Cora's Fortune, part 6
Rating: M (but a soft one)
Pairing:
Summary: “24 years ago you married Cora, against my wishes, for her money.”
Disclaimer: Downton Abbey and its characters don’t belong to me. I make no money from this work of fiction. I only own the plot line.
Part 5
Cora’s Fortune
Chapter 6
When Cora woke up the next morning, it was once again raining outside. She was alone - of course - and a bit cold for the fire had burnt out during the night. She tugged on the bell. A few minutes later Elsie came in the room with the black dress.
“Good Morning, Lady Cora. Will you be going down for breakfast or should I bring you a tray here? I finished altering the dress and will be working on the other one today.”
“Thank you Elsie. I will have my breakfast here. I may have a few dress made so two altered dresses should be enough while they are being made.”
The maid nodded and left to fetch the breakfast. Cora remained in bed; she knew that she couldn’t spend the whole day in her room hiding from her husband and his mother. Furthermore, her own mother was leaving today and she hoped to at least go with her to the station. Then she would be all alone in that foreign country and hostile family. The cousins that had come for the wedding had left the day before or would with her mother along with aunts and uncles. And she would never see her father ever again. There, she had thought it. Her father was dead. Tears poured down her cheeks and she did nothing to hold them back: she had just lost her father; she was entitled to mourn him. A woman’s father was the only man that would truthfully love her after all. A husband was just that and a son would soon leave and forget his mother, but a father! A father would love his daughter no matter how far away she went, no matter how old she would become. And that man was now gone for her. Who would ever love her now? The maid came back and put the tray on her legs, without commenting on the tears and obvious despair. One’s lady’s maid had to be considered as one’s friend, for she was private to more than anyone else. She saw the woman at her worst, teary and musy-haired, at her best, dressed or naked, ready for bed or getting up. And yet, what did one know about her?
“Elsie, how is everything downstairs?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Cora?”
“How is everyone downstairs? Is everything back to normal after the wedding?”
“Yes, Lady Cora. We were hoping for more celebrations, but everything will turn out for the best, I’m sure.”
“I am glad.”
The maid nodded and left again. Cora, who had been crying throughout the whole exchange, was happy to see that she could still hold some control over her voice. There was a knock at the door. She took a deep breath and used her napkin to dry her dampened cheeks before calling to the person to come in. Lady Grantham, fully dressed already, stood in front of her bed.
“I saw my son leaving your room last night. He looked quite cross.”
Cora remained silent, waiting for the point that her mother-in-law would soon get to.
“It is your duty as his wife to attend to his needs and never to refuse his favor, no matter what your mood might be.”
“I did not refuse him. He changed his mind.”
She wanted to tell her off for minding someone else’ business, but she didn’t want to fight and felt that any attempt of justification would fail anyway.
“I will talk to him then. You have an heir to produce… that is your main purpose after all.”
Cora grinded her teeth, the blow was all the more hurtful as it was true. At least it would be her husband’s turn to deal with his mother and for that she was grateful and relieved.
“We will drive your mother to the station so we will be able to go to Ripon right after.”
The Countess left her as soon as her last word was uttered. The day passed in a blur. Saying goodbye to her mother was heartbreaking and ordering the dress was long and boring. She had paid no attention to the style her dresses would have - Lady Grantham had been the one making the requests all along the fitting - nor did she listen to the discussion during the meals. She had managed to prevent herself from crying during the whole day but it had cost her her every effort. She had excused herself early to hide in the sanctuary of her bedroom and cried her soul out as soon as Elsie had left. She was lying on her side, her back to the center of the bed when the door opened. She wiped the tears on her cheeks.
“I will be ready for you in a second, Robert.”
Her husband came onto the bed and cradled her body into his arms.
“I did not come for that, my dear. I wanted to check on you.”
“But your mother…”
“Blast my mother. What she does not know cannot do her harm. You are in no shape for caring for me tonight.”
Cora turned into his embrace and buried her head in the crook of her neck.
“I am sorry, Darling.” She whispered quietly.
“What did you say?” he asked, getting her face out of his neck so the sound would not be muffled anymore.
“I am sorry about the way I acted last night. I was rude and it was uncalled for.”
“Do not worry about it. It is over and forgiven.”
She nodded and buried her head back hiding her tears. He tightened his embrace around her keeping her body from shaking too much. After a while, he talked again.
“Would you like me to stay the night here with you?”
“I would enjoy that very much, but your mother would have our head.”
He released her - exposing her body to the cold - and rang. Some time later the head housemaid appeared in the room.
“You rang, Lady Cora?”
“It was me Elsie. Would you be kind enough to come back in the morning and wake me as soon as her Ladyship rings?”
“Of course, my Lord. Shall I bring you tea?”
“Please bring a cup for Lady Cora while her breakfast is being prepared. I will ring for Charles in my own room.”
He dismissed the maid and Cora willingly went back to her husband’s embrace, drinking in the comfort he was bringing her until she fell asleep, her head pillowed on his chest.
Part 7
Pairing:
Summary: “24 years ago you married Cora, against my wishes, for her money.”
Disclaimer: Downton Abbey and its characters don’t belong to me. I make no money from this work of fiction. I only own the plot line.
Part 5
Cora’s Fortune
Chapter 6
When Cora woke up the next morning, it was once again raining outside. She was alone - of course - and a bit cold for the fire had burnt out during the night. She tugged on the bell. A few minutes later Elsie came in the room with the black dress.
“Good Morning, Lady Cora. Will you be going down for breakfast or should I bring you a tray here? I finished altering the dress and will be working on the other one today.”
“Thank you Elsie. I will have my breakfast here. I may have a few dress made so two altered dresses should be enough while they are being made.”
The maid nodded and left to fetch the breakfast. Cora remained in bed; she knew that she couldn’t spend the whole day in her room hiding from her husband and his mother. Furthermore, her own mother was leaving today and she hoped to at least go with her to the station. Then she would be all alone in that foreign country and hostile family. The cousins that had come for the wedding had left the day before or would with her mother along with aunts and uncles. And she would never see her father ever again. There, she had thought it. Her father was dead. Tears poured down her cheeks and she did nothing to hold them back: she had just lost her father; she was entitled to mourn him. A woman’s father was the only man that would truthfully love her after all. A husband was just that and a son would soon leave and forget his mother, but a father! A father would love his daughter no matter how far away she went, no matter how old she would become. And that man was now gone for her. Who would ever love her now? The maid came back and put the tray on her legs, without commenting on the tears and obvious despair. One’s lady’s maid had to be considered as one’s friend, for she was private to more than anyone else. She saw the woman at her worst, teary and musy-haired, at her best, dressed or naked, ready for bed or getting up. And yet, what did one know about her?
“Elsie, how is everything downstairs?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Cora?”
“How is everyone downstairs? Is everything back to normal after the wedding?”
“Yes, Lady Cora. We were hoping for more celebrations, but everything will turn out for the best, I’m sure.”
“I am glad.”
The maid nodded and left again. Cora, who had been crying throughout the whole exchange, was happy to see that she could still hold some control over her voice. There was a knock at the door. She took a deep breath and used her napkin to dry her dampened cheeks before calling to the person to come in. Lady Grantham, fully dressed already, stood in front of her bed.
“I saw my son leaving your room last night. He looked quite cross.”
Cora remained silent, waiting for the point that her mother-in-law would soon get to.
“It is your duty as his wife to attend to his needs and never to refuse his favor, no matter what your mood might be.”
“I did not refuse him. He changed his mind.”
She wanted to tell her off for minding someone else’ business, but she didn’t want to fight and felt that any attempt of justification would fail anyway.
“I will talk to him then. You have an heir to produce… that is your main purpose after all.”
Cora grinded her teeth, the blow was all the more hurtful as it was true. At least it would be her husband’s turn to deal with his mother and for that she was grateful and relieved.
“We will drive your mother to the station so we will be able to go to Ripon right after.”
The Countess left her as soon as her last word was uttered. The day passed in a blur. Saying goodbye to her mother was heartbreaking and ordering the dress was long and boring. She had paid no attention to the style her dresses would have - Lady Grantham had been the one making the requests all along the fitting - nor did she listen to the discussion during the meals. She had managed to prevent herself from crying during the whole day but it had cost her her every effort. She had excused herself early to hide in the sanctuary of her bedroom and cried her soul out as soon as Elsie had left. She was lying on her side, her back to the center of the bed when the door opened. She wiped the tears on her cheeks.
“I will be ready for you in a second, Robert.”
Her husband came onto the bed and cradled her body into his arms.
“I did not come for that, my dear. I wanted to check on you.”
“But your mother…”
“Blast my mother. What she does not know cannot do her harm. You are in no shape for caring for me tonight.”
Cora turned into his embrace and buried her head in the crook of her neck.
“I am sorry, Darling.” She whispered quietly.
“What did you say?” he asked, getting her face out of his neck so the sound would not be muffled anymore.
“I am sorry about the way I acted last night. I was rude and it was uncalled for.”
“Do not worry about it. It is over and forgiven.”
She nodded and buried her head back hiding her tears. He tightened his embrace around her keeping her body from shaking too much. After a while, he talked again.
“Would you like me to stay the night here with you?”
“I would enjoy that very much, but your mother would have our head.”
He released her - exposing her body to the cold - and rang. Some time later the head housemaid appeared in the room.
“You rang, Lady Cora?”
“It was me Elsie. Would you be kind enough to come back in the morning and wake me as soon as her Ladyship rings?”
“Of course, my Lord. Shall I bring you tea?”
“Please bring a cup for Lady Cora while her breakfast is being prepared. I will ring for Charles in my own room.”
He dismissed the maid and Cora willingly went back to her husband’s embrace, drinking in the comfort he was bringing her until she fell asleep, her head pillowed on his chest.
Part 7