Elizabeth sat on the end of the bed, her hand on her stomach as Laszlo paced in front of her. She had her legs pulled up to her chest, chin resting on top of her kneecaps. Her eyes remained on Laszlo as he continued pacing, his own hand underneath his chin, balled into a fist. He was looking straight ahead as he took several steps in one direction before turning on his heel and walking in the other direction. They had gone to the bedroom ever since Laszlo had expressed his thoughts. But he hadn't said anything else on the matter. He had kept quiet and Elizabeth wondered what was going on in his mind. What was he thinking?
He could be a closed book when he wanted to be. He kept his thoughts to himself. But she needed to hear something from him. She needed him to tell her that he was going to be fine with this. He was going to be okay. She remembered what had happened when she had been pregnant with Jacob's son. She remembered exactly what had happened and it still made her chest ache.
"Laszlo," she finally spoke his name, unable to stay quiet any longer. He turned to look to her, his footsteps stopping and the only noise the sound of their deep breaths. "Just say something, please."
Laszlo shrugged, arms dangling by his side. "What do you want me to say?" he asked from her.
"Anything," she pleaded with him, uncurling from the ball that she was in and her legs dangling over the side of the bed. Her arms folded on her lap as she bent forwards. "I just need you to say something because we can't sit here in silence all night."
"I am still processing," Laszlo said to her.
"And so am I," she promised him. "But shouldn't we be processing this together? Not being quiet and shutting each other out?"
"I…I do not know what to think," Laszlo admitted. "And that is quite a new occurrence from me. I am used to rationalising the feelings that I have, but at this moment in time I cannot rationalise anything. I do not know how to react or how to feel."
Elizabeth winced at hearing him say that. She recoiled slightly and he watched her face scrunch up. He realised that what he said might not have been the right thing. He could have phrased his words better and he went to sit down next to her at the end of the bed. She kept her arms wrapped around her body and she looked down to the ground.
"Just…I don't think you have to rationalise how you feel," Elizabeth whispered. "You just feel how you feel."
"In which case," Laszlo began, trying to find the right words to speak. He cleared his throat after a moment and then ran his hand along his chin, fingers prickling over the stubble sat there. "I confess, I do not know if I am ready for this, Elizabeth."
He saw her eyes shut firmly and her lips parted, a shaky breath escaping them and he wondered what it was that she was thinking. He took another moment to clear his throat again, wondering why it was scratchy all of a sudden. Was this nerves? He didn't know, but all he knew was that he had to tell her the truth.
"I was particularly careful whenever we engaged in sexual activities," Laszlo said and she knew that was true. He had always been the one who was the most cautious. "I was careful because I know we have discussed children before, but we both agreed that we were not ready for such a big commitment in our lives. Besides, we were not married…we still are not married…and I am beginning to wonder if we made a mistake."
Elizabeth's throat clenched and she turned her head to the side, looking at Laszlo as he watched her back, eyes wide as her own threatened to overspill with tears. But she blinked them back. This was never how she had imagined their evening going, nor was it how she would have expected Laszlo to react.
"You think that being with me was a mistake?" Elizabeth questioned from him.
"I wonder if we should have waited until marriage as is tradition," Laszlo replied. "Because I am not ready for this, Elizabeth. I am not ready to have a child."
"And you think I am?" Elizabeth responded, her voice harsher than she had intended for it to be. But she had to confess that she was angry. She was upset. She wanted to know what it was that Laszlo wanted them to do. "Laszlo, I am not ready for this either. I did not plan for this."
"I know," was all that Laszlo could offer her back.
She gulped and Laszlo stood up once more, hand going into his pocket and the other twitching by his side. He began his pacing once more and Elizabeth almost wanted to snap at him to stop, but she held her tongue. Instead, she began thinking about what they were going to do. Shrugging out of his suit jacket, he draped it on the chair and then ran a hand through his hair.
"The fact is that I am pregnant," Elizabeth began, a sense of dread in her stomach as she spoke the words and she wondered how Laszlo was going to respond to her. "I know that we did not plan for this to happen and the timing is not ideal, but it happened. It has happened and I…I know that I am scared. I am terrified of failing as a mother…of not knowing how to care for a baby…I am terrified of childbirth because I know all of the stories, but I will overcome that fear. I have to overcome it because I know that this baby…I will love it. I will love it with all of my heart."
Laszlo listened to her and noticed how she had moved a hand to her stomach once more. He knew that she wouldn't feel anything there just yet, but she seemed to have taken to holding the area, almost as though she hoped it would confirm that she was pregnant. Looking over her face, he could see the fear there, but he also saw the determination. She finally looked back to him from her stomach and her eyes softened, overcome with worry and he saw her try to blink back the tears.
"And if you cannot do this or you do not want this, then I…I can do this on my own…I know of places-"
"-No," Laszlo interrupted her and he shook his head firmly. He moved to kneel down in front of her, his hand taking hold of one of hers and squeezing it tightly in his grasp. He shook his head back and forth, realising that he should have done more to reassure her before. "Elizabeth, no, that is not what I am saying."
She sniffed and he reached his hand up from hers, wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumb. She shrugged down to him. "You just said that you did not want this baby."
"No," he shook his head, "I said that I was not ready for this," he corrected her.
"What is the difference?" she enquired.
"The difference is that I am not ready, but I will be ready…eventually," he said to her. "I have no intention of letting you do this on your own, Elizabeth. Perhaps I should have been more reassuring than I was."
She scoffed. "That would've been nice," she said and he heard her chuckle as his own lips sadly turned upwards, his thumb running along her cheekbone as he finished dusting off the tears from her pale skin. She reached up and took hold of his hand, holding it tightly to her chest as she bowed her head and he continued to watch her, his eyes not once leaving her face.
"We cannot deny that this child is a mistake," Laszlo said to her confidently. "We did not plan for this to happen and we had not planned on having children so soon, but you are right. The fact is that you are more than likely pregnant and we will come to terms with this. I know that neither of us planned this, but we shall cope with this. We shall cope with this together."
"You are certain?"
"More than certain," Laszlo nodded, no hint of hesitancy in his mind. She was right in what she had said. This was happening. This was happening and there was nothing that either of them could do to stop it from happening. And so they had to deal with it.
"I know that you're scared," Elizabeth said to him, "but I'm scared too."
"I imagine it is only natural," Laszlo told her and moved to sit back down next to her, feeling her wrap both of her arms around him and he made his intention clear, his own arm moving to her waist and hauling her closer to him until she was draped over his lap. "And we have several months to understand this."
Elizabeth nodded and rested her head against his shoulder as his good arm remained around her and he managed to let his bad arm rest against her lap, his fingers lifting upwards and tickling against her stomach gently.
"How far along do you think I might be?"
"I would say over a month or so," Laszlo said to her. "We should ensure that a doctor checks you over as well. I know the basics, but I do not pretend to know anything about babies."
"I…Laszlo…" she blurted out, but she was struggling to find the right words that she wanted to say and Laszlo arched his brow as he watched her, wondering just what she was thinking. She chewed down on her tongue for a moment and he gave her time to come up with the words. He knew that she had something that she wanted to say.
"What is it?"
"I just…I don't want you to think that because I am pregnant that I have trapped you," she said and his brows knitted together as she lifted a hand up and toyed with his tie, her fingers running along the material of it. "When I was pregnant with Jacob's child, he would make comments about how I had truly trapped him with me…about how he would never be able to get rid of me."
Laszlo questioned how a man could be so cruel. How could someone have treated her like that? He didn't know and he didn't know if he would ever comprehend it, despite his ability to rationalise almost everything in his life. He shook his head and moved so that his nose brushed against hers and gave her no other option but to turn her face towards his. It was then when his lips captured hers and she closed her eyes, allowing him to take the lead.
He moved his mouth from hers after a moment, but kept his forehead dropped against hers. He whispered to her, voice slightly husky and deep.
"I would never think anything like that," he promised her. "And this does not change anything, Elizabeth, not really. You would always have been trapped with me. I have no intention of going anywhere. I asked you to marry me, remember?"
"Doubt I would forget," she said to him and he saw her lips pull upwards as he finally managed to move his hand so that it rested flat against her stomach. She looked down to where it sat and she moved her own fingers to sit on top of his.
"However, this does mean that we should perhaps hasten with wedding plans," he said to her. "People are very good at counting months. No doubt, once you start to show, they will know why we married so quickly."
Elizabeth knew that he had a point. She knew what society could be like. Girls who became pregnant before their wedding day were often discovered once they began to show and their child arrived only five months following the big day. Elizabeth had to admit that, when she had been younger, she had been one of them who had engaged in such gossip. But she had changed since then. She was a different person.
"I think people already see us as living in sin," she said to him.
Laszlo almost looked entertained at such a notion. "Then no doubt we really will give them something to talk about when they find out."
"My mother will have a fit."
"Your mother will most certainly rescind the offer that she gave you to come back home."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I would never have taken her up on that," she said to Laszlo, kissing the gap between his shirt and neck, the motion soft and tender. "I know where I want to be and that is right here with you."
"And Charlotte," he added on, "and now this little one."
"Definitely," Elizabeth promised him and squeezed his hand on top of her stomach. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, tiredness taking hold of her before she spoke. "We'll figure this out," she said to him. "I know we will."
"Of course," he whispered back and kissed the top of her head, closing his eyes as he burrowed his cheek into her nest of curls. "We have each other."
…
Elizabeth had wondered how Charlotte was going to take the news when she told her, but it turned out that the little girl had been quite happy. She had smiled widely and hugged Elizabeth who had then told her that she would be marrying Laszlo sooner rather than later. But she didn't seem to mind. On the contrary, she seemed quite excited by the news. They had agreed to keep the news to themselves for the time being. Laszlo had only informed Cyrus and Stevie, but he knew that he could trust them with the secret.
But then they had started talking about the wedding and Laszlo knew it made sense to marry sooner rather than later, especially because he had noted the changes in Elizabeth's body. He had kept quiet, but he knew that she had noticed too. He would catch her staring at her reflection whenever she was undressing, her hands running over her stomach. And so Laszlo had suggested an intimate ceremony with only certain individuals invited. Elizabeth had agreed to that, but she had told him that it would be for the best if they knew the truth too. They would only question why they were marrying so suddenly after getting engaged anyway.
"People are going to know," Elizabeth said as she finished dressing that evening, ready to go out for dinner at Delmonico's. "I went for the wedding dress fitting today and Miss Barrow, the seamstress, well…she had her suspicions."
"Oh, I do not doubt that people will know," Laszlo promised her, finishing adjusting his bow tie with one hand as he watched Elizabeth's shoulders slump and she went to sit at the dressing table that Laszlo had bought her for their room.
She had moved all of her clothes into his wardrobe and everything of hers was now in their bedroom. Charlotte had inherited Elizabeth's bedroom and it had begun to look like a child's bedroom. There were children's books dotted around alongside toys and a stuffed bear that Elizabeth had bought her.
"I know," Elizabeth sighed in response to him.
"And I am doing the right thing by you, anyway," Laszlo said to her. "I can only imagine that my mother would murder me myself if she found out that I had managed to cause your delicate condition and had no intention to marry you."
Elizabeth looked at him in the mirror, seeing his reflection as he went to sit down at the end of the bed, ready to go whenever she was. "You never really talk about your parents," she said to him and Laszlo shrugged his shoulders.
"I do not see a need to," he said to her. "My mother passed away and my father is currently in a nursing home, but I do not go and see him often. I do not think that he would recognise me now if he saw me."
"I understand," Elizabeth promised him, turning her head over her shoulder so that she could look at him, her hair bouncing around her shoulders. "You don't need to explain yourself to me if you don't want to. I…well…I know how it feels to want to leave your childhood in the past."
"I know you do," Laszlo promised her. "And I confess that I also feel that way too."
"And we won't make their mistakes," Elizabeth said to him. "I know that."
"We will not," Laszlo said. "I only hope that will make us good parents…I have no doubt that you will be an excellent mother. I have seen the way you are around Charlotte."
"Oh, don't pretend that she hasn't got you wrapped around her little finger," Elizabeth said and threw him a smirk as he chuckled. She turned back to study her reflection, picking up her brush and pulling it through her hair. She brushed it slowly, letting it hang around her shoulders before placing the brush down. "Besides, I saw how you agreed to take her out for ice cream the other day."
"Well, I thought that she might enjoy time out with me…besides, with you being pregnant I do not want her to feel left out or abandoned. Sometimes children can feel that way when their parents expect another child," he said to her.
"I don't think we need to worry about that," Elizabeth shook her head at him and pulled at the sleeve caps that sat off her shoulder. Standing up, the red silk pooled around her feet as she moved around the stool, tucking it back under. The dress was particularly low cut and Laszlo had to admit that she filled it rather nicely. He struggled not to think about peeling it off of her, but he knew that they had their table booked for dinner and guests were expecting them.
"No," Laszlo said, picking his gaze up from roaming over her body as she squirted some of the perfume against her neck. "She has taken the news particularly well. She seems rather excited."
"She does," Elizabeth agreed with him on that one. "Anyway, we should think about going, shouldn't we?"
"Indeed," Laszlo said, reaching for his cane and moving to his feet. He watched her turn back to the mirror, hands running back over her stomach, almost as though she was trying to flatten it with the repeated movements. Laszlo's lips picked up and he moved to stand behind her, his own arm wrapping around her waist and sitting on top of one of her hands. "You look fine."
"Just fine?" she asked, unable to stop herself from teasing him.
He chuckled and bent down to kiss her neck once. "Lovely," he changed his words and she smiled softly, her hand going to his cheek as she tilted her head to the side and looked to him, kissing him for a brief moment before standing up straight.
"As much as I would love to fish for more compliments, we really should go," she replied.
"Come along," Laszlo urged from her.
She toyed with the ring on her finger as they walked to the staircase and descended it. Stevie was stood in the entrance hall, waiting to take them to Delmonico's while Cyrus spoke in the parlour, his voice carrying through. No doubt he was talking to Charlotte.
"Just give me a minute to say goodnight to Charlotte," Elizabeth urged.
"Of course," Laszlo said and Stevie nodded.
Moving into the parlour, she saw the little girl sat at the piano with Cyrus next to her. She had her hands hovering over the keys and Elizabeth knew that she had been trying to learn how to play the piano. She had even seen Laszlo try and teach her a couple of times.
"Sorry to interrupt," Elizabeth said and Charlotte whirled around to see her, soft curls bouncing around her face. "But we're going and by the time we get back, you should be in bed."
Charlotte pouted and Elizabeth laughed as Cyrus smirked at the little girl. Moving over to Charlotte, Elizabeth shook her head and crouched down by the bench, hands going to hold the little girl's waist. "Don't be like that," she said to her. "You know it is a school night and you need to get your sleep," she prodded her nose softly. "And besides, it is only Delmonico's. I know you prefer that ice cream parlour that Laszlo has promised to take you to…so what do you say? How about we go there instead this Saturday?"
Charlotte nodded her head, her pout dropping from her lips. Elizabeth smiled and moved to kiss her forehead gently. "Excellent," she said to her. "Now, you make sure you go to bed early," she tickled her sides and the girl squirmed before Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her, holding her gently. Charlotte wrapped her own arms around her and Elizabeth whispered, stroking her hair softly. "Goodnight, Charlotte."
"Goodnight," she replied, voice merely a whisper.
Elizabeth continued to beam widely, thrilled that the little girl was speaking. She pulled away from her and kissed her on the top of her head one final time, pushing her hair behind her ear. She looked to Cyrus and bid him goodnight too, squeezing his shoulder as she went back to the doorway where Laszlo was stood, holding her coat for her. He helped her shrug into the red material and waved over to Charlotte and Cyrus before turning on his heel and leaving with Elizabeth by his side.
…
They were the first ones at Delmonico's that evening and Elizabeth was glad that Laszlo had booked the private dining room. As he picked up a glass of lemonade for her, he stood behind her by the window, peering down onto the busy street beneath them.
"After the run-ins we have had during our past couple of dinners, I thought that it would be safer for us to opt for private dining."
She laughed at hearing him say that, the noise shrill. "I suppose you have a point," she added on for him and he gave her shoulder a soft squeeze and sipped on his own glass of wine as she took a gulp of lemonade, feeling warm all of a sudden. She pushed her hair behind her ear as Laszlo turned around once he heard the door behind them suddenly open.
"I am not late, am I?"
"Not at all, Miss Howard," Laszlo responded.
Sara was dressed in a deep purple dress with a ruffled neckline and sleeves dangling down off of her shoulder. The skirts were vast and her hair was tied into an intricate bun, a simple pearl necklace around her neck. She moved into the room and looked to Laszlo.
"Please, I think you can call me Sara after everything that has happened," she said to him.
"As you wish," Laszlo nodded, not intending to disagree with her.
She nodded once to him and then looked to Elizabeth. "And how are you faring, Elizabeth?"
"Very well," Elizabeth said with a nod of her head.
"And Charlotte?"
"Doing extremely well, isn't she?" Elizabeth said, looking to Laszlo. He nodded in agreement with her. "She's really enjoying school and she's coming out of her shell. She's…it's almost like she is a different girl to the one who I first met at the Institute."
"Amazing what love can do for a child," Sara responded.
"You're not wrong," Elizabeth agreed on that point. "And how are you, Sara? How are things going? I heard that you were setting up your own detective agency."
"In the process," Sara confirmed to her, nodding her head and Laszlo went to the dining table to pour her a glass of wine. "I am currently looking at potential employees and I was wondering if it might be something that you would be interested in? You did say that you enjoyed working on Laszlo's cases."
Elizabeth chewed on the inside of her cheek. She didn't want to tell Sara just yet that she was expecting a child. She had hoped to deliver the news when they were all together. She smiled as Laszlo went to hand Sara the glass, his hand then going to sit on Elizabeth's back.
"I might be able to help," Elizabeth said to her. "But I imagine there are people far more qualified than me. I simply enjoyed reading the case notes and coming up with theories. I'd imagine I would be more of a hindrance than a help."
"Nonsense," Sara said as the door opened again and Lucius and Marcus walked in with John a few steps behind them.
"Ah, I believe that is everyone," Laszlo said and they all greeted each other.
Marcus embraced Elizabeth before pulling back and taking hold of her hand. "Let me see it then," he urged from her and she let him marvel at her engagement ring. "That thing looks like it costs a month's rent."
"Only a month?" she teased him and he chuckled at her comment before she moved a hand to squeeze his shoulder. "And how are you? Have you sorted things out with the woman you were seeing?"
"I left things amicably with her," he said and Elizabeth reached out to pour him a glass of wine. She handed it to him as he continued speaking. "I feel better about it, however. We left things on a good note and that is all I can hope for…so I am now back looking to date if you know anyone who might be interested considering you're a taken woman."
"Oh stop it," she urged, nudging him in the shoulder with her fist, rolling her eyes at his comment. "And I do not know if I dare set you up with anyone. Would they even be able to handle you?"
"I doubt it," Marcus said to her and she picked up her lemonade and sipped on it once again. Marcus's brows rose on his forehead. "Not drinking wine tonight?" he questioned her.
"Not tonight," she said. "I had a headache earlier so I thought it might be best to stay away from the wine."
"I see," Marcus said, noticing how she couldn't look him in the eye as she spoke. Had she forgotten when he did for a living? He was able to know a liar when he spotted one. It was his job to deal with criminals and he might not be an alienist, but he knew when someone wasn't telling him the truth.
"We should sit down," Laszlo suddenly exclaimed and Elizabeth went towards the seat to his side. He pulled her chair out for her as John held Sara's out for her and she wondered if he had told her how he felt about her yet. She didn't know, nor did she suspect tonight was the time for her to pry.
"I have to say, I was surprised when I saw that we were dining in private tonight," John said, taking his own seat as Laszlo went to the head of the table.
"Well, this way we cannot be interrupted," Laszlo declared.
"Good idea," Lucius agreed with him on that. "And is there an occasion as to why we are all here?"
"I would have thought that would be obvious," Marcus was the one who spoke and Elizabeth looked over to him, wondering if he had picked up on her not drinking and had pieced things together. But his gaze was not set on her. Instead, he was looking straight ahead at John, a smirk on his face. "We've surely all heard the rumours."
Sara looked down; taking a large gulp of her wine and Elizabeth noted the look on her face. It was the same look she had worn when she thought that Laszlo had feelings for Sara. It was hurt.
"Oh, they're just rumours," John waved his own hand and Elizabeth then noted how his gaze fell onto Sara for a moment.
"I confess, I am at a loss," Laszlo said.
"That would be a first," John slyly added on.
"What rumours are these?" Laszlo ignored the quip from John and waited for someone to tell him just what was happening.
John sighed and sat back in his chair, twirling his cigarette lighter in his fingertips. "I am courting someone," John said and Elizabeth's eyes widened and she tried not to sound shocked. Sara picked her gaze up, that defiant look on her face that masked her true emotions. "Violet Hayward."
"Hayward?" Elizabeth asked from him, unable to stop herself. "As in, the goddaughter of Randolph Hearst?"
"The very same one," John said and Elizabeth nodded, looking to Laszlo as he glanced back to her. "She is quite a lovely young woman. We met at a party one evening and just got on very well. Since then, we have been courting."
Elizabeth knew the rumours that circled Violet Hayward. There was talk that Hearst was actually her real father, but it had never been publicly acknowledged. Violet must know what it felt like to have people whisper about her, but she was still accepted in high society. She was accepted by them and had done nothing to be cast out as a pariah.
"Have you met her?" Laszlo suddenly asked from Elizabeth.
She nodded her head. "A couple of times," she said, "but I didn't know her very well."
"She said that she remembers you too," John said. "But I have not discussed anything else with her."
Elizabeth nodded thankfully to him at that information. She was glad of that.
"Well," Laszlo coughed once and then reached for his glass of wine, "I believe that a toast is in order. To John and his new courtship."
They all raised their glasses into the air at that and took a drink before John placed his golden lighter onto the table top and sat back, one leg folded over the other before he drummed his fingertips against the table. Looking to Laszlo, he arched one brow and cocked his head to the side.
"But if you did not know that I was dating Miss Hayward then is there another reason why we are here having dinner?" John questioned.
Looking to Elizabeth, Laszlo waited for her confirmation to tell them what was happening. She smiled and nodded, her hand going to meet his under the table. Her fingers entwined into his and she felt him run his thumb over her knuckles before he looked around the table once more.
"We wanted to invite you here tonight to tell you that our plans have altered," Laszlo commented. "We intend to marry in just over two week's time and we want you all to come."
"Two weeks?" John echoed. "My, my, Laszlo, you are moving quick."
"Indeed," Laszlo agreed. "And there is a reason for that…a reason that is not apparent as of yet, but I suspect it will become so as the months go on."
"Oh?" he questioned from them and Elizabeth squeezed Laszlo's hand once more, knowing that he perhaps needed some further encouragement.
"Well, you see," Laszlo spoke. "Elizabeth…we…we are expecting a child."
Stunned silence went through the room then and Elizabeth took to squeezing his hand so tightly that she thought she might cut circulation off. But then Sara made the first comment.
"You're pregnant?" she checked with her.
"I am," Elizabeth said.
"Well, congratulations," Sara said. "I confess that I am shocked."
"I think we all are," John said. "And you are going to become a father, Laszlo…I admit, that I did not think that I would see this day, but I do not doubt that you deserve this happiness. Both of you do."
"Thank you, John," Laszlo said gratefully.
"I really have no chance now, do I?" Marcus said cheekily and Elizabeth smirked over to him and she swore she felt Laszlo's fingers twitch in hers and his jaw tick slightly at hearing that.
"I don't think you ever had a chance," John said.
"I have to say that he is right," Elizabeth confessed.
"And our wedding shall be small and intimate," Laszlo said, still finding himself to get jealous whenever someone even dared to tease his fiancée. "We have invited only yourselves and Cyrus, Stevie and Charlotte. We would like to keep this news quiet for as long as possible. We do not want anyone to know that Elizabeth is pregnant yet."
"You have our secrecy," Lucius nodded his head.
"Of course," Sara said.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said. "But, for what it is worth, I imagine people will start to make conclusions when they see we have married so soon and Miss Barrow, the seamstress…well…I imagine she had her suspicions when I went for my wedding dress fitting."
"I thought that you looked different," Marcus said.
"Marcus!" Lucius scolded his brother.
"What? I am only just saying."
"I had hoped it was not that obvious," Elizabeth replied and her free hand instantly went to her stomach.
"Only at certain angles," Marcus promised her. "And to a keen and observant eye too."
"You can divert your gaze elsewhere, Mr Isaacson," Laszlo said and Marcus held his hands up in defence, indicating that he had meant no harm. Elizabeth smirked at hearing Laszlo, quite liking his particular possessive streak. She found it to be quite endearing more than anything.
"Well, I think this calls for another toast," John said and moved to his feet, holding the glass up once more. "To Laszlo and Elizabeth…and their new addition."
They all echoed the cheers and Laszlo glanced over to Elizabeth, his stomach once again doing flips at the sight of his fiancée and that smile she held only for him.
…
Returning home, Laszlo kept his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders as she sat next to him. She was resting against his side and her eyes were closed, that soft smile still on her face. It had been there the entire night and Laszlo had to admit that he had never seen her look so happy before. It was almost as though she had no troubles. Her hand sat on his thigh, his chin on the top of her head. Once they had arrived home, Laszlo helped her from the carriage as Stevie looked down to them.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Doctor…Miss Elizabeth."
"Goodnight, Stevie," Laszlo said and Stevie went with the carriage back to the stables around the back of the house. Laszlo tapped his cane on the ground and moved up the steps to the house. He was about to turn the door handle when a sudden voice snapped him from his movements.
"Elizabeth Johnson, what are you playing at?"
Turning around on the top step, Elizabeth looked down to see her mother stood there and she wanted to groan. But this time she was not alone. This time she was with her father. Daniel Johnson was a tall man and well built, but that came from his time engaging in fights for bets. He was dressed in a smart suit with a long duster coat while her mother wore a blue blouse up to her neck and a fitted black skirt.
"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth demanded from her parents. "I have said all that I have to say."
"Is it true?" Josephine asked from her daughter.
"Is what true?" Elizabeth asked and she felt Laszlo grab hold of her hand. Her parents remained on the sidewalk, peering up to the couple.
"You're having his bastard," Daniel snarled out and Elizabeth recoiled from his voice. "Your mother heard from the seamstress who said that you were looking fuller."
"Shit," Elizabeth muttered under her breath before addressing her parents. "It is none of your concern. I told you that I want nothing to do with you."
"I have to insist that you leave us alone," Laszlo said.
Daniel chuckled and shook his head. "And who the hell do you think you are to address me in such a manner?"
"He is my fiancé," Elizabeth snapped at her father. "And my life is no longer your concern so please, do leave us alone."
"Is it true?" Josephine demanded, a look of anguish on her face.
Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. She went to turn to go inside, but her father was quick. He moved up the steps and grabbed hold of her by the wrist. He pulled her towards him and she dropped her hand from Laszlo's. Her father picked up her free wrist before she could push at him and he shoved her up against the wall as Laszlo dropped his cane and balled his hand into a fist. He was not one for violence, but he was on the verge of breaking his usual behaviour.
"Let her go," Laszlo demanded.
But before he could even punch Daniel, the older man had raised his fist and punched Laszlo across the jaw.
"Don't even think about it, cripple," Daniel snarled and Laszlo fell to the ground as Elizabeth cried out.
"Laszlo!" she shouted his name, her voice distressed as she tried to get to him, but her father was grabbing hold of her upper arms again, shaking her roughly.
"Is it true?!" he demanded from her.
"Yes!" she snapped, unable to stop herself in the hope that he would let go of her in disgust. But, if anything, he held onto her harder. She whimpered under his grip, trying to buck him away from her as her mother placed her hand over her mouth and shook her head.
"You're not having his bastard child," Daniel hissed. "Not on our watch."
"What does that even mean?" Elizabeth demanded and Laszlo stumbled to his feet, blood trickling down his chin.
"I told you to let her go," Laszlo said again.
"Really want me to take you out, freak?" Daniel wondered from him. "Because it would give me no greater pleasure."
"No," Elizabeth said, hitting at her father's upper arm. "Leave him alone!"
"Daniel, we need to go before we attract attention," Josephine suddenly jumped in at the same time Daniel let go of Elizabeth and took hold of Laszlo by the lapels of his jacket and pulled back, punching him squarely in the jaw once more. Laszlo's head snapped back and Elizabeth tried to pull on her father's arm as he dropped Laszlo to the ground and she heard him grunt in pain. Her father kicked him in the ribs and he shouted in pain.
"Laszlo…" Elizabeth whispered his name and she finally managed to kneel down by his side to stop her father from getting close to him. She took hold of him by the arms as she bent over him and tried to help him sit up.
"Daniel, come on," Josephine hissed and Elizabeth almost felt relief.
They were going. They were going to leave them alone. As she helped Laszlo to sit up and saw him spit out blood, she felt her father's hand take hold of her by the upper arm. She wondered what he was doing as he hauled her upwards and she squirmed in his grip as she saw Laszlo reach his hand out to her. She tried to take it, her fingertips brushing his. But she wasn't strong enough against her father. He continued pulling her backwards, an arm going around her waist and pushing her back against his front as she continued shouting.
"Laszlo!" she shouted his name.
"What are you doing? Where are you taking her?"
"Somewhere you won't find her…where she can be of use to us," Daniel responded as he pulled her down the stairs and Elizabeth wondered just why it was so quiet on the street. Why was no one passing by? Had no one heard their shouts?
"No," Elizabeth snarled, her eyes wide and full of fear. "Let me go!"
"Shut up, you little chit," Daniel demanded from his daughter, his blonde hair falling into his face as they approached a carriage, Josephine holding the door wide open.
"Doctor, what is going on out here?"
Cyrus's voice suddenly joined the fray and Laszlo struggled to grab his breath after the beating he had received. He moved to his feet as Cyrus helped him up at the same time Elizabeth was forced into the carriage, her father following her and snapping at the driver. Laszlo stumbled down the steps of the house, his legs almost giving out on him as he grabbed hold of the bannister.
"Elizabeth!" Laszlo shouted her name loudly and Cyrus looked to the carriage. He ran ahead of Laszlo, but it was already leaving. Laszlo shook his head, trying to chase after them. He had to get her. He had to bring her back.
As the carriage rounded the corner, Laszlo collapsed to his knees, his body bruised and battered as Cyrus looked back to him and helped him to his feet, arm around him.
"Her parents," Laszlo said, spitting blood once more. "Her parents took her…we need to call the police."
"We can do that," Cyrus promised him.
"And Sara," Laszlo said, limping back to the house and he felt his mind race. "What they have done tonight was bold and indicates they have the right people on their side. If that is the case then we need someone who can help us…we need Sara…"
"I can call Miss Howard," Cyrus said and Laszlo shook his head firmly.
Laszlo looked back down the street before he went into the house, his jaw clenched and his mind focused on finding out just what his fiancée's parents had planned for her. Whatever it was, he knew that it was unlikely to be good.
…
A/N: Sorry for another cliffhanger - but this is slowly setting up the events for season 2. More to come soon - do let me know what you think!