[A/N. I don't think this chapter is as good as the last few (which were in
my opinion some of the better ones in the story!) however as you'll realise
it needed to be written. After all Eliza's adventures can't end with
marriage can they? And I've already got some more ideas forming in my mind
about the coming years of Eliza's story!]
Philadelphia, February 1934.
When Eliza heard the car make it's way up the driveway she got up and hurried into the foyer to greet her husband. She did this on most days and it had become something of a habit.
"It's damn cold out there. They're saying we're on track for the third coldest winter ever!" Edward said, shaking the water off his coat as he entered the grand foyer of his home.
Eliza, who held little Benjamin asleep contentedly in her arms, looked concerned. "I'd hate to be in one of those tin shelters in New York now." She said, shivering at the thought of it.
"Well you're not in one-so there is no use thinking about it." Edward scolded gently, coming over to smile at his six-week old son. "I tell you Eliza if I could give any more money to the poor I would. But I can't."
"I'm not asking you to!" Eliza hastened to assure him.
"So what have my two favorite people been doing today?" Edward asked gently rubbing his son's foot.
"Sleeping and trying to sleep." Eliza said, with a grin.
Edward had noticed on a few occasions how tired his wife seemed to be. Her face was pale and drawn, and there were black circles under her eyes. But she refused to allow him to hire anyone to help with the baby. His mother had all but suggested that he should just go ahead and hire someone. Not out of concern for Eliza's health and well being mind you, but because it was simply the thing to do. But Edward knew that Eliza would be furious if he did that, and he didn't even consider it.
"Why don't you get some sleep now he's asleep? Pop him in the crib and go and lie down?" Edward suggested.
Eliza shook her head. "The moment I put him down he wakes up screaming. I've tried countless times today." She said, with a yawn.
"Well here, give him to me then. I can hold him for a bit whilst you get some sleep. Sweetheart you look exhausted." Edward offered, but Eliza's eyes narrowed.
"Funny you should say that. Your mother said the exact same thing yesterday in between trying to convince me to hire someone to help with Ben." Eliza said, suspiciously.
"Mother was here? You didn't tell me." Edward said.
"It must have slipped my mind." Eliza replied sarcastically. "Honestly Edward, since Ben was born she's become even worse! According to her every little thing I do for him is wrong!"
Edward sighed. He'd been hoping that his wife and mother would get along eventually. Of course he knew this was his mother's fault, and not his wife's. Eliza had been making every attempt to get along with Mrs. Gracie, but Mrs. Gracie simply refused to respect Eliza and treat her like anything even vaguely resembling an equal. Luckily for him Eliza chose not to worry about it.
"Come into the living room. I want to get in front of the fire for a bit before I freeze to death." Edward said. Eliza followed him and then sat down with Ben still in her arms.
"Ah that's better." Edward said after a few minutes of warming himself in front of the fire. "Well sweetheart I might have a solution to my interfering mother."
"I'm all ears." Eliza said curiously.
"Father was thinking of expanding the business, and as you know he's not much of a business man, being an army man and historian first and foremost, and therefore he is looking to me to do it." Edward explained.
Eliza nodded slowly. "Well at least that explains the smile on your face when you returned. A big responsibility I guess?"
"Yes, but one I think I can handle. And clearly Father thinks I can also." Edward said proudly.
"I am sure you can too. But what does this have to do with your mother?" Eliza asked.
"The business would be overseas in somewhere like Liverpool, England. Simply because that's the best center for shipping and industry purposes. Father has proposed me moving over there and starting up the business over there. He seems to think that with the depression slowly beginning to get better now is the time to move. He's quite excited about it all but I explained I had to talk it over with you first, and naturally he understood that." Edward said, his words coming out in a rush.
Eliza took a deep breath. England! The other side of the world! "You really want to do this don't you?" She asked her husband.
"I do, but Eliza if you want to stay here we can stay. Father can live without the business expanding."
Eliza frowned thoughtfully. She had no family, and the friends that she did have were Edward's friends. The only people she really had were Edward and Benjamin. So would leaving America behind really be much of a sacrifice? "Edward, my home is with you. As long as I am with you I don't care if I am in America or England."
Edward's eyes lit up, and he hurried over to embrace his wife. "How did I manage to get such an understanding wife?"
"You just got lucky I guess." Eliza said, as Ben woke up to the crushing of his Father hugging his mother and wailed loudly.
A sudden thought occurred to Eliza, one which made her go cold. How would they get to England? They'd have to go by ship of course. And while there had been no disasters on the scale of the Titanic since it had happened, she couldn't help but be scared.
Edward was watching his wife and he knew what she was thinking. "Eliza, sweetheart, I promise you this is going to be perfectly safe. Many people travel by the sea now and nothing happens to them. The Titanic was a freak accident."
Eliza swallowed. How could she refuse to get on the ship and end Edward's dreams? She couldn't. "I know, and I'll be alright once we get under way. I just can't help but be nervous."
"I know sweetheart, but I'll be there for you. Everything will be fine. And we'll reach England and we'll be in a whole new country. Think of this as an adventure!" Edward told her earnestly.
Eliza laughed at the light in Edward's eyes. "It will be kind of interesting to be in another country." She admitted. "Don't mind my worrying. We're going to have a great time."
Philadelphia, February 1934.
When Eliza heard the car make it's way up the driveway she got up and hurried into the foyer to greet her husband. She did this on most days and it had become something of a habit.
"It's damn cold out there. They're saying we're on track for the third coldest winter ever!" Edward said, shaking the water off his coat as he entered the grand foyer of his home.
Eliza, who held little Benjamin asleep contentedly in her arms, looked concerned. "I'd hate to be in one of those tin shelters in New York now." She said, shivering at the thought of it.
"Well you're not in one-so there is no use thinking about it." Edward scolded gently, coming over to smile at his six-week old son. "I tell you Eliza if I could give any more money to the poor I would. But I can't."
"I'm not asking you to!" Eliza hastened to assure him.
"So what have my two favorite people been doing today?" Edward asked gently rubbing his son's foot.
"Sleeping and trying to sleep." Eliza said, with a grin.
Edward had noticed on a few occasions how tired his wife seemed to be. Her face was pale and drawn, and there were black circles under her eyes. But she refused to allow him to hire anyone to help with the baby. His mother had all but suggested that he should just go ahead and hire someone. Not out of concern for Eliza's health and well being mind you, but because it was simply the thing to do. But Edward knew that Eliza would be furious if he did that, and he didn't even consider it.
"Why don't you get some sleep now he's asleep? Pop him in the crib and go and lie down?" Edward suggested.
Eliza shook her head. "The moment I put him down he wakes up screaming. I've tried countless times today." She said, with a yawn.
"Well here, give him to me then. I can hold him for a bit whilst you get some sleep. Sweetheart you look exhausted." Edward offered, but Eliza's eyes narrowed.
"Funny you should say that. Your mother said the exact same thing yesterday in between trying to convince me to hire someone to help with Ben." Eliza said, suspiciously.
"Mother was here? You didn't tell me." Edward said.
"It must have slipped my mind." Eliza replied sarcastically. "Honestly Edward, since Ben was born she's become even worse! According to her every little thing I do for him is wrong!"
Edward sighed. He'd been hoping that his wife and mother would get along eventually. Of course he knew this was his mother's fault, and not his wife's. Eliza had been making every attempt to get along with Mrs. Gracie, but Mrs. Gracie simply refused to respect Eliza and treat her like anything even vaguely resembling an equal. Luckily for him Eliza chose not to worry about it.
"Come into the living room. I want to get in front of the fire for a bit before I freeze to death." Edward said. Eliza followed him and then sat down with Ben still in her arms.
"Ah that's better." Edward said after a few minutes of warming himself in front of the fire. "Well sweetheart I might have a solution to my interfering mother."
"I'm all ears." Eliza said curiously.
"Father was thinking of expanding the business, and as you know he's not much of a business man, being an army man and historian first and foremost, and therefore he is looking to me to do it." Edward explained.
Eliza nodded slowly. "Well at least that explains the smile on your face when you returned. A big responsibility I guess?"
"Yes, but one I think I can handle. And clearly Father thinks I can also." Edward said proudly.
"I am sure you can too. But what does this have to do with your mother?" Eliza asked.
"The business would be overseas in somewhere like Liverpool, England. Simply because that's the best center for shipping and industry purposes. Father has proposed me moving over there and starting up the business over there. He seems to think that with the depression slowly beginning to get better now is the time to move. He's quite excited about it all but I explained I had to talk it over with you first, and naturally he understood that." Edward said, his words coming out in a rush.
Eliza took a deep breath. England! The other side of the world! "You really want to do this don't you?" She asked her husband.
"I do, but Eliza if you want to stay here we can stay. Father can live without the business expanding."
Eliza frowned thoughtfully. She had no family, and the friends that she did have were Edward's friends. The only people she really had were Edward and Benjamin. So would leaving America behind really be much of a sacrifice? "Edward, my home is with you. As long as I am with you I don't care if I am in America or England."
Edward's eyes lit up, and he hurried over to embrace his wife. "How did I manage to get such an understanding wife?"
"You just got lucky I guess." Eliza said, as Ben woke up to the crushing of his Father hugging his mother and wailed loudly.
A sudden thought occurred to Eliza, one which made her go cold. How would they get to England? They'd have to go by ship of course. And while there had been no disasters on the scale of the Titanic since it had happened, she couldn't help but be scared.
Edward was watching his wife and he knew what she was thinking. "Eliza, sweetheart, I promise you this is going to be perfectly safe. Many people travel by the sea now and nothing happens to them. The Titanic was a freak accident."
Eliza swallowed. How could she refuse to get on the ship and end Edward's dreams? She couldn't. "I know, and I'll be alright once we get under way. I just can't help but be nervous."
"I know sweetheart, but I'll be there for you. Everything will be fine. And we'll reach England and we'll be in a whole new country. Think of this as an adventure!" Edward told her earnestly.
Eliza laughed at the light in Edward's eyes. "It will be kind of interesting to be in another country." She admitted. "Don't mind my worrying. We're going to have a great time."