Hello all!! I have been gone a long time, but I'm back. And I'm sorry. I'll try to update again soon, hopefully in a week or two.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this one!! As always, thanks for the reviews!! They are very appreciated!!

I also apologize for the typos. I'm a bad editor and my computer's crazy and, to make a long story short, my spellcheck is down.

Romen

Disclaimer: unfamiliar; mine. Familiar; not mine.

Chapter 23

Autumn Festival

"Will, hurry up!" Elizabeth ran forward, the ribbons in her hair streaming as she ran. "We're going to be late!"

"Hold on, Miss Swann! Slow down!" He grabbed her arm seriously, shoving past people in the bustling street. "You don't want to get lost. What would your father say?"

"Oh, don't be such a spoil sport! It is the Autumn festival, after all." She grinned, her eyes scanning the stalls. "Oooh look a perfumerie! Let's go look at that!" She dragged him over, immediately beginning to pick up the little bottles.

Will handled one confusedly. "Are you going to buy one of these?"

"Perhaps, if I find one that I like." She sprayed her handkerchife and sniffed. "Hmm...It's nice." She held it out to Will.

He blinked in puzzlement. "What is it supposed to be? Dirt?"

"Roses, Will!" She shook it in front of him in frustration. "The Fragrance of Roses!"

"Oh. It smells more like dirt."

She scowled. "Well I like it...Oh, James!" She waved at him. "James!"

Will groaned.

"Lizzy!" He hurried over, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "What are you looking at?"

"Perfume. Tell me, do you like this scent?"

"Yes. It's my sister's favorite." He glanced over at Will. "Oh. Hello."

Will nodded curtly before pretending to become interested in an array of bottles.

"Are you entering in the baking contest?" James asked.

"Oh, yes! Is Wendeline entering?"

James rolled his eyes. "Of course. She has to have her foot in everything."

"Will is judging," Elizabeth offered, looking toward Will. "Right, Will?"

"Yes." He fingered some jewelry.

"Oh really. Well at least it will be easy for you. Stuffing your mouth doesn't require much thought."

Will slammed the brooch in his hand back on the table. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go get ready." He glared at Elizabeth. "I hope you two enjoy yourselves."

He stormed out of the stall, ignoring Elizabeth's protests. Why did James always have to keep him from spending time with Elizabeth? Why couldn't he allow them even two minutes of peace? And why would she let James get away with remarks like that? Will couldn't say anything about James without her throwing a fit.

Life had been so much simpler before Elizabeth had asked Will into the kitchen to help her sample a cake on that fateful day.

"Aye! Will!" Oliver appeared in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm going to be a judge in the baking contest," he explained.

"So'm I." He cocked his head to the left. "Come on. It's going to start soon."

Will followed him down the road glumly. 'Forget about James and Elizabeth!' he told himself. 'Enjoy the festivities!' However, that seemed to be impossible at the moment.

They reached the stage where they were to be judging. Surprisingly, Tom was sitting at the table, chatting with Susan, who had a tray sitting on the table. "Hello."

"Oh, you're judging too?" Tom leaned back.

Susan sniggered. "They must have been really desperate to ask you for help."

"Not right now." He laid his head down on the table. "So you entered?"

She shifted, looking bored. "Yes, I decided to. I mean, you win some money and material and things, and I thought that I could use them. It would certainly save me a lot of money and time."

He nodded. "Good luck."

"Oh, Wiiiiiiiillllll!" A gloved hand flew in front of his face as he felt two lips give his cheek a kiss. His face lit aflame. "I can't believe that you're judging! But it makes perfect sense; you have such good tastes."

He smiled stupidly. "Miss Brunswick."

"Here, would you mind putting this down for me, love?" She handed a tray to Tom. "Thank you. Oh Will, it's so nice to have you here. You know, I was afraid that I wouldn't get to see you again."

"M-Me?"

"Yes," she replied seriously, a hand dramatically placed on her chest. "But I'm glad that fate played it's card, and brought us together again."

"Sister, move." James nudged her out of the way. "Ah, I see you've found Mr. Turner."

Elizabeth and Wendeline glanced at each other uneasily. Suddenly, Wendeline turned back to Will.

"Have fun, all right?" She tweaked his chin with a crooked finger before stepping back.

Will looked pleadingly at Elizabeth, but she only turned her nose in the air and looked away.

"Sorry I'm late." Katherine arrived promptly, a plate clutched to her chest. "Are we ready to begin?"

It turned out that there was one person left, who came shortly afterward; a meek, funny looking girl named Emily with large, green eyes.

They started with Wendeline's plum pudding. She turned to Will first. "Here." She shoved a large spoonful in his mouth. "Do you like it?"

He managed to say, "Iffewygoo."

Everyone else got to serve themselves.

After that came Katherine's cherry pie. Will had to admit that it was tangy, and the crust very flaky. Third was Susan's chocolate pudding, rich and creamy. Next was Elizabeth's cake; always his favorite. And then there was Emily's chocolate pie, very sweet but heavy.

"We have to choose who wins by majority," Oliver explained as they all turned to face each other. "So...who're you voting for?"

James tapped his finger on the table. "Wendeline's was a bit bland; Katherine's pie was a bit bitter; that servant girl's was a bit thick; and that Emily's was too flavorful."

Tom scowled at him. "Did you like anyone's? And what about Miss Swann's?"

James frowned. "It was...all right."

"I liked Miss Swann's," Will snapped. "Personally, I think it was the best."

Oliver grinned. "I liked Emily's. Or Katherine's." He glanced at her.

Tom shrugged. "They were all good, but I think that Susan is probably the one who worked the hardest."

Will bit back the earge to shout, 'Elizabeth worked just as hard as anyone!' If Susan heard him, he could imagine the consequences...Besides, she had little time to do anything outside of her work as it was; she probably did work the hardest.

"We need to decide." James cleared his throat. "Your decisions?"

(Space)

Wendeline chewed her lip, fanning herself with a lacey fan. Katherine waited patiently, while Susan tugged at her apron. Elizabeth glanced at each of them nervously, and Emily twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

It was a scene of anxiety.

Oliver plopped his legs on the table. "We've come to a decision," he declared. "After much debate, thought, blood, sweat and tears-"

"Hurry up, Oliver!" Wendeline snarled. She smiled sweetly.

Oliver shot her a glare. "I'm choosing to ignore that rude interruption. Anyway, the winner is Miss Susan Benton."

It took a moment for it to register in Susan's face. "Me?" It didn't sound like her voice.

Wendeline was just as shocked. "Her? How did that happen?"

"We made our decision. Here." Tom gently handed her the bundle. "Good job."

Susan didn't say anything. She stared at what she had in her arms, then ducked her head down, hurrying away.

"This is ridiculous!" Wendeline snapped her fingers in front of James's face. "This is all your fault!"

"Don't whine, Wendeline," he replied idely. "It's not like you actually made that yourself, anyway."

"Tell him Oliver! Tell him how hard I worked!"

Will observed the scene for a moment before sidling out from behind the table. He walked over to Elizabeth, watching her face unsuredly.

She shrugged. "Oh well. At least it was fun."

"Your's was the best," he said quietly. "It should have won."

"You don't have to assure me. Susan must have worked very hard." She paused. "Come on. Let's go for a walk."

He followed her slowly as they walked by the stalls. "So are you going to buy the perfume?"

She bit her lip, looking down at her hands. "Actually, James already bought it for me."

"Oh." He clenched his fists. He hated James.

"But, um, I didn't really want him to..."

Will fought to stay in control. He gritted his teeth. "How thoughtful of him."

"It's just a silly perfume," she said quickly, sounding flustered. "It doesn't mean anything, Will."

He didn't say anything. He couldn't say anything, at least nothing that was appropriate to say in front of a girl.

"Do you want to get a candied apple?" she asked tenatively.

"No thank you. I'm not very hungry right now."

"All right. When I was younger, my father and I used to make them every fall. I guess I still like them." She laughed, smiling warmly at him.

Will couldn't help himself; he smiled back. "I used to make them with my mother, too. They were her favorite."

"Really? Maybe we could make some of them together sometime?"

"That would be nice," he agreed, trying not to sound too eager.

"Will, look at these sashes!" She rushed over to a stall, letting a silky lilac sash sift through her fingers. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes. It's very soft."

"But the blue one's nice too! Oh, but I like the gray one as well..." She bit her lip, eying them seriously. "Which one do you think would look better on me?"

He hesitated. "They would all look good on you."

"Really, though; which one?" She frowned, tapping her foot. "I'm just not sure."

"I like this one." He handed her the lilac scarf. "It's...I don't know..."

"Thanks. I'm going to buy it." She reached for her change purse.

"No, let me."

She gawked at him. "Will, really, it's all right. I can pay for it myself."

"I want to buy it for you."

"You shouldn't-"

"Please." He went over to the stallkeeper and handed him the coins.

"Thank you," she murmured sincerely, fingering the sash.

"It will look, um, really nice when you wear it." He could feel himself blushing.

They strolled down the street in silence. Finally they stopped outside of a bookstore, sitting down on the ledge. Will had recently taken a side job here, and often brought Elizabeth books.

"So how was it being a judge?" she asked at last.

"It was...interesting." He grinned. "The food was really good."

She shook her head, smiling wryly. "I'm sure it was." She fell silent. "So what do you think of James's siblings?"

He shrugged. "Oliver's all right. He's a little bit...reckless, but he's not mean. At least I don't think he is."

"And Wendeline?" Her voice sounded strange.

Will swallowed. "Um...she's nice."

"She's very fond of you," Elizabeth pressed.

"Yes. But I think she's just bored."

"What did she say to you today? James and I saw her talking to you when we arrived."

"Oh, um, that..." He chuckled nervously. "She just said that she was glad to see me again, and she kind of...kissed me..."

"What?!" Elizabeth cried, her eyes wide. "She kissed you?"

"Only on the cheek," he interjected. "She was just saying hello..."

Elizabeth snorted. "Just saying hello? Please, Will..." She scowled. "I don't kiss the people that I say hello to."

"James kissed you," Will pointed out.

"What are you talking about?"

"Before they all left; he kissed you."

"B-but that's different!" she spluttered furiously. "I've known James for practically my whole life; you've only known Wendeline for a matter of weeks."

"I wasn't the one who kissed her; she kissed me!"

"I know that! But Wendeline's very fickle, Will; I just don't want her to hurt you."

"I know she doesn't care about me," he said softly. "That's why the kiss meant nothing to me. She's just bored."

Elizabeth blinked. "You mean you don't fancy her or anything?"

He shook his head. "No! Of course not. I couldn't."

"She's not all bad, but...She's a bit...selfish, I suppose." She shifted awkwardly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Will said nothing. He was feeling very strange...like he was there, yet he wasn't. The word 'Elizabeth' was playing on his lips, taunting him, temping him to say it. His stomach churned with anticipation.

"Erm...Miss Swann...I..." What was he trying to tell her? Even he didn't know. "I think that we should be getting back to the manor," he said at last. "It's getting late."

"You're right." She stood. "Thanks for coming with me today, Will. I had a lot of fun."

"I did too. Your cake was delicious."

She smiled. "There's some left over, if you would like to have it."

"That would be nice."

"But you have to eat dinner first," she told him firmly. "Otherwise you'll ruin your appetite."

"What if I skip dinner instead?"

"That's not very healthy."

"It's a holiday, technically," he insisted.

"Oh, very well." The sides of her mouth twitched. "But just because today was the festival."

(Space)

"All right, that's enough." Elizabeth placed the lid over the tray.

Tom laughed as Will scowled. "But I only had one piece! And it was small!"

"You can't have sweets for dinner," she advised him wisely. "It will make you sick."

"Miss Swann..."

Tom grinned. "Stop complaining...and be a good boy and eat your supper."

"Just one more piece?" he begged. "One very small piece?"

"No; you'll be too full to eat your dinner."

"That's not true!"

The sound of the door clicking caught their attention. Susan shuffled in. She glanced at them warily.

"Congratulations." Elizabeth smiled. "On winning, I mean."

Suprisingly, Susan smiled back. "Thanks, Miss. You did a good job too." With that said, she hurried up the stairs.

Will blinked. "That was interesting."

Tom frowned. "Do you think she's feeling well?"

"You two are so insensitive!" Elizabeth crossed her arms. "Isn't it possible that Susan just felt threatened before, and now she feels accepted?"

Will's eyebrows rose. "Huh?"

She sighed frustratedly. "Never mind. Anyway, she'll probably be back to her usual self by tomorrow."

"That's so strange..." Tom stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I wish she would have stayed longer."

"Her cheerfulness wouldn't have lasted long, though." Will lifted the lid off of the tray. "She would have hit me or knocked my chair over."

Elizabeth scoffed. "Really, Will, don't exaggerate."

"I'm not exaggerating!" he protested, in the process of cutting himself a rather large slice. "She always does something like that to me; everyday!"

"You know, you're the only one who she really does that to." Tom propped his elbow on the table.

Elizabeth cocked her head to the side. "You know, you're right."

Will swallowed what he'd been chewing. "What do you mean?"

"She doesn't hit other people or knock their chairs over." There was an edge to Tom's voice.

Will's face reddened. "What are you trying to say?"

"I don't know...Just that she seems to pay more attention to you, that's all."

"She hates me!" he spluttered. "She can't stand me! She would like to see me gone!"

"Let's not try to read Susan's mind," Elizabeth cautioned, sitting down next to him. "She's complicated. But I don't think that she hates you, Will."

Tom smiled wryly, nudging him. "I don't think so either."

"Stop it." Will glanced at Elizabeth, trying to keep himself from hitting Tom.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Boys! Now Tom, James wouldn't have done a thing like that."

"Oh yes, I forgot; James does no wrong," Will snarled, stabbing his cake violently. "You don't know what he's like when you're not around."

She bristled. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know...It's just you don't know what he's like when he's not around you."

She heaved a surprising sigh, clasping her hands concernedly. "I suppose you're right..."

Will picked at the crumbs sheepishly. She seemed a little upset, and he didn't like to see her like that. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that..."

"Don't worry about it. You have a point." She stared off into space, her brow furrowed.

Will watched her. He wondered what she was thinking about. James, most likely...What did she even like about him? Well, he knew the answer to that, but still, it couldn't be his personality that was so appealing.

'He probably is really charming around her, and maybe she likes the way he looks...he's not very tall...but he's smart, and rich...Maybe he speaks to her in French, when they're at his villa, while they walk through the vineyards or something...'

He let out a heavy breath, cutting himself another slice. 'Besides, she's known him practically her whole life. She said so herself. And she's only know me...' He stopped himself, bending over his plate.

"I've got to start heading home. Good night to both of you." Tom stood, looking slightly embarrassed, waving in their direction before walking out the door.

Elizabeth cleared her throat. "It is rather late..."

Will nodded, still wallowing in his own thoughts.

She eyed him curiously. "Is that your third piece?"

He felt his face warm. "Um...I think it is..."

"Will!" she exclaimed, laughing. "You can't eat the whole thing!"

His face grew warmer. "Well, I was just hungry, and this is really good, so I, just, um..."

"I'm glad you like it." She tapped her chin. "Maybe I'll make one for your birthday."

Will froze. "Um, you don't have to, I never do anything for my birthday..."

She nodded sympathetically. "Then maybe for Christmas, or another holiday."

"So do you have any family coming down for the holidays?"

She shook her head sadly. "Not this year. We got a letter a few days ago. You know how long it takes mail to get here...But there are some local dignitaries and friends back from England coming to survey the colony."

"Will there a big celebration or- something like that?"

She shrugged. "Perhaps; this is the first time that anyone has been to check up on us by the kingdom."

He shifted uneasily. "That sounds...fun."

"So did you ever get together with your whole family to celebrate the holidays?"

"No; it was always just my mother and me. We didn't really see my grandparents or my uncles or my cousins very often..." He hesitated. "They didn't really...like me very much."

She frowned. "I don't see how. You're very polite."

He flushed embarrassedly. "Thank you."

She chuckled. "See what I mean?"

"I didn't get along very well with my other family." He picked at his food. "After my mother passed away, I was sent to live with my uncle and his family. I was only there two days before they took me to the abbey. They didn't like my father very much..." He broke off.

Elizabeth rubbed her shoulder warily. "They sound terrible. I'm sorry they weren't there for you when you probably needed them the most."

"It's all right, I was able to get along on my own..."

"But you shouldn't have had to," she insisted. "Someone should have been there to help you through it. Losing someone like that isn't easy."

Will tried to look unconcerned. "It's nothing; I don't care what they thought of my parents. How long does this take to bake?" His voice was slightly shakey.

"Will." Her voice was low and serious. "It's all right now."

He stared at her. "It's getting late...I don't want you to get in trouble for staying out too long..."

"You're right." She smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow"

"Let me walk you back. It's dark out." He stood. "You shouldn't go alone."

"Thank you. And you can keep the cake; have as much as you like."

He started. "Really? Thanks!"

"But don't eat it all in one night." She rose to her feet, taking his hand. "You have to save some for tomorrow at least."

He grinned. "If you say so."

They snuck through the manor, giggling and talking under their breath. They seperated at the stairs.

"Good night, Will; I'll see you tomorrow," Elizabeth whispered before darting up to her room.

"Goodnight." He watched her go into her room before turning around and heading back outside. He had that same, giddy feeling that he'd had before; the one he didn't like, but he did like. He felt like telling someone something, maybe just talking about Elizabeth. He smiled as he thought of her, entering the servant's quarters. He was lucky to have met her.

"You were out late," a voice drawled from above.

Will skidded to a stop. "Susan, what are you doing up?"

"You really think you're daring, don't you?" She rolled her eyes. "Sneaking out at night, with Miss Swann."

"For your information, I wasn't sneaking out," he retorted defensively, climbing up the stairs. "I was escorting Miss Swann back to her room."

"Same difference." She crossed her arms. "You should be glad her father didn't come looking for her. You could have gotten her in a lot of trouble."

He blinked. "What?"

"If her father had found out that she had been out late, she would have been punished. You don't want that to happen, do you?"

Will pushed past her. "Leave me alone, Susan."

He slammed his door shut before she could say anything else.

TBC...