"Really? You're going to leave, then?" Tavington asked almost hopefully, taking his son from Missus Tavington's arm and holding him close to his chest.
"William-" Mary frowned and narrowed her eyes.
"Well I'd feel a lot better," the colonel responded defensively.
"Anyway," Jordan cut in, "since I have my history book with me, Jula and I could show it to you; that way, you would know what is going to happen before it does… It could help you make a few… well-chosen decisions."
"Hang on, Jor," the younger sister cut in. "Don't forget: this happens only if the book hasn't unwritten itself."
"Okay…hang on, what?" Tavington looked utterly flustered and was fast on the way to assuming he had two mad strangers in his hands. "What are you saying? This is bloody gibberish-" he finished with a wordless inhale.
"You need this book," Jordan said hurriedly. "The British lost. Those punks you all like to make fun of? They became a nation when this squabble finally ended."
The colonel smirked, barely able to contain a disbelieving laugh.
"You're joking… those…. Those-"
"Well they had some help," Jula interrupted. "The French kept their word; they blockaded the sea routes so the English could not retreat at Yorktown."
Col. Tavington continued to leer disbelievingly at them but when their expressions did not cease to be serious, his face turned grim.
"But…if it was a sea-route…if we knew this just at the right time…"
Jordon nodded vaguely and left the room, returning momentarily with her history book.
"It's all there?" Jula asked.
"Yeah, every last word." Jordan replied.
"Give it to me," Tavington demanded tensely, holding out his free hand.
"No!" Jordon snapped, hopping back from him.
"You-!"
"Stop!" Mary gripped her husband's arm warningly. "Let her speak!"
Several hours later, Col. Tavington left his private chamber, an expression of consternation on his face, but he did feel considerably less tense after his meeting with the new 'house guests'.
"Hey, we get that back, right?" Tavington turned to see Jordon following him out of his quarters; he glanced down at the book held in the crook of his arm.
"Perhaps," his mouth curled in an unfriendly manner; Jordan turned red.
"You'd be so screwed on a stick if we didn't offer that to you-"
"And when is that my concern?" the officer mocked.
"Well I could just blow our-"
"Keep your knickers on!" Tavington snarled, "I haven't made any decisions yet. I don't even know how much help this… book will be."
"Yeah yeah, okay." Jordon held her hands up in surrender.
"So," The colonel stepped close to her and bent low until he was just above her face, "Why don't you keep things a little more… silent, hm?"
The girl pursed her lips, biting back a remark.
"Yes sir…"
"Good, now go back to your sister before this causes a stir."