She waited for Cora to leave the house. She asked Sorcha to arrange a coffee date with Cora. Finally, she saw her coming out the gate, Rosamund waited a little longer and then walked towards the house. She hoped Robert would be home; she had not checked his schedule. But when she came closer to the house, she heard the sounds of the piano.

Not long after she rang the doorbell, the front door was opened. "Rosamund? I did not know you were coming. You just missed Cora, she went out for a coffee and lunch with Sorcha."

"That is alright. Can I come in?"

Robert gave her a confused look but stepped back. "Of course you can."

"I hope I do not disturb you."

"Oh no, you do not. I was distracting myself from the boring work that comes with new clients."

"Good. I heard an old client hired you again?"

"That is a long and boring story, but in short: yes."

Rosamund smiled. "I do not like boring stories, so we better let it rest."

"What can I do for you? How is Marmaduke and little Peter?"

"Peter is getting so big so fast. He is already nine months old; the time goes by so fast."

"It is crazy how fast the time goes by indeed." Robert walked towards the sitting room. "Do you want tea?"

"Yes please."

When Robert returned with two cups and some biscuits he sat down opposite of Rosamund. "Did Mama send you?"

Rosamund laughed. "I could pretend to be offended, but there is no sense in denying it. She has indeed asked me to talk to you. Mama told me that you and Cora are travelling to New York soon."

"That is correct, we want to tell Cora's mother in person the happy news and Cora wants to see her mother. The last months have been hard, and I think that she can use some motherly love."

This made Rosamund laugh. "I am afraid that Martha is not that type of mother."

Now Robert laughed too. "You are correct. Both our mothers seem to lack in that department."

"Mama told me that she asked Dr Clarkson about the options for Cora to travel to New York."

"What do you mean." Robert interrupted her. "Why would Dr Clarkson talk with Mama about Cora?"

"Calm down. Dr Clarkson did not tell her anything confidential. He just confirmed her suspicion, that flying is not very safe with a brain condition."

"I will talk with Dr Clarkson, just because we fund the hospital, that does not mean he can talk about Cora."

"Robert, he did not. He told her that with any brain condition flying is not recommended, he did not specify this for Cora. But it made Mama think and she told me that she and Papa have a private yacht, that could make the trip to New York."

"They have a private yacht?" Robert said surprised.

Rosamund laughed. "Mama has many secrets. We do not know half of who she is, I am afraid."

"I am not sure I want to know them." Robert said.

"Well, Mama feels bad about that weekend you and Cora were at Downton."

"She better be feeling bad. Because she gave us no slack. I mean, I was not expecting her to be excited about my ambitions with music, but she was outright cold and harsh. We had hoped it would be a happy weekend, and we left feeling down."

"Mama told me she tried to reach out to you, but you have rejected every attempt."

"Rosamund, are you telling me I am in the wrong?"

"I am not getting myself in between you and Mama. I have told her that too. But I do not want to see you and Mama fall out."

Robert sighed and stared at the empty cups. "You want more tea?"

"Maybe later. Would you take their offer?"

"You mean take their yacht to go to New York?"

"Of course, I do mean that."

"I have to discuss this with Cora."

"What do you have to discuss with me." Cora's voice sounded from the doorway.

Both Rosamund and Robert turned towards the doorway.

"Cora!" Robert exclaimed. "I thought you were having lunch with Sorcha?"

"We went to grab a coffee and then we walked back home. I am a bit tired and wanted to enjoy the afternoon in the garden, reading a book."

"What is wrong?"

"I am just pregnant." She now looked at Rosamund, "I did not know you would be here."

"I did not tell you or Robert." She paused and looked at Robert, should she tell Cora about the proposal or let Robert decide first? She had hoped Cora would stay away longer, but she had forgotten how tired she was herself during her pregnancy.

"Mama has called Rosamund about our trip to New York. She knows that you should not fly." He saw her face darken. "Dr Clarkson has not talked about you with her, but he told her that with any brain condition flying can be dangerous. She offered us their yacht."

Cora stayed silent. She could have known that Violet would talk with Dr Clarkson, she did trust him not to talk about her. But she was not sure she trusted Violet. "How long would it take us to go over water?

"I have done some research before, and it would take us up to seven days. That is not even that bad, I have not seen their yacht, so I do not know how luxurious it is, but I cannot imagine that mama would not have the best of the best. I am looking forward to a holiday with just you and me, a last holiday before we are with three." He waited for Cora's reaction, but she still did not say a word. "Please sit down, I will make us a cup of tea, or do you want a coffee?"

"One coffee a day it is for me, so I would like a cup of tea. I bought some without caffeine in it."

"I did see a new type of tea, but I was not sure what kind it was. Tea is coming ladies." He quickly walked towards the kitchen.

"How are you and your little one doing?" Rosamund asked.

With a deep sigh, Cora sat down. "I have a constant heartburn and feel dizzy when I stand up too quickly. I did not have the typical symptoms of the first trimester, but I am getting the symptoms of the second trimester in full force."

"It feels like yesterday that little Peter was growing inside me and now he is crawling around." Rosamund said soft.

"We need to schedule a cuddling session very soon; he is growing up so fast." Cora smiled, she looked up when Robert entered the room again, with the tea. "I think that we should take your mothers offer, darling."

"You do?" Robert said surprised, while he sat down next to her.

Cora took his hand in hers. "She is offering a peace offer, and I do not see why we should not accept it."

"I am very glad to hear that. I will call Mama later this afternoon and tell her."

"I will call her myself." Robert said. "I also have to arrange some things with Papa and John for the time period that we will be away. It will easily take a full month that we will not be here."

"You should make that trip very soon." Rosamund looked at Cora's small bump.

Cora's hands went to her stomach. "We had already planned to go soon, and your mother's offer will make that a lot easier. I do not like the fact that we have not told my mother anything yet. I am already five months pregnant, if we wait any longer, I will be giving birth while we announce the pregnancy."

"We could call her?" Robert said.

"That would be even worse, than we could have called the same weekend we told your parents. No, I still want to tell her in person. I want her to see me and see that I am doing well."

Robert brushed over her cheek and put a curl behind her ear. "She will see you glowing." He smiled at her. "You are such a strong woman." Slowly he bent forward and pressed a kiss on the tip of her nose.

Cora felt her cheeks blush. "It is not something I have an influence on, if my body had not reacted this well on the treatment, I would not be this strong."

"Cora, I think you are underestimating what influence you have on being ill yourself. You did everything you could to get better and feel better. If you had just pulled yourself back in the house and had laid in a darkroom, you would not be where you are today."

"Rosamund is correct, darling, you are strong. And I adore that."

Now Rosamund snorted. "You adore everything about her, my darling brother."

Robert looked at Cora and smiled. "What is not to like about Cora." His lips curled up and he kept his eyes locked with hers.