Doe (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Eighteen

The Lurie's took tea with the Cecils, while the Lurie children played tennis and Francis found herself taking Will around the garden.

"I'm glad the spring has come so warmly." She said to him.

He smiled.

"I hope you don't find it bothersome to spend all this time at Lurie manor." She attempted again.

"No. I like it here. These seem like my sort of people, they know how to push people's buttons." Will laughed a little, "Especially mother's. Talking about her marriages et al."

"I suppose you must feel strange hearing about your mother like that." Francis blushed.

"Not as strange as you must feel as the bastard's child."

"Excuse me?" Francis stopped suddenly.

"You are a bastard child." Will told her calmly, "Born out of wedlock. It's an old term."

"Yes. I know that. But that's not what you said." Francis began to walk again, a little quicker. She wanted to join the others; she could hear their laughter just around the corner. She would see them once they rounded the hydrangea bush.

"She can't stand you."

"I'm not surprised. I remind her of her husband's affair." Francis sighed.

"It's because you make her failure to have a child for him, worse."

"That's very sad."

"She had lots of children for my father."

"Really?" She asked flatly. Playing with the hydrangea buds, as she passed.

"Yes, all daughters other than me. Five of them."

"How nice."

"She never sees them. They are all married with families of their own and no time for her. Plus we hate old Cecil."

Francis remained silent. The sound of the ball hitting the tennis racquets grew louder with each step.

"It's not because he broke up our parents. He didn't. Father couldn't stand mother. Its just Cecil is an awful person." Will went on, with a strange malevolent grin on his face.

"I suppose it must upset you to have Lord Cecil match us together."

His grin stretched, and he caught her hand. She looked at her friends playing.

"Not at all. I've been matched before and none has been as tempting as Lord Cecil's daughter. He may be a terrible person but he is extremely clever. He runs this country single-handed, though no one should say it. And I think I see him in you." He pulled her closer to him.

Francis felt herself trembling, "But as a girl who wasn't even raised by him, I don't think-"

"Only time will tell. And there really is only one of you." Will put a hand on her head and pulled a curl from her ponytail, "And like mother, it needn't be forever."

A cloud rolled over the sun and Francis shivered and suggested they go back to the others. She practically ran to them. She played with little skill or focus but with violence that they hadn't seen since she was small. Draco gave her questioning looks but all she did was bite her lip and cease to play.

At dinner, Lady Cecil seemed to have thawed, and engaged Samantha in our discussion about their charity work. Lord Cecil questioned Francis about her schooling, which she was comfortable to talk about, she ignored Will's polite enquiries and flattery. The Cecils didn't stay late. At ten o'clock, Francis awkwardly kissed all three goodbye. Will lingered a little too long and she detached herself from his play act. Lord Cecil lingered too, touching her cheek with his knuckles.

The door was closed and Lord Lurie smiled, "Well done, I think we're getting there."

She smiled and turned away.

Her trembling grew worse as she undressed quickly, wanting get away, she held onto the dressing table for support. Krystal tugged at her lace, excitedly asking about the day, especially the dashing Will. As she combed through Francis' curls she couldn't quite hide her disappointment at Francis' short answers.

There was a knock on the door that stopped Krystal's prying. Hurriedly she dressed Francis in a gown. She opened the door and passed Draco in the doorway.

"She's so gobby." He said.

Francis didn't say anything, but continued where Krystal had stopped. She rubbed her face with sponge to remove her make-up.

"So how do you feel, now?" he asked her, perching on the bed.

"Fine." And she was surprised to hear her voice so calm when her throat was so constricted.

"You know, I think Father is right. You and Cecil have come a long way in last month."

She nodded.

"So why are you upset?"

"I'm not. Just tired, it's been wearing day." She moved the sponge over her other eye, making black smudges and her eyes red.

He got up from the bed and sat astride the seat she was on. He took the sponge from her hand, "Why are you lying to me? What did he say to you?"

"Who?" She asked not looking at him.

"William. I know he upset you before tennis."

"It was nothing." She tried to take the sponge back from him, but he trapped her fingers, the cold water dribbled onto the seat between them, darkening her gown.

"What did he say?" He asked again.

"That he would marry me."

He squeezed her fingers slightly, "Why?"

"The same reason your father wants us to marry. Cecil." She removed her hand and stood up.

He watched her.

"I can't fathom what's so brilliant about him. To me, he is a cruel silly man."

"He holds power that's all." Draco said quietly.

"His power must be very great to have people acting like this. My own mother fell for his power because I cannot imagine her for one moment being a part of all this for love." Francis said angrily.

Draco stood up and caught her by her shoulders, "It's going to be okay. Don't panic, yet."

She sighed. He had caught her hair and robe awkwardly under his palms; she was trapped to look at him.

"I don't want to be married to that man." She said.

"You won't be. It won't happen." He told her. His hands moved up into her hair and he moved closer, "I won't let that happen." He said softly. He went to kiss her but she drew back angrily.

"No. Don't do that!" she cried, "It doesn't help, it only makes it worse."

"I'm sorry-" he stuttered.

"Are you going to marry me? You kiss me and it means nothing. Changes nothing. Don't you know? Go tell your daddy that you want to marry me then you can kiss me. Then, you can kiss me all you like." She pushed him, "Go on, Draco. Go on. Stop being so unfair...it doesn't help."

A flush had crept into his cheeks and his eyes blazed, "Stop being so ridiculous." He told her in a cold voice.

"Ridiculous?" her voice had gone shrill and broke over the word, "Get out and leave me alone."

He stared at her, "You need to calm down."

"No. I don't care anymore. What do I want with Lord Cecil? I never wanted anything. It's all you. So why don't you leave me alone?" She shouted at him.

He did what she said without a word, closing the door as she sunk to the floor.