Peggy

"...Peggy, of course. She's not boring!"

Esther sniffs haughtily and looks away; Alice just rolls her eyes at her and scampers off to find Peggy. Once they're bonneted and have their gloves on, they set out for town - which, from Wimbly Place, means a short walk into Highbury. They gossip and giggle on the way into town, and Alice squeezes her older sister tight to her. Peggy's always good for a chuckle; she doesn't get in the way of what Alice likes the way some people - like Anne or Esther - do!

The girls find their way into the main attraction - Mrs. Wagaton's Hats, Bonnets, and Sundries - quickly, and begin to gasp with delight as they look over the assorted ribbons that have newly arrived for sale. The latest batch are all silk, and come in a wide and enticing array of colors: red, green, yellow, even orange. The girls laugh and chatter as they play with the new arrivals, testing them out against their skin and against their hats to see what looks best.

"I think this one would look well on you, Alice, would it not?" Peggy exclaims, holding up a scarlet ribbon.

"Not as well as that would," Alice says softly, eyes glowing. Peggy follows her gaze and gasps, giving her sister a little slap on the arm. Alice is gazing eagerly out the store's front window and across the street, where a small group of young men have gathered - clad in the coats of the British Army.

"Alice! You mustn't say such things," Peggy exclaims softly, but she giggles and draws close to her sister. "Which one are you looking at?"

"Him," Alice says, tilting her chin. "The young one of course, silly. No old men for me!"

Peggy squints through the window, then squeals quietly. "Oh, he is handsome!"

"No chasing him, Peg! I saw him first," Alice tells her breathlessly. The young man is good-looking all right, and Alice can feel her pulse quickening as she gazes. He looks very well in his red coat, and he can't be more than a year - maybe two - older than her. He's got long, well-coiffed blond hair, soft features, and the barest hint of a mustache. Though he's listening attentively as the older men talk, Alice sees him glance at some of the girls passing on the street from time to time. Which must, she's sure, mean he's looking for more entertaining company. And she could surely provide that!

As the soldiers disappear into the building across the street - a tavern known as the Horse and Falcon - Alice makes up her mind. "Quick, Peg, pick out whatever ribbons you want," she says. "We're going to meet those men!"

"Alice! You mustn't!" Peggy exclaims. Alice pays her no mind, however. Gathering her bundle of ribbons, she quickly pays the clerk and darts out the door, headed determinedly for the Horse and Falcon. Peggy follows behind her, wringing her hands nervously.

The inside of the tavern is poorly lit, and smoky from the pipes of the customers - almost entirely men - seated around it, laughing, joking, and playing cards or billiards. Alice slows slightly when she makes it through the door - she's never been in here and didn't quite expect it to be entirely men - but when she sees the group of soldiers sitting down at a table in the corner, she marches determinedly to the bar. Peggy darts through the crowd after her. A couple of the men drinking glance their way with interest, women being unusual, but none comment on them.

"A mug of ale, please," Alice says to the bartender, trying to sound more confident than she feels. The man shrugs and complies, then raises an eyebrow at Peggy, who's come to stand next to Alice. Peggy just shakes her head silently as Alice begins to sip her drink.

"We shouldn't be in here, Alice!" she whispers urgently. Alice licks the foam of the beer off her lips and stares daggers at her sister.

"You shouldn't be here, if you feel that way, Peggy," she says tartly. "I go where I please. Now, help me figure out how to approach those men."

"Approach them?! What on earth for?"

"So I can learn his name, you silly goose! How am I supposed to make him like me if I don't even know his name or who he is?"

"Well, I certainly don't know how to do anything like that!" Peggy looks away, pouting and blushing slightly. Alice rolls her eyes.

"Well, hang it, I'll just go talk to them. Here, hold my ale, Peggy." She thrusts the mug into Peggy's startled hands and strides toward the table, ignoring Peggy's frantic warning squeal. Peggy, for her part, looks around at the crowd, down at the mug in her hands, flushes, and takes a nervous gulp.

"Gentlemen!" Alice exclaims as she comes up to the table. The soldiers look up at her in surprise, though they look pleased. Now that she's looking at them more closely, she sees they're a motley bunch - though she still likes her blond. "It's always a pleasure to see men of the Army here. Are you stationed nearby?"

"Aye, not far," a dark-haired man in his early 40s says with a chuckle. "The garrison on Salisbury Plain."

"Oh, that's lovely! It's been so long since we had a regiment here; the garrison's been empty for some time. I'm glad to welcome you to Highbury."

"Indeed," says a grinning man with a lazy eye. "What's your name, lass?"

"I'm Alice. Alice Foxhaven. And that's my sister Peggy," Alice says, pointing to Peggy at the bar, who quickly looks away (and, not knowing what to do, takes another sip from the ale). "We're just so delighted to have you all here. They say the war in Europe might be ending soon; do you think you'll stay long?"

"A while, at least," says the soft-featured blond man she's been eyeing, to her delight. "Captain says that we're going to be training here for the next several months."

"I see! And what's your name?"

"Do you need it?" he asks, smirking slightly and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no," Alice says with a laugh. "But I admit that I would like to know it."

"It's Barnes," he says with a grin. "Private Barnes."

"A Private! So you have...ambition," Alice says, flailing slightly to figure out some way to flatter the enlisted man. Well, it might be true. Time to extricate herself, in any case. "Well, Private Barnes, gentlemen. I hope that we shall see you at functions around town, and I hope that if there's anything we can do to make your stay in Highbury more enjoyable, please do let us know."

"I can think of a few things," one of the older men at the table mutters as Alice turns to go, and the others laugh. Private Barnes catches her hand and pulls her close.

"Indeed," he says, "and if you're working up to a price, I urge you to name it. I think there's an alley out back here, but if you know the old goat behind the bar will allow it, I'm happy to have you get under the table and get to work, eh?"

It takes Alice half a second to work out what he means, and when she does, she gasps with fury and slaps him across the face. The other man laugh uproariously, and Barnes glares at her as he rubs his cheek, stung. "How dare you, sir!" Alice exclaims shrilly. Whirling, she retreats across the common room and seizes Peggy by the arm. "Come on, Peggy! We're leaving!"

"Oh, but I didn't finish - oh!" Peggy puts the mug hurriedly on the bar as Alice yanks her away. Most of the people in the bar are watching them with interest now. "Whatever is the matter?"

"Those complete fools thought that I was - ugh! It's too horrible. The utter beasts! And to think I gave that idiot private the time of day." Alice storms out of the tavern and down the street, with Peggy trotting to keep up. "Come on, Peg. Let's get home."

"Oh dear. You made rather a scene in there, you know."

"Oh, shut up, Peg. No one cares what soldiers think."

***

The next few days pass uneventfully (aside from Alice and Peggy's usual squabbles). That Saturday, though, as Esther is settling down in the parlor to read, she's interrupted by her father knocking on the door and poking his head in.

"Esther, m'dear - are you there? Ah, good. I have excellent news, my girl. You have a most unexpected visitor!"

Swinging the door wide, George steps forward, beaming, to allow in a red-haired young woman with green eyes who's dressed for traveling. Esther's book nearly slips from her fingers as she stands, stunned.

"Annalise!" she exclaims.

"It's me!" the redhead cries merrily, grinning. Esther stares at her unbelieving for a second. Annalise is an age-mate of Esther's, a girl with whom she was close all her life, until Annalise moved to stay with relatives on the Continent three years ago. Esther has missed her dearly, and she wants to run over and clasp her in her arms, now, but for a split second she hesitates - would that be appropriate, after all this time?