back behind her ear.

They exited the stables arm in arm, grinning like a couple of cats who'd gotten into the cream.

"You were right, Darling, I don't regret it," declared Cora as they circumnavigated a puddle left behind by the previous night's rain.

"I'm glad to hear it." Robert grinned his boyish grin. "I'm also glad for Sybil helping move Edith along." Now his brow furrowed, "I wonder at how much she may know…"

"Now stop right there, Robert! Your daughter doesn't know anything about such things." As much as Robert was loath to think of his girls knowing anything about sex, the thought of her baby growing up so fast truly upset Cora. "All Sybil knows is that her parents love each other and that sometimes they wish to be left alone."

"That much is true," Robert chuckled as they approached the door to the Abbey.

"I hope we're not too late for tea, Carson," Cora enquired as he opened the door for them.

"No, my lady," Carson replied. "Lady Sybil is in the drawing room now. She wasn't sure how long you would be and decided not to wait."

Robert shared a conspiratorial glance with his wife, "Excellent! I know I've worked up an appetite."

They entered the drawing room to find Sybil gazing out the window, cup of tea in hand. While Robert approached the tea setting, Cora approached their daughter.

"Sybil, dear…"

"Oh, Mama!" Sybil, startled from her reverie, promptly spilled her tea on her mother's dress.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Mama!" Sybil was beside herself, as she picked her tea cup up off of the carpet.

"You must have been having a rather pleasant daydream, my dear; your tea has gone quite cold," Cora responded as Robert made his way over with a napkin. Sybil blushed while her mother patted herself dry.

"It's of no matter, Sybil." She handed the napkin back to Robert and placed a gentle hand on her daughter's elbow. "These things happen, but I am going to go ahead and change."

O'Brien had just left her room when Cora heard a knock on the door. Assuming O'Brien had forgotten something, she didn't turn around as she bid the knocker to enter.

"Missing something?" Her husband's voice came from over her shoulder.

Cora looked up into the mirror to see the reflection of Robert pulling her drawers out of his jacket pocket.

"Robert! Thank goodness you remembered," she turned around to face him. "After the look O'Brien gave me when she realized I wasn't wearing them, I shudder to think what Bates would have thought had he found them in your pocket."

He crossed the room and placed the offending garment in his wife's waiting hand. Robert smiled down at her and stroked Cora's cheek with the back of his index finger. "He would think that his employers love each other and that sometimes they wish to be left alone," he jokingly reiterated her phrase from earlier.

Cora snatched her drawers back and gave him a bemused look, "I'm just glad we won't have to find out."

There was a knock on the door and Cora told them to come in as she hid her undergarment in a drawer. It was O'Brien who opened the door.

"M'lady, Carson wanted you to know that the riders are returning from the hunt," O'Brien only addressed Her Ladyship, ignoring Lord Grantham as was her habit.

"Thank you, O'Brien," Cora replied with her usual poise. "You can let Carson know that we'll be down to greet them."

"Yes, M'lady," O'Brien nodded, causing her curls to bounce as she made her exit.

Cora stood, looking up at Robert, "We should go down."

"We should, " Robert replied as he took her hand. They moved towards the door together, but Robert paused with his hand on the knob. "But, perhaps later my Cowgirl would like to go for another ride." Here he brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

Cora gave him an inviting smile and simply said, "Perhaps."