This becomes slightly M-rated, but not a lot. Also, bear in mind, when Robert and Cora married, they were in the Victorian-era. Views on sex were different and very close-minded. The memory will seem a little out-of-character, but it was a different era. Thank you so much for the reviews!

Aftermath

Chapter 21

Cora smiled down at her sleeping husband. They had been in Switzerland for a week. They talked, slept, made love, and ate. Pretty much in that order. It honestly felt more like a honeymoon.

Of course, Cora's first honeymoon had not been as relaxed. She was a new wife who didn't quite understand anything that happened within her marriage bed. At the time, Robert had been young and immature. He wasn't very patient in explaining what he expected of his young wife, other than needing an heir. As Cora watched her much more mature and patient husband sleeping, she remembered their wedding night; nearly forty years before.

Cora's maid, Elizabeth walked in with a very sheer white nightgown and put it on the chair by the fireplace. She began braiding Cora's hair loosely and smiled down at her. Elizabeth's husband had died during the Civil War, and Cora loved her dearly.

"Are you ready for tonight, Miss Cora?" Elizabeth asked. She hadn't learned all the titles yet and would be going back to America in a few short months once Cora was settled.

"What is so different about tonight?" Cora asked.

"You are a married lady now, Miss. Your husband…he will do certain things. I am certain this is not his first time doing those certain things." Elizabeth answered as she tied the ribbon at the end of Cora's braid.

"What certain things?" Cora asked as she rubbed lotion on her hands. She looked at Elizabeth in the reflection in the mirror and noticed the blush.

"Did your mother not explain this to you?" Elizabeth asked.

"What? She told me I was to marry Lord Downton, and my dowry would save the Abbey, and I would be expected to provide him with an heir. In exchange, I would be given a title that I don't understand." Cora said. Elizabeth knelt next to Cora and rubbed her knee.

"She didn't explain how exactly you would provide him that heir?" Elizabeth asked.

"No." Cora answered, and Elizabeth shook her head in frustration.

"Miss Cora, your husband will come in here in a few moments and he'll put his…uh…his male parts inside your female parts. It will hurt. He could get quite…rough. This must be done for you to have a baby. Maybe even several times. Sometimes it doesn't happen the first time. In time, it will feel better and your body will stretch to agree with his. You will become more accustomed to how rough he might be, and he might become gentler with you, especially if he loves you. Have you heard of…sex?" Elizabeth asked. She was blushing and Cora was mortified.

"I…no. I read something about it in a book, but I thought it was just fiction." Cora answered.

"Oh, dear. I hope your husband will be considerate. I hear him in his dressing room, so we best get you ready. Here is the gown your mother told me to put on you tonight." Elizabeth said as she stood up. She picked the nightgown up and Cora looked at her in complete horror.

"I can see through that! He'll be able to see my…" Cora started and began crying.

"Yes, miss and he might even take it off you, if he desires to. Miss, just…allow him. It is his right now. You can never complain about this. I will be in later when you ring for me with warm water bottles to sooth…the pain. You might bleed a bit too. I hope he is considerate, but he has had a lot to drink, so I would say, he won't tonight, and I am sorry for that. It might be better later, but tonight, it will not be." Elizabeth said as she took Cora's dress, corset and underthings off and put the nightgown on its place.

"No underthings? No drawers?" Cora asked.

"No, Miss. You do not want to frustrate your husband with too many ribbons and such. It isn't so bad." Elizabeth answered as she guided Cora to the bed.

"Its see-through. He'll be able to see…everything." Cora said.

"It is for his pleasure, Miss Cora. You cannot deny him anything." Elizabeth answered before a knock sounded on the dressing room door and Robert shuffled in. With him, came the scent of brandy and scotch.

"Are you done?" Robert asked and Elizabeth curtsied before rushing out of the room. She looked at Cora and gave her a reassuring look before closing the door. "Quite nice. You'll do." Robert said as he pushed Cora down on the bed. He pulled the bedding back and threw a pillow down in the middle of the bed before he pushed Cora into a laying position. Her head was on the pillow and he bent her legs.

"Please…be gentle. I've never done this before." Cora said.

"I am aware of that and glad for it. Just imagine something else as I do this." Robert said as he trailed his hand up her thigh. The next half hour was probably the most embarrassing and agonizing for Cora, but eventually Robert rolled off her and passed out next to her. His hand was still on her bare breast and she was in pain, but she could see how it might become more enjoyable. Robert hadn't been horrible to her, even at times a little gentle and Cora actually liked watching him sleep, even if it was in a drunken stupor.

Cora was thankful her maid's hope had been fulfilled. Robert did become gentler and their time in the marriage bed was something Cora enjoyed. It become a key part of her marriage, and once Robert fell in love with Cora, it become even better. Robert began rousing and Cora gave him a kiss before he completely woke up.

"How long have you been awake?" Robert asked.

"Not too long. I just didn't want to wake you. You were sleeping so soundly, and I've enjoyed watching it." Cora admitted.

"So boring though. You could have woken me." Robert said as he sat up.

"I actually was remembering our wedding night." Cora said as she also got out of bed and put a robe over her naked body. It made her smile because of the humiliation of a very sheer nightgown on her wedding night. It had been embarrassing then, but now it was a not uncommon for Robert to see her naked.

"I wish I could say I remember more about that night. I was quite…" Robert started.

"Drunk!" Cora teased.

"Papa had lectured me for over an hour that I needed to provide an heir and the entire time, I was drinking scotch. It was a wonder that I was even able to…perform that night." Robert said with a laugh.

"I didn't know the difference, but I think you did. Although, you gave much better performances later. So, what will we do today? I would really like to walk down to the village. I'd like to pick a gift out for Edith and Bertie." Cora stated.

"That sounds nice. Maybe a matching pair of watches?" Robert said.

"Yes. I think they would like that better. I will go fix some breakfast while you get ready and then we'll swap." Cora said as she gave Robert a kiss.

"Or we can spend the day in bed?" Robert said and Cora gave him a playful smack on the arm.

"I allowed you to convince me of that yesterday. We can't keep doing that. At our ages?" Cora teased.

"It is so nice, though." Robert said.

"Given, but we are grandparents. I think once we get home to Downton, it would only serve to embarrass the servants and what would Mary say?" Cora asked as Robert trapped her by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well, the only servants that would have to know would be Baxter and Bates. I don't think they would say much. And Mary can mind her own business. If she won't, I will get us a little cottage to move into." Robert said.

"As enticing as all this sounds, we do need breakfast and we do need to go to the village today." Cora said with a laugh. She gave Robert another kiss and walked into the kitchen area, leaving him to get ready for the day.