Chapter 7: Dress accordingly
Danni, Rosie, and Ruthie stood in the library. They were waiting for Cornwallis to arrive with Jemina. Ruthie was sitting in the rocking chair. "What do you think they wanna tell us?" She asked looking at her blue Birkenstocks.
"That they've turned into cannibals and want to eat us." Danni replied sarcastically. Rosie wrinkled her nose. Ruthie just clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "In other words, I know as much as you do."
"Yea, I know" Ruthie smiled. They sat in silence just looking around the room. Then the valets opened the door, Lord Cornwallis, Jemina, and O'Hara entered the room. The girls jumped to their feet for some reason. It was like a reflex when someone gets scared when another person enters the room. They stood there a little wide-eyed.
"Good Morning girls," Cornwallis greeted politely. He bowed slightly. The three of them fought the impulse to curtsy. "I see what you mean." He whispered to Jemina.
"Hello Lord Cornwallis" They greeted back smiling. "Good Morning Jemina." He went to his desk and sat down.
"Ladies," He called to get their attention. "Jemina has notified me of your lack of wardrobe." He said folding his hands neatly on the desk. "As I am now your benefactor, have deiced to buy your clothes for you." He smiled at them. Ruthie opened her mouth to thank him, but he held his hand up. "And, as your benefactor, I cannot allow to go on your own." The stunned look on their faces got a smug smile from O'Hara. Danni narrowed her eyes at him. "So, I will have General O'Hara go with you." There were four protests from the younger crowd and O'Hara (what the man's nearly forty something!)
"My lord I must protest!" He called out, Danni tried not to laugh at his shock.
Rosie leaned over to Danni. "Do something." She exclaimed. Danni got a little panicky when she saw the resolve on Cornwallis's face. She started to speak quickly, not carefully pronouncing her words.
"LordCornwallis, Surely, youhave someuse for General O'Hara, Imean, heis yoursecoudn." Cornwallis arched a thick eyebrow at her. Despite her lack of clear speech, he understood enough. She did make a good point, why not send some one who was expendable for the day. He held his hand on his chin. The valets opened the door and entered a very angry Tavington. He stormed in, taking long angry strides. Or maybe he just looked angry all the time.
"Ah, Colonel" Cornwallis greeted. "I have a mission for you." Tavington opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. "I want you to take these ladies down to…" he looked to his wife for the information.
"Miss Lily's dress shop, she'll fit them."
"Yes," He handed him a bag of money, but Danni intercepted.
"Lord Cornwallis, doesn't Colonel Tavington have something more important to do?" She held the cloth bag.
Cornwallis just sat there thoughtfully for a moment. His brown eyes cast to Ruthie "Miss Ritland, do you have problem with Colonel Tavington?" He asked, knowing full well that she would not care.
Ruthie sighed, she new that the colonel cold be mean, and he was rude, but she preferred him to the little ninny, O'Hara. Despite her friends' nudges to say yes, Ruthie answered, "No, I don't." Tavington, Rosie and Danni all glared at her evilly.
"Very well then it's settled. You all are dismissed." Danni and Tavington tried to protest. "You are dismissed!" They stormed out of the door.
Danni let out a frustrated yell. "ARG, Ruthie, I'm very tempted to induce pain upon you!" Tavington came to her elbow. "I mean, I would rather shoot myself in the foot than be caught with this nimrod."
"Well, it was the nimrod or the gaywad, take your pick." Ruthie crossed her arms. Danni resigned a small snort of a sigh admitting a huffy defeat. "See, I was thinking, now come on lets go the sooner we get there the sooner we can get back."
The trail was quiet, only the sound of the horses' hooves heard. Tavington was in the front leading them to the small town about three hours away from the fort. No one had spoken in a good thirty minutes. Not that Tavington minded, he thought most women were stupid and empty-headed cream puffs. He own mother had been foolish enough to not get out from under his father, before they got married. He turned around and saw Danni having trouble staying on her horse. He let a small snicker of delight. "Can you not ride Miss Davis?" He asked pointedly.
"No, I can't, thank you Colonel Obvious." She snapped back, attempting to regain her composure. Tavington gave a heartless laugh as he rode ahead.
Rosie just rolled her eyes; Danni was usually better at riding a horse. She looked off into the trees and saw two large figures moving towards them. The closer they got the better she could tell who they were. One she recognized as Wilkins and the other was Tavington's right hand man. "Hey, look it's the dudes!" She shouted and pointed comically. Tavington craned his neck backwards; he saw Bordon and Wilkins riding toward them.
"Colonel Tavington," Bordon called out.
"What?" He growled. Danni gave Rosie an incredulous look. Bordon didn't seem to care because he was used to it.
"Sir, I was wondering why we aren't training today." He asked riding next to Colonel Tavington.
"Yeah," Wilkins snickered. "That mooncalf, O'Hara, came down and told us." He laughed. Bordon cracked a smile. They both remembered O'Hara marching into the camp with his pristine clothing. The Dragoons weren't very well known for their cleanliness. Most of them were shirtless and nasty. (It looked something like the very first time Mulan walks into the war camp.) "Sir, he told us that you weren't going train us and we had the a day's leave." Wilkins gave his superior a curious look.
"Yes, it seems that I have been elevated to the roll of babysitter." He growled grudgingly. He jerked his head to the three blondes behind him. Suddenly he felt something ping him the back of the head. He turned around and saw Danni pointing at Ruthie who gave him a blank look. Tavington rubbed the back of his head, and glared at Wilkins and Bordon who were unsuccessfully stifling laughs. He sighed. "In the future Miss Davis, I would recommend you pick a more pliable stool pigeon." He rode a head.
In a very low voice Danni growled. "Estupido!" She was sorely mistaken about Tavington's hearing. (She was used to having some of the best hearing in her small tiny world.) He whipped his head around and glared angrily at her. "Didn't say a word," she hissed defensively. He nodded.
They rode on until they reached a small little town. Many people were milling about in the streets and just going on about their daily lives. Several children stopped to ogle the three Dragoons. Several pointed and their concerned mothers pushing them back into their homes. "So where is this place?" Bordon asked. Why the Captains came with them to go dress shopping was anyone's guess. Danni blamed Ruthie and Rosie, but they said that the Captains were bored.
"It's over there by the smith." Wilkins pointed a hand down the road. Every one just gave him a questioning look. "WHAT!" He shouted. "My sister used to drag me shopping." He shriveled backwards slightly. They rode up to the dress shop and dismounted. Ruthie, Rosie, and Danni walked into the shop with Tavington in tow. He turned around and faced the two Captains.
"Well are you coming?" He snapped. They just looked around and kicked the dirt. Tavington wasn't going to make them come in the dress shop, he was just humiliated going in and getting the girls situated. He looked down his nose at the little blonde in front of him. He couldn't stand her she just irritated him to no end, then there was a loud high scream.
"HOLY POOH on rye bread toast!" Danni yelled jumping backwards because Rosie stumbled backwards, because Ruthie freaked and hit her in the chest. It was all well and good that the girls were falling all over each other. But Danni lurched and elbowed Tavington hard in the stomach. He groaned and doubled. "Oh my gosh, Colonel Tavington, are you all right?" Danni spun around and placed her hand on his back. (She didn't like Tavington, but she didn't hate him either.)
He gave her that "why are you asking me that you idiot" look. He waved her off and stalked away. As Tavington came out of shop, he was still huffing. Bordon looked up at him concernedly. "Sir, is everything well?"
"That" He said a choice word about Danni. "Davis woman." He straitened himself. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. "Bordon run to the local ale house and bring back a keg." He tossed the coin to his second. The burly man walked off rather than waste his horse on the trip.
Meanwhile, inside the store the girls faced with the greatest evil ever- a fat 18th century woman who had a high-pitched voice. "What hideous clothing! Oh it's a wonder that you even left your house!"
"Well, we had to get some new clothes."
"Hmm, well yes" she suddenly got an ominous look. "Annabelle, Rebecca, strip them!" She clapped her hand and two lackeys appeared. The girls and Mrs. Lily jumped the three terrified blondes.
Three men sat outside. They could hear things like "hey! That's mine not yours!", "Watch the hands!"; "And personal bubble invasion!" screamed inside. They laughed a little drunk.
"That makes me glad I'm not a wench!" Wilkinson slurred. It might be thought they were wimps and unable to hold their liquor, but quiet on the contrary the three men had chipped in and bought several small kegs, and besides they were only a little drunk. The other two just laughed, or well Bordon did. Tavington held his liquor very well, and he was an angry drunk anyway, so it was just as well.
Inside the girls were fighting to keep their underclothes. Rosie even smacked Annabelle because she tried to snap her bra strap. "THAT IS MY personal thing!" She shrieked.
"All right well I suppose you can keep those drab little things, but who raised you, now? No chemises?" She cried pointing her meaty hand as the nearly naked blondes huddled in a corner.
"Well this is more than I ever wanted to know about my friends." Ruthie muttered trying to cover herself. Danni and Rosie nodded in agreement. "WAY more."
The helpers pulled chemises over the girls' heads much to their relief, and then they threw the stockings on them. It was a futile attempt to make them shed their beloved Birkenstocks. After that came the stays, these stays weren't like the corsets, they wrapped around and tied in the front. It wasn't as bad because they still had their bras and everything, the stays had a less hard time supporting them. After that, everything was relatively easy. Mrs. Lily didn't know the girls, so Rosie informed her that Lady Cornwallis sent them down. That changed the woman's tune entirely. She suddenly became nicer and stopped speaking to them like dogs. She gave the some of the best fabrics. Their hair wasn't really done but they put the caps on them anyway it looked a little funny. Since they didn't' have samplers they just skipped over that. Then came the petticoats. It was a cumbersome ordeal, the hoop petticoat, then the under petticoat and then the silk petticoat. After that came the stomachers, because they didn't really know what was to be done with the stomachers, the three girls just picked plain ones. Lastly, came the silken gown. They gave Ruthie a blue one, Rosie a pink one, and Danni a green one. (All of them were in pastel colors as the three girls were presently unmarried.)
"Hey, I know, we should get the opinion of a certain hottie!" Rosie giggled. Danni and Ruthie just looked at the window where lace curtains were pulled tightly shut to prevent anyone from seeing inside the dressing room. Through it she could see the silhouettes of the three men outside.
"Yes, I know I don't think the pink is working for you."
Rosie admired herself in the mirror and craned her neck to respond. "I like black better." She smiled, crossing her hands over the low neckline.
Danni rolled her eyes. "Rosie, as we are unmarried women we do not wear black."
"Aw, that's depressing." She pouted. "Hey, would some one go get the dudes and tell them we're ready."
Ruthie, who had been attempting to sit in her new stays. "I will" She chimed and stood.
"No, I'll send one of the girls. Annabelle, go fetch the officers!" Mrs. Lily commanded.
"Oh, officers!" Annabelle shrieked. Lately officers were all the rage for young foolish girls. She tittered all the way outside. "Oh, sirs, the ladies inside wish to speak with you!" She waved and dropped her handkerchief. As his two companions were still a little tipsy, Tavington took it upon himself to enter the dress shop. Annabelle expected him to pick up the handkerchief; instead, he just stomped on it with his muddy boots. Heartbroken, she reached down, flattened it out, and stifled a little sniffle. Danni heard the bell for the door ding and turned around. "Hey- oh, not you!" She growled crossing her arms in irritation. "Where are the others?"
Tavington now proved that he was an angry drunk and he had enough of this little brats attitude. He took her by the shoulders and shoved her against the wall. "Miss Davis" He snarled at her. "I suggest that you have an attitude adjustment immediately." He pressed his arm to her neck and she rasped for air. "That is unless you would like to find out what color your blood is." His icy blue eyes went down a little. Danni's brown eyes went wide with his threat and shook her head vigorously. He just gave a cruel chuckle and walked away.
Danni walked behind demurely, extremely terrified. She watched him stalk away. She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. Soon she followed him, and when she got into the company of the others Danni shoved passed Tavington, pushing him forward. He stumbled and ungracefully knocked over an end table. "Oh, I'm so sorry Colonel" Danni hissed with mock sweetness. He just glared at her and straightened everything.
"Yes, of course. Well you called me in here what do you want?" He dusted himself.
Rosie raised her hand and pointed to the window. "Well we wanted their opinion on the dresses." She looked at herself in the mirror.
Mrs. Lilly smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Well, I'm sure the Colonel will be kind enough to give you his highly respected opinion." She took his arm and batted her eyelashes. He just shrugged her off, and then he turned his sharp eyes to Danni.
"Well, Miss, Davis, if you wear that dress someone might-
"I don't want your opinion, I'm going to go get your friends." She waved him off and walked to the door. Outside she found Annabelle sobbing into a muddy handkerchief. Bordon and Wilkins were just looking at her perplexed. "Er, Captains…" they didn't look at her they just seemed dazed. Danni growled and rolled her eyes. "Hey dumb butts!" That got their attention. "Come inside, we need you for something." She saw Wilkins raise and eyebrow and turn red. She shuddered slightly at his thought.
"All right, I got the two little idiots, now what do you guys think?" She asked. "I don't like Rosie's pink dress much but you know." Danni pointed to Rosie.
Wilkins rubbed his chin. "No" He said flatly turning his face away.
It was several more hours and several thousand more dresses later before Mrs. Lilly had them fitted with all the clothes they would need, for the rest of their lives it felt like. Dark had fallen before Tavington finally got up and placed a hand on Danni's shoulder. She jumped and batted it away immediately. "Perhaps Miss Davis," He whispered into her ear. She turned away slightly. "You should stop this before you spend all of your money." Danni gasped.
She turned to Tavington and in a low voice stated. "You're a man Colonel, go be one, I'll get Rosie and Ruthie." She walked passed him. Tavington fumed shortly, but his desire to get back to his camp reined in his temper.
They paid for most of the dresses, and the ones they were wearing out and got on their horses. Tavington order Bordon and Wilkins to ride a head to light the way. He observed all the things going on around him. Rosie rode next to Wilkins and they talked quietly. He seemed to like her a lot, but then Captain Adam Wilkins was a flirt. Bordon was riding next to Ruthie stealing sidelong glances at her. Poor man, always so reserved with women, Tavington just went in and took what he pleased. Then he spied Miss Danni Davis in front of him, and right at that moment it pleased him to torment her. She had that little widget in her ears again. He watched her slender finger push buttons, as she seemed oblivious to him. He pulled his horse next to her, reached across the small gap and pulled her earpiece out. "You know Miss Davis, you make yourself an easy target." She looked at him blankly.
"What?" she asked "How?" Tavington reached across her with one hand while placing the other on her back. She arched it and shied from his touch, it made her nervous.
"You see those trees over there. A militia could shoot you and you would never know what happened." He breathed on her ear. Danni watched the trees and his hand for a moment before placing her hand in his face. Tavington backed away slightly.
"Talk to the hand because the face ain't home. Leave a message at the tone, beep!" She rolled her eyes and put her earpiece back in her ear. Tavington was a little put out. He hoped for a better argument.
TBC
Now that I'm back from my hiatus, important question: Does anyone liket his chapter? I did... now that I'm finished with One Week I decieded to come back to Vaction instead of being a newt and writing other things. I think Tavington was a little OOC, but I imagined that he didn't want to hurt Danni just scare the living day lights out of her. (Also he knew she'd jump when he touched her.) He was just being mean. And what ho! Danni being childish. Then next chapter involves ediquette (sp)... and a little of my favorite thing. O'Hara harassing. XP! Anyway onto the reviews!
SassyBrunette: Yes, I can't say half as much grammatically for this chapter as the last one. And for all you concerned peoples out there, I did change Lydia's name to Jemina.
JB Deuweg: Not just yet hmm... gotta wait a little while hmm...
IlovetheLord: yea, cool, but where'd you go? I was reading your story and now it's gone?
READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE!
