“Anna!” Mary said while she walked downstairs. “I want Jules to go pack up her Ladyships clothes and all her personal belongings. She is leaving tomorrow.”
“Is she ready for that?” Anna asked unsure. She had moved from ladies maid to head housekeeper, but the friendship with Mary had stayed the same. Her two children, Johnny and Joanna grew up with George and Caroline.
“She doesn’t have a choice, she is moving.” Mary said harshly.
Anna got quiet, she felt she needed to do something. She loved Mary, but she felt she was going to far. What could she do? What was the reason Mary was pushing her mother out.
+++
“Is Grandmama not coming down for lunch?” George asked.
“She is tired and will have her lunch in her room.” Mary said. Cora had asked Jules to bring up a tray, she was not feeling well and wanted to stay upstairs.
“Is everything alright with Grandmama? She wasn’t tired before and out of the blue she is.”
“Your grandmother isn’t getting younger, please eat your lunch, otherwise we will be for hours at this table.”
Andy had listened in on the conversation and got the feeling master George didn’t know his grandmother was pushed out of the house. He was going to talk to Anna tonight.
+++
“Milady?” Jules touched Cora’s shoulder. It startled her, she had sat down on the settee for a second, but must have fallen asleep.
“I am sorry.” Cora sat up, rubbing her eyes. “I wasn’t planning on sleeping.”
“Are you feeling alright? Should I rang for the doctor?” Jules looked at Cora, who had a different colour on her face.
“A doctor is not needed. I will go down, for tea.” Cora smiled and got up.
+++
“Anna, do you have a moment?” Andy nocked on her door.
“Yes, come in.”
Andy closed the door behind him and sat down. “Do you think master George’s knows, Lady Mary is pushing her Ladyship out?”
“I get the feeling he doesn’t. I also think Lady Edith and Tom don’t know what she is doing.” She frowned.
“Lady Edith will not have any affect on Lady Mary, but maybe Tom can help? It is to early for her Ladyship to move to Dower house.” Andy said.
“I will ring Tom tomorrow and explain the situation.”
+++
*
“How beautiful you are.” Robert kissed Cora’s forehead. Softly he brushed his finger over the little girls cheek. “I love you, my dear.”
Cora looked up in surprise. “Are you sure?” This was the first time since they married he said that. The first year of their marriage had been hard. Robert married her, for her money. And when she gave birth to a baby girl, she was so scared he would divorce her. But something changed when Mary was born. Robert looked at her differently and now he finally said the words she was graving for.”
“With all my heart, I was stupid for not seeing you before. Thank you for staying and thank you for this beautiful gift.” He kissed the top of Mary’s head, she was asleep after her feeding. Then he cupped Cora’s cheek and kissed her passionately.
*
A loud noise outside her bedroom woke Cora up. She turned on her side to cuddle with Robert, as she had done all those years, but when she turned, she realised, he wasn’t there. Would she ever get uses to this feeling. She tried to lay back in her pillow and remember the wonderful dream she had.
“Robert Junior, leave that!” Cora heard George’s voice correcting his son. She chuckled, that little boy was up to a lot of trouble.
“Great Grandmama is still sleeping and we don’t play cricket in the house. Look at that beautiful vase you broke.”
That was the noise Cora woke up from. She got up as quickly as she could, wrapped herself in her dressing gown and opened her door.
“Did you know your great grandfather loved playing cricket.” She clearly startled George.
“Grandmama, I am so sorry we woke you up and broke that vase.”
“That’s alright, an early riser has the day, they say.” She looked at the broken vase, bend down and cupped Robert Junior’s cheek. “I am happy we can finally throw that vase out, I never liked it anyway.”
“Was Donk good at Cricket?” Robert Junior asked.
Cora smiled, Robert would always be Donk, after Sybbie’s nickname for him. She took Robert Junior’s hand and walked back in her bedroom. “He was a very good player himself, he just wasn’t good at coaching a team.” She sat down and Robert Junior got on her lap.
“You know we have a cricket match between the estate and the village each year. In the past your Donk was the captain. But he lost every year. I remember one year, Mr. Molesley was joining the team and he had told everybody how he loved the game and showed off his moves wherever he could. The day of the match came and your Donk was confident they would win this year”
Cora chuckled, she could still see Robert’s disappointed face. “Mr. Molesley had his turn to play, he was out before the game even really started.”
“Was Donk upset?” Robert Junior asked.
“At first, yes. But your Donk was a wonderful man and told the team. Having fun was more important than winning.” Cora nuzzled her nose in Robert Junior’s neck, what made him giggle.
“I love these stories about grandpapa.” George said, “but we will leave you for now, so you can get dressed.” He took Robert Junior from Cora’s lap and gave his grandmother a kiss on the cheek. “Please eat something, you look very pale.” He whispered.
Cora cupped his cheek, she loved her grandson dearly. “I will, don’t you worry.”
Verhalen van Traan 