Proper lessons

[Lovely]

September 12, Year 1
night


Ev was torn... he wanted to be with his Liza Rose in every way he could, he wanted to do it proper even but had been putting it off to make sure that he's not just a toy or ruse for her to avoid pig-swill. He didn't want her to think that's the only reason, either. He'd started giving her what they referred to as 'lessons', tonight she'd made a fair amount of noise and the other bys in the house were sure to hear it. Ev inhales through the teeth, getting the image of what his brothers could be thinking and what more he and Liza could be doing. "a-yup... she's gonna be the death of me." He grinned. ".. gonna die a happy man though."

Liza blushed but gigglesd a little. "Mmm and if you can't figure out that I really love you by now... well, then.."

He knew but he paused and then tried to tease. "..bachelors... giving up that life and all.." He'd never been one to drift from girl to girl or break hearts.

"Oh.. well, when you put it like that.." His answer hit her just the right way for the teasing to stop and her to be upset. "... you can sleep on the floor!" She tried to push him off the bed.

He pulled her off the bed down with him. "More room, you see... not as much squeak.." He winked at her, still smiling and trying to tease. "Well.. not from the bed, anyhow."

"hmmm having your cake and eating it too?"

"Just who's givin' who lessons, here? Shhhhh."

She wasn't smiling and muttered something about, "Why buy the cow, when you can get the milk for free."

He rolls his eyes and sits back, resting his elbows on his knees. "Think that all y'want miss Liza... fact I'll give ya some time on that one... I'll be outside." gets up and takes a cigar with him... sits on the balcony.

She comes out on the balcony, several minutes later, he's had time to smoke a bit. She has two cups of coffee in her hands, she offers one to him as she lowers down to sit on the floor.

He'd been looking far out over the town watching shadows and smoke rise from some of the late fires. He looked up to the mug then her, watching her curl down on the planks. "Sorry, Elizabeth... don't know what all that was, but I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault.. not really." She said softly, leaning against the rail and letting her eyes cast out to the distance.

[Lovely]

His voice carried softly and huskily on the night breeze, hoping his brothers weren't near their windows or awake to hear their murmurs. "No... most like it was. Just no good at make-believin' I guess. Thought that... eh, well, never mind what I thought. I was wrong. Trade a pretty lady a pretty penny to tell me what's really on her mind?"

"Your father likes me." She spoke, while her eyes stared into the distance and her fingers circled the rim of her mug. "Your brothers seem to as well.. at least they like my cooking." Her voice was soft. "Your sister.." She smiled a little as she mentioned his family. "keeps asking when we're... going to have some babies for her to practice with." The sigh was soft but audible. "I like them.. your family.. I truly have become quite fond of them all... even Patrick, with his odd quiet ways.. though he scares me a little.. but .. I feel like I'm lying to them all... I guess I am.. and I guess it bothers me more than I realized at times... I'm sorry... I shouldn't take it out on you."

He chuckled softly, taking a sip from his mug. He ground out the last of the cigar and pitched it over the rail then leaned closer to her, holding the mug out in front of himself, watching the ripples mirror the pale moonlight. "You should, Miss Liza. Don't know who better to take it out on. Had half a mind I'd 'a used it to say somethin' that first day, but... didn't seem right and maybe I got used to just waitin' for a time."

She turned her shimmering green eyes on him and tipped her head, slightly. "The right time to say.. what?"

"Say... do... ," he sighed and moved down on the plank beside her. "Damn fortune tellers. Guess'n I didn't like bein' told and maybe I fought it a little. Never meant to fight you, though you're getting hurt by it.... supposin' that's what I'm sorry about most. She was right... right about you... me... this house even," he chuckled, looking back over his shoulder.

"Damn fortune teller.." She murmured, giving him a bit of a smile. "You told me some about Sloane and making you go.. and a little about what she said... " She shifted to lean against him instead of the rail, letting her head tip to his shoulder. "You feel like sharing a little more of that story now?"

He turned back to her with a boyish grin, feeling exposed and helpless, looking down after a moment to his mug, hoping to hide some of the bashfulness and maybe find the words there that escaped him. He chuckled nervously, taking another sip before he could look at her again, letting his eyes raise slowly. "What's left to tell? It's all here... you're here. Only thing missin' is me gettin' the gumption to make the story complete. Seems I... I guess now that so much's come right, don't want that one thing to be wrong, Elizabeth." He said her full name in a whisper that held back the fear that she'd been just a dream and he might wake up.

Her chin tilted and her eyes searched his, reaching out, she took his mug and set it aside. With a soft smile she shifted into his lap and pressed a sweet and tender kiss to his lips. "I love you, Everitt Carlisle."

Sweet sunbeams fell on his face though only the moon lit the edges around them. He set the mug to the side and curled her into his lap. "Miss Murphy... Liza Rose... there's something I guess I oughtta just out and say. Promise me you won't laugh or nothin'..."

[Lovely]

Sweet sunbeams fell on his face though only the moon lit the edges around them. He set the mug to the side and curled her into his lap. "Miss Murphy... Liza Rose... there's something I guess I oughtta just out and say. Promise me you won't laugh or nothin'..."

An eyebrow arched slightly and she nodded her head, whispering softly. "I promise."

"...or hit me or run off and yell everyone awake..." he smiled gently.

"Well now it depends on what you say.. whether or not I might hit you.." She teased lightly, but nodded her head. "Alright.. I promise.."

He pulled her closer and whispered, "That gypsy lady told me you'd say that..."

"She told you.. I'd say.. I might hit you?"

"No no...," he shook his head, trying to take a deep enough breath though any moment he was sure she'd turn to mist and be gone and he'd be awake and alone having dreamt it all. "She said... nevermind what she said. Elizabeth... no more make believin'... it's all real.. that should be real, too. Miss Liza... "

For a moment she was confused, not sure with all that had been said, what he was talking about. Looking into his eyes for a long moment, she was quiet and then a soft smile slowly spread. "Do you mean... what I think you do?"

He paused, hoping the words would come out on their own so they wouldn't be jumbled. He watched the smile grow and brighten her face, beaming more sun where he sat before her. His eyes followed hers and he felt himself nodding, lacing her fingers tightly to hold to his lips to keep her from fading. "If you could stand having a crazy man and all that worry that'd come with it, the sheriff of this town wants you to be his wife," he said slowly, pausing again to say it outright. "Will you do me that honor, Elizabeth?"

She bit her lip to contain the joyous laughter that bubbled up, her eyes misting a little as she nodded her head, enthusiastically. "Yes!" She whispered, loudly, bouncing in his lap and throwing her arms around his neck. "Yes, yes.. " Her face burried to his neck, to muffle the excited giggles of happiness. A trail of kisses and nibbles tickled over his neck as she burrowed.

"Hey now... shhhhh," he chuckled softly, holding her closer and feeling the happiness flow over them both. "You promised, no wakin' up the house, now." He teased gently, helping quiet her with a relieved and tender kiss.

She pouted a little. "No waking up the house.." She promised again and returned his kiss with one that was more empassioned and forward, than he would be used to from her.

"Guessin' I owe you a penny," he teased as he parted slowly from her. His expression was still somewhat boyish and timid, but his gaze was full of fire and adoration. "Love you, pretty lady... my Liza Rose."

[Lovely]

Her eyes were warm emeralds, full of adoration, her fingers brushed a bit of hair off his face and she smiled sweetly. "You owe me.. much more than a penny." Her lips brushed lightly over his, almost teasingly. "But I think we can work on payments."

A moment of panic washed over him. "Do I now? What... "

"Shhh.." She brushed his lips again. "A lifetime of this.. and.. more lessons.." She murmured, her lips parting to a deeper kiss.

He'd have stayed there all night, but the chill rolled up his back and he was certain she'd be chilled as well, though neither of them likely paid it much attention. "Should oughtta go inside now... or only lesson tonight is how to catch cold," he whispered, nodding back to their room.

She chuckled softly and nodded her head, a small sigh escaping as she reluctantly pulled herself away from him. Using the rail to help pull herself to her feet, she cast a smile down to him and reached to take his mug in with her.

"What was that?" He teased about the sigh as he handed her his mug and stood after her. His arm slipped around her to escort her warmly.

She snuggled into him a bit as they walked inside. "That was having to move away from you for a moment." She leaned up to kiss his cheek, cuddling to his warmth as they walked inside.

"Here, now set these down, and you come on over here," he said, taking the mugs and setting them on the side table. He shut the doors and turned with a hand out for hers.

She beamed at him and took his hands, stepping close to him again. Liza leaned in to steal a quick kiss, blushing lightly as she did, when she boldly displayed affections on him.

"Want you to promise me one more thing...," he said, tipping more serious and dark. "Promise that you'll trust me in however we need to deal with Kingswell."

"Why do you need me to promise you that? Haven't I done so thus far?" She asked softly, her shine fading a little as she looked to him.

"He's not the kind to rest no matter what, Liza... and I just don't know what lengths he might up and try to hold on to you whether you're good and caught or not."

She looked away, biting her lip for a moment.. he was right, there was no way to know what Kingswell might do. He'd not left, nor had he given up on his 'quest' to have her. Elizabeth sighed and turned back to Everitt, she gave his hands a light squeeze and nodded. "I trust you... and I promise to trust how you will deal with Kingswell. But I also promise to tell you what I think." She smiled a little as she said the last.

"And what do you think?" He smiled thinly, curious to know.

[Lovely]

"I think if he makes one more insulting comment about you or your family.. I will act less than lady like and knock him on his arse."

"Well, bein' the sheriff's wife and all, does kinda make you a deputy by proxy... but don't go tellin' Chance. You're a right sight cuter'n he is and that'll make him all pouty," he winked.

She laughed and shook her head. "We'll have him over for dinner to make it up to him."

"Ah, well now... you see, there's where things get a little... antsy. See, Chance, Sloane and me, we get along alright, long as its business... or cards and whiskey, but the Palmers and us...," he cringed behind the smile and shook his head a little.

"Hmm." She nodded and gave him a knowing look. "Ah yes.. and that's where the women come in.. to keep you all in line and to make sure everyone is all nice like.. fine.. no dinner.. I'll send something down for him.." She tugged Everitt closer to her, smiling up at him. "Good thing I have you around to make sure I know these things."

"You'll send something down? When?" He was confused now and sleep that he'd been losing with worry was catching up. "Good to know... yeah, I'm supposin' you're... right...," he yawned.

"Later... right now.. it's off to bed with you mister Carlisle." She scolded him lightly, tugging his hands and turning towards the bed. Slipping her arms around his waist, Liza gently started to rub his back and shoulders.

"Yes'm," he nodded, following to the bed and laying down gently beneath the care of her fingers. "Hmm... now where'd you learn that from? Not complainin', mind you..."

"Same place I learned how to knock Kingswell on his arse." She whispered, leaning over to kiss his cheek. Her fingers kept working firmly over his muscles, seeking to loosen and relax him.

He groaned gently regretting having brought that topic up at the moment. "Liza... as sheriff's deputy, I want you to make two more promises and then come on down here where I can see you. First... that you don't go forcing yourself to be all proper around me and the boys. We're Irish. We tend to say exactly what we mean to say in every way we mean to say it. Except around children, mind you, or in front of Gully. His face gets all twisted up and red and I'd be afraid his head'll split on off his skull, but otherwise... say what's there, right? Second... we don't bring up that man's name again after sunset. Promise me, now," he chuckled.

She dropped her robe to the floor, whispering.. "Promise." as she laid down next to him. "And what man's name?" She smiled, still stroking over his back with one hand.

"Mmmm... nobody," he murmured, turning slowly and curling closer to her. "Damned fortune tellers," he winked, cupping her cheek and sinking into a lingering kiss.