The Butchers Love

Chapter 11

Over the past day my friendship with William had gone to shambles, we didn't even talk or look each other any more. However on a sort of good note my relationship with Captain Taylor had gotten better. But I couldn't help but wonder how the Colonel was feeling, he always clenched his jaw when he saw the Captain near me and then he would storm off to do god knows what.

This morning Daniel had sent me a letter along with a small bouquet of flowers, initially I was happy and grateful for what he had done but then my thoughts were interrupted by the Colonel opening his door. He was only dressed in his vest, shirt and breeches. Once his eyes met with mine he was about to say something but was interrupted by Daniel calling my name "Looks like you've been summoned, good day Mable" William mumbled before pacing down the corridor, barging past the captain in the process.

"God, what's wrong with him today?" Daniel asked and rubbed his shoulder "Or is that just normal?" I cracked a small smile and looked up at him.

"He's not that bad when you get to know him" I sighed and picked up the flowers and letter before laying them on the bed.

"Well, he acts like an arse"

"But its him at the end of the day, you might not know why he acts like that"

"I have a theory, his mother never gave him attention when he was younger"

"Perhaps..." I knew the real reason but I couldn't bring myself to say anything because It was his private life at the end of the day "Maybe you shouldn't judge a book by its cover"

"I judge people upon how they act" Daniel spoke and looked down at me "I'm sorry, let's just forget I said anything"

"Yes let's" I mumbled and stepped out of my room "Anyway what are you doing today?"

"Horse riding, do you wish to join me?" Daniel smiled and leant against the doorframe "Don't worry I'll take good care of you"

"Unfortunately no, I have some business to attend to"

"Alright" as he spoke he rolled his eyes playfully "I'll see you later" Daniel smiled and started walking down the corridor.

"of course" I nodded and looked down at the floor. When Daniel was eventually out of the way all I really wanted to do was talk to the Colonel, but that was now an impossibility. Around an hour later I heard a soft knock at the door "Who is it?"

"William" the Colonel's voice sounded from the other side of the door "you don't need to open the door"

"Colonel please, go away"

"I got you something, I'll just leave it here" I heard a small thud on the floor "Take care of it for me" he spoke before walking back down the corridor.

When I eventually opened the door I looked down at the floor and instantly smiled. On the floor was his copy of romeo and juliet along with a small bunch of lavender and a letter on top of it. I picked up the bundle and walked towards my bed.

The first thing I did was pick up the letter and open it:

I know you love this book and there isn't another copy in the library, believe me, I've looked. So I decided to give you mine because I will always put you first, no matter what you say. Please take good care of it.

Yours,

William Tavington

I couldn't help but smile at this point and as I opened the book the first thing I saw his name written in the corner on the first page. To be fair his handwriting was immaculate.

I looked at the bouquet of lavender and I couldn't help but smile at it. It was probably an apology or something along them lines. But did this mean he cared or was it an attempt to get me off his back.

"Mable?" I noticed it was Daniel's voice and I picked up the letter and hid it in the book "What's wrong?

"N-nothing" I smiled and put the book to the side.

"It doesn't seem like nothing" Daniel tilted his head to the side slightly "Why did you have a letter? And who gave you that book?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Well obviously" he leant against the wall and crossed his arms "So who gave you that?"

"Daniel, it's a book from the library and I was writing to my father" I lied and brought the book over to the desk.

"Alright, I believe you" He sighed and walked up to me "Did you read the letter I sent you earlier?"

"Not yet, I've been a little bit busy"

"Well when you have time, read it"

"of course" I smiled slightly and he nodded and left the room. What the hell? Why did I lie to him? Why did I defend William?

It was a little peaceful up until the point I heard someone stumbling around in the corridor. Initially I thought nothing of it until I heard the Colonel mumble something to himself. With a heavy sigh I walked into the hallway just to see William sat on the floor.

"What the bloody hell has happened to you?!" I asked and rushed over to his side, all he could do was look towards me and lean his head against the wall "Come on, you need to rest" in response he groaned and looked to the other side "William, listen to me, you need to lay down"

Once he stood up I held into his arm and walked him into his bedroom, when he laid down and stared at the ceiling "I'm just proving why I'm like my father" William mumbled and clutched onto his pillow "so I thought, Fuck it, I'm only going to end up like him"

"That's not true" I muttered and ran my hand over the fabric on his arm "You're a better man than him, you're never going to be like him"

"Your too kind my dear" he looked to the side and nuzzled into his pillow "so soft and gentle, like the petal of a flower"

"William you need to sleep" I sighed and he looked towards me once again with narrowed eyes "Don't look at me like that mister"

"Your sweet when your mad" he smiled softly and took my hand into his, taking me by complete surprise "I'm sorry, for everything"

"Shh now, sleep"

"The night is still young" he looked up at the ceiling aimlessly for a moment "well it is rather dark"

"because it's 9 o'clock at night, how much have you drank?"

"only a bottle" William looked up at me and then sighed "Alright 3" he looked up into my eyes "It's so hard to lie to you"

"please don't say anything that you will regret, close your eyes and lie still" Eventually he curled up into a ball and stared at me "Close your eyes"

After he did so I gently ran my fingers over his hairline "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this" For some reason I started reciting some lines from Romeo and Juliet "For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss"

"Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?" William uttered but kept his eyes closed

"Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer" I smiled and moved a piece of his hair out of his face.

"then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair" he got quieter and quieter with each word.

"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake" I whispered and when he finally drifted into a sleep I covered him in a blanket. With a small sigh I left the room and closed the door behind me.

Once I got back into my room all I could think of was the lines we had just recited. Sleep came to me rather easily that night, but only if I knew who saw me.