We meet Cora (50) and Robert (53) living at Downton in modern times. Cora and Robert are at a bumpy road in their relationship, then Robert slips up, will Cora ever find out? (Using the Spanish Flu episode as a reference)
Cora let out a deep sigh. She felt weird all day and now she was also lightheaded.
"Are you alright?" O'Brien asked, while zipping up the back of Cora's dress.
Cora gave her a smile. "I am alright, thank you. I am just a little warm."
"I can help you change your dress?"
"No, thank you, I will be fine." The thought of changing her dress made her even more tired. She smiled at O'Brien. She was very fond of her, Robert had insisted on getting a lady's maid, years back. Although Cora thought it was not something that was used in these days, she could not deny how easy her life was with one.
"Are you ready to go downstairs?" Robert turned around. "That is a nice dress." He said. He noticed Cora's cheeks were a bit red, she still got embarrassed when he made a comment about her appearance in front of their staff, he thought. Was this a sign, they were growing back together. There was something off between them, Cora had been busy with the new event business, she and Mary started. He felt left out and missed the attention Cora usually gave him.
Cora scraped her throat. "Can we not talk about Tom tonight during dinner?"
"You want that simple boy to come to our house and date our darling girl Sybil?"
Cora lowered herself on a chair, she felt dizzy. "Robert, you know you are being ridiculous. Tom is a nice boy, and we cannot control who Sybil is seeing."
"I am going downstairs; we will not discuss this any further. You are too easy in this. Sybil needs a good man, who can support her. How is she going to keep this lifestyle with a chauffeur?"
"Robert, I may look at it differently, because I am not raised in this British way of thinking. But is her happiness not more important, then having a rich husband?"
"I am going down." He closed the door behind him and left Cora alone in the bedroom. She got up from the chair and slowly walked towards the door. She was not sure, if it was smart to eat downstairs. She really felt unwell, but she knew Robert would be incredibly mad if she would stay in her room. They had guests and mama had come over. Suppressing a cough she got to the stairs, when she was halfway, she almost lost her balance, she could grab the banister, just in time.
Mrs. Hughes appeared next to her. "Milady, you should stay upstairs. I can bring you your dinner."
Cora forced a smile and turned her face towards Mrs. Hughes, she had been the housekeeper for many years now, and she had developed a special bond with her. "I will be alright, thank you."
"Mama?" Mary tried to get her mother's attention. "Mama?"
Sybil turned from the conversation with her father and grandmother. She looked at her mother, who did not look to well at all. "Mama." Sybil touched her arm. "Mary is asking you a question."
"I am sorry." She smiled at Sybil and turned towards Mary. "What is it dear."
"I asked if you already made seating arrangements for the event next week." Mary was a little bit anxious over this event. Matthew would come, and she hoped he would finally ask her out, or at least she that she liked him.
Cora shook her head. "I did not have time for that, can we look at it tomorrow?" She used her napkin to dap off the sweat on her forehead.
"Mama, I do not think, you should be down here, why are you not going to bed?" Sybil said with a worried tone.
"Cora, is there something wrong? Do you want me to call a doctor?" Robert asked, now also paying attention to what was happening.
Faking another smile, Cora shook her head. "I just need to lay down and get some sleep. I will feel better in the morning."
"I will sleep in the guest bedroom." Robert quickly said, glancing at Jane, who was serving tonight.
"That is alright. I will see you in the morning." Cora got up and walked out of the dining room.
"Papa, I think you need to check on her later this evening. Mama's breathing sounded different."
"Nurse Sybil knows best." Mary sneered.
"Maybe because she is a trained nurse." Edith joined the conversation. "Papa, I agree with Sybil, Mama has been acting weird all they."
"Girls, your mother is a grown woman, she can perfectly address it, if she needs something from me." The fact Cora did not argue with him when he said he would sleep in the guest bedroom worried him. Did she not need him anymore? He on the other hand needed physical attention. Cora was always so in tune with him and knew exactly when he needed something. He almost smiled thinking of the ways Cora pleased him. But it had been weeks since they had a proper evening together. Only very quick moments, but not what he really needed. He felt Jane's eyes staring at him and he glanced down. "Now, if everybody finished their dinner, we should go through."
Edith took Sybil's arm when they started to leave the dining room. "Can you check on Mama later?"
"Papa, already said, Mama is a grown woman." Mary interrupted, before Sybil could answer.
Sybil looked at Mary and then turned back to Edith. "I will indeed go and see how she is feeling before I go to bed. I don't think Papa will do that."
"I don't know what is wrong, but they act different don't you think?" Edith said.
"Oh, do not be ridiculous, Papa en Mama are married for ages, nothing is wrong. Mama is just busy with the business we started, and Papa needs to get used to that." Mary said. "Now can we go through, grandmama wanted to play bridge."