This is Prompt No. 58-Travel

"Have you got everything?" Tess asked Mitchie as the latter joined her at the breakfast table that Lola had set up the next morning.

"I think so," Mitchie said, sitting down across the table from her friend. She winked conspiratorially at Lola when Tess wasn't looking and proceeded to butter her toast. That being done, Mitchie poured herself a cup of tea and stirred one spoon of sugar into the cup, trying not to let the spoon clank against the sides of the china.

"I'm so glad I'm going back to England today," Tess said with a sigh of relief. "I didn't realize how much I missed it until I received a letter from Peggy." Peggy, of course, was Tess's kind, gentle maid in waiting who often sent her letters on the progress of the household while she was out.

"Is all going well?" Mitchie asked, knowing that protocol demanded her to be polite.

"Yes," Tess responded, taking a sip from her teacup. "She and Ella have everything under control." Ella was the other maid in waiting and was rather a simpleton, but was sweet and kind all the same.

"I'm glad to hear it," Mitchie said, "I am also looking forward to going home."

"Are you sure that I can't send an escort with you?" Tess asked worriedly. "It's rather disgraceful to be travelling without someone to look after you."

Mitchie smiled at her friend and said, "Yet who was the one that wanted no escort while we visited France?"

"Humph!" Tess said, tossing her hair back behind her shoulders as far as it would go. It didn't get that far, for it was pinned up for travel, and she only succeeded in slapping herself in the face with the braided ends.

Mitchie hid her smile behind her teacup and said earnestly, "I do want to thank you for everything, Tess. This tour of Europe has been a wonderful experience for me." Mitchie didn't expound further. Better to let Tess think that she meant all the sights they had seen together instead of meaning Mr. Grey alone.

Tess smiled at her friend, all petulance gone as quickly as it had come. "It was rather wonderful, wasn't it?" she asked. "Of course you're welcome. I had fun as well. I'm just sorry it had to end."

Mitchie was just finishing her tea when Lola stepped into the room, bobbing into a well-practiced curtsy. "Your carriage is here, Miss," she told Mitchie. "Shall I send the driver up to collect your things?"

Mitchie nodded at Lola. "Yes, please," she said. "And thank you."

While the driver carried her trunks down, Mitchie gave Tess one last hug and said a quick, private goodbye to Lola, leaving once everything was secured on the top of the carriage. She didn't bother to look at Tess's window as the carriage drove away, for she knew that Tess wouldn't be standing there, ready to wave to her to see her off. No, Tess was probably still sitting in the same seat, only fussing about a different matter.

The drive to the wharf was rather short, and Mitchie didn't bother to get comfortable. She knew that her ship was waiting, so she sat forward, letting her body rock with the movements of the carriage as she watched the French scenery flash past. Sure enough, the carriage soon reached the docks and the driver offered to carry her luggage aboard, for which Mitchie was grateful. Once his task was complete, Mitchie thanked him and gave him an extra shilling as a generous thank you. She even raised her hand as a salutation before she boarded the ship. Thankfully, there was no one on the main deck, so Mitchie hastened to her cabin and began her transformation.

Off came her dress, petticoats, stockings, corset, and even her good shoes. Reaching into her trunk, she found the breeches, shirt, chest bindings, stockings and shoes that would transform her into a young man, and would therefore keep her protected on the ship as well as extinguish the need for a guardian. She bit her lip as she wriggled into the clothes, silently grateful that her brother's clothes fit her well. The chest bindings hid her small figure, and the hat that she swept her hair up into stayed in place with a couple of plain hairpins.

"Perfect," Mitchie murmured as she sized herself up in the mirror. Now, to test it out on actual people. She stepped out of her cabin, locking it behind her, and strode onto the deck, adopting a walk which she often used when she was by herself, and had seen her brother use many times. A swagger, it was called. She nodded politely to a middle aged man leaning over the rail and said, "Good day to you, sir."

"Aye," the man replied, making no move to doff his hat like he might have done if he had realized that the young lad standing in front of him was a young woman. "It sure is now that I'm heading home."

"And where is home, sir?" Mitchie asked, enjoying this familiarity she was able to display.

"In Virginia," the man replied. "What about you, son?"

A thrill went up Mitchie's spine as she heard his words, but she did not let her thrill touch her face. "Virginia for me, too," was all she said. "I'll be mighty glad to get home."

"Aye," the man agreed again, but his features hardened. "Right in time for the war."

The chill that ran up Mitchie's spine this time had nothing to do with excitement, and had everything to do with dread. "I certainly hope that it doesn't come to that," she said honestly.

"Me too, lad," the man agreed. "Me too."

They stayed that way for a long time, watching the waves roll by the moving ship. The sun was setting over the horizon when Mitchie finally stood up to go back inside. A smile touched her face as she realized that she was going home. Back to her mother, her father, Anna her maid, and Mitchell. Travelling, when travelling in the direction of home, was a wonderful thing indeed!