Wrapped in a Red Coat

1: Tea Party

I awoke to my body swaying as someone carried me. I feel warm and safe in these arms. Whose arms are they?. I opened my eyes to see I was in a man's arms. A man who was not my father. A man who I did not know but looked familiar. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Nanny's voice,

"Put her down on the seat, sir."

She had said "sir" with such disdain, that was unlike Nanny. The man set me down on the parlour couch and stepped away allowing me to see around the room. In the room stood my father talking to Samuel Hobbs in a rather concerned voice. I could barely hear their words, I only caught snippets like "is she going to be alright" and "does she do this often I need to  know before she comes to live with me". Live with him? Who was going to live with him? I gasped at the remembrance of my embarrassing display and of my father's announcement. My gasp brought about the attention of everyone in the room.

"Andria, are you alright my dear?" father said as he walked over to wear I was.

"Yes, Father. I was just overwhelmed by your news that I lost my wits and fainted."

"Dear child you mustn't scare us like that again. Unless you intend to put me in an early grave. And then where would that put us with the eminent revolution on its way."

"I'm sorry, Father."

"And I do not want to lose my wife before we are even married!" Samuel piped in.

That statement caught me off guard and had me thinking of what was to come. Was I to leave home? Was I to live with my new fiancé in his house across town? What of Nanny and Father?

"You will not be losing her. I won't allow it! You two shall have a grand wedding after we win our independence!" my father exclaimed cheerfully.

"Independence from what, sir?" said the men who had carried me.

"Oh curses!" my father mumbled. "Nothing Colonel Rolfe. I simply meant after we straighten out this whole misunderstanding between us colonists and Britain."

"Yes well I do hope this all gets settled before your dear daughter's wedding," Colonel Rolfe said casting me a sideward glance. "As for you little swallow, I hope that you learn to be more cautious about fainting and showing your tidbits to other men, for your fiancé's sake that is," he smirked at me.

My cheeks heated up at his comment.

"Now since my business here is done I must take my leave. Mr. Molineux, Mr. Hobbs, little swallow," he said as he walked out the door and out of the house.

"Thank the heavens he is gone. That man ain't right Mr. Williams! Something about that man makes me old Irish spirit quake, with what I don't know but ain't good," said Nanny walking over to Father.

"He is just doing what the King has sent him to do. It doesn't matter whether we like it or not. We just have to deal with the soldiers until we win the war. For now we pay no mind to Colonel Rolfe. Now Nanny watch over Andria while I'm out. For Mr. Hobbs and I have a very important tea party to attend."

The words "tea party" made my ears perk up.

"Father I would like to go to a tea party!" I said giddily.

My father looked at me with a look I could not discern. His face and Samuel's changed to one of joviality soon after. They both laughed and I could feel my face redden again. Were they making fun of me for wanting to go? Is going to a tea party too childish? No, no can't be even old ladies go to teat parties. I stood up straighter and raised my chin.

"What is so funny?" I asked rather haughtily.

My father stopped laughing and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry my dear but this is an all men's tea party. Perhaps Samuel can take you to a tea party next time. How bout my boy?" my father patted Samuel on the back.

"Yes, of course. Next time." Samuel said smiling down at me.

I huffed, disappointed that I would not be able to go to this tea party, but later on I found out it was better that I had stayed at home.

"Now Samuel we must be off or else we will miss all the fun," my father said quite joyfully as he headed toward the door.

Samuel followed soon after him and soon they too were out of the house leaving me, Nanny, and the servants alone. Seeing as I had nothing better to do I found myself my needle and thread and begin practicing my stitches by a window. I was contented sewing and humming the tune my mother used to sing to me as a babe. Not knowing of the storm that would soon come with the result of Father's and Samuel's tea party.