FIC: Dressing the Part [Blackadder Goes Forth]

[darktrent182]

Title: Dressing the Part
Fandom: Blackadder
Characters: George Colthurst St. Barleigh, Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, Bob Parkhurst
Prompt: #056. Breakfast
Word Count: 1,045
Rating: G
Summary: Bob and George meet for the first time since George has returned to the trenches.
Author's Notes: Prompt chosen by hannahrorlove.

***

Important things happened over breakfast. It was the most important meal of the day, after all. And then there was the first cup of tea, the morning paper, the sunlight after the darkness. All sorts of things happened.

What George hadn't thought of was his first wake-up call not delivered by a gruff, irritated voice.

George blinked, and then realizing that he'd put his wig on the bust of some general or another to make sure it kept its shape, he got out of bed and put it on carefully. Grabbing the dressing robe that he'd managed to scrounge up somewhere, he cleared his throat.

"Come in."

The door opened, and George was rather shocked to find Private Parkhurst, Melchett's personal driver, come in, carrying a tea tray.

"I say! Bob, is that you?" George blinked.

Parkhurst lifted her head, and blinked back. She looked ready to speak, but she set the tray down on the table next to the window and opened the door, thrusting her head out into the hallway and looking both ways. Closing it after her, she turned to George. "George?" she hissed.

George nodded. "Snakes alive, Bob, it's dashed good to see you!" He beamed at her.

"When Melchett said that Georgina had returned, I almost didn't believe him." Bob said quickly. "What are you doing here as Georgina?"

"Ah, well, bit of a long story that." George shrugged. "But, come! Sit down, have a spot of tea with me."

Bob sighed, letting herself be ushered to the table while George poured the tea carefully. "Thank you."

"Not at all," George waved a hand dismissively. "So, what's been happening since I've been away?"

Bob shook her head. "George, I really can't stay long." She sipped her tea carefully. "I'm to chauffeur the general to another meeting soon." She reached into her jacket and pulled out a worn-looking pocketwatch. It opened with a click, and she frowned at the time. "About twenty minutes or so, actually."

"Another meeting?" George frowned.

"Seems that the Germans've gotten quiet recently, and all of the generals and colonels are in an uproar because none of our spies have reported anything back to us about why."

"Rotten luck, that," George said sympathetically. "But you can stay for tea, can't you?"

Bob nodded, and then looked at George more closely. "You had better get ready for the day. I expect Melchett will be by before he heads off for his meeting."

George blinked. "He will? Oh, dear, that's right." He took a quick sip of tea before sitting down in front of the mirror. "All of this make-up and such is a rather bloody nuisance. It's a wonder ladies ever wear it at all."

Bob nodded, taking a sip. "I'll stay outside, then."

"You don't have to," George protested. "I've rather missed having company."

Bob shook her head. "You're a lady now, George. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to be here with you alone unless I'm delivering a message, or something of that sort."

"Oh." George visibly wilted. "Well, all right, but I shan't take long."

Bob nodded and headed outside. Just as she closed the door, she opened it again and poked her head through. "Oh, and George? Put on the dress before you put on the make-up. Otherwise, you might have to put it on all over again."

"Right." George nodded intelligently, and the door closed again, leaving him alone.

Luckily for him, the jerries had been thoughtful enough to provide some nice-looking dresses for him to wear, including a nice light blue one that George rather fancied brought out his eyes. Since he'd worn that at the ball a few nights previous, he put on a light yellow one that looked rather sunny.

He was just about finished with the make-up when someone knocked at the door and Bob poked her head through. "You almost finished?"

George nodded. "Just about. I just have to put the finishing touches on the make-up." He looked into the mirror and sighed. "Then again, I'm doing a cock-up job of it, I'm afraid. I could never figure it out."

Bob frowned at him, and then walked in, closing the door behind herself. When she got closer to him, she sighed. "Here, let's see what we can do about the make-up."

George blinked, a bit surprised by the brusque manner with which Bob started in on his face. "Oh!" She attacked his lips with a wiping rag, and for once, George kept his mouth shut.

"That's the thing with men," Bob muttered to herself. "You always think women cake it on, and that's not it at all. You want to go for light and natural. Close your eyes."

George did as she commanded, but frowned a little. "How do you know so much about make-up?"

"I've three sisters at home," she lied easily enough. "Stop frowning, or I'll mess up."

"Oh," George replied, smiling a little at the obvious answer. "Well, that explains it. I don't have any sisters myself..."

Some face-turning, light touches and a command here and there later, Bob said, "There! Much better. See for yourself."

George opened them, finding himself looking in the mirror and...

"By Jove, you work miracles!" George blinked a few times at himself, surprised at how pretty he looked. The rouge was much lighter, giving him a delicate-looking sort of blush, and his lips were pink-red. The eye-shadow, which had always given him a bit of trouble, was light, making his eyes looked so much bigger and more attractive.

"Oh, it's nothing, sir," Bob replied, smartly putting away the lipstick and rouge.

"No, really," George protested, looking at her. "This looks much better. Thank you."

"It's no problem, really." Bob smiled. "Now, you'd better find your shoes. I suspect the general's going to want to drop by any moment." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the pocketwatch again. "Make that five minutes."

"Right." George nodded distractedly, looking around on the floor. "I'll have them on in a moment."

Bob nodded and headed out the door. "I'll knock if I see him coming."

"Thanks." He flashed her a smile, and when the door closed, he looked around the room. "Now, if I can just remember where I put them..."

END