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Chapter 28 – A father’s concern

AN* - To all my lovely reviewers, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I never believed other authors when they said that reviews fed their muse, but I have to tell you they are right. Without the reviews I would have given up and you would have just had some smut and no plot. The plot is fixed in my head now, and believe me there are quite a few twists and turns to go.


Enjoy…….



Returning to the drawing room, William found it hard to keep the smile from his face. Things were going better than he hoped, especially now that Buffy had laid out her conditions.

Once she was off to the north, he and his dark princess would have their lives back together again. He would go and see her tonight and explain the new situation. Drusilla would be so grateful that she would fall at his feet and fuck him blind. Now that Buffy knew about their relationship, he absolved himself of guilt over his dealings with Drusilla.

The only down side to this marriage was the fact that Buffy intended to take lovers for her pleasure. William was confident that he could turn her from that course with a few kisses in all the right places. Let her think she had won; he would soon have her on her knees with her mouth exactly where it belonged.

Clem could not believe his eyes when he saw Buffy walk into the room on William’s arm. He was sure that they would have returned at each other’s throats, yet they both looked content. Detecting no animosity between the pair, his curiosity now knew no bounds. Desperate to find out the story he walked towards the couple.

“Everything well?” he asked of William, who nodded and smiled his response.

Buffy looked at Clem for a few seconds and realised that he must know the whole. She smiled at him to reassure him that William and she were in harmony again. She could see his body physically relax. He must have been in a state of tension from the moment they had left the room. Clem was going to be a good friend, of this she was sure.

Deciding that Clem needed her reassurance as well, she gave him one of her large grins that lit up her whole face.

“Things are very well, Clem” she said. “William and I have come to a greater understanding that we have ever had.”

Still puzzled as to what could have brought on this obvious harmony between the two, he decided he would talk to William once they were alone in the carriage.

The Duke stood by the fireplace watching his daughter and William intently. He had picked up on a frisson of anger between the two the previous evening, but had decided not to speak to his daughter about it. He was determined that this marriage go ahead. The sooner she was breeding, the sooner he could get his wife and youngest out of town. Thinking it was time to have another chat with William and check on the progress of this courtship he bid him to follow to his study.

William extracted his arm from Buffy, but not before lifting her hand to his mouth for a kiss to her palm. He felt her tremble in his grasp and he knew she was not as indifferent to him as she had tried to let him believe. Things were going so well for him now.

“Your father wishes to speak to me my love” he whispered to her. “I will return to your side as soon as I can.”

Wincing at his words, Buffy decided to play him at his own game.

“Hurry back, my love. I will be bereft until your return.” Fluttering her eyelashes at him and pouting her lips at him.

William threw back his head and laughed. The minx was playing him at his own game and he found it amusing. He followed her father to his study.

His Grace had already seated himself by the fire when William entered the room. He gestured to the seat on the other side of the fire as he spoke.

“Is everything alright between you and my daughter, Whitmore? We are too far down the road to this marriage to stop now”

William detected the warning tone of Craven’s voice and decided it would be best to give him the good news immediately.

“Why, ‘tis even better than you planned, sir.” William smiled at the duke and continued. “Buffy has made known to me this very evening that she would like to leave for the northern estates immediately after the wedding. She intends to take her grace and the Lady Dawn with her as she believes your wife would benefit from the country air.”

The duke frowned slightly as he replied, “The arrangement was to get her breeding, boy, before she was removed from London.”

William had forgotten this clause to the marriage contract. He had to make up an excuse quickly before he answered the duke. The answer came to his mind immediately.

“I understand that sir. However Buffy has told me that she is bored with London and its entertainments and would prefer the quiet society of the north.”

Craven was not so easily placated. William could tell by the look on his face that he intended to argue his point and so he continued.

“I thought you would prefer that arrangement, sir, when I agreed to Buffy’s request.” William gave the duke a look of understanding before he played his ace.

“Surely removing them as quickly as possible would suit your better than waiting until Buffy started to breed?” he asked innocently. He knew that his grace wanted to spend more time with his mistress than with his family. The man had to see the reasoning behind this change of plan.

“How long do you intend to stay with them, William?” the duke asked.

William was taken aback. He realised that if he refused to accompany Buffy and her family the duke would know that something was amiss. He quickly realised that Craven would make good his threat to stop Buffy’s dowry. Stuck with a wife and did not want and without funds was not a situation he intended to be in.

“I will return to London as soon as she is breeding, your grace.” William smiled at his future father-in-law. “Lady Joyce will surely wish to stay with her daughter when she is enceinte.”

The duke looked thoughtful for a moment, before smiling at William.

“Yes,” he agreed. “I think your change of plan will suit me well.”

Both men stood as one and shook hands to cement the new agreement. The arrangement would suit his grace well, very well indeed.

As Craven turned to leave he missed the look of worry on William’s face.

How was he going to explain this to Buffy without her making good on her threats? He must get her alone as soon as possible before the duke announced the coming trip to the assembled guests.

As soon as he returned he made straight for Buffy. Taking hold of her hand to place it on his arm once more, he chose to ignore the stiffening of her posture. Bending low, he whispered in her ear.

“We need to talk immediately Buffy” he murmured. “Where can we go?”

Buffy instinctively knew that there was something wrong and quickly decided that she needed to find out what it was.

“Last night, my lord, you kindly escorted me to see your portrait gallery. I would be honoured if you would take a trip with me to view ours.”

Memories of the events in his long gallery came unbidden to his mind. He would not touch her tonight as her emotions were too raw and by the look on her face she would most probably slay him. It was time to act like a perfect gentleman and treat her with the respect he would show a sister. Frightening her off was not an option.

“I would like that very much, Buffy” William formally replied. He did not want to put her into a strop by using endearments she did not want to hear. It was going to be bad enough once she knew of her father’s new conditions.

The couple left the room once more. Clem, who had been conversing with Buffy while William was ensconced with her father, started to worry. He could not work out what was going on and all this toing and froing was playing havoc with his nerves. Desperation had started to set in as he believed that William had found his saviour in Buffy, if he would but let her save him.





Buffy led William to the Craven family portrait gallery. Along the way, William had picked up a candle sconce as he knew the gallery would be dimly lit, if lit at all. He did not want her frightened in any way while he told her of the change of plans. Desperate to make her trust his behaviour, he ensured that he did not stray too close to her on their journey. He could have been escorting his mother on a walk, if his manner was anything to go by.

On entering the gallery Buffy immediately dropped her hand from his arm. Rounding on him she exclaimed.

“Spit it out William, why do you need to speak to me?”

Cold Buffy was back with a vengeance. William decided it was not the time for soft soap. He would give her the facts and gauge her reaction.

“I informed your father of your wish to go north immediately after the wedding, and that you intended to take her grace and Lady Dawn with you.”

“Indeed,” she replied indignantly. “And was he agreeable to the plan?”

William sighed, he knew she was not going to be happy with his next statement, but make it he must.

“Yes, Buffy. He was most agreeable.” Before she could interrupt, he continued. “However, he insists I accompany you and not return to London until you are breeding.” He quickly hurried on as he noticed the anger rise in her eyes. “It will not be as bad as you think, Buffy. There are two estates more than ten miles apart. You and your family will stay at one while I stay at the other. After a month or so I will return to London saying that although you are not breeding yet, I had business that must be attended to.”

He looked deep into her eyes, watching for signs of trouble. She had such expressive eyes, he thought, everything she was thinking could be read in their green depths.

Thoughtfully she looked at him. If her father refused to hand over the money, both she and William would be stuck in a penniless marriage that neither of them wanted. He had agreed to live ten miles from her and that distance would surely be enough to allow her heart to heal. She took a few seconds to answer.

“All right William,” she sighed. “So be it.”





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