AN: this is the final chapter, so I'd like to thank you all for the reviews, the follows and favourites, they mean a lot. This chapter is perhaps my favourite so I hope you enjoy it too.

On another note, I've recently penned a one shot about Lord and Lady Sinderby that I will be posting later this week. As neither Daniel nor Rachel appear on the character list at the moment, I thought I'd mention it here, but there's absolutely no pressure to read it, I'm not sure I like it very much. Thanks again for reading.

When Robert had opened his Christmas present from Cora to find a pair of ice skates the plan he'd been struggling to think up sprang to mind. One day in early January they'd go ice skating on the frozen lake and he'd declare his love for her. It was perfect, she's been desperate to skate ever since the lake had frozen. His mother had informed him that on her walks she always visited the lake and that it had been one of her favourite places ever since she had arrived at Downton.

Cora clings to Robert's arm dressed in what feels like a thousand layers as they walk towards the lake. She carries the skates and he the pre-prepared lunch. Cora is enthralled, finally a day with Robert without the hustle and bustle of Christmas and New Year, coupled with ice skating, her favourite winter pastime. The only thing that was concerning Cora was her engagement ring. Robert had asked to borrow it two weeks ago and he still hadn't returned it. What was he up to?

As they approach the lake Cora breaks free from Robert and hurtles towards the frozen haven, ignoring Robert's calls for her to slow down. She sits on the edge of the wooden pontoon just as she had done all those months ago with her mother-in-law, yanks her shoes from her feet and proceeds to put on her skates. Just as before, another pair of legs appear beside her, this time her dearest husband's. She finishes her laces and skates swiftly to the far side of the lake, joy consuming her as the breeze ruffles her hair.

Robert sits and watches as Cora skates around, she is just so elegant, so beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous. He suddenly becomes nervous and his throat dries up as he thinks of the declaration he's going to make later. The newly engraved engagement ring burns in his pocket.

"Robert darling, are you coming." Her gloved hand slips into his and he looks up into her concerned face, rising to his feet he kisses her lightly on the cheek.

"Of course my dearest one. I was distracted by your beautiful figure."

"You're making me blush."

"I know, which was the intention. You are so beautiful after all, and even more so when you blush." He leans down and kisses her soundly on her lips which immediately part, he eases his tongue inside just as she pulls away.

"We've come to skate Robert, we can kiss later." They skate around the lake a few times, supporting each other as they slip and slide. Then, Cora suddenly pulls her hand out of his and skates away from his with a call of 'catch me' he smiles and races after her, his worries of earlier forgotten.

Cora pushes her skates harder into the ice, desperate to gain distance before Robert catches up. She laughs as she looks over her shoulder to see him soldiering after her, a look of determination on his face. So perfect, she sighs, just so perfect, even in her favourite dreams she never imagined it could be quite like this. So wonderful. The only thing missing is Robert saying the three words aloud, anyone that looked at him was aware of the feelings he had for her. Her thoughts have caused her pace to slow and she feels Robert's arms encircle her waist, his lips planting two kisses on her neck.

"I got you." He mumbles into her skin. As she turns in his arms so she can face him her foot slips and they fall to the ice, his body atop hers. Their laughs fill the air and he removes his weight from her petite frame. "Are you alright."

"Yes, just a bruised bottom. Shall we stop for some refreshment?"

"Yes, but first my dear, your lips need warming up they look decidedly blue." Cora blushes and Robert's mouth closes over hers. All to soon she has to ease her hands from his hair and take her lips from his.

"The ice is cold on my back my darling. Let's go and have some food." Disappointment floods through Robert and he pouts, Cora laughs.

"I suppose you're right. Besides, I've got some surprises for you." Cora's heart races, perhaps she will finally find out what's happened to her ring.

A short time later, having removed their skates and eaten the small but satisfactory picnic. Cora having been so absorbed in eating had forgotten her surprises which now come suddenly back to mind.

"What are the surprises? You'd hoped I'd forgotten hadn't you?"

"No. I just wanted you to eat first. Besides, what I have to say is rather important and I suppose I was a little nervous." His heart hammers, he has to tell her that he loves her.

"There's no need to be nervous. You know I don't bite." The smile lighting Cora's features makes Robert more confident.

"You do sometimes." Cora blushes but her thoughts are far from memories of their night-time adventures. Her thoughts are swimming with the hope that after goodness knows how many months of knowing, Robert might be just about to admit to loving her. He pulls Cora's engagement ring from his pocket and turns it over in his hands reading the inscription written there. Cora doesn't interrupt as she watches him collect his thoughts. When he finally turns to her she smirks and moves a little closer, taking his offered hand. He rubs his fingers over her wedding ring before meeting her intoxicating eyes. "The thing is Cora, I love you."

Before he has a chance to explain for how long he has, or about the inscription on the ring. Cora has quite literally thrown herself at him, he falls onto his back as her lips meet his. Her hands wind into his hair and her tongue moves decidedly inside his mouth. His tongue meets hers and he relishes in the feeling . It's not new, they've done it before, but somehow it's different, perhaps because his heart feels lighter now he's unburdened himself. Reluctantly he tugs his lips always from hers and sits up, Cora cradled in his lap. He takes her left hand and slips the engagement ring on her finger and kisses it.

"Before you read the inscription I wanted to explain it to you. The ring is small, so I was selective in what I had inscribed. There's a great deal more I could say, because you are so wonderful." Cora gently takes the ring off her finger and reads the inside the short inscription reads: My wife. My Heart. My love. My life. Tears streak Cora's face in seconds and she leans against Robert's shoulder still reading the inscription as she turns the ring in the light. Raw emotion overwhelms her in a way it never has before. Nobody in her life has ever declared so openly, so permanently, their attachment to her. Her parents loved her, she knew, but she didn't know for them telling her so her brother was much the same. Yet here Robert was, by far the person she loved most, telling her and engraving it forever in gold, his feelings for her. Not only was that a feat in itself for an Englishman, let alone Robert; he'd done so having only been married to her for ten months and having only known her for nineteen. Her family had known her all her life.

"I don't know what to say. It's beautiful. More beautiful than the ring you're my life too you know." Her emotional state delights Robert, he never thought himself a romantic man but it appeared he was getting better at not only expressing his feelings but learning to love, it seems Cora is teaching him well.

"For my second surprise we need to pack all this up and head for the summer house."

"Can't we stay here a while?" Her sparkling smile is back and she presses her lips to his neck, trailing them towards his lips.

"Cora darling, the point of the summer house is to spend the afternoon together in the warm."

"It's warm here."

"It's freezing. I don't want our first time together after I've told you I love you to be on snow-covered ground."

"It would be very romantic." Robert laughs and kisses her nose before removing her hands from his hair and kissing each of her knuckles.

"You have an answer to everything don't you? But trust me when I say the summer house will be very romantic."

"You'll have to persuade me. I'm sat on your lap and I'm not moving until you convince me."

"You're a minx!" A half giggle, half squeal pierces the icy air as Cora feels Robert's hands grab her waist and begin tickling her. She falls defeated onto her back, Robert straddled over her.

"Alright, alright. I'm convinced! Stop!" The assault on her waist halts and she looks up into Robert's grinning face. "Are you going to show me this romantic summer house or not?" He kisses her nose before standing. Between them they pack up the picnic and head for the summer house. As they do so Robert prays that all he asked for had been done while Cora eagerly awaits her surprise, an intimate dinner? An afternoon in bed?

What she finds upon entrance is a mixture of the two. On the far side of the room a bed has been made, rose petals scattered across it, a bunch resting on one of the pillows. A table has been laid in the corner, candles already burning. Cora turns and flings herself at Robert. Taken by total surprise he drops the picnic basket and skates. He lets her wind her legs around his waist and her hands slip into his hair. He holds the backs of her legs and carries her towards the bed. When she lays surrounded by petals he brings his lips to hers before trailing them down her neck. They make short work of each other's clothes. They relish in each other's touches and make love for what Robert would say is the first time. Cora would argue they'd been a lot more than 'their duty' for some months.

Some time later when they lie entangled in each other, the air around them thick and hot despite the cold, Cora finally raises the questions she's been dying to ask since he'd overwhelmed her with his announcement.

"When did you realise you loved me?"

"Before Christmas. When I found Lord Bertram with you."

"I knew you loved me before then. So did your parents I think."

"I think perhaps I've loved you for some time. The feelings were just alien and I struggled to comprehend them."

"Why does the summer house have a bed in it?" Robert chuckles.

"Your mind skips around, my love."

"How so? We were talking of love and we just expressed out love in the bed in the summer house."

"The third Earl kept his mistress here." Cora raise her eyebrows. "I know you're thinking I shouldn't have bought a respectable woman to the house originally made for a mistress. And, as you know I disagree with the practice as much as you do. But, this situation was different. He loved the woman, adored her in fact, but the match was deemed unsuitable. She was disowned by her family when she fell pregnant and he took her in, housed and supported their children. All here, in this summer house."

"So, you're planning on locking me and out children in the summer house?"

"He never locked her in here, she was a friend of the wife, they hosted parties together. And, I could never lock you in here, it's too far for me to walk to kiss you every morning."

"Um, and speaking of walking. We ought to get back to the house. The dressing gong will be rung soon."

"Not tonight. Tonight we are being served here. A footman is coming with the food at eight. Then, we can dance or play cards before retiring to this rather comfortable bed."

"Do your parents know?"

"They do, and they approve. And even if they hadn't I would have done it. Now, may I kiss you again?"

"You don't have to ask you're my husband."

"That doesn't necessarily mean that you want me to kiss you."

"It does in this case. Just as I'm your love and your life. You're mine."

"You like the inscription then?"

"Yes, it's absolutely perfect, but then so are you my darling. I love you."

"I love you too, my dearest, darling Cora." They both have tears in their eyes as their lips meet and they enjoy the privacy of the summer house for the second time that January afternoon. They both have what they always wanted, a happy marriage with a partner they can trust and is honest with them. A partner with whom they can hold mature conversations. What neither of them had bargained for was love. They'd always hoped, but had never let that go too far as they knew hope was often a tease. Often, but never always. They'd forgotten that true love does conquer all. Eventually.