"Cora, darling, is the table setting ready for Christmas dinner?" Robert walked into the music room, where Cora was sitting on the floor with Mary and her guitar.

"Why do you ask?" Cora looked up.

"Carson was asking for it."

"Why doesn't he ask me?" Cora sighed.

Robert walked over and sat down opposite of her. "I am glad to see you picked up playing again." He pulled Mary on his lap.

"Robert? Why did Carson ask you this? And not me?" Cora asked again.

"You want to walk." Robert said to Mary, who pulled herself up on his hands. He got up and let Mary guide him around the room.

Annoyed Cora pulled herself up, using the chair next to her. "Robert, don't ignore me, enough people do that here around the house."

Robert picked up Mary and looked at Cora. "I don't know why Carson asked me."

"Well, I can tell you!" Cora put her hand on her side. "He doesn't see me as the Lady of the house."

Robert started protesting, but Cora continued. "I am that American girl, who happens to live in this house. I thought by now, I would have proven him, I am more than my heritage."

"I will have a word with him." Robert said, putting Mary down and leaving the room.

That evening, Carson didn't look at Cora at all. It gave her an unruly feeling. She also noticed other staff members to behave differently.

Robert poured himself a whisky and sat down, picking up his book. Cora was working on some embroidery work and looked at him.

He was very content here at Downton she thought, if only she felt just a little bit of his happiness. Robert had once said: Downton is in his blood and his bones, and she wouldn't understand that. And he was right, she didn't. For her, it was stepping back in time. She understood that some staff was needed, and she was getting used to Baxter helping her. Even so, that sometimes, she forgot she could do things herself. But every night sitting down at that grand dinner table, with at least two people of staff in the room, was just awkward.

Back in London, she would have curled up on the sofa against Robert. Now they were sitting in the drawing room, with staff present and she didn't dare to get close to Robert.

Robert must have felt she was looking at him, he lowered his book. He raised his eyebrows. "Everything alright?"

Cora nodded. "Yes." She said softly. "I think I am going up."

"Sleep well, darling." Robert started reading again.

Cora sighed, she had hoped he would pick up her hint and follow her to the bedroom.

Cora woke up from Robert who put his hand around her waist.

"You are so beautiful." He murmured while he kissed her neck. He pulled her close, but Cora pushed him back. "What? No early Christmas present?" He said leaning on his elbows.

Cora looked at him, his eyes always melted her hard feelings, so did it this time. But she held firm. "What did you say to Carson?"

"Wait, are you upset that I talked to Carson? You asked me to?"

"No! I am not upset you talked to him. I am upset about how he is treating me. Didn't you notice that yesterday evening he and the rest of the staff didn't dare to look at me?"

"Oh, come on, now Cora. You are seeing things that aren't there."

"Do I? Then tell me, what did you say to Carson?" Cora's eyes shot fire."

"I told him, you deserve the same respect as he gives my mother and Rosamund and that if he couldn't do that, I will fire him.

Something deep inside Cora stirred. Was he really willing to fire Carson for her? Was she to harsh on him? She softened a little bit and rested back into her pillow. She felt the baby move and took Robert's hand.

His eyes lit up. "I felt it, how wonderful." He bent down and kissed Cora's belly. "Don't you mind your mother and me. Sometimes when people love each other, they fight." He moved up and kissed Cora. "I do mean that. I love you."

Cora played with Robert's hair and kissed him back. "We are lucky." She said.

"Milady, do you have time for Mrs. Patmore?" Mrs. Hughes walked into the library, where Cora was working on some letters, with Mary next to her.

"Is she coming up? Or should I go down?"

"If you have time, can you go down? She is busy with the dinner for tonight."

"I will call for Nanny and will come with you."

"I can watch Lady Mary?" Mrs. Hughes offered.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hughes." Cora kissed Mary's head and walked downstairs.

"Milady, I am really sorry to bother you."

"No, no, don't you worry." Cora said. "What do you need me for?"

"I promised to make a 'Charlotte russe' for tonight, but they didn't deliver the fruit. Do you want me to send Daisy out to find some?"

"Does she have time to do that today?" Cora asked surprised.

"To be honest? Not really."

"Can you make something else? Any kind of dessert is alright." Cora asked with a friendly face.

"I could make 'sticky toffee pudding', are you sure that is alright?"

"I am already happy if there is a dessert. Just make whatever you can. Thank you in advance."

When Cora returned upstairs, she heard a familiar voice in the library talking to Mary. It was the low voice of Carson. She peaked around the corner and saw him with Mary on his arm. It was an adorable sight, this big strict butler with a little one.

She felt a hand on her lower back. "What are you doing?" She heard Robert's voice.

She turned around and put her finger against her lips. "Sssst, I don't want to disturb them." And pointed at Carson with Mary.

Robert took her hand. "This gives us time for an afternoon walk together, before the house is flooded with all the Christmas festivities. "Isis, come!"

Baxter handed Cora her coat and she hooked her arm in Robert's. They enjoyed the afternoon together in the garden, until it got too cold to be outside.