Elizabeth could feel her head pounding as she opened her eyes, managing to look around in the darkness. She moved a hand to her forehead and realised that she was laid down on something like a bench. She forced herself to keep her eyes open, her hands shaking as she reached out to sit up.
"I see you're awake."
And then she realised that she couldn't move her hands apart. Looking down, she saw that they were tied together. She tried to pull at them, but they didn't move. Huffing, she managed to adjust herself on the bench, finally sitting up, her skirts catching around her legs as she looked to the man sat on the bench across from her. Glowering over at him, she ignored the fact that it felt like everything was spinning around her.
"Where am I?" she demanded from him.
"Somewhere even I don't know," Connor responded to her, looking out the window and she felt the carriage bounce around. She looked out the window, but everything was dark and she didn't recognise the passing streets. "The good doctor abandoned the opera early so clearly he is on his way to find the killer."
"And I don't know where that is," Elizabeth responded, moving her bound hands to her head and tossing her fingers through her curls and move them out of her face. "And what are you going to do when you find them? Why did you need me?"
"I'll see what happens when I get there," Connor informed her and she shook her head. "But that alienist has been nothing but a pain in my ass…so whatever happens to him, it's what he deserves."
"Just leave him alone," Elizabeth hissed out. "You can't hurt him."
"It would not be undeserved after the amount of grief he has given me," Connor snapped and Elizabeth looked into his eyes and she saw that he was lost with anger. His eyes were wild and she had seen that look before. She had been terrified of it whenever she saw it in Jacob's face. And now she saw it in Connor's face. Biting down on her tongue, she tried to figure if there was a way out.
"And me?" Elizabeth questioned him.
"Potential leverage," Connor said to her. "Let's just hope that we don't need you."
"You won't get away with this," Elizabeth shook her head, hair bouncing around her shoulders. "You know that, don't you? Whatever it is you intend to do to him…to John…you'll never get away with it."
"I've got away with a lot of things so far, you should remember that," he said and Elizabeth's teeth ground together, her cheeks turning red with anger at the sight of the man in front of her. And he was smirking. He had the audacity to smirk at her and Elizabeth wanted to do nothing more than lash out at him, but she knew it would be futile. But she wasn't going to let him anywhere near Laszlo. She hadn't been able to save Mary, but she was determined to save Laszlo from whatever he had planned.
"How can you sit there and look so pleased with yourself?" Elizabeth wondered from him. "You killed Mary. You were the one who stormed into our home…and you…you killed her."
"The bitch was the one who attacked me with the knife."
"Because you were threatening us," Elizabeth rebuked. "And you attacked us first. And then you have the audacity to lie about what happened that night. You have the nerve to continue lying."
"Because the truth would not serve anyone well," he responded. "Besides, if you're worried about your reputation then I wouldn't be overly bothered. Everyone in the police force remembers your case…how you and that doctor had the same story…claimed that your husband lost his balance, but we have our own suspicions."
"And you're entitled to your own suspicions."
"And if my suspicions are correct then you also bent the truth to avoid being arrested," he said, "and so how are my actions any different to what you and that alienist did?"
Elizabeth looked out the window, her teeth now firmly grinding together and her jaw locked. Connor simply chuckled at the sight of her and he knew that he had struck a nerve. He didn't push her anymore, nor did he have a chance to do so. The carriage drew to a halt and Elizabeth's brow furrowed. This was the reservoir, it wasn't High Bridge Tower. What were they doing here? Had there been a change of plan?
But Elizabeth kept her mouth firmly closed, having no intention of telling Connor that. He climbed from the carriage and reached for her wrists, pulling her along with him, but she tried to fight him from her. She wormed around in his grip and looked for any sign of Laszlo, but she couldn't see him. Stevie was also nowhere to be seen with the carriage and Elizabeth wondered where he had gotten to.
"Get off of me," Elizabeth demanded.
"Stop your yells, wench," he snarled.
"Laszlo!" she ignored him, calling out his name and wondering if he could hear her. "Laszlo!"
"God, you're a pain in my ass," he muttered and reached into his pocket. Elizabeth wondered what he was looking for before he pushed her up against the wall, the rough brick coarse against her cheek as he pressed her face to it. He found the piece of material he had been looking for and wrapped it around her mouth, effectively gagging her. She mumbled against it, still trying to shout out loud for Laszlo, but her yells were completely muffled.
Taking hold of her by the wrists, he dragged her along and into the reservoir. She continued to fight against him, but he was stronger than she was. Looking around the narrow corridors, Elizabeth tried not to let the surroundings spook her. The corridors were narrow and dark, the only light coming from the occasional lamps on the sides of the wall. It was cold and damp, Elizabeth able to hear the sounds of her panting breath echoing through the corridors.
She looked around, constantly seeing if there was any sign of Laszlo. But looking to the floor, she realised that there were footprints in the sanded floor beneath them. Coming to a ladder, Connor pushed her in front of him, forcing her to climb up it. She struggled with her bound wrists, but eventually made it to the top, Connor steps behind her and then grabbing her wrists once more.
They came to another corridor, but the lights in this one were completely destroyed, bathing it in darkness. She shook her head, knowing that something wasn't quite right as she managed to make out the sight of a smashed lamp on the wall. Looking to the ground, Connor saw a candle had been left in the distance, its flame burning softly. He approached it and bent down, picking it up and holding it in his grip.
Elizabeth continued to mutter, but she had stopped fighting Connor, knowing that she would prefer to find Laszlo now. It was as they rounded the corner, when she heard a yell of pain.
"Laszlo," she mumbled his name against the gag and she heard him begin to yell, clearly shouting at the killer. Laszlo said something about how killing the child would not stop the pain he felt from the hands of his mother, that it would not rid him of his mother's ghost.
"Here we go," Connor mumbled and he dropped the candle to the floor and reached into his pocket, pulling out his gun. Elizabeth's eyes widened at the sight as they reached the end of the narrow corridor and came to a larger and more open space. Connor held the gun in front of him as Elizabeth tried to push at him, but he moved his hand to her hair and pushed her to her knees, his fingers still tangled in her locks to keep her on the ground.
"Where do you think you're going?" Connor suddenly yelled and Elizabeth looked in front of her to see Laszlo also on the floor, his lip cut and his clothes covered in dirt. His gaze met hers and he felt panic begin to rise up inside of him at seeing her.
"No!" Laszlo snapped as Connor aimed his gun at Beecham's back, shooting him before anyone could stop him.
Elizabeth watched as the bullet his the man's body and he yelled out in pain, dropping the boy in his arms to the ground. Connor continued walking forwards, dragging Elizabeth with him as she reached her hands up and tried to prise his fingers from her. John was to the side, his eyes closed but his chest still moving to show he was still alive.
"Looks like I've walked in on a bloodbath," Connor said and Elizabeth wondered what he was talking about as he tossed her to the ground. She landed face first in the dirt as Laszlo took a tentative shuffle towards her, reaching for her and helping her sit up. "And what a bloodbath it is too," Connor continued. "All these people dead…" he mused and Elizabeth finally understood what he was saying and what he was intending to do. Laszlo shook his head firmly, his hands reaching out for Elizabeth, his arm going around her as they remained on the ground.
"I thought that I could use her as leverage," Connor admitted, pointing the gun down to Elizabeth. "But it turns out that I didn't need her…but I can't let her go now…"
"No," Laszlo whispered, his grip around her increasing, almost as though he could protect her from a gunshot by clinging onto her.
"And she came here to help you. Yes, everyone would believe that," Connor said and Laszlo shook his head as Elizabeth's hands clung to his arm. "A romantic tragedy…but I was too late to stop it and so I'll have to take the glory…terrible it is…all of these people dead…"
Laszlo shook his head and Elizabeth closed her eyes, feeling tears threaten to pool there as she felt his chin press by her forehead, the closeness of him near her and the scratch of his beard against her skin so familiar to him. As Connor cocked the gun, Laszlo spoke once more.
"You don't need to do this…let her go…let her leave…"
"You know, she was willing to die for you," Connor informed Laszlo. "And I wondered what lengths you would go to for her…turns out you're as devoted to her as she is to you. Hopefully you can take some comfort from that."
Elizabeth muttered against the gag, trying to make Connor see sense, but she had no chance as he suddenly turned around at the sound of new footsteps approaching them. Laszlo remained almost frozen on the ground, his arm still around Elizabeth's waist and her front pressed to his side. Looking at the approaching figure, Laszlo's breath hitched as Sara slowed from her jog to a walk, Connor's gun aimed in her direction.
"Ah, Miss Howard," he spoke. "The first woman to work for the New York Police Department."
He began walking towards her and Elizabeth saw the fright in Sara's face as she remained where she was on the ground, trying to work out if there was a way for them to stop Connor. She had to do something. He stood in front of Sara and Elizabeth looked to Laszlo as he wondered what she was thinking. Connor's hand went to Sara's cheek and Elizabeth motioned to his back, thinking that she could go and distract him and they could overpower him.
"It's not place for a lady," Connor said, his hand stroking Sara's cheek. "Especially one as delicate and lovely as yourself."
Elizabeth began to stand as she saw Connor grab hold of Sara by the throat, Laszlo reaching for her hand and trying to stop her from doing anything brash as he put himself in front of her. But neither of them had to make any movement. The gunshot echoed through the room and Laszlo instantly pushed Elizabeth behind him as she grabbed hold of his arm, tugging on it tightly. But nothing happened. Looking over to Sara, she remained stood up straight, her lips parted and her breathing strangled.
And then Connor fell to the floor. Elizabeth let out a deep breath as Laszlo looked to Sara and she nodded, the gun she had concealed in her purse still in her fingertips. She dropped it and moved over to John, kneeling down in front of him as Connor took his final breaths, the noise strangled and echoing through the room.
Laszlo moved his hands to the rope around Elizabeth's wrists, tugging at it as John finally woke and he turned his attention to Joseph. Elizabeth let out a moan of relief as her wrists were freed and Laszlo reached for the gag, tugging it from her mouth and letting it drop round her neck. His hand ran up her arm to sit on her cheek as she took both of his cheeks into her hands, cupping them gently.
"Are you hurt?" she asked from him at the same time he spoke:
"Did he hurt you?"
She shook her head and Laszlo nodded, wrapping his arm around her waist as she embraced him, arms locking around his neck. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to feel content in her embrace before he pulled back and pressed his lips to the top of her hair and then looked to the ground next to them.
"Japeth," he whispered the killer's name. Turning to look back to Elizabeth, he looked her in the eye, bending slightly at the knee so they were the same height. "Elizabeth, I need you to stay here."
"Where are you going?"
"I need to know," was all that Laszlo could say to her.
He gave her hand a squeeze before he took the ladder, climbing up it and following Japeth.
"Laszlo," she called after him.
But he was already rushing up the ladder. John moved to his feet and stood up tall, grabbing Elizabeth by the arm before she could insist on climbing up and going after Laszlo. He shook his head and she remained anchored to the spot as he looked down to her.
"Stay here," he urged from her as Sara knelt with Joseph and ensured that he was fine. "I'll go after him."
She didn't get a chance to reply before John took off up the ladder after Laszlo. Elizabeth knew that Japeth would not hurt Laszlo, or so she hoped. He was injured. He had been shot. But she still didn't want him up there alone with him.
"Are you hurt?" Sara questioned from Elizabeth, turning her gaze onto her.
"No…and you?" Elizabeth asked as Sara remained knelt by Joseph, holding the boy in her arms and trying to soothe him.
"Perfectly fine," Sara promised her.
Elizabeth nodded. "Thank you," she said to her. "I didn't know…and he…" she knew she was not making any sense, but she was still in shock. Sara nodded her head at hearing her, knowing what she was trying to convey.
Looking to the body of Connor, Elizabeth didn't even feel anything. She didn't feel relief that the man who had killed Mary was now gone. She would have preferred for him to suffer for what he had done. Death almost seemed like an easy escape for him. She looked to the ladder as she saw John descend it, Laszlo following him.
"Is he gone?" Sara questioned.
"Indeed," John nodded.
"Roosevelt should be here soon enough with the Isaacsons," Sara said. "I suspect we should leave the body where it is."
"Bring him to the Institute," Laszlo said. "We should conduct a post-mortem there before his body is officially given to the police."
"Are you sure?" John asked.
"Positive," he said, standing by the ladder. "And we should leave."
"Agreed," John said and he helped Joseph to his feet. "Come on, let's get out of this place."
Sara walked by his side as Laszlo stepped around Connor's body, his hand on Elizabeth's back and guiding her forwards. He removed his jacket from his body as they went, draping it over her shoulders and helping her shrug her arms into it. She tugged on the lapels, pulling the material tightly around her waist as Laszlo lifted his good arm up to drape it over her shoulders. Bending down, he kissed the top of her head and realised just how close he had come to losing her again.
…
Sitting in the Institute, Elizabeth had been silent as she took her place in the armchair in the corner. Cyrus and Charlotte had met them there after returning home and finding Elizabeth missing. They had gone to the Institute in the hope that she might have gone there and on their way out they had bumped into them. Charlotte had rushed at Elizabeth, launching herself into her arms. Laszlo removed his arm from Elizabeth and she bent down, catching Charlotte and embracing her tightly. She managed to pick her up after a moment, her arms wrapping around her waist as Charlotte took hold of her neck. Stepping forwards, she lowered the girl and took her hand, leading her upstairs.
And Elizabeth had been sat in that chair since they had arrived, Charlotte dangling in her lap and resting against her. Elizabeth moved a hand down her hair, trying to soothe her. Marcus and Lucius had arrived with the body and had begun examining the brain as Laszlo watched them. John and Sara were currently talking with Roosevelt as Cyrus stood by the door to the room at the back of the boardroom where Laszlo performed his experiments.
She didn't know how long had passed before Laszlo came back out, looking exhausted and dejected as he spoke, John and Sara glancing to him and Roosevelt folding his arms over his chest.
"In every way, a normal and healthy brain," Laszlo declared.
"And what does that prove?" John questioned. "That he wasn't insane?"
"It proves we don't know anything," Laszlo said and Elizabeth knew that he wanted him alive. Laszlo studied the mind. No doubt he would have hoped to look into the man's mind and find out why he had committed his crimes. But it was not meant to be, not this time.
"Just think what you've done," Roosevelt said, picking up on his dejected tone. "You found a killer with no connection to his victims."
"I wonder how long he would have stayed hidden…somewhere inside I think he wanted society to know he he's its tormented offspring…a living reminder of all the crimes we commit behind closed doors."
"What matters is you stopped a monster," Roosevelt responded to Laszlo.
The alienist stroked his chin softly. "We set out to find a monster, but all we found was a wounded child," he said and let out a sigh. "Forgive me, but I'm exhausted."
Looking to Elizabeth, she understood that he wanted to go home. She smiled softly over to him and nodded her head, urging Charlotte from her lap. She took hold of the little girl by the hand and moved over to Laszlo who placed his hand on the small of her back, leading her from the room.
"I know how badly you wanted him alive," Sara said as they began to move to the door.
"The Jesse Pomeroys and Japeth Durys of this world will take their secrets to the grave," Laszlo said, turning to look to Sara. "But there will be others, of that I am certain, and we will learn what compels a man to do evil."
"And to do good," Sara retorted, a smile on her face as Laszlo's own lips arched upwards.
He inclined his head. "And to do good," he agreed with her on that point.
They exchanged a brief glance before Elizabeth placed her hand on his arm and he turned to look down to her once more. Nodding his head, he let her hand slip down his arm again, but he took hold of her fingers before she could move away from him. He held onto her tightly as they made their way back home for the evening.
…
Elizabeth was still dressed in her dress with Laszlo's jacket on top of it. She had put Charlotte to bed, reading to her in order to help her to sleep. She sat on the edge of the bed as Charlotte drifted off and only once she was asleep did she stand up and ensure the quilt was secure around her. Dropping a soft kiss to her curls on the top of her head, she left the bedroom and turned the light off on the way. Heading down the hall towards Laszlo's room, she pushed the door open to see him still dressed in his tuxedo, his legs stretched out in front of him as he held a small glass of whiskey in his fingertips.
"She is fast asleep," Elizabeth said to Laszlo. "I just told her that we had to go and help someone this evening and that she didn't need to be worried."
"Did she believe you?" Laszlo questioned.
Elizabeth shrugged. "I think so," she said. "I think she was scared when I was not at home when they returned, but she doesn't need to know what happened tonight."
"She is only a child," Laszlo said. "She doesn't need to know such things."
"Agreed," Elizabeth said, pulling his jacket from her body and leaving it on the chair in the corner. Moving to the bed, Elizabeth lifted herself upwards and Laszlo wondered what she was doing before she placed each leg either side of him, sitting on his lap as she moved her hands to hold onto his shoulders. "You were not at High Bridge Tower tonight."
"I was not," Laszlo confirmed.
"What happened?" she asked him. "Why were you at the reservoir?"
"I knew that Japeth's methods had changed and that he would not be at High Bridge Tower. I did not tell anyone because I knew that the police would have shot him as soon as they saw him," Laszlo said to her and Elizabeth gritted her teeth, pushing his shoulder slightly.
"You could have been killed," she snapped at him. "Don't pretend I haven't noticed your blooded lip, Laszlo. Did you think that you could talk him around? Were you willing to take that risk?"
"I wanted to know why."
"And I wanted you to come home to me tonight," Elizabeth retorted to him. "What could have happened…what he could have done…"
"It was not us who he wanted to kill," Laszlo responded and Elizabeth chewed down harshly on her bottom lip, shaking her head in frustration. "But it does not matter. He is gone with thanks to Connor…and he is also gone…the case is finished."
"Don't risk yourself like that again," Elizabeth urged from him, stroking his cheek. "I mean it, Laszlo, I don't want to be without you and tonight I came so close to losing you that I can't…I can't go through that again."
"And you felt exactly as I did when I saw Connor with you," Laszlo said, placing his glass down and resting it on the bedside cabinet before bringing his hand up and brushing her hair from her face. "I don't want to lose you either."
Elizabeth bent down and kissed him as he adjusted her in his lap, bringing her closer to him with a hand pressed to the small of her back to press her front against his. She moved her hands into his hair, brushing it back from his face as he moved to kiss along her cheek to her ear, whispering hotly and causing her to shudder against his body.
"I love you," he said to her.
"I love you too," she replied and he went to kiss her neck as she tugged at the braces on his shoulders and he ran his lips along her collarbone as she pulled his shirt from his trousers, her hands running along the buttons and tugging them apart. He moved his hand on her back up her dress, finding the buttons that ran down it and reaching for them, but struggling to undo them one handed. Elizabeth heard him grunt in frustration before she sat up straight, his shirt half unbuttoned and she moved her hands behind her back, pulling the buttons open.
"I can do them," she said to him and he finished tugging his shirt from his body as she pulled her dress from her shoulders, letting it pool at her waist.
She moved back to kiss him then, grabbing hold of his neck and letting her mouth move hungrily over his. He felt her hips press against his and she pushed his shirt from his shoulders, being gentle with him as she moved the material down his arms. Once he was free, he reached for her corset, pulling at the strings at the back and groaning once more.
"Why are these things so complicated?" he complained as Elizabeth laughed and moved her hands to tug at the strings and help him.
"I imagine it is to try and stop things like this from happening," she said to him. "You know, make it impossible for a man to ruin a woman…especially if she is not married to him."
"And is that what I'm doing? Ruining you?"
"Oh, you ruined me a long time ago," she joked back with him and his lips arched as her chemise became visible once the corset began loosening. "But I am not complaining."
"Glad to hear it," Laszlo said, tossing the garment to the side and moving quickly so that she was beneath him. He managed to tug her gown down her legs, kicking it off the bottom of the bed and moving his hand back up her leg, reaching for the top of her stockings and his fingers brushing against her bare skin. She moved her hands to the buttons of his trousers and her legs wrapped around him as he pushed her chemise up to her hips. He took a deep breath, controlling his breathing as he saw the flush of her chest that ran up to her neck and he moved to let his forehead brush against hers.
"I…I need you," Laszlo said to her.
"I assumed as much considering our current position," she said to him.
"No," he replied. "Well….yes…on a primal nature I suppose you have a point, but what I mean is that I do not just want you, Elizabeth…I need you."
She seemed to understand what he was saying. This was deeper than acting on their instincts and what they wanted when they gave into desire and Elizabeth knew that this was Laszlo feeling vulnerable. He needed comfort. He needed to be with someone and it was Elizabeth who he needed. Her chest ached and she nodded, hand running along his bearded cheek.
"And you have me," she promised him before pulling him down to kiss her again.
…
Elizabeth sat down besides Laszlo at Delmonico's the following evening. Charlotte was sat to her other side, sipping on a lemonade and looking around the room, seemingly in awe at everything that she was seeing. John was sat next to Laszlo and Sara was on the other side of Charlotte with the Isaacson brothers next to her. They had ordered dinner and everyone had been smiling and laughing with each other, the atmosphere relaxed as John made a toast.
"Do you plan to do it?" John wondered, leaning closer to Laszlo and whispering into his ear. The alienist arched a brow and looked over John, wondering what he was saying. "Ask her?" John said, trying to stay cryptic.
"One day," Laszlo nodded his head, turning to look to Elizabeth as she folded a napkin on the table and made a swan, Charlotte watching with awe and Sara smiling at the sight of them. Looking back to John, he shrugged his shoulders. "I am waiting for the right moment."
"Don't wait too long," John said to him, clasping him on the back and then reaching for the champagne.
"Where did you learn how to do that?" Marcus asked from opposite the table as he noted Elizabeth finish with the swan and she left it on the top of the table. She shrugged as Charlotte ran a finger along the material.
"I was young," Elizabeth said to him, "and my mother taught me how to do it. I haven't forgotten despite it being so many years ago."
"It's a neat party trick," he said to her.
"Why, thank you," she commented and he raised his champagne glass in her direction.
"And that is perhaps my only talent," Elizabeth retorted, noticing Charlotte's hair was almost dripping into the lemonade she was holding. She reached out and tucked it behind her shoulder, looking at the soft yellow dress she wore with a white ribbon around her waist. She looked so different to how she did when dressed in her uniform at the Institute.
"I wouldn't say that," John responded. "I've also heard you play the piano."
"Ah, that is only because of Laszlo," she replied. "He taught me all that I know."
"And you were a great student," Laszlo said and she smiled over to him and he let his eyes wash over her face. He moved over to rest a hand on top of hers in her lap as John watched the exchange and his gaze flickered over to Sara. He saw Laszlo look at Elizabeth with such devotion and the look she exchanged back to him was almost as though there was no one else there. It was like he was her entire world.
And John wanted that. He wanted to feel that and he hoped that he might be able to feel it with Sara, but he didn't know if it was what she wanted. He had to confess that he was uncertain. But he was jealous that Laszlo had that. He had such unrequited love.
"So…are you two ever going to publicly thank me for what I did?" Marcus questioned.
"Here he goes again," Lucius complained, drinking on his champagne.
Marcus held his own glass in his fingers, almost spilling it as he became animated. "What?" he asked from his brother. "I am just saying that without me they probably would never have admitted how they felt. I see this," he motioned between them with his chin, "as my doing. I am practically Cupid."
"Your ego knows no limits," Lucius said and Laszlo chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.
"I admit," Laszlo commented, "that you perhaps did speed things along for us. A man, when jealous, can be forced to act more impulsively than he usually would do."
"See?" Marcus said to his brother.
"Alas, it turned out I had no reason to be jealous for you were never the one to hold Elizabeth's affections," Laszlo said and Lucius shot his brother another smug look that Marcus frowned at and hit him round the shoulder.
"Well, if Laszlo was not in the picture then you might have had a chance," Elizabeth joked with Marcus and he sat back, hand still holding his glass of champagne.
"I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse," he replied and John laughed, slapping him on the back as they all laughed, looking at each other around the table. But that laughter soon turned silent when a voice called out a name.
"Elizabeth."
Instantly, Elizabeth stiffened, her spine straightening and her shoulders tensing. Her lips parted and she closed her eyes for a moment. Laszlo looked over to her, knowing that this was not going to go well. Slowly, she turned her head over her shoulder and peered up to see her mother stood behind her. The same woman she had not seen in over a year since the incident with Jacob.
"Mother," Elizabeth said to the woman.
She looked exactly the same. Her hair was neatly pinned at the top of her head in an intricate bun, her dress no doubt the finest silk in a deep red colour. She had a gold necklace with a silver pearl around her neck, the sleeves to her gown off the shoulder. She looked like she belonged in high society which was ironic considering how their father had practically lost all of their money. But, when Elizabeth had married Jacob, his family had sorted that for them and her mother had taken control of the finances.
"I wondered if it was you," her mother said.
"Well, it is," Elizabeth responded. "I am surprised to see you here."
She shrugged her shoulders, hands staying in her skirts. She kept her eyes on her daughter, but she knew that everyone around that table was staring at her, wondering just who she was and what she was doing. Did they know about her strained relationship with her daughter? Did they know about her daughter and what she had done? Well, she didn't exactly know what her daughter had done, but she had her suspicions.
"I am dining with friends," she said.
"Josephine, are you coming?" one of the said friends called out to her and she turned around, her blonde hair catching the light from the chandelier above them. Holding up a finger, she indicated that she would be there in a moment.
"You should go to them," Elizabeth said to her mother.
"I…well…yes," Josephine agreed.
Elizabeth nodded curtly and turned back to the table, hoping that her mother would take the hint and leave them alone. She peered down to the tablecloth, her fingers playing with the edge of it. But her mother didn't take the hint.
"Elizabeth…can we talk?"
Elizabeth sighed and Laszlo watched her gather her breath before turning her head over her shoulder and looking back to her mother, hand gripping the back of the chair so tightly that her knuckles turned white under the pressure.
"We have nothing to talk about," Elizabeth said to her mother with a shake of her head. "You and father made your thoughts about me clear when you refused to let me come back home when Jacob died."
"Elizabeth…please…can we not do this here?" Josephine hissed to her daughter.
Elizabeth scoffed. "Still embarrassed by me?" she questioned from her mother. "I have nothing to say to you, mother. You knew what he did to me. I came to you and I told you…and you saw with your own eyes how he put me in hospital, but you still did nothing. Attending the opera…going to the fanciest balls…that was all you cared about, not how my husband almost beat me to death."
"That's not true," Josephine whispered.
"Mrs Johnson, perhaps tonight is not the time for this," Laszlo interjected, seeing the way Elizabeth's jaw clenched and unclenched, her cheeks flushing red. He could tell that she was getting upset and angry. He did not want that, not when tonight was supposed to be about celebrating their friendship.
Josephine turned her wide eyed stare to Laszlo and he couldn't help but think of how Elizabeth looked just like her mother with her plump lips and her slightly turned up nose.
"Why did you have to involve yourself in her life?" Josephine asked.
"Mother," Elizabeth said in a warning tone.
"Have you not read the papers, Elizabeth?" Josephine asked from her daughter. "Have you not heard what they call you? Being with him…your reputation…it will never recover."
"I do not care for my reputation," Elizabeth said firmly. "Or is it your reputation that you are concerned for?"
"It is yours, Elizabeth," Josephine said. "Why can you not see that? Why do you not simply come home…we can try and work things out…find you a suitable match now that a year has passed since you became a widow."
Elizabeth scoffed and shook her head in disbelief, her hair bouncing around her shoulders. "Why on earth would I come home after everything that has happened? Besides, I do not need to find a suitor."
Josephine frowned before her eyes widened. "You cannot be serious, Elizabeth," she said in a low hiss as Elizabeth moved to her feet, tired of the conversation she was engaged in with her mother. She grabbed the woman by the arm and dragged her towards the door of the restaurant, attracting stares as they went. Laszlo made a move to follow her, but John placed a firm hand on his shoulder, stopping him. He knew families and he knew that Elizabeth could handle herself against her mother.
Standing by the door, Elizabeth let go of her mother's arm and folded her own arms, resting them on her stomach. She arched a brow at her mother and spoke in a hushed voice.
"You said that you read the rumours," Elizabeth said to her. "Why are you so surprised?"
"Because I thought that it was just a passing fancy for the man who showed you attention…who cared for you…not that you were actually serious about him," Josephine said with a stern voice. "You know his reputation. You know what they say about him and being associated with him…in a relationship with him…people talk, Elizabeth."
"And I do not care what they say," Elizabeth snapped back. "I know what they say and what they think. They think that we had been engaged in an affair while I was still married…that we are simply biding time before we ourselves marry…but that is not what happened."
"Well, it looks rather suspicious," Josephine scoffed. "And him? Do you honestly believe that being with him will make you happy?"
"I love him," Elizabeth said to her mother. "I love Laszlo and I intend to be with him. We do not care what people say or what they think. We are happy together."
"Elizabeth, please, see sense," Josephine begged her daughter. "That man…he has taken advantage of you, can you not see that? He took you in when you were vulnerable and he has manipulated you to feel this way about him."
Elizabeth laughed then, the noise shrill and loud as she bent back and attracted the stares of other diners who looked at the two women with raised eyebrows and intense stares. Josephine grabbed her daughter by the arm then and dragged her further away from the dining room, hiding behind the flowers and plants in the pots.
"You truly think that?" Elizabeth demanded from her mother, shaking her head. "You truly think he has manipulated me? Oh, mother, I lived with a man who did that for fun. Laszlo has done nothing like that. He has done nothing but love me as I love him. You should accept that and move on. You have no say in my life anymore."
"Just think about this," Josephine demanded from her.
"I have and I am staying with him," Elizabeth replied. "I do not want anyone else but him."
"If you stay with him then you will never gain your reputation back. You'll forever be known as…well…" she trailed off and Elizabeth cocked her head to the side.
"His whore?" she asked from her mother and saw her wince. "I know what they see me as and I would spend my entire life living with that title if I had to…because I know the truth. I know that he loves me…and that is enough for me. It will always be enough for me."
"You're being foolish," her mother snarled at her. "Come home. Your father and I-"
"-Kicked me out when I needed you," Elizabeth interrupted her. "Laszlo was the one who took me in when Jacob died. You told me I was not welcome back home. He was the one who was there for me through everything."
"Please, Elizabeth," her mother begged her. "Please see sense."
"For the first time in years, I do," Elizabeth said firmly.
Josephine shook her head sadly, her eyes wide and her face contorted in pain. "I wish that I had never brought you with me to see him all those years ago," she whispered. "It was the worst thing I could have done."
"On the contrary," Elizabeth said, taking a step back and away from her mother, "it was the only good thing you have done for me."
She turned on her heel and walked away, ignoring her mother as she tried to call her back. But she wasn't going to turn back. Heading back to the table, Elizabeth watched Laszlo stand up as she approached. He had been sat to the side, clearly waiting for her to return. He stepped forwards before she reached the table and stood in front of her.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
She nodded her head, letting out a breath she felt she had held in. "Perfectly fine," she promised him and he arched a brow, not entirely convinced. She moved a hand to his arm and squeezed it, trying to reassure him. "I promise," she added on and he grunted, but nodded.
Moving his arm behind her back, he pulled her chair out for her and she sat down, looking around the table that had once again gone silent.
"I am sorry about that," she said as Laszlo tucked the chair under for her and he went back to his own seat. "I did not mean to spoil dinner."
"Nonsense," John said with a shake of his head. "We won't let it ruin dinner, will we?"
"Not on my watch," Marcus said.
"Nor mine," Lucius said.
"I only saw a woman stand up for herself and what she wants," Sara added on. "If anything, we should celebrate that."
"Well, I do not know about that," Elizabeth scoffed, "but…thank you…for understanding."
"Then let us toast," John said, "because I believe we have more good news to celebrate."
"Do we?" Elizabeth wondered.
Laszlo nodded. "I might have told John about your intention to adopt Charlotte," he admitted to her.
"And I believe that is worthy of a toast," John said and Elizabeth looked down to Charlotte as everyone picked their glass up again. The little girl looked up to her, clearly uneasy with what she had witnessed. Moving a hand to hers, Elizabeth squeezed it and offered her a smile which she returned lightly. As they toasted, Elizabeth felt Laszlo take hold of her other hand and squeeze it encouragingly, letting her know that she wasn't alone once again.
…
Sitting on her bed, Elizabeth looked to Charlotte as the little girl sat up in the bed. Elizabeth had her legs folded and was already dressed in her nightgown, her hair tumbling down her front. She bit down on her tongue before speaking, knowing that she had to address what had happened sooner rather than later.
"I know that you might have questions about what just happened," Elizabeth said, knowing that she was only just ten years of age. She was still a little girl. "And I know that you might have found it strange to see me angry, but I feel that I should tell you the truth because we have to be honest with each other. If I am going to adopt you…then I want you to trust me…and I want to be honest with you."
Charlotte nodded her head. She could agree to that.
Elizabeth sighed. "When I was younger, I was married to a man who wasn't very nice," Elizabeth admitted to her. "He would hurt me and I was scared of him…but I had to marry him because he was rich and my parents needed money. My parents…well, my father, he had lost most of our money and Jacob, my husband, he was rich and could make sure that my parents were taken care of."
Charlotte continued to stare at her widely.
"And so I married Jacob, but when I got to know him…he…he became very nasty and that was when I met Laszlo," she said. "Laszlo was kind to me when no one else was because no one believed me when I told them that Jacob hurt me…but Laszlo always believed me. Anyway, Jacob died after we had a fight," Elizabeth said to the little girl. "It was an accident and he fell down the stairs after he lost balance."
She knew that she was supposed to be honest. And she was being. It had been an accident. He had lost balance and Elizabeth had never meant to kill him. But she had pushed him off of Laszlo. And she would tell Charlotte that one day, but for now, she didn't need all of the details.
"My parents didn't want me to go back home when he died and Laszlo was the one who took me in," Elizabeth said to her. "And he loves me, Charlotte. He is a good man…but Jacob…he wasn't. He was my husband and I know that in all the books we read a wife loves her husband, but sometimes life isn't like that and I think you know that."
Charlotte shrugged and Elizabeth suspected that was her answering affirmatively to an extent.
"And I know that it is a lot to take in, but I want you to know that Laszlo…I love him and he loves me. He is a good man, nothing like my husband…and my parents…all they want is for me to marry someone rich again, but I don't want that. I want to be with Laszlo and that was why me and my mother argued today."
Charlotte nodded and she opened her mouth, almost as though she was about to say something. But she closed it once more. Elizabeth reached her hand out on the bed, waiting for Charlotte to take hold of it. She did so after a moment, her hand holding onto Elizabeth's.
"I understand if tonight…it scared you…and you want to know more and wait for me to adopt you-"
"-No."
Elizabeth's eyes widened in shock as she heard the little girl speak and Elizabeth did her best not to get too excited. Charlotte reached a hand up and tucked her hair behind her ear. For so long, Elizabeth didn't think that she could talk. But that had been wrong. And her voice was so high and gentle, almost like it was full of innocence.
"You…Charlotte…"
She nodded her head. "I want you to adopt me," she whispered, her voice so low that Elizabeth strained to hear her. "Please?"
"Oh, sweetheart," Elizabeth said, squeezing her hand and lifting her free hand to run along her cheek. "You don't need to say please. It would be my honour…and I'm just happy that you want to be adopted by me."
Charlotte nodded again, but said nothing. Elizabeth reached forwards and wrapped her arms around her, embracing her tightly.
"And we can talk about this tomorrow if you want to," Elizabeth said, hand running down her hair. "But you need to get some rest."
She pulled back and Charlotte laid down. Elizabeth tucked her into bed once more and kissed her on the forehead before wishing her a goodnight and moving from the room, turning the light off as she went. Closing the door, she made the familiar walk down the hallway to Laszlo's room. He was stood up, dressed in his shirt and trousers, braces visible against his shirt.
"Guess what?" Elizabeth asked from him.
"What?" he questioned, finishing his glass of scotch.
"Charlotte spoke," she said.
"What?" Laszlo questioned.
"She spoke to me. She actually said words," Elizabeth said, pacing the room and beaming. "I mean, she just said 'no' and that she wanted me to adopt her, but it is a start…after months of not talking…I didn't push her any further, but what do you think has triggered this?"
"Hard to say," Laszlo replied, hand running along his chin after he placed his glass down. "The events of tonight might have triggered something for her…or it might be that she is perhaps beginning to feel comfortable around you? I do not know for certain, but this is a very good sign indeed."
Elizabeth smiled once more over to him. "I agree…a good end to the night, I would say."
Laszlo chuckled and left his hands by his sides. "Speaking of tonight," he said. "What happened between you and your mother, if you do not mind me prying?"
"I don't mind," she promised him. "It was the usual…she wanted me to come back with her. She seems to think that I cannot have feelings for you because I see you simply as a man who took me in when I had nothing. She worries that my reputation will be destroyed because I am with you, but I told her that I do not care."
"It is logical that she would think that you have feelings for me because I took you in. That makes complete sense and-"
Elizabeth silenced him when she placed a finger to his lips. Shaking her head, he watched her lean into him and peck him on the cheek.
"She was wrong," she interrupted him. "She was always wrong about you. She knows nothing about us, nor will she. She only cares for herself…and she had the audacity to say that the worst thing she had ever done was bring me to your Institute that day for my sister."
"And what did you say?"
Elizabeth searched his gaze for a moment, her face softening as she ran her hands up his arms, holding onto him tightly. She gulped and looked over him once more.
"I told her that it was the only good thing she'd done for me," she admitted.
His lips arched and he bent down to kiss her, the action sweet and gentle, his lips moulding against hers as he wrapped his arm around her waist, clasping hold of her firmly before he pulled back and let his forehead drop against hers. And then, for the first time in a long time, he acted on impulse. He said what he wanted to say and what he had longed to say for months. His mouth dried out as his warm breath hit her face when he asked her that one simple question that had been on the tip of his tongue ever since he had bought her that ring:
"Elizabeth…will you marry me?"
….
A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and has been kind enough to leave a review! We have a few more chapters to come before season 2 begins - because of the year gap between season 1 and 2. If there's anything you want to see/read then just let me know - love to know your thoughts/suggestions! Update again soon!