Cora says she panics because she thinks Offred is gone. However, it's also clear that she believed Offred could be hurt or dead.

When Cora comes into the room and finds Offred on the floor, she panics and drops the tray of food she carried in. When Offred asks why she was so worried, she avoids the question. Cora wants to know why she was on the floor and Offred lies, saying she fainted.

The two women decide not to tell anyone that Offred was on the floor. They pretend the tray broke after breakfast so the cook won't have to make more food. On her way out, Cora says she thought Offred was only clothes at first. She thought she'd left the Commander's household and run away. When Offred moved, it made Cora panic since she didn't think anyone was there.

Cora's reaction shows that she was also concerned for Offred's safety. She believes that after everything that happened, Offred may have injured or even killed herself. This is likely because the handmaid who lived there before did commit suicide.