Sweet dreams are made ov dis

Mrs. Higgins was sitting in her drawing room and reading her latest favourite book. Despite the fact, that she was over 60, she didn't consider herself conservative… as for literature. She had read several book, which were found rather shocking than entertaining by many of her friends. She had been exploring the biographies of different artist, poets, painters, and author for a long time. Most of them had been before their time, and only after their death were appreciated by the society. A lot of authors became successful and popular in the 20th century including H. G. Wells, Beatrix Potter, Edith Wharton, and E. M. Forster who was her latest favourite one. Now she was holding Howard's End in her hands.

Suddenly she heard the noise of a pair of high heeled shoes and that somebody opened the door.

"I'm sorry, madam. I didn't know that you were here. I hope I haven't disturbed you."

Mrs. Higgins looked up and smiled at Eliza, but loured when she realized how unrestful her face was. Her face was flushed and there were tears in her eyes.

"Eliza' she said softly."What happened to you, my dear? Has my son affronted you?"

Eliza gazed the floor and bit her lip.

"This time he didn't say anything hurtful."

"What did he say then? Believe me, none of Henry's words should be taken seriously."

"I must take his words seriously this once."Eliza sighed.

The old lady started to worry now. What had Henry said to that poor girl? She had been living with her son to find out: Barking dog never bites.

No, something sudden had happened. Unless...

"Please, sit down and tell me the whole story."

Eliza seated herself in an armchair near to Mrs. Higgins and looked into her friend's eyes.

"I think, your son has offered his hand. He didn't kneel down or give me a wedding ring, but claimed that he wanted to marry me."

Mrs. Higgins opened her mouth, but was incapable of saying a word. Her first thought was to start from her chair and press Eliza to her breast. But seeing Eliza's face, she resisted. From Henry's – and her - point of view, it would have been marvellous, if Henry had proposed to Eliza. She was a nice, charming and intelligent young woman. Regrettably Henry never fell in love with anyone under forty-five. Mrs. Higgins really wished to have a grandchild, and was aware of the fact, that a middle-aged woman was hardly able to give birth to a baby. One day, Eliza Doolittle had become a part of their life. She hoped that the girl would have a good influence on his spoiled son, and moreover she had become attached to Eliza too.

However, as for Eliza... it would have been a terrible decision. As people are getting older, they are becoming more and more impatient and intolerant. Her son wasn't young at all, and had always been tend to masterfulness and blackmail. Reducing the number of their meetings was the only way for Mrs. Ellen Higgins to be able to tolerate her own son.

Furthermore, Eliza wouldn't allow herself to leave her, if their marriage was unhappy. From one point, it would shock all London concerning their standing on the echelon. From other point – as Eliza had mentioned earlier – Mr. Doolittle would never support her daughter, it wouldn't matter how miserable her fate would be. In a nutshell, Eliza would be completely depend on Henry, which Henry would exhaust sooner or later.

"I suppose, you have said no to him."She smiled bitterly.

Eliza nodded.

"You were right."

Eliza felt her empathy and grabbed her hand.

"I am really sorry, Mrs Higgins. You might be the greatest mother-in-law in the world, but..."

"There's no need to continue. I know what is in your head now. You love my Henry, but deep in your soul, you know that you have no future together. Henry is too egocentric, too loner, and too old to change his nature or manners. There may be no problem in the first year, however when the pink haze vanishes, there won't remain anything, but bitterness and harking back upon the past. Look, as Henry Higgins's mother, I would talk your head off with useless banalities, and persuade you to break off your engagement with Mr. Eynsford Hill. Henry would be extremely lucky with you and you would be a perfect daughter-in-law for me. On the other hand, as a woman, I would never approve your marriage. By the same token, I courage you to accept Freddy's hand in a marriage."

And that is just what Eliza intended to do.

"It is going to be difficult"she thought."It's going to be extremely difficult... bloody difficult. But I must endure it."

She would have to keep him at arm's length. She would never let themselves stay alone at a common place. And it would be the easier part. Henry Higgins always reached and received what he wanted. He manipulated people around him, convinced them with a meaningless but precise speech, flattered them, sometimes gave presents, but always charmed his "victims". And now he wanted Eliza Doolittle.

The young woman looked at her ring and sighed. As if it had been yesterday...

"... By George, Eliza, wake up!"She heard Professor Higgins' voice.

"Miss Doolittle... be brought, please!"That was Colonel Pickering.

She opened her eyes slowly. The first thing she was the blurred picture of Higgins's head. A few seconds later she could see every part of his face perfectly. She suddenly realised, that she was lying on the beach in Brighton and many of the bathers were kneeling next to her... including Colonel Pickering and Professor Higgins.

"Professor?"

Pickering's face radiated unmistakably relief and joy, as soon as Eliza opened her mouth, but Higgins seemed to remain stubbornly indifferent.

"Thank goodness, she's alright."

"What happened to me?"

"You have got a cramp and probably a sunstroke, my dear..."

"OKAY EVERYBODY, DON'T LOOK AT THAT SILLY THING LIKE STUCK PIGS. GET LOST!"Higgins turned to the others and shouted at them. As a consequence the people went away with a pained expression.

"No, no... please, don't shout so loudly, my head is smarting."Eliza covered her face with her right hand and started to massage her temple with her left hand.

The Colonel wagged his finger on Eliza.

"Amateurish swimmers shouldn't be in the water all alone. It's very risky even for advanced swimmers. Cramp and sunstroke can find anybody."

"Can you stand up?"asked Higgins stonily.

Eliza nodded and stood up slowly and carefully with the help of the two bachelors.

"Are you all right? Are you giddy?"asked the professor.

She shook her head.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm perfectly okay."

"Right, right."

Professor Higgins took a deep breath and began bawling at the top of his voice:

"YOU IDIOT! YOU INFAMOUS CREATURE! YOU MISERABLE GUTTERSNIPE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH YOU'VE PUT THE WIND UP US?! IF I COULDN'T SWIM SO FAST, YOU WOULD HAVE DIED! HOW TYPICAL! A 21-YEAR-OLD KID THINKS THAT SHE IS THE BEGGINING AND THE END! CAN'T YOU BE LEFT ALONE WITHOUT GETTING INTO HOT WATER?!"

Eliza couldn't help, but sneered at this pun.

"Higgins, behave yourself. Everybody is gazing at us..."Pickering tried to calm him down.

Higgins's face was so dark now he seemed in a pure rage.

"Who the devil cares?' She has nearly died, just because she's an idiotic, irresponsible insect. After her embarrassment my manners won't do neither good nor harm... By George, Eliza, don't you dare to snivel now. You have caused this problem, you've no right be act like the "witness"."he added indignantly, when he discovered the tears in her eyes.

"Did you... did you save my life?"

"He swam to you as fast as he could, swam back to the beach with you, enfolded you in his arms, and laid down you here."said Pickering with respect in his voice.

Higgins was ill at ease.

"Stop, Pickering. Yes, I've saved your blasted life. I've been spending my precious free time and energy on you for 4 months. I couldn't let my efforts be wasted by such a..."He was interrupted by Eliza who jumped into his arms and kissed him on his face, but pulled back and blushed, when she saw his uncomprehending and shocking expression.

"Well... thank you very much."

Higgins rolled his eyes.

'Come on, Eliza. I've done it for everybody else. By the way, it's your birthday. Let's say that it was you birthday present.' He said the last sentence with a little smirk.

"Your life is you biggest treasure"She smiled back at him.

The trio bursted out laughing.

It was Eliza's 21st birthday. As a present – and as a rest – Colonel Pickering rented a car, travelled to Brighton together and visited the beach. Concerning his heart, Pickering would have rented two suits for themselves – one for Eliza and one for the bachelors, of course – even for a week, but the younger man agreed only in one weekend, due to the Embassy Ball.

Moreover, Pickering surprised his young friend with all books of Jane Austen – Higgins snorted sarcastically every time they mentioned the authoress. They had a really good time until the second day. It was the day, when Eliza got a cramp in the water.

Taking advantage of their last day-off, the trio had a delicious lunch at the restaurant of the hotel. After lunch, Pickering decided to take a nap – due to his age he didn't bear excitements. However neither Eliza nor the professor was tired, so they went for a walk together. They were strolling on the beach arm in arm. They enjoyed the silence, the fresh sea... each other's company. Higgins suddenly stopped and turned to his formal pupil.

"You know Eliza, you've really put the wind up us. For a moment, we were sure that you..."

Eliza looked down shamefacedly.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

Higgins grasped her arm reassuringly.

"Never mind. Praise be to god, nothing wrong has happened, and we all have gone off it. But don't forget: in spite of you're an adult, you can't do everything you want."

Eliza didn't say a word, so he continued.

"Honestly speaking, I feel myself inconveniently, since I haven't bought you anything for your birthday. You've been living in my house for months. I ought to give you something trifle."

He dipped into his purse and brought out a small ring. It was simple and modest, but lovely. Obviously, it wasn't a wedding ring.

Tears sprang to her eyes, although Higgins hated emotional and sentimental situations.

"So? Do you like it? Listen, if you don't, you can give me back. It wasn't very cheap."

"That's beautiful. Thank you very much. I've never thought that I would receive something from you too"She looked at the professor with a happy and grateful smile.

Zap! Ebenezer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Fred fell to the ground.

The noise roused Henry. He shuddered and opened his eyes. He looked at his watch: It was half past two. Dickens's book lay on the floor and his eyes were red: he had been weeping in his dream. Damn it, he had fallen asleep again! The problem was not that he had fallen asleep, but his ridiculous dream... about her. In his dreams, he had seen her many times in bathing-costume, her hair unbound since she had moved to his mother's home - that happened two weeks ago. Those times he could see her bare arms and her knees. Curiously, every time he dreamt about her, her bathing-costume became shorter and shorter... sometimes she didn't even wear anything, although he was the only one who could see that. In his dream, he cried to Eliza, Pickering, everybody who was in his mind: "Look away. She has lost her bathing-costume."However the others looked at him uncomprehendingly. "What are you talking about? She is wearing a bathing-costume". Sometimes he realised that it wasn't the reality and was on the point of waking up. He always was flushed and troubled when he woke up. Sometimes he didn't consider them nightmares. Sometimes he found it quite pleasure to look at the half-naked girl. It was astonishing how his mind was able to complement the reality.

However this dream was different: obviously a nightmare.

Eliza's hair was still unbound and her bathing-costume didn't cover appropriately her neat, slim figure. She didn't smile now. She was choking in the middle of the sea, asking for help. Henry ran to the water to save her. Suddenly Eliza vanished like a mirage. In the next second he found himself on the beach again. Eliza stood in the sand, blithely, gleefully... with Freddy.

"Why did yew wan' ter save me, 'Enry 'Iggins? There was no need fer that... Freddy just clapped an' I was in safe. Show 'im, luv."

Freddy clapped and another Eliza appeared: a naked Eliza. The boy repeated it and Eliza reappeared in her ball gown. Next time Henry could see her as a flower girl, then that Eliza who he saw that day.

"Stop it, you poor devil" Henry shouted.

Eliza and Freddy laughed. Henry touched the naked Eliza, but her skin was cold and clammy... like marble, like a statue. A beautiful, but breathless statue. Henry rushed to the flower girl to shake her... but he couldn't move her. It was heavy, hard... and marble.

Freddy guffawed.

"You old goat! I'll show you how you should do it."He wrapped her arms around the flower girl and kissed her hair. She immediately came to life.

Hope you like it :) Sorry for grammar mistakes.