I decided to ad another chapter to this drabble, because I felt it needed it. So enjoy 🙂
“You did wonderful, my darling.” Robert said walking into Cora’s bedroom.
O’Brien just finished putting Cora’s hair in a braid. “Good night, Milady.” She said, picking up Cora’s clothes and she walked out of the room.
Cora looked up at Robert. “Thank you, darling. I am glad you enjoyed your evening.” Robert had indeed enjoyed his evening she thought. He was tipsy before the main course had finished. She asked Carson to slow him down on the alcohol. She noticed everybody was freely enjoying the drinks this evening. She got up and dropped her bathrobe at the end of the bed, before sliding under the covers.
“I really enjoyed it, even Mama was having fun I noticed. You did splendid.” Robert took of his slippers and crawled in bed to. He scooted closer to Cora, who was sitting against the headboard, holding her book. He took the book out of her hands and laid it down on her nightstand. Leaning heavily on her. Before he returned to his own side, he gave Cora a quick kiss.
She smiled and touched his cheek. “Darling, go to sleep, you are drunk.” She could smell the alcohol in his breath.
“But you are way too beautiful to not kiss.” He pressed his lips against Cora’s again.
Cora kissed him back. “Darling, I know you think that, but tomorrow morning the girls will be at our bed very early in the morning.”
“You don’t want me?” Robert pouted.
Cora gently pushed Robert back in his pillow and kissed him again. “You know I do, but not tonight. Sleep tight my darling.” She laid her head down. She loved sleeping against Robert. His steady heartbeat always calmed her down, the evening had been wonderful. Everyone loved the buffet style dinner and after everybody had danced with each other. Even the servants joined in on the festivities. Christmas was truly the most wonderful time of the year she thought. And this year was extra special with her mother and brother joining. She moved her hand to her belly and in the new year they would welcome a new addition to their little family of four. Robert started snoring and Cora scolded herself for not trying to be asleep before him. He was always snoring, but when he had a bit too much of a drink, it was even worse. She poked his side, trying to get him to turn on his side. “You are snoring.” She said, what helped. He turned on his side and the snoring stopped. Cora rolled back on her own pillow and tried to fall asleep, herself.
+++
“Ssstt, Mama is still sleeping, we have to wait a little bit darling.”
Cora heard Robert’s voice, she opened her eyes and saw he was kneeled, and her two girls were in front of him. Robert saw she was awake and winked at her. So, she pretended she was still sleeping, she closed her eyes again and waited.
“Go and wake up mommy.”
Very quickly she felt the bed move and little hands leaning on her. She opened her eyes again and played she was in shock seeing her girls. “Darlings, what are you doing here?”
Mary had a big smile on her face. “Open the presents now, Mama?”
Cora pulled Mary close. “Of course, we can.” She threw off the duvet and put on her bathrobe. Edith took her hand and Mary took her other. She smiled at Robert and said very softly. “Maybe there is a present for you too.”
Robert picked Edith up and replaced her hand for his in Cora’s. “Maybe, just maybe Santa Claus left something for you too, my dearest.” He felt Cora leaning in on him, while they walked towards the stairs. He had bought Cora a very special gift this year. When they were in London during the summer, she had been looking at a jewellery set at Cartier, but she said it would be too much, so she decided not to buy the set. He was pleased she did not buy it; it gave him the perfect Christmas present.
The girls run down the stairs towards the three. The pulled all the presents underneath them. Robert rushed after them, trying to stop them from opening the wrong gifts. Settle down girls, Mama will hand you your gifts. He sat down on the ground and pulled Mary on his lap.
Cora got on her knees and picked the first present. “This one has your name on it, Mary.” she handed Mary the gift, pulling Edith closer to her. Inside was a beautiful doll. Cora saw Mary’s face lit up. “Thank you.” She murmured.
“And this one, is for you.” She handed Edith a present. It was too big for her to pick up, so Cora helped. Inside the package was a balance bike. “The rest of the gifts has to wait, look this one has Granny Violet’s name on it, and this one has Uncle Harold’s
“Is there something for me?” They heard the low voice of Harold.
“Good morning, my dear brother, you are up early.” Cora wanted to get up but felt Harold’s hand on her shoulder.
“Stay seated, it seems it is way more fun to sit on the ground.” He sat down himself and looked at the presents. “Oh look, there is another one for you two.” He handed the girls another present.
“This looks cosy.” Rosamund said, while joining their little circle on the ground. Marmaduke also followed.
“You cannot expect us to sit on the ground.” Violet walked in; she was the only one not in her pyjama’s. Carson rushed to put down a chair, for her. He also put one down for Martha, who joined right after Violet, but she refused and sat down on the floor.
“I am not that old yet.” She said.
Everybody opened their gifts, until there were just two gifts left. “I think this one is for you.” Cora picked up one of the presents and handed it to Robert. She kissed his cheek. “Happy Christmas.”
Inside were Australian Merino shearling-lined scuff slippers.
“Now you cannot complain about your cold feet anymore.” Cora smiled at Robert.
“These are beautiful.” He touched the inside. “And so incredibly soft. “Thank you very much.” He looked at the tree. “Than this one is for you, my darling.” He handed the box to Cora.
Cora took of the wrapping paper and her eyes grew when she saw the red box. “You did not!” She looked up at Robert, her cheeks turning red. “This is too much.”
“Open it.” He said.
“Yeah, Sis, we want to know what is inside.” Harold said.
Cora quickly opened the box and looked at the beautiful set she had seen in London. The set was from the essential line collection. A necklace, bracelet, and earrings.
“Robert, this is truly too much.”
“Nothing is too much for the love of my life.” Robert kissed her on the lips and cupped her head with his hand.
Cora’s red cheeks turned even brighter red. Robert never kissed her like this in front of other people. Especially not in front of his mother.
Rosamund saved the day by saying: “I think it is time for us to put on our clothes and sit down for breakfast.”
Nanny took the girls upstairs when everybody got up to go back to their rooms. Robert took Cora’s hand and hold her behind.
“Darling. I mean it, nothing is too much for you. I was happy you decided not to buy this set, you gave me the opportunity to gif it to you.”
Now everybody had left, Cora felt more freely and put her arms in Robert’s neck. “I love you; you know that right?”
Robert gave her a surprised look. “Uhm, yes I do?”
“You do not have to give me expensive gifts, I love you for who you are.”
Robert chuckled. “Did you look at the gift you gave me? These slippers aren’t cheap.”
Cora pressed her lips against Robert’s. “In comparison they are.” She felt Robert’s hand on her lower back, pressing her against him. She loved these stolen moments together.
+++
They were all sitting in the library, enjoying a quiet afternoon. Cora was chatting with Rosamund, Harold was reading a book and Marmaduke and Robert were talking business, when all the sudden Mary came running in.
“Mama! Mama!” She screamed. “Look, snow, look.” She jumped up and down from joy.
They all looked outside and saw the world was indeed getting white.
“Go, get on your jackets, we need to build a snowman.” Robert said enthusiastically.
They all went outside, except for Violet and Martha, who stated that it was far too cold to be outside.
Cora looked at Robert and the girls who were building a snow man, she was waiting with some pebbles, a carrot, and a shawl to top it off.
Robert stepped back and looked at his work. “Perfect.” He said softly.
Cora slid her arm in his and leaned in on him. “It is indeed perfect.” She said, smiling up at him. This snow was the icing on the cake. These Christmas days had been splendid, everybody had enjoyed themselves, the buffet would be something they would do again Robert had said to his mother. Maybe not for Christmas, but he liked the idea of shaking things up a bit during the year. Cora had smiled when he said that he was a real English man, but slowly he was getting influenced by her American heritage.
Verhalen van Traan 