"Ow!" Effie groaned as Charlotte accidently burnt the back of neck with the curling iron "Now this is why I don't wear my hair up in silly styles! They cause too much pain!" Her sister giggled before putting the iron into a waterpot "All that for a few simple curls?"
"Now, now, dear sister" Charlotte muttered as she brushed through her hair once again "You asked for my expertise in the latest fashions, here I am curling your hair in said fashion!" She gleamed.
Effie just rolled her eyes as her mind went back to Colonel Tavington. She had the most wondrous dream about him too, they were in her bedroom of all places, kissing! As she drifted back into her waking dream, she barely noticed the gentle tugging on her hair. In her dream, Tavington had moved his hand underneath her skirt, resting it on her stocking clad thigh. She let out a soft squeak and looked at herself in the mirror, noting that she had gone red and that her sister was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Effie! you are blushing!"
"Am I?" The elder sister smiled slightly "Oh I cannot help it Lottie! How can a man as handsome as him wish to court me? Since when did I have such luck?" Effie gleamed as Charlotte finished her hair. She had curled her blonde locks into loose ringlets which actually suited her quite a bit "do you think that he'll like them? I hope he does, they look beautiful"
"I think that he'd be a fool if he didn't" Charlotte giddily spoke.
"He's quite strong isn't he?" Effie continued "Have you seen how he sits on his horse or how he walks?"
"He does have a certain presence about him, a powerful one"
"I cannot help but wonder what it is like to kiss him!"
The younger sister began to giggle "You didn't! You've only just met him!"
"I haven't yet! Don't you worry"
"Even if you did, I wouldn't tell mamma"
Effie started laughing and shook her head "Oh you are dreadful!"
When she had dressed, Effie stared at herself in the mirror for a short while, admiring her sister's handiwork. As they were sisters and similar in height, Charlotte had suggested that she wore one of her dresses as hers were more decorated. The dress she had chosen was a light blue, it was simple but it was pretty. Her sleeves ended at the bottom of her elbow which were decorated with white ruffles at the end.
"You look nice"
Effie turned her head to the side to see her father standing there "Papa…I was hoping that the colonel would be calling on me this morning, I thought that if I looked nice, he wouldn't be scared away"
Arthur stepped into the room and closed the door behind him "Do you truly fancy this man?"
"Papa…"
"If you do, he has my permission to court you"
She smiled brightly before nodding "really papa?!"
"If you should wish it"
"You are the bestest of fathers!" Effie beamed before walking over to her father and hugging him.
Arthur smiled slightly before tipping his daughter's chin up "now, go and wait for him in the summerhouse, your mother isn't too keen on him" He looked over at the grandfather clock that was positioned next to her vanity "Good gracious! The colonel will be here soon, run along now, the servants already have some refreshments set for you"
William was considerably nervous as he knocked on the door to the Collins' household a few minutes before noon. The colonel decided to sport similar clothes to the day before, the only difference being the colour of his waistcoat and coat which were now brown. He had a gift of course, a necklace with a singular ruby dangling from a golden chain. It was his mothers, she got it from her husband whose mother gave it to him. In short it had run in his family for quite a while. But he wanted to give it to Effie, even if they weren't to wed in the future. When Arthur answered the door, the colonel stood up straight and bowed his head "Mr Collins, I have come to call on Effie, I-If that is alright with you of course..."
Arthur smiled slightly before reaching forwards and gently patting him on the shoulder "She isn't here, sir, she is at the summerhouse"
"Oh...may I ask where that is?"
"If you walk to the stables, you'll be able to see it in the field" Arthur looked the man up and down before picking his coat off a nearby peg "I have some business to attend to in town, I said that I was talking to Effie to cover your back" William nodded, hiding his smile behind him clearing his throat. Her father smiled slightly before walking past him "oh, have her back before sundown, I can only keep Agatha away for so long" With that, the older man walked past the colonel and down the steps of the porch "You coming or not?"
William quickly turned on his heel and rushed down the steps, following Arthur as he made his way over to the stables. He noticed that Brecken was being brushed by the stableman, well deserved in his opinion, the poor stallion had made this journey three days in a row. When Arthur disappeared into the stable, he continued his journey around the back, only just seeing the summerhouse for the first time. The colonel smirked as he journeyed through the field, towards the rather nice looking building. As he got closer, he noticed that the small house was made from grey brick which was rather expensive back in England. But when he noticed Effie sat there drawing, he couldn't help but smile.
Tavington quietly opened the door, closing it behind him in silence. He walked a few steps forwards, noticing that his spurs clicked on the hardwood floor more than usual. William cleared his throat and saw her shoulders jump ever so slightly "Quite a nice little home here, do you come here often?" When he heard her gasp and turn her head around, he shot her a small smile.
"You're late..." Effie muttered as he made his way over towards the settee she was sitting on.
"I come bearing gifts, if that is any better"
The young miss stood up and stared at him for a moment. She shook her head and took his hands into hers "I do not care for gifts, I care that you appeared here" William brought her hands upwards and softly kissed her knuckles causing her cheeks to turn a slight pink "please, sit"
When they both sat down, he reached into the pocket inside his vest and pulled out a necklace case "this is my gift to you" with that, he opened the case and presented the jewellery to her "It has been in my family for three generations, my father got it from his mother who got it from her husband, plainly speaking, it's highly valuable to me"
Effie graciously accepted the case and stared down at the jewellery "I can't accept this- you have already given me your ring- it is too much" She muttered and looked up at him only to meet his adoring gaze.
"I wish for you to have it" he came a little closer and picked up the piece carefully "in the three days that I have known you, you have not worn a single necklace" William smiled before gently brushing his thumb over the single ruby "may I?"
She turned around and pushed her hair aside. Tavington rested the gem on her clavicle, wrapping the gold chain around her slim neck before latching it together. He brushed his fingers against her skin and closed his eyes for a moment. In that moment he realised that he wanted this woman, in more than one way. He wanted her as his wife even though he had only just met her! Effie rested her hand on the necklace and glanced over her shoulder at him, causing him to swallow thickly and retract his hand from her necklace.
She turned to face him completely and tenderly took his hand into hers "I have been thinking about your proposition"
"Yes, you needn't answer if you're not ready" he looked down at his lap and nervously tapped his heel against the wooden floor "if you don't accept-"
"I accept your request to court me, William" Effie said, causing him to look up in surprise "My sister talked some sense into me- you are the only man who has made me laugh or even smile..."
William felt an urge to kiss her, maybe a peck on her cheek that was dangerously close to her mouth? They were alone, together, in a house far away from the main plantation building. If he were to kiss her no one would know but them. And what could a little kiss do? Nothing in the grand scheme of things. No, he couldn't act upon his desire, this woman was of proper breeding and upbringing.
"You accept? I was half expecting you to slap me across the face" William mused as she leaned down towards the table, pouring them both a glass of a strange juice "What is this strange concoction?" He asked as she sat back and gave him one of the glasses.
"It is peach juice, the servants make it fresh everyday when we have an abundance" Effie lifted her glass and took a small sip from it, humming at the taste. Though when he examined the juice she furrowed her eyebrows "I promise you, it is rather nice, especially if they add sugar though it is a rare occurrence" William lifted the cup and sniffed it, scrunching his nose when he could smell how sweet it was "Will you not try it?"
The colonel shrugged and brought the glass to his lips and took an experimental taste of this peach juice. He squinted when he tasted how sweet it was. It reminded him of the raspberry jam the cook used to make in England "That tastes wonderful, it reminds me of home"
"Do you miss your home? it must be hard being away for so long" Effie asked as he placed the glass back on the table whereas she took another drink of hers.
"Well I do miss my mother and sisters'' William chuckled before letting out a sigh "My sisters once forced me to sit through a morning of callers, it was funny as I was ill from the drinking I did the night before and ended up falling asleep an hour in" He shook his head and turned to face Effie, smiling when he noticed that she too had rid of her glass. Something stirred in his stomach when he looked into her eyes and he didn't know whether or not he liked that feeling. His eyes wandered from hers and to her lips, then her neck, his own pulse rising when he saw the bulge of her breasts in his perifocal vision. But deep down he knew that he was not the right man for her.
"William? Is something wrong?"
"N-No everything is fine" He cleared his throat and looked down at his boots.
"May I ask, when do you leave for duty?"
"the day after next" William uttered, unsure of what else to say.
"And you'll come back?" She asked, her voice betraying her when it broke. He glanced up at her and tipped his head to the side when he saw her reach up and dab her eyes with a handkerchief "I haven't met anyone as kind as you, I don't want to lose you before I get to know you- oh William, don't leave..." William, without thinking, gently wrapped his arms around her and embraced her. She cuddled up to him and rested her head against his chest "I-I'll miss you..."
He gently kissed her hair before tipping her chin skyward "I have survived many skirmishes, Effie, besides, my men are the best trained cavalrymen in the colonies' ' William muttered as he brushed her tears away with his thumb. She cast him an apologetic look before closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest again "All I know is that when we take Charles Towne, there will be balls amongst the loyalist families and the Generals...How about when the first one is held, we can go together and have a wondrous time, would you like that?" Effie only moved her head ever so slightly "And then I can introduce you to my friends, I know that John will love you like a sister"
"A-And if you don't take the city?" She spoke, her voice muffled by the material of his clothing "What will happen then?"
"Do you doubt the strength of our armies?" He jested before letting out a soft chuckle "I believe that we will, so don't waste your tears on the 'what ifs', you never know what will happen tomorrow" Effie lifted her head and stared up at him with teary eyes "And by all standards, you are far too pretty to cry" William brushed back a few strands on her hair and softly kissed her forehead.
"oh you and your honeyed words!" She sobbed though it quickly turned into a laugh "You are so...so annoyingly persuasive"
"Annoyingly?" He repeated before raising an eyebrow. Effie went a slight pink and looked straight into his chest "I know that it is rather sudden but I want you to know that I feel that their is something between us" William uttered before tilting her chin up once again, his breath catching in his throat when her eyes met with his "In all of my life I haven't met a woman of your intelligence or beauty for that matter, I only wish to know how you feel about me"
Effie thought about it for a moment, smiling when she came up with an answer "You are the only man I haven't scared off just yet and as a bonus you are a little bit handsome"
"Just a little bit?"
"Alright, a lot"
"That's better"
"I like your eyes" She mumbled and stared up at him "And your smile, your name should be 'the charmer of the colonies' instead of Colonel Tavington of his majesties dragoons" William brushed back her hair and gazed into her eyes.
"Hmm, I don't think that men will flock to my banner at that name"
He wore a very small smile though his eyes were warm and welcoming. When he reached up to caress one of the curls that Charlotte had painstakingly wound for her, she felt something flutter in her belly. This is something that she had definitely dreamt about him doing again, William moving his fingers through her neck before allowing them to brush against her neck. Effie swallowed and despite her proper upbringing, she desperately wanted him to kiss her, like he did in her dream even if it wasn't in her chambers. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. And before she even thought about opening her eyes, he leaned forwards and tipped his head to one side until their lips met. He kept still for a second, trying to keep their kiss simple before pulling back a few inches. Effie reached upwards and rested her hand on the nape of his neck, accidentally touching his queue with her fingers. William swallowed, exerting his iron will to not touch her lips with his own again "I hope that will keep you sated until we meet again…" He whispered as he was close enough for her to hear him "I must leave, my control will slip and my mind will be clouded by desire"
"Yes…" She sadly uttered as he stood up. When she joined him, he took her hand and lifted it to his lips, softly kissing her knuckles "Will you be here tomorrow?"
"I wish that I could though I have a meeting with Lord Cornwallis" he noticed her expression and shook his head "I will visit before I leave, I promise you that…"
"Then leave now so you return quicker, I will wait for you until the day after morrow"
William stared down at her lips before leaning forwards and softly pecking them, surprising her more than anything "Goodbye Effie, until we meet again" He bowed his head, turned on his heel and walked over towards the door. Though when he stopped for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. The colonel glanced over his shoulder at her and cast her a smile before walking out of the summerhouse, leaving her alone again. She let out a giddy laugh and laid down on the settee, touching her lips with her fingertips. He had finally kissed her!
Later that evening, the colonel had undressed and unbound his hair before crawling underneath his bedsheets. But alas, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to find sleep. He stared up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. He thought of Effie's face when he told her that he wouldn't be there the next day made his heart ache. William smiled slightly when he remembered their kiss, the way she touched the back of his neck with his fingers. But now that he was alone, he could freely brood over his situation. In all fairness, he had no complaints in bedding a colonial woman- but his attraction to Effie was entirely different. He shouldn't have kissed her, he knew that deep down, and if he bedded her he'd be forced to marry her afterwards. There was a feeling in his stomach that made him feel like he was about to lose his dinner. He knew deep down that she would not allow him into her bed. She obviously felt the same attraction towards him, it was clear, especially when he had kissed her.
But he longed to feel her below him during the most intimate of acts, softly whispering his name as he pushed his length into her, clenching around him as she neared her climax. A pleasant hum rumbled in his chest as his hand stroked down his chest. His body tensed and arched slightly as his palm grazed over his nipple, his fingertips catching in the hair dotted along his muscles. He followed the dark trail down, down, down, pausing when the light dusting grew thick and coarse. William closed his eyes as he imagined Effie's hands doing the exact same thing causing a soft moan to leave his mouth.
"Maybe you can show me how to please you" Effie muttered as she slowly ran her hands over his chest.
"You're curious, aren't you?" She nodded slowly as her eyes lifted to meet him. Holding her stare, he took her hand once again. Savouring her touch, he slowly guided her journey, slipping her fingertips beneath his breeches. She let out a soft gasp when she came in contact with his manhood for the first time.
Holding a groan in his mouth, his hips rose off the bed of their own volition at first touch. A week ago a few quick flicks of the wrist would have been all he needed to find release in this state. But he wanted this fantasy to last and there was more than enough time to draw it out, to luxuriate in his fantasies, to hold onto them for just a while longer. His fingers inched further south, each of them wrapping around his length until he was cradled by his fist. He gripped himself at the base, waiting for her hand to move before he would allow his own to follow.
"I do not know what to do William, will you show me?" Effie asked, her eyes burning into his. William covered her hand with his own and wrapped her fingers around his growing erection. The colonel swallowed hard, his gaze never leaving hers as he attempted to keep down a moan. He began to softly buck his hips, moving his cock in and out of her fist, setting a gentle pace "Like that Will?"
Strange, she had never called him Will. Though to hear that coming from her lips would be more fulfilling than a dozen lusty whores. He could barely breathe, his own hand moving up and down his length as he continued with his erotic fantasy.
"William?" She whispered as she leaned forwards to kiss him. He reached up and rested his hand on the back of her head. Tavington let out a soft hiss as he pulled away from him "Am I doing this right?"
"Y-Yes, Just perfect!" He panted heavily as he felt his stones constrict "I'm close Effie- agh!"
William's hand clutched onto the bed linens, his heart racing as he sped up the pace of his hand. He mumbled some gibberish before closing his eyes once again.
Effie kissed him again before uttering the words he longed for "I love you William"
That was enough to send him forth into climax. His seed pulsed out of him in thick ribbons, covering her hand and his abdomen. He reached up and wrapped his arms around his woman, pulling her down onto the bed with him. Tavington held her close, kissing her furiously as he recovered from his orgasm "I love you too"
William's eyes shot open. Love? How did he love her this early on? It was almost impossible! He reached into his bedside table and pulled out a handkerchief, wiping his hand and stomach as he thought of a solution to his dilemma. Miss Midland had more money than sense, the only thing he wanted was her dowry. All she would need to do in return would be to give him an heir. The only problem with her was that she was pretty but thicker than cowshit, he'd never once enjoyed a conversation with her and he would possibly never. However, Effie was, in his opinion, beautiful and smart. He dare say, even witty! In the three days that he had known her there had not been a dull conversation between them. He had laughed with her, held her hand and even kissed her! Money didn't matter when it came to Effie as they would be happy together. William finished wiping himself and placed the handkerchief back on his bedside table, sighing deeply through his nose when he realised that he would be away from Effie for quite some time. He closed his eyes, his heart slowing along with his thoughts, and sleep finally came to him.
