Bernard Shaw wrote about Eliza and Higgins at the end of the sequel (of sorts) to Pygmalion that… 'She (Eliza) has even secret mischievous moments in which she wishes she could get him (Higgins) alone, on a desert island, away from all ties and with nobody else in the world to consider and just drag him off his pedestal and see him making love like any common man'
This is my account of what would have happened on that island…
(Set before the end of Pygmalion, during the Brighton visit.)
Rated PG.
It was a cold, foggy day in Brighton, and Eliza Dolittle, Henry Higgins, and Colonel Pickering were waiting to board a ferry, on which they would be spending the day, travelling around the bay. It had been Pickering's idea, and everyone had come (at the insistence of the Colonel.) Henry was expressing his feelings on the day-trip very clearly.
"Damn this foolish trip, and damn the weather, and damn this bloody infernal line!" Henry muttered heatedly, scowling up at the dark clouds, which would spit at him every so often.
"Higgins, do be more patient- we're nearly there after all." Pickering said, motioning to the line into the ferry, which was slowly but surely getting smaller.
Eliza and the Colonel shared an exasperated look as Henry sighed angrily and looked around the dock.
His eyes caught a small group of people going around a crate- he could just see the beginnings of a gangplank.
"Blast the line- lets go up there!" he said, starting towards the apparent shortcut.
"Higgins I must insist-" started the Colonel, but he was already moving away.
"Don't worry Colonel- I'll fetch him back." Eliza said, before following Henry.
"Professor! Professor wait!"
Henry did not turn around, although he did slow down, waiting for his pupil to catch up with him.
"Where's Pickering?"
"He's saving our spot in the line- come now Sir, we should be getting back"
"Don't be absurd- I've found a short cut, and I intend to put it to use!"
Eliza sighed, and with a last glance back at the line, followed the Professor up the gangplank.
Where were they?
It was not a large ferry- there were limited places were they could be…and he had checked all of them.
Twice.
Pickering had been looking for Higgins and Eliza since the ship had left port- nearly an hour ago.
"They've got to be here someplace old chap." He said to himself, moving out onto the deck, watching a near identical ship sail in the opposite direction. "I just have to find them."
Unless…
They did not get on…
Blast!