A Duke, a Governess, and a Little Lady
Rating: PG-13 at most
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, we'd still have a show to watch.
Summary: Elizabeth Parker is a governess for Emily Burming in the early 1800s but when tragedy strikes they move 3000 miles away, to live with a cousin Emily's never met and a Duke Elizabeth might wish she hadn't.
**London**
Liz stepped down the front porch of the townhouse. They had gotten into London late the night before and couldn't see the house properly.
"It's pretty, Miss Beth." Emily said holding tightly to Liz' hand.
"Isn't it?" Liz added.
"Are we going shopping today?" Emily wanted to know.
"Yes, we just have to wait for Max. He won't let us go without him or Martin, you know that." Liz reminded her.
"Do I have to study today?"
"No." Liz shook her head.
"That's two days this week." She clapped her hands happily.
"Yes, I know, and you'll not the rest of this week." Liz said wondering if she was making the right decision.
"Really?" Emily exclaimed.
"Yes." Liz affirmed.
Emily squealed. "Emily, not outside please." She had almost forgot how high her squeals could go, almost.
"Let's take a walk that way, shall we?" Liz asked taking her hand.
"Sure." Emily clutched and walked up the street a few houses and back. When they returned Max was waiting for them on the steps.
"Good morning, Cousin." Emily said quietly, slipping back into her old shyness again.
"Good Morning, Emily, Liz." He walked to the carriage and held the door open. "You ready for shopping?"
"Yes." Emily said. She loved shopping, and her mama used to tell her of shopping in London.
Max helped them up into the carriage.
"We'll be meeting some friends in town, I think you'll get along with Maria, my best friends wife. She has a daughter Emily's age."
"Really?" Emily asked. She didn't really interact with other children in Virginia and everyone knows there's no children back at the Estates.
"Yes, we'll be spending the day with them." He said.
"Are you going shopping with us, or is Martin?"
"I will be." The night before Liz had discussed with Max her feelings about Martin, he had made it clear that they wouldn't be together, alone, without his supervision.
The ride into town was short; they could have walked if they wanted to.
When they met up with Lord and Lady Guerin, Liz hung back respectfully until she was introduced.
"Elizabeth, it's nice to meet you." Lady Guerin greeted her.
"You too, my lady." Liz said formally.
"No, you may call me Maria, I'm tired of hearing, my ladies." She said happily, yet through a thick french accent. "This is our daughter Adele, but we like to call her Ellie. She doesn't speak English very well yet, but she's learning."
Max introduced them to Adele and Emily was more than happy to accommodate Ellie and speak French.
"Maria, I was hoping you could show Liz around London?" Max asked.
"Of course!" Maria exclaimed happily. They began walking, Maria talking nonstop. They eventually switched to French since it was easier for Liz to understand her in her native tongue.
Walking into the dress shop Maria introduced her to the owner and informed them that Emily needed new dresses.
"Come here, dear." The older woman waved to Emily.
Emily stopped chatting with Ellie and stepped forward.
"I'll take her measurements, miss, why don't you go pick out some materials."
"Beth, I'll be right back, I have to pick up something from across the street, will you be alright?"
"Yes." Liz didn't need to look behind her to know that Max's watchful eyes were on her.
Liz walked towards the back of the shop where the materials were. She was so lost in thought that she didn't see the blonde woman come up behind her.
"Elizabeth." She heard the voice. She froze she hated that voice.
"Tess." Liz turned around.
"Fancy meeting up with you again." Tess sized her up. "I see you're living with the Lord Evans now, what mooching off of him?"
"Nice to see you again Tess." Liz said ignoring her and going back to her materials.
"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here?" Tess sat neatly in the chair behind her.
"No, I wasn't." Liz shook her head.
"Well, older sister, for your information, me and my mama were sent here after Papa died."
Liz gasped and turned around.
"After you ran away, you might want to say that my mama was aggrieved, but she wasn't." Tess sneered. "She was happy you were gone. She found you were a nuisance."
None of this was new to Liz; she hated her stepmother as well as her half sister.
"The thing you don't know is after your disappearance, your husband came looking for us, demanding where you are."
Liz stiffened. "Pardon?" Liz turned around.
"As I said Rafael came looking for you."
Liz pressed her back against the soft materials and closed her eyes taking a deep breath. "But of course, because you had run away we had no idea where you were." She smiled. "We promised him that when we found you, and we would, we'd tell him where you are." Her smile turned menacing. "And, that's already been done."
Liz almost fainted. "Liz?" Max came back, it'd been a while since he'd seen her and he was worried.
"I-I'm here, my lord." She called, upset because she was stuttering.
"You've been quiet, and Emily was wondering if" he stopped when he saw her pale face and Tess standing there smiling sweetly.
"Good morning, Tess, wasn't expecting to see you here." He turned his attentions to Liz. "Are you alright?" He asked gently.
Liz shook her head to clear it. "Yes, I'm fine." She picked up the material she had picked out and walked towards Max. "Here, it's not pink, she should like it." She said trying to seem normal.
Max eyed her then glared at Tess, warning her to stay away.
"Good day, Maxwell." Tess sauntered out of the room.
"Are you alright?" Max asked again.
"I will be."
Liz walked out of the room. Max paid for the needed material and soon were on their way back to Max's townhome.
Liz was silent the whole way back. Emily had chosen to go to the Guerin town house, which had shocked Liz.
Max stared at her from his position across from her. "Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Max asked quietly.
"Yes, Max, will you please stop asking?" She said frustrated, she wanted to be alone. She was glad that Emily wanted to go with the Guerins. She wanted to just go up to her room and sit by herself.
"I'm sorry." He said. He didn't talk to her again until that evening.
"Liz are you coming down?" Max knocked on her door. There was no answer.
"Liz?"
Still no answer.
He slowly creaked open the door. Liz was asleep on the bed clutching Katarine, which Emily had left behind.
He walked into the room, knowing full well that it was improper. No one was home though. The Kendall's did not stay over during his stays at his town house. It was too small and he preferred to have as few people staying with him as possible.
He sat gently on the bed. She slept fitfully. He knew she would wake up sometime soon because it was getting dark outside, and he knew she didn't sleep once it got dark.
She started to thrash about. He pulled her so her head was in his lap. He stoked her brown tresses from her face and whispered comforting words in her ear. She stopped. He stopped briefly but continued when he realized that she was crying.
"Liz?" He bent down.
She tried to move away from him but he held fast. "Liz." He said again softly.
She cried harder. He took her hand in his and she held tight. "It was only a dream." He tried comforting her.
"No, it wasn't dream, it's what's going to happen. Max?" She stopped she tried to sit up but he held tight and wouldn't let her. She turned her face towards him instead.
"Yes?" He asked softly, wiping away her tears.
"Am I safe here, with you?" She asked, having to know.
"Of course." He asked wondering what had brought this on.
"If something bad happens, a-am I safe?" She asked.
"Yes, Liz, tell me what's going on?" He pleaded. He picked her up and carried her over to the rocker that was there for Emily.
"I can't." She said. She knew she shouldn't be sitting here in her lord's lap. She knew that their position was compromising, and she definitely knew that his face shouldn't be getting closer. Now he was kissing her.
It was soft and gentle, she tried to resist at first but gave in to his advances. She relaxed into his body. They pulled away desperate for air.
They were both panting. Liz curled up onto his lap knowing that she was safe. Pretty soon, Max realized, she was asleep.
Rating: PG-13 at most
Disclaimer: If I owned Roswell, we'd still have a show to watch.
Summary: Elizabeth Parker is a governess for Emily Burming in the early 1800s but when tragedy strikes they move 3000 miles away, to live with a cousin Emily's never met and a Duke Elizabeth might wish she hadn't.
**London**
Liz stepped down the front porch of the townhouse. They had gotten into London late the night before and couldn't see the house properly.
"It's pretty, Miss Beth." Emily said holding tightly to Liz' hand.
"Isn't it?" Liz added.
"Are we going shopping today?" Emily wanted to know.
"Yes, we just have to wait for Max. He won't let us go without him or Martin, you know that." Liz reminded her.
"Do I have to study today?"
"No." Liz shook her head.
"That's two days this week." She clapped her hands happily.
"Yes, I know, and you'll not the rest of this week." Liz said wondering if she was making the right decision.
"Really?" Emily exclaimed.
"Yes." Liz affirmed.
Emily squealed. "Emily, not outside please." She had almost forgot how high her squeals could go, almost.
"Let's take a walk that way, shall we?" Liz asked taking her hand.
"Sure." Emily clutched and walked up the street a few houses and back. When they returned Max was waiting for them on the steps.
"Good morning, Cousin." Emily said quietly, slipping back into her old shyness again.
"Good Morning, Emily, Liz." He walked to the carriage and held the door open. "You ready for shopping?"
"Yes." Emily said. She loved shopping, and her mama used to tell her of shopping in London.
Max helped them up into the carriage.
"We'll be meeting some friends in town, I think you'll get along with Maria, my best friends wife. She has a daughter Emily's age."
"Really?" Emily asked. She didn't really interact with other children in Virginia and everyone knows there's no children back at the Estates.
"Yes, we'll be spending the day with them." He said.
"Are you going shopping with us, or is Martin?"
"I will be." The night before Liz had discussed with Max her feelings about Martin, he had made it clear that they wouldn't be together, alone, without his supervision.
The ride into town was short; they could have walked if they wanted to.
When they met up with Lord and Lady Guerin, Liz hung back respectfully until she was introduced.
"Elizabeth, it's nice to meet you." Lady Guerin greeted her.
"You too, my lady." Liz said formally.
"No, you may call me Maria, I'm tired of hearing, my ladies." She said happily, yet through a thick french accent. "This is our daughter Adele, but we like to call her Ellie. She doesn't speak English very well yet, but she's learning."
Max introduced them to Adele and Emily was more than happy to accommodate Ellie and speak French.
"Maria, I was hoping you could show Liz around London?" Max asked.
"Of course!" Maria exclaimed happily. They began walking, Maria talking nonstop. They eventually switched to French since it was easier for Liz to understand her in her native tongue.
Walking into the dress shop Maria introduced her to the owner and informed them that Emily needed new dresses.
"Come here, dear." The older woman waved to Emily.
Emily stopped chatting with Ellie and stepped forward.
"I'll take her measurements, miss, why don't you go pick out some materials."
"Beth, I'll be right back, I have to pick up something from across the street, will you be alright?"
"Yes." Liz didn't need to look behind her to know that Max's watchful eyes were on her.
Liz walked towards the back of the shop where the materials were. She was so lost in thought that she didn't see the blonde woman come up behind her.
"Elizabeth." She heard the voice. She froze she hated that voice.
"Tess." Liz turned around.
"Fancy meeting up with you again." Tess sized her up. "I see you're living with the Lord Evans now, what mooching off of him?"
"Nice to see you again Tess." Liz said ignoring her and going back to her materials.
"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here?" Tess sat neatly in the chair behind her.
"No, I wasn't." Liz shook her head.
"Well, older sister, for your information, me and my mama were sent here after Papa died."
Liz gasped and turned around.
"After you ran away, you might want to say that my mama was aggrieved, but she wasn't." Tess sneered. "She was happy you were gone. She found you were a nuisance."
None of this was new to Liz; she hated her stepmother as well as her half sister.
"The thing you don't know is after your disappearance, your husband came looking for us, demanding where you are."
Liz stiffened. "Pardon?" Liz turned around.
"As I said Rafael came looking for you."
Liz pressed her back against the soft materials and closed her eyes taking a deep breath. "But of course, because you had run away we had no idea where you were." She smiled. "We promised him that when we found you, and we would, we'd tell him where you are." Her smile turned menacing. "And, that's already been done."
Liz almost fainted. "Liz?" Max came back, it'd been a while since he'd seen her and he was worried.
"I-I'm here, my lord." She called, upset because she was stuttering.
"You've been quiet, and Emily was wondering if" he stopped when he saw her pale face and Tess standing there smiling sweetly.
"Good morning, Tess, wasn't expecting to see you here." He turned his attentions to Liz. "Are you alright?" He asked gently.
Liz shook her head to clear it. "Yes, I'm fine." She picked up the material she had picked out and walked towards Max. "Here, it's not pink, she should like it." She said trying to seem normal.
Max eyed her then glared at Tess, warning her to stay away.
"Good day, Maxwell." Tess sauntered out of the room.
"Are you alright?" Max asked again.
"I will be."
Liz walked out of the room. Max paid for the needed material and soon were on their way back to Max's townhome.
Liz was silent the whole way back. Emily had chosen to go to the Guerin town house, which had shocked Liz.
Max stared at her from his position across from her. "Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Max asked quietly.
"Yes, Max, will you please stop asking?" She said frustrated, she wanted to be alone. She was glad that Emily wanted to go with the Guerins. She wanted to just go up to her room and sit by herself.
"I'm sorry." He said. He didn't talk to her again until that evening.
"Liz are you coming down?" Max knocked on her door. There was no answer.
"Liz?"
Still no answer.
He slowly creaked open the door. Liz was asleep on the bed clutching Katarine, which Emily had left behind.
He walked into the room, knowing full well that it was improper. No one was home though. The Kendall's did not stay over during his stays at his town house. It was too small and he preferred to have as few people staying with him as possible.
He sat gently on the bed. She slept fitfully. He knew she would wake up sometime soon because it was getting dark outside, and he knew she didn't sleep once it got dark.
She started to thrash about. He pulled her so her head was in his lap. He stoked her brown tresses from her face and whispered comforting words in her ear. She stopped. He stopped briefly but continued when he realized that she was crying.
"Liz?" He bent down.
She tried to move away from him but he held fast. "Liz." He said again softly.
She cried harder. He took her hand in his and she held tight. "It was only a dream." He tried comforting her.
"No, it wasn't dream, it's what's going to happen. Max?" She stopped she tried to sit up but he held tight and wouldn't let her. She turned her face towards him instead.
"Yes?" He asked softly, wiping away her tears.
"Am I safe here, with you?" She asked, having to know.
"Of course." He asked wondering what had brought this on.
"If something bad happens, a-am I safe?" She asked.
"Yes, Liz, tell me what's going on?" He pleaded. He picked her up and carried her over to the rocker that was there for Emily.
"I can't." She said. She knew she shouldn't be sitting here in her lord's lap. She knew that their position was compromising, and she definitely knew that his face shouldn't be getting closer. Now he was kissing her.
It was soft and gentle, she tried to resist at first but gave in to his advances. She relaxed into his body. They pulled away desperate for air.
They were both panting. Liz curled up onto his lap knowing that she was safe. Pretty soon, Max realized, she was asleep.