Love & Murder: An Eliza Winter Mystery

Found

Penelope's lie kept Eliza in bed longer than usual the next morning. She replayed everything she'd learned over and over and was still coming up with nothing. Why would Penelope be dropped here and lie about the motorcar? Eliza felt she was going mad after a while and finally forced herself to think of anything other than Penelope. Which only caused her mind to shift to Colin. And the way he looked while drinking his bourbon, relaxed against the sofa. His blue eyes studying hers as they both tried to put the pieces together. She didn't know much about him. Other than he was a detective and related to the Tennysons. She also knew he wasn't courting Adelaide, but she didn't know if that meant he wasn't courting anyone. Perhaps he had a fiancée in Sussex, waiting for him to wrap up here in London so he could get back to her.

The thought of Colin already in love with someone causes Eliza's stomach to tighten and she isn't sure how to feel about it. She always thought she'd find her husband through a ball, as a name on her dance card and he'd come sweep her off her feet in front of everyone. That way she could shove her love in front of everyone that told her she'd never find it. Crazy Eliza Winter would be the belle of the ball.

But thinking back to the Erickson's, Eliza distinctly remembered that Colin did not dance. He went from corner to corner, mingling with guests and drinking the flowing alcohol. She couldn't see him filling up her dance card and dancing until their feet were swollen. He was more of the brooding, wallflower type, much like Eliza.

A rap on the door dissipates Eliza's daydream and Lucy sticks her head in, "Are you finally ready for your bath my lady?" Eliza looks to Lucy's eager face and forces herself out of the covers.

She lingers in the bath, thinking of Colin and then Penelope and then circling back to Colin. She's never had a crush before and the feeling is new, yet not unwelcome. She's never had private conversations with a man she felt at ease with. It's always rushed, forced conversations at dinner parties or events. Usually set up by her parents and their acquaintances, both anxiously trying to wed off their children.

Colin seems different somehow, he's a lord but he's not pompous and self-righteous. He prefers to be called Colin and he's sought her out twice now. He must be comfortable with her in some ways as well. She knows she only has a little over a week left in London and wonders if it's worth getting to know Colin better. She doesn't know how long he'll be in London though.

Once the water goes cold, Eliza goes through the motions of getting her layers of clothing on and sits while Lucy puts her hair into a nice twist at the nape of her neck. Lucy is quiet as she pushes the pins into Eliza's curls and she's probably tired of thinking about Penelope too. Once Lucy gives her the go-ahead to leave for breakfast, Eliza makes her way downstairs and finds an assortment of pastries waiting for her in the dining room. Just as she's about to sit and enjoy a cranberry scone, Martin comes in and looks to her, "Lady Eliza, you have a visitor." Eliza's hand that's holding the scone hovers in the air as she asks, "A visitor? Who?"

"Lord Bradshaw is back. It seems it's urgent that he speaks with you. Practically banged the door down," Martin says with a frown and Eliza springs from her chair, not bothering this time to check her hair. She dashes into the hallway and finds Colin in the same place as last night, only this time he doesn't look nearly as refreshed as she does. It looks like he's already been up for hours.

"Lord Bradshaw, is something the matter?" Eliza asks and she can feel Martin lingering close behind her. Colin's eyes dart to the floor before finding hers, "Can we go back to the drawing-room? I think it's best if you sit down." Colin looks sullen and Eliza's heart slams into her chest. Whatever he's got to say isn't going to be good. Eliza nods, unable to find words and she leads him back to where they were last night. This time the room is bright with sunlight and Eliza skips the drink cart. She settles onto the sofa and Colin stands in front of her. He looks to Martin and then back to Eliza, "You said you thought you knew where Lady Penelope Vanderwahl was last night, you just needed proof. Where did you think she was?"

Eliza's heart stops and her stomach flips. She shakes her head, "I never told you I was looking for Penelope Vanderwahl." Colin grips his hat tight in his hands and then kneels down to Eliza's height. There's no sparkle in his blue eyes as he asks, "But that is who you've been looking for right? Where did you think she was?" Eliza bites her lip and looks to Martin. He looks as worried as she does and she knows something is wrong. Something is very wrong if Colin is here asking about Penelope specifically.

"Have her parents finally filed a report? Is she officially missing?" Eliza asks Colin, hoping she doesn't throw up in the process. Colin doesn't answer, he just urges her to answer his first question. If Lady Vanderwahl filed a report, it means she's at her wit's end. It's time for Eliza to be honest.

"I thought Penelope ran off to elope at Gretna Green. And then they were going to live out their days in the countryside," Eliza finally answers, feeling the weight of the world fall off her shoulders. She sighs, wondering if she just betrayed her best friend, but Colin reaches out to grab Eliza's hand, forcing her to look at him.

"You don't know who she was supposed to run off with do you?" Colin asks, already knowing the answer.

"I don't. That's what I've been trying to figure out. If she did in fact ran off to elope or if she is missing." Colin squeezes Eliza's hand that's now turned to ice and she watches as he swallows hard. She should be feeling butterflies from a man holding her hand and staring into her eyes, but instead, she feels ill.

"Eliza, I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you this but...Penelope was found this morning."

"Sorry? You're sorry she was found?" Eliza asks confused. Colin slowly nods, "Penelope was found by a fisherman this morning. She was found in the Thames. Her mother already identified her."

Everything drains from Eliza. The room goes black around her and if it weren't for Colin holding her hand Eliza would have fallen over. She shakes her head while fighting back tears, "You mean...you mean..."

Colin nods, "Penelope is dead Eliza. And foul play has already been suspected." At that Eliza crumbles. Colin catches her and holds her as she falls apart. Martin comes over to help move Eliza onto the chaise, but she worries she's going to faint. She's suddenly crying so hard that she can't breathe. Her corset feels like a vice, crushing her ribs and her lungs. She claws at it, ripping off her necklace and the lace that trims her box collar. Lucy rushes in and sees Eliza in hysterics and Colin quickly fills her in. She rushes over to Eliza and Eliza tells her she can't breathe.

"I need to get Lady Eliza upstairs. I'm afraid she'll faint if I don't get her corset off," Lucy panics. Colin scoops Eliza into his arms and she cries into his chest as he takes her up the stairs. Protocol and decency are thrown out the window as Colin drops Eliza onto her bed. She pushes her face against her pillow and before he leaves, he softly says, "I'm so sorry Eliza." Martin escorts Colin out of her room while Lucy rushes to strip her of her dress and untie the corset. Once it's off, Eliza curls into a ball and sobs into the pillow. Lucy places a soothing hand onto Eliza's hair, pulling away the loose strands from her wet face.

"I'm going to get you something strong to drink my lady. Or perhaps mix up a sleeping powder," Lucy tells her once Eliza's breathing is back under control. Lucy wants to tell Eliza that it will be okay, that she'll be okay, but after what happened when Eliza was younger, she just doesn't know if that's true.