To Defy A Duke

Chapter 15

He kissed her, actually kissed. Eliza blushes at the memory of being pressed up against his muscular body. The party was smooth sailing after the Dominic incident, everyone left slightly drunk and cheerful, only Charlotte seemed to be upset, she left before Eliza could say a word to her. Benjamin and Harrington stand at the door saying goodbye to the last few guests. Eliza watches from the stairs, she wishes that Charlotte could be here to discuss what the hell just happened outside the library. Surprisingly she didn't hit him when he kissed her, she enjoyed it, she forgot she didn't like him, she forgot everything. The door to the house shuts and she relaxes, everyone has gone, no more fake smiles and laughs. Her fake engagement party is over and no one is any the wiser except Charlotte.

"Well that was a nice night, I am exhausted, I'm going to go to bed." Benjamin stretches. "Goodnight."

He shakes Harrington's hand and kisses Eliza's head before climbing the stairs to his room. Eliza leans against the bannister and takes her shoes off her achy feet as she closes her eyes.

"Eliza," Harrington says softly to her, she opens her eyes as he takes a seat next to her.

"Let me have a look at your hand." He says with a smile.

"My hand?" Eliza looks at him blankly. He takes her right hand in his, her knuckles are bright red and throbbing slightly. She didn't feel it before but her entire hand is swollen.

"Oh." Eliza inspects her hand closely. "It's not broken, just sore."

"I will get you some ice to help with the swelling," Harrington says.

"It's fine." Eliza removes her hand from his but leans against his shoulder. "It's rather late."

"It is." Harrington agrees as he wraps his arm around her shoulder.

"You can stay in a spare bedroom if you like," Eliza whispers.

"What would your uncle say?" He laughs. "He'd be scandalised."

"He likes you so you are in the clear," Eliza admits. "I am the one that has to be careful."

Harrington chuckles deeply and the vibrations from his chest flow through her. They sit together on the step for a while, not talking but simply being with each other. The clock ticks and the time seems to slow for them. Why did sitting here feel so right and so natural? Eliza breathes in the smell of spices and wood, the proximity of their bodies makes her relax and feel safe, even though she is tired she doesn't want to sleep but stay here for a few more minutes.

"I told Charlotte," Eliza confesses suddenly, Harrington stiffens and his arm tightens.

"I had to, she's my best friend." Eliza sniffles. "But now she hates me."

"She'll forgive you." He says reassuringly.

"What about you?" Eliza pulls away from his hold. "Can you forgive me?" She looks into his eyes, scared.

"Of course, you were loyal to your best friend.'"

"Well I wasn't was I? I lied to her." She says dismayed.

"Because I asked you." Harrington closes his eyes momentarily, "I shouldn't have."

"But you had to." Eliza insists "We had to make everyone believe."

"Just talk to her, if she's your true friend then she will understand."

"I hope so."

They fall back into a comfortable silence and he places his arm around her again. The clock in the hall marks their time minute by minute. With the servants all in bed, the house is deathly silent and still.

"What did Dominic mean about stealing his inheritance?" Eliza asks, the question has been burning on her tongue since the event in the Library, Harrington retracts his arm immediately, he is angry but not at her.

"I...." Harrington sighs. Eliza waits patiently for his story.

"He was meant to inherit his father's estate and deeds but his father died before he turned 18 so the will fell to my aunt, my father's sister. You should know my father was a horrid and manipulative man, he persuaded my aunt to let him sort everything out."

"So he gave it all to you?"

"It's not that easy, my father took everything for himself. Made it all untouchable until his death. He died before he could legalise it, it went to court and they ruled that as the oldest male in the family everything belonged to me."

"Couldn't you just....''

" I was going to give Dominic his land back when he turned 18 but he proved to be a rude and callous person who could not be trusted. He slept around and constantly got into fights. He didn't deserve his inheritance.

"I think tonight proved all of that." Eliza agrees.

"Indeed, he deserves everything that comes his way." Harrington mutter darkly. His expression is dark and stormy, the intensity unnerves her a little as he seems to be in his own dark world.

"If you aren't staying could you please walk me to my room?" Eliza requests lightly as she stands and stretches with her shoes in her hand.

"Of course." Harrington stands. They walk up the stairs and along the corridor to Eliza's bedroom door. Eliza places her hand on the handle but doesn't turn it.

"Goodnight Eliza."

"Goodnight Jasper."

Harrington smiles and lays a small kiss on her free hand, Eliza watches him go back down the stairs and leave her house. Once he has left she enters her room, throws her shoes into a corner, takes off the many layers of dress and wriggles into a nightdress. Cecily had been in earlier and a few candles burnt by the bed. Eliza pulls back the cover and slips inside, she pulls the blanket up to her chin and snuggles down. She closes her eyes and tries to drift to sleep. She had a kiss with Harrington but she had hurt Charlotte deeply, a lot had happened at her ball, the clock and warmth of the bed lulled Eliza to sleep in a few minutes.

"Eliza!!!!" Benjamin shakes his nieces roughly. "Eliza wake up!"

"Wha....." Eliza opens her eyes sleepily.

"Eliza!" Benjamin looks close to slapping her awake. Eliza looks around to see Cecily in a nightgown looking terrified, holding a candle. It is still dark outside.

"What's going on? It's night time." Eliza struggles to sit up.

"It's Harrington." Her uncle says urgently,

"He's been shot in a duel."