5. It Could Happen To Any One Of Us

"Well tell me what you want to do then, Robert. You're not the only one who can't stand the way things are between us. What do you want to do?"

Evelyn Napier was an athlete in the bedroom. That or Cora had forgotten what it was to make love with a younger man. He was yet to fully dress himself, his shirt was unbuttoned, his braces hanging down around his legs with his trousers part done-up. He had stopped dressing himself to assist her with the ties on her undergarments.

"How does she tie it?"

"A sort of double loop thing."

"Hopefully that'll do... it seems secure enough," he said, letting go of the cords and tucking them out of sight for her.

"Thank you."

He smiled and went about buttoning up his shirt and finding his shoes. Cora tried to readjust her hair but to no avail, she would have to send for O'Brien.

"I hope you won't mind my saying..." Evelyn caught her attention, he was tucking his shirt in. "I know our... what we've done wasn't on the grounds of romance or anything of the sort. I don't expect anything else. But I do have a certain... um..."

"Mr Napier, please don't say something you'll regret."

"No, it's rather I'd regret not saying it, I think... I do have certain affections for you, Lady Grantham. I admire you a great deal. So I wouldn't want what's happened to over-complicate anything or occupy you with guilt when you deserve not to be burdened with it."

"I'm afraid there's not much you could say to stop me feeling guilt."

"But I hope you won't feel it because I was the one who partnered you in... it."

"Oh... I understand."

There was a timid knock on the door which startled both of them.

"Milady, am I alright to open the door? Lady Grantham's here to see you, she insists it's quite important," it was Anna.

"Hide," Cora mouthed. Evelyn hurriedly gathered up his things and made for the bathroom.

"One moment," Cora called out. She found a dressing gown and threw it on. "Alright."

Anna opened the door and the Dowager strutted in.

"Why on Earth are you undressed? Where's O'Brien?"

"I was... I got myself undressed, I was having a nap."

"With the curtains open?" Violet gave her a queer look, Cora shrugged. The Dowager made for a chair, dismissing Anna as she went.

"Now, I've talked to Robert-"

"Forgive me, mama, but would you mind if I got some clothes on first?"

"Yes, I would mind. This is important, I don't care if you're not properly dressed."

Cora warily ran a hand over her face and sat down opposite her on the chaise.

"Robert's told me about the maid."

"Has he?" Cora said tiredly, without much care for the answer.

"He has. I will admit I was surprised. I mean - a maid. A clear cry for help."

"Yes, thank you, mama, I don't need reminding of my mistakes. I know where I went wrong, thank you..." Violet said nothing, only observed her in mild surprise. "You know I think this time..." Cora said, staring off into space. "This time I think there's no going back to how we were."

"Oh my dear... I sympathise," Violet's eyes saddened a little. "At least it wasn't a proper ordeal... no affaire de coeur by any means," she chuckled slightly.

"Hm..."

"He never loved her," the Dowager said to enforce her point, her seriousness returning.

"Are you taking his word on that?"

"No," Cora received a stern look. "Now ignore Robert for just a moment, I want to talk about you... Now, during the past years I don't think you could have done anything more for Downton and the war effort than you have. I'll admit, it's not often I feel proud of you, Cora. When I saw Downton transformed I was horrified. But you kept your rule over this house, I was proud and admiring of you for that, you behaved as a Countess should. Robert, in time, will thank you for that when he realises he focussed far too dearly on the wrong things..."

"Even so, I could have-"

"What's done is done. Don't grieve over what you did or did not do. As far as this maid goes, Robert's had you by his side far too long to not have you there. It's just as I've always said - every marriage is a fresh tide - plenty of ups and downs and often reigning in close to home only to end up far out on the shore again. Cora your marriage was made to last. People like us are constant as the tide - we know how to enforce routine and we are always moving in the same motions... Now stop crying or I'll revoke what I said about being proud of you."

"Thank you, mama," Cora reached for a handkerchief from the drawer in her vanity while Violet got to her feet also.

"I've told him if he's any sense to give the maid her departure date - not too quickly so as not to rouse suspicion but quickly enough... Luncheon will be ready soon, I'll send O'Brien up."

With that Cora was left alone in her bedroom. But quickly she remembered she was not enitrely alone... she had someone occupying her bathroom. Going to the door, she knocked and then opened it. Evelyn had dressed completely but his hair was still stuck up in a messy fashion.

"My turn to leave," he said with a slight smile, moving into the bedroom. "I suppose we'd better not keep one another's company until I leave."

"Probably for the best... Though I'll be at the train station with Edith - I promised I'd go with her to see you all off. I rather think that friend of yours is keen on her again."

"He'll be determined to win back a game of chess and level the playing field..."

Evelyn followed Cora to the door and waited while she looked out onto the corridor.

"Thank you for being so understanding with all of this," Cora said, taking his offered hand in way of goodbye.

"Think none of it," he smiled, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "Goodbye, Lady Grantham."

Robert didn't have an answer for her. He wasn't entirely sure he'd understood her question. But her tone suggested his reply would give the ultimatum.

"Do you think you can forgive me?" she spelt it out for him simply.

"I don't know," he replied frankly.

Cora got up from her seat but stayed with a distance between them.

"Do you... Do you want a divorce?"

"By God, no!" Robert replied with more force than he'd meant to. The question had taken him by surprise.

"I know love wasn't part of the deal when we married," she took a moment to collect herself, looking him in the eye before going on. "But I don't think I can keep being your wife if we don't love each other now."