Cassandra crept down the staircase, her stomach in knots, although she wasn't certain why. Was she nervous about spending the evening with the standoffish and self-righteous Colonel? Not really. Was she nervous that he would stand her up? Cassandra paused, as she considered this. What has gotten into you? She mentally scolded herself. They were no good for each other, in fact, Cassandra was quite certain there had never been two people more wrong for each other than she and Colonel Tavington. So why did she keep finding herself thinking about him even when he was driving her mad?
Cassandra reached the doors, and stepped out into the light breeze, inhaling the sweet scents around her. Walking across the short space to the second set of stairs, Cassandra's heart skipped a beat as she saw Colonel Tavington waiting for her.
"Good evening Miss Davies" he said, holding his hand out to her.
"Good evening Colonel" she responded taking his hand, and offering him a smile.
Cassandra tried to ignore the butterflies as he first kissed her hand, and then tucked it through his arm, and set out across the lawns. He was right; she saw now, almost every eye was on them. No doubt wondering who she was, and what made her so special that she earned a place on the Colonel's arm.
"Quite the party" Cassandra observed, as they made their way down to where several couples were twirling around a makeshift dance floor.
"Indeed" Colonel Tavington replied without looking at her. His attention was drawn to the supply ships which had at last, come in. He should be down there overseeing the supplies being brought in, not here, forced to make small talk with his hostage.
"Ah! Tavington! Miss Davies!"
Cassandra's head turned at the sound of her name being called, and was surprised to see General Cornwallis making his way towards them.
"Good evening General" she said automatically lowering into a curtsey.
"Good evening my dear" Cornwallis said with a smile, leaning in and kissing her on the cheek. "And might I add you're looking quite lovely tonight"
Cassandra blushed, "That you my Lord" she replied averting her gaze.
"I wonder, Miss Davies, if I may steal the Colonel for a word. I promise to return him to you in short order" Cornwallis said with a wink.
"Of course My Lord" she replied, as Tavington somewhat reluctantly, released her arm. Take your time.
Cassandra walked away from the dance floor, and over towards the water, where she could see the supply ship being unloaded. She considered, briefly, how hard it would be to convince the un-loaders to take her back to the ship with them. Then she could be free of this place – free of him. But even as she thought it through, she quickly dismissed it. If she were being honest with herself, she didn't want to be anywhere else. At least she felt safe here, even if she was constantly regarded as a spy.
"Hello lass", the voice in her ear made Cassandra jump. She spun around and found herself face to face with one of Tavington's Lieutenants.
"Oh!" she said, her hand fluttering to her heart, "You gave me a scare Lieutenant, I didn't hear you approaching!"
Cassandra looked and realized she had wandered quite a ways away from the party goers.
"He's busy Little Traitor" the man said suddenly, causing Cassandra's eyes to fall back on him.
"What did you say?" she hissed between her teeth.
"I said" the man replied, smiling in a way that made Cassandra's blood turn to ice, "that the Colonel is busy. Too busy I'd say, for the likes of you."
Cassandra's eyes narrowed as she contemplated the man.
"Little traitor did you call me?" she said, lowering her voice. "Jealous Lieutenant? That I am here on the arm of the Colonel? At the request of the Lord General himself?"
The Lieutenant laughed once before spitting on the ground near Cassandra's feet. "As if I would have someone like you on my arm. Filthy little traitor is what you are. The Colonel may be blinded by your…" his eyes swept down her body, "charms. But I see right through you"
The man took a step closer to Cassandra, "And sooner or later, so will the Colonel. And then little traitor, your day will come".
Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, to defend herself against what this man was saying, but she was stopped by the sound of footsteps approaching them.
"There you are Miss Davies", the cold, velvet voice of Colonel Tavington was a welcome relief from the man she was currently trapped with. "I thought I had lost you" Tavington continued coming to stand beside her.
"Hardly" Cassandra said with a laugh, "I was just wandering about, when your Lieutenant stopped me" she said shooting a dark look in his direction.
Tavington raised an eyebrow as he turned his gaze on the Lieutenant standing before them.
"Saw her wandering was all" the Lieutenant said studying his shoes. "Didn't want her wandering off"
"Well now, she's back with me, and I assure you, she'll not wander far from my side again" Tavington said, his voice taking on an edge of command. Tavington stared at the Lieutenant, until with a huff, the Lieutenant turned his back and stalked back the way he had came.
"I'm sorry" Tavington said immediately. "But we had pressing matters to discuss. I'm to ride at dawn"
Cassandra simply nodded, not meeting his gaze. "Will you be gone long?" she asked before she could help herself.
"No" he answered sounding puzzled. "We have a supply wagon en route; my men and I are to go and make certain it is not intercepted"
Cassandra simply nodded, not trusting herself to speak as Tavington once again offered her his arm, and began leading her back towards the festivities.
Every now and then, out of the corner of her eye, Cassandra caught sight of the Colonel watching her. As they neared the make shift dance floor, he pulled her arm gently,
"Would you care to dance?" he asked rather stiffly.
"Are you asking me because you want to? Or were you ordered to?" she asked her eyes looking at him with a puzzled expression. Tavington didn't seem to like her much, why was he suddenly trying to play nice?
"I want to" he said, the barest hints of a smile ghosting the corners of his mouth.
"Then I'd love to" Cassandra replied, her return smile was dazzling.
Tavington lead Cassandra onto the dance floor, one hand resting on the small of her back, while the other held her hand near his heart. Cassandra couldn't take her eyes off of his as they twirled around the dance floor. She was surprised at the way he moved, graceful as a dancer. Cassandra felt something changing in her, it was almost tangible. Was she? Could she actually be developing feelings for him? That was absurd! So then why did she keep her gaze even on his, while wishing he would lower his mouth to hers? Why did she find that she liked the way he held her, the way she seemed to fit into his arms as though they were made especially for her? Cassandra sighed, and although it was not an unhappy sound, it drew Tavington's attention nonetheless.
"Everything ok Miss Davies?" he asked as they twirled farther out from the other dancers.
"Yes" she said softly. "But please, Colonel, call me Cassandra"
"Alright…Cassandra" Tavington replied immediately, smiling, truly smiling as he said her name.
"Is there something on your mind Colonel?" Cassandra asked, suddenly worried about him and his upcoming ride.
"A little bit" he replied honestly.
"About?" she pressed
"A lot of things" he said before shaking his head. "I'm being vague, I'm sorry. I don't mean to do it… I was just wondering Miss Davies, Cassandra" he corrected himself.
"Yes Colonel?"
"May I have your permission to kiss you?"
Cassandra's breath caught in her throat. Had she heard him correctly? Cassandra blinked at him, before a smile appeared and she nodded.
"Yes" she whispered rising up on her tiptoes even as he lowered his head to hers. His lips were soft, gentle even, as they pressed against hers. Time seemed to have stopped, in that instant it was just the two of them, lost on the brink of something more.
Some dancers stopped to stare, others began to whisper loudly, but neither of them noticed. All that mattered was the two of them, their lips joined, their hearts beating wildly, both of them lost in the passion of the moment when they both finally lowered their guard.
When the ship exploded behind them, neither of them so much as flinched, in that instant, they were both too far gone.