"Oh you're all in here, are you?"
Violet looked up from the papers in front of her at the table to see her daughter enter the room with a look of distaste gracing her features. "Rosamund, I know we are visitors in your home, but I am your mother, and that tone and that expression are quite uncalled for," Violet chided.
Rosamund rolled her eyes, which further irritated the Dowager Countess.
"Is there something you need, dear?" Marmaduke ventured.
Violet nearly scolded him, too, for getting distracted from the task at hand, though she knew she could not demand the undivided attention of a man when his wife was in need. Or at least she could not demand it of Marmaduke. He was devoted to his work and to the family business, but he was even more devoted to Rosamund. Violet never thought such a love match was proper, but her daughter was happy and well looked after, so Violet had to begrudgingly accept the marriage. Not as begrudgingly as she'd been forced to accept her son's marriage, but neither of her children had found spouses that Violet was all that pleased about.
Thinking of her son's wife, Violet turned away from whatever Marmaduke and Rosamund were talking about and looked over to Cora. She was sitting beside Marmaduke across the table from Violet. She was quiet and passive, which Violet found to be a vast improvement over her usual demeanor.
But Cora and her excessive American feelings were unrelated to the task at hand. Cora had a skillset that Violet appreciated, and that was what needed discussing.
"Rosamund, we're busy, and if you don't intend to be useful, you can occupy yourself elsewhere," Violet said, cutting through the conversation between her daughter and son-in-law.
Marmaduke hesitated slightly but added, "We can speak later, dear."
Rosamund let out a huff of annoyance and left the dining room. When the door closed behind her, Violet turned back to Marmaduke. "Now then, where were we?"
"We were going over the amounts owed by the import company. We gave them additional time to pay due to the problems at the docks last year, but they're still short," Marmaduke said.
Violet hummed, recalling the utter annoyance that Jack the Ripper caused last summer and autumn. Luckily Cora had taken care of that. But Whitechapel was still not as efficient or helpful as it once was. Rather disappointing on the whole.
"Is there anything I should do to help?" Cora asked, breaking her silence.
"No," Violet answered bluntly. "You shouldn't even be part of this meeting, come to think of it. And if I thought you and Rosamund would be able to spend any sort of pleasant afternoon together, I'd send you out with her. As it is, Marmaduke and I shall inform you when there's something for you to attend to."
Cora was properly chastised for that and she shrank down in her seat. Violet smirked slightly to herself.
Marmaduke watched the terse exchange between Violet and Cora and found himself in the middle yet again. He knew the family business as well as Violet did and Marmaduke took his duty to support and assist the Dowager Countess quite seriously. She had excellent instincts and had not reached this level without determination and skill, and Marmaduke respected her for all of that. However, Cora was young and sweet and lovely and just trying her best to be part of this family she had married into. Marmaduke knew that struggle better than anyone. And Violet was not the easiest mother-in-law to have. But Cora was also keenly intelligent and was developing very good instincts for the business side of things as well. She paid attention when, like now, she was present for discussions of business matters between the Dowager and Marmaduke. Cora was also a shockingly good assassin, lest they forget that. She had a lot of value to the family. More than Violet gave her credit for.
"I think Cora should accompany you to the meeting next week," Marmaduke ventured. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Cora sit up.
"What possible purpose could that serve?" Violet protested.
"It may be dangerous. And while two women in a business meeting might be more of a target than a woman accompanied by a man, I think we can all agree that Cora can more than hold her own. If any threat comes, she can dispense with it. And no one ever suspects her of anything like that, so she will have the element of surprise on her side," Marmaduke explained.
"I'm no bodyguard," Cora said, clearly hoping to temper Violet's reaction. "But Marmaduke is right, I can handle whatever threat comes to you. I'm very quick with my knives."
A thought popped into Marmaduke's head that amused him. He turned to Cora. "How many knives do you have on your person right now?" he asked with a bemused smile.
"Three," she answered without hesitation.
"Whatever for?!" Violet asked incredulously. "You have no need for knives in Rosamund and Marmaduke's home."
"I was trained by the very best, Mama," Cora explained.
Violet flinched at having the American assassin call her 'Mama' and Marmaduke had to press his lips together to keep from laughing.
Cora continued, "I am always prepared whenever I go out anywhere. The weapons I possess are easily concealed and easily retrievable in case they're needed. As Marmaduke said, I can protect myself or you against any threat. I have no intention of overstepping my role, but I can be useful, and I would like to be, if you would allow it."
Marmaduke gave a subtle nod at her. She had phrased that beautifully. Polite and respectful. Deferential to Violet's authority. Very, very well done.
After a moment of consideration, Violet sighed. "We shall have to figure out how to explain it to Robert."
"Explain what to me?"
The three of them all turned as Robert himself walked into the room.
Cora stood up immediately as he entered. "Oh Robert, I'm so glad you've come by. I wasn't sure how long you'd be at Parliament for today."
Robert smiled and kissed his wife on the cheek as he always did when he greeted her. "Not a long session today. I actually returned to Grantham House and was told that you and Mama were here, so I thought I'd drop in. We're going to Flintshire House for the ball tonight, so we'll have to get home to change after tea," he said.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it," Cora said with a smile.
She seemed to enjoy being in London for the season. They'd all been kept quite busy between social engagements and Robert's duties with the House of Lords and Mama having various meetings for the business interests she managed for the estate. And it was nice to see all their friends and introduce Cora to everyone. She had been magnificent. Robert couldn't be prouder of a wife if he'd tried. Her charm and grace and beauty were so effortless. She was the star of every event they attended.
But other than those events, he and Cora led quite separate lives. It served him quite well, as he was not forced to contemplate the awkwardness that had plagued them on their honeymoon: she loved him and he did not love her. She seemed to always want to be with him and to talk about things and to spend time together and share everything. And Robert just did not know what to do. It was alright in public, walking around European cities and seeing things in museums or going out for meals. It was quite another when they were just together all the time. He never quite knew what to say to her or how to act or what to do. He wanted to make her happy, and he thought he did alright in providing a good life for her as Countess of Grantham, but otherwise, it always felt like he was disappointing her somehow. He couldn't be the romantic hero she wanted as a husband, and it was easier to just avoid her than constantly feel like he was lacking.
Perhaps Mama was right. Perhaps he should not have married Cora, even if her dowry was so impressive and so needed. Perhaps he'd made a horrible mistake. Unfortunately for everyone, there was nothing that could be done about it now. They were all stuck and they just had to make do.
Cora did her best to be bright and charming and elegant all evening at the Flintshire ball. Susan MacLare, Marchioness of Flintshire, was Mama's niece and Robert's first cousin, and her husband, Hugh MacLare, Marquess of Flintshire, was Robert's best friend from childhood. They called him Shrimpie, which Cora could never really understand but no one else seemed to think it was any concern. Shrimpie was a lovely man, very warm and welcoming. Susan seemed a bit pretentious. She reminded Cora of so many of the girls she had gone through her debutante days with, girls with the last names of Vanderbilt and Astor and Morgan and Carnegie who believed that the fathers of industry who had given them their fortunes and fancy surnames were the end-all and be-all of everything. Cora had seen how her father worked for everything they had and she herself had worked, in her way, to contribute. Women like Susan Flintshire believed they were entitled to everything—money, power, respect, and any little trinket they could possibly want. Cora maintained her polite and friendly demeanor, but she otherwise kept herself guarded from such people as best she could.
But the evening was finally through, and Cora and Robert were in the back of the carriage to return to Grantham House at last. Mama had left earlier and sent the carriage back for them. They were entirely alone, which Cora much preferred. Always having to impress her mother-in-law was quite exhausting. The champagne and the dancing had worn Cora out, and she was eager to call for her maid to undress her and to fall right into bed.
"Did you have a nice time this evening?" Robert asked.
Cora smiled. He seemed to have some awkwardness around her still when they were alone, despite their courtship and engagement and honeymoon. He did not love her as she loved him, and she knew it. Still, he was trying to be a good husband, and she loved him all the more for it. She wrapped herself around his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "I had a lovely time. I always enjoy dancing with you. Did you have a nice time?"
"I did, yes. I always enjoy attending parties at Shrimpie and Susan's," he said. "And I was glad to have you there as well."
She brightened at that. "You did?"
"Of course. In the past, balls and things like that were always filled with unmarried woman throwing themselves at an eligible Earl. I'm no longer eligible, and now I can actually enjoy myself with my beautiful wife."
Cora couldn't help herself as she tilted her head up and kissed him. When he said things like that, she believed that perhaps one day he would fall in love with her and they'd be happy for the rest of their days.
Robert pulled back, which was probably wise. They wouldn't want to get carried away in the back of the carriage. "May I come to you tonight?" he asked softly.
A shiver of desire passed through her. "Please," she whispered in return. Starting on their wedding night, Robert had gently and patiently taught her the ways of lovemaking between a man and a woman. It was a bit strange at first, slightly painful and quite awkward between them, but they'd gotten plenty of practice during their honeymoon, and now, six months into marriage, Cora very much enjoyed performing her marital duties with her husband.
He smiled and sat back, but he held her hand in the back of the carriage. Cora watched Robert look out the window, reveling in her love for this dear, sweet man.
Maybe if she were to become pregnant and give him an heir, then he would love her. Short of that, she was not sure what she could possibly do to encourage him to give her his heart as she had so readily given him hers.
"Cora?" Robert said, turning back to her.
"Yes, darling?"
"I meant to ask you earlier, when you were with Mama and Marmaduke, what was Mama talking about when she said you'd have to figure out how to explain something to me?"
"Oh that," she said dismissively. "I had told Mama that I want to be more useful, now that I'm settling into life as Countess of Grantham. I want to work with charities, and she said there was one based in London that I could accompany her to visit next week. Marmaduke said that you might not like your wife being out in the world without you, and especially if Mama does not accompany me in the future. That's all it was." It was a complete and utter lie, one that practically made her sick to tell.
"I have no problem with you making good use of your talents, Cora," Robert assured her, patting the back of her hand with his free one.
"Thank you, Robert," she answered.
Oh if he only knew what her talents were and how she made good use of them. But of course, Robert knew nothing of the estate's true business or of Cora's true contributions. And he never would know. Mama had made everyone promise to keep Robert out of it, and so that was what Cora did. She hated to lie to her husband, but what else could she do?