Three months later
 

William and Drusilla stood in the yard near the small garden area she had been growing. Jamie had been kind enough to let her have a plot of earth and Dru had planted all her favorites; Lilies, a small bush of roses, Irises, and even a few of her beloved daisies. Drusilla sorted through the flowers, plucking various weeds and turning the soil.

She wiped her dirty hands on her apron and examined her garden once again
"Oh William look!" She said happily "The daisies, they've bloomed. They're so lovely, aren't they?"
He smiled and nodded "Yes, Love they're wonderful."
"Maybe this is a sign." she stated "That those horrible things, they're over. That we can be happy now."
"As long as I can be with you, I'm happy." He replied "We're to be married in 4 months now."
She nodded and enveloped him in a hug "I love you." She said kissing him lightly on the lips.
"And I love you,"  was his reply.

Life was good.
 

Drusilla sighed happily as she sorted through the trunk of her personal belongings. She removed her wedding dress. It was white Chinese silk edged in the finest European lace. It was a simple dress. The white bodice laced in a cris-cross pattern up the front and tied at the modest neckline. The sleeves came up to just above her elbows and from there the lace fanned out beautifully. Drusilla smiled as she thought about that happy moment and patted her stomach unconsciously. She set the dress aside and hunted through the trunk again. Then she found what she had been searching for.

She pulled the china hand from beneath the other clutter. The doll was revealed. Her dark blue dress was a bit faded and and her bonnet had come undone. She adjusted it and tied in a pretty bow beneath her china chin. Her dark curls spiraled down behind her neck and over her shoulders. The curls were tied with a blue ribbon in the back and her pale porcelain face smiled sweetly back at her. Her eyes were a pale blue and framed with fake dark lashes. Her cheeks were rosy and her lips a pale pink.

"Miss Edith." Drusilla breathed softly "You'll be perfect." She hugged the doll tightly to her chest and smiled at the fond childhood memories with this special doll. She would be perfect for her daughter, no their daughter. Dru sighed. "Oh William will be so happy to learn that he's going to be a father." She said patting her stomach affectionately.

William was away on business. He had to go into town to sell some of the horses to a prominent buyer. He was doing it because Jamie's husband, Jack was away in London for a few weeks to buy another female for breeding. William should return in a few days.

Drusilla replaced the dress and a few books she had removed and closed the trunk. Then she stood and took the doll downstairs to her room. Then she headed for the kitchen to see if Jamie and her daughter, Marie, needed any help with dinner.
 

"Jamie? Marie?" Drusilla called as she walked slowly down the wooden steps to the first floor. When no reply came she sighed and headed for the kitchen. As she entered the room she screamed and stared in shock.

There on  the floor lay Jamie, in a puddle of her own blood. She was missing two fingers from her left hand and her right wrist was slashed as was her neck. Marie lay beside her mother. Her arms were broken and twisted around. Her face was beaten and bruised, blood trickled slowly from the corner of her mouth. Drusilla brought shaky hands up to her face. Tears spilled from her blue eyes and down her cheeks.

"No... no..." She sobbed "Not again!"

She ran from the room and towards the main entrance and nearly tripped over something. She looked down and saw the body of Jamie's youngest boy Charles, staring back up at her with black, eyeless holes. She screamed and ran from the body. As she started down the walk and into the dark night she ran smack into someone. She looked up to behold the face of a demon. A demon with dark hair and black clothes grinned at her. She screamed and he clamped a strong arm down on her mouth.

"Drusilla, tsk, tsk" He hissed between the hideously sharp teeth. He snapped the teeth in her face and laughed when she gasped and pulled away. "You saw." He said "You saw what I did to them," he nodded towards the house "Just be glad you didn't have to witness the horrors that befell you beloved William."

She gagged on his hand and moaned loudly. The tears ran freely down her face and dripped across the back of his hand. He removed the hand and she let loose a hideous wail "Nooooo...!" She moaned sinking to her knees. She dropped her head into her hands and cried piteously, all the while he stood above her laughing his hideous laugh.
"You Bastard!" She spat standing on shaky legs. "You filthy piece of crap! Why me? Why us!?"
He smiled between his fangs "Ahh it was the pleasure I felt in seeing someone like you suffer my dear. Suffer and loose everything you ever loved." His grotesque face was mere inches from her's and he laughed.

She squinted at the harshness of his laugh and pushed uselessly against him, fighting to break free. He smiled at her pitiful attempts and pulled her closer to him, whispering "Run little lamb, the chase is on." Then he let her go.

Drusilla stood in shock for moment then turned and ran as fast and as far as she could. His psychotic laughter fading behind her.
 

Drusilla ran without stopping, until she came to a convent on a grassy knoll. It stretched out on either side in a bricked U shape. A small picketed fence surrounded the compound and a thin garden of herbs and assorted flowers lay just inside the fence. Drusilla rushed up the main path and pounded on the little wooden door.

"Please! Please!" She called " I need sanctuary!" A woman in a black dress and white cloth draped upon her head came to the door. She held a tiny candle in her hands and eyed Drusilla warily. "Sister, please.." Drusilla said breathlessly, casting a glancebehind her "I need a place to stay, in safety."
The nun smiled and stepped aside inviting her in. "Here, dear. I'll fetch you a blanket and a warm cup of tea. I'm sure you'll be fine."
Drusilla followed the woman into the sitting room and took the offered seat.

While the woman left to get the blanket and tea, Dru was left alone with her thoughts. Her tears returned as she thought of her beloved William and what might've become of him. She sobbed, silent sobs as grief overcame her. Her wish for a happy home would never be fulfilled. She would not marry again.

 Never.

As the sister returned she wrapped Drusilla in a warm quilt and handed her the tea.
"What are you running from my child?" She asked sitting across from her.
"I am running from a demon," Drusilla began "A horrid monster. He killed them all. All I ever loved. And William he killed him too." She sobbed and set the still full cup on a table beside her "He killed my daisies" She cried "And crushed my dreams." She placed a tentative hand to her stomach and added, "You will give me safe haven sister? Until my child is born?"