Sanditon Season 2: The River and the Man

Chapter 164

Eliza was incensed and enraged despite the active social life and bustling town. She had just had a lovely week too. First in a long time. Her rouge of a husband had been passionate in bed of late, and it gave her hope even as her belly swelled. it had all come as a shock to her after all her first husband had convinced her that she could be barren. The old fool had been unable it seemed. But then again her husband was a notorious breeder. Bastards everywhere she had heard.

"When were you going to tell me that the Prince Regent and entourage were all going to Sanditon?" she demanded as she burst into the room her husband was using for a study.

Warrick looked up vaguely distracted from his paperwork. His flagship the Constance was being refitted for sails and his men were anxious for news on their departure which he had been putting off.

There was too much to sort before another two years abroad and he kept putting it off at the irritation of his crew who were far more disposed to life on the sea waves than the unmoving ground of England.

"Sanditon yes," he muttered as he scanned a letter. "There is a spectacle there. A scientist I know has a great flying contraption like the device seen in the play we saw in London."

Eliza shook her head. "The spectacle was supposed to be here," she said angrily. She had overheard a lady speaking of it at a tea just this very afternoon. "It was planned to be here, held right on the beach."

Warrick shrugged his shoulder and sighed as he laid the letter he had scanned down away from him.

"Why does this trouble you, my dear Eliza?" he asked with some interest. He had not yet been rendered bored by her outbursts, but he knew the time would draw near that her shrieking tone would thunder in his ears. For now, she amused.

"Why?" she demanded. "Brighton has far better society."

Warrick smiled. "Not if the Prince Regent is somewhere else."

She moved to the desk and slammed her hand down. "I never wish to go back there!" she shouted.

He laughed. "Upon my word, you should compose yourself at least a little." he went back to his papers.

Frustrated she shoved his papers across the desk in unbridled anger. "No, I don't wish to go."

He looked to the mess before him and felt a twinge of irritation but he knew how to pour water on the flames of her anger.

Standing he stood imposingly and took her by the wrist and pulled her to him and covered her protesting mouth in a heated kiss that always managed to subdue her ire.

Breaking the kiss only when her knees no longer held her up and she was left with him bracing her. "We will go, do not forget I still have business there. Lady Denham has died."

Eliza gasped. "My fortune?"

He nodded. "Yes, we are going there to see that all is well."

She pulled from him having regained her senses. "You knew this for a while haven't you?"

Warrick nodded. "Yes, your former fiance Mr. Sidney Parker came to see me over a week ago. He wanted to be assured that our part was still counted on."

"He was here?" she asked.

Warrick nodded. "Yes, and you walked right past and were verbally and probably physically abusive to our servants. He saw how you act as a wife and I am sure he is very happy I have the pleasure of your hand."

She shook her head and slapped him and he let her. "Question my dear," he said stroking the sting of her abuse. "Were you always like this? Is it the child, or do I just bring out the worst in you?" he asked sincerely.

She stopped and recoiled from him. "I do not know what you mean?" she asked.

He looked her up and down. "You seemed more composed before. I know we have not known each other long, I just worry on leaving you here to raise our child. Will you be as physical with him?"

She looked at him shocked and shook her head trying to control her anger in the wake of such an allegation. "I think it is you."

Warrick frowned and appraised her. "No, I think it is you. You just think to get away with it when it comes to me. That I would endure it, unlike Mr. Parker." he frowned sadly realizing something about her. "You have made it clear you enjoy the marital bed, but you do not enjoy me." he marveled. "But you were a good actress when you were competing with Miss Heywood."

"That farm girl? You would bring her up and stand her between us as Sidney did?" she shrieked.

Warrick nodded. "Admit it. You are sweet as nectar when running a race against another, but you are bitter thinking you have lost not one but two races." he sighed impatiently. "Eliza, why can you not see you have all you wanted. You are rich, you are going to be independent while I am away, which will be often and one rough storm you could again be a widow." He said simply. "Why can't you be happy with your situation?"

She felt tears coming to her eyes and she dropped ungracefully into a chair. "Because, because the two men I have desired most in my life favor another. And she is just a brown country girl."

He felt his shoulders drop and he felt tenderness for this poor vindictive creature before him.

"Come now, you are lovely in your way, but Miss Heywood she is unlike any other gentleman's daughter I have ever met. And she is pure of heart. I don't believe you can boast that my dear." he said crouching near where she had sat.

"People are still talking about her like they did in London and there is so much interest in when she will return to the Beau Monde along with Lady Worcester." Eliza groaned. "I can't escape her."

Warrick chuckled. "Quit your petty jealousies wife. It does you no credit and as you have seen your open dislike hurt your position in society that marriage to me was the wisest thing. That along with the child in your belly."

She sighed feeling lectured but exhausted from the interaction. "I have grown very tired. I need to sleep." she said and climbed the stair to the bedroom. No fight in her left.

Warrick turned back to his scattered papers that he would need to reorganize. In two days they would again be in Sanditon and he felt intrigued.

But when it came to his wife, insubordination was not typically something he was willing to endure. He was a captain after all. The leader. Somehow he had to get Eliza under his thumb and he could not do it by barking at her like he did his crew. He knew that.