All You Have To Do Is Smile

Part 6

Note: This part is for Diane Weiss . Your review rendered me speechless, which believe me is a hard thing to do, and even when I found my voice, all I could say was "wow". Thank you so much for your kind words about my writing and my story. I would have emailed you if there had been an address, but I hope this dedication is adequate. I can't thank you enough :)

Yes, you're getting two parts for the price of one! I've finally written enough to replace the doubled up chapter!

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Cordelia pulled her gloves tighter on her arm and smoothed over her dress. She wasn't sure how this was going to work, especially in these stupid clothes. Scowling at her attire once more she shook her head and almost laughed. A couple of years ago if she'd been faced with wearing clothes of this expensive material and been told to act like a rich noble woman, she would have jumped at the chance. Right now she was wishing for jumper and a pair of jeans. The irony hadn't escaped her, unfortunately, neither had the itchy bodice that was currently strapped to her waist.

There was a knock at her door and she called out for the person to enter, watching through the large mahogany mirror. Aunt Ella busied her way in and smiled at Cordelia as she tightened her hair one last time. The elder woman pattered about the room, fixing this and that and pottering around with the bed linen. Cordelia turned to face her, feeling somewhat guilty that she was doing nothing to help and was still staying for free.

"Aunt Ella, I've been thinking."

"Oh, now why would ye want to go an' do a t'ing like that?" Ella smiled, a sparkle in her eye.

Cordelia grinned and moved a little closer to the women, helping to spread out the sheets. "I've been thinking that I should really do something to help you. I've nothing to give you for my staying here, all my possessions were stolen." she felt a twinge of guilt at lying to the kindly woman, but continued none the less. "I just feel so useless and I don't think it's fair for you to be giving me so much and receiving nothing in return."

Ella smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, motioning Cordelia to do the same. "You're a strange upper-class woman if ever I met one, Miss Imogene, and no mistake. But I enjoy yer company now't our Maggie's married." Ella paused a moment, but Cordelia remained silent. "I don't know if our Liam's ever told ye, but I had another daughter once, and a real beauty she was. Unfortunately, God thought so too and decided he wanted tae keep 'er fer 'imself. She died but 8 years old."

"I'm so sorry."

"Oh, it's not your fault, Miss Imogene, she's keepin' well wi' The Lord I'm sure. My point is, I've not had a woman in this house fer a lang time, so I'm askin' ye ta indulge an ol' lady and let me tak care o' ye."

Cordelia smiled and placed a hand on Ella's shoulder, "Of course I will. But in return, I expect you to let me help you wherever I can. Deal?"

Ella laughed at Cordelia's 'agree with me' face and shook her head before taking the younger woman's hand and shaking it. "Ye're certainly a strange one, all right. Now, our Liam's waitin' down stairs fer ye. Best be aff wit' ye." Ella hurried Cordelia from the room and shook her head.

Cordelia smiled as she made her way to the front door. Hearing laughter in the small front room, she stood in the doorway, smiling at the scene before her. Wee Jimmy, Andrew and Angel were playing cards at the table in the corner. It seemed that the cousins were accusing Angel of cheating, and from what Cordelia could see, they were right. However, Angel was arguing vehemently that he was innocent and insisting that the game continue.

She noted that Wee Jimmy had seen her as he winked at her. Smiling she entered the room, watching amusedly as the three men stood upon her arrival. Angel smiled at her and she grinned back, feeling somewhat bemused by his old fashioned manners. She had grown accustomed to it from Wee Jimmy and Andrew, but from Angel this was something new. The dark vampire had never been rude, always in that respect had he retained his century old posture and mannerisms, but he'd very rarely shown this side of him that was becoming more and more apparent as the days went on.

"Ah, Miss Imogene, I see yer ready."

Cordelia smiled and raised her eyebrows, noting the look in his eyes that said he was teasing her for taking too long to get ready, as usual. "That I am." She looked at Andrew and Wee Jimmy who were sharing a smile and she indicated the table. "Please, don't let me interrupt."

"Nah, it a'right, our Liam, here's just dyin' ta get out and ride wit' ye." Jimmy smirked, "In't that right, Liam?"

Cordelia thought she'd seen everything until that point, but she was proved wrong. Angel was blushing. The tips of his ears were scarlet and he seemed ready to strangle Wee Jimmy where he was. Andrew laughed, but quickly turned it into a cough at Angel's look and turned back to his cards.

"It's okay, Miss Imogene, tak the cheetin' wee cod outta here." Andrew said, not looking up from his cards until he heard Cordelia laugh. She'd spent a little more time with the two cousins over the last day or two, and since their walk around the town, Wee Jimmy seemed to have stopped leering at her and had actually turned out to be rather nice. What's more, with 'Miss Imogene' in the house, both seemed rather reluctant to go out and get drunk. Something she was sure Aunt Ella was happy about.

Wee Jimmy looked up from his cards and smiled at her, "Aff ye go, Miss Imogene. But see here, Liam, she's te be back fer her dinner."

Cordelia smiled and shook her head. There was still something about Jimmy that unnerved her. As much as she knew he couldn't be Doyle, she had begun to see her old friend more in every movement, every smile, every look that Wee Jimmy sent her way. In some respects it was a nice feeling, to think that his soul had moved on from this life, and had moved on from his other one, but in other respects it was just plain creepy.

"Come on, Liam, let's get out while we still can. Besides, I'm new at this, you may need to spend all afternoon riding me." With an innocent smile and a twinkle in her eyes, Cordelia turned to the door, as if her statement had been completely innocent. Once outside, she leaned back against the wall and began to laugh, turning to Angel when he joined her.

"I can't believe you just said that."

"Come on, Angel, it was funny." She raised her eyebrows and his face remained straight for a few minutes before he chuckled.

"You should've seen their faces."

"Priceless?"

"Definitely, priceless." Angel smiled at her and she suddenly became very conscious of herself. Everything she was wearing seemed to be under inspection. She reached to rub a hand behind her neck, her breathing coming in short gasps.

What is it about these old dresses that magnify my breasts whenever I breathe? She wondered. She contemplated asking Angel, but the words never left her mouth as she looked into his eyes. He looked like he had that first night they had been sent back in time, hungry…for her. Her breathing shortened and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. These feelings weren't completely new to her, where Angel was concerned, but she had never felt them with this kind of intensity before. The urge to just reach out and pull him to her was almost unbearable, but for some reason, perhaps the mannerisms she'd been forced to uphold as an upper-class woman, had taken her over, and instead she stood still waiting to see what would happen. For a moment she felt sure that he was moving towards her and her heart jumped a little in her chest.

Angel cleared his throat and smiled, "May I escort you to my grounds, Miss Cordy?"

"Miss Cordy?" Cordelia raised her eyebrows with a smile, ignoring the disappointment she felt. "I really don't think that'll catch on, Liam."

He smirked, "Perhaps not, but I like it."

She smiled back at him and shook her head, taking his offered arm, "Lets go riding."

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"So how did your sister turn out to be so cute with genes like yours?"

"I'm not cute?" Cordelia laughed as Angel's pouty look dissolved into a smile. "I think I'll have to get you back for that one, Miss Cordelia."

"I'd like to see you try, Sir Angel." Cordelia grinned and raised her eyebrows a moment later she was squealing as she slid from the side of the horse. Angel caught her in one swift movement, taking himself by surprise as well as Cordelia. Over the last week or so, he had become used to not having his supernatural strength, instead he had resigned himself to being the klutz he had secretly been as a wealthy, drunken young man of the 18th Century.

"Eh…thanks." Cordelia cleared her throat, but Angel didn't let go. His arms tightened against her and she took a deep breath, the look in his eyes staring right through her.

"Lucky, why're ye carrying, Miss Imogene? I t'ought the horse was supposed t' do that." Cordelia and Angel laughed as he set her onto her feet, taking a moment before chasing Cathy around the paddock. A few moments later, he returned with the squealing eight year old in his arms. "Luck…" Cathy's laughter was infectious and soon Cordelia couldn't help but joining in. "Lucky, put me down!"

Returning his sister to her own feet, Angel feigned injury as the young girl swatted his arm. Cordelia smiled. She loved to watch him like this, he was…free. He didn't have to worry about apocalypses, demons, curses, he didn't have to worry about anything but living. Here he was the man he was meant to be, the young man with a future ahead of him, however drunken and mislead that it may have ended up, this was the way his life was meant to be and she was a part of it. She was here to share it with him, and she could help but wonder why that was.

Preoccupied with her starting and her own reverie, she noticed too late that both Angel and Cathy were smiling at her, smiling suspiciously. "I don't like those smiles. You have too much of your brother in that smile, Catherine, what're you two up to?"

"Up to? Now what would we be up to? Can you think of anythin' we would be up to, now, Angel?"

"No, Lucky, I can't think o' a thing." The little girl grinned, happy to play a part in any of her brother's little games. He liked to tease, she knew that from experience, but he never went too far with the ones he loved. And she had a nice feeling about, Miss Imogene, like something was just…right. She sensed these things, the way that most people could see, smell, hear, touch and taste. It was just another sense that she had, she knew people, and she knew when things were right and when they were wrong. But if there was one thing she did know, it was how to play with her brother. Cathy gave Cordelia a wide grin and ran into her arms, deciding to give her brother a taste of his own medicine.

"What's this? You gangin' up on me now, little one?"

"Thought you weren't up to anything anyway." Cordelia said, settling the child into her arms. Cathy leaned to whisper in her ear and her grin widened as Angel eyed them suspiciously. "Oh really?"

"Cordy? What's she saying?" Cathy giggled behind her hand, but didn't speak. Cordelia smirked but also remained silent. Angel looked scared. "Whatever she said it's not true."

"Lucky, you're speakin' like, Miss Cordy."

Angel smirked, "And you said that wouldn' catch an." He said, moving closer to the two.

"Yeah, and you said whatever Catherine said wasn't true." She replied, closing the distance. Before Angel could so much as think, he had fallen onto the grass laughing as Cordelia and Cathy tickled him mercilessly.


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END OF PART 6

Okay, I'm just getting back into the swing of things with this one, so I hope you can give me a chance to do so! If it sounds like a different style of narrative, or just…well, different, sorry. Hopefully it'll get better.

I've decided to work on my fics one at a time, so I want to keep going with this one, i.e. updated on a regular basis!

I have a question, have we ever been told Liam's surname? I need to know for the next part and I wondered if anyone could fill me in, otherwise I'll need to make one up :) Thanx!