Hi Folks! Hope you're still with me. It seems that life is getting interesting for William and Eliza now in their venture to find Thomas. Here is the summary for this Chapter: The whole Wellington-Blake Family has arrived in England and are sitting in Police Commissioner Fitzroy's office at the beginning of the chapter. They had been specially summoned to go there before reporting home to Eliza's old house. While there they discover that the British Government has wormed their way into finding young Thomas Wellington and capturing the international smuggling operation. While there Ms Scot from the British Spy Organization is introduced to all except for Eliza who had encountered her many years before her marriage to Alexander Blake, Sr. She tells them apparently of their plan and how the Wellingtons/Blake will be used.
Afterwards they arrive home and unpack at Eliza's house. Sophia is very happy to meet her stepsister, Camille, glad to see her brother who does agree that William has made their mother very happy. William stepping into the bedroom that Eliza shared with Alexander during her marriage has some misgivings if Eliza still carried any good memories of their sex life in that room. Eliza does her best to comfort him before they all gather downstairs for an English High Tea.
Later, Eliza does her best to make new memories in her old bedroom with her new husband.
Honorable Mention
Chapter 19
Disguises and Disguised
William, Eliza, Alex, and Camille sat in Police Commissioner Oliver Fitzroy's office. They had just departed from the ship having received a message from the Captain's office the minute they boarded and checked in.
"Good to see you all arrived here safely. How was the voyage?" Oliver asked.
"It was fine. A little bumpy coming into port, but then it always is," William volunteered. He was agitated, worried, and anxious to get settled in for the search for Thomas.
"I'm sure you are wanting to know why you are here before you even get settled back at your house, Eliza."
"Yes. Obviously you wanted us here for some purpose, Oliver," Eliza volunteered.
Alex and Camille just looked at one another and remained silent.
"Let me just stay, Miss Wellington, it is wonderful to meet you at last. I feel I have known you and your brother all your life although this is the first time I have met you in person."
"That's very kind of you, Commissioner Fitzroy," Camille said graciously lowering her eyes and curtseying.
"Alex, it's good to have you back. Your father would be proud of you to know that you are using your skills to help find a fellow officer's son."
Alex simply nodded. "It's good to be back."
William shifted impatiently in his chair. Eliza placed a comforting hand on his arm and patiently looked at him. The irony was not lost on her and she was rewarded with a smile from William. He placed his hand over hers. He knew that she had remained positive throughout this ordeal and had worked just as hard as he had to discover Thomas' whereabouts.
"Eliza and William, let me introduce Miss Scott who works in his Majesty's Secret Service.
Eliza immediately popped from her chair. She had worked with Miss Scott previously, a very long time ago, before she had married Alexander Blake, Sr. "
"Oh! That's interesting," Eliza stated.
Oliver looked at her questioningly. "Why is that?"
"I worked with her a very long time ago before I married Alexander Blake."
"She must have been an agent then. She is now head of British Intelligence," Oliver volunteered.
Eliza looked at William. Alex, Jr. pat his mom on the shoulder and Camille just looked intrigued with the whole situation and the lengths that were being done by the British Government to find her brother.
"When did you work with her?" William asked wondering how in the world did she come in contact with British Intelligence that long ago. He wondered how she managed without his protection but she was here and now, so obviously she had had some support from her first husband before he was her husband.
William thought again. Maybe he did not really want to know so those old feelings of guilt did not arise because he did feel guilty for a long time after Eliza refused to emigrate to America and marry him. He lowered his eyes and then looked at his wife and smiled.
He beckoned her to come close. When Eliza's ear was within whispering distance, he said, "There's no need to elaborate on your association with Miss Scott. You're alive and here. That's all that really matters."
"Good. Because I really did not want to rehash a case from thirty years ago. If you really want to know, I am sure Clarence can find the file and he can fill you" in since he was held at gunpoint at the beginning of the case. Eliza had not mentioned that portion aloud to her husband.
As the door to the office opened, a senior middle aged woman of little above average height with salt and pepper hair dressed in a button-down blue dress with small polka-dots and lace at the neck entered.
"I am Miss Scot. Mrs. Wellington, I believe we met before."
Eliza nodded to acknowledge their previous acquaintance then Miss Scot shook hands with William, Alex, Jr, and Camille.
"Please sit," Miss Scot invited.
After everyone sat back in their seats, Miss Scott said that she had seen information run across her desk concerning the Scarleterri operations. She also was aware of the fact that Abercrombie was her husband and provided the transportation to the exotic places to gather the smuggled merchandise.
"It turns out that gemstones, precious metals, and diamonds are not the only thing where Scarleterri is involved. Apparently she is also involved in opium as well.
"Opium?" William questioned. "I was not aware of that. I was Police Commissioner of New York City until last year. If her company smuggled in opium we were not aware."
"It's possible. You may have been warned off or the American Government played no part. It seems that is what is happening here. The only reason why they are backing off at the moment is to catch them on American soil."
William becoming agitated stated, "Look, all I want is my son returned. He left us the clue as to the destination of the ship that he is on. I don't care if Scarleterri or Abercrombie or her left toe hangs as long as my son Thomas is returned safe!"
"William!" Eliza said. She stood as well and put a calming hand on his arm and brought him back to his seat.
"I agree with my husband. What is the plan? Let's get on with it!" Eliza stated now agitated in her own way.
"We have discovered that Abercrombie, himself, is berthed on his ship, The Loyola, and it is ready to leave for Port Nolloth, Africa to meet up with The Wild One when it arrives there in July. The only reason for this would be for a joint smuggling venture and then voyaging their way back to the United States for completion."
The Wellington-Blake family listened with undivided attention to the plan that British Intelligence had designed using basic civilians to help capture the heads of this highly unlawful family but also so they could get their missing child back to the fold.
The four of them finally arrived at Eliza's house and all was happiness as Sophia, plumped with pregnancy, met them at the door. Bernie was still at his office per Sophia but would joint them later for dinner.
The time was late afternoon just in time for tea which Sophia had set out.
"Oh Mama! I was so excited to see you and the family," Sophia hugged Eliza tightly. They separated far enough that Eliza could see her bulging baby bump.
"You look wonderful! How are you and Bernie getting on?" Eliza quickly asked.
"Mama, everything is wonderful!" Sophia said and then she moved onto William.
"Nice to see you, Sophia," William bent down to give her a hug and he was surprised at the intensity of her affection to him.
When they separated, Sophia looked up into William's kind face and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you for making mama so happy. I haven't seen her smile like that for a long time."
William simply nodded because he was speechless at how touching Sophia's statement was to him since her brother's initial introductions were so could. At least now it seemed that Alex's attitude toward him was changing.
"Now, I am sure you are all tired from your journey and then directly to the Police Commissioner's office, so Alex will act the host and take Camille's bags up to my old room."
Alex fought his way to greet his sister and said, "Mama looks wonderful, doesn't she?"
Sophia simply nodded and patted her tall brother's shoulder.
Camille was finally the last in line and was astonished to see that Sophia was dark haired and blue eyed like herself. She was not as tall as herself, but nonetheless you would have thought they had had the same parents.
Camille rushed into Sophia's arms as best she could with Sophia's burgeoning baby belly and patted it.
"Do you know, Camille, we could have been real sisters that we look so much alike," Sophia echoed Camille's thoughts placing her hand over stepsister's where it lay on her belly.
"I was thinking the same thing."
They both laughed in response and then Alex laughingly said, "Come on Cami. I'll show you to your room and put away your clothes!"
"Yes, that will not happen, I assure you brother."
Sophia watched and heard as her family trudged, banged, and laughed their way to their rooms. She stood at the bottom of the staircase and called up.
"Tea and scones in ten minutes! Don't be late! Mama and Alex know how much I love tea time!"
William followed Eliza into the bedroom that she had shared with her first husband.
"So this is it," he said as he looked around the spacious bedroom with the four poster bed draped with a floral printed duvet which matched the drapes of the long window. The walls of the room were wall papered in what was probably once plain white paper but with time grew to an off white like the color of old parchment.
"William?" Eliza asked turning around to see him stand in the doorway of the room with his suitcase in front of him.
"This is the bedroom you shared with Alexander's father."
"Yes. It was until almost two years ago now since he was killed." She put some of her clothes in a drawer. She shut the drawer and then looked at her current husband who should have always been her husband she momentarily thought. Giving him a sort of enigmatic look as she went into his arms.
"Surely, the fact that I shared this room with my first husband isn't bothering you?" Eliza asked looking up at him.
"Not the room, Eliza, the bed."
Eliza could not help smiling. She was not laughing at him, but she did understand him in more ways than she had ever understood Alexander Blake, Sr.
"Come on, William. The bed won't swallow you whole," Eliza coaxed taking his hand in hers and pulling him in the room.
"I'm sure we'll make our own memories in this room before we leave to go back to New York. "
"Do you still have memories of Blake when we are together?"
Eliza's mouth dropped in shock.
"William, how could you say that? I told you how things were between Alexander and myself. Believe me this room had no influence over our sex lives. Just as your two separate bedrooms had no influence over living in your house where you shared a life and children with Ellen."
"That was different. We stopped sleeping in the same bed for a long time before I found you again."
"Alex and I may have slept in the same bed up until the day he died but believe me there are some memories that are nice but for the most part I had not known what "making love" actually meant until we made love," Eliza said putting her arms around him and kissing him deeply.
William sighed deeply and kissed his wife back with passion, "Too bad Sophia likes her tea time because we could make new memories right now."
Eliza rubbed her head against William's whiskers and whispered, "Later, my love, I promise."
The family sat turning their spoons in their cups of tea. Camille had never participated in an English High Tea Service being a coffee drinker herself but she appreciated sitting around and discussing what the British Government had planned as Mission "Disguised and Disguises" aka capturing and closing of a huge smuggling operation and the return of Thomas Wellington.
"So, Camille, I'm sorry you won't be here with me. I was looking forward to your company whilst everyone else play spy. If I weren't in the family way, I'm sure this Miss Scot would find a role for me to play," Sophia said. She was envious but she was carrying the next generation of her father's legacy in her belly, so that was to be respected by all.
"I wish you could go," Camille confided. "I'm cut from a different cloth. Not that I couldn't play the spy or whatever. I have had plenty of training along with my brother, but I am more like my mother. I'd rather keep the home fires burning and only shoot a gun if necessary."
Alex interrupted Camille and said, "I think you will do just fine. I thought you played my fiancée perfectly and captured information that we used."
"Thank you, dear brother," Camille acknowledged with a chuckle.
"Do tell…." Sophia said excitedly.
As the young people were having their tea and talking enthusiastically about their upcoming mission, Eliza sipped her tea and noticed that William took his whiskey flask out of his jacket pocket and added small bit in his tea. He offered some to Eliza, but she refused.
"To take the chill off, " William said returning the flask to his jacket pocket.
"William, it is June," Eliza said and then continued after a sip of her own tea. "Maybe it's not so much the chillier air but the momentous fact of what we are trying to do," Eliza comforted.
"Maybe it's both. I just hope and pray that we haven't come on a fool's errand."
Eliza put her tea cup down on the low table in front of them. She placed a hand on his forearm and squeezed it. When he did not acknowledge her touch, she shook his arm to coax him to look at her.
"William, do you not think that Camille or you would instinctively know if something bad has happened to Thomas?"
"I know what you're saying, my love, but he's been gone a long time. Those clues and that timeline were done months ago."
Eliza nudged her husband to rise.
"Excuse us, children, we're going into the other room to talk," Eliza said.
Camille saw the look on her father's face and then Eliza smiled.
"It's all right," William said.
Camille, Sophia, and Alex all watched as William and Eliza climbed the stairs.
"I'm sure if it concerns us they will tell us later," Alex stated.
With that the three step siblings started their animated talk again.
Eliza practically pushed her reluctant husband into their temporary bedroom. She then shut and locked the door.
"All right, William, out with it."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I told you about my misgivings especially now how I see the British Government is involved."
"I know that's not everything that's bothering you since we arrived. You were so agitated coming into port this morning I thought I was going to have to pour whiskey down your throat to calm you."
William took a seat on the floral printed duvet. He sighed deeply.
"I can't believe I'm back here again six months after I left. Once I was gone for the second time I really did not want to return. I wanted to return myself to find Tom not drag my entire family into it."
"William, I know how protective you can be. We are all equipped to handle this mission. I know you don't trust the British Government, but I learned that if we do what they tell us plus maybe a little work on our own we shall all come out of this safely."
"You know, Eliza, you really should have joined the British Government as a spy. You would have been as high up now as Miss Scot," William said with a smile looking into those blue eyes that held him captive. He put both his arms around her as she sat on his knee.
Eliza nuzzled against his nose as he buried it in her neck. She had spritzed her neck with his favorite cologne a little faint lilac scent that was reminiscent of their shortened honeymoon. The scent which was a gift from him as he knew it was her favorite had permeated the sheets of the bed of the hotel where they had stayed that short night.
"Once maybe but it seems God or fate had other plans for me," Eliza said with a laugh and a smile. She put her forehead against his and her palm on his cheek as they smiled at one another. A long kiss followed this short brief dialog. Both William and Eliza sighed into each other as they kissed.
The late day sunshine was darkening the walls as the dim light filtered through the sheer panels covering the window. Eliza pulled on William's beard and kissed him again. This time deeply opening his mouth. She wound her arms around his neck and nibbled on his ear. He bent into it and shivered giving Eliza the opening she wanted to take it further. She had wanted him all day.
"You know. I did lock the door and that lock is particularly strong," Eliza whispered in William's ear. She gently blew the whiskers that lie there.
He chuckled. "Why, Mrs. Wellington, are you wanting to test it?" William stood with a smug smile on his face and took Eliza's hands in his and drew her to her feet.
"Yes, I thought you might want to relax since you're so tense," Eliza said. She unpinned her hair and William helped pull it around her shoulders. He undid the buttons of her long sleeve blouse and pulled it away.
"You are always such a wonder to me. I never get tired of doing that," William said softly as he bit his lip.
"Your turn, love," Eliza responded batting her eyelids as she helped William shrug out of his jacket. After it dropped to the floor, she leaned against him and undid the cravat placing the ornate tie pin on the nightstand.
"Wouldn't want you to lose this," she said as she wiggled it in her fingers at him.
"No, considering you gave it to me when we married," William chuckled and kissed her fingers before she placed the filigree with pearl in the center tie pin down on the table.
He was quickly undoing the buttons, but Eliza brushed his hands away and undid the buttons of his shirt.
"No, my love, this is my favorite part."
She undid the buttons and as she did she kissed every bit of skin down to his navel. Letting his skin there warm her lips. She could feel his hands massage her shoulders sending pleasurable chills down her spine. In response she reached down and undid his trousers for which he had undone the suspenders. As she ran her hand down she could feel his hardness.
"Poor boy. Have you been this uncomfortable all day?" Eliza asked playfully smiling up at him.
William threw his head back and stayed her hand and then guided her to gently cupping him. As he moved her fingers over his erection, he undid the pants button pulling his underwear with him.
Eliza allowed his length to come out at her. She held him for just a minute as she got on her knees and licked the top of his erection tasting the liquid which had escaped.
William took the back of his hand and gently stroked Eliza's face as he watched her take him into her mouth and then back out. He got to his knees then and looking into those blue eyes that at one time he thought he would never see again gently removed the rest of her clothes.
When they were completely naked and the room was dark with only the street lamp bringing in the light, he swept Eliza up into his arms and placed her gently while kissing her onto the bed.
There was no discernible light in the room, but Eliza and William were instinctively visible to one another having loved each other a lot in the last six months since their marriage.
"I'm surprised you see me in the dark, William," Eliza chuckled as she guided him down to her entrance.
"I would know your body anywhere, Eliza. I've seen every inch of your skin and I love it all."
Reaching over to the nightstand, Eliza picked up a small clear bottle of liquid. In the small light of sunset in the room, the liquid shone gold.
William kissed his way back up toward Eliza's lips ready to thrust into her. With a serious mouth and eyes that traveled all over her, William closed his eyes and kissed her playing with her tongue and allowing his tongue to wash her mouth.
"Darling," Eliza said kissing little punctuated kisses as his lips travel down her neck. She held the bottle aloft.
"Darling," Eliza said in a sing song voice. This was vital as she felt ready but knew she needed him to do something before the final act.
"Yes, love," William said as he momentarily stopped his trailing kisses and looked at her.
"Before you do your thing, would you like to make it easier?"
William said, "How?"
Eliza kissed him and handed him the small vial.
"Ah! I wondered what that little bottle was all about when I saw you unpack it."
"Just a few little strokes with that or I can stroke you with it. It has a wonderful scent and it feels glorious."
"I'll take care of it," William whispered and taking the bottle from her hand he scooted down Eliza's body laying kisses on her stomach and breasts as he did. He finally arrived at the point of entry and opened the bottle. He took his finger and tipped the bottle just enough so that his finger became oily. The room was filled with a pleasant faint musky rose scent.
"Hurry, William," Eliza implored him as she could see only the dark silhouette of him doing as she wanted.
Eliza swift intake of breath made William harder still. She watched as he stroked himself with a dab before stroking his wife with another long slow stroke from her clit to her bottom of her labia. Eliza rose up and leaned on her arms spreading her legs even wider.
She took the small vial from his hand and reaching back managed to place it back on the table.
William pushed her back down on the sheet with his body and this time her entry was so slick that his first thrust was deep. He put his hands in hers and they laced their fingers as he thrust again.
"William this is incredible," Eliza murmured. She squeezed his fingers laced within hers so tightly.
He undid his fingers from hers and touched her face and kissed it. He pumped faster and harder. The bed creaked and both of them had to encourage each other to cry out quietly as the children were still about.
Faster, harder, until William felt his release inside her. Eliza gasped and laughed. They lay on top of one another until William finally had to roll over on his side of the bed.
Both gasped in delight and laughed.
"What was that stuff?"
"It's called Elixir of Egypt," Eliza said laughing. "It's some type of rose oil combination. Ladies of a certain age sometimes have trouble with making an easy path for their lovers to follow."
"That's putting it politely. Was I hurting you before?" William wondered. The last thing he wanted was to hurt his wife while they made love.
"No…"
"You should have told me. I could have helped you," William insisted.
Eliza reached up to William as he sat back on the headboard his bottom half covered by the sheet and kissed him turning his face to herself as she lovingly kissed his lips over and over.
"It's a wife's problem if she wants to go on loving her husband and be sure he doesn't find a woman younger and more…" Eliza could not find the right correct word.
"Greasy?" William offered laughing.
Eliza smiled at her husband's coarseness. She always loved his sense of humor and since sharing his bed she liked it even more.
"I guess you could say that," Eliza laughed as she laid her head on his stomach.
They lay like that for a few minutes and then Eliza broke the silence with a question.
"William."
"Yes, my incorrigible lover and wife."
"Do you feel we have dispelled any remaining ghosts in this room?"
"Mmmm. At least one or two," he said realizing to what his wife referred.
Just then, there was a knock on the bedroom door.
"Huh, lovebirds, it's time for dinner. Sophia has made a lovely meal," Camille sarcastically quipped through the locked door.
"Thank you, Cami," William called from the bed. "We'll be down shortly."
Eliza looked up at William from where her head lay on his stomach.
"I guess that's our cue," William said motioning to get out of bed. He nudged her blonde tressed head with his thigh.
"Relaxed yet?" Eliza asked off handedly as she rose from the bed holding the sheet to her breasts.
William smile and wrested the sheet from his wife's fingers seeing her smile as he did it.
"Just a little. Maybe we can do some more relaxing later."
"Oh my incorrigible, delicious lover and husband," Eliza said using his words back to him. "I'm sure we can find an hour or two."
"