PART TWO
Two days later…
Eliza found herself sitting across from William in a private train car. He had a newspaper on his lap, but had spent the better part of the past hour staring out of the window. Eliza alternated between reading a book on a new investigative technique called fingerprinting, and worriedly looking over at William.
William felt Eliza's gaze on him, "Are you hungry?" He asked her, "We could go dine soon if you'd like." She was about to reply that she was okay for the time being when her stomach growled, causing William to laugh, "I suppose that answers my question. Shall we?" She nodded and they headed to the dining car.
It was still fairly early for dinner and the car was primarily empty, save for an older couple. They exchanged "hellos" and William and Eliza were seated a couple of tables down from them. William glanced at the menu quickly and then closed it. "You've decided already?" Eliza asked him. He nodded. "Let me guess," she said, "Steak and eggs?" He chuckled. "And you are going to stare at the menu for ten more minutes and order what you always order, fish and salad." She laughed, "Are we that predictable?"
The husband of the older couple leaned back in his chair, "You both look young but you sound like an old married couple already!" He chuckled. William smiled, "We're recently engaged, but we had grown up together." "Ah, a friendship blossoming into love!" The husband said.
Eliza's face turned red, "Oh Harold, shush, you're embarrassing them!" His wife said lightly slapping his hand, "The ride has just started and he's already up to trouble, please don't mind him! We've been married so long, I can't hold his attention for very long!" Harold laughed, "Ferne, I love you as much as the day I had met you, you will always have my attention!" Harold nodded at William and Eliza then turned back to his table. The waiter was coming with their food and then to take William and Eliza's orders.
After they had ordered, Eliza asked William, "Do you think Hatfield will manage in your absence?" William nodded, "Aye, he may be young but I trust him completely." William paused, "And the sooner he hires a secretary the quicker he can stop 'relying' on Honeychurch." William chuckled, "Anyway, John said he'd be a bit more hands on. He's a good man, letting me take off, especially since we don't know how long we'll be gone." William held his hand out, palm up, on the table. Eliza placed hers on top, and he closed his fingers over her hand.
"I owe you an apology Lizzie." William told her seriously. Eliza looked at him confused, "Whatever for?" "You knew I had planned on taking a few days off for our honeymoon last week." He said. "Yes, you had told me you had a surprise planned for us." She had been slightly disappointed that they had cancelled, but with the way everything had turned out, going away hadn't seemed prudent at the time. "Aye, I did. I'm apologizing because after we do reschedule our wedding, I don't think I'll be able to take more leave for a honeymoon. I'm truly sorry, I know you were looking forward to it. So was I." He said sadly.
Eliza was about to answer, when the waiter returned with their food, "Sir, your steak, ma'am your fish." He placed the plates down in front of them and left. Another waiter arrived with their wine.
Eliza took a sip, "It's very good." She continued to reply to William, "William, I won't lie, yes, I'm disappointed, I had been looking forward to spending time alone with you," She gave a shy smile, and his eyes lit up, "but, we are together, and that's all that matters to me." She squeezed his hand. William picked her hand up, brushed his lips over her knuckles, and gently uncurled her fingers to place her palm over his heart.
Eliza smiled at him, loving it every single time he made that gesture. "I love you." He said, in a much better frame of mind. "I love you too. Very much. Now eat, I know you haven't eaten all day." She said. He chuckled and let go of her hand. He cut a piece of steak and tried it, "This is very good!" He said as he dug in with gusto, barely breathing in between bites.
She watched him for a bit, with a tender smile on her face, I hope the rest of our lives are like this, sharing meals together. I truly want nothing more than that. She thought. William looked up at her, having noticed she hadn't tried her food yet, "Is something wrong with your dinner?" He asked. "No, not at all. I was simply enjoying the view." She said as she started to eat. William frowned at her in confusion, she hadn't even been looking out of the window. He merely shrugged and continued working his way through his meal.
After dinner William went to have a quick drink at the bar while Eliza returned to their car. William sat at the bar nursing a whisky, he didn't want to drink too many, he had started to drink much less as of late. He knew he could probably finish an entire bottle on his own, just from the stress he had been feeling the past few days, but he hadn't wanted to fall down that rabbit hole.
"Your first drink?" A fellow traveler asked him. William nodded. "Ah, taking it easy then? My missus doesn't like it when I drink too much either." He slapped William genially on the back and sat down next to him. "Two more of your finest!" He called out to the bartender. William laughed, "Thank you, but I'll have to decline your kind offer. I'll buy your next round though."
"Great! Unless my wife finds me first. Ah..." he said taking a long sip from the one of the glasses, "Good stuff." He said holding the glass up to the light. "My name is Seamus, you?" "William." "Pleasure. I'm with the missus heading home from our honeymoon. She wanted to go to London of all things." He shook his head amused, "I went to so many operas, I cannae see the point of them. Fell asleep during one of them and snored so loud I startled the actors!" He gave a bellowing guffaw.
William laughed, "I'm traveling with my fiancé, going home to settle some things." "Ah, can one ever truly go home again?" Seamus said with a touch of melancholy.
William had an enjoyable conversation with Seamus, and after having watched the man down three more drinks, William realized he should help him back to his wife. William looped an arm around Seamus' back, and as Seamus stood, leaning heavily on William, one of the half empty whisky glasses ended up spilling across William's coat sleeve. William sighed and stuck his hand in Seamus' pocket, retrieving his ticket to see which train car to take him to.
He knocked lightly on the train car door, Seamus's wife opened it, she was grateful to William, but irritated with her husband, and he could hear her berating him loudly as he continued back to his and Eliza's car.
When he slid the door open and stepped inside, he saw Eliza huddled on the bench, her head at an odd angle. William smiled lovingly at her. He took off his coat and covered her with it. Gently he sat down next to her and lifted her head and placed it on his shoulder. She stirred slightly and rested her hand on his chest.
Gingerly, he leaned back in the seat and covered her hand with his. "Goodnight Lizzie." He whispered and lay head on top of hers.
Eliza awoke but didn't move, she was warm and smelled slightly of... whisky? She opened her eyes. She was leaning on William with his coat draped over her body. He was breathing deeply, holding her hand over his heart. She smiled at him, and gently using her free hand, she reached up to stroke his beard lightly. He didn't stir, so she moved a bit closer, and lightly pressed her lips to his cheek, enjoying the feel of his stubbly face against her sensitive lips.
She was just about to kiss him at the edge of his mouth, when he suddenly turned his head and their lips met instead. Eliza laughed, startled, then kissed him back. "I didn't realize you were awake." She said as they pulled away from each other. He grinned, "Aye, I had been for a few minutes, but I hadn't wanted to disturb you. I'm sorry I returned so late last night, I had a drink with a fellow Scotsman."
Eliza nodded and handed him his coat. He took it and wrinkled his nose as he got a whiff of it, "Oi, I swear I only had one drink, smells like I had twenty." Eliza laughed, "I know you only had one." He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I didn't taste it on you." She said. "Did I used to taste like whisky then? When we kissed?" He asked curious. She nodded, "Sometimes. I haven't noticed it lately." She replied. William smiled, "Good. Cause I haven't been drinking it!"
Eliza closed her eyes and stretched, then she felt Williams hands on her waist, and his arms slowly wrap around her as he pulled her close. He held her tightly, not saying anything, just enjoying the sensation of having her in his embrace. She in turn slid her arms around his neck and held him back. He eventually let out a deep sigh and kissed her on the cheek. "We should get our things together, I think we're nearly there." He said as he let her go and checked the time on his pocket watch.
Just as they had finished packing up, there was a sharp rap at the door, "Edinburgh, in 20 minutes!" The conductor shouted out.
To be continued…
