Shelter from the Storm

[li]

Thunder rolled in the distance as dark clouds began to block out the spring sky. A short figure dressed in men's clothes rode a bright chestnut horse through the forest. They were following a small trail that was relatively unused. From a distance, the person looked like a boy, maybe of thirteen years. But if someone got close enough to see the face below the wide brim of the hat, they would see it was a young woman.

Emeline had been traveling this way for nearly a month now, and she hated it. As the forest went from bright and sunny, to dark and foreboding, Emeline guided Penny into a copse off the side of the road. As she dismounted, her stiff legs buckled underneath her and she fell on her back. She groaned and Penny snorted. The mare nuzzled Emelines shoulder. The 17 year old sighed and rubbed the mares ears. "Thanks girl, I'm alright," she said and stood up, brushing herself off and beginning to pull Penny's saddle off.

Soon enough, it began to rain. The pair were partially protected by the trees, but as the wind began to pick up, it didn't really matter what shelter you were in. If you weren't in a house, you were soaked through. Penny began to shy and she was very agitated. Emeline grabbed her reins and tried to calm her, but it wasn't working. Penny had been through many storms before and hardly ever spooked. The young woman figured that meant the storm would get a lot worse then it already was. She quickly tacked the mare and led her to the road, getting ready to mount.

A large bolt of lightning struck the trees near by and Penny screamed in fear. She reared and took off, ripping the reins from Emelines hands. "Penny! Wait!" she shrieked and raced after her. The sheet of rain was so thick, she almost instantly lost sight of her. Emeline continue aimlessly running along the road. Earnest had trusted her with his beloved horse, and now she had lost her. She began to softly cry as she continued down the muddy road, calling Penny's name only to have the wind whip it away. She knew she had to find shelter, but she couldn't leave Penny out in this storm. She wouldn't.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

The storms on the continent were just another thing to add to Matthew's growing 'why I hate this damned place' list. And this wasn't just a normal rain storm, with a bit of hail thrown in for good measures - no, this was a full blown gale-force winds, rain whipping your face raw type of storm, the sort you didn't get back in England.

He was soaked. In fact, soaked didn't ever cover it. He was drowned. His clothes were drenched, his hair was plastered to his face, his boots had - somehow - succeeded in becoming waterlogged, and every so often he lost his footing as the road was turned to a slippery mudbath. He swore as he slid again, just about managing to catch his balance before falling flat on his backside. The few soldiers behind him seemed to be having just as much trouble.

Why, of all the officers in the entire regiment, they had to pick him to go and lead a small patrol of infantrymen out to scout, he had no idea. He was an Infantry officer, and the men he was assigned to were infantry soldiers, too - and yet here they were doing the job of the blood Light Bobs. His brother had probably put his name forward in the hope to get rid of him for a day or two, the bastard.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a copper-coloured horse bolted in front of the small group of soldiers, its nostrils flared, eyes white and ears flattened back against its head.
Matthew stopped fast, watched the horse gallop by, before running after it and managing to snatch up the reins. His feet scrambled against the bog underfoot, fighting to hold the horse until it finally stilled, tossing its head anxiously, its eyes still rolling in fear. He stared around at his surroundings - not that much was visible thanks to the sheets of rain drowning the landscape - to see if there was any sign of a owner looking for their lost animal, however no one was in sight. He frowned, perplexed, glancing at the soldiers following him. They shook their heads in response to his unasked question, and he sighed exasperatedly. God help anyone who'd been thrown in this weather. He supposed it was only a gentleman's duty to try and find them.

Leading the horse cautiously up the road in the direction it had bolted from, he cupped one hand to his mouth and shouted into the wind and rain; "Whose horse?"
He waited for a moment for a reply, before repeating the call, continuing to double back on the progress the small patrol had made. Unsure what to do, the regulars trailed after him, some of them taking up the shout as well.

[/size]

[li]

The storm was ripping the forest apart. Emeline herself had been pelted by hail, drenched in rain, blasted by wind, and nearly bowled over by branches that had been pulled from the trees. In only a matter of minutes, she felt like she had waged a war against Mother Nature. Her legs were aching from trudging through the mud and she had her arms closely wrapped around herself. She was shivering violently from the cold and knew she couldn't go on much longer.

When she was getting ready to give up and look for some sort of shelter, she heard a soft murmur. "Hello?" she called softly, standing in the middle of the road. The sounds grew louder and she heard voices coming closer. "Whose horse?" the voices called. It took Emeline a momen to realize that they could be looking for her and that they might have Penny.

In a burst of excitement, she rushed forward, running as fast as she could down the muck filled road. Her clothes were covered in mud now and her hair was plastered to her face, but most of it was still kept up in her soaking hat. When she turned the bend she nearly ran into a man with a red coat and Penny's reins in his hands. She gasped loudly in surprise in fear. Emeline was so happy to see Penny, but she was very frightened to see the small group of British soldiers. They all had weapons, and she had nothing to defend herself.

Emeline quickly looked down, hiding her face with the brim of her hat. She hoped the Tory hadn't noticed she was a girl. "That's my horse," she said in the deepest voice she could and Penny looked at her curiously. She raised her hand to lay a hand on the mares wet neck, trying to calm her but only feeling her tremble with fear. She herself was still shivering with the cold so the touch probably did little to calm the horse. Emeline just wanted to take Penny and continue on her way. She wanted nothing to do with these lobster-backs.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

It had felt like ages they'd been trudging along the track, although it had only been mere minutes. They had to squint against the rain to be able to see, and it was almost impossible to hear anyone with the wind snatching away any voice that might be responding to the redcoats' shouts. The Lieutenant could just make out a small figure heading towards them through the rain, sprinting along the track, though the weather kept revealing and hiding them from his vision.

As they came to a bend in the road, someone narrowly missed running straight into him, and he jumped back to avoid a collision, muttering a soothing apology to the horse he was leading as he accidently yanked on the reins. The stranger - who appeared to be nothing but a mere boy just entering teenhood - gasped. Matthew held out the reins clasped in his hand expectantly, the corner of his mouth twitching agitatedly when the figure ducked their head so their face was out of sight.

When the stranger confirmed their ownership of the horse, Matthew sighed exasperatedly. "In future, don't go out riding in this sort of weather. Are you a bloody fool?" He snapped, calming when he finally noticed the state the youngster was in. Both they and the horse were shivering, no doubt both with nerves and the cold, and he insantly felt bad for getting irritable with them. He glanced downwards subtly to try and get a better look at the stranger's face, drawing himself up to his full height with a sharp intake of breath when he realised they weren't, as he'd first suspected, a young boy, but a girl. And one dressed rather inappropriately at that. Still, he decided not to let on that he'd figured out. Obviously if the attempt at a deep voice was anything to go by, she didn't intend on him knowing her gender.

"Where are you headed?" He asked, casting a brief look over his shoulder at the dozen or so sodden men watching the pair, their teeth chattering quietly, a few of them stamping their feet to keep the feeling in them. "I can escort you if you like, to ensure you don't fall ill to any more...mishaps."
He smiled reassuringly at her, stroking the mare's face gently and feeling a short rush of relief washing over him when the horse started to finally settle, its eyes fluttering shut. Obviously, he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Whether they were a young boy or a grown woman, he was adamant to fulfill his duty to make sure they were safe and sound before leaving them. Besides, it would be something to talk about upon return to camp.

[/size]

[li]

Emeline was glad she had her coat on. Her clothes underneath were clinging to her figure, but the dark cloak hid her full figured form. She had no idea the man already knew she was a woman. When he tried to get a glance at her face, she drew her chin into her chest. At least Penny had settled slightly.

As he scolded her she scowled. He wasn't in any position to tell her anything, but before she spoke out against him, she realized it probably would be better not to. Her brother and her had been scolded by a neighbor of theirs after nearly drowning in a swollen river after the rains. It was only natural for this Redcoat to do the same to a young boy. It was a good thing she was rather short, or else this entire ruse would never of been possible to pull off.

"Where are you headed? I can escort you if you like, to ensure you don't fall ill to any more...mishaps." Emeline snorted. She quickly noticed the end of her cloak had mud on it and she quickly brought it to her face. She made it look like she was wiping her nose, but she really smeared the mud on her face to mask its more femenine features. She met the soldiers gaze with her fiery green eyes.

"To meet my brother, but why do you care?" she said and scowled at him. Emeline grabbed Penny's reins and moved to jump into the saddle. "I don't need any help, Im fine by myself," she said curtly. Emeline sneezed and shook her head. She had to get Penny and herself out of this rain before they caught their deaths.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

He managed to stifle the small smirk that threatened to spread across the officer's face when he noticed the scowl she was giving him for him scolding her. What else did she expect him to stay when a small cloaked figure nearly ran into him during a raging storm? 
No wonder we're at war with the Colonists, he refrained from shaking his head disapprovingly. They're too busy throwing caution to the wind and running off to perform their idiocies and heroics that they fail to see any logic.
He genuinely did want to help her - and not just for his own personal gain - but he supposed that given the way the Patriots represented the British, she'd probably expect him to assault or tax her before aid her. 

He held his ground when their eyes met, hers burning intently in contrast with his own cool gaze. Part of him - the part that wasn't soaked, tired and agitated - wanted to laugh at the idea that, perhaps, he'd had the luck to run into a little over-patriotic girl who resented nothing more than the thought of stumbling upon a band of redcoats. That, or she was just one damned rebellious, impudent adolescent - the sort who seemed keen on defying their parents' every word, and running riot across the country. Either possibility he found amusing, for whatever reason - the irony behind it all, perhaps?

"Why do I care?" He repeated her question. She sure had an attitude he thought as she snatched the reins from him. "Well, in case you'd failed to notice, I'm leading a patrol party. Generally speaking, the whole purpose of a patrol is to find out who's about and why; I'm merely curious why a boy such as yourself is stupidly riding cross-country giving the current circumstances."
He gestured to the dark, thundery sky over head, flinching as a raindrop hit his eye. It'd be best to leave her thinking he had no idea of her ruse, he decided.
"Is your brother aware you are galavanting around?" Matthew asked back, a tinge of sarcasm to his voice. He took back the reins as she hopped up into the saddle, having every intention of preventing her from riding off. 
"I insist," he persisted in response to her refusal, the tone of his voice clearly daring her to challenge him. He glared at her sternly, his hand still firmly gripping the reins close to the bit in the horse's mouth. 
The soldiers watched the pair anxiously, their hands resting on the cloth-covered locks of their muskets. They like as not wouldn't fire well, if at all, in this weather despite the precautions taken to avoid the weapons becoming useless. Not that they'd be needing them of course, although the stranger probably didn't know that. 

[/size]

[li]

This young man was very irritating. She just wanted to be on her way and find an inn or a farm somewhere that would take her in so she could dry off and get warm. Emeline sneezed again and sighed, glancing at the soldier as he grabbed Penny's rein. She patted the mares neck affectionately then dismounted. She wasn't planning on riding far anyway. It was too dangerous to ride through this mud.

"Is your brother aware you are galavanting around?" At this, Emeline looked at the mud. "No," she said darkly. The last she had heard of Earnest was that he was in Massachusetts. Where exactly, she had no idea. But she planned to start looking for him in Boston. She just had to get to him, but as hail began to mix with the freezing sheets of rain, she knew it would have to wait until the storm cleared.

A new wave of trembling shook her body and she moved close into Penny's shoulder. She looked up at this self-proclaimed leader of the band of lobster-backs. "Fine, if you want to help, you can point me in the direction of the nearest town," she said softly. Emeline hoped that this would get him to leave her alone.

As the other men handled their covered weapons, Em eyed them. She didn't have anything to defend herself with if they decided they didn't feel like dealing with her any more. Her only hope would be to jump on Penny and ride off as fast as she could. But would they let her go? After all, she knew they were here. And where one Redcoat was, there were going to be many more. If she found her brother, or anyone else in the army, she could tell them they were here. Emeline didn't know what use that information would be, but it was still information. A young boy near her families plantation had been shot because he stumbled upon a British camp. Would that happen to her now? She shuddered just thinking about it, and sneezed again in spite of herself.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

He smiled inwardly as she dismounted, assuming that was a sign of her surrendering and accepting his help. At her answer to his question he frowned, huffing in amusement.
"I'm sure he'd be angry with you if he found out about..." he indicated to her with his hand, his face screwing up slightly when he couldn't find the right words, "...this."


Everyone on the road, not just Matthew's new acquaintance, was covered in muck, soaked to the bone, shivering occasionally as their bodies tried to remain warm. Matthew considered offering her his cost for warmth and some form of meagre protection from the elements, but most likely she'd reject it anyway. Still, both she and the horse looked exhausted. He frowned, lost in thought momentarily. Animals, machines and women were very similar, he decided. In fact, the way you had to handle them was pretty much the same - a gentle, firm hand, a patient temperament, and optimism in the belief that they will do as you want them to without too much hassle. The only difference was if they backfired on you: a horse could throw you in a ditch, and guns could leave your ears ringing, your face black, and your hair burned, but women? They were the worst. What was the saying again; Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?

He grinned broadly when she asked him to point her in the direction of the nearest town.
"As a matter of fact, the nearest town is where myself and the men are on our way to," he couldn't disguise the amusement in his voice as he spoke. If she was trying to get rid of him, she'd have to do better than that. For one, he was adamant he wanted to walk her at least part of the way, simply because it would give him the opportunity to question her on who she was, where she was really going, and what she was up to. "Our camp is en-route to the town, set up on its outskirts. We can travel together, then," he announced, "you'll be perfectly safe with us, I assure you." He turned to address his men. "Isn't that right lads?"

Their sincere nods of the head were probably not very convincing at all, but that didn't bother Matthew.
"So," he smiled, turning the horse around and starting to lead it away. "Might I ask your name?"

So long as he had a hold of the mare, he was certain he had an advantage over the girl. He highly doubted she'd just run off and leave her pet, so with luck she'd obediently follow him until he returned her horse to her - which he would of course eventually do, though not until it became unnecessary to hold onto it any longer.
"I can get you a blanket or dry cloak at camp, if you so wish," he offered, not bothering to look at his temporary travelling companion. "That'll at least keep you warmer and drier 'til you find yourself accommodation."

The soldiers spun on their heels and followed him back along the mud road, rain droplets dripping off their noses, chins and hats. Matt gave them a quick once-over look. They had an extraordinary resemblance to drowned rats, he thought, and not just because they were a little wet.

[/size]

[li]

This? What did he mean by this? Emeline eyed him suspiciously and looked at his men. Did he know? And if he knew, did the res of them know too? As a gust of wind blew her cloak against her body, she quickly grabbed it and shook it, hoping it would look like she was getting some excess water off it. This whole situation was incredibly uncomfortable.

When he finished explaining about the town and where they needed to go, Emeline looked at him with disdain. Well that was jut perfect wasn't it? "Em-," she began to say instantly when he asked her name. "-merson... Emerson," she said quickly. It wasn't a first name, but it was the only thing she could think of. Her cheeks flushed, but luckily there was probably enough mud smeared on her face to hide the redness in her face.

Emeline was really unhappy that he kept hold of Penny's reins. She stood on the opposite side of her, clinging to her reins. After a few minutes though, she ended up walking on the other side of him since the rain had been blowing into the other side of Penny and she at least had a little bit of release from it on this side of the large mare. "I can get you a blanket or dry cloak at camp, if you so wish. That'll at least keep you warmer and drier 'til you find yourself accommodation." Why would he care whether or not she was warm? She shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself. "I'll be fine, thank you," she said, but her constant shivering probably told the man otherwise.

"So, what's your name?" she asked rather rudely, but she didn't care. She was cold, wet, and if he had any intention of killing her or running off with Penny, he probably would have done so already. Penny shied slightly as thunder shook the forest. Emeline moved behind the Redcoat to gently rub the mares neck and she cooed softly into her ear to calm her. She wasn't going to lose her again.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

He chose to ignore the look she was giving him and the men behind him. Perhaps this hadn't been the best way to highlight the state she was in. Perhaps pointing out she looked a state in the first place wasn't the smartest thing to do, either.

The weather appeared to be getting rapidly worse, and his eyes widened slightly as the wind snagged at the cloak the girl was wearing, flattening it against her. He had to bite his tongue to stop himself from laughing at her obvious attempt to hide her figure, instead looking away and pretending his attention had been caught momentarily by something else. For whatever reason, women attempting to pull of the ruse of being a male he always found funny - probably because, unless they had no curves at all, it was pretty damn difficult to disguise their body shape without piling on loads of thick clothes and giving themselves a sore throat trying to sound hoarse and manly.

Matthew smirked smugly at her apparent unhappiness at his offer. "It's only a short journey," he promised, glancing back at her when she gave him her name.
"Emerson," he said thoughtfully, before his eyebrows lifted in mock surprise. "Odd name for a girl, don't you think? What cruel parents you must have, calling you such a thing."
He looked back around to the front before he could catch her reaction, gently stroking the mare's soft muzzle absent-mindedly.
They were no longer walking into the rain, which made it significantly easier to see what lay ahead, though as of yet there was still no sign of the camp or the nearby town.

He shrugged indifferently when she insisted she was fine and didn't need him to fetch her any more laters. By the look of it, she was far from fine; shivering, sodden and most likely irritated by him insisting on helping her.
"Matthew," he answered her curt question, adding a broad grin for good measure. There wasn't any need for ranks and fancy titles in his introduction, he supposed - she likely didn't care, and he didn't want to intimidate her any further by making himself sound like someone remotely important...not that he was, anyway.

His grip tightened on the reins as thunder rumbled across the landscape again, the horse shying at the noise but soon calming as its owner comforted it. Matthew smiled.
"She's a very fine animal," he said, smoothing the mare's neck as well, "how did you come to posess her?"

A brief, white flash of lightning lit up the road, the ominous thunder following shortly after. Through the illuminated rain he could just make out the encampment agead, the tell-tale pale shapes of the tents and grey smoke from the snuffed-out fires standing out against the dark backdrop. The town was still not in sight, however.

"My father breeds horses," he explained, intending on keeping this Emerson's mind occupied with conversation until they reached the camp. "They were bred to be officers' mounts, most of them. It's almost funny to think that some of the ones I helped to train might be serving in this war at the same time as me," he paused, glancing at the girl before his nose wrinkled in disgust, "I only hope we're serving on the same side, if that is the case."

[/size]

[li]

As the weather grew worse, Emeline shivered violently under her cloak. She was soaked through and freezing cold. Another sneeze flew out of her head and she rubbed her arms to keep warm. The storm was only goin to get worse and she knew she had to find a place to dry off and keep warm until it was over. Em just hoped she would be able to make it to the next time.

When he made the comment about her name her face flushed bright red. He knew! He knew exactly what she was playing at! Emeline let out a shaky sigh, releasing the breath she didn't realize she was holding. She walked in silence for a while after that, keeping her eyes on the mud in front of her, but after he told her his name, she relaxed slightly.

"Emeline, actually," she said as quietly as she could while still being heard over the roar of the wind. "I guess it was pretty obvious." She was really embarrassed, but also angry that Mattew had discovered her secret. It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong. It was just easier and safer to travel as a man.

"She's a very fine animal, how did you come to posess her?" Emeline looke up at him when he mentioned Penny. The mare gently nuzzled the soldiers shoulder when he rubbed her neck. Emeline looked ahead to see a handful of shapes appear when the sky light up. It must have been their camp, which meant the town wasn't much further. "My father breeds horses. They were bred to be officers' mounts, most of them. It's almost funny to think that some of the ones I helped to train might be serving in this war at the same time as me. I only hope we're serving on the same side, if that is the case." "I didn't steal her is that's what you're implying. Penny was born and bred in Virginia, and she's my brothers horse. I'm just taking care of her while he's gone," she said furiously and sneezed again. She groaned and pulled her cloak closer to her, no longer worrying about her figure showing through the wet clothing. At least she had a drier set of women's clothes in her packs.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

A broad grin spread across his face when she gave him her actual name - not that it was far of her fake one anyway. He nodded sincerely, his lips pressed into a firm line when she dubbed it being pretty obvious that she was in fact a woman.
"You had me fooled at first," he admitted, "it was the fake voice and your other exaggerated efforts to disguise yourself that gave you away." He went quiet for a moment, before frowning, turning on her.
"Why are you dressed like that anyway?" He pried, sneering slightly. "On the run, are we?"

Sure, a man riding cross-country was less likely to be stopped, harassed and questioned than someone of the fairer sex - but at the same time, women were less likely to be suspected of being up to something than men. Generally speaking, spies were typically thought of being cunning, sly and masculine - not small, blundering and female. He shook his head, ridding his mind of the thoughts. What on earth was he thinking? She wasn't a spy. If she was, she'd probably have been a tad more enthusiastic about coming with him and engaging in conversation - after all, if she was working for the Patriots, posing as a damsel in distress to ease information out of British officers was a pretty damn good ruse to adopt, and acting frigid and cold would not get said officers to talk.

Matthew smiled as the mare nuzzled his shoulder. He was fine with horses on foot, even enjoyed their companionship - but long journeys in the saddle just weren't his thing. It wasn't that he wasn't accustomed to riding, because he was - it was just it wasn't the most comfortable of activities.

He held up one hand in subtle surrender when she snapped at him. "I wasn't accusing you of such a thing," he frowned at her, "just making conversation."
She sneezed again, still shivering and pulling her cloak around her in a feeble attempt to keep warm. He rolled his eyes, waved over one of the privates, and handed the horse's reins to him. He took off his pipeclay-white crossbelt, careful of the sword and scabbard attached to it as he passed that too to the obediently waiting soldier, then shrugged off his coat, holding it out to Emmeline.
"Put it on," he ordered. "It may be a bit big on you, and wet, but it'll at least offer you an extra layer of protection until I can get you something more suitable at camp."

The private walking beside him and holding onto the horse's reins handed back the crossbelt to the Lieutenant, who slipped it back on, adjusting it until it was resting in the right place.

[/size]

[li]

They were drawing closer to the camp, and now, Emeline could actually tell it was one. Men were ducking in and out of tents, hammering stakes further into the ground, and fixing tarps so that water drained off of them. She still couldn't see the town, and she dreaded making the end of her trip, but at least she could cherish the fact that it would be alone. That is, what she thought anyway.

Emeline watched the British soldier while he was explaining what gave her away. She paid close attention to his feedback so she could use it if she found herself in this situation again. "Why are you dressed like that anyway? On the run, are we?" Her eyes flamed for an instant, but she was to tired to make another fiery response. "A man can ride astride and it is seen as proper. It would be difficult to travel as I have sidesaddle," Emeline said. She was done toying with the Tory and wasting her energy being angry with him. He made no angry retorts, so she wouldn't waste any more on him.

The young woman walked silently from there on, focusing on the road ahead. The wind was continuously picking up and now the rain seemed to cut in sideways. It was coming down hard and hit bare flesh like ice. It was horrid. It was the worst storm she had ever seen, and she had seen some real squals. Emeline knew she would be hard pressed to find shelter and soon. She almost didn't hear what Matthew said, but she stopped dead in her tracks when he handed Penny's reins over to one of his men.

Emeline looked him in the eye and shook her head. "We're in the same storm," she shouted over the wailing wind. "I would not give you my coat, and you would not ask it of me. So why should I ask for yours? I'll be fine as soon as I get out of these wet clothes and sit next to a fire," she said. She continued forward in determination, against the wind, down the road to where she could get out of the wet and cold.

[Chørd]

`Matthew

As much as he didn't want to show it, or admit it, her stubbornness was really beginning to grate on his nerves. No, she hadn't asked for his help, and no it technically wasn't at all in his interests or his business to intrude on her personal endeavours and offer her assistance, but it was normally polite to accept help offered to you, and offer help to others in need. And she was in need. She may have denied it, but she looked a little worse for ware - just like everyone else caught out in the blunt of the storm.

He nodded at her explanation for her choice of clothing though. Reasonable, he supposed.

He glared at her furiously when she refused to take the offered coat from him, meeting her fiery gaze with his own. "I said; put it on," he repeated firmly. "I'm used to being out in all weathers, and I can rest assured that I have shelter waiting for me upon my return to camp. You, I highly doubt, can say the same. You're always shivering and sneezing, and quite frankly your incompliance is going to do you no favours at this moment in time," he snarled slightly, taking the reins back off the obediently waiting soldier, before dismissing him to rejoin his fellows behind. As she stormed off, all determined-like, Matthew hurried his own pace, the mare following him loyally.
"I won't ask you again," he snapped, thrusting his coat into her arms. He'd taken it off now, so even if she did continue to refuse to wear it, the least she could do was hold it over her head to block out the worst of the rain pelting her. His shirt was already thoroughly soaked by now, and sticking to his skin uncomfortably, and he'd be damned if he was getting even wetter and colder for it all to be for nothing.

He had no qualms about her allegiance, however, that was for sure. She was obviously a Patriot. She showed the tell-tale traits of arrogance, attitude and obstinacy that all other people of that side Matthew had met seemed to posess, and each one of those said traits was beginning to really irritate him.
Jesus bloody wept, and people had the audacity to wonder why England and her colonies were at war, instead solving all the problems with diplomacy?

[/size]

[li]

When his tone became stern, Emeline stopped in her tracks. They were a few mere feet from where he could go inside and get dry and warm, and he was arguing about her refusing to take his coat? She was just trying to prove a point, and since they would be going their separate ways here soon, what was the point of her putting on his jacket?

The young woman sighed and walked up to the man, swiping his coat out of his hands. "Red really isn't my color," she said and walked over to the chestnut mare. She rubbed her nose and draped the coat delicately over the shivering animals neck. "Penny, on the other hand, looks great in it!" Em said and sneezed. She groaned and grabbed a hold of Penny's reins, continuing forward in silence. She was tired enough trying to battle the storm, she wasn't going to waste more energy battling Matthew.

As they continued down the path and came up to the came, Emeline stopped. "Well this has been... interesting Matthew, but I believe this is where we-" she sneezed and shook her head, "part ways. Now if you'd be so kind as to give me back my horses reins, I'll be on my way. The inn in town can't be too much further, and I'll be able to change into some dryer clothes there." She jumped up into Penny's saddle and pulled her soaking coat more tightly around her, not worried about revealing her figure. Em grabbed the Tory's coat off of her horses neck and tossed it down to Matthew. She shuddered again, and sighed. She couldn't wait to get next to a warm fire and get some food in her stomach.

[Chørd]

Why was he bothering to help her? The ungrateful wench. He clenched his teeth angrily as she snatched the coat from his hands, rolling his eyes irritably at the mention of 'red not being her colour'. Well, it was hardly his either, and yet he still wore it. How had she not wound herself in trouble yet, with an attitude like that? She was lucky he was tolerant, and could see a bit of himself in her, else wise she might have felt the back of his hand by now. Certainly he knew a fair few other men who would have given her more than scornful words for her behaviour.
As she draped his coat over the horse's shoulder he shrugged, rolled his eyes upwards again, and continued on. Well at least someone was making use of it. He still kept a firm hold on the reins as the girl grabbed them too, shooting her a sideways scowl.
"Generally speaking when a gentleman offers you assistance, you are supposed to accept it gracefully, and do as he bid you," he snapped, not caring if his voice was heard over the wind or rain. It felt like he was talking to a brick wall in any case, so what difference would it make if she couldn't hear him?

They continued on until the camp was nearby, and Emeline stopped. Her mare stopped too, and so Matthew had to also.
As she sneezed again he raised an eyebrow slightly. If she'd had the sense to take his offered coat, she may well have kept herself a little warmer during their walk. But no, she had to be thick-skulled and stubborn.
"I know the town. I can take you to the inn and ensure you have a room paid for you," it was put across as an offer, but his expression would likely have been enough to tell her he wouldn't be taking 'no' for an answer. He was in no hurry to get back to camp. The men could retreat to their tents and rest up, but that wouldn't stop him being able to walk her.
"I insist," he added on before she could make any real protest, his eyes narrowing slightly as he did so. One of the soldiers beside him caught his coat as it was thrown down, then passed it to him. He draped it over his shoulders, returned to gripping tightly at the horse's reins, and waved the others off, intent on standing right where he was until this Emeline accepted his help.

[/size]