My first MFL fanfiction, unsure as of yet if it is to be a short one shot, or if I am to continue it...please R & R.
How he missed her. How his soul ached for her. Yet she was gone. It had been so long since he had last been alone, and without her he knew nothing of his own life; where to find his belongings or when he had appointments and where the devil his slippers were, but it wasn't just her organization he need, it was her! She was indispensable to him. She had told him not soon before that he could switch on the gramophone and hear her voice, he could flick through his albums and see that face he had long since become accustomed to. He had smirked at this outrageous remark and dismissed it at the time. He didn't think he needed her, but deep inside he was wounded to the core and falling apart.
Accepting defeat he turned to the gramophone and awaiting those dulcet Covent garden, squashed cabbage leaf tones that was Eliza Doolittle.
"…I know wha' lessons cost and I'm ready ta paiy. I won' give more than a shillin' "
Higgins let out a long sigh and collapsed defeated and lonely into his oh so familiar chair. Clearly he heard his insults hurl at her, evidently relishing in the fact that he had such power.
"It's almost irresistible. She's so deliciously low, so horribly dirty. I'll take it. I'll make a Duchess out of this raggatail guttersnipe."
Higgins let out a small inaudible laugh, and so she had, and bettered come to that. A Hungarian princess. This mess he found himself in was entirely of his own accord, how utterly idiotic of him! An ingenious man such as himself did not focus upon such stupidity, yet neither did he focus on women. The fairer sex had remained a mystery he felt no need to explore previous to his wager, yet now...would he have been willing to give up his title as an old bachelor for her? The age difference may have posed a problem but he knew that would be a minute hurdle to leap. Alas, there was now a void, a gaping chasm, a black hole in his soul where she had once resided!
Higgins heard a small crackle, a distinct sign that the gramophone had been switched off. It was a woman, he could tell by the soft tap of her shoes. Most likely Mrs Pearce he concluded. He wouldn't look up and face the shame of being caught listening to a recording of Eliza, it would wound his pride to much. He could've simply stated it was part of another phonetics job, but Mrs Pearce would understand only too well the reasoning behind it all. Damn and blast that interfering woman!
"I washed ma faice and 'ands before I come, I did."
By George. Was it really her? He didn't dare move, yet every sense was heightened. Yes, her smell, a small titter. It was so unmistakably Eliza. Higgins slid back into his chair and tilted his hat back over his face in such a preposterous placing Eliza barely stifled a laugh.
"Where the devil are my slippers?"
"Henry?"
Henry? Since when was he Henry to her? Higgins did not take this as a question and merely ignored her. Eliza gracefully headed toward the door and knelt down bringing Higgins slippers up with her as she rose from the spot she had hurled them to the previous night.
"Henry?"
He did not ask her what she wanted, but burst out with the question he so wanted to ask.
"Why did you come back?"
Eliza smiled.
"Did you truly expect me to leave you?" she laughed quite openly once again.
"Of course no. Why the devil should you?"
"Not that I need you." Higgins added with haste.
"You were playing my voice on the gramophone Henry, of course you do."
Higgins a little taken aback by this mark retorted.
"Phonetics my dear Eliza, merely a case of phonetics."
"For goodness sake Henry Higgins, why must you be so stubborn all the time?" Showing her evident frustration with the man.
Higgins temper was rising as he sat up in his chair removing his hat.
"Insolence!"
"The cheek of it Higgins!"
Higgins, since when did she call him that either?
"Why must you insist upon smothering you're feelings?" Eliza not at all put off by the look of disgust on Higgins face.
"Feelings, what feelings? You are merely a case of convenience, you surely don't expect I am as infatuated with you as Freddie!" Not a question, but a statement, no matter how false it may be.
"Urgh!!" Eliza let out a cry.
"Eliza, ladies do not speak like that!"
A tear traced its way down Eliza's delicate features. Higgins noted this and became thoroughly ashamed of himself.
"Now now, I'm sorry. It didn't really mean it." He tried to feel kind and loving yet he became all round rather scared of what he had done.
"I take it as you came back so we could all be friends once again and put all this silly nonsense behind us?"
"Of course Professor, I'm sorry." Eliza remaining as dignified as she possibly could knelt down and began placing the slippers that she was about ready to hurl at Higgins upon his very feet.
Higgins was rather shocked by this action but let a smile trace his lips.
"Well, I suppose you should head up to your room and make it as though you had never departed.
Eliza nodded toward the professor and headed toward the door of the study. As she reached it a voice behind her brought a halt.
"Erm, Eliza?"
"Yes Professor Higgins?"
Higgins was slightly taken aback by the formality of her addressing him, but carried on, taking this as a slightly unnerving and daunting sign.
"Well, it's just that with you being a young, attractive so to speak woman and all that, living with two men." He began.
"What of it?" Eliza imposed this question with the utmost composure.
"Well, it's just a matter of fact that people will begin to talk, and well.."
"Yes?" Eliza urged.
How He knew he had to do this correctly, he would be a damned fool if it were to be a disaster.
"Perhaps, it would be best, for us all, if you were to marry one of us." Higgins declared.
"Arghhhhh!" Eliza let out a piercing cry."You selfish brute! You selfish, idiotic brute!"
Higgins was at a loss for what he had done wrong.
Eliza was so infuriated by Higgins it took all her might not to strike him there and then!
Then it struck him.
"Well then, if that's the way you feel you ungrateful cabbage leaf, go marry Freddy, go become Eliza Eynesford-hill!" Higgins declared, "See what will become of you, and it is my bet that within six months you will be back to your flower basket whilst your idiotic husband beats you with a stick!"
"At least he loves me! It would not just be a marriage of convenience!"
"Convenience? Tosh Eliza. Why would you marry that ignoramus Eynesford-hill chap? Eh Eliza?"
She was temporarily dumbstruck.
"Confound it woman, is it because he writes to you and dotes upon you day and night?"
"Words, words, words, I'm so devilish sick of words. Upon paper, from the mouth, why can't people just show me?" She was once again verging on tears.
"So come now Eliza why on earth would you marry him?"
She let out a small feeble reply, "Love."
Love he thought.
"Then why the devil won't you marry me?"
Eliza's heart skipped a beat, what did he mean? These damned words did nothing for a poor ignorant girl.
"Show me, I'm an ignorant girl and I don't understand, there are always so many words from you, yet so little emotion." She replied sheepishly.
"My dear Eliza, you are most certainly not ignorant!" Higgins said enthusiastically with a twinkle in his eye, "Why, you are a fine woman of the world! A true lady, nothing can compare with you, you soak up knowledge like a sponge and I am twice as sure as I am handsome that you are so much more intelligent than any of those middle class fashionable women! You are a treasure, a light that burns brighter than anything in the universe!" Higgins himself was rather shocked by his outburst, but not nearly as shocked as Eliza, yet she remained dignified and composed.
She repeated, "Show me."
It was a statement so concise yet Higgins was the one to remain unintelligible and ignorant toward it, he merely stared up from his position perched on the chair.
Eliza sighed, not a droplet of romance to be seen, yet she was so sure that if she were to delve into his soul, she would be sure to find a hint, no matter how small, just a trace, she could love him for it. Eliza stepped forward and offered out on of her slender and elegant glove clad hand towards Henry. At last taking the hint he understood. He took her hand in his own and rose from his perch. He stared deep into the depths of her dark brown and intriguing eyes.
"Marry me." He said softly.
Eliza remained silent, this puzzled and somewhat troubled Henry. Then it struck him, words. He didn't need them. He took both her hands in his, peeling the gloves away from her hands, caressing her fingers, and pressing his lips to hers. It was not a particularly long and intimate kiss, but it said all those things that had remained unsaid, it showed feelings that could only be unmasked with the absence of words. It showed love. Eliza smiled a sweet smile and Higgins chortled lightly.
"Of course." Eliza spoke directly to Higgins never once taking her eyes off of his.
When the couple finally broke apart they turned toward the door, only to see an elated Mrs Pearce and Colonel Pickering, grinning broadly and attempting to keep all composure.
Pickering couldn't bare it any longer. He rushed forward to congratulate his friend.
"By Jove Higgins, you did it!" Pickering said as he bounded forward and began patting Higgins hard on the back. The colonel then moved to Eliza to shake her hand in a gentlemanly fashion only to find her being doted upon by Mrs Pearce.
Well it took me a while but I thoroughly enjoyed writing it! I hope you enjoyed reading it, and all criticisms constructive or otherwise are welcome. I have to say that this is my ideal ending but should it continue? You tell me. :D
