Chapter 20: Day off
William and Elizabeth managed to successfully avoid each other for the next few days. Each, however, kept thinking back to their brief kiss - it was never far from either of their minds. It had been the most amazing kiss Elizabeth had ever experienced, yet while her body craved it, her mind screamed at her to hold back.
After everything that had happened, Elizabeth knew that she couldn’t go rushing head first into another relationship, especially with someone of higher social standing. No, it would not be right, they would just have to try to remain friends and nothing more.
Throwing herself into work, she did not dwell on what could not have been had Parker not attacked her and made her a weaker form of herself, or if Liam had not taken her morals and innocence from her, and crushed them under his foot as though they where no more than mere ants. No, she would not dwell on what could have been.
Elizabeth was relieved when Sunday finally came around. It was her first proper day off, one where she could go anywhere and do anything without having to answer to anyone. Elizabeth knew exactly how and where she was going to spend the day – she was going to visit her mother.
Waking up on Sunday, Elizabeth lay in bed loving how it felt knowing she didn’t have to get up. She didn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn and start running around. She didn’t have to be down in the kitchens. She didn’t have to go help prepare breakfast. The only thing she had to do today was make sure that she wasn’t hanging around the manor and getting in the way.
With a smile on her face, Elizabeth threw the blankets off herself and placed her feet on the cold wooden floor. Stepping fully out of bed, she carefully made it up, making sure everything was perfectly in place. Elizabeth then laid her work dress on the freshly made bed, to stop it creasing while she was away. Stripping off her nightgown, she dressed in the dress she had been wearing when she had first arrived at the manor. The coarse wool fabric caused Elizabeth to cringe as it brushed against her delicate skin and she hoped that while she was at home she would be able to change the thick winter dress, for her lighter cotton summer one.
Spraying on a small amount of the spritz her mother had given her; Elizabeth picked up her hat and left the room.
***
Walking down the small staircase, Elizabeth placed her hat gently on her head and tied the ribbon tightly under her chin. Her golden hair was free flowing around her shoulders just the way her mother liked it.
Entering the kitchen, Elizabeth saw Maggie standing by the hearth, Tara stood over by the sink peeling apples and Willow stood at the table loading up a tray with morning tea. Walking over to Willow, Elizabeth gave her a hug. Maggie turned around to look at them.
“I see you are off then. Please don’t loiter around the grounds. I expect you back here by 9 o’clock, any later, and be warned; you will be sleeping in the stables. I assume you will be spending the day with your family. Not that it matters one way or another as long as you aren’t here. Will you be requiring your wage?” Maggie said turning to look at Elizabeth.
“Yes, Miss Walsh. If it isn’t a problem it would definitely help my family.”
Turning around Maggie walked over to the jar over to the sink, where all the household expenditure was kept. Taking the jar down she handed Elizabeth two silver farthings.
“As this is your first wage the cost of your uniform has been taken out of it.”
“Thank you, Miss Walsh.” Elizabeth carefully made sure she had pocketed the money; she wouldn’t want to lose that, not after all the hard work she had put in to earn it.
“Well then, Miss Summers, you had best be leaving if you hope to have any of your day off left.”
Elizabeth cast one more look at Willow, giving her a small smile before leaving out the side door.
The weather outside was beautiful; Elizabeth was cursing the thick wool dress even more now she was under the suns unforgiving rays. She still couldn’t quite believe that it had been a full month since she had last seen her family.
Elizabeth was so lost in thought, she hadn’t seen William approaching, causing her to jump when he stepped in front of her.
“Oh! Master William, you made me jump.” Elizabeth placed a hand to her rapidly beating heart.
William tried not to look disheartened by the fact that although clearly alone Elizabeth had gone back to calling him master. Holding out his hands to stop her, William spoke hurriedly, “Ok, just bear with me, love, and let me get this all out.” Elizabeth just nodded. “I’m sorry about what happened I truly am. I don’t regret the kiss, but I regret spoiling things between us. I promise it won’t ever happen again, unless you want it. The truth is, pet, I miss you and I miss spending time with you.” He then ducked his head shyly over admitting that.
“I miss you too, William.” Elizabeth knew she had to admit it; it was after all the truth.
“Really?” A smile crept over William’s face. “Well, I say we spend the day together today then.”
“William, I can’t.” She noticed that William looked downcast as she had said that, and she had to make him see that she wasn’t rejecting him, she just couldn’t spend today with him. “I do miss you, but I can’t spend the day with you today. It’s my day off, William, and I’m spending it with my family.”
“Oh well, why didn’t you say so?” With that, he set off down the path in the direction Elizabeth had just been heading.
“William! Where are you going?” Elizabeth ran to catch up with him, her hat slipping forward slightly as she did.
“Come on, pet, we’ll never get to your mum’s if you are going to stand there gassing.” William spoke quite matter-of-factly causing Elizabeth to stop.
“William! William!” Despite Elizabeth calling, William carried on walking. “William! ‘Spike’!” Elizabeth hissed.
This caused William to turn around with a silly grin on his face. “What?”
“You can’t go to my mothers looking like that! She’ll have a fit if she thinks I’ve turned up with an aristocrat.”
William smiled to himself; she had agreed that he could come. Thinking for a second, he then came up with an answer, and taking her hand William led her across the grounds to a secluded little seat.
“Ok, love, you sit right here, promise you won’t go anywhere. I will be back in a little while. I promise your mum won’t have a clue who I am.” With that said William jogged off towards the manor, leaving Elizabeth standing there.
Unsure what to do, Elizabeth did as William had asked, and sat down on the seat and waited patiently.
She didn’t have to wait long; she could soon see a William shaped man walking across the grounds towards her. As he stopped in front of her, Elizabeth could barely contain the laugh that bubbled forth.
“What do you look like?”
“What’s wrong with it?” William looked down at himself, bemused by what was causing her to giggle.
“No, nothing really.” Elizabeth tried harder to fight back the giggle.
William was wearing a moth eaten jacket that was at least three sizes too big and seemed to be hanging off his slender body. His trousers were no longer the finer finished fabric, also gone was his white silk ruffle shirt, instead replaced by a simple cotton one. His boots were scuffed and dirty. Overall, he no longer looked like the rich aristocrat he had done when he had left her sat there.
“Where did you get those clothes from, Spike?” she realised the name ‘spike’ definitely suited his persona better today.
“I traded Larry. He got my clothes and I got his. Mind you, he’ll get these back at the end of the day anyway, not like mine will fit him. All’s fair.”
When Buffy pulled a worried look, Spike realised she was scared Larry would say something.
“Don’t panic, pet, he doesn’t know why I want them, and even if he did he wouldn’t tell.”
Buffy still felt apprehensive, but nodded anyway.
“Well then, Buffy, should we be on our way then?”
With that, the two of them set off in the direction of the village.
***
The pair walked in comfortable silence for a while, until a giggle from Buffy broke the peace. Spike glanced across at her as they carried on walking.
“What’s that, love?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Spike raised an eyebrow at her,
“Oh, ok.” Buffy gave in under his intense stare and told him, “I was thinking about how you always keep surprising me. One minute I think I have you all worked out, William ‘Spike’ Hartley, but then you’ll do something like this, and it makes me question what I know.” Buffy ducked her head and uttered in a small voice, “I like it, it’s nice.”
Spike didn’t know what to say, so he said the first thing that came into his head, “And that thought caused you to giggle?”
He made sure to wear an indignant look on his face as he looked at her.
“No! Sorry.” Another little giggle broke forth. “I was thinking about what you are wearing. Your hair needs to be messier though.”
Stepping in front of him, Buffy ran her fingers through his hair, causing it to fall into little curls and making it look like it had the other day when it had got wet in the river.
Reaching up, Spike took Buffy’s hand in his own, and brought it to his mouth, placing a chaste kiss on the back of it. Both just stared at each other, neither saying a word, locked in position. Buffy’s breathing started to pick up, until it came in short gasps, and both just stared into each other’s lust filled eyes, remembering the amazing kiss from the other day.
Suddenly someone cleared their throat behind Buffy’s back, effectively breaking their trance. Buffy and Spike broke guiltily apart, and Buffy spun around to see a young girl with long dark hair standing behind her.
“Dawn!”
TBC…
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Suzee updating for Nikilicious again...I hope you're all enjoying the story and please review :) Sorry this is a little late today...it's been a busy, crazy day. Hope you're all doing well...enjoy.