Finishing her last bite of toast, Cora breathed a contented sigh and placed her breakfast tray to the side. Sunlight poured through her bedrooms windows and it was almost impossible to believe the events of the previous night had occurred. But waking curled around Robert, both of them déshabillé, had attested to the validity. The memories had brought a permanent flush to her cheeks and Cora was thankful to be breakfasting alone.
Hearing a knock on her door, she bade the visitor to enter, utter delight lighting up her face when her husband entered. But the happiness was short lived.
"Robert!" she gasped, right hand covering her mouth. Contrition filled her anew when she saw the blue-black mark underneath his left eye, another testament to what had transpired the previous night. "Does it hurt as badly as it looks?"
"No," he answered, shaking his head as walked over to her and came to stand by her side of the bed. "Although, it did cause a bit of stir at breakfast. I can't wait to see Mama's reaction."
"I'm so terribly sorry," she said, frowning. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"My darling, there is nothing to forgive," he smiled. "But you have it, if it would make you feel better."
"Thank you," she replied with a small smile. "Now, what are you doing up here? You usually go out with Papa after breakfast."
"I have something to tell you. But first…" He cupped her face and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her warmly. "Good morning, Cora."
"Good morning, Robert," she murmured, her smile impossibly bright.
His thumb lightly stroked her cheek as he continued to hold her face. He watched her, warmth and something Cora hardly dare hope to be love, radiating from his eyes. Reaching up, she took his hand in hers and brought it to her lips, kissing the back of it in adoration.
"What was it you wanted to tell me?" she finally asked.
"Hm?"
Cora grinned at his confusion. "The reason you came up here?"
"Oh." A faint redness colored his cheeks as he averted his eyes. "James is leaving this morning, just as soon as he can be packed."
"That's rather sudden," Cora remarked, raising her brows. "Did something happen?"
"Search me," shrugged Robert. "Papa went to alert Mama who will no doubt have your maid sent up to help you dress. But I wanted to tell you myself."
"Thank you," she murmured, squeezing his hand affectionately.
"Right, I'll let you dress."
Robert bent and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. Before he could straighten, Cora reached up and clasped his face between her hands. Pulling him down to where she could reach, she pressed the gentlest of kisses to the bruise under his eye.
"I'll meet you downstairs," she whispered.
Exiting her room fully dressed some time later, Cora hurried down the hallway to the staircase. Her chocolate locks had required a more thorough brushing than normal and she was worried she was running behind. As she came to the top of the staircase, she saw James on his way down just ahead of her and breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't late.
"Good morning, James," she called.
Gasping, he jumped and slammed into the wall, his hands wrapping around the banister in a death grip. He looked up at her, something akin to fear flashing in his eyes before turning to a fiery anger.
"How dare you sneak up on me like that!" he hissed.
"I'm sorry," she stated, taken aback. "I didn't mean to startle you."
She tilted her head in curiosity as she looked at him. His skin appeared waxy as well as pale and clammy and beads of sweat dotted across his forehead and upper lip.
"Are you quite well?" she asked.
"Yes, no thanks to you," he snapped. Pushing away from the wall, James straightened his jacket and stalked the rest of the way down the stairs.
Cora followed after him, her brows furrowed. Reaching the bottom of the staircase, she found Robert pacing from one column to the other, hands clasped behind his back. When he saw her, he stopped and stared in awe.
"Robert," she smiled, walking over to him. "Were you waiting for me?"
"I—" He nodded bashfully. Gently he clasped her hand and brought it to his lips. "You look beautiful. The dark blue is very becoming."
Cora lowered her lashes and blushed. "Thank you," she murmured. "You don't look so bad yourself."
"Cora, finally!" exclaimed Rosamund as she exited the dining room and rushed over to them. "I've been desperate for the company of someone behaving like themselves."
"That's a mighty odd thing to say," Cora remarked.
Rosamund looped her arm through Cora's and began to lead her outside. Cora threw Robert an apologetic look over her shoulder and followed her sister-in-law.
"It isn't when you've spent the morning with jumpy James and daydreamy Robert." She grinned mischievously. "Although the latter, I'm sure has something entirely to do with you and the strange noises I heard last night."
"Rosamund!" Robert hissed as he followed behind them.
Despite her neutral expression, Cora's flaming cheeks gave her away. Clearing her throat, she changed the subject.
"Did James say why he was leaving in such a rush?"
Rosamund shook her head. "He just insists he has to leave this morning and becomes irate when asked as to why. I say good riddance anyway. He was getting on everyone's last nerve."
Cora hummed in agreement as they filed out of the house and came to stand by Violet and Patrick. The morning air was incredibly chilled and Cora shivered at the contact. In her haste to join the others, she had neglected to grab a coat and now deeply regretted it. She was tempted to move over to stand with Robert and huddle against him. But the presence of her in-laws kept her where she was. Instead she focused on the scene in front him her, watching as James flittered around the carriage barking orders at the servants to quickly load his luggage.
"Morning, all," stated Rosamund suddenly. "Has he yet given a reason for the hasty departure?"
Patrick shook his head, but Violet was the one who answered.
"No and I doubt he will give one now He's in too much of a hurry." She looked over and narrowed her eyes. "Robert, what happened to your face? Unless I'm mistaken it wasn't that way last night."
Bursts of crimson bloomed across Cora's cheeks as she forced her gaze to remain straight ahead.
"I-I was up late reading," Robert explained, "and, uh, dropped the book on my face."
Violet arched her brow. "How on earth did you manage—"
"Oh, Mama, don't press," laughed Rosamund. "If Cora's blush and Robert's stuttering are anything to go by, I would say the subject was best left alone."
"Really Rosamund," huffed Violet, rolling her eyes.
The subject was thankfully dropped as James marched back over to the group and came to stand in front of Patrick.
"Thank you for a lovely stay, Uncle," he said briskly. "I'm terribly sorry to cut it short, but I'm afraid I must."
"That's perfectly alright, James," answered Patrick. "I'm sorry to see you go, but it's only a few weeks until the Christmas season and I'm sure we'll see you then."
James gulped.
"Perhaps," he answered nervously. He shook Patrick's hand and nodded his head at the rest of the group. "Goodbye."
In what could almost be described as a sprint, James hurried to the carriage and jumped in, shouting for the driver to pull out before the footman had a chance to fully close the door.
"Well that was most peculiar," remarked Violet. "I don't believe I've ever seen such a rapid departure."
"Nor a more nervous one," observed Rosamund. "Did you see how anxious he looked at having to personally say goodbye to each one of us."
"That may have had more to do with you," grinned Robert.
"Really, Robert, you make me so annoyed," scowled Rosamund. "How do we know it wasn't to do with you?"
"Children," chided Patrick. "I believe the carriage has gone far enough that we can head back in. It's too cold to stand out here."
He turned back towards the house and offered his arm to Violet. Rosamund and Robert followed along behind their parents while Cora brought up the rear. But, after only taking a few steps, she stopped. She felt the same strange sensation from the night before, that feeling of someone watching her intently. This time, however, she knew were it was coming from.
Gazing up at the castle, Cora saw her, standing in the window on the top floor. Dressed in a plain white gown with grey skin and dark hair curled around her shoulders, she looked down at Cora, her lips twisted into a mischievous grin. When their gazes met, she winked conspiratorially and vanished from sight.
Cora instantly understood the meaning and she couldn't help but smile. Laughter bubbled in her chest and despite her attempt to suppress them, giggles erupted in the back of her throat.
"Cora?" called Robert from the doorway. "Are you alright?"
She looked at him and nearly told him everything, the response on the tip of her tongue. But she saw the worry in his eyes and knew she could never tell him. No matter how much he trusted her or how highly he regarded her, he would never believe her.
"Perfectly," she answered, making her way towards him with sparking eyes. Reaching him, she stood up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I'm perfectly alright."
