"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 III...
"Lovely hat, miss..." the young-looking 'woman' smiled at Cicely...
"I've been unable to keep with the latest fashion, is it new?...Might
I feel the material, just a touch?..." she approached slowly from
where she'd halted on being introduced by her escort, old Sid, a warm
smile on her face...Staring intently at the clearly exhausted
Cicely...
"Thank you...It's from last season...And stay where you are...If you
come any closer I will have to consider it an attack..."
Eygo giving the female a narrow stare...Which, owing to the facial fur
went unnoticed...Though her tensing and growl...Did not...
"Jerry..." Sid hissed to his companion, sensing her tensing for a
strike... "We're on our honor here...And this is the Slayer you've
heard tell of...She's giving us a fair chance for a little
information...Now bes a good girl..."
A sullen look appeared briefly on the girl's lovely features...Fading
quickly back to the beaming smile like the professional actress she'd
once been, she halted... "All right, Sid...Sorry, miss...What is it
you want to know?..."
"You've seen Drusilla, of the Angelus clan, and her mate, around
here?...The other night or recently?..."
"Lord, I should say so..." Geraldine nodded, relaxing a bit...So she's
just after a prestige kill, eh?...
"When?...Where?..."
"Tonight, miss...They were still in the back north until an hour or so
ago...But miss!..." she called as Cicely hopped to her feet and
pulling her stake, heading north ...Whirling back at the vampiress'
call...
"They's left, miss...Headed for the seaside, looking for a boat to the
Continent, I think..."
***
London...Just outside the club where Levinson and Foxcroft had held
their meeting...
"Mr. Levinson, I presume?..." a voice addressed Jonathan as he waited
for a carriage back to his rooms...
"Mr. Farris?..." Jonathan stared at the tall, white-haired man...Who
seemed a bit anxiety-ridden for the gentle scholar of antiquities he'd
encountered at Cicely's a few times while pursuing his hopeful though
hopeless quest of Miss Addams...
"Yes...I came looking for your friend Mr. Foxcroft...I understand he
was here this evening..."
"You've missed him, I'm afraid...He's left some time ago and will be
out of London for a few days..."
"Do you know where?...Is there any chance of catching him at his
rooms?...Pardon me, but it is very important I reach him at once..."
Farris eyed the young man carefully...
Jonathan for his part now noticing that two men across the street
seemed very interested in their doings...Keeping a rather close eye on
them...
"It concerns Mrs. Walthrop, his cousin..."
***
The town of Weymouth, on the Channel...Night...
"Well, there might yet be private charters heading out tonight..." the
dock attendant noted to Bill, peering now at his harbor list, a long,
flat book...Cicely having decided an escort, preferably male, even a
vampiral one under her watchful eye, might be necessary in town and at
the dock area to obtain information and avoid the unwanted questions
and difficulties generally tending to plague a woman traveling
alone...
Eygo, carefully hiding in the shadows with her, though willing, being
a rather unsuitable choice to approach humans for information...
"Aye...There are three..." the attendant tapped his list... "The Mary
Conradina is leaving in fifteen, straight on, the fourth berth, for
St. Malo...The Albert leaves at 10:30 for Cherbourg from the seventh
berth, and there's a special charter of the St. Ethelbert at 10:40 at
the dock by the Quayside Restaurant...A private touring party, most
likely..."
Hmmn...They've gone and forgot to give me their destination...he
frowned..."But Billings has a habit of that...Little too fond of the
bottle..." he made a quick gesture of thumb and fingers to indicate a
jug being sampled...
No destination?...Cicely thought, listening as intently as her
currently somewhat muted Slayer abilities would allow...As Bill gave
the attendant his thanks and returned to her...
"That last one sounds very possible..." she noted...
"Aye, I thought that myself..." Bill nodded... "Though it seems odd
they'd worry about their destination being known by anyone...Does the
fellow know you're trailing him, Slayer...?"
"No...He'd have no idea...He doesn't know I'm the Slayer..." Cicely
shook her head...
In fact he believes I loathe him...she looked a bit sadly towards the
moored boats...
"Well, per'aps they simply felt like traveling with a party..." he
suggested...To her blinking face...
Party?...
"Easy meals and even our kind do like to socialize at times,
miss...Anyway, for the others they'll have to be coming by the docks
fairly soon...Unless they're already on board..."
Hmmn...She thought a moment...
"It might be the Slayer...Drusilla must know the Council was pursuing
her clan ever since they arrived in London back in February...They may
be trying to avoid me professionally..."
Though by joining a private party...she shook her head...
"They do say Miss Drusilla likes to do things in a wild sort of
way..." Bill noted..."And it's not likely they'd be able to toss her
and your gentleman out easily..."
"Strange...Still, I'd better get over to that restaurant and
see...Bill, I'm going to place you on trust to stay with Eygo and
watch the docks here for them...Eygo is strong enough to destroy you,
you know...No offense..."
"It's fine miss...You kept your word to my mates and I'll be glad
to..." he smiled... "Rather a more interesting evenin' for me than
most at that..."
"Eygo, keep a good watch, but keep hidden, please?...And don't trust
our friend too far...He can't help what he is..."
Bill nodding politely in acknowledgment...As generally told about,
this famed Slayer was clearly no fool...
"Aye, Slayer..." Eygo gave her a gentle pat... "Don't fight the
prowlies, come back if you see pretty one...We get him all..."
"Thank you both..." she gave them a weary smile and headed off in the
direction of the restaurant...
"Nice girl, that..." Bill noted... "A true lady to her pores..."
"Aye...You watch..." Eygo pointed to the docks, giving him a stern,
friend-to-the-Slayer stare...
***
Lyme Regis...Same time...
Hailed by Levinson outside his hotel as he stood, still holding
Jonathan's hasty message...Henry looked at the group just out of their
carriage with his friend...Nodding briefly to Farris as he emerged...
"Foxcroft..." Farris eyed him... "I thought you'd agreed to keep me
informed whatever you heard of Cicely's whereabouts..."
Levinson frowning at him... "Sir, you told me Henry had given you
permission to ..."
"It's all right, Jonathan..." Henry shook his head... "I did...It's as
I said in my reply to your telegram..."
"Never received it...Mr. Farris was anxious to be off..."
Indeed never thought we'd arrive alive at the pace we made...he
thought...
"As regards our agreement, Mr. Farris...I wasn't sure if this would
turn out to be more than a rumor and after our last failures, I'd
thought it might be best for me to try and reach her alone..."
Hmmn...Jonathan eyed the two men...
Strange enough that Cicely's historian friend should be so anxious to
inject himself into her private affairs...Though I could accept it's
no stranger than my own...
But this smacks somehow of something far...More...
"I see..." Farris sighed... "I must tell you Henry, it's difficult for
me to assist her if you now put obstacles in my way...Well, have you
had any success?..."
"She's not in Lyme...She left this hotel two days ago...Heading for a
village near Weymouth..."
"She had a lead, then?..." Farris glanced a moment at Levinson...
"I don't know, I would imagine so..." Henry nodded...Likewise glancing
at Jonathan...
"Jonathan, would you pardon us a moment?..." he asked his friend...
"Mr. Farris and I must discuss those matters Cicely wished kept
private..."
Hmmn?...
Hmmn...A slight frown...
Still, I did promise...Jonathan thought, reluctantly...
"By all means..." he waved a hand... "I've long wanted to see the
sights of Lyme..." he sighed... "Back in ten..." he headed
off...Glancing back at them...
What can that old man have on her?...It must be blackmail of some
sort...Could it be that Walthrop is alive, this is all some elaborate
hoax to get them out of England and Sir Richard's clutches safely?...
"But he was dead...I saw him..." he murmured...A couple passing
staring at him as he spoke aloud...
And the dead do not come back and flee with their wives...
***
"Boy..." Farris, free of Jonathan's presence, was all Chairman of the
Council of Watchers now...A cold set look at Henry..."This kind of
foolishness will lead to your cousin's death...We must work together
if we are to save her..."
"She will not rejoin your Council, Farris...And I honestly believe she
would fly again if your people came charging after her...She doesn't
trust the Council any more since William's death..."
"Mr. Foxcroft, owing to your cousin's folly and my tolerant desire to
help her, you are one of the few non-members privileged to hold
information concerning our organization and its vital activities...But
that is a responsibility as well as a privilege...And you have a
responsibility to your cousin...To save her from her folly..."
"Is it folly?...She's convinced William's soul has not fled this
world...She's sure something can be done...Can't you speak again to
your Chairman?...Or let me...Rathskeller seems a reasonable man..."
"I am now Chairman, Foxcroft...As of seven-thirty this evening...It's
what we hoped for, Henry..." his voice taking an eager, pleading
tone... "I can help her now, use the full power of my position...If
you'll just help me find her..."
"Congratulations...Wait?...If you have access now to their
secrets...Could you help Walthrop?...I know she'd come back with us in
an instant if..."
"Nothing can help poor Walthrop now, Henry...He's safe beyond all
harm...Cicely must come to accept that and be content with destroying
the thing using his body...The monster that would...Will destroy her
if she ever does find him with anything on her mind but his
destruction..."
***
"So I was sayin', mate..." Spike in new suit...Somewhat rumpled new
suit, given his rather inebriated condition...Seated at the plush bar
of the Quayside Restaurant in the midst of the party group heading out
shortly for France on the 10:40 charter...Turned back to his new best
buddy, an equally drunken human by the name of Harrison...Or was that
his other new best mate, the fellow next to him..."Any way...So as I
was sayin'...Poetry is the human soul expresshun...expressed in ink
on..." he thought a moment...
"Paper..." Yeah, that's right... "Paper..."
"I...urrrpp...Fully agree..." Harrison...Or the other
fellow...Nodded...
"Exactly..." Spike banged the table... Knew the fellow...A man of
obvious intellect and appro...Appreciation could
app..appresh ...Appreciate the pint...er point...
That's why...Of all humans...He's me best mate...
Or is it that bloke?...He eyed the other woozily...
Well...Tonight, en route...As we say in France...En route to gay ole
Paris...I embrace all Humanity to my bosom...
'Sides I'm stuffed to the gills...
"Michaels...I salute..." the other fellow raised a glass to...Right,
name of the fellow I took the tickets to this little excursion party
off of yesterday, Spike blearily remembered... "You...In the name of
all whom seek true beauty..."
"Sir..." the bartender came to him, beaming... "Another round?..."
Spike glanced at his mates...Gentlemen?...
Who sagely nodded...
"I believe we will, sir...Thanks..."
He glanced round...Seemed he'd forgotten something...Someone...
Ah, right...
"Gentlemen...I must...Very briefly...Desert your company..." he raised
a hand against their protests... "No, no...I must see to Mrs...?...Ah,
right...Michaels...Poor lamb...Very wrong of me to neglect her so
long...But, fear not...Hold that bubbling thought in your brain,
Harrison..."
"Enders...That's Harrison..." Enders waved vaguely at Harrison...
I think...
"Witchever...I shall, gentlemen...Return to continue our discussion,
shortly..."
"Here, here..."
"Say, Michaels..." Enders called... "Which division are you
with?...Leeds or Birmingham?..."
"Well..." Spike paused, trying to stand erect after three hours on
stool... "Always saw meself as a Birmingham kind...Until...I decided
to have a look at Leeds...Currently I am undecided as to where my
future with the firm lies..."
Enders nodding sagely...Indeed... Always best to play both off each
other...
"But, enough of mundane sordidness...Tonight we discuss
beauty...Urrrrppp...And its meanness..."
I can't see you, William...You're beneath me...she said...
"...er, meanings...When I return..."
He rose and stumbled out of the room...Vaguely spying several
brunettes...
Now where was she...?
"Pardon..." he stopped a waiter... "Have you seen my...Wife...?"
So high...He vaguely waved a hand somewhere below his shoulder...
"Answers to the name of Cicely..." he stopped short...Snarling at
himself a bit...But managing to retain human face...
"Pardon...Drusilla's the name..."
So high...He put the hand at waist level...
"I would guess she's with the ladies in the dining room, sir..." the
waiter pointed and continued on...
Ah, yes...Very appropriate...
Hope she hasn't forgotten to play human and killed 'em all yet...he
thought...Nice time, delightful company for an outing to France...And
I did see she fed well first...
Damn why'd I have to go and mention that name?...he frowned as he made
his way to the dining room...
Go and spoil a wonderful evening...All Humanity in my embrace...
Except...No...He raised a wavering finger...We do not mention that
name...She's like I was, six feet under...In memory...
And if I'd gone and let Dru have her way, literally...Well...Perhaps
another time...
Wonder what she's up to now...Out ona town with some dimwitted toff,
no doubt...Funny we haven't seen much of her in the Times we've picked
up since I croaked...
Time was you couldn't open the society page without find her beautiful
picture gracin' it...
Well, all that's six feet under too...
"Dru?..." he called into the room...Rather pleased to see at least it
seemed she hadn't yet killed them all yet...
***
>From the outside of the restaurant, Cicely eyed the lights, the
waiters' silhouettes...
All seemed well...
She staggered...
The painkiller she'd taken earlier was wearing off...Its side effect
of nearly restoring a little of her old energy that had won her over
to its use after Simon had recommended it to her in one of their very
rare meetings since she'd left London and the Council...Fading as
well...
The ribs she'd broken in battle several days ago bothering her
again...Strange...It had never taken her so long to heal before...
But then she'd never been pregnant before...She found her last two
pills in her purse and gulped them down...
Pity...But she had no intention of contracting Simon simply to ask for
more...She'd had to find something tomorrow in one of the local
shops...
Now, what to do?...Waltz in and see if William was there?
Perhaps more carefully than that...
Yes and then what?...After brutally killing Drusilla that is...
What I came to do...Tell him why, beg his forgiveness...
Tell him our happy news...she beamed a little at the thought...
Club him one and take him to London...Force the Council to try...
Dust..Help..him my way...If there is no other way...
Or die trying...
Or rather, to keep him company in his agony and our little family
together...Whatever the Council or the Almighty may do to us in the
end...
Undie trying...
"And if that is not to your liking, Lord..." she quietly prayed...
"Then you know it's damned well time for a little help for your
instrument..."
***
In carriage, en route to Weymouth...
"Why would she have gone by Weymouth?..." Jonathan, having rejoined
the group just as they were about to dash...Quite literally forcing
his way in, only Henry's insistence allowing him a seat...Asked the
question on all minds...
"I don't know..." Henry shook his head... "Some lead she got in
Lyme..."
"About Walthrop?..." Jonathan stared at his friend then the impassive
Farris...
"Henry, I cannot believe she is doing this without cause...Why does
she think he might still be alive, let alone somewhere around
Weymouth?..."
"Because..." Farris sighed...Eyeing Henry... "In a way, he may yet be
on this Earth..."
"What?..." Levinson gasped...Henry looking uncertain...
"Henry, you said there was no doubt of his being dead...And I remind
you that I saw his corpse with you and Cicely...Were you and she
deceiving me?..."
Wait...Jonathan paused... "Weymouth?...Are they?...Or he?...Crossing
to France?...Is that it?..."
France?...Henry looked at Farris... "Of course...William and that
Drusilla are fleeing to France..."
"Yes..." Farris nodded... "That must be it..." He banged on the roof
of the carriage with his walking stick... "Head straight for the
Weymouth dockside!..."
Drusilla?...Levinson stared...Then frowned...
"Has the fellow actually gone and abandoned poor..."
"Jonathan...Let me try to explain..." Henry began...
Though you will, I assure you, surely think me and Mr. Farris mad...
***
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