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Author's Chapter Notes:
First off I big thank you to the people who reviewed the last chapter.. it means a lot to me!!!
Secondly, I appologise if people don't like how Spike acts in this chapter.. just have faith in me please!
Please all keep reviewing everyone!!!!!!!
Chapter 16: Jealousies

As Willow and Elizabeth entered the kitchen the rumours where confirmed. There sat at the kitchen table was a very drawn looking Cordelia. Her once luscious locks where tied back, revealing her pale complexion, and a face that seemed to have aged over night. It appeared as though she had not eaten in a few days. Her luxury silk gowns where gone, and instead replaced with the very sombre black work dress with brilliant starched white apron. She looked up at Willow and Elizabeth as they came through the door. Elizabeth realised all the sparkle had left her eyes, as though she had lost all hope and was jut a shell of the previous girl.

Elizabeth felt sorry for her, and just hoped that she could help give her back some form of her hope, even if she had been a total bitch towards everyone who worked here. Elizabeth didn’t begrudge her for the way she had acted towards the rest of the servants; it was simply the way Cordelia had been brought up. She had not been brought up to respect servants. Like Elizabeth, now she worked in these circumstances she would see just how hard they worked and it would maybe change her opinion.

Seeking a moment of relaxation, Elizabeth sunk into the chair opposite Cordelia. However relaxation was not to be had, as as soon as she had sat down she found Maggie hitting her round the back of the head with the t-towel.

“Ahh ahh none of that, I would have thought you got enough relaxation yesterday. I need you to go mop all the floors upstairs.”

Groaning, Elizabeth heaved herself out of the chair and disappeared into the pantry to get the mop and bucket. When she came back into the kitchen, she saw Willow placing the irons into the aga to warm. It appeared Cordelia hadn’t moved a muscle. Walking over to the sink, she filled a large pan with water and placed that onto the aga before finally sitting back down next to Willow as she waited for the water to heat through.

“Now Cordelia, don’t think your going to sit there all day either. Master William is entertaining a guest in the day room. I want you to go serve them.”

Elizabeth’s interest had picked up when she heard the mention of William. “Ummm who’s the guest?” she asked no one in particular.

Willow tried to hide her smirk, her friend really did like William. “Ohhh I can’t quite remember her name, its something to do with music, melody or tune or note or something like that anyway.”

“Harmony?” everyone looked round at Cordelia, this was the first time she had spoken all day.

“Umm yeah I think that’s it… yeah its definitely Harmony, Harmony Kendal if I remember right.”

Cordelia looked at Maggie with pleading eyes. “Ohhh cook I can’t serve them, please make someone else do it. I can’t let Harmony see me like this, its so degrading.” Maggie just looked at her as though she was something on the bottom of her shoe. “Please I’ll do anything, just don’t make me do that.”

“Everyone knows already Miss Chase and you’ll have to face people eventually.”

“I know that, I’m just not ready for Harmony of all people to see me yet. I promise I won’t hide away forever. Its just Harmony was my best friend for years, I can’t have her see me like this.” Though the thought of having to face Harmony was distressing her, Cordelia didn’t cry. Elizabeth got the impression that Cordelia was the type of girl no one would see cry in public, she had to keep up face after all, even if she had lost everything.

“Don’t think I’m going to pussy foot round you young lady just because your father used to be friends with Master Liam. You’ll work just as long and just as hard as the rest of us. However you may do Elizabeth’s job today.” Cordelia’s shoulders sagged in relief.

Elizabeth who had been listening to the whole conversation snapped her head up to look at Maggie.

“Elizabeth you will do Cordelia’s job, as William seems to enjoy your service so much – you can serve Miss Kendal and him.” Elizabeth nodded and picked up the serving tray.

As she reached the door, balancing the tray on her hip she heard Maggie call.

“Oh and Elizabeth try and act couth, I do believe William’s trying to woo this girl.”

Hearing that Elizabeth felt her stomach drop as she left the room.


***

Knocking gently, Elizabeth entered the room on hearing William’s ‘Enter’. Taking in the scene before her, she saw both William and Harmony sat on the chaise lounge looking very cosy. She immediately swallowed down the bile that rose to her throat. She was unsure why this was affecting her, but for some reason she didn’t like the idea of William spending time with other women.

“Is there anything you would like, sir?” Elizabeth turned her attention to William trying to block out Harmony’s presence.

“No I don’t think there is, I’m not sure about Har… Umm Miss Kendal though.” Elizabeth nodded finally turning her attention to Harmony.

“Is there anything you would like, 'Miss'?” Elizabeth tried to keep the venom out of her voice.

“Ohhh an ice tea and some of those iddy biddy little sandwiches.”

Elizabeth didn’t nod or say anything at all, she just left the room when Harmony’s annoying voice stopped.

“Wow rude much…. What was her problem?”

William stared distractedly at the door Elizabeth had just left through. “I don’t know.”

“Anyway as I was saying Daddy would love it if you could come to the ball and I was thinking….”

William tuned out her voice as he thought about Elizabeth. He tried to think of what he had done to cause her sour mood. He couldn’t really think of anything, the only thing he had done since yesterday was sit here and talk to Harmony. Suddenly it hit him like a ton of bricks--that’s what he had done, he’d shown Harmony attention, and little Elizabeth was jealous. That thought caused him to chuckle.

“What?… William it’s not funny, I think it’s a good idea. We should so go in matching colours, I’m thinking pink.”

“No that wasn’t what I was laughing at… wait a bleeding second I’m not going in matching colours and I’m certainly not going in bloody pink.”

“Oh come on Blondie bear it will be fun.”

“No it bloody will not and stop calling me that.”

Ignoring him, Harmony carried on speaking, “Now I was thinking….”

William once again tuned out her voice. Elizabeth was jealous… it appeared progress had been made yesterday. He decided he could have some fun with this.

As Elizabeth re-entered the room carrying the tray, William leaned back and put his arm across the back of the chaise lounge in a devil may care way. To the casual on looker, it appeared as though William had his arm draped across Harmony, in a relaxed couply kind of way.

Placing the tray down on the small coffee table, Elizabeth spared a glance at William, noticing also that Harmony seemed to be glaring daggers at her.

“Will there be anything else, Sir?”

William looked up at Elizabeth, her eyes were downcast and she looked hurt. He felt guilty for doing this but decided to ignore his guilt.

“I’m not sure, why don’t you wait over there in case we do need anything.” It wasn’t a question it was a statement. He then motioned to Harmony to continue. “Go on pet, carry on with what you where saying.” He moved ever so slightly closer to Harmony, a move which did not go unnoticed by Elizabeth.

“Oh my little sugar, well as I was saying Daddy thinks we should all go to France this year because…”

Elizabeth felt like running out the room crying, or cowering in a corner, or possibly even punching William. Who was he to put her through this? She really had thought yesterday had meant something but watching the two of them together now showed it clearly meant nothing to him. It was probably just another way to get her to work harder or a way to get her into bed. She really had thought that William had been different, clearly, she had been wrong.

God, this girl was annoying. William was trying to concentrate on what Harmony was talking about, something about bloody France, he really wanted to ring her neck. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate even though his attention seemed to be drawn to the petite blond he could see out the corner of his eye. She looked really down trodden and it made his heart ache. As he saw tears start to form in the corner of her eyes, he realised what a bastard he was being. He really was acting no better than Peaches and Elizabeth deserved to be treated better than that.

“Elizabeth,” he gave her a soft look as she raised her head to look at him. Harmony looked affronted at having been cut off mid speech. William ignored her stutters as he carefully studied Elizabeth. “I don’t think we will be needing anything after all, why don’t you go?”

Elizabeth stood up and nodded numbly, then just as quietly as she had entered the room she left it. She was afraid to think of what would happen in that room now there was no one there but the two of them. She was also afraid to think of why he had got rid of her, did he want to do something with Harmony that couldn’t be done with her in the room. With these thoughts invading her mind, she entered the servant quarters and practically ran to her room. Not caring what Maggie or anyone else thought.


***

As Elizabeth left the room, Harmony breathed a sign of relief.

“Finally she’s gone. I tell you some people just have no clue. I mean how rude was she just staying like that – couldn’t she see we didn’t need her here? Hello unwanted.”

William gave up his charade of looking like he was actually paying attention.

“Harmony you stupid bint, she couldn’t leave till I told her to.”

“Oh William you get so worked up, its not good for you… now we are alone why don’t I help you work off some of that tension.”

She moved closer to him, so that her chest was brushing up against his back, she gently placed her hands on his shoulders and started to kneed them. William let his eyes close and imagined it was a smaller blond behind him massaging his shoulders and neck. That was until she carried on speaking.

“So Honey Bunny what do you think of the idea of France? I’d really like it if you took me to Paris… It would be all romantic and I was thinking…”

With a growl, William shot up and stood staring at Harmony.

“Will you just shut up? Can’t you stay quiet for a second? I really don’t know what you have been informed of, but I’m not interested in you and never will be. You’re aggravating as hell, and you’d drive me to an early grave. Get it into your thick skull you dink, nothing is ever going to happen between us, ever, period. Oh and just for the record I would really like it if you would shut up about sodding France.”

Harmony looked gob smacked, as though he had just delivered an actual blow. However she wasn’t the type to give up easily, and if he was going to hurt her, she was going to try hurt him back.

“Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on with you William. You love that servant more than me.”

“I love syphilis more than you, Harmony. At least Elizabeth can carry on a decent conversation which is more than I can say for you.”

Harmony could barely contain the tears as she stood up looking him in the eye. “I don’t know why I let you be so mean to me.”

William looked her squarely in the eye. “What can I say baby, love hurts.”

Harmony looked at him for a beat longer before she fled from the room.

William took a moment to compose himself before rushing out the room himself to try and find Elizabeth to try and explain.

TBC……………….





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