"Papa, where were you?" Sybil said once she spotted her father.

"I..." Robert stopped his sentence. "What is it?" He said instead.

Sybil gave him a strange look. Why was her father's dress shirt missing buttons? "Dr. Clarkson is on his way, Mama is getting worse. She has trouble breathing, and I don't know what is wrong with her. You need to come, she is asking for you."

Quickly, Robert followed his daughter. The moment he stepped inside her bedroom, his heart got cold. It was a horrible sight, Cora was twisting in bed, fighting for every breath. He heard her wheezing and rasping every time she took a breath. He sat down on his side and took Cora's hand in his. With his other hand he brushed her cheek. "What can we do?" He looked up to Sybil.

"We will have to wait for Dr. Clarkson." She answered.

O'Brien changed the cloth on Cora's forehead. "This will cool you down Milady."

Robert looked at O'Brien, he had never liked her. But Cora liked her and she always said, O'Brien was fond of her. He wasn't so sure about that. But Cora was leaning on O'Brien a lot and as long as she was happy with her, it was alright. But there was something about that woman. But now she was taking care of Cora with such dedication.

"Robert?" Cora's voice sounded very soft, her eyes searching for Robert's.

He looked back down. "ssssst, do not talk. I am here, we will take care of you. Everything will be alright."

"I am sorry." she murmured and closed her eyes again.

This confused Robert, why was she saying sorry. Did she know what he did? No of course not, that was not possible. Maybe she said sorry for her behaviour over the last months? He lifted her hand and pressed his lips against the back of her hand.

The bedroom door opened, Mary and Edith entered with Dr. Clarkson behind them. Robert stood up from the bed and also O'Brien stepped back, giving the doctor some room.

Robert was wringing his hands, while Dr. Clarkson examined Cora. Can you help me turn her ladyship on her side? He looked at Robert. Robert looked at Sybil with pleading eyes. She was better in those things. Sybil understood his question and stepped closer.

"It looks like she has pneumonia, an infection in her lungs. I will describe an antibiotic. This should help with 2 or 3 days. Do not hesitate to call when her symptoms get worse. She should improve very quickly with the medication." Dr. Clarkson said when he was done with his examination. He looked at Sybil. "You know what signs to look for, right?"

Sybil nodded. She did not want to repeat them in front of her father. He would see them directly.

"I will let you out." Edith said.

"That is not necessary, I know the way." Dr. Clarkson answered. He touched his hat, nodded at Robert, and walked out.

"We should make a schedule so somebody is with Mama the whole night." Mary said.

"Girls, I am sleeping here tonight, so I will be here."

"Papa, that is not a very wise idea." Sybil said timid. "Pneumonia can be contagious and we do not want you to get sick too."

"I can sleep on the settee." Robert said. He did not want to leave Cora alone.

"I take the first shift. "Mary said. "Papa, you need your rest, and Mama needs somebody who is awake in the room."

"Milady, is it alright when I stay here? You all can go to bed." O'Brien said.

"I will relieve you in two hours," Mary said. "Sybil, if you take the one after that, so you can check how she is doing. Edith, you will relieve Sybil and Papa can come in the morning."

Robert still protested but let Edith guide him out of the room.

"Drink this, Mama." Cora heard Mary's voice, and she felt her upper body was lifted. This movement made that she started coughing. Her whole body jolted. And it took a while before it stopped. She grabbed the sheets, trying to lift her upper body more, in a desperate attempt to get more air in her lungs.

She was not getting enough air, she needed more air. Went through her mind. She felt Mary's hands on her back. It helped to get the mucus out of her lungs. Finally, she felt the cough slowing down, and she sunk back into her pillow.

Mary offered her a cup. "Mama, you need to drink. You will like this."

The only thing Cora wanted was to sleep, but she let Mary help her drink from the cup. She had to admit, the warm drink was nice in her throat.

She tried to lay back down, Mary helped her, and she gave her a faint smile before her eyes fell shut.

Robert woke up with an arm on his chest. For a second, he thought it was Cora. But the same moment he realised that wasn't possible. He jurked up and saw Jane next to him.

"What are you doing here?" He uttered.

"I thought you needed some comfort tonight." Jane answered.

"Get up, please get up. This can not be happening."

"But, I thought you wanted me. It is what you said multiple times over the last weeks. And the way your hands roamed over my body last night is enough proof, you want me."

"I made a mistake." Robert said, trying to put on his clothes. "A big mistake. I thought I needed you, but I need my wife. And she needs me, especially now."

"But." Jane got up and walked towards Robert, putting her hands on his chest. "All the secret kisses we shared? The words you said to me. You made me believe you wanted more."

Robert took Jane's hands in his and kissed her fingers. "Jane, this can not be. I am married, and I love my wife. I should not have seduced you. It is not fair to you or Cora. We can not do this."

"The day I started working here, I saw you and I knew there was something. The way you looked at me." She reached her hand to his cheek.

"No." Robert stepped back out of her reach. "No, this has to stop. This will stop here. We are not meant to be. Cora is the love of my life, and I need to go to her now."

There was a knock on the door, and before he could tell the person to stay outside, the door opened, and Bates stepped inside.

His eyes grew when he saw Jane in her nightwear in the room. "Do you... I have... Edith is asking for you. Do you want breakfast here, Milord?" He said while turning back around.

Robert looked at Jane and back at Bates. What now, what now!

"Can you bring some toast to her Ladyship's room? I will eat there." He said, trying to ignore the whole situation. Jane slipped out of the room. Onces the door was closed again. Robert said. "Please, forget what you just saw, never talk about this with anybody."