A couple of weeks had passed, and they were waiting for a court date. The lawyers were convinced the case was a strong one. Even though Simon did not rape Cora, sexual assault was highly punished. Especially in this case, all the signs were there that if Molesley, Baxter and Patrick had not intervened he would have gun further. Now it had stopped at touching her private part. Cora was annoyed by how much the incident affected her. ‘There were two layers of fabric between his hand and me. He did not really touch me.’ She had said multiple times to Robert after she had another nightmare or got spooked when he touched her. ‘It is time to stop being angry at how this is affecting you, sweetheart.’ Had Robert’s response been last night. And he was right, it did not help her any further. And she had said that she did not want to waste time on Simon and here she was still wasting her time by being affected by him. Cora was anxiously waiting for that court date; it would help with the closer. She shrugged her shoulders and walked inside the pub where Baxter was waiting for her.
“Hi, I have ordered us a glass of wine already.” Baxter greeted her.
“That sounds lovely, thank you.” Cora sat down with a smile. “Rosamund will be here soon too.”
“Good.” Baxter smiled back. “Do you have a vision of what you want?”
Cora shook her head. “I am not sure. There are so many options.”
“Girls, you are already here, and I thought I was early.” Rosamund exclaimed when she sat down at the table.
Cora looked at her watch. “We are right on time?” She gave Rosamund a surprised look. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh? Really? Hmm, oké never mind. Ah wine.” Rosamund said when three glasses were put down on the table. “Let us toast on a successful dress hunt.”
Cora and Baxter lifted their glasses. Cora looked at Rosamund’s face, it looked like she had been crying, but she was not one hundred percent sure about that. Was it too early for Rosamund to go dress shopping? Although Rosamund had suggested it herself to go today. She had said it would be a nice distraction from the lawsuit for all of them and it was high time if she wanted to have something on her body when the wedding day was finally there. But had she only thought about Cora’s happiness instead of her own? She was chaotic, but that was not that weird for Rosamund. It was that chaos brain of her that she liked so much. Rosamund was organised and structured, but also knew how to make fun and enjoy life to the fullest.
“Cora!” Cora shook up from Rosamund voice. “We are going to have a fun day and find you something stunning to wear. Stop the brooding and enjoy your wine.”
“Do you want a dress or something like that jumpsuit you wore to Rosamund’s and Marmaduke’s wedding day?” Baxter asked, quickly covering her face with her hands, when she realised what she had asked.
“Do not worry, Phyllis. I can call you Phyllis, can I? I only have good memories from that day and the days I got to spend with my wonderful Marmaduke. He lives on inside my heart, but live goes on.”
Cora was not sure if she was putting up an act, or that she truly was feeling this way. But it was not important for now. Rosamund was in good spirits, and they were going to find a beautiful dress. “I hope to find a dress, I loved the jumpsuit at Rosamund’s wedding, but I know that Robert would love to see me in a dress.”
“But what if you do not want to wear a dress?” Rosamund said.
“Oh, but I do.” Cora got a foolish smile on her face. “I am going to marry in a castle, so I need to look like a real princess.”
“You know that Downton is not really a castle. It is called Downton Abbey, not Downton Castle.”
“The building classifies as a castle.” Phyllis added.
“See.” Cora winked at Rosamund. “And even if it did not be classified as a castle, I want to be a princess, because I have found a real prince.” Cora blushed.
+++
“Welcome Miss Levinson, Mrs. Painswick and Miss Baxter. Delighted to have you here.” Phillipa welcomed them. Cora managed to get an appointment with the best wedding dress designer in London, Phillipa Lepley’s. “You have already told me a little bit about your wishes, but can you please tell them again. Then we will try on some corsets to see what fits you best and will start designing your dream dress. But first, can I offer you a glass of champagne?”
One of her assistant went to get the champagne, when they nodded in agreement.
“I have some fabrics pulled out already. You said you wanted a white dress with a yellow undertone. I think I have a perfect idea for it. And if I may say so, you have a perfect figure for a beautiful princes dress.”
Cora felt her cheeks colour. She never looked at herself as having a perfect figure. She did not have much rounding’s. She was very slender, with small breast and did not see herself as a beautiful woman. But Robert told her every day she was, he loved playing with her breast, he said they were a perfect size.
Very quickly after, Cora was standing in her underwear trying on different type of skirts and corsets. It took a couple of hours, but then she was put on a torso with a sweetheart neckline, and she knew this was the shape she wanted, the skirt would be a bell form with a half long train. The skirt would be moulded over her body with four layers of tulle overlays and two layers of tulle over the bodice. In the front it would follow the sweetheart neckline and it would transcend into a low V at the back. The overlay would be gathered around her waist, creating a flattering centre point where all eyes would be drawn too. The top layer of the tulle would be decorated with embroidered flowers.
Cora looked at the first sketch that Phillipa made, and she got tears in her eyes. Baxter stood next to her, “This is the one. It makes you cry, so I think it is settled. This is your dress.”
Cora looked up. “It is, thank you for helping me choose.” She looked at Phillipa. “Thank you for booking me in and designing my dress.” She looked around. “Where is Rosamund?”
“I am here, just a second.” She yelled from the other side of the store. Cora had seen her go to the back, she thought she needed to use the toilet.
The shop assistant came back, and Rosamund followed behind her. She had a smile on her face, that Cora could not place. “Rosamund? Are you alright?”
“Why would I not be. I just have seen your perfect dress being created and I now also have found the perfect gift to give you.”
“A gift? Why would you need to give me a gift?”
“I maybe do not have too, but I want too. You are my favourite sister-in-law.”
Cora laughed. “I am your only sister-in-law.”
Rosamund chuckled. “Well, you will be seen in this beautiful dress during your wedding day, but you will be alone with Robert on your honeymoon, and he deserves something that is only for his eyes.”
Cora started to blush, where was Rosamund going with this?
“I know you will be wearing beautiful lingerie, but there is something much better, that Robert will like a lot more.” She was holding up a beautiful chemise made from satin and lace. Cora’s upper body would be exposed due to the lace trim on the cups and across the waist of the chemise. Rosamund also had an open front peignoir in the same satin and lace in her hands, Cora could wear that over the chemise.
“Rosamund.” Cora exclaimed ashamed.
“It is not something you would expect to get form me, but I see how you two look at each other, and this would be perfect on you. You have a beautiful body, and you deserve to shine for Robert.”
“Thank you. Thank you, so much dear Rosamund. I am grateful that you will be my sister-in-law and I cannot wait for Robert to unwrap this.”
“Do you also need bridesmaid dresses?” Phillipa asked.
Cora looked at Rosamund and Baxter. “I have not really thought about it.” She paused. “Girls, do you want to be my bridesmaids?”
“YES.” They both exclaimed directly.
“But.” Cora started. “I am not sure it needs to be dresses.” Cora thought about Rosamund’s wedding and that she had not been wearing a dress. “What do you say about suits?” She could see the excitement in the eyes of both Rosamund and Phyllis, and she knew this was a good decision. I will leave the colour up to you two and will ask you to keep it a surprise for me.
“We can do that.” Phyllis answered.
“Miss Levinson, if you want, I can design those suits for the ladies?” Phillipa joined.
“That would be amazing.” Cora said enthusiastically.
“We will say goodbye then, we see you tomorrow in the office.” Rosamund almost pushed Cora out of the shop.
“Alright, alright. I am leaving.” Cora laughed and said another thank you to Phillipa before she left.
+++
“Did you find a dress?” Robert asked, when Cora came home. She had not expected to see Robert home already, but for the first time in weeks, she did not feel anxious.
“I did.” Cora blushed. “It will be incredibly special; you have never seen anything like that before and the colour! This dress will pop.” Cora enjoyed the look on Robert’s face. She loved teasing him and now she knew he was going to try and picture something in his head. She wondered what colour he was seeing in his mind. Swaying with her hips, she walked closer, Robert was sitting in one of the big chairs in front of the sliding doors. Once she stood in front of him, she quickly sat down on his lap with her legs wide over his. Her hands sliding over his chest, she bent forward and licked his earlobe. “But you will especially like what extra thing I bought, but that is something you will need to wait for even longer, than our wedding day.
Robert had instantly moved his hands to Cora’s hips, and he was pleasantly surprised that she did not winch. Since the incident this was the first time Cora initiated them being intimate and he needed all his strength to contain himself and not rush her.
“I missed you.” Cora whispered in his ear.
Robert now moved his hand over her bum, and he felt Cora react by moving her hips. She scurried forward and pressed her core into his groin. “Oh Cora.” he breathed. Slowly he brought his hands up over her sides until he reached her shoulders.
“I want to feel you.” Cora murmured while kissing his neck and jaw.
Robert got up with Cora in his arms, she wrapped her legs around him, meanwhile not stopping her kisses on his skin. He walked with her to the bedroom and laid her down. When he was leaning over her, he started unbuttoning her blouse and went on to pull her pants down. Soon she was lying under him in her underwear.
“Now it is my time to see more of you.” Cora said with a hot voice. Her hands tried to get his shirt of his body, but she wanted to go to fast and did not manage to unbutton one button. Robert laughed and helped her.
“You are so handsome.” She breathed when she looked at his wide chest. Her fingers stroking his skin and softly twirling his chest hair.
“My beautiful princess.” He said just before he crashed his lips on hers. In the head of the moment his hand went down over her belly towards her already warm and wet core. His fingers raked through her hairs, her skin got goosebumps and it made him freeze. Was he going too far, was Cora ready for this?
Cora pushed her hips up and moaned. When he did not continue with his caresses she groaned. “Do not stop.”
Hesitating he kissed her delicious looking lips. “Are you sure.”
She took his hand and pushed it further down, he felt how wet she was, and his lust took over. He forgot about all his worries; he did not think about how Cora would feel if she would be scared. He only knew he needed to feel her insides and slipped his fingers in. Cora arched her back and that made his arousal even bigger. He took his fingers out of her and brought his hand up to his mouth, while locking eyes with her he licked his finger. He saw on Cora’s face that she was bursting from desire, if he had not been this deprived of feeling her body over the last weeks he had teased her longer, but he could not wait and pushed inside her. With strong movements he thrusted, the sounds Cora made, were enough for him to go faster and faster. It did not take long before he reached his high and slumped down on her panting chest. “How I missed you, my darling. But this was magical, you are magical sweetheart. You do not understand what you do to me.”
Cora circled with the tip of her fingers over his back. “You are my sorcerer, that will always bring magic.”
“Did I give you magic? Or was it just me?” He suddenly felt guilty for finishing this fast, he had not waited for Cora to reach her high. Did she even reach her high? He did not know. He was only in his own feelings and thoughts. He felt his skin burn against Cora’s cooler skin.
Cora raised her head to kiss him. “The night is not over, is it?” She smiled against his lips, while her fingers started to circle down to his lower back. She pressed her nose into his neck and took in a deep whiff of his scent. It made her body shiver from desire.
Robert felt it, he got up, so he could position himself down on her, he kissed her thighs. With an agonisingly slow pace, he moved his kisses to her wet folds. Whit his hands firmly on her hips, he picked up the pace and started kissing and sucking even harder. He softly bit her, what resulted in a high-pitched squeal and her nails digging into his back. Cora did reach her high easier, when he used his mouth and fingers, he had learned that over time. He slid one finger in, while he kissed the brim of her breast, he licked her nipple. Another squeal, he knew he was on the right path now.
He kept altering his pace and the amount of fingers he used, until Cora arched her back as far as she could, and he felt her pelvis starting to shake. “Robert, oh Robert, ROBERT.” With a last squeal her body relaxed again, he did not stop his kisses. Both his hands were roaming over her skin, she was feeling sweaty and hot. Slowly he laid down on her chest with his head. Cora’s hand was lazy going through his hair.
“Sorcerer.” She whispered.
“Yours, and only yours.”
+++
*The dress description is used from the website of Phillipa Lepley*
Verhalen van Traan 