prompt: defending them in front of others
(pre-canon)
"Yes, of course, she is doing all that is asked of her, but with what success?" his mother's voice proclaimed in no uncertain tone and loud enough for everyone present to hear it. "I mean, Robert, that is really the bare minimum your wife is fulfilling here. Look at those flower arrangements."
She picked at some orange flowers with pointed fingers and an expression of disgust written on her face.
"Oh really, Mama," Robert put in. "They aren't too bad." But he couldn't think of anything else to say. When he leaned closer to show appreciation for Cora's critiqued flower arrangements, a rather repulsive smell rose to his nose. Maybe Mama was right and these botanicals didn't have that much to them. But Cora's efforts only being the bare minimum? Absolutely not.
Robert turned his head looking for Cora. She wasn't with them in the drawing room but right outside with the two girls and nanny. Tea was over and Cora's guests had left after uttering sweet compliments as they blew kisses on Cora's cheeks. Mama wasn't as impressed. She made these compliments out to be mere pleasantries and insincere civilness. Fortunately, Cora hadn't witnessed Mama's harsh judgement. Not this time at least. After teatime, she had been much too eager to meet Nanny halfway who readied the girls for their afternoon walk. Now, they were standing outside on the gravel in front of the drawing room. Mary was jumping on one leg, showing off her new skill with excitement and Cora squatted – quite unladylike he had to add – in front of her eldest daughter and cheered her on. Nanny was rocking the pushchair while Edith was sitting upright in it and mustered the whole situation with a sceptical expression. Robert was glad Mama was standing with her back to the windowfront, even though he himself enjoyed seeing his sweet family so casually.
"Cora is doing her job very well," he said without taking his eyes off his wife.
"I can see why you feel like you have to say that," Violet replied and redirected Robert's attention back to her with this statement. She was fishing a last scone from the tablet the footman was carrying back to the kitchen. She eyed the pastry scrutinisingly as she continued talking, "and I respect your loyalty to your wife, but if we were all acting like you on this matter, I'm afraid this estate would be in quite inept hands in some years. And it won't help you fulfil your tasks to your best abilities either."
From the corner of his eye, Robert could see the butler busying himself with rearranging the throw pillows on one of the sofas as a futile attempt to escape the awkward silence that followed. He wasn't the only one who tried blending into the background at Mama's latest statement. In his upwelling anger, Robert could see how his father stood at the mantle of the fireplace, still in his walking attire and his back turned to Mama and Robert. Robert was sure his father had heard every word Mama had said about Cora and had decided to deliberately zone out at this point, now that it seemed to get serious. Rosamund however, who was staying for a few days since it was Papa's birthday soon, sat on a sofa next to where Papa was standing and looked at Robert with raised eyebrows, eagerly waiting for his response. Certainly, this was more entertaining for her than the ever-same stories that were exchanged during tea with the other ladies.
The sound of Papa slurping the remainder of his tea made Robert finally snap. His simmering blood now boiled severely behind his eyes.
"I won't accept ANY of these things said about my wife and me!" He spat the words out in a dangerously low and forceful whisper. Mama's lips narrowed into nothing but a thin line.
"In fact, Cora is doing an astoundingly good job, and no one of you – no one of us – can understand what it is like to be in her position. What I see is a lady adapting to all the demands and challenges remarkably well. And there is more than one way to do this job, Mama. Cora is finding her own way, with all your help and guidance, but it has to be her own way nevertheless." His chest heaved, the adrenaline still rushing through his veins. No one dared to speak, and Robert challenged Mama with an intense look. He usually didn't defy his mother's words. Somehow, he expected more of a reaction from her than the ignorant silence.
Rosamund and Papa observed the dispute now with more curiosity. Papa turned around and looked his son up and down with some estrangement. The superior eagerness on Rosamund's face was relieved by genuine surprise.
"You really are always so awfully defensive of her, Robert," Mama eventually dropped. Before he could interject, Mama went on. "And you better get a grip on yourself, because this is truly no tone in which to talk to your mother."
He took a quick breath and briefly decided to disregard the last statement. "It is not that I am defensive, Mama." He couldn't keep his voice under control, and it quickly broke into a higher volume as his anger took over. "YOU are just unreasonably RUDE!"
It was a good thing that the butler had left the room just a minute before because Robert knew, his mother would forgive him even less if he had yelled at her in front of the staff.
He heard his mother's sharp intake of breath and the beginning of his father's displeased grumble but only saw Cora through the window behind Mama. She was standing there in her dark green coat and looked at him with wide eyes. Nanny was bringing the children back inside but Cora was standing behind the window and looked at him with worry. His yelling must have been loud enough to be noticed outside. Robert saw how her eyes asked him if everthing was alright.
Before his father could set to chide him, Robert cleared his throat, "Please excuse me. I'm not feeling quite well." He turned on his heel and left the drawing room.
In the main hall, he met Cora whose feet quickly carried her from the front door to him. She stepped to his side and grabbed his arm to walk up the stairs with him.
"What was all that about?" she asked curiously. She shot him a glance with her attentively wide eyes. The bright blue stuck with Robert even as their eye contact broke.
"Oh, nothing."
"You seemed really upset," she remarked.
"Well, you know how Mama can be." He kept his answers short, not wanting to burden Cora with the unpleasant discussion.
"But what could she have complained about? Everything went well today, didn't it?" Cora leaned forward while talking, showing her full expression of confused worry to him.
"Exactly. That's why I've been so upset that she had to dampen everyone's spirit just because she is in a lousy mood," Robert grumbled. He patted her hand where it held onto his upper arm. He was relieved when it seemed like this answer calmed Cora's mind. She relaxed beside him as they ascended the last steps of the large staircase.
"Well, I'm glad tea time had been a success at least. I don't want to imagine her humour if that too had displeased her." The swing in her tone, that attributed undeniably to her Americanness, was unmissable to Robert.
"Me neither," he just replied. This one time, that he was able to, Robert wanted to shield his sweet wife from the sorrow his mother often provoked.
When Cora let go of his arm and turned to him as they reached the door to her room, she practically beamed at him.
"I know I won't ever get a compliment out of her," she began. "But the absence of any criticism is enough acknowledgement when it's your mother."
Robert gulped.
"Now let me get my coat off," she said in her chipper mood. She rose slightly onto her toes and breathed a kiss on his cheek. "Will you join me in our sitting room in ten minutes? I could use someone to keep me company while I'm doing my needlepoint."
Robert nodded slowly as she turned the door handle.
When there was no verbal answer from him, she added, "Otherwise I'd have to join Mama and Rosamund downstairs."
"No, no! Of course, I'll join you, my dear," Robert quickly protested. "I'll see you in a bit."
Cora closed her door behind her with a content smile and Robert went to retrieve his book from his dressing room.