Innocence Lost

Chapter Eighteen

Several weeks later, the Green Dragoons were patrolling in the Pembroke vicinity and had made camp for the night late one evening. As the men gathered around a campfire to share their suppers and to relax, Tavington walked off by himself, deep in thought. A short time later, Bordon found him sitting on a fallen log staring off into the distance in the general direction of Pembroke.

"You know, she has to have given birth by now," Bordon said quietly.

Tavington turned around to look at his second in command. "How did you know I was thinking about Anne?"

"Just a good guess, I suppose," he said. "You've been keeping to yourself more since you sent her back to her husband."

"I wonder if she had a boy or a girl."

"We're not that far from Pembroke," Bordon pointed out. "Go to her. See your child. You won't be able to rest until you do."

"You're right, Bo," ," Tavington admitted, rising to his feet. "I think I'll go now."

Bordon walked with him to his horse. "Please give Anne my best wishes."

"Yes, of course." After Tavington had swung himself up into the saddle, he said, "I shouldn't be gone more than a few hours"

"Be careful," Bordon warned.

"I always am."

Nearly a hour later, Anne heard a horse ride up at the back of the house. She sighed to herself, not ready to deal with Gabriel again so soon. He'd been gone for almost a week this time and she wasn't expecting him back now. Ever since the baby had been born, they had maintained a chilly distance and Anne had given up hope that they'd ever rekindle the love they'd once known.

A knock on the back door startled her. Walking to answer it, she wondered who could be visiting at this hour of the night.

"William!" Anne was shocked to see Tavington on her doorstep. Opening the door wider, she said, "Come in."

"I've come to see the baby," he said, once she had shut the door behind them. "Are you alone?"

"Gabriel and Mr Martin aren't home, if that's what you mean," she said. "My Aunt Mary is staying with me, though, but she's already in bed for the night."

"Good." Noting her once-again slim figure, he asked, "Was it a boy or girl?"

"A boy," she told him. Taking his hand, she said, "Come on upstairs, he's taking a nap."

Tavington followed her into her bedroom where the baby was sleeping peacefully in a cradle near his mother's bed. Anne bent down and gathered the little boy into her arms.

"Your son," she said, handing him the baby.

Anne was amazed at the change in Tavington as soon as he was holding his son. The arrogant expression melted, replaced by the wide smile of a proud father. "Oh, he's perfect, Anne," he said softly, brushing one hand over the baby's face. "What's his name?"

"William," she said in a soft voice.

Tavington raised an eyebrow at this. "I must say that I'm surprised, though not displeased," he said. "I can't imagine that your husband was happy with that choice."

"Gabriel was the one who named him," she said. After noting his shocked expression, Anne continued, "When the baby was born, it was obvious right away that he was yours. Gabrian oan off and got drunk, then went to the reverend and had him listed in the church records as William Tavington. He said he wouldn't give his name to a child that wasn't his."

"I don't know what to say," he said. After an awkward pause, he turned back to little William, putting out his index finger for the baby to grab. "He's a good sized boy," Tavington noted. "And he's got a good grip."

"Just like his father," Anne said with a shy grin. As she reached out to take the baby's other hand, Tavington put his hand over hers. "We made a beautiful child together, Anne."

"Oh, yes," she said quietly. "And I love him more and more every time I look at him."

A moment later, they both looked up in surprise as the bedroom door flew open and banged against the wall.

"Tavington!" Gabriel stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed in utter loathing. "What are you doing here?"

After quickly handing the baby back to Anne, Tavington turned to face Gabriel. His hand casually rested on the hilt of his dagger. "I came to see my son, if it's any of your business," he said with a contemptuous sneer.

"Everything that involves my wife is my business."

"Not everything, it would seem," the older man said with a low chuckle. "I don't seem to recall you being in the room any of the many times that I took your wife to my bed."

"You filthy bastard!"

His eyes flicking to Anne wildly, Gabriel accused, "You've been seeing him all along, haven't you?" He grabbed her arm hard enough to bruise it. "Haven't you?" he repeated, shaking her. "You dirty whore!"

"Let me go!" Anne begged. "You're hurting me!"

"Let her go," Tavington said, his voice a menacing growl. Turning to Anne, he said, "Take William into the other room. Your husband and I have a few things to settle here."

"She's not going anywhere!" Gabriel shoved Anne, who was still holding the baby, against the wall. The baby boy began wailing in pain, awakened when his leg was roughly wrenched back after Anne lost her balance and fell.

Tavington reacted instinctively. He swiftly unsheathed his dagger and plunged it deep into Gabriel's stomach, twisting it viciously. He yanked it out, then savagely stabbed him in the heart, driving the blade to the hilt.

With an expression of shock on his face, Gabriel fell, his hands clawing uselessly as he struggled in vain to breathe.

As soon as Tavington was satisfied that he was dead, he pulled the knife out and wiped it on Gabriel's shirt before replacing it in its sheath.

Anne was soothing the baby, still sitting on the floor. Her sole concern was the welfare of her son; she could not deal with Gabriel's death just yet.