"Bye-bye, Granny."

Cora gently stroked Sybbie's cheek with her hand. "Bye-bye, my darling Sybbie, I'll be back soon. I promise."

Now it was Robert turn to say goodbye, and as he lifted her, she put her little arms around his neck. "Goodbye Donk!"

"Goodbye, Sybbie! Granny and Donk will be home very soon."

"Donk, where are you taking Granny?"

"It's a surprise! But, if you and your cousins will be good, we will bring you all some presents."

"Thank you Donk!" Sybbie said, giving Robert a big kiss on his cheek.

Cora was right; their grandchildren had him wrapped upon their little finger. He was already so proud of them.

"Milord, I'm afraid you should go now if you want to catch the train on time."

"Thank you, Barrow." Robert put Sybbie down and stepped inside the car where Cora was already waiting for him, a wide smile lighting up her face. As the car was moving faster and Downton Abbey was disappearing from their view, Cora took his hand in hers. "We are going to miss them, aren't we, Robert?"

"Hmm…only our grandchildren, though."

Cora nodded, and he could feel the air full of her laughter. It had been a while since they had laughed together that way.

"So. Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

Robert started chuckling. "You never give up, do you, my love?"

"Never"

Then after a brief pause she spoke again "Robert, I'm just curious. I know you want to surprise me, and you are really surprising me, every minute. But I've been asking you to tell me for the last three days. Please?"

She was pleading now. He could even see her giving him that wide-eyed look to convey more meaning to her request, fluttering her long eyelashes, but he was adamant.

"Not yet, darling. But you will understand it soon."

He looked at their entwined hands and thought about how nervous he had been in asking her to come away with him, of how he feared her reaction, dreading a denial from her. And now he found that even Cora was looking at their hands, and he felt it was like home: two hands that fit perfectly together.

"Robert, what are you thinking?"

He lifted his gaze, finding the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. "I was thinking that I've been holding your hand, and you have been holding mine, for 36 years."

"And is it a good or a bad thing?" she asked, her eyes never leaving his.

"It's more than good, Cora. It's my life, my entire life, in your hands."

"Really?"

"Yes, it is. And I am so happy that you have decided to spend your life with me."

"I'm happy too, Robert."

They stayed like this, holding hands and looking into each other's eyes, for untold minutes, relishing in each other's silent company.

After a long train ride spent with Robert reading to Cora and talking about anything and everything, they finally reached the harbour. It was particularly crowded and noisy, but Lord and Lady Grantham were so full of joy over their sudden trip that they had barely seen the crowd surrounding them.

"Cora, hurry up or we will miss our ferry to-" a sudden horn from one of the ships prevented Cora from hearing Robert's last word.

"What?"

She couldn't believe it! She had been waiting for three days- asking everyone, trying to corrupt even her own husband in every unspeakable way- and now that he had finally said the destination of their trip, she didn't hear it. And why didn't they bring someone with them, like Baxter or Bates, to deal with their luggage? No. Robert didn't want anyone except the two of them because, as he had said when she had asked him: "It's our holiday, and I want to spend all of my time with you. Just you and me with no external disturbances".

Sensing how important it seemed to him, she asked no further questions. After all, times were changing and, as they had already experienced, having a valet or a lady's maid was becoming one of the greatest luxuries at that time.

And so now a panting Robert was dragging all of their trunks and his darling wife in the direction of the docks.

This trip, and the reason behind it, remained a mystery; for her, anyway.

When they finally reached the deck of the ferry, they made their way to a more private spot to catch their breath, a soft, salty breeze caressing their hair. Robert was the first to speak.

"And so what do you think? Are you excited to go to..." he was nodding, gesturing with his hands and smiling in anticipation, waiting for her to finish his sentence, believing that she had heard what he had said before.

She put her hands on his chest while he was already encircling her waist with his hands and then, lifting her gaze she met his eyes, her cheeks suddenly turning light red.

"I couldn't hear what you were saying because of the horn," she said shyly.

"Ohh. Darling, we are going to Paris, " he said softly, looking straight into her eyes, and hoping she would like her surprise.

"Really? Are we really going to Paris?"

Tears of joy started falling from her eyes, a wide smile spreading across her face.

Yes, this time he had surprised her! Oh, what a wonderful feeling!

Robert, seeing his wife so happy, and feeling as he could burst, couldn't fight the urge anymore and lifted her from her waist and started spinning in circles, both of them laughing.

"Yes, my love, we are going to Paris!"