Hi Folks! Just a little progression in the story here. Eliza and William are openly sleeping together and as such an odd practice for an engaged couple. Patrick is going home as his assets are no longer frozen. Eliza and William missing each other for one morning make up in his office almost getting caught by Charlie Phelps who has brought an important message from the prison. I promise to move this along faster next time folks. Thanks for hanging in and reading! Love-Carebearmaxi.

Funny Meeting You Here

Book 2/Chapter 21

Ivy knocked on Eliza's bedroom door. It was Monday, February 22. Ivy had been up since dawn which was cold and snowy. She thought she had better knock in case William (she finally decided to call him) happened to be in with her.

It was not that Ivy was prudish. She was not. It was just that William had remained overnight with Lizzie for three out of the last seven nights. Ivy did not want their honeymoon to be over before it had begun. Well, it was their decision after all. Lizzie and William were engaged and much older than most engaged couples usually were. The problem was that she interrupted them once and embarrassed not only them but herself. Also, Barnabas was embarrassed by the situation as well. However, Barnabas, for all his good qualities, Ivy wished he possessed some of those spontaneous qualities. Why was it that Ivy had to do all the work in their relationship? Could I be jealous? Ivy asked herself.

Of course not! Lizzie and William have loved each other since they were children! I like Barnabas but sometimes I do wish he would be a little more forward. It's hard having to be the one to do all the thinking in the relationship. Ivy thought this while she waited for permission to enter Lizzie's bedroom.

The door clicked and Ivy stepped back. Eliza stood at the door looking rather sleepy.

"Late night last night," Ivy asked seeing Eliza's disheveled state. It was 9 am. Used to be Eliza was up by 6 am and off to work by 7 am.

"Yes, Ivy. William and I were working on Patrick's case. He went home about 3 am," Eliza explained.

"Well, Mr. Nash is getting his things packed so he can finally go back to his home," Ivy stated. "It was good of the Inspector to unfreeze his assets as you say. He wants to say goodbye. He's down in the kitchen having his breakfast."

"Thanks, Ivy. I'll be down in a few minutes."

"You are alone, aren't you, Lizzie?"

Eliza smirked and smiled. She hung her head in laughter.

"Yes! Even William does not have that much energy!"

Later that morning, after Eliza helped Patrick into a carriage to take him back home to his own house. Eliza was with William at his office.

"Well, I've spoken again to Algernon today. I just got back when Fitzroy told me you were waiting," William said as he kissed Eliza hello and took a seat at his desk. It seemed that Eliza had been sitting patiently on the other side of his desk; however, he knew she was probably curious about all the other case files lying dormant on his desk. Since he needed help, and he did not give a fig what management thought he may ask her for some insight.

He suddenly remembered as he gazed on her beautiful face one of the first cases she had inadvertently solved from just a photograph of a murder victim. Eliza had deduced that the wife in a passionate fit of anger had slit her husband's throat all because Eliza had detected the evidence of syphilis on the man's bare feet.

"So, what did Algernon say? Did he explain the unusual scheduling of the meals?"

"It seems my old classmate is perpetuating these poisonings. Look at this," William said and handed her a folder.

Eliza leafed through the report that was sitting on top of the file.

"There have been four more questionable deaths since Patrick's cell mate's last month," Eliza observed. She retrieved photos of the victims and placed the rest of the file on William's desk.

"So, what is the common factor among these four?" Eliza asked William.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." William said in a frustrated tone. He rose and pushed his hands in his pocket and started pacing.

He suddenly turned and inquired of Eliza.

"What happened after you questions Catherine Bulloch?"

"She simply lied and told me that she did not know a thing of her dead husband's business."

After a few more contemplative moments while Eliza sat and William paced, Eliza placed a timely hand on William's wrist which caused him to stop pacing.

"William," she uttered.

"Yes," he responded.

"If these poisonings are random and Algernon seems to be involved, I think he is getting a portion of whatever payback is being given to the conspirators."

"I checked his bank account. He doesn't seem to have any odd transactions filtering into his account."

Eliza rose and turned to look up at William.

"Well, would he use an alias on an account?"

William looked into the air contemplating.

"I did hear one of the prison keepers call him "Benny". At the time I thought nothing of it. I thought, perhaps, the man did not remember Algernon's name."

Another moment of contemplative companionable silence arose between them. Eliza thought how much she enjoyed working with William. Once he stopped fighting her he had realized they made a great team. She gave him the side eye as she stood in front of him. She loved him. Time had proven there had been nor never will there be anyone else for her.

William on the other hand was thinking how wonderful it was to be working with a woman whom he not only loved deeply but professionally she was extremely intuitive, intelligent, and manipulative. The last adjective he used because she had manipulated him for years. So much so that he was manipulated into having fallen deeply in love with her.

They smiled at one another and clasped their hands hanging between them.

"I missed waking up with you this morning, William," Eliza said softly looking up at him. She pulled him closer and stroked his bearded cheek with bent fingers her hand landing on the back of his neck. "Hopefully soon we will be together every morning."

In response, William bent down and lifted Eliza in his arms wrapping them almost completely around her twice. He could feel her heartbeat so close to his own, which always accelerated when close to her. He buried his nose in her neck and said in a low muffled voice, "God Eliza I missed your warmth beside me."

He rose his head from Eliza's sweet-scented neck and looked at her so intensely. Her face and body were so close to his. His lips found hers in a deep kiss. Their tongues touching causing the fire to flare as it always did when they were together.

Eliza had captured William's face in both her hands and kissed him back so deeply. She could feel herself being carried someplace. Suddenly she heard and saw between kisses most of the paperwork on William's desk take flight and land everywhere.

"I hope nothing of value was on there," She smiled as she mentioned it to him

William eyed her intently and placed her on the desk where he noticed she licked her lips in anticipation. She pulled him to her and undid the button of his trousers and brought down his suspenders. She tugged at his shirt and undid his buttons rewarded that he was bare to her touch underneath. Eliza had removed her gloves upon entering his office so her bare hands ran on his body, his chest rising and falling with his deep breathing. She even moved her touch lower under his shorts encountering his warmth which radiated from him. William abruptly rewarded her with a smirk and a catch in his breath. He found her mouth again with his.

While she fondled him, William had raised her skirts.

"I knew you were a smart woman. No underthings," William panted as he knelt down and placed his face between her thighs. He loved loving Eliza in this intimate way. He loved feeling her moisten for him. He tongued at her tender clitoris and heard her swift intake of breath as his beard intentionally prickled at the inside of her thighs.

Finally, William rose and positioned himself in front of her. He was so hard with need of her that Eliza quickly moved him into position. His initial thrust was hot and hard.

"Oh my God, William!" Eliza whispered urgently wrapping her legs around his middle and her hands on his shoulders. Her hands were in his hair and his mouth was at her neck as he continued to thrust into her. They achieved a rhythm so hard that both gasped for air. Eliza wanted to cry out in her ecstasy but this time she had remembered they were supposed to be conducting business in his office and anyone could walk in at any time.

"Eliza!"

"Shh…William.."

"I don't care anymore," he said and kissed her waiting one delicious moment before emptying himself into her folds. At their final joint orgasm, they simply breathed in each other and looked into each other's eyes. Eliza was so spent that her head fell onto William's shoulder. His firm grip had not lessened in the few moments since climaxing. His panting slowed and he laid his own head on Eliza's back. He murmured "I love you" until they both came back down to earth.

William was buttoning his shirt and Eliza was discreetly replacing her underthings when there was a knock on the office door. Motioning to Eliza to hurriedly pick up the papers and put them back on his desk, William opened the door to find Phelps standing outside his door. Phelps was a married man and presumably loved his wife once so, perhaps, he would not ask any questions.

"Duke," Phelps said oddly waving to Eliza who had just replaced her hat and sat in the corner of the room.

"Hello Detective Phelps," Eliza said motioning with her hand. "It's a little warm in here, don't you think?"

William had to turn his head and smile at her trying hard not to burst out laughing.

"I suppose so," Charlie Phelps responded looking perplexed.

"What did you need, Charlie?" William asked when he was sure he would not ask with a big smile on his face.

"I just received a message from the penitentiary from Algernon. He says there have been some strange happenings recently and he felt they were pertinent to Mr. Nash's case."

"Thanks, Charlie. We'll check them out."

Charlie left and William closed the door.

"Well, you ready to go?"

"You're allowing me to go to the penitentiary with you?" Eliza asked incredulously. "I thought you were totally against any women, let alone your fiancée enter that place."

"I know you've seen prisons before. Besides I'm not taking my eye off you after that remark," William said with a smile.

"Well, let's go!" Eliza said excitedly.

"It's amazing to me how your mind changes so fast," William stated as he grabbed his coat and shut his office door behind her.