Is it over?
This is my first fanfic, so I am terrified of what you all think of it.
I intent to write more chapters, with lots of drama.
This story will later go AU.
English is not my native language.
- Chapter 1
2:13 p.m. +++ 14:13
Cora
"Thank you Baxter"
Baxter left her room with a nod and a smile. Cora sighted, she felt old, very old. She just had a nap, so she would have some energy to have tea with her lovely grandchildren. It felt weird; 5 years ago, when she was 47, she didn't need a nap or an early night, but now she couldn't even go through a whole day without a nap and if she didn't take her hour nap, she would be too tired for some pillow talk with Robert, which is her favourite part of the day.
The strange thing is that Robert didn't need a nap or an early night. No, he can stay awake much longer than she, so when she is in her bed, he would be making plans with Mary and Tom for Pip's Corner. He doesn't need her. Robert doesn't need her opinions or her ideas, it makes her sad because it was like he only needed her for her father's money and an heir, which she failed to give him. But it isn't fair to think like that; she knows he loves her, he made that very clear after the first time he told her that he loved her. However something has changed, he didn't touch her anymore and the last time they made love was on their 34th wedding anniversary, weeks ago.
Cora looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't look that old, did she? Sure, she has a few wrinkles, she paints her hair and her body wasn't as perfect as it used to be, but she was still pretty; her sapphire eyes still sparkled, her lips are still full and plump, even her greying hair is still curly and soft. She looks good she decided, she looks good for her age, maybe even desirable.
The door opens, and Robert steps into the room with a smile on his face. "You look very nice" She blushes. "Thank you darling. You look very handsome" He really does with his brown suit, his blue watery eyes and his grey curls. His smile widens as he walks to her and he puts his hand on her shoulder, an amiable touch, he looks at her reflection in the mirror. "Are you ready to go down?" She gets out of her chair. "Yes, I'm ready"
They're descending the stairs together. "I must remember to organise a car to meet Charles Blake and his friend. They'll be here at teatime" Robert looks annoyed. "Do people think we're some sort of hotel that never presents a bill?" Cora snorts. "You've already made that joke"
They walk into the library.
3:49 p.m. +++ 15:49
Bricker
Simon Bricker and Charles Blake are sitting in the backseat of the automobile, they are on their way to a place called Downton Abbey. Simon didn't know a thing about the place nor the family, he only knows that the Abbey has lots of beautiful paintings, including the one he wants to study for his book. The painting by Pierro Della Francesca.
"Tell me something about the family'' Blake's face snapped to Simon's. Blake sights. "Well, the Earl and Countess of Grantham have two grown daughters: Lady Mary and Lady Edith. They're all very nice. Lord Grantham is a good and honourable man, Lady Grantham is an American and she-" Simon was shocked. "An American Countess?" Charles smiled. "Yes, she is an American. The late Earl lost apparently a lot of money and the current Lady Grantham was a rich heiress with a huge dowry and long story short; she saved the estate by marrying Viscount Downton" Simon looked out the window and he saw that they were driving towards a majestic castle. "Interesting"
4:01 p.m. +++ 16:01
"Mr. Charles Blake and Mr. Simon Bricker" While he and Charles were getting announced by the butler with the baritone voice, he walked into the library only to be greeted by Lord and Lady Grantham and their daughters.
The beautiful Countess walked towards him and Blake. "I hope the journey was enjoyable enough" What an unusual accent. He takes her small hand in his own. "It was and thank you for sending out the car, Lady Grantham" She smiles and nods. The American women looked very pretty for her age, which he thinks is close to his own, she certainly looked better then most women of that age. He turns to her husband and they shake hands. The Earl looks fine, he might be a little bigger than the average men, but other than that he looks fine. He looked over to Charles who was talking to a younger brown-haired woman. The Earl turned to him "We'll have tea soon and the dressing gong rings at 7, we'll eat at 8" Simon gives him a curt nod and walks to Lady Grantham. "Thank you so much for having me here" "My pleasure. It would be so nice if our painting can be used for your study" Her sapphire eyes are sparkling and her lips are painted with a very enticing shade of red. "That would be absolutely lovely"
Tea is ready.
7:27 p.m. +++ 19:27
Robert
Bates is helping him with his cufflinks. Robert never mastered that, he always needed help from Bates or his wife. "Was that all, milord?" He nodded. "Yes, thank you Bates" Bates left his dressing room and closed the door. Robert looked at himself in the mirror. He'd noticed that Bricker looked a little more tanned than most Englishmen would. Not that it matters, he doesn't even know why he is thinking about man.
He walks through the dividing door, into Cora's bedroom. She is seated in front of her mirror and Baxter helps her with the finishing touches on her hair. His wife looked absolutely ravishing. Cora mumbles something to Baxter and her maid left the room. Cora looked at his reflection of the mirror. "What do you make of Edith's burst of generosity with the Drewe girl?" He looks at her reflection. "I don't begrudge it. In all probability her beloved Gregson is dead and she has to sit and watch her sisters' children play. She wants someone to love. It's as simple as that. Of course, the problem will come when she has a child of her own to distract her" She puts on her gloves. "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it" "And let's hope the Drewes don't get sick of her in the meantime" She rolls her eyes and walks to the door, while she passes him, he smelled her Jasmine perfume; delicious. They walked through the door and they started descending the stairs. On the staircase, their guest, art historian Mr. Bricker, in white tie, stands admiring the Reynolds painting that hangs above the landing. Robert and Cora arrive. The historian smiles at his wife, who smiles back at him, like a good hostess. "This is wonderfully kind of you, Lady Grantham" Her lovely smile widens. "You can see the painting now or after dinner or wait until tomorrow. It's entirely up to you" The man steps towards her. "I think I'd like a glimpse of it later this evening. Then I can take a proper look in the daylight when I have my wits about me" They start descending the stairs together. "You look as if you've spent the winter away from these shores" Bricker's eyes switched from Cora's to his. "I've been in Alexandria" Hmm, that explains it. "I don't envy you. I'm not very good at abroad"
9:17 p.m. +++ 21:17
Bricker
Dinner was- well… interesting, everything about Downton Abbey is interesting; especially its Mistress. Lady Grantham is wearing a blue velvet dress, which accentuates her blue eyes.
They're looking at the small painting of an angel; painted by Della Francesca. They were standing so close together that he could smell her perfume. "Do you have a clear record of how it came to be here?" "The second Earl was our collector. He bought it when he was quite a young man on his grand tour" Fascinating. "Which was when?" "1789. We've a letter from his mother. She's just heard about the fall of the Bastille and her son was on his way through France. She was so desperate to send him home, she sent it by special messenger" He chuckles. "Mothers" She laughs with him. "Some things never change" He looks at her intently. "Lots of things never change" She blushed and looked down, which gave him the possibility to look at her body without her noticing his roaming gaze. He couldn't see her whole form, because of her dress, but what he saw was very pleasing AND he was very fond of brunettes. She looked ad him again. "Tomorrow I can show you some other pictures he brought back, if you've time before you go" He smiles. "I have all the time in the world. I should enjoy it very much" He means it and if it wasn't for her husband who just barged into the room, he would've tried to kiss her. "There's coffee in the drawing room" "Thank you. We'll be right in" But she makes no move to join her husband. A few seconds later the Earl walks out of the room they follow.
Two minutes later he was in his room, making himself ready for bed, without a valet, he is a grown man, he doesn't need one. He is glad that he is alone; he needs some time to think. Think about Cora and his desire to have her. He had some mistresses of course, but none of them where or married; they were either a spinster or divorced, but never married. Although the Grantham's were married, they aren't married for love, Blake told him that and even he could see that there isn't any love between the two.
10:14 p.m. +++ 22:14
Cora
She is reading Little Women, it was her favourite novel since her father gave it to her for her 11th birthday and read it to her. She was so obsessed with that book that she named her firstborn Mary Josephine, after the main-character, Jo and-
Suddenly a grumpy Robert enters her room, interrupting her train of thoughts. "Poor Tom. He's nothing more than a ventriloquist dummy for that terrible woman's ideas to come spewing out of his mouth" She rolls her eyes at him, again. "Maybe she's given him confidence to say what he really thinks. Not to sit here in silence to a thousands things he disagrees with" He thew his dressing gown on the chair. "She'll steal him away from us. I can feel it. She's pulling him back to the other side" She closed her book and put it on her nightstand. "I hope not. But if he feels he has to go, that's what he must do" He got into the bed. "Well, he is not taking Sybbie" Oh he is such a donk. "Don't be silly" He settles on his side, facing her angrily. "I mean it. I am not having Sybil's only child snatched from everyone she loves to be brought up by some harpy in an American sewer" "If the time comes, then we will talk to Tom. And I suggest we try and be a little more calm about it" He lies on his back again, his gaze turned from her to the ceiling. "For heaven's sake! Can't I be angry when our eldest grandchild is about to be stolen from us for ever?" He looks at her again. "And tell your friend Bricker to stop flirting with Isis. There is nothing more ill-bred than trying to steal the affections of someone's else's dog!" Did he really just say that? Did her husband really compare her to a dog? "Very well. I'll tell him. To stop flirting"
They both switched of their lights and turned away from each other. Cora's eyes watered, she thought about the friendly art historian, sure they flirted a bit, but it was nothing serious and both Robert and Mr. Bricker knew that was part of being an hostess, right? "Goodnight, darling" She gets no answer. A tear rolls down her cheek, she tried to fall asleep while thinking about the first year of her marriage with Robert and how similar it all looked.
What changed?
Thank you and please review!