Love and Loyalty

~10~

After a few hours in the fields, William picked up his tools and walked back to the stable. He hung up the rake along with shovel before turning to tend to the horses. Picking up the horse brush, he started his last chore of the day. When he had finished brushing the mane of Eliza's horse, He plaited it and tied it with a small thread "so it is you who ties the manes?" A familiar female voice startled him, he felt her arms wrap around his waist "You're rather good at that I must admit"

William turned around and hugged her tightly "I shall do yours one day" He smiled before kissing her soundly "And make yours better than the horses of course, it wouldn't mar your beauty though"

Eliza smiled and toyed with the ruffle in his shirt "Maybe you can this evening..."

"I will, but we sleep in my chambers this evening, no one ever visits me so we can spend the morning together and maybe we can have breakfast in there-" he stopped talking when she noticed her expression.

She smiled and took his hands into hers, slowly pulling him out of the horses stall "what a fine idea" Eliza pecked his lips before hugging him tightly "where were you this morning? I missed you.."

"I needed to start storing the grain...someone has to do it" he explained before sighing and resting his head on her shoulder "I'm sorry, it took me everything not to stay in bed with you"

"Well at least I have my explanation"

"I do apologise, it wasn't my intention to make you feel left out"

"It's alright, we'll have the weekend together though"

"Well I need to go to town this weekend, would you care to join me?"

"Charlestown? That's a two hour trip on horseback, three in a carriage"

"I need something better suited for winter, along with new items"

"It's a full two day trip..." Eliza sadly spoke before looking down at the floor "I'll miss you"

William tilted her chin up and pecked her lips "Maybe you could come with me?" he smiled and looked at her expression. She smiled slightly before shaking her head "Maybe it'd be rather romantic?" Eliza sighed and hugged him once again "What's wrong?"

"Will...you forget that I have a son to look after"

"I can't forget that...I just want some time with you"

"It would be nice but he still needs his mother...he's not yet seven" Eliza smiled and kissed his cheek. William nodded and lifted her into his arms "My lord-" She laughed as he propped her on the opposite stall, across the stable "What on earth are you doing?" In response, he softly covered her mouth with his. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer "Hmm...this isn't how you win all arguments, you know?"

"I wasn't aware that we were arguing" William mumbled before pressing his lips to hers once again "Though, kissing in a stable isn't my strongest suite"

"you initiated everything, not me" She lightly giggled and rested a hand on his sternum "You're lucky that I like you"

"Indeed I am, dear one" he muttered and rested the side of his head against her chest "But I like you more, you're perfect in every way"

"Perfect is stretching it a little Will...you barely know anything about me"

"Allow me to learn then, tell me something?" he asked as she tucked a few strands of hair behind his ear.

"my birthday is on the 9th May...my favourite colour us blue and least is yellow" William smiled slightly and took her hands into his, confusing her slightly. "why are you looking at me like that?"

"Well...I like looking at pretty things..."

"your charming antics will not get you anywhere" William looked into the honest blue eyes of Eliza but only saw Emily looking back. He swallowed thickly and looked down at the dirt floor, was she punishing him for burning her letters? Or was it just a figment of his imagination? "William? Are you well?" Those words snapped him from his trance "You're shaking as though you've seen a ghost..."

he nodded and unexpectedly hugged her "I shall be alright, this evening...I would like- very much like- you to come to my chambers this evening, We've slept in your room for the past four days, I should like it if you visited me..."

~~~

William's bedchamber was indeed a pleasant room. A small fireplace in the left corner along with a few candles, setting a subtle golden glow around in the bedroom. Noticeably, his bed was smaller than the one in Eliza's chambers, she noticed too when she laid down. She watched whilst he undressed for bed, seeing the scars that marked his back once again. William soon noticed and slanted his head to the side "your staring is rather obvious dearest"

"What happened to your back, I counted seven lash scars..."

"I got lashed ten times for stealing a loaf of bread from the stores when I were nineteen, the humiliation worked, I never stole again" William explained before sitting on the edge of the bed, his back arched as he rested his forearms on his knees "I got an infection, they gave me herbs that sent me loopy"

"then how did you get this one?" She mumbled and rested a hand over the small musket ball shaped scar on his side.

"I was shot from my horse at the start of this war...I was at the battles of Lexington and Concord" He chuckled slightly before shaking his head "my wife called me stupid for being the only cavalry officer to volunteer to voyage to the colonies, the youngest too, I was but ten and eight"

"So you bought your commission?"

"with the last of the money I had, I were a Lieutenant-Colonel" he stopped himself from talking before revealing too much about his true identity, hopefully she wouldn't put two and two together and figure out his true self in that moment.

"So all you've ever known is war? That's horrible..."

William fell backwards and pulled Eliza along with him, causing her to fall against his chest "it wasn't all bad, it led me to you" The pair laughed whilst he peppered kisses along her face "And now-" he gently kissed her lips "I'm not letting you go..."

"Hmm, the hour grows late"

"No, the hour is still young" he smiled and rolled them both over so he was above her "There is plenty of things we could do"

"Then I should like it if you kissed me...properly"

He lowered his lips to her ear "kiss you?"

"Yes, I would like that very much" Eliza decisively spoke before tilting his chin up. William leaned in and pressed his lips to hers again.

"very nice" The dimly lit room hid her blushes. He brushed a stray curl from her cheek as she hesitantly raised her hand to his shoulder, but not to push him away as he had previously thought. She gently touched his skin, causing the blood to heat underneath it.

Eliza looked up at her handsome worker, his face seemingly glowing in the candle light. He was smiling, just for her. Her breathing came faster, the thrill of seduction coursing through her veins "William..."

"Eliza, my dear..." He muttered and pressed his lips to hers once again. Neither of them spoke after that, though they both seemed to do what came natural to them.