Getting Involved
If Tavington had not heard the conversation between Jillian and O'Hara, he would have assumed, like Cornwallis, that Jillian was sick. She waited for Tavington outside his quarters without sitting down, she didn't make sarcastic remarks to him when he took her out into the gardens, and she didn't try to stomp on his foot when she passed him. In fact, she was doing all the things Tavington had hoped she would do when she first arrived. She spent most of her time locked up in her quarters with Tavy. When she wasn't in her quarters, she would sit in her uncles quarters and read. Sometimes she would go outside and ride a horse by herself. She barely made a noise at all. Tavington would have been happy about the sudden change if he didn't think it was so wrong. Something was on her mind, and Tavington wanted to know what it was.
"Jillian," he said one day as he walked with her out in the gardens," Something is troubling you, and don't say there isn't. I can see it in your eyes."
"Do you spend that much time looking at my eyes," Jillian asked.
"Don't talk to me like that," Tavington said," Now tell me what is wrong."
Jillian stopped walking. Tavington did so too.
''Can we sit," Jillian asked. Tavington nodded and they both sat down. He knew fully well what was wrong, but if he was going to do anything about it, he had to hear Jillian tell him herself, because he wasn't supposed to hear the conversation last night in the first place.
"It was Captain O'Hara," Jillian said.
"Did he do something to you," Tavington said in false curiosity.
"No," Jillian said," It's more what he asked."
"oh," Tavington said.
"He asked to...well,"Jillian said.
"Go on you can tell me," Tavington said kindly.
"Well," Jillian said," He asked to...when I'm sixteen I mean...He asked to...court me."
Tavington looked at her," And what did you say."
It was like a bomb exploded in Jillian," I told him I wanted time to think about it. I don't know what to do. It was so unexpected and I tried to hint it to you at the ball when we were dancing, but my uncle interrupted me, and I was hoping you would give him an answer for me, but I couldn't tell you so now I have that hanging over my head too and-"
"Ok," Tavington said loudly," Ok calm down."
Jillian took a deep breath and looked at Tavington.
"Now," he said," Why don't we go and speak to your uncle about this?"
"No," Jillian said quickly," If I tell him he might say it's a wonderful idea, and if that happens I might have to marry O'Hara before I even decide to let him court me."
"Hmm," Tavington said," That's true. Well I think I should go and have a word with O'Hara."
"Why," Jillian asked.
"Well he should have waited until you were more prepared," Tavington said," And I think that he ought to know that."
"Oh please don't," Jillian said,"I know I am a little unsure of this whole thing, but I don't know what I want to happen. Just don't say anything."
"Alright I won't," Tavington said," Why don't we leave it at that for now? I will figure something out."
"Thank you," Jillian said.
"Now I believe you have a cat to be feeding?"
"How do you know that?" Jillian asked," You haven't been watching the times I feed Tavy."
Tavington pointed to the ground. Jillian looked to find a black and white kitten attempting to climb onto her lap by using her dress as a ladder. She laughed and picked Tavy up.
"I'll go and feed him," Jillian said. The two stood up.
"Colonel Tavington," Jillian said.
''what," Tavington said.
Jillian through her arms around his neck," Thanks."
She let go of him and ran inside. He stared after her. Tavington did not tell Jillian that he already knew what he was going to do to help her. All she had to do was stall O'Hara until her birthday, which was next month.