The next morning, Higgins awoke with a start and a throbbing migraine. He had been dreaming of Eliza and the reality of this hit him as he awoke. He pondered for a moment and retraced the steps of his dream. He had dreamed of her as she had been early that morning in her dressing gown with her hair cascading around her shoulders, still sleepy. In his dream he had walked towards and stood facing her and to his surprise, he had taken her hand.

"Are you leaving again?" he had asked her.

She said nothing for a moment, and then nodded her head in the affirmative. "Freddy loves me and maybe he'll make me happier than my betters who bully me and don't want me."

"Bully you? I've never heard such..."

There was a pause and Higgins stepped away to consider what she had said. It truly made more sense for Eliza to marry Freddy. Yet, he felt something so deeply stir within him, and he turned to address her in his dream, but could not find something to say.

"I'm sorry Henry." She whispered

And then he awoke feeling more frustrated than he thought was humanly possible. He leapt out of bed and marched downstairs in his robe and slippers.

"She called me Henry." He thought to himself.

He walked into the study where he found Eliza watering an oft-neglected ivy plant that hung in the study window. She turned and beamed at him.

"Good morning Professor. Did you sleep well?"

He felt some of the tension drain from his neck as she addressed him with his formal title.

"Not at all. I have a blistering headache."

Eliza left the room and returned promptly with a hot water bottle. She handed it to him and walked back towards the plant, whistling a merry tune under her breath. He watched her as she handled the leaves of the ivy in the manner that she had learned at Covent Garden, gently and affectionately.

"You seem in good spirits this morning?" Higgins muttered, still annoyed.

Eliza shrugged. "I suppose. It's beautiful outside for the first time in months."

There were a few moments of silence as Higgins continued to watch her work through the study. Finally, he realized what he must do to return things to order in his household. He finally spoke.

"May I speak candidly, Eliza?"

She stopped and looked toward him, amused. "Since when have you ever asked permission to do so?"

Higgins ignored her snide comment and continued.

"Eliza, I've begun to realize the implications of having an un-married woman in my household and the discomfort that it is causing. Especially, Mrs. Pearce. I fear she might have a stroke at any moment from the strain."

She sat across from him on the divan and looked at him.

"I believe it would be best for everyone if you moved into my mother's home and served her as a lady in waiting, if you will."

Eliza looked crest-fallen and sunk backwards into the cushions. He felt confused by her expression.

"You'll still be paid of course."

She looked up at him. "That wasn't my concern, professor."

"Well, the colonel and I will come and visit often. And my mother is very fond of you."

Eliza fought back tears.

"Yes, of course. Whatever you think is best." She stood up and straightened her dress.

Higgins stood up as well, happy to be absolved of any wrong doings. "Well, I will telephone mother promptly. Now have you seen my address book, Eliza?"

She felt behind the cushion where he had previously been sitting and sure enough, it was there. She handed it to him.

"Oh, of course. Thank you Eliza."

She nodded and wondered how he would be able to find anything on his own.

And so plans were set into motion. Mrs. Higgins was thrilled to take on Eliza as an attendant and even threw in an elevation in pay. So the household began packing and transporting her things to Large Lady Park, to her new residence. Meanwhile Eliza sat and thought about all the things she had said and done over the course of her brief stay and wondered what exactly she had done to be sent away. She was silent the rest of the day and as she was escorted to the front door, birdcage and hat box in hand, only the Colonel came down the stairs to bid her farewell, with promises of visits. She smiled politely and stepped into the waiting taxi.

Had she looked up whilst in the street, she would have noticed the tall figure standing in her former room, watching her as she left.