Grace dressed carefully for dinner. She wore a white high cut dress decorated with pink rosebuds and a matching pink shawl and twisted her long blonde hair back into a low bun at the nape of her neck in the hope that it would make play to her youthful innocence. As she descended the staircase she was met by her two older cousins, Eliza and Jane, who frowned at her with a disapproval that Grace thought would be fitting on a pair of old maids.

'Where did you get to today, Grace?' Eliza said, the lines in her large forehead wrinkling like crevices in a dried-out ravine and her long proud nose tilted up as though there was a bad smell underneath it. She was the eldest of the three at nineteen and she seemed to think that this gave her some authority over her youngest cousin.

'Nowhere, Eliza, why?' Grace said.

'Well you weren't with Miss Hinny because she was looking for you in the parlour when Jane and I were entertaining Miss Stanley and Miss Harrow. Honestly Grace, you think you'd be pleased to have such an able governess to instruct you how to be a lady.' Grace had no response for this and so she said nothing. 'Shouldn't she Jane?' Eliza pressed. Jane, who was only slightly older at seventeen, looked towards Grace with scorn. She was the youngest sibling of the Ederick family and was quite spoiled. She had never taken to Grace because she could see that her looks far surpassed her own and Eliza's, who were, to put it bluntly, plain.

'I don't believe that Grace has an interest in being a lady,' Jane said shortly, tossing her mass of dull mousy hair out of her pale blue eyes and ignoring the scandalised look on Eliza's face.

'Oh do be quiet, Jane,' Grace said irritably, 'Just because I didn't wish to spend a beautiful day stuck inside learning how to cross-stitch or play the flute does not mean that I do not wish to be a lady.'

'Of course she does,' said Eliza, as though the thought that a young girl could want anything else was unfathomable. 'Though I do think you could act more like it, Grace. I'm sure I saw you riding without your gloves the other day, and your horse was definitely going faster than a canter.'

'Oh dear,' said Grace, in mock horror, 'better make sure that it doesn't get out then, Eliza, or the family name will be in ruins.'

'You think you are clever, don't you?' said Jane sharply as Eliza clicked her tongue, 'But one of these days, Grace, you might just regret running about the grounds like a wild thing. I mean, with your background you should be doing everything you can to catching a husband, not everything you can to put any decent man off.' This was too much for Grace.

'Firstly, Miss Jane,' she said angrily, 'There are more things in life than catching a husband, as you so bluntly put it. Secondly, with looks like yours you should perhaps be the one worrying about doing everything you can to compensate for such a disadvantage, instead of spending your time coming up with pointless remarks about my background.' Grace spoke haughtily, but there was a dangerous edge to her voice. She knew that any slight against her background was really one against her mother - and she would not have anyone say anything about her. It seemed, however, that her last remark had hit a nerve with Jane, because she stormed off, her round face quite red.

'There was no need to be so rude, Grace,' Eliza said sternly, 'If you do not apologise to my sister then I will have no choice but to speak to father about you.'

'I will not apologise for the truth,' Grace said curtly.

'Then you leave me no choice.' Eliza said, before turning on her heel, her nose even higher in the air than before, and stalking down the stairs after her sister. Grace stared after her with fury.

'Upsetting people all over, today, aren't we,' an amused voice cut in, making Grace jump. She spun around to see Colonel Tavington emerge from the doorway of one of the rooms of the manor on the second floor which housed various commissioned officers temporarily when her Grandfather called them away from battle. His eyes glinted in the low lamp light as they looked her up and down, taking in almost appreciatively the transformation brought about by a bath and change of attire. It had been weeks since Tavington had dined at Cornwallis's home, and he did not remember the red plumpness of his youngest Granddaughter's lips or the slender curves of her body, unsuccessfully hidden under an ugly pink and white dress and shawl, and he paused for a moment to look at them. He had overheard the conversation Grace had with her cousins, the daughters of Henry Ederick - a fellow Dragoon - and he had privately agreed with Grace's assessment of her cousin's looks. Had Eliza or her sister been attractive Tavington might even have been tempted to woo them as the Edericks were an extremely wealthy family and well respected in English society – not to mention heirs to Cornwallis's fortune. Henry had hinted on more than one occasion that he would be not at all displeased with such a match as Tavington had, at least for the moment, Cornwallis's favour, and Ederick, as a Lieutenant under Tavinton, had great respect for Tavington's abilities as a Colonel. However, Tavington's vanity would not allow him to court such a plain girl. He had a penchant for fine women, just as he did for smooth brandy and expensive cigars, and he would not settle for second best.

Grace did not know how to respond to Tavington and she did not like the way his eyes seemed to linger over her body - a brandy glass nestled in one hand. She found herself reluctantly impressed by the transformation in the Colonel's appearance brought about by a bath and change of attire. His bronzed face glistened quite exotically in the candlelight, making his eyes appear piercing rather than cold, and the shirt which he wore without a jacket at present revealed extremely defined arms and shoulders with great strength behind them.

'Please excuse me, Sir,' she said. 'I do not wish to be late to dinner.'

'No, indeed,' he said, 'You appear to be in enough trouble as it is.' He drained his glass and then tipped it towards her, 'I will see you downstairs in a few moments.' Grace thought it sounded like a threat.

Dinner, as usual, was a hopelessly formal affair. As well as her Uncle and cousins, several of the spinster brigade were there – including Miss Stanley and Miss Harrow, who Eliza and Jane had been entertaining earlier – and Colonel Tavington, General O'Hara – her Grandfather's advisor – and a handful of the other Dragoon officers. It seemed that there was an important meeting scheduled for the following day that required the presence of much of her Grandfather's strategic officers. Tavington was extremely bored by the dull conversation which was kept up in front of the ladies, and had attempted several times to broach the subject of war with Lord Cornwallis, only to be told to wait until they retired to the card room for brandy and cigars. He noticed that Grace was watching him carefully. She was obviously concerned that, as he threatened, he would tell Cornwallis that he had discovered her out of the grounds. Actually he had forgotten all about their encounter. He had more important things on his mind than the exploits of a young girl, but, not wanting to disappoint her, and still feeling irritated by her comments about the militia, he decided to oblige. He waited until they had finished dessert and the most of the Dragoons had trailed off into the card room.

'My Lord,' Tavington said, Grace's eyes travelling at once towards their direction.

'Yes Colonel?'

'My Lord, I regret to inform you that I found young Miss Grace up a tree far out of the grounds earlier today.' Eliza and Jane, who were seated close by started to snigger. Lord Cornwallis looked sharply at his granddaughter who reddened.

'Is this true?' he said sternly. Some of the older ladies were clicking their tongues.

'Yes, Grandfather,' she said reluctantly, refusing to meet his hard gaze.

'Disgraceful!' said the elderly Miss Stanley, shaking her head; the many jowls which hung round her neck wobbling excitedly.

'I think that she had escaped her governess,' Tavington continued. 'She was most reluctant to accompany me back to the manor, but I assured her that you would not permit me to leave her at the mercy of the militia – whom she appeared to think were quite threatening to our campaign' There was a murmur of outrage round the table at this last remark. From the corner of her eye Grace saw her Uncle pound the table slightly, and her Grandfather's red cheeks puffed out like a bull-frog.

'Thank you, Colonel,' Cornwallis said irritably. He turned to Grace with harsh grey eyes, placing his goblet of wine on the table and pressing his fingertips together.

'I am, Grace, quite frankly, disgusted with you,' he said sharply at last, much to the delight of Jane and Eliza. 'It is not one week ago since we spoke about something very similar, and I instructed that you were to under no circumstances leave the grounds. As to your remarks about the militia – well I cannot begin to express my disappointment.'

It seemed now that everyone who was left at the table was listening intently to the exchange between Cornwallis and his granddaughter, and Tavington was swirling brandy the brandy I his glass, watching her carefully.

'She is quite out of control,' Miss Stanley cut in. 'I saw her governess, Miss Hinny, today – a wonderful woman – quite frantic that she could not find her young charge. I really think that with such fine ladies as Miss Ederick and Miss Jane to set an example she should be doing much better.' This was too much for Grace.

'Oh, such fine ladies,' Grace said, sarcasm heavy in her voice, 'with such delightfully empty heads and such an admirable sense of dullness!' An ominous silence followed this outburst. Every pair of eyes were turned towards Grace. Jane and Eliza feigned outrage – but it was obvious that they were delighted that Grace had openly shown such rudeness; she was now in serious trouble. Her Uncle Ederick broke the silence.

'Lord Cornwallis, I hope that you will not allow your granddaughter to speak in such a fashion about my daughters.'

'Oh forget it, father,' said Jane in her best injured tone. 'Only earlier Grace was telling my sister and I that we were so plain that we could never hope to acquire a husband against her beauty. She is quite spiteful.' Grace reddened deeply as the ladies positioned round the table looked at each other in disgust; she knew that that was not exactly how the conversation had gone, but she could not bring herself to admit that she had said it in retaliation to a comment made about her mother and so she said nothing.

'Lord Cornwallis,' her Uncle said, rising angrily, his thin lips almost invisible on his reddened face and his pointed nose thrust up in the air, 'I trust that you will instruct Miss Grace to keep a civil tongue in her head in future. Come on girls,' he said to Jane and Eliza, 'let us retire to the parlour where the atmosphere is more pleasant.' Ederick and his daughters were followed by Miss Harrow and Miss Stanley and the rest of the ladies. Only Lord Cornwallis, General 'O Hara, Colonel Tavington and Grace remained at the table.

'How dare you.' Cornwallis began. 'How dare you insult your cousins in such a coarse fashion: have you learnt nothing?' Grace looked swiftly towards Colonel Tavington. She remembered that he had heard the conversation she had had with Jane. Colonel Tavington, however, was not about to admit that he had heard Jane insulting Grace. He was thoroughly enjoying seeing Grace chastised – and he thought it might distract the General from the issue of today's battle.

'I – I'm sorry, Grandfather,' she said at last. At this point General 'O Hara cleared his throat.

'Perhaps the Colonel and I should take our leave my Lord …'

'That will not be necessary, General,' Cornwalis interrupted, 'We have business to discuss that I do not wish to be overheard. Stay where you are.' He turned back to Grace.

'And leaving the grounds – again? Scaling trees? You are a young lady, not a mountain lion.'

'But grandfather …'

'No buts, Grace. I am very disappointed in you. Do you not think that my men have better things to do with their time than chase around after you? Now you will apologise to your cousins, and you will apologise to Colonel Tavington for taking up his time this afternoon.' Tavington smiled lazily at Grace; she opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again – looking in to his piercing eyes she had no desire whatsoever to apologise. 'I said, you will apologise to Colonel Tavington.' Lord Cornwallis repeated, noting the look that passed between his granddaughter and his Colonel. He wondered for a brief moment if Grace was about to refuse his order; but she appeared to change her mind.

'I – I'm sorry, Colonel,' she said at last. Colonel Tavington gave a little satisfied nod and Grace's face burned under his amused stare. She knew that she had shown weakness, but she had seen something dangerous in his eyes that she had not cared to test. Lord Cornwallis looked thoughtfully at his granddaughter for a few moments before continuing.

'Grace, I do not believe an apology is enough. In the morning I will instruct the stable hands that they are not, under any circumstances, to allow you to ride – even within the grounds. It is clear to me that you can not be trusted and that I have been too easy on you. From now on you will learn your lessons and stop all this wild behaviour. You are dismissed.' As his young granddaughter left the room, her head bowed, General Cornwallis watched as his Colonel's eyes followed her. It was about then that an idea began to form in his mind.