"Do you think it is right?"
Surprised, Robert turned his head to look at her standing there next to him at the railing. Just like he had been until she spoke, she was simply standing there, staring out into the open sea beneath.
He actually had to admit he enjoyed standing here this time around, shoulder to shoulder with her. He did not mind the cold November winds in the least. The sea was calm, much calmer than it had been the last time they had crossed almost a year ago. This time, there were no great waves throwing the ship this way and that; and he had not nearly been sick as much. Even though the correlation between the two was largely lost on him.
"What is?" he asked, confusion lacing his tone.
"Going alone for now. Shouldn't we have waited and taken this trip together with everyone?"
"No. They told us to go, and I think it is right. View it as a week or two to spend with this part of your family, alone, the part you do not usually see. It will be so busy once the young generation arrives that you will barely get the time and space to get a word in edgewise. Just imagine, all of us crammed into the west wing of your mother's house," Robert replied, turning to look back out as well.
The same thoughts had been running rampant inside his head before they left Downton a few days ago. Prior to their departure, there had been multiple discussions with Mary and Edith about whether he and Cora should really go ahead or, as he had preferred at the time, stay and wait until Mary had finished the contracts with new tenants for the following year. Bertie's important dinner at Brancaster a fortnight later, however, had been their daughters' trump card. In agreement with each other, Mary and Edith had both said they should not wait all that time when they could just as well go ahead and use the time better than sitting at home, waiting. And so Baxter and Bates had been sent to pack their suitcases at once.
Barely noticeably, Robert shook his head before he went on with determination in his voice. "It will be stressful enough. Your mother's house is beautiful and by no means a small house, but it can not compare to Downton and with the whole family following us, it might really get quite crowded. I say we should enjoy the rather quiet time with Martha, Harold, and Madeline until they all set foot on American soil. And until your brother's little one arrives, as well." He paused at that, his eyes following a bird flying in circles far above them. He remembered their journey a year earlier, how that trip had felt like the hardest they could ever embark on; how it felt so suffocating, so hopeless as they crossed the ocean. Their rushed mission of saying goodbye for what back then seemed to be the last time, the very last chance they would ever have to do so together. He remembered how treasured his memories from that time were, and all the ones that followed, even though they were not necessarily happy ones. His voice barely above a soothing murmur and yet with conviction so clearly evident in every uttered syllable, he added: "We should make the most of it, just like last time."
A pause. Then, a sigh. And then she turned around next to him, leaning her back against the railing and looking up at the sky behind him. It was not even 4 o´clock in the afternoon yet, but the first soft orange hues began to peak through the numerous dark clouds above, indicating the imminent setting of the sun on this cold November day.
"Alright, you are making a compelling case here. Still, I do think it is not quite right to go now and have them all follow later. We are a family."
Now it was on Robert to let out a small sigh. "Darling, this is what they wanted. And this journey is a lot more relaxing without all of them around. Do you remember the way to France last year? We did not even take Sybbie and George then, let alone Caroline or little Peter, and still, there was no truly quiet moment even when it was just us adults on that train," Robert whispered into her ear as he leaned in for a second to place a quick peck on her cheek. He saw the small smile on her lips in reaction to his relatively newfound affinity to show his affection this way and then stood straighter again, leaning on the railing once more with a smile of his own tugging on his lips. "I still think Harold has no idea what he is in for with all of us coming."
"You might be right," Cora chuckled. Momentarily, she turned her head to him, looking him over. The way he was still — quite ungentlemanly — leaning forward on the railing, his head cocked to the side so that he was able to look at her without facing her. His slightly crooked smile that caused the skin around his eyes to crinkle made her smile a little wider than before, now that her nerves had been calmed a bit.
"We should go inside, it is getting quite chilly and I do not want you to catch a cold. How about we ask for some tea and I read to you until it is time for dinner?" he asked then.
His eyebrows were raised in question as he looked up at her from underneath the brim of his hat. He watched her swallow hard; thinking of what to reply, no doubt. And he waited patiently until she very softly spoke, her words almost getting lost in the sound of the waves crashing against the ship's bow. "Could we stay just a bit longer, Robert? Just until the sun has set?"
"Of course," he replied, his words coming out equally as hushed. At last, he straightened up and, letting his eyes wander across the ship's deck, which to his surprise seemed entirely deserted apart from them, he turned around to lean on the railing just like she did.
Wordlessly, she took his hand in hers, interlacing their fingers and squeezing gently. And so they stood there, watching the hues of orange and red appear on the horizon, only to then fade away into deep blue within a matter of mere minutes. Still, without either of them saying a word, Cora guided him inside after the last light had disappeared, and the world outside was plunged into darkness.
Robert stood in front of the mirror, his brow furrowed in concentration as he fought with the cufflinks on his starched white shirt. Out of the blue and without looking up, he said: "Bates, I never asked-"
Behind him, Bates had been busy brushing over Robert's dinner jacket, but he stopped that to look up at his old friend, curiosity clearly evident. "Yes, milord?"
"I feel stupid for only thinking of this now because it is quite late, far too late to even think about making a change, actually. But with all of us going to America and you and Anna both coming, who will look after your little boy while we are all gone away?" Robert then asked, obviously still struggling with the cufflink on his right cuff and getting quite frustrated as far as John could tell from seeing only parts of his friend's reflection from behind.
He set the brush down and closed the gap between them, trying not to lose his footing on the swaying ship as another wave hit. "Wait, let me."
After Robert had turned around and offered him his arm, the cufflink dangling there not entirely willing to do its job, John removed the disobedient and frankly offending piece of engraved silver and set about fastening it correctly while Robert just kept looking at him curiously.
"Mrs Hughes offered to take him in once it was time for the rest of the family to follow in a fortnight," he said quietly, not even looking up.
"I am sensing a but?"
"Yes, well. Lady Mary posed the same question when this was all getting arranged, and she thought it was not right to separate both of us from Johnny for this extended period of time. Anna told me that Lady Mary then talked to Nanny and has allowed Johnny to come along to America, spending the days with Miss Caroline and Master Peter in the nursery. And we are so very grateful for that, milord."
Robert pursed his lips and nodded curtly in agreement, and, slightly ashamedly, he admitted: "That is indeed the best possible solution and I am sorry it took me this long to even ask." His cufflinks now both fastened securely — Robert had just checked by tugging on them ever so slightly out of habit — he turned back around to give himself a quick one-over as Bates helped him into his tailored waistcoat. Doing up the buttons slowly, he added: "And could you imagine Carson watching over a four-year-old boy? I can recall him having a soft spot for Lady Mary when she was this young, but still. I cannot imagine him being quite in his element around children, especially at his age."
Chuckling slightly, Bates held out his employer's dinner jacket as he stood behind him. "You would be surprised, my Lord. Mr Carson is surprisingly very good with children and they do seem to like him." After a quick pause, John decided to add: "I remember one particular evening a few years ago when I passed the baize doors and saw Mister Carson walking into the library with a rather content Miss Sybbie cooing on his arm. Mrs Hughes later told me that he had found her crying in her crib after Nanny had to attend Master George, I believe, and he kept her company until Nanny had returned. I do not think I ever saw him that relaxed, before or after."
Surprised, Robert's head shot up as he kept holding onto the last button of his waistcoat he had not yet done up. "Carson?" he asked with an incredulous face, his voice coming out uncharacteristically high-pitched at the minute.
"Yes, milord," Bates said, suppressing the laughter that was bubbling deep inside him. "That surprised me just as much as Master George's unlikely friendship with Mister Barrow back in the day."
Clearing his throat to regain at least some control, Robert turned around again and looked at Bates through the mirror. "Yes, I can imagine. Seeing Barrow offer piggyback rides around the house day in and day out was certainly a surprise to all of us."
Robert gave himself another quick look over in the mirror while Bates brushed down the jacket one last time, and then the Earl nodded his head approvingly and made to join his wife for dinner on the ship.