Author: Lucinda
Rating: pg/pg13
Fourth in Bohemian Scandals
Main characters: Irene Adler-Norton, William (Spike), and Drusilla
Disclaimer: William & Dru belong to Joss Whedon; Irene Adler is the creation of Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle.
Distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, Quickfics anyone else please ask.
Note: This is set in the 1910s, with Irene Adler-Norton (of Sherlock Holmes) as a relative of the Vampire then known as William the Bloody (although not to his niece).
Somehow, Matthew Norton had been found, and had arrived in Bath to claim his brother's property. She suspected that Travers had somehow been involved. He'd already been there, and it had been made very clear that he intended to claim the house. Also apparent to Irene was the fact that Matthew lacked much of Godfrey's refinement and good manners, at least to judge from the way he'd been looking at her and Drusilla. It had been all she could do to convince William and Dru not to kill him, and she'd been more worried about the aftermath than anything else.
"I still think he should be ripped into little pieces and planted in the garden." Dru's voice was slightly husky as she hissed at the door, fangs showing.
Irene tried not to smile, she really did. "Not only would his disappearance draw too much attention, he'd probably kill the flowers."
"Dreadful nasty man. The salt has washed away his manners. He's all salty and rude..." Dru sniffled disdainfully, sulking over her tea.
"Yes, but I do believe that everything has been packed. The few things that I wanted to take are disguised among your luggage, and we can leave after tea." Irene smiled, sipping daintily at the hot cup.
"But, Irene, silly, we didn't have very much luggage." Dru blinked at her, frowning slightly. The confusion allowed her eyes to drift to their more human looking darkness.
Sweetly, Irene smiled. "I know that, you know that, and William knows that. Matthew Norton does not know that. I see no reason why he should gain everything that was mine as well as everything that was Godfrey's."
They left the teacups on the table, as if expecting a maid to take them away later. Ordinarily, that would have happened, except for the fact that one of the maids had insisted on going with the departing group, and the rest of the staff had decided that they did not approve of the new Mister Norton. As a sign of that, they had all decided to accept some of the various offers of employment elsewhere that had been extended over the past year. Matthew Norton would have the house, and the furniture, and a sizable account, but no staff. Let him deal with it.
Dru was smirking as she helped Irene into her cloak, fussing to make certain it was warm enough. She didn't seem nearly worried, although it wasn't as if she needed to worry about catching cold herself. They were both smiling as they slipped out of the house. Irene had slid the journal into her reticule, along with a pencil to write with if the need arose.
William was waiting at the carriage, leaning against it like someone in a theatrical production. He smiled as they arrived, and helped them both into the carriage, where little Nettie, not the youngest maid, but rather small in stature, awaited, her eyes wide with mingled emotions.
"Isn't this all rather..." Nettie's whisper tapered off, as if she was uncertain how to put her feelings into words.
Irene simple smiled. "Yes, I suppose it is rather improper. But I have no wish to remain in Bath, under Matthew Norton's sufferance. I have dealt with the world once before, and I am more than capable of doing so again."
"Not the whole world, 'Reenie." William was smirking a bit. "Just London for now. Until we figure out the next step."
"London will be quite enough for a beginning." She was smiling, part of her anticipating the increased challenge. Godfrey had been wonderful, but he'd tried to wrap her up in safety, to keep her as delicately sheltered and uninvolved as most society ladies were. That might have been splendid... for someone else, but not for her.
"Perhaps we'll run into your fan." William was teasing, his eyes twinkling.
Dru looked up, her fingers tangled in some pale green thread. "A fan? Why would... oh, what sort of performance would gain you a fan, Irene? Is it for making pretty pictures?"
Irene could feel herself blushing a bit. "No, Dru, my painting isn't nearly that good. I used to sing... I was in an Opera company for a while. I think I did quite well, actually."
William shook his head, looking quite amused. "I wouldn't say quite good, 'Reenie. You were practically famous. Famous enough to catch the eye of that miserable Bohemian."
Irene smiled, remembering her time with Sigi almost fondly. If only he hadn't had that dratted obligation to take a bride with ancestry as impressive as his own... "Yes, well.... Sigi was pleased by my voice. But my ancestry isn't sufficiently royal enough."
"I still think he wasn't worth your time." William scowled, still annoyed over the idea that a simple matter of ancestry had made her one-time paramour decide that she wasn't worthy of marriage.
"Yes, well… he's decided to marry that Scandinavian, so let him live with his decisions." She sighed, a part of her still wondering about what could have been. "If we can prevent unwanted attention while in London…"
"And what about a certain detective?" William was smirking a little, watching Irene. "Would his attentions be unwelcome?"
She could feel herself blushing at the mention of Sherlock Holmes. He was not precisely handsome, but instead more striking in features, and almost startlingly intelligent at times. "Mr. Holmes would be… an additional complication. I would rather avoid any more complications than necessary."
"Of course, 'Reenie." William sounded far too amused. "We'll try to avoid the detective."
End Scandalous Departure.
Rating: pg/pg13
Fourth in Bohemian Scandals
Main characters: Irene Adler-Norton, William (Spike), and Drusilla
Disclaimer: William & Dru belong to Joss Whedon; Irene Adler is the creation of Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle.
Distribution: Twisting the Hellmouth, Quickfics anyone else please ask.
Note: This is set in the 1910s, with Irene Adler-Norton (of Sherlock Holmes) as a relative of the Vampire then known as William the Bloody (although not to his niece).
Somehow, Matthew Norton had been found, and had arrived in Bath to claim his brother's property. She suspected that Travers had somehow been involved. He'd already been there, and it had been made very clear that he intended to claim the house. Also apparent to Irene was the fact that Matthew lacked much of Godfrey's refinement and good manners, at least to judge from the way he'd been looking at her and Drusilla. It had been all she could do to convince William and Dru not to kill him, and she'd been more worried about the aftermath than anything else.
"I still think he should be ripped into little pieces and planted in the garden." Dru's voice was slightly husky as she hissed at the door, fangs showing.
Irene tried not to smile, she really did. "Not only would his disappearance draw too much attention, he'd probably kill the flowers."
"Dreadful nasty man. The salt has washed away his manners. He's all salty and rude..." Dru sniffled disdainfully, sulking over her tea.
"Yes, but I do believe that everything has been packed. The few things that I wanted to take are disguised among your luggage, and we can leave after tea." Irene smiled, sipping daintily at the hot cup.
"But, Irene, silly, we didn't have very much luggage." Dru blinked at her, frowning slightly. The confusion allowed her eyes to drift to their more human looking darkness.
Sweetly, Irene smiled. "I know that, you know that, and William knows that. Matthew Norton does not know that. I see no reason why he should gain everything that was mine as well as everything that was Godfrey's."
They left the teacups on the table, as if expecting a maid to take them away later. Ordinarily, that would have happened, except for the fact that one of the maids had insisted on going with the departing group, and the rest of the staff had decided that they did not approve of the new Mister Norton. As a sign of that, they had all decided to accept some of the various offers of employment elsewhere that had been extended over the past year. Matthew Norton would have the house, and the furniture, and a sizable account, but no staff. Let him deal with it.
Dru was smirking as she helped Irene into her cloak, fussing to make certain it was warm enough. She didn't seem nearly worried, although it wasn't as if she needed to worry about catching cold herself. They were both smiling as they slipped out of the house. Irene had slid the journal into her reticule, along with a pencil to write with if the need arose.
William was waiting at the carriage, leaning against it like someone in a theatrical production. He smiled as they arrived, and helped them both into the carriage, where little Nettie, not the youngest maid, but rather small in stature, awaited, her eyes wide with mingled emotions.
"Isn't this all rather..." Nettie's whisper tapered off, as if she was uncertain how to put her feelings into words.
Irene simple smiled. "Yes, I suppose it is rather improper. But I have no wish to remain in Bath, under Matthew Norton's sufferance. I have dealt with the world once before, and I am more than capable of doing so again."
"Not the whole world, 'Reenie." William was smirking a bit. "Just London for now. Until we figure out the next step."
"London will be quite enough for a beginning." She was smiling, part of her anticipating the increased challenge. Godfrey had been wonderful, but he'd tried to wrap her up in safety, to keep her as delicately sheltered and uninvolved as most society ladies were. That might have been splendid... for someone else, but not for her.
"Perhaps we'll run into your fan." William was teasing, his eyes twinkling.
Dru looked up, her fingers tangled in some pale green thread. "A fan? Why would... oh, what sort of performance would gain you a fan, Irene? Is it for making pretty pictures?"
Irene could feel herself blushing a bit. "No, Dru, my painting isn't nearly that good. I used to sing... I was in an Opera company for a while. I think I did quite well, actually."
William shook his head, looking quite amused. "I wouldn't say quite good, 'Reenie. You were practically famous. Famous enough to catch the eye of that miserable Bohemian."
Irene smiled, remembering her time with Sigi almost fondly. If only he hadn't had that dratted obligation to take a bride with ancestry as impressive as his own... "Yes, well.... Sigi was pleased by my voice. But my ancestry isn't sufficiently royal enough."
"I still think he wasn't worth your time." William scowled, still annoyed over the idea that a simple matter of ancestry had made her one-time paramour decide that she wasn't worthy of marriage.
"Yes, well… he's decided to marry that Scandinavian, so let him live with his decisions." She sighed, a part of her still wondering about what could have been. "If we can prevent unwanted attention while in London…"
"And what about a certain detective?" William was smirking a little, watching Irene. "Would his attentions be unwelcome?"
She could feel herself blushing at the mention of Sherlock Holmes. He was not precisely handsome, but instead more striking in features, and almost startlingly intelligent at times. "Mr. Holmes would be… an additional complication. I would rather avoid any more complications than necessary."
"Of course, 'Reenie." William sounded far too amused. "We'll try to avoid the detective."
End Scandalous Departure.
