The Slayer & The Poet

Stanza the 4th

By Sailor Lum

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Disclaimer: The characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Same goes for any characters from Angel that should appear. Any other characters are mine and may be used for other fanfic (Just note that they’re mine if you use them.)

The poem She Walks in Beauty belongs to Lord Byron.

Content rating note: This fic is rated PG-13 or maybe R.

Continuity note: Follows Stanza the 3^rd. This story takes place in an AU season 6, in which Buffy didn’t die at the end of season five. This is only important to know for Buffy and the girls’ state of mind since this is set in 1880. Spoilers for “Fool for Love” and a little “Lies My Parents Told Me.”

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1

William fidgeted in his seat as the carriage made its way up the road. Despite the girls’ words of encouragement, he felt nervous. This would be the first call he’d made in almost a month. Of all the members of his social circle, the Pemberton household was the most mild mannered, but still…

William closed his eyes and sighed as the carriage went over a bump in the road.

During his visit with the girls that afternoon, he had told them about his plans to make a call and had admitted that he was quite nervous. Misses Buffy and Willow and Tara had all assured him that it would be “okay.”

“That means, ‘all right’,” Miss Tara had said.

Miss Buffy had then squeezed his hand, causing him to flush, and told him, “You can do it!”

You can do it. You can do it, William repeated over and over to himself in his head. The Pembertons will at the very least be courteous. You can do it.

The carriage stopped and his driver hopped down to open the door for him. William stepped out and gave his driver, old Mister Perrywick, a nod.

“Ye’ll be alright, lad,” said Mister Perrywick.

William managed to give Perrywick a weak smile as he stepped out of the carriage. He fretted as he made his way up the stairs to the front door. Maybe they won’t be accepting calls and I can just leave my card and go, William hoped.

Finally, he was at the door. William knocked and only had to wait a little while for the maid on duty to answer. The maid’s eyes widened when she saw who had come calling. “Master Brighton! Oh my! Please come in, sir.” The maid stepped aside to let William in.

William removed his hat (it was a top hat that matched his suit) and held it in one hand while he handed his calling card to the maid. She looked it over, noting the corner turned down, and went to notify the family of William’s arrival.

The maid scuttled down the halls of the house looking for any family member that might be about. Then she remembered that the Pemberton’s daughter Clarice was having a fitting, and hurried upstairs to her room. Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton would most likely be there, as well. They always made sure to look over Clarice’s dresses to insure that they were befitting their marriageable daughter. The dress must fit perfectly and the neckline must not be too low.

Mrs. Pemberton was fussing over her daughter’s finished dress when she heard the knock at the door. “Come in,” she said. The maid opened the door and handed her the card.

Clarice strained to see the card from her position on the step stool. Each time there was a caller, she hoped that the caller would be a man and that he would be calling just for her. But no man ever called on her. She was pretty, but shy and almost just as unpopular as William the Bloody.

“Why it’s from Master Brighton!” Mrs. Pemberton exclaimed.

“W-William??” Clarice asked.

“So he’s finally out and about then? Calling on all of us, is he?” Mr. Pemberton asked.

“Yes,” the Missus said. And then she caught her daughter’s anxious look and mistook it. She knew her daughter was desperate for a male caller and thought that at this point Clarice wouldn’t be above fancying even the pitiable Master Brighton. Well, at least he’s a slight monetary step up. And his orchards and vineyards give some prestige, she thought.

Mr. Pemberton apparently had made the same assumption, for he said, “Well, we still have the tailor to pay and the arrangements to make for a new ball gown. Perhaps we should send Clarice down as a representative of the family.”

The Missus smiled at her husband and said, “Yes, that is a fine idea.” Then she turned to Clarice. “Would you like that, dear?”

Clarice blinked and then said, “Yes, that would be fine Mother.”

Clarice was anxious to see William, but certainly not because she fancied him. Although she wouldn’t have turned him down if he had been calling just for her. She was the same age as he was and had never, not once, had a male caller. She didn’t want to end up an old maid. But as it was, she was anxious to see him because then she would have something juicy to talk about at the party this week. Everyone was dying to know what had become of William the Bloody after he ran out of that party. Crying no less! It was the closest thing they’d had to a scandal in the longest time.

The Missus sent the maid back down and gave her instructions to have William wait in the drawing room for Clarice.

William fidgeted with his hat while he waited downstairs. It seemed to be taking forever. They’re probably debating about whether or not to receive me, he thought. Please decide not to so I can just go home.

Finally the maid came back downstairs and informed him that while the Mister and Missus were busy, Clarice was available and would see him in the drawing room. William was mildly surprised. He gave the maid a questioning look. She motioned for him to follow her. “Come this way.”

Still slightly apprehensive, he followed her. Clarice was one of the few people he could engage in small talk with at parties without danger of being made sport of. She was in the same boat he was in, popularity wise. Even so, she was bound to have witnessed or at least heard about his incident at the party and he couldn’t imagine her not thinking less of him. Would even she make fun of him now?

The maid had him to sit down in one of the velvet chairs in the drawing room. William held his hat on his lap and waited. Soon Clarice arrived and he stood up to greet her. He managed a weak smile before sitting back down. Clarice took a seat in the chair beside him.

“So…have you been ill, William?” Clarice asked. She knew he hadn’t been but couldn’t come right out and talk about the real reason. Too awkward.

William got a slightly pained expression on his face and then managed another weak smile and said, “Y-Yes…but I- I’m feeling better now. A-And you?”

“I- I’ve been very well, thank you,” Clarice replied. Then she wondered what she could politely ask him that would yield good information for the upcoming party. They sat in awkward silence for a moment as she thought. “Is- Is this your first time out?”

William paused a moment trying to decide if he should come up with a polite lie or tell the truth. Since he couldn’t quickly think up a lie and Charles and the others had already seen him at the park, the truth would have to do. “No,” he answered softly. “I’ve been out a few times to see…some n-new friends.”

Clarice perked up. “New friends?? Who are they? How did you meet them?”

Oh, I should have lied, William thought. “Th- they’re Americans.”

“Americans?! How interesting~! Please don’t withhold, William! Are they handsome?” asked Clarice.

William couldn’t help giving her a look and smiling a little. “They’re ladies,” he said stifling a chuckle.

“Ladies?!” Surprise, then disappointment passed over Clarice’s face. “Your new friends are ladies, William?”

“Yes, they’re heiresses who’ve come to London seeking refuge from the harsh environment of the Western frontier,” William answered.

Clarice narrowed her eyes. “Really~?” It sounded made up to her.

William nodded his head.

“What are their names?” she asked, suspicious.

“Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, and Tara Maclay,” he answered.

“Buffy?”

“Oh! I beg your pardon. Elizabeth is her proper name but she has all her friends call her Buffy.”

That sounds too strange to be made up, thought Clarice. William has got to be just the strangest man! To have made friends with three foreign women…Unheard of!

“However did you meet them?” she asked.

“Ah, um, j-just a chance meeting,” William answered, trying to avoid giving details. How could he tell her that, in addition to fleeing from the party, he had to be saved from harm by a woman afterwards?

“But how? And when? You haven’t been out since…” Clarice trailed off. William must have met them immediately after the party. I would lay odds that they took pity on him. I can understand why he doesn’t want to admit to that~.

William’s stomach tied into knots. How am I to get around this?! I knew~ I knew this wouldn’t go well for me~.

“Never mind, William,” Clarice said smiling. “Just tell me about them instead.”

William gave her a warm smile, grateful for her mercy. Then he told her all about how wonderful his new friends were. How Miss Buffy was clever and strong and beautiful. And Miss Willow was smart and into academics and literature like him. And Miss Tara was very kind and genteel.

“And are they all beautiful, or just Miss Summers?” Clarice teased.

“They’re all beautiful,” William answered with a smile.

It was at this point when Clarice’s mother popped her head in the room. “Why, Master Brighton, you’re still here! It’s been nearly an hour!”

“Oh! I- I-,” he stammered in Mrs. Pemberton’s direction before turning back to Clarice, “Please, I- I do beg your pardon, Clarice! I- I didn’t mean to go on-”

“Oh, nonsense! I was quite enjoying hearing about your new friends, William. I don’t mind the time,” Clarice said. The more she got out of him, the better chance she had in using it to get in with the in crowd.

“Please, Mother, can’t he stay a little while longer?” Clarice asked turning to her mum and giving her a hopeful look.

Her mother smiled warmly and said, “I suppose. Come see me in the parlor when you’re done visiting with Master Brighton.” And with that Mrs. Pemberton left.

If her daughter had better prospects or if it had been anyone else but Master Brighton she would never have left them un-chaperoned for this long. But she hated to squelch a budding prospect and Master Brighton was a good man. Although undoubtedly a rather weak specimen, he would have never done anything unseemly with her daughter. Of that she was sure. And he does have a good complexion and nice features. Too bad he’s so horribly out of fashion. Tsk.

William gave Clarice a questioning look. Why had she wanted him to stay?

Clarice turned back to him and said, “Before you go, William, there is one more thing I want to ask you.”

“All right,” William said, his stomach starting to twist up again.

“Is this the first call you’ve made since…?” she asked.

“Yes,” William answered.

“Why this household?” This she was asking only for her own curiosity.

“Oh…” William hadn’t expected that. “Well…” He thought for a moment. “You and- and your family have never made sport of me like…like others have. I was hopeful that you, um, wouldn’t start now, I suppose.”

“Oh…” she answered. Poor William. Now she felt bad for all the times she had called him William the Bloody. Although she at least had the courtesy to make sure he was out of earshot.

“Well,” he said getting up, “I shouldn’t take up any more of your time. Thank you for your kind hospitality, Clarice. And thank your parents for me, as well.”

“Certainly. You’re most welcome, William,” she said standing up. “Will you be at this week’s party?”

“No…No, I don’t think I’m up for that quite yet.”

Good, she thought. It would be easier to talk about him if he wasn’t there. Clarice had one of her servants notify William’s driver that he was ready to go and showed William to the door.

As William stepped out and the door latched behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Oh, thank God that’s over with~! I suppose I can tell the girls it went… fairly well. As William stepped into his carriage he struggled to calm his nerves and found himself thinking a thought he didn’t think very often. I need a drink~. A nice stiff drink and a good book. Yes, that should calm my nerves some.

2

Clarice entered the parlor where her mother was waiting. It wasn’t long before a high-pitched laugh emanated from the room.

“William!? You thought I fancied William?! Oh, Mother~!” Clarice said reproachfully.

“Well, then why were you so interested in seeing him, dear?” her mother asked calmly, believing her daughter’s indignation to be affected.

“No one’s seen him in almost a month. I was just curious to see what he had been up to,” Clarice said.

Her mother sipped her tea and looked at her. “You know…a man recently jilted can be an easy catch,” she suggested.

“Mother!!”

“You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

“Muuum!!!”

“He’s not so bad. You could count on him being faithful, I’m sure. And he’s got a bit more money than we do and has those lovely orchards and vineyards. His family’s made a fine name and not a little bit of money with those, you know.”

“But mother~! William?! William the-” she stopped herself just barely from using William’s inappropriate nickname. “The poetry~! It’s just not possible I could stand a lifetime of that~! It’s awful~!”

“There are worse things than bad poetry, dear. I’ve heard it. I think you’d live.”

“But he’s hardly dashing~! And those clothes and hair and to top it all off, spectacles!”

“He’s got a fine complexion and good bone structure. Maybe you could get him to update his fashion some once you’ve married him. The spectacles can’t be helped, I’m afraid. But that is such a small thing.”

“I’m not that desperate yet~!”

“Well, you should be.”

Mum, how could you~!? Clarice thought as tears began to well in her eyes.

“He’ll certainly be desperate. His own prospects were completely ruined by that unfortunate incident. He’ll be in no position to refuse you should you make it clear you’re receptive.”

Clarice flew from the table and up the stairs to her room crying. She flung herself on the bed. As she lay sobbing into the mattress, she vowed to never be so desperate as to actually pursue William the Bloody Awful Poet.

3

“I wonder how William’s doing at his call thing,” Buffy said attempting to do needlepoint with Willow and Tara.

Willow and Tara giggled a little. “It’s called calling~.”

“I know. Whatever~,” Buffy said. “He seemed really tweaked about it.”

“I’m sure he’s fine,” said Tara.

“Maybe if it goes bad you can hug him and kiss him and make it all better,” Willow suggested, teasing.

“Do you think?” Buffy asked, not entirely being a smart-ass.

“Hug, maybe,” Tara answered. “Kiss…probably better not.”

“And you swore up and down yesterday that you didn’t like-him like him,” Willow said drawing her words out in a taunting fashion. Buffy had admitted to them that morning that she did indeed like William.

“Shut it. Or I’ll split your lip,” Buffy warned.

“William won’t like you if you’re all violent~,” Willow continued to tease.

“Bite me,” Buffy said.

“And she’s lewd, too~!” Willow said turning to Tara.

“You better stop it right now or I’m cramming this thing down your throat!” Buffy said waving the needlepoint in Willow’s direction.

Willow and Tara laughed gleefully.

“Now let’s not make fun of our friend,” Tara said, stifling her giggles. “We are here to help her.”

“Do you have any advice for our dear Buffy, oh Wise Goddess of Etiquette?” Willow asked her lover.

“God~!” Buffy exclaimed rolling her eyes.

“Yes,” Tara said.

Buffy smiled and shook her head. “Well, lay it on me, Wise Goddess.”

“W-Well…You’re trying to get a little squirrel to come over to you. So no big movements. If you come on too strong, he might run away.”

Buffy broke out into a fit of giggles as she envisioned William, with a big bushy squirrel’s tail, skittering behind a bench.

Tara looked at Willow, puzzled. “I th-thought that was a pretty good metaphor,” Tara said.

“Oh, it was good, honey. Buffy’s just got it bad,” said Willow, snickering.

4

As soon as William got in the house, he made a beeline straight for the liquor cabinet. After grabbing a bottle of brandy and a glass he made his way to the library. William had a fairly large library. The room was rather U-shaped with tall, fitted bookshelves lining the curved walls. A rolling ladder was attached to the wall of bookcases and could be pushed on a track from end to end. William had been scolded more than a few times as a child for playing on it.

In the center of the room were two plush, wine red couches that faced each other and curved in a wide half circle. Next to them were end tables, some of which had assorted knickknacks on them like the medium sized metal globe resting on a gold display disk. William himself had purchased this item. It didn’t spin, but you could pick it up and look at it and William thought it looked prettier than most globes he had seen.

In the center of the room was a finely varnished circular coffee table. There were usually a few books or magazines lying in the center.

The library was pretty much William’s. His mother hardly ever went in on her own, unless she happened to want a book. And then she would take it back to the parlor or drawing room to read. Mother thought the library was a little too stuffy. William thought it was grand.

William sat down on the far end of a couch next to an empty end table. He poured himself a glass of brandy, drank it down, and then sat the bottle and glass aside on the coffee table. He sighed and waited for his nerves to calm a bit. After a while, he decided he needed one more drink before he could calm down enough to choose his book.

If seeing the mild mannered Clarice Pemberton had caused his nerves this much strife, how would he be able to call on the others or show his face at a party. He groaned as his stomach twisted at the thought. William absentmindedly poured himself yet another drink. Stupid bloody society, he thought as the alcohol began to buzz in his brain. Why does it have to be so hard? William groaned again as he got up to fetch a book. Alcohol was only dulling the anxiety. He needed a distraction.

William went over to the wall of bookshelves and picked out one of his favorites and sat back down. As he began to read, he had a feeling that he’d forgotten to do something but couldn’t remember what it was.

5

It was well past the time William was due to come back and yet Anne hadn’t seen hide ‘nor hair of him. Even though William almost always greeted her upon his arrival, she thought it wouldn’t hurt to check with Lucy before she started worrying. Lucy, although almost as young as William, was head maid and knew almost all the goings-on in the house. If William was home, she would know.

Anne made her way to the servants’ quarters and found Lucy. “Lucy, do you know if William might be home yet?” Anne asked.

“Why yes’m. He arrived home half an hour ago. Hasn’t he been in to see you yet?” Lucy asked.

“No,” Anne said, her forehead creasing with worry. “Do you know where he is?”

“Last I saw him, mum, he was heading towards the library…with a bottle of brandy,” Lucy said.

“Oh, my…Thank you, Lucy,” Anne said and then was off to the library to see what had happened to unnerve her son so much.

Anne made her way to the main double doors of the library. Sure enough, there was her son, sitting on the couch with a book and a bottle of brandy on the end table beside him.

“William?” she called out as she entered the room and made her way over.

William looked up at her, calm for a moment, and then it dawned on him. In his desire to calm his jangled nerves he’d forgotten to check in with Mother. “Oh, Mother~ I’m sorry, I…” William trailed off.

His words were slow and rather sleepy sounding. Anne could tell he’d had more than a couple drinks. “Did it go so badly, darling?”

“No…not really…It was just…intense. In an awkward way. It kept coming perilously close to going as bad as I thought it would. It was unpleasant trying to answer…the questions,” William finished.

Anne sat down on the couch next to her son and patted his shoulder. “Come, tell us all about it then.”

“Can- can I tell you later? I don’t wish to think about it right now. It just makes me worry about next time. And parties,” William said, looking at her dolefully.

“All right,” Anne said, as she got up. “You can tell me later.” She bent down to hug him and kiss the crown of his head.

“Thank you,” he said.

6

“So how did your calling go, William?” Tara asked after William sat down on the park bench in his usual spot next to Buffy.

William gave her a slightly pained expression.

“That good, huh?” Buffy asked.

“Not so bad, actually. The Pembertons were merciful. It- It was just stressful,” said William.

“Well, it’s not like they would have invited you in and then pointed and laughed,” Buffy said jovially.

“N-No, but I hate answering all the questions. It would be easier if I were quicker at coming up with a polite lie,” William said.

“Polite lie?” Buffy and Willow queried.

“A face saving lie,” Tara explained.

“Oh,” said Buffy and Willow.

“Well, your nature is to be honest, right?” Willow asked rhetorically. “Oo! Maybe you need to plan your lies. Like a script.”

“Even if I have one planned, I rarely remember to follow through and use it,” William said sighing.

So Spike wasn’t big with the planning even when he was William. Not that I’m one to throw stones in that department, Buffy thought.

“I do a little better with half truths, but I rarely have the- the guts for out-and-out lies,” William continued.

“As far as I’m concerned, it takes guts to tell the truth,” Buffy said. “And being a good liar isn’t necessarily a good quality. Useful sometimes, maybe.”

“But it’s a talent that’s easy to misuse,” Tara added.

“So it’s just as well you kind of suck at it, then,” Willow said.

William stared at Miss Willow, a little shocked at her language. Not that he hadn’t heard Miss Buffy use the same expression before.

“What? What?” Willow asked looking back and forth between her friends.

“Suck. You can’t use the word suck like that,” Buffy said, glad that the first blunder of the day was not hers for a change.

“You can’t?!” Willow said.

“No, of course not~,” Tara said, stifling a laugh.

“Why not?” Willow asked. “It’s not a swear~.” Buffy began to giggle in the background.

“It has a connotation,” Tara answered, keeping her voice even. “Would your mother have approved of it?”

“Good point,” said Willow. “I beg everyone’s pardon, then.” Then after a beat she said, “And I blame the cowboys.”

“Why did your parents not keep you away from the cowboys if they swore so much?” William asked.

“The cowboys were everywhere. They were unavoidable,” said Willow, proudly keeping a straight face.

“It must be nice to be among more genteel society then,” William said.

“Well, it’s certainly nice to be around a gentleman,” Buffy said, giving William a rather flirty look.

A flush crept up into William’s face and he looked away shyly.

Buffy was struck with an overpowering urge to touch his hand or arm or something. She began to move her hand towards his when she heard Tara’s voice in her head say, Squirrel~, Buffy. Squirrel~.

We’re giving him a group hug before he leaves, then, Buffy sent back trying not to visibly pout.

I think we can only get away with that on special occasions for now, Tara sent.

Buffy mentally growled in frustration. Grr! Arg!

7

Clarice walked into the party at Sally Pritchett’s, sure that her day had finally come. Clarice gave her hat and wrap to the doorman and then began her search for the in crowd. They weren’t hard to find. They were in the center of the room, as usual.

Clarice took a deep breath. All right. Here we go.

Clarice walked up to the edge of the group and waited to be let in. Charles was holding the group’s attention with what he thought was a highly amusing anecdote and Sally and Sawyer were right beside him laughing it up. Cecily stood a few paces across, fanning herself demurely.

Finally, Charles finished his tale and noticed her. “Clarice Pemberton…Have you something to add to the conversation?” he asked in his typical condescending tone.

The group made a space for Clarice and she stepped in. “I…I have some news you might be interested in,” she said, struggling to sound confident but still sounding a bit meek.

“Well, do tell, Clarice,” said Charles.

“William the Bloody paid a call to my household this week,” she announced.

Cecily snapped her fan shut and glared at Clarice. She was sick and tired of the topic of William. To have it brought up by mousy Clarice Pemberton~ It made her blood boil.

“Oh, really~!” Sally said, perking up at the subject. Sally loved a good scandal more than anything. “We saw him at the park earlier this week.”

“Oh?” Clarice asked, a little disappointed she was she wasn’t the first to have seen him after all.

“Yes, but only for the briefest of moments. He claimed to be feeling unwell and ran away,” Sally said, giving off a high-pitched laugh at the end. The rest of the circle joined her in a boisterous round of laughter.

Clarice felt a twinge of guilt for what she was doing, but pressed on anyway. “Yes, he said that he hadn’t been feeling well.”

“What else did he say?” Sawyer said, chuckling.

“He said that he had been out a few other times to see some new friends of his. Americans. Oh, and they are all ladies,” replied Clarice.

“Ladies?!” half the group said gasping.

“American ladies?” asked Sawyer.

Clarice nodded her head yes.

“And you believe him?” Cecily asked, letting her curiosity get the better of her.

Clarice nodded her head again. “The details he gave me were too strange to be made up. And William doesn’t seem the type to…”

“Have the balls to make up such a tale,” Charles said with bold gusto.

The group laughed and tittered. All except for Clarice and Cecily, who were a little uncomfortable with Charles’s vulgarity.

“Well, go on. Tell us these details,” Sally commanded with good humor.

“He said their names were…” Clarice thought a moment. “Buffy, Willow and Tara. I don’t remember their last names, although I think the one called Willow had a Jewish name. And the Buffy girl had a proper name, but he never referred to it more than once…so I forget that too.”

The group laughed again.

“Buffy, Willow and Tara?! What kind of names are those?!” Charles said guffawing.

“Well, they are from the colonies. Not only that, they’re from the western frontier. Perhaps in America those names aren’t, well, quite so strange anyway,” Clarice said.

“Good God~! However did he meet these strange creatures?!” Sawyer asked, eyes gleaming with laughter.

“Well…he wouldn’t come right out and say it but…I think they met him…that night after Miss Cecily’s party. You know the one,” said Clarice feeling another twinge of guilt in the back of her mind.

The group went silent as its members took that information in. Cecily was prepared to leave the conversation if it lingered on that subject too long.

“So they took pity on him, then?” Sally asked, already figuring the answer to be yes.

“That is what I assumed,” Clarice said softly.

“Are they even of a proper class?” Sawyer asked.

“Oh, yes. They are heiresses. And he says they are also beautiful,” said Clarice.

“Hm, how interesting,” Sally said.

“Anything else of interest to tell?” Charles asked.

“No, that’s all I know,” answered Clarice.

The group buzzed about the fresh dirt they had just been given.

As much as Sally valued the information she had received from Clarice, she just couldn’t let her into the inner circle on just a bit of gossip. After all Clarice was still Clarice. Mousy. Shy. And out of fashion.

“Still wearing your hair down, Clarice?” Sally asked, her voice taking on a reproachful tone.

“I- uh, the- the pins hurt my head,” she said dumbly. The turnaround had been fast and unexpected. She thought she was in.

The women laughed gaily and the men chuckled.

“Well, I suppose that’s just as well. Without a good curl, it wouldn’t be much better anyway,” said Sally.

The group laughed at her again and Clarice could see her time amongst the beautiful people was up. “P-pardon me. I think I am in need of some punch,” Clarice said tightly and then walked away before they could move on to her shoes.

Her shoes were black patent leather Mary Janes. Flats. She couldn’t wear heals because they hurt her ankles too much. They looked like little girls’ shoes. And that would surely be Sally’s next point.

Clarice made her way to the punch bowl, and as she poured the bright red drink into a cup, tears began to well in her eyes. She willed them not to fall. She would cry later at home, but she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of her crying here.

And at least I know when to get out, she thought. William, in an effort to spend the most time near Cecily, she imagined, would stay until they said something really nasty and then he would finally leave.

Clarice looked down into her punch, seeing her reflection in the bright red liquid. She didn’t think she was unattractive, but she was no Miss Cecily Addams, that was for sure. She would never be able to attract the kind of man she wanted with all the other competition out there. No gallant Prince Charming for her. Maybe her mother was right.

8

William bustled about the den, organizing and straightening letters and other documents on the desk. It was a spring-cleaning day in the Brighton household and while the servants bore the brunt of the work, William took charge of organizing his personal and business affairs. William rushed to get it all done so he wouldn’t be late for his daily meeting in the park with the girls.

Losing patience with the boring task, he cut corners and crammed a mass of documents into a drawer. Then he stuffed the last pile of answered letters into the top drawer of the desk and scurried out of the room.

William stopped by in front of a hallway mirror and straightened his tie a bit before moving on to the entrance hall. There, one of the maids was balancing on a tall ladder and attempting to dust the chandelier.

“Now don’t forget to give the crystals a good once over as well, Olive,” his mother called out, while she gazed up at the progress being made.

William made his way over to her and said, “I’m off to the park, Mother.”

“All right, dear. Finished with your chores already?” she asked smiling.

“Yes,” said William, giving him mum a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

As William started for the door, Anne turned her attention to one of the butlers, Jeffery, and began giving him an order, only to be interrupted by a fit of violent coughing. Olive and Jeffery froze in place while William rushed back over to his mother and fetched out a handkerchief.

Anne felt a rush of dizziness and clutched at her son’s shoulder as he handed her the handkerchief. She coughed into it with great whooping coughs. William led her over to a nearby chair and had her sit down.

“It- it’s probably just the dust,” Anne said in a strangled voice after the coughing finally subsided. But she knew that it wasn’t, and so did William.

“Shall I send for Dr. Gull?” he asked softly.

“No, there’s really nothi-…no need for him to come,” Anne said, catching herself before she admitted the cold hard truth. There’s really nothing he can do.

“Do you want me to stay?” William asked kneeling down beside her.

“No, go out and see your friends, darling,” Anne said placing a hand on his shoulder to reassure him. “Go on now,” she said when he hesitated.

William stood up and gave her a kiss on the head before going.

On the carriage ride over to the park, he struggled to put it out of his mind but was finding it hard to ignore the fact that his mother was getting worse and there was nothing that could be done.

9

“William, you look distracted today,” Buffy observed as Willow and Tara packed up the picnic supplies. “Did you go on a bad call yesterday?”

William looked down and sighed, his lips parting in a nervous smile. “It’s nothing.”

“What’s nothing?” Willow asked.

“William seems down, to me,” Buffy said.

“B-Bad call?” Tara asked.

William chuckled softly and said, “No, it’s really nothing.”

The three girls looked him over. He was struggling to keep up a smile, but they could see his eyes water a bit.

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” Buffy said.

“You look like your dog just died,” Willow said.

William’s smile faltered at the mention of death.

“Oh my God! Your dog didn’t just die, did he?” Willow asked, her eyes widening.

William chuckled again. “I don’t have a dog.”

“I’m sure no one died,” Buffy said shaking her head in exasperation. Then, after a beat, she asked, “No one died, did they?”

William opened his mouth to speak, paused for a moment and then finally said, “No…Mother has been-…she’s been sick.” William’s eyes flicked away from the girls and down to the grass.

“Sick?!” they all said.

“Why didn’t you tell us? What does she have? Is it serious?” Buffy asked.

Buffy wasn’t supposed to be prying so much, but Tara didn’t have the heart to criticize her. The subject of sick mothers was a touchy subject for Buffy after the death of her own mother, and Tara understood, having lost hers as well.

“I didn’t want to burden you with…with an unpleasant subject,” William said, answering Buffy’s first question.

“But we’re your friends~. If you can’t burden us, who can you burden? That’s what we’re here for. Burden us!” said Buffy.

William couldn’t help but laugh and covered his mouth with his hand. When he finally stopped and looked up, the tears in his eyes finally began to trickle down his cheeks even as he tried to keep the smile on his face.

The girls’ eyes widened with concern. William’s mother was dying somehow. They could feel it in their guts.

“Is she dying~?” Buffy asked.

William’s lip began to quiver a bit as he struggled to keep from sobbing. The girls made sympathetic noises and rushed to William’s side.

As William struggled to keep himself under something resembling control, Tara said, “It’s okay, William.” Willow and Buffy repeated this sentiment as they rubbed and patted his shoulders. Finally, he broke down sobbing and the girls leaned forward encircling him in a close hug. He sobbed into the shoulder most directly in front of him as the girls rocked him back and forth.

When he was reduced to mere sniffles, they released him and Tara handed him her handkerchief. Buffy and Willow got theirs out and held them in their laps, at the ready.

William wiped the tears from his face and then handed Tara back her handkerchief. “Thank you,” he said thickly.

“What does she have?” Willow asked. “My parents were doctors and had loads of cures for all kinds stuff and taught me how to, you know, fix people up,” Willow said, launching into yet another cover story. Although, it was true her parents were doctors. But they were doctors of psychology, not medicine. And she wasn’t lying about being able to fix people up.

Willow had taken on the role of medicine woman after it became fairly clear they were stuck in this time period for good. She started off buying medical books of the time, but then moved on to conjuring facsimiles of medical books from her own time using spells she had created using the existing conjuring spells as inspiration points. Tara was torn between being impressed and a little frightened at Willow’s ability to create new spells. As long as Willow was being responsible, Tara decided to keep her peace.

Tara, herself, already knew many old country home remedies and could make poultices and other home medicines. She knew some acupressure and massage therapy and decided to study up on the subjects more using store-bought books and conjured ones.

Willow would have just studied up on magical healing if it was all up to her, but Tara was extremely nervous about that since they had both agreed when Joyce was sick that it was too dangerous to undertake. So Willow learned from books how do stitches and sutures and various other procedures and learned how to detect and diagnose ailments and injuries. She learned how to make the medicines of the time and could conjure anything that hadn’t been invented yet that she couldn’t make herself. Although Tara insisted this only be done most sparingly. Tara believed that, for whatever they could, they should do things without magic. Cooking, getting dressed, cleaning the house and so forth, were some of the things Tara insisted they do traditionally. The reason she gave Willow was that since witchcraft was so feared in these times, they shouldn’t do it for just anything and should be very careful when they did do it.

“My parents even traveled to a bunch of places and learned how to make all kinds of cures that regular doctors don’t know about or are too skeptical to use,” Willow continued.

William gave her a dubious look. “Thank you for your offer, Miss Willow, but I doubt there is anything you can do,” he said looking at her gratefully but with definite doubt.

“Please tell me it’s not ‘cause she’s a woman,” Buffy said.

“Oh, no, it’s not really that. I’ve read about women doctors in books about other cultures, mostly tribal, but still…” he trailed off. “It’s just that she has…tuberculosis. And consumption,” he said looking down at his hands clasped together in his lap.

“I can make pills for that!” Willow said brightening. “And the consumption is just like a side affect of the TB, so once I cure that – Bye, Bye consumption! Although, I can’t fix the damage already done by it.”

William stared at her, dumbstruck.

“She’ll have to take the pills for six months, but you’ll see improvement and she’ll stop being contagious quicker than that. A few weeks into it, I think. But she has to take them all for the whole six months, or the tuberculosis will come back as a more powerful strain and will be even harder to get rid of,” Willow said.

She certainly sounds like a real doctor, William thought.

“Can- Can you really-?” William asked, his mind desperate to grab onto the hope dangling in front of him.

“Yeah, sure I can! Right, girls?” asked Willow looking towards Buffy and Tara.

Buffy and Tara exchanged looks and then nodded their heads.

“I would stake my life on it,” Buffy said. If Willow can conjure medical books on future medicine, than surely she can conjure up some stupid little pills, Buffy thought.

William grabbed onto the fresh hope like a life preserver. “Oh, thank you! Thank you, Miss Willow!” he said turning to face Willow directly, grabbing her hands in his own, and causing a jealous twinge in Buffy. “You’re a miracle worker!”

“Well, I try my best,” Willow said beaming with pride.

Buffy unconsciously narrowed her eyes at Willow.

“I can probably have them ready for you in…hmm, let’s see…four days,” Willow said.

“Oh, thank you, thank you! You’re a God-send!” William exclaimed.

“Do you really think you can make all those pills in four days?” Tara asked.

“If you two help me,” Willow said.

“Two? I know Tara can help make the medicine, but what can I do?” Buffy asked.

“You can help get the supplies,” said Willow.

William released Willow and returned to his previous position. He turned his head to Buffy and Tara and said, “Thank you, all of you~!”

“W-Well now, we h-haven’t cured her yet,” Tara said.

“Oh, but I’m sure you will. I have complete faith in you,” William said. His mind had decided to take the cure for fact.

“Let’s do another group hug to celebrate the future cure of William’s mother,” Buffy said extending her arms.

William extended his own arms out from the sides of his body as if going ‘ta-da~!’ and gleefully awaited the hug. And when Buffy and Willow hugged him from each side, he wrapped his arms around their shoulders and hugged them back. Tara sighed softly and joined in the embrace. She wished that William hadn’t gotten his hopes up so high. If by some small chance it didn’t work, he would be crushed completely.

10

That night, the girls went about collecting the first of the supplies. As Willow and Tara picked out which ingredients they needed, they would hand them to Buffy to hold while they continued shopping.

“So basically, my part in this project is to be Buffy – the Official Ingredient Holder,” Buffy said after her arms were very full.

“It’s a very important job,” Willow said keeping a straight face as she added a bottle of some smelly powder to Buffy’s load of magical booty.

After they were done at the magic shop they moved on to a house-goods store and bought four large glass jars with cork stoppers. The jars were just large enough to hold six months of pills each.

“Now we just have to wait a few days because pills would take normal people longer to make than a night, and then it’s show time!” Willow exclaimed.

11

Upon his arrival home, William immediately came upon his mother in the parlor. She was reading a book on the big white couch when he bounded over to her and knelt down next to her. “Mother, I have wonderful news!” he said looking up into her face with a gleaming expression.

“You’re getting married?” Anne guessed setting down her book and giving him a hopeful expression.

William chuckled. “Who would I marry?”

“What about Miss Buffy?” she asked, playfully swatting him with her bookmark.

“She hasn’t even consented to have me call on her yet,” William said, quirking an eyebrow at her.

“Have you asked if you may call on her?” Anne inquired.

“No, but…Mother, that’s not the point!” William exclaimed trying to get the conversation back on track.

Anne chuckled and said, “Well, what is your big news then?”

“Well, I was having my meeting in the park with the girls and they inquired about your health and I told them and Miss Willow, whose parents were doctors and trained her in their trade, said she can make a cure for you because her parents traveled to all kinds of places and know all kinds of cures that regular doctors don’t know or won’t recognize,” William said, speaking fast and excitedly.

Anne stared at her son, trying to take in all the information from his run-on sentence.

“She can make pills for you that will cure you! Isn’t that wonderful, Mother?!” William said.

“But William…” Anne began.

“She wouldn’t lie about such a thing, I assure you,” he said, eager to convince her.

Anne sighed. “William, I’m sure your friend means well but there is no cure for what I have. Dr. Gull would tell you the same thing. It’s why I haven’t had you send for him. There would be no point in it.”

“But the colonies are full of innovators. Think of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Edison. A cure for you would be miraculous, but so are things like electric lights and Edison’s Talking Machine. If those things can be invented then why couldn’t a cure for tuberculosis?” William said looking into her face with resolve.

“True, but then why wouldn’t Dr. Gull have heard of it? He’s a leader in his field,” reasoned Anne.

“You know the establishment can be thick-headed about new innovations sometimes,” William said, shrugging off her argument. “You don’t have to believe me. Just promise me that you’ll give it a try,” he said looking at her with a desperate intensity.

She brushed a stray curl back into place on his head and said, “William, you’re not a child anymore. You must face facts.”

“No, I’m not a child. I am a man with faith.” William said, desperation becoming defiance. “God has sent them to us in our time of need. I am confident Miss Willow will be able to cure you. And other miracles have already transpired. Miss Buffy saved me from the mad woman who would have surely killed me and now I have her and Miss Willow and Tara as friends. True friends. Not since Michael O’Callahan, have I even had one friend. Now I have three. Three friends that know of my failings and wish to be my friends anyway. Three friends who think as I do. Who are kindred spirits. If all that can occur, then why is it inconceivable that you could be made well again?”

Anne was deeply saddened that her son considered it to be a true miracle that he had close friends. She sighed.

It was true that the girls had come along just when William needed them. But for her own sanity, she had to remain skeptical. She couldn’t bear to believe in a cure and have it not work.

“I just don’t want you to get your hopes up,” she said finally.

“But you’ll try it?” William asked.

“If it’s really that important to you.”

“Will you swear to God on the Bible that you’ll take the pills every day as Miss Willow instructs until she says you can stop?” William asked, giving her the most deadly serious look she had ever seen on his face.

“Yes,” she replied blinking.

William got up abruptly and went to fetch the family Bible. He came back with it moments later, knelt down and held it up for her to swear on. He continued to look at her intensely, letting her know that he would be holding her to her word.

What else could she do but swear?

Anne sighed and put her hand on the Bible. “I swear to God and Jesus Christ that I will take the pills Miss Willow makes for me, everyday, until she instructs that I stop, Amen.”

William immediately brightened and flashed her a gleaming smile once more. “Thank you, Mother. You’ll see. Miss Willow will make you well again. I promise.”

12

“Hello, ladies~,” William said cheerfully as he entered the clearing and made his way to the bench.

“Hi, William~!” the girls returned with good cheer.

“You seem to be in a good mood today, William,” Buffy said as he sat down next to her.

“Yes, I’m enjoying a most positive humor today, thanks to you dear ladies,” he said putting his hand to his chest and bowing slightly in his seat.

“Ooo~! Charming~!” Buffy and Willow said as they fanned themselves dramatically.

William closed his eyes and turned his head, turning several shades of red as he did so.

“He’s like a prince in a fairy tale,” Buffy said in a fey voice.

William could think of no response, but to put his hand to his reddened face and laugh.

Willow and Tara giggled. Then Tara shook her head.

“No, seriously,” Buffy said turning in their direction.

Willow opened her mouth to tease but was stopped short when Buffy sent, Don’t even think about it.

Okay~, Willow sent back giggling.

“Ah hem. On an unrelated subject, I have an excursion planned for us today that I think will be right up William’s alley,” said Willow.

“An excursion?” William asked giving her a Spike-like cock of an eyebrow.

“Yes, there’s this bookstore I thought we could go to today. It’s in kind of a dingy neighborhood but it has a great selection of all kinds of stuff you can’t find anywhere else. It’s called The Palace of Prose, although we’ve been referring to it as The Hovel as in The Hovel of Prose because that’s more apt,” Willow said.

“The Hovel!? That’s what I call it!” William said, his eyes going wide with glee and all shyness forgotten.

“You know it?!” Willow asked, matching his enthusiasm.

“Yes! I’ve gone there quite often! How long have you been going?”

“Only a few weeks now, but it’s so cool isn’t it? And we both have the same name for it! Squee~!”

“Yes, I can scarcely believe it! I’m positively exhilarated~!”

“I know~! Toooo freaky!”

Buffy and Tara raised their eyebrows at the scene playing out before them.

“Okay, you guys are getting a little too excited,” Buffy said.

“I can’t help it~! Finally, someone who loves book shopping as much as I do!” Willow said jumping up.

“That’s what I was thinking!!” exclaimed William, jumping to his feet as well.

“You’re both positively giddy~,” said Tara.

“I know~! Isn’t it wonderful~!!” the two Wills said putting their hands to their chests and turning to face Tara.

“Okay, now you guys are really freakin’ me out~!” Buffy said, standing.

“It’s like they were separated at birth,” Tara said.

“Let’s go right now!” suggested Willow.

“Yes! Let’s- Oh, wait a minute. It’s quite far. We would have to take a carriage,” William said, pausing his glee.

The girls looked at each other, raised an eyebrow turned back to him and said, “So~?”

“W-Well, the only carriages for hire in this area are closed carriages. I can’t ride in a closed carriage with three unmarried women,” William explained.

“But you rode with me-” Buffy began before it dawned on her. “Ohhhhh~ That’s why you didn’t want to ride with me~! Now I get it,” Buffy said nodding her head.

“Pfft! We won’t tell anyone you rode alone with us. Besides, wouldn’t that rule only apply to riding alone with just one woman? There are three of us. We’re like each other’s chaperones,” Willow reasoned.

William knit his brow in thought and said, “I- I’m fairly certain that the number doesn’t matter.”

Tara nodded her head in agreement.

“Well, then it’s back to ‘we won’t tell.’ And we can make sure no one you know sees you, which we have to do anyway,” Buffy said.

“And it’s not like anything is going to happen. We trust you,” Willow added.

William bit his lip, thought a moment longer, and then agreed. He wanted to go very badly, despite the impropriety. After a gleeful shout of “Yay~!” from Willow and Buffy, the group made its way cautiously out of the clearing and to the edge of the park near the street.

William hailed a carriage and then opened the door for the girls. After taking one more look around to insure he wasn’t seen, he joined them. He ended up sitting next to Miss Buffy. William held his hands in his lap nervously as the carriage began to move.

William was put at ease for a while by Willow and her excited chatter about what books they might find, but when the carriage went over a bump in the rode and Miss Buffy slid into him, he lost all ability to participate in conversation.

“Whoa~ Sorry, William,” Buffy said she struggled to scoot back to a proper distance on the bench. She placed her hand squarely on his thigh as she pushed away from him, causing him to have to turn his head and bite his cheek hard to keep his body from betraying him.

Oh. My. God! Willow and Tara sent to each other. Poor William’s face was deep scarlet.

Buffy, I can’t believe you did that!! Tara sent.

What?! It’s not like I slid into him on purpose! Buffy sent back.

You put your hand on his thigh!! both witches sent.

Well, I had to put my hand somewhere!!

No you didn’t! You could have just used your legs! they sent.

Oh, like it’s a big deal~!

It is a big deal!! He look’s like he’s going to explode! they sent.

Since William’s head was still turned, Buffy ventured a glance to his crotch.

Not that way~!! sent the pair, noticing Buffy’s glance. Oh my God~! His head looks like it’s going to explode~! Head!!

Well, I can see now that he doesn’t have a- Never mind, Buffy sent and all three girls put their heads in their hands.

The carriage went over another bump and Tara immediately shot her leg out to stop Buffy from crashing into William again. The sole of Tara’s shoe landed on the edge of the seat with a loud smack, barring Buffy’s body from sliding further, and causing William to turn his head in that direction.

“Just keeping Buffy in place,” said Tara.

Buffy shot Tara a scowl. Why not let me slide into him??

I don’t think he can take it. Remember – Squirrel, here.

“Get your grungy shoe off the seat, please~,” Buffy said, going into petulant mode.

“Well, perhaps you should hold onto the handle next to your side of the seat so you don’t go flying into people,” Tara said.

Buffy narrowed her eyes at Tara.

“I-It’s all right. It’s not as- as if I’m injured or- or anything,” William said.

“See~ William doesn’t mind,” Buffy said.

“We’re here! We’re here!” Willow shouted as the carriage came to a halt, glad that to have a way of diffusing the situation.

William exhaled and exited the carriage. He held the door open for the ladies again and held his hand out to help them down. Each thanked him in turn and Buffy gave him another flirty look for his troubles. William began to turn red again. After he paid the driver, the group made their way into The Hovel.

Willow inhaled as she entered the store and said, “Ah, I love the smell of books in the mid-afternoon!”

William giggled. “I love the smell of books, anytime.”

“Me too! Squee!” said Willow.

“Yikes,” Buffy said gritting her teeth.

Tara chuckled and said, “Come on, Buffy,” as they followed the two Wills.

“Oo! Oo! I can’t wait to see what we’ll find~!” Willow said practically jumping up and down.

William giggled and smiled, matching her enthusiasm with his own.

“I say again…Yikes,” said Buffy.

“It’s like they’re magnifying each other. Because Willow isn’t usually…” Tara began.

“…This tweaked out?” Buffy finished.

“Yeah,” said Tara.

As Willow and William began rummaging through the books like kids in a candy store, Buffy stayed back with Tara. She was definitely feeling more than a jealous twinge now. She pouted as she half-heartedly looked at a few books.

“What’s the matter, Buffy?” Tara asked when the two Wills were out of earshot.

Buffy dropped the book she was looking at back down on the pile and said, “How can I compete with that?! Did you see them?! They’re totally in sync!”

Tara blinked. “J-Just because they have a l-lot in common doesn’t mean-”

“I can’t do anything a girl in this era is supposed to know how to do, I’m not a big bookaholic like Willow and- and- How can I compete with that?! She can even sew and cook!”

“B-Buffy~ William is not in love with Willow~,” Tara said.

“But he could be! I mean, sure he might fancy me because I’m, you know, pretty, but Willow’s cute and she has brains~!”

“You have brains. You’re clever in a witty way and y-you have ingenuity.”

“You’re giving me witty and ingenuity?!” Buffy said putting her hands on her hips.

“Th-those are g-good things. W-William enjoys your company. Be-Besides, he’s not exactly your type and you…you fancy him, anyway.”

“Well…he’s sweet and adorable. And he has a pretty good sense of humor, himself.”

“You have all those things…”

“Yes, but so does Willow. And she has brains! If he wants a super smart girl, let’s face it, I’m not gonna’ make the grade.”

Tara raised an eyebrow at Buffy and said, “You know, Willow isn’t going to steal William away from you for two obvious reasons.”

“But he could still fall for her~.”

Tara sighed in exasperation. “Tell me, how does he react every time you touch him?”

“He gets all blushy,” Buffy replied.

“Does he react that way with Willow?”

Buffy thought for a moment.

“He didn’t blush or have any reaction, so far as I saw, when he held Willow’s hands the other day,” Tara went on.

Buffy leaned against a bookcase and said, “I guess you got a point.”

“William. Likes. You,” Tara said. “But Willow will get a kick out of this when I tell her.”

“You better not! I’ll never hear the end of it!”

Tara giggled with wicked abandon.

“I’m warning you~,” Buffy said pointing a finger at Tara.

“Miss Buffy!” William called out, suddenly coming around the corner. “I’ve found a book of poetry that you might like to read, since you said you did like that sort of thing.” He walked over and handed her the book. She looked at it quizzically. “It’s a book of lo-love poems, by Lord Byron,” he explained.

Tara gave Buffy a sly smile.

“Oh,” Buffy said turning it over and flipping through the pages, a slight flush coming into her cheeks.

“Um, my- my favorite one is ‘She Walks in Beauty’ on- on this page here,” William said flipping to the page he wanted while Buffy held the book.

Buffy read the poem aloud; unconscious that she was doing so.

She Walks in Beauty

She walks in Beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow’d to that tender light

Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair’d the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Buffy smiled as she read the last two lines. “I like that,” she said softly.

William beamed down at her; happy his selection was well received.

“Thanks, William. I’ll definitely get this,” said Buffy as she smiled up at him.

“When are we gonna’ get to hear your poetry, William?” asked Willow as she struggled to hold a massive selection of books in her arms.

“Oh, um, I- I- I don’t know…” William said. “Th-They’re not very good. Really.”

“Hmmm…” Willow said, narrowing her eyes in thought. Then she put her armload of books down on the floor and stood back up. “You went to Oxford, right, William?”

William quirked an eyebrow and said, “Y-Yes…”

“Ooh~! Oxford! I’m soooo jealous! Ah hem. But that’s not the point. You surely did poetry for some class or another, right?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Well, what kind of grades did you get?”

“Willow~!!!” Buffy and Tara exclaimed.

“Pry much?!” said Buffy as she and Tara broke into laughter.

“Well~?” Willow asked again, ignoring the two.

“Well, a-actually…I d-did get good grades on it. But- But the professor was kind of…eccentric …and he had taken a liking to me in the English essay class I took before that one... and- and I think they amused him…my poetry that is. I often helped him in his office, and whenever I saw him grade my poetry he would laugh. But then he- he would end up giving me a good mark anyway so…” William said fidgeting a little bit.

“Well maybe he was laughing ‘cause they were fun,” Willow suggested. “Bad or good, I want to hear them. I’m simply dying- dying of curiosity! Pleeeeeeease~.”

William made a face that was one part sour and two parts deer in the headlights.

“Well, now it’s been built up too much and he definitely won’t want to read them!” Buffy said struggling not to break into another fit of laughter.

“All I can do is shake my head. They’re hopeless. Utterly hopeless,” said Tara a smile still on her face regardless.

“Me~?! What did I do?! I’m just standing here,” Buffy said.

“I think she was referring to the carriage ride,” Willow said.

“It’s not like I slid into him on purpose and you know it!” said Buffy.

“Willow, what books did you find?” Tara asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Huh? Oh!” Willow said and then launched into a description of all the lovely books William had helped her pick out. After Willow was finished, Tara asked William what books he found.

“Oh, I haven’t found any for myself yet. I was having too much fun finding them for others. It’s rare I get a chance to share my love of literature with anyone,” William answered.

‘Well, you know what they say about bookish people…” said Buffy.

“Oh, I’ve heard this one!” said Willow. “Oh! That’s not appropriate,” she added, remembering the punch line. They’re good in between the covers.

“What?” William asked wondering how that phrase could possibly end up in an inappropriate place.

“Never mind, William. It’s just a joke,” Tara said.

“It’s a pretty tame joke,” Buffy countered.

“What time period are we living in?” Tara demanded throwing up her hands.

Buffy thought a moment. “A horribly repressed one with no sense of fun?”

William broke into a fit of giggles and nodded his head. “Quite an accurate description, Miss Buffy,” he said still giggling.

“See~ William’s on my side,” said Buffy folding her arms across her chest.

“Well, if you think about it for a moment, you’ll find that you will be embarrassed if you finish that joke,” Tara said.

“Think Freudian,” Willow added.

“So, William. Tara. Let’s find you some books!” said Buffy.

Willow and Tara laughed while William got a very Spike-like look of perplexion on his face.

You soooo~ want him~! the pair of witches sent.

I’m thinking of a finger. Guess which one, Buffy sent back.

13

Willow had bought so many books, that the owner of The Hovel offered her a free cloth bag to carry them in. It was like a newspaper boys bag, with a strap long enough so that you could sling it over your shoulders. Willow offered to let the others put their books in her bag too. William agreed to add his on the condition that he would carry the heavy bag.

“Sure, if you want to,” Willow said. “Normally, we would have Buffy carry it.”

“Why Miss Buffy?” he asked, frowning a bit.

“’Cause she’s the strongest,” Willow said.

“For I am Pack Mule Buffy,” said Buffy good-naturedly but with a hint of bitterness.

“That’s horrible~! You shouldn’t make Miss Buffy carry all your things,” said William, a definite scowl upon his face.

“Thank you, William~,” Buffy said taking up a position beside him.

Scolded? By William? Willow thought, stunned for a moment.

“She doesn’t mind,” Willow argued.

“Actually, I do kinda mind,” Buffy said. “I wouldn’t if you’d ask me first. But you don’t. You just hand me stuff and say ‘Here, Buffy, carry this.’ If you’d say ‘please’ or ask me first, I would do it and not mind.”

“Oh- Oh, she’s right. W-We haven’t been asking at all~,” Tara said.

“I feel like pond scum~,” said Willow. “We- we’ve been taking you for granted~ I feel just awful~.”

“We should have asked~. We’ll ask from now on~,” promised Tara.

“We’re sorry~,” said both witches.

“I forgive you,” Buffy said brightly. “No big.”

No big…? William wondered.

“Thank you for sticking up for me, William.” Buffy said, giving him her sweetest look and causing him to blush. The she grabbed his arm and hugged it to her chest saying, “My hero!”

William’s breath caught in his throat and he thought he would surely pass out. If any air had made it down his throat, the feel of Miss Buffy’s breasts pressed so firmly against his arm would have caused his body to betray him for certain.

Your little squirrel is going to faint, Tara sent.

Buffy released him and he stood there stunned, struggling for air.

“Well, back to the park I guess,” Buffy said, deciding to go on as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

14

William had spent the rest of the day in kind of a daze. Out of self-preservation his mind had gone on autopilot. Now that the day was over and he was safe in his bed, all he could think about was Miss Buffy smiling sweetly, calling him her hero and pressing her breasts to his arm. It was that last part his mind focused on with the most tenacity, much to his consternation.

He could feel himself getting hard quite rapidly and bit his cheek as he had done in the carriage. There’ll be none of that, he thought, as if his manhood did not have a mind of its own and would listen. When it refused to obey, he bit the inside of his cheek harder until he drew blood. As the blood filled his mouth he made a muffled sound of disgust and his body finally obeyed his wishes.

William hated the taste of blood in his mouth and had found that if all else failed, a mouthful of blood would suppress even the strongest urge. He would have just touched himself and had it over with, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to help fantasizing about Miss Buffy and it felt wrong to do such a thing. How could you use a poor maiden so? It had been the same with Cecily, and before that there were the stern warnings of his minister to think about. So he’d never done it.

His body would have its way in the end, however, and would take care of it during the night while he slept. Leaving William to wake up with the front of his night gown and the covers above it quite wet.

When William woke up the next morning, he found that his body had rebelled against him yet again. William had a feeling his mind was rebelling against him as well, using dreams. But he never remembered them. And he was glad of it, for he would scarce be able to look Miss Buffy in the face again if he could remember. He was sure of it.

15

“I think you blew his poor little Victorian mind~!” Willow exclaimed as she and Tara began to prepare for the conjuring.

“Poor William~ I hope he’s okay by tomorrow,” Tara said, unable to suppress a chortle.

Buffy couldn’t help but smile even as she blushed with embarrassment. “It was only a hug…”

“Okay, I’d like to blame the times that we now live in, but if you had hugged Xander like that you would have reduced him to a puddle of goo, too,” said Willow as she made a circle with some of that smelly powder.

“No comment,” said Buffy.

“W-Well, we’re all set up. Do you want to watch, Buffy?” asked Tara.

“Nah, I’ll be in my room reading Byron,” she said as she got up off the couch.

“Now there’s a sentence I never expected to hear from Buffy. Score one for William, I guess,” Willow said as she placed one of the big glass jars in the center of the circle.

Then she and Tara sat cross-legged across from each other on opposite sides of the circle. They put their hands over the top of the bottle and began chanting. As they chanted their hands began to glow from underneath. Soon a glowing mass formed in the jar and reformed itself into a layer of pills. Layer by layer the pills rose to the top until the jar was full.

When they were done with the first jar, they took a moment to catch their breath and then moved on to the next. They repeated the process until all four jars were filled with pills. Each jar had a different kind of pill in it, formed to the specifications that Willow had set forth in her mind.

Then Willow set about writing the instructions and warnings for the pills. She wrote down when to take them, what to take them with, what not to take them with, what to do if one forgot a dose, a list of normal side effects not to worry about, and a list of abnormal side effects that she should be alerted to if they occurred. Finally, in big bold letters she wrote: Avoid alcoholic beverages, including laudanum.

After Willow and Tara cleaned up the supplies and tucked the jars of pills and the instructions away in a leather bag, they retired to their bedroom to reward each other for a job well done.

16

William felt a little shy the next day, but also encouraged. He let a little more of his feelings for Miss Buffy show on his face when he looked at her. He would not just smile shyly at her anymore, but would look on her with love and an appreciation for her beauty.

Buffy felt vindicated when, instead of being even more shy than normal after the previous days adventures, William was less shy than ever before. His blue eyes gazed at her with an adoring intensity and Buffy found herself looking away shyly from his gaze for a change.

Willow and Tara noticed it too.

Is it just me, or is he giving her the bedroom eyes? Willow sent to Tara while they were clearing the picnic blanket of empty food bowls and dishes.

I think he is, Tara sent back.

Willow and Tara had underestimated him. They had forgotten that Spike’s passion had belonged to William first.

When Tara and Willow finished packing away the supplies and motioned for Buffy and William to get up off of the picnic blanket, without serving dessert, Buffy asked, “No dessert?? What gives?”

“We thought we would go to that ice cream vendor that’s across from the park for dessert today,” said Tara.

“Oo~! Ice cream! I scream for ice cream,” said Buffy.

“You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream~!” said Willow and Tara with glee.

William giggled as he stood up.

“Do you scream for ice cream, William?” Buffy asked with a sly smile.

“I was taught not to scream for it, but I do like it quite a bit,” William answered with a sly smile of his own.

“Ice cream it is then. But before that…Ta da~!” Willow said bringing the leather bag over and opening it up to reveal the four large jars of pills.

“Oh!” William said. “The pills for Mother!”

“Check ‘em out,” Willow said as she sat the heavy bag down, picked up one of the jars, and then handed the jar to William.

“I thought you said four days? You made all these in only two?” William said in awe, holding the jar of pills up and inspecting it and then looking down at the other three in the bag.

“Yep,” Willow said.

“She’s a busy little beaver,” Buffy said.

“I’ve also made some instructions for you too,” Willow said, plucking the instructions from the bag and trading them to William for the jar.

William looked over the instructions, nodding his head. How professional! he thought.

“Oh, and Tara helped me make them,” Willow added.

Buffy had a sudden image of Tara as the Shake ‘N Bake girl. It’s Shake ‘N Bake! An’ I helped!

“And Miss Buffy helped too, I’m sure,” William said.

“No, Miss Buffy did not help,” said Buffy. “Making pills is chemistry. Chemistry and Buffy are non-mixy things.” Magic and Buffy were usually non-mixy things too.

“Non-mixy?” William queried, quirking an eyebrow at her.

“Buffy and chemistry are like oil and water. They don’t go together,” Willow translated.

“Ah,” William said.

“She helped us gather the materials though,” Willow added.

“Ah, well then I would like to thank you all very much, from the bottom of my heart,” William said bowing.

“You’re welcome,” the girls said and curtsied.

“Now, let’s go get that ice cream!” suggested Buffy.

17

After getting vanilla cones from the ice cream vendor they made their way back to the little clearing in the park. Buffy and William walked side by side, with Willow and Tara walking ahead of them. It was a lovely late spring day and the Snob Squad was nowhere in sight, so they walked at a leisurely pace.

Buffy looked over at William, lost in his enjoyment of the ice cream cone. She watched his pink tongue lap up the ice cream with relish. Ooo~ Mind going to a naughty place, Buffy thought as she envisioned him licking her in all the right places. Oh, damn~ she thought as she felt her self getting wet. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn~ she thought again, unable to get the fantasy out of her head. Okay, Buffy. Get a grip. Think unsexy thoughts. ThinkunsexythoughtsThinkunsexythoughts…

William turned his head to see Miss Buffy licking her ice cream cone as if in a trance. Her face was flushed and she was breathing harder than normal. The heat of the day? he wondered. Before he could inquire, his eyes locked on her pink little tongue and focused there. She sighed and closed her eyes and brought more of her tongue out to lap at the creamy treat. Somehow it seemed very erotic to William and his body responded immediately. As soon as William felt himself get hard in his pants, his face snapped forward and he bit the inside of his cheek fiercely.

18

“Aaaaaaarg!!” Buffy screamed in frustration as she flopped face down on the couch in her London flat. She whimpered into the plush blue velvet garnering strange looks from Willow and Tara.

“Okay…” Willow said raising her eyebrows.

“B-Buffy?” Tara asked.

Buffy merely whimpered again. Visions of William danced in her head. The ice cream was the final straw.

“Is- is there anything you’d like to talk about?” asked Tara.

“Why?! Why, won’t he call on me~?! Or ask me out~?! Or whatever it is they do here? We’ve known each other a few weeks now~ I’ve been flirting like crazy~ Whyyyy~?!” Buffy whined.

“Um, Buffy, I don’t know if you’ve noticed this…But William’s shy,” said Willow.

“Why~?! Why shy~?! Why~?!” whined Buffy.

“I don’t know,” Tara said, stifling a giggle. “But we- we could invite him over now, if we want. If- if he’s willing to ride in the carriage with us, he should be willing to call on us, I think. Even though we’re kind of…chaperone-less.”

“We’re each other’s chaperones, I still say,” said Willow.

“But I thought he had to make the first move?” Buffy asked, looking up from the couch.

“Only when it comes to courting you. We would be inviting him to call on all of us. Th-that’s different,” Tara explained.

“And if we invite him over, that’ll get his foot in the door, so to speak,” said Willow.

“Sounds good to me,” said Buffy, sitting up.

“All we need then, is a to write an invitation and to get a card basket,” said Tara.

“Card basket?” asked Buffy.

“It’s a little basket where you put all the calling cards you receive,” said Willow.

“We’ll be expected to have one,” added Tara.

“This society is so weird,” said Buffy.

“Speaking of William and being shy…Did you notice how he was a little less shy today, Buffy?” asked Willow.

“Hello~! That’s why I’m wondering why he hasn’t made a move, yet. And by the way…Ha, ha. William’s not so squirrelly as you thought,” Buffy said turning up her nose and folding her arms across her chest.

“Yes, but he’s still shy,” said Tara.

19

William was having his morning tea with Mother when Olive came in with an urgent letter.

“Who’s it from, darling?” asked Anne.

“Why, it’s from Misses Buffy, Willow and Tara!” William said.

“I wonder what could be so urgent?” Anne wondered, setting down her teacup. She hoped it didn’t have anything to do with the pills. She was taking them, as she swore she would, and didn’t want to hear that they had been made wrong and were toxic or something.

“Hmmm,” William said as he opened up the letter and took it out to read.

Dear William,

We would like to invite you to come over to our place for lunch, instead of going to the park as usual. Please send us a message back, letting us know if that’s acceptable. We can still meet in the park if you like, but we would enjoy having you call on our household.

Your Friends,

Buffy, Willow and Tara

William’s face lit up and he said, “They’ve invited me to call on them!”

“Oh?” Anne said raising her eyebrows. “Well, I suppose that would be all right, with all three of them there. It’s bending the rules a little, but…I suppose it can’t be helped,” she said, giving him a wink.

William flashed her a wide toothy grin and then noticed that there was a second letter under the first.

Dear William,

Please, pretty please bring one of your poems! I’d especially like to hear the one from the party. Please, please, please, please. You can’t tell, because this is a letter, but I’m giving you the sad puppy dog face. Please x 100. With sugar on top.

Sincerely,

Willow

P.S. – Please don’t tell Buffy and Tara I wrote this. They’ll scold me.

William couldn’t help but laugh. How can I say no to that?!

Even though William had ripped up the poem from the party, he still remembered it well enough to make another copy. To his surprise, thinking of it didn’t bother him so much at all. Other than the fact that it was bloody awful like all the rest of his poetry. In fact, thinking of Cecily and the party didn’t bother him so much anymore either. He’d feel a slight sting and a dull twinge of anger, but no gut wrenching misery. And the poem, since it didn’t give Cecily’s name, could be reassigned to a more worthy subject.

20

“William said yes! He’s coming over!” Willow said waving William’s letter of acceptance in the air.

“Was there any doubt?” Buffy said with a sly smile.

While Tara continued to bake the little cakes she would serve for dessert, Buffy and Willow went about straightening the apartment. They wanted the place to look respectable, plus any magic supplies or books needed to be safely hidden away in the witches’ bedroom.

After Tara was done with the cakes, she started on the gumbo. Buffy had mentioned that Spike had liked spicy foods and thought William might as well. Just in case, Tara fixed a supplementary dish of tuna casserole. William had probably never had either one, but the girls figured he was bound to like at least one of the dishes.

21

When William arrived at the girls’ building, he gave his card to the desk clerk. The clerk then ran the card up to the girls’ apartment. William felt that old butterfluttery feeling in his stomach again. He was actually going to see where Miss Buffy lived and he would get to dine with her in her own house! Flat actually, but still…

Up a few flights, the clerk knocked on the door to the girls’ apartment. Buffy answered the door and received the card. She looked it over, noticing that it was handwritten in what she assumed to be William’s lovely script. And the corner was bent down.

“Shall I have the gentleman come up, Miss?” the clerk asked after standing there a while.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Send him up!” Buffy said with vigor.

The clerk gave her a strange look and then said, “Very good, Miss.”

“Now you close the door and wait for William to knock,” Tara said.

After Buffy closed the door, she asked, “The little corner is bent down to show he’s calling on all of us, right?”

“Right,” said Tara smiling as she stirred the gumbo.

A few moments later, they heard a knock upon the door. Buffy rushed to it. “Hi, William~!” she said as she ushered him in.

William bowed and gave his greeting as he stepped through the door. Willow and Tara came over to greet him as well.

“Welcome to our humble abode,” Willow said.

William chuckled and said, “Th-thank you for inviting me.”

“It’s our pleasure!” the girls said.

After a bit of small talk, they sat down at the little round table in the middle of the room and Tara served up lunch. Buffy’s intuition was right. William loved the gumbo. “I’ve never tasted anything like it!” he exclaimed. He enjoyed the tuna casserole and the little cakes as well.

At the end of the meal, William made Willow’s day by announcing, “I have finally consented to read you ladies a poem.”

“Yaaay~!” Willow said bouncing in her seat and clapping.

Buffy and Tara shook their heads.

“But- But don’t expect it to be wonderful,” William said.

“I can’t wait to analyze it!” Willow said getting up and moving to sit at the bay window.

“Yeah, that’s a comforting thought for William, I’m sure,” Buffy said wryly as she and Tara joined Willow at the bay window.

William smiled nervously as he stood in front of the girls and pulled the poem from his jacket. At their encouraging smiles, he cleared his throat and began.

“My heart expands

‘tis grown a bulge in’t

inspired by

your beauty effulgent.”

William looked up to see the girls still smiling. Then they dissolved into laughter and giggles. A sickly cold feeling crept into William’s gut as he cringed. But before he could respond further, Miss Willow clapped her hands together and said, “That’s great!”

Did she mean it??? William wondered.

“I love how you used the word effulgent at the end! That’s so unique! No one ever uses that word,” Willow said, smiling brightly.

“I like it, William,” said Tara, her giggles having died down. “It’s very pretty.”

Buffy was still laughing hysterically.

“Buffy~ Get a hold of yourself~” said Willow.

“Thank you, Willow and Tara, for saying you liked it anyway,” William said, trying not to sound to let down.

“No~! No~! We did like it!” said Willow.

“Really~!” added Tara.

“It was fun! And I really do love how you used effulgent,” Willow said.

William crooked an eyebrow at them and then looked at Buffy, who was still giggling a little.

“Wh-What does eff-ul-gent mean?” asked Buffy turning to Willow.

“Glowing, glistening, luminous, that sort of thing,” said Willow.

“Oh,” Buffy said almost regaining her composure before falling into giggles again.

“What is the matter with you?!” Willow asked, noticing William’s crestfallen look.

“I can’t help it~! The heart~! The part with the heart~! I mean, I’m sorry, but when I hear that something is expanding and growing a bulge in it, I don’t think heart~!” Buffy said dissolving into a complete giggle fit.

Willow and Tara looked up, thought a moment, and then put their heads in their hands as they dissolved into laughter again.

Now all three girls were laughing at him again. William felt as if he wanted to shrink down to three inches tall and crawl in hole. And what did Miss Buffy mean?? he thought.

“Oh my God!” exclaimed Willow. “Oo! Although…poets have been known to use metaphors in order to get away with certain subjects.”

“And sometimes, a heart is just a heart,” said Tara said dryly, trying to regain composure.

“Pardon?” William asked softly.

“Well, Miss Buffy thinks that you are using heart as a metaphor for something else,” Willow said.

“I do not! I didn’t say that!” said Buffy turning red.

“You did so,” said Willow.

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

“Okay, stop it! Stop it now!” said Tara.

“What would I be using heart as a metaphor for?” asked William, who was exceedingly confused.

Willow and Buffy looked at him and then fell into fits of laughter again.

“You should probably pay them no mind, William,” Tara said.

“No, no, Buffy brings up a valid point. It could be a metaphor. William is a Romantic Poet. He’s a rebel! It could totally be a metaphor,” said Willow composing herself again.

“I don’t think so. Would he write it at a party if that were so?” Tara asked.

“Good point,” said Willow.

“If what were so??? What do you think I mean??” asked William.

Buffy and Willow looked towards Tara.

“Oh no, this is your theory,” she said.

“It’s Buffy’s theory, she should explain,” said Willow turning to Buffy.

“There’s no theory involved~! I never said it was a metaphor for anything~!” Buffy said.

“Then why did your mind go there?” Willow teased.

“I don’t know~! My mind has a mind of its own~,” said Buffy.

“Will someone please tell me~?” William asked, becoming even more distraught.

“I suppose I have no choice,” Tara said flashing a perturbed look at the giggle twins. Tara sighed. “Replace the word heart with trousers.”

William thought for a moment and then his eyes widened. “Oh no! No, no, no! I meant nothing of the sort, I assure you~!!” William said in horrified panic. Fortunately for Buffy, William was too concerned with Buffy thinking him a pervert to wonder if she was one.

“We know,” assured Willow. “Buffy was just thinking about it too hard.” The girls gave her a look of barely contained amusement. “No pun intended,” she added before breaking down with Buffy and Tara.

“Seriously though, I really loved your poem, William,” said Willow. “I’d love to hear more. I don’t think your social circle really knows what they’re talking about.”

“I would like to hear more, as well. And I beg your pardon for Buffy,” said Tara.

“Hey, I liked it. I just didn’t get it. It’s a complimentary poem either way,” said Buffy.

Willow and Tara practically fell off the bay window seat and William looked utterly shocked.

“I didn’t think that through before I said it,” said Buffy. “Let me rephrase that. In its intended meaning, it was very complimentary and I would have been flattered to have such a poem written about me. And I’m sure no one over-thought it like I did.” Then she added. “And please don’t let this make you not want to read us another poem. We want to hear more. Right? Right, girls?”

Willow and Tara nodded their heads.

“I promise not to be such a poetry moron next time,” said Buffy.

“Oh, no, no, you’re not a- a moron, Miss Buffy! Perhaps if I wrote better…” said William still red-faced.

“Promise you’ll come over tomorrow and read us a new one,” Buffy said.

“Yeah!” Willow said.

“Pleeeease~,” the girls begged.

They looked up at him so sincerely, that he relented and agreed to read another tomorrow. After he left, the two witches teased Buffy mercilessly for her oh-so-Freudian mistake.

22

“Are- are you sure you want to hear it?” William asked as he pulled out his chosen poem the next day after lunch.

The girls nodded vigorously from their seat at the bay window.

William took a deep breath and read that first poem he had written after he met Buffy.

“Oh! Sweet inspiration doth grow in me!

Her hair like the sun, shines like the sea

And beckons me like a siren.

To bask in her beauty warms my soul

And sets a fire in me like coal.

The embers glow.”

The girls fell into a fit of laughter, but also soon exclaimed, “I love it~!”

“It’s so bad it’s good~!” said Willow with glee.

“It’s like an Ed Wood mov- er, play!” said Buffy.

“William is the Ed Wood of poetry!” exclaimed Willow.

“So bad…it’s good?” William inquired of the dubious complement.

“It’s hysterical!” said Willow and Buffy.

“I- I don’t think it was supposed to be funny,” said Tara noticing William’s hurt look.

“Oh…” Willow and Buffy said. “Oh, no~.”

“But- But we loved it~! We love so bad it’s good!” exclaimed Willow.

“And it sure was flattering for whoever it was about,” added Buffy. “I certainly wouldn’t turn my nose up if a poem like that were written about me~!”

“R-Really?!” asked William.

“Sure!” said Buffy.

“W-Well, I- I suppose it’s better for it to- to be so bad it’s good, th-than just plan bad,” William said smiling bemusedly.

“I love the part about the hair being a siren!” Buffy giggled.

“The hair wasn’t the siren. The sea was the siren. The hair was like the sun,” said Willow.

“No, the hair was both like the sun and it shone like the sea, so it is the siren,” Tara corrected.

“It’s magical singing hair!” laughed Buffy.

“That- That’s not really the point of the poem…” William said raising his index finger.

“And I love the part about ‘her beauty warms my soul.’ I would just swoon if someone wrote that about me~,” said Buffy.

William couldn’t help but smile. Even if they were just trying to be kind, he appreciated the sentiment.

23

William and Willow talked excitedly about their latest acquisitions from The Hovel as they, with Buffy and Tara walking ahead of them, passed through a nearby middle class park. The group had decided to go on a walk instead of taking a carriage since the weather was so fine that day.

Tara could see that Buffy was obviously pouting and led her a little further ahead of the two Wills. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous of Willow again,” said Tara.

“I can’t help it. They have so much in common~,” said Buffy.

“I can’t believe you’re still worried. You know that poem from yesterday was about you.”

“I don’t know that.”

“Of course it was about you. It certainly wasn’t about Cecily. And I really, really, really doubt it could be about me or Willow. It h-had to be about you. I’m certain,” Tara said nodding her head with confidence.

Willow was glad to see that Buffy and Tara were out of earshot. It made it so much easier to meddle.

“So, William…Can I ask you a personal question?” asked Willow changing the topic abruptly.

“Um, er, I- I don-don’t know…” William stuttered.

“I promise I’ll keep the answer in confidence,” she said.

William nodded his head indicating she could go ahead and ask.

“That poem yesterday was about Buffy, wasn’t it? You fancy Buffy, don’t you?” Willow said slyly.

“Um- um- I- I-” William sputtered.

“I might be able to help you,” Willow said.

William studied her for a moment and then said in almost a whisper, “R-Really?”

“Sure! You fancy her, right?”

William nodded his head yes sheepishly.

“I thought so. You’re in love with her too, I bet,” Willow said.

William swallowed and felt his mouth suddenly go dry.

“You should ask her if you could call on her. She’ll totally say yes,” Willow continued.

“She- She will?” asked William, excitement coming into his voice.

“Definitely. She likes you.”

“Do- Do you think she…she fancies me as well?”

“Yes~,” Willow said rolling her eyes with amused exasperation.

“E-Even after the- the poetry?”

“Yes, of course,” Willow answered. “She likes your poetry. Granted, not always completely in the spirit with which it was intended, but still…”

William looked unsure.

“I promise you, if you ask her, she will say yes,” said Willow. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

William still looked slightly unsure.

“Ask her today,” said Willow. “And don’t tell her we had this conversation. ‘Cause she’ll kill me.”

“Do…Do you really think she’ll say yes?”

“Yes! Yes she will. I bet you a million dollars. Or pounds. Whatever you prefer.”

William giggled.

Up ahead, Buffy heard the two Wills talking about something- she couldn’t hear what- and giggling and felt another pang of jealousy. “Do you hear that?” she asked Tara.

You’re so~ in love with him, Tara sent.

I am not! Bite me! Buffy sent back.

Tara giggled.

Hey, Tara, Willow sent. William wants to ask Buffy if he can come a courtin’.

Tara smiled. All right, she sent back.

Tara stopped and Buffy then stopped as well. Willow made an excuse about needing to talk to Tara about something and they walked away from William and Buffy.

“What’s that all about?” Buffy asked to no one in particular.

William pressed his lips together and inhaled, gathering his courage. “Miss- Miss Buffy?”

“Hm?” Buffy responded turning in his direction. “Yes?”

“I…I…I was- was w-wondering if- if I- um, if I m-may a-ask if I could- um…” William braced himself. “C-Call on y-you?”

Buffy smiled at him enthusiastically and said, “Yes…Yes, you may.” She wanted to jump up and down but kept hold of herself. Yes, yes, yes! she thought. Finally!

William stood there a little stunned for a moment while Miss Buffy’s acceptance sunk in. Yes…she said yes…Oh, she said yes!

“To-tonight?” William asked, his face lighting up and his eyes shining.

“Sure,” said Buffy, barely able to contain herself. “What time?”

“The customary time,” William answered.

“And that is…?”

“E-Eight O’clock.”

“So…what are you two talking about?” asked Willow as her and Tara rejoined the group. As if I didn’t know, Willow thought.

“William’s going to call on me tonight!” said Buffy.

“Eeeeee~!!” the girls squealed with delight.

William was taken aback a little bit. Although it was common in the girls’ time, ladies in William’s time simply did not act that way. But he wasn’t displeased with the enthusiasm.

“Group hug!” Willow declared.

They all rushed William and hugged him and each other fiercely. William thought he would faint as Miss Buffy pressed herself to the front of him and nearly crushed all the air from his lungs.

24

William bounded through the house in search of his mother. He finally found her on the back patio enjoying the good weather and having tea and shortbread cookies.

“Mother! There you are!” he exclaimed.

“Yes, here I am,” she said cheerfully humoring her excitable son.

“I’ve asked Miss Buffy if I may call on her! And she said yes!” William said practically jumping up and down.

“Oh~! Oh, that’s wonderful, darling!” Anne said, getting up from her seat and coming over to him.

“I’m so nervous, Mother! But also exhilarated!”

“Of course you are~ You’ll do fine~,” she assured him as she straightened his lapels and brushed away a stray bit of lint.

“I’m so happy~!” he said hugging her to him.

“So am I, darling,” Anne said as she hugged him back. Praise the Lord! she thought. Praise the Lord for bringing Miss Buffy to us~!

“Will you help me pick out a poem?” he asked pulling away.

“Of course! You bring a selection down and I’ll help you pick out the best one for tonight,” she said beaming up at him and patting his shoulders.

He nodded his head and then turned and ran up to his room to fetch them, as giddy as a schoolboy.

25

William had sent up his card and was giving his hair a once over in the little round mirror hanging on the wall of the apartment lobby. He tucked a stray curl behind his ear and then moved onto his tie. He loosened it and then tightened it again, making sure it was perfectly straight.

“Master Brighton, you may go up now,” the clerk said as he returned from the upstairs.

William nodded his acknowledgement, picked the bouquet of fresh garden flowers he brought for her back up, and made his way up to the girls’ flat.

Inside the apartment, the girls were straightening the bows on Buffy’s dress and in her hair and smoothing out any wrinkles in her skirt. Buffy had wanted to loosen the ribbon at the top of her dress to reveal some cleavage, but Tara had insisted that it would be too much for William to take.

“You want him to be coherent, don’t you?” Willow teased.

Before Buffy could make a smart reply, there was a knock at the door.

“Here he is!” said Buffy. “Okay, now shoo!” she added motioning to Willow and Tara.

“As your chaperones, we have to greet him, but then we can shoo,” Tara said.

Buffy nodded and opened the door. “Hi, William. Come on in,” she said waving him in.

“G-Good evening, Miss Buffy,” William said as he entered. “I- I’ve brought you flowers from my gardens,” he said holding them out to her.

“Wow! Flowers on the first date!” she said taking them.

“Hi, William~,” Willow and Tara said waving a little.

“Miss Willow. Miss Tara,” he said bowing.

“No one’s ever given me flowers on a first date before,” Buffy said as she put them in an empty vase. “Thank you so much, William,” she said giving him a sweet look.

William blushed a little and said, “You’re most welcome.” Then he added, “You look very lovely this evening, M-Miss Buffy. A-As you always do.”

“Why thank you. And you look very handsome yourself,” she said giving him a sly smile.

William couldn’t help but utter a nervous giggle. “You- You flatter me, Miss Buffy.”

Don’t you guys have somewhere else you want to be, she sent to Willow and Tara.

“W-Well, we’ll just be in our room if you need us,” Tara said as she and Willow beat a hasty retreat.

William blinked in their direction. Un- Un-chaperoned? William smiled. Alone with Miss Buffy~!

Buffy led him over to the little round table where they had tea and cookies. While they ate, William asked her how she was enjoying the Byron book and Buffy asked how his mother was doing. Fine was the answer to both. Then they chatted about this and that until they had eaten all the cookies.

After Buffy put the dishes in the wash bin, she led William over to the couch. After a moment of awkward silence, William remembered his poetry.

“W-Would you like to hear a poem I w-wrote for you, Miss Buffy?” he asked.

“You wrote a poem for me?” Buffy said smiling.

William nodded his head.

“Wow, I’ve never had poetry written about me before either,” she said sweetly, pouring it on thick.

William swallowed and said, “I- I can’t guarantee it’s quality but…”

Buffy said nothing, but leaned forward with a sly, flirty look.

William felt a giddy shiver run through his body and he blushed a bit further. Then he finally pulled out the poem and read it to her. It was just as hysterically bad as the last one had been, but it was also extremely sweet. Basically, it was one big compliment to Buffy’s beauty.

Buffy giggled and said, “That was so sweet~! Thank you, William~.”

“You- You really like it?” he said looking at her with sweet sincerity.

“Yes,” Buffy said smiling.

“I- I have another copy at home if- if you would like this one,” he said holding it out to her.

“Oh, yes, I would very much~. Thank you,” Buffy said taking the poem. “I think I’ll tack it up on the wall next to my vanity,” she said looking it over and admiring his fancy lettering.

Not only is she taking the poem but she intends to display it on her wall! In her bedroom~! William thrilled at the thought.

Buffy sat the poem down on the end table behind her and then turned back to William who was giving her that intense adoring look again. They were sitting diagonally on the couch to face each other and when Buffy scooted a bit closer to him their knees almost touched. Before he could even think, she placed her hand in his. William’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest, and since it was nearly time for him to go he misinterpreted the gesture just a little bit. Much to Buffy’s delight.

William brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it firmly. Buffy’s eyes widened a bit at the sensation of his lips pressed tenderly to her knuckles. He continued to gaze up at her with loving adoration during the kiss and Buffy felt a definite flush creep into her face. He had somehow managed to look completely innocent and sexy at the same time.

He pulled away and released her hand, blushing.

Holy crap~! she thought. Is it just this stupid repressed society or was that totally hot?

“Th-thank you for allowing me to call on you, Miss Buffy,” said William.

“You’re- You’re welcome,” replied Buffy, still a little stunned.

William gathered his courage for the next question. “May- May I c-call on you again to-tomorrow night?”

“Uh huh…Yes,” she replied.

William’s eyes gleamed and his face lit up like the Fourth of July. He stood and offered his hand to help her up. “Until t-tomorrow, then,” he said and brought her hand up for another quick kiss.

Buffy closed her eyes and smiled at the second kiss visited upon her hand. It was merely a peck this time, but it sent an unreasonably giddy thrill down her spine.

“All right,” she heard herself say dumbly. And then coming to her senses she led him to the door and bade him goodnight.

A few minutes after she closed the door and sat back down at the couch, Willow and Tara came out of their room. They found Buffy sitting diagonally on the couch with her head resting on her arm.

“So…How did it go?” asked Willow.

Buffy lifted her head up and said, “I think this el represso society is having an effect on me. William just gave me a kiss on the hand and I got the feelings.”

“Th-that must have been some hand kiss,” said Tara stifling a giggle.

Buffy gave a short whimper and put her head back down on her arm.

“Oh, you know, Tara does this hand kiss thing that’s really good, so maybe it’s not the Victorian era,” Willow suggested.

“She does,” Buffy said looking up again.

“Uh, huh. We’ll show you,” Willow said as she stood up in front of Tara and gave the sweet witch her hand. Tara placed a tender kiss on Willow’s knuckles while she looked up at her adoringly.

Willow smiled and shivered and asked, “Was it like that?”

“Hey, yeah, it was,” Buffy said. “Do you think he knew what he was doing?”

“N-no,” said Tara. “P-Probably not. The next time he’ll know what he’s doing. Assuming you gave him a favorable response.”

Buffy nodded her head yes. “Can I have sex with him yet?” she asked.

Willow and Tara nearly keeled over. “Wh-What?!” they squealed.

“I’ll admit I’m in love with him, if you help me,” Buffy continued.

“I~ knew it!!” Willow said pointing a finger at her. “And, Oh my God!”

Tara was useless, as she was having a complete giggle fit.

“You’re horrible~! Planning to deflower that sweet little virgin! You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” Willow teased.

“Tara?” Buffy asked hoping for help that didn’t involve merciless teasing.

“I knew you were in love with him. I knew it,” Willow continued.

“Yes, all right already! And I want to consummate that love, so help me~,” said Buffy.

“W-Well, William is still a man…So the trick is not so much how to get him to do it, but how to get him to do it without him thinking you’re a loose woman,” Tara said, finally recovered from her giggle fit.

“Okay, well then how do I do that?” asked Buffy.

Willow and Tara thought for a moment and then Tara said, “W-Wait till he kisses you first and then I guess proceed with caution. I’m afraid you’ll have to just feel him out for it.”

“So your only advice is to make sure he at least kisses me first and then I’m on my own?” asked Buffy.

“I’m afraid so,” said Tara.

“There is one other thing we can do for you,” said Willow.

“What?” asked Buffy.

“We can make you an anti-pregnancy charm. We’ll technically it’s a curse but the only thing it does is prevent pregnancy until the charm is broken,” Willow said.

Tara was a little unsure but Buffy said, “Sounds good to me! One less thing for Buffy to worry about.”

“Yippee~!” said Willow. “Now I just need a lock of your hair and I can go make the charm.”

“How does it work?” asked Buffy. “Like, how do I break the charm?”

“Well, I put your hair in a small pouch with magic powders, recite the incantation and then put the pouch in a small silver box for safe keeping. To break the charm, just dump the powder out of the bag,” Willow explained.

“Where were you with this charm thing while I was dating Riley?”

“I wasn’t advanced enough to do it then.”

26

As soon as William had turned the corner down the hallway, he began jumping up and down, propelling himself forward with his hops. Yes! Yes! Yes!! he thought. He nearly flung himself down the stairs with his glee.

He managed to keep himself contained on the street and in the carriage ride home, but as soon as he was in his front door he began hopping again. William hopped up and down the halls of his house. Several servants saw him as he passed by and thought they must surely be seeing things. Surely the master of the house was not hopping up and down the halls like a little boy.

Finally, William calmed himself down enough to find his mother. She was in the drawing room tonight. The drawing room was more to the back of the house and rarely used, but every now and then William’s mother would tire of the parlor and the sitting room and would come to the drawing room for a change of pace. Each room served essentially the same purpose, the only differences being that the parlor was smaller and right off the entrance hall; the sitting room was a little farther down and contained the piano, the grand fireplace, more couches and had pictures covering the walls and knickknacks every where; and the drawing room had a smaller fireplace, a few bookshelves set into the walls and fewer couches than the sitting room.

William poked his head in the drawing room and Anne set her knitting down and told him to come in and tell her all about his call. He sat down next to her and spared few details. “You would say she fancies me, wouldn’t you Mother?” William asked when he was through.

“I would, indeed~!” she said. “She called you handsome, and said your poetry was sweet and then said she’d hang it on her bedroom wall, and held her hand out for you to kiss it at the end of the call…I’d say she fancies you quite a bit!” Anne declared.

“And she has consented for me to call on her tomorrow night as well,” William added.

“Well, that settles it then!” Anne said smiling. “Perhaps she’s even in love with you.”

William closed his eyes and smiled as he shook his head. “Oh, no, no, I wouldn’t presume to think such a thing.”

“Pfft! It could be,” Anne said.

“Nonsense,” said William playfully.

“You never know~,” Anne teased.

27

The next night, William brought more poetry and Buffy was flattered by its sentiment and enjoyed it in the ‘it’s so bad it’s good’ way. After he handed her the poem for her to keep, he clasped his hands and held them in his lap, unintentionally making it impossible for her to try and hold his hand. So Buffy did her best to give him flirty looks while they chatted.

William blushed at her flirting, but didn’t look away and continued to look at her adoringly. Even thought William didn’t want the evening to end, he was looking forward to being able to hold her hand and kiss it. Surely she would hold it out for him to kiss. Even if she didn’t, he felt bold enough to hold his own hand out to initiate it.

It frustrated Buffy to no end not to be able to initiate anything. She wanted to kiss him at the very least. And at the most she wanted to throw him down on the couch, take all his clothes off, and boff his sweet little brains out. Then Buffy made the mistake of fantasizing about that very thing and subsequently found herself to be very wet and frustrated indeed. Oh, cruel, cruel Victorian world~! she thought as she tried to keep any sense of frustration from showing on her face. Keeping the blush from coming to her face was impossible.

Finally, the clock struck nine, signaling that their hour was up. William sighed as he looked at the clock and then turned back to Miss Buffy. “Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow,” he said as he stood up and held out his hand for her to take.

Buffy giggled softly as she took his hand and stood up. She felt sure that only William could say that line and be sincere about it.

As soon as they walked over to the door and said their goodnights, Buffy held out her hand to be kissed. She would at least have her hand kissed if nothing else.

William smiled with excitement as he held her hand and then brought it to his lips once more. This time his gaze was slightly less innocent and more intense, but just as adoring. And he dared to kiss her delicate knuckles twice in row, allowing his lips to linger as if kissing her mouth.

Buffy found herself fantasizing about him kissing her like that everywhere as he kissed her hand. Ooo~ William lips~ Lips of William~ She put her other hand to the closed door for balance as she felt herself grow dizzy with want.

“M-May I call on you again tomorrow night?” he asked, his voice sounding slightly breathy.

“Yah huh,” said Buffy nodding her head.

He gave her another sweet smile before releasing her hand and leaving.

Buffy waited a few moments after he left and then began hopping up and down and crying out in frustration.

Willow and Tara came out of their room and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Did it not go well tonight?” asked Tara.

“No, it went really well~,” Buffy whined.

“He give you the feelings again?” Willow asked.

“Yeh-heh-hessss~” Buffy whimpered as she stomped her feet.

“If only William knew…” Willow teased.

“Say one word, and you will die a slow and horrible death~!” Buffy said sobering up. Then she inhaled, almost calmed, and then lost it. “Ahhhrg!! I’ll be in my room. Don’t disturb me,” she said with flushed cheeks.

As Buffy’s door slammed, Willow and Tara dissolved into giggles.

--- To Be Continued . . .

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