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"Journal, hair comb, extra shoes..." Jessica murmured to herself as she tossed the last few items into her travel bag. "That should be everything." Closing her bag tight, she turned to her twin sister, Alison. "Almost ready, Al?" she asked cheerfully.
"I suppose." Alison sat on her bed next to her packed bag, but she looked absolutely miserable. Her big aqua eyes were filling with tears.
"What are you crying about? We're leaving home today! We get to spend the whole summer in a big plantation."
"We'll probably have to do work," Alison said dejectedly.
"That's what servants are for, Al," Jessica said with a hint of exasperation. "You really ought to be more independent. Like me." She tossed her mane of golden hair and grinned.
It was true. It was amazing that two girls who looked so much alike on the outside could be so different on the inside. Both Jessica and Alison were tall, with slim figures, long blonde hair and sparkling aqua eyes. Jessica lived for the moment. She was thrilled to get away for the summer. She loved change, and went through social trends, clothing styles, and boyfriends with alarming speed. She had grown up in Charles Town, South Carolina, and loved outings, parties, and socializing. She was happiest at the center of a crowd, wearing beautiful clothes and having several men giving her admiring looks. Alison, on the other hand, was much quieter. She liked to spend her time reading and writing, and while Jessica kept her options open when it came to men, Alison had been completely taken with only one boy in particular, Gabriel Martin, whom the twins had met occassionally in Charles Town. Gabriel's father was good friends with the twins' father. Rather, he had been, before the war, on which they were fighting on opposite sides. Well, not fighting, actually, Jessica amended mentally. She was sure Benjamin Martin would never fight, not after the big speech he'd given in a meeting two years before, discouraging war. But he still believed in independence. Wheras Mr. Watson was and always would be loyal to the king. Peacefully.
I know how to get Alison out of her rut, Jessica thought. She turned away so that Alison wouldn't see the smile on her face and began fiddling with her bag. "So, I guess we'll probably run into Gabriel Martin this summer," she said thoughtfully. "I mean, he does live on a plantation. And I'm sure Uncle John and Aunt Emilee are on good terms with the Martins. Why, perhaps we will even visit Fresh Water one day." Jessica had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud. She knew as well as anyone that Gabriel Martin fancied Anne Howard. One of Anne's friends in Pembroke had told one of Jessica's friends in Charles Town. It had been a great topic of conversation among Jessica and her friends for awhile. Of course, Alison doesn't need to know that, Jessica thought.
"Really?" Alison asked, her voice very casual.
"Absolutely. And I'm sure Gabriel is even more handsome than he was the last time we saw him." Jessica finally turned around to face her sister. Her face was absolutely glowing with anticipation. Jessica bit her lip, wondering if maybe she should not have said anything. No, she decided. After all, I only suggested that we might see him. I didn't say definitely. Besides, now Alison will have to come. We'll have much more fun together.
"I wonder if he remembers me," Alison said wistfully, looking out the window.
"Only one way to find out, if we see him," Jessica said cheerfully. "So, come on, sister dear. The summer awaits us!" Without waiting for Alison to follow, Jessica hurried out of their bedroom and down the hall.
"Ready, girls?" asked their father, who was waiting with their mother in the front parlor.
"Oh, yes!" Jessica called out, taking the steps two at a time.
"Easy, dear," Mrs. Watson warned. "You don't want to fall and hurt yourself. Then you'll have to stay at home this summer."
"The horror," Mr. Watson joked.
Jessica ignored them and jumped down to the floor. Unfortunately, she stepped on the hem of her long white dress and went stumbling forward.
"I told you!" Mrs. Watson said as Mr. Watson caught Jessica.
"Well, at least with you two gone things will be a lot more peaceful," spoke up the twins' older brother Christian, who was watching the spectacle from the sofa.
Jessica made a face at him. "You're just jealous because you're not going."
"If you remember correctly, I chose not to go," Christian replied haughtily. "I would much rather stay at home with my studies."
"You are so boring. That must be where Alison gets it. Along with her less than desirable fashion sense." Jessica looked Christian's plain clothes up and down with disdain.
"Fashion is not high on my priority list," Christian informed her, looking slightly amused. "I have more important things to worry about."
"Like your studies? I didn't know that to be smart, one also had to be ugly," Jessica said.
"One doesn't," Christian replied. "But I've learned that those preoccupied with fashion usually have little else to reccomend them."
"Was that directed towards me?" Jessica asked in disbelief.
Christian shrugged and didn't reply. That was all the answer Jessica needed. "I'll have you know--"she began hotly.
"All right, that's enough. Where's your sister?" Mr. Watson finally cut in.
Jessica looked at the empty stairs behind her. "I thought she was right behind me." Grumbling under her breath she started for the stairs but then Alison appeared, looking much more optimistic than she had a few minutes before. Jessica had to hand it to herself for cheering up her sister so quickly. So what did one teensy, tiny lie matter? It was for a good cause.
"Let's go," Mr Watson said.
Outside, one of their uncle's servants was waiting with a carriage. Jessica and Alison put their things inside and then turned to their family.
"Oh, I'm going to miss you two!" Mrs. Watson said, pulling them into a hug.
Alison held on, but Jessica squirmed away. "Really, Mother, it's not for so long." Then, afraid she had sounded too harsh, she added, "Don't make me cry. My make-up will smear."
Mrs. Watson laughed and kissed Jessica's cheek. Their father gave each of them a hug, and then even Christian patted their shoulders and said, "Have fun."
"Take your own advice," Jessica retorted with a playful grin. Christian smiled.
Jessica hopped into the carriage without the servants help. As Alison climbed in slowly behind her, the servant went around and picked up the reins. "Ya!" he snapped, and soon the carriage pulled off.
They were finally on their way!
"Are we almost there?" Alison asked.
Jessica shrugged, leaning back into her seat. "It seems as if we've been riding forever," she commented.
Hearing the twins, the servant looked up. "We're almost there," he promised. Almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Jessica saw Middleton Place looming before them. Finally, she thought, stretching her arms. She had thought the carriage ride would never end. Apparently the plantation was farther away than she remembered. She and Alison hadn't been there since they were children.
"Oh, horses," Jessica pointed out as the carriage made its way to the front of the house. "I can't wait to ride one. Can you imagine how I would look, gracefully atop a beautiful horse, with my long hair blowing out behind me as I gallop off into the sunset?"
"Or as you fall off the horse," Alison replied. "You haven't been horseback riding in years."
Jessica made a face. It was true that she preferred riding in carriages to actually riding a horse. Trust Al to think of something like that, she thought wrly.
"Here we are," the servant said grandly as they pulled to a stop. Accepting the hand the servant offered her, Jessica got out of the carriage and looked around, taking in her surroundings. Middleton Place was beautiful. The house itself was large and impressive, white with black trim, large windows, a big porch, and several walking paths line with colorful flowers and big shady trees. The grass was green and lush and seemed to spread out forever, until it reached the sparkling blue Santee River, which bordered the house on one side.
"It's beautiful," Jessica said, impressed.
"Very lovely," Alison added, looking around her with awe.
"You must be the twins!" someone called. Turning back towards the house, Jessica saw a young woman with curly red hair and big blue eyes coming towards them. "Welcome to Middleton Place. We've been expecting you. I'm Rose, and I'll be attending to your needs. Come in, come in. The Middletons are expecting you."
Jessica blinked. The woman could talk even faster than Jessica. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and Jessica gave her a broad smile. "I'm Jessica," she said as they walked inside. "And this is my sister, Alison."
Rose nodded. "I am very pleased to meet you. When the Middletons first announced you were coming, I admit I was pleased. This place needs the warmth of children to liven it up a little. Not that you two girls are children," she added. "How old are you?"
"Nineteen," said Jessica. "Actually, we'll be twenty in a few weeks. Our birthday is in June."
"Twenty years old," Rose marveled. "Now, I must warn you, Mr. Middleton is a Loyalist, and he is also friends with General Lord Cornwallis. Throughout your stay Cornwallis and other soldiers will be here frequently."
"Oh," Jessica said flatly. She wrinkled her nose. She hadn't planned on sharing her summer vacation with a bunch of soldiers.
"But," Rose added, seeing Jessica's disdain, "there is rumor that a ball will be hosted here shortly. I'm sure you would have fun at that, right?"
Jessica immediately brightened. "Definitely," she said enthusiastically. "I just love parties."
Rose grinned, and then turned to Alison. "You're awfully quiet," she commented.
"She's just shy," Jessica stepped in for her sister. "But she'll warm up, right, Alison?"
Alison shrugged. "Right," she said softly.
"Don't be too enthusiastic," Jessica whispered to her sister with a grin. "You'll wear yourself out."
Alison grinned back. Jessica hoped she would loosen up a little. She didn't understand how Alison could be so shy anyway. If they hadn't looked so much alike, she wouldn't even believe they were related.
"Here we are," Rose announced. She turned and opened a door that led to a fancy parlor. Inside, a man and a woman lounged on sofas. The man was reading something, smoking a cigar, and the woman was kitting. Both looked up when Rose and the twins entered.
"Mr. and Mrs. Middleton, here are the Watson twins," Rose introduced.
"Oh, the twins are here," said Mrs. Middleton in delight, getting to her feet. "Welcome to our home. My, have you two grown! Why, the last time I saw you, you were just children. Now you're all grown up."
"We're delighted to have you for the summer," added Mr. Middleton. He shook Jessica's hand. "It's a pleasure, Alison."
Jessica grinned tolerantly. "I'm Jessica," she corrected. She gestured towards Alison. "And she's Alison."
"Oh, dear me. I offer my apologies, Jessica." He laughed. "I'm afraid I haven't much experience with identical twins. I will probably keep getting you mixed up."
"Oh, we're used to it," Alison offered.
At least she's finally talking, Jessica thought in relief. She grinned at her sister, who smiled back.
"I don't know how your parents do it," added Mrs. Middleton. "By the way, how are dear Samantha and Thomas?"
"They're quite well," Alison answered. "I must offer my thanks to you for letting us stay in your home for the summer."
Mrs. Middleton waved a hand. "We're pleasured."
"Should I show the twins to their rooms?" Rose spoke up.
"Yes, that would be a nice idea," said Mr. Middleton. "After you two have settled in, we'll sit down to supper. Sound good?"
"Yes, thank you," Jessica said politely.
"Come along, girls," Rose said.
As they followed Rose out of the parlor and up the stairs to the bedrooms, Jessica turned to Alison. "Isn't this all just perfect?" she asked. "You'll see, Al. This is going to be the best summer ever."
Alison strolled down one of the many paths at Middleton Place, breathing in deeply. It was an absolutely beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly the breeze blowing gently. The sweet smell of roses from a nearby rose bush perfumed the balmy summer air.
It had been four days since the twins had arrived at Middleton Place. Alison, to her surprise, was enjoying herself very much. Every day there was something to do. On their first full day, the twins had gone horseback riding. Alison loved horses, and she was the expert over Jessica, for once, who walked along at a slow pace all the while hoping out loud that she wouldn't fall off the horse and break her neck. On the second day, Alison had discovered the Middleton's library. It was very impressive, with tons of books, big windows which flooded the room with sunlight, and plush chairs and couches to sit and read in. Alison predicted she would spend a lot of time in that room.
Now she was taking a walk, relieved to be by herself for awhile. Jessica was in her room, preparing for the ball the Middletons were throwing that night. Alison thought it a little early to prepare but Jessica claimed she was planning to curl her hair, which took awhile. The household was in a flurry of activity, with everyone preparing. Cornwallis was going to be at the ball that night, along with countless soldiers, officers, and civilians from Charles Town. Alison wondered briefly if Gabriel Martin would show up. Not likely, if his father's political views reflected his own. Surely a Patriot wouldn't attend a ball for the British Army.
Alison sighed, her thoughts drifting towards Gabriel. No trip to Fresh Water plantation had been considered, nor had the Martins even been mentioned. Now that she thought about it, she was sure that Jessica had made up that stuff to get Alison to come along. Still, she couldn't really blame her sister. Jessica could be manipulative sometimes, but she had a good heart and her intentions were usually good.
Alison made her way down the path and paused under a large elm tree that offered plenty of shade. Leaning against the trunk, she took another breath of the summer air and closed her eyes, relaxing.
"Jessica Watson!" someone called. Alison jumped, startled, and looked around to see a tall British soldier making his way towards her. No one else was around so she assumed he had been the one to call. But why had he called her Jessica? And who was he to know either of them, anyway?
He came up close to her and gave her a warm smile. Then he frowned, looking closer at her, and his eyes sparkled with recognition. "You're not Jess. You're Alison," he stated.
"Yes, I'm Alison Watson," Alison replied, a little flustered. "I apologize, but I'm afraid I don't know who you are."
He grinned, taking off his black, tri-cornered hat to reveal tousled, dark blonde hair. "Private Matthew Mosten at your service," he said with a little bow.
"Matthew Mosten!" Alison exclaimed, remembering at once who he was. He had grown up in Charles Town and had been a playmate of the twins when they were children. When they'd gotten older, he had had a romance with Jessica, one that had been cut short when his family moved north to Boston. "What on earth are you doing at Middleton Place?" she asked. "Why, it must have been four or five years since I last saw you."
"I could ask you the same thing," Matthew replied with a smile. "What a coincidence this is, isn't it?"
"It certainly is," Alison agreed. "Jessica and I are staying here for the summer. The Middletons are our aunt and uncle."
"Ah." He nodded and smiled again. "Well, imagine my luck! Coming to Middleton Place only to be reunited with the beautiful Watson twins. Double the pleasure, eh?" He winked.
Alison smirked. "More like double the trouble."
Matthew laughed.
"You still haven't told me what you're doing here. And what about that uniform! You're a soldier now, Matthew, all grown up."
"Yeah." He looked down at his uniform sheepishly. "Not by my choice, I'll have you know. But you know my father. He insisted I join. Defend England's honor, you know. I've been enlisted for about two years now. And I've ended up here, under Cornwallis' command."
"Well, how about that." Alison stepped back and studied him. He certainly looked different now than he had when he was sixteen. He was taller, and more muscular. Long days in the sun had turned his skin a light gold color. His dark blonde hair wasn't so long, and it framed his face nicely and set off his chocolate brown eyes. Alison realized with a start that he was very handsome. Maybe even as good- looking as Gabriel Martin.
Matthew looked towards the house and asked, "So what is Jess doing these days, anyhow?"
Alison frowned. Of course. She had met a handsome, friendly boy from her past and he was probably thrilled at the prospect of resuming his relationship with her twin sister. Life was so unfair. "Oh, she's preparing for the ball tonight. Are you going to attend? I heard most of Cornwallis' army will be here."
"I planned on attending, yes," Matthew replied. "You'll be there, right?"
"Of course."
"Good. I'll see you there, then. It was great seeing you again, Alison." He gave her a friendly, brotherly kiss on the cheek before flashing her a grin. "I'd better be on my way. Tell Jessica I said hello."
"I will. See you tonight, Matthew."
He waved and walked on. Alison followed him with her eyes, admiring the confidence in his steps and the way his hair shimmered in the sunlight. Then she shook herself. What's wrong with you, Alison Watson? she asked herself silently. He's probably still in love with Jessica. There's no chance for you. So just forget it.
Heaving a sigh, Alison headed back towards Middleton Place.
###
"Alison, could you help me with my dress?" Jessica asked.
It was evening, a mere hour before the ball was to start. Jessica had spent most of the afternoon working on her hair so that it curled just right. The silky blonde curls were now piled on top of her head and pinned in place with pretty ornaments. A few loose tendrils framed her face and trailed down her slender neck. Standing in front of her full-length mirror in her corset and chemise, she held up the blue silk gown she was going to wear to the ball.
"Sure." Alison crossed the room indulgently and together they got Jessica into the dress. "Oh, that's beautiful," Alison complimented.
"Isn't it?" Jessica fluttered her eyelashes, enjoying the way the blue material made her eyes look bluer than ever.The gown was stunning. It had a fitted, low-cut bodice, tight sleeves that ended in a cascade of lace at the elbows, and a full skirt.
"Now, just help me with my make-up and then we'll get you dressed," said Jessica, realizing that Alison was still in the casual dress she'd been wearing all day.
"Sounds like a plan," Alison answered. Jessica sat at the stool in front of her mirror and picked up a pot of rougue.
"You'll never guess who I ran into today," said Alison as she started to smooth the rougue onto Jessica's cheeks.
"Hmm?"
"Matthew Mosten. Do you remember him?"
"Oh, yes!" Jessica exclaimed. "I remember Matt. Oh, he was so sweet and so handsome. It's a shame he had to move to Boston. You say you saw him?"
Alison nodded. "He's enlisted in the army and is under Cornwallis' command. I was taking a walk and I saw him. We talked for awhile. At first he thought I was you, but then he recognized me."
Jessica nodded. "He could always tell us apart. So, is he still as handsome as he was?"
"More handsome," Alison replied with a grin. "He told me to tell you hello."
Jessica smiled. Alison put away the rougue and began to work on Jessica's eyes. "Well," Alison asked, sounding casual, "do you plan to continue your relationship with him?"
Jessica shrugged. "Perhaps, but I don't think so. Both of us are different people now than we were then. It wouldn't be the same. Besides, I was hoping to meet a new boy tonight at the ball and have a whirlwind romance. Doesn't that sound exciting?"
"Certainly." Alison smiled tolerantly.
"Why, do you wish to see Matt?" Jessica asked, opening her eyes and peering at her sister.
"Jess!" Alison exclaimed. "You're going to ruin your make-up and we're running out of time."
"Sorry." Jessica closed her eyes again. "But do you?"
"Of course not."
Jessica didn't believe her for an instant. I suppose her being interested in Matthew is a good thing, she mused. After all, it will make her forget Gabriel Martin. I'm sure Matthew is a much better catch anyway.
After Jessica was ready, they concentrated their efforts on getting Alison ready. She decided to wear a dress similar to Jessica's, in a shade of pale pink that made her hair look blonder. She wore it pinned up in the current fashion, and didn't require much make-up to make her look pretty. Within an hour both girls were ready to go.
"You look amazing," Jessica said to her sister.
Alison grinned. "So do you." They linked arms and walked downstairs to join the festivities.
Jessica surveyed the scene that night. The party was in full swing, with lots of people walking, dancing, eating, talking, and laughing. There were lots of soldiers there, many handsome ones but none that really interested her, even though she had danced with several of them. Now the twins were standing together, sipping wine from crystal glasses and talking quietly. Jessica was getting a little bored. Her feet itched to return to the dance floor.
Suddenly she saw Matthew Mosten approaching. She smiled. Surely he would ask her to dance. Maybe that was why the other boys were so uninteresting. Maybe this should be a reunion between her and Matt.
Matt stopped in front of the twins and looked them over. "My, both of you look breathtakingly glorious tonight," he said with a little bow.
"Thank you, Matt," Jessica replied with a smile. Alison just giggled.
Matt grinned and looked at Alison. "Miss Watson, may I have the pleasure of this next dance?"
Jessica felt her heart drop with disappointment. Seeing her sister's face light up with pleasure, Jessica sighed.
"Um, you don't mind, do you Jess?" Alison asked uncertainly.
Jessica shook her head. "Oh, not at all. You go ahead and dance. Have fun," she replied. After all, one of them should.
"Okay." Alison took Matthew's arm and they headed off. Jessica swirled the wine in her glass. Now not only was she bored and boy- less, but now she had no one to talk to as well. This wasn't Jessica's usual style, sitting on the sidelines of things. But she knew nobody except Matt and Alison, and they were off dancing together. Jessica wished her best friend, Kata, was with her. Kata was always fun to talk to, and she liked a crowd as much as Jessica. Together they could have been the belles of the ball. But Kata was back in Charles Town and Jessica was standing alone, feeling sorry for herself. This wasn't the way things should be going at all.
Jessica decided to take a walk. She made her way past all the people, to one of the paths that was fairly remote. It was a very nice night. There were no clouds, just a black night sky dotted with millions of stars. Jessica looked up at the stars as she walked, not paying attention to where she was going. Suddenly, she ran straight into something solid. "Ow," the thing said.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Jessica jumped back and then caught her breath. She was staring at the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. He was a tall, British colonel, which she could tell by his uniform. The uniform was clean and pressed, and fit well enough to show off his tall, athetlic build. He had long, dark hair pulled back from his face in a dignified queue, smooth, pale skin and the brightest, bluest eyes she'd ever seen. He was practically a god.
"Watch where you're going," the man snapped.
Jessica blinked, startled by his brusque tone.
"I'm sorry," she repeated. "It's such a nice night, you see. I was just looking at the stars, not really looking where I was going."
The man rolled his eyes. "Yeah, like I said, you ought to watch where you're going."
"Hey, you didn't exactly move out of my way, either," Jessica pointed out, feeling annoyed. The man was definitely handsome but he was proving himself to be incredibly rude.
"I shouldn't have had to," he retorted.
Jessica closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm. It certainly wouldn't do her any good to give this man a piece of her mind, which was exactly what she wanted to do. Instead, she changed tactics. "Look, you're right, it was my fault," she said, giving him one of her most winning smiles. "I apologize." She stuck out her hand. "My name is Jessica Watson, by the way."
He looked at her hand as if it were an insect and didn't bother to take it. "I am Colonel William Tavington," he replied haughtily. "And I'm wasting my time here. So if you'll excuse me..." He left the setence and her mouth hanging as he started to brush past her.
Now Jessica was furious. Who did he think he was to talk to her that way? She'd tried to be nice and all he could do was be mean. Well, she certainly wasn't going to let him get the last word. "You're incredibly rude, you know that?" she called after him.
He froze in his steps and turned back to her slowly, his eyebrows raised. "Excuse me?"
"I apologized for bumping into you and I tried to be nice. The least you could do was be polite. Who do you think you are, anyway?"
He backstepped and stood directly in front of her, so close that she had to tilt her head back to look at his face.
"Me? What about you? Either you are very brave or very foolish to speak to me in such a manner. I could have you arrested."
She took a step back and crossed her arms. "Oh, yeah? Oh what grounds, Colonel Tavington? Putting you in your place? A capital crime, I'm sure. Anyway, my uncle wouldn't allow it."
"Oh, and who is your uncle?" he retorted.
"The host of this ball and the owner of the grounds you are walking on now," she said smugly. "Not to mention a close, personal friend of Lord Cornwallis."
Tavington looked surprised for a moment, before his face went back to being expressionless. "Well isn't that nice for you," he said boredly.
Jessica rolled her eyes.
"Are you finished?" Tavington asked. "Because I really have some business to attend to."
"Oh, and what business is that?" she shot back. "Being mean to other guests as well? Are you naturally this way, Colonel, or were you dropped on your head as a baby?"
His eyes flashed cold blue fire. "I'd watch my mouth if I were you," he warned.
"I think we've made it clear that I will say what I please, in my own defense. Now it is you who must excuse me. I must return to my uncle's party," she said pointedly.
She tossed her hair and marched past him. When she was safely away from the path and back in the presence of other people, she took a deep breath to calm herself. The confrontation had left her feeling weak and shaky. She wasn't used to standing up to tall, handsome British colonels. Still, he had been way out of line. It was only natural for her to defend herself. Yet she couldn't help thinking that it was a shame someone so handsome had to be so obnoxious. How unfair.
Just then, Alison ran up to her excitedly. "Oh, Jess, I'm having the best time," she said dreamily. "Matthew is such a sweet boy."
Jessica sighed. It figured. Leave it to Alison to find the single most worthy soldier in the whole British Army. Leave it to Jessica to find the rudest, most offensive one. Where was the justice?
The morning after the ball, Jessica awoke to the sun streaming in through the big windows in her room. Yawning, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then her gaze fell on the gown she had worn the previous night, which she had thrown over a chair after she'd taken it off. She scowled, remembering her failure to have an exciting night at the ball, not to mention her chagrin at her sister becoming a couple with Matthew Mosten. How unfair. Although she supposed if she had no interest in Matt, Alison might as well have him. And besides, now Alison could forget about boring old Gabriel Martin. There had to be something wrong with Gabriel anyway, if he chose some girl from a small, nowhere town over a high society, beautiful Watson twin.
But that still left Jessica out in the cold. She was willing to bet that with Matthew courting Alison, Alison would have no time to spend with Jessica. And thus, Jessica would have no summer companion.
Jessica sighed, crawling out of bed and making her way to the wash basin in her room. She splashed some cold water on her face and then took in her reflection in the mirror. Oh, did she look a fright. She had been so tired when she got to her room last night that she had crawled into bed without even removing her make-up. Now dark smudges lined her eyes, making her look like a raccoon. Her curls, so pretty the night before, were now loose and messy after a night of having been slept on.
Jessica shuddered at her awful reflection and began to gather her soaps and hair shampoo. She had to bathe immediately, and make herself more presentable.
Just then, Alison breezed into the room, looking aggrivatingly perfect. Not a strand of her silky blonde hair was out of place, and her light blue, summery dress complimented her rosy complexion. Jessica felt like a toad next to her.
"Hi, Jessica," Alison said cheerfully. "You better hurry and dress. Uncle is having a special breakfast today, and he wishes us to be there."
"Of course," Jessica replied. "I'll hurry, promise."
"Okay. I'll inform them that you'll be there." Alison skipped from the room, humming. Jessica smiled tolerantly. Ah, the things being in love could do to a girl. Gone was Jessica's timid, soft- spoken other half. Instead, Alison was upbeat and cheerful. Well, at least Matthew was a good influence on her.
Shaking her head, Jessica grabbed a thick towel and headed for the bathroom across the hall. She threw open the door and flounced in, and then stopped dead in her tracks.
"Hey--" said an angry male voice. Jessica tried to back out of the bathroom, but instead she backed into the door, shutting it behind her. Her hands were full. As she stared at the figure in front of her, she dropped all of her soaps and shampoos. He was wet from a bath, and wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.
Colonel William Tavington stared at her in angry astonishment before he stole the words from her lips. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Jessica stared. If she had thought he was handsome before, she thought he was ten times more so now. His broad chest and shoulders glistened with water, and she could see the muscles in his strong arms. His dark hair cascaded around his shoulders in wet curls. Jessica had to remind herself to breathe.
"What are you doing here?" Tavington repeated impatiently. Jessica jumped, wrenching her gaze from his abs. "I, uh, was coming to take a bath," she stammered.
"You could have knocked before just barging in here," he snapped, shaking his head. "Didn't you think of that? Obviously there's not much of a brain inside that pretty blonde head of yours."
Jessica bristled. If there was one thing that made her blood boil, it was being called stupid. "Well, excuse me, but this is MY home for the summer. I should ask you what you think you're doing in my bathroom as though you lived here."
Tavington smirked. "I know it's hard for you to understand anything that doesn't involve fashion or parties, but I do live here. Don't you know that your dear uncle is hosting the army for as long as we are in South Carolina? I mostly live here but sometimes I stay at Fort Carolina. Since the ball was here last night and I'm supposed to attend a breakfast this morning, today I'm here."
"I..." She came up with nothing. Damn, he was annoying.
She knew she should just leave. But she refused to let this jerk think he had gotten the last word. Her pride kept her feet rooted firmly in place as she glared at him.
###
Tavington stared at Jessica, waiting for her to reply. Behind the glare she was giving him, he could practically see the wheels turning in her head.
"You are the most obnoxious person I've ever had the displeasure of meeting," Jessica spat after a long silence.
"Thanks for sharing." Tavington supressed the urge to laugh. He was furious but it was actually kind of amusing to see how embarrassed she was at walking in on a person in a towel. Much more embarrassed than a normal person would have been. A normal person would have left five minutes ago.
She looked awful, too. With her hair in disarray and her make-up smeared all over her face, it was easy for Tavington to ignore how pretty her eyes looked when they were glittering with anger, or how the white nightdress she wore showed off her perfect figure.
"You look real good today, Jessica," he couldn't resist saying. "Are those curls a new fashion statement? Oh, and the make-up does wonders for your lovely eyes."
"Oh, hush. You know, you could get over yourself enough to be civil," she snapped back. "Anyway, I just woke up. I was going to freshen up, but someone has taken over my bathroom," she added pointedly.
He shrugged. "First come, first served. It was lovely running into you. Now would you mind getting the hell out of here so I can finish shaving in peace?"
"Gladly," she said icily. She scooped up the things she had dropped, tossed her hair over her shoulder, gave him one last glare and stalked out, slamming the door behind her. Tavington shook his head and lifted his shaving razor. But before he could continue shaving, the door swung open again and one of the maids waltzed in with some cleaning supplies.
"God!" Tavington burst out, giving her a glare powerful enough to make her shrink back. "Last time I checked, bathrooms were private places. What is it with you people?"
"You people?" the maid repeated, looking bewildered.
"Women," Tavington supplied. "You think you own the whole world."
"I'm sorry, Colonel Tavington. I didn't think anyone was in here. I'll just come back later." The maid hurried out of the room, shaking her head. Once the door was closed, Tavington let out a sigh of exasperation. "Women," he said again, to himself. "No respect whatsoever." With that, he lifted his razor and continued shaving.
###
After what seemed like hours, Jessica made her way downstairs to breakfast. She was the last to arrive. Tavington, who was sitting across from Alison, looked up when she walked in. His eyebrows shot up in surprise. He stared at her, looked at Alison, and then back at her. Jessica smirked at him, enjoying his shock. He wasn't so sure of himself now, was he? He had probably thought Alison was Jessica and was now astounded to see another Jessica enter the room. Jessica smirked again. She could really use this twin thing to mess with his head a little. He deserved it.
"Well, Jessica, good morning," Mr. Middleton said cheerfully. "You're right on time. Breakfast is about to be served."
Jessica smiled sweetly at him before sitting down next to Alison. She looked much better now, with her hair washed and dried. The curls were gone and her hair fell smoothly around her shoulders. She wore a pink dress similar to Alison's, and her make-up was freshly applied. She silently dared Tavington to make fun of her now.
Breakfast was made up of an appetizing selection of sausages, pancakes, granola, yogurts, and a variety of fresh fruit. As the servants placed trays on the table, Cornwallis looked at the twins and smiled. He was seated at one end of the table, next to Jessica. "Well, I am honored to share a meal with you two young ladies," he said pleasantly.
"As we are honored to share a meal with you, Lord Cornwallis," Jessica replied smoothly.
"My lord, these are the twins I was telling you about, my neices," said Mr. Middleton. "Jessica and Alison. They are staying with us at Middleton Place for the summer."
"Ah." Cornwallis nodded. "Well, it's a pleasure." Then he laughed. "How am I supposed to tell them apart?"
Jessica smiled. "I'm Jessica, and she's Alison."
"Twins," spoke up Tavington. He caught Jessica's eye and winked at her. "Such beauty and freshness one might find in one rose," he said. "But in two flowers, it is unheard of. Never have I experienced such unique and matching loveliness."
Alison blushed and giggled, and the men chuckled. Jessica supressed the urge to roll her eyes. "You are quite the charmer, Colonel Tavington," she said dryly. Tavington only smiled innocently at her. Jessica couldn't wait for breakfast to be over so she could stay far away from Colonel Tavington.
The days passed. As June rolled towards July, the days became longer and warmer, the twins became more settled in to Middleton Place, and Jessica began thinking about her birthday. They were going to turn twenty on June 21st.
"What are you getting me for our birthday, Al?" Jessica asked her sister one sunny afternoon. It was after lunch, and the girls were sitting outside in the garden, enjoying the sunshine.
Alison looked up from her journal and rolled her eyes. "Very subtle, Jess. Anyway, birthday gifts are supposed to be surprises."
"What's the difference?" Jessica asked, leaning back and turning her face to the sun. "I'll just find out on our birthday anyway. So why not give me just a teensy, tiny hint now?"
"Forget it." Alison shook her head, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Hello, girls," a voice said. They looked up and saw Colonel Tavington walking towards them.
Jessica groaned. "I swear, I cannot get away from that man. He's everywhere," she hissed to her sister.
Alison grinned. "He's perfectly nice, Jessica. I don't see what your worry is. He's handsome, and a gentleman. I would think you would be dating him by now."
"Yeah right. He's only nice to you. You don't know what an arrogant jerk he really is. I know all too well."
"Good afternoon, Colonel," said Alison when he stopped in front of them.
"Hi," Jessica said shortly.
Tavington grinned. "I thought at first I would have trouble telling you apart, but you've distinguished yourselves enough. Alison is the twin who is nice to me," he said, with another smile towards Alison.
"Alison is the twin who is nice to everybody just because nature made her that way," Jessica corrected. "It's got nothing to do with you."
"Uh huh." Tavington rolled his eyes. "So what are you two doing to amuse yourselves on this lovely day?"
"We're enjoying the peace and quiet," Jessica said. "Or at least we were, until you came along."
"My, we're fiesty today, aren't we?" Tavington leaned towards her and winked. "I like that in a woman."
"In your dreams, Colonel." Jessica rolled her eyes.
Tavington stepped back, placing a hand over his heart. "Jess, you're wounding me."
"Good," she said in satisfaction.
Tavington looked at the sky as if it would help him deal with the girl. Jessica and Alison exchanged a grin. To Jessica's surprise, she found herself thinking that she was almost kind of glad Tavington was there. It was odd, but bantering with him like this was kind of fun. During the past few weeks, she and Tavington had avoided each other, and if they did happen to see each other, their dialouge consisted of sharp words and tossed insults. Joking around with him was a new thing, yet Jessica liked it.
She tilted her face back and looked up at him, admiring the way the sunlight found a few golden strands in his dark brown hair. His eyes looked even bluer than usual. Jessica felt her heart start to beat harder, and she blinked in confusion. Surely she wasn't attracted to Tavington! Of course not!
Embarrassed by her thoughts, Jessica looked back down and concentrated on a nearby patch of flowers. "So, Colonel Tavington, what are you getting my for my birthday?" she asked, changing the subject to something more light.
Alison laughed. "Jessica, you are amazing."
"Oh, is your birthday coming up?" Tavington inquired.
Jessica nodded, plucking a daisy from the patch and examining it. "A week from tomorrow. We'll be twenty."
Tavington smirked. "All grown up, huh?"
Jessica glowered at him. "Are you calling me immature?"
"I would never," he said with a just-this-side of condescending smile.
"That's good, because I wouldn't tolerate it."
"Oh, right, and what would you do about it?" he retorted.
Jessica couldn't think of a good enough threat, and in her annoyance she suddenly had the urge to take the daisy and shove it up his nose. No, down his throat. That would shut him up.
Tavington laughed at her silence. "Exactly."
"Oh...leave me alone." In a matter of seconds, she had gone from feeling cheerful to feeling annoyed. It was all HIS fault. She had to get away from him before she did something she'd regret. Like commit murder. Or suicide.
She dropped the daisy and jumped to her feet. "Come on, Alison. I think that's too much sun for today."
"I think I'll stay out here," Alison replied, looking down at her journal. "I'm not finished writing."
Jessica shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll see you later." She gave Tavington a disdainful glance and flipped her hair. "Goodbye, Tavington."
He wiggled his fingers at her. "Bye."
She headed back towards Middleton Place, holding her head high. She would not let Tavington get to her. He was an arrogant, rude, jerk. An incredibly handsome one. But a jerk all the same.
###
After Jessica had gone, Tavington gave Alison a smile and said, "You're so unlike your sister."
"Yes, definitely. We're not the same at all," Alison replied with a shrug.
Tavington waited for her to say something else, but she didn't. "Well, that's a good thing. I find you a nice contrast to her insults," he attempted. He expected a sharp retort, or at least a teasing comeback. But she just giggled and looked down at her journal.
What a bore, Tavington thought with a sigh. He hated to admit it, but he actually preferred Jessica's fiery demeanor. She was amusing, not to mention cheerful, bubbly, and outgoing. She was just sparkling with life, and he enjoyed that. It didn't hurt that she was incredibly beautiful.
Okay, he was not sitting here on a sunny afternoon having these thoughts about one of the people who got on his nerves the most. Not to mention that she hated him. Tav, you are an idiot, he thought.
"Well, good day, Alison," he said. He needed to seperate himself from Jessica's mirror image as fast as possible.
Now if only he could get Jessica off his mind...
###
"We should be together. It's where we belong..." Jessica sang loudly. It was an old love song her parents had used to sing when she was little. "And you know I'm right, I cannot be wrong." She turned onto her back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, trailing off the song. Then she looked at the big clock on the wall. She'd been lying here on her bed, singing to herself and being bored for about two hours now. She didn't want to leave her room and risk running into Tavington. Even though he was getting on her nerves to no end, she couldn't get the image of him with his bright blue eyes and sunny hair out of her head. And Alison had deserted her. She'd looked out the window awhile ago and saw her leaving with Matthew. Just as she had feared, she was becoming a backseat to her sister's new boyfriend. Didn't Alison realize Jessica needed her? Jessica needed to talk her feelings out with Alison, and they could both come up with a reason as to why Jessica was suddenly attracted to Tavington, and they could figure out what to do about it. But no, Alison had left Jessica on her own.
Hearing footsteps in the hallway, Jessica sat up. It had to be Alison. "Finally," Jessica muttered. She hopped up and opened the door. Sure enough, there was Alison, sauntering down the hall wearing a big smile and carrying a bouquet of fresh wildflowers.
"Hi Al," Jessica said.
"Oh, hello, Jess," Alison replied, smiling even more. "Aren't these the most gorgeous flowers? Matthew gave them to me."
If she heard Matthew's name once more, she would scream. "They're lovely," Jessica said through clenched teeth. "So, Alison, can we talk?"
"Sure, Jess, about what?"
"Stuff." Jessica pulled Alison into her room and closed the door. Alison flopped down on the bed that Jessica had occupied only moments earlier. "Bless the day I met Matthew," she said. "I mean, really met him. I never knew two people could be so right for each other. But we are."
"That's nice. Listen, Alison, I wanted to talk about Colonel Tavington--"
"I think we will get married. Maybe even soon. We're both adults. After all, you and I will be twenty soon. Matthew is already twenty. We're the right age."
Jessica clenched her hands, her long, polished fingernails digging into her soft palms. "Al--"
"Maybe I'll have twins. That would be nice. I don't think I would want to have identical twins, though. Maybe I could have a boy and a girl. I'll name the boy little Matt, and the girl will be named Susanna, since that's such a pretty name. Don't you agree?"
"Alison!" Jessica yelled. "Could you forget about your stupid little romance and listen to me for a second?"
Alison sat up, her eyes wide. "What's with you, Jess?"
Jessica took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's just, I've been thinking of something all afternoon, and I really need to talk."
Jessica expected Alison to be sympathetic. Instead, her sister's eyes flashed. "You always need to talk," she snapped.
Jessica took a step back, completely bewildered. "What?" Had everyone around her gone insane?
"I've been living in your shadow for twenty years, Jess. You've always gotten to have excitement and fun, and I've always been there to hear your happy tales or your sorrowful ones. Now, for once, something exciting is happening to me, and all you can think about it talking about yourself! You can't even be happy for me. You are so selfish, and completely self-centered."
Jessica opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no words came out.
"Me, selfish?" Jessica finally managed to say. "What about you? Ever since that stupid ball, you've been deserting me for Matthew. I wanted you to come along this summer so we could have fun together. I thought we were best friends, but obviously you don't think so. Obviously Matthew's more important to you. I don't know why you're so infatuated with him anyway. You're only his second choice," Jessica bit out.
"Excuse me?" Alison cried.
Jessica knew she was going to regret what she was going to say, and she didn't care in the least. "Think about it, Mrs. Mosten," she said sarcastically. "Matthew liked me first. He only chose you because he couldn't have me. I wasn't interested anymore, so he figured he could have my twin. And you're so pathetic and easy to win over that you never even gave it a second thought."
Alison's eyes filled with tears,and Jessica felt a sharp pang of guilt. But she was too angry to pay attention to it. Alison got what she deserved. How dare she say such things to Jessica first?
"How can you even say that?" Alison demanded. "You're just jealous."
Jessica tossed her hair and glared at Alison. "And you're delusional," she retorted.
"I've had it!" Alison exclaimed. "I'm not going to put up with your selfish, lazy attitude this summer. "
"No one's asking you to," Jessica snapped. "Why don't you quit being so bossy and just leave me alone?"
"Me, bossy?" Alison yelped. "Who's the one who forced me to come here this summer?"
"What else were you going to do? Sit at home the whole time? If it weren't for me, you'd never do anything with your life. Of nothing exciting's happened to you before, it's your own fault. You're the most boring person on this earth."
"And you're the most selfish, unreliable sister imaginable." Sparks shot from Alison's eyes.
"If that's the way you feel, then why don't you just go back home?" Jessica yelled.
"Maybe I will," Alison retorted hotly.
"Fine. That's just fine. So go running home, and just leave me alone." Jessica whirled and stormed out of the room. She needed to get away from Middleton Place. At least, away from her room there. She felt like she was suffocating. Normally she might have cried after a fight like that, but she was too angry. Selfish? Unreliable? Jessica fumed silently as she stomped outside and through the garden. It was dark now and she could hardly see but who cared?
Still furious, Jessica walked straight into something solid. She jumped back, feeling an odd sense of déja vu. The feeling strengthened when she realized it was Tavington.
"Hey, watch it," he said.
Jessica opened her mouth to retort, but instead she was horrified to find herself burst into tears.
Tavington stared. Mortified, Jessica shrank back and dropped down onto a small stone bench and hid her face with her hands.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Tavington asked. The concern in his voice just made her cry harder.
"Jessica?" he inquired. He sounded kind of uncomfortable.
"Just leave me alone," she snapped, but her words were garbled with tears and muffled by her hands.
"I'm not just going to leave you blubbering on this bench by yourself. You might as well tell me what's bothering you," Tavington pointed out.
"Like you care."
"I do," he insisted. "Come on, Jess, tell me what the problem is."
She removed her hands and looked up at him. He was seated beside her, and he looked even more handsome in the moonlight than he did in the sunlight. What added to it was the new softness in his expression and the small, reassuring smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She'd never seen him with a genuine smile before. He wasn't wearing much of one, but it was a preview of the beautiful smile she suspected he had.
"It's Alison," she said finally. "We had the most horrible fight. I said such terrible things...but she did too, it's not my fault. But, oh, what if she was right? What if I am selfish and self- centered? She must hate me. I bet everyone does!" She burst into tears all over again.
"She doesn't hate you, Jess," Tavington said, touching her shoulder. The touch sent a tingle down her spine and she jumped, surprised.
"Yes, she does," she insisted. "Colonel Tavington, it was just awful. She was so mad at me, and in return I got mad at her. I called her the most boring person in the world, and she called me the the most selfish, unreliable sister ever. Among other things. Now I've lost my twin sister, as well as my best friend. It's not like I don't have other friends, or even another best friend," she added, thinking of Kata. "But Al and I have this special twin bond that no one else can understand unless they are a twin themselves. And now it's broken and nothing will ever be the same."
"I'm sure you've had fights before. You've known each other for twenty years," Tavington pointed out. "And they've blown over. As this one will."
Jessica considered that. Yes, she and Alison had fought before. It was only natural for sisters to get into arguments. They'd even had a few really bad ones. And they had eventually been resolved.
"Do you really think this will just blow over?"
"You'll laugh about it one day," Tavington promised. He grinned. "And anyway, Alison should be grateful to have you for a sister. She doesn't appreciate what she has. Anyone would be thrilled to have a great twin sister like you. She should count her blessings."
Jessica nodded and then she suddenly laughed.
"What?" Tavington asked.
"It's just, I can't believe you're actually out here trying to make me feel better. I need to write this down."
Tavington smirked. "Mark the time."
Jessica laughed again and he laughed with her. There it was. The first, full genuine smile she'd ever seen on him. It was as beautiful as she imagined.
Jessica realized what had happened. She'd had the whole fight with Alison in the first place because she'd wanted to talk about her confusion about Tavington, and now here she was, in a dark garden with Tavington, having him console her because she'd had a fight with Alison. The irony wasn't lost on her.
"Are you okay now?" Tavington asked her.
Jessica nodded, getting to her feet. "Yes, I think I'm okay." She coughed. "Um, thank you, Colonel Tavington. For talking to me and everything."
He shrugged. "Don't worry about it."
She gave him a half smile. "Well, maybe we can be friends," she said.
He returned her half smile. "Yeah, maybe. And wouldn't that be something."
"Yes," she siad softly. "Yes, it would."
Jessica watched as the rain poured down. She was glad it was raining. The dark, cloudy sky suited her mood, and the rain had been coming down in buckets all morning. She sat in the window-seat in her room, watching the rain form puddles in the thick grass and drip down from the trees.
"Miss, you've been here all morning," someone said. Jessica turned towards the doorway and saw Rose standing there, looking concerned. "Are you all right?"
Jessica smiled faintly at the other woman. "I'm fine, Rose," she lied. "I enjoy watching the rain. It's so pretty."
Rose raised her eyebrows and brushed a red curl off her forehead. "You're one of the few people I've met who enjoys this miserable weather," she said. "Personally, I prefer sunny days."
Jessica shrugged. "Rain's nice." She didn't say anything else and instead turned back towards the window. She knew she was being cold, but she just wanted to be left alone.
Fortunately, Rose took the hint. "Well, I'll be around if you need anything," she said, and then disappeared.
Jessica sighed. It had been three whole days since her fight with Alison. They had yet to make up. Instead, they'd avoided each other at all costs. And not only was Jessica lonely, guilty, and regretful, but she was also incredibly bored. It was no fun to do things by yourself, especially if you were doing them by yourself because your twin sister was mad at you.
Jessica hated to be depressed. She prided herself on being upbeat and cheerful. Sitting around feeling sorry for herself was not high on Jessica's list of favorite things to do.
This was ridiculous. She hated fighting with Alison. One of them had to make the first move towards making up, and Jessica decided it might as well be her. When she thought about it calmly, she realized that Alison did have a right to be mad. Jessica was always pouring out her stories or problems to Alison. Alison always listened, but it never occured to Jessica that Alison might not enjoy playing the listener. And Alison did have a right to be excited about her relationship with Matthew. Being in love was fun and exciting, especially with someone sweet and charming like Matt. After all the listening Alison had done for Jessica, Jessica should have put her own problems aside and been there for Alison. Looking back now, Jessica realized that she had acted like a selfish, spoiled brat. So it was up to her to apologize and make things right.
It was fine to realize this. The hard part was actually apologizing. Jessica had a lot of pride. It wouldn't be easy for her to just admit that she'd been spoiled and selfish. She knew she had to do it. But just not right away.
She needed a distraction. Getting up from the window seat, she went over to the mirror and brushed her long golden hair. Then she applied a new coat of burnt rose lipstick, put a little blush on her cheeks, and gave herself a smile. At least she looked good.
Turning on her heel, she walked from the room and went down the hall. Then she stopped, frowning. Okay, she needed a distraction. The problem was, there was nothing she could do to distract herself. She obviously couldn't go outside. And there wasn't much to do inside.
Great. So she was right back where she started from.
Footsteps were approaching from behind her. Jessica turned and saw Tavington enter the hallway. He looked incredibly handsome. Jessica felt her heart jolt a little, and butterflies formed in her stomach. Definite signs of attraction. Damn. Why did he have to be so handsome? It would be much easier to hate him if he were ugly. But no, he had to go and be good-looking too. How fair was that?
"Hello, Jessica," he said with a small smile. Then he tilted his head. "Or are you Alison?"
"Jess. You had it the first time."
"Ah." He nodded. "If I may ask, what are you doing just standing in the middle of the hallway?"
"Nothing."
He smirked. "Well, obviously."
"I can do without the sarcasm."
"Sorry." He sighed and gave her another smile. It was strange. Ever since their encounter in the garden, he had been a lot nicer to her. She wished he wouldn't be. If he had to be handsome, he could at least keep on being rude. But now he was nice and handsome. And she was attracted to him. She must be under some sort of curse or something.
They stood there together for a moment. Jessica spoke, more to break the silence than anything else. "Well, we're sure having rotten weather, aren't we?" Nevermind that she liked the rain.
"I sort of like it," he told her.
Her eyes widened. "You do?"
"Well, yes. I love nature. And we need rain to survive, of course, or everything would dry up. But a good rain makes the world seem fresher, more clear. Do you know what I mean?"
She did exactly. "I wouldn't have thought you the type to enjoy nature," she replied instead of agreeing with him.
He looked sheepish. "Well, I do. The birds, the trees, the grass and flowers and sunshine...it makes a person happy to be alive. It's peaceful, and beautiful. And even if everything else is going badly, sometimes I just sit and breathe the fresh air, and admire the sun shining on some pretty flowers, and listen to the birds sing, and I'm happy to be alive."
She just stared at him. She did the same thing sometimes. But what blew her away was the way he talked about it. His eyes lit up and sparkled, and his voice wasn't so rough, but it was animated. And he was revealing a side to himself that she didn't think existed.
"Have you ever seen the ocean?" she found herself asking.
"Of course. When I sailed here from England."
"Besides that. I mean, have you ever sat on land and looked out at the ocean? Have you watched the waves and seen the seagulls? Sometimes I do. Charles Town is not far from the ocean. I love to just sit and watch it."
"I never have," he said. "But it sounds like it would be nice."
"Oh, it is. What's especially beautiful is sunrise," she told him.
"Really?"
She nodded. "Yes. If you're going to watch a sunrise on the ocean, you have to get there when it's still dark out. And then you sit and watch. The sun appears and it's like a giant, orange ball in the sky. And the sky changes from dark, dark blue to lighter shades of purple and violet, and then pink, and as the sun continues to rise it casts a golden glow on the clouds and makes the ocean sparkle. Its so beautiful."
Now it was his turn to stare at her. She blushed under his scrutiny. "What?"
He shook his head. "Nothing. I'm surprised, that's all. I wouldn't have thought you would enjoy sitting and watching the sunrise."
"And I wouldn't have thought you would like the rain either, so I suppose we're even."
He grinned. "Suppose so."
They both laughed, small gentle laughs. Then Tavington said, "Let's go outside."
She blinked. "Outside?"
"It's not raining that hard. Don't tell me you've never gone outside in a rainstorm."
She smirked. "Actually, I have. I used to all the time. Whenever it would rain I would dash out into the streets and play in the puddles and become a frightful mess, but I had fun."
He took her hand. "So let's go have fun."
"Tavington!" she protested as he began to gently pull her towards the stairs. "This is crazy."
"Come on, live a little, Jess."
"I do live," she informed him, struggling but not trying too hard. Despite her protests, she really didn't mind the idea of going out in the rain with him. This was exactly the distraction she needed. Besides, she was enjoying talking to him. She enjoyed his company. Perhaps there was more to him beneath his arrogant exterior.
They made their way out a back entrance where no one would see them. Almost immediately she was hit with cold rainwater. She shrieked and jumped back towards the door. "Forget it," she said.
"I don't think so." He took her hand again and pulled her out away from the door. It was raining harder than she had thought and in moments they were completely soaked. Shivering, Jessica wrapped her arms around herself and glared at Tavington. "My hair will never recover, I hope you know," she informed him.
"So who wants nice hair anyway?" He grinned at her and looked up, the rain splashing on his face. It reminded her of the time she had walked in on him in the bathroom, and the thought caused her face to heat up in embarrassment. But it also sent tingles up and down her spine and she shivered again, though this time not from the cold.
"So we're outside," she stated. "What now?"
"Now we have some fun." He grabbed a branch from a nearby tree and shook it, sending droplets of water splashing on her. She shrieked again and yelled, "You're not going to get away with that!"
"Oh yeah?" He smirked. "What are you going to do about it?"
"This." She jumped into a puddle in front of him and sent muddy water all over his uniform. She burst into giggles, even though she had probably just ruined her favorite pair of shoes.
"You're going to pay for that."
"Oh, I'm so scared," she taunted him.
"You should be." He grinned evilly and bent down. Then he scooped up water from the puddle with his hands and proceeded to splash her.
"War!" she cried and within moments they were engaged in a water fight, using any and all water against each other. Yelling and laughing, they chased each other around, flinging water and dodging shots. Jessica couldn't remember when she had had more fun.
Jessica hid behind a large tree and looked around. Tavington had disappeared. She narrowed her eyes and searched, just waiting for him to pop up and splash her. He didn't. "Hey," she called. "Are you out there?"
No answer. Jessica straightened and stepped out from behind the tree, looking around in confusion. Where had he gone?
She heard a yell and then the next thing she knew, he had tackled her from behind. She was caught off guard and went stumbling forward, and together they collapsed onto the muddy, wet grass.
She shrieked with laughter. "Tavington!" she managed to say, wiping her eyes. "What did you think you were doing?"
"Scaring the daylights out of you," he replied. "Did it work?"
"No." She grinned at him. And then she suddenly realized how they had landed. She was lying on her back in the grass, and he was slightly on top of her, but really more beside her. But they were so close that she could hear him breathing and feel the pound of his heart. She looked into his eyes, marvelling at how blue they were. He was so handsome. And today he had been so different from the Colonel Tavington she thought she knew. He wasn't the cold, hard, arrogant leader of the Green Dragoons, but rather he was a laughing, joking, fun person. Someone she was enjoying being around more and more. Someone she wished would just lean down and kiss her already.
He seemed to read her mind. He stroked the side of her face with his hand, and then leaned down and touched his lips to hers. His kiss was gentle at first, and she enjoyed the feel of his soft, warm lips against her own. Then the kiss deepened, and his mouth devoured hers hungrily, as if he couldn't get enough. Jessica melted at the sensation of his delicious kiss and returned his embrace with the same ardor.
Finally Tavington pulled back, out of breath. He stared down at her, his blue eyes on fire. He ran a finger along her cheekbone and she gave him a teasing smile.
"Why, Colonel Tavington, I believe you're trying to win me over," she said.
He grinned. "Is it working?"
She lowered her voice. "I'll let you know...later." Then she promptly flung some mud at his face. They burst out laughing and Jessica jumped up.
"I'll get you for that," he said, following her. And their rain fight continued.
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