Robert was sitting at the breakfast table; he did not sleep at all. Knowing Cora was so close, but at the same time far away. He had regret falling out to her over Molesley. She could not have known that Molesley had asked for a job, but Carson turned him away. Robert understood why, there was no need for another staff member.
Mrs. Hughes entered the breakfast room. “Here is the key you asked for Milord.”
Robert took the key from her. “Thank you. I hope I did not give you too much trouble finding it.”
Mrs. Hughes smiled. “You know Mr. Carson, everything that is in this house is in order. Even keys we do not use.”
This amused Robert, she was correct. Carson was very tidy with everything. Everything he did went in order. And apparently, he even had an order in the storage of spare keys. The key was for the door between his dressing room and her bedroom. He remembered the day Cora told him; she had removed the key. She did not want any barrier between her and him. If it had been up to her, the door had been removed. But Robert explained to her that the door could be very convenient. When one of them was sick or was snoring. They could sleep separate and close the door to block the sounds. They did also use it when they had a fight. It had not happened often, but it had happened that they slept separate due to a fight. Just like now, he thought. Only now there was more than just a door between them. There was a whole hallway. It had been tempting to see in which room Cora was staying, but he had kept himself from looking.
“Good morning.” Cora’s voice shook him out of his thoughts.
“Good morning. Oh, I am sorry, I forgot to ask Mrs. Hughes to serve you breakfast upstairs.”
Cora gave him a soft smile, while she sat down. “Do not worry. Mrs. Hughes had offered this herself, but I said I preferred to eat down here. I am not the lady of this house anymore, and I do not want to get that treatment.” She quickly lowered her eyes. Why did she make that comment, it was not necessary and even hurtful. “Sorry, I should not say those things.” her voice almost a whisper.
Robert scraped his throat. “That is alright. I understand what you mean. And I have to admit, that I like having breakfast together, if I had known, I had waited on you.”
Cora could not response, Carson entered the room with her breakfast plate. She had opted for a full English breakfast. She had always loved Mrs. Patmore’s breakfast. She managed to keep the greasy level low. “Are you going to Sybil and Tom today?” She asked, while buttering her toast.
“Do you think we can go again today? I would love to see little Sybbie again.”
“You did not hold her yet; you have to go. And I am sure Sybil will not mind, in fact, she would love to see you there again. I will go before I go back to London.”
Robert felt his stomach drop, Cora was already going back home. He had hoped she would stay a little bit longer. He forced a smile on his face. “Do you need to go back already?”
Her heart ached for Robert; she could hear his plead in his voice. Deep down she knew she wanted to stay here at Downton, close to Robert. She missed him terrible. Especially now he was back to his former self more or less. “I promised Mary to go dress shopping with her the day after tomorrow and Edith will need me.”
“Is Edith not coming here today?” Robert asked surprised.
Cora looked at Robert. “There is still no news about Michael, I am not sure she is coming.”
“Of course, I came. How can I not, my baby sister has a baby.” Edith stepped inside.
Robert almost jumped up and walked over, wrapping his arms around Edith. “How wonderful to see you.”
Cora saw the forced smile on Edith’s face and knew something was wrong. Did she hear about Michael?” She also got up and welcomed Edith, when she wrapped her arms around her, Edith collapsed.
Robert rushed towards them and took Edith from Cora and lowered her to the ground. Cora got on her knees besides her and brushed over her forehead.
“We need to elevate her legs to get the blood flow back to her head.” Mrs. Hughes said.
Cora had not noticed she had entered the room again, she also heard Carson s voice. She could only look at Edith’s pale face. “Wake up honey, please wake up.” She put her hand against Edith’s cheek and felt her stir. “That is, it. Good girl, wake up.”
Edith blinked rapidly against the lights and saw so many faces hoovering over her, but she calmed down, when she looked into her mother’s eyes. She felt tears stinging. Then two arms wrapped around her and pulled her against a warm chest. Those were her mother’s arms; she recognized the sound of her heartbeat. “Mama.” She said with a smothered voice.
“Ssstt. It is alright my darling. It is alright.” Cora knew instantly that she got news about Michael, and it was bad news. She looked up at Robert and she saw he knew it too. The world could be so harsh, yesterday they welcomed a new baby and now they had to say goodbye to another life. Edith’s body was jolting from her tears. Cora kept her close to her chest and brushed her hand over Edith’s back. She kept repeating calming words.
“What happened here?” Mary’s voice sounded irritated in the breakfast room.
Cora saw Robert getting up and guiding Mary out the room. Carson and Mrs. Hughes had already left. Cora was alone with her middle daughter. Her most troubled daughter, she thought. The one where it always looked like life was against her. Even when she was little. She could not get her dolls to do what she wanted and now in her young adult life, she still was walking into so many walls. Every time it looked like she was happy, something happened and ruined her happiness.
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