Eternal Flame ~ A Pemberley Fairy Tale

Chapter Nine

When Liz woke, the first thing she noticed was the familiar scent enveloping her. She opened her eyes and looked around. Why was she lying in William’s bed? It took a few seconds before she realised she was still fully dressed, apart from her shoes, and she was alone.

She remembered being in this room and feeling the need to escape his presence before she embarrassed herself. She’d returned to the sitting room and continued through into the other bedroom.

The mistress’s room. It all came back to her. The beautiful and unique birds painted on the wall, just as she’d seen in her dream. The same dream where she’d welcomed a naked William into her bed and her arms, the place where he’d belonged. No doubt she’d fainted from sheer embarrassment.

If it had been wishful thinking why hadn’t Liz dreamed about being in her own room? She wondered if she’d perhaps experienced some kind of precognition. Was she destined to replay that same scene at some point in her future?

The only light in William’s room came from the sitting room beyond the open door. Although Liz knew she should feel awkward being here, it was strangely comforting. It took a moment before she recognised the similarity between being in William’s bed and snuggling under the covers in her father’s room when she’d had nightmares. As a child, it had been the castle and he the king. He’d given her a warm, safe place, protected from all the dragons and demons.

William’s bed felt very similar, only instead of being the protective king he was the brave prince rescuing her from danger and carrying her off into the sunset on the back of his white charger before asking her to be his princess.

Liz laughed at herself. She must have hit her head when she fell. That was one of the most soppy, lovesick things she’d ever thought. As she rolled onto her side she briefly buried her face in his pillow. It smelled like William and reminded her of chocolate. One whiff made her hungry for more.

Dragging the heavy covers to one side she slid her legs over the edge of the mattress, finding the floor further away than she’d expected. For a second the room spun but she fixed her attention on the door handle until it stopped. Liz slipped her feet into her shoes then paused in the doorway, searching the room beyond for William.

Mrs Ellis looked up from a pile of papers. “Miss Pargeter.”

Liz glanced at her watch. It was almost ten o’clock and she’d been out less than an hour. “I’m sorry …” She had no idea why she should apologise for fainting, but it seemed appropriate.

The secretary accepted it with a shrug of her cashmere covered shoulders. She collected her papers, leaving them on the table as she waited at the door for Liz to join her. “I’ll escort you to your room. I wouldn’t want you to get lost.”

They walked back through the gallery, the secretary’s heels clicking on the wooden floor. Liz could only imagine what Mrs Ellis thought of her now. Her demeanour, never warm to begin with, was now positively glacial. Turning the corner, she paused outside Liz’s door.

“I hope Mr. Bingley wasn’t too angry with me.” When the older woman’s eyes narrowed, Liz realised it might sound like she was confessing to something shameful. “I mean, I didn’t…”

Mrs Ellis exhaled through her nose. For a moment Liz wondered if she would breathe fire and roar like every other dragon. Instead, the older woman muttered a curt “Good Night,” and left her standing alone in the hallway.

    
* * * * *

Liz didn’t expect to see William the following day, but when she entered the breakfast room she found him by the window, looking out onto the garden.