This one is a request drabble. I hope it is as you had hoped.
I am open for request on scenes, or missing scenes.
Cora closed the door behind her. Tears were stinging behind her eyes. How could he be so cruel. She did not know he was planning to come to London. She would never have accepted Bricker’s invitation to go out for dinner. A dinner with Robert at Claridge’s had more appeal to her than a dinner with Mr. Bricker. Although she had enjoyed today and tonight. Walking around London with Mr. Bricker had been fun. He was genuinely interested in her and what she had to say. Something Robert never did. He never asked her opinion about anything and when she tried to learn more about things, he brushed her aside or ignored her.
Mr. Bricker made her feel young again and appreciated. She was not Cora the Countess of Grantham, she was not Cora the hostess, she was not Cora the mother. No, she was just Cora, Cora Crawley née Levinson. She could express what she saw in a painting, but also, he was genuinely interested in her story how she came to England.
When she came back at Rosamund’s place, and she saw Robert she had been so happy. Seeing her husband had made her heart flutter from love. Her face was beaming from love and happiness, but then she saw his expression and heard his words. ‘Bricker was interested in discussing the pictures with you?’ He said it with so much disdain. He made it even worse when he said: ‘That an art expert would find your observations on the work of Piero della Francesca impossible to resist? Yes. It is hard to believe!’ There had been anger in his voice. Her face had dropped, she did not want to show him that she was hurt, but she knew it was all over her face. He must have seen that.
There was a knock on her door. Cora had a bit of hope it was Robert, but it was her maid Baxter.
+++
Robert sat back down; he got up when Cora said she was going to bed. He had tried to stop her, but she said. ‘It is quite all right. You said what you think, and you have every right to do so.’ and she left. But he had indeed every right. She was his wife and there she was dining with another man. And not just a man, no that sleazy man or an art dealer Mr. Bricker. Why was he so interested in Cora, did he not see her wedding ring. Why was Cora not stopping him? She was encouraging him in his behaviour, did she like getting attention from another man? Was he not enough for her?
He poured himself another drink, Rosamund had good whisky he thought when he chugged his glass. He poured himself another one. That one also was a one sip drink, so he poured himself one more. He already felt he was unsteady on his legs, but he did not care, he poured himself one more, he said, one more cannot hurt. When he put the bottle back, there was not enough left for a full glass, so he emptied the bottle.
Then he started his way upstairs. They had stayed in Rosamund’s house countless of times, so he could find Cora’s bedroom in the dark, or when he was drunk like he was now. He opened her door and wanted to go inside when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.
“Milord, I have your clothes ready in your dressing room.”
Rosamund had given them their own rooms, Robert’s dressing room was, as in Downton next to Cora’s room. He looked at Bates. “Can you stand still, please.” He asked Bates, who was swaying in front of him. He did not realise it was he himself who was not standing still.
Bates did not answer but guided him towards the dressing room and helped him out of his clothes and into his night clothes. Then he directed him in the small bed that was prepared by Mead in this room. Baxter had asked for a bed outside of her Ladyships bedroom. Bates could only agree that in this state, his lordship should not go into her ladyship’s bedroom.
+++
The train drive home had been awkward. Robert had not said anything while helping her into the carriage and the minute the train started moving, he had left. Cora was happy he was gone; she could not face him. She was so angry at him, how dared he talk to her in that way. He basically said she was a nobody who could not have any interesting thoughts in her head. She knew Robert was old fashioned, but this was another level, she had never encountered with him before.
The care ride had even been worse. Robert clearly wanting to talk to her, but she kept focussing on her book. She did not even know what book she was holding, and not a letter was read, but she did everything to not look at Robert.
Once they were back home, she had gone up without saying a word. It was not strange for her to go up directly after coming home. It was a standard ritual, to go and take of her hat. For now, she was more than relieved with that custom, she needed some time to compose herself, before facing all the guest that could arrive any moment. She also needed to confirm to Baxter, that she could stay. Yesterday she finally told her everything, but Cora knew she did not steal out of greed. She was much too fond of her to let her go.
+++
Cora made sure her posture was perfectly straight and her shoulders were back when she walked down the stairs. She forced a smile on her face and walked towards Robert. He was standing there all smiles and clearly proud of what they had prepared. Had he forgotten what happened last night. Did he step over it so easily?
“Have you seen what we’ve dug out for the Ruskies?” He greeted Cora. “I say ‘we’, of course it was Pattinson who did it.” He gave her a proud smile.
Cora’s face did not give away anything of her anger. She smiled at the staff that was working in the great hall. “Does it matter? We both know you place no value on my opinions.” She quickly looked at Robert, but then averted her face again.
“Cora, I was cross. I had travelled the length of England to spend the evening with you, and you had gone out. Aren’t I allowed to be cross?”
“You’re allowed to be cross, but you’re not allowed to be unjust.” She still had that forced smile on her face and kept looking around. “Now, would you excuse me? I think they’re here.”
Verhalen van Traan 