I got this prompt send to me to draft a short story around it.
The three girls admire Cora's beauty.
Sybil: *Takes Cora's hands and says, * "Mommy, you look like a princess."
Edith: "Oh yes, Mum, your hair and your, your... your face is so perfect. Will we ever be as perfect?"
Mary: "Oh, you two! Sybil, Mum is like a princess
-she is an actual countess. And you, Edith, my hair is just like Mum's, Sybil has her eyes, and you... I guess you weren't as lucky."
Cora looked at herself in the mirror, her lady's maid had just left to clean up her nightgown. She would go down soon herself and greet the family. Robert had left early; she only knew because he kissed her awake. She loved these moments even though she would have loved being asleep for a bit longer. He had a short meeting, and she had taken her time to get ready. She leaned forward again and fixed an escaped curl. The door opened and she heard little steps coming into the room. She loved it when her girls escaped their nanny in the morning. According to the steps this was Sybil.
"Hello, my darling." She said smiling, while turning around on her chair. Her youngest walked towards her. She was ten and growing up into an exceptionally beautiful young girl. Her dark hair was shining, she loved how at that age they could still wear their hair down, Nanny had put pink bows in her hair she noticed.
Sybil stepped closer and kissed her mother on her cheek. She took her hands and looked up at her.
Cora felt insecure, what was she seeing? Was there something on her face? The door got pushed open even further and Edith and Mary also walked in. Cora smiled at them.
"Mommy, you look like a princess," Sybil said, still studying her face.
"Thank you darling." It was flattering when your daughter said those things, she must have overheard Robert. He had been repeating those same words recently quite a lot.
"Oh yes, Mum, your hair and your, your... your face is so perfect. Will we ever be as perfect?" Edith chimed in while stepping next to her little sister.
"Good morning sweetheart." Cora smiled at Edith; Sybil was still holding her hands. She saw Mary standing behind them, she was turning into a real handful. With her fourteen years, she was becoming a little lady that knew what she wanted.
"Oh, you two!" Mary said annoyed. "Sybil, Mum is not like a princess -she's an actual countess. And you, Edith." She looked in disdain at her sister "My hair is just like Mum's, Sybil has her eyes, and you... I guess you weren't as lucky."
"Mary!" Cora gasped, she pulled her hand out of Sybil's and brushed over Edith's cheek. "Do not mind your sister. I think she has stepped out of the bed with the wrong foot." Mary had never liked Edith. Quite regularly she discussed Mary's behaviour with Robert, but they did not know what to do about it. And clearly, Nanny had neither. "The three of you are equally beautiful." She glanced at Mary, who kept her distance. She brushed over Sybil's hand. "And you all three are already princesses, you are my princesses. She pulled on Sybil's hand and pulled her close. Sybil took the opportunity and climbed on her lap. Cora wrapped her arm around her waist and cuddled her, she saw Edith looking at her sister with jealousy in her eyes. She stretched her arm towards Edith and urged her to come close too. She wrapped her arm around her and snuggled her too. "These morning cuddles are the best."
"Do I hear cuddle time?" Robert's voice sounded.
Cora looked up and almost pushed Sybil and Edith of her lap. But she realised that Robert would not mind. She angled her face so he could kiss her cheek. His hand lingered on her back, and she knew Robert had a rough meeting. He always came looking for physical contact with her. "Girls, it is time for you to go back to Nanny, she must be looking for you." She nudged Sybil off her lap and got up. She gently pushed Edith towards the door. Mary looked back at them, Cora had put her hand in Robert's and softly squeezed his hand.
"Mum and dad need alone time." She sneered and made sure she got out of the room quickly.
"That girl." Robert growled.
Cora squeezed his hand and turned towards him. She rested one hand against his cheek. "Was it a difficult meeting?" She asked carefully.
"I do not want to talk about it." He said shortly.
"That is alright." She wrapped her arms around him and briefly pressed him against her chest. "Let's go down, your Mama will be angry at me I am afraid."
"We could stay up here today. Let's ignore the world."
"If only that was an option."
"You had the girls in your room against protocol, we can do the same and brake protocol. I can fake being unwell."
Cora pressed her hand against his forehead. "You do feel a bit warm. Let me manage things downstairs for this morning, I will make sure to be back here before luncheon."