An Inconvenient Attraction

Chapter 17- The Waiting Game

He knocked frantically on the front door. A bewildered servant immediately stepped back upon seeing the prince. The entire household knew to expect him at any moment.

Thundering up the stairs, he saw Alice and Bea waiting on the landing. They jumped up into a curtesy upon noticing him.

"Eliza?"

"She's woken up, her family are with her now," Bea explained.

"Is she ok?"

"Dr. Goodwin says that she seems fine but she'll need more rest. I'm sure they will tell us when they get out of the room. Oh Your Highness, please sit, I'm afraid you'll collapse on us."

Alex collapsed onto the sofa next to them. His heart was racing- and it wasn't just from exhaustion.

It was an anxious wait. The door finally opened and the Greystones walked out.

"What's going on?" Alice asked.

"Eliza is fine," Jonathan explained, his arm around his wife, "She is a bit sore and bruised but in good spirits. Dr. Goodwin says she'll be in bed for another week but will be all good after that. It was the least injured one could be in that situation. As the doctor said before, it wasn't her head. I think it'd be good for you to see her."

Bea and Alice both moved back to allow Alex in first, but he waved them off.

"No, you're her closest friends, you should go first. I can wait."

"We'll get you some tea," Marianne offered.

Alex slightly regretted allowing the girls to go first but he knew that Eliza needed them more. She'd known Bea for her entire life. Instead he waited with a cup of tea in his hand.

When the door opened, he was up like a shot once again.

Bea and Alice silently let him past. Alex readied himself to see her.

Eliza looked tiny underneath all the bedsheets and blankets. She was petite in stature and medium in height, but it made her look so little. The colours of the bedroom contrasted with her now pale skin. She looked exhausted but not as deathly ill as he had before.

"Your Highness," she smiled, attempting to get up to curtsy.

"Oh no, please don't get up," Alex rushed over to get her back under the covers, "You need to rest."

Eliza acquiesced.

"How are you feeling?" he slipped into a chair beside the bed.

"Like I've been hit by a horse," Eliza joked, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not really. I feel a little achy and tired but nothing more. The physician said a little time in bed should do me a world of good. Anyway, how are you?"

Alex looked away nervously.

"I...I'm so sorry Eliza."

"Whatever for?"

"It should have been me in front of that horse. I should have seen it, got us both out of the way. Instead I let you get hurt and for that, I am deeply sorry."

"Your Highness, you should not be sorry."

"You were hurt."

"I will be fine, you don't need to worry. I saw that horse and I just knew I had to get you out of the way. Truthfully, I was not thinking of myself. I just had to make sure you weren't hurt."

"You need to think of yourself more often. I should really thank you too- you could well have saved my life. I owe you my life."

"It was nothing."

"Clearly not. I do not know how I can thank you for this."

"You do not need to thank me."

The two locked eyes.

"About what happened before..."

"I don't want to talk about it, not now," Eliza's voice was suddenly sharp, "I am supposed to be resting after all. Now is not the time for such talk."

"My apologies, I did not think."

"Tell me about what you've been doing the past few days. Did you go riding with Lord Sutherland?"

"Why yes I did..."

Hi all, hope you enjoyed it.

Next Time: Alex receives a surprise and Eliza receives an even bigger one.

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