December brought along the cheerful holiday spirit. Robert walked out of one the restrooms on the ground floor of the hotel and looked around the lobby with a smile on his face. It was the first week of December and the hotel and the people involved were in great spirits. A massive Christmas tree was set up in the center of the lobby just a day before and looked absolutely breathtaking. Seeing the success of the hotel, Robert didn't spare any expense to get the most beautifully decorated tree for the hotel. Christmas ornaments were placed in several places across the massive hall, the lights were looking brighter than ever and the reception had a box of 'Happy Holiday' cards and tokens for the guest. The sight cheered him up. He strolled across the lobby and looked around. He could spot a number of guests waiting and chatting in the waiting area, no doubt waiting to check in their rooms. He could spot a few kids running around the Christmas tree and giggling as they tried to catch one another. His eyes landed on Molesley and Andrew who helped carry the suitcases of some guests up the elevator. It was a sight that he hadn't seen in quite some years and the return of it all made him immensely happy. The last five years had no doubt been difficult. They had seen a sharp decline in the number of guests in the hotel and the change felt ever so more in the holiday season. Consequently, they had had to cut costs and with that the expense on the decorations. It had saddened him and everyone in the family but they had no other choice, the expenses kept rising and they were unable to cover all the costs. This year however, the situation was completely different. He could see the hotel standing back up on its feet, he could see considerably a greater number of heads in the lobby and he could see that everyone was in a much happier mood. It reminded him of the good old days, and the good old days were surely returning.
"Happy Holidays! Have a pleasant stay" he heard Anna, the receptionist, kindly wish a guest an enjoyable stay.
He smiled at her from afar and saw Phyllis walk up to her and ask something. Phyllis, he thought was a very nice person, someone who was clever but equally kind to everyone around. He passed her a smile as well and walked further.
His mind drifted to PRIME. Looking at the welcomed change in front of him, he had no doubt that PRIME had a lot to do with it. Hiring them had been the best decision and the change that they brought with their work was obvious. They had put up the videos on the website two weeks ago and the traffic that they generated was dizzying. Their servers were positively flipping seeing the numbers. Edith had to stay up till midnight to make sure everything was in control because the team had never experienced this kind of an outpour on their social sites. The videos were obviously a huge success and were being shared widely, which no doubt were the reason for the increase in the number of reservations for the hotel. A great number of guests were expected and were received in the next two weeks. Isobel had informed him that they were booked solid till the first week of January and Robert had jumped on the spot, almost squealing with excitement. They hadn't seen such a demand in over a decade and it was very overwhelming for the entire team.
Seeing the success, Cora had further lined up a New Year's shoot for the family that would go up in their magazine and website the end of January. She had exciting plans for it and everyone in the hotel wholeheartedly approved. The months had further proved that Cora's decisions and plans were not only visionary but also extremely effective in the long run. Her efforts had been fruitful and he had long since decided to trust her and rely on her completely, to make the best decisions in regard to her work.
Cora, he wondered. What a wonderful person she was. They had gotten really close over the last month; ever since they talked about her baby and he had dedicated a place near the lake for her. Every time he thought back on that moment, he got emotional. He could never forget the look on her face, the pain, the gratitude and the relief all combined together made his heart ache. They had gotten really close since then. They were both always very busy with their work but every chance they got, they sat together and hours would go by with them just chatting about anything and everything. Some times they would sit together to discuss work and then get sidetracked because they would start talking about something else, may it be work, politics, the differences and similarities between their childhoods, how they grew up, what they liked, what they disliked, their favourite movies, the list never ended. It was so easy to talk to her, and they always had a really good time. Robert wasn't the one to give labels but he really did consider Cora to be his best friend. Robert hadn't really realized how much he missed having a best friend. Sure, he considered Bates and Rosamund to be one, but they had been in his life forever and knew everything about him and vice versa. There was something so thrilling in getting to know another person like that and tell them about your life, learn about theirs, and see them take a genuine interest in it. It had all been really nice and he really did consider her the best gift that this year had given him. He had learned so much about her and surprisingly about himself as well. Cora was the kindest person he knew and someone who had a great eye to spot the details. She could read between the lines and figure out things that usually people overlooked. She not only boosted his confidence and self esteem but also made him kinder and optimistic. He couldn't really explain how, but his vision of the world and people around him really altered. He had become more positive and his stress levels had significantly decreased. For a start, his shoulders didn't ache all the time, which was a good sign.
He walked ahead near the café in the lobby and spotted Carson sitting on one of the coffee tables with a fat file in front of him. Robert walked towards him, curious to know what he was up to.
He walked towards him and coughed softly, receiving no reaction from Carson. His eyebrows were furrowed, a sign that he was deep in thought. Robert coughed again, a little louder this time and saw Carson looked up at him.
"Oh, Mr Crawley" he said smiling "I didn't see you there"
Robert smiled and nodded "Am I disturbing you?"
Carson sat straighter "Not at all, Sir"
Robert smiled again "What are you doing here? Isn't it an awfully loud place to be working in?"
Carson smiled again and gestured Robert to sit down, which he did.
"It is but it's the holiday season, I enjoy seeing the ornaments and the general chirpiness in the people. And besides, I went through this file last night, I was just making sure I didn't miss anything"
Robert nodded at him. He really was very dedicated to his job.
"Mrs Bricker is lucky to have you" Robert added with a smile.
Carson smiled back wider "I am lucky to be working for her"
Robert smiled "You've been with her since the start?"
Carson nodded "Yes! I joined as an accountant but I help around with the lights as well"
"I can see that. You did a terrific job at the event in October" said Robert.
Carson back went straighter, and Robert chuckled to himself "I am glad you think so. Mrs Bricker has been a very patient teacher"
Robert chuckled "Like everything else, I think she foresaw that you'd be a very valuable addition to her team"
Carson chuckled "I don't know about that but I am very glad to be working for her. She changed my life"
"Oh?" said Robert.
Funny, he thought to himself. She came along and completely changed his life too.
Carson gulped and shook his head, looking slightly uncomfortable at the confession. He contemplated for a second and then said "She saved me from a very dark place by giving me this job. So, I am just as grateful to have her as she is to have me. Perhaps even more"
Robert nodded and smiled at him. She did rescue him from a dark place as well and it warmed his heart. She altered his life personally and professionally in the best possible way and he was so grateful. He doubted that Cora had any idea how much she had helped the people around her, intentionally and unintentionally. That beautiful smile of hers flashed before his eyes and he felt a wave of warmth envelope his body, as if he had just entered a cozy room after being outside in the snow. He had no idea how long he had been thinking about Cora that Carson had to cough to bring him back to present.
Robert's eyes snapped towards him and he softly gulped, embarrassed at zoning out of their conversation.
"Sorry, did you say something?" Robert asked.
"I was just wondering where you're planning to hold the New Year's party? I wanted to test the lights before" Carson asked.
"Oh" said Robert, slowly trying to bring his mind back to work "I think, it'll be the Grand Hall, but I'll confirm with Mrs Painswick soon. She's the boss when it comes to these things"
"Right" Carson nodded with a chuckle.
A few seconds later, Mrs Hughes walked up to them and smiled at both the men on the table. Robert smiled back at her, and saw Carson's smile turn into a grin as soon as he spotted her. Robert internally chuckled at his expressions. His little crush on her was rather adorable.
"Sorry to disturb you Mr Crawley, but Miss Mary is looking for you. I believe you have a meeting with her" said Mrs Hughes.
"Right" said Robert getting up "I better go, or we'd all be in trouble" he said leaving the table.
Caron saw Mr Crawley leave the table and walk toward Miss Mary who was waiting for him near the reception. He smiled to himself and then diverted his gaze to Mrs Hughes who was standing next to him and smiling at him softly. He smiled back, the tips of his ears turning pink looking at her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Oh" Carson said getting up and grabbing his file "I was getting rather bored in my office here so I thought I'd sit here" he replied.
"Oh alright"
Carson looked at his right again and watched Mr Crawley walk towards the elevator with Miss Mary.
"Tell me something" he asked "What do you think of Mr Crawley?" he added, looking at Mrs Hughes.
Mrs Hughes raised one of her eyebrows at his question and smirked softly "That is quite a loaded question" she said "As his employee, what do you expect?" she chuckled.
Carson smiled at her softly, it was a silly question but he was curious about the man "No, but really, as a person. What do you think?" he said.
Mrs Hughes sighed and looked towards Mr Crawley who was now in the elevator, ready to push the buttons. She smiled and looked at Carson.
"I think he is a wonderful person. A rare kind" she finally said.
"Rare, how?" Carson asked, curiously.
"Well" she said "He is a kind man, an honest and a very generous man. He's extremely empathetic and puts the people he loves and respect on top priority always" she finished.
Carson nodded at that. He had expected a similar response, and he had been right.
"I don't know him well, but I get the same feeling. I have great respect for him" said Carson.
Mrs Hughes smiled at him "He deserves the best really" she added.
Carson's head snapped towards her, a little confused by the statement "Well, don't you think he already has the best of everything?"
Mrs Hughes sighed and smiled "Everything, yes…" she said, looking at Carson.
"But…" he wondered "Not everyone?" he asked.
Mrs Hughes shook her head "I really shouldn't be discussing them, but I do feel for him sometimes. I think he's taken for granted a lot of the times"
Carson nodded his head softly. He had a same feeling about Mrs Bricker, so he could understand where Mrs Hughes was coming from. She was taken for granted a lot of the times too and she deserved the best of everything as well.
"So, are you excited about the holidays?" asked Mrs Hughes, bringing him back to present.
He smiled at her and tucked the file more securely under his arm "Well, since we'll all be working the entire time, I don't know how much of a holiday it will be"
She smiled at him, and he felt himself blush "I don't know" she said "I think when you're working with people you really like, it can feel like a holiday"
Carson blushed harder and nodded at her "Very true, Mrs Hughes. Very true" he said, as they walked towards the elevator together.
Rosamund sat in her office, scrolling on her laptop, going over the list of guests for the grand New Year's party coming up at the hotel. New Year's party was always monumental at the Hotel Grantham. It had been since their grandfather's time and was one of the biggest events every year at the hotel. The last few years were rather dull because of the situation at the hotel, but this year seeing the positive change at the hotel and the increase in revenue, the entire Board had decided to bring back the original Crawley style party and as always Rosamund was the one who had to organize it, as she had been doing for the past many years. This was one of her favourite time of the year.
She looked across the table and saw Cora typing away diligently on her laptop. She smiled at her softly and continued scrolling through her laptop. She usually didn't like if anyone else besides her nieces interfered with the planning, because they had a system and it was all always very exhausting trying to explain it to someone else. She remembered spending hours with Jarvis trying to explain her vision and getting nowhere because he was just so stubborn and so old that she couldn't even be rude. But Cora was different. At first, she didn't know what to think of her and was quite overwhelmed with the amount of praise she had heard about her from Robert and the girls but she had really grown to like her. She was so relaxed, so focused and so open to new ideas. Funnily enough, instead of being annoyed, Rosamund had started to enjoy working with her. She thought Cora was extremely focused and dedicated to her work and always went out of the way to make sure everything is to everyone's liking.
She saw Cora look up at her and smile "I just sent you the reference photos" she said.
Rosamund nodded and opened her email "Yup, got it"
Cora took out a diary and a pen from her bag and looked at Rosamund "What do you think?" she asked.
Rosamund scrolled through the pictures Cora sent and smiled "These are perfect! I love them. Let's do this!" she said.
Cora smiled and scribbled a note on her diary. She put a strand of her hair behind her ear and placed the pen between her index and middle finger.
"And for the booth" said Cora "You want black and white pictures?" she asked.
Rosamund looked at her and thought for a second "Yeah, I think so. I think they'll look great. What do you think?" she asked.
Cora thought for a second and nodded "I think so too. The dress code is black and white right?"
Rosamund nodded at her and Cora smiled back. Rosamund watched Cora quickly type something on her laptop and then smile at something. She then moved the laptop so Rosamund could see the screen.
"Something like this?" Cora asked.
Rosamund looked at the pictures on Cora's laptop and saw some really gorgeous samples of photo booth pictures that were black and white.
"Oh, these are fantastic"
"So should I finalise these?" Cora asked.
"Absolutely! Thanks Cora" she smiled at her.
Cora smiled back "No problem! Oh and by the way, I've edited the pictures you asked for last week"
Rosamund looked at her and nodded enthusiastically "Already?" She raised her eyebrows, impressed at how prompt she was "We are not paying you enough, Mrs Bricker"
Cora laughed out loud at the comment "Don't give me ideas" she said.
Rosamund smiled at her. She really was a very sweet person. She looked back at the list on her screen and sighed "This party will be grand" she exclaimed.
"Is it like this every year?" Cora asked.
Rosamund nodded "Yes, besides the past few years, it'll always been the grandest affair. Be ready to see television celebrities and ministers"
Rosamund saw Cora's eyes pop out "Oh, wow that big?" she said
"Yeah" nodded Rosamund.
Cora nodded and made another note on her diary.
Rosamund looked at her "Are you good with the photographers?"
Cora sighed and nodded "Yes, we're covered. I have volunteers so we're good"
Rosamund nodded "Won't they be busy during holidays?"
Cora smiled at her "They know it's the busiest time so I get many requests actually. But I have a few that interned with me and now are freelancers, so I always take them on"
"Oh, that's good then" said Rosamund.
"And besides, holidays can be quite sad when you're away from your families. One of my photographers is a student from Swedan, and he always enjoys being busy at this time"
"Oh, that is sad. I can't imagine Christmas and New Year's without family" said Rosamund.
"Yeah, it is sad. So yes, they're glad for the work. I know I would've been glad to have work during holidays, if I were in their place" finished Cora.
Rosamund smiled at Cora and then saw Cora's eyes go wide for second and she looked at her laptop screen and smiled to herself.
"What?" asked Rosamund.
Cora looked at her and softly shook her head "I just remembered something"
"Care to share?" asked Rosamund, sitting back straighter in her chair.
"Well, it's nothing really, but we were talking about being away from family and I remembered when I first arrived here and felt the same and well, today just happens to be exactly twenty-five years since I moved to the UK"
Rosamund jaw dropped a little and she softly slapped on the surface of the desk in front of her "And that's nothing?!" she exclaimed.
Cora smiled at her reaction and Rosamund moved her chair closer to the desk "Twenty-five years! Wow"
"Yes" Cora smiled "Twenty-five years ago, today. On December 5th"
"Cora you should celebrate" said Rosamund, her tone lingering on the word celebrate.
"What, no" she chuckled.
"Really, you should. It's a big milestone. You should be with your family"
Cora sighed "My only family here is my husband, and he has back to back lectures today at the university"
"With your team then" Rosamund added. It was a milestone, she knew if it had been her, she would've thrown a big party.
"Oh, we have a very tight schedule. It's alright, I'll drink a glass of champagne later on and celebrate it" she smiled.
Rosamund smiled back at her. Cora really was very dedicated to her work and to them. Rosamund knew that if it had been her, she'd be enjoying and celebrating the whole day, but Cora put her work before everything and Rosamund had great respect for that.
"Thank you, Cora" she said.
Cora looked up at her in confusion "For what?"
"For taking such a genuine interest in us and the hotel and for going out of the way to make sure we have everything" said Rosamund.
Cora smiled at her softly and nodded.
"You don't have to, but you do. Thank you! I know I really appreciate it, and so does Robert" she finished.
She saw Cora's face light up, a close copy of the look that appeared on her brother's face whenever she mentioned Cora in front of him.
Rosamund smiled to herself and got back to scrolling.
Robert entered the elevator and sighed to himself. He pushed the button to the seventh floor and opened the file in his hands. He had just had his weekly weekend with Mary and since the unexpected rise in the guests and reservations, the meeting had gone on for two hours. For the first time ever, he felt even his darling daughter Mary was flustered. It was all a good sign of course, but the account lists had been dizzying. But he didn't mind, and neither did Mary or anyone else. It was a positive sign and they were all very glad.
The elevator dinged open on and he saw Rosamund standing outside.
"Oh hello, brother" she said in her usual Rosamund manner and entered the elevator.
"Hey, Ros" he said as he pressed the ground floor for her, knowing very well she was off to lunch with Sybil, as she did so every Thursday.
Robert scanned the document in his hand, the length of items had certainly increased in the past few months. He chewed on his lower lip and read every item carefully. His eyes landed on one item and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Hey, what are these costs for lights? Did we get any new ones installed?" he asked, turning to Rosamund.
Rosamund looked at him and thought for a second "Oh, it could be for the smoking room on the second floor"
Robert nodded "Right"
He closed the file and smirked to himself "This is all very overwhelming, isn't it?" he asked Rosamund.
Rosamund smirked at him and nodded "Yes, but so exciting too. The place is filling up as well"
"Yes" said Robert, with a grin on his face.
Rosamund looked at the file in his hands and chuckled "I am assuming you were with Mary?" she asked.
Robert nodded at her "And what had you been up to?" he asked.
"I was with Cora, actually" she said.
Robert's head snapped in her direction, and he could swear he saw a slight smirk on Rosamund's face. He quickly softened his expressions "Oh?" he said.
Rosamund nodded "Yes, we were discussing the party"
Robert nodded and looked ahead "Yes, even Carson was asking about the hall and the lighting" he added.
The party was quickly approaching and they had lots to do and it was obvious that he wasn't the only one stressing on it. It seemed like everyone he bumped into had queries relating the party.
"So, everything's in control?" he asked.
Rosamund sighed and then nodded "Yes. We're on top of everything"
Robert nodded and looked at the screen that indicated the floor number.
"Hey, did you know today it had been twenty-five years since Cora moved to the UK? Twenty-five, can you imagine?" she said turning to Robert.
Robert turned towards her and raised his eyebrows. He did not know that.
"Oh, really? I didn't know"
"You didn't?" Rosamund smirked "Shocking, since the last month every time I bumped into you, you were with her"
Robert rolled his eyes, aware of the fact that Rosamund was teasing him. But he had stopped feeling weird about the fact that he enjoyed Cora's company immensely.
He saw Rosamund getting ready to leave the elevator "I told her to celebrate, but she said she had too many things to do"
Robert smiled at her as the elevator doors opened "She takes her work very seriously" he said.
Rosamund stepped out of the elevator and turned to him "Just like you" she said as the doors closed between them.
Robert gulped and shook his head. He wondered back to the number. Twenty-five years really was a big occasion. He thanked God for getting Cora to this side of the ocean. God knew he would nowhere near be this satisfied with his life if she hadn't turned up.
Twenty-five years, he thought again. Yes, it was something to be celebrated.
Cora sat in her office in the hotel and rubbed her hands together. She looked towards her window and saw the mist cover a large portion of it, a sight that sent a shiver up her spine. She looked towards her left, grateful for the fireplace that was burning aggressively, trying to provide some warmth to her office. It was days and weather like this that made her want to crawl into a big blanket and tuck herself from every end. Ah, how she wished she had her big fuzzy blanket right now. She sighed and focused on her laptop again. But if she was honest, she wouldn't want it any other way. Yes, sometimes the work got hectic and she wished for some days off but this was what brought her real happiness; her work. And it had been a very interesting and a progressive year and she was nothing but glad of all the things that came her way.
Her phone buzzed softly and she picked it up to see a call from Simon. She sighed and swiped to answer the call.
"Hi" she said.
"Hey, babe" she heard back.
"Where were you? I had been calling you" she said.
"Oh, babe it's just crazy time at the university. With the midterms coming up, these students are up my neck all the time" he replied.
"Oh, I hope it all goes well. What time will you be home today?" she asked.
"I don't know. I have classes till four and then I am thinking of going golfing with Jared" he replied.
"Oh, I thought you had evening classes as well?" she asked.
"I did, but I am done for the day. I want to blow off some steam" he replied.
Cora nodded and sighed "Okay, say hello to Jared from me"
"Okay. I'll be home after dinner" he said.
"Alright. Bye"
"Bye" he replied.
Cora cut the call and put her phone aside. She contemplated for a moment if she should ask him for dinner but knew well enough how important Simon's social life and friendship were to him, and that she would probably get made fun of about how sentimental she was getting about her big milestone of moving to the UK, so she skipped on it. And besides, she had loads to do anyway.
She opened the folder of photographs from the charity event in October to refresh her memory on the guests, so that she could be prepared for the New Year's party that was happening soon. She scrolled through the pictures and took a mental image of the guests and cross checked their names with the list in her hand. She swiped through a couple of pictures and then landed on a picture of Robert.
Even though she had seen the picture before, but she felt her breath hitch slightly at the sight of it. It was a very candid picture of Robert talking to someone as he gave a big smile to the person opposite him. It was a closeup and he looked incredibly gorgeous in his suit and the smile was like a cherry on top of it all. She smiled at the picture and zoomed in a little to his face. Her smile grew bigger at the sight and she sighed.
Robert, she thought. What a beautiful man he was; inside and out. They had gotten along very well since the start and ever since his dedication for her daughter, their friendship had grown stronger. He was no doubt a very kind and a wonderful man, and Cora had immense respect for him. This past month they had spent many evenings chatting away midst work and otherwise, and neither of them ever planned any of those casual meetings, they just happened and before they knew it, hours would go by laughing and chatting. She was extremely impressed by his knowledge and how much of the world he had seen. She found his visions so interesting and apparently, he found hers fascinating as well and it had been so refreshing for her to find someone who respected and appreciated her opinions. Cora had spent a large part of her life, second guessing if her opinion was the right one or if she should vocalize it in front of other people, afraid of the judgement she might receive. But with Robert, it was completely different. She could be totally herself in front of him and it was okay with him and the feeling was so fresh and new and she was immensely grateful. They had gotten really close and Cora now considered him a very close friend of hers. The days she wasn't due to come to the hotel, she would miss talking to him and every time she was due to come to the hotel, the idea of getting to spend time with him would motivate her. In fact, she immensely enjoyed everyone's company at the hotel. The girls were always a delight to talk to, all three were so wise and mature and Cora strangely felt a sense of pride at their accomplishments, even though she had nothing to do with it. Isobel and Mrs Hughes were two of the kindest souls and Mr Bates, Anna and Matthew were always good company. She saw Bertie a little less than she did others but every time she met him, he was very sweet, just like Edith. Rosamund was a quite a character, and she really, really enjoyed her company. She was very quirky and sharp and it seemed like her nieces all combined together made a Rosamund. She saw the matriarch Violet Crawley rarely, but she was civil and respectful, which was a big compliment from her end so Cora was more than happy. But Robert…he was special. He was rare and so special and deserved a lot more credit for everything he did for everyone. Maybe she was being biased because she was the closest to him, but she knew that people like him were rare and should be appreciated a lot more than they were.
She moved to another picture, another one of Robert's. In this one he stared directly into the camera and Cora gulped, it looked as if he could see right through her soul. And Cora had the same feeling every time she was with him. It was unnerving but strangely she didn't care. She was ready to be an open book in front of him and throw all her flaws and fears on him, but somehow knew that he wouldn't budge, and that he would still like and respect her for her. The events of last month were proof of his kindness, empathy and open mindedness. She stared at the photo; his blue eyes shone in the image looking like two pools of bright blue water. He was a gorgeous man and if she had to describe, she would call him her real-life cozy blanket, as cheesy and silly as it sounded. She felt comforted every time she talked to him. She wouldn't say it out loud though, because it was silly but it was true for her.
In the back of her mind, there was always this fear of developing something stronger for him, but every time that feeling creeped up, she buried it deep under. She wasn't willing to risk her friendship with him. He meant a lot to her and she would never jeopardize that, and no amount of heart racing, knees going weak and butterflies could ruin her friendship with him. He was too important for her.
A second later, a real-life Robert walked in her room.
"Hi" he said, as he entered her room with a big smile.
Cora gulped and quickly closed the tab of the photo on her laptop, grateful that he wasn't able to see what was on the screen. She felt her ears go red but she quickly recovered and smiled back at him.
"Oh, hello. How did your meeting go?" she asked as he slumped down on the chair opposite her with a sigh. Over the past month, they had had a habit of spending time with one another in each other offices, and Robert slumping down on a chair in front of her always made her giggle. He looked like a little boy who just came home from school exhausted and plopped down on the sofa.
"Exhausting" he said "but interesting. We do have a lot of extra electricity bills though" he said smirking. Cora was well aware that he was teasing.
She chuckled "Oops!" she said "You can blame us for that" she added, referring to the number of lights that were operating for photoshoots.
Robert laughed at that and sat back straighter in his seat.
"How is the planning going?" he asked.
Cora sighed and raised her eyebrows "Very well, it feels extremely grand"
Robert raised his eyebrows and nodded at her "It is. But Cora" he said shifting his weight on the seat "you enjoy it, okay? Promise me you'll find some time to enjoy the party too"
Cora chuckled at him "It is very rare to see the person who is paying me for work to ask me to leave my work and enjoy the event" she grinned.
Robert shook his head "Well, I am not asking you as an employer, I am asking you as a friend. So, half the time, be the CEO of PRIME and take stunning pictures and the rest of the time, just be Cora, my friend" he finished with a smile on his face.
Cora resisted the urge to awe out loud at the comment. He was being so adorable and sweet.
"Okay, my friend slash boss. Your wish is my command" she replied.
Robert nodded at her. After a few seconds Robert coughed and Cora looked up at him again "By the way, someone tells me that it has been twenty-five years since you arrived in Britain. Is that correct?"
Cora smiled at him. Of course, Rosamund told him. "News travels fast" she said smirking.
Robert smiled "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, almost whining with his words.
Cora chuckled at his excitement and disappointment at not knowing "I didn't realize it until this afternoon, when I was with Rosamund"
Robert shook his head "Then what are you doing here?" he asked.
Cora rolled her eyes "You brother and sister are exactly the same"
Robert pursed her lips and shook his head again "I mean it, celebrate it"
Cora sighed "I am very busy today, Robert"
"Why?' he asked looking at her with his eyebrows raised.
Cora smirked at him "Well, the CEO of his hotel keeps having parties, what can I do?" she chuckled.
Robert laughed back at her.
"And besides, my team is busy and Simon has classes and then golf later on and I have a pile waiting on my desk to get sorted" she added.
Robert nodded at her and then cleared his throat "How long do you think it'll take?"
Cora sighed and looked at the clock "I think till, seven, seven-thirty"
Robert nodded and then smiled at her "What are you doing after that?"
"Why?" she asked him.
"Have dinner with me!" he said.
Cora looked at him with wide eyes, her heart flipped and she gulped "What?" she said chuckling.
"Yeah, I'll take you to dinner, we can celebrate" he added with a grin.
"But you told me you have a video call with a client at night"
"Bates can take that, it's nothing important"
Cora sighed and smiled at him "And this is?"
Robert got up from his seat and bended slightly over the desk between them, hovering over her. Cora looked up at him, his bright blue eyes staring down at her and Cora resisted the urge to blink.
"Very important" he said with a grin and moved back in a standing position.
"Be ready by 8pm" he said as he walked towards the door.
"You are very persuasive, Robert Crawley" she said as she saw him walk out.
"Well" he said turning "I am the CEO for a reason" he gave her a smirk and walked outside the door.
Cora sighed and shook her head, and was positive that she was blushing from head to toe. He was super charming and she didn't have it in her heart to say no to him, even if she had masses to do. But a dinner with Robert was a very welcoming idea and she could think of nothing better than to celebrate the day with him, someone who seemed to be the happiest of her decision to move across the sea. She chuckled to herself, he was rather silly.
She shook her head and got back to work, knowing that Robert would not appreciate her being late to their spontaneous dinner plan.
Robert carefully combed his hair to one side, making sure that all the little annoying strands stayed in place. He put the hair brush down and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He wore a grey suit, something that he wore occasionally but knew that it looked very flattering on him. He readjusted his tie and sighed, looking pleased with his appearance. He looked at the clock next to his dressing table, and it showed 7:55pm. Knowing that Cora's room was on the same floor, he relaxed and waited for the clock to turn to 8pm.
He hadn't actually planned on spending the dinner with her, but every chance he got to spend some time with her, he utilized it. He knew she was busy and he knew that her work was very important to her, but for some reason he felt that it was very important that she did something memorable this day and before he knew it, he asked her for dinner. They had spent many evenings together but had only had dinner together alone, once, when he went to her office in Euston. That day had been one of the happiest days for him in a long time and he was very excited to have another dinner with her. He had decided to take her out of the premises of the hotel and take her to his favorite restaurant in town. It was close to the hotel, so they could be back before it was super late.
At the back of his mind, Rosamund's comment from last month lingered every now and then but he had decided to ignore that. He was enjoying himself and so was she, there was no point in worrying over the what if's and ruining the present. That was one of the numerous things he learned from Cora and he had decided to adopt it in this situation as well.
He looked at the clock, it was sharp 8pm and he walked out his room.
He exited his room and shut the door close when he heard another door open behind him. He turned around and saw Cora exit her room from the end of the corridor. She shut her door and looked at him from afar and the slowly started walking towards him with a smile.
She wore a sleeveless figure-hugging white dress, that reached her knees, with a thin black lace on the sides. Her hair was half done up and the rest of it hung loosely on her shoulders. She wore black heels with them and Robert looked at her from head to toe, aware of the fact at how inappropriate it might look but he couldn't help it.
She took his breath away, and not for the first time. There was no doubt that she was insanely beautiful but it was like every time he saw her, she got more and more beautiful.
He stared at her walking towards him and didn't realize that his mouth was agape.
Cora coughed upon reaching him, and he immediately shook his head and cleared his throat.
She was smiling at him but he could see a slight blush up her cheeks as well. He internally cringed at himself for staring at her like an idiot.
"Wow, Cora" he said "You look beautiful" he said as he moved closer to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. He moved back to see her blush grow deeper.
"Thank you, Robert. You look very handsome as well" she said.
Robert smiled at her and gestured her to walk further "After you" he said as they walked towards the elevator.
Once inside, Cora turned to him and smiled "So where are we going?" she asked.
Robert grinned at her "This time I'm taking you to my favourite place" he said.
Cora chuckled "Hotel Grantham?"
Robert rolled his eyes and chuckled "My second favourite place"
Cora giggled "Okay then"
Once they exited the elevator, they stepped out in the lobby. The lobby was still filled with people. He could spot a great many people near the reception, in the café and in the lounge. They walked further in the lobby and spotted Rosamund standing with Carson and Mrs Hughes at one end. He looked ahead, hoping that they wouldn't see them. Not that anything about going to dinner was wrong but he was sure that it'll raise some eyebrows and he wanted to avoid that as much as possible.
"Wait, let me just grab my coat" said Cora.
"Did you deposit it on this floor?" he asked.
"Yes" she said, as she started to walk towards the store.
"Wait, I'll get it, mine is there as well" he said.
She smiled at him "Okay, it's a big white one" she said.
Robert nodded and walked towards the store, greeting Anna on the way.
He walked toward the store and asked the boy in charge for his and Cora's coats. After getting them, he started to walk back towards Cora when his eyes landed on the big vase placed on the shelf with beautiful white roses in them. He smiled at it and walked towards the vase to pluck out a white rose for Cora, since she was wearing all white. And also, because who didn't love roses, and the thought would earn him a big smile from her end, for which he was willing to pluck out his whole garden of roses. He contemplated for a moment and scanned across the vase and then plucked out the biggest one. He smiled to himself and walked towards her with a skip in his step.
He reached the center of the lobby and looked up at Cora with a smile when his eyes landed on the person that was talking to her, next to her. He saw a tall, thin and a very tan man grab her arms and kiss her.
Robert felt his heart drop down to his knees, and he felt out of breath. So, this was Simon Bricker. Cora's husband. Robert tried to regain his breath, grateful about the fact that he was far enough to hide his shock and disappointment.
He hid the rose underneath the coats and walked towards them, his knees slightly wobbly as he walked.
"Simon" he heard upon reaching them "I didn't know you were coming" said Cora, who looked extremely confused and awkward.
"Babe, you never invited me so I dropped by myself" Simon or whatever his name was, said in response.
"But what about your golfing?" she asked
"Jared had to cancel because his car's engine was playing up so I thought I'd come and pick you up and finally see the place"
Simon looked around the hall with judgement in his eyes. Robert rolled his eyes as he walked closer towards him.
"Not bad, Cora" he said.
Robert reached next to Cora and coughed. Cora's eyes snapped towards him. He could see embarrassment and awkwardness etched across her face.
She sighed softly, her eyes silently apologizing to him. After a moment, she spoke.
"Oh Simon, this is Robert. Robert this is my husband, Simon" she said and waited for them to get acquainted.
Robert moved his hand towards him that Simon took halfway. Robert felt Simon judging him and he felt somewhat disgusted. He stared at him, trying his best to keep his face neutral.
So, this was Simon Bricker. Robert remembered now that he saw his face. He had seen this face many years ago at a corporate event and the scenes of him getting drunk and hitting a waiter reappeared in front of his eyes. Simon Bricker had gotten drunk at an event that Robert had attended years ago and made a complete fool of himself and then later got himself thrown out of the function because of how aggressive and violent he got. Now he understood why he had an inkling that he didn't like the guy, apart from the obvious reason that he completely ruined his dinner plans with Cora.
"Have we met?" asked Simon.
Robert resisted the urge to remind him of that night, for Cora's sake if nothing else "I'm not sure" he replied, giving him a soft smile.
"How come we've never seen you here before?" asked Robert.
Simon looked at Cora "Ask your photographer, she never invited me"
Cora looked at him looking embarrassed "I had been busy, Simon"
Simon looked at Robert and chuckled dryly, looking at Robert "Excuses"
Robert didn't appreciate his dig at Cora and half nodded to avoid awkwardness.
He saw Simon looked to his left and yell out Carson's name "Carson!" he said rather loudly.
Cora grabbed his arm, a sign to tell him to keep his voice down.
"What?" he said to Cora, when Carson spotted him and walked towards them with Mrs Hughes and Rosamund.
They reached towards them, each having a look of surprise on their faces, and not of a pleasant kind.
"Mr Bricker" said Carson "I didn't know you were coming"
"Oh, I just dropped by. How are you? Hope they're not working you too hard" said Simon winking at Carson.
Robert wasn't sure who 'they' were but was sure that Carson didn't appreciate the casualness of his tone in front of everyone. Robert saw Carson raise his eyebrows, a clear look of his disapproval. He saw Rosamund scan him from head to toe, and if her expressions were any indication, they showed that she wasn't impressed by the man in front of her. Mrs Hughes stared at Carson and then at him, no doubt wondering if they were just as confused by him as they all were.
Cora cleared her throat "Simon, this is Rosamund, Robert's sister and Head of Events here and this is Mrs Hughes, Robert's PA"
Simon put forward his hand to shake both the women's.
"Hello" he said as he shook hands with Rosamund.
"Nice to meet you, Mr Bricker" said Rosamund in her most diplomatic tone.
He then shook Mrs Hughes hand and a minute later Carson and Mrs Hughes walked away to get back to whatever they were doing.
A minute later, Rosamund excused herself as well and walked towards the reception.
Simon nodded his head and turned to Cora "So you have anything to do?"
He saw Cora open her mouth, looking extremely awkward. Cora looked at Robert and the back at Simon "Well, I-" she said.
"Nothing" said Robert and put her out of her this weird situation.
He saw Cora stare at him from his peripheral view "We had some work to do, but nothing important" he looked at Cora with his poker face and a fake smile.
Cora looked at him for a second and then sighed looking back at Simon with a smile.
"So, shall we go?" Simon asked Cora.
Cora nodded and Simon nodded back.
"Nice to meet you, Mr Crawley. No doubt we'll meet again" said Simon as he shook Robert's hand once again.
Robert took his hand "No doubt"
He passed Cora her coat, careful to hide the rose in his hand underneath his own coat. Cora grabbed it and took Simon's arm.
"Bye, Robert" she said.
"Bye, Cora" he replied as he saw them walk towards the door.
A few steps ahead, he saw Cora turn her head while walking as she mouthed a 'sorry' to him. Robert shook his head softly and gave her a smile and moved his hand to indicate that it was alright.
He saw them walk out the door and grimaced at the sight of Simon putting a hand on Cora's hips. The evening had completely turned around on him and made him feel like crap. He sighed and turned around in his step with his shoulders slumped. He wasn't going to lie; he was very disappointed and hurt. But it was no one's fault, and he could see how bad Cora felt, even though it wasn't her fault in the slightest. But Robert didn't want her to feel awkward so he freed her, to her surprise. He knew she was grateful for the rescuing but he also knew she felt bad as well. Robert sighed and walked near the elevator and pressed on the button, trying to convince himself to grab his things and go straight home. Of all the possibilities, he didn't expect that guy to be Cora's husband. But of course, he didn't know him, maybe somewhere deep down he was a gentleman, and a man that Cora deserved. He hoped so anyways. Th elevator dinged open and he took the rose in his hand and sighed, then put it behind another massive vase near the elevator and went inside the machine.
Rosamund Painswick witnessed the extremely awkward encounter and felt second hand embarrassment for her brother and Cora. She observed as Robert walked towards the elevator, clearly looking disappointed with the turn of the events. They had obviously had plans for dinner and the arrival of Mr Bricker ruined them. She saw as her brother put something behind the vase and go up the lift, his body language screaming disappointment. When the machine shut and started moving upwards, she walked towards the elevator and looked behind the vase and sighed, seeing a beautiful abandoned white rose. She grabbed it, closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Oh Robert" she sighed.
The thing that she had feared for the both of them was turning real. She smelled the rose, and sighed again, afraid that it all had gone too far ahead for it to return to normal without either of them getting hurt.
Hello everyone! Sorry for being late, but lots has been happening in life so it took me a while to update.
I hope you guys like this chapter! Very excited to read your reviews! Can't wait! Thank you for your constant support and love, it really keeps me going and motivates me to write every time. I am truly grateful!
Hope you're all keeping safe! Love you all.