Life is made up of a series of moments for every person. Particular seconds that humans instantly think of when asked the question, 'what did you do with your life?' A mother teaching her daughter to sew, a man labouring in the fields or over a desk; everyone has their moments and not one moment is the same. These are the moments that define us and as Robert sat down to breakfast with Rosamund, Mr Levinson and his father the day after his wedding, he couldn't help but think that his defining moment had occurred last night, in the arms of his wife. But he was wrong.

8 hours earlier.

Wow, I never knew my door had that stain before. What is it? Ah, yes, a blemish in the otherwise perfect wood, just a mistake, not a stain. Huh. Why am I here again? You're too chicken to knock, remember? I'm not chicken, I just don't know what to do in this situation do I knock or just walk straight in, and do I keep my dressing gown on? God, this is so much easier when it's not planned! Well talking to yourself is never a good sign ol' boy. Thank you for that astute observation. This is so awkward and she is obviously a virgin so only God knows how she's feeling. Just knock!

"Um, Cora? Are y - oh." Robert sucked in a sharp breath between his teeth before moving towards his wife. Her hair was down. That was it, she was standing in the middle of her room with a dressing gown on and her hair down. Even the girls he had been with before had kept their hair in a tight braid and frankly he had never thought about it before. But by Christ he'll be thinking of it now! It had never occurred to him how vulnerable and open a woman would look with their hair down even if said woman was still clothed.

"Robert, are you alright?" She looked slightly amused and he immediately trained his face into an unreadable mask. Harsh, but necessary.

"I'm fine. Will you sit with me? I'd like to talk to you about something."

"Oh, of course." She sat down on a settee while he chose a large armchair opposite her and tried to erase his voice of lust.

"You once told me that you wanted me to be able to talk to you about anything and everything, I just wanted you to know the same goes for you. I want you to talk to me about anything you want to even if you believe that it might be somewhat embarrassing. What happens in our bedroom will stay there and I want us to be able to talk about what goes on behind closed doors together. If the need arises I want us to be able to clear the air without any awkwardness." He finally looked up to see Cora's shocked face in response to his brash and risqué conversation topic.

"Oh, I. Well, yes, I agree, no awkwardness."

"Exactly. I Think you'll find as you get to know me that I am a lot more open about sex than an average Englishman. Personally, I've never understood why it is always such a forbidden topic even if everyone does it behind closed doors. I apologise if you find this shocking."

"No, no it's fine. I'd prefer that actually, I'm just surprised and well, in the spirit of being open; I've never done this before and I don't know much about..."

"Sex, Cora. Making love, the beast with two backs. You might as well say the word; we'll be doing it in a minute." His brow furrowed when she flinched noticeably at him saying they will be having sex. Robert couldn't understand why she would have a violent reaction to the thought of them being intimate finally. Didn't she want to? GOD knows I want to but what if she doesn't desire a physical relationship?

"I'm sorry if I'm being too familiar, I just thought -"

"No, it's not that, it's..."

"Yes?"

He watched silently as she heaved a great sign looked determinedly at the floor when answering in barely a whisper. "I've heard it hurts."

"Oh. OH... I see. Well, I will endeavor to make this as pleasurable a experience as possible for you. I don't want our coupling to be seen as a duty."

The young Lord leaned back into the plush fabric as he surveyed his new wife through narrowed eyes. "You're still nervous?"

"Well, that is generally the emotion one feels when one is going be in pain."

"Hmm." Her answer was snappy, almost as if she was lashing out, like they were... fighting. He extended his hand out to her while remaining seated himself, "come here." His voice was low and hypnotic to her, it made her feel strange in a way that she didn't entirely understand. Before she realised what exactly she was doing, Cora was standing before him with her left hand clasped in his. He pulled gently and she let out a squeak as she fell into his lap facing her vanity, away from the bed, and grabbed his shoulder for balance. His large right hand gained around her waist and she felt distinctly uncomfortable as his baby blue eyes seemingly pierced her own.

"Now then," he still spoke in that low sultry tone which tempted her to squirm upon his lap like a dog in heat. "I will never lie to you or sugar coat anything for you Cora, you have a right to know everything that I do. Which is why I don't want you to be embarrassed or shy away during this conversation, I want you to maintain eye contact at all times. "Do you understand?"

Did he even know what using that tone in a demanding voice did to her?

Probably.

Her throat was dry and shivers we're coursing through her legs from where his thumb was lightly rubbing on her waist. All she could do was nod in the affirmative. Cora knew in that moment that her husband was dangerous, he could ask her for anything and she would gladly oblige in every way possible. But somehow she knew, she just knew, that he would never be a danger to her. He would never ask her to do anything she didn't want to. He was a master manipulator but would never string her up to be his puppet, she just knew.

"Good. Now listen carefully; two things that I am absolutely positive about is: one, you are a virgin so yes it hurt the first time you and I are intimate but only the first, after that it will get easier and soon you won't feel any pain. Two, by the time we do get into bed pain will be the last thing on your mind. I PROMISE you that you will feel pleasure tonight Cora."

His eyes were looking at her so intently as he promised to cherish her, to keep her safe. Cora knew she loved him before then but why she did so became apparent as he cradled her and softly soothed her nerves. She bent down and kissed his lips lightly before pulling back again. "I'm sorry that I'm so nervous."

"Never apologise for something completely out of your control. In fact I have an idea that might help you to completely block out everything but pleasure. By taking away one of your senses, all other senses will be heightened and the pain will become a brief shadow of tension at the back of your mind." Robert but his lip, wondering if Cora caught on to what he was getting at. If she didn't want to do it then he wouldn't care but it was something he thought might take some pressure from her.

"I don't understand. How could you take away one of my senses?" Her husband smiled and cupped her face slowly, wondering briefly how innocent and naïve of the world his new wife was. He brought her lips to meet his gently, they were warm and soft and so cruelly addictive to him. Her breath held all the forbidden qualities of a fictional love potion, intoxicating him as he greedily drank from her lips. When her tongue reached tentatively into his mouth to reciprocate he reveled in the soft velvet that was now exploring his own, but before things became too heated he gently pulled back a hairs breadth. She was panting heavily blowing that sweet, sweet breath over his face before he leaned as close to her lips as possible without touching them.

"With a blindfold, of course."

It was obvious that she had forgotten her question throughout their kiss but the sudden realisation at what he was suggesting brought her back down to earth with a gasp; unconsciously making their lips meet again.

He wanted her to wear a blindfold? How did he even come up with such an idea? Cora wasn't sure if she really wanted to know the answer to that question and started to think logically about his request. She knew that Robert would never make her do anything she didn't want to do and if he thought that this would help her overcome her fear, than shouldn't she trust him? Her new husband was obviously experienced in this area so wouldn't he naturally know what would be better? While she was mulling over the pros and cons consciously she realised that Robert was still plucking methodically at her lips. Each gentle pull toward him invoked strange and new feelings deep within the young woman's stomach, she could not a name on the feeling but it felt like it was gradually building. The combined feeling of his wicked mouth and wandering hands on her side was doing nothing to quench the unknown feeling and as his thumb brushed the side of her breast, the feeling seemed to shoot straight down to in between her legs. He took her gasp as permission to carry on, fully grasping her soft breast in his large palm while kissing her fiercely. The feeling in Cora suddenly became unbearable, like a foreign pulse demanding her attention, and she clenched her thighs together in an effort to stop. The movement made a gust of air bring an even stranger smell to her nose and Robert abruptly broke the kiss, inhaling deeply. His eyes fluttered closed and she felt something hard and large poking her behind on his lap, when she squirmed in discomfort, it seemed to get even larger and her brow furrowed in confusion. She looked up to find Robert looking at her again with darker eyes than before.

"You are so beautiful to me, Cora, so pure." His voice was low and sultry again, he wasn't talking to her; he was purring at her which was not giving the feeling inside her any hope of going away anytime soon. His hand stayed gently grinding against her chest and suddenly, her decision didn't seem all that hard to make.

"Get the blindfold, Robert." She was alarmed to note that her voice had also dropped a few octaves but chalked it up to arousal and slid off of his lap to let him get up. His eyes were trained on her every move as he stood up from the armchair and disappeared into his dressing room, walking in uncomfortable manner. Her arousal seemed to go with him and she was back to being nervous again, but thankfully he wasn't gone for long.

"Turn around." His voice was husky but firm and it seemed like a command to Cora, but she would follow this man into hell if he used that voice when asking and she turned around obediently.

"Good girl." His voice was closer even though she didn't hear him move around the room. Soft, black fabric covered her eyes and in the next few seconds Robert was placing gentle kisses to the back of Cora's neck and shoulders. He swept her hair to one side, ghosting the tips of his fingers across her porcelain skin.

"Relax and breathe. I'm going to take off your night dress now." In Cora's next breath, her husband was after swiping his hands down her shoulders, bringing the white sleeves with him; only to bunch in a heap at her wrists. She tried to resist the temptation to cover her chest but took solace from the fact that Robert's solid form was still behind her and gently slipping her hands out of the bothersome fabric. He spread his palms over her stomach and hips while the nightgown floated to the floor with no sound, forgotten and as insignificant as the first drop of rain before a flood.

He suddenly gripped her waist and pulled her body flush back against his own and she was startled to realise that he wasn't wearing a shirt any longer. But all thoughts of clothing were chased from Cora's mind by Robert's tongue sweeping along the delicate skin of her throat and occasionally biting the skin behind her ear. Skin that she never thought twice about in her whole life that suddenly seemed to ignite a fiery path of pure light straight to her core. Every nip, lick and suck pulsed flames on that very path and all thoughts of nakedness, insecurity and embarrassment were replaced with Robert, just Robert.

The usually stoic young lord let out a groan when his wife's hand clutched the back of his neck and dragged his head closer to her heated skin. Robert's right hand quested up from her side to her left breast and cupped it firmly, while his left strayed down to the patch of soft curls between her thighs, never stopping his attentions to her neck. He smirked as she whimpered in reception to his wandering fingers that were teasing and tracing her skin that no-one had ever seen or touched before him.

'Relax and breathe' flew right out of the window the minute his fingers started to trace along her folds. Cora didn't understand why she was acting like she was but she couldn't shake the feeling that she needed something. She needed something deep within her so badly that it was starting to ache and somehow, she knew that only Robert could give it to her.

"Please."

The whisper escaped her lips without her consent; she didn't even know what she asking for. But that question was answered as soon as his finger slipped completely into her. If Cora thought that his kisses had created a path of flames, then his hands had created a full-blown inferno that was raging inside of her. Her mouth opened and closed mindlessly as her head lolled back onto his shoulder, a hard prodding behind her back became prominent and her toes clenched painfully but every feeling was blackness compared to the colorful fireworks sprouting from between her legs. The pressure built and built until the undeniable tension in her became an unsteady tower and promptly toppled to the ground as the heel of his palm pressed back onto her sensitive bundle of nerves.

Robert retracted his hands and enveloped her in his arms as she recovered from her climax, gasping and boneless. He scooped her into his arms with frightening ease and placed her on the lavish bed only to climb atop of her and attack her lips before she could properly get her bearings. She was so responsive and beautiful that he just seemed to have no grip on his self-control when he was around her and now it was too far out of his reach for him to care. Everything he saw, smelt and heard was, Cora. And he had absolutely no problem with that.

Tongues battled for dominance before dancing with grace and silently coaxing within the couples intertwined mouths. Robert slipped out of his pyjama bottoms without breaking skin contact and relished in the feeling of his wife's hands on his chest, before she roughly grabbed his back and pulled him down onto her, inadvertently pushing her slick sex against his own. He gasped at the feeling and tore his mouth away from her to stare at her face. Her cheeks were flushed and lips bruised while she gulped in air. The black blindfold was still on tight and held an erotic contrast to her sweaty, scarlet face. Her legs seemed to cage him within her thighs of their own accord and the silky smooth skin called to him like a siren.

"Are you ready?"

His was so low and raspy it sounded metallic but she appeared to like that and moaned impatiently in reply. Robert forced himself to slow down before guiding himself to her sleek entrance and thrusted gently into her. She gasped loudly and took hold of his broad shoulders while breathing deeply. She forgot all about the pain after he had kissed her neck but just got a surprising reminder. Even more surprising was the fact that the sharp pain was slowly ebbing away to a light throb.

"Cora?" She could feel his large hand hold the side of her face while his thumb trailed across her bottom lip carelessly. "I'm okay, just, go slow?" He quickly kissed her and rhythmically stroked the side of her face, "anything."

He slowly pulled out while still rubbing her cheekbone gently and occasionally bending to place chaste kisses on her lips and face, before pushing back into her at the same agonising speed. Robert hissed as her clenched around his length and pulsed with criminal passion. Eventually her hips started to rise and fall to meet him halfway, inviting him to go faster. An invitation which he did not hesitate to accept. He removed his hand from her face and placed it on the mattress for leverage while moving faster and harder inside of her, Cora meeting him thrust for thrust and finally wrapping her legs around his waist, forcing him to go deeper. Robert would never forget the first time his wife came to completion under him; the way her hands grabbed wildly, the way her throat muscles contracted as she arched into him, the way that her mouth open and closed taking in brief, quiet gasps of air before stilling completely and groaning in ecstasy. As her walls clenched and spasmed he pushed once more before letting go himself and coming with her name on his lips like a dying man's final prayer.

"Cora."

"We should get dressed." Cora sighed from her position on Robert's chest, never stopping in rubbing the fine black hair scattered there. He twirled a curl around his forefinger and hummed in agreement, neither of them making a move to get out of bed.

"Your mother's maid would have a heart attack to come in and find our clothing on the floor with a blind fold."

"Never liked her anyway so I say good riddance." Cora muffled her laugh and breathed in the scent of her lover's chest but a sudden thought broke her calm disposition and she tore away from him.

"But, don't you have to go anyway?" She pulled the crisp white up to cover her exposed chest and bit her lip. Robert opened his eyes and stared at her with a blank face before answering slowly, "do you wish me to go?"

"No."

"Then I won't." He closed his eyes again and lay back down with his arm thrown to one side, inviting her back to her position cuddling his side.

Cora narrowed her eyes and tentatively put her head on is shoulder, "but isn't that terribly improper?"

Robert sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before turning on his side and looking her in the eye. "Cora, there's something you need to understand. I want a real, serious relationship with you, not some ham-handed half excuse of marriage that crumbles every time the curtain is closed. If you want me to stay with you during the night, every night for the rest of this marriage then I don't care about whats proper and what isn't. The king himself could frown upon it and I wouldn't care, if I want to sleep with my wife, and I assure you I do, then I will."

"You really care about me, don't you?"

Robert realised then that this was one of those moments that could make or break a man. He could lie and cover up his rapidly growing feelings like every other man in England. He could return to his dressing room and not give a damn whether or not she wanted his presence. He could demand access to her bed without any thought to her own pleasure or safety. Or he could tell her truth. I won't be that cruel man. I am not my Patrick Crawley.

"I care about you a lot more than I probably should."

"Have you any plans for the day Robert?" Mr Levinson's question snapped Robert out of his musings about the night before and back to breakfast.

"Eh, no, Sir, not yet. I was going to ask Cora if she would like a tour of the grounds but unless the skies clear then that won't be possible."

"It might interest you to know that my little girl has a fascination with art. Perhaps a tour of Downton's paintings might score some points." Rosamund laughed at the man's wink and American phrase but the young Lord was deep in thought. Would she really like that?

Movement drew Robert's attention to the footman that was fixing his right-hand glove by the window. He made brief eye-contact with the newly wed before picking up a tray and walking out of the room.

"Thank you, Sir. I'll ask her right away." He didn't wait for a reply before standing up and following Carson under the guise of seeing his wife.

The walk to his dressing room but the need to not gain any suspicion out-weighed the need to talk; albeit only marginally. Carson was waiting for him in the middle of the room carrying a pair of shoes and standing stiffly.

"Was there something you needed Charles?" Robert asked ass he closed the door and locked it, seeing that Carson had already locked the connecting door to Cora's room.

Carson put the shoes on the floor before slightly smiling and grasping the younger man's hand in a friendly shake. "You're getting better at noticing the signal."

"Yes, as infuriatingly subtle as it is, I do feel I'm getting the hang of it. But there's something I need to tell you and I don't have much time, they'll be looking for you to do something soon."

"Could it not wait until Friday?"

"No, I needed to bring you up to speed with the situation concerning my father. I think Lord Rookwood is a player in this game, as well as someone else but I didn't catch his name. He's holding something over Papa, something big enough to blackmail him, but I don't know what. I did find out that that's why our money is all gone, he must have given Rookwood everything. I don't know what's going on or what to do next."

"We'll talk more on Friday but from what I understand; paying someone off leaves a paper trail more often than not. The one thing that your father is notoriously god at is record keeping. If he gave any swag at all to Rookwood then I'd bet my right arm that he noted the sum somewhere." Carson looked at Robert and waited for him to catch on.

"Wouldn't his desk in the library be a bad place to keep sensitive documents?"

"I know that and you know that, but does Lord Grantham now that? Think Robert, the only thing he has is Downton, he's not going to think that anyone withing thee walls would ant those papers. Hell, he doesn't even know that you know about them! Where else would they be?"

Robert sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll try to find something in his desk but I want you to keep you eyes and ears open."

"They always are, Lord Downton."

Robert shook his head and smiled at the title, "ha-ha, very funny. You'd better go but I'll see you on Friday and be prepared old man; I've been practicing."

Carson sneered as moved towards the door, "of course you have."

"Can you tell me where Lord Grantham is Evans?"

"Of course Lord Downton, he' in the parlour with Mr Levinson playing cards."

"Thank you, that is all." Robert waited until his butler's footsteps faded away ad ran over to his father's desk four feet away. Privacy was hard to come by at Downton so he would have to be first the search proved fruitless, until a small piece of paper fell off the desk and Robert bent to pick it up. It was a receipt for a club London. Fine; your man can stay in the club but only one night mind you and that's it!

His father's words echoed through his mind and he examined the paper more carefully. One night in the Grantham suite and four drinks at the bar, totaled up to twenty pounds for... Robert couldn't see a name anywhere but there were two letters at the end of the tiny slip. Initials. Finally, a lead, not as good as a name but still a lead. He placed the tiny slip back where it was and memorised the letters; 'S.B.'

A/N: Than you sooo much to everyone who reviewed/favourited/followed. And thanks to those people who read it but nothing else even though they anxiously waited for the second chapter. Oh, well, even so, you go Glen Coco! I'm so sorry this took so long to update but I broke my laptop and only got a new one yesterday so I've been writing all weekend. I tried to make it up to ye by writing a long chapter with lots of smut! Please review if you like it! (Can you guess who SB is?) Oh, and one last thing... HAPPY DOWNTON DAY! XXXXXXXXX