Catching Mr Ripper

Part Six

Elizabeth had been late to her last lesson of the day, but sadly she couldn't miss the ball. She had tried on dress after dress in order to please her governess. Once she was finally dressed and had chosen the perfect gown Elizabeth made her way to the ball.
"Beth" Her younger sister smiled brightly at her.
"It's wonderful to see you all" Elizabeth smiled at her family, hugging them all in turn.
"Hello darling how are you?" Her mother asked.
"I'm wonderful. But are you sure Clara should be out in society?" Elizabeth gave a sideways glance at her little sister.
"Beth!" Clara whined "This is my first ball, I'm lucky mama allowed me to attend" Clara pleaded.
"Stop picking on each other, the two of you are acting like children instead of like young ladies" her mother groaned.
"Some of us are children" Elizabeth grinned at her sister, earning a light shove. Elizabeth spotted someone that looked vaguely like Edmund across the room.
"Excuse me" Elizabeth smiled, before heading off into the crowded room. It was full of people she vaguely remembered, old friends, playmates and the children of those that worked with her father or who knew him.
"Edmund?" Elizabeth called to him.
"Elizabeth" he smiled at her brightly, taking her hands in his. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, gently.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"My father is doing well in work, he thought it would be a good time to enter society" he smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards in a way that was uniquely Edmund.
"You knew, didn't you? Earlier you knew you were coming to the ball tonight, didn't you?" She questioned him.
"I don't know what you mean" Edmund dropped his voice to a low whisper, ensuring only they could hear "My darling"
"You're scheming to meet my father, aren't you?" She questioned him.
"I don't know what you mean" he smiled, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. "Elizabeth, there you are" Her mother smiled.
"Who's your gentleman friend?" Her father asked.
"Edmund Reid Sir" Edmund shook his hand firmly.
"How do you know my daughter exactly?" Zebulon asked.
"She has been kindly sharing her books with me. We've enjoyed many academic debates" he smiled at Elizabeth before looking back at her father.
"Well, I'm glad Elizabeth has found someone to put up with her debating" Zebulon smiled.
"Well, I'm a happy victim" Edmund smiled at Elizabeth "May I have this dance, Miss Vance?" Edmund asked, offering her his hand.
"You may, Mr Reid" Elizabeth smiled, taking his hand, allowing herself to be led to the dance floor.
Edmund placed on hand on her hip and the other in her hand. Elizabeth placed her hand on his shoulder, allowing herself to be spun and whirled around the dance floor.
"Don't hold me too close" she warned.
"Why not?" He tried to hold back his smile as he pulled her closer.
"There are people everywhere. I don't want people to know about us until I'm sure father will accept you"
"I love his daughter more than everything. My family and therefore myself, are becoming very successful. What more could he want for his daughter?"
"I know what I want" she smirked.
"Do you? Tell me. What do you want?" He smirked down at her, pulling her even closer, if that was possible, against him.
"I'm afraid the answer I was going to give fell completely out of my mind" she said, making a satisfying smirk appear on his face "I was going to say I want to be your wife and the mother to your children. But now, what I want...is you" she smiled brightly at him.
"My Darling, I'm going to call on you tomorrow and the day after and on the third day I'm going to call upon your father and ask him a question" Edmund told her, watching as her face lit up with happiness.
"Edmund, I love you more than life itself and I can't wait to be yours in every way possible" she smiled, squeezing his hand lightly.
"My Darling, my heart belongs to you. It will always belong to you" Edmund smiled, his fingers creeping under her glove, sending a shiver down Elizabeth's spine from his slight touch.

Edmund paced the width of the hallway whilstrunning his hand through his hair, hoping to calm himself, praying to anyonethat would listen to protect his Elizabeth.
"Edmund?" A matron called out.
"Yes, yes. That's me, just please tell me Lizzie's alright" Edmundpractically begged.
"Miss Vance had some serious injuries and she's lost a lot of blood. Fornow, she's stable but it could go either way. She's in and out of consciousnessbut she keeps saying your name, I'm sure Miss Vance would appreciate herhusband sitting by her side" the matron smiled.
"I'm not her husband" Edmund admitted.
"I'm sorry I can't let anyone other than her immediate family in to seeher" the matron frowned scurrying off down another hallway.
"You! What have you done to my daughter!?" Zebulon charged at Edmundgrabbing at the lapels of his jacket slamming him against the nearest wall.
"It wasn't my fault! When Lizzie gets an idea into her head, she doesn'tdrop it until she wants to!" Edmund shouted back, pushing Zebulon awayfrom him.
"My daughter wouldn't have been in any of this mess if you hadn'tcorrupted her as children"
"I corrupted nothing! Lizzie and I love each other, part of the reason whyI love her is because she dares do what most women won't. This wouldn't havehappened if you had let me marry her" Edmund shot.
"My daughter deserves better than you and now she has that with Alexanderand once again you've taken it all away from her"
"Alexander kicked Beth out! That bastard is lucky I don't get my hands onhim" William but in.
"Arguing is going to get us nowhere. For Beth's sake we need to becivil" Thomas reminded them.
"I want you gone!" Zebulon pointed at Edmund "Now! Stay awayfrom my daughter or I will ruin you"
"Even if I stay away from her, Lizzie won't stay away from me. We loveeach other and that's never going to stop no matter what happens" Edmundglared before he stormed down the hallway. William attempted to stop him, butEdmund continued to charge down the hallway without a backward glance