A/N: Here's the second chapter. My thanks to bonbonnet for reviewing on the day I just published this story! I didn't expect a review so soon! Also I've tried to make this gradual, but isn't that so tiring when you just want to get to the point?

Flower, forgiveness

The sun had hardly risen and the dim streets were silent, when Professor Henry Higgins stepped out into the chilly, early morning air. If any by-walker had seen him, they would have thought he was attending a funeral. Such a pensive look had darkened his eyes; such gloominess was radiated from his mien. He seemed to be hardly aware of where he was going, as he started to walk down the street, passing every tree and house, ignoring every human soul that happened to be working in those early hours. He simply walked on, hardly caring where to; and if any of those witnesses had the opportunity to witness the thoughts that passed through his first-rate mind as well as I have had, or could feel his confusion and indignance, would not have, perhaps, blamed him for his air of sadness…outward sadness, for inside he could hardly be called sad, rather anxious.

He had stayed awake most of the night, and when it was no longer tolerable to stay in his room another minute, he had set out for the fresh air of outdoors. He felt restless and could not put his finger on the reason. Eliza puzzled him, he could not understand her at all, and now he could not understand himself either! Why was it so moving to him that she had decided to go, that she was packing? What would it matter if she was to go her own way today and he would never see her again? And yet as the thought passed, he felt another wave of longing and melancholy overwhelm him, making him finally decide that indeed he did not want her to go, and it was unreasonable to deny it any longer. And yet why?

He thought about all the times they had spent together, went through all lessons and all arguments, remembered all details of that night when she had finally succeeded in her pronunciation, the look on her face when she listened to him talk of the majesty of the English language, the hopeful look in her eyes when he had said that she will conquer it. And although he had hardly noticed it at that time, her eyes shone brilliantly when he was dancing with her, and the happiness that had radiated from her seemed to engulf him as well, as they shared her triumph…how strange! Her triumph! It must have been theirs too…

And his thoughts went back to last night. "I won your bet for you, didn't I?" She had said. Was that what she meant? That they hadn't acknowledged her triumph? It dawned on him that while they ad spent the evening congratulating themselves, they had completely left her out, and that must be why she was hurt and going away! He smiled, it was not a smile of relief or happiness though, it was a mocking smile, bitter. What a ridiculous reason to make such a fuss about, like last night, to hurt him so! She was after all only a woman, just like all others of her sex, silly.

The ball was indeed a triumph…for all of them…and she had looked beautiful, though, as he now recalled, he had not acknowledged it. That was what was wrong with women! They always have to be admired and acknowledged to remain content. Neglect their delicate feelings for a moment, and they stab your heart, just as she did last night. He thought about all these with regret; but of course he would not admit it, his pride would not let him. So he tried to recall more pleasant things, like when he asked her to dance at the ball, how graceful she was as she glided on the floor in his arms, how delicate indeed!

The sound of a group of men singing brought him back from his reverie, and to his surprise he found himself in Tottenhum Court Road, where he had met her for the first time. He got a glimpse of her life before she had come to him, seeing other young flower girls, picking up the flowers and putting them in their straw baskets. Being among those flowers, inhaling in their fragrance, he felt near to her as if she too was one of them. How could he let her go, when his life would be a scattered mess without her? Of course he was 'serenely independent and content' before he met her, but something in his heart, the heart she had wounded, said that this dependence was sweeter, serener, beautiful.

Remembering last night was painful, how harsh she had been. "Oh I'm glad, I can get pieces of my own heart back anyhow" that's what she had said. Could she possibly mean…?

"Taxi!" He called.

"Well, I'm going to mothers. After all, she is a woman, she will know." He thought. Just like always, when there was a matter of feeling, he would have to get her help, for that was not what he could calculate or predict.

*************

Mrs. Higgins was having her breakfast when she heard Henry in the hallway.

"Mother the most confounded thing happened last night."

"Good morning, Henry, what has happened that you march in like that?"

"Last night, after our glorious victory at the ball, Eliza behaved in the most peculiar way. I did not give the slightest provocation and she shied my slippers at me, and said a bunch of insensible things I hardly understood why!

"Henry dear, I'm sure you deserved it. Now instead of telling me all she did, tell me what did you do that upset her."

"By George mother, nothing wrong!"

"This wont do, then describe all you did after you got back from the Ball." Mrs. Higgins suggested and Henry obliged.

"Why my dear," said she, when he was done, "after the way she behaved at the ball, after all the admiration she received, don't you think you must have congratulated her instead of yourself, admired her?"

"Hadn't she enough admiration for one night?"

"Oh but Henry, she wanted you to admire her; all she did was to please you!"

"Me?"

"Yes! And I would have packed right away too if I were her with the indifferent, unfeeling way you treated her worries!"

"I say mother, would it be too improper if she stayed with us? I've grown so accustomed to her presence that I can't imagine what the house would be like without her!"

"Colonel Pickering can not always remain there, and once he goes back to India, it will be only you and Eliza left and that would be quite improper; unless you married her"

"Marry her?"

"Yes, if you want to keep her, or else someone else would win her heart!" she teased. "Now I suggest you get her some flowers, ask her for her forgiveness…and behave yourself." She gave him a meaningful look.

"Flowers? Forgiveness! But mother…"

"You asked my help, I gave it…" and at that moment a maid came in announcing that the bishop was there to see Mrs. Higgins.

"I'll receive him in the library." Said she to the maid and turned back to Henry saying "Or else you will have to do without her." and with that she went out the room before he could say another word.