Chapter 8 - Great Expectations

June 1890

Robert snuggled down deeper into the comfort of the bed, lingering in the space between asleep and awake, absorbing the warmth of the body he held in his arms. He and Cora had developed many new habits lately, the best of all sharing her bed every night. Only an army or the fire of Cora's anger could get him back into his dressing room bed now. Robert pouted when he felt her shift and get off of the bed.

"Come back…." Robert whined, his eyes still closed and his breath evening out into a snore as he slipped further back into sleep again.

Cora hurried to the bathroom and had just enough time to close the door behind her before sickness overtook her. She tried to soften the sounds of her retching as to not alert Robert but realized that had been futile when the bathroom door creaked open and he rushed to her side. He took over the task of holding her hair as the spasms subsided. Cora remained seated on the cold floor, breathing deeply, her eyes closed and avoiding Robert's probing ones. Once she was sure her stomach was settled, Cora looked at Robert and gripped his arms. He helped her up carefully and guided her back to their room, helping her get back into bed. The concerned crease in his forehead deepened further and she knew she must look a fright.

"Shall I call for Dr. Brown?" Robert asked.

Cora nodded before laying back into the bed. She had a suspicion of what may be wrong and the knowledge both excited and scared her. After a few days of feeling utterly wretched, it was time to have the doctor weigh in.

Robert knocked softly on the door and waited for Cora's response before he entered. He had been bouncing around nervously in the library since the doctor arrived. She was where he had left her what seemed like hours before, a hand laying lazily over her stomach, her eyes focused somewhere out the window. She turned to him at the sound of his footsteps, her expression unreadable. Robert had allowed himself to hope at the implications of her symptoms, not entertaining the thought that she could be really ill, but he had expected her to look happier if his hopes had been correct. Now he felt the first tingles of anxiety that he had been wrong.

Approaching her, Robert sat on the bed carefully and took her hand. "Is everything alright?"

A soft smile spread over her lips and Robert let out the breath he was holding. "We are going to be parents, Robert."

Although he had suspected, to hear her say it, to think that he would be someone's father and she their mother made him more elated, nervous and wonderstruck than he had ever been. A bubble of uncontainable emotion erupted in the form of laughter as he embraced her, suddenly feeling like he held the most fragile thing in the world in his arms. Cora held onto him and he vowed to protect them both.

September 1890

"I would like to make a toast if I may." Richard Crawley stood and cleared his throat. 'To my son, Robert and daughter, Cora. Congratulations on your first anniversary!"

The guests around the table let out a cheer and raised their glasses to the couple, allowed to sit side by side for once in the large dining room. Cora took a small sip of champagne and squeezed the hand Robert had placed over her own under the table. She could hardly believe a year had passed. If she had been able to stand at the end of the aisle that day and look down through the future to this, and see how happy she would become, she would have enjoyed their wedding a thousand times more than she did. A year ago she worried that her life as she had known it was ending; never had she anticipated that it would be reborn into something better.

Robert stole glances at Cora throughout the meal, impatient to get her alone and show her a real celebration. He had thought her stunning a year ago, but today she glowed. Her contentment with their life, and the carrying of their child turned her into a vision of loveliness he could have never imagined. Robert had always thought himself as a serious, reserved sort but Cora turned him into a bewitched, lovesick fool. He was very ready to admit he would do anything for her.

"Happy Anniversary, darling," Cora whispered in his ear as he carefully led her around the dance floor. Tonight propriety could be damned. Robert was determined to take every one of Cora's dances.

"Are you happy?" Robert asked.

Cora's eyes sparkled and her grin took up most of her face. "To the extreme!"

"Thank you." Robert replied.

Cora furrowed her brow. "For what?"

"For giving me chance after chance. For sticking it through when I was a dense mule." Robert brought their joined hands up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Cora laughed softly, resting her head on Robert's shoulder for a moment before lifting it back up, knowing her mother in law would only indulge the breaking of the rules for so long before giving them a scolding.

"Robert Crawley, you were worth the wait."

"She shouldn't be dancing so much." Violet huffed, watching her son and daughter in law from across the room.

"Oh Violet, let them have their fun. They've earned it." Richard presented a glass of champagne to his wife. While her face remained stern, he knew it was just a show. The young American had slowly needled her way into their lives and had won their affections over the past year.

"Richard, I'm only thinking of her and the child. I don't mean to sound a spoil sport." Violet said around the rim of her glass.

"Who would have thought the two terror-stricken children we threw together in a gaudy church in New York would be dancing together today like they were the only two people in the room."

"They did have quite the deer in the headlights looks when they came down that aisle! Thank goodness it worked out in the end."

Richard smiled at his wife. "I would say it's just the beginning for them. But yes, thank goodness."