Title: Prologue - Unwilling Bride

Author: Neamh1

Disclaimer: Not mine

Note: Special thank you to bestangelfan242 for betaing this story for me, she's done a great job!

Feedback: Yes please.

Washington, D.C., Spring 1811
Elizabeth Anne Summers sat in the old comfy armchair
next to her father's bed, a book lay open on her lap as
she read a paragraph that she'd already read three
times. No matter how hard she tried she just
couldn't concentrate on the book, not with her father
looking so dreadful next to her.
He'd been ill for many weeks now and the doctors
had been optimistic at first, but as Hank Summers
condition deteriorated her hope fled, as did
the doctor's.
He'd been sleeping for the past three hours while she
watched over him; even in sleep he was in pain,
wincing and fretting, sometimes shaking uncontrollably
for several minutes before calming. He couldn't get
any decent rest and she was worried that he was
nearing the end.
"Buffy..." She heard his strangled, raspy voice
whisper the familiar nickname he had bestowed upon
her.
"I'm here papa." she said, placing her book on the
nightstand and taking one of his hands in hers as she
leaned closer.
"Water..." He asked and she took the glass from the
table and lifted it to his dry cracked lips until he'd
had his fill. "There's something we need to discuss
before its too late." he said, his voice only slightly
clearer after the small amount of water he'd consumed.
"Don't talk like that, you're going to be fine" she
said with unshed tears brimming her eyes.
He attempted a small smile at her but it never reached
his eyes.
"Now we both know that's not true," he softly admonished.
His daughter needed to face the truth that he wasn't going to get
better.
"It's been troubling me for some time now that, should I be taken
from here, you will have no relatives able to care for
you. You are still not of age and need a guardian or
more suitably, a husband."
"Papa, we've talked about this, I will marry when I'm
ready, when I find someone I love." she said, not
wanting to argue with him but needing her feelings to
be known so he didn't do something drastic.
"I'm sorry... but I can't wait for that to happen, I
won't be here much longer and I can't rest in peace
knowing that you're alone, I love you too much to
leave you to that uncertain fate. I sent a missive to
a long time friend of mine who's been working for the
government in England. He's a fine gentleman and owes
me a great favor. He has agreed to come here and care
for you as your husband."
"Papa, No." she said, instantly regretting it when her
father entered a fit of coughing. "Please don't do
this to me, there has to be another way." she said
once he'd stilled.
"Hush child and listen to me, we don't have much time.
Everything I own will be yours and as your husband
this home will all be his too. Treat him well, he will
care for you and provide for you for the rest of your
life. He's a good man Buffy, the best. I've no doubt
that given time you'll come to love him as I did your
mother."
A single tear slipped from her eye, knowing that
nothing she could say or do could change her father's mind.
Her life choices had been stripped from her in an
unfortunate time and she was powerless to do anything
about it.
Hank used the last of his strength to reach up to his
daughters face and wipe away the lone tear from her
cheek, it was the last thing he did as her father.
His hand dropped from her face and she let out a
piercing scream as his eyes closed for the last time.
Distraught, she leaned over him begging him not to
leave her.
The nurse and a few of the household staff came
rushing into the room upon hearing their mistresses
stricken cry. It was Molly, Buffy's chambermaid, who
removed the poor girl from her father's side and took
her from the room while the nurse examined her
father.
Buffy lay awake in her bed that night unable to stop
the tears from flowing, she cried for her lost father,
her freedom and her chance at love.

TBC...