Roses of Stone

Standing at the counter of the post office, Katherine was reading a notice that had been placed on the nearby bulletin board. Things seemed to have turned from bad to worse for their side in this war. It was a message that warned of the possible necessity for all British residence to be evacuated back to England. “How may I help you?”

Katherine looked up to see that the postmaster had finally come from whatever he was doing to aid her. She put a stack of envelopes on the counter before him, and he picked them up looking at them. “Lady Tavington, I’m sure that one of the soldiers could have brought these for you.”

“I did not have the time to wait for them, I want these sent out on the ship leaving in a few hours. It is very important that they arrive at their destination at the earliest possible time.” The man nodded and took the letters and her money and thanked her for her business. Katherine put her hood back on and left the office looking around. There wasn’t as much activity as there had been months ago. It seemed like a lot of the British had already taken the advice of that flyer and simply left.

Carrying the basket that she had been shopping with all morning, she slowly made her way back to the quartering house. Some of the officers had managed to send their families to what they considered to be, ‘safer’ places, and it was a much quieter then before. As she entered, she removed her hood and walked slowly up the stairs.

Katherine hadn’t said a word in days, and always seemed to have a look on her face that implied she was hiding something she didn’t want known. It was as if she had been engaged in a battle, which had been decided for her against her wishes. Opening the bedroom door and closing it behind her, she found William sitting at the table writing a reply to a letter that he had received while Katherine was out.

“I was wondering if you were going to be gone all day. Why is it that since I have been able to move about freely, you make a point to be doing something else, any other place besides here?” Katherine didn’t respond and walked over to the table setting her basket down. She removed her gloves then took off her cloak setting them aside.

“Well, I’m not sure if I should give you what I have brought you if you are in such a poor mood.” William raised a brow and looked at her a little curious as to what she had brought him, wondering what the occasion was. Katherine smiled a little knowing that she had captured his attention now. Opening the basket she reached inside bringing out a bottle of wine and setting it on the table. William picked it up and was a little impressed by the quality and year she had found. The next thing she brought out was a box of the fudge that he seemed to enjoy so much the last time she had bought it.

“Oh you sweet angel of mercy.” He said opening the box and taking a piece of fudge and popping in his mouth. Then Katherine produced a box and placed it on the table in front of him. It was wrapped beautifully with a bow and ribbon. “What’s this?”

“Have I ever forgotten your birthday?” William was surprised to say the least, It seemed that he had forgotten his own birthday with everything that had been going on in the past few months. He pulled the package closer just sort of stunned as he admired the gift. After a moment Katherine noticed he wasn’t doing anything but looking at it, she smiled, “Well? Go on, open it.”

William half smiled and did as she requested removing the wrapping, and slowly opening the wooden box. His eyes went wide with surprise, “Oh . . . Katherine . . .” He whispered, as he reached into the velvet lined wooden box and took out the pistol that was made of silver with gold accents. He turned it over finding that his monogram was elegantly etched deep in the handle.

“I was told that it was of the latest style, and that it is somehow more accurate then the ones that we use.” William pulled the hammer back and looked down the barrel before releasing the hammer, and looking it over once again.

“It’s absolutely . . . magnificent!” He held it in his hand and aimed with it, seeing how it felt as it fit perfectly in his hand. Like and extension of his arm. Looking in the box he saw a compartment in the corner and opened it to find special cleaning tools as well. Putting down the weapon he leaned over and kissed Katherine covering her hand with his, “Thank you.” He said with a smile. Katherine was distracted by his hand and carefully slid hers out from under it. William had noticed that she did this more then once, and his smile faded as he turned back to his gift and put it back in its box. “I shall treasure it always.” He said stiffly as he put it aside. Katherine stood and finished taking the rest of the goods she carried with her out of the basket and placed them on the table, before moving to put the basket in it’s proper place. William watched after her for a moment, frustrated yet powerless to rectify the situation.

Yet there was something there, something . . . she was hiding from him, but who knew what it was. It could be a volume of things, but he was certain that she would not answer him if he asked her. Instead he thought about trying a different approach. He stood from the table, still sore and finding pain in places he didn’t even know existed and moved to stand behind her and waited a moment. “Katherine. You have been avoiding me for over a week now.” He began. She stopped what she was doing and listened. “You should have just told me from the beginning so that you would not have had to skulk about, trying to hide it from me.”

Katherine’s eyes grew wide as she turned around and looked at him. How on earth could he know!?! How could he find out when she hadn’t breathed a word of it to anyone. “What do you mean?” She said in disbelief and almost utter horror.

William thought that he was on the right track, and continued hoping that the truth would come out. “You are my wife, and we have been married for more then a decade. Don’t you think I would know you quite well by now?” Katherine wrapped her arms around herself and stepped away from him, feeling as though she was completely transparent when she tried not to be. This wasn’t something she was prepared for and she still hadn’t decided how to handle it.

“And now? What is there to be done? What can be done?” She whispered in a broken voice as she cradled her face in her hand. It was something big, something that was enough to throw her into an emotional fit apparently. God only knew what sorts of disaster that they found themselves in now, or what peril awaited them around the corner.

“What do you mean darling?” He said gently walking up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders as he waited, hoping that this secret she was keeping from him was about to be revealed.

“I’m not ready for this, not again. I don’t think that there is anything in this world I have been more afraid and uncertain of. I haven’t . . . . been able to forget about that girl, or to completely forgive you yet . . . and yet here we are . . . again.” William listened and rested his cheek against hers. She certainly was making this difficult. It was something that happened before . . . that made her think of Tawnie . . . that she hadn’t quite forgiv . . . . .

His eyes grew wide as he spun her around looking at her, “Katherine . . . are you with child?” Tavington said waiting for her answer. Katherine looked at him a little confused by his question.

“I thought you said you knew already?” Her face changed as she realized he had tricked her into telling him her secret. “Oh William!” She said pushing his hands away from her and walking over to the desk straightening up some papers feeling a little betrayed at the moment.

It was shocking, and William had to take a moment to let it sink in. Katherine was pregnant again, so incredibly soon it seemed like. But after a moment he smiled, feeling rather thrilled at the news. He followed after her, only to find her moving away from him again. “Katherine . . . .why do you seem so upset? This is wonderful news!” No matter how he tried to get close to her, she always moved away. It was too difficult to try and talk to her like this, and he reached out and seized her arm.

“Why didn’t you tell me as soon as you found out?” He was still a bit excited at the prospect of being given this second chance to be a father, and wanted to know everything. Perhaps she was tired, perhaps she needed to lie down and rest for a while. Was she warm enough? Was she hungry? But suddenly Katherine pushed his arm away.

“Because I didn’t know if I wanted to tell you at all!” She cried standing there before him. It froze William in his place, and left him speechless. “I have been sick with the feeling that staying with you would be the end of my sanity. That you have had enough women in your life, they would always turn up. The would always want from you that what you are so eager to give!” Katherine wrapped her arms around herself again as she stepped back. Tavington felt as though he had been slapped in the face with just a few simple words. “Who knows how many children you have and will make their existence known in the years to come!”

How could she do this? How could she even dream of thinking to do this when she knew how much he wanted a family with her? He took a step towards her but stopped, “You are going to have my baby . . . and you weren’t even going to tell me?” He couldn’t believe it, “Why? Why would you do a thing like this?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know!” Everything was so incredibly mixed up and jumbled she could hardly think straight. She had been so busy trying to find a place for them to go since they couldn’t return to England, and settling affairs back home so that they could have the means to start a new life without being concerned with what they had left behind. Not to mention she was trying to get it all sold or moved before the king decided to confiscate their lands for the war crimes that William committed. There had also been some things that the late Lady Tavington had left behind that Katherine had to attend to, and found that the little money she had left she had left to them. There were times in all of this where she actually thought that leaving William would be so much easier, but how could she? No matter where in this world she would go, she would return to him. Weather she liked it or not, she was bound to him now.

“Katherine . . .” William began slowly, “I’m very disappointed in you.” Katherine turned around glaring at him. Disappointed in her? After everything she had done for him? He walked towards her and looked into her eyes, “I’m disappointed in you for trying to keep this a secret from me risking having to raise this child on your own.” Katherine’s glare melted away as she looked at him. “Unless things in this war turn in our favor . . . we won’t be staying here and living in Ohio . . . and we won’t be able to return home.” He sighed, “I don’t want to lose you. I have already condemned you to exile.” He reached out and placed his hand over her abdomen. “I will not abandon you or our child to live alone in some strange place.”

Tears slipped from Katherine’s eyes as she just looked at him. She was so exhausted from everything that had happened from the day that Tawnie arrived in there midst. It felt like a hopeless endeavor to try and fight any longer. She placed her hands over William’s and looked up at him once more. “I suppose . . .” She started slowly as she gave a forced smile, “That . . . at least it is a better reception at this news then there was before.”

He chuckled slightly, “Yes. I was a real ass the first time wasn’t I.” This brought a genuine smile to her face as her eyes went wide and she laughed a little. He never called himself such things or admitted to his rampant pigheadedness and she thought she would saver the moment.

“I think I should write that statement down and have it notarized.” He laughed this time as he rubbed her abdomen a little curious about the little life she carried deep inside here somewhere.

“Ha, I’ll deny it completely later.” Katherine couldn’t help but laugh at that. At least the brush he had with death had one redeeming feature, he seemed to value having her more then ever before. That he could be so light and loving with her was testament to that. William pulled her into her arms and embraced her tightly, finding another one of those tender spots but refusing to let it spoil this moment.

The next day, Katherine awoke late and sat up slowly. Seeing how high the sun was through the curtain she frowned at herself before throwing the covers back starting to rise. “Oh no you don’t.” William said as he pulled her back in bed. “You do not need to do anything today but rest. You have been working yourself far to hard as it is.”

“I can’t just lay in bed all day, there are things to do.” She thought for a few moments and then realized she couldn’t think of single thing she had to do. A new ship wouldn’t be arriving with mail until the end of the week, and her letters were sent on the boat that left for Europe today.

“I do not care.” He said wrapping his arm around her covering her abdomen with his hand as he had done the day before. “It wasn’t to long ago that you were in this situation before and did not get enough rest. I know because the doctor who cared for you told me. So hush.”

“But William . . .” He reached up and put his fingers against her mouth to stop any other arguments she felt compelled to make. Then Tavington placed a gentle kiss on her lips and held her tight.

“Not another word.” Katherine sighed finding once again the battle was decided before it even began. Yet she was still quite tired and it wasn’t long before she took his advice and fell back asleep.

However, the time of rest was short lived as the familiar sound of cannon fire pounded its way through the silence. Katherine and William both jumped up looking around and listening hearing yet another cannon being fired. They both jumped out of bed and went to the window, finding that the cannon balls were firing directly into the city. “Oh my God.” Katherine breathed as more cannon fire filled the silence.

“Wait here.” Tavington said as he reached for his shirt and weapons, slipping it on as he ran out of Katherine’s bedchambers and down the hall to find out what the hell was going on. Running down the stairs it seemed that there was even more commotion with all of the other officers scrambling to find out why this attack was not seen coming.

Running out into the street, William looked towards the hill just outside of town that the weapons were firing from. His eyes grew wide as he saw the colors that the soldiers wore. It was not blue for the Colonial Regulars, and it wasn’t earthen colors that like of the colonial militia. The coats they wore were red. They belonged to their own forces and for some Godforsaken reason; they were firing at their own kind.

William ran out into the street spotting a private riding a horse and he snatched the reigns from his hands and pushed him off as the colonel mounted the animal himself. He dug his heels into the horse’s side and hissed loudly, turning around and riding out of town. Someone was going to lose his head for this. Katherine watched out the window as more cannon fire destroyed buildings in the city, a bit close to the quartering house. She felt sick realizing that at any moment, the building that she was in could be next. When the house just across the street was hit, she couldn’t stand it any longer and she ran into the hall heading down stairs.

Colonel Tavington rode up to the commanding officer of the artillery unit and jumped down off of his horse with his saber in his hand. “What is the meaning of this you imbecile!” He roared. “CEASE YOUR FIRING AT ONCE!!” The commander quickly signaled that his troops stop and once again silence filled the air. “What the devil are you doing!?!?!”

“We chased a bunch of colonials for over a few miles. They were last seen heading this way.” The man said as he pointed towards the direction to illustrate his point. William’s eye twitched.

“And so you found it prudent to fire on our own forces and our own British women and children!!!” The man took a moment and realized what he had done, not even thinking of it until now. When he didn’t say anything and William saw the look on his face, it was pointless to continue this conversation. He raised up his saber and with one swift move of his sword, the incompetent officers head fell from his shoulders. All of the others stood there in shock and backed away from the Colonel. He glared, “Get off your sorry backsides and pull back these cannons! And let this be a warning to think before you act!!!” He roared. At once, all of the soldiers started rolling all of their artillery away as he ordered as quickly as possible so they didn’t have to linger near the raging Colonel.

William stood over the commander he had just decapitated with hate in his eyes, “Wouldn’t be ironic justice if one of those British families you fired upon today was yours.” General O’Hara and an escort rode up to the Colonel.

The General saw the blood on Tavington’s sword and the officer who lay in two pieces at his feet. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!” He said in utter horror wondering exactly what Tavington had taken upon himself to do.

William was still quite upset and walked towards him, “You managed to assign a man that did not have the intelligence of a bean sprout to our heavy artillery, and he found it strategically significant destroy our own city!!” The General looked around as his anger shifted from Tavington a bit to the ignorance that surrounded this catastrophe. “I simply cut through the hours of talking and deciding if he should be given another chance to kill more of our own.” With that William turned and started to walk back towards the horse he had rode in on.

“Colonel Tavington!” The General roared as he rode up to William. “This is not the end of this, your conduct is more then unacceptable, and going so far as to murder a fellow officer is absolutely barbaric. You will be called before a committee to decide your punishment for this brash act.” With that the General kicked his horse hard riding away, taking out his rage on the poor beast. William just glared after the General before returning to the horse.

The Colonel rode back into town amidst all the destruction and chaos looking around. This was unacceptable. It was one thing when the colonials were misguided enough to do this, but for there own forces to be so ignorant and careless was just completely unbelievable. Riding to the quartering house, he frowned as he saw that they received a blow from the cannons and rode fast up to the house and jumped off the horse, panicking. Letting go, he quickly ran inside looking about. “KATHERINE!” He yelled out when he saw several of the women had been injured along with the men. William quickly ran up the stairs and called out for her again.

He started to rush towards their room but stopped when he heard a soft voice that belonged to someone who was weeping. He followed it finding a bookcase had fallen over and he lifted it enough to shove it out of the way. Tavington had found Katherine. She sat on the floor with her arms around Jeanette, who lay lifeless, both covered with so much blood spattered about them you couldn’t tell where the wounds were. Tears rolled down Katherine’s face as she rocked Jeanette in her arms holding her close. She was dead. There was no mistaking the familiar look of a freshly decease corpse.

“Katherine . . . are you alright?” William said moving closer to her, worried that something might have happened to hurt her and the baby. Katherine just held tight to her lost sister, and couldn’t even speak continuing to rock slightly with her face buried in Jeanette’s bloody shoulder. Tavington reached out and placed his hand on Katherine’s arm. “Katherine.”

She took a deep breath and raised her head looking at Jeanette’s face, just gasping for air finding it difficult to breathe. William reached up slowly and closed Jeanette’s eyelids so her eyes would cease their eerie post mortem glare. Tavington started to pull Katherine from the body but she shook her head tightening her grip refusing to move. “The last thing I said to her . . . the way I acted . . . was so harsh . . . and mean . . .” She said in between sobs. “I didn’t mean them Jeanette, I didn’t mean any of them! I’m sorry. . . . i’m sorry . . . ” Katherine buried her face in her shoulder again starting to rock once more.

Just then Andrew came running through much in the same way that William did calling out for Jeanette. Then he caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye, and pushed William aside. He was stunned as he saw his wife laying there, covered in gore and blood. He kneeled down and reached out touching her shoulder, only finding her lifeless body and nothing more. “Jeanette . . .” He said leaning down and asking again in her ear, “Jeanette darling . . .” But it was futile, she couldn’t hear him. She was already gone. After a moment Andrew started to go into hysterics and yelled her name so loud the entire building to hear it. Then he reached out and pried Jeanette from Katherine’s tight grasp and carried her away.

Katherine was left there, with her hands over her eyes trembling and still weeping unable to breathe. Tavington stayed silent, knowing that no matter what he said or any gesture he would give would not bring her the slightest bit of comfort. Instead, he reached out and took her hands helping her to her feet. She clung to him and cried unable to stop and he held her tight to let her mourn. Slowly, he turned them towards their room, which appeared to be intact, and walked her down the hall to get her out of this mess.

Two days later, many of the officers and their families that weren’t killed in the attack borne of pure idiocy, stood in the cemetery as the priest and the reverend said prayers and words for the lost love ones that were being buried today. There were three at the edge of Jeanette’s grave. Katherine was dressed in pure black with a black veil over her eyes to shield the way her face was red and puffy from her tears. William stood just behind and beside her with his hand on her shoulder. In all honesty, he still hated Jeanette and Andrew and somewhere deep inside, he couldn’t suppress the feeling of relief and joy that she was now out of their lives forever. Yet he knew that Jeanette meant the world to Katherine, so he came with her to the funeral and quietly supported her, still staying silent even though dancing with happiness inside.

Andrew stood there as well holding a bouquet of flowers in his hands just looking down at Jeanette’s grave, heartbroken. There was nothing he could do to bring back his wife and child. He had never thought that he would lose them; they were supposed to be safe here in the city. As the services finished, William wrapped his arm around Katherine again and led her away from the cemetery leaving Andrew to stand there and grieve alone.

That evening, Katherine sat at her desk with a few candles lit, just starring into the flame. Almost as if she was constantly praying and speaking with God, asking why, and asking him to take Jeanette into his arms. Reconstruction and repairs had already been started on the quartering house, but the incident inspired many of the officer’s families to pack up and go elsewhere. The news of the attack by there own forces spread through the ranks quickly, and although General O’Hara had intended to bring countless charges against William, General Cornwallis had them dropped under the circumstances.

Tavington moved slowly behind Katherine and placed his hands on her shoulders rubbing them a little. “Please eat something. I know you don’t feel like it right now, however you have our child to think about.” Katherine didn’t respond and just continued to stare into the flames. William knew after all that she had told him about Jeanette and how she had defended her often, that the death of Jeanette was almost as harsh to her as her fathers was. Tavington kissed her cheek softly before he turned and walking away.

************

William stood in General Cornwallis’s office, dressed in his full uniform and standing at attention with his jaw clinched tightly. Finally he could stay silent no longer, “The Green Dragoons are rightfully mine, and it is absurd to say that it has been given to another and cannot be reclaimed!!”

“Colonel, you are lucky you even survived. I assure you that if it wasn’t for Katherine watching over you during every step of your convalescents you would be dead right now and this conversation would never have taken place.” William’s look darkened at the words indicating that Katherine was more equipped to deal with matters such as this then he was. It was something over the past days that had started nagging at him as he felt as though his very manhood was under attack. He felt himself starting to resent her for it. Shaking his head, the General walked towards the window. “This war has gone bad for us since we lost that battle. The colonials add more and more victories to there ranks, and it is rallying support adding to their morale. Ours on the other hand has been sorely wounded.”

“I can turn this war back in our favor my lord. But I cannot do so with out the aid of my unit of dragoons! Just because I was injured does not mean that my commission should be revoked!!”

“I am not in the mood for this now. You did a great service by ending the siege by our own forces on Charleston, and . . . even though unorthodox, effectively and swiftly ending the career of the one who was responsible for it. It is for this reason that most of the war crime charges against you have been dropped. Not all, mind you, but most of them. However, they are not forgotten.”

“Yes My Lord, and for that I am grateful. But I have not finished my term as a solider of his majesties army. I have things that I have not done and still desire to be accomplished.”

“You are still wounded and have not healed completely yet. Even though you try to hide that with your uniform I can still see that you stand a little carefully to keep from irritating a tender area.” William started to say something else, but the General raised his voice, “This is a matter for another time. You are not going to be reinstated until I have given you such an order. Now leave me, I have things to attend to.” Something about this made William feel that it was somehow Katherine’s doing. Perhaps not directly or by design, but the General seemed to feel the need to protect her from becoming a widow again. Tavington felt as though he could throw something at the General, but just gave his salute and left.

He threw open the doors to their room and slammed them so hard that the walls shook. William paced back and forth shouting obscenities at the top of his voice and throwing things against the walls shattering them completely with loud crashes. “You could at least give me the courtesy of keeping your anger down so as I can continue working.” William turned around finding that he was not alone. Katherine had been there all along and he didn’t even notice.

Tavington closed his eyes shaking as his anger made him feel as though he was going to explode. Yet he counted as far as he could before opening his eyes and taking a breath letting it out slowly. “What is it you are working on.” He said annoyed that she might have been doing something else besides what she had already done.

Katherine stood up slamming the book she had been writing in closed and throwing it down on the desk. William just watched her not understanding why she was acting like this. Katherine picked up a letter that she had received and turned around walking towards him, “What is this!?!?” She yelled holding it out to him. William wasn’t sure he liked her tone at all and reached out snatching the letter from her to read.

“Why didn’t you tell me that your father still had outstanding debts!?” William raised a brow and continued to read. Katherine crossed her arms over her chest and paced again becoming more and more irritated. “I have been working hard day and night to settle our affairs in England, and then I get this from the bank explaining that your father took out a rather large sum against more then half of our estates and land. They have decided they have waited for their money long enough and are calling in his loan!”

William wadded up the paper, “This is absolute nonsense. That debt was paid with your dowry and all of my fathers squandering was at last paid in full. There was even money left over after that I invested to grow over the years.” He tossed the paper aside.

Katherine still had a very disapproving look on her face, “If that is true and you are to be believed,” She began, changing William’s face to one that was similar to hers, reminding him of that one thing that had been gnawing on him for days “Then they have heard of your deeds and are trying to take whatever they can before the king confiscates everything we have!” She sighed and picked up the paper and straightened it out and putting it on the desk with others. “Fortunately, I have already sold most of our property and settled whatever affairs your mother left.” Katherine turned and looked up at him still rather upset over the whole matter.

“We have more then enough to start life together somewhere else, we had a fortune to our name in England that has now been turned into legal tender instead of material possessions.” She walked towards him, “But if we are to be hunted down like beasts by predatory collection officers, I don’t know what we will have left.”

William’s eye twitched as he tried very hard to keep from smacking her “Oh, nail yourself up on a cross then if you’re feeling so unappreciated!” He pushed her out of his way and sat down at the desk starting to shuffle through the papers. “As I said, that debt was paid. They will not get away with this treachery by receiving payment from us twice!”

“How dare you speak to me in such a manner! I have worked very hard to make sure that we didn’t lose anything, and even found a place for us to go in Spain where I have extended family. Why do you insist on making all of this harder then it is? It’s doubtful that we will ever even see Ohio much less own it!!” William slammed his hand down on the desk and stood walking towards her.

“Don’t raise your voice in that tone with me you infantile little trollop!!! Don’t you think I know what sort of position we are in, and how we are financially!?! I have made investments that have brought in quite a bit of money over the years and we have obtained more wealth then our families have ever seen! So don’t act as though you are responsible for everything in our lives, because I have made sure that we have prospered since we married.”

“You mean that you made sure YOU prospered since you married me!” She roared and threw up her hands, “It’s hopeless even talking to you. You don’t want to listen to me and you act as though I am ignorant to your intentions and mannerisms!” She turned and started to walk away.

“Do not walk away from me, I am not finished with you!!” He reached out and grabbed her wrist pulling her back and throwing her against the wall.

Katherine stood straight up starring at him, “If you are going to go back to treating me this way, I will walk out of here and never look back.” She threatened. William walked up to her and starred into her eyes.

“You are not walking anywhere. You are staying with me, if I have to tie you up and drag you about as if nothing more then a bag of oats!” Katherine couldn’t believe he just said that to her and raised her hand to smack him, however he caught it before it touched his face. She jerked her hand away and simply glared at him.

“Perhaps your right.” She began, “Perhaps you have made better choices then your father.” Her voice was laced with deadly venom as she spoke to him, “You think that I want to be condemned to walk the streets penniless?” She stepped forward and stood up to him to her full height, even though he was still much taller then she was. “Don’t go back to treating me as you did before we came to this place. My patients and will to stay here with you are dangling by a thin thread.”

William found himself being bossed around by everyone, and he wasn’t in control of anything. He did not like that feeling and wasn’t about to relinquish it to another. Even if she was his only ally. Katherine watched his eyes for a moment, not to sure what he was about to do next. When he removed his jacket and tossed it aside taking a step towards her, she knew that look and she stepped back. “Don’t you dare.” She warned in a quiet half frightened voice continuing to step back with each step he took towards her.

Tavington had the eternal need to be in control. To dominate as much as he could around him even if he had to take it by force, or by terror which he employed when dealing with the Colonials. In this case, he had no one to fight, no one to command, and until Cornwallis reinstated him he was in control of nothing. Except for one thing. All of that pent up need to dominate something, was aimed right at Katherine. Especially since people were starting to talk about how their roles had been reversed.

He continued walking towards her until she found her back hitting against the wall. “William, DON’T!” She said as she started to try and run around him. Yet he caught her arm much as he did before and threw her up against the wall consuming her mouth and pressing his full weight against her. Katherine could hardly breath and she started trying to push him away, but he just pressed harder against her, and his hand went to her throat forcing her face to look up towards him as he mercilessly kissed her again.

The fact that she had taken care of so many of their affairs, which he should have done himself as he always had before, was not helping the situation. Then the fact that she had watched over him whilst he was injured like a hawk carrying for it’s young, made it even worse. The more he thought about it, the rougher he was with her to the point he was bruising her mouth feeling as though he needed to prove that he was still a man. A husband who didn’t need his wife to watch over him like a wounded animal, or to settle the affairs as though she was a man herself to take on such responsibilities as if he was impotent to do such things. He needed to put her back in her place.

Still holding her throat, he tore his mouth away from hers and bit her neck just enough causing her to whimper slightly at the pain. “Stop . . .stop this, please stop.” She whispered between gasps for air and cries of agony. Unfortunately, there was one truth that always left her in a fight for her life with no help from anyone else in these situations. He was her husband, she was his wife, and such things were his rites. Others aware of what had transpired between them, or even knew of when it was taking place, might be concerned, might have even been upset about it, but they couldn’t do anything to put a stop to it. It was none of their affair. She could scream all she liked, she could cry for help, but no one could or even would help her.

When the General was around, he made a point to interrupt such events so they would cease, but he was rather busy and had no idea what was transpiring. William grasped her throat a little tighter as he looked down into her eyes looming over her. Her eyes were wide with fear, as she mouthed ‘please’ to him once again. Yet it was futile as he began to lift her skirts with his free hand and press her harder against the wall.