"Darling?" Robert opened the bedroom door on a crack and slipped in. He heard a soft moan from Cora's mouth. The room was silent and dark.
When they returned from Violet's house, Cora started complaining about a headache. It turned into a bad migraine.
Robert put Cora's teacup down, and replaced the wet towel on her head for a new cold one. Cora opened her eyes slightly and murmured a thank you. Robert sat down next to her and took her hand.
"We will find her. We will find our darling girl. Do you want something to eat?" He said very softly. He knew that his low voice, wasn't helpful when Cora had a migraine, so he tried to keep it soft.
"Can you please go looking for her?" Cora's voice was more a moan.
"It is a long time ago, you had a migraine attack this severely. Can I do something."
"Just leave me be. It will go away, for now I need only darkness and silence, and my girl back home."
"I will make you some dry toast and leave you alone."
Robert went down to make Cora something to eat. She needed food in her stomach he thought. When he got back up, he found Cora sitting up, sipping her tea. He offered her a plate with toast. Cora took a bite, but unfortunately her body rejected it, she vomited all over her bedding.
Robert helped Cora to the armchair next to the bed. They moved very slowly, every movement made Cora's had throb. He cleaned the sheets and put his hand out to help Cora back to bed.
"Just let me sit here. It is alright. I will move back as soon as my head allows it." She forced a smile on her lips. Robert bent down and softly kissed her. Cora wanted to turn her head away, but the throbbing in her head didn't allow that movement. Robert felt her rejection, he picked up a blanket and tugged Cora in. "I am downstairs if you need me."
"Kieran? Are you sure we are doing the right thing?" Charlotte asked.
"Your parents are never going to accept that we want to be together, this is the only way, we can be together. We will go to Wicklow in Ireland, I have family in that area."
"I need to tell my mother where we are going." Charlotte said with a small voice.
"No, you will not tell your mother, she will tell your father, and he will come and get you. Do you want to be happy?"
Charlotte nodded. "You are right, Papa will drag me back home."
"She is gone for five days now. Maybe we should talk to the police?" Rosamund said, when she entered Robert's office.
Violet turned around in her chair, Rosamund got spooked by her.
"Mama, I didn't know you were here."
"Where else would I be?" Violet said.
"Mama, is here because of Charlotte. We indeed need to call the police to find her. She and Kieran haven't been home since that evening Charlotte was home with us. Nobody knows where they went."
"I already called a friend of mine, he works in the police force and will help searching." Violet said.
"How is Cora holding up?" Rosamund asked.
"Her migraine is still not fully gone, she is up again, but she complains about her head constantly. I am a bit worried, but she is shutting me out. She doesn't want to talk to me."
"Go home! She needs you there. Mama and I will go the police."
Robert looked at the ground. "She doesn't need me." He breathed in sharply. "She doesn't want me around her."
Rosamund stepped closer and took Robert's hands in hers. "Don't give up. Cora will come back to you."
"I hope so." Robert said this very quietly.
"Mum? Should I make dinner tonight?" Mary stepped in the living room. The curtains were closed, and the lights dim.
Cora looked up from her magazine. She didn't read a word, she was only staring at the pages. "Thank you, yes please, but don't make a fuss. Something simple like a pasta is alright."
Mary kissed her mother on her cheek. "I will fix something. Don't worry too much Mum."
Cora snuffed. "That is easier said than done. I will help you in the kitchen, it will take my mind of things and that will also help with the headache."
They started dinner, when Sybil and Edith entered the kitchen. Both girls knew not to make too much sound. Edith stepped next to Cora. "What are we eating?"
"A simple pasta, nothing fancy." She gave Edith a smile.
Sybil stood behind Cora and rested her chin on Cora's shoulder. "I am happy to see you cooking again."
Cora put her hand on Sybil's head. "You are a darling."
Robert got home and saw his four girls in the kitchen. He had to swallow away his tears, thinking about the missing one, but he stepped inside, walked over to Cora and wanted to kiss her. She stepped back and put the plates on the table, she was holding.
That evening he got into bed late. Cora was already asleep he thought, but when he crawled under the duvet, he heard she was awake.
"Cora? Can we talk?"
"What do you want to talk about? How Charlotte is missing? How she didn't leave a note? How she doesn't want to contact us? Or how we didn't provide her a safe place? You name it!" Cora's voice sounded harsh.
"Darling….."
"Robert, stop this! You know very well why she left without saying anything!"
Robert took a deep breath. "You are blaming me?"
"You are damn right I am blaming you! You gave her no chance to discover her relationship with Kieran and now she is gone. My little girl is gone and I don't know where she is." Cora started sobbing.
Robert got closer and wanted to wrap his arm around her to comfort her. Cora jerked away.
"Don't touch me! Can you please sleep in the guest bedroom tonight?" She looked briefly at him. "No, wait, I will move to the guest bedroom." She got up, gathered her bedding and walked out of the bedroom. Leaving a stunned Robert behind.
