Love and Loyalty

~8~

After a long day in the fields, William had dinner as usual with Arthur and Eliza. Though he could not keep his eyes off her that evening, somehow she looked more beautiful that ever. They engaged in conversation until their dinner was served, then they just cast subtle glances at each other.

"Mama...can I go and visit daddy's grave?"

"of course, we'll go after dinner alright?"

"Okay...can Will come?"

William looked up from his plate before glancing at Eliza "He can come if he wishes" her voice softly broke as she spoke, William noticed and furrowed his eyebrows

"can you?" Arthur mumbled before looking up at him with pleading eyes.

He nodded and smiled slightly "I will little man, I'll hold your hand all the way if you wish"

Arthur nodded and continued eating his dinner. Eliza looked over at William and mouthed 'thank you' before she too resumed eating. He smiled at her before looking down at his lap. And then Eliza stopped eating, looked over at Arthur and shook her head "come on then Arty...your papa might want to know how you are"

~~~

William walked beside Eliza as she quietly made her way up to the grave of her husband "can I hold your hand?" She mumbled and brushed her fingers against his.

"Yes, of course" William intertwined their fingers and looked to the side to see her, she cast him a small smile before glancing at Arthur. He was under William's other arm and his small one was wrapped around his waist.

Once the white fence around a singular tree came into view, Arthur ran towards it and opened the gate before kneeling down. Eliza stopped for a moment, stopping William in the process "He likes to talk with him from time to time, maybe you can talk to me?"

"What about Lili?" William asked before turning to face her completely, she looked up at him and gently brushed his hair over his shoulder.

"He wouldn't be angry, would he?"

"Who, dear?"

"John, Arthur's father"

He shook his head and took both of her hands into his "Growing feeling for another wouldn't make him angry, if he truly loved you he'd want you to have nothing but happiness" Eliza nodded slightly before standing on her tiptoes and lightly pecking his cheek "If you have found happiness with me, he'd understand..."

"You seem saddened by this subject...you had a wife, didn't you?" Unknowingly, she had called him out on yet another factor of his life. God, he wanted to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness. But he couldn't risk her leaving him...

"Yes...she passed during the war, it was my fault..." William mumbled as Eliza gently cupped his cheek "We wanted a child, we tried so hard, then she passed along with the babe..." he fought back the inevitable crack in his voice by clearing his throat "Her name was Emily, my stillborn...my daughter was called Madelain"

"And you've been alone since then?"

"Since the spring of 1780"

Eliza had a newfound admiration of the man in front of her. His arm was wrapped around her waist though she could not care, he was hers. Ever since their first kiss, William had been hers.

"be mine then...you shall no longer be alone..."

"I'd like that very much mistress..."

"then tonight, I want to spend the evening with you"

"Yes my dear" William's voice was but a whisper "So long as I get to hold you in my arms and cuddle you"

"Anything so long as I wake to you, that I see you in the morning"

The pair shared a soft kiss before they turned back to face Arthur, he looked upset so William walked over towards him "Hello little man..."

"hi Will..."

He wrapped an arm around him before hugging him tightly "You alright?"

"I'll be okay..."

"can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm" He hummed and huddled into his side.

"Am I allowed to court your mother?"

"really?" Arthur looked up at him with innocent eyes before nodding "Just don't make her sad..."

"thanks for the permission little man"

"daddy's sleeping now, isn't he?"

"He's at peace dear one, he's watching over you though" William smiled as he wrapped his small arms around his neck "It's alright, you'll see him one day"

"don't leave me or mama, she's become happier since you arrived"

"I won't little man"

~~~

As the day started to end and night grew closer, William started feeling what could only be described as butterflies. He read through the weekly newspaper before casting a gaze to Eliza, holding his gaze for a moment before looking back at the page. But after a few minutes, he sighed and folded up the paper, throwing it onto the small table beside him "Honestly...the stuff they write in this nowadays"

"that bad hmm?"

"They want to change the currency again, to the dollar"

"If the world had one currency, it would be easier by far"

"Agreed, though we can't all have what we want"

"You can have me" she spoke aloud without realising, causing William's face to heat up in shock "Not in that way- not that I don't want you to- forget I said anything..."

William chuckled and nuzzled his forehead against hers "One day" he mumbled and kissed the tip of her nose, "I shall see you upstairs?"

Eliza was left lost for words, William smiled and walked towards the stairs. Then she was alone once again. She sat there until Omari walked into the room with a tray "What do you think of William?"

"I just don't trust him mistress, he ought to tell you more about himself" Omari sighed and cleared away the cups from the table "But it's your choice, if your appy, then be appy with him"

"Can you try and find out more about him? I barely know him"

"Of course mistress, goodnight" he bowed his head and walked out of the room.

~~~

"We need to do this more often, with some treats, little treats"

"Like those almond biscuits served on a Saturday night?"

"Or maybe the jam and lemon tarts, I know you like those" Eliza smiled and curled a lock of his hair around her finger "or the flaky pastries with the jam"

"mmmf" He mumbled in a agreement before letting his head fall back against the pillows "how much more perfect can this night be!" William chuckled and kissed her forehead "goodnight darling"

"...can you hold me?"

"I was planning on doing that anyway" he smiled and hesitantly wrapped an arm around her lower stomach "Goodnight princess" William whispered into her ear before kissing underneath it.

"Must you go to sleep this instant?" she turned to face him and nuzzled against his chest "There is so much that we could talk about"

"such as?"

"When is your birthday?"

"July 12th, I'm thirty-five now"

"I missed it...you should have said, I would've got you something-"

He silenced her with a kiss before shaking his head "You're all I need" his words were an almost whisper "I got you two months later, the greatest gift of all" as he spoke, he leaned down and kissed her again.