HEY FOLKS! Merry Christmas! Here's an update of this second chance fic for Eliza and William. Here we see William's real reason for being back in London and some other character which I have brought back. Let me know your thoughts and comments! Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it! Love Carebearmaxi
Honorable Mention
Chapter 4
Another Chance Meeting
William waited around the side of the building waiting for his emotions to calm after seeing and speaking with Eliza Scarlet-Eliza Scarlet Blake-the woman for whom he would protect, love, and move the earth for if she asked. He watched from a place where he knew he would be out of Eliza's view. He saw her quick departure and abrupt stop from the café. He noticed she looked for him, but years of field work had conditioned him to knowing how to stay out of site. He watched as she wiped tears away from her eyes. He could never stand to see her cry. When they were more or less friends he rarely saw her cry. When he left that rainy March night, he noticed there was shock on her face but no tears. He eagerly awaited for her to respond to him but she took three weeks to even write a letter she was so angry with him.
William wanted so badly to reveal himself, take her into his arms, and kiss the tears away. He was resisting the urge when he watched her raise her chin and determinedly walk in the direction of her office to work…presumably with her…son.
William looked up in the sky. It had suddenly turned cloudy and gray. He crouched as best as his worn-out knees would let him. He massaged his tired eyes between pinched thumb and forefinger. He wanted to believe that she still loved him. The fire in her eyes had briefly returned when she had said how much she had loved him but decided her career was more important. He retaliated to her questions regarding his wife. He had lied when he said she had died only a few months ago. She died three years ago leaving him with children who had grown up never knowing a beating nor a harsh word.
He had mourned his wife. She had loved him well. He felt regret that he could never bring her a full passionate heart. Ellen, like Arabella, before her, knew all about Eliza, though sight unseen, and how much of a grip she had on his heart and soul. Unlike Arabella, Ellen accepted William because Eliza was across the sea. Even if he could not love her as he loved Eliza, she knew William was a good man and he deserved a loving wife and a family that he could love. William had married Ellen in good faith, and she had been a wonderful wife and he, in turn, was always there for her when she needed him. The same with his children.
Regarding Eliza and what he told her; the statements were true. At that moment, he wanted to hurt her as she had hurt him, so he told her harshly what type of husband he would have been if she had only chosen him instead of staying in this country for her career. He wanted her to regret what she missed because he could tell that although she married (as he thought she would eventually) and it had not seemed a miserable life, but a life that William felt could have been even better if they had walked that journey together.
Her son, Alexander, resembled her in face and color of eye. His tall lankiness must have been from his father but also the massive light brown curly hair. Mother's pride was in her voice and manner when she introduced Alex, Jr. to him. A private detective like his mother. I am surprised he did not become a copper William thought. Scotland Yard thrives on nepotism. Blake became Superintendent probably a year after I had taken the permanent position as Chief. William calculated. The last thing I wanted was for my son and daughter to yearn for private investigation or law enforcement as a profession. It was hardly gratifying if you craved that, and it was dangerous. It had not been two years since William had been shot again. This time in the other shoulder and thigh. That just goes to show that even the Chief of NY's Finest is not immune to gun toting criminals.
His thoughts dwelled on his own children. My son, Thomas, had been so proud to become a policeman and at age 25 he has received commendations for meritorious service twice. It looks like partiality because I am Chief but he has earned both of them.
My daughter, Cami, brunette like her elder brother but with the massive curls of which now I possess only a remnant is to marry next year when her man returns from the army but in the meantime at 24 she is educated and, though would love to be a PI or a cop, has settled for becoming a teacher like her mother.
The wind blew again hastening William's decision to remain crouched around the side of the café. Eliza, Eliza, Eliza was all his inner voice called out to him. She had always had that effect on him. His life had revolved around her despite what he had told her once a long time ago. To push it away from his daily thoughts and actions, the effort took a year's separation, a promotion like no other, a marriage, and fatherhood to put it somewhere else. He thought he would be immune if he should encounter her again while he was back in London. Wrong. Seeing her and talking with her brought all those yearnings and needs to the front of his heart.
Oh Eliza, the feelings are still there. I still hurt from your rejection all those years ago. You seemed to have had a good marriage, and you have a stepdaughter and a son. You also say you will soon be a grandmother. You also never stopped working. I can imagine it. Knowing you heavily pregnant and worming your way through a sticky situation. I hope Alexander Blake will have protected you like I would. I guess he did, or you would have gotten yourself killed. You always were fearless except when it came to being with me. Maybe if you had come to be with me, we could have opened an agency and worked together. We were a good team, and I repeatedly told you are a very good detective. I just hope you were appreciated for who you are and not just a convenience for Blake. I never took you for being a woman to marry the hierarchy. You always saw my side when I explained to you how it worked. You knew, though, I'm sure, although your father probably never told you the half of it. I'm sure your husband was fully accepted. From what I read he had been an ex-military man and had reformed many precincts in his own way. Pity they never let me do what I had planned.
Oh well, no regrets William. Maybe there's still a little time for us to be together.
William raised his head, sighed and took a deep breath. Then he rose with some difficulty due to some locked knees from his position. He looked at his watch and realized he would be late for the special ceremony that he had promised his old friend and protégé Fitzroy that he would attend. The real reason he had returned back home to London.
A few hours later, William found himself in a big hotel ballroom. This ball was like the policemen's ball back home in New York. The room was filled with gold decorations and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There was a dining room for eating and a dais erected for the ceremonies William thought.
He had never actually attended a Policemen's Ball here in London. During those times, he usually was having a drink at the bar brooding about the work that had to be done, playing a game of cards, working, or having a quiet drink with Eliza at her home. He never felt comfortable with all those pompous ex-military officers with their large cigars and fawning wives and daughters.
This was different for him, though. Oliver Fitzroy, now 51, had been a young man whom William had taught and groomed had finally made Commissioner. Fitzroy's father, one of those pompous ex-military men whom William detested because their positions were handed to them without merit, had long since retired; apparently over some scandal decades ago and there had been no real replacement. From what Oliver had told him in the invitation, he had finally been asked to follow tradition and ascend to that throne. Fitzroy finally feeling worthy after working tirelessly to become a good detective under William's tutelage continually earned his positions through the ranks finally attaining this highest position in the police force. William was all too pleased to write to Oliver to say that he would never miss the opportunity to see him take that position and participate in the night's celebrations.
"William, Chief Wellington," Oliver called from the doorway upon spotting him.
"Fitzroy," William said shaking Oliver's hand and then giving him an awkward hug. Oliver was always an affectionate guy and William did not mind. He had not seen his friend in over twenty years although they had written back and forth notating the major milestones of their lives.
"William, let me introduce my wife, Francesca Fitzroy," Oliver said as William took his wife's hand and bowed his head in acknowledgment.
"Francesca, this is my mentor and dear friend of whom I have to thank why I feel worthy to take the Commissioner's position, William Wellington," Oliver finished.
"It is good to finally meet you, Mrs. Fitzroy," William stated.
"I was sorry to hear of your wife's passing a few years ago, Chief Wellington." Francesca said in her well educated modulated voice. "How are your children faring? I understand they were very close to their mother."
William made a face. "Thank you, Mrs. Fitzroy. Ellen was a special person to all of us but Thomas and Camille are faring well now. How are children?" William asked making small talk with Francesca Fitzroy when, of course, he heard and spotted that Eliza Scarlet Blake and her son Alexander Blake, Jr. had arrived.
Oliver noticed the look on William's face and told his wife he had spotted her best friend Carolyn Price and reminded her she needed to arrange some garden party with her. Francesca acknowledged her husband's lookout skill and begged her pardon but she did need go chat with her.
William politely took leave of Francesca and said to Oliver, "There was no need to do that. I saw Eliza."
"Yes, Eliza is here. She's going to be invited to these types of affairs especially now as her late husband was supposed to be the one taking the Police Commissioner's position but, as you know, he was killed. He was shot by an intruder and died when Eliza arrived before the ambulance.
William eyed Oliver uncomfortably and said, "I only just discovered this afternoon that Eliza married my successor and is now widowed by him."
Oliver looking incredulous at the fortitude of his mentor said, "I know that you and she never married, but I thought you had kept up the friendship at least. "
"No. Once I left London for New York and was offered my position, Eliza declined my offer of marriage and all correspondence ceased. She and I agreed it hurt too much."
"I hope she had least wished you well in your promotion and was happy for you."
"Yes, she did. That was the end of it. Until today, I thought I had forgotten the sound of her voice or her beauty…" William said in a gradual lowering of volume.
"I apologize, William, I never knew that had happened at all. Blake was not a very social man even in social circumstances. After Eliza and he married every case she would work was private. Blake did not like private investigators, male or female. He never used his own wife's agency and he absolutely forbade her from procuring work from Scotland Yard. If our paths crossed organically that was different. However, we never crossed paths much after they were married. As a matter of fact, I thought she had stopped working to be a mother to Sophia and then gave birth to their son."
"She didn't, though, did she?" William questioned while he watched her talking to some of the younger officers that she probably only knew from being Blake's wife.
Oliver noted the disgruntled look on his friend's face and the harsh tone of his voice when he asked questions. Oliver had always suspected there was more to his friend and Eliza's relationship than met the eye. He always knew they loved each other. One had to be deaf, dumb and blind not to see the way they interacted and gazed at one another and the fierce protection that William put Eliza under not to have realized that they had been deeply in love with each other.
"No, sir, she didn't." Oliver said. "Detective Blake was a good man but he was very different from you, sir."
William sniffed a laugh and said, "Stop calling me 'sir', Oliver. We are equals."
"I apologize. I forgot she would be here when I invited you."
William smiled. "It's nothing really. It gives me a reason to apologize for leaving our little meeting earlier today so abruptly."
"There is dancing a little later, Francesca could not stand a party without it, so maybe you can be her partner later."
"Thank you, Fitzroy. We'll see."
Oliver noted the glint in William's eyes ever since he saw Eliza walk in the room. He hoped that they could recoup their lost chance at love.
When Oliver returned to his wife at the table where they now sat ready to eat dinner, he relayed a little of his discussion with William to Francesca who now seeing proof firsthand of what her husband mentioned, namely, the longing looks from William to Eliza and Eliza to William, she remembered what Oliver had told her of them through the years. At that time as now, she promised she would do anything she could to get Eliza and William at least be in the same room.