Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship like the holly-tree --
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?
The wild-rose briar is sweet in the spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?
Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly's sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He may still leave thy garland green.

~*~

Summer of 1762

Shrill laughter could be heard throughout the Rayne’s mansion in Philadelphia. It grew louder and louder as small footsteps ran down the hallways towards the drawing room downstairs. However, the running footsteps ceased at the sight of the large man lounging on the sofa and his voice booming through the mansion.

"William! Stop that now!" He barked at his only son, who blushed and flinched at the sound of his voice. William hated when he made his father mad. He hated that look his father got in his eyes that made the six-year-old feel as if he was not wanted and that his very existence was a burden. "You know you are not supposed to running around the house. Especially today!"

The boy ducked his head shyly, his curled brown hair falling in front of his bright blue eyes. "Sorry, father…" he whispered quietly as he clasped his hands in front of him.

The boy jumped back when he saw his father immediately rise from the sofa and stalk over towards him. "What did you call me, boy?"

"Sorry, sir, sorry. I did not mean it." The young boy panicked as his eyes widened with fear and began to back away from the drawing room. "I meant…sorry Ethan…so very sorry." He whimpered as his eyes began to glaze over with tears.

A harsh look passed over Mr. Rayne’s eyes as he noticed the tears that were threatening to spill from his son’s eyes and began to pursue towards him again. "Are you crying!" His voice came out as a harsh whisper as he reached for William’s shoulder. "Are you crying!"

"Ethan!" His wife’s voice called from the top of the stairs before she bounded down towards them. "Take your hands off of him!" She hissed, rushing over towards her husband and removed her son from Ethan’s tight grasp and pulled William into her arms.

"He was disobeying me, Jenny. I shall not have my son running around, being disrespectful and crying! He will never be a successful man if I do not discipline him correctly!" He growled at her.

"He’s just a boy, Ethan!" She shook her head as she lifted William into her arms and carried him upstairs towards his room. Jenny ran a gentle hand through her son’s hair so as to quiet the sobs that wracked his body. "It’s all right, William. Mum is here, don’t cry." She soothed him, kissing his hair.

"Why does Ethan hate me, mummy?" William murmured against the crook of him mother’s neck, his arms wrapped tightly around her body as he took comfort in her loving hands and voice.

"Don’t call your father Ethan, dear." She whispered against his hair before settling him down on his bed. "And he does not hate you William…he is just very stressed about visiting Mr. Summers …"

The woman sent her young son a sweet smile before brushing back the hair from his azure eyes. The tears that he had spilled now streaked his cheeks in a bright shine that was only accented by the sunlight that was shining in his room. The shudders that had wracked his body before had now disappeared and had been replaced by small hiccups. It broke the woman’s heart to see her child like this. She wished she could just leave Ethan and take William away from all this chaos, but it was not possible. It was not possible for a lady such as she to leave her husband. The looks and criticisms would be horrendous; she had a nightmare about it once.

Slowly, she helped dress her son his ‘Sunday best,’ an outfit that she had made him wear to church on numerous occasions. It was an outfit he hated but she thought it brought out his eyes.

"Mummy, will the Summers’ have anyone for me to play with?" He asked her shyly as she buttoned his shirt and put on his coat.

Jenny smiled warmly at her son, tucking a strand of his hair behind his ear before kissing his cheek softly. "I believe your father mentioned a young girl named Elizabeth, she should be around your age."

William laughed as he wiped the tears from his cheek with back of his hand before jumping from his bed and taking his mothers hand while they made their way out of the house and towards the carriage that awaited them.

~*~

"Elizabeth! Come here now!" The Summers’ nanny Fiona shouted as she searched for Elizabeth through the halls, clutching her apron as she hunted for her. "Your mother will not be pleased young lady." She huffed, poking her head into the linen closet before tramping down the hall.

A small giggle coming from the washroom caused the woman’s steps to cease. Curiously, she turned her head towards the washroom and heard the giggle again. A grin passed over the woman’s face as she slowly approached the door before whipping it open and wasn’t surprised to find young Elizabeth Summers sitting in the bath.

"There you are." Fiona chuckled, lifting the young girl out of the tub and carried her down the hallways towards her room. "You are lucky your mother didn’t find you, young lady."

"I wanted to play." Elizabeth giggled as she began to fidget with Fiona’s fiery red hair, twirling it with her fingers. " And mother can’t get out of bed, you know that Fiona. She’s prewgnant with my baby sister!" The young girl chirped as she began to bounce in her nanny’s arms, wrapping her own around Fiona’s neck.

The woman chuckled, shifting the girl’s weight in her arms as they entered Elizabeth’s bedroom. "How do you know it is a girl?"

"I had a dream about her. Father called her Dawn and she was pretty!" Elizabeth tittered as she was sat down on her plush bed but let out a small grunt as Fiona roughly removed the dress from the young girl’s body. "Why is everyone running around today, Fiona?"

"Your father is having a future business partner come stay with us for the summer." Fiona explained to her gently, placing an emerald dress over Elizabeth’s head and then ran back over to Elizabeth’s bureau to retrieve a brush. "So you are to be well behaved because this is very important to your father."

"You know, I will be good, Fiona!" Buffy chirped as she bounced on the bed while Fiona tried to brush the young girl’s long blonde hair. "Is there anyone around my age for me to play with?"

"Your mother told me that there is a young boy named William. He is a year older than you if I remember." Fiona then furrowed her eyebrows as she noted a slight pout tug at Elizabeth’s mouth. "What is wrong dear?"

"I have never met a boy before." She replied silently, folding her hands in her lap as Fiona finished brushing Elizabeth’s hair and then clasped a cross necklace across the girl’s next. "My cousin, Anya told me that boys were the devil and that they are evil."

"Do not listen to your cousin, Elizabeth." Fiona shook her head, lifting the girl off of the bed and onto the floor. "She will put silly ideas into your head."

Elizabeth giggled as she bolted pass Fiona and ran down the hall.

To be continued…

Summer of 1762

Dust swirled behind the carriage as it sped down the dirt road that cut across the countryside. The sun was setting low and the horizon had become different shades of pink and orange. And, although it was the middle in the summer, it was very chilly outside and it made Jenny clutch her shawl tighter to her body and the small body in her arms to adjust itself.

A shadow of a smile appeared on her thin lips as she took one of her hands and ran it through her son’s thick, curled hair. He had been sleeping the entire trip. As soon as they sat down in the carriage, he had immediately fallen asleep with his head leaning against her shoulder. Now he was snuggled into her lap with his arms thrown around her neck.

"Jenny, remove the boy from your lap." He husband grumbled across from her, shifting in his seat. "He is too old for that."

"Hush." Jenny replied with a hiss in her voice, bringing her son closer to her body and hugged him tightly. "You have hurt him enough for today, at least let poor William sleep."

"He will be the end of me Jennifer!" Ethan growled, leaning forward in his seat as his bore into his wife’s.

"He is your son!" She rasped, holding one of her hands over William’s ear and looked up at Ethan with shock. "You cannot say such things!"

"We all know that he was a mistake." He mumbled underneath his breath, laying back against the cushioned seats of the carriage but sat straight up when he received a quick kick to his shin, his eyes snapping up to meet his wife’s. Her dark hair framed her exotic face that caught his attention when he saw her for the first time. "Don’t test me Jennifer, before you married me you were nothing but a poor farmer’s daughter in the country. I easily brought you out of that world and I can easily put you back in there."

Jenny was about to respond when the carriage immediately stopped, and the couple knew they had arrived. "Sir, we have arrived." Their driver called from his seat up at the front before jumping down and opened up their door.

"Very well, Arthur." Ethan nodded firmly as he stepped out of the carriage. "Very well indeed." He said silently as he surveyed the house in front of him. It was an old plantation house that had been sold to the Summers some time ago when the old owner couldn’t afford anymore. It wasn’t that far from Philadelphia so it was easier to travel back and forth for Mr. Summers from his law firm in the city. Ethan’s eyebrows furrowed when he finally noticed that his wife was not by his side. "Jennifer? Coming?"

"Yes Ethan…" The woman murmured as she ran her hand lightly through her son’s dark hair before shaking him awake. "William? Wake up now, we are here." She whispered softly to him, lightly shaking the young boy once again before his eyelids fluttered and his eyes opened wide. He looked a little confused for a moment until he looked up at his mother and a bright smile covered his lips.

"Hello, mum." He chirped before placing a small kiss on her cheek and then hugged her tightly. "We there yet?"

"Yes, dear, we are." The woman smiled as she removed her son from her lap and then stepped out of the stagecoach with a plastic smile set on her face as she stood next to her husband. William just watched the scene from the door of the stagecoach as his mother took her husband’s hand in hers. The small boy didn’t get the best feeling as he watched this.

"William! Come!" Ethan yelled at his only son, grasping Jenny’s hand tightly in his. "We don’t want to be late." He hissed as William immediately jumped out of the coach and ran over to his mother’s side. "You better behave William." Ethan hissed again staring over at his son with a hard look in his eyes.

William nodded his head meekly as he began to follow his mother and father up the gravel path towards the large plantation house. It was at least three stories tall and incredibly large, made out of dark bricks with wonderful French shutters and scarlet drapery adorning the windows. In front of him were large marble steps that lead up to a large, thick oak door. William watched as his father and mother approached the door and seconds later a short, plump redheaded woman whipped open the door with a bright smile on her face and a damp white cloth in her hand.

"You must be Mr. Rayne," the plump woman greeted as her smile widened, William could feel the warm vibes coming off of this woman and it made him smile. "Me name is Fiona, I work for the Summers. Come in."

Fiona stepped aside and gestured the family inside before turning to a thin looking man that was standing next to her. She looked him in the eyes and then gestured towards the coach that was still parked outside with Arthur standing patiently beside it. Without a word, the thin man nodded and eagerly ran out to the carriage and began to pull the trunks and pieces of luggage from it.

Jenny smiled kindly at Fiona as his her eyes scanned the large residence. "And where is Joyce? I am very eager to meet her."

"Her pregnancy is almost finished, so she is in bed at the moment but will be down for dinner." Fiona smiled apologetically towards the dark haired woman before looking over at Ethan who was taking in the rich surroundings with delight. "Mr. Rayne, Mr. Summers is in his office if you would wish to see him."

"I would like that very much." Ethan grinned as he turned towards his wife and tugged on her hand. "Come now Jennifer." He ordered with a fake smile on his face and tightened his grip on her hand.

"And William?" Jenny nodded towards her son who was shifting his weight nervously on the balls and heels of his feet.

"Don’t worry Mrs. Rayne." Fiona jumped in with that warm smile on her face and took William’s hand in hers. "I will take care of ‘im. I think I shall take ‘im to meet Elizabeth. She has been quite eager to have someone to play with."

Jenny nodded as she took a step towards William and ran her hand gently down the side of his face. "Be a good boy for mum, okay?"

William sent his mother a bright smile before she walked off with her husband, who was clutching her hand tightly, following one of the Summers’ other servants.

"You want to meet Elizabeth?" Fiona asked him with a slight chuckle in her voice as she led him towards the stairs that went up to the second floor.

"Yes…" William replied meekly as they walked up the stairs towards Elizabeth’s room at the end of the long hall. William could feel his small heart beat radically in his chest as their footsteps neared the open bedroom door. He could lightly hear small sounds of the servants down in the kitchen cooking tonight’s dinner and the sound of a small girl humming. The sound of her humming made the organ in his chest to beat faster as he removed a strand of dark hair that had fallen into his eyes.

"Elizabeth!" Fiona shouted in a loud cheery voice with that huge grin still on her face as she glided into the room. William felt the woman tug on his hand and bring him into the girl’s room. There she was, spinning around and around in circles in the middle of her bedroom. She had on a long emerald dress that brought out the golden color of her hair and the slight paleness of her skin. The young boy watched her with fascination as she stopped at the sound of Fiona’s voice and turned around to look at them. She had bright eyes that almost matched the color of her dress with cheeks that were round that had lost some of her baby fat. "Look who is here!"

Elizabeth giggled as she skipped over towards William and curtseyed in front of him before sticking out her left hand. "I’m Elizabeth!" She chirped. "S’pleasure to meet you William!"

William sent the girl a shy smile before taking his hand in hers. "Hello."

Elizabeth looked up at Fiona and grinned. "We will be all right Fiona. You can go help mother now."

Fiona shook her head as she turned and left the room, leaving the children alone. William began to shuffle on his feet like he had done earlier.

"You have a pretty home." William mumbled, clasping his hands in front of him while his hair had fallen in front of his eyes, shielding them from Elizabeth’s gaze.

"Thank you."

"Where did you live before?" He mumbled now rocking back and forth on his feet.

"In the city, but, father got tired of it, so we live here now!" She chirped.

"Ethan loves the city. He likes to work all the time."

"Who is Ethan?"

William’s hands began to twitch as his eyes briefly met hers. "My father."

"Why do you call him Ethan?" She asked curiously, as she twisted her hips about, making her dress swish around her feet.

"Cause that is his name and he doesn’t like me to call ‘im father." William replied sadly as he remembered what had happened earlier this morning at home. He internally flinched when he could somehow feel his father’s tight grip on his shoulder and the look of hatred he had given William.

"That’s terrible." Elizabeth replied sincerely, taking his small hand in hers.

"I am use to it."

Elizabeth smiled sadly at William before she briefly squeezed his hand and tugged him over towards her bed where a lonely book sat amongst the lavender sheets. "Come now. Let’s read a story until dinner. Mother usually reads to me since I don’t know how to but she can’t get out of bed because she prewgnant with my new sister."

"Okay." William whispered as he crawled up onto the bed with Elizabeth and they both settled against the headboard. The book was now nestled into William’s lap while Elizabeth sat next to him.

"You do know how to read right?"

"A bit. My mum has been teaching and I have been learning a bit at my schooling."

"Good." She smiled, before lying down next to him, her head resting on one of her beaded pillows. "This is my favorite."

William nodded as he began to read from the book. About a page into it he was stopped when Elizabeth sat up in bed and looked at him. "That is not how it goes."

"It is what it says in the book." William grumbled as he started to read the sentence again but was stopped by Elizabeth’s voice.

"You are lying. My mother reads this to me all the time. I know this book from the beginning to the end and that it not what happens!" She told him with a defiant look in her eyes that wanted to prove him wrong. That was when the meek little boy personality left William and something else replaced him.

"If you know the book so well why don’t you read it?" He shot back at her, closing it and shoving it in her hands.

"Because I don’t know how to read!" She yelled as she threw the book on the floor and then got up off of the bed herself. "My cousin Anya told me that boys were the devil and were evil and she was right. You are not nice at all."

"You are the one who keeps telling me I am wrong." He muttered as he jumped off of her bed and stood beside her. "You are not very nice either." William crossed his arms over his chest, as did she.

"Well—"

Elizabeth was stopped when the sound of small bell ringing from downstairs interrupted their conversation. A small growl came from the small girl’s throat as she turned on her heels and stomped out of the room and down the hall. William followed her soon after.

To be continued…

The main floor of the mansion glowed with candlelight as William followed Elizabeth. She skipped over towards the circle of adults in the dinning room, all of them holding silver goblets in their hands with wine in them. All of them smiled as Elizabeth approached them. Even William’s father’s mouth curved into a delighted smile as she stepped into their circle.

"Hello mother!" Elizabeth giggled as she wrapped her arms around Joyce’s swelled stomach before kissing it. "Hello little sister!"

Jenny shook her head as she watched Elizabeth smile at her mother’s rounded middle before seeing her son standing nervously off to the side, who watched the scene with interest.

"William, come here." She beckoned softly as her hand reached out towards her son’s and took it softly. "Come meet Mr. and Mrs. Summers."

William nodded meekly as his mother pushed him towards the older couple. He first looked up at Joyce. He almost blushed as she sent him a warm smile. Her golden hair, like her daughter’s, was left down and framed her face like an angel while the candlelight seemed to form a halo over her head.

"Hello William." Mrs. Summers greeted with that warm smile still on her face as she moved away from her daughter and towards the small boy. Carefully, she bent over towards him and took his hand in hers. "I am Mrs. Summers, but you can call me Joyce because I am sure we will be seeing a lot of one another."

"Okay." William replied with a small whisper as Joyce tugged him gently over towards her husband.

Joyce looked over towards Jenny. "He’s beautiful Jennifer." She noted as her eyes darted between the small boy and the other woman. "Looks just like you."

"Why, thank you Joyce," Jenny blushed with slight embarrassment in her voice. "But, he looks more like Ethan than I."

"Nonsense." Joyce giggled as she placed her other hand on William’s shoulder and directed him over towards a tall man that was talking to his father. "William…" Joyce whispered gently in William’s ear. "This is my husband, Rupert Summers."

William’s eyes darted over towards Ethan who gave him a very sharp and threatening look. The small boy flinched as the look seemed to burn through him. Wishing to escaped Ethan’s gaze, William directed his attention over towards the other man. He was fairly tall, almost as tall as his own father was. His hair was a deep, dark brown but had some gray peeking out amongst his nicely groomed locks. Rupert’s eyes were a bright blue and were set behind a pair of wire rimmed glasses. William’s eyes finally settled on the older man’s mouth as it curved into a grin.

"You must be William." He greeted with smooth tone in his voice as he squatted down next to the boy so that he could be eye to eye with him. "Your mother Jennifer has told me that you enjoy horses. That right?"

"Yes, sir." William laughed as he ducked his head and let his curly hair fall in front of bright eyes. "Very much so."

"Well, I must take you out to the stable during your visit. We have beautiful horses there." Rupert smiled as tilted his head to the side and observed the shy young boy. "I shall have to take you riding."

William’s head snapped up, as his eyes grew wide with anticipation and excitement. A huge grin appeared on his face as he tried to contain his thrill. "Really, sir? Do you mean it? I would love to! I would love to, sir!"

"Yes, I do mean it William." Rupert chuckled as he reached out and ruffled the boy’s dark curly hair before standing up. "I shall even take you out tomorrow and show you the stables."

"I cannot wait, sir." William giggled as he watched Mr. Summers wink at him then lead everyone else into the dinning room and began to follow them when he felt a tight hand grasp onto his shoulder. William looked up to see his father sending him a cold stare. Slowly, the older man bent down until his mouth was next to his son’s ear.

"You and I will talk later." Ethan hissed in William’s ear before brushing past him and sat down next to his wife at the dinning room table.

A deep shudder went through the boy as he crawled up into the chair and looked down at the full plate before him. He wasn’t hungry. He wasn’t hungry at all. He felt more sick than starving. Looking over to the side of him, William saw his father sitting high and mighty as he discussed business with Mr. Summers. Across from him sat that Elizabeth girl who looked extremely bored at the moment until she looked over at him and an annoyed look covered over her face. William scrunched up his nose as he looked at her with anger, challenging her to look away, and she did.

Dinner passed by quickly. It was filled with laughter and talk of the future. Rupert and Ethan talked enthusiastically about their partnership and their firm. William had only sat there quietly, catching his father’s hard gazes every so often that made him want to crawl into a corner and cry.

Now William was in his bedroom, sitting on the strange bed that was meant to be his. His mother had long ago kissed him goodnight and had retired herself. His arms now hugged his legs and let his chin rest gently on his knees as he stared out the open window. The full moonlight was now shining off of his face and the unformed tears in his eyes.

William jumped up with alert when his bedroom door opened and in slipped his father.

"Hell-hello, Ethan sir." William stuttered as he quickly scrambled off of his bed and ran over towards his father. "Did I do something wrong, Ethan?" The boy asked nervously as he caught the look on his father’s face.

"Who are you trying to fool?" His father hissed as he took a step towards the young boy.

"What do you mean sir?"

"I saw the way you looked at him!" The older man growled taking another step towards the young boy, a defiant swagger in his step that made William back away. "The way your eyes sparked up! That spark!"

"What? I do not understand Ethan!" William let out a short cry as he backed away until his back hit the wall.

"Of course you do, you little bastard!" Ethan growled as he pounced on William and held him tightly by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "You want ‘im to be your new father! I saw the way you looked at him with that spark! You want ‘im to take care of you! To take you out riding! To teach you how to be a man!"

"I do not understand!" William yelled as tears began to rain down his face and he started struggle out of Ethan’s grasp, fear consuming him as his father’s face leaned towards him.

"Do you think he will take care of you as I do? Do you think he would love you?" Ethan hissed shaking his son harder as the tears continued to run down William’s face. "Do you think he would want you to be his son? You are a disgrace to me and you would be a disgrace to him! I will not be made a fool of William! Never!" Ethan ceased his shaking as he leaned closer to the boy so that his face was merely centimeters from his son’s. "Don’t put false hopes into your head boy!"

With that Ethan pushed his son to the floor and flew out of the room with angry steps that seemed to echo off of the walls and through William’s ears.

Small sniffles escaped the boy’s mouth as tears spilt down his cheeks. Pale blue eyes searched the room. Everything seemed bigger than it had before. The room seemed emptier and had seemed to grow in size.

The boys cries grew louder as he felt the area of his arms where his father had grabbed him begin to throb with pain. The pain wracked over his body and William just wished for it to end.

Why does Ethan hate me? What have I done? Why doesn’t he love me? His inner voice begged as William buried his face against his knees and continued to sob, rocking back and forth as he sat there.

"William?" A small voice called out as the door to his bedroom opened with a creak. William’s head snapped up and saw Elizabeth standing in his room, a small blanket wrapped around her body. She then noticed the tear tracks that were shining on his face. "Why are you crying?" She asked quietly as she sat down beside him, looking at him with concern.

William moved his eyes over towards the small girl that sat beside him who had concern and worry for him shining through her eyes. William sniffled as he shook his head silently. "I don’t want to talk about it."

Elizabeth nodded understandingly as she took his hand in hers. "Do not be sad William. It will all be okay." She mumbled tugging his hand as they both stood up and climbed onto his bed. Without a word Elizabeth forced the boy to lay down before lying down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thank you." William whispered quietly as he felt the tears on his cheeks begin to dry and his eyelids beginning to become heavy.

"You are welcome." She replied as she pulled her blanket around the both of them before drifting off to sleep.

To be continued…

Summer of 1762

Weeks had passed since the Raynes’ first night at the Summers’ country mansion. Everything around the house had fallen into a structured routine since then.

In the mornings they would all wake up early and eat breakfast, discussing their future plans for the day. Immediately afterwards, Joyce would head back up to her room with the assistance of the servants in the house. Rupert and Ethan would instantaneously head into Mr. Summers’ office to discuss business. This left Jenny alone with the children, and she usually spent her mornings sewing in the corner while the children played with one another in Elizabeth’s room.

Elizabeth and William seemed to be getting along better than they had when the Rayne family first arrived. They weren’t always peaceful with one another though. Once Jenny had left to tend to Joyce, the two children would somehow end up in a argument that had them both rolling around on the floor with one another. The screams coming from them both caused Mrs. Rayne to run worryingly back to the room and tear them away from each other.

Later in the afternoon, Mr. Summers would show up to take the children out riding with him. As soon as William would see Rupert enter the room, he would immediately drop whatever he was doing and run over to the man’s side, eager to leave. Elizabeth rarely went with them and usually went with Jenny to help her mother.

William had found a sudden passion for riding. Even though he was only six years of age, the act of riding gave him freedom. It helped him let go of all the anger and sadness he felt. It made him forget Ethan, and, both the mental and physical abuse the small boy received from his father.

When they were tired of riding, the pair rode back to the house where Mr. Summers would return back to the mansion to attend to some more business. He usually left William with a smirk on his lips and a promise to ride again tomorrow.

The rest of the afternoon, the Rayne boy would sit on the edge of the hillside that the mansion sat on and he would watch nature, listening to its sounds and viewing its actions. Eventually, Elizabeth would venture outside and sit down next to him and they would end up talking about the silly things that small children usually discussed. There was the occasional small tiff between the pair. They would sit there for hours, as they were doing now.

"Do you think the sky was always so blue?" Elizabeth asked as she lay down on the grass, observing the sky. Her small nose was scrunched up in several defined wrinkles, as was her forehead.

William from his place on the grass next to her, turned to look at her. "That is a stupid question to ask. The sky has always been blue. S’way it has always been."

"I don’t think that is the truth."

William immediately sat up from where he lay next to her and looked down at her with confusion. "What do you mean?"

Elizabeth sighed heavily as she sat up and looked up at the sky once more. "I do not think the sky has always been blue. I think it was another color like…purple."

"Why purple?"

Elizabeth shrugged her small shoulders before looking up at the clear sky above them. "I just think purple is a pretty color."

William shook his head as he began to pick at the grass under his body. "That is strangest thing I have ever heard before."

"Well, what do you think the color of the sky use to be?" Elizabeth huffed, crossing her arms over her chest with her bottom lip jutting out in a small pout. "Since you are the smart one!"

"I don’t think the sky was ever a different color. I think it has always been blue." William told her, throwing some blades of grass down the hill before looking over at her once again.

Elizabeth glared at the boy next to her. He thinks he knows everything! She thought before starting to pick at the lush blades of grass like he was, tossing them wherever she pleased.

"Does your father still hurt you?" Elizabeth asked with her shy little voice, ducking her head so that her long golden hair was shielding her face and her large eyes were avoiding his. She heard William let out a heavy sigh as they both sat there.

"Yes…" he whispered, his voice soft and vulnerable. When Elizabeth finally looked over at her companion, she could see unshed tears in his eyes and the heavy slump in his small shoulders. Without another word the young boy let out a small sniffle before rolling one of his sleeves back to reveal a large bruise on his arm in the shape of Ethan’s hand.

Elizabeth eyes widened as she stared at the large bruise on William’s arm. The small girl could not contemplate how someone could do that their own child. She thought it was wrong and that something should be done about it.

"I should tell my father!" Elizabeth told William as she jumped up from her place on the grass and began to make her way back inside when William’s hand grasped onto her shoulder and spun her around to face him.

"No!" William shouted, dragging her away from the Summers’ mansion and back to the place they had been sitting before.

"Why not?" Elizabeth pouted, crossing her arms over her chest while staring at him in disbelief. "He is hurting you!"

William shook his head once again as a small tear fell down his cheek and then down his neck where it disappeared into the collar of his shirt. "You cannot do that!" He whimpered, eagerly wiping away another tear that was threatening to spill from his eyes. "If you tell your father then Ethan will find out I told! Then if Ethan finds out…he will hurt me…worse than ever before…he might even kill me."

"Do not say that!" Elizabeth yelled as tears began to fall from her eyes. "That won’t happen! It won’t!" She whimpered as more tears fell from her eyes.

"But it will! It will if you tell him!" William’s knees buckled as he collapsed to the ground.

He felt weak.

He felt tired.

Surprisingly, William shed no tears. He just sat there, waiting for them to come. He knew for a fact that a boy his age shouldn’t been dealing with what he had to deal with from day to day. He envied Elizabeth for the love she had from her father. She couldn’t see how special she was to have him. William would give anything to have Rupert for his father.

"Do not cry William." He heard her whisper as she sat down next to him, placing her arm over his shoulders. Her voice was sweet. It was one of the rare things that William liked about her. He wondered if she knew that her voice sounded like a small silver bell.

William let out a short huff as he moved out of her embrace and stood up. "I will show ‘im, one of these days. I will get back at ‘im. When I am old enough."

"Miss Elizabeth!" Fiona hollered as she ran out from the back of the mansion, a white towel that she held in her hands as she waved it back and forth. "Come now! Come, it’s your mother!"

"What?" Elizabeth immediately wiped the tears away from her eyes as she turned to her nanny.

The woman’s cheeks were a deep shade of red and it made her bright blue eyes stand out even more than they did before. Her chest was heaving as her breath came out in short, shallow gasps.

"You mother! She is having her baby! Come on!" Fiona waved as she ran back inside the house.

William saw the bright and beaming smile that painted itself on Elizabeth’s mouth. It was easy to see how excited she was. She started to bounce excitedly on her toes as her hair began to bounce with her. Eventually her small little bounces turned into high jumps, giggling with each one of them.

"My sister is here! My sister is here! My sister!" She continued to giggle before taking William’s hand and tugged at it. "Come now William! She’s coming!"

"Wait! I am confused!"

Elizabeth ignored the boy as she ran up the hill and up the marble steps that led inside the house. William tried to keep up with the girl as she ran through the kitchen, knocking over several of the cooks on her way, then as she stormed through the library and finally up the stairs.

William grasped the girl’s hand tighter as she practically dragged him up the stairs. He couldn’t help but stumble as she yanked him over the final one, which caused William to loose the hold on her hand but Elizabeth continued on without him. William huffed as he picked himself up and ran over to the door that his blonde companion had her ear up against.

"What are you listening for?" He asked with a furrow of his eyebrows.

"For my sister!" She shushed him with a wave of her hand. She only rolled her eyes before she placed her ear against the door once again.

"She won’t be here for awhile." He notified her as he slumped against a nearby wall and sat down. "My mum says that births take a long time. So, you might want to sit down for a bit."

"You don’t know everything!" She hissed at him, turning her head to shoot him a look of annoyance and frustration before placing her ear against the door again.

"I don’t know everything." He said with smugness in his voice and a light smirk on his lips as he watched her. "I do know about this though. My grandmum use to be a mid-wife before she got weak, and she taught my mum everything she knows. She was going to be a mid-wife too, my mum. And—"

"Shh!" Elizabeth shushed him for the second time, not even bothering to remove her ear from the door.

Suddenly the door opened and out a sweating Fiona emerged with a damp towel in her hand. She looked down at the young Summers girl and grinned.

"What are you doing now, Elizabeth?" She chuckled, shutting the door behind her so as to drown out Joyce’s screams.

"I was listening for my new sister!" The small girl said with pride.

Fiona shook her head at the small girl and leaned down to place a kiss on her cheek. "Babies take a long time to come, Elizabeth." The nanny told her with another shake of her head. "Why don’t you sit down like young William over there and wait."

Fiona winked at William before shuffling down the hall as quick as she could. William then turned over to look at Elizabeth as she stomped over towards the wall that was opposite of William and slumped against before sitting down.

A smug look passed over William’s face as he gazed at Elizabeth. Her arms were crossed over her chest and when she finally looked up at him she shot him another annoyed look.

"You still don’t know everything!" She whined, holding herself tighter as she continued to glare at him. He still wouldn’t get that smug look off of his face and it was driving her nuts.

"I already told you that I don’t know everything." He said with calm looking over at the closed door beside him and then back over at the blonde girl. "I was right about this though."

Elizabeth sighed deeply as she leaned her head against the wall and began to let time tick away. She and William did not speak to one another the whole entire time that they sat there. Eventually, Fiona came back and quickly rushed into the room with more white towels in hand and a small bucket filled with warm water. Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows at this and then went back to leaning her head against the wall. She closed her eyes as she tried to drown out the loud cries of her mother’s pain. She was shouting for her father, calling him things that Elizabeth didn’t even know existed until then.

Several hours later, the sounds of her mother’s cries died away and the cries of something else took over. It was then that the door to Joyce’s bedroom flew open and Fiona appeared with a beaming grin on her face.

"It’s a girl!" Fiona laughed as she looked down at Elizabeth and lifted her up into her arms. "It’s a girl!" She cheered, twirling the girl around in circles. "Come and see her!"

Elizabeth giggled with delight as Fiona brought her inside the bedroom where her mother laid with a bundle in her arms. Standing beside her was Jenny who looked as tired as Joyce was. William couldn’t help but want to laugh at his mother’s jaded appearance.

Joyce saw her eldest daughter and beamed as she ushered her over. "Come here Elizabeth." Her mother whispered with a slight pant in her voice. "Meet your new sister, Dawn."

Elizabeth’s eyes widened with joy as she wormed her way out of Fiona’s arms and ran over to the bed and crawled up next to her mother. The small girl almost wept as she looked down at the baby in Joyce’s arms. The baby immediately looked up at Elizabeth and the eldest Summers almost gasped at the baby’s bright blue eyes.

"She’s pretty." Elizabeth whispered, leaning down and kissing the baby’s forehead. "Can I take care of her too?"

Joyce laughed quietly as she reached over and stroked her oldest child’s golden hair. "Yes, Elizabeth, you may."

To be continued…

Winter of 1765

"He’s not very nice." Elizabeth told the girl that was sitting next to her as she played with Dawn’s hair. "He thinks he knows everything too."

"Why are you telling me this?" Willow asked as she fidgeted with Dawn’s bare feet while Elizabeth continued to play with her younger sister’s hair.

Elizabeth huffed as she locked eyes with the redhead, "I am just warning you before we leave for the city to his home." The eight year old sighed as drew her eyes away from her cousin and back to Dawn’s hair. "William is such a foolish name also…that is why he thinks he knows everything."

Willow shook her head as she watched her cousin. She had been talking about this William ever since she got here. Obviously, Elizabeth didn’t like him all too much. Her own mother had told the young redhead briefly about the Rayne family. Her mother didn’t really favor Jenny all that much but she seemed to be taken with Ethan. She had told her daughter that he was "very charming." Willow’s father had adapted the same attitude as her mother also. Although, he thought that Mrs. Rayne was "an elegant beauty despite her being a filthy farmer’s daughter."

Mr. Rayne and Mr. Rosenberg had met once at a party of a mutual friend and they quickly had become friends also. The couple had even been over to the Rosenberg house a couple of times, but they never brought their son, who was always left with his nanny. So, Willow was very eager to meet this boy, despite what Elizabeth was telling her.

"Doesn’t your father work with Mr. Rayne?"

"Yes," Elizabeth huffed as she finally decided to leave her sister’s hair alone and then looked up at her cousin. "We were supposed to spend Christmas with them two years ago, but mother did not want to take Dawn out of the house yet." Elizabeth smiled as her little sister began to giggle. She then darted her eyes over towards the front door of their home where her parents and her aunt and uncle were still talking.

Mrs. Rosenberg smiled as she squeezed her sister’s hands, which she held onto tightly. "It was so nice of you to take care of Willow for us." She then looked over at her husband and kissed his cheek lightly. "We would take her with us to New York, but we feel it might be too much for her with the city being so big and all."

"Do not worry sister," Joyce reassured her with a beaming smile, "we are heading to the city for the holidays. We are staying with the Rayne family."

"They are delightful people." Mr. Rosenberg commented, placing his arm around his wife’s shoulders. "Especially Ethan, he knows how to show someone a glorious time. He is also marvelous in the matters of law and business and might I say a wonderful family man."

"Really?" Rupert asked with a tilt of the head and quirk of his eyebrow. "I never got that impression when he stayed here."

Mr. Rosenberg chuckled as he clasped Rupert on the back with an amused grin on his face. "Oh, Rupert you old fool." He said with that amused grin still on his face. "Actually, he talks quite candidly about his son William whenever he is over with Jennifer. Although, I have never met the boy, he sounds delightful. Ethan says he’s got quite the spirit and the intellect."

"Is that so?" Rupert inquired once again with such a suspicious tone in his voice that his wife turned to look at him with a confused look on her face. "It seemed to me that Ethan ignores his son."

Both Mr. and Mrs. Rosenberg couldn’t help but laugh at Mr. Summers’ claim. "Oh, Rupert, the stories you tell!" Mr. Rosenberg chuckled before motioning over their driver towards the door. "Well, we must be off now. We have to reach New York by tomorrow night. Good day, Rupert." Mr. Rosenberg snatched his hat off of the coat rack before grasping Rupert’s hand in his and shook it and then turned to Joyce, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "Joyce."

"Goodbye, sister." Mrs. Rosenberg leaned forward and gently kissed her older sister on the cheek before following her husband out of the door, neither of them bothering to say goodbye to their only daughter.

Joyce waved as she watched the carriage pull away from the house and once they were out site she slammed the door as hard as she could. Rupert flinched at the sound of it. "I cannot believe her." Joyce growled as she marched away from the door and into the den.

"What is it, dear?" Rupert asked her softly as he took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles gently. "What troubles you?"

"My sister, Sheila." Joyce hissed between her teeth as she yanked her hands out of her husbands. "She does this all the time. She leaves her daughter here because she cannot take care of her on her own." Joyce sighed heavily as she began to rub her temples. "She does not pay attention to Willow and neither does her husband. Whenever they get tired of her they leave her with us." Mrs. Summers sighed once again as she turned around and watched as her daughter and cousin laughed and played with one another. She then shook her head and looked back over at her husband.

"I know it’s wrong." Rupert soothed her kindly, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I’m sure that Willow and William will get along, they have a lot of common."

Joyce furrowed her eyebrows as she turned her head towards her husband. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Rupert sighed, pulling away from his wife as he shut the door to the den and then looked back at his wife, "that we both know how Ethan treats his son. It is the same way that your sister and her husband treat Willow."

"I don’t understand."

"My wife…Joyce…it is obviously clear that Ethan Rayne does care even the slightest for his only son. He ignores him and I am quite sure that he abuses him!" Rupert huffed as stalked over to the couch and sat down. Suddenly, he could feel a sharp headache begin to pound in his head. With a groan, the older man began to rub his temples so as to stop the pounding.

"Rupert Summers!" Joyce growled as she marched around the sofa and stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. "You cannot make such accusations!"

"Yes, I can!" Mr. Summers immediately jumped from his seat as he stared at his wife. He loved Joyce with all of his being, but sometimes she could be stubborn and Rupert knew that his eldest daughter would end up the same way. "Because it is true. That man does not care about that boy. He ignored him the whole entire time that he stayed here! And you can see the fear that William has in his eyes for him. No child should ever have to fear their parents."

"Then, if you despise him so much, why do you did you invite him to your firm?"

"Because as your lovely brother in law said, the man knows and understands the ways of business and law, and I need someone like that in my firm if I want it to succeed." He told her simply with his head hanging in guilt. "It doesn’t matter how much I dislike him. I need him and he needs me."

Joyce nodded, not wishing to push her husband further because she could already see the sadness and anger in his eyes. Showing him a sympathetic smile, she leaned over and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Come now, we must leave now so we can get there before dusk."

~*~

Ethan growled as he slammed the drawer in his desk shut, causing Jenny to flinch. "Ethan, darling, I can do nothing about this. I promised her."

"But you promised this without discussing it with me first, Jennifer!" He hissed as he began to organize the files on his desk, shoving them and throwing them into random drawers. Ethan then sent his wife a sharp glare before he began looking through another drawer. "Where the BLOODY HELL did I put my cufflinks!"

"I do not know Ethan!" Jenny yelled as she marched over to him and slammed the draw that he was searching through shut. "But, when the Summers are here, you are to give my nephew and your son some respect because I will not stand for you to ridicule another person that I hold dear."

Ethan chuckled as sauntered over to his wife and backed her up against a nearby wall. "And what will you do if I don’t, my dear wife. You are just a woman," A smug smirk crossed his lips as his eyes raked up and down her form before meeting her eyes, this caused Jenny to shiver in fear, "and a weak woman at that. But, I suppose we could make some sort of…" Ethan smirk again as his eyes roamed over her body once again, "…arrangement. After all, you and I haven’t slept together ever since William was conceived."

"You are disgusting." She spat, pushing her husband away from her before stalking over towards the door that led out of Ethan’s study. She was stopped however when an iron grip seized her arm and turned her around to face Mr. Rayne. "Let. Go. Of. Me!"

Ethan chuckled as he pushed Jenny up against the nearby door. "Now, now my dear wife. We still haven’t talked about our arrangement. After all…what about your wonderful nephew Alexander and our dear…little…precious…William?" Ethan advanced towards her with small steps so that as his son’s name left his lips, he was right up against his wife. His body pressed snuggly against hers, which made Jenny whimper in fear.

"Why must you do this?" She sniffled, trying to struggle out of her husband’s hold on her. "Why must you hurt our son? He loves you! Why must you do this to him? To our family!"

Ethan chuckled as he leaned forward and cupped his wife’s cheek before kissing her hard on the lips. "Life isn’t fair darling. Both you and William need to realize that." He hissed in her ear and then grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her out of his office.

Tears stained Jenny’s cheeks as the door to her husband’s office slammed shut. Why does he do this? She thought as she sobbed. She was so caught up in her sadness that she did not hear her son’s nanny, Abigail, approached her.

"Madam?" Abigail asked, noticing her employer’s crying state. "Are you alright Mrs. Rayne?"

Jenny gasped as she finally noticed the woman beside her and then quickly wiped away the tears that streaked her cheeks. "I am fine." She sniffled. "Why don’t you check on the children before our guests arrive." She suggested, motioning to the staircase.

Abigail curtsied with a considerate smile on her face. "Will do Mrs. Rayne."

The nanny slightly closed her eyes as she heard Mrs. Rayne continue to sob. Everyone around the Rayne mansion knew of Mr. Rayne’s temper towards his wife and son. Abigail hated to see such a sad look on Mrs. Rayne’s face. She did not deserve that kind of treatment and neither did her son. She had never seen so many bruises on a child before. Usually they came from playing around too much and, in the beginning, that’s what Abigail thought they were until they started coming in the forms of large handprints. What surprised the nanny was that the boy still remained happy. He laughed and giggled all the time with his mother and some of the other servants. That child was very strong.

"You don’t do it like that, Xander!" Abigail heard young master William huff at his cousin as she approached the room.

"Yes you do William." Alexander Harris said as he placed a scarf over William’s eyes. "My friend Oz and I have played this several times before."

William furrowed his eyebrows as his cousin continued to tie the scarf over his eyes. "Oz? That’s a weird name."

Xander giggled as he finally finished tying the scarf. "S’not his real name. His real name is Daniel but we like to call him ‘Oz’."

"Oh." William sighed and twitched nervously, he didn’t like the fact that his whole world was covered in darkness and the fact that his cousin was the only person making sure that he didn’t bump into things as they played his stupid game. "What is this game called again?"

"Oz says its called…Blindman’s Bluff or something like that. Can’t really remember." Xander told him as he held onto William’s shoulders. "Now, I am going to spin you around a couple of times then I am going to go hide somewhere in the room and you have to find me."

"Alright."

Xander sighed as he began to spin the other boy around and around. "It was nice for Aunt Jenny to let me spend Christmas with you."

William smirked, "Well, she did promise your mum." William then stumbled when Xander stopped spinning him. "And it will be nice to spend time with someone else besides that strange girl, Elizabeth."

"She can not be that bad." Xander said as he began to look around for a place to hide. He then chuckled as he eagerly ran over to William’s bed and hid underneath it.

"She is." William huffed as he began to rock back and forth on the heels of his feet. "You ready?"

"Yes. Now remember, don’t take off the blindfold and follow the sound of my voice."

William nodded as he reached out in front of him and slowly began to make his way around the room, casually bumping into things but with no harm coming to him. He then stopped by the window and lifted his chin into the air.

"Am I close yet?"

"A bit." Xander chuckled underneath the bed but then got worried as his cousin spun around on his heels and made his way confidently over to the bed. He walked too quickly though and immediately knocked into the bed and fell down to the ground on his behind. William suddenly snatched the scarf from his eyes and glared at his cousin who rolling on the floor laughing.

"S’not funny." William snapped at his cousin, jumping to his feet and throwing the scarf back in one of his drawers. And as the drawers slammed shut, his nanny, Abigail came in with a delighted smile on her face. William’s own face brightened when he saw his nanny. "Hello Abby!"

Abigail sent him a loving smile as she ruffled his dark, and recently short, curls. "Your mum sent me up here to make sure you and Alexander are ready for when our guests arrive." Abigail then opened up William’s closet and retrieved a deep blue overcoat and placed his small arms through it. She then motioned Xander over and took out an evergreen colored one for him. The nanny took a step back as she observed both of the boys. "Lovely, the both of you will be extremely handsome when you get older."

The boys blushed as they followed Abigail out of William’s room and down the stairs where the Summers family was waiting.

To be continued…

Winter of 1765

Elizabeth giggled with excitement as she grabbed Willow’s hand and pulled her out of the carriage where the rest of the family was waiting. Looking up at the house in front of them, the young girl’s jaw dropped. The house was much larger than she had anticipated. She thought that since it was in the city that it would be tall but thin, and cramped. This was the complete opposite.

The Rayne house was at least 3 stories high and extremely wide, taking up most of the street. It was made out of dark, blood red bricks just like her house. The windows did not have shutters like hers, but they were covered with deep emerald thick drapery. In front of the house sat two large pillars of ivory that led to a large balcony on the second floor. Elizabeth assumed that belonged to William’s parents. Elizabeth flinched when she saw two large stone statues of lions sitting on the marble staircase on the front porch. Their eyes seemed to mock her as she tightened her grip on Willow’s hand.

"Joyce," Rupert’s voice called out through Elizabeth’s gazing that caused her to turn her attention towards her mother and father. "Do put Dawn down, I am sure that she can walk on her own. She is three years old, darling."

Joyce chuckled as she shook her head. "Nonsense, Rupert." She told him, shifting her youngest daughter in her arms. "I can hold my daughter if I want to." She said before sending him a playful smile.

Rupert held his wife’s gaze before looking over at his daughter and niece. "Come girls, our hosts are awaiting us."

Willow ducked her head shyly as she tugged on Elizabeth’s hand. "Coming Uncle Rupert." She whispered, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. Willow wanted to blame it on the icy chill that hung in the air. She hated being shy.

Elizabeth almost laughed at the deep red shade that covered her plump cheeks. She was incredibly shy around everyone, except Elizabeth and her mother. Elizabeth wouldn’t be surprised if Willow’s cheeks remained that color the whole time that they were here.

William better not tease her, the young girl thought as they approached the front door and her father began to knock, if he does…he is going to regret it. She is my best friend and my family. William is such a foolish name. A foolish name for a foolish boy.

Elizabeth was brought out of her thoughts when the front door was opened and they were greeted with a frail looking older man. The man’s whole body shook as he let out a wheezing cough. His face was extremely pale and his skin looked worn and wrinkled. He gave the Summers family a small smile as he ushered them in with a wave of his gloved hand.

"Joyce! Rupert!" Jenny yelled as she glided into the room, her cheeks puffy and her eyes slightly bloodshot. "So good of you to come for the holidays!" She chirped, kissing both Rupert and Joyce on the cheek. Her smile was bright and warming.

"Well, we thought it would be great to you all again after –what has it been— three years of separation. It has been too long." Joyce told her. "I’m so sorry we couldn’t come join you last year, my mother had already asked us to join her for the holidays."

"Oh, it is alright Joyce. We managed just fine." Jenny looked over and noticed young Elizabeth still clutching onto her cousin’s hand. "Why, hello Elizabeth, you look beautiful."

Elizabeth blushed as she curtseyed. "Thank you Mrs. Rayne. You look lovely as well." She replied politely and then nodded towards the redhead. "This is my cousin Willow, she has come with us to spend the holidays with you."

Jenny crouched down beside the girl and took one of her hands. "Hello Willow, I am Mrs. Rayne."

"He-he-hello." Willow stuttered, ducking her head so that her hair would shield her blushing face. "It w-was nice for you to let me st-stay with you."

"Think nothing of it child." Jenny told her softly, taking the girl’s small hands in hers. "Besides, William’s cousin Alexander has come to visit us also and I am sure neither he or William would mind another playmate."

"And where is Ethan?" Rupert asked, giving his cane and his hat to the butler that had opened the door for them and then handed him Joyce’s shall. "I thought he would be here already."

Jenny was about to respond to the question about her husband’s absence when Ethan’s booming voice interrupted. "Joyce! Rupert! So good of you to come!"

Rupert stretched his hand out and firmly shook Ethan’s. "It was our pleasure Ethan, after standing you up last year."

"No harm done." Ethan replied with a sly smile before he wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and then kissed her on her temple. Rupert watched as Jenny flinched and her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides.

"Mr. Summers!" Rupert was brought out of his thoughts when he heard the Rayne boy call out to him. Rupert’s face brightened as the boy ran down the stairs and jumped into his arms. "It is good to see you." William chirped and wrapped his arms tighter around the older mans neck before Rupert sat him back down on the ground.

"Good to see too, William." Rupert smirked at the boy before ruffling his hair. "You have gotten taller I see."

William blushed slightly before nodding. A slight tug at the end of his sleeve brought his attention to his cousin who was standing beside him. "This is my cousin Alexander."

Xander waved slightly before Rupert introduced the rest of his family to him. The redhead that was named Willow grinned at him with a goofy smile that made Xander chuckle. Looking over at William, he saw that his cousin and that other girl Elizabeth were making angry faces at one another.

She cannot be that bad, Xander thought as he continued to watch the two stick their tongues out at one another while Elizabeth’s sister Dawn just giggled at them.

Jenny wanted to chuckle at the children. She thought it was silly the way Elizabeth and William acted towards one another. They were always like this with one another, she wondered would if they be this way when they got older. Shaking her head, she turned to Abigail who watched the scene of the two families in the corner and the motioned her over. "Abigail, take the children upstairs until dinner while the rest of us are in the den?"

Abigail smiled shyly as she curtseyed. "Yes, Madam." She whispered. "Come now William, children."

William and the other three children –Joyce had wanted to keep Dawn with her— made their way up to the second floor, following Abigail. Willow and Elizabeth walked closely together behind Xander and William.

"William doesn’t seem that terrible." Willow whispered quietly into her cousin’s ear as they followed the boys.

"You do not know him as well as I do." Elizabeth murmured, walking ahead of her cousin.

The children remained silent as they all filed into William’s room. Abigail watched them as they all stood far away from one another, not speaking a word to each other. Willow’s face was still a bright red, almost the same color as her hair. Young Alexander looked nervous and was fidgeting with the tie around his neck, glancing over at his cousin William, who was glaring over at Elizabeth.

"Children," all of the children immediately brought their attention back over to the nanny. "I am leaving to help tend to dinner. I will be back in a while. Play nice." With a brush of her apron she was off down the hall, leaving the children all to themselves.

Xander shifted nervously on his feet before looking over at the blushing redhead who was eyeing both he and his cousin. Then his attention moved over towards the blonde girl who was scowling at William with her arms crossed over her chest. With a shrug of his shoulders, Xander cautiously made his way towards the redhead and tapped her softly on the shoulder. The redhead immediately jumped with a small yelp and whirled around to face him.

"You sc-sc-scared me!" She stuttered with a heavy breath in her voice. Her eyes were a bright green color and they were opened wide in fright and shock. Xander thought she was just plain silly.

"I’m sorry," Xander apologized and then thrust his hand out towards her. "I am Alexander Harris, but William and my friend Oz call me Xander."

Willow nibbled on her bottom lip as she carefully took his hand and held it firmly in hers. "Hello, my name is Willow. I am Elizabeth’s cousin."

Xander ducked his head. "I know." He whispered before glancing over at his shoulder at his cousin and Willow’s who were now arguing about something that Xander couldn’t really hear. "Do you think they will fight the whole time?"

Willow giggled, "Elizabeth told me that he was mean and that he had a foolish name." The blush on the redhead’s cheeks began to ease away as she looked over at Xander. "I do think that she overreacts most of the time."

Xander laughed as he looked back over at his cousin who had just stuck his tongue out at Elizabeth, which made Xander laugh even harder. Looking back over at Willow, an idea struck him. "I know this game we could play. My friend Oz taught me. William and I tried to play earlier but he did not do it well. You want to?"

Willow shuffled her feet as her gaze darted between the other two children in the room or this new boy, Xander who seemed very warm and friendly. "All right. I will play this game with you. What is it called?"

Xander’s face beamed and began to bounce on the balls of his feet. The young brunette was excited at the thought of having someone else besides William to play with. Xander knew that most of his cousin’s time would be spent bothering Elizabeth and bickering with her. "Oz told me it was called Blindman’s Bluff."

Willow giggled as she followed Xander out of William’s bedroom towards his own bedroom that was right next door. "Why is he called Oz…"

Elizabeth growled at the boy who was smirking at her. He was so persistent and was so annoying. "Why are you looking at me like that!"

William huffed as he leaned against the edge of his bed. "I can look at you if I want to!" He hissed at her. "You are not my parents! You do not tell me what to do! And another thing, I am older than you! I just turned nine years last week!"

Elizabeth growled once more as she stalked over towards the brunette and folded her arms over her chest, sticking her chin up at him. "Even though you are older does not make you smarter!"

"I did not say anything ‘bout me being smarter than you!" He defended with widened eyes and then folded his arms across his chest just like Elizabeth’s who immediately placed her hands on her hips.

"Stop doing what I am doing!" She yelled at him, her hazel eyes sending a murderous glare to the boy across from her. He can be so annoying! She steamed as she marched over towards him. I just want to wipe that stupid smirk on his face.

Elizabeth growled as she shoved William on the ground hard. William cringed as his back hit the floor hard, knocking the air out of his lungs. The boy groaned as Elizabeth sat on top of him and began to punch his arm.

"Get off of me!" He snarled, trying to struggle away from her attack on him. William’s hands reached out and began to pull on the girl’s hair but regretted it when she started to screech at the top of her lungs.

"Stop pulling my hair!" She shrieked, trying to bat away his hand and continue to attack him with her childish punches. She then smirked when she finally knocked his hands away from her long hair and then punched him hard in the right shoulder.

William whaled with pain as soon as her fist connected with his shoulder. Tears then began to roll down his cheeks and small whimpers forced themselves from his mouth. The pain was sharp and it was now throbbing. He already had a bruise there and she probably only made it worse by punching him there.

Elizabeth’s froze as she noticed the hiccups wracking William’s body and the tears that were pooling down his cheeks. "William? What is wrong?" She whispered gently.

"N-nothing." William whimpered as he tried to push her off of him but she had pinned him there. "L-leave me alone."

"No! Tell me what is wrong. Why are you crying?"

"It’s n-nothing." He told her but she didn’t listen because the next thing he knew she was removing his coat and pulling back the collar of his shirt to reveal a large bruise decorating his right shoulder. "It’s n-nothing. Think nothing of it."

"Did he do this?" Her voice was gentle as her small fingers traced the outline of the bruise with a light touch. It was rather large and it was a variety of colors. It was yellow, purple, black and blue. It made her gasp and small tears to well up in her eyes.

"N-no. I-I mean…I don’t know what you are talking about. I ran into something, that s’all." He mumbled, squirming under her body so as to try to coax her to get off of him. The boy whimpered once again when it just made his injury even worse.

"Don’t lie William!" She told him, pointing her finger at him like a mother would do to her child. "You can tell me if he did it."

William hiccuped as Elizabeth finally let him squirm out from beneath her. "I-I…I-I promised him that I wouldn’t say anything." He whispered, leaning against the foot of his bed. "I mean…no, he…uh…l-leave me alone." William pushed the girl out of his way as he tried to walk out of the room but she easily caught up with him and stood in his path, stopping William immediately.

"No!" Elizabeth snapped and then took him by the elbow, leading him back over towards the bed. "Tell me if he did this!"

William ducked his head at her shyly and slightly embarrassed. "I-It was my fault. I-I yell-yelled at ‘im. He made my mum cry…he was hurting her. So…he…you know…"

Elizabeth watched sadly as tears continued to flow down the boy’s face. She immediately felt guilty for hurting him earlier, if she would’ve known she wouldn’t have done it. Cautiously, her hand reached out and touched his left shoulder gently as she tried to sooth his small sobs. "Don’t cry, William. Please, don’t cry."

William huffed as wiped away the tears that stained his cheeks. "I can’t cry. Ethan says that I-I am not su-supposed to cry!"

Elizabeth’s chin trembled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. She buried her face in neck and just listened to the sobs that wracked his small body. Soon enough she could feel herself crying also. She never cried and she almost hated herself for crying in front of him. It was sad though. She didn’t understand it. How can someone’s own father hurt him or her?

"I’m sorry." Elizabeth mumbled against the cloth of his shirt. "I didn’t mean to hurt you further."

William sniffled slightly before he answered her. "S’all right. You didn’t know."

"William!" Abigail gasped as she saw the tear tracks on his face. She sighed as she extracted the boy from Elizabeth’s arms and pulled him into her lap as she sat down on the love seat in his room. Abigail closed her eyes as she gently ran her hand through her hand through his locks. "It is going to be okay."

"Abigail?" Elizabeth began tentatively, taking a step towards the nanny. "Why does Mr. Rayne hurt William?"

Abigail sighed as she moved the boy off of her lap and took Elizabeth’s hand in hers. "Now listen to me child," the nanny told her with a sharp tone in her voice. "You say nothin’ about what Mr. Rayne does in this house. Mr. Rayne will have both our hides if we say anything about ‘im. So you say nothin’ about what he does to William. As much as it hurts us both to keep our mouths shut."

"I don’t understand." Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows, shaking her head with confusion. Her bright eyes darted over towards the boy who was huddled in a small fetal position, his sobs died down but he still had small tears falling down his face.

"Just promise me you won’t say anything!" Abigail told her firmly, shaking her hand. "Promise me!"

Elizabeth widened her eyes, nodding her head furiously with a slight look of fear and worry evident in her face. "I promise Abigail. I promise!"

"Good. Now fetch Alexander and Willow for me, dinner is ready."

Elizabeth quickly turned on her heels and immediately ran out of the room to fetch the other two children. Abigail sighed as she picked up William once again. She never got over the fact how small and light he was. "Don’t worry William, we’ll get you fixed up." She whispered to him gently as she laid him down on his bed and began to tend to his bruise on his shoulder. "Don’t worry."

To be continued…

Winter of 1765

The smell of sweet jasmine and the deep chill that had settled into the room caused the young girl’s eyes to finally flutter open. With a groan she pulled her comforter tighter around her small body. She knew it was too early to get up.

"Elizabeth? Are you awake?" Willow whispered; her bed covers wrapped tightly around her form with her face barely peaking out from the edge of her comforter. Her red hair tousled from tossing and turning in her bed during the night.

"Yes." Elizabeth huffed as she turned around in bed to face her cousin.

"Do you find it cold in here as well?" She asked in a soft voice, poking her hand out from under her covers to tuck a strand of her crimson hair behind her ear.

Elizabeth nodded with enthusiasm as she tried to sink further into her bed. "Maybe my mother forgot to shut our window last night after she read to us."

"Well shut it!" Willow whined in the bed next to Elizabeth’s, her body curled up into a little ball that was shaking like a leaf.

Elizabeth huffed as she threw back the covers and almost immediately dived back under them when the frosty air around began to bite at her. Wrapping her arms around her, Elizabeth hopped over to their window and threw back the drapes. Her pink, rosy mouth opened wide when she was faced with the site before her.

White. Everything around her was white. The trees and the ground were covered with white. The small garden behind the mansion was covered with the white. Hazel eyes opened wide as they could as they took in the splendor that was outside. It was snow and it looked absolutely gorgeous! She had always wanted to see winter in the city and now she was!

"Willow!" Elizabeth gasped from her place at the window, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "Come and see! Come and see!"

"What are you talking about?" Willow groaned as threw her covers off and marched over to the window. Her jaw immediately dropped as she finally saw the scenery in front of her. "It is beautiful!"

The redhead giggled with excitement as she pressed her face up against the glass, letting her nose almost freeze at the touch. Her warm breath cascaded along the glass, making a fog on the window. Her bright green eyes widened as more snow began to fall and cover the ground.

Elizabeth was just as excited as Willow. She remembered when it snowed last year that she had no one to go outside and play with, so she didn’t even bother going out. This year though, she had three people to play with.

"Do you think we will be able to go outside and play?" Willow asked her, placing her hands against the window. "I have not been able to play in the snow before. Mother doesn’t like me to."

Elizabeth grinned with delight, briefly looking over at her cousin before staring back out the window. William told her the other day how he loved to play in the snow in the winter here. He told her he would normally go out alone but didn’t care. He had told Elizabeth how he couldn’t wait until the day when snow would cover the ground this year.

Elizabeth’s face immediately brightened as she ducked out behind the drapes and raced towards her door. "I have to tell William!"

"Elizabeth!" Willow called, whirling around to stop her cousin. "Where are you going?"

Elizabeth chuckled to her own amusement as she gripped the doorknob. "I am going to tell William about the snow! He would want me to tell him!"

Willow shook her head while Elizabeth bolted as fast as she could out of the door and down the hall. Elizabeth’s blonde hair swished behind her as she ran down the hallway towards William’s room. She came to abrupt halt when Abigail slowly crept out of the room followed by an elderly woman, wearing the same type of uniform as the young nanny. Their shoulders were slumped and their eyes looked tired and bloodshot and this sort of behavior made Elizabeth furrow her eyebrows with confusion.

Abigail’s attention finally noticed the small girl standing beside them and the nanny shook her head. "Young Elizabeth, what are you doing up? It’s too early."

Elizabeth grinned as she clasped her hands behind her back and began to rock back and forth on her bare feet. "I wanted to tell William about the snow." She said with a chipper sound in her voice, smiling brightly at the older woman. "He told me the other day how he couldn’t wait to see snow this winter."

The nanny smiled at her. "Elizabeth, I am sorry to inform you but…young master William is sick. It seems as though he has gotten a cold over night."

"Oh…"

Abigail reached out and gently ran her hand down the young girl’s tangled hair, still smiling at her. "Do not worry though, he shall be better in a couple of days. The boy just needs some rest. So, it wouldn’t be best to see him right now child, you don’t want to catch his cold now do ya?"

Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows as she unclasped her arms from out behind her back. "But—"

Abigail’s hands held on to Elizabeth shoulders as she turned her around and guided her back to her bedroom. "Now Elizabeth, why don’t you get dressed and head downstairs. Breakfast will be served in awhile, and then you, Alexander and Miss Willow can play out in the snow afterwards."

Before the young girl could say another word, Abigail pushed Elizabeth back in to her bedroom and shut the door behind her. Sighing, Abigail brushed her apron and walked briskly back to William’s bedroom.

The servant, who had followed Abigail out earlier, leaned forward and whispered quietly. "Does she know about Mr. Rayne?"

Abigail fidgeted with the frilled edge on her apron, ducking her head shyly to allow her free jet-black curls to fall in front of her face. "No, Margaret, she doesn’t. Mr. Rayne would have my hide if anyone else knew about…William’s marks."

"Very well then." Margaret nodded her head with assurance. "Well, I must be off, I have breakfast to help finish. Stay with William and don’t let anyone in besides the Sir and Madam. Understood?"

Abigail curtseyed as she watched the older woman sashayed down the hall, her skirt swirling around her ankles as she went. She hated lying to Elizabeth, but she wasn’t supposed to know about Mr. Rayne’s treatment of young William. It was just by accident that Elizabeth had found out. The nanny shook her head as she entered the boy’s room and her heart immediately broke.

An evergreen shawl –that his mother had made for him when he was just a baby— was wrapped around his small body. His legs were drawn up to his chest and his arms were around his knees. The flickering glow of the fireplace he was sitting in front caused orange shadows to dance across his face. His eyes that were usually bright and sparkling were now a dull grey color.

"Who was that, Abby?" His voice was raspy as he responded to his nanny’s presence in the room.

"Elizabeth." The nanny brushed her apron again, retrieving the water basin that was sitting beside William’s bed.

"What did she want?"

"She wanted to let you know about the snow." She told him softly, kneeling down next to the boy. "I told her you had a cold."

The pair sat in complete silence as Abigail dipped her cloth into the water basin and began to dab it across his chin and neck. The nanny almost flinched as her eyes traveled over the mark. It was as large and a pale, sickly yellow color. However, unlike his previous injuries, this one marred his face and neck where everyone could see. If Mr. Rayne didn’t want anyone to know about how he treated his son than he was doing a very terrible job at it.

William growled as he pulled away from her touch. "There is no need for that Abby." His tone now rough and thick and his whole being radiated pure frustration. "It will do nothing to make it go away."

"Don’t be so stubborn William." She scolded and began to dab at the bruise on his cheek. "Besides, it will help the swelling go down."

William huffed as he threw his shawl off of his shoulders and pulled away from her gentle touch. He didn’t like to feel this. He didn’t like to feel weak and tired. He didn’t like that his father hated and ignored him. He didn’t like the fact that he could hear his mother cry alone in her room every night and he couldn’t do anything to soothe the pain that she was feeling. He didn’t like the fact that he could never leave here and that he would probably end up dying here, all alone.

"I am perfectly fine, Abigail." He snapped at her. And at the moment, he seemed much older than just 9 years old. You could hear it in his voice and the way he carried himself. His azure eyes had lost their innocence over time. "Leave me be, please." He whispered in a harsh tone, crawling onto his bed and curling up in a fetal position.

"I shall send your mother to look after you. She’ll want to see your face." And with that, Abigail left.

~*~

Xander’s breath came out in hard, lingering breaths as his feet trudged through the thick snow. The tip of his nose was a pale pink and his lips were beginning to turn purple. His adolescent body shivered and shuddered while his eyes scanned the area around him.

"Xannnnder!" Willow’s small voice called out.

The brunette jumped in fright as he whipped his head every which way, trying to locate the redhead but she was nowhere to be found. Her voice seemed to be coming from the forest that sat behind the Rayne’s mansion. The small boy shivered in fright as he remembered the stories William had told him about the forest.

His cousin said that witches use to live in that very forest, and that they were burned alive in their cottage by the townspeople. William told him that some have said that the witches haunt the forest, putting a curse on anyone who entered the forest.

Pulling his coat tighter around him, Xander stalked towards the forest while his body continued to shake but not from the cold but from fright.

I can do this! He began to chant in his head as he reached the edge of the forest. I can do this! I can do this! I can do this!

He jumped in fright once again as a twig snapped by him. "Hello? Willow? Elizabeth?" He shivered, his teeth starting to chatter. "I-I don’t want to play this game anymore!"

The further the boy walked into the woods, the darker it became. All that Xander could see now was the outline of the trees and bushes around him. More twigs and sticks began to snap as time went on. He could even here the branches above him begin to sway with the wind causing clumps of snow to fall down to the ground, some of it even falling on Xander’s head. It was the light giggling that Xander heard that made him turn around on his heels and bolt out from the trees.

His breath began to quicken again as the boy quickened his face, going as fast as his little legs could take him. When he was finally out, Xander leaned forward and let his hands rest on his knees while he tried to catch his breath.

"Xander!"

Xander whipped around and was surprised when a huge mound of snow hit his face. It was then that large fits of laughter could be heard. With a huge gruff, Xander angrily wiped away the snow and came to face with a giggling Elizabeth and Willow. Their faces were as pink as his nose. The whitest snow covered their dresses and the mittens that they wore.

"That was not funny at all!" He huffed, shaking his head about so that the snow would fall out of his hair.

"Yes, it was!" Elizabeth continued to laugh, grabbing Willow’s hand as they ran back towards the house. Xander growled as he picked up a mound of snow and went chasing after them.

None of the children were aware of the figure watching them. His hand was pressed against his window as he began to trace patters on the glass. He had been doing this for awhile, so much that his hand was freezing but he did not mind it. Long eyelashes fluttered softly as sapphire eyes watched the children below. They were all chasing one another, throwing chunks of snow up into the sky and at each other. He wished that he could be down there with them. This was the first winter in years that he had not been alone.

Tentatively, the boy reached out and touched the bruise that marred his face and neck, flinching as soon as his fingers brushed his skin. He wondered if by the time it would heal that the snow would be long gone and Christmas would be gone and the Summers family would be gone as well and he would go back to being alone again. When he was alone, William felt older than he actually was. It was not in the good sense though because with this feeling came emptiness. When he was around Elizabeth and Xander, he could feel a light shining light within him.

"William, what are you doing there?" His mother’s soft and comforting voice asked. The boy did not move when he felt her hand rest upon his shoulder. "You must go back to bed."

"A few hours sleep will not make it go away, mum." He whispered softly, slowly turning into her embrace as she picked him up off the floor and cradled him in her arms. William then gently laid his head against her bosom, taking comfort in her breath as her chest rose and fell. He could hear his mother sigh heavily as she sat down in the rocker that sat by the fireplace.

"I will take you away from here." She spoke to him, running her hands gently through his hair. "When the time is right. You won’t have to be here anymore."

"What about you, mum?"

He heard her sigh again and she began to fiddle with his curled locks, twirling them with her fingers. "It matters what happens to you sweetheart. It does not matter what happens to me."

He slowly raised his head from her chest and stared deeply in her eyes. "But it matters to me mum."

She smiled at him sadly as she laid his head back down on her chest. Closing her eyes she slowly began to rock back and forth. Even though her son didn’t know it, she would take him away from here. One of these days, when he would be old enough, she would send him to live in the country with her sister and her husband. They loved him and would treat him as their very own.

Jenny breathed deeply as she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the forehead. "Did I ever tell you the story about your Aunt Helena and I on the farm when we were about your age?"

"No." He mumbled as he squirmed in her lap until his head was buried deep in his mother’s neck, taking in her rare, warm scent. "Would you tell it to me?"

Jenny chuckled quietly as she ran her hand through son’s hair. "Yes, my love."

To be continued…

Winter of 1765

The boy curled up into a tiny ball as he began to rise from his deep slumber. It seemed to have gotten colder overnight and no matter how tight William wrapped his covers it didn’t make him any warmer.

As his eyes peeked over the covers, he could see the sun slowly rising out of his window, which meant in a couple of hours the festivities would begin.

William loved Christmas; it was his favorite time of the year. It was the day that his family would actually act like one…in a way. His father usually worked both days, which left him and his mother to do whatever they pleased. They could laugh and yell at the top of their lungs if they wanted to. They would run rampant through out their mansion, playing games to their hearts content or until they collapsed on to the floor in exhaustion.

However, since the Summers family was here for the holidays that meant that Ethan would be home and would be watching every move William made. The older man had made that point very clear during their last ‘session’ together.

Reaching over to his bedside table, William grasped the mirror tightly in his hands and brought it over to his face. A slight smile caught the boy’s lips as he stared back at his reflection. The bruise that had marred his face had now disappeared completely, leaving nothing but the memory of it.

A swift rap on his door startled William and he immediately dove underneath his covers.

"William? You up?" Abigail called as she slowly opened the door. It was almost time for breakfast and she wanted to get him ready. A smirk caught her lips as she saw him wrapped in his covers pretending to sleep. "Come now boy, no time for silly games." She chuckled as she poked him playfully in the ribs. His pretense was over as his forehead scrunched up and a joyful giggle spilled from his mouth. "You know not to play games with me William Matthew Rayne."

"Sorry Abby." He giggled once again as he sat up in bed and watched as she went about the room, gathering up his clothes and prepared his water basin. He ducked his head as he stared intensely at his covers. "I feel better today." He whispered.

The nanny briefly took her eyes off of the water basin to look at the boy. Although his face was hidden from view, Abigail could hear the relieved tone in his voice. "That is good William. Your mother will be glad to hear it. And I do believe that your friends will be glad to hear it as well. They have been fretting about you for the last couple of days."

"Naturally." The boy smirked as he threw the covers off of his small frame and let his nanny start the process of getting him ready. As she was washing his face, William asked, "Do you think I will be here forever Abby?"

Closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh, Abigail responded. "I don’t know, but I hope not. Such bad things should not happen to good people. My mum taught me that."

William grinned happily at his nanny. "Mum told me that eventually I could go live with Xander on his farm in the country! Mum always tells the most wonderful stories about the farm. She said I could ride horses as much as I wanted to and that my Uncle Henry could take me out hunting and fishing!" His voice was full of excitement and future wonder.

"I’m sure you’ll be happy, William." The nanny told him honesty. Carefully, Abigail removed his current clothing and proceeded to dress him in one of his finest suits. This time it was black. Mrs. Rayne had always said how wonderful the color complimented him. Taking him by the shoulders, Abigail directed him in front of the mirror to see him. "Do you like it?"

The boy’s face beamed as he tugged at the lapels of his dress coat. "Yes, I do."

It was then that William’s front door flew open to reveal a smiling Elizabeth. "You healthy now?" She asked; her voice filled with hope. William nodded with enthusiasm, which lead the girl to come running over to him and throw her arms around his neck in a large hug. "You missed a lot of games."

"I know."

Abigail shook her head as she took Elizabeth by the hand and began to tug her out of the room. "Run along now Elizabeth, your mum will wantin’ to get you prepared for breakfast."

Elizabeth waved goodbye to the boy as she and Abigail made their way back to her and Willow’s room.

~*~

Ethan huffed as he swung the silk bed covers off of his form. With confidence he strode over towards his closet and took out his clothes for the day. He normally didn’t spend Christmas with Jennifer and William but this year he had to make an exception considering Rupert and Joyce were with him for the holidays. Ethan didn’t know how he would survive for the next two days.

"I see that you are still here." Jenny’s voice spoke out from the doorway. She hadn’t been watching him for very long.

"Yes," Ethan replied with a tone of his disdain in his voice. "How unfortunate for me." He sneered as he threw his coat over his shoulders and began to search for his cufflinks that he had worn the other day.

Jenny ducked her head and clasped her hands in front of her nervously. "William is better."

With a short yet annoyed growl, Ethan turned back to look at his wife. His blue eyes were bright and his hands were balled up into fists. His whole body radiated aggravation. "Why are you here Jennifer?"

"I just came to tell you how our son was!" She shouted at him. Her tone was sharp and her words were curt. Jenny didn’t mean to speak to him that way and because she did, she would get into trouble. "I thought you would want to know, considering you are the one who did that to him!"

Ethan growled as he immediately stalked over towards his wife and raised his hand at her. Jenny ducked down with fear and quickly shielded her face with her arms. When she felt no blow come to her, she gently pried her arms away from her face and looked up at her raging husband, whose hand was still raised steadily above his head. "Don’t test me Jennifer. Do not! You ever speak to me in that tone ever again, I will be forced to strike you."

Tears began to fill Jenny’s eyes as Ethan let his hand float back down to his side. Without giving her a second glance he stalked back over to his armoire and began rooting through the doors for his cufflinks.

"Leave now." He told her with a wave of his hand. "Go entertain our guests while I get ready."

Jenny’s body shook as she left her husband’s room. The picture of his raising his hand at her flashed over and over in her mind. It wouldn’t stop. It scared her half to death that William knew such fright and such sorrow.

As she approached the living room, Jenny could hear sweet laughter. She could hear the sound of her son and her nephew talking excitedly about what Santa would bring them tonight for being good. When William mentioned about Santa bringing him a horse, Mr. Giles asked him with a chuckle in his voice if he had been a good boy throughout the year. William only snorted at him with an ‘of course.’

Jenny stopped a couple of feet before the entrance to the living room. Quickly, she wiped her tears from her cheeks and easily slapped a wide smile across her lips. With a long intake of breath, she confidently marched into the room. "Merry Christmas all." She greeted joyfully.

"Mum!" William bolted up from his seat on the floor next to Xander and Willow and ran into his mother’s waiting embrace. "Happy Christmas, mum."

"Merry Christmas, my son." She replied gently, running her hands lightly through his tousled locks.

The day had seemed to pass by quickly for both families. Breakfast was served at exactly a quarter till eight. They sat and drank and ate to their hearts content. Then while the children went outside to play in the snow, the adults curled up next to the fire as they discussed business and gossiped about people in town. It wasn’t until later that night, after dinner, that both families joined once again in the living room.

It was tradition with the Rayne’s that William be allowed to open two presents before Christmas day. And this year, the Summers were able to participate.

Xander’s hands nervously twitched as he stared at the mounds and mounds of presents before him. With shyness he leaned over towards his cousin and whispered, "which one are you going to take first?"

"I don’t know." William’s eyes carefully scanned the high stack of presents, eagerly searching for his name. "I am going to take the biggest one though."

"You should wait for the biggest ones until tomorrow." Willow piped in while looking over at the two boys.

William quirked an eyebrow at the now blushing redhead, "and why is that?"

"I j-just think that…" The redhead ducked her head shyly and then shook her head. " I do not know. It seems like the better thing to do."

Elizabeth grinned as she snatched a present from the pile and began to shake it eagerly next to her head. "I wonder what it is?" She beamed, continuing to shake it.

"Probably a lump of coal!" William snickered at the girl. He got such joy from teasing and annoying her.

"You lie!" She scolded him with a show of her tongue before setting the present in between her legs and began to tear at the paper. Her face only brightened when she got a look of what was inside the box. "Oh, mother, it is pretty!" The girl brought the dress out of its box and held it out in front of her to show everyone. "Isn’t it pretty?"

"Yes dear, it is lovely." Rupert grinned at his daughter as she began to dance with it across the room. "You will look like a princess in it."

William shook his head at the dancing girl before looking for his own present from the pile. A package from Rupert had caught his eye and he eagerly took it.

"Is it alright if I open your gift, Mr. Summers?" He asked, his voice full of hope. The older man couldn’t help but grin at him. He was a special boy and Rupert could tell that he had wonderful potential to do something great. If only he would be given the support and love to do so.

"I do not see any reason why not?" Rupert chuckled as the boy eagerly tore into the paper.

A look of excited glee passed over William’s face when he finally got a first look at his gift. It was a red hardback novel, covered with golden swirls and drawings of golden coins but surprisingly had no title.

The boy’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked over his shoulder at Mr. Summers. "What is it?"

"Well, ‘tis a book William."

William slightly rolled his eyes with a smirk on his lips. "I know that, but what is it about. It has no title."

Rupert crouched down beside the boy and gently took the book from his hands. Slowly he leaned in close with a wicked grin on his face. "It’s about pirates." He whispered quite dramatically as if it were a big secret between only to the two of them even though everyone else in the room could hear them.

"Really?" William gasped with excitement as he snatched the book from the older man’s grasp and hugged it tightly against his small chest. "Pirates!" His eyes were wide and he was looking at Rupert with such fascination. At the sight of this, Ethan sent a sharp glare at the two.

Worthless child, he snarled inwardly as Rupert continued to discuss the book with William. See how he can be easily corrupted. Pirates! How can he be fascinated by such ideas?

Ethan cleared his throat as he began to rise from his seat next to Jenny. "Will you all excuse me for a minute?" He the turned his attention towards his wife and extended his hand towards her. "Jennifer, may I speak with you for a moment?"

Jenny took his hand and let herself to be lead towards Ethan’s study. William watched this with confusion. His father seemed bothered by something. Why did he need to talk to his mother? Was it something that William did?

"Do you like it?" The sound of Rupert’s voice snapped his attention away from his parents and back towards the older man.

"I love it!" He replied with glee as he hugged his book tighter against his chest. "I am going to put it in my room!"

William jumped up from his spot on the floor and began to run towards the stairs when he heard the sounds of his mother and father in an argument. Quietly as possible, William crept towards the door, the sounds of their argument growing louder and louder.

"…it’s not right at all." His father whispered harshly as he continued to pace in his office. Jenny stood to the side with her arms crossed over her chest and an almost frightened look on her face.

"It’s just a book Ethan." She shook her head while he continued to pace up and down. "Nothing to fret about."

"I can fret if I want to Jennifer!" He roared, marching up to her face and stuck his finger in her face. The dark haired woman flinched and began to back away slowly with fear. "This is why he is the way he is Jennifer. You treat him as if he is a child! How is he supposed to be a man!"

"He is a child Ethan, if you have not realized it!" She barked at him. Inside she was shaking to death. "You try and make him into something he isn’t. He is only nine Ethan, not nineteen."

"And I bet by the time that boy is nineteen he will be as useless and worthless as he is now!" Ethan snapped at her before he began to pace the study once again.

Tears began to well up in William’s eyes. With a quiet sob the boy tore himself away from the study and quickly dashed up to his room without anyone seeing or noticing him.

No more.

He could feel the tears caress his cheeks now as he began to pull clothes out of their drawers and throwing them across the room at the foot of his bed. Wiping them away, he gathered the clothes and placed them in his blanket and made a pouch out of it.

I could go to the coast. He thought, wrapping a scarf around his neck to keep it away from the cold harsh winds of winter. Sneak on to a ship and become a pirate…like in my book that Mr. Summers gave me. He placed his mittens on his hands and then snatched his book from the bed and clutched it protectively to his chest. I will come back for mother and Xander eventually and bring them with me. We can all sail the seas together. I might even bring that Elizabeth girl as well. I will show father that I am not useless or worthless.

Letting a few more tears fall from his face, William quickly ducked out of his room and down the hall towards another staircase that the servants used the majority of the time. William was glad that most of them were either busy in the kitchen or had been given the day off by his mother earlier this morning.

With soft steps William quickly made his way down and into the servants living quarters and out their back door into the harsh winds of outside. The chilly air nipped at his nose as he began to trudge through the thick snow. Rubbing his nose, William hadn’t fully realized how cold it truly was. The snow was 5 inches thick and as he continued to drag through it, the colder his ankles and feet became.

After two hours of walking, William had no idea how close he was to the coast. All he had seen so far was the back end of several mansions and buildings. He wondered how long it would take him to reach the coast. He had never seen the ocean before and just the excitement of sailing and living there was nothing short of spectacular.

The frigid temperature of both the snow and the atmosphere was now staring to get to him. His ankles and feet felt stiff. He could barely move his toes…he could barely even feel them. And the mittens he had put on earlier did no use. His fingers were now ice cold and it felt like his entire body was being stabbed by a thousand knives. This had to be the worst pain he had ever been in. It was excruciating.

He felt tired. He felt weak. Time seemed to move in slow motion. Every step seemed to take an hour and every breath he let out seemed to take a lifetime.

Suddenly, his eyes began to droop and his knees began to shake.

No. Cannot…stop. He began to chant over and over. He was trying to encourage himself to keep on going but his body was slowing down. His breathing became shallow and his heart rate began to decrease.

His body finally gave into the cold as his knees buckled and he fell to the ground. His face was buried in the snow and William did not have the strength or the will to get up. It was then that his eyes shut.

To be continued…

Winter of 1765

Elizabeth wrung her hands with nervousness. She had been the one to discover the state of his room first. It was a little bit after he had left to go upstairs, she had wanted to show him her new present that her father had given her and was shocked to not find him in his room; his clothes strewn everywhere.

She had immediately run downstairs and told all the grownups, who were now running around the house searching for him. Her father had even started to look outside for William; he had been out there for about 3 hours now.

"’Lisabeth?" Elizabeth snapped her head up at the doorway and saw William’s cousin, Xander there with Willow and Dawn standing by his side. Willow’s cheeks were a dark pink with tear tracks shining brightly. Her bright green eyes were bloodshot. Dawn had a look of confusion on her young face, wondering what all the fuss was about, but she still held onto her cousin’s hand tightly. Xander’s face seemed emotionless but there was something in his eyes that showed the same concern and nervousness that Elizabeth herself was feeling.

"Hi." She whispered sadly. "Is my father back yet?"

Xander shook his head as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. "He’s still out looking for him."

Dawn let go of Willow’s hand and ran over to her sister, sitting beside her on the bed. "Wha’s de mwatter? You wook sad."

"I will be fine." The girl replied as she stared down intensely at her lap. She could feel her little sister play with her hair, curling and threading it through her fingers. Slowly, she lifted her eyes and saw Willow staring at her with the most pitiful look on her face. Every once and a while the redhead would hiccup and wipe away the tears that wet her round cheeks.

The sound of the front door slamming caught the children’s attention. A spark of hope flashed in Elizabeth’s eyes as she jumped off of William’s bed and ran as fast as she could down the hall and the stairs.

She was saddened to find that her father stood alone at the front door and William was nowhere to be found. Her eyes welled up with tears as Rupert looked at her and shook his head heavily.

"Did you find him?" Jenny asked with tears rolling down her cheeks, running over to Mr. Summers. She held her handkerchief tightly in her hands. "Where is my son?"

Rupert reached out and gently laid his hands on her shoulders. Jenny could feel the snow from his gloves seeping into her dress; it caused her shoulders to shudder. "I am sorry Jenny." He whispered softly. His eyes closed tightly as he tried to block out the sounds of her loud and painful cries. His grip on her shoulders tightened as he tried to hold her steady in fear that she might collapse. "I could not find him. I looked everywhere. I am so very, very sorry."

"No!" Jenny shouted as her cries grew louder. She twisted and turned in his tight grasp wanting to be free and to go out there and search for her baby herself. Rupert wouldn’t let her go but merely drew her into his embrace, hugging her tightly. "I want my son. Where is my William?"

Rupert shook his head as he whispered to her. "I don’t know Jenny, but I will go back out and look for him." Mr. Summers looked over Jenny’s shoulder and saw both his eldest daughter and his wife staring at them, both with sadness in their eyes. Joyce carefully extracted Jenny from her husband’s grasp and cradled her in her own.

"Let’s you and I go and have a spot of tea." Joyce told her soothingly, running a gentle hand across the top of the other woman’s head. Jenny agreed silently, letting herself be led into the den where Abigail was waiting from them with a tray of tea and warm biscuits.

"Father?" Elizabeth spoke quietly. Her bright eyes still held unshed tears while her arms were wrapped around her small body.

Rupert crouched down by his daughter. With a gentle smile he took off his glove and cupped her cheek. "Don’t worry, dear. I will find him."

"But what if you don’t?" Small hands curled into fists as her tears fell from her eyes and stained her round cheeks. "What if he dies all alone? Out in the cold? That can’t happen!"

"And it won’t." His hand squeezing her shoulder comfortingly. "I promise you."

Without another word to his daughter, Rupert stood up and placed his glove back on before heading back into the cold.

Elizabeth hung her head heavily. Things didn’t look good at the moment and they probably wouldn't look that way for awhile. Her father promised that he wouldn’t stop looking for William until he was found. What if father never found him though? What if he had to give up?

Elizabeth was snapped out of her thoughts when Willow’s hand clasped onto her shoulder causing the blonde girl to jump in surprise. "Elizabeth," the redhead blushed for the millionth time, "your mother wants us to get ready for bed."

Elizabeth shook her head and placed her gaze back on the Rayne’s front door, expecting her father to come barging through it with William in his arms. "I have to wait for father to return. He will be back shortly."

Willow reached down and took her cousin’s hand in hers. "Come now Elizabeth." Willow pleaded in a soft voice, tugging lightly on her cousin’s hand. "I am sure Uncle Rupert will wake you when he gets home." But Elizabeth didn’t budge so Willow tugged on her hand harder. "Please Elizabeth, we do not want to get your mother angry with us. She is already having a hard enough time getting Mrs. Rayne to calm down. Just please."

The blonde girl sighed, glancing over at her cousin and the back over at the front door. "All right."

It was hard for her to fall asleep. Every time she would close her eyes she could see William lying in the snow. His face so pale that you could see the veins in his face. His eyes rolled up in the back and his lips a pale purple.

Small, silent tears were streaming down her cheeks as she thought of it. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get the image out of her mind. It had been several hours since Willow had begged her to go to bed. Elizabeth had been listening carefully for her father’s return but heard nothing.

In the bed next to her, Elizabeth could hear the soft snores that belonged to her redheaded cousin. She had a habit of snoring really loud at night and talking in her sleep, but tonight it was not as bad as usual. She could also hear the faint sobs of Mrs. Rayne down the hall in her bedroom and the comforting words of her mother.

Rolling over in bed, Elizabeth saw the faint light of dawn begin to peek through her curtains. Where was her father? Why wasn’t he back yet?

Willow groaned in the bed beside her as she began to toss and turn between her sheets. Obviously she was dreaming about something interesting.

With a sigh, Elizabeth turned on her side and stared out into the faintly lit hallway. Every once and awhile, one of the maids or servants would run down the hallway. Most of the time though it was Abigail and she always managed to peak in the doorway to check on her and Willow.

Sparing a glance at Willow over her shoulder, Elizabeth threw her covers off of her body. As quietly as she could, she pulled on her house slippers and crept out of the room and down the hall towards William’s room. The door had been left open from when she was in there earlier as were the curtains, leaving the room in a soft glow from the now rising sun.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Elizabeth moved softly around the room, daring not to touch anything at all. She was afraid that if he came home and found the layout of his belongings were different that he would be upset. Tentatively she walked over to his bed and lay down gently, feeling the bed adjust to her form, the mattress molding to her. Her golden head buried itself in his pillows, taking in his scent. This was when her earlier insomnia began to slip away and sleep took over, causing her eyes to droop and eventually close.

Abigail shook her head as she watched Elizabeth snuggle into the warm comfort of William’s pillows. The blonde girl let out a small shudder and mumbled softly in her sleep, trying to cling onto the pillow next to her. As quietly as she could, Abigail crept into the room and placed one of William’s grandmother’s handmade quilts across her body. A ghost of a smile appeared on the girl’s face as she wrapped the quilt more tightly around her.

The nanny shook her head as she stepped out of the room and walked briskly down the hallway. She seemed to walk with confidence but inside she was more scared than she had ever been in her whole entire life. William had become like a son to her and it pained her to not know where he was.

When Abigail had reached the top of the stairs, the front door whipped open, allowing mounds of snow to blow into the house. Seconds later a snow cover Mr. Summers entered, eagerly shaking the snow from his body. Several of the servants ran over to him and hurriedly helped him remove his jacket, gloves and scarf while another brought him a warm blanket.

Abigail immediately rushed down the stairs and over towards the older man. "Did you find ‘im?"

Rupert sighed and shook his head slowly. "I looked everywhere I thought he would be and even places I did not think he would. No luck."

Abigail bowed her head and tried to compose herself and not break down and cry. With a heavy sigh she looked back up at Mr. Summers. "The missus is not goin’ to like this. She has been cryin’ ever since you left."

"I know." He nodded his head, guilt laced in his voice. "I will rest for a bit and then go back out again."

Abigail took Mr. Summers gently by the arm and led him into the den, sitting him down on the couch. "Rest here. I will fetch you something to eat and drink." And with that she off to the kitchen, her uniform swishing around her legs.

Taking in a deep, heavy breath, Rupert laid his head back against the couch. His eyes drooped slightly. He was so tired but he couldn’t take that long of a break, he had to go back out there and look for William. He…couldn’t…fall…asleep.

"Mr. Summers!" Rupert immediately woke at the bark of Abigail’s voice as she placed a tray in front of him. She looked over at him, taking in his haggard state and shook her head. "Mr. Summers, you sure you should go back out there? Could be dangerous for your health."

"I will be fine." He reassured her as he sipped his drink. Sighing with pleasure as the warm liquid cascaded down his throat. "I just need something to drink and eat and I will head back out."

"Do you think he is…all right? You do not…think he is…dead." Abigail asked tentatively as she suddenly became interested in her apron.

"No. I do not think he is dead." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile. "He will be found."

Sighing heavily, Abigail looked back up at the older man. "I will not be able to stand it if we don’t get ‘im back. It will kill me."

"I feel the same."

"Never really told anyone this…" Her hands began to twitch and fiddled with the seams of her dress. "I think of ‘im as my own. I know he’s not, but in my heart he is mine."

"I understand that Abigail." He watched with a slight smile on his face as she continued to fidget about. "Do you think-?"

Rupert was suddenly interrupted when there was a harsh knock on the front door. Abigail furrowed her eyebrows and immediately excused herself while wondering who could be at the door. Her eyebrows knitted together even further when she opened the door and saw one of their neighbors, Mr. Mason, standing there.

He was one of Mr. Rayne’s former clients, a shipping merchant who, a couple of years ago sued another local merchant for sabotaging one of his shipments. He was about medium height but was one of thinnest men she had ever seen. He took off his hat and bowed to her in salutation, revealing his balding head.

"Hello, Ms. Abigail." He greeted. "Merry Christmas to you."

Abigail curtseyed with respect and then smiled as him meekly. "And Merry Christmas to you, sir."

"I hate to disturb you so earlier in the morning," his nose twitched as the course hairs of his dark mustache tickled him. "But, I do believe I have found something of yours." He glanced over his shoulder at the driver of his couch and snapped his fingers at him. Immediately, the driver jumped down from his position and whipped open the door to the coach and went inside. Seconds later he emerged with a small body tucked in his arms, wrapped up in a several wool blankets and a pouch made out of a emerald blanket sitting on top of the bundle. Abigail’s heart began to flutter with hope as she saw a mass of brown hair peak out from the blankets. "One of my servants spotted him late last night behind my mansion. As soon as they brought him in, I knew he was yours. We have been trying to keep him warm and wake him up but have had no such luck. I decided to bring him back, so that Ethan and Jennifer would not have to worry anymore."

Tears of joy began to roll down the nanny’s cheeks as the driver handed the sleeping boy into Abigail’s arm. "Thank you so much, sir! Thank you! You do not know how much we were worried. The missus has been crying since late last night. She will be so glad!" The nanny babbled and then looked over her shoulder towards the den. "Mr. Summers! Come look Mr. Summers! William is back!"

Rupert ran over to the door and a look of glee passed over his face and immediately took William out of Abigail’s hands. "Abigail, alert Mrs. Rayne that William is back." The nanny nodded her head and dashed up the stairs calling for Jenny. "Thanks to you sir." He grinned at the other man, holding William tightly in his arms. "We are very grateful. Merry Christmas to you, sir."

Before the other man could reply, Rupert shut the door in his face and made his way into the den. Rupert’s eyes widened as he pulled one of the blankets away from William’s face. He was a pale white so that you could the veins in his skin. His lips were a pale blue and almost the same color of his face. His small body was shivering constantly with short breaths escaping his lips.

"William?" Rupert whipped his head around at the sound of her voice. There standing was Jenny with a handkerchief clutched tightly in his hand. "My baby?"

Rupert moved over to Jenny and showed him to her. Immediately the woman began to sob with joy as she pulled her son into her arms. Slowly she began to rock him back and forth while her cries began to quiet down. Jenny looked over her shoulder at Abigail and few other servants who had heard the commotion and joined her in the entrance of the den.

"Fetch my son some towels and a bed heater. I also want a fire set in his room and some warm water by his bed." All of them stared at her with blank expressions. "Now! Go! Do as I say!"

All servants scampered off, immediately fetching the items she had asked for. Jenny shook her head at them and then turned her direction back to her son. He looked practically dead in her arms and if hadn’t been for his short breaths and his occasional shudder she would’ve thought so. Sniffling, she leaned down and gently kissed him on the forehead, his body shook at her touch.

A gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. "He needs a doctor." She heard Rupert tell her softly. "Do you want me to send someone?"

Jenny nodded slowly and cautiously eased herself off of the couch so that she didn’t wake her son. "I will take him to bed." She whispered before walking up the stairs towards her son’s room. Jenny was surprised however to find Joyce in there, gently shaking a sleeping Elizabeth. "You can leave her there." Jenny told the other woman, her voice causing Joyce jump in alarm. "She does not look like she will wake anytime soon."

Abigail brushed past Mrs. Rayne as she entered the room, carrying several of the supplies in her hands. Both of the women watched as she set the warm water next to the bed and the bed heater underneath the sheets, not speaking a word to any of them. She pulled back the comforter of the bed and gestured Mrs. Rayne over to the bed. Carefully she took the boy from his mother’s arms and placed him under the covers, tucking the now warming sheets as tightly as she could around him. She took a cloth from her apron and placed it in warm water.

"Margaret will be here to light the fire, madam." She informed her employer, taking the cloth out from the warm water and then wrung the water out of it before placing it on the boy’s forehead. At contact, a small painful moan escaped William’s lips and his whole forehead scrunched up. "Is someone sending for the doctor?"

"Yes." Jenny replied, crossing her arms over her chest while gazing at her only child. "Mr. Summers sent for one."

"Excuse me." All turned their heads toward the doorway to find Ethan there, leaning against the doorjamb. "I would like to speak to my wife alone please."

Both women exited the room quickly, leaving the husband and wife alone. Jenny slowly approached the bed and stroked William’s cheek gently in a comforting gesture. She could feel her husband move up behind her. She could now feel his warm breath brushing against her exposed collarbone and neck. He was looking over her shoulder at their son who was groaning in his sleep.

"So the brat is back now is ‘e?" Ethan said flippantly. "Boy gets what ‘e deserves for running away."

Jenny turned on her heels and glared at Ethan, her eyes trying to burn holes in his forehead. She had never been this angry with him in their whole entire marriage. "How dare you say that! He would have never left if you stopped torturing him."

"Stop overreacting Jennifer." He snapped at her, clasping his hands behind him as he began to walk around the room with his chin held high in a typical snobbish attitude. "I just discipline the boy, but as I see now I am just wasting my time."

"I cannot believe this!" Jenny growled stomping over to him, jutting her face out at him while her eyes were a lit with fire. "Who are you? What happened to the man I married?"

Ethan smirked at his wife as his eyes roamed over her body before landing back on her face. "He’s dead." Ethan briefly glimpsed at his son before turning around and headed out towards the hallway but was stopped by Jennifer’s voice shouting at him.

"You are a bastard!" She hissed at him, her chin held high while giving him a look of defiance.

Ethan slowly turned back around and tilted his head to the side, observing her. Suddenly though he was right in her face and Jennifer didn’t even see Ethan’s hand coming, slapping her hard across the face, a loud smack echoing off the walls of William’s bedroom. Jenny gasped as she brought her hand to her cheek looking up at her husband, eyes wide with shock and surprise.

"I am glad to see that you are starting to grow a spine Jennifer." He said in sugar coated voice with a twisted smile on his features. But as quick as it had appeared on his face, it faded away and infuriated one replaced it. "I warned you before my dear, do not test me. You do that again and I will do worse." And with that warning, he left.

Jenny’s knees buckled and collapsed to the floor in pain, tears rolling silently down her face. She didn’t even hear Margaret enter the room.

"Madam? You alright, Mrs. Rayne?" The elderly woman asked as she pulled Jenny up off the floor and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I am fine." She whispered hoarsely, shrugging out of Margaret’s embrace, "I am going to fetch some more cloths before the doctor arrives."

William groaned from bed, slightly tossing and turning. His eyes barely fluttered open and turned to the look at Margaret. "Mum? Tha’ you?"

Margaret’s eyes widened as the boy continued to stare. "N-no." She hesitantly approached the bed and ran a gentle hand across the boy’s cheek. "She’ll be back though…went to get you more cloths for your head. Just try and stay awake." The boy nodded numbly, his eyes fluttering every couple of seconds. "Do you want me to run and get her quickly?" The boy agreed with a slight movement of his head. Margaret turned around and scurried down the hall, shouting for Mrs. Rayne.

The shouting of Margaret caused the girl next to William to stir her from her sleep. A slow groan poured from her lips as her eyes began to flutter open. She turned her head to the side and was surprised to see a shivering William next to her. Her eyes widened at the sight of him and a happy grin settled upon her lips.

"William?" She gasped with excitement as she sat up in bed and looked at him. He turned his head to look at her and a soft smile crept upon his lips. A giggle escaped her as she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. "You’re back." She whispered with a wide grin on her face.

"Yes." He mumbled softly.

Elizabeth sat up and looked down at him for a couple of seconds before punching him hard in the shoulder. Her once happy face was now staring at him with disappointment. "That is for running away." She told him before that grin appeared on her face once again. "I am happy that you are back though. I was worried."

"Really?" Wincing slightly from now throbbing pain in his shoulder. The girl sure had an arm on her.

"Yes, I was." She then noticed the paleness of his skin and furrowed her eyebrows. "Are you all right?"

"I will be. My mum went to go get the doctor." His eyes drooped slightly before he shrugged his shoulders. "I’m cold s’all." He mumbled underneath his breath.

"Promise…you won’t ever run away again?" She sniffled, feeling tears well up in her eyes. "Promise?"

The edge of William’s mouth quirked up in a small smile. "I promise."

The doctor had come shortly after. The examination didn’t take long. It was determined that William would be okay. He had a small case of pneumonia and would need to stay in bed for the next week.

Jenny stayed at his bedside as much as she could, not wanting to leave him alone for a second. She was deeply afraid that he would try and run away again. She had tried to convince her husband to visit his son but Ethan flatly refused, not seeing the need to. He was too deeply involved in his work to pry himself away from it.

When Jenny wasn’t sitting with him, Elizabeth, Xander, Willow, and Dawn would. Occasionally, Willow would sometimes get scared if William would close his eyes for even a second, thinking he might die in his sleep. Xander would usually shake his head at her and would drag her to another room where he could calm his friend down and reassure her that everything was all right. When the pair would return to the room, they would always find Elizabeth and William fighting with one another about something foolish while Dawn would be giggling at them, her pudgy cheeks stained a light pink.

Several days after Christmas, it was time for the Summers family and Willow to leave the Rayne house. It was a short goodbye with a promise that the Rayne family would come and visit the Summers’ mansion in the coming summer.

To be continued…

Summer of 1770

It was mid-afternoon and the grass was starting to tickle her skin as she gazed up at the sky. The sky was so bright; it let you know it was a summer day.

She was lying down on the hill behind her house, the one where she and William would sit on when they were children and discuss the silliest things. Wiggling her bare toes, she thought of that summer, the summer that her sister Dawn was born. It was when they met the Rayne family for the first time. She could still remember the anger she felt at William when he made fun of her and the pain of seeing him hurt. She remembered the glee of seeing her mother hold her new baby sister in her arms. Life had seemed to begin for her that summer and Elizabeth couldn’t help but think what this summer had in store for her.

It had been five years since she had seen William and Xander. Every once and awhile Mr. Rayne would stop by for the day to discuss business with her father and would sometimes bring his wife, but that was it. Elizabeth had asked her father many times when they would be able to see them all again but he told her they were just all too busy.

This summer was different though. They would be able to see each other again. Rupert had told her that they would be bringing Xander with them and how he was hoping to see Willow but unfortunately she wouldn’t be staying with the Summers this summer. Instead they were graced with someone else’s presence this holiday.

"Your mother wants you inside."

Elizabeth sat up on her elbows and looked over her shoulder at her cousin Anya. Ever since she came out of the womb, Anya had cursed all boys and had been trying to teach Elizabeth her boy hating ways by telling her that they were the devil.

Her hands were held firmly on her waist as she looked down at her cousin, who had yet to remove herself from the ground. Anya thought it was quite silly for a girl 13 years of age to choose to be outside in the grass rather than inside having tea and talking about the latest gossip. Anya hoped she wasn’t going to be this way with their guests, who were arriving shortly from the city.

"Why?" Elizabeth asked watching as the wind blew her cousin’s long golden-brown hair, whipping it across her face.

"She wants you to be ready for our guests and for the party tonight." Anya told her with a firm nod.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Anya before sitting herself back on her feet. "Fine." She grumbled as she wiped away the slight dirt that had collected on her dress.

"What is that thing in your hair?" Anya pointed at the mess of flowers that sat on top of her cousin’s golden head. "Looks like a mess."

"They are not a mess." She huffed, picking out the flowers that were tangled in her curled golden strands and then gave her head a hard shake to make sure all of them were out. "It was crown made out of flowers but I fell asleep in the grass and it must have gotten messed up."

Anya shook her head at her cousin. "I do not understand why you like to sit out here. Kind of seems quite dull if you ask me."

"It’s not dull." Elizabeth spoke with a slight pout on her lips. "It is peaceful and serene. I love it."

"You are quite strange cousin." Anya giggled at her as they approached the house.

As the pair made it inside, Elizabeth could hear the gleeful chatter of her mother as she and some of her friends from mansions nearby sat in the den. There was the slight clank of the china being taken away from the room by Fiona and into the kitchen. Elizabeth didn’t quite understand why her mother was so taken with gossiping with her friends. There wasn’t much excitement in it and they rarely talked about anything of importance.

"I found her." Anya announced to Joyce as they approached the den. All of the women’s gazes focused on Elizabeth and ran their judgmental eyes all of over, cringing at the soiled appearance of her dress and the haphazard state of her hair. Elizabeth did not really like them and didn’t understand why her mother put herself in their company; she was so different from them.

Joyce shook her head and walked over her daughter and held her by the shoulders at arm length while taking in her appearance. "You have completely ruined your new dress Elizabeth." She gave her daughter a gentle smile before brushing a curled strand behind Elizabeth’s ear. "And Fiona will have to do your hair again. Honestly honey, you need to stop playing around in the dirt. You are a young lady now and soon a bunch of young men will be wanting court you and we don’t want to ruin your chances of that now do we?"

The blonde girl ducked her head and gave her mother a quick shake of the head. "No mother." She whispered softly, not meeting Joyce’s gaze. "I will go change."

"Good." Joyce planted a soft kiss on her daughter’s head before turning to Fiona who stood impassively at the side. "Fiona, will you help her with her hair before the Rayne’s arrive?"

"Yes, Mrs. Summers." She replied with a curtsey before taking Elizabeth by the hand and led her up the stairs to her bedroom while Anya followed slowly behind them. Joyce watched them until they disappeared before turning back to her group of friends.

Mrs. Abrahams watched the Summers girl with a smirk before looking over at Joyce. "You know Joyce, your girl is quite fetching…you should consider setting her up with my Parker. They would make a lovely couple and would have beautiful children together."

Joyce gave a small smile to Mrs. Abrahams. "I will think about it." She sighed before picking up her cup from her saucer and took a small sip. "I suppose I should start thinking about suitors for her. She is going to be 14 this winter. That is the right time, correct?"

Mrs. Jenkins, known to Joyce as her sister-in-law and Anya’s mother, gave her a reassuring nod. "My father started looking for me when I was around her age. It did not take him long to find Jack for me." She said with a slight giggle in her voice. "I think it is harder nowadays to find a suitor. You know, what with all the rude behavior boys show."

"I agree." Mrs. Abrahams smiled, sipping at her tea before placing it back down on her saucer. "That is why I am sending my Parker to a school for boys that will teach him the proper ways of society. My husband doesn’t have the patience for it, with his business thriving and all."

"I am sure you will find a good enough suitor for her Joyce." Her sister in law reassured her. "She is a bright girl and I am sure any man will do her fine."


"I do not like this." Elizabeth huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Her foul mood coming off of her in waves and it did not help that Dawn was in her room, going through her things. "Dawn! Leave my belongings alone!" The small brunette girl jumped away from the closet and then scurried over to her older sister who was waiting for Fiona to pick her out a new dress.

"Is William coming?" She asked with a bright smile on her face. Ever since Dawn had last seen him, he was all she would talk about most of the time. And Elizabeth knew that once he arrived that she would be following him everywhere.

"I have told you millions of times…yes, he is coming." Elizabeth snapped, shooting a glare at her sister. Dawn’s eyes slightly welled up with tears before running out of the room.

"How about this?" Fiona brought out a hunter green gown and held it in front of her body. "I think it will bring out your eyes. You will look delightful."

"Do I have to wear one of those corset things that mother wears? I watched you put one on her once and it looked painful." Elizabeth looked up at her nanny with eyes of worry but Fiona only chuckled at her.

"Don’t worry dear. You won’t have to worry about those until you are a little bit older." Fiona comforted her as she removed the white dress she was wearing and pulled the new one over her head. "There you go." Said Fiona with a bright smile on her face and then took the girl by the shoulders and led her towards her vanity. "Now it’s time to get that hair of yours fixed."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as her nanny began to run her silver brush through her hair, every once and awhile it would get caught on knots in her hair. She flinched every time the bristles got stuck and Fiona would pull so hard that Elizabeth sure that the nanny was going to yank her hair out of her head.

"You’re pulling too hard." The girl huffed, as her head jerked over and over thanks to Fiona’s brushing. "It hurts."

"You’re all right." Fiona replied with another yank on Elizabeth’s hair. "S’what you get for layin’ out there dirtyin’ yourself up. At your age, you shouldn’t be doin’ that."

"Yes, Fiona." The girl grumbled as Fiona began to pin up her hair loosely; she was too concentrated in her task to respond to the blonde. When Elizabeth felt Fiona lightly run her hands down the girl’s golden mane she knew that she was through.

"I am going to help start supper before our guests arrive…make sure you don’t dirty yourself up before they get here." Fiona told her curtly before exiting the room with a swish of her black dress.

As soon as her nanny was out of sight, Elizabeth began to tug at her dress, trying to find a way for make it feel less constricting. It wasn’t working though, no matter how hard she tugged or wiggled it wouldn’t help.

"It’s not that bad." Anya announced from the doorway, watching with a smirk on her face as Elizabeth sat on the settee looking glumly at her image in the mirror.

"I hate it." Elizabeth murmured, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "It’s uncomfortable."

Anya completely ignored her cousin’s statement as she sat down beside her. "So, these boys…what are they like?"

"I thought you hated boys." Elizabeth’s eyebrows furrowed at her cousin who was looking at herself intensely into the mirror.

"Oh, I do." Anya said a matter-of-factly with a firm nod of the head. "I just think that I should know who I will be spending my time with for the rest of the summer holiday."

Elizabeth scrunched her nose up at her cousin. She was quite strange. Also, she was so much different than Willow. She carried herself differently than her redheaded cousin. The young blonde wondered if most high society girls acted the same way as Anya. Anya walked with so much admiration and pride for herself that it came off of her in strong waves. Her head was always held high. She never ran or laughed or screamed or just let herself be free. She just always stood there with her hands clasped in front of her, watching others with a look annoyance on her face. Elizabeth thought it was sad.

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "They are just…boys. Nothing too extraordinary."

"My mother tells me something different." Anya said, jutting out her chin at Elizabeth. "She told me how that William Rayne is no more than trash. She told me how he terrorizes his father and mother. She told me that Mr. Rayne should be ashamed of himself for letting that kind of behavior go on in his household and that he should disown the ruffian." Elizabeth’s mouth gaped openly as her cousin continued. "And do not even let me tell you what she said about Alexander Harris…"

"Then don’t." Elizabeth snapped as she rushed out of the room and down the hall. She was going so fast that she ran hard into Fiona, almost sending her sprawling onto the ground. "I am so sorry Fiona! Please forgive me!" Elizabeth gasped as she clutched onto her nanny’s shoulders, steadying her.

"S’all right, dear." Fiona smiled warmly at her, cupping her cheek with adoration. "The Rayne family is here. Time to come down stairs and say hello to your guests."

Elizabeth felt a heavy weight in her stomach. They were here. It had been so long. She was nervous and she didn’t know why.

That was lie, she did.

The last time she had saw him; he was a little boy surrounded by warm blankets with a hot rag laid across his forehead. He had looked so pale the day they left. Elizabeth wondered what five years had done to him. Would he be mean? Would he make fun of her like he did when they were younger? Would he smile at her like he use to when they were alone together?

She nervously gripped the cross that dangled from the neck. She closed her eyes and began to mumble comforting words underneath her breath.

"Come now Elizabeth, time to greet the guests." Fiona called out to her as she strode down the hall with her cousin Anya by her side. Elizabeth rolled her eyes at them both and darted down the hall after them and eagerly bounced down the stairs.

Everyone was gathered in the foyer in front of the door, hugging and kissing and laughing with glee. The group was a blur of arms, dresses, and hats. Anya stood to the side watching the people with confusion and a bit of impatience.

"Elizabeth!" Mr. Summers parted from the group and took her hand. And with a quickness that she had never seen in him before, he brought her towards the hugging group.

Jenny was the first one to greet her. Jenny looked so much older from the last time Elizabeth saw her. Wrinkles now marred her face and dark bags had settled underneath her eyes. There was sadness there and yet the woman had a bright smile on her face. "Elizabeth my dear. Look how lovely you have become. Such a beautiful young woman." Jenny looked over a smiling Joyce. "You’ve done well Joyce."

"Thank you." Elizabeth’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked around for the tall, looming man that was Ethan Rayne. "Where is your husband, Mrs. Rayne?"

Jenny’s eyes flashed with sadness briefly at the mention of her husband. "He’s busy with work in the city I’m afraid. He said he would join us in a couple of days." The woman’s eyes slipped back into the joyful color they were before and looked behind her shoulder. "William! Xander! Don’t be shy now! Come see Elizabeth!"

Jenny tugged the two boys in front of her with such force that it made Elizabeth giggle. Xander still looked the same as he did five years ago. He was only slightly taller and his shoulder more broad than they use to be. His face though, still held that boyish appearance that Elizabeth liked so much. Brown eyes danced with happiness as he hugged her tightly, telling her how much he has missed her and how he was sorry for not writing her. His attention, however, was easily torn away from the blonde girl and towards her cousin who still stood away from the crowd with a frown on her face.

"Who’s that?" He asked with a tone of awe in his voice as he openly stared at her.

"That is my cousin Anya. She lives in New York and came to visit me for the summer." Elizabeth smirked at her friend who extracted himself from her embrace and made his way towards the other girl.

"He fancies her."

Elizabeth’s head whipped around at the sound of his voice. He also had a smirk on his face while his head was tilted to the side. Her eyes widened as she took him in. He was so much taller than she remembered. His eyes bluer and his skin paler. He had lost most of the baby fat around his face and prominent, sharp cheekbones were starting to poke through and the rest of his body looked incredibly thin. His dark hair was brushed back away from his face so you could see his face perfectly. Elizabeth’s heartbeat began to quicken and her stomach suddenly felt lighter.

"R-really?"

He chuckled and clasped his hands behind his back. "Yes. Although, he fancies every girl he sees or meets."

"Oh." Elizabeth’s hands began to twitch. "It ‘tis nice to see you again, William." She whispered underneath her breath while looking at him shyly.

She was taken aback when he brought her into his arms and embraced her tightly. "I’ve missed you, ‘Lisabeth." She could hear the tearful tone in his voice and hugged him back just as eagerly, clutching onto him for dear life.

"I’ve missed you too, William." She murmured, her fingers digging into his projecting shoulder blades. "I’ve missed you too."

To be continued…

Summer of 1770

"He’s a perfectly fine young man, as far as young men go. But, like I told you Elizabeth, boys and young men are evil. They like to prey on women, taking everything away from them until there is nothing there but an empty shell." Anya rambled on to her cousin as they sat in the drawing room while the rest of the house was being prepared for the party later that night. "This Xander fellow though, he is nice…a bit on the odd side but nice nonetheless."

"You are a bit odd yourself, Anya." Elizabeth giggled, leaning back against the coach. "So you are prefect for one another."

"We are not…going to get married, Elizabeth. Get those silly notions out of your head. He’s too different from me." There was a long pause before Anya spoke again. "I would let him kiss me if he wanted to do so."

Elizabeth’s eyes widened as she whipped her head around to look at her cousin. "Anya!" She gasped with surprise. "I cannot believe you just said that!"

"What?" Anya shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I would. Like I just said to you Elizabeth, he’s nice and I fancy him a bit. So, I think that it would be all right if he wanted to kiss me."

"You are very strange cousin." Elizabeth told her before getting up from her place on the couch in the drawing room and made her way upstairs where the Rayne family was busy unpacking.

Cautiously, Elizabeth walked towards the room she knew William would be staying in because it was directly across from hers. When she reached the entrance of his room, she began to worry, biting her bottom lip like crazy. Raising her small fist, she rapped on the door lightly.

Seconds later the door slowly opened and William's head poked out. "‘Lisabeth!" He grinned at her brightly and grabbed her by the hand to lead her inside his bedroom. "I was wondering when you would come and see me."

"R-really?" Her heart rate sped up when she realized that his hand was still tightly holding hers.

"Well, yes of course." William told her matter-of-factly, sitting down on his bed and tugged her over to sit down beside him. "S’been too long since I’ve seen you."

"I know." The blush on her face turned a darker shade of pink at the smile he was showing her. She was being silly, why was she blushing so profusely at him? She wasn’t like this when they were children. Immediately she snatched her hand away from his and carefully placed it in her lap. "Both of our families have been busy."

William looked intently at the blushing girl that was sitting next to him. It was strange really, every time he looked at her or thought about her, he smiled and sort of fluttering feeling settled upon his chest. It was the same feeling that he was getting at this moment.

"Willow s’not here for the holiday." He said once he managed to get the feeling in his chest to calm down.

"Her parents have been making her take etiquette lessons and she has been too busy with them."

Elizabeth hadn’t seen her cousin in over a year and missed her companionship. She was tired of being locked up at home with only her little sister Dawn to keep her company. Of course, there were other girls that lived close by but they were upper class snobs who took pleasure of teasing people in lower classes. Elizabeth had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting a girl named Darla. She was a nasty one. She would scrunch up her nose at anything that was not English, she said she found it ‘distasteful.’ Elizabeth thanked her lucky stars that she was able to sneak away from the girl and for the remainder of the evening lay out on the hill behind her house, watching the stars.

"You miss her?" William asked her softly, watching the flicker of sadness come over her face.

"Yes." She whispered softly. "I have been kind of alone for awhile here. Mother has been busy with her friends and their whole social circle. Father works majority of the time. Dawn is too young to be a suitable companion."

"I am sorry." His hand reached out and took hers. He too felt the same loneliness as she did at times. Ethan was always out or cooped up in his office. His mother had lately been keeping herself locked up in her room, hiding away from Ethan and his wrath. Xander briefly came to visit every other spring but most of the time he was busy on the farm with his father.

The pair was interrupted when Fiona came bustling in, her cheeks tinged with a deep shade of red from running around the house. "Come now children, time for dinner. Hurry on downstairs now! Come on!" The nanny then hurried out of the room and back down the hall to where all the new guests were waiting downstairs.

"I don’t want to go." Elizabeth pouted, her lower lip jutting out in a childish manner.

William laughed at the girl and tugged her off the bed and began to lead her down the hallway. "And why is that?"

"Parties are always dull and boring here." The girl began to rant as they made their way slowly down the hallway towards the main staircase, wanting to prolong the moment between them. "Mother invites all of her chattering friends who don’t know the pleasure of taking a breath because they talk so much. Then those women bring their husbands who all smoke like a chimney and make our library smell like cigars and brandy. They also bring along their children, most of them are younger and like to squeal their heads off. And the ones that are my age are nothing but snobs who like making other people miserable." Elizabeth sighed as they finally managed to reach the stairs and looked down upon the crowd.

There were sounds of laughter accompanied by the melody of a string quartet. Everything was glamorous and extravagant; all the women were dressed in large ballroom gowns and jewelry while the men were decked out in their best suits, sipping from expensive glasses. The whole of downstairs had been made into a huge ballroom where some of the partygoers had the room to dance about the area. The pair could barely make out any familiar faces among the throngs of people. Elizabeth grasped onto William’s hand tighter as she pulled him down the stairs with her.

Elizabeth’s face twisted in anger when she got sight of Mrs. Abrams coming their way and dragging her no good son Parker behind her by the hand. Mrs. Abrams was nothing but a gossip whore who loved to push her way into people’s business. She was persistent and never gave up until she got what she wanted. She was very thin woman with an equally thin face. She had a distracting large mole on her cheek that Elizabeth could never stop staring at whenever they encountered one another. Her eyes were dark and penetrating, as was her attitude; she could cut you down to size with just few, wonderfully chosen words.

As the woman got closer Elizabeth plastered a huge smile upon her face, "Hello, Mrs. Abrams, good to see you again."

Mrs. Abrams turned her nose up slightly at William and then turned to Elizabeth, giving her a faint smile. "Well Elizabeth, I must say you do clean up nicely. You look lovely." She drew her attention back over at William and stuck up her nose again, her demeanor changing. "And who is this?"

"This is William Rayne! His family is staying with us for the summer holiday!" Elizabeth was practically beaming as she introduced her good friend, hoping that Mrs. Abrams would be impressed but the lack of change of emotion on the older woman’s face showed that it didn’t work.

Mrs. Abrams pursed her lips as her eyes disapprovingly ran over William. "Oh yes, I heard about you." She hissed, turning her attention back to the girl next to him. William wanted to smack her across the face from the way she looked at him like he was nothing but dirt. The Rayne boy held back the desire too because he knew it would upset Elizabeth and embarrass her. "Elizabeth dear, look who I brought to see you!"

Mrs. Abrams tugged Parker around her to face Elizabeth with a look of hope in her eyes. The blonde girl wanted to die when she came face to face with Parker. She hated him with a passion. He was always trying to get her to kiss him. He would whisper terrible things in her ear when no one was around. Then when she would not accept his offer he would make fun of her and call her names before going off to chat up another girl like Darla and her friends. He was disgusting.

"Hello Elizabeth." He said with a breathy voice that she never heard him use before and then took her hand in his and kissed it softly. As soon as his lips left her hand, she snatched her hand away from him in an angry jerk. "It has been awhile. A year perhaps?"

"Yes, unfortunately." She hissed underneath her breath. Next to her, she heard William chuckle and looked over at him with a small smile.

"Would you mind if I asked you to dance Elizabeth?" He asked in such a polite manner that Elizabeth almost believed it to be sincere. However, she knew that he was only acting this way because his mother was only two feet behind him and if she weren’t, he would be grabbing her hand and whisking her away to empty hallway where he would whisper to her again.

William dropped her hand as if telling her she had permission to leave him. She looked over at him and he just gave her a sad smile, telling her with his eyes that it was okay. She smiled back at him but instead of going off with Parker, she took his hand back in hers. "No, thank you Parker." She shoved their entwined hands in front of Parker’s face. "I am spending my time with William."

With a bounce in her step, Elizabeth walked through the ballroom while still holding onto William’s hand. She loved standing up to Parker, it usually gave her such pride and what was better this time because his mother was standing right behind him. Elizabeth would do anything to avoid spending any kind of time with Parker.

"Enjoyed that did you?" William chuckled at her as he watched the look of satisfaction play across his features.

"Maybe." She grinned tugging him towards the dinning room; "Parker is incredibly horrible. I cannot stand him."

"I could see that." As they sat down at the dinning table, William looked out of the dinning room and through the windows to the shimmering lake that was beyond the house at the end of a large hill. A thought crept through his mind and he leaned forward hesitantly towards Elizabeth and whispered, "once we are done here…would you like to go…do you want to step out for a spell and get away from the festivities?"

Elizabeth smiled at the sound of uncertainty in his voice that showed his nervousness in asking her. A slight blush rose to her cheeks when her eyes steadily met his and gave him a quick nod before turning her head away with slight childlike embarrassment. She squirmed in her chair as the rest of the guests sat down for their dinner and the courses were being served. Looking up across the table sat Parker with an irritating gleam in his eyes that she wanted to erase. His mother was talking candidly to Joyce about the futures for their children and Elizabeth wanted to die right then and there as she barely made out their conversation.

"I think it will be a perfect match." Mrs. Abrams said with a firm nod of the head, sipping delicately from her wineglass. "Perfect. Don’t you think?"

"I suppose so." Joyce said, a tone of skepticism laced in her voice. "I am sure that your Parker would be wonderful match for my Elizabeth but I do not want to commit to anything as of yet. I think I should keep my options open for her. I also do not think that your lovely Parker could handle her. She is such a free spirit, unlike most girls her age."

Mrs. Abrams shook her head at her companion then took another sip from glass. Elizabeth was entranced on how Mrs. Abrams lips seemed to take the shape of a fish every time she took a drink from her glass. "Nothing that a couple of years in finishing school won’t help. I sent my eldest girl Mary there and she turned out perfectly. She married a thriving businessman in England, quite a lovely man."

Joyce’s eyebrows knitted together as if she was in deep thought about something. A look of distress then fell upon her aged face and took a long drink from her glass. "I should consider it…the idea of finishing school for her. She’s so free spirited and shall I say…a tad bit…wild and that could lose her chances for finding her a perfect suitor. I shall think about it."

Mrs. Abrams beamed as she leaned forward in her seat towards Joyce with a look of interest on her face and delight. "Well, well, this is quite an interesting development. If you make the choice to send her to finishing school I shall recommend you to the school I sent Mary to in England, it is very lovely. Mary did not want to leave there when her time there was finished."

The women continued to chat animatedly amongst themselves but Elizabeth stopped caring about the subject. She could not believe that her mother would even think about sending her away to a stuffy finishing school where she would have to wear books on top of her head and learn how to be a ‘proper lady.’ Elizabeth would rather kiss Parker Abrams on the mouth than go off to finishing school.

" ‘Lisabeth?" William’s voice tore her away from her musings and brought her attention to him. "Anything wrong? You have not touched your food yet?"

Elizabeth had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn’t noticed that her food had been brought to her. Sending him a reassuring smile, the eldest Summers girl picked up her fork and began to pick through her food. She would occasionally pick up conversations from around the table. She could hear Anya prattle away to Xander about some strange nonsense about a girl named Martha. Elizabeth had no idea her cousin could talk so much and that fast. Xander somehow brought out the talkative side in her. Jenny was also in a deep discussion with Rupert, about business with Ethan and their lives in general. The woman who use to have so much light and now she almost seemed like a shadow of what she use to be. She was thinner from what she once was; she seemed just like skin and bones with pale skin stretched across. It seemed that Ethan’s wrath was finally starting to get to her physically.

Dinner seemed like an eternity to the young girl and she was truly, truly happy when her last course was taken away from her and everyone started to get up from their seats and move back to main area. Elizabeth started to get up but William placed his hand on her shoulder and held her in place.

"Wait." He whispered to her, his blue eyes watching as everyone left the room that didn’t notice the pair that still remained in their seats. Once they had left, William took her hand and pulled her out of her seat. "Come on, we’re goin’ outside."

Elizabeth held on tight as he led her outside and down the hill behind her house. "Where are we going William?"

"Down to the lake of course." He replied with a mischievous grin on his lips and wanted to burst out in laughter by the shocked expression on her face. "You all right there, ‘Lisabeth?"

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip in apprehensiveness and a worried blush crept upon her cheeks. "I do not think we should go down there. My father will not like it. He does not let me go down to the lake without a proper escort." She told him as she disentangled his hand from hers.

William stared at her with disbelief for a couple of beats before breaking out in beaming laughter. "Are you fibbing?" He managed to get out between laughter filled gasps of breath.

The girl pouted and crossed her arms over her chest; he’s already making fun of me again, she thought as William finally managed to catch his breath. "T’isn’t funny, William. Do not make fun of me."

William shook his head at her and giving her a reassuring smile before capturing her hand back in his. "Come on now. No one is going to know. Will be our little secret."

Elizabeth frowned as she allowed him to pull her down the hill towards the dark lake. Her father wouldn’t like this. He especially wouldn’t be pleased with the fact that she went with William…alone. It wasn’t that Rupert didn’t love William –he had mentioned several times to his wife that he thought of William as the son he never had. It was the fact that Rupert didn’t trust any boy who had relations with his eldest daughter. Rupert had told her many times that all boys had terrible intentions towards young girls and it wasn’t proper of a young lady such as herself to go off alone with them.

"We’re here." He whispered, squeezing her hand lightly before letting it go. Elizabeth slightly frowned at the loss of contact and her eyes widened when she saw him start to remove his jacket and then his navy colored waistcoat.

"What are you doing!" She gasped; covering her eyes in embarrassment as a dark blush crept upon her cheeks.

She heard him chuckle at her before taking both of her hands and pulled them away from her eyes. "Not taking my clothes off ‘Lisabeth, just getting comfortable." He told her softly before sitting down at the edge of the lake, removing his shoes and stockings and settling his bare feet into the cold waters. Noticing that she hadn’t moved to sit beside him, he looked over his shoulder and furrowed his dark eyebrows at her. She was still standing where he had left her with her hands clasped tightly in front of her and her head ducked as she tried to hide the deep blush on her cheeks. "You coming or not? Cause if not, you might as well go back up to the boring party and listen to your mother and Parker’s mum chatter on and on about the latest gossip. And if you want to stay, I suggest you take off those stockings and slippers of yours and stick your feet in the water."

Elizabeth nibbled on her bottom lip in hesitation before quickly removing her stockings and new slippers that her mother had bought her yesterday and plopped herself down next to William, hiking her skirts up as she stuck her pale feet into the water. A shiver wracked down her spine as her feet came in contact with the surprisingly chilly water. "It’s cold."

"I know." He whispered, swirling his feet in the dark water. "How have you been?"

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek as she thought about her answer. "I suppose I’ve been alright. I suppose a little bit of lonely. Mother is always busy with her new friends while your father keeps mine…" She trailed off when she noticed the body next to her flinch at the mention of Ethan. "He’s been hurting you again hasn’t he?"

William let out a shaky breath, running his hands down the front of his face. "N-not as m-much as he use to. I get by. I avoid him as much as I c-can and it w-works." He stuttered and looked at her with uncertain eyes. "It’s my mum that he has been taking his anger out on lately."

"She doesn’t look as well as she use to."

"No, she doesn’t." He let out a long, lingering breath while bright eyes stayed focused on the dismal waters in front of them. "Ethan has been treating her…he’s…he’s been hitting her again." Next to him, Elizabeth gasped and he flinched at the sound. "Every other night, he will come home, drunk off of his arse. Then they’ll start fighting, and it ends with him…" William could feel tears well up in his eyes as his mother’s screams of pain and suffering from last week came back to him. Ethan would have killed William if he knew that he was awake and listening to him, so William could do nothing about her pain. "He’s been drinking a lot. A boy on my street told me that his father saw Ethan at the local brothel a couple of times." Tears slipped down his cheeks as he remembered.

"I am so sorry William." She whimpered with sympathy, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tightly to her. He clung to her as he cried silently. He felt like he hadn’t cried in an eternity. The last couple of years he avoided crying, feeling shame when he did so. He didn’t feel shame when he was with her though. It actually felt like a relief to finally show his pain. It wasn’t until several minutes later that William’s tears finally died, he quickly removed himself from her and wiped his eyes.

"M’sorry, got your pretty gown all wet with my tears. Sorry." He mumbled underneath his breath, his head bowed so that he could hide his face from her. She couldn’t help but smile at his sudden shyness and apologetic manner.

"It is okay." She giggled at him, squeezing his shoulder in assurance. "I am fine. As long as you feel better."

He finally managed to get enough courage took look her in the eyes. Her golden hair seemed to shine in the moonlight and she had the biggest smile that he had ever seen. A rosy color tainted her cheeks and her hazel eyes were sparkling. Somehow his eyes managed to draw themselves towards her lips. He hadn’t been around a lot of girls in his fourteen years but he was sure that none of them had the same lips she did. As he continued to stare at her lips, a sudden thought sprang towards the front recesses of his mind.

"El-Elizabeth? C-can I ask you a question?"

"You already have William!" She tittered at her own silly joke hoping that he would laugh along with her but he didn’t. He just continued to stare at her.

"N-no. N-not that." He stuttered nervously, now wringing his hands in his lap. "S-something different."

"What is it?"

"W-would it be…" He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. He closed his eyes as he took another breath. When he was finally relaxed he looked in her in the eyes. "Would it be too bold or horrible to ask you if I could…if I could…kiss you?"

Elizabeth’s eyes widened with shock and surprise. Her mouth dropped open and formed in the shape of a small ‘o’. She squirmed in her seat. When Parker always had asked her to kiss him…well, he really hadn’t asked, he attempted to. He had grabbed her face in his hands and tried placing his lips on hers but she always wrestled away in the knick of time.

She smiled bashfully at William. He was nice and really sweet. He had an appealing smile and she fancied the way he would look at her when they were alone.

She smiled coyly at him once again as her eyes met his. "I w-wouldn’t mind that, William."

The look of worry in his eyes and face immediately melted away and he smiled brightly with relief and excitement. "Thank goodness. I would have felt embarrassed if you had said no."

Elizabeth laughed good-heartily at him but then a look of apprehensiveness painted her face. "H-have you ever done this before."

William blushed and shook his head. "My cousin Tobey, he talked about it once. Have you…have you done it before?"

"No. I have seen my parents kiss a couple of times when they think I am not looking though."

"Oh all right." He nodded his head as he slowly scooted closer to her then turned his body to face hers. His hands reached out and took hers and then locked her eyes with his. "You sure ‘bout this?"

A twinkle was in Elizabeth’s as she replied with an enthusiastic, "Yes!"

William took in a deep breath as he leaned towards her. His inexperienced mouth met hers and lingered. William closed his eyes, as he let new feelings settle in him. Slowly, one of his hands managed enough courage to cup her cheek. He slightly leaned back away from her and saw as her eyes fluttered open. Biting his bottom lip, he closed his eyes once again and leaned forward to kiss her for the second time. This time he let his lips caress hers instead of keeping still like before as he tried to let her know the feelings he was experiencing at that moment.

Elizabeth felt something tug in her chest and a fluttering feeling in her stomach as he continued to kiss her. He had become bolder with her by having his thumb delicately run across her cheek while his other hand was locked at her waist, refusing to let go. She somehow felt so much lighter and had to brace her hand on William’s shoulder to make sure that she stayed grounded. Elizabeth fumbled with someplace to put her other hand. She became nervous and tensed up in his arms but calmed when he ran his knuckles down the side of her face and she subconsciously wrapped her other hand around his neck, toying with the small hairs at the nape of his neck.

Needing air, William slowly broke away from her softness. He was relieved to see the dizzied smile on her lips and hazy look in her eyes. "That was…that was…"

"…wonderful." She finished for him with a sparkle of her eyes. "I’ve never felt anything like that before."

"Me either."

Elizabeth giggled and twirled the small hairs at the back of his neck. "Do you—"

"ELIZABETH! WILLIAM! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Fiona’s voice boomed out angrily at them.

To be continued…

Summer of 1770

Elizabeth’s cheeks burned a bright red. She wanted to die right then, begging for someone to hand her a pistol so that she could end her misery. Fiona had caught them outside by themselves and Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she had seen anything more.

"I’m scared." William whispered as he sat beside her inside her bedroom. Fiona had immediately ushered the pair upstairs without a word to them and said for them to stay there until the party was over so their parents could have what Fiona had called ‘a meaningful discussion.’ "D-do you think she…saw us?"

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip as she thought of her answer. "I do not know…she could have…she would’ve said something, right? Fiona knows everything…she knows things that I tried to hide from her and thought she didn’t know…but she does."

"Elizabeth?" William voice wavered as he hesitantly reached for her hand. "I don’t know…if you know by now, but…I fancy you."

Elizabeth’s eyes widened at him and she felt a sudden urge to run out of the room and hide away. All of these new feelings overwhelmed her and there were so many that she couldn’t name. He scared her sometimes. He scared her with the way he looked at her. He liked to smile at her all the time. Elizabeth thought it was a bit unnatural for a person to smile that much. And then he scared her again when he had kissed her. She had wanted it though and it was wonderful, she must say. He was always nice and sweet to her…no matter how much they would bicker. He was different from most boys…and she liked it.

"I suppose, I fancy you as well." She said with a coy smile on her face and felt her face begin to turn a deep red again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "You need to stop making me blush, William!"

His lips quirked into a smirk as he let the knuckles of her hand brush his lips. "Sorry, I’ll try better from now on."

Elizabeth giggled and could feel tingles shoot up her arm from the kiss he had planted on her knuckles. She licked her lips nervously as she scooted closer to him. "William?"

"Yes, ‘Lisabeth?"

She didn’t answer him, but instead gently placed her lips on his again. She wanted to feel it again…just for a few seconds and maybe longer if they had enough time. Before he could respond to her though, she pulled away. A goofy smile was on his lips when she finally opened her eyes to look at him. It was the type of look she didn’t mind seeing on his face. It brought back his innocence that he had lost not too long ago. She could feel a swell of pride in her chest that she could bring back that kind of bliss to him, if not only for a few moments.

"I had to feel it again." She whispered, running her hand softly on top of his head. "Hope you didn’t mind."

"No. Not at all." He murmured deeply, trying to find reality amongst the fog that was now in his brain.

"I cannot believe this!" The sound of Rupert’s booming voice coming down the hall snapped both of them back into the real world. They both flinched when Elizabeth’s door was shoved open and in stormed a fuming Rupert with a disappointed Joyce behind them. Dawn slowly crept in behind her mother, hiding behind her skirts. She waved affectionately at William and then blushed at him.

Elizabeth could feel tears begin to well up in her eyes. She had never seen her father this mad before and he was rarely ever mad. Mother had told her several stories of when she and Rupert had been younger. Apparently, Rupert had quite the temper when he was younger and was very stubborn, that people in their town had given the name Ripper whenever he would get into a row with a local they would call him that. And now, Elizabeth was seeing Ripper for the first time and it was both exciting and scary.

"Rupert," Joyce tried to soothe him, gripping her husbands shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "Try to control your anger. They are just children."

"I know." He hissed underneath his breath, closing his eyes as he tried to not let his anger control him. When he opened his eyes though and saw both William and Elizabeth looking at him with guilty faces, his anger was building again. "What were you both thinking!"

"M’sorry, daddy." Elizabeth sniffled, her tears threatening to fall.

"Do not ‘daddy’ me, Elizabeth." He warned her with shake of his finger and then began to pace. "You know that you are not allowed to go down there to that lake by yourself, especially alone and with a boy! You remember what I told you about that, correct? Thankfully, I hope nothing indecent happened?" Elizabeth responded with a weak shake of the head. "We were all worried sick about you both! We realized that you both hadn’t made it back from dinner and went crazy trying to look for you. The Abrams family and us had important business to discuss!"

Elizabeth fumed as she jumped to her feet. "I know what ‘business’ that was. You want Parker and I to be betrothed! I heard mother talking about it over dinner with that snot nosed woman! I hate him father! I hate him!" The tears pooled down her cheeks as she continued to shout and William wanted nothing more than to hug her tightly until she was all cried out. "Why must you do this to me father? I thought you loved me! And instead all you care about and love is the success of your business! Do you hate me that much that you would force me to marry such a horrid boy! He’s insolent and a cad! Why-!"

"Enough Elizabeth!" Rupert shouted, silencing the girl who immediately sat back down on the bed next to William. "How dare you speak about my colleagues and my friends like that. You should know better. You know I love you but this is for the best. We haven’t made any decisions yet on what your future with Parker will be and that is why your mother and I have asked the Abrams to come and spend some of the summer holiday with us and the Rayne family, to discuss our futures together."

Elizabeth’s face paled at the news and she eagerly sought out William’s hand and grasped onto it for dear life. "They are going to be staying with us?" She asked in a weak, shocked tone.

"Yes."

The girl clenched her jaw as she released William’s hand and stood on her feet once again. "If I have to marry him father, I will never, ever forgive you!" She sobbed, running out the room and down the hall with a distressed Joyce and curious Dawn behind her.

William’s eyes widened with fear as Rupert stepped towards him. "Now listen here William. You listening?" William nodded his head firmly and let the older man continue. "I love you like a son but, mark this…you are not allowed to be with Elizabeth alone ever again. Your mother is not happy with you and she agrees with me on this matter. You understand?"

"Yes, Mr. Summers." William managed to squeak out as Rupert gave him one last look before marching out of the room in search of his wife and daughters. As soon as Rupert was out of sight, William collapsed back onto the bed, letting out a long breath as he felt the tension leave his body.

~*~

"My father always said that being clean should always be a priority to me and the most important one. That was before he sent me to live with my uncle and auntie Abrams you see. My mother and my father, you see, they wanted some time to themselves for awhile. They thought I would have a better time with uncle and auntie Abrams. And I am, having a wonderful time. They have such a beautiful home in the country…it is about twice the size of this one though and has better furniture…but that is not my point. I prefer to live in their home in the city though, not so much peasants by their home in New York. There is also better clothing and food as well. Another—"

"Do you ever breathe?" Elizabeth mumbled as she and Anya listened to Harmony ramble. This girl had been talking non-stop all morning and it was wearing on the cousins’ nerves.

To make this summer even more dreadful, the Abrams had decided to bring their niece Harmony Kendall along with them. She was a typical upper class girl who loved to look down on other people. The kind of person that Elizabeth couldn’t stand. The rest of the summer was going to seem like an eternity.

"I’m sorry. What did you say?" Harmony asked with the sweetest smile on her face. Having no idea that Elizabeth made a remark about her.

"Nothing, Harmony." She mumbled, wishing that William and Xander would already get up and come down for breakfast. And as if wish had been granted, Elizabeth felt a tug on her sleeve and let a coy grin spread on her lips when she turned around and saw William standing there with the same type of smile on his face. "Hello, William."

"Hello." He murmured silently, and thought about reaching out for her hand to kiss her knuckles like he had done before but decided not to. "How did you sleep?"

"She snored all night." Anya chirped, grinning over at Xander and then brought her attention back to William. "She kept tossing and turning as well. Kept me up majority of the night. I wanted to shove her off the bed and onto the floor, but I knew that would be rude."

Xander rolled his eyes and shook his head. "You should keep your thoughts to yourself there, Ahn." He chuckled, grasping her hand and tugged her along to the dinning room.

Harmony pushed Elizabeth out of the way and beamed at William. "Hello there, I am Harmony Kendall. You must be William Rayne. My father talked a lot about you and your family. He said your father is quite brilliant and he didn’t have a lot of nice things to say about you but I am sure none of them are true." She told him flirtatiously, batting her eyelashes at him in order to get his attention. Her attempts were all ruined though when Elizabeth took William’s hand and dragged him away from her.

"She’s strange bird, isn’t she?" William chuckled at the blonde girl who was waving excitedly at him as Elizabeth continued to drag him towards the dinning room. The boy then noticed the look of frustration on her face and stopped her in her tracks. He then led her into the empty library across the hall. "What is wrong? You all right?" He brushed his lips across hers and gave her a reassuring smile.

"She is very annoying. I hope I do not have to spend my entire time with her." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"If so, I will just have to whisk you away, won’t I?" William replied as he took her hands in his and kissed them softly. "Your knight in tarnished armor and all that rot, right?"

"It’s shining armor, you daft boy." She giggled at him, feeling a blush creep upon her cheeks. "Stay with me today? So I don’t have to put with that Harmony girl all by my lonesome."

"Sorry, gentlemen’s day out apparently." He frowned at her and it broke his heart when her bottom lip jutted out in a depressed pout. He didn’t like to upset her. "Hey, don’t be that way." He chuckled, sliding his hand into hers and squeezed it lightly. "You know I would rather spend the day with you than listen to Mr. Abrams and Parker and his mates chatter on."

"His mates?"

William shook his head and snorted in wry amusement. "Yes, our lovely friend Parker decided to invite his friends over for the day. They want to go out riding behind the house and try a bit of hunting…maybe. This is what Xander told me late last night though…plans could’ve changed by now."

"That means I will be spending the day in the den listening to the latest town gossip. How lovely." She groaned, resting her forehead on his shoulder with her face twisting in annoyance and slight anger. She suddenly felt a tentative hand rubbing her back soothingly and she couldn’t help but smile softly.

"We probably should head back to the dinning room. Your father will get mad for me being alone with you." He murmured into her hair and then reluctantly moved himself away from her. If Rupert managed to walk by and saw them together like that…he would not be pleased.

"I hate him for that." She hissed, her tiny jaw clenching in hostility. "I am not marrying him…over my dead body!"

She watched as he closed his eyes and let out a long and heavy sigh, "I wish I knew what to say to you. I’m sorry."

"It’s all right." She whispered while her anger calmed from the look on his face. A ghost of a smile appeared on her mouth as she leaned forward and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "Come on. Breakfast is almost ready."

To be continued…

Summer of 1770



William groaned as his mother frantically fiddled with the cravat that was tied tightly around his neck. He hated this thing. His mother was out to make him feel like an imbecile. He wouldn’t have to dress up so properly if Parker and his family weren’t there.

"Mum, this looks ridiculous. You know I disgust wearing such annoying rubbish!" He groaned, trying to claw the cravat off of his neck. Frail hands quickly stilled his fretting. William’s eyes looked up and saw his mother smiling gently at him. Her hollowed face was softened from the daylight peeking in through the drawn curtains and he stopped his fidgeting.

"Stop that." Her warm chuckle washed over him pleasantly and could almost see the shadow that had been hovering her over the past years fade away in that moment. "You’ll get use to it eventually, William. Don’t fret." She gently squeezed his hands and moved them away from the article of clothing tied around his neck. "It’ll only be for a short while and then after that you can take it off."

He furrowed his eyebrows with annoyance as his hands twitched with desperation to tear the cravat away. "Why do I have to do this? Is it necessary that I spend time with that ponce and his family?"

Jenny shook her head and kissed her son on the forehead before caressing his cheek. "I told you to stop using language like that William. Should’ve never let you spend that spring with your cousin on the farm." She scolded him lightly, still smiling brightly at him.

"Sorry, mum. I’ll try better." His hands finished buttoning up his dark waistcoat and slowly as possible, pulled on his matching jacket.

Looking at his mother, she was now slumped in the plus chair that sat in the corner by the window. Her fragile hand covered her eyes as she rubbed her temples. From her posture, she looked so tired and as if she was about ready to collapse.

"Mum?" Her gaze focused its attention back on her son. "Are you all right? You do not look so well."

The edge of Jenny’s mouth quirked up in a sad smile. "It is all right, William. I’ll be find. Just need to rest is all. Don’t worry…go have fun."

"That is going to be hard." William groaned and before he left went over to his mother, kissing her on the cheek before he strolled out of the room where the other men were waiting downstairs. Xander met him halfway down the hall and gave his cousin a pat on the back with a reassuring smile to go along with it. He wasn’t looking forward to this either. When William had left early from breakfast to finish getting read, Xander had the displeasure of meeting Parker’s friends. They were horrible. They put on a show for him they did with their fake smiles and gripping handshakes. Then as soon as he turned away from them, they began to laugh and make fun of him.

"I am telling you right now, cousin." Xander whispered as they journeyed down the stairs. "If that Abrams chap looks at me the wrong way. I am just going to have to…"

"I know what you mean." The boy next to him grumbled, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his coat. His mother hated it when he did that, she said it wasn’t a very gentleman thing to do. "Wanted to wring his neck during breakfast this morning."

"Feeling was mutual, Will."

Mr. Summers, Mr. Abrams and the rest of the young were all waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs. William heard Parker and one of his friends’ laugh quietly at him and whisper to one another. William hated that ponce and couldn’t wait to get out in the open air and do something sinisterly evil to him. That would be great. Parker and the friend next to him then turned their attention to Xander and started to point and giggle like two little girls. Holding back his anger, William then turned his attention towards Mr. Summers who was now solely focused on him at the moment.

"William." Rupert smiled warmly, clasping the young man on the back. "You look quite strapping today. Please, let us go then."



Gripping the reins tightly in his hands, William would feel the muscles of the horse shifting underneath him. The last few hours had been excruciating for him and Xander. Mr. Summers and Mr. Abrams had been caught up in their own little world of business and law, while Parker and his insipid friends had done nothing but ridicule Xander and him the whole entire time.

"You think anyone would miss him if I decided to murder him?" Xander quipped as his horse fell in step next his cousins. In front of them rode Parker and two of his friends, Benjamin and Gabriel.

"Not me." William snorted as Parker turned his dark eyes to the pair behind him. "Go ahead."

"You girls going to ride behind us the entire time!" Parker shouted while Ben snickered at them. "Or are you going to decide to be real men and ride with us?"

William could feel a smirk rising to his lips, "I would rather spare myself from the agonizing torture of spending time with you, Parker!" Beside him Xander chuckled and could hardly contain the laughter from spilling out his mouth in uncontrollable giggles. William elbowed him hard in the side but couldn’t help himself from smiling as well.

Parker and both of his friends immediately halted their horses in their trek. Parker’s gazed at the other boy with such disdain that William felt like holes were being burned into his skull. "You want to say that to me again, Rayne?"

William looked over at Xander with a shrug of his shoulders and then dismounted his horse. "Actually I do." He snickered, walking over to Parker’s horse and took the reins in his hand, smirking up at the other boy.



~*~



She hated these little white gloves. What was the point of them? They didn’t seem to serve a purpose at all, just merely a decoration. Something to make a woman look more feminine and delicate, like fragile china dolls. Joyce had insisted that she wear them this afternoon. They had been sitting in the house all afternoon and the gloves served no purpose whatsoever. It was quite stupid.

"Elizabeth! Stop that!" Joyce scolded with a slight slap at the Elizabeth’s fidgeting hands. "You are going to dirty them."

Elizabeth knitted her eyebrows in annoyance at her mother. She was nitpicking about everything she was doing. Everything was wrong and nothing was right.

"Sorry." She mumbled underneath her breath, trying hard not to listen to Harmony whine over how she missed going to Paris last summer because of her father to Anya. Her mother, who sat beside her on the settee, was wrapped in fascination over Mrs. Abrams tales of last Christmas when they had a gathering at their mansion. Unfortunately, Jenny didn’t want to join them, mentioning something about not getting enough sleep last night.

Bored to tears, Elizabeth easily slipped away from the group without anyone noticing. A self-satisfied grin on her lips as she hopped proudly up the stairs and strode across the hallway on her way back to her bedroom. She was stopped dead in her tracks when a cry of pain echoed down the empty hall from Jenny’s room. Picking up her pace, the young girl ran towards the room and threw open the door to see Jenny trying to lift herself up off the floor.

"Mrs. Rayne!" Quickly Elizabeth helped the older woman on her feet. Her bright eyes filled with worry at the feel of Jenny’s jutting bones and cold skin. "Are you all right?"

"Just fine, dear." Jenny flushed with embarrassment at the girl’s worry for her. She quickly brushed away Elizabeth’s hands and sat back down in her rocker. "Don’t fret about me. Just the side effects of lack of sleep and old age."

A small smile tugged at the edge of Jenny’s lips. Almost a shadow of one. A sharp shiver trickled down Elizabeth’s spine at it. Jenny then reached out and took Elizabeth’s hand in hers.

"No need to worry Elizabeth." An amused chuckle escaped her thin lips. "You remind me of William. Always worrying he is. S’why I love him so much." She leaned back in her chair and began to rock slowly. The chair light creaking every time it moved forward. "He is crazy ‘bout you. My William. Since that first summer, he never stopped talking about you. It is always sweet to hear. This light always sparks in his eyes when he says your name." Jenny’s frail hand extended towards the young girl. Hesitantly, Elizabeth took her hand and was brought closer to the rocking chair. "You’ve become a beautiful young woman Elizabeth, and I know for a fact that you will become an even more beautiful woman. William is going to be a lucky boy."

"I do not understand." Her face contorted into a look of confusion. What was she saying? Elizabeth didn’t understand.

Jenny chuckled once more and cupped the girl’s cheek and smiled warmly at her. "You’ll see." Her eyes then drew their attention to the door and her face took on a look of worry. "What happened."

Elizabeth then saw William hovering in the doorway. Her gloved hand covered her mouth in shock and fear raced through her system just by looking at him. Large, dark bruises covered his right eye and his left cheek while his hair stood up on end and his waistcoat torn along with his shirt. And through all that damage, William still had a large smirk painted on his lips like it all didn’t matter.

"I had a…misunderstanding…with Parker." His eyes drifted over towards Elizabeth and beamed. "Don’t worry ‘Lisabeth. M’fine." He took the gloved hand that covered her mouth and squeezed it.

"William Matthew Rayne!" Jenny growled, rising from her seat. "How could you be so foolish?"

William’s confident façade faded and ducked his head in shame. "M’sorry mum."

Jenny could feel her anger die away looking at her son’s doleful expression. With a heavy sigh, she ran her hand through his curled hair. "We will discuss this later. You should feel lucky that your father isn’t here yet."

"I know."

Leaning back in her chair she gave the younger pair a wave of her hand. "Run along. I am tired and would like to take a nap before dinner tonight."

Not waiting to be told twice, William took Elizabeth’s hand as they ran down the hall and into her room, slamming the door behind them. "William?" She asked, her hands fidgeting with her gloves once more as he was cleaning his dirtied face with her water basin. "We shouldn’t be here…alone, I mean. You know how my father does not like it and I don’t think when your mother told us to ‘run along’ she meant to my room, I think she meant more to downstairs where everyone else is."

William set down the cloth he was using and then took her by the hand brought her over to her bed. "I know." He murmured, his thumb tracing patterns across her hand. "Can we…stay…for awhile?"

She smiled brightly at him. "So tell me why you got into a scuffle with Parker?"

"Felt like. His friends were teasing Xander and I…so I let ‘im have it." He chuckled as he remembered how it felt as his knuckles had smashed Parker’s jaw.

Elizabeth smirked and giggled with delight. "I wish I could have been there to see it."

Rubbing her hand with his thumb, William gently leaned forward and brushed his mouth across hers in a chaste kiss. "Couldn’t help myself." She blushed and he kissed her again. "And don’t worry about Parker…you’ll see him in his bruised and battered state at dinner tonight. So try to keep your excitement under control till then."

"Full of wit this afternoon, aren’t you?" She tittered, covering her mouth with her hand again to keep her laughter at bay. When Elizabeth was finally calm, she removed the irritating garment from her hand and cupped his cheek instead. He blushed a bright red and smiled bashfully at her.

"Aren’t you precious, my son!" The pair drew their heads towards the hissing voice to see Ethan looming in Elizabeth’s doorway with a wry smile. His clothes rumpled from lustful activities with one of the whores from the local brothel. "Daddy’s home."



To Be Continued…

Summer of 1770

Panic was a normal emotion for him. The feeling of worry rushing through his veins was nothing unusual or strange; and neither was the look of fear that would settle into his eyes before he knew that the first physical or verbal blow was coming his way. He suddenly felt weak and like he was 5 years old, experiencing the weight of his father’s hands and words for the very first time. The pain wasn’t bad then, it would only hurt for a short while then suddenly fade away. There was always an excuse running through his head when he was younger. ‘He had too much to drink.’ ‘He had a terrible meeting with a client.’ ‘Mum said something that upset him.’ As the years went on though the need to make up reasons why thinned out and eventually left. It was just Ethan being Ethan.

He could feel her hand in his tighten and her own fear through that strong grip. He saw her chin trembling and her eyes that he loved so much widen with fear and wonder of what was to come. William knew then that she would never know of Ethan’s physical rage or it would be the last thing he ever did. She would never be able to handle it. She was so fragile yet filled with so much fire that was not right for a girl of her age or of her status in life.

“Was I interrupting something?” His condescending tone was like fire. It burned William and something began to stir up inside him.

“Actually, to be quite honest with you Ethan…you were.” William was never the one to talk back to Ethan but that something that was stirring up inside him was taking full force of his body.

“Been away too long, William.” Ethan’s shoes scraped across the wooden floors, slowly advancing towards his son, while his face was as innocent looking as it could be but it was easy to see that it had a darker purpose in mind. William backed away quickly, his sudden boost of confidence shattered. He had forgotten how horrible and nasty Ethan could get when he had several drinks in him. “I am trying to decide if I like it or not that you have suddenly grown a backbone.”

The backs of William’s legs hit the back of the bed, his eyes wide from fear and dreading of what was to come next. Ethan was coming closer and it was getting to the point that William could smell the strong, stinging liquor on his breath. He could also see how unclean and unkempt he was. How the stench of his whores’ perfume was soaked into his skin and fingernails. Soot and ash covered him and his clothing, which was ragged and torn.

“Mr. Rayne! Please! Don’t hurt him.” She couldn’t be more afraid of anything or anyone at that moment. Especially when the older man turned his attention to her and a twisted smile touched his lips.

The whole world spun as Elizabeth was grasped tightly by the hair and thrown onto the floor. All she could hear was shouting and things breaking all around her. She wasn’t aware of what was happening until she saw a body fall down beside her in dead weight. Ethan’s feet soon came into view behind William’s unconscious body and then he crouched down beside her.

“Now listen here girl.” His harsh whisper crawled over her face and made her skin itch like nothing else. A hand tilted her chin and made sure that she was able to see his face clearly. That twisted smile that she had seen before he had thrown her on the ground was still there. A cold rush passed through her body when she felt the pressure of his fingers dig deeper into her skin. “You are not to say any of what has happened to anyone, especially your father. Do you understand me?”

“Y-yes, s-sir. Mr. Rayne.” It was meant to come out more strong but instead passed through her lips like the whimpering of a small child.

“You should teach William some manners…maybe he could learn from you.”

The sound of leaving footsteps echoed heavily throughout the room. When it had finally disappeared she quickly reached for the body that lay beside her. A large, angry red mark was slowing showing itself on William’s neck in the form of Ethan’s handprint.

“William?” Grabbing him lightly by the shoulders she shook him but he was still refusing to wake though. “Please wake up.”

As her fingers gently grazed the small cut on his cheek, William inhaled sharply and quickly roused. “What happened?”

“Ethan.”

Holding his head, he sat up and then began to look over her with worry as he checked for bruises or marks of any kind. “Are you all right? He didn’t hurt you did he?”

She couldn’t help but smile at his worry and for a moment felt what Jenny felt when she would have this young man dote and care for her, if it was only going to be for a couple of seconds. “No, just my pride is all.” She quipped but saw no smile in return. “You don’t need to worry about me William. I will be fine. Come on…we need to get you cleaned up for dinner. Your mother wouldn’t be to happy if I brought you to dinner looking like you got in another scuffle.”

“But I-“

“Come now.” With allowing him to say another word, she took him by the hand and took him back to his own room.



Dinner had been purely dreadful. It had been filled with uptight conversations about vacation spots or local business gossip. Most of the women had done nothing but backstab others that they knew, spreading rumors and hearing new ones. At the beginning of the evening there had been a big welcome for Ethan and his arrival. All of them acting like it were a gift from the heavens that he was there. There were million and millions of questions of where he had been over the past couple of days. Ethan being Ethan, he lied about it, saying that he had work that had to get done with one of his crazy clients that he really couldn’t tear himself away from. It was a ridiculous story but everyone except William, Elizabeth, Xander, and Jenny believed him.

When dinner was all through, William, Elizabeth, Xander, and Anya managed to sneak away from everyone else and down to the small wooded area that was behind the house. Somehow during their walk through the woods, Xander and Anya had managed to split up from the other two.

“Do you think they will be all right? Anya is not much for going outside. She has this fear of rabbits for some odd reason that I have yet to figure out.”

William took her hand and began to lead her through and area of trees that wasn’t shadowed in moonlight. Everything was black and dark. She held onto his hand as firmly as she could.

“Well if you haven’t noticed. Anya is not that normal of a girl.” He then tugged her to the left and the sound of running water could be heard faintly and the moon started to show once more.

“That is true.” Her lips pursed as she asked him hesitantly, “What do you think of that Harmony girl? She seemed pretty interested in you during dinner.”

“I told you before Elizabeth,” he began looking back at her with a smile on his face. “That Harmony girl is nothing but a silly chit who cares more about where she stayed for her Christmas holiday and the pain of others than anything of substance.”

The sound of rushing water grew louder and louder as they neared until they finally came upon a rushing stream. Large oak trees were surrounding it and other plants that Elizabeth couldn’t name, and standing above the body of water was an old wooden bridge. William looked over at the girl beside him and smiled before running over to the wide rail of the bridge and climbed upon it.

“What are you doing?” She watched as he began to walk across the rail, slightly wobbling every other step because of his loss of balance. “You sure look silly.”

He immediately stopped his journey across the bridge and scowled at her. “Me? Silly?”

“Yes, you do. What if you fall? You will drown and get all wet.” She noted, clasping her hands behind her back and walked beside him.

“And if I do fall…” He smirked, “would you come and save me?”

“As much as I like you, I am sorry to say that I wouldn’t.” She told him as a matter of fact with her held slightly high but hid a smile on her lips. “I wouldn’t want to get my nice dress that mother bought for me all wet.”

“I thank you for your consideration of me. I’m so glad my relationship with you means so much.” He grinned as he stopped his journey and turned to look down at her. He clasped his hands behind his back in mimic of her and leaned in. “I know that you are jesting with me thought right?”

“I’m not. I am being intensely serious with you.” She smiled before turning away from him and continued on down the bridge. “William? What do you want to do when you get older?”

“When I get older?” His walking ceased once again and looked down at the ground as his eyebrows drew together. “To be honest with you I really don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t want to end up like Ethan, which would be…my worst nightmare.” He continued on his journey and shrugged his shoulders. “I could go live with Xander…work on the farm for awhile. That would be nice. You know what would be my dream though?”

“What?”

He hid his head bashfully as he told her, “I know it will sound silly…but…do you remember that Christmas you spent in the city with me?” She nodded. “Well, your father gave me that book and ever since then I have wanted to be…a pirate. And I know that sounds ridiculous but it has always sounded amazing and romantic and this huge adventure.” He bit his lip and finally looked at her in the eye. “You don’t find that silly do you?”

“Only a little,” She giggled, “but, you’re right, it does sound adventurous. Maybe, if it does work out for you, I will join up with you. We could sail the 7 seas together.”

“Girls can’t be pirates! That isn’t right!” He threw his hands up in the air and stomped down on the beam but she quickly ran after him and grabbed him by the sleeve of his coat, almost causing him to lose his balance but he got it back quickly. “What is your problem?”

“What was that load of rubbish I heard come out of that mouth?” She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and started to pout, sticking out her bottom lip as far she could. “‘Girls can’t be pirates!’ That is a load of rubbish and you know it. There are some female pirates out there and you know it! You are just afraid that if I was a pirate that I would be better than you!”

William crossed his arms over his chest as the same as Elizabeth and furrowed his eyebrows at her as if he were challenging her to something. “Oh you are definitely wrong on that one Summers! You know I could beat you at anything. I use to beat you all the time when we were little, when we use to get in our little scuffles and fights.”

“Oh, I cannot believe you!” She growled marching closer to the rail on where he was standing. “How come one minute you are perfectly fine and nice and gentle and then another minute you become mean and arrogant towards me! You are so frustrating!”

“You are one to talk!”

Elizabeth growled and before she could think straight she looked up at William and then pushed him right off the bridge and into the water with a huge splash. A few seconds later she heard him come up for later, gasping for air while shouting her name and several obscenities with it that made the girl blush. Eventually the splashing stopped and out from under the bridge came William, wet from head to toe. He looked exactly like a drowned rat.

“That was unnecessary, and you know that.”

She couldn’t help but smile brightly out of amusement for what she did to him and the shape he was in. “Actually, I think you quite deserved it really, being mean to me and all.”

“Well, Ms. Summers,” He quickly shook off any excess water that he had left on his body. “If I weren’t a gentleman, I would push you into that water right this second, but since I am one, you are lucky.”

“That is good, I suppose.” She smiled at him and then took his hand as they started to walk back to the house.



A week later, the summer was officially over. Parker and his family went back to the city with Harmony in tow, promising to visit Elizabeth again because according to her they had become ‘the best of friends’ over the last couple of weeks, despite what Elizabeth thought. It was sad for her to see William and Xander leave the next day. Anya had cried herself to sleep that night, thinking that she would never see ‘her Xander’ ever again and then for the rest of the night told Elizabeth detailed stories of their time together, which scarred the girl for life and would never look at Xander the same way again.

When William and Elizabeth said goodbye, they just held onto one another tightly, not say a word or doing anything else but just hold the other person. Telling one another, without any words at all, that everything would be all right. Before getting inside the carriage, William held her face gently in his hands and kissed her lightly as her parents looked on in shock and Anya smiling at them with a wicked grin on her lips.

The next day late in the evening, Elizabeth had returned from her afternoon ride in the country to fide both of her parents sitting in the drawing room with a strange woman that she had never seen before in her life. They had been talking vividly before she had entered the room and once she did they all fell into a dead silence. The woman that had been sitting with her parents stood up and took her shoulder gently.

She smiled strangely at her and it scared the young girl, sending shivers down her spine. “Hello Ms. Elizabeth, your parents have told me so much about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”



To be Continued…

Summer of 1770

William huffed as he threw his overcoat on top of his bed. They had gotten home not too long ago and already William was longing for the comforts of the Summers’ mansion. The house here was filled with emptiness and everything was cold and dark. It had been worse over the last 2 years; that was when Abby left. Ethan had thought his son was too old for a nanny and that her services were no longer needed. So he shipped her back to England to live in a small shack in the countryside with her family of 11. William had begged his father for her to stay, saying that she was still a wonderful maid and cook.

His thoughts became jumbled as he relived past events inside his head. He experienced the emotional pain all over again. His fingers curled into his palm, forming into a tight fist as his bright eyes shut and tried to block out the fast, oncoming images.

“William?” Jenny called out to him from his door but he did not move an inch, not realizing she was there. She looked down at his hands and saw them clenched tightly, his left holding the silk cravat that she had bought for him while the other was bare and could see small trickles of blood escape. “William, stop!” She rushed to his side and snatched his hands and pried them open while she tried to get his attention. “Answer me! Please! Open your eyes!”

Blue eyes met dark brown as he sucked in a wavering breath of air. He felt a stinging in his hands and finally noticed the small amount of blood caking his palms. “I-I’m sorry. No more thinking for William.”

She gently rubbed his wrists before pulling him into her comforting arms. “Shh…” She soothed as one of her hands rubbed his back as she use to do when he was younger. “It’s all right. Everything is okay.”

“You take me for a fool don’t you, boy?” William’s eyes drew themselves to his door where Ethan was standing, his hands shoved into the pockets of his overcoat and a permanent scowl settled on his face.

Jenny gave her son an affectionate cup of the cheek before she turned to her husband. “What are you talking about Ethan?”

Ethan’s scowl wasn’t as permanent as William thought when he suddenly began to laugh as if his wife’s question amused him. “It seems that our William has taken a liking to the Summers’ girl.”

“And what is the harm in that? They are young adults and can feel however they desire.”

Ethan chuckled once again as he went to his wife and reached out to touch her wrinkling face that use to be so smooth. “You’re getting old, Jenny dear. I do not think you have realized how much times have changed.” His striking eyes briefly fixed their attention on William before going back to Jenny. “I do not think our son realizes that by getting mixed up in a romantic relationship with Ms. Summers is not wise…it will be nothing but heartache and chaos.”

“How do you mean?” Jenny reached behind her to grab her son’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Rupert has informed me that our pretty Elizabeth is to eventually be promised to the Abrams boy. It is all about business you see…our firm needs another investor and the deal with Abrams will make sure of that. They will marry and we will get money out of it. I won’t stand by and watch as our son screws up something that will be so good for business and I do not think Rupert likes it either.”

William’s glowered up at the older man and his fists began to clench once again. “I LOVE HER!” He yelled at the top of his lungs.

“You don’t know what that word means, boy!” Ethan growled marching over to his son and grasped William’s chin tightly in his hands and forced him to look at Ethan. “You are young and insipid. You don’t really realize what a powerful word that is. Love is nothing but hell and misery and you drown yourself in it just so you can get a kiss from a pretty girl. Oh, how stupid you are!” Ethan shoved William away from him and continued on in his tirade. “And because you love her, she will leave you. Love will always cause people to leave you. Your mother will leave you and Xander will leave you and Rupert will leave you and even your precious Elizabeth will leave you. Then you will be all alone and cold because everyone in the world that you loved is gone. Loving is the most idiotic thing you could ever do and you will die for it…mark my words.”

“Ethan that is enough! That is enough!” Jenny stepped in front of her child and held out her arms, as her hand reached out for her son’s.

Ethan smirked and gently caressed the side of his wife’s face, “Jennifer, dear, you are in my way!” His hand that had been touching her with such softness quickly grasped her shoulder and threw her to the ground. She let out a sharp cry as her head hit the floor and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. “Stupid, cow.” He muttered before marching towards William.

Even before Ethan could lay a finger on the boy, William squeezed his hand into a tight fist and slung at his father as hard as he could, connecting with his jaw and sending him to the ground; not too far away from his mother.

“Mum?” He crouched down beside her and gently pulled away the hair that had fallen in front of her face. Her eyes still shut and her head slouched to the side. His gaze darted over to Ethan and was not surprised to see that the older man had already gotten his bearings back and was picking himself up off the floor. Kissing his mother’s forehead gently, William ran out of his room and down the hallway.

Ethan’s footsteps stomped heavily against the carpet as he chased after his son who fleeing for his life. “Will! My boy, we need to have a talk…father and son!”

Feeling him drawing closer, William pushed himself forward. Chanting to his legs to keep going…to keep moving faster. As he continued to run faster and faster, William thought that he might have finally lost Ethan. However, his joys were doused when he was grabbed the back of his jacket tightly and thrown up against the nearby wall, smashing into his grandmother’s antique mirror causing it to shatter into millions of pieces. Cuts were now marring his youthful face, a deep cut slashed through the thicker part of his eyebrow while blood spilled down his face.

William’s scratched, scarred hands grasped at the floor in front of him as he attempted to drag himself to his feet. Strong hands gripped William’s collar as he was turned onto his back, the shards of glass scraping and digging into his back.

“Shh…” Ethan cooed as he held his son to the ground and gently pulled William’s hair away from his face. “It will all be over soon…”

William’s legs flayed in the air while Ethan tried to hold him down securely to the floor and tried to call out for help but no one would hear him. All the servants had retired to their wing and his mother was knocked out cold in his room. Tears of fear fell down his face as he begged and pleaded for Ethan to let him go.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” William sobbed, jerking his wrists while his legs tried to move Ethan.

“Shut up you piece of filth!” Ethan smacked his son hard across the face before wrapping that had in William’s hair and began to tug hard. “You do realize how hard it has been for me these past 14 years! You have ruined everything! My wife hasn’t even touched me in years because of you! My business almost collapsed before my eyes because your insipid, idiotic infatuation with that silly little girl!”

“Ethan! Please! Pl-please st-stop! Please, I’m sorry!”

“You were just a mistake you realize!” Ethan hissed in William’s ear, pulling on his hair so hard that William thought he was going to rip it and his scalp right off the top of his head, the pain was excruciating. “I didn’t even want to have children! But your mother, the stupid cow that she is, wanted one. So I gave it to her and look what happened…we got you! A disappointment!”

William screamed at the top of his lungs as Ethan pulled hard, taking a patch of William’s curly hair with it. Hot, painful tears poured down his eyes as white searing flashes passed before his eyes and electric shocks passed through his brain causing his eyes to shut while trying to calm the pain. Suddenly, a large amount of weight slumped heavily against William’s chest as the struggle for breath became vital. Opening his eyes, William was surprised to see Ethan’s body on top of his, unmoving.

“Oh Lord…” William gasped trying to shove the heavy weight off of him, thinking Ethan was dead.

Ethan rolled off of him and hit the floor with a heavy thud.

“He’ll be fine…” William’s eyes looked up and saw his mother standing before him, holding a brass candle holder tightly in her hand while a bruise was already forming on her cheek from where she hit the floor. Dropping the holder onto the floor she collapsed to her knees having used up most of her lacking energy hitting Ethan. Her arms opened wide and William fell into them, clinging to her as if she were the only thing keeping him alive and connected to the world. His tears ran down his cheeks and onto her chest. “It’s all right my son…it’s over…it’s over for you. No more.”

William looked up at his mother with confusion embedded in his gaze. Without saying a word she took his hand and took him back to his room. “Mum?”

“We don’t have a lot of time left…its best we hurry.” She went over to his trunk that sat at the edge of his bed, which had not been unpacked from his trip from the Summers’ mansion “Pack what ever else you need. I will be back.”

William watched her leave before eagerly throwing things away inside his trunk while a tiny smile lit up on his face. Though he was still reeling over what Ethan had done to him, William couldn’t help but think that it was over. He and his mother were finally leaving. All the praying that he had done was finally paying off. He could go live with Xander and his Uncle on the farm. All was going to be right in the world now. Ethan would never harm them again.

When William had been done packing and cleaning his wounds, Jenny returned with her shawl wrapped tightly around her shoulders. One of coach masters brushed passed her and took William’s trunk. William smiled at his mother, hoping to see her glow with this new freedom she had been given but she still looked like ash.

“Come now.” Her pale hand enveloped his as they followed the coach master out to the carriage. William watched as he loaded it onto the coach but was surprised to see only one trunk.

“Mother? Where is yours?” When she didn’t respond and only cupped his cheek in her hand, William began to worry. “Mother! Tell me! Where is your trunk!”

“I’m not going.” She whispered, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “I gave the driver a letter to your aunt and uncle, be sure to give it to them when you get there.”

“Mum?”

Jenny smiled at him frailly and took him over to the coach, opening the door for him. “Don’t worry about me, dear. This old woman still has got some life in her, and I will be along after you soon. Now, go on.”

William felt a deep pang in his gut as the Rayne mansion shrunk in the distance, his mother watching him with a forlorn look on her face. He could see her unshed tears as she strongly tried to hide them from his gaze but he knew her all to well. He could see her struggle. William also knew that he wouldn’t be seeing his mother for quite awhile. She knew it too. It took everything in him not to jump out of the coach and run back to her, but she wanted this. She wanted this for him and so he stayed.

It was early dawn when the Harris farm heard a knocking on the front door. Mrs. Harris was busy in the kitchen when she heard it, fixing her family’s breakfast and at first thought it was her imagination. She furrowed her eyebrows as she heard it again. No one ever came to their door so early, except that one strange morning when that young Daniel Osbourne and come to call on Xander, but besides that the mornings were always quiet.

“Did you hear that, mother?” Winifred asked, shuffling into the kitchen with her nightgown and robe swishing around her feet. “Was that the door?”

“I think so, Winnie, dear.” She said, putting down her mixing bowl and then wiping her hands on her apron. “Do you think you could answer it? I am very busy with breakfast at the moment.”

“Yes, mam.” She grumbled, pulling her nightgown tighter around her. She hated being the first one up in the morning that always meant helping mother with all the chores before father and Xander went out to work in the fields. Although her brother was only 2 years older than she was, Fred always felt much younger. She was the baby of the family and got treated as such. She didn’t want to be treated as a child and she couldn’t wait until the day when her mother’s 9 months of pregnancy was over so that she wouldn’t be the baby anymore.

Running a hand through her dark hair, to make sure she looked at least somewhat presentable, she approached the door.

She wondered how she was ever going to find a suitor, considering the way she looked. The other girls in the village teased her because she read a lot of books and was interested in the sciences. She was also considered to be plain and mousy looking as well. It was only a couple of years ago that all the girls had stopped calling her Winifred and called her Fred instead due to her boyish intellect and the fact that she would only hang out with her brother and his friends.

She had first gotten the nickname from her older cousin William, when they were both little and he had always had a hard time saying her name, so he call her Fred instead. She had loved it -for awhile- until everyone else started calling her it and it wasn’t in a loving fashion that William said it.

Fred gasped when she finally opened the old, wooden door. “Oh, My Lord!” She shrieked, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly while bouncing on her tip-toes. “I’m so happy to see you!” She giggled, clutching on to him tighter.

“Winifred Harris, how many times have I told you not to say the Lord’s name in vain. You know that will only send you—“

Helena held her breath as she watched her youngest grasp on tightly to her older cousin. It had been a couple of years since William had visited them and usually when he did there was always some warning from her sister. Looking outside the doorway, Helena observed the trunk sitting at the edge of steps and the coach that was shrinking into the distance and moving back towards the city.

What had Ethan done now?

~*~

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose as the stranger looked her up and down with an air of haughtiness. The girl looked over at her parents for some reassurance or information about this woman but said nothing. Elizabeth turned back to the woman and tried to ignore the way the woman ran her eyes over her.

She could pass for a woman in her early sixties due to the condition of her wrinkled and weathered skin but her eyes said differently. Her graying hair that was probably a dark, rich color at some point in her life time was pulled into a tight bun at the top of head. Everything else about her was pale and thin, Elizabeth could see the thick veins that were coiled around her throat. She of course appeared to be raised as a proper lady. The kind of woman she knew girls like Harmony would grow up to be like. This was why Elizabeth was frightened by her presence.

“Well,” the woman brought her lace handkerchief to her nose as she ran her disapproving eyes over Elizabeth again. “She smells like a barnyard, which also reflects in her state of dress. Her hair is a complete mess and her posture is terrible.” She gently slapped at Elizabeth’s hands when they began to fidget. “She also seems to like to fidget.”

“I beg your pardon, madam, but I do not like the way you are talking about me!” Elizabeth growled, crossing her arms over her chest.

“A proper lady also never crosses her arms.” The woman pried Elizabeth’s arms away from her chest and pinned them to her sides. “This is a lot to work with, but it is not anything that I cannot handle.”

Elizabeth furrowed her eyebrows and looked over at her mother and father. “Mother? Father? What is she talking about? Who is she?”

Joyce smiled at her daughter and joined her at her side, linking their arms together. “This is Ms. Phillips…she owns a finishing school in London, and due to recent events…we have made her an offer.”

The girl’s eyes widened as she wretched herself away from her mother’s loving hold on her. “You mean…you wish to send me away…to England of all places!”

“It wasn’t our choice!” Rupert shouted, “Your mother and I—“

“If it was not your choice, then whose was it?” Tears began to fall from her eyes. She felt emptiness inside of her. Was this what betrayal felt like? “You are both my parents…you are supposed to take care of me and above all love me! Do you think that by sending me there that you are protecting me or loving me! You are just sending me there so I can become someone like Harmony! You don’t love me!”

“You will thank us later when you are older.” Joyce tried to soothe her and reached out to touch her but Elizabeth flinched away from her. “We only want what is best for you. We want you to have a good, settled place in society and with the way you are acting now, both your father and I feel that a bit of guidance is in order.”

Rupert sighed as he grasped his child’s shoulders and turned her around to face the stairs. “There is no argument. We have some of your things already packed but we left the rest up to you.”

“I hate the both of you!” She grumbled, wrenching herself away from her father before running up the stairs with tears falling from her eyes.

When she finally came down from her room about an hour later, Elizabeth had been scrubbed clean of all the dirt and grime on her until her skin had turned into a healthy shade of pink. She was wearing the heavy gown that had her mother had lain on the bed for her with new, satin, white gloves clutched in her hands. Her hair was pinned heavily on the top of her head.

It was pure torture.

Dawn had clutched on to Elizabeth tightly as they parted ways. Tears covered her round cheeks while her eyes had never been puffier. Elizabeth reassured her that she would write to her younger sister as much as she could and told Dawn that she loved her very much. She then begged her sister to somehow get in touch with William and Willow to tell them what had happened to her.

Elizabeth said nothing to her parents as she got into the coach with Ms. Phillips. Joyce tried to speak to her before she left but Elizabeth only glared at her. The girl knew that eventually she would have to talk to her parents but for the moment her anger consumed her and crippled her so much that the sight of both Rupert and Joyce was making her physically sick.

She knew that she would never forgive them.

To be continued…

Winter of 1773

CLANK!

CLANK!

"Spike."

CLANK!

"Spike, can you hear me!"

CLANK!

"Spike!"

CLANK!

"William!"

The young man working beside the burning coals jumped out of fright, "Jesus!" He hissed as his fingers gently brushed over the coals and lightly singed his skin. "Do you just enjoy scaring me half to death? It's a recurring theme with you."

"I must admit, it has been becoming a pastime of mine." Oz soon spotted the aged rocking chair that was sitting in the corner of the blacksmith shop. "I see we ended up with Widow Crabtree's rocker again. She wants you to fix it?"

"The creak is still there." William shook his burnt hand and crouched down beside the chair. "I have not 'ad the heart to tell 'er that I am not skilled in carpentry and the fact that I am a blacksmith."

"Xander will look at it I am quite sure." Oz watched as his friend went back to his work. William pulled the sword out from the coals, the tip glowing of it a deep orange, before sticking it into a barrel nearby that was filled with water, the sound of a sharp hissing and crackling soon followed. Watching with satisfaction, William snatched his cigarette that was sitting nearby and took a quick drag from it before taking the sword out of the barrel. Oz just shook his head. "We do have those nice and expensive cigars in the back, which I am certain, are better than what you have there."

"I'll pass." He leaned against the nearby wall and crossed his arms. "Besides, would never enjoy or touch anything that ponce Warren hands me." He held out the well-crafted weapon in front of himself for inspection and scowled slightly. "And besides, that lovely gift of cigars was to make sure I do not kick his bloody, no good, arse up and down the main street again."

"I still say you overreacted."

"And I say that the bloke had it comin' to 'im. He was making ill advances towards my Fred and didn't know how to keep some of his thoughts and hands to 'imself."

"You made both of his eyes swell up, broke his arm and then sent him flying through Liam's pub window." Oz raised an eyebrow at him with a look of amusement on his face.

William had always known Oz through Xander, but never knew him that much to define their relationship as a really 'close' one. William rarely visited the farm when he had been living with his parents because Ethan didn't find it proper. So, if William wanted to see Xander, then Xander would have to go to their home. It wasn't until William moved into the Harris' home that he had really gotten to know the red head. Once they had both finished their schooling last year, they both took an apprenticeship from the local blacksmith. Of course, the owner was never there so the young men had to run the shop themselves.

"Like I said to you before Oz, Warren 'ad it comin'."

Oz shook his head and then took the sword from him and slashed it through the air. "It's beautiful." He smiled, testing it out again.

"It should be. I was paid a lot to make it so." He took another drag from his cigarette and then began to gather his things. "Now that I have finished it, I am off. I am supposed to help out Aunt Helena this afternoon."

"Having all those kids finally caught up with her." Oz chuckled, gathering his things up as well.

"I suppose so." William snatched his coat from a nearby hook on the wall. "I will see you tomorrow, mate."

"Goodbye, Spike."

William smirked at him and tipped his head at him before heading out of the shop out into the countryside. Today, he couldn't take his horse with him into town like he usually did. Xander, of course, had picked a perfect time to go and visit Anya in New York, which left William without transportation. Xander had been visiting the girl off and on for the past two years. Of course there were occasions where she would come down to the farm and spend a couple of days with them. She never liked to come for a long period of time though; she said it was because of 'the abundance of small children,' and also her bunny phobia. There was also the occasion where she would bring Willow with her, which was always a delight.

However, seeing the redhead had always brought William's thoughts to Elizabeth. Dawn told him what had happened to her and William had been trying to contact Elizabeth over the years but she hadn't responded to his letters. He had been giving them to Dawn to send to her but she never received a word from Elizabeth about him.

The Harris' porch loomed not to far off into the distance, where a small girl was sitting patiently on the steps. It was their routine everyday. He would return home and she was always there waiting for him. Her small pixie face looking out into the countryside, waiting for him as patiently as a three year old could.

She finally spotted him and giggled with happiness, running towards him. Her cubby arms were spread wide open for him.

"Hello there beautiful." He scooped her up into his arms and set her on his shoulders. "How are things with you, my lovely?"

Tara blushed, resting her forehead against the top of his head. "O-Okay."

He only smiled and then noticed her clenched hand that was resting on his shoulder and something was held inside of it. "What is that in your hand, poppet?"

"A tw-tw-twinkwet." William grinned and kissed the hand lightly at her pronunciation of the word 'trinket.' She was adorable, "for Winnie."

"Whose it from? Not you, I imagine."

"Th-that scawy Warren told me to gi-give it to her." She opened up her hand and looked down at the small object in her hand with curiosity and then scrunched her nose up at it. "He swaid he had it specially mwade for 'er."

William growled silently as he thought of the slug and scoundrel Warren Meers. He had a reputation of being inappropriate to all the girls in town. Ever since he had heard what he did to Katrina from another schoolmate named Andrew, William made it his duty to make sure that Warren never touched any of his girls. Then suddenly, at the local town meeting last month, Warren started making advances towards Winifred. Then last week, Warren had the audacity to touch Fred unsuitably as she was walking home. She had come home crying and into William's arms and after some prodding of Andrew he managed to find out what happened. William then immediately marched back into town and into Liam's pub where Warren usually spent his evenings and continued to beat him into a bloody pulp, finishing him off by throwing him through the window.

"The ponce needs to learn that when I say I would kill him if 'e ever came near Fred again that I actually mean it." He muttered, patting the small girl on the leg and she giggled at him.

"I told 'im that but he didn't listen to me. Called me 'silly girl.'" She pouted, pressing her cheek against the top of his head. "Mommy got a mwessage from Xander, he comin' home tonight with that Anya girl and Willow. I like Will-Willow, she's funny."

Tara was a strange little girl. She was majority of the time, very quiet and shy. Even to her own family she was bashful. Aunt Helena always said that Tara talked more to him than she did to anyone else, that she opened up to him more for some reason. 'The girl sees you as her older brother,' Helena always said, 'you're her favorite, William.'

"That she is." He moved her off of his shoulders and into his arms, kissing her temple lightly. "And don't listen to that Warren bloke; you are no silly girl, poppet."

"What am I then?"

He grinned as he touched her forehead to his. "You're my special girl."

Tara giggled as William climbed up the porch and she wiggled out of his arms, landing softly onto the front porch. She took his hand in hers and led him inside. "Mommy is cwooking a wuvly dinner."

Helena's gaze drew away from her oldest daughter preparing dinner to the sound of the front door banging shut. She adjusted her 5-month-old Jesse on her hip as she approached her nephew, shaking her head.

"How many times have I told you William Matthew, no slamming of the door! Don't want your uncle to have to repair it once more, he has a bad enough back as it is." The older woman smiled, kissing her nephew on the cheek. "I am glad that you're home though, I was starting to get worried about you."

"Don't have to worry about little old me, Auntie." He grinned, squeezing her shoulder lightly before taking his jacket off and hanging it up beside the door. "And if your son had not taken Braden from me to New York then I would have been home earlier. It's a long walk."

He kissed her hair gently and smiled. She –despite what she thought- was his second mother. Helena had been nothing but warm and gentle towards him since the day he came out of Jenny's womb those 17-years-ago. And over the past three years, Uncle Henry –who was probably outside tending to the fields at the moment- had taught William to be a man and hadn't failed where Ethan had.

William wondered if Xander was aware how blessed he was to have the family he did.

"Sorry dear," She caressed his hair before going back to the small kitchen nestled in the corner of the farmhouse, continuing to prepare dinner. "You know how much he fancies that Anya girl."

"I know."

He unfortunately knew about it all too well. The last time Anya had stayed at the farm, she had snuck into the loft of the old barn –which was too small to be used anymore for the farm animals and so William and Xander shared together. The pair had started to get a bit too intimate for William's liking and was forced to leave the room, and instead slept outside in the slowly growing wheat field. The noises the couple had made burned his ears and the images of them both together were branded in his brain.

These images and thoughts of course brought a longing. Constantly, he thought of Elizabeth and that summer where he kissed her for the first time; his first kiss. He longed to see her again and for her kiss.

Of course there were times where he had a fancy for other girls. There was the brief crush for Cecily Addams, the minister's daughter, but that of course ended badly and ended up breaking his heart. She found him beneath her–she never explained why-, even though technically he was born into a higher social class than she was.

Then there was Faith Winters who was well known by all the villagers to be the daughter of a whore. Their relationship was nothing but pure physical attraction and nothing more. She was gorgeous and wanted William -at the time a young man at the age of 15- and after being recently rejected by Cecily, how could he deny her? Eventually, he came to find out she did it all for the attention of one young man named Liam, known to all as Angel. It worked and eventually Angel began to court her, even though they were both incredibly unfaithful to one another. William knew this because as of 2 months ago, Faith had been making unladylike gestures towards him. He had been ignoring her best that he could; William had learned his lesson the first time around.

No girl could compare to the burning and soulful love that he held for Elizabeth.

"You look tired, dear." Helena noticed with concern. "Why don't you rest for awhile until supper is ready and then I'll have Winnie go and wake you."

William let himself yawn freely. He was supposed to help her with dinner but was incredibly tired from working; he didn't think he could do anything productive. Luckily, Aunt Helena was a very observant woman.

"Thank you." He yawned once again with a small smile on his face. "You are quite a woman Auntie."

"I know." She chuckled, drawing her attention back to her cooking.

Tara ran up to her cousin and grabbed his hand tightly. "I fweel twired. I want to sweep too." She beamed at him with a look of admiration in her eyes.

"Come on, precious." He plucked her up into his arms and headed out the door and up towards the loft where they both fell easily into bed and quickly fell asleep, curled up next to one another.

He had only been asleep for merely an hour when a hand locked down on William's shoulder and began to shake him awake. William groaned as he slowly opened his eyes to see a mass of white that sitting on top of someone's head.

"Will?"

It was Xander's voice that woke him up fully and he sat up in his bed quickly, staring at his cousin with wide eyes before bursting out in laughter.

"What is that thing on your head, mate!" He managed to squeeze in midst-laughter, not being able take his eyes off of the wig.

Xander bit his bottom lip as his eyes strayed to the white mass of hair. "Anya."

"Don't you laugh at him William." Anya scolded, waltzing into the room as she admired her love's new look. "He looks fabulous. It is the latest style in England."

Tara had woken up as soon as William had and curled up into his lap, sucking her thumb as she clung onto him tightly. He stroked her hair softly before rolling his eyes at Anya. "Anya, I hope you realize that Xander is 17 not 57."

"Ignore him Xander. I think you look positively wonderful." She giggled and leaned over to whisper in his ear. "I hope to bring you many pleasures in the eve."

Xander's eyes felt like they were about to pop out of their sockets as she floated out of the loft and back to the carriage they had arrived in and where Willow was finishing unloading their things along with the help of Fred.

"I cannot believe that she talked you into wearing that ridiculous—"

"She approves of it."

"Well, we both know that the girl is one odd bird."

Tara finally noticed the other presence in the room and took her head out from William's shoulder. "Who is that?" She whispered to her cousin.

"That's your brother, poppet."

She sneaked a look at Xander before burying her face back into William's shoulder and started to giggle. "Funny."

William kissed her temple. "Do you have any other surprises that I should be aware of?"

"You may think you are clever but you're really not." Xander muttered, sitting down on William's bed and took the white wig off of his head.

"How was New York?"

Xander moaned and fell back on the bed, covering his eyes with his arm. "Horrible."

"Her family didn't approve of a future marriage between the both of you?" Tara had fallen back asleep in his lap and William couldn't help but smile at her.

"Of course not." He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest after he sat up in bed. "I should not have expected anything else. What proper, educated family would want their daughter –their pride and joy- to end up with the son of a farmer?"

"Well, let me tell you cousin…if they cannot see past their money and see how much their daughter practically worships you no matter what your station, then they are snobs." William clamped a hand onto the brunette's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Thank you."

It was after dinner that William managed to sneak away from everyone else and head out towards his uncle's fields with his tools in hand. He had hoped that his Uncle had not cleared away the firewood William had set out the day before. The sun was still out but dusk was slowly creeping in and William had little time left for what he set out to do.

Pulling his coat tighter around him, he set down his supplies and made up his fire. The evenings here could become very bitter at times especially during the winter. Every morning he would wake up and on his way into town would find frost and dew sprayed on the grass.

William could feel the cold wetness that saturated the ground and then looking back up at his subject, he started from where he last left off.

"It's beautiful."

He looked over his shoulder and was surprised to find Willow standing behind him with her hands clasped behind her back while peering at his sketch.

"Thank you for the compliment, Red, but it is horrible." He looked down at the beginnings of his drawing of the fields and the forest in front of him. "Art was never my forte and never will be."

She smiled shyly at him. "Oz came by and called on you but no one could find you."

"Red, you know just as well as I do that Oz did not actually come for me…it was mostly for you. He fancies you."

She blushed and tried to hide her face with her hair like she use to do as a child. Her hair was so long that it enveloped her entire face. She was a sweet little thing. It was plain to see why Oz was so smitten with her.

"It cannot be."

"Why not?"

"Because…all other young men…they find my intelligence to be off putting. I am not as interesting and not as beautiful as my cousins." Her green eyes were wide and her face was a deep blush that was the color of her hair.

"Well," William took her hands in his and squeezed them. "That is their problem isn't it? Their loss if they cannot see how lovely and magnificent you are. I would go after you and make you mine if I could."

She smiled shyly through her lashes. "Why haven't you?"

He tucked a strand of her crimson hair behind her ear and grinned. "Because then our friend Oz would have to kill me and I value my life too much."

He squeezed her hand for the final time and then continued on with his work. He had thought Willow had left him alone until she sat down next to him on the grass, watching the sun fade into the horizon. She sighed with a look of amazement as she watched the sky be painted into shades of pink and purple.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Willow bit her lip and her turned gaze from the sky towards his face. "I received a letter from her today." She looked over at him again to try and read the emotion on his face. His head was bowed and his eyes closed. "She has finished her schooling in England and is set to come home next month."

"Did she ask about me?" He muttered softly.

"I am sorry to report no…she did not." Willow reached out to pat him comfortingly on the back. "She did mention…other things."

"What?" His eyes weren't on the ground anymore but locked directly on her. She blushed again from the intensity of his gaze. "What did she write?"

"It was about her parents." Her hands twisted in her lap. "They have decided not make Parker her future suitor. Uncle Rupert's business plans with the Abrams fell apart. Unfortunately, they have chosen someone else to take his place."

"Who?" William felt his heart clench in his chest and start to crumble.

Willow bit her lip. He was getting irate, she could tell. "Sh-She said his name i-is Riley Finn. His father was a judge in London and then c-came here and started his own practice. It has become widely popular in New York. Mr. Finn also owns a large plantation down towards the south. He produces a nice amount of cotton every year. Uncle Rupert thinks they will make a perfect match and they will be meeting for the first time at The Mask he is throwing next month for her homecoming. They have written numerous occasions—"

"Willow!" His voice cut and rough as his hands clenched and unclenched, trying to fight backs his anger and jealousy. "No more please."

"I was rambling too much wasn't I? I tend to ramble whenever I feel nervous. It's not something that I do on purpose and I cannot stop the words that may come out. And I—"

"Willow." He wrapped his fingers around her shoulders, doing his best not to hold her too tightly and scare her off. He clenched his jaw. "When did you say she was arriving home?"

She bit her lip as she tried to figure out the look on his face. He no longer looked angry but like he had just gotten away with something bad. "What are you thinking, William? Why is that look on your face?"

"Nothing." He grinned, packing up his things. "Just have a plan s'all. Nothing you need to worry about." He flashed her one more smile before walking back to the house.

"William!" She yelled after him. She huffed when she tried to lift her skirts high enough so that she was able to catch up to him. "I do not understand. Please, tell me that you are not going to do something evil at Elizabeth's ball?"

"I am just going to go s'all."

"Do you realize what horrors will be in her social future if you arrive uninvited, especially with the troubled reputation of your family's name? No one has been looking kindly onto the Rayne household for the longest time." Her feet were aching in her shoes; she found it extremely hard to keep up with him with these heavy skirts weighing her down. She reached out and grabbed at his arm.

"Her parents like me. I am sure they will not mind t'all." He sighed. "'Sides it is a Mask so I will be wearing a disguise. My face will be covered and no one in her precious social circle will know it is me."

"I still do not think that this is a wonderful…"

"Willow, Red…" His hands were on her shoulders now and he was looking her directly in the eye. "Trust me."

To be continued…

Winter of 1773

London, England

"All this talk of independence and revolution is just ridiculous. These Americans are just mad! I say that the King should use more force on them. What do you say Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth snapped out of stupor. All this talk of war and revolution was just so tiresome that she couldn't help but phase out. She loved her new friends yes, but some things were just too gruesome to discuss being the high-class young women they were.

"Frankly, Anna I do not care for such things and I wish to not discuss them." Her tone was haughty and her body sat rigid in her chair. All traces of the girl she once was gone and in place a high society woman who knew her place.

"I have to agree with our dear Elizabeth, why must we worry about such a silly thing. The King will fix it right away and we won't need to be concerned about these American rebels." Elizabeth couldn't express how much she loved Gwen. The only one she could ever agree with on any subject that presented itself. They were both cut from the same cloth. Both girls born in America whose parents thought they were both too wild for their age and then shipped to London and had been groomed into highly respected young women.

"Well, I would worry if I were the both of you. Considering the fact that both of you are being shipped back to that awful place later this week!" Anna snapped, picking up her skirts and marching away.

"I cannot believe you both are leaving us!" Diana sniffled. She had come to the school two years ago and had appeared so clueless that Elizabeth took her under her wing and molded and crafted Diana until she became one of them. One of societies most precious treasures. Of course Diana had her moments when all manners slipped away and what was left was nothing but a little girl from the English countryside who was overly sensitive.

"Do not worry sweet Diana!" Gwen patted the other girl's hand. "Elizabeth and I will always love you."

If Gwen had to be honest, she hated Diana. She loathed her. There was nothing more exciting about leaving this place then getting rid of some of their more flunky friends. Diana was one of them. She was a poor little girl from the country who was lucky enough to get into this school. And of course Elizabeth had to be generous and brought her into their circle of friends who were not as accepting as dear Elizabeth.

Elizabeth was the hardest to reform. It took her quite a couple of months to realize she was there to stay. She of course tried to get herself get sent back home. She would cause so much trouble but nothing was enough for her to get sent back to America. Of course she had been punished. All of her going out privileges were taken away until further notice and she disallowed her writing privileges for quite some time until she straightened herself out. At some point during that first year and half, something had happened to Elizabeth that caused her to change. Gone was the girl who always spoke her mind and was the opposite of what Gwen would call a 'lady,' and in her place was someone who she was proud to call a friend. She quickly became the most popular girl in the school and every girl tried to worm their way into Elizabeth's circle but none had succeeded. Elizabeth wouldn't just let anyone be her friend anymore.

Gwen was jealous.

And of course, Elizabeth had the most handsome fiancée. Gwen had met Riley Finn once at one of her father's balls and just looking at him made Gwen's heart quicken. So when she heard of Riley and Elizabeth's engagement she was both envious of her friend and happy for her. She was one lucky girl.

"Come now Gwen," Elizabeth tugged at her hand, "we have some packing to finish."

"Of course." Gwen smiled brightly at Diana before following Elizabeth down the hall. "Thank goodness Elizabeth. If I had to hear that girl whine and cry once more I would have strangled her. I cannot see why you became friends with her at all. She is quite annoying."

"I know, Gwen." She sighed, looking over shoulder at poor Diana who had tears pouring down her cheeks with her handkerchief clutched tightly in her hands. "It is the thing I regret most of all. If I had known she would cry so much I would not have befriended or even talked to her. Waste of my time really."

"I agree." Gwen threw open her dresser and her extra trunk. "I really do wish they had servants to do this for me. If I were home then I wouldn't have to be packing my own things. This place is nothing but huge pig sty. I will never set foot in here ever again!"

"I do not mind it so much." Elizabeth chirped, sitting on her friend's bed watching as she threw her things into her trunk. Not quite sure of how to make all her things fit in one compartment. "This place is much better than back home."

"Ah, yes. You are moving back to the countryside. I have forgotten. You poor thing!" Gwen reached over and patted her hand. "I do not see why your father, being the rich man that he is, decided to make you live out of the city. It was not a smart move, if I may say so."

"I agree." Elizabeth nodded, crossing her hands in her lap. "I feel that it was my parent's fault getting sent here. I mean they only made me continue my rude behavior by making me live out there!"

"Yes! And all the people you had to converse and socialize with!" She groaned. "Harmony Kendall! What a vapid girl. I could not stand her! Although her cousin Parker is quite a gentleman and what a charmer! I would marry him if he asked me to. It is sad that you both are not to be betrothed though. You both would have had a happy life together."

"I am happy that I do not have to marry that scoundrel! He is nothing like a gentleman. The things he would say to me were just horrid and he would always try and touch me! It was sickening!"

"Yes, but you would rather have the company of little Willy Rayne instead!" Gwen teased with a smile. It was always a pleasure for her to tease Elizabeth about little Willy. "Letting him send you little love letters and giving you little kisses!"

"Stop it!" Elizabeth huffed, throwing a pillow at her friend. "I told you never to speak of him again! Why must you continue to torture me about the past?"

Gwen giggled, winking at her friend. "But it is so much fun!" She had a dangerous glint in her eyes. "I bet that once little Willy finds out that you are back in the country, he will run after you. I wish I could be there to see the event!"

"STOP IT GWENETH!"



"Oh Lord." She grumbled stepping off the boat seeing the masses of poverty around her. What a horrid site to greet her. Couldn't her parents have made sure she was dropped off at a better port than this hole?

"ELIZABETH!" Over the masses of people, a small wrinkled hand was waving high the air.

Pushing herself through the crowd with servants trailing behind her with her things, Elizabeth came face to face with her family.

Both of her parents had nothing but the warmest expressions on their faces. Elizabeth felt her face grow hot and tears clouding her vision. It just had been too long.

"Mommy...Daddy..." She gasped before throwing herself into the arms of her parents. If Gwen were able to see this, Elizabeth would just die from embarrassment.

"Don't worry dear, you are home." Her mother cooed in her ear. "Now say hello to your little sister."

Elizabeth pulled away from her parents and looked behind her to see little Dawn, who now wasn't so little anymore. The last time Elizabeth had seen her she had just turned eight but now she was eleven. She was just about almost the same height as Elizabeth and her baby fat was disappearing. She was going to be a beauty when she got older...but not with that look on her face.

Dawn stood in front of the coach waiting impatiently. Her arms crossed in front of her chest while tapping her foot incessantly. A scowl set firmly on her face that was obviously directed at her sister.

What is wrong with her?

"Dawnie." She smiled, approaching the girl but her sister just backed away. "Daw—"

"She's here." She grumbled; looking up at her parents she rolled her eyes. "Can we leave now?"

"Dawn!" Rupert snapped, gesturing towards Elizabeth with a pleading look on his face. "Please."

"Fine!" She huffed, stomping over to her sister. "Good to have you home." She forced a smile on her face before turning around and jumping into the coach.

The ride home had been a tense one. Elizabeth and her parents discussed her teachings and the happenings in London, but Dawn paid them no attention. She just stared out the window and watched the scenery with that scowl on her face. Elizabeth knew her sister's unhappiness was due to her arrival but she didn't know what could've caused this feeling. What had she done to her recently?

It was after dinner that Elizabeth finally approached her younger sister who at that moment was sitting quietly in her room, scribbling away in her personal journals.

"You have grown." Elizabeth whispered, waiting patiently at the threshold of the room. Dawn barely glanced behind her shoulder at her before going back to her work.

"That tends to happen in three years."

"Can I come in?"

"I would prefer that you did not, sister." Dawn finally got up from her desk and hid her journal at the bottom of her trunk before finally looking at Elizabeth taking the stance she had been in earlier today at Elizabeth's arrival. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"There is nothing to discuss."

"Obviously there is. You have this hatred towards me and I don't understand the reason why!"

"Oh, please Elizabeth!" She scoffed, coming close to her older sister. "How about being engaged to Riley for one! How about—!"

"Being betrothed to Riley was not my choice and you know that. And he seems perfectly nice in his letters."

"He's just a poor little rich boy like Parker!"

"He is not!"

"Fine! But, what about William? Why did you never answer his letters? He has been dying to hear from you for the past three years. He wrote you everyday for two years and you never responded. I tried to tell him what a snob you had become and it wasn't his fault but he wouldn't listen to me!"

"William Rayne is nothing to me Dawn. He's beneath us. The Rayne family is no longer a family of respect." Elizabeth snipped, mimicking her sister's stance. "What happened between us was a mistake and I will regret it for the rest of my life!"

"How can you say that! How can you—!"

"Honestly Dawn, I think it is about time you got over your infatuation with William you have obviously held on to for so long. It's quite sad really, pining after a boy that will never give you a second glance! You will always be little Dawn to him, nothing more. It's about time you grew up! I did..."

Tears were brimming in the young girl's eyes. Dawn knew that William would never be hers but it still hurt to hear it. "I don't want to be like you...not anymore." She whispered, the tears finally falling down her face.

"Your loss then." Elizabeth smiled before flouncing out of her sister's room.

"No..." Dawn breathed with a frown on her face, " more like yours."

To be continued...

A/N~ Now I am all caught up with everything, thank goodness! Thanks to all for the reviews, you have no idea of how much I appreciate them.

Winter of 1773

“I d-d-do not approve of this idea at all!” Willow tugged at the sleeves of her gown nervously as she exited the coach with William. “We will obviously be found out and I will get in trouble not only with my cousin but with my aunt and uncle!”

“I think you should stop worrying. We will be fine.” He grumbled, straightening his crimson silk mask before he handed her emerald one. “It has been 3 years since I have seen anyone from the upper class part of society. And let me remind you, back then I was short, scrawny little thing…”

“I still do not have a good feeling about this…”

William rolled his eyes, taking her by the arm and led her up the front steps behind another couple. “Just remember what I told you. My name is not William…do not call me that name unless you want to get into trouble.”

“So, what do I call you then?” She asked, placing her mask over her eyes. A heavy feeling had settled at the bottom of her stomach, which she couldn’t shake no matter how many times she tried to reassure herself. Elizabeth would be very mad if she were to find out. She clearly did not want to have any contact with William Rayne and Willow had not honored her wishes and instead brought William to her welcome home party.

This was not a good idea.

“I have no idea, Will. Just make up something.”

“Fine,” Willow shrugged as she handed the doorman her invitation. The doorman smiled at her kindly and ushered her inside.

The place had been lavishly decorated. The place was made up for royalty from the looks of it. It was packed with as many people as it could possibly hold. Willow rolled her eyes at the amount. Half of these people probably did not care about Elizabeth or her homecoming.

However, anything that involved the Summers family was worth attending or being a part of. Over the past three years, Rupert had caused his family to rise in the social ladder with ease. It was mostly due to the separation of his practice with Ethan Rayne. The Rayne family had been looked down upon after William had run away from home and since then Ethan had turned to booze and whores.

“Went all out, didn’t they?” William commented as they pushed themselves into the main room.

“I agree.” She whispered, scanning the room for her cousin. She silently wished that none of her family spotted her.

Unfortunately, her wish did not come true.

“Willow! Dear!”

The shrill, excited cry from her Aunt Joyce made Willow feel like she wanted to crawl underneath a rock and die a slow, painful death. Instead, Willow put on a brave face and turned around to face her aunt.

“Auntie Joyce!” She smiled, hugging the older woman tightly. “It’s been too long.”

“It has been! A year, if my calculations are correct!” Joyce cupped her niece’s cheek and smiled kindly. “How beautiful you have become. You and my Elizabeth both have turned into such beautiful girls. I am sure that you will be attracting suitors shortly.” The older woman suddenly noticed the young man standing at Willow’s side and gave her niece a ‘knowing’ look. “It looks like you already have though. Now, who is this handsome fellow, my dear niece?”

Willow’s strong demeanor almost cracked at Joyce’s assumption. Her heartbeat began to race and she felt at any moment that it was going to burst. Her cheeks flushed.

“Th-this is…my…” her hand reached out behind her and grabbed William’s. “This is…Randy…McAllister. Works with my father in New York and thought we would make a perfect pair.”

“How wonderful for you! I am so happy that you and Elizabeth both have found someone. You should see her with young Mr. Finn! She is quite smitten with him. They both match each other perfectly. I am sure it is the same for you two!” Joyce stroked her niece’s cheek once more before excusing herself to fetch Elizabeth for Willow.

Once Joyce was out of earshot, William looked over at Willow with a raised eyebrow. “Randy?”

“I panicked!”



Elizabeth giggled as Riley whispered something into her ear. This party could not get any better. She had a wonderful man by her side. She was surrounded by good people and getting all the attention she could ever want.

“Elizabeth. Your cousin Willow is here, come say hello.”

It was then that all Elizabeth’s happiness was doused simply with those few words. It wasn’t that Elizabeth did not love Willow. It scared her that if Riley saw her simple, plain cousin, he might not want her.

“Do I have to mother? Riley and I are quite busy.”

“Elizabeth Anne Summers! This is not how I raised you! Go and say hello to Willow and her young fellow.” Joyce took her daughter by the arm and winded her through the various couples in the room.

“Young fellow? Willow brought someone with her?” Elizabeth wondered briefly if it could be Xander with her, which immediately led her towards unwanted thoughts of William Rayne.

“Yes, it seems Willow has found herself a suitor. He is quite handsome, even in his mask. Willow is a very lucky young woman.” The older woman gushed with excitement.

“I will have to see this for myself.” She grumbled as they approached the female redhead and her companion, whose backs were to Elizabeth. “Willow!”

Willow’s heart jumped when she saw her cousin come towards her with her aunt. Willow couldn’t help feel the room get smaller and smaller with every step that the women took and squeezed William’s hand as hard as she could. Her heart had to be jumping out through her chest.

“Lizzie! My Goodness, it has been too long!”

The two cousins embraced and giggled with joy. Willow soon began to feel the hard pit in her stomach to fade away as her cousin hugged her. Her fear of the night turning into a complete disaster was lost to her as she Elizabeth’s arms wrapped tightly around her.

William couldn’t take his eyes off of her. It seemed that the time away from America had only made Elizabeth more beautiful than ever, even with the violet mask covering most of her face. Knowing that he was in the presence of such physical perfection made his heart swell and break at the same time. Then immediately felt hate and jealously boil up inside him towards the man that took her away from him.

“It has…” She whispered as she noticed a pair of azure eyes staring intensely at her. His stare caused a chill to run down her spine and her stomach and chest to lighten. “Wh-who is this?”

Willow gulped as she finally noticed the nature of William’s stare. She quickly snapped him out of him by grabbing quickly onto his hand and squeezing it gently. “This is Randy McAllister. He works with my father. We have been in courtship for several months now and someday hope to be married.” I cannot believe I am lying to my own family! She turned to William with a bright smile on her face, gesturing towards her cousin. “Randy this is my cousin Elizabeth. She has just returned home from boarding school in London!”

Elizabeth extended her hand towards the masked man and felt another shiver race up her spine when his lips graze her skin. An immediate hole burned through her hand and continued to burn even when his lips had left her and it made Elizabeth long for more contact.

“Hello.” He rumbled softly, his gaze locked on hers. However, a swift kick from Willow knocked him out of the haze he had been in and into his role of Randy McAllister. “Welcome home. Willow has told me so much about you and how excited she is about your return.”

Oh my Lord! His voice…beautiful. She gushed in her head, while on the outside she was trying hard to contain her excitement. “Why, thank you very much Mr. McAllister.”

“Your welcome.”

Elizabeth’s body flamed with jealousy when she saw William place a tender kiss on Willow’s forehead, smiling at her with such affection that it made Elizabeth want to heave.

“If you both will excuse me, I have something to attend to.” She gritted through her teeth before marching outside.

“She is in a sour mood.” Willow pouted, crossing her arms. “Do not know how she could be though. If I had a party like this I would be jumping for joy!”

“I think someone is jealous of Willow!” He sang softly into her ear with a wicked grin on his face, linking their arms together.

“I think you are delusional.” She snorted, slapping him lightly on the arm as they weaved themselves through the crowd. “Why would she be jealous of me anyhow?”

“It could be because she is stuck with uptight, homely Riley Finn and you of course of have me, a quite handsome fellow. You saw the way she was looking at me!”

Willow rolled her eyes as she unhooked their arms. “I think you should come back to earth. You are over exaggerating the whole entire event. She does not even know who you are and by now has even forgotten your name.”

“Red…” William purred with that wicked smile of his, wrapped his arms tightly around Willow’s waist. “When did you become so feisty towards me? Something you want to tell me? Have any…unspoken feelings toward me?”

Willow huffed as she elbowed him in the stomach but couldn’t help but let a ghost of smile grace her lips. “You are too much.”

“I am aware…” His eyes turned away from the redhead and eagerly searched out for Elizabeth. “Look…I am going to go mingle and such.”

“No! No! No! No!” She panicked, her green eyes wide as they could possibly get. “I’m sorry but that is not possible. I’m not going to let you go off on your own! Who knows what trouble you could get yourself into without me by your side!”

“Willow!” He whined, his bottom lip jutting out into a small pout, resembling a spoiled child. “Please. I promise I will be a good, little boy. I promise if you let me go, I’ll…cater to your every will.”

Willow furrowed her brows as she contemplated the thought. Then a wicked grin traced her lips when she came to her decision. “I expect you to keep that promise, you do know this?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Now do not get into any trouble. I will meet you back here in an hour.”

“Yes, mam!” He saluted, watching her as she floated over towards some older woman who obviously recognized her.

Suddenly, a flash of blonde hair caught William’s eye. He watched with interest as Miss Elizabeth stormed outside of the ballroom and out towards the balcony. He then knew that this would be the time to reveal to her. Surely, she would not be mad considering the way she was looking at him before.

“Willow might get angry.” He whispered, slowly contemplating his options.

“If my sister discovers that you are here, she is going to have a fit!” A small voice spoke out behind him. Slowly turning around, William was faced with a more grown up Dawn who was practically beaming at him. “However, you are lucky that I do not care what she thinks at the moment!”

She squealed with delight before launching herself into his arms, clinging onto him desperately. With her squeal, a few of partygoers nearby stared at the couple with astonished faces, then whispered in hushed tones to their neighbor about such inappropriate behavior. William blushed and quickly dragged the young girl away from their audience and into a close by hallway.

“How did you know it was me?” He murmured, jerking his head from left to right in order to make sure that they were alone.

“Well, I first though it was you when I saw Willow come in, but I was not sure. Then I became more certain it was you because I concluded that since you fancy my sister so much and you must have been aware of her homecoming that you find someway to come. Also, when you were talking to mother, I saw your eyes and that’s when I knew for sure that it was you. I have never seen anyone with your eyes.” She babbled, bouncing on the balls of her feet before wrapping her arms tightly around him once again. “I am so glad you are here. I am so happy to see you!”

His smile was soft as he reached out and stroked the top of her head. “I am glad to be here and to see you as well.”

“Elizabeth has been driving me mad.” She muttered into his waistcoat, thoughtfully taking his scent in. “I almost threw one of my books at her. And you know how much I cherish my books, I have written to you many times about it.”

“I am sure she is not that horrible, Dawn.” He craned his neck in order to find the perfect view of the balcony, so that he could get a glimpse of her. “Though I am sure throwing a book at Elizabeth is not the answer to dealing with her.”

“You say that because you are in love with her.” She pouted, rubbing her face further into his stomach. She wondered why no else in her family could listen to her the way that William did. Mother’s world was Elizabeth and making sure her union with Riley went superbly. For father, his work was his life and somehow Dawn did not fit into it. And Elizabeth was just too into herself to notice anyone else around her.

“This is true, I do love her. Although, I do fear though that my feelings will not be returned. However,” he peaked down at her and softly tilted her chin so that she could look directly into his eyes, “my love for Elizabeth cannot compare to the intensity at which I love you. You are a part of me Dawn. You are my family.”

Tears sprinkled her doe eyes. A feeling of intense love swept over her and it was so overpowering that Dawn felt like she might explode from it. With a small yelp, she shot herself back into his arms and placed a small kiss on his cheek.

“I love you…” She whispered to herself, nuzzling her cheek softly into his stomach once again. “I cannot ask for anyone better…”

“Me either…” He murmured softly, rubbing the top of her head affectionately.

A snickering broke William’s attention away from Dawn towards the front end of the hallway. William could recognize the owner of that snicker from anywhere, that pompous ponce, Parker Abrams and there he was with a group of friends. They all seemed to be staring out towards the balcony where Elizabeth was standing silently, looking out at the stars. Seconds later, Parker handed his goblet to one of his lackeys and headed out towards the balcony.

To be continued…