"Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year..."
Summary: In the last days of 1880, betrayal and tragedy have their way
with Cicely the Vampire Slayer...
("But Cicely wasn't...And Halfreck..." Now, now Joss never confirmed
that Cicely wasn't or that Haly was...Besides you're in the
Cicelyverse AU now...And to read up on how Haly took Cicely's form
that night, the plot against William, etc...www.geocities.com/
buffyrebecca/Cicelypg.html )
Disclaimer: Joss, you left the gap, I exploit it...But the Buffy
stuff's all yours and ME's...
Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse,
www.geocities.com/buffyrebecca/Cicelypg.html
or direct to story at http://www.angelfire.com/zine2/buffyrebecca/swb.html
***
Part II...
London, same time...A gentlemen's club of venerable reputation...
Where, despite the comforts offered to him in the form of comfortable
chair, fine cigar, and excellent claret, a tall and darkly handsome
young man twisted rather anxiously in said chair, eyeing the large
clock on the wall...Carefully positioned so as to be easily visible to
all members engaged in their various businesses and activities about
the floor...And kept in perfect time...
Not a few members saved from disaster...Business or domestic...By that
most excellent of timepieces...As well as the attentiveness of the
club steward...
Who, having noting member Foxcroft's anxiety from his corner for some
time now, was pleased to be able to provide some remedy at last...
"Mr. Foxcroft, sir..." he paused by the chair in which Cicely's
devoted cousin, Henry Foxcroft, awaited word of the arrival of another
member...
Who, God willing might be the bearer of the news he'd been desperate
to receive...
"I understand that Mr. Levinson has just come through the main
entrance...You wished to be informed of the moment of his arrival..."
"Yes, yes...Thanks...Please let him know I'm waiting for him..."
"It has already been done, sir...Shall I bring Mr. Levinson's
brandy?..."
"Yes, thanks..."
Jonathan Levinson, London barrister and ex-suitor of the divine, in
his eyes at least, even if no longer remotely available Cicely,
entered the upper club room from the main staircase...Nodding quickly
to Foxcroft...
Some, though not much, hope...Henry realized at once from his friend's
expression...
"Levinson?...Have you heard anything?..." he asked as Levinson took
the chair next to him...
"Just a little..." Jonathan paused as the steward brought over a tray
with his favorite brandy and set it down on the small table by his
chair...
"Well?..." Henry resumed as the steward managed to all but vanish in
seconds...Jonathan taking up his glass...
"My detective believes she's been positively identified in Lyme
Regis...A woman answering her description was seen prowling the
streets at night by several people ...But there's an odd thing,
Henry..." Jonathan frowned...His professional sense of order had been
through a lot in regards to Cicely Addams Walthrop, but never so as
now...
"Couldn't be odder than some of what's been happening..." Henry
sighed... "Sorry, go on..."
"According to him, McIves...My detective...Based on the description
you insisted I give him..."
"William...?" Henry eyed his friend...Who nodded...Then frowned
again...
"You expected it, didn't you...?" Jonathan shook his head in
puzzlement...
"But Walthrop is dead...We've both seen his body...Unless you have
some reason to think a mistake..."
"No mistake was made, Jonathan..." Henry sighed... "He is dead..."
"An impostor?..." the barrister...and perhaps the ex-suitor...In
Jonathan took hold... "Is someone seeking to take advantage of Cicely
in her grief?..."
"Not an impostor...Though someone who may very well try to manipulate
her grief to its...His...Advantage..."
"It might be wise of you to confide a little more in me, Henry...I am
a friend to you both you know...I've been willing to travel blindly on
this so far, and if for some reason you need me to continue that way,
I will for her sake...But with more information, I might be better
able to help..."
"I know, Jonathan...And you are a friend I would trust completely if
it were something that only concerned me...But without Cicely's
agreement...I'm constrained by my promises to her to keep her
confidences..."
I see...Levinson nodded slightly...
"Well, will we be off to Lyme?..." he smiled at his friend... "It
seems to be the first real evidence we have of her in nearly two
months...Even if she's not there now, it's a place to start..."
And she must be getting very near her time...A very low voice...
"Yes...Very near...Not more than a few weeks now..." Henry replied,
voice equally low...
"Then we must find her...It's outrageous what Sir Richard's done,
throwing her out of the house like this...And you said she and
Walthrop were secretly married..."
"Jonathan...On the point of my uncle..." Henry paused... "I think I
can tell that part...While he has disowned, he did not per se 'throw
her out' as people think...She left the house of her own accord and it
was only after that, when she refused to return that he took the
action against her, even to trying to stop her income from her poor
deceased mother..."
"But, at such a time?..." Levinson stared... "Did Sir Richard try to
annul the marriage?..."
"Oh, yes..." Henry nodded... "But she had more reason than that for
leaving...More than that I can't tell you...But you're right, I should
be off for Lyme, even if she's left there as well...Though I think I'd
prefer going alone..."
Jonathan started to protest...
"If this is a useless trip, it's best someone is here in London to
continue monitoring any news that does come in of her..." Henry
noted... "And while even my going may raise some questions, two of us
might well stir the whole mess up again in the papers...And encourage
my uncle to set his people after us...He is looking for her still as
well..."
"Might be best for her now if he succeeded..." Levinson eyed his
friend... "Well, I will be guided by your wishes in this, Henry...And
probably someone should be here in case new information arrives...But
please, keep me informed..."
And let her know...She will always have a friend in me...Whatever may
come...
***
The graveyard...Night...
A wizened old fellow, condemned forever to the last stages of
consumption, eyed Cicely and her companions...Nodding with grin to the
male vamp who'd brought her to this rather favored gathering spot...
"Good'un on you, Bill...Brought us the Slayer, did you?...Mates, lets
have at her!...Mates?" he turned to where five seconds ago, four other
males and two females had stood, staring at their unexpected guest...
Mates...? the old fellow blinked...
"Some of em have met Slayers before, Sid..." Bill, the male with
Cicely, told him kindly... "Best not to rile her, she's in a merciful
mood tonight...Just has a few questions for us..."
Questions?...Sid stared...His Unlife flashing before his eyes as he
beheld his doom in rather pretty brunette...Say, is she
preggers?...form...
"Yes..." Cicely eyed the elderly-appearing Unman...
Seems hardly worth the effort for some vampire to have taken this
fellow...she thought...
"I'm looking for someone...Two someones...If you give me honest
answers, you can leave in peace so long as I don't find you feeding on
humans..."
"Cats and rats forever, Slayer...I swear!..." Sid fell to his knees...
Likes dogs, you know...Still got one...he explained, rising at her
order...
"So how I can help you, miss....?" the former proprietor of Markle's
Fine Lady's Shoes had no trouble recovering his habitual manner in an
elegant lady's presence...
My demon God...he thought, recognizing her... "You're Sir Richard
Addams' daughter, Miss Cicely...I remember reading of you in the
society pages...I'm...I was...A great admirer of your father, miss..."
"Mrs. Walthrop..." she replied... "Yes...Thank you...Now as to the
matter in hand..."
"Of course, ma'am...But..." he paused, delicately... "Perhaps you
ought to have a seat?...You look a bit pale, if one may say so..." He
indicated a low, large stone crypt near them...Only the size of the
small coffin within...
"Seat...Yes..." Eygo agreed firmly... "Sit, Slayer...Eygo watch the
prowlies..."
"Well...Perhaps...It would be...Easier to talk..." Cicely nodded,
gratefully moving to the spot and taking careful seat...Eygo taking a
position to her side...Bill and Sid maintaining a respectful distance
in front of her...
"Better?..." Sid asked...
"Much better, thanks...Right then...Here is the arrangement I
propose..." she pulled out the daguerreotype of William... "You answer
my questions and I will keep my word to you...I am seeking my...This
gentleman..." she held up the image... "He's now..." she paused...
Oh, God, how could you have let this happen?...Lord, why hast though
forsaken me?...she stared at the picture...
"...One of your kind...Traveling with a female...His siress,
Drusilla..."
"Drusilla?...The Angelus clan's Drusilla?..." Sid asked carefully...An
air of respect on the "Angelus"...
"Yes...Have you seen her?...Or him?...About these parts, tonight or
recently?..."
"She was said to be about here...Staying with a mate in the north
sector..." he pointed north... "Folks were told to clear out and keep
away, if they knew what's good for 'em...A rather exclusive bunch, the
Angelus clan...A friend of mine did say just last night that the male
with her was quite a good fighter..."
"Really?..." Cicely beamed a moment...Always knew he had it in
him...Ummn...
"He was fighting here?...Is he all right?..."
"I would say so, miss...I imagine Drusilla would've called a very
bloody vengeance from the clan on us if he weren't..."
"Your friend...The one who's seen him...Can you find him, take me..."
she started to rise and thought better of it...Eygo frowning at her as
well... "Bring him to me?..." Eygo nodding, pleased...
"I think so, ma'am...Jerry, she keeps to town for her
me...Strolls...If you don't mind waitin' a bit?...I'm sure she'd be
willing to tell you...Loves to have a chat with a lady, Jerry
does...For the same arrangement, of course..."
"If I don't find her hunting humans, yes..." Cicely nodded...
"A bit of a moment, ma'am..." Sid raised his somewhat battered
favorite top hat and hurried off...
"He's a bit of a queer old duck, Sid..." Bill noted kindly as Sid
vanished among the tombstones... "But he'll deliver on his word,
miss..."
"I hope that he will..." Cicely nodded...
"Perhaps...I could take a turn about...See if your fellow is prowling
near...?" Bill suggested...
"All right...But just a few minutes...And no funny business, sir..."
she gave him a stern look... "I've no tolerance for nonsense
tonight..."
"Of course, miss...Back in ten, if that's all right...Not even enough
time to feed..." he gave a friendly wink and headed off...
"You be good, prowlie!..." Eygo called...Growling...
"Slayer?..." she turned to the Cicely now showing her desperate
weariness...Struggling to catch breath...
"What you do if he here?...If we find him tonight...?"
Cicely looked at the furry creature...The one 'person' capable of
understanding her agony...
"I don't know..." she shook her head sadly...
***
London...The Antiquarian Hall...Night...
Farris sat now, on the platform, watching as Rathskeller moved to the
podium for his final act as Chairman...
In the end, as he'd expected, there'd been little real
opposition...Once they'd been assured he had the situation well in
hand...And a solution to the crisis already in progress...
"Counselors..." Arthur eyed the crowd...Seeing the nervous, even
shamed expressions of some, many instinctively pulling back into the
shadows to hide their faces, the sternly dutiful set looks of others,
and those already trying to catch the eye of the new man in power...
"I have the honor to present to you, your new Chairman...Dr. Simon
Farris!..." he stepped back, clapping with genuine warmth, though
perhaps forced enthusiasm...
"Simon..." he offered a hearty handshake which Farris accepted in
equal heartiness... "I count on your help always, Arthur..." he
whispered, moving past the ex-Chairman to the podium...
"Ladies and gentlemen...Councilors...I accept the great trust and care
you have placed upon me...I assure you, I shall maintain the sacred
traditions of this venerable organization and do everything in my
power to further its success in our ongoing battle with Evil..."
"Now...As to the current situation..." he looked across the sea of
faces...So many withdrawing to the shadows...Desperate not to bear a
share in this...
He'd have to remember those weaklings...Not to oust them naturally,
just yet...Merely to see that none of the stronger ones held positions
in which their feeble scruples might hinder his efforts to bring the
Council to its...And his...Proper position in the world...
Might require a few expulsions at that...But later, when the cries of
thanksgiving, jubilation, and shamed-faced relief, rang out, swamping
all possible opposition...
"As I stated in my report to you this evening, we are in position,
luckily, to take immediate action to contain this crisis..."
No...I will not see her pleading face...I have set all upon this cast
and I will see it through...
She has made her decision...And I have made mine...And set myself to
the road to power and immortal glory...
Even if paved with the faces of...
"With your permission, fellow Counselors...I shall take leave of you
immediately and..."
Help me, Simon...she said...When she came to my rooms...Seeking me out
as the one person whom she could turn to...Kneeling on the floor in
tears, begging...
For him...
For...him...
"...do what...Must be done...For the sake of Humanity..."
***
|
