White Christmas

Author's note: Hi guys! This is my first Downton Abbey Fanfiction. It's a Cobert fic and is set around the first year of their marriage. I hope you enjoy................................................................................................................

Christmas 1890

Robert watched his wife excuse herself profoundly before she hastily left the drawing room,her spoon left clattering loudly against her teacup,looking as if she were about to cry. He glared at his mother angrily,who was looking quite pleased with herself,before also muttering his excuses and following Cora out into the snow.

They had been married for almost a year now. Their marriage had purely been one of convenience,based on saving the estate and her dowry,but Robert had grown to care for his new wife. She was charming and intelligent,as well as being exquisitely beautiful. He knew he was luckier than most. However,his mother made no secret of her disapproval of her only son's marriage to an American and poor Cora had to stand and bare witness to yet another one of her snide remarks,only this time in front of all their guests. Robert hated to see Cora so hurt and unhappy. He wanted to hit his mother. Couldn't the woman ever be civil,it was Christmas Day no less.

When he finally caught up to Cora she was sitting on the garden bench with her back to him. Her thick chestnut curls had come loose of their updo,which her lady's maid had so delicately done for her that morning,and were now cascading down her back. Her beauty stood out against the white purity of the snow and to Robert she looked like an angel.

"It is rather beautiful isn't it?"he said finally breaking his silence.

"The snow."he added in quickly,hoping she hadn't noticed his reference to her.

Cora jumped and hastily did something which appeared to be wiping away tears before turning around to face him. Her eyes were red and puffy,no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"Why yes it is."she replied politely before attempting to smile weakly at him.

It was only then that Robert noticed that she wasn't wearing a coat of any sorts and was shivering in her periwinkle blue dress. He tried to not pay too much attention to the fact that the dress clung to all the right places,showing off his wife's slender figure.

"What on earth are you doing out here without a coat?"he expressed his concern,"you'll freeze to death!"

And before he knew what he was doing,he was on the bench beside her,taking her into his arms and pressing her body against his in a feeble attempt to warm her up.

Cora stiffened in shock,which almost made him rethink his actions and draw back in embarrassment and shame,before he felt her relax against him. Her sweet perfume infiltrated his senses,which was slowly driving him insane in lust.

And then to his utmost shock,Cora began to cry.

The situation was obviously a lot worse than Robert had initially suspected. It seemed as though Cora were extremely unhappy at Downton. Not that he could blame her,she had left her home and family behind for what exactly? He knew the answer,criticism on her every move and action by his mother amongst others,just as condescending as she was. He felt like such a failure for not making her happy. He was such a useless husband. It pained him to think that he could be the cause of her tears.

"Cora I am so sorry for Mama's behaviour," he began,anger for his mother yet again overpowering him.

"I know you are extremely unhappy here but I hate to see you this way. Please listen to me. I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy,to make up for my absolute oblivious failure up until now."

Cora stifled back a sob but her mesmerising blue eyes shone up at him gratefully.

"Oh Robert please don't think I am unhappy here because I truly am not. Honestly. I miss America and my family but I am beginning to get used to how things are done here. And please do not blame yourself because you have shown me nothing but kindness."

"It's not even Lady Grantham that's bothering me."she added as a side note with a small mischievous smile.

Relief flooded through Robert before being replaced with concern once more.

"Well whatever is the matter then?"

Cora took a shaken breath.

"Well,"she began.

The rest came out as a blur.

"I think I may love a man but I am definitely certain he doesn't love me back."

Robert's heart felt as if it had been crushed into a million pieces,although he had no idea as to why. He cursed at himself for being so stupid.

Of course Cora wasn't going to love him. Their marriage wasn't based on love it was more like a business deal. But to hear that reality stated out loud broke him.

Why on earth did he care so much anyway?

And suddenly he realised why.

He was in love with Cora.

It was as simple as that. He felt so foolish for not discovering his true feelings for her earlier. He had cared for her and indeed,couldn't get her out of his head for some time now. Had he really been in love with her for so long?

"I'm in love with you Cora!"he exclaimed.

Boy,did it feel good to admit that to her and himself out loud for the first time.

Cora looked shocked. But he spoke before she could say anything.

"This may come as a shock to you but it's true. And the reason why I'm only telling you this now is because I'm only just after realising this myself. But trust me when I say I have never been so certain of anything in my entire life."

"I love you Cora and have loved you for quite sometime now. I know our marriage was not based on love,quite the opposite in fact. But I take pride in saying I love everything about you. Your smile,your sense of humour,your charm,your intelligence,your scent."

"And,"he added softly,"you're beautiful. Oh so very beautiful Cora. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."

"So frankly,I believe any man who doesn't love you back isn't worthy of you. Because any man who has the honour of saying they are loved by you is one lucky bastard!"

Cora's face shone with fresh tears but this time she was smiling at him.

"I love you too Robert."

Robert didn't dare to believe his ears.

"It was me?"he asked.

Cora's face now radiated happiness as she looked at him with love and adoration. She nodded.

"There could never be anybody else."

Robert kissed her then. Because he didn't believe anything else could be said that could possibly match up to how he felt.

Violet watched her son and daughter in law from the drawing room window with dissatisfaction. It seemed as if Robert had finally realised that he loved his wife. About time. The girl of course had loved her son for much longer. This she knew too.

She was going to have a serious talk to them about the disrespect of showing their affections towards each other in public. And Cora was wearing her hair down. Had the girl lost all sense of property?

However,inwardly she secretly smiled. She wasn't as heartless as most perceived her to be.

Well, sometimes...................................................................................................

I hope you guys enjoyed this. Thank you for taking the time out to read this. Please also leave a review as I'd really like to know your opinions. All reviews are appreciated,good or bad. Should I write more Downton fics in future? Let me know!

Bye for now.