Page 60 of Eliza and the Duke
She placed her hand on his back. “Simon, I loveyou. I love your pain and your history and every scar you’ve earned. You will make something of yourself. I know that you will, and I want to be there with you while it happens. I don’t expect luxury.”
“But I cannot promise you anything. You mentioned college, and I can’t afford to send you.”
“It’s not as if Mainwaring is a viable option for that. I’ll go later.”
A sound that was suspiciously like a sob caught in his throat. He drew her against him, his arms around her so tight that she melted into him.
“I can’t ask it of ye,” he whispered against her ear. “It’s not fair to ye.”
“You haven’t asked. It’s a point that I’m starting to find quite irksome.”
He drew back to look at her, amusement lighting his face. “God, I love you.”
She smiled and took his face between her palms. He hadn’t shaved yet this morning, and the overnight growth of beard felt nice abrading her skin. “Good, because let me explain thisto you. I want to make this as clear to your mind as possible. Let’s imagine for a moment that you leave for San Francisco and I don’t. Which of these do you think will be the more likely scenario? Do you suppose I’ll stay here depressed and moping, or do you think I will borrow the money from Cora and book passage and find you in San Francisco?”
Laughter tore out of him in a reluctant burst, and he crushed her against him, his chuckles shaking both of them. When he got hold of himself, he held her tight as he brushed a strand of hair back from her cheek. “Perhaps I should save us both the trouble. Eliza Dove, will you run away with me to San Francisco?”
“Simon Cavell, I thought you’d never ask.”
A shadow of a smile lingered on his lips, but it melted away as he dropped to his knees before her. “And will you go there by my side as my wife?”
“Yes!” She spoke a little too loudly. Laughing, she tried again in a more reasonable tone. “Yes, Simon, yes.” She leaned down and kissed him.
“What this, then?” The voice belonged to Mr. Dunn.
They looked up to see that he along with her mother and Jenny had come into the room, no doubt drawn by Eliza’s outburst.
“I’ve asked Eliza to marry me and she said yes.” Simon came to his feet and kept her firmly in his arms.
Her mother’s hands went up to cover her mouth in happy surprise, and Mr. Dunn came over to congratulate them and shake Simon’s hand. Fanny recovered herself and hugged them both and even gave Simon a kiss on his cheek. Jenny was more subdued; she smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes, and she congratulated them, but the joy was missing from her voice, which confused Eliza.
It wasn’t until they had all settled down and Mr. Dunn had left them to find a servant to bring champagne that Jenny voiced her concern. “I understand that you love each other very much, but…and forgive me…but I don’t see how this marriage will solve any problems.”
Ah, that made sense. Jenny always had to think ahead. Her life had been led by her ambitions to become a singer. It wasn’t an easy path, and she’d had to plan strategically in advance to make things work out for her. Jenny had taken it upon herself to write to Mrs. Wilson in Paris to arrange her studies there. Jenny would need to know the details had all been arranged before she could be happy.
“Perhaps I can explain,” Simon said. Then he launched into how he could never return to London. Instead, they would go to San Francisco. He mentioned what he’d heard about the opportunities there and his confidence in being able to find a suitable position at a club.
This was followed up by the questions Eliza expected from her family, questions that Simon himself had asked. Mr. Dunn had come back by this time. He listened patiently without asking a single question.
Finally, Jenny asked, “But how will you pay for the passage and your rent until you’re settled?”
“I have some savings,” Simon said. “Don’t worry, Jenny, I promise I’ll take very good care of your sister.”
The conversation went on for a bit, but eventually Jenny excused herself and Eliza followed her. Something was wrong and she needed to know what it was. It didn’t feel right that Jenny would be upset by something that made Eliza so happy.
They had barely made it into the hallway before Jenny turned and said, “Can’t you wait until Cora returns before you leave?”
“I’d like to, but it seems that time is of the essence. Brody will be looking for Simon, and we can’t wait around until he finds him.”
“But you won’t see her again for God knows how long.” A look of desperation came over Jenny’s face. “You’re leaving and that was never part of the plan and you can’t even return to visit. You must know that once you align yourself with him publicly, you will be marked, too?”
Eliza hadn’t quite considered that, but it made sense. “Yes, I suppose you’re right, but what choice do I have, Jenny? He’s leaving and I don’t want to lose him or this. He’s special to me.”
“I thought your family was special to you.”
“That isn’t fair. Of course I love you and Mama and Cora. I want to see you more, but Simon will be my husband, and Daisy will be my niece, though more like my own daughter. One day, we’ll have our own family.”
“A family we will never know. Is that what you want?”
