“Hello Harold, good to see you again.” Robert gave his soon-to-be brother-in-law a hand. ” And Mrs. Levinson, I hope the flight was not to tyring?”
Harold shook his hand, but Martha only looked at him. “Can we get a decent cup of coffee in this country?” She asked on a bitchy tone.
Robert chuckled; it was a good thing he was used to his mother because he was not faced with this behaviour. Although Cora’s mother was a bit worse. “I think we have the best chance for a good cup at home.”
Martha looked at Harold. “I bet your sister knows how to make a good brew. Where is the car? And can somebody take my luggage?”
Robert took the suitcases from Martha and walked in front. John was waiting with the car at the kiss&ride.
Harold and Martha got in the backseat; Robert took the passenger seat.
“Does this driver know where to go?” Martha bitched again.
Robert turned around. “John knows where we have to go yes.”
“How odd, to know the name of your taxi driver. Must be an English thing.” Martha said to Harold.
Robert ignored the comment, it would not help to argue, and he did not want to upset Martha before he brought her to Cora. He took his phone out. ‘On our way home. They arrived on time.’
‘Bring them to the hotel first. Tell my mum we will pick them up around six o’clock.’
Robert was surprised by Cora’s response, he thought it was the plan to drive to her house first. ‘Are you sure? Does your mother not want to see you first?’
Cora’s response came quickly. ‘She will be jetlagged. She will be nicer when we give her some time to rest.’
Robert turned around to Martha and Harold. “We will go to your hotel, so you can have some rest. Cora and I will pick you up around six o’clock for dinner. If that is all right with you.
“That sounds like a good idea.” Harold answered.
+++
Robert took the elevator up to Cora’s apartment; he was glad to have some moments together with her. The coming days would be busy. In three days, he would finally see what dress she chose for their special day. He knew that she would blow him away, she did that by simply getting out of bed already. He opened the front door and announced his arrival.
He heard Cora’s greeting coming from the bedroom. Was she changing already for tonight?
“Hi! You survived my mother?” Cora joked when Robert entered the bedroom. She walked towards him and kissed him tenderly, wrapping her arms around him.
“I am sort of used to behaviour like that. Although your mother is even worse than mine is. But yes, I survived, I am not sure how much John enjoyed being downgraded to a taxi driver.”
“You are using him as a taxi driver, so my mum is not wrong.” Cora chuckled.
“John is sometimes my chauffeur, but I do not treat him as my taxi driver,” Robert said annoyed.
Cora squeezed his bum. “I know my darling. I am sorry.” She pressed her lips on Robert’s again.
“Do you want me to change already for tonight?”
Cora pushed herself back and looked at him. “Why would I want that?” She asked surprised.
“Is that not why you are already in the bedroom?”
Cora chuckled, she pressed herself against his body again. “No, that is not why I am here. I needed the bathroom.”
Robert was confused, why did Cora use the ensuite bathroom and not the one in the hallway?
“I needed more space,” Cora said, answering his unanswered question. “I think it is time to take a look.” Cora took his hand and walked towards the bathroom.
“Take a look at what?” Robert reluctantly followed. What could be in the bathroom, that he needed to see?
With a smile on her face, handed Cora him a package. She had a childlike expression in her eyes, and he could not place what he saw more on her face.
He turned the little thing she gave him around and his eyes widened. He looked up at Cora and back to the little tube in his hands. He looked up again and Cora’s eyes started to shimmer. He looked down again. “Is this?” He stuttered. “Does this mean? Are you?” He looked up. “Are you pregnant?”
Cora nodded her head, and he heard a very silent yes.
“Oh, my darling.” He pulled her close and kissed her over and over. He then rested his hand on her abdomen, and immediately he felt Cora’s hand covering his.
“We will be with the three of us on our wedding day.” She said, while kissing him again.
“How are you feeling?” Robert asked when he finally stopped kissing her. “Do you need anything? Do you need help with things?”
Cora rested her hand on his arm. “It is very early days, and I am feeling fine. Oh Robert, I cannot believe this is true. You are going to be a daddy.”
“We are going to be parents. You make me so incredibly happy sweetheart. I do not know what I did to deserve you.”
Cora nestled herself against his chest, he felt a deep sigh.
“What is wrong my dear?” He brushed her hair.
“I realised that we need to tell everybody this news tonight and I had hoped to keep it between you and me for a while.”
“We do not have to tell anything. We can keep this between us at least until you are in the safe zone.”
“My mama will ask when I do not drink any wine tonight. And I cannot lie to her.”
“I will also not drink tonight; we will say that we want to be as rested as possible for the wedding day.”
Laughing Cora replied, “we can always try.”
+++
Cora brushed her hand over Robert’s cheek. “Do not worry darling. They will probably not fight inside a restaurant.” That last part she said with a cheeky grin.
Robert’s hand went up to her hand and Cora could feel his nerves in the way his hand was tensed. She got on her tiptoes to kiss him.
“There is no doubt, you two are going to marry. But please keep this to yourselves.” Martha’s voice made Cora jump backwards.
“Mama!” She exclaimed and walked towards her. Kissing her on both cheeks. “How good to see you.” She proceeded to greet Harold.
Cora extended her hand towards Robert, who took her hand and stepped next to her.
“Mr and Mrs. Crawley and also Lady Painswick-Crawley will be waiting for us in the restaurant. Shall we?” Cora said.
“Are we calling them Mr and Mrs? Not Lord and Lady?” Martha asked surprised.
The official title is Lord and Lady Grantham, but our family name is Crawley. Although, I think it is best if we stick with the lord and lady at least. It is their official title. One we will inherit when my father dies.”
Cora felt a cold flash when he talked about his father dying. It was hard not having her father at her wedding, and thinking about Patrick’s death was too much. “Mama, Lady Grantham will probably introduce herself the way she likes to be addressed.”
They all got in the car; John was again their driver. “Mama?” Cora said when they drove away. “You already met him, but this is John. A dear friend of Robert and our driver when needed.”
She saw Robert looking at her and she knew she made the right call. Her mother needed to know that John was more than a driver.
+++
“Rosamund, how lovely to see you.” Cora kissed her on both cheeks. “Mama, this is Lady Rosamund Painswick.”
“How do you do.” Martha extended her hand and Rosamund took it.
The meeting with Violet and Patrick had not been that easy. Of course, her mother had refused to wait and had walked up to them and greeted them as lord and Lady Crawley. Cora cringed when she heard and gave Robert an apologetic look.
“I am so sorry for being this late.” Rosamund said, apologising to Cora.
“Do not worry about it. I am glad you are here now.” Cora squeezed her hand.
“According to my mother’s face, you can use some wine.”
“It was a clash between your mother and mine. Both are very stubborn. But we all survived and there was no shouting involved.”
“Well, that is at least something. A Pinot? Or do you need a Syrah?”
“I am fine with a tonic, thank you.”
“You mean a gin tonic?” Rosamund asked with raised eyebrows.
“No, I mean just a tonic, please.” Cora tried to keep her face straight, but she could already feel her cheeks blush.
Rosamund gave her a strange look, but she turned around and waved to a waiter.
Robert also looked at Cora and winked at her. He had heard the conversation. She smiled back at him; she could not wait to leave the restaurant and be together with him. Just the two of them, these upcoming days would be long days. Keeping her mother and brother entertained and Violet would probably also be very present. Luckily, Patrick was a calm as always, and he had tried to direct Violet’s attention away from Martha. Even Harold had tried to intervene, but it had not made matters easier. She had to learn how to hold a conversation with the English, when she came here the first time and she saw Harold had the same struggles. It was a weird thought, that she was never going to leave this country again. Robert would never move to the United States, but she herself could not imagine she would leave this country either. She felt at home, and even though living at Downton scared her, at the same time she could not wait.
“When will you show your mother the Abbey?” Rosamund tried to get Cora’s attention again.
“We are going up there the day after tomorrow. Robert and I want to be there already, it will make the wedding stress a bit easier. The only struggle we now have, is that we cannot agree on who will be sleeping at the B&B the night before.”
“Oh?” Rosamund took a sip of her wine; Cora saw she had chosen a Syrah. She always loved the spice notes of liquorice and anise.
“I say that I have to sleep at the B&B, since the Dower house is from your family. I cannot force Robert out of there.”
“You are not forcing him out, but I agree with Robert.” She paused. “I think, Robert says he is going to sleep at the B&B?” She looked at Cora for her confirmation. “You need more space to prepare. There will be so many people doing your hair and make-up. Robert only needs to put on his suit.”
“If you bring it like that, I think I have to agree, that Robert should sleep at the B&B.”
“Do I hear that correctly?” Robert joined in. “Do you agree with me?”
Cora gave him a warm smile. “I do agree with you and Rosamund. Yes.”
“So, I imagine that you also now agree, that your mother and Harold should also sleep at Dower house?” Robert had a cheeky smile on his face.
“I do agree with that too.”
Verhalen van Traan 