A/N: I'm blaming my hurricane induced cabin fever for this. My first attempt at an "M" piece. The one shot has turned into a two shot, though, so it really won't be "M" rated until the next chapter...

"I think I am going to go to London for a few days."

Cora's tone was more declarative than questioning as she looked over at her husband from her seat on the settee across from his chair. He fought the urge to raise his eyebrows in curiosity and even took a sip of his tea before responding.

"What did you want to go for?" He finally inquired after setting his cup back down.

Cora, well versed in the game he was playing with her, took a sip of her own tea and sighed indifferently before standing up as if she was going to leave. "I just want to do some shopping and I've been promising Lady Manville that I would pay her a visit."

"I see—" Robert looked up at his wife.

"Is that a problem?" She answered in a voice that was so coated in false sweetness he felt a bit nervous.

Ever since they had been summoned to the Dower House where Clarkson informed them about his…findings…they had been on rather precarious ground. She had let him hold her as she cried, as they both cried, but the car ride back to Downton had been as silent as ever and that night when he asked again to move back in, he was rebuffed. Nothing, it seemed, would change her mind. So here they were four days later still playing games with one another and pretending that they were no longer angry or sad or confused. It was worse, though, because at least before she was not pretending to be alright.

"Well it isn't a problem, but—"

"But what?" She interrupted, daring him to challenge her plans.

"Well, we commissioned the painters to paint the inside of Grantham House this month, if you remember?" He paused and looked away, hoping she wouldn't take out any more of her anger on him. Though if she did, at least she would let it out.

Cora paused as well. In her haste to escape Downton for a few days she hadn't fully thought out her plan. It all came flooding back to her now; choosing the colors with Mary, convincing Robert to get the painters as soon as possible, and promising him the house would be much improved when the arrived for the season next summer. It all seemed so silly and trite now, compared to what they had been dealing with. Paint colors and decorating—it was all so very, very insignificant.

But, nevertheless, she still wanted to get away and a little decorating was not going to get in the way of that.

"—I will just stay at a hotel, then." She replied after a moment, daring him once more to challenge her. Deep down she knew he never would, and the realization made her rather sad. He seemed to have lost all will to fight her, as of late.

"Ok, well I will go with you," Robert replied quietly, but in the same declarative tone Cora had used only moments before.

Cora had already begun to walk out of the room as he answered, but she whipped back around to meet his calm expression and was momentarily lost for words. "You would be bored," she finally replied, "I want to go shopping and pay calls."

"Yes, you said that, but I would still like to come. It would be nice to get away for a few days." Robert answered, now willing her to try to change his mind or deny him. He knew that they needed to get away from the house for a few days; they needed to be alone together and actually talk instead of just talk around one another. Somehow they needed to break the awful cycle they were trapped in.

"Alright." She answered with a slight nod before turning and leaving him alone in the library, yet again.

Cora breezed out of the library and did not stop walking until she was out the front door, across the lawn, and seated on a bench under the tree on the far side of the path. The house was stifling and sad and so very tiring. Outside, at least, it was easier to pretend that everything was back to normal. Sitting back and relaxing against the bench with a sigh, she finally had a moment to collect her thoughts. Why on earth Robert would want to come with her to London to shop and pay calls, she had no clue. It was as if he was trying to upset her. All she wanted was a few days away from the house, and well, from him. Yes Clarkson had told them there was no use wishing things were different, that there was no chance of a different outcome, but it was easier to blame someone. If not Robert, then who? If not directed at her husband, then who could take the brunt of her anger and fear and sadness away? He had apologized so many times and even though she knew it wasn't his fault, it was still just easier to pretend that it was. But it wasn't fair, not to Robert at least, and she knew that. If he wanted to come to London, fine, he could come. It made no difference; it didn't matter.

Robert, meanwhile, had hopped up from the settee after Cora left the library. Excitedly, he wandered off to find Carson to arrange the trip immediately—before Cora could change her mind and back out. After discussing it with him for a few minutes he decided on booking them a room at The Ritz for the coming week-end. After settling the plans he nearly skipped off to his dressing room to change for dinner. For the first time in several weeks there was actually something to look forward to.

If Robert had known how unexcited Cora would be once they actually left for London, he perhaps would not have been quite so giddy himself. Cora seemed utterly miserable as they drove away from the house toward the train station a few days later. She said nothing as they watched the footman unload their trunks from the back of the car, and she remained silent as they parted from Barrow and O'Brien and took their place in the private first class car he had arranged for. Wordlessly, she took a seat beside the window and stared at the landscape outside the station. Robert knew her better than that, though, and knew she was not paying the slightest attention to what was going on outside their train car. Cora only wanted to be left alone and so he sat opposite her and pulled out a book he had brought along. He felt her gaze fall on him for a moment but he didn't dare look up and when she didn't say anything, he resolved to keep his eyes on his book and not push her into a conversation.

The rest of their ride passed in a relatively silent calm. Cora kept her gaze locked on the window and Robert pretended to read his book, sneaking glances up at her every few pages. Soon enough the train lurched and the brakes hissed—signaling that they had arrived. Upon stepping off the platform they were met by swarms of crowds all buzzing about the station. Instinctively, Robert wrapped his arm around Cora's, and though she looked up with slight surprise, she allowed him to guide them out of the station and bundle her into the waiting car.

"So have you decided where you would like to go shopping?" Robert asked, breaking the silence, as the car rambled down the congested London street toward their hotel.

"No, I haven't given it much thought." Cora replied passively, looking down at the sleeve of her coat and pulling at a loose thread. Her eyes seemed to be everywhere but on him, Robert thought as she played with the thread for a moment before looking back out the window once more.

"Right, of course. Well perhaps we could go down to Regent Street?"

"Yes, perhaps."

Not wishing to engage in any more stilted conversation, Robert remained quiet for the rest of the ride to the hotel. Cora followed beside him as he made his way into the hotel and over to the front desk to sort out their reservation. Very quickly their bags were taken and they parted from Barrow and O'Brien once more as they were led up to their room.

The bellman opened the doors to their suite to reveal a large airy room. Sun was gleaming through the windows against the far wall and it looked far brighter than Downton had over the last few weeks. Cora watched as Robert tipped the man and let the door click shut, leaving them in a smaller space than they had been alone in for quite a while.

"It is a lovely room," Robert said with a grin, flopping down onto one of the chairs in the sitting area. Cora smiled faintly in return and nodded. Looking around, she couldn't help but agree. The room was bright and immaculately decorated. There seemed to be wealth and excess dripping from every corner. It was just the sort of place Robert would choose, she thought bitterly. She was about to frown and say something snide, but turning to see Robert's hopeful smile, she couldn't bear to do it to him yet again. He chose the hotel with the nicest room because he wanted to make her happy. He only ever wanted to make her happy.

"It is a nice room," she finally conceded, sitting on a chair opposite his. Letting her eyes wander the room once more, she realized one rather concerning detail. As large as the room was, there was only one bed. One large and imposing bed that seemed to staring back at her, mocking her and her desire to get away from her husband.

Without thinking, she stood, still staring at the bed—"why is there only one bed in here?" She asked, raising her eyebrows and looking down at Robert, who had been flipping through the newspaper.

Robert looked up at her with a bewildered expression. "I—I'm sorry. What?"

"Why is there only one bed in this room?" Cora paused and gestured over toward the large bed. "Aren't hotel rooms supposed to have two beds for two people?"

"I requested the room. They said it was the nicest one," Robert said quietly, breaking her gaze and looking away with an embarrassed blush creeping up his neck. He could feel Cora staring at him once more. She was obviously waiting for an answer, though he didn't have one. What sort of question was that, anyway? As if he knew what sort of furniture a hotel used, or as if it would be intolerable to have to sleep in the same bed with him. Feeling his anger and embarrassment rise, he stood and took a breath before turning back around to meet Cora's waiting gaze.

"I'm going for a walk." He didn't wait for her to respond before picking up his hat and headed out the door. Cora watched as he pulled the door shut behind him, leaving her alone in the large, lovely hotel room.

Robert trudged down several flights of stairs and right out the front entrance of the hotel and kept walking until he reached a quieter street several blocks away. He paused for a brief moment and looked back at the hotel behind him. He thought about going back, but the prospect of arguing with Cora pushed him to turn and keep walking. The last thing he wanted to do was argue with her any more. Robert walked for nearly an hour before he reached Hyde Park. He made his way over to a bench and sat, relaxing for the first time since they had left late that morning.

Robert sat and watched as countless people walked by on their way through the park. He allowed his mind to wander to Downton, to Cora and to what had brought them to where they were presently. He knew they needed to have a conversation, a real conversation, at some point and so after a long while he stood to make his way back to the hotel. On his way out of the park, though, a young boy running ahead of his parents barreled right into him, knocking him to his knees against the soft dirt. Robert stood with a frown as the boy continued past, and looked down at his trousers and hands, which were now caked with mud. It seemed that nothing was going to go the way he planned it. With a long sigh, he brushed some of the residual dirt off and walked in the direction of The Ritz.

After Robert left their room, Cora made peace with the large bed, so to speak. Feeling rather tired after their trip into the city, she approached the bed with slight trepidation and eyed it for a moment before realizing how ridiculous she was being. She curled up atop the plush quilt and wrapped one of the throw blankets over her. She didn't bother calling O'Brien up to help her change out of her traveling clothes, as she really wanted to just be alone, so she only pulled her hat off her head and shifted slightly before falling asleep.

Only a short time later, Cora awoke to what sounded like a crashing noise. Jolted out of sleep, she rolled over in confusion and lifted her head to find Robert, who had slammed the door shut, standing by the entryway brushing what looked like mud from his trousers and hands.

"What on earth?" Cora called from the bed, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and eyeing him with a slight frown. What she really wanted to ask was: are you alright, what happened, are you hurt? But she could not bring herself to.

"Fine, I'm fine," Robert mumbled, still inspecting the dirt on his trousers. "I tripped, is all."

"Oh—" Cora pursed her lips and watched him. She could tell he was annoyed. And judging by his body language he was nearing outright anger. "Well I'm going to take a bath before dinner." She continued, standing from the bed, still watching him.

"Cora—obviously I need to use the bath, look at me," Robert cried, finally looking up at her.

"I want to take a bath," she repeated. "I'm going to call for O'Brien."

"But, I'm covered in mud. Do you expect me to stand here, because I cannot sit on any of the furniture like this?"

Cora only shrugged her shoulders and moved toward the phone to call down to the front desk.

Robert watched her, incredulously, and called out again before she picked up the receiver. "Cora, you are being quite ridiculous. Please, can you just wait a while?"

"I don't want to." She answered, looking at him blankly.

That was the last straw for Robert. That was precisely it: she didn't want to. She did not want to consider his feelings nor did she want to stop being angry with him. She was going to keep it up as long as she possibly could, it seemed. Throwing his hat down onto the settee, Robert rolled his eyes and walked right into the bath, shutting the door behind him. He was going to use that bath first whether she liked it or not. He turned the lock of the door with a satisfying click and smiled to himself as he began unbuttoning his jacket.

Cora let the receiver of the phone drop back into place. He had some nerve. First he invited himself along on her trip, then he booked them this ridiculous suite—obviously with some foolish romantic sentiment in mind—and now he was going to lock her out of the bath? Marching over to the washroom door, she knocked rather forcefully but was met with silence.

"Robert, open the door!"

"I don't want to," he mimicked back from the other side.

"Robert!"

She knocked once more and waited. Robert waited for a brief moment but, unwilling to really upset her, relented rather quickly and unlocked the door, opening it to find himself face to face with his wife, who looked livid. She marched right past him into the small room and turned back on her heels, staring at him.

"I'm going to take a bath now," she said, motion toward the door, indicating that he should leave.

"Well you're out of luck," Robert replied with an ironic chuckle. "We both are." He turned slightly and motioned to the corner of the room—there was no bath to be found, only a newly installed shower.

"You mean to tell me there is not a bathtub in this hotel room?" Cora inquired, looking at the shower in the corner.

"Well, obviously there is not. And I'm going to take a shower now." He said, beginning to unbutton his shirt once more, as Cora stood motionless beside him.

Cora took a slight step back and was still staring at the odd fixture when out of the corner of her eye she noticed a flash of her husband's skin. Turning to face him more fully, though his back was to her, she watched as he undid the last button of his shirt and let it the muddied garment fall to the ground. Her eyes wandered across his shoulders and down his back; all his muscles seemed to constrict with stress, or perhaps residual anger. She didn't realize how intently she was staring at his body until he began to reach for the closure to his trousers, stopped, and turned to face her.

Her face immediately reddening, Cora took another step back and murmured an apology as her husband watched her curiously, his hand stilled on the button of his trousers.

"I—I was just, my mind was wandering. I'm sorry." Cora explained, pulling her eyes away from his hand and back up to his face.

Robert chuckled softly. "You don't have to apologize."

Cora could feel her face burning as the blush crept up her neck. She shook her head slightly and pursed her lips, inwardly cursing herself when her gaze inadvertently fell down to his abdomen once more. She was behaving insane, like an embarrassed schoolgirl, or something. It had to be the hotel room, or the shower, or the bed that was making her act like this. She suddenly needed some air. And why was he just standing there with no shirt on? It was most improper. He was obviously trying to irk her. Though, they were in a washroom and he did need to take a shower. Perhaps she was imagining it all. Yes, of course, she was just imagining it all. He likely wanted to be as far away from her as she had wanted to be from him earlier that day.

"I'm going to go out there…" Cora mumbled, pointing to their room as she nearly stumbled out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Robert watched her with a slight frown as she clumsily pulled the door shut behind her, leaving him standing there, shirtless, with a most bewildered expression. What was she doing? It was almost as if she…no, she didn't want to be anywhere near him, she had made that quite clear. But the way she had looked at him, it was almost—it was almost like she used to.

"You didn't have to go," Robert murmured, more to himself than to Cora, as the door was already shut. With a defeated sigh, he turned to the shower and removed the rest of his clothes. Standing under the hot water he instantly felt his muscles relax. Perhaps modern plumbing wasn't so bad after all.

Now if only he could get Cora to relax as well.