If you enjoy listening to music while you read check out my playlist on Spotify called, "miss scarlet & the duke playlist"
I do not own Miss Scarlet & The Duke.
I love to read your reviews! Keep them coming :) Thanks for reading...I am planning on this having 26 chapters total.
Chapter 19
"Now Inspector, Ivy mentioned you may be courting this woman and if that is the case, I must beg you, please hurry up and marry the lady." Mr. Potts pleads as they all stand triangular to each other in the mortuary.
"And why is that?" Duke asks him, comically intrigued.
"So that the next time she waltzes in here..." he stamps his foot, "I can urge you to control your wife!" He blows his stack.
"I am sorry to disappoint you Mr. Potts, but no one can control Eliza." His words are laced with sincerity as his eyes flicker to her. But she does a sarcastic curtsy, that makes him chuckle. This spitfire of a woman, his woman.
"I will not be dictated to, Mr. Potts, and I'm sure Ivy would be intrigued to know your opinion on this matter."
"She would agree with me," he states confidently.
Eliza only glares at him, "Are you willing to risk that? I have known her the longest."
After a few moments of silence….
Mr. Potts heavily sighs, "Fine, so what is it you want Miss Scarlet? And you, you are no better, letting her blackmail me! The dynamic duo." He scoffs at them.
Eliza slyly smiles, "Oh, Mr. Potts, do not look so glum, for it is your wedding day. But since you asked, I simply want the cause of death of, Jane Plumbly." She had caught her last name from Robert right before they left the estate.
Mr. Potts grumbles walking over to his desk, rummaging through the files.
"Ah yes, the cause of death is poisoned." He says.
"What type of poison?" Duke asks him.
"Arsenic." Mr. Potts says, closing the file.
"Anything else?" He mumbles to them.
"Mr. Potts, you ought to run along, it is your big day, after all. You don't want Ivy thinking..." Eliza walks over to a corpse and flips over the sheet, revealing only the lowest extremities, "you've got cold feet, do you?"
She smirks and walks out of the mortuary, Duke says, "Good day," and follows Eliza out, he gently pulls on her elbow when they get outside.
He chuckles, "Why are you so vial to that man? Remind me to never get on your bad side."
xxxx
Even though it's Ivy's wedding ceremony, as Duke stands in the foyer, waiting on Eliza, he swears he probably feels just as nervous as the groom.
When he catches sight of her, that only confirms those thoughts, "Wow."
Eliza slowly walks down her staircase. She's wearing that lovely ocean blue dress, the sleeves sit just off the shoulder, leaving them bare. He swallows hard. She has a matching flower pinned in her hair.
"Here," he places her capelet around her.
"Thank you, William." She glances at him, as she takes his arm to exit the house. It is time to leave for the ceremony.
When they pull up to the small evening ceremony, Eliza enters the church on Duke's arm and he can't seem to shake the nerves. He feels as though he is watching a foreshadowing of his future with Eliza. It makes him weak in the knees.
"I will see you after," she takes off her capelet and hangs it up on the public coat rack.
"Are you alright?" He holds onto her hand, and she turns around, nodding to reassure him.
"Alright." He confirms, eyes straying from hers, falling over her dress, taking her in.
xxxx
Eliza slips into the bridal suite, and greets Ivy, wearing the most beautiful white ball gown.
"Originally I thought I would wear a simple gown, but then Mother urged me to purchase this one." Ivy looks in the mirror.
"What is important is that you feel beautiful, do you feel beautiful Ivy?" Eliza makes eye contact with her in the mirror.
"Oh very," Ivy replies.
"Good."
"How are you, Lizzie? You look beautiful. And William, well you two make quite the couple."
Eliza smiles, tearing up.
"What's wrong Lizzie? Why the tears?" Ivy turns to face her.
"Everything is changing, just do not forget about me." She chuckles away her tears. She feels childish.
"Even if you get married yourself, and move away. I could never forget you, my dear girl. Truly, you are like a daughter to me, and I told you, I could not imagine leaving the family home, until of course, you do. Which may not be too long, right?" Ivy lifts Eliza's chin.
"I suppose. We have not had a chance to talk. You know, he came back so abruptly. And now, well we are still figuring it out. With all the cases lately, trying to find a moment of solitude is proving difficult. Especially, out of the public's eye."
"Maybe it's time to move into the public's eye," Ivy suggests.
"They will gossip." Eliza shakes her head.
"Why would that matter? You are in love, are you not?" Ivy questions her.
"We are," Eliza begins.
"Well, maybe it is time to get used to being in love in front of others. Courting. Not just friendship."
"Ivy, it has clearly moved past friendship." She emphasizes, giving Ivy a knowing glare.
"Well, let the world see. Are you afraid?" Ivy asks.
"Only of change, I suppose," Eliza confesses.
"Change isn't so bad Lizzie, do you trust him?"
"With everything," Eliza continues.
"Maybe try letting go, surrender to change, with William. He will be there, meet you halfway, I'm sure of it." Ivy encourages her.
"You are right. You are always right."
"I would like that written down, with a signature from you, young lady." Ivy grins, "Oh, Eliza, I am so thankful you are standing up beside me. Bless you. I love you."
"I love you too." The women hug, as the reverend knocks on the door.
"It is time."
xxxx
Beautiful handbells play, as Eliza holds a simple bouquet of pink flowers in her hands. The small church's doors open.
Eliza takes a step in, and then another and another. She walks to the front of the church and steps to the side. The small attendance stands and in walks Ivy. Her smile beams as she meets the eyes of her beloved, Barnabus Potts.
Eliza discreetly wipes a tear from her eye, preventing it from falling down her face, her cheeks hurt from smiling. As joy bubbles up in her, she glances at her own man in the crowd.
His eyes are already fixed on Eliza. She blinks, offering him an easy smile, showing him she sees him. While she smiles, her heart plummets as she realizes he does not. return her smile.
Is something bothering him? Did she do something? Say something? He is staring at her with such intensity, that she thinks he may combust. Her eyes shift from his and find Ivy and Mr. Potts once more.
As the reverend tells Mr. Potts to kiss his bride, Eliza dares to peek at William. She cannot figure out the expression he is giving her. A sort of fire, but surely not anger? Though, she is rather unsure.
xxxx
A small reception follows the ceremony in the banquet hall.
There are finger foods, whiskey, and dancing.
Eliza thinks about the party she attended with William back when they were young. She smiles as she sees the whiskey, now this is his type of party. Her eyes search the room for him.
"May I have this dance," she hears his thick accent behind her.
She nods, turning to him and smiling.
"I thought I lost you, I could not find you immediately after the ceremony. Where did you go?"
"I needed a breath of fresh air," he grins, but it does not reach his eyes.
"William, are you alright?" She asks him then, and he pulls on his collar, stretching his neck.
"Dance with me," he says to her, and they begin to waltz.
"William, you are acting strange. Will you please tell me what is bothering you? Have I upset you?" She asks, feeling confused.
He laughs at that comment. She must have really done something, though she cannot honestly recall.
"William please," she places her hand on his chest, not caring who is watching them. He startles, and blows out a breath, at the feeling of her thumb slipping between his shirt buttons. Her finger brushes against his chest.
"Eliza," he warns.
"What have I done to you that makes you look so angry? You are filled with fire. At the ceremony and now. You must talk to me."
He bites his tongue, clenching his jaw. He does his sniffing tick and she knows something is the matter. She stops dancing with him abruptly. She picks up her dress and moves out of the banquet hall. He cannot call after her, he does not want to attract attention.
Instead, he follows her, out the door, around the corner, and into a nearby corridor.
"Eliza," he reaches for her wrist and she stops, her back is to him, and she does not say a word.
"You have read me wrong, I am not angry with you." He pleads with her.
He steps closer to her, his presence behind her gives her goosebumps. He dips his head, lips brushing against her ear, "I am not angry with you. I am unnerved by you." Her skin grows hot at his admission.
"This dress, it exposes your bare shoulders, and I want nothing more than to brush my thumb right here," he places a kiss on her collarbone.
"That is very bold, William." She says breathlessly.
"That is not all,"
"Is it not?" She whispers.
"I want to slip my hand around your cheek, and pull you near to me," his voice rugged.
"Mm.." she moans quietly as his hands slowly rub circles at the nape of her neck.
"I yearn to hold you in my arms, Eliza." He spins her around, his eyes searching her face. They fall to her lips.
" William," Eliza whispers his name, letting her eyes flicker shut.
"People may talk," he whispers back, pushing a flyaway hair behind her ear.
To that, she opens her eyes again and glances up at him. She sets her hands on the collar of his suit jacket, using it to steady herself as she slowly lifts up her face to place a lingering kiss on his lips.
"Let them," she reiterates her comment from years ago.
Just as she told Ivy, everything is changing, and while that feels nerve-wracking to Eliza, Ivy was right. The safety she feels wrapped in Duke's arms, it gives her the courage she needs. The courage to surrender to change.