The Colonel

Captive

I left Cornwallis's office and made my way to the staircase, still fuming from the conversation about my brutal tactics against these colonists. Thinking back to the girl I found it very curious that no one even batted an eye or had the slightest thought of her being a spy. I walked down the hall to my room and noticed the door to the room next to mine open. Magnificent, they put that traitorous wrench in the next room from me. She shouldn't be up here but down in the cells with the other prisoners. I hadn't realized that I had stopped in the doorway to the room filled with burgundy and gold, the girl lifted her head to look at me as the Doctor cleaned out her wound on her head. Our eyes locked for a moment and I let a thought of concern run through my head. A thought that should not have had. As i looked upon her a look came over her face as if she had found me desirable, but then a look of nervousness replaced it. The desirable look confused me and I'm not one who likes being confused. Must have been a trick of the light. As for the nervousness.... She must be nervous of being found out and charged as a spy. My suspicion of her grew as I left the door frame and walked into my room slamming the door.

Pulling the chair away from my desk to take off my riding boots when my thoughts drifted back to the girl. I'll get her to admit to me and the General of what she truly is. Standing up to change from dinner my thoughts drifted to ways to get the truth from her when the smallest speck of doubt entered my mind. What if she was telling the truth? If she was then what truly happened to her.

Leaving my room I made my way down the hall. I hoped that dinner would be a rump roast. Down at the camp the food was almost inedible. As I passed Anastasia's room the door had not been shut properly. I caught a glimpse of the girl being helped into a light pink dress appropriate for dinner. I went to turn away and close the door so no one else might see her in a state of undress when I saw the state of her back. There were bruises scattered all over her, some were obviously from a man's fist others looked like they had come from a belt or a whip of some sort. What on earth..... It looked like she had been treated like a ragdoll. I became very irate at the thought of someone hurting her before I stopped myself. This girl means nothing to you William, except to get any information that she likely had about the rebels. I reached the bottom of the stairs as I heard footsteps coming down behind me. Turning around I saw the girl. Our eyes connected once again and gasped as she tripped. Before she could hit the stairs I had rushed over and had caught her. Both of us froze and I was able to take her features in for the first time. She was rather pretty for a colonial. Her hair was deep red and her eyes were a bright greenish blue that I could get lost in. my eyes flicked down to her lips....... Get a hold of yourself William. My eyes grew cold. "Be careful" I said harshly as I let go of her firmly at the bottom of the stairs. She looked at me, her eyes flashing in anger. "Thank you for helping me Colonel. And there's no need to be so rude.Why do you even concern yourself with me being careful?" she said pushing by me. How dare she speak to me in such a way. She will pay for that when I pull information out of her. After a moment I followed her to the dining room. The only available seat was next to that uncouth girl.

POV Anastasia's

The dinner was lovely except that for some reason unbeknownst to me the Colonel kept looking at me and of course I had to sit next to him. What was that moment over by the stairs? One moment he was catching me and couldnt take his eyes off me. The next his eyes were ice cold and snapping at me. He was so hot and cold. Why does he keep looking at me? I turned to look at him to find he was looking at me again. Suddenly he stood up.

"I apologize General I have some business to take care of back at the camp. I shall take my leave." He bowed and left. I watched him disappear around the corner of the hall.Ok what the hell was that about? He must despise me. Not that I really cared what he thought of me. When I was back at home I was infatuated with him, but now that I met the real Tavington that faded away and formed into extreme dislike. After each interaction I had liked him less and less. It must have been only his look that I liked. I mean even in the movie he was an ass. I excused myself claiming that I was feeling unwell due to my injuries and I retired for the night curtsying toward the Lord General and General O'hara. As well as saying a quick good night to Mary and I headed up to my room.

After a few minutes I heard a soft knock on the door.Mary poked her head into the room. "Anastasia? Are you ok? That tension at dinner between the colonel and you was stifling to say in the least." Walking further into the room she closed the door behind her and looked at me questioningly. "Did something happen between the two of you before dinner?" Shaking my head I started to loosen up the back of my dress, It was digging into the bruises on my back. As I was doing this Mary went to the large dresser and picked up a night dress. After struggling with the ties and only making the pain worse Mary came over and assisted me. "Your back!" She exclaimed, the back of the dress falling to the side. "Did he do this?" I turned and saw anger in her eyes and she was clenching her fist.

"Mary I know that he can be brutally cruel, but know he did not do ths. Although pushing me against the tree did not help." I slid out of the dress I was wareing and into the night dress. Why does everything here fit me so wellI? Her anger lessened and we sat next to each other on the bed. Singing i began to explain what happened before dinner. "I tripped down the stairs before dinner and the Colonel caught me." Mary's anger completely finished and turned in to a look of curious confusion. It was clear to me that the only things mary thought about Tavington weren't very pleasant. " Mary you should have seen the look on his face. He was about to kiss me, im sure of it. I don't understand why. Its clear to me that he absolutely hates me. He thinks im a spy for the rebels he could care less if i die in this war." She smiled gently and looked just as confused as I was.

"You must be very careful around him. Do everything you can to gain his trust and show him you are not a spy. And as for him almost kissing you well.... Maybe he isn't as cold as stone as I believe." She squeezed my hand and stood up. "It's getting late. I'll let you rest you have had quite the day." Releasing my hand she walked over to the door. She turned back to me with her hand on the door knob. She smiled. "I can already tell that we are going to be great friends! Sleep well Anastasia." She left and I pulled back the very cozy burgundy comforter and sheets, climbed into bed and blew out the candle on the bedside table, Falling asleep immediately once my head hit the pillow. My dreams were filled with one thing.......the Colonel,s blue eyes.