HI Folks! Well, Eliza and William did not part well at their first meeting in over 20 years, but Fitzroy and his wife will affect another meeting on the dance floor. Hopefully this one will lead to better circumstances. Thank you for sticking with this story and Happy New Year! Love-Carebearmaxi

Honorable Mention

Chapter 5

Let's Dance

It was about halfway through the evening when the dinner had been served and eaten and the ceremonies had just finished when dancing began. Fortunately, Francesca Fitzroy headed the committee for annual events which for her always included dining and dancing. When asked, she always recalled that was how she fell in love with Oliver almost nineteen years ago. She was a romantic at heart and she was always trying to play Cupid whether she was asked or not.

In this case, the auburn haired beauty who was in her late forties and barely carried a line on her face, floated over to Eliza on the dance floor.

"Eliza, I know I am going to probably get beaten over the head about this, but Oliver has asked me if you would be kind enough to offer his friend a dance."

Addressing, Alexander, Jr., Francesca asked, "You do not mind if some one steals your mother away temporarily? Julietta is looking forlorn and is longing for you to ask her to dance."

Alex, Jr. looked over to the wall where the ladies were seated and noticed the youngest and prettiest Fitzroy daughter not dancing.

"Oh I do see her over there. Well, I have no problem dancing with Julietta. You don't mind, mama?"

"Of course not, son, go enjoy yourself. I will suffer poor trodden feet because the Fitzroys are old friends. Thank you, sir, for putting up with your mother. Your father would be proud of you. He didn't like these events much either."

Kissing his mother's hand, Alex, Jr. sped off on his journey to Julietta Fitzroy.

Smilingly, Eliza turned from seeing her son meet up with Julietta. She watched as he led her to the floor for a waltz. Momentarily, she thought a waltz a little too mature of a dance for such young ones but she had to remember that Alexander, Jr. actually liked these types of outings and what better way for him to meet a potential wife.

You're thinking like a mother dowager again, Eliza! She said to herself.

Then just as she lifted her head expecting to see some older, doleful, looking man with a huge paunch, her eyes lifted and met those of William Wellington. William was three years older than Eliza and had always been an athletically well built man with broad shoulders, long legs and a well-proportioned waist and hips. His handsome face at rest would many times look like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was a Scotsman so brooding was just part of his heritage. However, when he smiled his face lit up and his blue eyes twinkled.

To Eliza, he had not changed. He was still well built and proudly held himself erect, however, his dark brown hair was thinning on top where it was once thick and curly and had gone gray near his ears and forehead as well as his beard which was showing signs of white. He was beginning to look like an old, distinguished gentlemen in his middle age.

"William? I should have guessed Francesca was putting us together," Eliza said as she placed her hand in William's and they took the floor.

"Is that a bad thing?" William wondered as he twirled her in his arms. He could feel Eliza's gown brush his legs from the velocity.

"No, not at all. I was afraid she was wanting me to dance with Lord Elster over there. He's an old family friend but he talks one's ear off and has the worst breath," Eliza said amused. She was happy to look up into William's face and see him smile. Their conversation earlier had ended so badly.

"If it makes you feel any better, Oliver came to me and asked me to dance with someone he knew. I thought he was going to ask me to dance with his ninety-year-old maiden aunt with whom I had to humor all through dinner."

Eliza smiled and laughed as William led her in the waltz.

"I've forgotten what a wonderful dancer you are, William," Eliza said. "My husband was not a dancer, but when he did I felt like I was in a military parade or something."

"Eliza! Are you speaking ill of your dead husband?" William asked sarcastically. His thoughts were telling him that all had not been happy in the Blake marriage.

"Not really. He just did not like to dance. You should have seen him a few years ago at Sophia's wedding. The father/daughter dance was a disaster. Alex, Jr. had to finish it up for him."

"I'm sorry, Eliza."

"I suppose your wife never had a reason to complain…Ellen?" Eliza asked.

"I wouldn't know. She didn't complain to my face."

"I would have thought one of your children would let something like that slip just for fun."

"Maybe, but I didn't ask them. Of course as far as dancing is concerned I've been doing a lot of practicing lately for Cami's wedding."

"Oh, I understand now. You always danced well, William. I still remember our monthly dinners. It took some coercion but I did manage to get you on the dance floor," Eliza said looking up into his face expecting a rejoinder for mentioning their one-time monthly dinners.

William's grip around Eliza's waist suddenly became tighter as he pulled her to himself a little closer.

"I haven't forgotten those monthly dinners, Eliza," he whispered in her ear. "I got a real kick out of your coercing me to the dance floor."

Eliza was suddenly uncomfortable in William's arms. The feelings of needing him and wanting him fought with the feelings of propriety as if she was not a widow of a year's time.

Those long repressed feelings which had barely surfaced when William was a regular occurrence in her world and permanently put away when he remained in America suddenly became intense. She shied away from staring up at his handsome face and those lips that she still remembered kissing the night he told her he was leaving because he loved her.

I should have bedded him then. Maybe we would be celebrating an anniversary tonight instead of a friend's promotion. Maybe his children and my child would have been our children. Eliza thought as she absorbed the look in his blue eyes and the serious mouth which she was itching to kiss again.

Originally Eliza's repressed sexual needs and desire for William was acknowledged during the year where the only physical company William and Eliza had were their pens and stationery, and once Eliza married Blake those feelings of love, want, and loss were put away forever in a place where they were never intended to be acknowledged again. The reason: Eliza had married a man because it was better than not being married. Her example how not to wind up old and alone was Mrs. Parker who had been Eliza's sounding board, believe it or not, when Alexander proposed to her after a year's courtship.

This meeting suddenly being fully held in William's arms breathing in his wonderful masculine musky scent that she remembered only heightened any need or want on Eliza's part. It brought back all those times that she regretted she had not responded better to his little touches of affection or the fact that the man kept her safe and would put his life and job on the line for her.

"William, do you want to go somewhere to be alone to talk?" Eliza breathily asked looking up at him. The music had stopped and the moment had caught them both in the middle of the dance floor looking at one another like the years had fallen away and they were those young old friends again sharing a night out together.

William seeing desire in her eyes was not sure at this point if he wanted to reveal all he was feeling for her. He had to be sure this time that she wanted him and not just out of loneliness because of being a widow for the last year but because it was him whom she loved. For him, there had been no question. Yes, he had been lonely since his wife's death not that he had not had offers both legitimate and illegitimate; and, yes, William had loved his wife very differently than loving Eliza as Eliza was his fire and his whole being had always been swept up with her. She owned a part of him that Ellen knew could not be touched. Ellen said before she died that William had been a wonderfully good husband and that she was glad she had the parts of William that she had had.

"William, I know you still love Eliza. This doesn't mean I'm bitter about our life that we've had, but I know that if you could do it all over you would have gone to her and built a life with her. So, if you want, feel free to seek her out and see if she still wants you. Know that I loved you, darling, and our family. You were the best husband a woman could have wished for. Do not live alone the remainder of your life. I'm sure the children realize you need another." I love you my darling William – Ellen."

Those were the words she had written in a letter to William which was given to him upon her death by her lawyer brother, Lawrence.

So, the sentiments of Ellen's last letter to William and his invitation from Fitzroy to witness this ceremony caused William to board a ship and sail back to London. Little did he know that he would be holding the love of his life in his arms and wanting to carry her to the nearest bed to finally have what he had desired most of his young adult life. His heart was in excruciatingly beautiful pain. His feelings were agonizingly close to the surface. He felt the same yearnings and desire in her as well. Eliza never had a poker face no matter what she thought of herself. She wanted him now as surely as he wanted her. Surely, she would not hurt and reject him again.

"Yes," William said quietly. He took her hand and they both ran to an alcove next to the large dining room. In this room, which was also dimly lit, had contained cloaks, shawls, and hats which would be retrieved later once the participants wanted to return home.

"I don't think this would be a good place either," William remarked seeing the frequency of the attendants and patrons entering and leaving.

"I know where we can go, "Eliza said as she pulled William's hand for him to follow her.

She lifted her long beige skirt with one hand and pulled William along with the other.

"I used to frequently come to this hotel sometimes while I was married to Alexander. I also investigated a couple of cases here, so there is a free room which they keep locked on special occasions," Eliza told him.

William did not say anything just trusted that Eliza as he willingly followed.

They walked up to a beige painted door with a gold filigree 94 bolted to it.

"Is this the empty room?" William asked.

"Yes, it is," Eliza said as she tried the door and found it locked.

As William was turning away to see if anyone was looking at them, Eliza somehow had opened the door.

"How did you do that?" William wondered.

Eliza held up her picking lock instruments.

"I'm not asking where you had those concealed," William remarked as he knew she had come up here with no bag or pouch.

"I have had occasion to need my instruments and not been able to carry my bag," Eliza said as she kicked the door closed behind her with one satin shoed foot.

William began to kiss her bare neck as Eliza's hair was upswept in the back. The few tendrils tantalized his desire. Her beautiful neck was just begging to be touched.

Feeling her own needs controlling her movements, Eliza whispered, "Just a minute," as she hung a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the outside doorknob and relocked the door.

She turned fiercely at that moment and standing on her toes kissed William with a fervor that she had not felt for more than twenty years.

"Eliza," William said before his mouth fell on hers. This was not the chaste kiss of goodbye that they had shared that rainy March night long ago but a kiss of passion that they should have had a lifetime of sharing. William deepened the kiss and his tongue touched her teeth as hers touched his. They momentarily separated breathlessly with lingering kisses full of passion.

"William" Eliza pleaded as William's kisses burned her skin as they progressed down her neck. She was pressed so hard against his body that she could feel his unmistakable need plunging into her stomach. She kissed him back just fervently as he kissed her.

"I want you, " was about all she could manage to say. William stopped his hands in their wanderings of her body resting on her buttocks and his lips for one minute to stare down into the blue wells of her eyes. His mouth was partially open ready to continue the journey his lips had started. When Eliza saw him smile a wicked smile.

"Show me," he invited her. William swift thoughts acknowledged that she must have been waiting to make love to him as long as he had waited to make love to her.

Eliza smiled up at him. She kissed him and backed him up until the back of his knees hit the bed. He fell onto the bed and brought her with him. In a typical controlling Eliza way she rose and stood between his spread knees and kissed him and let her mouth trail kisses down his neck. She could feel the goosebumps as he shivered at her touch. His arms went around her and pulled her close. His lips mirrored hers. Soon they were tasting each other's skin.

"As enjoyable as this is, Eliza, what are we doing? We're a little old to be caught in the middle of making love," William asked softly pulling away to see the truth in her face.

"Isn't this what you want, William? Isn't this what you always wanted for us?" Eliza stopped. She still had her arms around his neck and she reached in for a soft kiss this time which William willing obliged.

"Yes, I have always wanted this for us, but I think we have some talking to do," William said.

Eliza pulled away and sat on the bed next to him. They were both a bit disheveled with their passions escaping from them.

"You're right, of course, William."

They both sat in silence for a few minutes just holding hands. Every so often their eyes would meet and both would reach in for a short kiss.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" William wondered looking at Eliza.

"I owe you an answer since I think I know what you are going to ask me," Eliza responded.

"Why did you marry Blake when you refused me? From what I understand from Fitzroy he was staunchly by the books Inspector Detective and then Chief Detective."

"Yes, Alex was when it came to my work. I was never allowed to procure or be paid to work with Scotland Yard. It didn't seem fair to him."

"He did know how good you are, right?"

"Yes, he did acknowledge it when he knew of my cases. We rarely worked together on anything. Not like when you were Inspector."

William laughed and looked away thoughtfully. His eyes came back to meet hers and he said, "That's because you shoehorned your way to most of my major cases."

"I did. I admit it..,now. How else was I to get exposure and attract clients?" Eliza wondered and smiled back at him.

"Was it better once Nash was in jail?"

"A little. I had made enough money to hire Clarence back."

"How is he?"

"He's good. He decided to go into straight accounting. His criminal record was washed clean with a statute of limitations."

"Funny that. So is that when Alex, Jr. began working with you?"

"Oh, don't get me started with that issue. My son wanted to work with me, but his father wanted him to go into the military and then become a policeman. Sophia's desire to be a private investigator was stronger than Alex, Jr.'s much to her father's dismay."

"So, Alex, Jr. became a private investigator and Sophia opted to get married and start a family?"

"Well, Alexander and I discussed Sophia but he pulled the "I'm her father and you're not her mother card".

"Am I safe to assume that Sophia became a private investigator for a time?"

"Oh yes, she pulled the "well mama is a private investigator and that didn't bother you."

"So, is she still working although you said earlier that you expect to be a grandmother?"

"Yes, I am happy to say that my stepdaughter is definitely following in my footsteps. She really wants to go into forensics, though."

"Impressive. No wonder she loves you."

Eliza laughed. "Loved. As I said earlier we've had this love/hate relationship since she was about 15 years old. I do not think it will ever be the same again as when she was eight."

"Mmm," was all William could utter.

After another few minutes wherein they squeezed each other's hands and kissed a few more soft kisses Eliza wanted to know about William's family.

"It's your turn now, William. You honestly did not think that I would let you go without asking you a million questions about your family. That is if it is not too painful to talk about?"

"No," William said shaking his head and looking away. He took a deep breath and kissed Eliza one more time on the lips and letting it linger almost like that long ago goodbye kiss.

"William," Eliza said noting the melancholy in his kiss. "You don't have to tell me. I can tell by the look on your face and knowing the good man you are that you did love your wife."

William turned and placed one leg on the bed and the other on the floor still holding Eliza's hand and looking into her face as he talked.

"I have a confession to make. I've been a widower for three years now, not one year as I told you, but you are right. I did love Ellen. I was not "in love" with her. She was a beautiful woman who only wanted to please me. I told her about you before we married and what we had shared growing up together and then working together and our almost and pull aways. Ellen realized that there was a part of me that could not be hers. It did not diminish anything with her because she was somewhat different than you."

"What did she look like?"

"She was tall. Almost as tall as me. She was dark opposed to your fairness. She was a bit more outspoken than you were, if you can believe it, but I think it was because she was an American and had three brothers and no sisters.

"But she loved you and she was willing to give you what you wanted from me."

"You weren't ready you told me in your letter. If I had told you that you needn't have worried about cooking meals and doing housework I still don't think you would have believed me. I thought at the time that you didn't love me enough although your last few letters to me told me that you did. I remember the letter that said, 'William, please come home. I miss you and I love you very much.' I still have it by the way as I have all your letters."

After a moment the curiosity was killing him, so looking at Eliza directly, he asked, "So, why did you marry Alexander Blake, Eliza?"

"Mrs. Parker and Ivy."

"Ivy I can understand why she would want you to marry Blake, but Mrs. Parker? I did not think you were on such intimate terms with her. By the way I gather they have both passed on by now?"

"Yes. Ivy died a few years ago after Barnabas. He caught pneumonia and never fully recovered and Ivy died working too hard between her office work as Alexander's personal assistant and being a mother to me and grandmother to Alex, Jr. Sophia protested that she didn't need another grandmother because hers was rich and spoiled her."

"Did she?"

"Yes. That's part of that love/hate relationship I keep mentioning."

Eliza squeezed William's hand and kissed him again. She looked away and then back at William.

"You know when Alex died last year, I did a lot of thinking and feeling. I did not love Alex. He loved me in his own way, but he was a good man and a good friend. I was tired of feeling alone in a room full of couples. Mostly everyone I knew was married and I did want to have at least one child before I died, so when Alexander proposed I said yes. A year after we were married, Alexander wanted a son to go with his daughter and I did want a child, so I agreed and then Alex, Jr. was born."

"You didn't have any other men ask you, Eliza? You are still the most beautiful woman I ever saw. No other offers?"

"No. Most men were intimidated by my intellect and my job. Everyone thought that Patrick would marry me from prison but that was definitely not our dynamic as you would know."

"He was one of the few men I knew who thought you were more intelligent than the police force," William said.

After a momentary silence William said with a chuckle, "And you were."

"I am still," Eliza laughed.

Eliza released William's hand and lay on the bed. After taking a reclined position, she reach out a hand to William.

"Join me? Please and hold me in your arms because I need you."

After another silent moment, William removed his dinner jacket and loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He obliged her then and lay down beside her. He took her into his arms.

Eliza lay with her one now ungloved hand resting on his chest and the other tucked between her body and his. She felt a warmth and a peace she had never known when she was married to Alexander Blake.

William sighed exhaling as he never had in all the years since he was 19 years old.