Elizabeth held onto Lucy, gripping her daughter in her arms tightly. She was walking around Laszlo's study in the Institute where he often met with children. His boardroom was undergoing a redecoration and that meant the study was fuller than usual. Elizabeth walked through the room, bouncing Lucy in her grip and peering down at the papers on Laszlo's desk. She had asked Helen where he was and the head nurse had informed her that he was busy dealing with an incident in one of the classrooms.
And so Elizabeth had asked Helen to let him know she would be waiting for him when he was finished. She felt Lucy tug at the ends of her hair, her small fingers curling into her locks. She hardly had enough strength to tug forcefully on the tresses. Looking back to her daughter, Elizabeth arched a brow. Her daughter's gaze met hers.
"You've got my attention, don't worry, Lucy," Elizabeth said to the girl, heading over to the window and peering outside for a moment, hearing the laughter of children beneath her. "But I wonder what is keeping your father so long."
Elizabeth continued to hum gently as she paced, trying to keep Lucy entertained as she waited for Laszlo. But then she saw it. She stepped towards his desk and peered down onto the day's newspaper. Her gaze narrowed in on the New York Times and she sank down to sit in Laszlo's leather chair, clutching her daughter to her chest. Her eyes widened and she felt her heart begin to race, her chest tightening at the words she was reading. Her grip on Lucy increased and she felt her daughter begin to squirm uncomfortably, causing her to loosen her hold after realising that the hold she had on her daughter was currently the only thing grounding her.
"Elizabeth, I did not expect to see you here this afternoon," Laszlo's voice entered the study and she looked up to him and he realised what she must have been reading as soon as he closed the door behind him. He left his cane by the door and moved towards her. "Elizabeth, my dear, I only saw that an hour ago."
"How…I…who would do this to her?" Elizabeth wondered from Laszlo and he moved towards the desk as he heard their daughter begin to cry gently. Children were observant and astute. They reacted to emotions around them and clearly Lucy was feeling distressed. "I don't understand."
"Nor do I," Laszlo said to his wife and he managed to crouch down by her side, a hand going to rest on hers and managing to squeeze her fingers. "I don't know what happened to her, but we both know that she was in trouble."
"And we told her to come to us."
"We weren't to know what would happen to her in between the time we asked her to join us and her death," Laszlo said to his wife with a firm shake of his head. He didn't want her to blame herself. He never wanted her to blame herself for events that were out of her control. "Whoever killed your mother, Elizabeth…they weren't going to let her out of the city."
"Can you take Lucy?" Elizabeth asked and Laszlo nodded.
She handed him their daughter as she moved to her feet. Hands falling to her hips, she began pacing and Laszlo simply stood behind his desk, listening as her feet thumped heavily against his carpeted floor, her breathing coming out quickly and sharply. She stretched her neck and her head fell back, eyes glancing to the ceiling. Laszlo did his best to support Lucy with his both arms, trying to soothe her with his thumb running up and down her back. Her cries began to die down as he bounced her softly, trying to keep her calm.
"Is this my fault?" Elizabeth questioned. "Why did I turn her away? Why did I turn them both away?"
"None of this is your fault," Laszlo continued to emphasize for her. "Elizabeth, your parents were capable individuals who had their own minds. They chose to act the way that they did. Your father chose to involve himself with the Hudson Dusters. He chose to gamble and get into debt."
"I know," Elizabeth said. And she did know that. She knew that her parents were responsible for their own fates. "But maybe I should have done more? Maybe I should have been a better daughter?"
"You could have done no more, my dear," Laszlo said to his wife, not wanting to listen to her blame herself. He didn't know if he could take it. He moved from behind the desk and towards her, stopping her in her tracks from pacing any further. He stood in front of her and moved his forehead to brush against hers, picking her gaze up to meet his. "Elizabeth, your parents were supposed to look out for you and they never did that. They used you…they let a man hurt you…were willing to take you from your home…take our daughter from us," he said and they both looked down to Lucy in his arms, Elizabeth moving a hand out to run over the top of her head as her other hand took hold of Laszlo's arm.
The alienist shook his head. "Neither of us were to know what would have happened to her and why she didn't show up," he promised her.
"I know," Elizabeth agreed with him on that point. "But both of my parents are dead, Laszlo…both of them are dead and I did nothing to help them."
"You would have helped them if they had asked for help, Elizabeth, but the fact is that they kidnapped you and intended to marry you to a man when you were already engaged…force you to abort our child…they did not deserve your help or your affection."
"Perhaps not," Elizabeth agreed with him on that point and she chewed down on her bottom lip for a moment. "But they were still my parents, Laszlo, and my mother…she wasn't always that woman…not when I was younger."
"And there is nothing wrong with you feeling sorrow, my darling," Laszlo promised her in a gentle voice. "But do not feel guilt."
"Easier said than done," she admitted to him and quickly moved to brush her lips against his, kissing him chastely before standing up straight and trying to calm herself down. She took a soft breath before exhaling loudly and Laszlo continued to stare at her, hoping that she would be fine.
"Come along," Laszlo said. "I will come home with you and Lucy and we can meet Charlotte from school on the way."
"Do you not have work that needs doing here?"
"It can wait," Laszlo promised her. "I can deal with it tomorrow."
"I don't want to impose," Elizabeth said and he handed her their daughter back so that he could go and take hold of his coat, shrugging into it and reaching for his hat and cane.
"You could never impose on me," Laszlo assured her, moving his hand to the small of her back. "Now, we'll go and fetch Lucy's pram and go back home together."
Elizabeth nodded, silently glad that Laszlo was coming home with them. At that moment in time, she didn't know what she was thinking and how she should feel, but all she knew was that she felt better when Laszlo was by her side. She always did.
…
Laszlo should have known that the police would want to speak to Elizabeth. She was Josephine and Daniel's daughter. Daniel was still missing, but by now the police were not holding out hope of finding them. Josephine's body was in the morgue and it was down to Elizabeth to arrange her funeral. She doubted there would be anyone in attendance, not really, anyway. Her parent's fall from grace had left them with no friends. They were outcasts, more like social pariahs than Elizabeth ever had been.
And her sister wanted nothing to do with them. She had sent word to Sally and her sister had written back, stating how she had no desire to return to New York or attend their funeral, but she hoped that everything was well with Elizabeth and she congratulated her on the birth of her child. Elizabeth and Sally had once been close, but that was before she had left for England with her new husband. Since then, they hardly spoke. It made Elizabeth sad, in a sense. She had always hoped that they would stay close, but clearly that was not meant to be.
"Her throat was slit and she was left on a bench in the park…clearly someone wanted her to be displayed," Marcus informed Elizabeth.
He had come around the house a couple of day's later and was sat on the edge of the armchair. Lucy was sleeping in her crib downstairs, Laszlo already gone to work. Sara was still working on trying to get Martha Napp's execution stayed and John had been roped into helping. Libby hadn't made contact with Elizabeth, but Sara had reached out to her. The young woman had insisted that she had nothing to add to the investigation. She couldn't find anything and no one was talking.
"Did you see her?" Elizabeth asked from Marcus.
He nodded his head. "I worked on the crime scene," he said to her.
"And she…I just want to know…did she suffer?" Elizabeth managed to ask, her hands shifting in her lap. Her green skirts crumpled with the movements and her head remained bowed, her gaze set on her fingers. Marcus could understand the turmoil she was feeling. She despised her parents for what they had done, but they were still her parents.
"I doubt it," Marcus said, hoping that might be some consolation for her. He didn't know if it would be, but he could only hope. He moved from where he sat then as he heard her sniff and saw a tear fall down her cheek and onto her hand.
He sat next to her on the couch and moved a hand to hold onto hers, squeezing it tightly. "I know that you blame yourself, Elizabeth, but this wasn't your fault," Marcus promised her. He had heard about how she and Laszlo had been the last ones to see her mother. They had been the last ones who had seen her alive. "Whoever killed her…they planned this, Elizabeth. They had a reason. This doesn't feel like a random killing. I've seen them before and this doesn't feel like one."
"They were in debt," Elizabeth nodded her head. "I know that they were in debt and my father…well…mother said he went missing and she was convinced it was because of that."
"The Hudson Dusters…if your father was involved with them…then it seems likely that they would have killed him."
"I imagine so," Elizabeth said. "But my mother…why would they want to kill her?"
"I don't know," Marcus admitted to her on that point. "It is unusual. The deaths are quite different and your mother's death is nothing like something the gang would do."
"So you think it was someone else?"
"I don't want to speculate or make you anxious, Elizabeth," Marcus said and she squeezed his hand firmly inside of hers, silently indicating that she was fine. Marcus could feel his palms grow clammy and he moved his free hand to his neck, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "But I think so, yes."
"I just don't know who it could have been."
"I'm not surprised," Marcus replied. "Your parents had a whole other life that no one really knew about. They had this façade in front of society, but behind that there were troubles they had to deal with and the way they dealt with them…it wasn't the right way."
"I know," Elizabeth nodded her head and Marcus watched over her, wondering just what went through her mind. "But my mother wasn't always like the woman she became. Before father's money issues…she…she was a good mother. She was distant, perhaps, but she loved my sister and me. She gave us everything, but even back then she was money orientated. She always wanted the finest things. She always wanted to elevate us to a higher status, but when we lost everything and she worked as a maid…well…she changed. She became someone I hardly recognised."
Marcus didn't entirely know what he should say to her. He chose to remain quiet, watching her pick her hand up and dab delicately at the corner of her eye, her nose sniffing and her fingers then tucking her hair behind her ear. She turned her stare back to Marcus and her lips lifted sadly.
"I'm sorry, Marcus," she said. "You don't need to deal with me when I'm like this. Laszlo already has his hands full with me most days."
"And I am sure he does not mind just as I do not," Marcus said to her. "It has been quite the couple of weeks, Elizabeth. You've been through a lot…your mother's death…giving birth…it is enough to test anyone."
"I suppose so," she agreed with him on that point before she moved to wrap her arms around him, embracing him warmly. "Thank you, Marcus."
Marcus startled for a moment, but he wrapped his own arms around her. He returned her hug and ran his hand up and down her back. "Whatever for?" he wondered as he felt her chin rest on his shoulder.
"For being a friend…coming here and checking in on me…I don't want you to think that I take you for granted," Elizabeth commented and Marcus let his chin remain by her temple, feeling the softness of her hair against his skin.
"What else are friends for?" he wondered from her and she pulled back, pressing her lips to his cheeks.
Marcus watched her open her mouth, about to say something. But she didn't. Lucy began crying and Elizabeth moved to her feet, walking over to the crib underneath the window. She bent down and picked her up, rocking her back and forth in her arms and looking out of the net curtains for a moment. She tried to soothe her while Marcus remained seated on the couch, his mind going back to Josephine Johnson and he wondered just what had happened to the woman.
…
Elizabeth didn't entirely know if she was convinced that Laszlo was right to want to go out for dinner, but she knew that he needed to keep his mind clear. It was the night before Martha Napp's execution and he had been in a foul mood in the run up to it, doing everything in his power to try and find ways to save her. But it was almost too late. Thunder was booming in the night sky, rain pouring down harshly and lightning occasionally striking.
Standing at the window in their bedroom, Elizabeth peered out onto the street beneath them. She had finished dressing, managing to just about squeeze herself into an old, red dinner dress. She had brushed her hair, clipping it from her face so that it just fell down her back. She toyed with the wedding band on her finger, the silver necklace she wore around her neck glimmering in the light from the lamp.
Laszlo stood behind her, finishing adjusting his cufflinks and dressed in his tuxedo. His gaze went to the back of his wife and he knew that she was apprehensive. She had looked reluctant when he had suggested going out for dinner that evening, but he just needed to leave the house. He couldn't sit and stew any longer.
"She will be fine, Elizabeth," Laszlo promised his wife.
"But what if she wakes up and starts crying?" Elizabeth fretted, turning to look back to Laszlo, head turned over her shoulder. "What if she needs feeding?"
"She has everything that she could possibly need," Laszlo said to her. "Sara is more than competent enough to care for her and Charlotte for one evening."
And Elizabeth didn't doubt that, not really. Sara had already arrived and was downstairs with Lucy and Charlotte. Charlotte had insisted on spending time with Sara as soon as she arrived. The little girl adored her and Elizabeth knew that Sara cared for her just as much.
"I don't know what more I can do for Martha and I know it sounds macabre going for dinner the night before her execution, but I can't just sit here…not tonight…"
Elizabeth nodded. She could accept that and she could understand it. John was in communication with Roosevelt, trying to persuade him to offer a reprieve to Martha while Sara had done everything in her power to try and find a way to save the young woman, but she was struggling. A protest was due to take place tomorrow outside of the prison and she had her girls working at the agency creating banners. And that night, she just wanted an escape too. That was why she had been so relieved to agree to look after Charlotte and Lucy while Laszlo and Elizabeth went for dinner.
"Lucy will be fine," Laszlo reassured his wife once more, moving to take hold of her waist with his bad hand while he moved his good hand up to her cheek, his fingers running along her cheekbone and he bent down to kiss her. "You cannot be with her every hour of every day, my dear."
"I know," she reluctantly agreed with him on that point.
He kissed her once again; nose brushing against hers and he almost wished that he could spend the evening simply in their bedroom, tangled up with his wife in bed. But he knew that was not possible. Elizabeth was under strict orders to rest and Laszlo had been the one insistent on not getting carried away whenever her hands started to wander lower than his chest, insisting that she could still give him pleasure. But he did not want her to strain herself. He had no desire to receive pleasure if he could not reciprocate.
"Let us go," Laszlo said, moving a hand to the small of her back and urging her to leave the bedroom.
He followed her down the stairs and towards the hallway. She moved into the parlour and saw Charlotte sat next to Sara, a book in her hand and Lucy in her arms.
"Are you certain you don't mind doing this, Sara?" Elizabeth wondered from her.
"On the contrary, I am pleased to be out the house," Sara said to her, noticing Laszlo holding Elizabeth's coat behind her. He helped her to shrug into it, the red material falling down to her knees. Laszlo smoothed out the shoulders of it and helped her pull her hair from the collar. Sara noted the way his fingertips lingered on her neck and his eyes settled on her fair skin.
"In that case, thank you," Elizabeth said. "We shouldn't be back late."
"No later than eleven," Laszlo assured her.
"Take as long as you want," Sara responded.
Nodding his head, Laszlo did his best not to feel too melancholy. He watched Elizabeth kiss Charlotte goodnight and then drop her lips to Lucy's forehead as the baby remained in Sara's hold. Elizabeth moved back to Laszlo and he offered Sara a nod and a smile over to Charlotte before running his hand along his daughter's head. Heading out to the carriage, he held the umbrella up, making certain that it was angled more towards his wife than him.
They rode to Delmonico's together, Laszlo sitting across from Elizabeth. They spoke about everything and nothing of significance. Laszlo didn't mention Martha and Elizabeth didn't mention her mother. It almost felt as though they had forgotten how to have regular conversation. Elizabeth couldn't remember the last time they had talked and not had weights on their shoulders.
Once they were seated in Delmonico's, Elizabeth almost felt a sense of dread come over her. The room was noisy, filled with loud laughter and the smell of food was sweet and almost too much for Elizabeth's nose. But she didn't complain. It had just been a long time since she had been out in public as she was. She had to admit that ever since the events with her parents, she did her best to avoid social occasions and crowded places where people gossiped and whispered, preferring the safety of the Institute and the house.
"Are you alright?"
Laszlo's question took her off guard, but he had been watching her look around, her eyes unable to settle on one specific spot. Whipping her head around, she looked to Laszlo and nodded.
"Fine," she promised him. "It's just been a while since I've been out to a crowded place like this…you know…in society again."
Laszlo's lips quirked upwards. "You never were a fan of it. Perhaps I should have suggested something else."
Elizabeth shook her head. "You enjoy dining here," she said to him. "Besides, the food is delicious and perhaps it is time for us to try and do things like this again instead of staying home every evening."
"So long as you are well."
"I am fine," Elizabeth assured him, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. He picked her fingers up and placed a gentle peck to the back of her hand. Lowering her hand, he watched her toy with the low neckline of her dress, looking to the flowers in the vase in the middle of the table for a moment before letting her hands rest on the table top, running along the white tablecloth.
"And you're not concerned with how three tables have already looked in our direction?"
"Usually, I would be," she admitted to him. "But let them stare. I imagine we have given them enough to gossip about, what with Lucy being born merely five months after our wedding, the death of my mother and your involvement in Martha's case."
"I believe that the Journal and the Times should at least give us a cheque for the amount of times we have been subject to their stories."
Laszlo had to admit that he was pleased to see her lips arch upwards at hearing him speak in such a manner. He felt that he had barely spent any time alone with his wife over the past few weeks, even before Lucy had been born. He knew that she understood his work, but that did not stop him from feeling some guilt at leaving her alone and working late. He took a moment simply to enjoy himself seeing her smile before she shifted in her chair and grimaced.
"Is something wrong?" Laszlo wondered from her.
"I just need to use the ladies powder room," she said to him and moved to stand.
"Are you certain you are well?"
"I am…just…well…I need to…" she stammered and Laszlo saw her glance down to her chest and his mouth fell open.
"Ah," he said, knowing what she was telling him without saying a word. Walking behind him, she squeezed his shoulder as she left the main restaurant and hurried towards the restroom. Laszlo knew that she had been feeding Lucy regularly. Clearly, her body did not know when it was allowed a break.
"Laszlo, it's good to see you out and about. It's been a while."
Looking up, Laszlo saw John stood before him. Moving to his own feet, Laszlo looked to his friend and nodded his head, seeing a woman with dark hair stood behind him. She had a strong jaw and sharp chin, an extravagant golden necklace around her neck and a dark purple gown on her body with large skirts and an intricate floral pattern on the bodice.
"John, good to see you too, old friend," Laszlo declared with a nod of his head. "I think this is the first time I've been out for many weeks."
"Understandable," John promised him. "And Elizabeth?"
"Is just freshening up," Laszlo nodded his head. "She should be back in a moment."
"Oh, how is the poor dear?" the woman behind John questioned and Laszlo looked to her. She stepped forwards, standing next to John and looking to Laszlo. Her hand went to John's arm and Laszlo knew that she had to be John's fiancée. Miss Violet Hayward had met Elizabeth a couple of times and had always found her to be quite charming, if not slightly meek in public settings.
"She is doing well, thank you," Laszlo bowed his head.
"I am so glad to hear it," Violet said.
"Laszlo, this is my fiancée, Violet Hayward," John informed the alienist. "And Violet, this is Laszlo Kreizler."
"I think we already guessed who each of us are, my darling," Violet teased John. "But it is nice to meet the infamous Doctor Kreizler. Your reputation in New York is well known."
"I doubt that is a good thing," Laszlo responded.
"Well, if people are talking about you then you must be doing something right," Violet said with a sly smirk on her face. Laszlo was about to argue that point with her, but he knew that it would be pointless. He didn't bother, instead he gave her a placating smile at the same time Elizabeth returned to the table. She came up behind Laszlo and moved to stand next to his side.
"Ah, Elizabeth," Laszlo said as he moved a hand to the small of his wife's back. "John was just introducing me to his fiancée."
"It's good to see you both again," Elizabeth said as John leaned down to peck her on the cheek and Violet even moved to peck her on the cheek. "How are you both?"
"Very well," Violet answered for them. "And John told me that you gave birth the other week. How is the baby faring? Lucy, isn't it?"
"It is," Elizabeth nodded. "And she is fine. She is healthy…keeps us up at all hours…always hungry…and she is the spitting image of Laszlo. I would almost question if she was my own daughter if I didn't know that I had given birth to her."
"Poor Lucy," John joked and he watched to ensure Laszlo didn't look annoyed. But he didn't. His lips arched upwards at hearing him and he felt Elizabeth's hand go to his arm, her head tilting back so that she could look up to him.
"And John told me that he is to be godfather to her," Violet said.
Laszlo nodded. He didn't consider himself a truly religious man, not really. He had been brought up Catholic, but had hardly gone to church since he had begun questioning God and why he did what he did if he was supposed to be so benevolent. But he had married Elizabeth in a church and said vows before God. He was also intending on having his child baptised. Elizabeth had insisted on it too.
"Well, he was kind enough to agree," Elizabeth said.
"Please, he has hardly stopped talking about it," Violet informed the couple. "He's so proud and is constantly talking about Lucy."
"I do feel rather responsible for her now," John said and Laszlo looked to him, knowing that John wanted a family of his own. "Speaking of, who is looking after her this evening?"
"Sara kindly agreed to stay with Charlotte and Lucy," Laszlo said.
"Sara?" Violet questioned, looking between the new parents. "As in Sara Howard?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said. "We asked her to be godmother to Lucy and she insisted that it was a godmother's duty to look after her whenever we wanted to go out."
Violet's eyes widened at hearing that and she forced a smile onto her face. But Laszlo picked up on something there that wasn't happiness. Was she jealous of Sara? Did she know that John clearly had feelings for the young detective? Laszlo eyed her suspiciously and bit down on his tongue before she spoke, clasping her hands together and John looked to the ground for a moment.
"Well, that is just lovely," Violet exclaimed. "But you never said that Sara was going to be godmother, John."
John shrugged and turned to his fiancée, a forced smile making its appearance on his face. "It must have slipped my mind, what with everything going on."
"It has been a very busy time, I don't doubt," Elizabeth jumped in and Laszlo felt her hold on his arm increase slightly. "Sara told me that you were going with her tomorrow to cover the Martha Napp story."
"Indeed, I am," John confirmed.
"Has there been any word from Roosevelt?"
"None as of yet," John shook his head. "I don't know what else I can do. I feel that all avenues have been exhausted."
"Come now," Violet said, "should we be talking business just before dinner, John? We should go tour table, unless Doctor Kreizler and Mrs Kreizler care to join us?"
"Well…" John trailed and looked to Laszlo who offered him a tight smile.
"It is a most kind offer, Miss Hayward," Laszlo said. "But we do not want to impose and I have already ordered for us…and we do not intend to stay long. Another night, perhaps?"
"Another night," Violet agreed. She turned to walk off after a final smile and John followed her. Laszlo watched them sit down at their table, a dog sat on a chair next to Violet. As he pulled out his wife's chair, he held it firmly in his grip. Elizabeth went to stand next to it, Laszlo whispering in her ear as she moved towards him.
"She's about to let the dog drink out of a glass."
"Who?"
"Miss Hayward," Laszlo said.
"Don't be absurd. She…oh…she really is," Elizabeth said, her eyes focused on Violet as she picked the glass up and held it to the dog. The dog began to drink from the glass and John looked away, almost as though he didn't want to be associated with what was happening. Elizabeth placed a hand to her mouth to cover her smile before Laszlo spoke again.
"Do you think that she will cut up its dinner too?" he questioned and Elizabeth let out a snort and Laszlo's lips picked up. "Or perhaps she might cut up John's dinner for him?"
Elizabeth tried not to laugh too much as she laid a hand on Laszlo's arm, bowing her head so that her forehead pressed to his shoulder. Her body continued to shake as she laughed, despite the situation not being as hilarious as she thought. But it felt right. It felt right to laugh with Laszlo, something they hadn't done as much as they used to. Laszlo's dark chuckle sounded through his body and he peered down to his wife as people passing to leave the restaurant watched them, wondering what they could find so funny. But Laszlo simply let them stare, content in that easy moment with his wife for the time being.
…
Elizabeth knew that Laszlo would hardly sleep that night. They had dined at Delmonico's together and had returned home just before the clock struck eleven. Laszlo insisted on Stevie taking Sara back home, informing her that he would see her the following day. They had been sombre, nodding their heads and agreeing to that. Charlotte and Lucy were both fast asleep. Elizabeth poked her head around the door of Charlotte's room to ensure that she was sleeping before moving to their own room where Laszlo looked into the crib by the end of the bed.
"Fast asleep," he promised his wife who smiled to him and began to change.
The two of them readied themselves for bed as quickly as they could and as quietly too. Climbing underneath the quilt, Elizabeth's head hit the pillow and she rolled onto her side, glancing to Laszlo who was laid flat on his back, hands on his stomach. Elizabeth could see that his eyes were set on the ceiling. He looked wide-awake, almost as though he didn't want to sleep.
Moving towards him, Elizabeth rested her head by his shoulder, her hand going to his chest. He let his chin press to the side of her head, his own hand moving to sit on top of hers. She didn't say anything to him, knowing that she wouldn't have any words to offer him to make him feel better. Instead, she lay with him, wondering if he would sleep.
Laszlo knew that he had to rest. He had to try and sleep, but he didn't want to. He wanted the morning to come and he wanted to receive that phone call from Roosevelt, telling him that there had been a way to grant a stay of execution to Martha. But, if that didn't happen, then Laszlo promised himself that he would not stop trying to bring Markoe to justice. He would do everything in his power to ensure that the man was held accountable for what he had done.
As soon as the morning broke, Laszlo pushed himself from his bed and moved to dress. Elizabeth was still sleeping soundly and so was Lucy. He knew that no one would be awake, but he could stay in bed no longer. Checking his pocket watch as he moved down the steps towards the parlour, he saw that it was only seven a.m.
He went to the kitchen and prepared his own breakfast, not caring for help. He ate his eggs slowly, leaving most of the toast after finding himself not entirely too hungry. He had to admit that he was surprised when he found his wife coming into the dining room, dressed in a pleated, green skirt with a checked black blouse tucked into it. Her hair was brushed behind her shoulders and her matching green jacket was over her arm.
Laszlo's brow furrowed. "Did I wake you?" he wondered from her.
She shook her head. "Not at all," she promised him, sitting down to his right after bending down and kissing him quickly. "I was thinking that I might come down to the prison today…Sara told me about the protest that was going to take place and how some of the girls from her agency are going to be there."
"Absolutely not," Laszlo said firmly with a shake of his head.
"Laszlo, I will be fine," she said to him.
"Do you know what happens at these protests? They can become violent, mainly thanks to certain police officers, but the point still stands that I don't want you anywhere near that."
"I can't just sit here and do nothing, Laszlo," Elizabeth complained to her husband.
He shook his head once more, resting his napkin on the dining table. He folded his hands onto the table and his gaze was as intense as his wife's, both of them clearly unwilling to back down on the matter.
"You didn't just sit here and do nothing," Laszlo informed his wife. "You were the one who tried to persuade Libby to help."
"But she couldn't," Elizabeth responded. "And so this is the last thing I can do. I can give my voice…I can go down there and I can protest…because I cannot just sit here, Laszlo. I cannot just sit here and act ignorant. What if things had been different? What if Doctor Markoe had taken our baby…our Lucy…what if I had given birth in that Hospital eventually and Lucy was snatched from us?"
"Do not think like that," Laszlo demanded, his voice a low growl.
But Elizabeth refused to back down. "The point still stands, Laszlo, that what has happened to Martha is wrong. Will my going to this protest change things? Will it stop her from being executed? Perhaps not. But I'm not going to sit here and do nothing because I know that will definitely not change anything."
Laszlo was about to protest his wife's comments, but she was already standing up and moving towards the kitchen. He huffed loudly, tugging at the tie around his neck and standing up, following her into the kitchen. She was moving the kettle onto the stove after filling it up with water.
"And if something happens to you?" Laszlo asked from her. "Do you not understand that I simply want to keep you safe? If the police lash out at these protests…if you become hurt…do you not think that I have gone through enough, Elizabeth? Do you not think that I am haunted every day by knowing that I should have done more when you were with Jacob? I should have helped you sooner and that might have stopped him from putting you in that hospital bed…stopped you from going through the pain of losing your child…I needed to keep you safe and I didn't."
Elizabeth stopped fiddling with the teapot on the worktop. She grabbed hold of the surface instead, fingers curling around it and her knuckles turning white. She hunched over for a moment and the two of them lapsed into silence. She gathered her thoughts for a moment before straightening up and turning to face him.
"I know that you feel that way, but you have no need to," Elizabeth said to him, seeing how his cheeks had tinged red and a hand was running over his beard. "I am my own person, Laszlo. I have my own will and I make my own decisions. I chose to stay with Jacob. I made those decisions. You…I know how you feel and I know you want to protect me and keep me safe. I love that you want to do that," she continued, moving towards him and taking hold of his hands inside of hers. "But you cannot wrap me in cotton wool. You cannot keep me sheltered from everything."
"I do not want to do that," Laszlo promised her. "I merely want to keep you from harm."
"But none of us know when there will be something harmful," Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "The protests could be peaceful or they might not be, but I have to make decisions on my own, Laszlo. I spent so long being unable to do that."
"Do not make me feel like a bad man, Elizabeth. I am nothing like your husband was. I do not control you."
"I never said that you were anything like him," Elizabeth sternly said to him. "Do you think that I would be married to you if you were? All I am saying, Laszlo, is that I can decide for myself what to do."
"I know that full well," Laszlo grunted.
There was silence between them and Laszlo let out a deep sigh. He knew his wife. He knew that she was stubborn when she wanted to be. She had a mind of her own. He hadn't been able to stop her from pursuing Libby Hatch. He hadn't been able to make her leave her husband when he had begged her to. No. Elizabeth made her own decisions, despite Laszlo's disagreement with some of them.
"Stay with Sara's girls, please?" Laszlo encouraged from her. "And away from the police and any trouble?"
"I can do that," Elizabeth promised him and he reluctantly nodded his head.
"Then I suppose that is all we can compromise on."
"Thank you," Elizabeth said and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.
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A/N: Thanks so much for reading. Not sure if the updates are coming too fast now? Do let me know! We're well into season 2 now. Would love to know your thoughts/ideas, as always, love reading reviews.
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