Hola – this is the update! Sorry for the delay – it's been a really really really bad year...
Disclamer – blah blah blah…..yadda yadda yadda
After sitting through a long and awkward dinner, she wanted nothing more than to go back up to her "room" and sleep away this nightmare.
"If you'll excuse me… I am exhausted and I think I shall retire. Good night." Elizabeth said as she got up from the table.
"Allow me to escort you." A young officer said rising with her. She silently bid the gentlemen good night as she took his arm. They made small talk as they ascended the stairs. She couldn't have been more excited to see her door, her new refuge. She ended the conversation, bid him a good night and almost ran into her room. She caught herself before she slammed the door. She poured herself into a chair before the vanity and began madly attacking her hair, attempting to remove the well placed pins that were digging into her head.
She managed to pull out the last pin as she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to find Tavington standing there.
"You left early, are you alright?"
"Just tired, that's all. It's exhausting being kidnapped, forced to say goodbye to my family who I may never see again, threatened with death, thrown into an English corset, and then shoved into an uncomfortable dinner with British officers-"
"You should feel lucky that I'm in a good mood right now," He said as he pushed his way into her room and closed the door. He pinned her to the wall, "Because that would normally earn you something that I'm sure you wouldn't like and might bruise that pretty face." He emphasized that by stroking her cheek as his other hand pinned hers behind her back. He leaned in close, his breath tickling her ear, "I'm not always this nice – consider this your warning." He then squeezed her wrists and then let go and walked out of the room closing the door behind him. She stood there shocked and as the reality of her situation sank in, she slid to the floor sobbing.
Rebecca walked in a few minutes later with some night clothes only to find Elizabeth curled up in her pile of skirts from her dress sobbing. Rebecca quietly put down the night clothes and went to her. She enfolded her in her arms and quietly hummed while stroking her back.
"It'll be alright." Rebecca whispered as Elizabeth calmed down.
"Are you sure because from where I'm sitting, the outlook is grim. I'm most likely never going to see the man I love ever again. They're probably going to wear me down to the point where I don't even want to go home again and then I'll be stuck here and I 'll probably marry that officer who walked me to my room and then we'll have lots of English babies and-"
"my dear girl, breathe. You must calm down - you haven't even been here 24 hours, what makes you think this will be long term?" Rebecca replied, "now, come my dear, you've obviously had a long day and are on the brink of exhaustion to which I am attributing your emotions, so it's time to go to bed. I will let you sleep tomorrow morning and just bring you breakfast when you wake if that will help ease any anxiety you may have. Alright? You just have to promise me you'll remember to breathe because that corset will need to get tighter tomorrow."
"Alright – thank you Rebecca. I don't know what I would have done without you." Rebecca silently nodded and helped Elizabeth get ready for bed. Once Elizabeth climbed in, she drifted off almost immediately. Rebecca blew out the candles and quietly closed the door.
She awoke the next morning and looked at the elegant clock hanging on the wall and saw it was 11:00. She cursed and jumped out of bed only to remember she wasn't at home and didn't have any chores. Rebecca came in shortly after Elizabeth woke up bearing breakfast goodies.
"Ah, good – you're already up – I was just about to wake you before breakfast turned into lunch!"
"Thanks." Elizabeth said quietly as she picked at a blueberry muffin top.
"Now, what to put you in... ah! Blue! Yes a nice light blue to compliment your lovely blonde hair. Yesterday we focused on bringing out your eyes, today – it's all about the hair. Now, we're going to need to lace that corset a little tighter today – will that be alright?" Elizabeth silently nodded already rubbing her ribs in anticipatory pain.
Once dressed and fed, Elizabeth made her way to the library, which she remembered passing yesterday on her way from dinner.
"Miss Elizabeth, will you be joining us for lunch?" The young officer that escorted her last night asked with hope glittering in his eyes.
"No, I think I'm just going to stay in here, I had a late breakfast. Thank you."
"Oh, alright, well I hope to see you later." He replied as he gracefully bowed and exited.
She perused the books for a few minutes until she found a book and settled into a comfortable chair.
She lost track of time while reading and she didn't even notice the shadow looming over her.
"Why weren't you at lunch or breakfast? Speculations that I injured you or that you are not well are flying around and we can't have any of that because that makes me look bad. I expect to see you at dinner which is in two hours." Tavington said looking down at her in the chair.
"And if I'm not hungry?" She asked defiantly standing to attempt to gain some ground from his intimidating stature.
He grabbed her arm and pinned her to a nearby wall, his voice cold and calculating, "You will be attending dinner and I don't care if you're going to be hungry or not – it is your place as a lady to attend all meals. If you learn anything in your time here, you will learn your place and if that means I have to break it into you, so be it." He then leaned in so he could whisper in her ear, "That could be a nice distraction." His hand then roamed from her arm across her stomach to the small of her back. "We'll finish this... conversation later. I will be at your door in 2 hours to escort you to dinner. By the way, I don't think your love, Michael, would appreciate the way you interacted with that Lieutenant last night. I'll see you in two hours." He said laughing quietly to himself exiting the library.
She slid down the wall letting the tears fall quietly. She feared that when the next morning rolled around, her virtue may no longer be intact. She wondered if Michael would still want her then... Only time would tell...
WELL?! What's gonna happen? Stay tuned to find out!