Alone
Jillian had heard her uncle when he said she would get over it. She would get over it alright, but she wouldn't be at Middleton place when she did. Something had changed in Cornwallis since she arrived. He seemed to be more cross, and many of the things that had been happening seemed to be Jillians fault. In truth, Jillian had done nothing wrong since the night she overheard General O'Hara talking about her. Jillian was taking nothing with her. She didn't even know where she was going. All she knew was that her uncle had really hit a nerve when he accused her of training Tavy to make an officer bleed. She didn't blame Tavy for doing what he did. O'Hara knew as well as anyone that Tavy didn't like him.This was the end of the line for Jillian. She wasn't going to chose who should be the one to court her, and she wasn't going to be around for anyone to blame their issues on her.
"Come one Tavy," she whispered to her cat. She scooped him up into her arms, and slowly opened her door. It was about ten o'clock at night. Everyone seemed to be in bed. Jillian knew her uncle was already asleep.
"Now don't you make a sound until we get outside," Jillian warned Tavy. He started purring and attempted to bury his face in the meaty area of Jillian's arm. she stroked behind his ears, and then ran out of her room and towards the front door. She made it to the door. She opened that as quietly as she could and slipped out.
You've got to be joking,Jillian said as she stared at the gates. Some one had left them wide open.
This makes my life two times easier,Jillian thought.
She ran through the gates and disappeared.
In the second story window on the left side of the house, Colonel Tavington watched as she disappeared.
"She left," Cornwallis said," Why would she leave?"
He sat in his chair with his head in his hand. Tavington and O'Hara stood across the desk from him. O'Hara looked close to tears.
"Sir," Tavington said,"She'll come back-"
"HOLD YOUR TONGUE TAVINGTON," Cornwallis burst out," You had your glory when you saved her, now get over it."
"What glory," Tavington said," I found no glory in having to march through those woods and possibly find your neice lying dead or lynched."
"Be quiet," Cornwallis said.
"NO,"Tavington screeched," no you be silent. I'm tired of watching you blame everything that happens around here on Jillian. I hit my limit of patience yesterday when you accused her of teaching a cat-A CAT- to slash this blundering fools hand. How could you blame your niece sir, your own niece? Did you ever take into consideration that your neice ran away for that reason?"
There was a ringing silence. Cornwallis was looking at Tavington as if he just slapped him around the face. O'Hara had just completely frozen.
"We will all go together and find her," Cornwallis said, not taking his eyes off Tavington," Get your Dragoon together Colonel. Dismissed."
Tavington stormed from the room. How could Cornwallis even think that Jillian would do anything like what he accused her of? Jillian was alittle brat, but Tavington knew she would never do anything to hurt a british officer. He knew which direction they had to go. He had watched Jillian leave last night and he had an idea of where she went.