Chapter 1

"Oh God. There he is," Buffy thought as she looked up from scrubbing the hall floor. It had been so long since she'd seen him. He hadn't come home since he married that Drusilla chit. Buffy didn't understand how he could just forget she existed.

Growing up she and Master William had been the best of friends. He's the one who taught her to read and write. They would spend hours together in the garden writing poetry and sharing secrets. He swore to her they would be friends forever. Than he got old enough to work with his father. William's duty became all consuming. He didn't have time for Buffy any longer. Soon he was gone. Married to a fine debutant. He left without so much as a goodbye for his supposedly dear friend.

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"She's finally gone," William thought to himself as he breathed a sigh of relief when he stepped into his old home. It had been five years since he'd returned. Five long years married to a woman who was supposed to be perfect. Five long years with a woman who had lost all sense of reality. It had been five long years and he was tired.

Growing up, William always knew he would be expected to marry a girl of proper social standings and a pocket book to match. He understood what his duty was, he just didn't understand why he had to follow it.

His father arranged a match for him with Mr. Worthington, Drusilla's father, when her was twenty years old. It looked like it would be a splendid union. Drusilla was beautiful in a dark raven sort of manor, rich and extremely well tempered. William and Dru got along cordially enough and William had hoped that one day he would learn to love her and she love him in return. That was not to be sadly.

After the wedding, when he began to spend more time with her, William realized that Dru wasn't quite right in the head. She would constantly talk to the stars and her doll, Miss Edith. As disturbing as he found this, William stood by her side as he was expected to do. Scandal was not an option.

One day her mind became too much for her to handle. William had gone on a trip to town on the day he'd found her. He had just returned home and was tired, so he decided to take a nap before checking on Dru. As soon as he walked into his room he saw her. She was just lying there on his bed. She looked so pale and innocent with Miss Edith in one hand and a vile of poison in the other. Her expression was so peaceful. William still feels guilt today, because his first thought when he saw her was, "Thank God."

He couldn't stay in that house anymore. That's why he came back to the home where he grew up; a place where he had so many happy memories. William took a deep breath and headed toward his rooms. Not really paying attention to where he was going he bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm dreadfully sorry," He apologized.

"There's no need for you to apologize, Sir," Buffy said looking up, "It's my fault. I'm awfully clumsy sometimes."

William's breath caught in his throat when he saw whom he had run into. "Buffy?"

Giving a slight curtsy and a "Yes, Master William," Buffy hurried out of the room leaving William in a state of confusion.