Ragtime in America- Part Three
Robert hated sea travel. It always made him sick. He leaned over the wash basin and dry heaved, cursing his brother-in-law. He had hurried away from Cora when he felt the ship rocking, knowing that it would make him sick.
Cora knocked on the door. "Robert, let me in. I need to talk to you. I want to help you," she begged.
Robert pulled himself away from the basin and moved to the door, pulling it open and letting his wife inside.
Immediately, Cora put her arms around him. "My darling, what is the matter? Seasick? Oh, you never did well with ships at all," she murmmered. "But anyways, I was thinking that perhaps we could also get my mother to watch Baxter and Barrow interact with one another. She can usually tell if something is wrong between two people. What do you think?"
Robert shrugged lightly. Cora nodded. "I understand, you're in no fit state to have a proper conversation. You're sick, and I know you've not slept properly since we were on still ground. Things will be so much easier when we land in New York. I can't bear seeing you like this, it hurts my heart my love."
Robert smiled lightly at his wife, glad that they were in love the way that they were. Travel was always difficult for him, but Cora never seemed to mind at all; she stood by him through everything, like she had vowed to do. Like he had forgotten for a brief moment during the war that he still regretted to this day. He did fine with trains and cars, but anything bigger or on water, and he was a wreck.
Cora considered it a very good thing that he had been an army man and not a navy man. She knew she would have lost him, most likely due to sickness. She left the room to go exploring the ship which she hadn't seen very much of.
Very few of their friends were on board, which meant that there could be a fair number of enemies. He family seemed to be collecting some these days. How or why it was happening, she didn't know, though she didn't feel like bumping into any of them on the boat.
After walking around for about an hour, Cora had become familiar with the first class decks. There was little point in going to see those for the second and third class passengers, as their decks were not quite as spectacular to see.
She returned to the cabin she was sharing with her husband to change for tea, pleased to find Baxter waiting there for her, ready to redress her for tea.
It was rare that Cora would change into tea gowns these days, things were changing, but she did find them comfortable, and she would be having tea with several other ladies from first class, and she needed to look her best.
Robert wouldn't be joining them however, as he was still feeling seasick. Cora only wished that there was something that could be done.
"Baxter," she said, "have you heard about anything that can help with seasickness that will make a person function?"
Baxter laughed slightly and shook her head. "No, I haven't. Is it for his Lordship?"
Cora nodded. "Well, it's fine if you haven't. He'll be fine."
"Mr Molesley was saying that he would have loved to come, but he gets sick easily," Baxter said, "seasickness is normal. I felt a little bit off last night when I was trying to sleep."
"First nights are always the hardest," Cora said, "Was it your first night sleeping on board a ship?"
Baxter nodded as she finished dressing Cora. "I should be fine tonight. After a while I found the rocking to be rather soothing."
"I've been on many journies across the Atlantic, so I'd say that I'm rather used to it. His Lordship hates change, so not sleeping on still ground makes him upset and ill."
Cora left for her tea, returning later rather upset about the fact that the other ladies had decided to mock her sick and absent husband. She didn't want to go to dinner that night, knowing that they would all be there with their husbands, only to mock her and Robert further.
Reluctantly, she left for dinner after Baxter dressed her once again. She couldn't wait to be in New York, and moreso, couldn't wait to be home again, where Robert wouldn't be ill. She hated it when he was sick, even though this was only nausea and he was otherwise perfectly healthy.
Dinner was just as bad as tea, if not worse, just as Cora knew it would be. Robert had a tray in the cabin, not wanting to be seen looking as sick as he was. They went to bed, and Cora had difficulty sleeping due to Robert's ailing. He wasn't deliberately making it difficult for her, she always had difficulty sleeping when he was unwell.
Four days later, they landed in New York, and Cora was sure she hadn't ever seen Robert so happy to see America in his entire life. He was all smiles and waves, and it brought a smile to her face.
Her mother's chauffeur, Hopkins, picked them up at the port and loaded their luggage quickly before driving them to the Levinson home.
Upon arrival, Cora beamed to see her mother and brother standing in front of the house, waiting to greet them.
Once Hopkins opened the door for her and Robert, she stepped out and went to embrace them both.
"Harold, you really should visit England sometime, it wasn't so bad the last time, was it?" she asked as she hugged her brother.
"It was a long time ago, and I drank a lot. I don't really remember," he said.
Robert shook hands with his brother-in-law, who thanked him; and his mother-in-law, who did the same.
He couldn't be happier to be on solid ground. He didn't care where he was, but now that they were in America, perhaps he and Cora could have some fun.