Hi Folks! If you're still reading the best is about to come. This is a preliminary point of view with a fast comical look at how Eliza and William are finishing their wedding tasks with a couple of other items thrown in. If you are still sticking this story out, I appreciate you. The wedding and the hot honeymoon will be in the next chapter so stayed tuned! Thank you! Love, Carebearmaxi!
Funny Meeting You Here
Book 3/Chapter 23
William and Eliza were in the jeweler's choosing wedding bands.
"Eliza, I'm a man. I do not have to wear a wedding band to show I'm your husband," William protested as they looked at the plain gold wedding bands.
"You could do it for me. I will be your wife, William. It makes me feel better."
"You couldn't be insecure after all the time we've been together."
"I like these. They are small and not showy. It would be nice if you could wear it and it still…"
"Eliza, it's not that I don't want to wear one because I don't want to show the world I'm your husband. Think of the work I'll be doing. I may lose it or anything else."
"William, that's an excuse. Every one of your men now who is married wears a ring, Charlie, Seward, Harold…etc."
"All right. You're right, Eliza. You are always right." William smiled at the jeweler and said. "Let me have the men's to match the ring my fiancée picked out."
The clerk, the proprietor jeweler, who was more than happy, pulled the ring from its bed and fit it on William's hand.
"It's a little tight."
"Oh, that will disappear as soon as you are wearing it every day. Look at this," the jeweler held up his own hand and twirled his wedding ring around several times. "My finger almost turned blue the first time I put this on. It's been 40 years, and it finally is not squeezing my finger too tightly. The Missus was more than peeved at me, but I wouldn't trade it. She was the best decision I had ever made. I'm only kidding. I'll have it resized a little bit and all right for your wedding day.
William chuckled and then silently put his arm around Eliza's shoulders.
"What about an engraving?" The jeweler asked.
Eliza looked at William who was reluctant to ask but he did anyway to please the curious look in Eliza bright blue eyes.
"Would it be ready by our wedding day?"
"Yes, I think I can do that. I do everything myself," the jeweler stated proudly. "Yet, you hesitate."
"It's just that we are leaving the country for a permanent move the day of our wedding," Eliza volunteered. After getting William to finally agree to wearing a wedding band, the last thing she desired was for him to find a reason not to wear one.
"Oh, I will make it a priority order."
"So how much would that be in total?" William asked.
Eliza and William waited on pins and needles anticipating a huge bill.
The jeweler turned the bill over so William and Eliza could see it. Both were shocked at the cost.
"You haven't charged for the engraving plus gave us a discount?" William questioned.
"Is there something wrong?" Eliza asked.
"Nothing. I appreciate the business, and, after all, you are Detective Inspector Wellington and you have often been here before protecting my shop from one crime after another. I just want to show my appreciation."
"Really, sir, Reggie, that's not necessary," William said. Eliza placed her hand on his arm.
"Thank you, Reggie. That's very kind of you," Eliza interjected looking up at William and then looking at Reggie.
"You're very welcome and congratulations!"
Eliza took William's arm as they departed the jeweler's.
"William that was very kind of him to discount and give us the engravings for free. He said it was because you protected his shop from crime. You see people appreciate you even if your stupid super doesn't," Eliza said.
"Well, I will be in a whole different position in New York. I hope I'm appreciated there," William said thoughtfully.
Eliza stopped him from walking and looked him in his eye.
"William, I'm not just saying this because I love you, but you will be appreciated by all the men who will be under you and all the people for whom you work to save from harm."
William smiled. Eliza acknowledged the he did that a lot lately. She found she smiled a lot more, too, now.
The time flew between late March and early April. With their wedding fast approaching at near the end of April checking tasks off the Wedding To Do List accelerated. Eliza and William's steamer reservations had been made by William weeks before Eliza had agreed to marry him. Once she had said yes to his proposal he had changed the names on the reservation to Mr. and Mrs. Wellington making William smile at the sound of it.
The mounds of files that were on his desk as he returned in late January had finally dwindled down to barely anything. Charlie Phelps, again, was to be his temporary replacement until someone more qualified or, more rightly, to the Super's taste would be chosen. Fitzroy was asked again by his father, the Commissioner, to permanently take the job, but Fitzroy again refused.
In the intervening weeks before the wedding, Eliza not only had things to tick off a list but so did William. One day in early April, William invited Oliver to his home. Normally William spent all his free time with Eliza, but this time she pled that he had things to do as well, and she promised she would see him the next night when he had accomplished some of his wedding tasks.
At the knock on his door, William opened it.
"Oliver, please come in."
"Thank you, sir," Fitzroy said as he proceeded through the door. He waited for William to close the front door and then preceded him into William's large living room. It was a cold night for April, so a small fire burned in the grate.
Oliver handed William a small package he had in his coat pocket.
"What's this?" William asked.
"It's a small token of my appreciation," Oliver said swallowing.
"Aw, that's not necessary, but thank you. You have earned your place as good copper. Have you applied for the new secondment that NY has requested?"
"No, I haven't."
"Well, you should. You may be placed in my precinct. I would be glad to have you."
"I will think about it, sir. If only to get away from my father, he still is trying for me to take your place."
"That's a thought. I'm not sure if you would really want that," William said.
"I definitely do not have enough experience to lead men as you did sir."
"Think about both opportunities, Fitzroy. I'm sure you would do well on either."
William looked at the small, wrapped box and asked, "Should I open it now?"
"I prefer you'd wait until I leave or when you're with Eliza."
"Then I shall wait."
"I'm sorry. Would you like a drink?" William asked. "I've had to deal with quite a bit lately, so I apologize for not offering sooner."
"No need. You're getting married and leaving the country. That's a lot," Oliver said looking anxious.
"What's wrong Fitzroy?"
"Just wondering why, you asked me here. That's all."
"Right. You don't have to look so defensive. All I wanted to ask you is if you would stand up with me at my wedding."
"You mean your Best Man?" Oliver asked with a smile.
"Yes, Fitzroy, my Best Man," William stated with a chuckle.
"I'd be honored, sir. "
"Good! Let's drink on it then," William said as he handed Oliver a tumbler.
"Toast to Miss Eliza and you as you begin your new life together. May God be with you and bless you!"
They clinked glasses.
"Thank you, Fitzroy. Helluva of a toast for just us," William remarked, and they both chuckled a bit.
While William found his Best Man, Eliza was still in a quandary over whom should be her maid of honor. She first thought Arabella because Arabella was instrumental in William acknowledging he was in love with her and then she thought she ought to allow Ivy to be her Maid of Honor although her role was more like Mother of the Bride. In the end, Ivy refused and thought definitely someone younger should play that part.
Eliza was standing in front of the full-length mirror in her room looking at herself while Ivy made the final alteration to the train of Eliza's wedding dress and veil as they discussed Eliza's dilemma.
"That's the trouble, Lizzie, with the way you were raised. You didn't acquire many girlfriends," Ivy complained.
"I was raised just fine with only you and father around…and William when he came around those times. Who needed female companionship back then? They were all so full of getting a husband and maintaining a house. It was the single most boring task that I could fathom."
"Now what'd you think?" Ivy asked eyeing Eliza in the mirror.
"Well, I still think the same thing. It just that now I have to make up for lost time."
"Good thing, William is so understanding."
"Mmmhmm," Eliza said as she looked at herself. She was dressed head to foot in satin and lace with the longest train ever in history.
"This veil and gown are so heavy…" Eliza started to complain.
"You're wearing it Lizzy. After all the weeks of altering for your figure and the special touch I made to the train, you had better wear it. Besides William will be incapable of catching his breath when he sees you in it," Ivy said tears coming to her eyes as she saw how beautiful her girl looked in her mother's wedding dress.
"What special touch?" Eliza asked intrigued.
"Take it off and I'll show you. It's part of my gift to you and William."
Eliza removed the long gauze and lace veil from her head and then with Ivy's help stepped out of the gown.
"Go put on your dressing gown," Ivy commanded.
Eliza did so and as she did, Ivy laid the heavy yet delicate satin and lace gown on Eliza's bed and spread out the train.
Eliza hugged Ivy when she saw the love and care that had gone into the special touch she had embroidered into the train.
"This must have taken you hours and hours to do. You were always handy with a needle. It's so beautiful!"
The train which had been plain silk with a lace border now had a heart in white silk thread with a large "E" and large "W" embroidered into the middle in gold silk thread.
"I did have some help. I didn't do it all myself."
"Who helped you?"
"You will never guess, so I will let it be a surprise. She will be at your wedding," Ivy hinted.
"Since I know there aren't many people from my side and most of William's side consists of his men, I can't think of who would do this," Eliza said. "However, I'll deduce who it is when I see them at my wedding!"
William and Eliza sat in front of the fireplace on the couch sharing a drink. William had just arrived from Scotland Yard and was feeling a bit melancholy that he was leaving a job he loved for the second time in almost two years. However, when he arrived at Eliza's house, and saw her smile and felt her lips on his, his sudden melancholia turned into happiness of his good fortune to be wedding the woman he deeply loved since he had been 19 years old whether he had realized it or not. He was also looking forward to their life together knowing that it would be extraordinary.
"I'm so happy to see you, my love. Let's have a drink before we dine," Eliza said as she took William's hand and led him into the living room.
"Where's Ivy?" William asked. He enjoyed Ivy's company very much. She was always full of sage advice and acted much like a mother to both he and Eliza.
"Ivy is dining out with her betrothed. Then I think she is finally to introduce him to her mother across town."
William smiled with surprise written all over his face.
"Really? Maybe Ivy will marry him yet?"
Eliza brought him a tumbler of whiskey and she had one herself. She sat down next to William, and they clinked glasses.
"What's wrong, William?"
"Nothin'. Now I'm here with you," William said kissing Eliza.
"You're not getting by that easy. Are you sorry to be leaving again?"
"Yes and no. I'm excited about going back and starting as Chief of NYPD, but then again I am sad to be leaving my country and the traditions that are here."
"We both have people and things we will miss. I will miss my agency and Ivy and my house here. I've lived in this house all my life. Did you realize that?"
"No. I was not aware that you never lived anywhere else."
He then leaned back and pulled her into his arms saying, "Now you will have your own house where we can start our own memories," William said softly smiling into Eliza's hair and taking in her special scent of lemon and honey.
Eliza suddenly felt the sudden stop of William's voice in his chest. It was like a soothing rocking abruptly tearing her from sudden slumber. She sat up never fully releasing him from her touch and placed her hand on his chest.
"What?" Eliza asked.
"If Ivy is dining out, who cooked dinner?"
Eliza laughed. "The future Mrs. William Wellington, that's who."
"Oh, Lord be with us," William laughed loudly as Eliza laughed, too, then playfully punched him in the arm.
Despite the lateness of the hour and the expanse of William's culinary appetite (did not want to mistake that for any of his other appetites), Eliza cooked a very tasty dinner.
"This is very good, Eliza. Are you sure you didn't send for this?" William teased as he sat back and patted his belly. "This very tasty, not sumptuous yet."
"Not sumptuous? William, you have two helpings. I think it was sumptuous enough for you?" She smiled as he smiled back at her glad to realize he was merely teasing her.
"Now can I expect this every night after we're married?"
Eliza was going to protest and say, 'Certainly not', but she so enjoyed being the one to make him smile.
"We'll see, William," Eliza finished and then they both chuckled.
After a few seconds of chewing and digesting, Eliza inquired, "So, did Fitzroy accept your request?"
"Yes, he did," William said cutting another piece of roast beef and sloshing it in the gravy.
As he chewed his meat, he remarked, "Eliza this is actually very good. Are you sure
you prepared all this yourself?"
Eliza rolled her eyes.
"Right down to the gravy. What a horrid process! You aren't just teasing me this time. You really are enjoying it?"
"Yes, I am," William said. "Before you get worried and think that I really expect you to cook every night and be a private detective just let me say I accept that you will not be able to. That is another reason why Mrs. Carruthers does not mind staying on. In the event that neither one of us is around to feed ourselves."
"Can't wait to meet Mrs. Carruthers. She sounds delightful," Eliza said.
"She is very good. I believe she and you will get along famously."
Eliza gave William an adoring look.
"Thank you for thinking of me, William. I know I've been selfish for the most part, but I promise I will do better."
"Nonsense. If you do better, you won't be the Eliza I know and love."
William stretched across the small kitchen table and kissed her.
After dinner they returned to the living room where Eliza crawled into William's arms once again after he resumed his supine position on the couch.
"I remember you joked one time about your father thinking we were an old married couple if he could see us that time I was teaching you about boiling eggs. We almost are now."
"Yes, we are. I'd like to think that papa had a hand in the whole thing," Eliza said nuzzling into William's broad chest.
"Oh, I know Henry did. I loved that man. He was such a good father to me as well."
"He loved you like a son. I think I told you that. I'm certainly glad I don't love you like a big brother," Eliza said as she rose to her knees beside William on the couch.
"Oh, I am certainly glad you didn't either," William said as he looked up into Eliza's face. Her eyes were dancing with the firelight.
Reaching up he kissed her long while Eliza put her arms around him. William pulled her down and she lay across his lap in his arms. She smoothed back his hair and caressed his cheek with her open palm.
After the kiss, Eliza just looked into William's calm eyes. They reflected the fire but in them Eliza saw behind them and could picture their life together with their children to come.