Robert looked around the room, everybody was sitting down and enjoying a drink. Cora was talking with Edith. Violet and Isobel with Rose, Tom and Mary were standing in the back of the room. He stopped next to Cora and Edith; he was facing Cora. “Since we’re all here.” He started and waited for everybody to look in his direction. “I have decided what to do about the cottages.” He looked at everybody, except Cora. “I’m going to sell the Della Francesca.”
Cora was looking up to Robert with a soft smile on her face, but the moment he mentioned the Della Francesca she felt her heart started racing, her face dropped. She wished Mr. Bricker had never come to look at it.
Robert continued. “I’ve been to Sotheby’s and they’re confident we’ll get a good price.”
“Are you sure, Papa?” Mary asked. “But you’ve always been so proud of it.” Her voice went one octave higher in her surprise.
Robert now looked down at Cora. “I don’t enjoy it as I did.” He saw sadness on her face, he wanted to brush his finger over cheek to reassure her, but he could not. Nobody knew what had happened, only he and Cora knew the painful story surrounding that painting. He walked away from Cora’s hurt.
Cora was looking back into his eyes, when Robert walked towards the liquor cabinet, she lowered her face. She heard Robert continue. “My Papa always said one should only sell for a purpose and I agree.” He would never have agreed on that if she had not ruined the painting for him if she had not flirted with Mr. Bricker. Only if she had seen why he was coming to Downton, over and over. She could had known it was not for the painting, of course not. She had been foolish.
“The good of the village can be that purpose.” Robert now looked at Tom and Mary.
Tom smiled. “I’m pleased. Now we can get on with the work as soon as we’re home.” He turned towards Mary and said: “Shall we?” Directing her towards the chairs against the wall.
Cora got up and walk towards Robert. She would have loved to disappear into the ground, she felt so much shame. Robert looked at her when she stepped next to him and took her glass “I’ve spoiled the painting for you, haven’t I?” Her eyes searched for Robert’s, but he was focussing on pouring the liquid in her glass. “With Mr Bricker.” Cora continued. “That’s why you’re selling.” Robert gave her back her glass and looked at her. Cora lowered her eyes immediately, she could not look at him, it was too painful. She stared at her glass and tried to keep her breathing under control, her heart was racing so fast, she was scared Robert could see it beating.
Robert kept looking at her. He saw how submissive Cora was and he wanted to pull her close to his chest. “Yes. But not in the way you think.” He turned his back towards the room, so he was only looking at Cora, who was still staring down. Her face was so full of worry, he saw all the lines that made her so beautiful when she smiled, but now they were all facing downwards. Her eyes full of sorrow and regret. He needed to word his words carefully to get his message clear. He wanted Cora to understand the meaning of them very well and there could not be a misunderstanding. Not as when Mr. Bricker was around, he should have been clearer, he should had understood that it was not Cora who was initiating the advances. She was being polite, as she was thought in all these years in Downton. She had been pushed into a curse life that she was following perfectly. Being the always welcoming hostess, she had not noticed his advances. When was the last time a guy made advances on her, it had been for ever. He knew many men that came to their house over the years envied him, but they never made advances on her. But this man, he felt his blood boil again, this man had the audacity to overstep his boundaries and ignored Cora’s request to leave her bedroom. “Every time I look at it, I am reminded that I didn’t trust you.” He continued, this made Cora look up. He locked his eyes into hers. “And I feel so angry with myself, I want to be rid of it.”
His last words made Cora’s heart flutter; she felt a smile form around her lips. Did he truly mean this? She looked into his eyes and knew that he meant every word. He was incredibly sorry and selling the painting was the best option. The smile on her face got wider. If the rest of the room wasn’t filled with her family, she would kiss him right there at that moment. But she would thank him once they were back in their own room. He was not angry at her about the painting, yes, she was the reason why he was selling it. But it was not because he was angry with her. She felt so much love for this man, it was almost scary. She reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers.
Robert softly squeezed Cora’s hand. He was one lucky man he thought, and he recognized the look in Cora’s eyes. It would be a long night if it was up to her. He would not protest; he was looking forward to finally make an end to all this and no better way than fooling around with her in the privacy of their room.
Verhalen van Traan 