Luck be a Lady-9
They ran for sometime, Elizabeth lost track of how many streets they turned on. The sky was turning from an inky blue to a purple-pink. The morning dew was dampening them and Elizabeth could tell they were nearing the river, a fine mist was in the air, heavy with the smell of the river.
William led her down one more street and they emerged at the river bank. They were about a block down from the Tower Bridge (sometimes called the London Bridge).
“Alright, we’re here,” he said, panting slightly. “Are you awake yet?”
“Oh plenty,” Elizabeth said smiling. They were both flushed from the run and the mist left their skin all dewy and fresh. Elizabeth pulled her messy hair up into a knot, it was starting to stick to her moist face.
William swept aside his hair and rubbed his eyes. “Well, I thought it would be nice to catch a sunrise. And I’ve heard this is one of the nicest places in London to catch it.” He led her over to the walkway along the riverbank. They both leaned their elbows on the railing. The city was still very quiet and fresh. In the summertime, the sun rose around 4 am every morning, long before the big rush hit the streets.
Birds were waking up and flying around. Elizabeth closed hers eyes and took in a deep breath.
“No, now you’ve got to stay awake or you will miss the best part,” William insisted. Through the mist hanging over the river, yellow rays of sun began peeking through. Though the air was somewhat smoggy, the sky was lit up with more colors than words can describe. The sun rose quickly, warming their wet skin.
“Well I think we made it just in time for the best part,” Elizabeth whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. He slipped his arm around her waist, and her head fell further down his shoulder, right into his neck. And he smelled wonderful, like dew, like cologne, and like himself, all at the same time.
They stood together silently, watching the sunrise, and the river come to life. Elizabeth closed her eyes after a while and let the images of her night out fill her thoughts. She tried hard to memorize his smell, for it was the sweetest part of the whole evening.
Finally, William broke the silence. “How about some tea then?”
Elizabeth picked up her head and looked into his eyes. “Tea sounds lovely.” He turned to lead her to a nearby café but she stopped him. “William,” he turned to look at her again. “Thank you for this wonderful night. I cannot remember ever having this much fun.” She looked down and played with one of the buttons on his shirt. “Thank you for everything, I don’t know why you did it, but thank you.”
“You are silly,” he said laughing. He kissed her forehead and pulled her in close. “And what makes you think this night is over?”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “Well we do have to sleep eventually.”
“Why yes, we do.” William agreed, putting copious amounts of stress on ‘we.’ “But for now, we need to have tea.” He kissed her softly, catching her by surprise. Even after the entire evening, he still surprised her with his every move.
They walked with arms around each other, to the nearest café and took a seat inside. It had just opened, and smelled of pastries, coffees and teas. The air was warm and cozy and the place was still quiet. William ordered two breakfast teas, and biscuits.
While they waited, William took one of her hands into his own. He looked deep in thought, and rubbed her palm with his thumb, sometimes making imaginary designs. “Although I have many more fun things planned for us, maybe I should get you home for a while. Your father might begin to worry.”
Elizabeth was a little saddened by this news, but knew he was being an absolute gentleman. “You’re probably right,” she agreed. “Whatever you say captain.” They shared a smile, and Elizabeth felt home already.
Their breakfast arrived, and they sipped their tea quietly. It was a strong cup, full of flavor and warmth. They munched on biscuits while they drank to keep their appetites at bay.
Though the evening was eventful, William felt he had barely scratched the surface of the mystery across from him. Her hair was falling out the knot, and strands were everywhere. She looked tired but alert, and yet she had been so quiet the whole evening. Only by her smiles could he tell anything about her. But for one smile, he felt he could do anything.
After tea, they got into a taxi and went first to Elizabeth’s house. “Alright Lizzie, here we are,” he said softly.
She sat up straight and looked at him, head tilted slightly.
“What?” He asked as he helped her out of the taxi.
“Nothing,” she said shaking her head. “It’s just that you called me Lizzie. Only my father ever calls me that.” ‘And my mother’ she thought to herself.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, it just came out I guess.” William looked a little ashamed.
“No it’s alright.” She smiled warmly and more openly than she had all night. “I don’t mind if you call me Lizzie.”
“Are you sure?” He asked, looking her straight in the eyes. Her green eyes twinkled for the first time that whole night.
“Of course I’m sure.” Without thinking she kissed him quickly and pulled away. “Thank you again, for a wonderful time.”
William kissed her again softly and lovingly, his hands cupping her chin. He lingered for a moment when it was over, his face just inches from hers.
“Anytime neighbor,” he said, winked and turned towards the waiting taxi. “Sleep well,” he said loudly to her as she walked up to the door.
She turned around and saluted him. “Aye aye captain!” Laughing, she made her way into the house and up to her room. Quickly, she changed for bed, flopped down on her comfortable sheets and slid under the comforter. Her mind was racing but she fell asleep almost instantly.
William stood outside for a moment after she had gone inside. She was gone and he missed her already. He got back in the taxi and they were off to his flat. Her smile lingered in front his eyes, she seemed happy but her eyes hid somethine.
“Oh Lizzie,” he whispered to himself. “What will it take to free you?”
William led her down one more street and they emerged at the river bank. They were about a block down from the Tower Bridge (sometimes called the London Bridge).
“Alright, we’re here,” he said, panting slightly. “Are you awake yet?”
“Oh plenty,” Elizabeth said smiling. They were both flushed from the run and the mist left their skin all dewy and fresh. Elizabeth pulled her messy hair up into a knot, it was starting to stick to her moist face.
William swept aside his hair and rubbed his eyes. “Well, I thought it would be nice to catch a sunrise. And I’ve heard this is one of the nicest places in London to catch it.” He led her over to the walkway along the riverbank. They both leaned their elbows on the railing. The city was still very quiet and fresh. In the summertime, the sun rose around 4 am every morning, long before the big rush hit the streets.
Birds were waking up and flying around. Elizabeth closed hers eyes and took in a deep breath.
“No, now you’ve got to stay awake or you will miss the best part,” William insisted. Through the mist hanging over the river, yellow rays of sun began peeking through. Though the air was somewhat smoggy, the sky was lit up with more colors than words can describe. The sun rose quickly, warming their wet skin.
“Well I think we made it just in time for the best part,” Elizabeth whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. He slipped his arm around her waist, and her head fell further down his shoulder, right into his neck. And he smelled wonderful, like dew, like cologne, and like himself, all at the same time.
They stood together silently, watching the sunrise, and the river come to life. Elizabeth closed her eyes after a while and let the images of her night out fill her thoughts. She tried hard to memorize his smell, for it was the sweetest part of the whole evening.
Finally, William broke the silence. “How about some tea then?”
Elizabeth picked up her head and looked into his eyes. “Tea sounds lovely.” He turned to lead her to a nearby café but she stopped him. “William,” he turned to look at her again. “Thank you for this wonderful night. I cannot remember ever having this much fun.” She looked down and played with one of the buttons on his shirt. “Thank you for everything, I don’t know why you did it, but thank you.”
“You are silly,” he said laughing. He kissed her forehead and pulled her in close. “And what makes you think this night is over?”
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. “Well we do have to sleep eventually.”
“Why yes, we do.” William agreed, putting copious amounts of stress on ‘we.’ “But for now, we need to have tea.” He kissed her softly, catching her by surprise. Even after the entire evening, he still surprised her with his every move.
They walked with arms around each other, to the nearest café and took a seat inside. It had just opened, and smelled of pastries, coffees and teas. The air was warm and cozy and the place was still quiet. William ordered two breakfast teas, and biscuits.
While they waited, William took one of her hands into his own. He looked deep in thought, and rubbed her palm with his thumb, sometimes making imaginary designs. “Although I have many more fun things planned for us, maybe I should get you home for a while. Your father might begin to worry.”
Elizabeth was a little saddened by this news, but knew he was being an absolute gentleman. “You’re probably right,” she agreed. “Whatever you say captain.” They shared a smile, and Elizabeth felt home already.
Their breakfast arrived, and they sipped their tea quietly. It was a strong cup, full of flavor and warmth. They munched on biscuits while they drank to keep their appetites at bay.
Though the evening was eventful, William felt he had barely scratched the surface of the mystery across from him. Her hair was falling out the knot, and strands were everywhere. She looked tired but alert, and yet she had been so quiet the whole evening. Only by her smiles could he tell anything about her. But for one smile, he felt he could do anything.
After tea, they got into a taxi and went first to Elizabeth’s house. “Alright Lizzie, here we are,” he said softly.
She sat up straight and looked at him, head tilted slightly.
“What?” He asked as he helped her out of the taxi.
“Nothing,” she said shaking her head. “It’s just that you called me Lizzie. Only my father ever calls me that.” ‘And my mother’ she thought to herself.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to, it just came out I guess.” William looked a little ashamed.
“No it’s alright.” She smiled warmly and more openly than she had all night. “I don’t mind if you call me Lizzie.”
“Are you sure?” He asked, looking her straight in the eyes. Her green eyes twinkled for the first time that whole night.
“Of course I’m sure.” Without thinking she kissed him quickly and pulled away. “Thank you again, for a wonderful time.”
William kissed her again softly and lovingly, his hands cupping her chin. He lingered for a moment when it was over, his face just inches from hers.
“Anytime neighbor,” he said, winked and turned towards the waiting taxi. “Sleep well,” he said loudly to her as she walked up to the door.
She turned around and saluted him. “Aye aye captain!” Laughing, she made her way into the house and up to her room. Quickly, she changed for bed, flopped down on her comfortable sheets and slid under the comforter. Her mind was racing but she fell asleep almost instantly.
William stood outside for a moment after she had gone inside. She was gone and he missed her already. He got back in the taxi and they were off to his flat. Her smile lingered in front his eyes, she seemed happy but her eyes hid somethine.
“Oh Lizzie,” he whispered to himself. “What will it take to free you?”