Victorian Love (closed)

[Hard_Rom]

"Why should we keep our relationship non-sexual?" Henry says, "As long as we are careful." "I myself will be leaving after New Years. It may be several weeks before you can join me in Chatham. We should try enjoy our time together as much as possible, I think."

"Safely chaperoned by your brother, you should be accepting invitations out in the hope we can be alone together."

"But I would recommend the Epsom salts."

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

Ellie continued to sip at her drink. "What if things don't workout for us? What if I do end up married to Cedric? He will know that something happen between me and someone. You'll be safe but I won't be." She carefully sat down "How can you not be worried about all the what ifs Henry?"

 

[Hard_Rom]

"Many a maidenhead has been lost from horse riding. And at least you will have the satisfaction of him not being the first," Henry says, "I would hope that Cedric is not stupid enough to badly beat a Lord's daughter. Wife of his or not." "I suspect he will just be a plain selfish boor more than a brute."

"And all that presupposes you will have to marry him."

"I prefer to think on the what if our plan works," he continues, "You and me together. Being together, seeing one another, loving one another and working on a plan to be together properly as man and wife."

"That is what you want too, is it not?"

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"Yes, it is what I want. I want to be with you, I want to be your wife." Ellie said putting her glass down "I love you. It's just that this is all really scary. If something goes wrong then we both end up in a lot of trouble. We will both be ruined and I don't want to be the reason your life falls apart. I couldn't live with myself."

 

[Hard_Rom]

Henry sits beside her and puts his hand comfortingly on her knee.

"My father and Jimmy both say," Henry answers, "That you're nae in trouble till yer get caught." "So lets nae get caught."

"Now what shall we do. Shall we find Richard, play some snooker and maybe drink a bit too much? Or should we take a few minutes first, hide behind the bookshelves and make love? Or shall we sit here and worry about what if?"

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"Let's go find Richard. Maybe a few drinks will help me take my mind off of things." She said getting up and taking her glass once again. "Perhaps there will be some time later to spend longer than a few minutes together..."

 

[Hard_Rom]

"Later your father and aunt shall have returned. And Richard's orders to the servants to leave us alone will no longer stand. But it would help set your brother's mind at ease, if you appeared somewhat cheered up."

He tops up both their drinks and offers Ellie his hand to rise up. Henry gives her a little kiss and squeezes her hand reassuringly before releasing it. He goes to the library doors, a servant is down the hall.

"Have Lady Darlington's brother meet us in the billiards room, if he is not already there," he asks the man.

Henry walks with Ellie the short distance to the billiards room. Richard is already there, playing snooker by himself with a large brandy for company. He looks up with a smile as the two walk in.

"Feeling better, Ellie?" he asks.

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"A little..." Ellie said walking in and taking a long sip of her drink. "I'm sorry I worried you. I know I'm quite a handful at times..." Looking at Richard she desperately wished she could tell him about Henry and herself. It would be nice to have just one person on her side, someone who knew about her secret. "I hope I haven't embarrassed you too much in front of your guest."

 

[Hard_Rom]

Richard laughs and gives Ellie a brotherly kiss on the cheek.

"No, my dear little sister," he says, "You have not."

"I'll tell you something embarassing," he continues, "The entire time Henry had his hands in my guts pulling out pieces of shrapnel, I cried like a little girl and screamed for mother." "When you see your whole life or what you expected from life draining or slipping away, a bit of a tantrum and some crying is quite exceptable."

"Am I correct, my good Doctor," he asks Henry.

"Quite right," Henry replies, "It is those who lay back and give up that die." "Although, I must say, you denigrate little girls by comparing the emotional scene you put on while I sewed your guts back up."

Richard response with mock anger and tosses Henry a billiards cue.

"You have insulted a peer and a war hero, Sir. Defend yourself!"

Suddenly a sword fight with pool sticks breaks out as Richard and Henry duel each other around the billiards table. And all without spilling their drinks.

From the sound of servants moving about, it would seem that Lord Darlington and Lady Addling have returned. A servant brings a note and gives it to Ellie.

"Lady Darlington,
I would be ever so delighted if you would come for a visit. We are such close neighbours and I feel we should get to know one another better. At least I do hope we can and perhaps be friends. Feel free to drop by anytime.

Mrs. Daphne Morningside

p.s. Do bring your lovely brother with you and your Major."

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"Thank you." Ellie said as the servant handed her the note. She sighed as she read it. Handing it to her brother she said "I think this invitation is more for you and Henry than it is for me. What do you think?" She asked "Do you want to go? What about you Henry?" Ellie asked turning to him "what do you think of spending some time with Daphne?"

 

[Hard_Rom]

Henry just sighs.

"Now, you are embarrassing me in front of my guest, Ellie!" Richard says, "Can't you take a polite invitation at face value?"

Richard goes to a desk and takes up a pen. Circling the "your Major" remark he hands the note back to Ellie.

"What say we take it upon ourselves to visit the two lovely ladies down the road?" Richard says, turning to Henry, "I'm thinking both of us would feel much more appreciated in their company."

"A capital idea, Richard," Henry replies, "Perhaps Ellie would care to accept the invitation too." "If only to save our souls from the temptations of two lovely, rich and unattached ladies."

"And in my learned medical opinion, it would do your sister a world of good to get out and maybe have a bit of fun. Though she may wish to stay home. She has an expected engagement and marriage to a very rich young man, that she may wish to further contemplate."

Both Richard and Henry have slightly pleading looks on their faces, as they await Ellie's reply.

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

A worried look crosses Ellie's face as she looks over the note. 'Your Major' what was Daphne trying to imply, did she know.

"I'll go. If you really think it'll help than I should at least give it a try." She said looking up at them for a brief moment, then her eyes going right back to the note "It could be fun..."

As she left the room she still couldn't stop thinking about it. If Daphne knew then things may be over.

 

[Hard_Rom]

Richard lets out a whoop and Henry smiles brightly. Both go to change out of their riding clothes. Richard opts to ride but arranges for the estates Brougham carriage to be brought around. Henry says he will ride with Ellie in the covered carriage. Henry wears his uniform and opts for the kilt as the carriage is enclosed. Even then a large blanket covers his legs from the winter night's chill.

The footman holds the door for Lady Darlington, when she appears changed out of her riding habit and in clothes for socializing within her own class. Henry waits until the door is closed before he shares the blanket with Ellie and moves closer to her. He gives her a kiss on the cheek, in the safety of the carriages cab.

"Thank you," he says, "For agreeing to get out of the house." "I do hope you try enjoy yourself." "Also I assure you with all my heart, Daphne has no reall attraction to me."

"I can appreciate, she is handsome and rich. But I have my sights set higher."

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"I believe you. I'm not worried about that..." She said taking the invitation out "What do you think she ment by this?" Ellie asked handing it to Henry. "Do you think she knows that there is something going on or do you think I'm just making a big deal out of nothing?"

 

[Hard_Rom]

Henry gives the note a read, tears it up and tosses it out the window.

"There is no way she can "know"," he says, "Women's intuition maybe!" "I think she interpreted a look between us."

"A widow of her social standing is fully aware that affairs are quite common in society. I doubt we have anything to fear. Her reputation would suffer as much as mine, if people thought she was a gossip and revealer of secrets by revealing our affair. Anyone involved in an affair would never invite her again for fear she would tell. She has no vested interest in revealing us. And she would need concrete evidence of an affair before trying to ruin the reputation of the daughter of a Peer. Your aunt would have her ostracized from polite society if she tried, I am sure."

"Her acknowlegment of me being "your Major" and Richard highlighting that point tells me that possibly both are willing to turn a blind eye. I know your brother loves you deeply and dislikes Cedric. But it would be wrong of us to ask him to actively conspire against you father. Richard likes his comforts and may throw you to the wolves to protect his future inheritence and title."

Henry laughs suddenly from a quick thought that popped into his head.

"How would you feel about the widow Daphne as a sister-in-law?" he asks Ellie, still laughing.

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"That's not going to happen. Richard isn't interested in getting married. By the time he is I'm sure Daphne will have found another rich man." Ellie said not finding the humor in the thought "Besides I hope to be far from here by then. I won't be around to seeRichard marry..." It was sad but she knew there was no way for her to have her family and Henry.

 

[Hard_Rom]

Henry is taken a bit aback by the obvious dislike for the idea. The rich and handsome young widow would be a great catch for any man. Maybe Ellie is still scenting a rival, he thinks. It would be highly inappropriate for him to gainsay her objections to the widow. Richard is family and her opinion on a future wife for her brother far outweigh his.

"Perhaps, if we can pull of an elopement without hurting your brother," he replies "Wherever we end up, maybe he could visit." "Canada and America are only a few weeks away. He could find an excuse to travel to the Americas."

"I think that would be nice!"

 

[Sweetandsexy3]

"It would be nice to not completely lose my family." Ellie said moving closer to him. "It's really up to Richard who he chooses to marry. Whoever it is I just want for him to be happy. If Daphne makes him happy I wouldn't stand in his way... Maybe she's not all that bad..."

 

[Hard_Rom]

Daphne Euston's estate house is just a two miles down the road. Within the time of a short conversation the Brougham is turning into the estate lane and pulling up to the front doors. It is Daphne's ward Suzie who happily appears to usher Ellie, Richard and Henry inside. Servants take outerwear and hats, after which Suzie leads the trio to a large parlour room.

Even dressed for just being at home, Suzie's yellow silk dress is much more of the complicated fashion then Ellie's corset dress of her own design. Suzie's comes with a much reduced bustle still. While Henry believes Ellie may not even posses a bustle. Only the, well not carefree, but careless daughter of a Peer would wear such a fashion statement.

While of the same age as Ellie, Suzie acts much younger. There is a real care free attitude about her. Her dress reveals as much shoulder and neck as Ellie's. However being so busty her dress tries to failingly contain more.

"We are ever so glad you could come," Suzie says joyfully, "We don't entertain much, being so far from London." "It is so very nice of you."

From her tone, the company of Lords, Ladies and war heroes is quite a rare thing for her.

"Daphne will be down presently, she is just finishing dressing after our bath," she says innocently.

"It is our pleasure, Miss Suzie," Richard exclaims, "One does not get a chance to visit with such fine company, so far from London." "The society out here in the sticks has a tendency to be older and stuffier."

In a genuine tone, Suzie says to Ellie, "I do love your dresses!" "They must be so much easier to get out of than mine."