A/N: Sorry to keep you all waiting but here is that next chapter. The ball will be the chapter after this one
I awoke the next morning hoping he would not be in my room waiting for me to wake up. I lifted my head slightly and did not see him at the desk. Smiling to myself I placed my head back on the pillow and rolled over. Good, I didn't have to deal with him this morning. I had hoped to fall back to sleep for at least an hour or so but that is when I heard a soft sound like a page of a book being turned. Damn it he was in here. I opened my eyes and turned to where I heard the noise come from, I glared at him as I sat up. He was reading one of my favorite books. War horse by Michael Morpurgo. That must have come back with me. "What the fuck are you doing in here? You won your fucking game Colonel." Anger briefly flashed over his face at the way I spoke to him. There was another look that flashed over his face but it was there and then it was gone replaced by an expression of contentment.
"Same thing I do every morning since you have arrived, Anastasia." He said drawled. He stood picking up a bag that was at his feet and started his way over to the bed.
"It's Miss Mckenzie. Must I tell you again? Besides,You were only in here to see if I gave up any pertinent information to you while I slept. So what is your excuse this morning?" I spoke angrily while I looked at the bag recognizing it as my own. He stopped at the bed looking at me and I pulled the blankets closer, remembering that he had indeed kissed me last night after I had admitted to time travel. The kiss had been rather pleasant a lot better than when my ex-fiance kissed me, before the abuse started.
"Besides," He continued, like I hadn't spoken rudely to him… or at all. "I thought perhaps you would like your things back." He placed my bag on the bed, and I quickly grabbed it, searching through it. My face became red when I realized he must have seen the box of tampons. "Is everything in order, Miss Mckenzie?" He arched a brow curiously.
"Perfectly Colonel. Now if you would kindly get out of my room." I said harshly, taking out a candy bar.
"Ask nicely, Stasi." He teased. Ok what on earth is going on and where is the real Colonel? I stared at him for a moment with narrow eyes.
"Please Colonel would you please ever so kindly vacate yourself from my presence?" I said sarcastically. "With a cherry on top." I added. He gave a laughing smile. This was unnerving; he was acting so strange. He headed toward the door.
" I shall return within the hour to collect you for the day." I eyed him suspiciously at his odd behavior. Was he still drunk?
"I'm Disinclined to Acquiesce to your request today Colonel." He spun on his heel and returned to my side. Ah there's the Colonel I knew and lo...and knew. He quickly pushed the anger away albeit not as quickly as the first time.
"I need you to tend to Hercules. I have a meeting with the Lord General." his voice was anything but harsh. Strange I would have thought that he would have dragged me out of the bed and straight to the stables. I kept my guard up knowing he could easily switch at any moment back to the man from last night but spoke freely nonetheless.
"Yes, you do need me. I know a whole lot about this war. I've studied it extensively and as much as I would "love" being in the stables today, shoveling crap, I am indisposed and will be for a few days. Besides, get one of the stable hands to do it. It is their JOB after all." I looked away and inserted the headphones of my ipod into my ears and pressed play the volume high enough that I could barely hear what he was saying.
"Indisposed?" His eyes narrowed. "Well I can clearly tell that you are not hungover or sick you will.." He hesitated eyeing the device in my hands. I assumed he could hear the music. He sneered and grabbed the cord to the headphones and pulled so the buds came out of my ears. In a movement quick as lightning he had the device in his hand. A moment later his look softened. "Oh…"
"Yeah, OH" I said like it should have been obvious. I reached out and snached my ipod and headphones back. Tavington stood there like he was about to say something but turned on his heel and left without a word.
A little over what I had assumed to be an hour, the door opened. I hurriedly put my ipod in the bag and picked up the book Tavington had put on the bed side table. Mary came in with Margaret following closely behind with a tray filled with an all you can eat breakfast. She placed it on the desk then pulled a letter out of her pocket placing it by the tray. I found that very curious.
"When i heard Colonel tavington telling Magaret you were not feeling well and to bring you breakfast in your room." Mary stepped closer to the bed. "I thought i would come check on you." I smiled at her. Mary was so kind and the only one here who just wanted to be my friend. I truly believed she could care less about the war.
"I'm quite alright Mary thank you. It's just my menses." I stood up from the bed and turned toward margaret. "Can you please take care of the sheets and bring a bath?" She did as I asked as I started to pick at the food eying the note again.
"I haven't seen you at all except for some of the dinners. For goodness sake I can not believe that my father would put you under the care of the Colonel. Even if you were being suspected of being a spy. I mean it's absolutely horrid." i laughed and her use of the past tense did not go unnoticed." I turned to Mary as Margaret left to go get clean sheets and to have a bath brought.
"I've been in worse company." She gave me a strange look but shrugged it off. "And what do you mean were? Do you mean I'm not any more?" I asked as I took a sip of coffee.
"Heavens, No! I don't know what happened last night after the two of you left dinner or this morning, but the Colonel approached my father before sitting down to breakfast and told him he has determined that you are not a spy. He has also convinced my father to let you stay. Seeing as you have nowhere to go!" I eyed the letter once more as I took a bite of toast as Margaret returned with the sheets and a younger girl carrying a basin of water. "Anyway, There is to be a meeting between them before we leave for Middleton Place. Not sure if it has to do with you or not though." Margaret finished making the bed. "Well I'll leave you so you can get cleaned up."
Now clean and full, I picked up the Colonels letter and sat on my bed against the headboard. Pushing away my curiosity at what the Colonel could have possibly written, I tossed the letter on to the bed and picked up my book. I stared at the book attempting to read but I could not get my mind off the damn letter. Sighing in fustration i threw down my book and snached up the letter. Ripping the envelope open, I pulled out the letter.
Anastasia,
I sincerely apologize for how I have treated you. My behavior toward you was immoral even in this unique situation and I am sorry for the pain that I have caused you. I hope you can look past my transgressions. I will admit that I knew where you were from the day you fell into my hands. I should have confronted you that same night.
Over the course of you being in my care I got to know you and I have grown rather fond of you. It is difficult to admit these feelings to myself let alone to you. I have never felt this way toward anyone. As I tried to deny how I feel about you, I believe I became even more harsh toward you than I meant to especially last night. You have been through so much not only with me but in your previous circumstances. Rest now my Stasi and if you need anything do not hesitate to ask.
Colonel William Jason Tavington
I sat there for a moment staring at the letter in unbelief. This has to be another one of his tricks. Does he really think me so daft? I crumbled up the letter and threw it toward the door just as it opened. Tavingtons own letter hit him in the face. Good he deserved that. He deserved far worse. I glared at him. "I thought you were leaving." I could not read his expression as he came closer to me. This completely unnerved me. He kept coming closer to me until he stopped at the bed.
"Anastasia." His voice came out smooth as silk as he picked up my hand and kissed it as he stared in my eyes. This sent an entirely pleasurable shiver through my body stemming from my hand. As he straightened himself his face held a smile but I doubted that it was genuine seeing that the smile from last night and I had thought that one was genuine. I mean it could have been if he was truly fighting feelings for me. I would not be tricked again.
"It's Miss Mckenzie...Colonel." I sneered at him as I snatched my hand out of his. And returned to my book which he slipped out of my hands and placed it on the desk on the other side of the room bringing back the chair placing it next to the bed.
"It's William... Anastasia." His voice still silkily. He stared at me for a moment.
"Are you going to say something or just stare at me?" I said rudley. I wasn't very good with my manners toward anyone who pissed me off or you know a sadist
"You are very beautiful. I'm merely admiring you." He said as he continued smiling at me. I crossed my arms over my chest. I eyed him suspiciously. "I have the details of our trip to Middleton Place. You were to ride with me but I requested that you ride in the carriage with Mary,General Cornwaliis thought it an admirable idea. We leave in two days' time." He stood up, put the chair back and turned toward me. "I am quite aware by the way you have been speaking to me that you are less than happy that I am escorting you to the ball, but please do try to have some fun." His hand was on the door knob.
"That's unlikely." I saw a flash of hurt cross his face.
"Is my company that deplorable to you Anastasia?" his face no longer showed hurt but I could still hear it in his voice. I dropped my shield of hostility.
"Not as horrible as one would think, William. And as you know I've been in far worse company." I looked down at my hands and began fidgeting with the edge of the sheets. The colonel seemed to notice because I heard his footsteps and when I looked up he was once again standing in front of me, Looking down at me and placing his hand on top of mine halting my fidgeting. "I..I don't have a dress." I said quickly changing the topic.
"I shall have something arranged. Now i'm running late. I must be off. I shall return in the morning. My dear." He turned on his heel and departed the room. I rose from the bed to look out the window to see him ride out of the gates with Wilkins and Borden on either side. Once I lost sight of them over the ridge I retreated back to the bed and resumed reading my book. My eyes scanned over the page but I barely took in what I read. My mind focused on the words that he had written in the letter. I smiled to myself, trick or not I will find out the truth. It's time for a game of my own.
A/N: The ball will be the next chapter