Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to one of the most encouraging and nicest people I have met on Wattpad. Thank you for your support Ashley :)
Chapter 30
It is time for Yule, a mix of joy and utter hopelessness plagues me. Lester left this for me, finding it in our Great Uncle’s things. He was Welsh. A proud one, and every time he went into winter carols, it seemed everyone fell in love. Can I?
Nos Galan: Words of love, and mutual kisses. Oh! how sweet the grove in blossom.
Twenty fourth of December 1795. London, England.
The year of our Lord
Diary of William Blake
The next morning as the sun peaked into vision, the snow became a blinding blanket to those who looked directly in it. London was never merciful during the winter, and the fact William’s home was close to the River Thames, made the wind feel worse. The birds did not tweet, unlike the summer. But their presence could be noticed, if William bothered to look at the leafless trees.
William shivered as he stumbled up the street. His clothes were clean, but his appearance was downgraded from his usual neat appearance. He had not shaved this morning, his breath smelt of the alcohol he had consumed last night; his eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. His blond hair stuck up widely, he had already run his hands through it several times as he had tried to find his way home.
His mind was clouded, and his head throbbed painfully. He could see his neighbours, setting off on their Yule celebrations, as he walked up the pavement. He clutched onto a nearby wall, breathing for a second as his chest felt constricted. Closing his eyes, the crunch of the snow no longer audible, William tried to calm himself down.
After he had returned home, he couldn’t bear to see Katherine, so he left straight after dinner and went to Lester’s house. He had not explained what had occurred at the Watson household, but his brother had left him in his wife’s care all the same. Virginia Blake, the useless she witch, had passed him to her servants.
That suited William just fine. He ordered wine, port and Spanish sherry. Anything which could numb his senses, and he numbed them till he found himself sleeping in the kitchen cellar. His sister in law had been so ‘kind’. She had poured freezing cold water on him, and sent him up to her chambers for a clean-up. Threatening him with telling Lester, who would surely punch him in the face, William obeyed each command.
After being changed and fed, she had kicked him out of her home. William was now staggering around London in his drunken stupor, so close to home. He could see his home. He could smell the scent of coffee from the chimney, and the smoke which accompanied it. He pushed himself to get closer, and walked up the small steps to his door.
Opening it, took a lot of energy, and William collapsed onto the floor sideways. He enjoyed the cool feeling of the waxed floors, and closed his eyes, about to fall asleep until he was picked up by Julian. The red haired man said nothing, but helped him lean on the wooden banister near the entrance.
“Where is Katherine?” William asked icily.
“Sleeping, Mr Blake,” Julian answered, helping him walk to the library which he was heading to.
Julian remembered this was only for three months. A merciful punishment for sleeping with another man’s engaged. William and Julian had discussed their agreement. Julian and Georgina would be engaged, once Julian’s three month period of work was over, with William’s blessing.
William would not press charges to Julian’s estate, especially because if his uncle found out he had slept with an engaged woman, he would be tossed out into the streets. Julian would use his pay to provide for his new life, and start to search for a job as a book keeper.
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