This is my contribution to the 2015 Cobert Valentine Exchange. My prompt song was "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. I am using the original Series One timeline, which suggested that Cora and Robert married in 1888/1889. Please forgive me for any confusion this causes. This also goes along with my personal headcanon that Robert was in love with Cora from the moment he laid eyes on her; he just didn't realize it. Happy belated Valentine's Day! As always, thank you to my beta for catching my mistakes!

January 1925

"Where's Mama?" Mary questioned, her eyes searching the Great Hall for any sign of her mother. "I thought the two of you normally came down together after you watch her get dressed." She raised a knowing brow as she watched her father almost choke on his scotch.

"Mary, don't be vulgar," Robert admonished as his face turned a deep shade of crimson. "You know very well I don't watch your mother get dressed." More's the pity, he thought to himself. "She told me to go ahead and come downstairs. Something about having a surprise for me."

"Hmm. Well, she'd better come down soon. The ball can't start without the Countess of Grantham, and Granny will never let her hear the end of it if she's late."

-0-

Upstairs, Baxter had just put the finishing touches on Cora's hair. "Which necklace would you like to wear this evening, my lady?"

Opening the bottom drawer of her vanity, Cora withdrew a large velvet box. She gently opened the lid to reveal a pearl and sapphire necklace. "I'd like to wear this one."

"I don't believe I've ever seen this one," Baxter said, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's beautiful."

"It was a gift from his lordship for our first anniversary," Cora smiled, running her fingers across the delicate jewels. "He told me that the color of the sapphires reminded him of the gown I was wearing the night we met."

"His lordship sounds like quite the romantic," Baxter remarked, smiling shyly when Cora answered the comment with a peal of laughter. "I apologize, my lady. That was impertinent of me."

"It's quite all right, Baxter," Cora assured her. "He has his moments. I haven't worn this necklace in years. But, it matches this dress perfectly."

"Is that a coincidence?"

Cora merely smirked at her maid's reflection in the mirror. In fact, she had had the dress made specifically for this night. Though gown styles had changed dramatically since 1888, the material of the dress and the color were exactly as they had been that night.

Robert had been downcast since for the past few weeks. Tom and Sybbie had left for Boston two days after the New Year. They both missed their granddaughter and son-in-law desperately. The house just wasn't the same. That coupled with Robert's health scare-from which Cora's nerves had still not completely recovered-and the various events from the previous year that had threatened to tear them apart, Cora felt that she needed to do something nice for her husband. She always sought to please him, and she knew without a trace of doubt that he would appreciate this dress.

-0-

"Does your wife plan on gracing us with her presence sometime this year, Robert?" Violet spoke from her seat, bringing her son's attention away from the scotch he was nursing. "Or should we go in search of her?"

"Mama, Cora will be down soon, I'm sure," Robert said, looking toward the clock in the hall. He was surprised to see that it was only two minutes before the ball was scheduled to begin. "Goodness, I hadn't realized the time. Perhaps I should go and see if everything is all right."

"There's no need, Papa," Mary spoke as she placed a hand on her father's arm to gain his attention. "Here she is."

As Robert turned toward the staircase, his eyes widened at the sight before him. "God in heaven," he breathed. It was as if he'd been transported to a place and time almost thirty-seven years prior. Memories of the first time he had laid eyes on Cora flashed in his mind.

-0-

"I can't believe I let you talk me into attending this ghastly affair," Robert muttered. "Really, Rosamund. The people who attend these things are all the same. It's always the same dull, feather-brained women, not one of which can hold my attention for more than two minutes."

Rosamund rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I'm never one to stick up for Mama, but it actually wasn't her idea; it was Papa's. You know the estate is in trouble. Papa said we won't be there this time next year if you don't find a wife with enough money to save us. I know you don't want us to lose our home, Robert."

Robert's heart sank as he recalled recent conversations with his father. Words such as 'bankrupt' swirled in his head. His love for Downton was in his bones and in his blood, and the thought of losing it was almost more than he could bare. At the same time, he didn't feel ready for marriage; especially if his wife turned out to be someone who bored him to death. He knew that once they were married, there was no getting out of it. "Marriage is a long business. There's no getting out of it for our kind of people." "People like us are never unhappily married." His mother was forever saying things like this, and the thought of being trapped in an unhappy marriage with one of the dozens of women he had been introduced to almost made him physically ill. But, he also became ill at the thought of losing Downton. Sighing, he decided to take another look around the crowded ballroom. Perhaps tonight he might actually find someone halfway interesting.

As he observed the faces gathered there, his eyes fell on one he had never seen before. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Never in his life had he seen someone so beautiful. Her dark hair was arranged in an intricate design. Her navy blue satin gown hugged her curves in a way that Robert found most beguiling, and the color accented the delicateness of her porcelain skin. She wore pearls around her neck, and small pearl earrings dangled from her ears. Robert found himself unable to catch his breath for a brief moment. "Rosamund!" he whispered, his eyes never leaving the young woman's face. "Who on earth is that?"

"Who?" His sister was slightly confused before she followed his line of sight and realized to whom he was referring. "Oh. I'm told that her name is Cora Levinson."

"Levinson?" Robert's brow furrowed briefly. "Isn't that a Jewish surname?"

"It is, but Miss Levinson isn't Jewish from what I understand. Her father is, but her mother is not."

"Where is she from? I've never seen her before."

"America. Apparently she's the talk of London this season. I'm surprised you've not heard of her."

Robert continued to stare at her, trying to muster the courage to introduce himself to this exotic beauty from a foreign land.

"Robert?"

"Robert?" He shook himself slightly as he realized that his wife was now stood in front of him, a look of mild concern upon her face. "Darling, is everything all right?"

"He's fine, Mama," Mary chimed in, giving her father a knowing smirk. "He's just love-struck." Mary grinned as both of her parents blushed from embarrassment.

"That'll be quite enough of that, thank you," Robert fixed his eldest daughter with a slight glare before turning his full attention back to his wife. "But, you do look beautiful tonight, my darling," he whispered.

"Thank you, Robert." Cora blushed a deeper crimson, relishing in her husband's unguarded stare and compliment.

"And you're wearing the necklace I gave you for our first anniversary," he observed. "I can't believe you still have it."

"Did you think I would throw it out?" Cora teased, delighted when her statement elicited a chuckle from her husband.

"Now that we're all here, would it be possible for us to begin the evening? None of us are getting any younger, you know," Violet quipped, clearly annoyed by her son and daughter-in-law's ignorance of the time.

Finally tearing their eyes away from one another, Cora smiled. "Certainly, Mama," she said sweetly, giving her husband a quick wink before making eye contact with the band leader. As the first chords of the opening waltz began, Cora smiled once again as Carson came forward.

"Your ladyship, may I have the honor of this first dance?"

"Of course, Carson," Cora replied as she placed her hand on top of Carson's outstretched one.

Robert watched as Cora and Carson led the opening dance. Although it was a Downton tradition that the dancing was opened by the Countess and the butler, Robert couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy that someone else was dancing with his wife. He remembered feeling a similar feeling that first evening.

-0-

"Robert? Are you listening to me?"

Robert turned to face his sister, the effort of taking his eyes off of the beautiful Miss Levinson considerable.

"I'm sorry; what were you saying, sister dear?"

Rosamund huffed in annoyance. "I said, aren't you going to ask her to dance? Or do you plan on just standing here for the rest of the evening?"

"I want nothing more than to dance with her," Robert said, turning his attention back to Cora. "But, what if she doesn't want to dance with me?"

"You never know until you try. Besides, I've also been told that she's extraordinarily wealthy." Robert turned to take in his sister's knowing expression. She nodded as she continued. "Apparently her father has an extremely successful dry goods business in New York. They're absolutely made of money. Her dowry could save Downton."

"I suppose-"

"And she is quite pretty. You could do much worse, brother."

"Right." With that, he gathered his courage and began to weave his way through the masses to where Miss Levinson stood talking to a small group of women. She must have sensed someone approaching as she looked up and smiled brilliantly at Robert. His heart stopped beating in his chest for a moment.

"I do apologize for interrupting, ladies," he stammered, trying to regain his wits.

"Not at all, Lord Downton," Lady Eleanor replied, batting her eyes up at him. It was no secret to anyone in the room that Lady Eleanor Wilson had been in hot pursuit of Robert for the past two seasons. But, Robert couldn't have been less interested in her if he tried. The sight of her concerted effort to flirt with him made Robert's stomach clench uncomfortably. "What can we do for you?"

"Actually, I had hoped to make the acquaintance of your new friend." He ignored the look of disdain and the tension that radiated from Lady Eleanor. Turning to Cora, he bowed slightly. "I'm Robert Crawley. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss…"

"Levinson," Cora offered softly. "Cora Levinson. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Downton."

Robert loved the way his title sounded coming from her mouth and in her accent; he wasn't sure why exactly. "The pleasure is mine, I can assure you. Would you do me the great honor of dancing this next waltz with me? That is, if your dance card isn't full already."

Cora smiled as her cheeks blushed a pretty pink. "No, it isn't. And I would be delighted, Lord Downton."

As Robert led Miss Levinson onto the dance floor, he was vaguely aware that all eyes were on the two of them. He felt a strange sense of pride to be the one that this beautiful young lady had chosen to dance with. As he placed his hand on her back and the music began, he couldn't help but notice how perfectly she fit into his arms.

"I don't know this one, I don't believe," Robert commented as the pair swayed to the unfamiliar melody.

"It's the Sleeping Beauty waltz." Cora grinned at Robert's surprised expression. "It was composed only a few months ago. By Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It's beautiful, don't you think?"

"I do," Robert murmured, though he wasn't commenting on the music. He couldn't help smiling at Miss Levinson's gracefulness, how she seemed to glide effortlessly across the dance floor. He was drawn to this young woman; this mysterious, enigmatic being. As the music ended, he posed a question that went against almost every societal rule that had ever been drilled into him.

"Miss Levinson, I know it isn't proper, but would you happen to have the next dance available?"

Cora picked up her dance card. Pouting her lower lip slightly, she looked up at Robert. "I'm dreadfully sorry, Lord Downton, but my dance card is full for the rest of the evening."

Robert couldn't hide his disappointment. "Oh," he murmured as he briefly cast his eyes to the floor.

"But, I've been invited to Lady Manville's ball next week," Cora quickly added. "Perhaps I will see you there?"

"I look forward to it," Robert said as he took her hand and placed a soft kiss to the back of it. "Good evening, Miss Levinson."

Robert made his way back to where his sister stood, her lips twitching with mirth as she noted look on her brother's face. She could tell that he was already utterly besotted with the beautiful Miss Levinson.

"So, how did it go?" Rosamund feigned innocence.

"Better than I could ever have imagine," Robert replied as he turned back to look at the dance floor. His stomach clenched at the sight of Miss Levinson dancing with someone else. He couldn't explain why exactly, but he found that he was extremely jealous of this chap.

"I think I'll slip out and go back to the house. I've rather a headache." With that, Robert rushed from the ballroom.

"You don't have a headache," Rosamund muttered to herself. "You're love-sick."

-0-

Robert found himself staring unabashedly at his wife as she danced with Carson. Even as he and Mrs. Hughes joined them on the dance floor, he found that he could keep his eyes off of her for very long. It had always been that way.

As the couple's eyes met over the shoulders of their partners, Robert beamed as he noticed Cora looking at him with a glimmer of nostalgia. He wondered if she remembered that night as fondly as he.