Part 5

The dinner was almost over as the guests waited for food to be cleared and desert to be served in Rupert's rather darkened dinning room. Four oil lamps were glowing on the walls around the large light green and wood paneled room. Two small glass chandeliers hung over the dinner table and were lit with circles of white candles. There was a black stone mantle with a log fire simmering at the far end creating some warmth.

They sat around the long wooden rectangle table that was dressed with a lace cloth and white carnation flowers in fine hand painted vases. Rupert's finest white dinner china and silver cutlery was being used, along with delicately etched crystal wine and water glasses.

Everyone was seated in pairs, female next to male. Tilly had placed Eliza and William together on the far corner of the table, nearest the fire, as far away from her and Rupert as possible. They were sat at the head of the table, with Mr Goldberg on Tilly's left and Mrs Stratton on Rupert's right.

Arabella Goldberg was next to her husband, and then Mr and Mrs Rosenberg were next to them on the opposite side of the table from Eliza and William. Arabella was smiling happily and clearly enjoying stealing glances at Eliza, as they were almost opposite, while Eliza did her best to avoid looking at her.

Throughout dinner, everyone had been politely talking and listening to the person they sat nearest, and periodically the butlers had come in the room to either refresh some wine, or serve another item of food.

To Eliza's left sat Mr Stratton. He was a very polite, well-spoken, young gentleman, of similar age to William, Eliza guessed. He worked at The Bank of England, and was currently boring her with details of his latest investment, and his equally pretty young wife sat next to him.

William was on Eliza's right, and he hadn't faired much better, as he was sat on the corner of the table with Mrs Thompson. She and her husband were sitting on the end of the table with their backs to the fire. She was a dark haired lady, who wore her hair with two thick plaits framing her face, and a ponytail tied into a looped bun at the back.

Her dress was a beautiful navy colour with small, colourful yellow and pink sewn flower patterns. She wore a simple drop diamond necklace, far less extravagant then Arabella's heavily jewel item. Eliza over heard her telling William she was a housewife, and was happily talking to him about her three children and their academic accomplishments.

Every so often Eliza noticed Tilly looking in her direction, or perhaps Eliza wondered, she was actually looking in William's direction. She couldn't be certain, but for once Tilly's stern gaze was slightly softer then the look she usually reserved for her.

Rupert had seemed to settle his nerves during dinner, yet Eliza had noticed at times he still seemed rather quiet and almost lost in thought, but then he would quickly recover himself back to a happy host as he attempted conversation with Mrs Stratton.

Eliza was only half listening to Mr Stratton as she took a sip of her wine and placed her glass back on the table. As she put it down, she flinched as her right hand brushed William's left hand that was resting on the edge of the dinner table. After a moment, she glimpsed in his direction, he didn't look like he'd noticed, but pulling her hand away would have made it seem obvious so she left her hand on the table next to his.

She tried to return to listening to Mr Stratton, who was continuing to recount his latest investment, unaware that she hadn't been paying attention to him. Unexpectedly, she felt William's little finger brush hers, once, then again, seemingly testing if she would move her hand away. After a moment, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him take a sip of his wine then place the glass almost directly next to hers, hiding their hands from the view of those around them.

Spurred on by the fact she'd not moved her hand, William crept his hand a little further over hers, gently stroking his fingers against hers. Eliza felt a chill down her spine at his light touch, but she still never moved her hand. Instead she let their fingers do their dance and it was a welcome distraction from the dull conversation.

William's strokes reminded her of their first dinner at Gilberts. He'd sat opposite her, at their table for two in a quiet corner of the restaurant. His blue eyes focused on her, in between their starter and main course, while she'd contemplated his motives for taking her to dinner. He'd seemed different, more relaxed with her then she'd ever known him to be. He was letting his guard down slightly, and she realised so was she.

She'd been resting her chin on her hands and he held his hand out with a simple "may I?" She'd taken a breath, wondering if it was step too far in their precarious friendship. She'd never before wanted to encourage him, but this time she'd hesitantly placed her hand in his.

He'd gently rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand as he stared at her eyes and spoke softly, reminiscing on an old memory from when they first met. He knew exactly what he was doing and it had taken everything in her to concentrate on what he was saying to her, rather then the small smile on his lips and what his thumb was doing. He'd kept hold of her hand, rubbing it gently, until their waiter came over with their main course, and then he'd reluctantly released it.

Eliza glanced at their hands and then at William without making it obvious and she noticed that William wasn't making any eye contact with their hands either. He was subtly listening to Mrs Thompson next to him, but the slight smile on his face, showed Eliza he was concentrating far more on the movement of his fingers, as he brushed over her mother's wedding ring gently.

Though she was finding it rather relaxing, just when she thought it was more then enough and she really should take her hand back, William moved his hand over hers and slowly slid their hands off the table. Under the table, totally out of view, he moved to intertwine their fingers, and he held her hand tightly, and continued rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

She knew she shouldn't enjoy the feeling of William holding her hand, but she really couldn't deny that it felt warm and comforting, and perhaps made her stomach flip, just a little, in a good way.

Eliza was brought out of her reverie by the sound of Mr Stratton's voice. He'd asked her a question she'd not listened to, and she suddenly realized he was looking at her waiting for her to answer.

"Mr Parker said you're a private detective?" He asked again.

"Oh yes, that's right," she finally confirmed, stuttering slightly.

"Surely that's rather a dangerous job for a young lady such as yourself."

"Perhaps, but my father taught me everything he knew, so I feel quite safe." It was a lie, there were more times then Eliza could count when she'd not felt at all safe.

"So what sort of things do you investigate?"

Eliza wasn't sure if he seemed genuinely interested, or just making polite conversation. His tone didn't suggest he was teasing or belittling her, which was odd since most people either didn't believe her, or rather insulted her suggesting her investigations were just a little hobby. It was also rather hard for her to concentrate while William was still holding tightly to her hand and rubbing it with his thumb under the table.

"Well... lots of things really. Missing people particularly, and I sometimes work on cases with the officers at Scotland Yard."

"I didn't realise the police let ladies, such as yourself, work for them."

Technically, Eliza thought, they didn't, and if it wasn't for her friendship and constantly pushing her luck with William, he probably wouldn't either.

"I have a tendency to make myself invaluable," she told him with a cheeky smile.

Eliza heard William clear his throat, and underneath the table felt him gently place her hand on her leg and let go of it. He leaned into her ear and whispered that he would be back in a moment, before leaving the table.

Eliza slyly watched William move around the room, feeling slightly cold without his hand, and then she noticed both Rupert and Tilly were following him subtly with their eyes. Oh for the love of god this was all she needed.

She noticed Tilly move from the table not long after William had left the room, and Eliza was not letting her get away with it, so she too excused herself to Mr Stratton, and left the table.

Eliza followed Tilly out into the darkened wood paneled hallway that had two lamps lit to light it, where she seemed to be lingering and waiting for something, or someone. Tilly seemed particularly annoyed that she'd been followed when she noticed Eliza behind her.

"Why are you following me?" Tilly launched, with her firm German accent.

"Why are you following William?" Eliza asked pointedly.

"I am not." Tilly feigned innocence, but Eliza didn't believe her for a second.

"Really, then where are you going?" Eliza enquired with a smile.

Tilly stumbled over a reply, knowing she had perhaps hoped to speak with the handsome Inspector alone, more to annoy Eliza then anything else. She stamped her foot angrily, unable to come up with a response.

"Tilly, I know we have got off on the wrong foot but please leave William alone,"

"Like you leave my Rupert alone?" Tilly replied, feeling rather pleased that she had perhaps irritated Eliza by chasing the Inspector.

"I do not chase after Mr Parker, we are merely friends."

"And yet he listens to all your advice," Tilly offered harshly. Even still, Eliza wished Rupert Parker would perhaps listen less to her advice, or possibly she should not give it.

"He's supposed to be my fiancé!" Tilly told her crossly. She was convinced Rupert had only declined her proposal of marriage because Eliza had told him to. If it weren't for Eliza, Rupert would have agreed to marry her, instead she was forced to somehow win his affections, which quite frankly was seemingly impossible to her.

"Oh please, you'd known each other for two days, no one falls for someone that quickly." Eliza folded her arms defensively. This was crazy that Tilly hated her for something that wasn't even her fault.

"Well maybe your Inspector might." There it was again, Her Inspector! Eliza huffed with annoyance. William wasn't hers, and she wasn't exactly his. Tilly cracked a smile, as if she'd perhaps hit a nerve about stealing the handsome Inspector from her.

"I've known Inspector Wellington a long time, and I can assure you, he is not the marrying type," Eliza said with assurance.

"Perhaps I should give him a different point of view?" Tilly suggested, hoping it would further concern Eliza, only it didn't, and in fact, Eliza seemed completely unbothered by the suggestion.

"Trust me, he would not be interested," Eliza told her confidently.

Tilly returned to her resting scowl realizing that not even the threat of stealing the Inspector from her seemed to shake Eliza.

"Too busy with you as his harlot to take a wife?" Tilly clapped back quickly.

It took everything for Eliza to hold her nerve and not slap Tilly for once again referring to her as someone's harlot. Instead she clenched her fists by her side, took a step closer and stood as tall as she could even though Tilly had a clear few inches on her height.

"Let me be clear, I am no one's harlot, least of all his. Now whatever bad blood there is, it is between us. You will leave William alone." Eliza was firm, and was sure she couldn't be any clearer.

Tilly, sensing she was not going to win this battle, gave one last remark.

"Well then you leave my Rupert alone!" she raged.

With that, Tilly turned round on the sole of her foot and stormed off back to the dinning room before Eliza could comment further.

Eliza growled to herself, releasing her frustration. That woman was driving her mad. She and Rupert were friends, and business partners, and that was it. She certainly wasn't interested in anything romantic from him, and she knew Rupert wanted even less from her.

"And there I was thinking you were my favoured whore…"

The sound of William's Scottish accent from behind her made Eliza jump. She cringed, before she slowly turned round to face him. Just how long had he been there?

"Well make a noise why don't you! You'll give a person a heart attack sneaking up on someone like that," she told him, ignoring his comment. She wondered just how much of her conversation with Tilly he'd actually heard.

"So telling Fraulein Hildegard to leave me alone…" He moved to stand directly in front of her. He stood tall, with a teasing smile on his face, and his hands in his pockets.

This was interesting, Eliza warning off Tilly Hildegard, not that William didn't appreciate her doing it, but he was curious as to whether there was more to Eliza warning her off.

"I was just trying to do you a favour. She's been watching you most of the night," Eliza lied. She knew she probably should have come up with a better excuse, only her mind was suddenly drawing a blank. She couldn't exactly explain that Tilly thought she was after Rupert, even though that wasn't the case!

"Really, I hadn't noticed." The truth was, he had on occasion noticed the young Fraulein's eyes on him, and it was slightly unsettling.

"Oh please," Eliza sounded annoyed.

William took a moment, before he shuffled his feet and gave her a knowing smile and a sigh.

"Careful Eliza, I might actually start to think that you care," William teased. His eyes were wide, as he gazed down at her, challenging her.

"Well, we wouldn't want that now, would we?" Eliza narrowed her eyes with and pursed her lips, challenging him back.

They stood in the darken hallway, eyes fixed on each other. William swayed his shoulders, standing tall over her. He slowly took his hands out of his pockets, but left them by his side. His fingertips were almost in touching distance from her waist. It would have been so easy to pull her into him, but he didn't. He waited to see what Eliza would do.

Eliza didn't move, she barely even blinked, wondering what William was thinking. This was Rupert's house, and his dinner party, there was no way William would try to kiss her here, would he? She could feel her heart start to pound, waiting for him to move.

Time seemed to slow, as they stood alone in the darkened hallway, each waiting for the other to do something. Ordinarily, Eliza would always pull away from his intense gaze after a few moments, but this time she didn't have to.

The sound of a woman's bloodcurdling scream was like a glass of icy cold water being thrown over them and made them both jump and pull away from each other, whilst looking in the direction of the sound.

They looked back to each other, sharing a concerned and confused look, before they moved down the hallway in the direction of the screaming. It was towards Rupert's library room.

William entered the room first, and Eliza followed close behind him, almost bumping into him when he stopped. The room had a small-unlit fireplace to their right, with two oil lamps, burning on the mantelpiece over it giving light to the room.

Bookshelves full of leather bound books covered two opposite walls floor to ceiling, and a small window was in the wall to the left of them, with a dark green leather chair in front of it and a table, with what should have had a single candlestick for light.

Only the candlestick was laying on the ground, next to a man's body, laying face down spread out on the wooden floor and a worn red rug. The maid, who had let them into Rupert's house earlier in the evening, was pressed back against a bookshelf as she screamed in horror.

"Well this evening just got interesting," Eliza told William quietly, as they each took in the scene in front of them.

"So much for my night off," William whispered back under his breath, before moving closer to check that the body lying on the floor was not just unconscious.

William checked for a pulse, but there was nothing. He and Eliza shared a look, as he confirmed nodding his head. This man was definitely dead.

To be continued….