Apologies once again for taking so long to update, it's your reviews and in some cases messages that make me keep coming back! Accept this long(ish) chapter as a belated Christmas gift. Your New Year gift will follow shortly. Enjoy!
"I'm not quite sure why you dragged me here Pickering. I would rather spend my Sunday doing something else." Henry tugged at his tie, staring forward.
"It would be rude to refuse, you haven't been out in weeks." Pickering rang the doorbell to the Lismore residence and the pair stood on the steps.
The front door handle was a worn brass-face which stared back at Henry, he glanced at the exterior of the house, the paint was dull; and thick Ivy climbed high around the walls, growing seemingly towards the windows, he grimaced. The door was opened and the pair were greeted by a young maid who ushered them into the hallway, it was evidently newly decorated, Henry noticed the smell of purchased furniture, freshly cut flowers and felt the recently laid rugs on his shoes, evidently all making him nauseous.
"They're in the drawing-room." The maid smiled back towards the two men, Henry's ears pricked at her obvious London street accent. Once they entered the room they became aware of the various other guests at the dinner party, at that moment Stuart swept towards them, holding his hand out.
"Professor Higgins! Colonel Pickering! Welcome to our home, I am glad you could make it."
"Our pleasure indeed." Pickering patted the young man on the bicep as they shook hands.
"It's our first large dinner here, Eliza has been worrying all week. She'll be happy to see you both." Stuart glanced between the pair, his eyes eagerly tracing their faces.
Henry raised a minute smile, bowing his head. "I look forward to it."
"Help yourself to the drinks." Stuart gestured towards the trays of cocktails flowing around the room, Henry's eyes were drawn to the decanters of whiskey.
As the people started to move out into the dining room Higgins and Pickering quickly took a glass off of the tray. Pickering sniffed his tall glass of liquid.
"What on earth is that?" Henry pointed towards the bright blue substance in the Colonel's glass.
"I cannot say." Pickering gave a small sip as they followed the small group into the dining room.
The room was laid out in complete splendor, the chandelier reigned over the table and shone brightly on the centerpiece silver platter. Henry observed the other people in the room and started to feel old. Everyone seemed to know each other and was involved in deep conversations as they sat at their places. He noticed one man his age and a much younger woman he presumed was his wife; Henry drained most of the whiskey in his glass. Eliza was nowhere to be seen.
"I do not think we should have drank those drinks that quickly." Pickering placed his glass down onto the place mat.
Henry turned around after a pat on the shoulder.
"It's my favourite couple!" Eliza was standing behind the pair wearing an elegant evening gown, Henry swiveled in the chair to take note of her dress, it was an off-white colour, it rippled and flowed down towards the marble flooring, his eyes drew towards the black part around her chest, he looked away.
The gentlemen stood out of their chairs and Eliza revealed her hand towards Henry. He carefully placed his own hand towards hers and brought it up close towards his mouth, lingering for a moment as they locked eyes, she could feel his breath tickle her skin, he laid a small kiss and let go.
"Thank you for having us. I must say, Pickering and I are rather in awe of these boggling drinks you are serving. Are they poisoned?" Henry stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"They're cocktails. I made sure there was brandy and whisky for you though. I had better sit down as the first course will arrive soon." Eliza smiled and slowly drifted away from the two men to a seat at the far end of the table.
Henry's observation of her was halted as the food was brought in. He and Pickering initially spoke to one another as the other guests picked at their plates, flirting amongst themselves. After the second course Henry had drained his fourth glass of whisky, he turned to the listen to Stuart as he spoke loudly at the head of the table.
"We are heading for the Golden Age, the next few years will be the greatest for England." Stuart raised his glass of wine and a some other guests joined him a toast.
Henry scoffed loudly at the end of the table and rolled his eyes, he looked down when heads turned towards him, his fork moved the gravy-drenched beef slice on his plate.
"Professor! You disagree with me?" Stuart smiled, this man seemed sickeningly optimistic. Eliza stopped talking to a friend at her side when she noticed the exchange across the table.
"I just think that's a risky outlook to take." Henry patted his napkin around his mouth before continuing. "You don't know what is going to happen in the future."
"Why would I think otherwise?" Stuart took a sip of the wine.
"Things are changing my boy. We're constantly at a rift with the Irish, women are throwing themselves under horses, Americans are flooding in and we've got workers striking left, right and center. I'm not quite sure how this is golden." There were mummers at the table, Pickering forced a smile.
"What's wrong with Americans?" A shrill American woman called out, sending a shudder down Henry's spin, she followed it with a piercing laugh.
"Well, you're right about the suffragettes. Nothing but a damned nuisance if you ask me, in the streets when a fellow is trying to get to work, really makes you wonder if there's something not quite right with these women." He sent Henry another smile as some men at the table nodded in agreement; he continued to eat to stop the conversation.
"I think it's brave of them, earlier on the girls and I were talking about perhaps going to one of their rallies." Eliza chimed in.
Stuart laughed, almost choking on his food. "Don't be absurd dear! Why on earth would you do that?"
"Never discuss politics at the dinner table!" Pickering laughed whilst drinking some more of the newly discovered cocktail.
"Why shouldn't we have the same rights as men?" Eliza was staring at Stuart.
"It's not natural", Stuart's voice raised uncomfortably, "Now, we were saying.." He placed a hand on Eliza's as she looked down towards her plate.
"Actually, as much of a bachelor that I am, I rather think that women are most interesting creatures, just not to marry. My point was that it's an awful shame they need to kill themselves to prove a point to us. On the contrary, Eliza would make an impressive public speaker." Henry smiled towards her.
The other guests at the table had fallen silent, some were concentrating hard on their food whilst the less tactful were watching the back and forth between the men.
"If I let her go to these meetings and protests, she'd start to think all those ridiculous ideas, it's just not correct for wives. Besides, she knows hardly anything about politics." Stuart pointed his fork towards her whilst speaking as if she was not there.
"Eliza! Tell him how we discussed the build up to the Boer War all those months ago!" Henry lent back into his seat, having finished his meal.
Stuart cast his eyes towards Eliza as she went to open her mouth, she shut it again as his brow tightened to throw her a silent warning. The table was awkwardly silent.
"She doesn't know a thing, that pretty little head is full of fashion and gossip." Stuart rubbed Eliza's hand with a smile.
"If you let her speak then perhaps you would know." Henry felt his face grow warm.
The smile from Stuart's waxy face shrunk. "I think in my house I should be the one to say when my wife speaks."
"Henry, it's alright." Eliza quickly spoke out.
"I don't think it is damned alright, frankly I think your views are uncomfortably awful." He untucked the napkin from his shirt. Pickering murmured a warning into Henry's ear.
"You have no right to comment. What do you know about women anyway? You've never been married and at your age." It was evident on Stuart's face that he regretted his statement straight after it had left his mouth. The other guests were wide-eyed.
Henry stood up out of the chair. "I can tell you this, Eliza is not like other women; in which you cast such blanket opinions. She probably knows more about the world than you do my dear boy, with your private school childhood and parents that put you up in this house you didn't even earn. I am only speaking for her because you won't let her. I've had enough of this disaster of a discussion, I don't need to waste my time talking to morons." He left the room.
Pickering watched in horror. "He's not been feeling too well these past weeks, do forgive him."
As he walked into the empty drawing room Henry was unsure of what had come over him, running a hand through his hair he lent onto the fireplace. He could hear the conversation slowly resume among the other guests and dessert being brought out. Damn, he missed the cake.
"Henry-" He turned to see Eliza moving towards him.
"Listen, Eliza, if you've come to scold, I will be leaving shortly after Pickering has enjoyed his desert."
She placed a hand onto his arm. "Thank you for standing up for me."
His face displayed his surprise. "I did not realise he was this awful Eliza. He's not a wet blanket like that other fellow you almost chose."
"He means well, he just holds different beliefs to you. I want to talk to..I've wanted to, about," She could not help but lower her voice, "What happened between us."
"You know what happened." Henry swallowed. "No use discussing it in your marital home, Eliza."
"I know. I just - miss you." Her hand limply dropped from his arm. Henry tried his best to remain composed.
"Don't get like that. Please, it's rather off-putting."
"Won't you tell me how you feel?" Eliza peered up at him, her eyes almost tugging words out of his mouth.
Henry looked at the door. "I do not think this is the right time for that now."
"For once will you just stop. Let me know and I will leave you to your own life."
"No." He let out a sigh, raising a her chin with his hand. "I can't seem to allow that to happen, it seems I quite like inflicting agony on myself."
She turned her cheek, gently beginning to kiss his finger tips. Henry managed to mutter her name. She moved closer to him, enthralling him in a kiss, his facade melting away.
"I want you again." Henry surprised himself with this exclamation that seemed to spring from somewhere deep inside, perhaps his liver.
Eliza broke away as he began to kiss her neck. "Later on, when everyone is drinking, we can go upstairs, pretend I am showing you the books?" She sounded nervous.
Henry straightened up, composing himself, he rested his hands together at the front of his trousers, slightly embarrassed. "That sounds like an awful excuse."
"Just - just come back and apologise, for me? I'll think of something later." He watched her swan away in a hurry, her unfounded paranoia made him proud, what a wily, smart young woman.
An ordinary man would have left the dinner party then and there, making a morally right choice, but in these past months Henry Higgins had certainly discovered that when it came to Eliza, he was not in any way an ordinary man.