Elizabeth settled down on the couch in Laszlo's parlour room. He was still at the Institute and she had returned back to the house as soon as Sara Howard had turned up and interrupted their conversation. Had he been so close to telling her what he was thinking? Had he really almost been about to tell her his feelings? Or was she being naïve? Was she being a hopeless romantic? Then again, no one had ever accused her of being that before. She was many things, but never a romantic. And then she had met Laszlo. She had met Laszlo and had been so charmed by him.
He was a gentleman. He was polite. He made her laugh with his dry wit. He was able to converse with her and make her feel completely at ease, despite his intelligence. He never lauded his education over her. He never made her feel inferior, not like Jacob had. But, Elizabeth was no Sara Howard. She was no match for a woman like Sara. She could match Laszlo. Elizabeth worried that she never would be able to.
The night soon fell and Elizabeth heard the door open and Laszlo's voice came into the house as he thanked Cyrus and Stevie for returning him home and that he would be back in a moment. Elizabeth moved from where she sat, trying to sneak through the parlour room to the hallway to avoid Laszlo. But she was too slow. She was walking towards the hallway, book in her fingertips, when he entered. Standing in the doorway, he looked to her as she almost bumped into him.
"Elizabeth," he spoke her name.
"I was just on my way to my room," she said, but he wouldn't move from where he stood in the doorway. He remained still, looking over to her and realising that he owed her another apology. She ran her free hand up and down her other arm, scratching it out of anxiousness.
"Please, we need to talk."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked from him.
"Because what I said to Miss Howard was not accurate," Laszlo said to her. "What we were discussing does matter, Elizabeth. I fear that it matters more than I care to tell you and that is why I came back here before I have to go out."
"Where are you going?" Elizabeth wondered.
"John has regained some of his memories from last night. We intend to find Sally…who John was with last night," Laszlo said to her. "But I had to come here first. I've done nothing but sit and stew with my thoughts since Miss Howard left me and you stormed out."
"You shouldn't keep John waiting," Elizabeth said to him and his lips arched for a moment.
"Always the polite one," he whispered to her.
She shrugged over to him and Laszlo let out a deep breath. She looked him in the eye and did her best to comprehend what was happening. He had come back here instead of running out of a case. He had come to her to tell her that he wanted to talk to her. He had chosen her. Was she over-reacting to this? Or was it just Laszlo being Laszlo? Was it Laszlo feeling guilt and nothing more?
"I apologise," he said to her, "because what I want to tell you is of the upmost importance. It's the most important thing that I can think of and it is something that I fear I have been hiding for many months now…if not longer. So, please, wait for me, Elizabeth. Don't go running off. Just stay here and I will be back."
Elizabeth nodded her head. "I'll wait." She promised him.
Laszlo almost felt relief flow through his veins at hearing her say that. He bowed his head in her direction and stepped towards her, moving his hand out to brush her hair behind her shoulder, his fingers moving over her cheek and stroking it softly as he heard her breathing hitch slightly and he continued to watch her before bending down and kissing the top of her head.
"I'll be back," Laszlo promised her and he let her go from his grip before turning on his heel and rushing back off.
Elizabeth walked over to the window and peered outside beyond the shutters. She saw Laszlo climb into the carriage and it moved off down the street again. Her lips picked up for a moment as she turned around to see Mary stood in the doorway, looking at her with that knowing expression she often held. Dropping her arms by her side, Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders.
"What?" she wondered from her.
Nothing. You just look happier…after Doctor Kreizler came back.
"I'm fine," Elizabeth simply shrugged and Mary smiled and shook her head before leaving the room.
Settling down on the couch, Elizabeth opened her book. She could hardly concentrate on the words on the page in front of her. Her mind was completely elsewhere. It was going over what Laszlo had said to her. Perhaps she wasn't mistaken. Perhaps he actually did feel the same way she felt. She could hardly sit still, putting the book down and pacing, her eyes going to the clock on the mantlepiece as she waited for him to return. He was gone for over an hour, the door creaking open when he returned. Elizabeth sat back down on the couch and opened her book up once more, pretending to read again. He entered the room, removing his coat and hat and handing them to Mary and thanking her.
"Did you discover anything?" Elizabeth wondered from Laszlo.
"Perhaps," Laszlo said to her and moved to sit down next to her on the seat. "I have my own suspicions that the killer befriends his victims…that he lures them to the place where he kills them because they trust him. I do not know for certain, but it is an avenue that I intend to explore this evening."
"Oh?" Elizabeth asked from him.
"I have Cyrus fetching me some books from the Institute. I imagine that I will be working late into the night on this case," he said to her. "However, I know that I did promise that we would talk and finish our conversation from earlier."
"If you are busy then it can wait."
Laszlo chuckled. "The issue is that we are always being interrupted," he said to her. "And I have many things that I wish to discuss with you…to say to you…"
"Then tell me," Elizabeth urged from him, putting her book down behind her and kicking her feet beneath her body. She knelt on the couch, an arm going over the back of it and she looked to Laszlo, taking in the way his nose twitched for a moment and he sniffed. Leaning forwards, his hands clasped together and he bowed his head.
"I thought that it was wrong," Laszlo said to her. "I thought that it was wrong for me to feel this way about you. You needed a friend. You needed someone who you could trust and I wanted to be that for you. I began to wonder if I felt this way because I saw you as someone who needed protecting…someone who needed me…and that you acted the way you did because you were simply grateful to me, not because you had any true emotions."
"Why did you not just ask me?" Elizabeth asked from him and he turned to look to her, his lips arching upwards.
"Because, in case you hadn't noticed, I'm not entirely the best at talking about my feelings," Laszlo said to her. "In my profession, I delve into the minds of children, but I cannot comprehend my own feelings. I simply shut down and become closed off."
"You don't need to do that with me," she said to him and he nodded.
"I know," he said to her. "And the reason why I acted how I did in front of Miss Howard is because of that…because showing concern…I am not used to doing that, but when it comes to you, Elizabeth, I am always concerned. I cannot stop being concerned for you and I think that is because of our history, but I also think it is because I care very much for you."
Elizabeth took a deep breath at hearing him say that to her. She moved a hand to twirl into her hair over the front of her shoulder. She let her lips lift upwards.
"I care very much for you too," she whispered to him and he gulped, turning to look to her. He nodded his head a few times and contemplated what he should say to her in response to that.
"When Marcus wanted to take you to dinner, I realise now what it is I felt," he said and leant back on the couch, hands lacing together in his lap. He took his time in turning to look back to her. "It was jealousy, Elizabeth. I was jealous."
"You…you were jealous?"
He chuckled darkly once again. "Why are you so surprised?" he questioned.
"Because it is just me," she said to him. "I never understood why you would be jealous or care about me, not really…and then when I saw you with Miss Howard…heard how you spoke to her…it made me wonder if I had been foolish enough to believe that you could ever care for me as I care for you."
"Why would you think that?"
Elizabeth stood up, hands dropping to her hips as she began to pace around the room. "Why would I not?" she asked from him. "Miss Howard seems perfect, Laszlo. She is intelligent…she went to college…she is beautiful…always so composed. And she seems able to match your intellect, which is something that I can never do. I will never understand your work."
Laszlo stood up as well, moving towards Elizabeth and taking hold of her by the arm to stop her from continuing her pacing. She stood still, his fingers moving down her arm until he was holding onto her hand. He moved his other hand upwards, his finger curling underneath her chin to tilt her gaze up to meet his.
"You think that I would not want you because you did not attend college?" he asked from her. "Or because you fear that you do not match my wits?"
"Amongst many other things." She mumbled.
Laszlo sighed. "You belittle yourself," he told her. "You are an incredibly capable young woman, Elizabeth, and just because you did not attend college does not make you inferior in my eyes. Miss Howard is a charming young woman, I do not doubt that, but there is one simple fact, Elizabeth. And that fact is this," he paused for a second, "Miss Howard is not you."
Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck then and Laszlo admitted he was taken off guard. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her tightly, his hand burrowing in her hair at the back of her head, tangling into it and feeling the soft locks as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. Laszlo moved to rest his own cheek on the top of her head, sighing to himself. He didn't want to spend the evening doing research, not when he found himself so content with Elizabeth. But this killer was not going to care about his contentment.
"I would like to take you for dinner," Laszlo suddenly told her and she pulled back to look up to him, that soft gentile smile on her face.
"You have taken me for dinner before, Laszlo," she said to him.
"I have," he said, "but I would like to take you as my date, not my friend."
Elizabeth nodded her head at that. "I think I would like that," she responded and Laszlo continued to stare at her before he heard a cough behind him. He startled, but kept his arms around Elizabeth as she let her hands stay on his shoulders. He turned his head over his shoulder to see Cyrus stood there, holding a stack of five books in his hands.
"Doctor, I've got the books you asked for," Cyrus said, his lips slightly upturned as he looked at the sight before him.
"Thank you, Cyrus," Laszlo responded.
"Goodnight, Doctor Kreizler," Cyrus said, placing the books down on the table. "Goodnight, Elizabeth."
"Goodnight, Cyrus," she responded.
"Yes, goodnight," Laszlo added on.
Elizabeth ran her hands along his shoulders as his fingers roamed over the expanse of her waist. She looked to his broad chest for a moment before moving her fingers to adjust the tie he wore. "I should let you work," she said.
"Stay," he encouraged her. "I do not wish to be alone just yet."
He saw her face light up at hearing him and she nodded. She could do that. She could stay for him. She went to sit back down on the couch and Laszlo grabbed two books and followed her, pulling his glasses from his pocket. He placed them onto his eyes and sat down next to her, opening the book on his lap as Elizabeth reached for her own book. She leant against his side while his arm moved around her shoulders, holding onto her and he felt her wisps of hair tickle his neck and chin. The only noise was the sound of their breathing and the occasional turning of pages.
"Doctor Kreizler!"
The two of them jumped at the sudden voice entering the room. Laszlo looked to the door, keeping his arm around Elizabeth as she moved a hand to his thigh in shock at Stevie running in, looking alarmed.
"What is it, Stevie?" Laszlo wondered from him.
"There's been another one," he said and Laszlo nodded.
He moved his arm away from Elizabeth and she reached for his hand before he could stand up. She grabbed hold of it, her fingers engulfing his firmly. "Be careful," she urged from him and he nodded his head. He bent down at the waist and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"I will be," he promised her and took off, his fingers leaving hers and the warmth of his body gone.
…
Laszlo knew that he had overstepped the mark the following day with John and Sara. He had said things that struck a nerve with both of them. He had been personal, asking John why he spent time with companions who were simply strangers. And then he had asked Sara about her father. He had been personal and he knew that it was because he was tired. He was tired and irrational. He was not thinking straight. They had seen the body of the young boy and had managed to investigate for an hour before the police had arrived. They had come to the conclusion that the killer liked heights. He always left the bodies in high places. That had to mean something.
But until Laszlo discovered what it was that meant, he knew he should return home. He needed sleep and eventually he would have to confront Sara and John over what he had said to them. Returning home, he removed his coat and hat. Mary was stood in the hallway, waiting for him. She signed to him and he watched her hands move.
She fell asleep on the couch waiting for you.
Laszlo could only nod, feeling his body ache with exhaustion and his mind race. He was still thinking of the case. He didn't know if he would actively fall to sleep or if his body would just collapse. He handed Mary his coat and hat, his cane hovering in the air as he moved towards the parlour. The shutters were still closed and blocking the light out. He wandered further into the room and knelt down by the couch, stretching a hand out to her upper arm and holding it softly, shaking her.
"Elizabeth," he whispered her name. She stirred and her eyes slowly opened. She blinked a few times, looking at Laszlo and moving a hand from underneath the cushion where she had left it. "You slept down here all night?" he asked from her.
"I was waiting for you to come back," she said to him, wriggling her fingers and trying to get some feeling back in them.
Laszlo continued to watch her as she slowly sat up and he moved back to sit on the couch as she curled her legs underneath her body and gave him space.
"You didn't need to wait for me," he told her and she shook her head.
"I did," she responded. "What happened?"
"There was another boy and it was most certainly the same killer. We have a theory that he is killing these boys and leaving their bodies on display in high places. It is almost as though that is how he achieves his thrill…and also by water too…" Laszlo concluded. "We tried to take a picture of a fingerprint to see if we could match it to the one we already found, but the light might not be good enough."
"And the police?"
"Arrived just after we disappeared," Laszlo informed her. "We went back to the Institute and I was going to continue working, but I am far too tired. I fear that I need some sleep and I suspect that you also need rest too."
"I probably could," she admitted to him.
"And tonight, I thought that we could go for dinner," he said.
She furrowed her brow. "Are you not working on the case?"
"I believe that I might have to apologise to Sara and John before we continue working on the case," Laszlo admitted. "I let my temper get the better of myself with both of them and said some things that were perhaps too personal."
Elizabeth sighed. "Do I want to know what you said?" she questioned.
"Probably not," he said to her. "But I will set it right."
"I do not doubt it," Elizabeth responded and Laszlo moved to his feet. He offered his hand down to her and she grabbed hold of it, allowing him to help her up from the seat. He walked with her towards the staircase and up to her bedroom. He told her to try and get some rest before he returned to his own chamber and tried to let sleep take hold of him for a few hours.
…
"How did you meet your husband?"
Elizabeth had been to visit Laszlo a few times since their run-in at the opera. But this time they were in the park, simply sat on a bench on a tree and hidden from view. It looked innocent enough and Elizabeth was content that they were well hidden without anyone looking onto them. The sun was shining brightly through the leaves of the trees, patterns reflecting on the floor and the heat warming Elizabeth's cheeks. Her hat sat neatly on top of her head; her hair tied into a loose bun at the back of her neck.
"You do not know?" she wondered from him, pulling at the fingertips of her leather gloves.
"I have heard rumours, but I do not entirely trust everything that I read in the papers."
"Wise of you," Elizabeth said with a wry smile that she threw in his direction. "I met him through my mother. The rumours that you perhaps read in the papers were not entirely inaccurate. My father gambled away our fortune. We had no money to send me to college and there was a time when the house was likely to be repossessed. Mother was attempting to marry me off to the highest bidder. It was a constant rotation of balls, evenings at the opera, dinner parties. But, no one really wanted to marry some socialite who had fallen from grace."
"And Jacob was the exception?" he continued to push her.
"Not entirely," Elizabeth shook her head. "Mother had to take work as a maid in the end. She was so aghast, but I figured that it was honest work and I agreed to help her. We worked as maids in Jacob's brother's house. That was where I met him."
"I assume his family were not happy about that," Laszlo said.
Elizabeth scoffed. "You could say that," she said to him. "But with him being the youngest, they didn't seem overly concerned. Plus, they said that if he married me then he might settle down and it could look good for the family, helping those in need like my family."
"And now you're married to one of the richest men in New York."
"For my sins," Elizabeth mumbled and rested her hands in her lap, tilting her head back to feel the sun on her face. Laszlo turned to look at her, his eyes roaming over her face and drinking in her features. She closed her eyes and he noted the purple bruise by her neck that her collar concealed when she wasn't tilting her head. But he spotted it. He just wondered how many more bruises she was hiding from him.
…
Laszlo stood at the bottom of the steps, dressed in a smart fitted tuxedo as the clock struck seven in the evening. He was waiting for Elizabeth to come down the stairs and was wondering what was taking her so long. She was usually quite quick at getting ready, but he had heard the banging of wardrobe drawers in her bedroom alongside laughter and grunting. He wondered what was happening as it almost sounded like she was in pain. He did not knock, knowing that she had asked Mary to help her get ready.
He paced the length of the foyer, hand holding his cane and tapping it on the floor before he heard footsteps from above. Standing at the bottom of the staircase, he looked up and saw Elizabeth walking down the steps, holding onto the bannister and Mary standing behind her. Laszlo saw her move down the steps towards him, her free hand holding onto her skirt so that she didn't trip over it.
"Sorry I took so long," Elizabeth said to him, standing in front of him as she finally came to the bottom of the stairs. He looked over her and she almost blushed, noticing the way his eyes raked over her.
"You look stunning," Laszlo said to her, his breath coming out in a soft pant.
"Do I?" she asked from him.
"You always do," he responded earnestly.
"Stop it," she mumbled and Laszlo's lips arched upwards.
"You always were terrible at taking compliments," he said to her. "Come along, we should go or we might miss our reservations."
He moved his arm out in front of him, letting her lead the way as he drank in the dark blue dress she wore. The skirts were intricately patterned with a floral design, the top with white lace detailing and a low neckline that showed her collarbone off and gathered on her shoulders. Her hair hung loosely down her back in soft waves, her reluctance to have it up something that Laszlo knew all too well about. He could still remember the day she had tossed the pins away, refusing to use them ever again.
Cyrus held the door to the carriage open and Elizabeth climbed in, Laszlo offered her his hand as he always did. She sat down on the seat and he took the space opposite her. He saw her looking out of the window as they went, the night well and truly falling around them. The ride was comfortable, both of them used to silence. But Laszlo could see the way she chewed down on her bottom lip. He noted how she nervously toyed with the ends of her hair.
"You do not need to be anxious," he said to her as the carriage arrived at Delmonico's.
"I know," she said to him. "I just worry, that is all."
"Tonight is a night only for us," Laszlo said to her. "I do not concern myself with what anyone else says or thinks."
"Then I will attempt to do the same," she promised him.
He climbed out of the carriage first and waited for Elizabeth to follow him. He took hold of her hand and ensured that she did not trip out of the carriage. He told Cyrus and Stevie that he would have dinner sent to them and Elizabeth smiled up to them before moving up the steps into the restaurant. Laszlo left her hand on his arm, his other hand moving over his body to hold onto it, his cane dangling between his fingertips. He ran his thumb along her knuckles, soothing her as best as he could.
"Doctor Kreizler, it is good to see you again," a man spoke and Elizabeth recognised him as Joseph. He was always the one who seated them at their table whenever she went with Laszlo to the restaurant. "Table for two or more this evening?"
"Just two, please, Joseph," Laszlo spoke.
"Right this way," he said and led them through the space in between the tables. Elizabeth knew that people were staring at them, but she tried to do what Laszlo did. She tried to pay them no attention. Laszlo held her chair out for her and she sat down, feeling his hand take hold of her shoulder and squeeze it softly before he went to his own seat and ordered two glasses of wine.
Elizabeth adjusted the napkin in her lap and sat up straight, looking around the restaurant as the pianist struck up, the soft hum of notes filling the space. Laszlo kept his stare on Elizabeth, knowing that she was apprehensive. She always was whenever they came to dinner or the opera.
"Did you manage to sleep this afternoon?" Laszlo asked, needing to talk to her and gain her attention.
"For a few hours," Elizabeth said to him with a nod. "I slept quite well, though."
"I am glad to hear it," Laszlo said to her and she swore it felt like she was miles away from him where he sat across the table from her. Laszlo sat back as a waiter returned, bringing them two glasses of wine and handing them the menu before he stood up. Elizabeth furrowed her brow and wondered what he was doing before he took the seat to her right, moving his cutlery to that spot.
"What are you doing?" she asked from him.
"Sitting closer," Laszlo said. "There is no need for me to be so far away."
"People-"
"-What did I tell you?" he interrupted her. "I do not care what people think, Elizabeth."
"I know they are watching us," Elizabeth responded to him. "They whisper about us."
"Then let them," Laszlo said to her and he took a sip of his drink. "Tonight, I am concerned only with you being here with me…and our relationship."
"Our relationship?" she echoed back to him and picked up her own wine, taking a large sip before letting the glass sit back down on the table.
"I believe that this cements it, does it not?" he asked from her. "Tonight is the first night we have stepped out together as something other than friends."
"And you are certain you want to be here with me?" she questioned from him.
Laszlo sat back, lips arching. "What can I do to make you stop questioning me wanting to be with you?" Laszlo enquired from her. "What would it take for you to understand that I am doing this and do not care what people might say or whisper?"
"Time, I imagine," she said to him.
"I am an inpatient man, Elizabeth, so I will act quicker than that."
He stood up and Elizabeth wondered what he was doing. He remained stood in front of her as Daniel returned to the table, hovering around. Laszlo looked to him and ordered for both of them, Elizabeth always leaving it to him considering he had excellent taste when it came to cuisine. Still, he stood there, his hand offered to her.
"What are you doing?"
"I am asking you to come and dance with me."
Her eyes widened. "You do not dance," she informed him.
"Indeed, I do not," he agreed with her on that point. "But if you continue to leave me standing here looking like a fool then the gossip would only get worse."
"I cannot dance either," she said to him.
"Then we are clearly destined for each other," Laszlo responded and she finally moved her hand into his. He kept hold of her fingers, wrapping them tightly into his own before leading her towards the end of the restaurant near where the string quartet had set up, couples already dancing and moving around the floor. They made room as Laszlo stepped onto the floor first, holding Elizabeth's hand mid-air before he moved his other hand to her waist and she took hold of his shoulder.
"You are a natural," Laszlo said to Elizabeth as he guided her around the floor.
"You're not too bad yourself," she responded, letting him take the lead and she tried not to stand on his feet as he rotated them around. "I thought that you couldn't dance."
"I said that I did not dance, not that I could not," he responded to her. "However, I have never had cause to dance before."
"Why not? You go to plenty of social occasions," she said to him.
"I suspect it is something to do with waiting for the right partner," he said to her and noted her blush bright red once more as his hand slipped around her waist further, his hand pressing into the small of her back to pull her tighter against his body. "And you? How can you claim not to be able to dance when you are clearly not that bad at it?"
"Well, it was more that I used to be dragged around the floor," she said to him. "Always tripping over people's feet."
"The key is not to drag your partner, but simply to guide her," Laszlo responded and the music stopped playing. Everyone turned to clap the band, but Laszlo remained where he was, his hands holding onto Elizabeth as she stood inches from him, her nose level with his eye line. He could feel her warm breath on his neck and she tilted her head up to look to him. The clapping died down as people began to dance once more, moving around Laszlo and Elizabeth as they remained where they were and he moved their entwined hands towards her face, using the back of his to brush her hair back from her cheek.
"If people weren't talking then they are now," Elizabeth said and Laszlo kept his bad arm wrapped around her.
"Then let them. At least they will know that you are now no longer available to court."
"I don't think there was a line forming to court me," she said.
"Then I am lucky that most men are fools," Laszlo responded and saw her smile widely, the back of his hand still stroking her cheek gently.
"I didn't realise you were such a poet," she teased him and she heard him chuckle.
"Only for you," he responded. "The exception to all my rules."
...
A/N: Thanks so much to everyone reading. Would love to know your thoughts - I intend to keep this going right until the end of season 2 if you're interested - got quite a few ideas bouncing around!