To Defy A Duke

Chapter 50

Back at the house, Eliza leads the horse back to the stable, she whispers things into his ear as she enters the stable. The man looks up from mucking out one stall.

"Thank you." She says as she hands over the reins, she pats the horse's neck affectionately. His brown eyes look at her brightly and she strokes his nose.

"Could you give him a carrot? He deserves it." She says standing back so the man can remove the saddle and unbuckle the bridle.

"Of course my lady." He says, he leads ties the horse up by a hay bale. Eliza smiles gratefully, she leaves the stables and slowly walks back to the house, her head feels heavy and confused. She enters the house and turns towards the kitchen, she goes through the servant's stairwell and down the steep stairs. Before entering the kitchen she pauses and sniffs the air, a delicious smell of roast meat and sweet pastry wafts around her head. She enters the kitchen. It is a commotion of activity, pots, and pans are steaming on the stoves, thick stews bubble and pies are browning in the ovens. There are two small boys in the corner decorating cookies, their little hands ice the round biscuit in swirling patterns. The cook looks up from kneading bread and smiles at her.

"My lady, what brings you down here?" Mrs Jones asks.

"I am feeling rather faint and I was hoping for a glass of water, maybe some bread?" Eliza asks as she moves further into the kitchen. One of the small boys runs past her with a tray of finished cookies.

"Of course my lady." Mrs Jones says brushing her hands free of flour. "Would you like me to bring it to your room?"

"That's very kind but I will just take it up with me." She says.

"Then I'll just be a minute." Mrs Jones says kindly, she disappears into the pantry. Eliza tries to stay out of the way as people rush past her, she ends up hiding in a corner of the kitchen and watching the icing of the cookies.

"Here you are." Mrs Jones returns with a plate of bread, a few pickled onions and a glass of water.

"Thank you." Eliza accepts the food and she smiles gratefully.

"Anytime my lady."

Eliza leaves the kitchen balancing the plate on her arm as she opens the servant's door. She walks through the house to the staircase, she heads up to her room. She uses her elbow to opens the door, she places the food down by her open trunk. She drinks the water in one large gulp, her headache seems to lesser she pops a pickled onion and a chunk of bread into her mouth and chews, she stands up and begins to pull a few of her dresses out of the wardrobes, she throws them onto the bed. Once her dresses and underclothes are out she struggles to lift the trunk onto the bed. Her things begin to fall out and she curses. She picks up the fallen hair pieces, ribbons, and jewellery. She zips them into the lining of the trunk and begins to fold her dresses as well as she can and place them in the bottom of her trunk. She manages to fit most of her dresses into the trunk, though she struggles to shut the lid, she leans across the lid and pushes her weight down. Her left-hand fiddles with the buckle.

"Going somewhere?" Jasper's voice halts her attempts to shut the trunk. She turns around.

"I was just coming to find you." She says looking down at the floor, he looks at the trunk behind her and his eyes narrow. He shuts the door to the room and stalks towards her.

"Charlotte needs me." Eliza explains, "I am going to leave for London tonight."

"Were you going to ask me about it?" He says."If I wanted to come?"

"I thought you would prefer to have some space?"

Jasper doesn't reply, he moves away from her and leans against the wooden post of the bed.

"Are you going to let me go?" She asks watching him.

"Where are you going to stay?" He asks not looking at her.

"Either Ryddan Manor, or Thomas's house. Aunt Elizabeth's if I am desperate."

Jasper nods and runs a hand through his hair. He dips his hand into his pocket and pulls out a silver key, he holds it aloft.

"Chester house is ready if you want to stay there."

Eliza shakes her head.

"Not without you." She says. Jasper nods and places the key back into his pocket.

"I am only taking a few dresses," She says, "Would you bring the rest back at some point?"

"Of course." He says, he moves to his side of the bed, he opens the drawer to his chest and pulls a rectangle shaped object.

"I found this in your trunk." He says she recognizes the copy of Macbeth.

"Oh." She sighs. He tries to pass her it but she pushes it back to him.

"It is my gift to you." She says. They stand in silence looking at each other, she searches his blue eyes for some sigh but she is left alone.

"I should go." She whispers, she moves to the bed and fastens the buckle on her trunk, she attempts to lift it but it is taken from her by Jasper. He carries it down the stairs, Eliza stops him before he tries to take it outside.

"I haven't called for the carriage yet." She explains. He nods and places it on the floor.

"I'll go tell Ruben." He mutters and he walks out the front door. Eliza twists her hands together, she thinks she has a few minutes before he returns. She bolts up the stairs, back the way she came to her room. She seizes the book on the bed and moves to the writing desk, she takes a pen from the draw, dips it in ink and writes in the inside cover of the book.

Dear Jasper

To remind you that I may be headstrong but I am irrevocably in love with you.

Eliza xx

Eliza quickly shuts the book and hides it underneath his pillow, she hastily leaves the room and runs down the stairs just in time, Jasper walks through the door a few seconds later.

"The carriage is ready." He says shortly, he picks the trunk up and carries it outside. She follows him, he straps the trunk to the behind of the carriage. He turns to her and she smiles but he doesn't react.

"Here." He opens the door to the carriage and helps her in. He shuts the door and she leans out.

"Thank you."

He nods at her and steps back, he waves for the driver to go and the carriage jerks forward. Eliza watches Jasper until he is out of sight, he doesn't even wave. She leans back into walls and wipes a tear that escapes her eye.