"Kissing knuckles"

Chapter 17

A/N: Hey, you lovely people! I'm finally back (for now, at least). There were some changes in my personal life that had me really wrapped for the last couple of months, but now I managed another update on this story. Thank you so much for your patience! Let's hope the next chapter won't take this long! I hope you enjoy the new chapter. Please leave a review, so I know if you're still with me on this :)

He was certainly going mad. Now, he already saw her when she wasn't even there. Robert pushed his way through the bulk of passers-by on his way to the restaurant. He spotted Rosamund's red-curled head relatively easily and for a split second, he thought Cora was standing there with her. But he had to stop seeing her in every chocolate-haired slender woman.

When he reached Rosamund and Mama eventually, he sighed a little out of breath. He noticed the weird look on his sister's face. She mustered him with a distant apprehension.

"What is it?" Robert asked.

"You just missed Cora," Rosamund said curtly.

"What?" His eyes instantly searched the surroundings. Had it really been her?

"She was just here and told me to say hello to you. She was quite in a hurry," Rosamund said. Robert didn't know what to say. He tried evading his sister's look but he caught the glimpse of suspicion on her face. He was glad when Mama chimed in and introduced a change of topic.

"Can we finally go inside and do what people expect when being invited to a restaurant?" she said, and her tone wasn't any more amused than minutes earlier in the car.

"Of course," Robert muttered, and he thought things could only get better now that everyone was about to get something to eat. Food was always a peacemaker, and a good meal had saved him every other bad day. 'No more Cora, no more arguments,' he said to himself on the way into the restaurant. The rest of the day would be good.

He didn't make it very far with his goals. Mama was already occupying her seat at their table, as Robert took her coat as well and brought to the coat racks. When he was standing there by the coat racks, he just had to ask Rosamund the question burning in the forefront of his mind.

"How was she?"

"Mmh?" Rosamund was ripped from her own thoughts. "What do you mean?"

"How was Cora? Did she seem alright?" Robert inquired.

"Well, yeah." Rosamund's reaction wasn't very definite. She nodded with a shrug of her shoulders. "As I said, she was in a hurry and so, we didn't get to talk much."

"I see." But actually, he didn't. Robert hated all the beating around the bush. It frustrated him to no end. He should keep his fingers entirely away from all this Cora business. He was just getting burned.

He decided that their table was a safe territory (at least regarding the Cora business) so it was best to keep his mother company.

The restaurant they were at was a tried and tested classic of theirs. It was one of the few choices they always went with when his mother or both his parents came to London. It was a place high-class enough for his parents to feel comfortable at and affordable enough for Robert or Rosamund to pay for. It wasn't really inexpensive but they weren't completely broke after a visit. So, it was a reasonable compromise. And they all enjoyed the food. But that wasn't the priority when looking for a place to invite his parents. The setting and company had to be right.

While sitting together at the table, the three each seemed to be there on their own. Superficially, they kept a light and shallow conversation running. They avoided explosive topics like Susan and her pregnancy or Robert's personal life, so they managed to keep up a serene appearance. On that score, they did well. But actually, everyone was busy ruminating on their own thoughts.

They ordered their food and no one chose something out of the ordinary. Maybe the calmness Robert had wished for began setting in slowly. While they were waiting for their orders, he decided to use the pause to go to the restroom. His mother and sister nodded absently as he excused himself. But he didn't see the determined stare of Rosamund that bore in his back as he made his way through the occupied tables.

The only thought that crossed his mind while he took this little break, was that apparently, he was finally allowed some peace.

When he came out of the restroom, Rosamund gave him the fright of his life. She stood right at the doorway, leaning against the wall with her slender arms crossed in front of her chest. Robert flinched.

"Ros!" he brought out in a hiss. He clutched his chest, his heart pounding in his throat. Rosamund grabbed his sleeve and hindered him from stepping into the hall of the restaurant. They stood conspiratorially in the small hallway between restaurant and restrooms.

"What's brought this up?" Robert asked.

"We have to talk," Rosamund declared.

"Weren't you afraid that any other man could have left the restroom with you lurking right here?"

She just shrugged her shoulders. She couldn't have looked less bothered. Shortly, she inspected the tips of her deep purple nails before her eyes shot up to him again. And now, her look was piercing through him again.

"Robert, you better listen closely now because I'm only saying this once." Her face moved closer to him. She really seemed to make sure that nothing escaped him.

"Alright…"

"I usually don't wish to interfere–" Robert could have interrupted her right there but he thought better than that. "But I feel like you need a kick in the ass." Now he looked at her with big eyes.

"Oh?"

"Yes, Robert, you can be really dense at times!" Rosamund said as she nodded emphatically. "Do you want to tell me one more time you're 'not as close with Cora anymore'? Or that 'there are more important things'? If you really feel that way, if you feel it deep down, then say it to my face again." She paused shortly. Robert was afraid to say anything at all.

Then Rosamund continued. "Otherwise, you have some work to do, my dear."

Robert froze. He didn't know what to say. What was his sister's mission? She managed to frighten him like no one else.

"I take that you chose the latter." She sighed. "I thought so." She tipped her head slightly to the side and shook it weakly. "Let me tell you this one time. You. Hurt. Cora. I don't know what exactly happened but pushing her away like you're doing now is definitely hurting her. You have to do something about it–"

"Now, stop, stop!" Robert had to interrupt her. "What makes you believe any of this? What made think you had the right to speculate so much nonsense?"

"I'm not blind, Robert. I'm not stupid. I have eyes in my head. And I know women and I know my dear brother. So, you can't fool me. You two are behaving so weirdly, and it just takes a pre-schooler to put two and two together. You care about each other deeply, and I can't stand by and watch you push her away for no reason and ruin both your happiness."

The following silence was loaded. The soundscape of the restaurant pushed their mutual silence painfully onto their ears.

"So, and now I'm done," Rosamund declared, nearly all chipper again. "I won't talk about it again, and now it's left to you. Make the best of it!" She patted his shoulder and walked past him back into the restaurant. She left Robert standing there dumbfoundedly. Gone was the peace he thought was finally his.