A Hole in the River
Chapter Ten:
Overcome
Author's note: It's kind of a habit of mine, once I write one chapter, I immediately have several in me. Expect pretty regular updates from here on out, folks. Love ya!
"Eulalie, my dear, that's a bit too forward, even for you." Eleanor Higgins found herself scolding her friend in a tone she usually reserved for Henry.
Eulalie waved a dismissive hand at Eleanor, and ignored her son humiliated hiss of "Mother!"
"Forgive me, Colonel, but my son is quite infatuated with this charming, but mysterious young woman... I confess I know absolutely nothing about her. What sort of mother would I be if I allowed him to pursue her, sight unseen?"
"Ridiculous', Henry muttered, 'you just saw her not a moment ago."
"That is not what I mean, of course, Professor Higgins. You know very well that these things are still of import."
"Not to me. I would take her like a shot, with just the clothes on her back!" Freddy defended his love admirably, but with a timid waver to his voice.
"And if you would be so keen to do something like that, my son, I should cut off what little money you have coming to you for such foolishness!"
Pickering decided to intervene. "Now then, there's no need for ugliness. That is all irrelevant. Eliza is going to be quite comfortable, I assure you. I even plan on giving her a very generous dowry, that hopefully her father can also contribute too."
"Her father?" Eulalie Eynsford-Hill's eyes sparkled at the prospect of another benefactor.
"He recently came into a considerable fortune. I had decided to settle on Eliza long before this happened... I knew her mother. She was a family friend who fell on hard times."
"How very kind of you, Colonel, to ensure the safety and comfort of a young person. Such a selfless, sweet man."
Henry rolled his eyes. "This is all fine and good, but shouldn't we also question how well your son would be able to provide for my-... erm... our Eliza?"
Everyone decided to speak up nearly at once.
"Freddy is a fine young man!" Eulalie defended.
"I love Miss Doolittle with every breath in my body!" Freddy chimed in, passionately.
"If the boy is so fond of Miss Doolittle, as her guardian, I can have no objection."
"Unless you have some sort of serious objection, Henry?" His mother's inquiry was presented with a smirk, and a knowing tone of voice. With that, all eyes were on Henry, waiting for an answer.
His complexion colored considerably at the audience, and he found himself stammering.
"Dash it all, when on earth is that nurse going to tell us how Eliza fares?" He thundered, finally, before turning on his heel and making his way back to the ballroom.
He met the nurse just as she was heading to the parlour. "Well?" He barked.
"You must cease working the girl so very hard. She is fragile, and I have been informed about her accident. Needless to say, her memory is returning to her, thank the Maker. You mustn't push her though, sir-" She was cut off when Henry brushed past her and into the ballroom.
"Eliza!" She was sitting upright on the chaise lounge, eyes downcast. Henry was struck with how very beautiful she looked at the moment, in her violet gown of crepe silk, and the sunlight catching her hair. He never noticed that subtle streaks of honey and bronze in the hair he had normally just written off as 'brown'. Beautiful, but angry.
"You are quite well, I hope?" Henry inquired.
Eliza raised her eyes to his in a direct gaze. Brandy colored, not brown, he observed.
"I am... well, sir."
Henry coughed, suddenly extremely uncomfortable. "That's good then. Now, Eliza-"
"I remember that night."
"Yes?"
"The ball, the row, the bridge... everything."
Henry, overcome with a feeling he could not quell, strode over to the chaise and knelt down, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Why did you jump?"
"I wanted to jump because I had no place in the world to go. I did not jump, because I became afraid to die. I fell because I was clumsy."
"'No place to go'? You silly thing, you could have stayed with me!"
"In what capacity? I am no longer your student, you have enough servants, and you have no inclination towards marriage whatsoever! Why torture myself, and ruin my reputation in the process?"
They were veering towards very foreign territory for Henry. "Torture youself? Why on earth would resuming as we were be a torment?" He nearly swore an impressive bloody oath when her answer was once again interrupted by the arrival of that idiotic boy, and the rest of the party. He hands itched to wring the boy's neck, when the child nearly bowled Henry out of the way, to kneel in front of Eliza, and take her hands in his.
"Miss Doolittle, I am glad to hear the nurse thinks you will be well. I was in torment when I saw you lying on the chaise, pale as a spectre."
"Thank you, Mr. Eynsford-Hill, that is very kind. I am sorry to have caused you any undue distress." Eliza gently, but firmly pulled her hands from his grip, and into her lap, keeping her face neutral.
"My mother has been talking things over with your guardian, Colonel Pickering, and I believe I have consent to-"
"Oh, Freddy, my dear, oughtn't we give you some privacy?" Eulalie Eynsford-Hill interrupted, cheeks pink with pleasure that her son decided to take action immediately.
"What for?" Eliza and Henry found themselves asking in unison.
"Oh, Mother, I do not wish to be private. I wish the whole world to know of my regard!" Freddy turned to Eliza. "Dearest, sweetest, Miss Doolittle... would you do me the honor of becoming mine?"
The phrasing struck a chord with Henry. Mine. Henry glanced at Eliza, and could see that the inquiry was ill-done in her mind as well. Her pretty mouth was open, and her eyes held a look of overwhelmed astonishment. Henry looked to his mother, who happened to have the same expression as Eliza. Pickering seemed transported by the romance, and Mrs. Eynsford-Hill was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.
Eliza did not speak for a long time.
"R-regretfully, sir, I must refuse."
"Darling?"
"I am... most flattered by your proposal, but I hardly know you." Eliza took in Freddy's crestfallen expression, and panicked. "Please, Mr. Eynsford-Hill, do not take it as a definite refusal. I should very much like to know you better."
Henry found himself going from over-the-moon elation at her refusal of the boy, to confused anger at her last second backtracking.
"You are giving me permission to court you?" Freddy's eyes glistened, and his fine lips broke into a boyish grin.
"I believe I am."
Freddy took her hands once more and brought them to his lips, kissing them fervently. Eliza let out a little cry of alarm, and Henry moved towards the boy, intent on pulling him up by his scruff like an irritating puppy. Freddy sprung to his feet before such an action could be taken.
"Thank you, Miss Doolittle! You've made me the happiest man in England!"
"You will note she did not say 'yes', you fool."
Freddy smiled at Henry. "Not yet, but when she does, I shall be the happiest man on Earth."
"I believe we could all benefit from some rest before dinner," Eleanor announced. "Eliza has been through a shock, and the nurse did specify that she is not to be subjected to stress."
"I believe I will walk Miss Doolittle to her room," Freddy announced.
"I believe you will not. I hardly think that is appropriate," Henry remarked. "I shall escort her, if you do not mind." Not waiting for an answer, Henry extended his hand to Eliza, and miraculously, she took it.
Once out of earshot, he spoke, "I do hope you only said that last bit as not to wound that stupid boy's pride."
"If I get to know him better, and find him pleasing, I will marry him."
The revelation left Henry with a feeling not unlike the time he had been shoved backwards by a schoolyard bully, winding him severely. "Folly,' he growled, 'the boy is a simpleton."
They soon reached the door to her bedroom. "Pardon me, sir, but there is nothing you can do about it," she remarked cheekily, before stepping inside and shutting the door in his face.
Henry found himself glaring at the closed door, as though it was purposefully causing affront to him. Nothing he could do, hmm?
A image came unbidden to Henry: Eliza in disheveled wedding finery, lying across a large white bed, clutching a bouquet of bruised roses, her beautiful curly hair unbound. He smiled at the image, before being profoundly disturbed by it. She wished for that boy to someday see her in the state, to bring her to that state.
"We shall see about that."