prompts: letting them ramble when they need to let off steam & scalp massages when they have a headache

set in s3e3 after they visited Eryholme, that should become Downton Place

A/N: This is the second to last drabble for this series. Thanks for all your continuous support! I really enjoyed it! And as always, please review! It makes me very, very happy :)

The day had been long. Awfully long. Robert pulled his head between his shoulders when the nasty headache pounded stronger in his skull the moment his valet opened the screeching closet door for the umpteenth time.

"I think I'm fine. I can manage myself," Robert said in a bad attempt to hide his irritation.

"Very well, milord. I bid you a good night."

Robert dismissed him with a short nod, his lips pursed in strained pain. When he was alone in the room, he walked to the dresser, took the dressing gown his valet had been preparing, and threw it over his arm, not bothering with putting it on. He turned off the only source of light on the bedside table of his deserted and uncomfortable bed and opened the door to the adjoining room.

"There you are," her soft voice greeted him. Strangely, it was a sound – unlike any other – that didn't aggravate his headache further. He growled in response, unable to utter anything else. He walked straight to the bed and only looked up when he was a few steps from it.

Cora sat upright on her side of the bed. She looked tired, but not as tired as he felt. Her unruly curls were pulled into a braid but Robert could see how stubborn they were. The shadows under Cora's eyes were dark, but her smile was warm and faithful. In her hands, she held her pocket watch. Robert could only guess that she had been winding it to put it back into the drawer of her bedside table where it always rested.

"What a day, hm?" she added when her eyes travelled over his appearance. He noticed the hint of scrutiny in her unwavering smile. The lines on her forehead deepened for a second, and her eyes narrowed so briefly, he was only sure it happened because he knew her so well.

"Tell me about it." With a groan, he put down his dressing gown at the feet of the bed. They had been to Eryholme, or 'Downton Place' in the future. They had a picnic there, and everyone had tried to make it a joyous and light-hearted occasion as best as possible. Robert hadn't liked it. He hadn't been looking forward to the day, he hadn't enjoyed it, and he wasn't in a good mood now that the day had happened. It had brought the loss of the money painfully to everyone's attention and the forefront of Robert's mind again. The gravity of it all was as clear to him as ever.

He hated the whole ordeal that Cora called 'downsizing' in a bright tone as if it was something positive. Which it surely wasn't. It meant they were losing Downton, and this was clearly a disaster as big as anyone could imagine.

Robert got into bed not without wincing, and of course, that didn't slip Cora's attention.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Ugh, just an awfully nasty headache," Robert mumbled. He pressed his fingertips into his temples. "The ride home from Eryholme wore me out."

"My poor darling," Cora cooed. Robert heard her putting down the pocket watch and closing the drawer again before he felt her shuffling closer to him.

"I could ring for O'Brien to bring you some powder."

"No, it's alright. And anyway, I couldn't afford all the amounts of it I'd have to buy for the countless headaches that will come with all the troubles in the coming weeks and months and God forsake years. No, no. Better not get started on these powders."

"Now you're being silly." Her voice was very close by his side now.

"Hmph," he only grumbled in response. He closed his eyes, trying to hide from the pain. The bed shook slightly from Cora's moving around, and Robert was about to chide her for being so restless when she spoke again.

"Why don't you come here?" her voice was very soft and careful, and Robert opened one eye to look at her. She sat against the headboard and smiled down at him empathically. With her right hand, she patted the duvet on her lap. She was trying to take care of him, Robert realised.

"Rest your head here," she explained and straightened the covers on her lap again.

Robert only thought about it for a second. Her proposal was very alluring. He groaned as he lifted his head and upper body and moved to the middle of the bed to put down his head in Cora's lap. The muscles in his neck pulled painfully when he moved and he tried to suppress any further groans. He was no sniveler after all.

When his head lay down, Cora's fingers descended into his hair and began moving lightly over his scalp. Her fingertips pressed gently here and there, and involuntarily a sigh slipped from Robert's lips. It just felt so good.

"Is that right?" Cora inquired in a warm whisper.

Robert hummed his agreement.

After a moment of silent massaging, Cora said, "I know it's a lot at the moment. And I know how testing it is on you. It is not easy."

She was right. "Well, it's easy for you," Robert gave back. He tried his best to handle the situation right and honourably but it was hard, and watching Cora, he saw how easy it all was on her.

"It is not easy for me to see you having to part with the idea of Downton and living your whole life here. Don't think it's not hard for me to see you struggle," she answered. "I may be able to adapt but I'm still sharing your heartache, Robert. I am your wife and how can I be happy when you aren't? I wish it was easier for you but I know there is no way it could."

Robert felt a lump in his throat. He pressed his closed eyes more tightly together and exhaled forcefully through his nose. "You know I'd do everything for Downton. You know that." Cora's hands stopped moving for a second in his hair. Yes, she knew very well. "It is very hard to accept that there isn't anything I can do anymore," Robert breathed.

"Oh, darling," Cora whispered. One of her hands combed through his hair as the other brushed over his cheek.

Robert hated how he got so sentimental again. "These damn railroads," he muttered in annoyance to distract himself from the tug at his heart. "The railroad business is booming everywhere. You'd think they could make a simple company work on such an emerging branch of the economy. Every idiot would have made a ton of cash with a railroad company like this. Why do they have to blunder the one company I invested in?" he rambled.

"It's a shame," Cora agreed. Her hands patiently continued massaging his scalp.

"I still can't believe they messed it up completely," Robert grumbled. His head was already a bit lighter and he just kept rambling with closed eyes because talking all that aggravating nonsense off his chest was nearly as relieving as Cora's massage. "Sometimes I think it might be just a bad dream and the business is actually going as well as anticipated. I mean it would only be logical."

"Mhm," Cora hummed.

"Ugh, it's just bloody awful. Bloody, bloody awful."

"It is," she agreed.

They were silent for a moment and both concentrated on the movements of Cora's fingers in his hair. The two of them were bathed in the warm golden light of their bedside lamps and the glowing fireplace. Robert smelled the fresh cotton sheets and Cora's perfume on her wrists. It mixed with the subtle lotion she put on before bed. Robert slowly felt relaxation seeping into his body.

"Your hands feel very good," he mentioned into the silence.

Cora exhaled in a single chuckle. "I like to hear that," she said. "I always like to hear that."

Robert felt a hot coil build in his abdomen and a sudden heat rise onto his neck. Cora never let a double-entendre slip. She really never did.