Early the next morning at around five, Colonel Pickering snuck back in the house, quietly as not to stir a soul. His afternoon at the home office had turned into a two evening poker game and fine dining extravaganza with his old friends from the regiment. Surely, he thought, no one would be awake at this early hour.

"PICKERING!" Higgins's scream startled the colonel.

He turned to face Higgins, who was already dressed.

"Where have you been? Eliza's been back for two days!"

"What?" The Colonel turned to see Miss Doolittle rush out of the study

"Oh DEAR Colonel. Have you been searching for me? Oh how terribly sorry I am to have inconvenienced you!"

Pickering gave a sigh of relief. His cover had not been blown. "Oh no trouble, I assure you!" He winked at Eliza who gave him a bright smile.

The Colonel began to tiptoe upstairs but Higgins stopped him. "Leaving already? I've got far too much work to do. I was thinking of writing a how-to narrative on our exploits and I wanted to run a few ideas by you."

The Colonel shook his head. "I fear that searching for Miss Doolittle has me quite fatigued. Perhaps some other evening then?"

Higgins sighed. "Well I guess if you must. By the way I'm very surprised you didn't think to call here to make sure she hadn't returned."

Higgins glared at Pickering in a way that made the Colonel realize that he was well aware that he had been enjoying leisurely pleasures instead of work. The Colonel covered his astonishment with a cough and headed upstairs before Higgins could ask any more questions.

The next few days went by in deadly dull fashion, but Eliza became more cheerful and the professor began to ease his behaviors around her. It was as though their spats (plural) had never occurred. She found time to take long walks through the streets, noting the differences in the way people treated her. Had she gone into any of the shops before Higgins had gotten a hold of her they would have ran her out promptly. Now the shopkeepers welcomed her openly. How unfair it seemed to be judged by appearances. Perhaps this was the social hurdle Higgins was attempting to combat, and in a way this made Eliza understand and begrudgingly respect his efforts where she had been concerned.

One day as Higgins and Pickering sat playing chess, Eliza grabbed her gloves and hat from atop the nearby piano.

"Where are you going?" Pickering asked.

"I am in desperate need of fresh air." She said, pinning her hat to her hair with gusto.

"I dare say you won't find much of that in London, not with these factories, my dear." Pickering muttered.

Higgins rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure it would be any better in India with all its ports."

Eliza began to leave the two their discussions of commerce when the Professor stopped her.

"Actually Eliza. I may join you for the stroll. I've already severely beaten Pickering whether he'll admit it or not. I took his queen within the first three moves. And you call yourself a military man." Higgins joked jovially.

"I have not yet begun to fight good sir. I'll wager you anything..."

Higgins smirked. "Save our game Pick and I'll return promptly."

He followed Eliza to the door and grabbed his coat from the peg in the front hall. He extended his arm to her and she took it and they walked into the stroll. The air was brisk for an April day, with a damp chill and no visible sun. Eliza shivered a bit and wished she brought a coat with her.

Sensing this, Higgins sighed and muttered, "Oh here!" and he thrust his coat towards her.

Eliza smiled at him and accepted it, though the size of the trench dwarfed her fine figure. Soon Higgins began to chill.

"Would you care for the return of your coat?" she said with a smirk.

"Oh no, you keep it. A little chill is good for the lungs."

Eliza smiled at his brass attempt at chivalry and buried herself in the warm tweed that smelled of his cigars.

They walked throughout the streets and past the markets without speaking a word to one another. Finally as they rounded a corner past a small pub, they heard a loud voice calling her name.

"ELIZA!"

They both turned to see Freddy, clearly intoxicated in the middle of the day, holding his arms out.

"Darling!" he cried again.

"Freddy, please." Eliza whispered

His whimpers were drawing a large crowd of spectators. He walked to her.

"My dear Eliza." He kissed her hand. The smell of scotch on his breath made Eliza turn in disgust. He then turned his attention to Higgins.

"You! You stole her from me."

"Stole her? That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard. She's not cattle and for your information, Eliza came home of her own accord." Higgins straightened his collar in frustration.

"Home. What home did she come back to? And you did steal her! You wooed her with your impressive vocabulary. Tell me, do you plan on marrying Eliza?" Freddy pointed an accusative finger towards the professor.

Higgins paused as if realizing for the first time how the relationship between pupil and teacher appeared to the outside world. He said nothing.

"You see darling. He doesn't love you and I do. He's a blackguard and he's used you abominably ill."

Higgins sighed. "Oh what a fool you are Eynsford-Hill. What do you know of love that you didn't learn from some silly novel you found on your mother's nightstand? No love is ever worth making a spectacle of yourself as you are now. Eliza's not going to leave with you. She has given you an answer. Now run along home before you damage your masculinity any more."

With this, Freddy lunged towards Higgins, but in his drunken stupor fell face first onto the pavement. The crowd of spectators roared with laughter and mockery. Eliza cast a look towards Higgins and to his surprise walked over quickly to kneel beside Freddy. His nose was bloody and his pride was damaged.

"I'll take you home. Come along Freddy." She whispered to him. Eliza called for a taxi as he draped his arm around her neck. Higgins realized he would be left behind if he did not follow and he trailed her slowly behind in frustration.

The three piled into a taxi. Eliza slowly removed the coat she had been wearing and handed it back to Higgins. She then instructed Freddy to lay his head in her lap. Higgins found this shocking, but said nothing as Eliza stroked Freddy's brow and whispered words of comfort. Higgins began to feel a twinge of something resembling jealously, but he stared out of the taxi window for the rest of the ride.

After a painfully long ride to Hampton Court, Eliza stirred Freddy and helped him out of the taxi. They walked to the front door. Higgins watched closely from the car as Eliza spoke to Freddy for several minutes. Eventually Freddy bowed his head and nodded. Eliza touched his shoulder gently and walked back to the Taxi.

Higgins noticed the red splotches upon her pale blue gown. "You've blood on you dress."

Eliza nodded. "From Freddy. He was bleeding, that's why I gave you back your coat. We'll see what Mrs. Pearce can do about it. But if it's ruined, it's just a gown."

She sighed and collapsed into the seat across from Higgins.

He sighed and then slapped the seat in frustration. "Woman, ever since I have met you, I've experienced more trauma than one ever should."

Their eyes met and Eliza smiled. "Sorry to have inconvenienced you."

Higgins felt uncomfortable and changed the subject. "So what did you say to that simpleton?"

Eliza glanced at the professor and blushed a deep crimson red.

"Oh never mind I suppose it really isn't important." Higgins waved his hand.

She exhaled. "Perhaps I will tell you one day."

He felt baffled, but said nothing more. They rode back to Wimpole Street in silence.