3. Giving In To Temptation

Cora looked at him carefully, the blush crawling up her neck already giving her away. She could see then that she'd made a terrible mistake. And deciding that too much of the truth had been uncovered, she didn't even try to deny what had happened.

"I did."

"With him?" Robert asked quietly, his voice sounded sick with distaste and anger and upset. The rage he'd shown but seconds ago had drawn back into his chest and bubbled within him, brewing a nasty potency of abhorrence and despair. He wanted to say all manner of things, his mind spiralled with conjured up images that made his heart ache with sorrow. But finally, as Cora watched him with the caution one would give an untethered bull, he settled without much thought on an insult. "You bitch."

That evening a fine feast had been set out for the family and their guests and after plenty of food, drink and lively conversation, the ladies left for the drawing room. Sybil, Cora, Mary and Lavinia had sat down to play cards while Edith filled Violet in on her interests with Captain Willows. The Dowager had made an appearance that evening, she'd gotten particularly bored and somewhat curious about how these gentlemen were affecting upon the eligible women of her family. Violet thought it absolutely her business to see to it things were being done properly so she'd sent up a note declaring her presence a matter of hours in advance.

When the men came through and card games dispersed, Robert made straight for Cora with a thin determination to be in her company, but Edith had already side-tracked her mama and went on discussing how utterly brave and delightful Captain Willows was and what she should say to him. Robert made an effort to chip-in on their conversation but felt the talk a bit too woman-orientated in way of topic.

"Isn't he splendid, papa?" Edith asked, beaming at her father who was staring off into space.

"Hm? Yes, seems a good chap... where's Cora gone?" He frowned, looking around and realising Edith had talked babble at him for ten minutes while Cora had slipped off to talk to someone else.

"Mama's talking to Mr Napier," Edith told him. "I think they get on rather well."

"Indeed, why is that?"

"Well she knew his mama, I suppose that's it?"

"Probably... Excuse me," Robert walked over to stand with Captain Willows and make a vague attempt at getting to know him better for Edith. But try as he might to focus on his own conversation, his thoughts were more distracted with what was happening elsewhere in the drawing room.

Across the room, Cora was ensuing a joke battle with Evelyn while Robert watched the interaction with a jaundiced eye. When, he wondered, did it get so hard to be interesting enough for her to want his company?

"If William Penn's aunts kept a pastry shop, what would be the price of their pies?" Evelyn asked. Cora shook her head, awaiting the answer. "The pie-rates of Penn's Aunts." Evelyn emitted a chuckle.

"That one was bad," Cora said in her reasoning tone.

"I liked that one!"

"My turn..." Cora thought for a moment. "Why does a chambermaid have more lives than a cat?"

"Hmm..."

"Because every morning she returns to dust," she told him, taking a sip from her wine glass.

"Ah, clever," he nodded. "Why is a dog like a tree? They both lose their bark when they're dead."

"On the topic of morbid dog jokes - why did the dog fall out of the tree?"

Evelyn looked confused, Cora started to giggle at the answer.

"It's going to be something obscure, isn't it?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow, already grinning as she strained not to laugh.

"Because it was dead!"

Evelyn's mouth dropped open. "How very... well yes, I was right - obscure."

"I'm sorry," Violet intercepted the conversation. "Cora dear, might I have a moment?" She gave her daughter-in-law an admonishing look, Cora's smile faltered.

"Why of course, mama. Mr Napier if you wouldn't mind excusing me."

"Of course," Evelyn nodded, taking a sip of his whisky and watching the two women take to an unoccupied sofa in the far corner of the room.

"What is it now?" Cora drawled.

"You needn't take such tone with me," Violet said, particularly irked. "I'm merely asking why you opt out of Robert's company tonight?"

"I haven't opted out of his company at all," she replied, sitting up with more interest. "Why do you ask?"

"He looks particularly put out that you would talk to the young gentleman-"

"Mr Napier."

"Mr Napier, rather than him," Violet looked at her with concern.

"I'm talking to all the guests, I thought it was part of being sociable."

"But you have been off with Robert all evening."

"I have not," Cora retaliated. "Mama, there is nothing wrong between Robert and I."

"Then go and talk to him... he looks terribly bored."

"I'm sure Robert can take care of himself." A reproaching stare from Violet and Cora got to her feet. "Fine. Excuse me please, while I go and obey by your unneccessary instruction."

"And Cora-" Violet called her back, she turned with a fed-up look. "You might do well to look happy in his company. We wouldn't want people to think you're having troubles..."

Cora huffed while Violet shook her head and watched her make for Robert and Edith's fellow. Other than occassionally throwing on an over-enthusiastic grin for the Dowager's benefit, Cora remained particularly bored and untalkative the rest of the evening. Now Robert had her at his side, he made little effort to involve her in the conversation, expecting her to instantly be a hit in way of talking about farms and business shares- or so that was how it felt to Cora. But once Violet and Isobel left the party Cora took her chance of escape.

"Well, I think I'll say goodnight," she said in a momentary lapse of talk between Robert and one of Evelyn's comrades.

"Are you sure? It's still quite early," Robert frowned, looking at the grandfather clock in the corner.

"I'm rather tired. Goodnight."

"Cora - can I talk to you a moment?" Robert went after her.

"Mm," she made for the door, turning around to listen to him.

"I thought... That is I rather hoped that we might-"

"If you wouldn't mind sleeping in your dressing room tonight - as, if I may remind you, you are supposed to - that would be a help."

"What's wrong with you tonight?" he hissed.

"I might ask you the same thing," she answered,

"I'd been trying to talk to you all evening and when you finally choose to join my conversation you're as unsociable as you can be!"

Cora didn't blush, but Robert did. The guests were watching the Earl and Countess with mild surprise for their public display of disagreement.

"Excuse us everyone, Lord Grantham has just had some unexpected news," Cora told the room before turning back to Robert. "I will discuss this with you in the morning," she said under her breath before leaving the room.

Robert watched after her in a state of annoyance. Mary came over.

"What on Earth was all that about?"

"Something's wrong with your mother. I'll send for the doctor in the morning..." he grumbled, swirling the inch of port left in his glass and downing it.

"Have you done something to upset her, papa?" Mary arched an eyebrow in slight amusement. "Because if you have, the public display won't have helped."

"Thank you very much for stating the obvious."

In the drawing room a matter of hours later, moonlight shone in through a gap in the long, heavy curtains of one window. Cora was leaning against the wall, arms wrapepd around herself while she looked up at the dark sky. Robert had done as he'd been told and slept in his dressing room. But Cora had been unable to sleep, heart racing wildly in her chest while the great question imprinted itsself in her every thought. Was he alone in that bed?

Deciding that she couldn't sleep in the next room while Robert did or did not dispense his pleasures with Jane, she had crept out of her bedroom, along the hall, down the stairs and found refuge in the drawing room. Having looked up at the stars quite long enough, she dried the quiet tears she had shed for the husband that slumbered upstairs.

Someone cleared their throat several feet behind her, making her jump. She spun around, hands clasped to her chest.

"I'm sorry if I startled you... it's just I left my pocket watch in here - I got into a discussion with Willows about them and... well it doesn't really matter..."

"I couldn't sleep," she said, not knowing why she was explaining herself. Her eyes wandered over his scruffy hair and stripey pjyamas. "Did you forget your dressing gown?"

"I couldn't find where my valet put it actually..." he frowned and then gave a shrug, going over to a table and picking up his watch by the chain, depositing it in the pocket of his pjyama trousers.

"Well... goodnight, Mr Napier."

"Err... Lady Grantham?" Cora halted a few paces from the window.

"I very much enjoyed our conversations today - and the card games."

"Well I did too," she said genuinly.

"Um, I... well, I just wanted to say I'm glad I don't appear to have upset things between us with my being inappropriate the other day."

"It wasn't that inappropriate... In fact I rather admire you for it."

Evelyn grinned, the dimples in his cheeks more evident and his eyes twinkling. Cora looked at him uncertainly, a sudden feeling of shyness making her look down at her feet. It wasn't often she felt low on nerve - her position usually gave her enough respect to stabilise her personal confidence, but it appeared that even she could have a moment of insecurity about herself.

"I hope I didn't disturb you before."

"No, like I said I was... I couldn't sleep," she said faintly.

"Right yes..."

Neither said anything else, Cora didn't realise how close he'd suddenly become until her hands were against his chest. His breath mingled with hers for a slight moment before he leant in and kissed her. She wanted to pull away, she really did. But she also didn't want to feel like she was in wanting of another man. She wanted to not enjoy the adrenalin-rushing, beautiful kiss she was sharing with someone who was not Robert. It was a nice kiss, far more emotional than she'd anticipated. If she'd anticipated it at all.

Even when his lips first grazed hers, she knew it was not romantic. It was mutual loneliness. Evelyn was a charming and kind young man, nothing was to say she wouldn't enjoy his affection and likewise he hers. Of course surprise was another thing to factor in, though Cora doubted he was embracing her the way he was specifically for her looks or personality - she was fully aware of her age and the fact Mr Napier was just... exploring boundaries. But she couldn't help feeling flattered anyway.

Evelyn broke away but lingered close. He was breathing deeply and she realised so was she. Her palms still lay on his torso, she stared at her wedding ring as it sparkled in the dim light. Taking a breath, she looked up and met his gaze.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I didn't mean to take advantage or-"

"Don't apologise..." she trailed off, her senses were responding to him now. His touch, his scent, the look in his eyes... it was so very different to what she was used to. Guilt and sadness flooded her as she accepted his lips again, too readily and too passionatly.

Her hands slipped up his neck. The wedding band cold against his nape, the diamond no longer shining in the shadows.

Cora knew he was heart-broken. He was entitled to his harsh insults and pain-fuelled bitterness, as she had been not that long ago. But knowing that didn't make the words hurt any less.

"Why him?" Robert demanded. "Why?"

"I suspect, like your maid, it was just because he was there."

"But I was there too... wasn't I?"

It hurt to see him so devastated... but she'd resolved to answer his questions honestly...

"After what I heard you say to her, it didn't matter where you were."

"I need to hit something... preferably his head."