TITLE: Pride & Prejudice: Revamped
AUTHOR: Goddess Arundhathi
PAIRING: S/X (of course!) Giles/Joyce, various others - not sure yet.
RATING: PG for now
DISCLAIMER: You know the drill. None of it's mine. All belongs to Joss Whedon etc., or the immensely talented Miss Jane Austen. No point suing. I'm poor.
SUMMARY: You've read the title? It's Pride & Prejudice with my favourite vampires, and of course, the all-important Slayerettes. Spike and Xander play the key roles. Need I say more?
SPOILERS: If you know that Buffy is the Slayer and Angel is a vampire, you've seen enough to be okay. *Total* AU.
PRIDE & PREJUDICE: REVAMPED
~*~Chapter One~*~
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Or quite possibly a husband.
Unfortunately for the people of Sunnydale, being situated on a Hellmouth meant that the single men who arrived were prone to be something other than human, as vampires are often just as in want of a mate as their slightly more mortal counterparts. However, the occasional death due to severe blood loss had done little to diminish the belief of the citizens of 'Boca del Inferno' that, on entering the neighbourhood, a man of breeding and money becomes the rightful property of one of their unmarried offspring. Only a few educated souls were aware of the risks involved in trying to ensure that the lucky one was one of their own children without first verifying the species of the prospective spouse.
Rupert Giles was one such knowledgeable soul. Therefore, when his wife came to him in great spirits, with news of another new arrival, he responded somewhat half-heartedly.
"Rupert, dear," began Joyce, clearly somewhat excited, "have you heard the news? Someone has leased the Crawford Mansion."
"Really," replied Mr Giles, reluctant to engage in the inevitable discussion about the new neighbour's fortune, prospects and potential as suitor to one of his charges. Turning back to his books, he replied in such a way as to suppress his wife's enthusiasm. "Why do you imagine this is newsworthy?" Unfortunately for his patience and the progress of the research he was currently entangled in, Mrs Giles saw this as invitation enough, and proceeded to explain her excitement.
"Of course it is newsworthy, Rupert. I was speaking with Mrs Jones, and she says a young gentleman of great wealth has taken it. He came to view it at the weekend, agreed to take it immediately, and will be here by the weekend."
"Really?" repeated Mr Giles. "Human or vampire?" This was his first question whenever his wife came to him with news of this kind. Although he was as keen as the next man to ensure his children's future comfort, his interest was also professional. As watcher and stepfather to the current Slayer, Elizabeth 'Buffy' Giles, he was well prepared to either greet new neighbours as potential in-laws or assist his Slayer in removing the threat with the minimum of fuss.
His question gave his wife pause. "I have no idea," she admitted. "Mrs Jones knows nothing about such things, so I could hardly ask her. Do you really think more vampires would be foolish enough to come here so soon after Buffy defeated Master Aurelius? I am quite convinced he must be human, and that can only be a fine thing for our children."
"How is that?" asked Giles, although he already knew the answer that was coming, as he had heard it a number of times before.
"Well, I understand he is single, and has a large fortune. Also, he is reputed to be well educated. He may well be an ideal partner for one of our girls." When Mr Giles married Joyce Summers, mother of the slayer, he had become father not only to Buffy, but also to her younger sister Dawn, and the slayer's orphaned cousins, Willow, Cordelia, and Alexander, the only boy in the family, who had been hugely relieved to be sharing the house with another male after five years of living with only female company.
Joyce, well aware of the shortage of money caused by such a large family and the relatively small income of a watcher, was always keen to relieve some of the burden by endeavouring to make certain that their children married well. As the children became adults, and showed no signs of moving on, her efforts to find spouses for them had become more and more intensive. Primarily, she wished to find husbands for her daughters and nieces, but recently had become concerned that Alexander ought to be thinking of getting married, and had made several short-lived attempts to encourage him to direct his attentions to one or other of the more financially stable heiresses in the region.
"You believe he has come here in search of a wife, then?" Giles asked, his tone slightly sarcastic. "That is his principal reason for choosing to live at the mouth of hell?"
"Oh, for goodness sake, Rupert." Joyce was exasperated by her husband's lack of interest. "First of all, he probably doesn't know anything about the Hellmouth. Most people don't spend their lives worrying about apocalypses, demons and other creatures of the night. Most people are lucky enough not to realise they exist. Secondly, I am not suggesting he is here *looking* for a wife. Simply that he is rich, and our daughters are beautiful, talented and intelligent, and there is no reason why he should not fall in love with one of them. Perhaps you should visit when he arrives, find out his reasons for being here, and make some social arrangements, so the girls and I can meet him."
"I hardly have time for that," answered Giles. "There are slightly more important things than ensuring that our girls find new men to chase. Besides, I thought you had decided that Alexander would be the first to marry. Perhaps this man will be suitable for him." This was said primarily to get a reaction from his wife. Giles would be quite content to see Xander in love with anyone, male or female, given his current reluctance to settle down and commit to one person, but he was convinced, on past example, that his stepson's interests lay firmly in the pursuit of women. He also knew that Joyce hoped for grandchildren to carry on the Giles name, and as their only son, Xander was expected to carry that burden, which made a wife necessary. Therefore, it was easy to torment his wife in this way.
"Nonsense. Xander has never shown any interest in other men. And, if you recall, he was very friendly with that Madison girl. Although that seems to have fizzled out rather. He said she was too 'silly and girly' for him, and he'd rather spend his time with his sisters, who, it should be mentioned, are often quite silly themselves, although anything other than girly, which may be a disadvantage to them in terms of finding good husbands. Any way, Amy was a witch. I thought you were against the children having romantic involvements with supernatural beings."
"Well, yes, of course" Giles spluttered, discomfited by having his words thrown back at him this way. "But Amy is hardly an evil being. I just felt that maybe we should be certain that Xander is not excluded. It is difficult for him, spending so much time with only female company, especially since those military friends of his, Miller and - Gates, was it ?- went away with their garrison, and I don't want him to feel neglected. And, by the way, would you really want Buffy and the others to be, as you say, girly? If by that you mean reducing the level of physical activity they do, and sitting around in the drawing room sewing samplers, surely it is better for them to be able to defend themselves from vampires or rampaging hellhounds, for example, than produce beautiful needlework."
"You are, as always, quite right darling," soothed Joyce, aware that she had upset her husband a little, and also aware that she could use his confusion at that moment to her advantage. "So you will call on our new neighbour next week. Excellent. I must go inform the girls." Smiling sweetly at her speechless husband, who was holding his spectacles in his hand and staring at her open mouthed, she left his study and went to look for her daughters.
~*~Chapter 2~*~
Giles, although he would never have said so to his wife, had every intention of paying a visit to their new neighbour, chiefly as a reconnaissance mission. If there was a new vampire in the area, he wanted to be aware of that fact as soon as possible. At the same time, he was fully aware that his wife had a point. Ensuring good marriages for five daughters and one determinedly single son was no mean feat, and every possibility had to be examined. Giles would never ask one of his daughters to marry a man they did not love, but this new arrival might be ideal for one of them, so there was clearly no harm in making the effort.
Also, if nothing else, this new gentlemen might provide a new acquaintance for Xander, who had spent the majority of his life with chiefly female company. Joyce was entirely right in saying that Xander had never shown any *romantic* interest in men, but Giles knew that there were time he wished for brothers to dilute the influence of five extremely self-possessed sisters, and to provide an alternative source of companionship. Although his sisters, particularly Buffy, were entirely capable of holding their own in any more manly pastime Xander might wish to pursue, they were still undeniably feminine, giggling about their latest boyfriends and new outfits. It would be nice for Xander to have the opportunity to make a new male friend.
Always enjoying the opportunity to tease his wife and children, Giles made no mention of his visit in advance, and Joyce was unaware that her suggestion had been heeded. The following night, returning from patrol with Buffy and Willow, whose incursions into magick had recently been very useful to the slayer, he heard his wife talking in her sitting room and, Buffy and Willow following, went in to see her.
Joyce was sitting by the fire, a book in her lap that she was paying no attention to.
Instead, the rest of the family was gathered round her, Cordelia and Dawn showing her the fruits of a shopping trip that day. Xander was waiting eagerly for the return of the others, and leapt up from his chair when they entered the room. Generally he accompanied the elder girls and Giles on patrol, but a nasty blow from a particularly unpleasant demon two days earlier had dislocated his shoulder and Joyce had insisted upon him staying at home. How little this had pleased him was evident from the enthusiasm with which he greeted them.
"Buffy, Willow, thank God you're back. Cordy was just describing, in *great* detail, a dress she nearly bought today. Talk to me. Now. Please." He begged, desperate to escape discussion of skirt length and pleats, hats and shoe styles. "How was patrol? Lots of demons? Tell me all, with specific details. Quickly, before I start deciding what sort of ribbon I would like on my new hat, or how high my heels should be this summer." Babbling happily, he dragged the two girls away to a corner to discuss slaying, grateful to escape the monotony of a Dawn and Cordelia post-shopping analysis.
Giles found it more difficult to escape, and was forced to admire all the purchases the girls had made, including a number of garments he was unable to identify, but which he was assured were 'all the rage.'
"Lovely, Cordelia," he said in response to the third seemingly identical outfit he was shown. "I'm sure our new neighbour will think you very pretty in it."
Joyce clearly saw this as an opportunity to urge her husband once more to pay his respects. "I believe he would. It is a shame he will not get the chance to see her in it at all."
Buffy and Willow who, although absorbed in discussing their new battle techniques with Xander, had kept one ear to the conversation, were delighted to have an opportunity to share some exciting news with the rest.
"Oh, but they will," Buffy called over. "Giles went by the mansion tonight while we were patrolling the cemetery. He wanted to find out if the new arrival was slay-worthy or not."
Deciding that, in order to get maximum approval from his wife, he should probably tell the story himself, Giles interrupted. "And also, of course, I wished to welcome him to the neighbourhood." Aware that he had the attention of everyone, even Xander, he took a seat before continuing.
"I was introduced to both Mr Angel, who has taken the mansion, and his valet, Lorne, I think he was called. They seemed very polite, and did not try to eat me, so it does not seem that we will have to worry about slaying at this time. Anyway -"
Unable to contain herself any longer, Willow intervened. "So, anyway, they were nice and not obviously evil, and there is a party at Amy Madison's on Thursday evening to welcome them. We stopped at the house after patrol and Amy has invited us all, so you'll get a chance to show off your pretty new clothes after all."
This announcement led Joyce and all the girls, even Willow, usually disinterested when it came to fashion, to begin babbling about new outfits and hairstyles. Relieved to have escaped the tedium of discussion about dresses and the best place to buy shoes, Giles slipped away to his study to find some peace and Xander returned to the rather boring book of demon lore he had been reading before the elder girls and the watcher returned. He had no new dress, very little hair to style and was not looking for a new husband, so avoided the conversation the others were embroiled in. Furthermore, he was rather uncomfortable around Amy since telling her that he did not wish to make their relationship serious, and so viewed the coming party with something akin to dread.
~*~Chapter 3~*~
Several times in the next few days, Joyce tried to get more information about the enigmatic Mr Angel out of her husband. However, a combination of his desire to tease her and a preoccupation with a worrying prophecy gave him little desire to discuss the subject, and he had spent most of his time secreted in the library, avoiding his wife and daughters except when discussing slaying.
Joyce and the girls, all eager to learn more, were forced to turn to other sources of information. First, the others tried to get Buffy and Willow to provide further details, but had little success. Giles had refused to allow them to accompany him when he called at the mansion, so they knew little more than the others, and were equally curious. Next, Joyce called on one of her friends, Mrs Maclay, who had been visited by the man in question already. She confirmed that he was quite handsome, very well educated, and planning to bring a large party of friends with him to the welcome at the Madisons'.
All this sounded, to Joyce, very promising. The thought of a large party of new friends led to the possibility that more than one of her girls might meet someone, and, if there were single ladies in the party, perhaps one of them might catch Xander's eye, and maybe even convince him to take a relationship seriously.
Xander had very different ideas. Discussing the matter with Cordelia and Willow one evening while waiting for Buffy to return from a late patrol, he confessed that he was unsure about even attending the party. Amy would be there, and he was well aware that she was both very angry with him, and, as a powerful witch, very capable of doing something unpleasant to him.
"Oh, Xander, don't be silly." Willow was making every effort to persuade him to attend. "Amy doesn't use her powers for bad. Any more" she added, remembering a rather nasty spell done to a gentleman who had rejected Amy's younger sister some time ago. "Besides, I need someone to dance with when this Mr Angel - what sort of a name is that anyway? - and all his friends are fawning over Cordelia and Buffy." The pretty young witch was a little insecure, and felt that her sister and cousin tended to draw the attention of any men they were in the room with.
"Willow, don't be silly," argued Xander. "You're just as pretty as they are. Especially Cordelia. You're so much prettier than her." Raising an eyebrow, he turned to Cordelia, waiting for the inevitable scathing response to his comment. To his surprise she just smiled, knowing that he was only teasing. She was well aware of how beautiful both she and Willow were, and as eager as he was to bolster Willow's self-esteem, which meant that arguing with him over this was pretty much pointless and quite difficult to do without appearing to criticise Willow's looks.
Xander was reluctant to agree to attend the party, having serious concerns about Amy. However, he enjoyed a celebration as much as anybody, and looking at Willow's beseeching eyes and Cordelia's knowing smile, he was forced to admit defeat. "All right then, I'll come. But you both have to promise to protect me from fortune-seeking young women who try to get me in their clutches."
The girls laughed, aware of how ridiculous this idea was. "Xander, stop it," admonished Cordelia. "For a start, you don't have any money. And, anyway, most girls aren't like that. You never know. You might meet someone you really like."
Xander sighed. "I doubt it. I know Aunt Joyce is desperate for me to get married and carry the Giles name on to the next generation, but most girls I meet seem so boring, and insipid. I suppose that's what happens when you live in a house full of strong self-assured women, including a slayer and a witch. I need to find a woman who'll boss me around, and tell me what to do, beat me up occasionally. After all," he teased, looking at Willow and Cordelia, who were both, as usual, looking disapproving as he tried to joke his way out of a serious conversation about his reluctance to commit to any one girl. "That's what I'm used to." Laughing, he quickly moved out of the way as they began bombarding him with cushions from the large sofa they were sitting on.
Five minutes later, all three of them were out of breath from the impromptu pillow fight and the room was looking a little the worse for wear. Hearing Buffy enter the house, they all got up to greet her, returning the cushions to the sofa and heading for the traditional post-slay hot chocolate before bed. All talk of dances, fortunes and marriage was put on hold for the rest of the night, something for which Xander was very grateful.
~*~Chapter 4~*~
In what seemed to Xander like far too little time, reluctant as he was to attend, the day of the Madison's party arrived. From shortly after lunch, the house was filled with the sounds of excited girls rushing around, exchanging hairstyle advice and helping each other to prepare themselves. By the time they left, Xander was exhausted, even though all he had done was sit and wait for the ladies to dress. Heaving a sigh of relief that such effort was not expected from gentlemen, he gave Cordelia his arm and they headed for the waiting carriage.
The Madisons had truly outdone themselves. A new neighbour was always worth mention, but the arrival of one who appeared to possess such wealth and breeding was a special occasion in itself. Xander, along with Cordelia and Willow, was seated near a roaring fire, obviously lit for effect rather than a need for warmth on the balmy summer evening. A murmur all around them alerted them that the guests of honour had arrived. He noticed Buffy and Dawn standing together, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals. Very little interested, he tried to return to the conversation he had been having with his sisters, but even the generally quiet Willow was eager to see the long-discussed Mr Angel and so he gave up and turned to catch sight of the new guests himself.
Despite the promises, the party brought by Mr Angel numbered many fewer than the suggested twelve. He was accompanied, in the end, by two sisters, the husband of the elder, and another young man. All five drew a number of impressed looks. Angel himself was, in the traditional romance-novel style, tall, dark and handsome. He smiled little, but was polite, gracious, and made easy conversation with his host. The two sisters were striking, particularly stood close together as they were. Both tall, slender and fair skinned, the elder had carefully styled blonde hair and an obviously expensive dress. Her younger sister had hair so dark it was almost black which flowed loose down her back, and wore a dark velvet gown, very different to the light cotton dresses that were the fashion of the moment. The brother in law, Mr McDonald was also handsome, although looking a little dishevelled, as though in need of a barber. The one who drew the most interest, however, was the other gentleman, addressed by his friend as William. Xander, much to his own confusion, was unable to draw his eyes away from the chiselled cheekbones, full lips and unnaturally blond hair of the man. Just as he realised he was staring, Cordelia spoke, and he turned back to her, blushing slightly but unable to explain even to himself his reaction to the man.
At much the same time, many of the party-goers, realising they were paying the guests an impolite amount of attention, returned to their own conversations and the newcomers were allowed to enter the room with rather less surveillance to be introduced to some of the more important personages attending. All around them, discussion about their appearance and behaviour abounded. At first the conclusion was that William was a far better prospect than his friend. He was rumoured to be even richer, and the combination of his striking looks and obvious self-confidence was remarkably appealing to many of the ladies present. Furthermore, he had a marked English accent, something new to many of the people present, giving him an air of difference and sophistication. However, as the night wore on, opinions changed. Unlike his more open friend, he made little effort to talk to anyone other than his own party, danced only with the ladies in his group, and led many people to the conclusion that he was perhaps rather proud and unfriendly.
Having danced several times with Buffy and Cordelia, and at least once with each of his other sisters, Xander was relieved to have the opportunity to sit down for a time, as the Summers girls were all otherwise occupied. It would have been imprudent and insensitive to dance with any other girls at the Madisons', particularly so soon after the entanglement with Amy had ended, so he was able to rest without feeling guilty. Gazing at the flickering flames of the unneeded fire, he was able to overhear a conversation between Mr Angel and his now strongly disliked friend.
"Come on Will, why are you not dancing? We will not endear the people of Sunnydale to us by standing on the sidelines looking sullen."
"I certainly will not," responded William. "I do not like dancing, and there are very few partners who make it worth the effort. The only people here with whom I would be happy to dance are your sisters, and they are both engaged at present."
"Nonsense," responded the older man. "There are many beautiful ladies within the room. I rarely enjoy dancing, and yet I am drawn to it by the delightful choice of partners."
"You have the only partner in the room worth the time" argued William, nodding his head in the direction of Cordelia, with whom Angel had been dancing before coming to encourage his friend to join them.
"I had forgotten your passion for beautiful brunettes," Angel smiled at his friend knowingly. "She is rather beautiful, but then so is her sister," glancing at Buffy, who was sitting with Dawn, surrounded by a gaggle of young men hanging on their every word. "In fact, if you are prepared to broaden your horizons, I believe there is a rather attractive older brother in the room as well."
William glanced at Xander. "He is hardly the most beautiful specimen I have ever seen. And, even if he weren't quite clearly interested in girls, I am not going to dance with an uncoordinated boy whose only partners are his own sisters. That speaks volumes about his desirability. Now, why don't you return to the scores of beautiful women you wish to dance with, and allow me to choose my own entertainment?" With this he stalked off, leaving Angel to return to his partner and the rest of the dance.
Xander, who had heard the whole conversation, was left feeling most uncomfortable. On the one hand, he was slightly shocked that Angel had suggested him as a partner for his friend, never having considered the possibility that he might be desirable to other men, and always having been focussed on the fairer sex himself. At the same time, however, he was left with a rather inexplicable bitter taste in his mouth, almost hurt by the rejection of himself as a worthy partner. Laughing to himself, he shook his head free of the ridiculous thought. Mr William was a proud, disagreeable gentleman, emphasis on the *man* and Xander had no reason to care about his opinion of him. Standing, he returned to his sisters and settled down to make the most of what had been a surprisingly enjoyable evening's entertainment, given his initial reluctance to attend.
~*~Chapter 5~*~
By the time the party came to an end, it was late, and Buffy was eager to start her nightly patrol. Still exhilarated by the evening's entertainment, all of the younger Giles' volunteered to join their sister. Despite her protests, Dawn was judged too young for Slaying, and made to return home with her parents. The others were warned, in a now familiar manner, to be careful and stay close to Buffy. Uttering promises to Giles that he knew would not be kept, they set out on their regular sweep of the many cemeteries in Sunnydale.
Willow and Buffy soon moved ahead, seeking out creatures of the night on which they could try out newly learnt techniques. Cordelia tucked her arm through Xander's, content to leave the hard work to those who enjoyed it and focus instead on discussing the evening's events. Xander had noticed her dancing several times with their new neighbour and, well aware that Cordelia was very particular who she gave her attention to, saw this as an opportunity to tease.
"I noticed our new neighbour was very well liked. I can't think why. He seems rather dull to me."
"Xander, that's not nice. He did not say a great deal, but I believe he's shy. It must have been quite intimidating, walking into a room full of people who all wanted nothing more than to stare at him." As expected, Cordelia sprung to Mr Angel's defence, before realising what she was doing and trying to backtrack. "Well, he seemed nice enough, anyway. I'm sure that for some girls he'd be quite the catch."
"Some girls? Do I take that to mean you weren't at all interested? You won't care that I heard him talking to his very unpleasant friend about you then?" As always, Cordelia responded, almost despite herself.
"He talked about me? What did he say? Did he think I was prettier than Buffy, because he danced with her more than once as well?"
"He thought you were very beautiful," Xander assured "and of course, he's right. How could he not think you the most beautiful woman there?"
Cordelia smiled. She was mostly content with her own appearance, but it never hurt to be reassured, especially as someone who often felt her beauty was all she had going for her. Short in temper, and lacking the special skills of Buffy and Willow, she often felt that a good marriage was the only way to ensure her future comfort, and although she hid it well, there were times when she felt her cynical approach to life would prevent her from ever finding love. Reluctance to acknowledge her feelings made it difficult to commit to anyone. Xander was well aware of her feelings on this subject, and although he would not force her to reveal them in front of others, it often fell to him to bolster her when she was particularly subdued.
Having settled, without forcing her to confess it in so many words, that Cordelia did indeed like Angel, they moved on to discussing the other members of his party. Cordelia, with uncharacteristic kindness declared the sisters sweet, if a little strange. The younger, Drusilla, had entangled her in a difficult to follow discourse about the stars, leaving her feeling rather unnerved, as if the girl knew more about her than she did herself. Mrs McDonald, "call me Darla," had been less forthcoming, but her interest in dress and the latest fashions had given her and Cordelia an easy topic of conversation.
Xander, in a strange reversal of their usual attitudes, was less generous in his judgements. He considered the two women haughty and self-absorbed, Mr McDonald lazy and vain, and as for Mr William, he was "rude, proud and obnoxious."
Hearing this vilification of the group, Cordelia was caused to look in surprise, almost bewilderment, at her brother. It was rare that he said a hard word about anyone, preferring to think the best of everyone, and keep conversation light-hearted. For him, such a statement of dislike could only be called a diatribe, and she was eager to learn what had caused such strong feelings. However, Xander was unable to explain this, even to himself, as he was unwilling to repeat the conversation he had overheard between the two men. He assured Cordelia that he was simply having a bad day, and that he was quite sure her beloved's friends and family were all delightful people. The teasing was the surest way to distract her from her questions, and they left the topic for the moment, Cordelia resolving to question Xander further at a later time, just as he resolved not to discuss the matter any more. Both well aware of what each other was thinking and both equally convinced that they could change the other's mind, they let the issue drop for the moment, and hurried to catch up with the other girls, who were embroiled in a minor scuffle with a newly risen vampire.
~*~Chapter 6~*~
Not far from the Giles family home lived a gentleman by the name of Ethan Rayne. Rayne was a long-time acquaintance of Rupert Giles', although not always a friend, given his propensity for Dark Magicks and Chaos-worshipping. Currently, however, he was very much on the side of good, and had been persuaded by Mr Giles to provide a safe haven for a number of casualties in the battle to control the Hellmouth.
Many of these were young people, and it was inevitable that those who stayed with the Warlock should form close acquaintance with the young Giles'. Many an afternoon was passed at either house, discussing Slaying, magick, and the recent romantic events in their lives. It was the latter that was most discussed when the Giles' spent an evening at the Rayne house a mere two days after the Madison party.
Ethan Rayne currently had two young people staying with him. One was a newly turned werewolf, Daniel Osbourne, whose turning had forced him out of his family home, his parents being absolutely unaware of the problems inherent in growing up so close to the mouth of hell. The other, Anya was a former Vengeance demon, who had lost her powers granting an ill-advised wish to a scorned young woman. The guise she had taken was that of a young lady of three and twenty years, and she had been trapped in that form, once more a human, when her powers were taken. The open-mindedness of the people of Sunnydale was not such that a young single lady could live alone, and so Rayne had been prevailed upon to take her in, claiming her as a recently orphaned niece.
Both Anya and Oz, as he was called amongst his friends, had built up a happy acquaintance with the two eldest Giles', Xander and Cordelia, and the four spent a sunny afternoon discussing the party. As it had been held the night before the full moon, Oz had been unable to attend, and was eager to hear all the news of the new neighbour and his companions.
"I hear you were quite the sensation with Mr Angel," he questioned Cordelia, having heard some news of the party from Anya, and enjoying to tease his friend almost as much as Xander did.
"Well, I would not say that exactly," Cordelia demurred, and all three of her companions were stunned to see that she was blushing. Cordelia's temperament was such that it was almost impossible to upset her with teasing, and the presence of two pink spots on her pretty face indicated that her feelings about the new neighbour were indeed serious.
Cordelia, entirely aware of the conclusions her friends were reaching, was determined to draw the attention away from herself. Remembering her brother's strong reaction to Mr Angel's companions, she decided this would be a good time to question him. The sun was bright, and so they were unlikely to be drawn from the topic by vampiric interruptions this time.
"He was very nice," she began, knowing that they would be sensitive enough to leave the subject there, "although his companions were not, at least that is what Xander feels."
Xander was fully aware of what she was attempting, and very much unwilling to allow it. He was still very uncomfortable with the strength of his reaction to Mr William's rejection, and did not wish to reveal that, even to his sister and closest friends."
"I just felt they were a little rude," he explained, aware that this would not be enough to convince either Anya or Cordelia, and so elaborating further, "and his friend, Mr William, seemed to be giving himself graces, as though he thought he were somehow above us, that to associate with us would be beneath him. And he refused to dance, although there were a number of ladies without partners." Even as he spoke, he was hoping that his friends would not question how he knew this, as he would then be forced to inform them of the conversation he had overheard, and he was not yet willing to examine the feelings his eavesdropping, albeit unintentional, had stirred in him.
It was clear from his friends' expressions that his answer was not explanation enough for the strong response Cordelia had seen from the normally easy going Xander. However, Oz and Cordelia seemed prepared to leave the topic there, although a raised eyebrow from each of them told him he had not been let off the hook entirely. Unfortunately, Anya was not ready to give him the same consideration. Despite a thousand years as a demon, she was very new to human life, and often voiced opinions that might be better left unsaid.
"Well, I for one don't accept that, she began, and Xander's heart sank. "Mr William was very good looking, and I can hardly blame him for not wishing to make conversation with tedious, silly-minded people like those Madison girls. As for the dancing, he simply needed a partner worthy of him. You ought to have danced with him, Xander."
Luckily for Xander's composure, Oz replied before he was forced to come up with an acceptable response to this. The werewolf had little tolerance for Anya's indiscreet manner, and almost invariably sprang to the defence of the unfortunate individual her ingenuous comments were directed at.
"Nonsense," he answered Anya, "it sounds as though he was rude, and ignored almost everyone. That is not exactly polite, and Xander would hardly wish to dance with someone like that." Turning to face his friend, "I believe you are right. He was sounds quite objectionable, and I don't think he should have been given the opportunity to dance with you. I just hope he does not think he has that right in the future"
"I believe I can safely promise you never to dance with Mr William." Xander smiled at his friends, knowing this was the appropriate response, as his friends would not expect him to have given the matter any consideration, knowing how fond he was of pretty girls, and never having seen him take any interest in other gentlemen, no matter how striking their looks. All the time he was making the seemingly unnecessary promise he was strangely aware that that promise did not make him as happy as he felt it ought, given his belief that he would never wish to dance with the gentleman in question, even if he were not quite certain that gentleman did not wish to dance with him. However, the reply was enough for his friends and the conversation returned to more general discussion of the party, leaving Xander free to relax and enjoy the afternoon.
~*~Chapter 7~*~
Although Xander's feelings about Mr William were ambiguous at best, he was wholly aware that his judgement of Mr Angel's sisters had perhaps been overly harsh. Therefore, when an invitation was received for Cordelia and himself to pass an evening with them at the newly inhabited mansion, he was willing to put aside his feelings and accept for Cordelia's sake. This was a decision undoubtedly made easier by the knowledge that Mr Angel and his friend had been forced to travel away on a business matter and would, regrettably, be unable to join them.
An evening was therefore passed reasonably happily. Xander still felt that the ladies were somewhat superficial, but his sister seemed quite taken with their manner, and he had no desire to upset her by speaking so harshly as he had done previously. As such, he was able to be sufficiently polite to the ladies as to appease Cordelia, and had spent a rather pleasant hour at cards with Mr McDonald, who was in fact better company then he had believed on first acquaintance.
All this was not to say that he was yet entirely enamoured of their new neighbours. Cordelia and he had both been somewhat concerned by the lack of mirrors in the otherwise well-decorated house and the presence of heavy drapes at the windows. However, years of living on the Hellmouth meant they had attended the soiree well prepared, both concealing a cross and a stake upon their person. They were still unable to determine absolutely the mortal status of their companions, but the fact that they had not been attacked in any way was taken as a good sign, and it was accepted that although their neighbours were possibly something other than human, they were not apparently aggressive and had as yet taken no action that would make the Slayer's intervention a necessity. Since that decision, a number of engagements between the two households had occurred, and Cordelia and Mr Angel had seemed to grow ever closer, although Cordelia was still reluctant to admit to any affection for the gentleman. This matter had Anya very concerned, and the next time the friends were together, she explained to Xander why.
"It's very simple, Xander. Mr Angel is a very desirable prospect. If Cordelia is not prepared to tell him how much she likes him, she will lose him. There are always many young girls keen to ensnare such a handsome, rich man. Of course, he will then cheat on her with the maids, leave her to take care of the children while he drinks and gambles all the money away, and leave her poor and destitute when he either runs away with the chambermaid or drops dead at the age of thirty-five due to fast living."
Xander chose to ignore the second half of Anya's comment, having become accustomed to the tirade that formed a part of any conversation about men, the inevitable result of one thousand years of wreaking vengeance on behalf of scorned women. Fortunately, at least in some ways, for him, being the only man among four sisters meant that he was generally spared Anya's scorn and also provided him with the courage to question her statement.
"Anya, whatever do you mean? I am sure you realise that Cordy would never be so forward. And surely it would be foolish to open herself up to this man before she is even certain herself that she likes him."
"She already knows that she likes him. She is waiting for love. And love is not something that should be waited for. It should be made to happen, in order to ensure one's comfort and happiness. This man is not going to simply fall into her lap. She must seize him with both hands and drag him there."
Xander was unsure whether to laugh or scold Anya for such a statement. It was entirely inappropriate, yet at the same time, the thought of Cordelia physically pulling the charming yet extremely staid Mr Angel into her lap was an image that almost demanded laughter. Avoiding a decision on this, he chose to question her opinion instead. "Do you mean she should pursue him even if she does not love him, even if she never comes to love him? Surely that would be foolish. She might end up trapped in a loveless marriage, unhappy. You of all people, well, ex-demons, must be able to see the possibility of that."
"Xander, when did you become such a romantic fool? Marriage is about security, not love. Love is a luxury afforded to those who already have money. Mr Angel or his friend could marry for love, but lesser mortals, or perhaps just those of us who are indeed mortal at all, must be more prudent in our choice of partners. Where is the joy in a love match if both parties are forced to work all hours godsend and never see each other? What is the value of love then? Cordelia must first choose her man, then make the effort to grow to like him, not wait around for love to happen, too scared to admit her most private thoughts and feelings. That way lies loneliness and poverty."
As ever, Anya's way of stating things was unusual, but gave Xander a great deal to contemplate. Was Anya right in her belief that their relative poverty removed the chance to marry for love? Why did that thought bother him so much, when he had little interest in marrying at all? Was she right in her assumption that the men in question were not in fact human? And, most significantly, why should the thought of Mr William marrying have caused a cold shiver up his spine. Crediting such chills to the rather depressing notion of marriage Anya had painted, he chose not to think further about the matter. Shortly afterwards Anya took her leave and he went to prepare for that evening's dancing at the Rayne house, resolving to suggest to Cordelia that she should be a little more forward in her interactions with Angel, and avoiding all though about the aforementioned gentleman's friend, who would also be attending the party that night.
TBC