Bordon leaned close to the carriage window and peered out as the estate and army camp came into view. Sitting opposite him, Emily fiddled absently with the blue ribbons on the bonnet in her lap. He rapped his knuckles lightly on the glass to get her attention.
"We should be arriving in a few minutes." Bordon paused and picked his riding gloves up from where he'd set them on the seat at his side, "I hope I don't seem too forward in my saying so, but you must care for your uncle a great deal to travel all this way to visit him?"
"Indeed, Captain," Emily allowed a small grin as she spoke, "With my family living in London, he used to drop by and visit whenever he was in the city on Parliamentary business. I guess he still sees my mother as his baby sister, and my father's an old friend of his. They were at Eton together." Her grin faded suddenly and her gaze turned back to the passing scenery. The change in her mood was so drastic, Bordon immediately regretted his question. He shifted uneasily in his seat a moment.
"Well, I hope your stay is an enjoyable one. There's never any lack of goings-on about the estate, being as it's the center of our operations for the moment. The next few days in particular should be..." He stopped short, prompting Emily to return her attention to the Caption, who was now fidgeting with his riding gloves and trying desperately to look exceedingly interested in something beyond the carriage window. 'Oh grand, I've really done it now... and she's staring right at me.' He colored slightly and set his gloves back on the seat beside him in an effort to curb his fidgeting, but it was too late.
"Should be what, Captain?" Emily's grin returned and an eyebrow raised questioningly, her curiosity piqued by Bordon's strange behavior. He made no answer and tried to look as if he hadn't heard her question, trying to look casual as he picked at a bit of lint on the sleeve of his jacket. Emily was hardly disuaded and pressed him further. "Oh come now, Captain, pleeease tell me! What's going to be happening at the estate? Are more troops coming in?"
Bordon gave a sigh of resignation and met her gaze, which was now beaming with anticipation. "My own fault for not being more careful with my words," the corner of his mouth turned upward slightly, "Your uncle will kill me once he finds out I ruined his surprise."
"Surprise? That devil! What has he planned? Oh, I hope to God it's not a party..." Emily's eager expression melted into one of distress.
"Well... um..."
"Oh, NO! It is, isn't it?" Emily groaned and hid her face in her hands. Her voice was full of despair. "I worried he might do something like this... Doesn't he see my coming here was as much to escape such things, as anything else?"
Bordon's initial confusion at her reaction changed to concern, "Well now I certainly regret my big mouth. I didn't mean to distress you."
"Oh, it isn't your fault, Captain." Emily sighed. "When's it supposed to be?"
"Thursday night."
"Two days, hm? I'll hardly have any time to meet anyone before then, which makes it even worse. You see, I have no appetite for formal social gatherings, Captain." Her brow furrowed as she spoke, "At least at home I could make it through by hiding in some corner with a few friends to serve as a shield against all the complete bores society obliged my mother to issue invitations..."
Bordon did his best to smile reassuringly, "Well, if it's any help, I'll try and point out the bores to you so you can attempt to steer clear of them."
The tone of his voice was such that Emily couldn't help laughing, "That would be most kind, Captain. I'm glad to have made your acquaintance today."
Bordon blushed slightly, but before he could reply the carriage slowed and rolled to a stop. He cleared his throat quietly, "Well, here we are!" Grabbing his gloves he moved and opened the door, then climbed out. He disappeared from the frame of the open door as Emily picked up her bonnet and made a quick effort to smooth her hair before following. She peered out eagerly at the large house, where a wide stairway of white stone led up to a broad landing and a wide, intricately carved wooden door that served as the front entry. A gloved hand raised in the doorway and she accepted it, gathering her skirts and stepping out.
She smiled gratefully, "Thank you very much, Capta..." her voice caught in her throat suddenly as she turned to meet a disturbingly familiar pair of blue-gray eyes.
Colonel Tavington looked extremely pleased with himself, a fact that was amplified by Emily's expression of shock and dismay. Something in her had obviously changed since their last encounter however, and her look quickly changed to one of simple irritation.
"Why you... how did..?!" She made an effort to tug her hand free of his grasp, but his grip was firm.
"Just be a good girl and smile for your uncle," Tavington said through the side of his mouth, his self-satisfied grin curling even larger as the Lord General appeared in the doorway of the manor, flanked by an even paler than usual General O'Hara and the owners of the plantation, Mr. and Mrs. Middleton.
Emily bit back the scathing retort that was clawing at her insides and instead called a cheerful greeting to her uncle, who was quickly decending the stairs with a warm and familiar smile. The Cornwallis carried himself with an air of dignified confidence which, coupled with his neatly powered wig and spotless uniform, made him the perfect picture of a gentlemanly British officer. He was only in his mid-forties, but looked considerably older, a fact that startled Emily when she first laid eyes on him in the doorway. She felt Tavington's grip on her hand loosen as the General neared and took the opportunity to pull it from his grasp, freeing herself to take a few quick steps forward to meet her uncle as he arrived at the bottom of the stairs.
"My dear Emily! Welcome to South Carolina." Cornwallis smiled and embraced his niece warmly, an act of familiarity such as none present had ever seen from the General before then.
"It's good to see you, Uncle," Emily said, returning his smile and planting a light kiss on his cheek, Bordon's earlier revelation about the impending party completely forgotten for the moment. Accepting his offered arm, they turned and headed up the stairs toward the others waiting by the door.
She glanced around and quickly spotted Bordon nearby. He shot her an apologetic look before turning retrieve her bag from inside the carriage. Meanwhile, Tavington stood quietly by the railing at the bottom of the stairs, not quite sure what to do next. The General had not, through the whole process of welcoming Emily, so much as glanced in the Colonel's direction much less thanked him. He wondered for a moment if Cornwallis could have heard somehow of his premature return to camp. Tavington clasped his hands behind his back and shifted his feet uneasily in the gravel of the front path.
As they reached the top of the landing Cornwallis turned toward the sound, his expression condescending, "See that carriage is returned, Colonel."