Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 22: The Haunting of Villa Diodati

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has voted on chapters and added this story to their reading lists.

——

1816

It's funny, sometimes Kathy sees the Doctor quite frequently and sometimes it's centuries before she sees them again.

Kathy knows it's the former when she joins a certain group of writers during the summer of 1816.

Byron had already left England in April 1816, never to return until his death after having been forced to by the scandal of the separation from his ex wife, the rumours about Augusta (his half sister) and ever increasing debts.

That summer is when Kathy met him, John William Polidori, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Godwin (future Shelley though styles herself as if she is already) and Mary's sister Claire Clairmont at the Villa Diodati by Lake Geneva, Switzerland.

Kathy knows that the weather will keep them indoors for over three days in June, at which point the Doctor, Yaz, Graham and Ryan will appear.

Byron will challenge them to a competition to see which of them could write the best ghost story. This will produce Frankenstein and The Vampyre.

——

Thunder, lightning and torrential rain, probably thanks to the eruption of Mount Tambora the previous year which caused severe global cooling as the ash blocked out sunlight around the world.

Mary holds her young child as she looks out of the window of the villa.

"Confined again." Byron laments from his chair. "I cannot bear it. How are these guests you mentioned of Ms Davis, meant to arrive?"

"Do not worry, they have their ways." Kathy smirks as she strokes the keys of the piano in front of her. She hopes anyway. She hasn't dared go and try to find Shelley and attempt to get the Cyberium out of him as she doesn't want to cause any damage. She doesn't even know where to start as at the beginning he's all over the place before retreating to the cellar. She's happy and nervous to be in Thirteen's adventure and she knows what's going on

"Your friends sound so magical." Claire sighs wistfully.

Kathy's smirk deepens amusedly. "Indeed. It's almost as if they are other worldly."

"Such a shame your brother and sister-in-law could not join us." I.e., Carlyle and Ashildr. No need to explain how her own son and daughter-in-law are physically the same age as her or near abouts.

"Well, I could not possibly inconvenience Lord Byron any more than I have." Kathy shrugs off. "Plus, someone has to look after my wards."

"Ah yes, the mysterious new young Lord Sutcliffe and the Urchins he brings along with him." Byron remarks.

"The very world itself seems sick." Mary observes as she turns away from the window. Byron and Claire are standing and walking about at this point.

"A most ungenial summer." Polidori comments. "I've never known air as dank and frigid."

"Oh. Dank and frigid. Who does that remind me of, I wonder? Oh." Byron snaps his fingers and points at Polidori.

"Sleep well, sweet boy." Mary says to her son as she hands off the child to a servant.

"Perhaps Lord Byron or Doctor Polidori would read to us?" Claire suggests.

"What would Miss Clairmont wish to hear?" Byron asks.

"Something to awaken thrilling horror." Mary suggests.

"Yes, Mrs Shelley."

"To make us dread to look around. To curdle the blood and quicken the beatings of the heart."