Roses of Stone

The dragoon unit, since his majesties army had pushed it’s way forward, traveled on the rode moving their camp and all of their belongings, as well as leading the rest of the forces. Tavington hadn’t said a word to anyone in two days. He either nodded or waved when he was addressing matters, and attended to his duties in silence.

It took nearly the entire day and partway into the evening to set up the new camps and to construct a perimeter and assign patrols and guard duties. A few of the men that had been assigned to find Katherine returned to camp with “Clues” that might get them some small piece of the reward. They were immediately sent to see Colonel Tavington and led through the camp, heavily guarded of course.

Tavington stood behind the table with a very stern and serious look, waiting for them to show what they had brought. Several objects were placed on the table, none of which held any resemblance of something that would be Katherine’s, until the last man put his on the table. Jeweled Combs, earrings, and . . . .Katherine’s wedding ring. Tavington’s eyes went wide as he snatched them up into his hand to look at them closer. Yes, they were Katherine’s. The ring he knew well, and the combs had her initials engraved in them. “Where did you get these.” He demanded still looking over the objects.

“In the pocket of one of the two dead Frenchmen we came across yesterday. Lots of hoof prints around them, and something looked like it was dragged after one of the horses for a while until the trail just stopped. Found some blood on some rocks. Best we can figure out is that they were jumped by bandits.”

Tavington rolled his eyes, “In other words, you found nothing but these trinkets and two dead bodies? Is that what you are saying?” He said giving the two men evil glares. They looked at each other before looking back at him.

“Well, we figured it was information that you would want, and maybe a little reward for recovering these things.” The man said bluntly, knowing it was pointless to mince words with the infamous Colonel Tavington. “We could have just taken off with them you know. After all, things like these would fetch a high price.”

“ENOUGH!” Tavington said starring at the two men, feeling rather insulted and angry at the way they spoke. “You think this is a game? Or a treasure hunt of some sort! A woman has been abducted and now she has been pulled out of the situation she was in making any sort of clues we had useless!” Tavington turned and threw a look at Borden walking away from the scene and returning to his tent carrying Katherine’s possessions with him. Borden walked to the men and paid them as they had been expecting before having them escorted out of camp.

Tavington went to his desk and opened the box he had been keeping Katherine’s picture in, along with a snip of her dress that had been recovered. He placed the objects inside but held onto the ring and looked at it closely. 11 years she wore it, never taking it off. Even though there were countless times that she could have and no one would have blamed her, not even him.

He slowly slid the ring onto his pinky finding it didn’t fit quite well enough to go all the way onto his finger. William pushed it as far as it would go before looking at it once more. She had to be alive; she was simply to strong to die. Perhaps not physically, but mentally she was more then capable. He blew out the candle and lay down on his bunk, to begin another night of restless sleep.

“Colonel Tavington.” Oh God, what now! “The Camp followers wish to be allowed entrance.” The voice said waiting patently for the order of what was to be done about the situation.

“Let the same one’s in from last night and stop pestering me!” He roared as he reached for his bottle and popped the cork taking a long drink. “Yes sir!” After a moment, Tavington took another drink from the bottle before calling out. “Have the one called ‘Tawnie’ report here immediately.” “Yes sir!” The voice came again before the solider hurried off. Tavington continued to drink, having every intention of finishing off the bottle before the night was over.

Katherine rode along in silence with the band of men who had captured her, with her hands tied tight to the saddle to make sure she wouldn’t try anything. She certainly looked like a rebel without her hair combed or washed in days. Yet since she was once again getting food and water she was looking and feeling a bit better then before. “Shouldn’t we be waiting until the morning to be traveling?” She asked with a sigh.

“It’s better if we travel at night, it’s easier to stay out of sight of British patrols. They have a tendency to sleep at night instead of going about on missions and such. Except for Colonel Tavington and the green dragoons of course. They seem to make it a habit to ambush the innocent at night.” Once again Katherine had to be careful how she reacted when she heard him speak of her husband, not wanting to give herself away.

“Shush.” The Frenchmen hissed at Katherine even though she hadn’t said anything since she asked her question. She glared at him feeling as though she should slap him or something of that effect. “Your talking is going to completely destroy the point of riding at night.” Benjamin kind of gave him the look of ‘calm down’ and once again they rode in silence. The Frenchmen stayed close to Katherine watching her like a hawk.

There was no light in the Colonels tent when Tawnie approached and ducked inside. It was so dark that she couldn’t see anything. “Colonel Tavington?” She whispered taking a few careful steps forward. Perhaps the solider who had sent her here was mistaken and Tavington had already turned in for the night or had gone somewhere else to see to war affairs. Yet something was making chills go down her spine, and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

Suddenly out of the darkness she felt herself being snatched and she almost screamed but a hand quickly clasped tightly over her mouth to muffle her cry. She found herself being pulled into someone’s lap and their arms encircling her and nearly squeezing the breath from her chest. Needless to say, she was beyond terrified. “Light the candle.” She was commanded.

Tawnie reached forward with her hands shaking and picked up the matches, striking one and lighting the candle. She quickly blew the match out as two strong hands instantly wrapped around her wrists causing her to drop the used match and the box. Slowly her arms were pulled down to her sides and she felt her hair being moved to one side of her neck. She shivered a little bit when she felt hot breath on her skin, and could smell the spirits that had been consumed. “Colonel Tavington . . .” She said in a quivering voice as her body shook from head to toe.

“Something you’ll learn rather quickly, Tawnie, is that I do not like conversation. You are only to speak when you are spoken to.” She bit her lip and shivered feeling as though this was some horrible dream. Tavington’s hands moved slowly up her arms to her shoulders and around to her back where her dress laced up and his skilled fingers made short work of the ties.

“Sir . . . I . . I . . .” She started to say but she quickly quieted when his hands squeezed her arms almost mercilessly to let her know she had all ready been warned once and would not be told a second time. Twine’s eyes closed tight and her body still quivered in fear. His hands continued their work and soon her clothing was being pushed down past her shoulders baring her skin.

“Do you have any idea, of the evils that are in the world?” He said as he slipped his hand down the back of her dress and caressed her soft young skin. “I have been called countless things, and even had everything I hold dear ripped from me.” His other hand moved to her hair and he slowly ran his fingers through it. It was soft, like Katherine’s. Tavington closed his eyes, and could imagine that this girl was Katherine and slowly pressed his lips to her shoulder, caressing her skin. William pulled her close to him, as he wished he could do with Katherine, and slowly slid his fingertips over her bare flesh.

Tawnie was nervous and she wished she had just stayed home, but his touches were so gentle and his kisses felt so sweet, she started to relax a little bit. He hadn’t shaved and the roughness of his face made her shiver a little as it moved over her skin. She felt as though she wanted to say something but bit her lip, knowing he had already given her warning twice over her. Reaching over to the table, he finished the bottle of alcohol and put down the empty container.

William pressed his teeth to her shoulder, and bared the rest of her body to his touch, still with his eyes closed imagining his lost wife and found a bit of comfort in dreaming she was safely in his arms once again. Tawnie remembered that the others told her that they all had to be out of the camp before dawn and before the soldiers began to wake up, otherwise there would be severe consequences to be paid, and she tried her best to keep that in mind. In fact she found herself wishing that dawn would arrive now. She felt his fingertips turning her face towards his, and he consumed her mouth hungrily.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of traveling, the band of militia stopped to make camp. Katherine was silent, as she had been through the night. After a few moments the Frenchmen came over and cut the ropes that kept her bound to the saddle and pulled her off the horse roughly. Katherine felt incredibly insulted and indignant about this and slapped him hard across the face. His look darkened as he grabbed a hold of her clothing and started to pull her with him. Once again, she smacked his arm away from her, refusing to submit to such treatment. His patients was growing short and he walked close to her, “If you think that I would hesitate in disposing of a troublesome demon like you for an instant, perhaps your not as intelligent as Benjamin Martin would like to believe.”

“And if you, good sir . .” She began sarcastically. “Believe that I am going to allow such treatment from an ill mannered Frenchmen, you are sorely wrong.” She said in defiance just as determined and serious as he was. She might be a prisoner, she might be on the British side, her husband might be a very disliked and well-known officer throughout the colonies, but she was not about to be treated like some criminal, or some sort of creature.

His eyes narrowed as he took a step towards here, “You are my prisoner and I am your captor, and I suggest you show the respect that such a position calls for. You are not some aristocratic hellcat here, and you are no more then a commoner such as you look down upon.”

“I’m not going to stand here and banter words with someone who is no more superior then a criminal himself. Manners are something that at least British are accustomed to and tend to give everyone regardless. Stand aside and let me pass.” His eyes narrowed and he began to move toward her again, but there argument came to an abrupt halt when the Colonel walked over.

“We’ll set up camp here. We’re near the river so the men and you Miss Katherine can wash and get cleaned up. Perhaps that way you’ll be more comfortable.” She threw a look towards Jean and followed after the Colonel. The major rolled his eyes and shook his head before he attended his horse and his own things.

“Here, this is a fresh pair of clothes, and some soap for you to wash up with. I’m afraid that someone is going to have to watch you since you’re most likely going to try and escape. Don’t worry, they won’t be standing where you can see them, or where they can see your . . . ugh . . . figure?” Katherine took the clothes and sighed shaking her head. “The river is down that way, there will be something for you to eat when you return.”

Slowly she moved down the path, feeling as though perhaps she would be better off if they just slit her throat now. Maybe that way, she wouldn’t be subject to this humiliation and possibly get swept up in some other periless, situation. When she got to the river, she found some rocks that might be suitable for a sort of changing room that would hide her from prying eyes. She climbed into the seclusion of the boulders and slowly slipped out of the filthy rags that she had been wearing, and then carefully slipped into the cold water. The current wasn’t to bad, so she wouldn’t have to worry about being swept away.

Katherine swam around a little bit, before taking the soap and beginning to wash all the dirt off from head to toe. Looking down at her body she frowned seeing where he did indeed sew up her wounds, and just by looking at the stitches, they were going to leave horridness scars. How embarrassing. Perhaps William wouldn’t notice them. Yet he had a tendency to stare and look at her body when he managed to talk her into slipping from her garments. Who knew what the reason was for why he did that. It always made her so uncomfortable and feel completely vulnerable.

After a while, she swam back to the boulders and stepped out, sitting down on one of them and squeezing the water from her hair. She began to comb it out with her fingers letting a few minutes pass so she could dry before getting into her clothes. When she finally did finished dressing, she picked up the old clothing and soap to carry back with her. When she climbed over the rocks she came a stop when she saw the one man she never EVER wanted to see. Especially alone with no others about. “Come to kill me when no ones looking I take it?” She said expecting to have hit the nail on the head. He said nothing and walked towards her, starring into her eyes for a moment. Katherine could read this look and started to walk past him.

However he reached out and grabbed her arm preventing her escape. Katherine took a breath, knowing that more trouble was about to follow. “Is there something you want from me? Or do you just intend to slit my throat while out of sight of your commander?”

“You are such a perfect example of why these colonists are trying to break free of your countrymen’s terrene. You look down at others like they were born with no other purpose then to serve you.”

Katherine turned and looked at him, feeling an indescribable sense of outrage. “You know nothing of me, you only presume that I am what you have twisted and imagined me to be. When the truth is that you are more full of yourself then I.” The Major narrowed his eyes and started to squeeze her arm. Katherine grit her teeth together, “I did not kill your wife, nor did I order her death. If killing me will ease your conscience concerning your loss, then do so. Or stop pestering me constantly with your evil words and hateful glares.” He didn’t say anything and continued to look at her. Katherine had had enough of that and she rammed her heel down on his foot stunning him long enough for her to get away from him. She ran as fast as she could to get back to the encampment with the other men before he could catch up with her.

Early the next morning, Tawnie started to slip out of the narrow bed in Tavington’s tent. She knew that she had to leave but found it difficult to move with Tavington’s arm so tight around her. Sort of wiggling around she bit her lip trying to move.

“Tawnie . . . . Tawnie!” A voice whispered from outside the tent door. “We have to go! Hurry before the sun comes up!” Tawnie looked around before reaching up and tickling Tavington’s ear with her fingertip. After a moment he moved his arm from around her and swatted at whatever was messing with his ear. Tawnie moved quickly and fell out of the bed onto the floor. Reaching for her clothes she pulled enough of them on for modesty and carried the rest. Before rushing out of the camp with the woman who remembered to call her before leaving herself.

“Wait!” Tawnie said slowing down and starting to go back to the tent. “He didn’t pay me!” She said. However the woman ran after her and grabbed her wrist pulling her with her, “Just . . . get it from him tomorrow night, whatever he agreed to pay isn’t worth the beating you’ll get if you’re here when the soldiers wake up!” With that, they disappeared from the camp seconds before the sun came up..

The women sat near the river washing up from the night of work that had been finished and Tawnie sat by herself a little way from the others. “What has got her all starry eyed this morning?” One of the women said.

“Who knows, you would think she’d be in tears and running home by now. She spent the entire night with Tavington.” All the women gasped and looked at each other in shock, whispering among themselves. No one went to his tent unless they absolutely had no other alternative and literally forced, they had sent here there a few nights ago as a sort of joke that might scare her out of this profession.

Tawnie didn’t even pay any mind to their whispers and looked at her reflection in the water slowly combing her fingers through her hair. It wasn’t as bad as she thought it was going to be. He was so gentle, yet so passionate and vigorous, and he made her feel absolutely . . . beautiful. She had heard so many horrible stories about the infamous Colonel Tavington. But he didn’t treat her badly as they said he would, and it was hard to believe that a man like him would ever do the things that the other girls said he had done. Just thinking about him made her feel warm inside.

Katherine’s eyes opened suddenly when everyone was asleep. It was dark, quite a while after nightfall. Something seemed strange and she sat up slowly looking around. Everyone was asleep, and no one was awake watching her. Reaching over quietly she slipped on her shoes and silently rose from the bed she had made for herself and carefully moved out of the clearing and into the brush. She missed her son, and wanted to hold her baby in her arms again. Even if Katherine couldn’t seem to control her destiny or what goes on in her own life, she could keep him safe and warm in the arms of a mother who loves him. She couldn’t breath, for fear that someone might here hear, and she moved quite far from the encampment, at least that’s the way it felt.

However, when she relaxed feeling as though she was home free, she found herself standing face to face with the same one she had run into in a similar situation earlier that day. Katherine said nothing, having now given him a perfect excuse to kill her, trying to escape as she had been warned not to do. She just stood there, perfectly straight, ready to accept her fate. Yet, the Frenchmen didn’t move, or say a word in a malicious way. Instead he moved to a fallen tree and held his hand out, silently telling her to sit down.

Katherine of course, was hesitant at first but what else was there for her to do? Slowly and carefully she moved to the log and sat down. After a moment, he began to speak. “I wish to extend my apologies for my behavior earlier today.” He said simply. This was rather unexpected and Katherine had to have a moment to take it in. She simply nodded in acceptance even though she was a little confused about this sudden change of heart. “It’s been . . . quite sometime since I lost my wife. I’ve forgotten some of my manners since then I suppose.” He sat down next to her, but didn’t look at her as he continued to talk. “There is a fire in you, something wild and untamable. It frustrates me, and fills me with rage. Yet at the same time . . . .” He stopped there, realizing what he had almost admitted to.

Katherine was feeling very uncomfortable. “I know what it’s like to lose someone, and not have them really be gone.” She said trying to stop his line of thinking and the subject that was being tread upon. “I’ve been married to my husband for 11 years, . . . yet I never . . . had him in the first place. If that even makes sense.” The major looked at her for a moment. Katherine felt that overwhelming sorrow she was experiencing before she was kidnapped rising up once more. She shook her head, and looked towards the Major. “But, My son is nearly a year now, and he brings indescribable joy to my life. As though all that love I’ve missed in my life suddenly was found again. All the love that I’ve held inside for so long, surrounded and embraced him when he was born.”

“I’ve had children of my own. Two daughters, as beautiful as goddesses. Green eyes like there mother, and dark hair even softer then a rabbit pelt. They were absolutely radiant.” This was a sad subject for him and one he didn’t really want to remember right now. “Your husband. Do you love him as well? Like you love your son?”

Katherine didn’t know this man nor trust him enough to go into these sort of personal details. She just grew quiet and looked away. The fact is, she didn’t know the answer to that question. Their marriage just seemed to be one big collaborations of lies, mistakes, and misfortune. “He has . . . insatiable . . . appetite for things . . . that I suppose he can not find with me.” That was all she said, and it was clear she wasn’t going to say anymore on the matter.

“I think you may find that most men of your class tend to indulge in such things. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with you.” He said softly, still trying to make amends for his behavior.

“No, not to this extent. He can have any woman he wanted, and for years and years he’s wanted them all and took them whenever he felt like it. I’m not a fool nor am I blind. I know who he was with and when he was with them. They flaunted it in front of me as if . . . as if . . .” She stopped there, and swallowed the lump in her throat. It was easy to see that it was still an upsetting subject for her.

“Yes I understand. It doesn’t seem . . . like he cares for you enough to save you such humiliations by being more discreet.” He stopped when he looked at her, she definitely did not want to discuss this matter any longer. “11 years is a long time. How old are you? You look to young to have been married for such a spell.”

“I am 26, and you should know better then to ask a women her rightful age. He and I were married just a few weeks before I turned 16. It was a long time ago, and sometimes it feels like it never even happened at all. As though it was something like a dream.” She sighed a little. “So why are you here? Why aren’t you in France where you belong?”

He half smiled for the first time and cleared his throat. It was certainly a bold a straight forward question. “I came here to fight. After the British murdered my family, I joined the colonists in their struggle. I came over first as part of the Military, and then sent for my wife and daughters so we could perhaps find a new place to live and grow.” He looked at her, “And what brings someone like you to the colonies?”

“My husband. A military man for as long as I can remember. I came over to . . . I mean, I was hoping that I would find something here that I couldn’t find in England . . . but . . .” There was such a far away look in her eyes. The confusion that surrounded her waking moments, was still haunting her thoughts.

“Perhaps you should go back and get some rest. You seem rather tired, and it’s quite obvious that you can’t escape tonight. You don’t know the country and there’s quite a few dangers that I’m certain you have not encountered before.”

Katherine shook her head and took a breath before sighing deeply. “It would not do any good, I cannot sleep.” She narrowed her eyes, “I believe you may have something to do with that. There is something rather unappealing about having ones throat cut, while one is sleeping in the darkness.” He looked rather ashamed for a moment before looking up at her once more.

“I apologize for my behavior. You are simply . . . an exasperating woman to encounter.” Katherine had heard this more then once from several different sources.

“So I have been told. Many times. There is more of my father in me then I realize, and I think, perhaps his strong will was passed to me.” She sighed, “You know, I don’t think I know you well enough to be going into such private details, and after the scenes that went on between us today . . . it’s rather strange we’re talking in such a way at all.”

“I could not sleep either, and I watched you wonder away. I thought perhaps we could help each other.” Katherine looked at him for a moment. There was a strange feeling between them at the moment that was making her terribly uncomfortable. The even more disturbing fact was that it was mutual rather then one-sided. Who knew what was causing this.

Katherine stood up and cleared her throat, “I think perhaps your right, at the very least I could rest until morning.” She turned around and quickly made her way back to the camp and the place where she slept. Laying down she pulled the blanket over her trying to sort things out in her mind yet forget them at the same time. Perhaps it was simply that single moment in time and part of the exhaustion she felt. Yes, that was it. It would be gone and subside by morning.

Tavington spent the day receiving reports and making some of his own, and Major Borden couldn’t help but notice how relaxed he seemed to be today. It was strange. It seemed he was two steps from going mad only yesterday, and he seemed so different today. He did not say anything or point it out however, for fear of jinxing the Colonels Mood.

General Cornwallis was making his way to the dragoon encampment with specific orders once more. Tavington continued to go his own way instead of following the orders he was given and he was not going to tolerate it any longer. Just one rouge solider could break down the very fabric of the General’s army, and he was already under the watchful eye of the King.

“I suppose you have come to ask me that the men have liberty as you have done everyday for over a month. Is that it?” Tavington said as he sat in his chair holding a quill and tapping it against the desktop.

“Well . . . yes sir, but they are tired and bored. Not exactly a desired combination for a dragoon unit.” Tavington raised a brow at these words, and the lower ranking officer decided to try it from a different direction. “What I mean to say sir, is that . . . after the countless battles, and victories that we have won . . .”

“I know, I know.” Tavington said not wishing to hear him babble on at the moment in a speech that he had heard each time the officer had approached him. “You may return to your post.” He said turning back to his desk and continuing to write in his reports.

The solider turned and left the tent, even though he had quite a lot more to say on behalf of his argument, but he did not wish to be a foot solider on the frontlines for his insubordination. It had happened on several occasions and all of the dragoons were well aware of it.

“Well, I see as usual I see you haven’t decided to acknowledge my requests to update me about anything you might discover about Katherine.” Tavington quickly stood to give the General his due respect, even though he was rather annoyed that Cornwallis would come to his camp unannounced at all. “I am more then well aware that you have offered a bounty for her safe return to criminals, rebels, traitors and fugitives. Strange. I recall that you incorporate brutal tactics when dealing with these same individuals.” Tavington said nothing, for he knew what he had already done and how out of character it was for him. “I find it . . . most . . . unforgivable that you use her loss as an excuse for taking all matters into your own hands and disregarding my orders.”

“I don’t pretend to use our misfortune as an excuse, My Lord. What I do on the field is unrelated to Katherine and How I go about finding her.” Cornwallis just starred at him for a moment.

“I am well aware of the losses you have suffered Colonel. First Katherine’s abduction, and then the death of young William.” He walked over to Tavington’s desk seeing the small case that held Katherine’s picture propped open and he took it up in his hand looking at it. “Katherine has always been like a daughter to me, and somewhere along the way she turned into a beautiful young woman with more patents then anyone could ever hope of having.” Putting the picture down he looked at Tavington, “However there is still a war that is to be seen to. You actions are jeopardizing this war and it’s outcome.”

“The Green Dragoons have never lost a battle and have gained more ground then any other unit in his Majesties forces. There is nothing else I can give you besides Victory, My Lord.”

“Obedience.” Tavington’s jaw clinched tight and he grew silent. “If you had given me obedience from the very beginning of this conflict, then perhaps Katherine wouldn’t have suffered so many injustices since she arrive from England. You have made your name infamous by killing innocent women, children, civilians . . . and others, and by some strange twist in fate, Katherine has been the one paying for your sins. I can only hope that if she is alive, that she is unharmed. And if she is not, then my hope is that her life ended quickly without more suffering.”

Tavington stood there, feeling as though he had been cut to the bone with those words. It was something he had already blamed on himself, but to hear it from another only seemed to drive it home and make it more real and true. Cornwallis felt as though enough was said, and left the tent. Tavington closed his eyes and tried to push the range of emotions back down inside him, otherwise . . . the entire Dragoon Camp, would feel the sting of his vengeance.

Katherine was tired, not having slept very much the night before and her eyes were half open as she kept them on the road. Her hands were once again bound tight to the saddle, and the constant gentle movement of the horse was almost putting her into a hypnotic state. Her eyes opened to find that the Frenchmen was riding beside her. “Are you alright?” He asked politely, noticing how she looked.

“Yes.” She said simply before turning her eyes back ahead of them. It seemed enough to satisfy the Major and he looked back towards the road as well. Katherine closed her eyes and thought of Will, and hoped with everything in her that he was alright and his fever had long since broken. In her heart, she knew she should have never left him and went to that ball. Yet Jeanette begged and pleaded with her so much, and then Cornwallis himself extended her an invitation, she could not say no.

When they finally stopped for the day, Katherine leaned against the tree in silence watching the men mill about. Colonel Martin was the nearest to her, making bullets out of what appeared to be small figurines. “What if I promised to stay in a town or even a house for a full 24 hours, without leaving before then so that you could make your way in whatever direction you wanted. That way I wouldn’t know your position, and I could go home.” Martin looked up at her and simply shook his head as a sign of denying her idea and went back to his work. This man was impossible, she would be true to her word if she was allowed to return to Charleston.

Feeling frustrated she stood to go for a walk. She couldn’t go to far, she knew that she was watched and that Martin’s men were more skilled and familiar with these surroundings. If she even tried to escape, several men would fall down on her from the trees and she would go back to being bound all the time instead of just when she was riding. After she was out of sight from the camp, she felt like crying, but instead she began to kick and hit a tree to get out her frustrations. Katherine hit it harder and harder until she hurt her knuckles and then she fell against the tree. Her hand covered her eyes and she couldn’t hold back the tears.

Everything in her life seemed to be so miserable, and hopeless. At least if she was with her own countrymen and Tavington, she was comfortable with her surroundings and knew what to expect. This place was nothing short of what she felt hell would be like.

The French Major approached her quietly before kneeling on one knee beside her and handing her his handkerchief. Katherine was startled not having heard him approach and felt so embarrassed about someone seeing her break down like that. Taking the handkerchief she quickly dried her eyes and forced herself to claim down. “You are safe with us, you realize. No one is going to do anything to harm you among these men.” Katherine stayed silent making sure her face was dry. “Yet, I suppose since we are the enemy in your eyes, and you are held captive by us . . . this isn’t a desirable situation no matter how safe you are.”

“My husband once called me Naïve not to long ago, in a fashion that annoyed me greatly at the time. It would be, the most humiliating scenario for him to know I found him to be telling the truth.” She looked through the trees, breathing slowly. “All I can think about is going home . . . or at least back to the place I call home whilst I am here. But it is not as though I would be anymore . . .” She stopped and shook her head.

“If you are so unhappy, I suppose that you have considered leaving this man more then once. But I also know, that your position and the mere customs of aristocracy would prevent you from doing so.”

“I was going to. I was on my way north to find a ship that my husband did not forbid to take me on as a passenger and go back to England before going to relatives in France. I was leaving for my sons sake, I was afraid that he would grow up to be like his father.”

“And why didn’t you? What stopped your plan?” He asked, curious as to why such a strong willed woman would give up on such a venture so easily.

“I was captured, and given the choice of my life, or both my sons and his nursemaid. Of course, I chose their lives and went with the men with little argument.” Katherine looked down a moment, at the handkerchief in her hands. “Did you know, that the one virtue that should be considered a sin?” She said softly before looking at him, “Hope. It prolongs a hearts suffering.”

“I know all to well what conflict is in your heart. Feeling as though the world is out to get you and make everything in your life hard and miserable. And you hope, simply to have control of your own destiny.”

“I just want to go home. As if any place besides my house I grew up in, could be called home.” The Frenchmen gazed at her for a few moments before reaching out cautiously to take her hand in his, to at least give her the smallest amount of comfort. Katherine looked at his hand and accepted it gracefully. Who knew where in the Colonies she was now, and getting back to William on her own would be nearly impossible with no money and behind colonial lines.