He had spent the better part of the evening following dinner waiting in the drawing room. Tom had still not returned and he wanted to know that everything was settled before he went to bed. Good heavens! If it all went to pieces now at the eleventh hour he would be hard pressed to stand it. He worried for Mary, for Matthew, for the estate. Cora would be devastated. Their marriage was the answer to all their prayers and he did not think he could bare it being dashed on the rocks now.

It had come out during dinner, Mary had left in tears, Edith filled in the details she knew, Tom volunteered to speak with Matthew. It had all happened so fast. Following dinner Cora had gone to see Mary and had returned to the drawing room to report to Robert that Mary was confused and concerned. Cora looked worried, but somehow managed to smile and tell him it would all be fine.

So Robert sat waiting for news while sipping his scotch slowly. The whole evening had gone to custard and he sat pondering the events of the evening, while replaying his wife's words from dinner in his mind again and again. "Everyone cries sometime before their wedding". It had been haunting his mind ever since he heard her speak it, it had moved to taken up residence in his heart which had proceeded to ache. He knew she had not meant to hurt him with her words; she probably had not given them a second thought. Yet they had been spoken and now he knew clearly that he had caused her to cry before their wedding, he had made her sad and unsure and that was something he just couldn't fathom. He had never thought he was particularly gallant during their courtship and early marriage. He had tried as best he had known how, but had been ill equipped to meet the needs of a woman like Cora Lenvinson. She had been beautiful and intelligent and witty … and he had been bumbling and desperate for her money. If he had paid more attention he would have seen early on how much she affected him, how much she loved him. But he had been foolish and blind and had not realized the prize he had in his wife until they were well and truly married. It pained him to consider that he had not paid much attention to her feelings before their wedding … and now he knew, she had cried because of it.

He wanted to go to her and hold her close and make up for his awful actions all those years ago. Every now and again he would apologize to her for that early part of their marriage; she would roll her eyes and tell him she would gladly trade a few months of sadness for 30 years of happiness. But he felt guilty about it nonetheless. If he wasn't waiting for some news about Matthew and Mary he would have gone up to his wife long ago, but he was no good to man or beast if he didn't have something to report, so he waited, and took another sip of his scotch.

Cora sat up in bed and tried to focus on her book. She usually enjoyed Jane Austin, but tonight she was still agitated about Mary and Matthew. She had told Robert she was sure everything would be alright in the morning and she had tried hard to believe it … but she couldn't quite get herself to believe 100%. Everyone felt nervous and unsure before their wedding, especially the night before. Cora could still remember the way she had paced the floors in this very room the night before her own wedding. She had been nervous, scared, confused and had wrung her hands in despair as she had paced back and forth for hours. She had wanted to marry Robert, of course she had … but she had realized, perhaps too late in the piece that he did not love her back, not then anyway. She had always known love would not play out in her marriage but she had hoped she could have love anyway. Then she had met Robert and she had fallen so hard it had taken her breath away. He was kind and funny, always seemed a little unsure around her and she had liked it. He was not cocky or arrogant like so many other spoiled rich men his age. She had thought maybe he had felt similarly for her, until it became clear that theirs was to be a marriage of mutual gain as she had always been trained to expect, nothing more. Violet had been cruel at worst, distant at best, and Robert had been so unsure of himself as a man that he had not stood up to her. Cora had spent many pre wedding nights in tears, but the night before the big day had been the worst of all. She had felt her fear grow inside her and nearly take over, and the only thing that had saved her was Robert. She could not imagine a world where she was not his wife, and she had finally managed to settle down. She prayed Mary would come to her senses, to realize their argument was really not important, not when they so obviously loved each other.

Robert knocked gently on their joining door before he entered, not waiting for a response. He would not have even bothered with the knock, but it had been such a long time since she had come up to bed that he didn't even know if she was awake. As soon as he entered he saw her look up from her book and smile. She did things to his insides with that smile. He returned her a smaller smile of his own, suddenly aware that he had a few drinks while he was waiting and his limbs felt a little heavier and slower to respond than normal.

"Did Tom get back alright?" she asked gently. Robert nodded and made his way to the bed removing his robe as he went placing it on the chair before continuing to his side of the bed. He sat down facing the wall and replied with a sigh.

"He bought Matthew with him, they are up speaking with Mary now"

"What?!" Cora asked in shock. Robert felt the bed move as she sat up straight "Robert not only is it improper it is also bad luck" she put her book on the bedside table feeling that she would need to give her full attention to her husband. How could he have let such a thing happen? What was he thinking? Men!

Robert turned to sit in bed properly looking at his wife, "No it's quite proper. Tom and Anna are with them and they promised to talk through her door so he shan't see her." He explained leaning over and patting her hand reassuringly.

"But Robert, the night before their wedding. Perhaps I should go and see if I …"

"They will be fine Cora. We have to loosen the reigns a little, come tomorrow we will have 2 married daughters. They aren't children anymore" he laced his fingers with his wife's and looked at their joined hands before raising them to his lips and laying a soft kiss against her hand. She smiled at the gesture and scooted a little closer placing her free hand on top of their joined ones.

"I suppose you are right" she said sadly. "I find myself with mixed emotions I'm afraid. I am so happy for them to all be finding love and marrying, and I am so terribly sad that they are grown up"

Plucking up his courage Robert turned to look into his wife's face. He had to know if it was he who had made her cry all those years ago. He had to tell her how sorry he was for ever causing her to shed a tear.

"Cora?" he asked softly, she looked up at him waiting for him to continue, but a knock at the door stopped any further discussion.

"Yes" Cora answered. The door opened and Sybil appeared wrapped in her robe, her hair brushed out for the night. She looked easy and beautiful. It made Cora's throat catch to notice the bump of her growing stomach and think of the baby that grew there. They really were growing up. They had grown up. Her beautiful beautiful babies.

"Mama, Papa" she said with a smile as she entered, "Tom just returned from Matthew and I thought you might like a report. She said with a small smile as she noticed her parents hands entwined together, her mother sitting closer to her father's side of the bed than her own. She had always loved the way her parents loved each other. She sat on the edge of the bed and laid her hand on her stomach rubbing absent mindedly at the baby that was there.

"Thank you Sybil, please" Cora said leaning forward ever so slightly.

"Tom said they spoke briefly. He didn't want to stand too closely so he didn't overhear the whole thing… but suffice to say that the wedding is still on. Matthew has gone now and everything is sorted … for now at least." She said with a small laugh, adding. "I can't imagine Mary will let him off that easily"

Both parents smiled and Cora let out a sigh of relief, she hadn't even realized she had been holding her breath.

"Thank goodness" Robert said more forcefully than he intended.

"Thank you darling" Cora said happily, "That is excellent news. Thank Tom for us"

Sybil smiled gently and stood to leave, "We know how much everyone wants this wedding, we are happy to help" she said rubbing her stomach, "I will say goodnight then" she looked down and then took a step towards the door.

"Sybil" Robert said quite suddenly, she turned and looked at him.

"Yes Papa?"

"How are you feeling?" he asked gently, motioning to her stomach with his eyes. He hadn't spoken to her about the baby, that wasn't his place to do so. Cora had kept him informed of things, but between he and Sybil they had not even spoken of it.

Sybil's smile reached all the way to her eyes at her father's question. She placed both hands on her stomach and looked down at the bump protruding. "I feel fine papa. A little tired, but mostly fine."

Robert nodded, "Good. Very good."

Sybil turned to leave once more, "Sybil" her father's voice stopped her once again and she turned, her hand on the doorknob.

"You will let me know if you need anything wont you? You must take care of yourself" Robert looked quickly at his daughter and then back to the door. It was almost too much to take. The way he loved his daughters, how much he needed them to be ok, to be happy and safe.

Sybil's felt her throat catch and she nodded before she trusted herself to speak, "yes Papa." She finally said, "Of course". She opened the door and left.

Cora could barely contain the smile that played at her lips. Mary and Matthew were fine which was wonderful news, but the interaction between Sybil and Robert had been so lovely she could feel her heart burning.

"Oh Robert" she said sweetly, rubbing her free hand along his arm, "You have made her so happy"

"I don't know what you mean" he said a little gruffly. Cora smiled and held her tongue, she knew such displays of emotion were hard for him, he had come to be more comfortable to do so with her, but it had taken years.

"You are such a good man" she said, leaning over and placing a kiss against his cheek before setting down against his chest.

Robert sat propped up against the headboard for several minutes breathing in the lilac scent of Cora's hair, enjoying the way her head felt against his chest. He lay his hand around her and ran his hand up and down her back in long gentle strokes, when he heard her sigh contentedly he smiled. He enjoyed moments like this. Just he and Cora. He would enjoy it a lot more if he could get rid of the nagging thoughts of her comments at dinner "Everyone cries at some point before their wedding"

"Cora?" he asked softly.

"MmmmMmm" she replied, weaving her hand to come and lay against his chest.

"About what you said at dinner" he began.

"Which part" she laughed gently as she began to gently rub her hand across his chest. She liked the way his chest felt beneath her hand, strong, masculine … hers.

"The part where you said everyone cries before their wedding, did you mean it?"

"Of course. It's a stressful time" she replied matter of factly. Where exactly was he going with this?

"Oh" Robert gathered his courage for what answer he might get with his next question, "Did you?"

Cora smiled against Robert's chest and closed her eyes for a moment. So that was what this was about. She should have known. No matter how many times they discussed those times she could never convince him to move past it. What mattered was now.

"Robert" she said tenderly, "what does any of that matter now" she propped herself up against his chest so she could look at his face. He looked awfully concerned and she knew it bothered him a great deal.

"I don't want to be the cause of your pain Cora, not now, not ever"

"Well you will be glad to know that I am currently feeling no pain. I am happily laying in my husbands arms on the eve of our daughter's wedding. I am happy Robert. You have made me so very happy" she wished he could move on, she wished she could make him see past this. But when he had something on his mind she knew how stubborn he was to see it through.

"I am glad darling that you are so happy now. But back then, did you cry before our wedding? Was it because of me? I must know"

Cora sighed and sat up a little to be more comfortable. He was not going to give up. "Yes Robert, of course I cried" she was as tender and gently with her voice as she could be, and she lay a hand against his cheek to soften the blow. "I was so young, and I was madly in love with this wonderful man, and I was scared."

"What did I do? Was I really so awful? I am so sorry Cora." he looked down and shook his head.

"It wasn't anything in particular darling, I just wanted more. It made me sad when I knew you didn't love me as much as my money and I wanted more attention from you." She explained, moving her hand from his cheek to his chest.

"Oh my darling, I am so terribly sorry" he looked at her and she felt her heart melt at the sight of him.

"There is nothing to apologize for. I cried because I wanted more of you, of your time and attention and love … and I have that. I have had that for all these years and I have been so wonderfully happy Robert. You must stop beating yourself up over the past" she explained forcefully.

"It's the thing in my life I am most ashamed of Cora, I can not apologize enough. I would do anything to change it, to show you how much I do love you" he ran his fingers through her hair and held the back of her head in his hands. She sighed.

"You silly man." She breathed, "I know how much you love me. I have known for more than 30 years."

"That is not enough for you." He protested.

'You are right" she said thoughtfully, then leaning closer against him she lay against his chest and placed her lips inches from his. "I suggest you show me instead" she breathed before she slowly closed the gaps to his lips. Robert pulled her head against his with his hands entwined in her hair. He felt the sweep of her tongue and the heat of her breath as their mouths molded into one, moving in a pleasurable rhythm. She placed her hand against his chest to steady herself and lay more fully against his body. His hands left her hair and one wrapped around her waist, the other stroked the side of her face tenderly.

"I do love you" he murmured against her lips, "So much"

"Oh Robert" she murmured back, lifting her lips from his and placing her mouth against his ear where she whispered, "Show me"

With one swift motion he lifted her body up and then underneath him as he turned to lay above her, one hand keeping the full force of his weight off her, the other coming to rest on her hip, where it began to run strong longing strokes up and down the length of her side. His lips dropped to her jaw line where he began a trail of long, heat filled kisses, much to her delight. Her hands ran along his forearms and biceps and she squeezed her appreciation at his attentions with every kiss and caress. As he ran his hand down her length once more he grasped the hem of her nightdress and began lifting it up her slender form. She shuddered slightly at the change in texture as the feeling of his hand replaced the satin of her nightdress; she bit her lip at the feel of his touch and moved her hands to run down his back. Instinctively she lifted one leg up resting the sole of her foot against the mattress; Robert took this as an invitation and began to run his hand up and down the length of her bent leg, settling himself further against the open space between her thighs. She sighed loudly as she felt his excitement rest against her own and moved her hands to his chest as she began to unbutton his pajama shirt.

"Cora" he sighed against her neck as he blazed a new trail of heat across the base of her neck and along the neckline of her gown. Cora freed his buttons and ran her hands across his chest, trailing her fingers softly down the middle of his chest, down past his belly button, and coming rest at the waist of his pajama bottoms. Bringing his head up from her chest he looked down at his wife and tenderly kissed her lips before pulling away from her to finish disrobing. Cora yanked off her own nightclothes and lifted her other leg up as the first, when Robert rejoined her on the bed she reached out her arms to him and he lay against her surrounded by the feel of her arms enveloping his body, her lips against his neck, her body fitted perfectly beneath his. He lay above her so perfectly he could be inside her in mere moments, but he wanted to show her how much he loved her, and he held back reaching for her arms and gripping her hands in his. He lifted her hands above here head and held them there softly but forcefully. He knew how much she loved this, when he held her down gently and took control of her body with his. She had told him before she loved the way it made her feel to have her body at his disposal, to trust him with everything that she couldn't even lift her hands up was a rush she couldn't explain. Looking into her eyes he dropped his lips to each cheek, then to her neck where he kissed and sucked gently, then to her lips, where she hungrily waited to greet him. Their kisses took on a heat all their own and made Cora squirm beneath her husbands body. His hands against hers. The gentle pressure of his weight on hers, the feel of him waiting excitedly between her legs was almost more than she could bear.

"Show me" she whispered between kisses. Robert pulled away from her lips and smirked down playfully. He lifted away from her lips more fully and she lifted her head to follow him as far as his restraint would allow. He did not return to her lips and moved his attention toward her chest where he kissed a path around each breast, deliberately, painfully avoiding the center where she wanted his attentions the most. He gently moved his tongue against her flesh and listened to her whimper and felt her squirm beneath her. When he felt her shudder in anticipation he eagerly placed his lips against her nipple and flicked his tongue against her there. She cried out, making his groin throb in anticipation.

"Show me" she begged breathlessly. With little restraint left Robert lifted his lips back to hers and took her mouth against hers as he slid effortlessly in between her legs to their collective sighs of pleasure. Cora lifted her legs up and hooked them around his waist as he began to rock a pace against her, moving his lips against hers in unison. He clenched his hands against hers and she gripped back pushing against his hands and feeling their strength. With their bodies combined in every way they rocked against each other, tasting from each other's mouths, both giving and receiving their pleasure together. After some time Robert could not continue without the use of his hands and he let go of Cora's, bracing one hand against the headboard and one at her side. She slipped her arms up to his chest and ran her hands against his body.

"Oh gosh" she cried as he moved against her, "Yes" she said, "Yes" he quickened his pace and she shifted her hands to his back to pull him close and hold on tight. He groaned loudly in pleasure and moved against her with greater intensity. He knew she was close; they had been together so often he knew the signs. He watched her bite her lower lip and felt her arch her back slightly. She was close. He increased his pace, pushing even farther into her than he felt possible. He shifted his hand off the headboard and ran it into her hair. With several more thrusts she came undone beneath him; with several more he joined her there. The pleasure overtaking him in great waves.

After some time they gathered their breaths and untwined their bodies, lying close to each other, her hand against his chest.

"I do so love you" he said, lifting her hand from his chest and kissing its palm.

"I know" Cora replied, rolling on her side to be closer to him. "And I so love you"

"But I do, Cora. You have to know that I do love you"

Giggling softly she proper up on her side and leaned over, "Robert, I know" she said rather forcefully, "I know … but feel free to show me again"