Author's note: I am so sorry for the lonnnnnng wait. I have plans to finish this story for sure now! If anyone is still interested please let me know!

Adella walked swiftly beside Colonel William Tavington as they headed for her father's shop. She felt as though everyone's eyes were on them and she dreaded to hear what her father's reaction would be when she went back to his bedroom to tell him of the colonel's presence once again in their shop.

She was lost in her thoughts when the blur of a young boy nearly came crashing into her in the bustle of the street traffic.

"Hey! Watch where you're going! You-" Tavington yelled out.

Adella leapt backwards.

She quickly regained her composure once she realized who it was and she quickly interrupted him. "It's okay, colonel," she stooped to pick up the small packages that the child had dropped.

"William," Tavington corrected. "But you should watch where you're going," he continued lightly shaming the boy.

Adella eased back up with the packages in hand and gingerly handed them back to the nervous young boy in front of them.

"James, Aren't you supposed to be delivering this to Mr. Cart? Yes. Michael will kill me if I don't get them there before supper," he stammered.

"Well hurry along," Adella gently motioned in the direction he should be headed.

James took off jogging again, but made sure to turn and yell, "I'm real sorry, sir!"

Adella sighed. Eight year old James would be sure to tell his brother he ran into her with the Colonel.

"You know him?" William broke her thoughts.

"Yes. He's my…my friend's younger brother."

"One of the ladies?" he asked as if he already knew the answer. Adella started walking again.

"Uh No," she responded. "So have you spoken to Elizabeth since you returned?" She changed the subject.

"Ah no. I have not. I only just returned yesterday. You walk very fast, you know."

Adella nodded with a forced smile. She didn't tell him that if Elizabeth saw them together she would get the wrong idea. Or if Michael saw them together he would lose his mind and completely get the wrong idea as well.

"I need to get this medicine to my father. And also we need to get your portrait finished before it gets too late," she glanced up at him as they walked.

He nodded in agreement.

The rest of their walk to the shop was fairly quiet. William stopped to speak to a few soldiers that he passed in the street and she couldn't help but feel their eyes on her as they passed.

As she stepped up onto the porch, she pulled a key and the bag of medicine from her pocket.

"Where is your father?" William questioned.

"He is down in his back." Adella answered quickly. Not exactly a lie, but not the whole truth either. "So he is in bed."

"Hmm," the Colonel hummed. "That is a shame. He has really been down lately hasn't he?"

"It pains me to see him hurting," Adella added as she pushed the old wooden door opened. The familiar smell of turpentine and paint filled her nose.

"Please go ahead and have a seat in your chair. It should be as you left it. I will run this medicine to my father and make him aware of your presence here."

She hurried to the back of the shop and through the back door.

"Father?" she tapped lightly on his door.

"Yes," he coughed.

Adella pushed the door open. Her father was in the same place she had left him. His head was propped on two pillows and he was covered up all the way to his shoulders.

"Um…Here's your medicine. Do you need anything?"

"No…No...I"m alright."

"The doctor slipped some handwritten instructions inside," she continued. "But he said that he wishes you would allow him to come see you again."

He shook his head. "There's no need."

Adella frowned. "If you need anything just call for me. But father. The Colonel is back for me to finish his portrait."

He grunted aloud. "Well go ahead. But leave the doors in here open. And hurry."

She nodded. She could see the worry on his face. She leaned over and kissed her father's damp forehead before turning away from him.

"I'll be fine," she whispered to him.

She straightened her dress and ran a hand through her loose curls as she re-entered the front room, realizing in that moment that she left her bonnet at the rock. William was admiring the paintings hanging on one of the walls with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Are any of these your work?" he asked as he pointed.

"Those are my father's. Please sit."

She moved to the paint cabinet as he headed toward his chair. She gathered what she needed without looking back to him and made it to her chair.

Adella looked at the portrait and then finally back to the Colonel who did not remember how he had held his head. He looked almost awkward.

"Was this right?" he asked almost comically as he pointed up to his head, leaving his chin very high. "Forgive me, I cannot remember."

Adella genuinely laughed and smiled as she shook her head. She got up and moved forward toward him. "No. You were more natural last time."

She breathed in before she reached out to re-place him in the correct position. She made sure she did not touch the scratch on his face. She gently clasped his face, rough from being shaved. The way his eyes immediately met hers sent a slight shiver down her body.

"That looks horrid," she pointed to his scratch, trying to alleviate the awkwardness.

"It does not hurt," he said softly.

"Did someone…" She paused, unsure of what she was even asking. She did not know what he had done while he was gone.

"Oh no, he chuckled. "My damn horse threw me. I ended up with this and a shoulder bruised worse than my pride. He reached up to gingerly pat his left shoulder.

"Oh," she released him and took one more quick glance at him before she moved back to her chair.

She pulled out her paints and began hurriedly placing some samples on her wooden palette.

She tried to focus on the swirl of her paintbrush in the colors, but every time she glanced back to his face, his eyes met hers and she could feel color on her cheeks.

She silently scolded herself for being so giddy. Why was she allowing his gaze to affect her so?

She almost wished that he was still making conversation. The air in the shop was heavy with the silence around them. She wondered what he was thinking.

She moved her brush back to the painting when suddenly William let out a sneeze that echoed in the small room.

Adella gasped, nearly dropping her brush and looked up to him.

"Sorry!" he laughed as he dabbed at his nose with a white handkerchief.

"You did that on purpose," Adella's lips formed into a pout. Secretly she was thankful for something other than silence.

"Sneeze? On purpose? I could not help it," William motioned toward his face. "I had a tickle."

"At this rate, You'll be coming back for weeks," she said jokingly as she placed her paints on the table and slid to her feet.

He laughed again as he replaced his handkerchief.
She reached up and pushed his chin back up. "We're so close to being finished."

"I cannot say I would mind coming back for weeks," William said softly.

As he spoke, Adella looked into his blue eyes and watched him stare back into hers. She paused, allowing the words to register in her mind, and she could feel her cheeks start to burn the longer his eyes focused on hers.

She let go of him and turned away, hurrying back to her easel. She allowed him to fluster her again.

What was he doing joking with her in that manner? He would not mention her in public. In public he addressed Elizabeth and only Elizabeth. So why did his statement excite her?

Adella moved her focus back to the painting and silence fell around them again, but only for a short while.

"I enjoy watching you work."

"You cannot see anything," Adella nervously glanced back up.

"I can see your face…Your expressions."

Adella felt herself blush. "My father is listening," she mouthed and pointed toward the back door.

William smiled and nodded.

Adella could only imagine the talk she would receive once the Colonel left.

Silence fell around them again. This time for longer. Adella moved quickly, finally allowing herself to forget and become more involved in the task she was doing.

"May I stretch my legs?" William asked.

"Sure, I'm actually finished with you. I only need to put a few finishing touches and get my father's approval," She did not look back to him, but she heard him get up and stretch his arms.

He let out a slight groan and began walking towards her.

She held her breath as she tried to focus on the painting, but she watched him from the corner of her eye as he neared a few paintings she had done that were set up on a table.

"You're very talented Miss Adella."

"I have to paint over those. Those canvases was supposed to be used for a portrait," she responded. Trying to sound as if it did not bother her.

"That's a shame."

"It was practice," she brushed it off.

She continued to watch him from the corner of her eye. He stepped slowly, taking his time until he stopped behind her.

"Wow. It looks like me."

Adella turned to look at him with a smile. "Well I sure hope it does. Are you happy with it?"

He continued looking at her face. "Oh yes."

Adella studied him too, trying to determine what he was thinking.

"You have a smudge," he pointed teasingly at her face.

"Oh," she quickly held out her hand to cover her face. Embarrassment flooded over her.

"No No No No," He laughed. "It's not that bad. Here let me see,"

He picked up the cloth that she had been using. And she reluctantly lowered her arms to allow him to help.

He propped her chin up with his other hand and gingerly and slowly dabbed at her cheek.

"There…almost all of it," he took one final wipe and then lowered the cloth.

He looked back into her eyes, still allowing her chin to rest in his other hand.

He lowered his voice to nearly a whisper. "We can't be letting a beautiful girl like you walk around with a smudge."

Adella forced a nervous laugh. A slight chill ran down her body

Adella turned away from him abruptly.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"No. I'm sorry," she choked out.

He paused for a moment and moved to face her with the cloth still in his hand. "Is something wrong? What has made you become untrusting of me?"

"I'm not untrusting. I just…My dear friend Elizabeth cares for you and she feels that you feel the same way of her." She crossed her arms across her chest.

William seemed shocked. "Elizabeth?" He tossed the cloth back onto Adella's small table.

Adella nodded. "You attended her father's parties and danced with her did you not?"

"Yes..but I fear she has gotten the wrong idea."

Adella moistened her lips. "I…Well.."She stopped, unsure of what to say.

"I hope you do not think ill of me. I assure you I have no foul intentions, with her," he continued.

Adella brushed his words off. "I understand."

"If you actually attended her parties you may have seen a different picture. We are friends. Everyone speaks of you there with great pleasure…The talented daughter of a talented painter."

"They speak of me?"She asked softly.

"Yes. Well I asked about you."

Adella froze. "Why?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"I wanted to learn more about the mysterious painter with that astounding smile," He did not break eye contact with her. He kept his voice low.

She moistened her lips.

He glanced to her lips and her breath caught in her throat. For a brief moment she was sure that he was going to kiss her.

"Adella!" her father's voice echoed from his bedroom.

Adella jumped to her feet in surprise. "Yes father?"

"Are you nearly finished?"

"Yes!" she responded. "I was just about to walk the Colonel out. He will be able to pick his portrait up tomorrow!" she glanced to William as she spoke.

"I have something that I want you to see. You should bring something to sketch with," William whispered back to her.

"I cannot today," she whispered back, almost harshly.

"Well tomorrow?"

"Why?" she questioned softly. "If I may ask, what are your intentions with me, Colonel?"

"Call me William."

"William," she corrected herself again. She began moving toward the door, hoping he would follow.

"I just hope to inspire your talent. And get to know more about you." He scooped his helmet from the table near the door.

"I think that I have had enough walking for today," she responded nervously.

"May I ask what you were doing that far out from town?" Adella was shocked by his question.

"I was talking with a friend."

"The same friend who's brother we saw earlier?"

Adella stopped. "You saw us together? At the rock?"

"I only saw him leaving."

Adella sighed. "Yes, well. I must get back there to check on my father."

"I'd like to see you again tomorrow and show you what I was speaking of," He continued. "Please."

"And I"d like to show you the bastard that did this," he pointed to the deep scratch on his face and laughed. "This horse loves every lady, but is stubborn with me."

"I can't-"

"Well, if you change your mind and would like to breathe some fresh air then meet me at that rock, same time as today," William reached for her hand and raised it to his lips again.

The act caught her breath in her throat.

She did not breath again until he released her hand.

"Goodbye William," she said softly, attempting to get him further out the door.

"Goodbye," he glanced back at her again before he turned and stepped outside.

Adella quickly shut the door but paused, knob still in hand. His words replayed in her mind.

"Adella!" Her father called again.

"Coming!" Adella ran to her easel and scooped the painting up to show her father. She darted to his bedroom and caught her breath just before she entered.

"Here it is!" she proclaimed.

He nodded as he eyed the painting.

"Very good work."

Adella smiled and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Adella, I regret that it is time to tell you this…I was going to tell you before you got wrapped up in this portrait again...But I think it is time to close our doors."

"But father," Adella 's eyes immediately filled with tears.

"Adell…We are finally finished with the portraits we had already begun. I don't think I will be getting back out of this bed. I can't keep the shop open. Men come here looking for me to paint a portrait. As much as I would love for you to do each and every one, you can't keep doing it when they come here expecting me," He shifted painfully in bed so that he could sit up. "You know the only reason that that Colonel wanted you to do his portrait."

Adella's mouth dropped open. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you have to go make your own life with someone respectable. Not someone like him"

"So you want me to go and get married to Michael?" Adella asked painfully. "You want me to forget everything that you taught me here and go and care for a household. I already told Micheal No."

"No," her father shook his head and reached out. He slipped his hand in hers. "I know someone else who would like your hand. I spoke with him weeks ago in case you did not accept Michael's hand."

"What?" Adella pulled her hand from his.

"He is a plantation owner. He lives in South Carolina."

"Benjamin Martin?" Adella asked questioningly. He was the only man that she knew of in South Carolina. "Father, your friend? Isn't he already married?"

"His wife died, Adell," her father answered.

"He has children already, Father. And it is so far."

"He is a wonderful man. He has agreed to marry you. He remembered you. You would have plenty of time to paint," her father added.

"Agreed? He does not know me, and I barely know him. He saw me when I was a child," Adella began pacing. Panic rose in her throat.

"Father, Not only do I not want to leave you here, I think it would be dangerous to accept the hand of someone that I do not know."

"I know him. He is a gentleman. He is peaceful."

Adella frowned.

"You will keep his home while he works. He has young children. Seven children who need a lady in their lives. Where he is, there are no red coats parading around," her father said.

"That is what this is about? William?" Adella pointed to his portrait.

"William? That's what you call him?" her father demanded.

"He is a respectful person. What is wrong with knowing his first name?"

"He is a red coat. Do not forgot where our loyalties lie. Do not forget the bigger picture. Do not forget what the red coats have been doing here and how much they have been destroying."

"Father, I was only painting his portrait and being nice to him. Shouldn't we treat our neighbors how we want to be treated?" Adella snapped smartly.

"It does not matter. You will do what I say. You rejected Michael. You will not reject Ben Martin."

"So you're forcing me?" Adella turned back toward the door. "You do not understand."

"I am waiting for his letter that will detail when the two of you will meet."

Adella shook her head. "If you loved me you wouldn't make me do this." She didn't turn back to look at her father.

"It is only because I love you," he said softly. "Do it for me. I do not want to leave you alone here."