[Reviews - 468]
-
Table of Contents [Report This]
Microsoft Word Chapter or Story | ePub eBook Chapter or Story | Printer Chapter or Story

Has been viewed 4334 times

- Text Size +




Author's Chapter Notes:
Please review - it feeds my soul
Chapter 27 – Striking a bargain.


AN* - well here it is. The big confrontation. Enjoy dear friends, enjoy.






Buffy made her way to the morning room after looking in on her sleeping mother. She wished her father would allow them to move back to their country estate. Her mother would do far better in the country air, she knew. The noxious fumes of the London streets could not be doing her mother any favours.

Her father preferred London and left a trusted steward in charge of the estate. Buffy used to help Robert Wilson with his accounts when she was younger and he had taught her estate management in return. She enjoyed the work as she had a brain that need to be used. It was far better than sitting around trying not to look bored in the company of other members of the Ton.

She had known that the Annandale estates in the north were in a bad state of disrepair and she had looked forward to getting them back into shape. In fact, it had been with this in mind that she had decided on her course of action. Smiling to herself, she sat down at the desk and placed paper on the blotter. Lifting the pen, she checked the nib for sharpness. Deciding to sharpen it up a bit, she was holding the paring knife used for this purpose when Giles opened the door.

“You have visitors my Lady. Lord Whitmore and Lord Telford are waiting in the hall at your convenience.”

Smiling brightly at Giles, Buffy nodded to him letting him know that she was ‘at home’ to the gentlemen.

The smile faltered slightly as Giles left the room. Her heart was hammering in her breast, but she was determined that she would have her way. All the details of her plan were clear in her mind and she was sure that Spike, no William now, would be most compliant. He needed this marriage more than she. In fact, she counted on it.

Deciding to stay behind the desk she waited on her fiancé and his friend. She wanted to keep this physical barrier between them.

Giles preceded William and Clem into the room.

“Lord Whitmore and Lord Telford, ma’am.”

Buffy smiled at Giles as he made the announcement. “Would you bring some refreshments for my guests? And would you ask Willow to make sure Lady Dawn is ready to join us as we are all due to go for a ride in the park today.”

Giles bowed to his young mistress and left the room. He did not close the door behind him as it was not seemly for an unmarried woman to be alone with one gentleman, never mind two. He hurried to the kitchen to make sure the refreshments were quickly put together, while sending Willow to fetch Lady Dawn.

Clem decided to open the conversation. He still felt a great deal of anger towards William and felt awkward in Elizabeth’s company because of this. He had truly come to like this wonderful girl, and he believed that if they could sort everything out, she would be the making of his friend.

“How is her grace this morning, Lady Elizabeth?” he enquired.

Buffy smiled at Clem, thankful that they could converse rationally.

“She is much better this morning, thank you Lord Clement. However the physician has ordered her to rest.” Buffy’s smile grew wider as she recognised the true concern on his face. “Please, Lord Clement, you are amongst friends here. Call me Buffy and I will call you Clem.”

Clem’s smile filled his face at her reply. If William did not want to marry this girl, he would have stepped into the breach in a heartbeat had it not been for his relationship with Faith whom he loved very much. Once again he cursed his friend for a fool.

William felt strange and confused. Just a short hour ago he had declared his love for Drusilla to his best friend. However as soon as he had entered the room and seen his golden goddess decked in her cream gown before him, he had felt the sting of arousal in his groin. She looked effulgent, with her crown of shining golden hair; her sparkling green eyes and her full plump lips. He had tasted those lips just the evening before, and he wanted to taste them again. He moved further into the room so she would acknowledge him, society politeness insisted upon it.

Buffy turned to her erstwhile fiancé.

“Why, Lord William, I must say I am surprised to see you today. I believe we said all that needed to be said last night.”

“I find, madam, that there are some things I wish to relay to you this day.” William knew he was being pompous, but he had been taken aback by the use of his title and the cold way she had spoken to him.

Buffy smiled at William, but it did not reach her eyes.

“How convenient that you have decided to visit, my Lord, as there are some things I wish to relay to you.” Buffy’s tone matched William’s in her cold reply.

Clem groaned. He wondered if he was going to have to act as referee between the warring couple. You could almost feel the sparks fly through the air as they continued to stare at one another. He was glad when the butler arrived with tea and sandwiches. The man was followed by almost an army of servants who moved around the room placing small tables at the side of the chairs and sofa ready for the refreshments. As the servants silently left, a blue streak hurtled through the door.

“Lord William,” cried Lady Dawn in surprise. “I did not know you were visiting today. I’m sure Buffy said that a Lord Clement was taking us for a drive this afternoon.”

“Indeed I will be happy to take you for a drive today.” Clem rose from his seat and held his hand to Lady Dawn. “Lord Clement Telford, my Lady. It is a pleasure indeed to meet such a beautiful girl this early in the day.”

A very becoming blush rose in Dawn’s cheeks.

“Why, Lord Clement, what a nice thing to say.” Dawn’s smile lit up her face. Although she was dark-haired compared to the golden hair of her sister, Clem noticed that they had the same eyes and easy mannerisms. When this girl had her own season in a few years time she would take the Ton by storm.

“Call me Clem my dear,” he smiled at the young woman. “I am a very close friend of Lord Whitmore and I’m sure we will meet on many occasions.”

Dawn was enthralled with the stranger. He was the first gentleman she had ever met who treated her as a woman and not a young girl. She decided that she could grow to like Clem immensely.

“As we are to be friends, my Lord, it would please me greatly if you were to call me Dawn.” With that she once again turned on her full smile.

While Dawn and Clem exchanged pleasantries, William and Buffy continued to stare at one another. Only Clem knew of the tension between them, and he was determined they needed to talk in private. He racked his brain of how he could accomplish this without Buffy being aware of his knowledge of their problems. Dawn came to his rescue at that moment and he could have hugged her.

“Buffy, do you know if Xander is at home?” Dawn asked of her sister, oblivious to the under current of anger evident in the room.

Buffy turned to her sister with an affectionate look. “I believe he is, Dawnie. Would you please ring for Giles and he can ask him to join us.”

William felt a pang of fear in his gut. Had Buffy told Xander of the events of last night? Mentally he shook his head in denial. She would not have been so stupid to do such a thing without compromising her own reputation. No, she had not told Xander, of this he was sure. Feeling the fear melt away, he waited on the arrival of the whelp.

Apart from the brief exchange when he had entered the drawing room, they had said not a word to one another. This did not bode well. Although he had decided earlier in his confrontation with Clem that he would let her jilt him with dignity, now that he was in her presence he found that he did not care to let her go. Even in anger this woman was more beautiful than any he had seen.

The occupants of the room waited in silence for the appearance of Xander. When he strode into the room, he looked around at the assembly and smiled.

“Well, do we not have a full house this morning?” Xander moved into the room to shake the hands of both men. “Telford, Whitmore, nice of you to visit.”

The room filled with small talk as the five occupants strove for the social politeness determined by society. Buffy allowed this to continue for some thirty minutes. Each minute was a torture on William’s soul. She could feel his distress from across the room. Turning a smiling face to her fiancé, she asked him politely.

“William, would you please accompany me to the library? I have some wedding plans I wish to discuss with you.”

William almost knocked over a tea table in his haste to get out of the room. He needed to talk to her before he exploded. All sorts of thoughts were jumbled in his head just now, most of which concerned Buffy. Would she let him down gently, or would she be cruel? He had already decided that he would take what ever she gave him with quiet aplomb considering he was the one in the wrong.

Clem and Xander stood as Buffy left the room with William. She could hear her brother comments as William closed the drawing room door.

“Can’t really stop them being alone now, can we? They are betrothed and the marriage is but three weeks away.”

Buffy and William said nothing and walked side by side to the library. Inside a fire was lit and the room felt very comfortable. Waiting on Buffy choosing a seat, William moved to sit opposite her.

“Pet,” he began. He stopped at the glare he received from Buffy.

Deciding that attack was the best form of defence, Buffy launched into her diatribe.

“William. After last night if you dare to call me anything except Buffy or Elizabeth, I will make sure you die a horrible death.”

William’s eyes grew wide at her response.

“I have decided that this marriage will go ahead, however there will be some conditions attached.” At the look of surprise on William’s face she continued. “From your behaviour last night I deduce that you have a mistress of which you appear to be fond.”

Staring at her in surprise, William knew there was nothing he could do but admit it. He nodded his head, unable to speak.

“As I thought.” Looking directly into his eyes from across the room decided it was time to go in for the kill. “I take it that once you were married to me you intended to keep seeing this Drusilla.” Buffy’s mouth twisted in distaste.

Finding his voice, William replied in a small voice. “That was the plan, yes.”

“I take it this mistress of yours is none other than Lady Drusilla Angelus?” she asked, her voice cold as stone.

All William could think to do was nod in reply.

“I see. Then you are marrying me for money,” she stated. She could not keep the venom from her voice as her next words hit his ears. “You mercenary, twisted bastard of a man. You thought me so innocent that I would turn a blind eye to your ‘indiscretions’ while waiting patiently at home for my lord and master to deign me with a visit?”

The truth William, decided, tell her the truth.

“I was going to make sure you were increasing as quickly as possible after the marriage.”

He felt hurt by the shocked look on her face, but he had decided that she deserved to hear the whole.

“Once you were increasing I was to send you to the Annandale estates in the north.”

Buffy responded in a menacingly low tone.

“Who said you were to send me away William. Was it my father?”

“Yes. It was part of the marriage contract.”

“And was I to rot in the north while you spent my money on your whore?”

William winced at her tone, but knew she right to feel hurt.

“I believe I was to visit you for one month a year and stay faithful to you during my visit.”

Buffy threw back her head and laughed.

“Well that clears a lot of this mess up. Thank you for being honest with me, William. I think it’s time that I was now honest with you.”

William sat back in his chair and wondered what she was going to say. He was still in shock over the fact that she wanted them to marry still. Knowing he would have to listen carefully, he leant forward in his chair.

“I knew you did not love me, William. However you were the most presentable of the suitors that my father had chosen for me. I am the daughter of a Duke and cannot marry anyone with less a station than mine. You will become a Duke on the death of your father, but a more sorry excuse for a human being I have yet to meet.”

Startled at her attack, William opened his mouth to speak.

“I am not finished with you yet,” Buffy growled at him. “Do not speak until I am finished.”

Sitting back in his chair once more, he nodded for her to continue.

“From the very start of this travesty of a courtship and engagement I have known of your plans to use my money for your own ends. It was plain to me that your family lack funds no matter how ancient your name. Between yourself and your father your have frittered away more money than I will bring you, yet you think I will let your family waste mine.”

Eyes, green with angry fire, stared at him.

“I do not care what arrangements you have made with my father, William, but know this; you and I will make a private agreement on the terms of our marriage and should either of us break them, then the marriage will be annulled.”

This virago in front of him was magnificent. Her eyes killed him with a look and her beautiful mouth spat such words of venom at him, yet still he found her absolutely gorgeous. Curious as to what her conditions might be, he nodded his head as he replied.

“What terms would you like, pet?” he taunted her with the endearment. He was starting to enjoy himself now. He could have this divine creature and his Dru. Life would be so sweet.

Buffy frowned at the endearment. She knew then that he thought he had won and that he could have her, her money and his slut. It was time to set the record straight.

“You can have your slut, William, but while she is in your heart and your mind you will never have me. As for my money, that is even easier to solve. Do you receive the fifty thousand on the day of the marriage?”

He nodded his reply.

“The night of our marriage, William will be the only time in your life you will visit my bed-chamber. You will enter by what ever means you wish but the only transaction between us will be when you hand me twenty five thousand pounds.”

William could not believe his ears. Men of the Ton did not give their wives money unless it was to pay for household expenses. She could not dare to ask this of him. Once more he opened his mouth to protest, but she continued.

“The money will be mine and mine alone. You will also give me an additional fifteen thousand to spend on your ailing heap of a family seat. I am good at estate management, William and will quickly bring gold back to the Annandale coffers.”

William’s mouth dropped almost to his chin. What in God’s name was she going to do to the estate that required that amount of soft. Again he tried to interrupt her, but she would have none of it and lifted her hand to silence him.

“You will still have ten thousand to spend on your whore, William. What more could you possibly want?” Buffy sat back to gauge his reaction.

“Want!” he exploded. Standing up quickly from his seat he moved to tower over her. Buffy was not intimidated by his reaction, she welcomed it for the truth it was.

“You cannot take any of my money once it is in my hands, my Lady” he spat at her. “The law clearly states that once the dowry has been paid it is the husband who controls the money.”

Buffy looked up at William from her position on the fireside chair. This was fun baiting him, but she felt a frisson of fear down her spine at his clearly angry stance. As firmly as she could she bid him sit down.

“I’m not finished yet, William.”

William turned and went back to his seat. He was too outraged to sit and started to pace the room. How dare this chit, barely out of the schoolroom, dictate terms to him in such a manner? My God, did she not realise that he was the heir to a Dukedom and commanded respect where ever he went? She would pay for this humiliation.

“Sit down please, William” she said calmly. “I have other terms I wish to discuss.”

“Do you indeed, madam. Perhaps I do not wish to hear you ‘other terms’” William said with alacrity.

“But you do, William,” she continued in a soft voice. “And unless you agree to them there will be no marriage. I will publicly jilt you and make sure the Ton and Lord Angelus know of your dealings with his wife. No one will blame me for ending this farce, and there are many who will be happy to put the blame on you.”

The verse in the Betting Book at White’s stole into William’s mind. He forced himself to sit down and listen to what she had to say.

“If you are determined to keep up your liaison with Lady Drusilla, William, I feel it only fair to warn you that I have no intention of staying faithful in this marriage.”

William stared at Buffy in disbelief. She could not, in all honesty, tell him that she intended to cuckold him.

“I fully intend to be discreet in my liaisons and will bring no scandal to the Annandale name. I will even ensure that there are no bastards born within the hallowed walls of your home. But I will not allow you to touch me while you spend your time with other women. See them if you must but do not bring their smell to my bed.”

His face was a movement of emotion. She could tell he was angry, but she felt her arguments made sense. If they kept emotion out of their marriage they may deal well together. She would have an estate to run and he would have his whore.

Maybe if he left her alone long enough on the Annandale estates she would not feel so attracted to him and want him as she did. She had made these conditions based on the fact that she could not be in his presence and not want him to love her with his hands and mouth. He was an addiction she was determined to break. Down that road led only heartache and sadness. She had seen first hand what an indifferent husband could do to a devoted wife; her mother was living proof of that.

More determined than ever, she carried on.

“I want to move to the estates the day after the marriage. You can then do as you wish while I am there and I absolve you of your once a year visit. My mother needs the air of the country around her and I fully intend that she and Dawn will accompany me.”

William continued to stare at her, comprehension finally dawning. She would be gone from his life almost as soon as she was officially in it. He would never need to see her again and there would be someone inhabiting the rat-infested pile he called his ancestral home. Let her see for herself what a run-down lump of stone he was inheriting. If it kept her happy and out of his life, what more could he want. She had unwittingly covered his deal with her father by removing her mother and sister with her. Could he accept her terms?

He was not happy with her statement that she intended to take lovers, but he was sure he would be able to seduce her away from that course. After all was she not responsive and free when they had been together.

“I agree to your terms, Elizabeth. I will have my solicitor draw up the document in the morning.”

Buffy felt her knees start to shake under her dress. She had won, yet she could not understand why she did not feel victorious. A delayed reaction, she thought to herself. I will feel much better when the papers are signed.

“Thank you, William” she forced herself to reply. “I think we should return to the drawing room now. I am sure that my sister has talked the ears from Clem.”

William held his hand out in order to help her from the chair. He drew it threw his own and placed his hand on hers in the crook of his elbow.

“Should we seal our bargain with a kiss, Buffy?” he teased.

Buffy looked up at him and smiled.

“I will be happy to seal our bargain with pen and ink, William. Your lips are no longer needed or required.”

With that put down ringing in his ears, William escorted Buffy to the drawing room once more.





You must login (register) to review.