Chapter 34: survival
“Royalty? Yes.” Joyce filled in for him. “Her father is George II cousin.”
“Thereby making Buffy his niece.” Things he had seen, little hints of he had gleamed of Buffy’s past started to fall into place.
“And 29th in line to the throne.” Joyce’s face suddenly turned stony as she looked at William. “That isn’t who she is anymore though, William. We came to Ireland to get a fresh start, away from all the controversy. If she didn’t tell you who she was there will be a reason for it. She’s not that girl anymore William. I fear that girl died a long time ago.”
Williams head was spinning this was all just so much to take in. “Wait a second. I am trying to understand, I really am. But what I don’t get, and excuse me if I am saying something wrong here. But a while ago I asked Buffy to marry me.” Joyce stared at William shocked. One of the richest men in the country had asked for her daughter’s hand in marriage and yet she must have turned her down, or they wouldn’t be stood here now, would they. Could it really be that she knew so little about her own daughter these days?
“She said no, Joyce, but I guess you got that. What I don’t get is why? She said it was because we where from different social standing yet she can marry Captain Cardboard. But we aren’t that different. So why turn me down?”
Joyce just shook her head. “I can’t tell you William. The only person who can tell you about Buffy’s choices and actions is Buffy herself.” Joyce looked up at the confused William. “All I can think of as to why she turned you down William, is because you had connections with London, something Mr. Finn does not. When her father did what he did, it was very hard on Buffy, she took it the hardest of us all. We came here to be away from that. No one knows us here, they don’t know what happened in London. That’s why I fear she turned you down, and it appears broke her heart at the same time. Just another fall out from her father. You were a link back, something she never wants. That’s why I think she said no”
William didn’t know what to say. He knew only of the gossip that had surrounded Hank Summers, like many of the people who lived in London he knew nothing of the truth. “Joyce, what hap…”
However just at that moment, Wesley came up the stairs followed by the smartly dressed doctor.
Abandoning what he was going to say, he rushed over. “Doctor, thank you for coming. Here she’s in here.” Leading the way he took her into Elizabeth’s room.
Dr. Isaacs, placed his bag down and stared at the still girl in the bed. “What happened here?”
It was William who spoke. “I found her she was outside in the rain. I am not sure how long she had been there. She was barely dressed and soaked through when I got there. She wasn’t conscious when I found her. I brought her straight back here. Then we called for you.”
“You did right sir.” Taking several items out of him bag, he walked past William and spoke to Dawn. “Please let me see to the patient.”
Moving to let the doctor next to the bed, Dawn went and stood by her mother at the door.
After 10 minutes of no one speak, William could barely cope with the silence. “Doctor, please tell us something.”
“It appears that Miss…”
“Summers” It was Joyce who said the name, remind William he wasn’t the only one in the room who cared for Buffy.
“It appears that Miss Summers has developed pneumonia..” Placing down his manorial stethoscope, he turned to look at the three people in the room. “I feel that it would be unwise for the young lady to stay in the presence of Miss Summers, it is simply not safe for her.” He gestured towards Dawn.
Taking immediate heed of the warning, Joyce shuffled her daughter out of the room. “I will be back with you in a moment darling. I promise. This will only take a little while.”
Once the door was closed again, William turned back to the doctor. “What can be done?”
“The illness is far more advanced than I would like. It appears that Miss Summers may have had a viral infection before she ever set foot in the rain, which has triggered this devastating strain on her body as the pneumonia has taken hold. I fear that you must prepare yourself for the worst.”
Joyce broke down, sinking to the floor, she looked at her daughter led there. Her brow was sweaty and she looked white as a ghost.
William refused to give in, Buffy would be fine, she had to be. “What more can be done.” He stared directly at the doctor, not breaking eye contact.
“I will try to bleed the illness out of her and I have medication that you must administer. But more than that I cannot do. It will then be up to Miss Summers own strength to help her through. I do not promise that these remedies will work. Now please pass me my bag.”
Doing as he was asked, William handed him the brown leather bag that lay by his feet. The doctor took out the bowl, and making a small slit in Buffy’s inside elbow, he placed the bowl under her and let the blood slowly start to drain out of her body.
“Could you please get someone to show me to the kitchens so that I may get a bowl of water and sort out several of my items.”
“Of course.” Ringing the bell on the wall, it was several minutes later Amy politely knocked on the door and took the doctor away down to the kitchen.
It was soon only Joyce, William and the ill Buffy in the room. Joyce turned to look at William. “I should really go talk to Dawn. Tell her what’s going on. Will you be okay staying with Buffy?”
“I won’t leave her for a second. I promise, Joyce.” He gave her a sad smile.
“Thank you, William. You have been very kind to us all. It means a lot to me.” Giving one last look at her daughter she went out the room to go and talk to her youngest daughter.
Once the door was completely shut, William ran his fingers through his rapidly drying hair, and let out a deep breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. Looking round the room, he gaze fell upon the woman that he loved. She was lying their in the bed completely immobile. How had they managed to get everything so messed up?
Pulling a chair over, he went and sat next to her bed. Leaning over he took her limp hand tightly in his.
“Hey baby, it’s your William. Kitten, you have to pull through this, you have to get better for me.” Looking at her face, he watched as her eyelids fluttered. “That’s it baby, open your eyes. I need to see your pretty eyes again. Come on, pet.” However after several moments the flickering stopped and Buffy was still again.
Sighing, William didn’t know what more he could do, he felt so completely useless, and he didn’t like the feeling. “Come on Buffy, please. Pull through this. I can’t live without you. I am a wreck. Please princess.” Closing his eyes, he led his head down on the bed sheets never letting go of her hand.
After a little while, William didn’t know how long, time seemed to have lost all meaning, Joyce came back into the room. She took in the sight of her eldest daughter led in bed, while one of the richest men in Ireland practically wept over her.
“William?” his head shot up on hearing his name, his eyes where blood shot and puffy, and Joyce knew that he had been crying. “You should go and get some rest, I’ll stay with her.”
“Thank you, Joyce, that’s very kind, but I am not leaving her, never again.”
“Okay.” She gave him a sad smile and pulled up a chair on the other side of the bed. Stroking the wet hair off her daughters face, she spoke softly. “I’m back darling.” She then turned back to William. “Do you mind if Dawn borrows one of your horses?”
William looked at her and just shook his head. “No its fine, don’t want little pigeon getting wetter than she has to, my home is at your disposal. Treat is as your own.”
“Thank you William, you are too kind. I am very grateful for all your assistance, as I am sure Buffy will be. I have sent Dawn to get Rupert and Alex, Buffy will need them now. I have also sent her to go and inform Riley. It would be unfair to leave him stood at the alter now that the wedding has been cancelled.”
“I understand.” And with that the room fell into silence again.
***
It seemed Joyce and William had fallen asleep. They where awoken by a commotion outside the room in the grand hallway. Glancing across at Buffy, they saw that there had been no change, except the bowl gathering her blood seemed to have been moved.
Hearing a tray crash to the floor and shouting downstairs, Joyce stood up. “You wait up here, I’ll go find out what’s going on.” William nodded and with that she left the room.
Wrapping her shawl tighter round herself, Joyce walked down the stairs. As she reached the bottom she recognised the red haired girl arguing with Riley.
“If she is here I demand to see her, she is my fiancée. Take me to her at once.” Riley shouted, going red in the face.
“I’m, I’m sorry sir, but I can’t do that.” Willow looked worried so Joyce decided to intervene.
“Mr. Finn, may I help you?”
“Ah, Mrs Summers. Dawn has informed me of your daughter’s condition. I wish to see my fiancée.”
“Mr. Finn, I believe that Buffy is no longer your fiancée, therefore you have no rights here.”
“Until I hear that from her own lips, she is still mine.”
“Sir! My daughter is not a piece of property. Please don’t treat her as such, treat her with the respect she deserves. Now, she ran away from her own wedding – you may take that as her answer. Now good day to you.”
However, Riley wasn’t ready to take that as a final answer. He took a menacing step towards Joyce.
Though her heartbeat picked up, she stood her ground – refusing to be intimidated by this man.
“Move out the way. I demand to see her and I don’t want to hurt you getting to her, but I will see her.” As he reached out to forcefully move Joyce, Alex came through the main doors. Seeing his mother in danger, he reacted without thinking and punched Riley squarely in the jaw. Riley was sent reeling from the blow. His eyes like daggers, he turned to look at Alex. “Harris.”
“Keep your hands off my mother you son-of-a-bitch.”
“That’s it Harris, you’re done for. Your whole family is. You’re fired!” With that he stormed out the manor leaving lots of mess and destruction in his wake.
Once he was fully gone, Alex went and hugged his trembling mother. They knew hard times lay ahead for them, but they would get through it the same way they had got through everything else that they had faced in the past, by sticking together as a family. First thing first though, they had to concentrate on getting their Buffy back.
TBC…
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Once again, sorry its been a while... Had writers block... starting to write again now, so should hopefully *fingers crossed* be more chapters soon. Please leave me a review.