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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you all so much for the reviews, they are my food and drink
Chapter 56 An evening out



AN* I dedicate this chapter to all the loyal readers who have stuck with this fic from the beginning.





Craven and Lady Catherine were going to the theatre. The duke had decided that as the whole ton knew he had been banned from his wife, he may as well enjoy himself with his mistress. He had not had a good night; parting with fifty thousand of his own money had not been part of the bargain. Buffy’s portion would not be released by the trustees until they saw the marriage certificate and he could not claim the money back until then.

The large dower was not a hindrance to his finances. He had invested Joyce’s money well and he was sure even she did not know the amount of money in the Craven coffers. He could well afford to spend some money to make sure the Annandale estate was brought back up to par. Happy that his family would soon be out of his life, he had indulged Catherine with some extra baubles to make up for the bruising he had inflicted on her the night before.

His current mistress Lady Catherine was, without doubt, one of the best he had ever had. She not only liked the pain he inflicted, she was good at administering it too. She was a woman of many special gifts and she never failed to surprise him. In the Chelsea house they kept a locked room that only they dared enter. Craftsmen had built some toys to Craven’s specific design and the couple enjoyed them immensely.

The duke had always taken care to not to mark his lovers where it could be seen. The latest fashions could hide a multitude of sins, and he wished necklines were not as low as he loved to bite his lover’s breasts. He was fastidious in avoiding the face and arms, but the back and legs were his playground. Pretty colours could be revealed by a few well aims blows with whips and chains. Gagging your lover to stop the screams was fun too.

The couple made their way to the theatre to enjoy a musical performance. It was not Craven’s choice of evening, but he felt he had to make up some ground with his lover. She was still limping slightly from the whipping to her legs and she deserved some entertainment. A part of him was proud of her beauty and grace and he was in the mood to show her off. He knew he should be in the country by now, but knowing how fickle prinny could be, he doubted the man would care.



##



Craven House had become a hive of activity. William and his father had decided to take the ladies out on the town. Xander and Dawn had agreed to join them, and Dawn was very excited at being allowed such a treat. Buffy had helped her dress for the occasion and had allowed Willow to style her hair. Dawn felt so grown up and was pleased she was joining the adults for the evening.

Annandale had been very successful in selling the Craven diamonds. He had visited several shops as none had the thirty thousand available at that time of the day. By the time the last gem had been sold, the duchess had not thirty thousand pounds but forty five thousand pounds. The money had been left in the Annandale safe ready for Xander and Giles to transfer the money north on the morrow.

William had been missing from the house for most of the afternoon and Buffy had wondered where he had gone. She may love him, but she did not fully trust him yet. He had been evasive when she had questioned him about his whereabouts, and promised herself she would get the answer out of him later. If he had been to visit Dru in Bedlam, she would run him through.

Dru was the last thing on William’s mind today. He had spent the afternoon as Clem’s groomsman when he married Faith. William believed the union was doomed, yet the couple appeared to be very happy. He could not leave directly after the ceremony as it would have been rude, and so he had stayed to have an early dinner with them.

Clem and Faith had agreed they would keep their marriage secret until they moved to the dower estate. The ton would have a field day with them if they knew, and Clem was not sure that Faith would cope with the pressure.

When he had returned the previous afternoon and told her of William’s proposal, she had broken down and cried. Clem had been dreadfully worried over her actions and wondered if she did, indeed, wish his hand in marriage. He had held her until the crying reduced to hiccups and sobs against his shirt.

When he finally managed to calm her down, she told him how she had always dreamed that he would ask her to marry him and take her away from London forever. She told him how she wanted to start a family as soon as possible, and had dragged him to bed to start the process. At the end of their lovemaking, she told him she loved him. In all the time they had been together, Clem had told her he loved her all the time. That was the first time she had ever said it back.

Faith had tried on several occasions to speak to William to warn him of Angelus, but he was never on his own. She made a bargain with herself that she would speak to him before the week was out. For all that William had done for Clem and she, he deserved to know the truth; no matter how it pained her to speak of that night.

It was late in the afternoon before William had returned to Craven House, and he knew immediately that his Buffy was not pleased. Instinctively he knew she would think he had visited Dru and he wondered what he could tell her that she would believe. He had avoided her questions all evening but she was becoming more persistent. It was almost worth holding his tongue and let her stew as she was so adorable when she pouted, but he knew she would hold herself back from him and he needed her close. He would tell her after the theatre why he had been absent from her side.

At seven of the clock the little party happily left the house for their evening out.



##



Craven arrived slightly ahead of the Annandale party. He and Lady Catherine moved into the Craven box and haughtily ignored the stares of the audience. In truth Henry was enjoying the attention, and he played up to the crowd by nodding to friends and lifting his champagne glass to members of the demi-monde who caught his eye. Unfortunately, his reputation for cruelty was legend in the half world of the courtesan and none acknowledged him. Catherine would pay later for their slight.

Lady Catherine started to feel out of place. She had become Henry’s mistress when it had been confirmed that her husband had died in the Peninsula. With no money and no chance to find a husband, she had accepted Henry’s offer. Adapting easily to the games Henry liked to play, she had taken to her new role with vigour. However there were times she wished he would give her a conge and let her live in peace. Just the evening before he had been particularly brutal and she would be marked for a long time. It was difficult to walk like a lady when the whip marks on your back and legs were still raw.

Annandale led his party to the private box he had rented for the season. No matter how strapped for cash, the Annandales still held their head high. Thomas had found out from Joyce that she loved to watch the opera and he had immediately decided on their little outing.

William escorted Buffy to her seat in the box, while Xander led an excitable Dawn to her place. Annandale was pre-occupied with making Joyce comfortable and did not notice Craven two boxes down.

Craven looked at Annandale’s box within moments of their arrival. He had recognised the incessant whine of his youngest and had turned his head just in time to see Annandale seat his wife. A cocky grin covered his face at the sight of the little troupe. They would have assumed he had fled to the country like a whipped dog, not stay in London and openly come to the theatre with his mistress. The production on stage would not be half as entertaining as setting Joyce on her ears. It would be her turn to be embarrassed in front of the ton this evening. He settled back in his seat and waited to be noticed by his wife.

Joyce spotted Henry immediately. She had looked at the Craven box when she had settled down in her seat hoping it would be empty. Spying her husband before she noticed his companion, she almost stopped breathing. Craven was supposed to be at Craven Hall and not still in London. Guilt over her behaviour with Thomas overwhelmed her and she looked away.

Annandale had noticed her reaction and quickly found the cause. As he looked into the Craven box he was shocked that Henry had brought his whore. The insult to Joyce made his blood boil and his temper flare. How dare the man do this to his family, he had no sense of decorum.

Buffy noticed the change in her mother immediately and thinking she was going to be ill, rose for her chair and walked to her mother. Joyce lifted her eyes to her approaching daughter and whispered.

“Your father is in the Craven box.”

Buffy, relieved that her mother was well, took a few moments to absorb what her mother was saying.

“Pardon, mama?” she replied frowning slightly. “Who did you say was here?”

A distinct blush covered her mother’s face, and Buffy realised that her mother was upset rather than ill. When she repeated her statement, Buffy’s eyes had flown to the family box and confirmed her father was indeed present. Noticing he was not alone, here eyes looked over the woman sitting next to her father. How dare he bring his whore into society? It was an insult too far.

“William, could you tell me if my father has brought his latest whore to the theatre or is she a new one he has picked out of the gutter”

Total silence fell over the audience as Buffy started her tirade. She did not care what the audience thought of her private performance, all she wanted to do was hurt her father in any way she could.

Hearing her make her statement loudly to the audience, William smiled broadly and eyed Craven and Catherine in their box.

“Why ‘tis the same used up bit of skirt he has been with for some time now, my love. I doubt he will introduce us and I see the orchestra ready to begin.” William’s smile lit up his face at her antics and he had enjoyed himself playing to the audience. Buffy stood with her back to the crowd and gave him an impish grin before she continued.

“The depths that one must go to earn a crust of bread must be so humiliating. Imagine everyone knowing that you have to lie with a dried up old man to keep a roof over your head.”

William was laughing openly now. He loved when Buffy was like this, all fire and anger. He wondered if she knew her eyes changed colour when she acted this way. Watching her take her place in the box, he grinned at her and spoke softly in her ear.

“Well done, luv. That should embarrass him nicely.”

In their haste to bring Craven down they had forgotten that Dawn knew little of events of the ball. Xander held her hand to stop her rising and looking at her father. He held her hand tightly in hers as he explained the situation. Fully expecting to leave the theatre to take his upset sister home, he started to rise at the end of his tale.

Dawn, more concerned that she would miss her first night at a theatre, bid her brother sit.

“If papa chooses to sit with someone else, Xander, then who are we to stop him.” Smiling at her brother she continued. “I refuse to return home, Xander. I am sure my father is more embarrassed than we. After all if he prefers another person’s company to his family, we cannot stop him. Please sit Xander, I wish to watch the performance and the curtain is opening.”

Xander puffed with pride at the sense shown by his sister. He had fully expected tears and tantrums, but Dawn had handled the situation with the poise and dignity to which she was born. Dawn was definitely made of the same stuff as Buffy and he was proud to be part of their lives.




The first half of the opera passed without incident. Both the Annandale and Craven boxes ignored one another, while the audience waited with bated breath to see if there would be a confrontation. They were sorely disappointed. When the interval was called, there was a rush to the foyer to see if there would be fireworks between the families.

William, Xander had left to procure lemonade and champagne for their little group. Annandale had chosen to stay behind in case Craven decided to visit. He need not have worried. Craven was too busy with a visitor of his own.

“Why, Angelus.” Henry smiled at his visitor. “How nice to see you back in the capital.”





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