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Chapter 40 - Relapse

AN* thank you all for your encouragement and support. I really thought my last chapter would get nothing but flames, but you have all been wonderful. I know I mentioned in earlier chapters that Clem would give up Faith for Buffy, but I think after Chapter 39 you realise that he really never would.

I know when Clem is included in fanfic he is depicted as having a bad skin condition. In my story no one is bringing their demon influences with them (well maybe Dru and Angel, but I hate them)

I’ll shut up now and get on with the story……




For men who enjoy good horseflesh, Tattersalls was one of the best days out. All three men had enjoyed a wonderful time spending Craven money and enough horses had been purchased for the journey. Annandale had arranged the transport of the horses to the various coaching inns chosen for the route, making sure that Xander’s name was on all the transactions. He knew this was important to the boy as he desperately sought his father’s approval at every turn.

It was late afternoon before all the business transactions were complete and William suggested they retire to Boodle’s in St James for a brandy. Both Annandale and Xander agreed that this was an excellent suggestion and the three men jumped in a hackney for the journey.

Annandale had not had an opportunity to speak to his son alone since breakfast. He could not help but notice that William had been in a buoyant mood all day, laughing with friends, teasing Xander out of a fit of the glums when a bay hunter the boy liked was sold and generally being light-hearted. Buffy’s influence must run deep, either that or his son had bedded her the night before and was still in a good mood. He would have preferred the boy had kept it in his trousers till he wedding, but if it kept him out of Drusilla’s bed, all the better.




Across town Buffy was bored and her feet and legs were sore. She was deliciously sore in other places too, and the memory of the previous night’s adventures with Spike was never far from her mind. Her man knew how to keep a woman happy, and that was what he was, her man. He had declared never to see Drusilla Angelus again, and that was enough for now. When she returned home from this infernal fitting, she would use all her powers of persuasion with her father to ensure he stayed at Craven House till near the wedding.

Dawn was restless. She had been fitted earlier in the day and was now waiting for Buffy. After sitting for more than an hour with only Willow for company, she wanted to go home. Their mother had looked much better this morning and Dawn longed to return home and sit with her. Rising from her chair she walked towards the curtained area where the modiste was fitting Buffy and poked her head through.

“Buffy,” she whined. “How much longer will you be? I want to get home to mother and have been sitting waiting for hours for you.”

Buffy smiled at her sister’s pout. “Not long now, Dawnie. If we stay just a little longer then we do not need to return for a few days.” Turning to the modiste, Buffy smiled. “Is that not correct Madame?”

“Indeed, my Lady, we will be complete soon”

Buffy turned back to the long mirror to admire her partly made gown. “Ask Willow to fetch you an ice from Gunter’s, Dawn. I am sure that will cheer you up.”

Smiling at her sister, Dawn nodded enthusiastically and popped back through the curtain to instruct Willow.

The gown Madame had designed was truly beautiful. Buffy had to be dressed in white even though the colour did not really suit her. Madame had suggested that they trim the gown in gold silk with small golden roses around the neckline. The result pleased Buffy greatly. She looked like a goddess and her veil would be made of the finest golden lace. Yes, thought Buffy, I will look beautiful for my Spike.

Within the hour Buffy and Dawn were sitting in the carriage on the homeward journey. Both girls were tired and hungry and could not wait to get home. Anxious to see their mother they pushed past Giles when he opened the door. Running up the stairs, still in their outdoor clothes, neither girl cared how hoydenish their behaviour looked.

Bursting through theirs mother’s door they both stopped dead. Lady Joyce was lying prone on the bed staring into space, her whole body was twitching. Buffy and Dawn ran to their mother’s side and pulled the coverlet from her grasp. Truly concerned, Buffy screamed for Giles. Within moments the butler arrived and taking stock of the situation immediately left the room to send for the physician.

Buffy ran after Giles demanding he send for her father. “He is not as home, my Lady.”

“Oh course he’s not at home, Giles. He’s never at home. Fetch him from his whore now before I find him for myself and scream like a fishwife at her door.”

Giles’ face was a picture. Not only had Buffy screamed down a corridor, she committed the cardinal sin of accusing her father of not being faithful. He knew exactly where the Duke could be found, but to impart that information to Lady Elizabeth would ensure he had no place on the morrow.

Nodding to his young mistress, Giles replied. “I will send for him immediately, my Lady.”

A look of relief passed over her features. “Thank you Giles.”

By the time Buffy returned to her mother’s room Lady Joyce had recovered slightly. The twitching had stopped and her eyes no longer stared into space. Her mother was however in pain. She could tell by the way her was clutching her head that the pain was severe. Dawn was almost hysterical and Buffy realised that it would upset her mother more to hear her youngest cry.

“Stop it or leave, Dawn” she hissed at her sister.

Dawn stared at Buffy in disbelief. Did her sister not realise just what they had witnessed? Their mother must be more ill than both the physician and their father led them to believe. At that moment Dawn hated her father for his deception. Suddenly she knew that her outburst of hysteria would not help her mother’s recovery and promptly hiccupped to a halt.

Buffy immediately gathered Dawn into a hug. “I’m sorry Dawn, but we need to keep the room quiet to let mother recover.”

Returning her sister’s hug with one of her own, she reassured her. “I know Buffy.” Looking around the room she asked. “Where’s papa?”

Not willing to upset her sister any more than she had to, Buffy replied. “Giles has sent for him, my love, he will be here soon.”

The sisters continued to hug each other in comfort for some time. Slowly Lady Joyce seemed to come back to them.

“Hello girls. “ Her weak voice rose to them from the bed.

Slowly they approached the bed. Buffy spoke first, “We have sent for the physician, mother. He should be with us soon.”

Nodding her head in reply appeared to spark another headache. Buffy laid her hand on her mother’s brow and asked Dawn to find some lavender water. The smell of lavender had always soothed their mother’s headaches before and she was willing to try anything.

While Dawn ran down to the still room to look for the water, Buffy helped her mother use the chamber pot. She did not care that this type of work should be done by servants. Her mother was ill and it was her duty to care for her. Her mother was back in bed by the time Dawn returned to the room carrying the water. Taking the vial from her sister, Buffy gently applied some to her mother’s temples. Lady Joyce closed her eyes at her daughter’s ministrations. Buffy continued to gently rub her mother’s temples until she detected a change in her breathing which meant she was falling asleep.

Suddenly her mother’s eyes opened.

“Is William coming to dinner tonight, Buffy?”

Surprised her mother would ask such a question, Buffy replied immediately. “Why yes, mother, he said he would be here at eight tonight.”

Lady Joyce grabbed her daughter’s arm firmly and drew her down towards her mouth. “Bring him to see me, Buffy, I wish to speak to him.”

“If you wish, mother, I will bring him as soon as he arrives.”

Her mother removed her hand from Buffy’s arm. “Ring for a bath for me, my dear. I have been lying here for over a day and I wish to bathe.”

Worriedly, Buffy asked her mother “Are you sure you will feel fine enough to bathe, mother?”

“Indeed child. I am determined not to lie in my own filth any longer. Fetch my maid and she will help me.” Noticing the worried look on her daughter’s face, her Grace smiled and continued. “I promise I will be fine, Buffy. I do not wish to speak to your fiancé smelling like a street urchin.”

“As you wish, mother.” And with that comment Buffy left the room with Dawn to arrange her mother’s toilette.

By the time Buffy returned to the drawing room the physician had arrived. Her father had not yet returned, and it was the physician who received her wrath.

Rounding on the man, she went straight into attack.

“I do not want to hear any more platitudes, sirrah, you will explain to me exactly what is wrong with my mother or I will dismiss you and employ someone who will.”

The physician did not know what to do. He was paid by the Duke, but he could see the fury on the young woman’s face. When he had handed his great coat to the butler, he had been informed that Lady Joyce’s attack was over and that she was now peaceful in her room. Craven had told him not to discuss his wife’s health with anyone but himself yet he felt almost compelled this woman in front of him the truth.

“I would like to wait for his grace, my lady.”

“Well I would not.” Buffy’s fury knew no bounds. “OUT, you charlatan. Get out of this house immediately before I take the poker to your heart. You ever cross this threshold again, I will personally evict you.”

Her temper finally broke into a million pieces. Worry over her mother and the events of the last week caught up with her. “GILES!” she screamed from the doorway.

Within moments Giles entered the room and immediately recognised the anguish on Buffy’s face.

“Get this person out of my sight, Giles. If he ever crosses the door again you are to inform me immediately and I will throw him out myself.” Turning to the physician she continued. “My mother will have a new physician from tomorrow, sir, and I will deal with my father. Now get out.”

Standing up, the physician looked red-faced at the butler. Giles slightly raised on eyebrow to indicate the man should leave. He escorted him from the room.

William bumped into the man at the bottom of the steps to Craven House as he arrived. He was early for dinner because he hoped to spend some time alone with his love. Anxiety grew in his chest when he realised who the man was. He sincerely hoped that her grace had not taken a turn for the worse. Running up the steps to Craven House, he knocked loudly on the door.

Within moments Giles let him in. “Her Grace, Giles, how is she?” With those six words Giles’ respect for the young Lord went up several notches. Answering honestly Giles informed him of her latest attack and relayed the conversation Buffy had had with the physician. “Where is she Giles?”

“Still in the drawing room, my Lord.” In a low voice the man continued. “Do not be surprised if her Ladyship is throwing the Meissen around the room.”

William gave him a frowning look and made his way to the drawing room. As he opened the door a beautiful ornament went dancing past his head. Buffy did not even pause in her rage as he greeted him. “Good evening, William” she declared as another piece of pottery hit the wall.

He leaned back against the closed door to watch his love in a strop. As piece of pottery flew round the room with deadly accuracy, he was entranced. Magnificent in her fury, she reminded him of a Valkyrie. All that power and anger, and strangely arousing. He could feel himself harden at the sight of her. Smiling he looked down at his erection though his trousers thinking that this was not the best time to tell his love that he was really in the mood to fuck her into the ground.

She was still throwing things around the room when he spoke.

“Want to talk about it, luv?”

“Not really Spike, I want to kill something.” She stopped her destruction and smiled evilly at him. “You’ll do”

Startled, William watched the angry woman stalk towards him with the grace of a cat.

“Let’s go to the ballroom, Spike.” Smiling coquettishly at him, she bade him follow.

Intrigued at her actions, William followed.

The ballroom was dark when they entered. Using his tinderbox, William went round the room lighting candles. As the room was large, he hoped that by the time he was complete, her temper would diminish. He had lit most of the top end of the room, when he heard her voice, deadly and low.

“That’s enough, Spike, Now take off your coat and loosen your cravat.”

William complied quickly. If she wanted him to strip down he was more than happy. Within seconds he was standing in his shirtsleeves facing Buffy.

She smiled sweetly at him. “Do you fence, Spike?”

“I am a Lord, Buffy. Of course I fence.”

Her smile grew wider still. “Good.” Turning her back to him she ran into a darkened corner and returned with two swords. Without warning she threw one at William. “Catch!”

Instinct took over and he raised his hand to catch the sword by the pommel.

“Are you trying to tell me you fence, Buffy?”

“Indeed, Spike.” She replied. “En Garde!”

William noticed that there were no protective buttons on the ends of the foils. He would have to extra careful. His reputation with swords was legendary within the ton. Winning duels using them helped, as did the regular matches at his fencing master’s studio in Conduit Street.

What he did not know was that Xander and Buffy sparred often. The young Lord had started to teach his sister for a lark and it had become a regular form of exercise between them. When ever Buffy had a temper tantrum she always took out a foil and practised for hours. The activity had always calmed her and she needed to calm down now.

William was not prepared when Buffy stepped forward and touched just below his shoulder with the point. “Hit” she cried. “Come on, Spike. Fight me.”

For ten minutes they parried back and forth. William was highly impressed with her skill. In fact he had fought men who had not a tenth of her talents. He was thoroughly enjoying himself, and totally turned on. It was a true test of skill to fight while in a state of full arousal. God, he thought as she managed another hit, this woman had been born to be his mate.

William managed another hit, stopping his foil between her breasts. It would take so little to pierce the skin, but he did not want to mark her. “Had enough yet, pet?” Bring his foil to his forehead in salute, he continued “Right at this moment I want to kiss you more than anything in the world.”

Buffy threw her foil to the edge of the ballroom. William’s foil followed. She threw herself into his arms jumping up and wrapping her legs around his waist. Mouths fused together they staggered back against a wall. William held her in place against the wall with his body and devoured her mouth. She ground herself against his erection and William thought he would burst at the little mewls and moans coming from her mouth. She really was the most delicious creature he had ever known.

Lifting her head to breathe, she looked down at William. The look of wonder and love on his face was hard to miss. “Touch me, Spike”

He did not need to be asked twice. Before she knew it was happening his hand was between her legs rubbing furiously at her clit. Within seconds she came in his hand. He let her slowly return to her feet and held her close.

“Blow out the candles, Spike, and take out your dick.”

He quickly blew out the candles and returned to her with his breeches flap open and his hard on naked with need. She was already down on her knees when he approached. Holding him by the root of his dick she guided him to her mouth.





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