Several days after the ball, Cassandra was more on edge than ever. After sharing a kiss with the usually closed off Colonel, Cassandra had been expecting things to be different… but they weren't. He was still infuriatingly polite and closed off to her, preferring not to speak to her whenever possible, even going as far as to eat with the other soldiers rather than dine in the house and risk having to face her. It unnerved her that they could share something like that, and not be at least on friendlier terms.
Cassandra huffed out a breath, and wandered out to the barns, not bothering to glance over to where some of the younger soldiers were training. She heard his voice every so often, ringing out a command over the clash of steel, but if he wasn't going to speak to her, well then, two could play at that game. Standing in the shadow of the barn, running her hand over the neck of a large, chestnut stallion, Cassandra closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to drift. How could she be so stupid? How could she allow a man like Colonel Tavington to mess up her emotions in this way? She had known from the start that nothing could ever come of them – they were just too different. And yet, there was still that part of her that hoped, that wished, there could be.
Cassandra jumped slightly when she heard the sound of someone clearing their throat in the doorway behind her. Resigned, she didn't even bother to turn around, but continued to stand where she was, her back to whoever had entered.
"I'm sorry" Colonel Tavington's voice rang out. "I didn't mean to startle you Miss Davies"
Cassandra sighed, and turned slowly to face him, annoyed that he had resumed calling her 'Miss Davies'.
"Don't worry about it Colonel" she said forcing a smile. "I was daydreaming and I didn't hear you come in…. are you heading out?" she inquired before she could stop herself.
"No" he said softly taking a step towards her. "I was looking for you....." Colonel Tavington trailed off and coughed, clearly embarrassed to be in the same room with her.
"Looking for me?" she repeated, as she sat down on a bale of hay, unable to hide her surprise. "Whatever for?"
"I've brought you something" Tavington looked at Cassandra, his blue eyes unreadable.
"Brought me something?" Cassandra repeated looking slightly surprised.
Instead of responding, Tavington crossed the barn, and thrust something at her suddenly. It was a square shaped object wrapped in heavy brown paper. Cassandra raised an eyebrow slightly as she took the gift, placing it in her lap and gently removing the wrapping. Inside lay a tightly bound leather book. Cassandra looked at Tavington curiously as she lifted the book and opened it. Inside, the pages were blank, and it took her a moment to realize what he had given you.
"You brought me a diary?" she asked, a small, pleased smile appearing on her face as she looked at it.
"I did, yes' he responded without looking at her. "You seemed …… bothered, by the fact that yours was gone, and seeing as how you're being forced to stay here, I thought……"
The rest of his sentence was lost as Cassandra jumped from her seat and threw her arms around his neck unable to restrain her pleasure.
"Thank you!" she breathed excitedly.
"Then, am I to assume you like it?" he asked tentatively patting her on the back.
"I LOVE it! Thank you! It was very thoughtful of you Colonel". Cassandra rested her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist more securely. 'How much longer' she mused 'could they continue to walk along the edge of the knife before one of them slipped and fell?'
Tavington stood there, arms loosely wrapped around Cassandra, completely out of his element. He had, from time to time, enjoyed the company of a woman, but never before had he met someone that he couldn't predict. This young woman had gotten under his skin in many ways, she seemed to haunt his every thought, and worse, she often followed him into his dreams as well. Those were the worst, his dreams, for in them there was nothing between them. It was just the two of them, together………