Love & Murder: An Eliza Winter Mystery

Motives

Colin and Eliza agreed to discuss the diary over dinner before the opera. Colin could sense that Eliza was too emotionally exhausted for another hard conversation, so he left her with one last kiss before climbing back out of the window. Eliza was on cloud nine until breakfast the next morning.

She could tell her maid was sensing something was amiss as Eliza grinned while sipping on her coffee, but Eliza couldn't very well tell Lucy she had received her first kiss last night. Eliza had decided that she would confide in her after the opera and only change the location of where her first kiss was received. Eliza also caught herself from thinking about how excited she'd be to tell Penelope that it had finally happened. She knew her best friend would have been so pleased and would have wanted every juicy detail.

The formal invitation came at breakfast and Mary was still somber from the events of the previous day. She broke the wax seal on the pearl-colored envelope while dazed, and Eliza knew she was still thinking about her lost son. Eliza's eye catches the invitation her mother was turning over in her hand and restrains herself from squealing in delight. She hears Edward flipping the page of the newspaper, but Eliza's eyes don't leave her mother's hands.

"Oh? Eliza, I think this is for you." Mary says in surprise as she hands Eliza the invitation. While plucking the opulent invite from her mother's long fingers she innocently asks, "For me?"

"I think you have been invited to the Royal Opera House by Lord Bradshaw," Mary states in shock and Edward removes his eyes from his paper.

"The Opera?" Edward asks, intrigued and Mary nods. Eliza quickly reads over it and then glances to her mother, "I can go yes?" Eliza catches the look Edward and Mary exchange and then Mary cautiously asks, "Is this still about Penelope? Or is this something more?"

Eliza shrugs, "I think he wants to take me to the opera and if Penelope comes up then we'll discuss it."

"This is a very formal event my dear. If you step out with his Lordship there will be consequences," Mary says seriously and Eliza can tell she's trying to protect Eliza. She too knows the gossip mongers' tongues would be wagging at the new duo.

"I'm sure Colin has thought this through. If he formally invited me it's because he wants me to be his date," Eliza states and Edward looks to Mary again.

"Colin? You've gotten chummy if you're tossing formalities aside now," Mary says in awe.

"Do you want to be his date?" Edward asks and Eliza gives a quick nod. She doesn't want her parents to know she's bursting at the seams with excitement- no need for them to make a big deal of it too. Before they are able to give their blessing, Martin comes in through the dining-room door and everyone snaps their focus to him.

"Pardon my interruption, but there is a Mr. Andrew Tennyson here for Lady Eliza," Martin announces and Eliza shares a shocked expression with her parents. She scoots her chair out and follows Martin into the foyer where a timid-looking Andrew awaits.

"Good morning Tennyson," Eliza says curiously and Andrew nods to her while spinning his brown hat around in his hands.

"Good morning Lady Eliza, forgive me for intruding on your breakfast," Andrew says and Eliza can feel his nerves radiating off him. He's dapper in a navy suit and vest, but he still looks as unhappy as ever. He runs a hand over his forehead to push the loose piece of blonde hair from his round face and then looks to her, "I have received an invitation for the opera tonight in Covenant Garden and I am here to ask if you'd like to accompany me." Eliza freezes and Andrew feels her hesitation, "I know it's last minute but-"

Eliza cuts him off, "No, it's not that it's just...I just accepted an invitation from your cousin, Lord Bradshaw." Eliza can see the surprise on Andrew's face. She watches it flicker through his thoughts and after a quick shake of his head he replies, "Oh? I see."

"I'm sorry, but I do appreciate your offer," Eliza adds with a soft smile but she can see that Andrew still looks put off by his cousin. He nods to her and then goes to put his hat back on his head as he turns toward the door. Something makes his hand freeze on the door handle and he spins around to face her.

"Colin is heading back to Sussex after he wraps up this murder investigation," he states plainly and Eliza's brow furrows.

"I had assumed so," Eliza says with a shrug and Andrew adds, "I just thought you should know. Colin takes his work very seriously and can sometimes be blinded by ambition."

"I can see you're trying to hint at something, but I'd prefer you just be direct with me," Eliza sternly says and she tilts her chin up as she looks to him. He sighs and with his hand still on the handle says, "It's just that he might be extending an invite because he knows your relationship with Lady Penelope Vanderwahl. He's not afraid to blur the lines you see."

"If you must know, I sought Bradshaw out in regards to Lady Penelope. I appreciate your concern over your cousin's motives, but I can promise you, the lines are very clear. I don't believe for a minute he only invited me to the opera because of my connection to this case," Eliza states and then adds a soft smile, trying to convince Andrew that someone can ask her out without an ulterior motive.

"My cousin's intentions are never as simple as they seem. Just keep that in mind Lady Eliza," Andrew says ominously and then turns the handle. He leaves Eliza confused in the foyer and her mother comes around the corner.

"What did Andrew want?" Mary curiously asks and Eliza turns to face her.

"He too wanted to invite me to the opera," Eliza says, still confused at the conversation that just took place.

"My my, two offers in one morning? What have you been up to whilst we were away?" Mary asks with a coy grin.

"I honestly don't know why Andrew asked me. He implied that Colin asking me was a cover for his work, but why would he say anything? I've been around all summer and he's just now approaching me, stirring up trouble," Eliza notes while becoming more aggravated.

"A cover? Him taking you will cause a stir. That's quite the statement if he was only using you for his job," Mary states, unable to process everything that's happening around Eliza.

"But why would Andrew suddenly care?" Eliza asks and Mary looks to her, unable to answer. Eliza suddenly isn't as excited about her evening out as apprehension creeps in. Was there an ulterior motive for Colin's invitation? He said he liked her, he kissed her. That would be very rotten if it was all a ruse.

Flustered, Eliza spins around and strides over to the telephone. She calls the Tennyson residence, but their butler informs her that Colin has already left for the day. She drops the receiver as Mary says, "Don't let Andrew's doubts creep into your excitement. Let's get you ready for your big night out and if something is still weighing heavily on your mind, you can discuss it with Colin when you see him." Eliza looks to her mother and she knows because this is the first invite Eliza has ever received from a man, her mother will do and say anything to get her to go.

"You're right. I have no idea what was behind Andrew's intentions. I'm still quite shocked that he even invited me," Eliza replies with her finger still lingering on her lower lip.

"Maybe we were right to assume that he's hunting down heiresses. Everyone is leaving London soon, so he may be desperate to find a bride," Mary suggests and then nods to Eliza to follow her up the stairs. As they make it to the landing Eliza says, "Let's go all out on my ensemble for this evening. If this is some sort of game to Colin, I might as well look sultry while playing it."

"Sultry my dear girl? My my something has indeed changed whilst we were away," Mary says with an eyebrow raised. Eliza catches her smirk and gives her one in return.