Faint Heart/Fair Maids
A William Fiction
By Jody E.
These characters don't belong to me...well, actually most of them DO! But William and Cecily are borrowed from Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. I merely toy with them for my own amusement.
I have also shamelessly stolen a scene or two from Fool for Love…you will know it when you see it.
Chapter 5
The Waverly's dark paneled library was the perfect setting for the fortuneteller's "tent." Grandfather Waverly had been a Colonel in the Army, and had been stationed, at one time or another, all over the Empire. He also had done quite a bit of big game hunting. He had decorated this room himself. Therefore, wild boar and lion's heads looked down upon curio cabinets filled with quaint and unusual artifacts from around the globe. Some, like a genuine shrunken head from Borneo, and the skull of a gorilla, looking astonishingly human, were quite gruesome to look upon. Set up in the middle of all this was a tent created out of paisley silk brought back from India. And in the tent was seated Daphne, a quite ordinary looking girl with hair of a violent shed of red and freckles covering her entire face, neck and arms. Against her hair and complexion, the gypsy costume looked quite bizarre. She seemed to be having a jolly time of it, however, reading palms, and predicting vast wealth, sea voyages and tall dark strangers. Michael and Felicity, who had recently become engaged, were there. Michael was dressed as Death, with a large papier-mâché scythe, and death's head mask. Felicity made a lovely Devil in red pyjamas and horns. Daphne studied their palms and intoned in a spooky voice that they would live long and happy lives and have ten children.
"Ten!" exclaimed Michael. "The devil I will!"
"The Devil you will indeed!" quipped Elizabeth, her reference to Felicity's costume causing a general laugh. Apparently the break in the music had attracted most of Elizabeth's set to the library. William recognized James, dressed as a demon out of Hieronymus Bosch, and Wavy himself, who had a blonde Mummy on his arm.
Elizabeth was next, and she stepped up and extended her hand to Daphne, who studied it carefully. She intoned, "You will marry a handsome man, and live a long and healthy life. See how long your lifeline is? Oh...you will have two husbands…see there?" She pointed to lines on Beth's hands.
Elizabeth shrugged, "As long as they aren't both at the same time…" Everybody laughed.
Cecily came up next and thrust her hand at Daphne. Daphne looked at it, and William, who was watching the proceedings with great interest, suddenly saw Daphne go dead white, her freckles standing out in stark contrast to her skin. She stared at Cecily's palm as though she had seen a ghost, then looked up at Cecily's face and seeing her ghostly makeup, almost leapt up out of her chair in shock. William stepped forward, concerned, but with great effort Daphne composed herself, and forced a ghastly smile to her lips. "Y-you will live a long and happy life."
Cecily seemed unaware that anything was wrong. "And my husband?"
"Beware! Your cruelty will come back to bite you!" Daphne gasped out, as though against her will. "I-I mean, you will marry a tall dark handsome stranger. And go on a sea voyage."
Cecily stared at her, "Are you quite all right?"
"Would you care for some coffee or tea, or a cold drink?" It was Elizabeth, remembering her duties as hostess.
"Perhaps a cold drink, would be…it is a bit warm in here."
"Would you care to rest for a while?"
"No!" said Daphne, "I must continue! You!" She said, pointing to William. "You were next, were you not?"
With some hesitation, William sat down and stuck out his hand awkwardly. Daphne took it, and immediately dropped it. "Your hand! It is as cold as ice!"
"I'm sorry," Said William, unsure of what was proper in this occasion. "Let me warm it up for you."
He rubbed his hands together, but in truth, they didn't feel cold to him; on the contrary, they felt hot and sweaty. He wiped his palm on his trouser leg and held his hand out again. Daphne took it with an unexpected expression of revulsion. She looked down at his palm. She immediately dropped it again, and stood up suddenly her face stark white with terror. With a small scream, she fell to the floor in a dead faint. William stood up in horror, as Elizabeth and John rushed out to fetch Daphne's Cousin Melanie and some ice. William and James helped lay her out upon the carpet in a more comfortable position, while Cecily pulled her skirts down modestly around her ankles. Cecily took out her fan and fanned Daphne's face, while they waited for her to regain consciousness.
James laughed to William, "I say, old chap. You certainly have a way with the ladies. First the vicar's wife and now Daphne!"
William stammered, "I assure you, I did nothing…"
Cecily looked up from fanning Daphne, "Oh, she is given to these sorts of fits. Ever since she was a girl. She has been acting quite oddly ever since we arrived. It must be the excitement. Beth really should have known better than to invite her."
William felt a little better at Cecily's words. Daphne was beginning to come to, as Elizabeth rushed in with Melanie at her side and a glass of cold water. Daphne sat up, and drank the water gratefully.
Melanie announced, "I think that is enough fortune telling for this evening. Besides, Nigel has just announced that supper is being served."
Elizabeth agree, "Yes, come and dine…you will feel much better." They helped Daphne up and James escorted her out of the library. Michael and Felicity left as well, leaving William, Elizabeth and Cecily.
"Will you escort us in to supper, William?" Asked Elizabeth.
William was grateful that Elizabeth also didn't seem to hold him responsible for Daphne's strange fit. He was feeling a bit shaky himself, and the prospect of supper, especially in the company of Cecily was extremely appealing. He offered his arm to both ladies and they left the library for the massive buffet laid on in the dining room.
After a plate of lobster salad and some excellent curry, William felt much better. He knew that he would have a wretched headache tomorrow from the champagne before and the wine at supper, but he didn't care a whit. Right now he was seated with the two most beautiful women at the ball, and he felt himself the envy of all men. The irrepressible Daphne seemed to have recovered and was eating with rather unladylike gusto, William was relieved to see. Nobody seemed to make much of her fit…apparently it was the norm for her. In addition, William's part in the incident seemed to have grown. He overheard one girl tell another that Daphne had predicted a horrific death for him, and then had flung herself into his arms. He actually saw several of the ladies looking at him with pity, as though he were about to succumb before their very eyes. William might have worried, but all that Daphne had actually said was that he had cold hands…hardly a prediction worthy of nightmares. And now she was eating as though she hadn't a care in the world.
William decided to sit out the Quadrille and the Virginia Reel. He much preferred to watch the intricate figures. Elizabeth decided to sit them out as well, and she sat beside him, as the dancers lined up, and the music began. William watched Cecily, her grace and poise as she did the intricate steps filling his heart with wonder. This would make a lovely poem…was there a rhyme for Quadrille? Elizabeth's voice brought him back.
"William, a bunch of us are going to the theater Friday night. The Bassets are here from America doing Bric a Brac at the Savoy. I hear it's wonderfully amusing. Anyway, James has to be out of town that weekend, so we have an extra ticket. Would you care to join us?"
As far as William knew, a Basset was a breed of dog, but he was overwhelmed to be invited on such an outing. He had assumed that tonight's ball would be the end of his association with The Waverly set. He couldn't imagine, especially after the Daphne incident, receiving any further invitations. He hastened to reply. "I would love to."
After the Reel, Cecily came over to claim William for the Galop. Finally…the moment for which he had been waiting all evening, in fact all week. He had Cecily in his arms. Odd, how all of the confidence which had been building in him all evening, suddenly evaporated. He felt tongue tied and unable to speak. And his feet seemed to have grown several sizes since his last dance, with the horse faced Ethel. He stumbled through the Galop like a boy at dancing lessons. Thank heavens he had removed his monocle as well as his fangs at supper and was now wearing his spectacles, so he could at least see properly. Cecily didn't seem to notice his awkwardness. She smiled at him, and his heart wanted to fly up and out of his body. There just weren't words big or beautiful enough to describe her. The music came to an end all too soon, and the ball was over.
William bowed as graciously as he could to Cecily and managed to stammer his thanks. As the orchestra began packing up their instruments, William went to thank Elizabeth and Wavy for inviting him. On his way out towards his waiting carriage, he noticed Ethel talking to Michael near the cloakroom. But as he came closer, William saw that it wasn't Michael at all, but rather another man wearing a Death costume. This man was much taller and broader than Michael was. He turned around, and for one brief moment, William thought he saw the man's eyes glow yellow. But surely, that wasn't possible! No skill with makeup could achieve such an effect. Too much champagne, William chided himself, shaking his head. But wasn't it lovely that Ethel had found somebody to escort her home? Throwing on his greatcoat, William went out into the cold night.