The early morning bled into midday but Eliza lay asleep for the entirety though it was restless at best. Swirling distorted images of Harrington's funeral, Dominics smug face and bleeding roses infect her mind and make her turn over. The afternoon creeps upon her sleeping figure, the house remains quiet and inactive while everyone waits with baited breathe for a change in Harrington's condition. At last, she opens her eyes to the sun streaming into the room and casting golden shadows over the furniture. She sighs and stretches her neck out to give relief from the hours of lying on the too small lounge. Eliza pads from the room and wander the deserted corridors, her uncle is still in the dining room but the bottle is almost half gone since she last saw him. Helen sits opposite with a cup of coffee and a plate of shortbread, Penny is absent. Eliza walks silently in and sits with the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. No one speaks, no conversation, no sound. Luis enters, he looks tired, as though he hasn't slept in days, he places a stack of toast and a pot of strawberry jam.
"Any change?" Helen asks as she takes a slice of toast.
"No, ma'am." He says regretfully. "Miss do you need anything?" Luis asks Eliza who shakes her head. "Your clothes are dry and are folded in the guest bedroom should you need them."
She nods and he leaves the room with a bow. The sound of cutlery on china cracks around the room along with the sound of chewing and sighing. Eliza doesn't feel hungry or tired or sad, just a sense of hopelessness and worry. The waiting gnaws at her and she bites her fingernails.
"No, I can't just sit here." She stands up, chucks the blanket on the table and marches from the room, Helen drops her toast back onto the plate and Benjamin jumps up, following her with alarm on his face.
"Where are you going?" He asks concerned as she opens the door, goes outside and walks round to the stables, she unties Captain for the fence pole. She climbs up and clicks him on past her uncle. The horse tosses his in surprise as she pushes him on, hard.
"But you have no shoes on..." Benjamin trails off as she rides away.
The wind whistles and chills Eliza as she races across the fields and hills, her heart thunders painfully as her sobs are covered by the sound of hooves. The tears turn instantly cold on her face. She pulls Captain to a stop outside the boundary of the town. She sniffles and hugs his neck, the warm of his coat comforts her body through the dress.
"Where should we go?" She whispers into his ear, they prick back and twitch intently. Eliza strokes his neck lovingly, her feet begin to feel frozen.
"Should of worn shoes." She mutters, reaching down and rubbing her icy feet in the stirrups. Captain stamps his feet on the solid ground sensing his mistresse's distress.
"James!" Eliza sits up suddenly as the idea flies into her head, but where does he live? She racks her brain.
James is Jaspers best friend, his best friend....is the Duke of Devonshire and the Duke of Devonshire's house is.....
"Hillchester Manor!" She says triumphantly out loud, she nudges Captain's stomach onwards.
The grand house of the Duke of Devonshire is located in the north of the town, Captain trots into the front courtyard and Eliza dismounts onto the gravel. There are no servants wandering around doing chores and no person comes out of the house to greet her so she ties Captain's reins to a small oak. The loose gravel digs into her bare feet and she hops over the ground, wincing as sharp points pierce her skin. On the smooth stone front steps, she raises a hand and knocks twice on the door. The door remains tightly shut, she waits impatiently, no one appears. She presses her ear to the door, from inside there is shouting and yelling, the sound of rapid footsteps becomes louder and she jumps back as the door swings open.
"Eliza." James stands in a bloodstained shirt and trousers, his hair is wild and his face is etched with surprise.
"Hello, James...." She says, "What's going on?" She looks around his figure into the hall.
"Eliza..." He begins uncertainly. There's a crash and a figure comes stumbling into view. Eliza's mouth falls open and she pushes James out the way and launches herself onto Dominic. All her pain and anguish are poured into her firsts as they rain down upon his back as he tries to defend himself.
"Ow, hey, arh get off me." Dominic cries as Eliza uses every limb to punish him. James wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her away from him, she struggles against his grip, her arms and legs flying in the air. Dominic falls to the ground cradling his bleeding nose.
"Put me down." She yells.
"Calm down." James cries. "He's been shot, you need to calm down!"
"GET OFF ME!" Eliza shouts, writing to be free.
"Eliza think about what you are doing." He says into her ear, she freezes, contemplating his words. She drops her limbs and sags like a rag doll against James. He slowly releases her.
"Crazy bitch." Dominic hurls at her from the floor, Eliza laughs mirthlessly.
"If you ever harm any of my family again, I vow that I will hunt you down and destroy you." She hisses, Dominic spits on the floor at her feet.
"What is he even doing here?" She turns and demands of James.
"I'll explain everything, let me just..." James signals to his servants to carry Dominic from the room. They pick him up and move him from the floor. James gestures for Eliza to follow him, they walk in the opposite direction until he opens a door to a living room. He sits in an armchair but she paces in front of him.
"Well?" She cries.
"I was Jasper's second in the duel..."
"You were there?" She gasps.
"They were meant to shoot on ten."
"I know how a duel works." She snaps, James rolls his eyes but doesn't comment.
"Dominic shot on 7, he was raced to Chester Valley but when he was on the ground he shot as well, Dominic didn't have a second or friend, I couldn't just let him bleed out."
"He doesn't look so bad."
"It's all the gin."
"SIR!" A maid burst into the room in a frantic panic.
"What is it?" James straightens up
"It's that man you brought in," She cries, "He's not breathing."