Roses of Stone

They loaded the things back up into the carriage and used the three horses left to return to a building that seemed to be nothing more then a large log cabin. Katharine still said nothing and went along with them quietly as she had said she would. The leader kept looking at her in a way that seemed to spell out exactly what was on his mind. Lady Tavington was still weak from her illness that was caused by her pregnancy, but she refused to let it show.

When they stopped the carriage, roughly, all of the things that they decided were of value began to be unloaded from it and the men hustled it inside out of sight. The door swung open and her main captor hopped out first, turning about and mockingly held the door open for her. Just as gracefully and lady like as she could be, she stood and stepped down from the carriage. He reached for her arm, but she smoothly moved it from his path and walked towards the house, gathering her skirts so they wouldn’t get dirty on the filthy porch.

As she entered, she saw a king’s ransom worth of looted goods scattered about the main room of the house. In some places all the way up to the ceiling. Trying not to show to much disgust she stepped over a few stray items blocking the path. There were several doors, leading to other rooms and she slowly walked past each one, until her captor stopped at a door and opened it. She turned and saw him leaning on the door. Apparently, it was his room. Katharine still said nothing and was as calm as could be as she moved past him into the room.

She heard a rather crude whistle and howls coming from the other parts of the house, before he shut the door and pulled the bolt on it locking them in and others out. Katharine said nothing as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. She felt him as he walked up behind her and roughly begin to fondle and paw at her like some sort of wild animal. After a moment, he grasped her shoulders and spun her around looking into her eyes and pulling her hard against him. “You know how long it’s been since I’ve had a woman?” He grabbed her hair jerking it back consuming her mouth without care, grasping her backside so hard it would cause bruising later. “To long.”

He began to kiss her hard again beginning to tear her clothing, but he gasped and his eyes went wide in surprise and pain. All he could do was stand there, frozen in place. Slowly his eyes turned downward as he fell back half a step finding that the pain was to much to move any further. There, in his side black blood was gushing from a rather small wound made by a very thin Stiletto blade that Katharine had hidden on her person before leaving Charleston. His eyes moved back up to hers still wide and glazing over quickly, “You said . . . you’d come along quietly.” He gasped.

“You haven’t heard me speak a word have you?” She said as she jerked the extremely thin blade from his body without care or concern. He fell to his knees, as he looked down at his hand. She knew exactly where to strike, and he would be dead in a matter of seconds. She put the blade back in its hidden sheath under her cloak and looked towards the window of the room.

“Your name.” His voice said weakly as his life was leaving his body. Katharine turned and looked at him. “Tell me what your name is . . .” It seemed as if that was his dying wish, and even though she resented him greatly for the notion that he was going to have his way with her, she couldn’t refuse it.

“Lady Katharine Tavington. Colonel William Tavington’s wife.” His eyes went wide as if he had recognized the name that she had given him before his body fell lifeless to the floor.

Katharine wasn’t a cold-blooded killer, and she did feel a twinge of remorse for the murder she had just committed, but she was protecting her person. Yet still, she felt guilt and regret washing over her like she had fallen off of a cliff into water. However, there were more important and pressing matters. She moved to the window and tried to push it open but it wouldn’t budge. Her fingers followed the frame of the window until it found a latch that held it closed. Lady Tavington pushed it then pulled it several times until it snapped free from its seat. She pushed the window open and saw that she could make it to the woods without being noticed and making it a ways before it was discovered that she had escaped.

Susan rode into town, tired and weary having not even stopped for rest, afraid she would run into someone else who was a Colonial rebel. A few soldiers rushed over and helped her down from the horse, and she wrapped her arms around young William when they took her into the building.

A meeting was taking place between Cornwallis and the majority of the British officers about the next phase of controlling the conflict between the British and the Colonists. A single private opened the door and slipped into the room, that NO ONE was supposed to enter under any circumstances and walked to General O’Hara whispering into his ear quickly. Cornwallis paused his briefing when the General stood, “Colonel Tavington, will you accompany me please?” William narrowed his eyes thinking this rather odd and quickly got to his feet following the General.

Cornwallis watched as they exited, intending to find out exactly what was so important that it would interrupt a meeting of this magnitude. Then he continued on, soon the interruption was forgotten as each got their orders for their next move in the campaign.

General O’Hara moved quickly as the private was leading them into a room in the house where the servant had been taken. Tavington was still quite confused but stayed silent and followed after.

They entered the room and the servant was drinking water, whilst another was holding young William. Tavington recognized his son instantly, and the servant who had taken the role of nursemaid to him. However, Katharine was nowhere to be seen. “What the devil?” He said walking past the General, “Where is Lady Tavington? Why have you returned without her!?!” He shouted.

“Colonel!” The general shouted to quiet him. “I have been informed that Lady Tavington was taken by a band of fugitives. She gave herself up for the sake of your son and his nursemaid. This girl has returned at your wife’s instruction.” Tavington’s eyes turned back to the girl. “We will send a unit of soldiers into the territory to bring her back if she is . . .” the General stopped his words there. Of course he meant that they would bring her back if she was still alive, but saying it aloud would only enrage the Colonel more.

Tavington was still a bit in shock at the news, it didn’t seem real. Katharine was known for being able to take care of herself quite well, but now that young William was in their lives now . . . she would sacrifice herself for his sake. The Colonel turned standing at attention towards General O’Hara. “I request that the Green Dragoons be sent on this mission immediately.”

“I’m afraid that will not do Colonel Tavington, it is out of the question. General Cornwallis’s next phase requires the cavalry to reinforce our infantry He will never allow the green dragoons to go so far into Colonial territory at this point in time.” Tavington wasn’t ready to give up on his request, he had just discovered something inside himself concerning their marriage and for her to be lost . . . it simply wouldn’t do.

“General O’Hara, with all due respect . . . of course my duty to the crown is the most important part of my commission . . . my duty as a husband, requires more of a sense of responsibility. My son cannot grow up with out a mother. There will be no one to care for him while I am away fighting wars for his majesty. It was foolish of her to leave in such a way, but to leave her to those wretched Colonials is far from a fitting punishment.”

“ENOUGH COLONEL!” The General shouted, irritated at William insubordination. “You cannot expect me to believe that you are anxious to go and retrieve Lady Tavington out of a husbandly concern and duty. It is no secret among the officers or the men of the volatile relationship between you and your wife. To be perfectly frank, I’m rather surprised that you are worried about her at all.” Tavington’s eyes narrowed hearing the General actually attack a private matter, which as far as William was concerned, was absolutely none of his business. “Lord Cornwallis will decide what to do about this matter, and in the mean time I suggest that you return to your unit and wait for further instruction.” He took a step towards William and spoke very serious, “I advise you not to do anything foolish, or I promise you, your career as an officer of this army will be at a rather abrupt end. Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal clear my lord.” Tavington said, trying to smile and not spit the words out through his teeth. Tavington turned and left the room, not even looking at young William to be certain that he was well. It seemed as if every aspect of his family was taken away from him, and any decisions that were made concerning their well-being was removed from him as well. The furry that he felt at this, was nearly uncontrollable and someone would pay for it. Anyone.

He rode back to his camp to await further orders. They would go about their duties as usual. Patrolling the areas, removing all resistance, and protecting the British forces supply lines. Tavington had become unusually silent. His orders were swift, short, and decisive. Many noticed this, and learned quickly that his temper was set off over small things. Yet he had a strangely unnerving non-caring attitude as he ordered the death of civilians. Women, Children, the old, the sick it did not matter. Almost as if it was an amusing part of his job to burn houses, slaughter livestock, and take any horses that they came across for the dragoons.

Days later, Katharine had walked extremely far, trying to follow the road and not be seen in shoes that were hardly meant for walking so far, and in such a rough terrain. She was still weak, and tired from having the baby two or three weeks ago. She had a hard time remembering since she had been unconscious for so long. Silently, Lady Tavington prayed with every painful footstep that Susan returned safely to the quarters they had stayed at since arriving on these shores several months ago. Even with this strong hope, her body was not taking well to such abuse. Katharine began to realize that she was quite spoiled from birth, and it hardly prepared her for such agonizing hardship.

Finally, she heard water coming from the nearby stream, and walked further into the brush to find it having been without water for sometime. The smell of it was so inviting and familiar, since it was early morning and the dew still clung to the surrounding foliage. She saw a rock nearby and sat down with a soft moan of relief, and reached down removing her shoes. As she looked at her feet, she felt like crying seeing that the soreness was not only from blisters that had developed but that they had broken and now blood was soaking her stockings. Katharine covered her face refusing to cry, but her hand shook as she didn’t know what to do. Reaching under her dress she pulled off her stockings that were nearly worn through anyway and pulled her skirts up high enough to soak her feet in the cold water.

She closed her eyes feeling a little better as the water soothed the pain of her feet, even though her aching body and sore limbs where not quite as lucky. Katharine remembered how she used to swim in the small pond at the back of her fathers estate, secretly of course, for it wasn’t proper for a lady of stature and position to swim about where someone might see her in her undergarments. And sometimes, late at night, without any garments at all. It was tempting, but she didn’t dare. Not here, where someone might happen upon her that might wish to take advantage of the situation again. Reaching down she rubbed her feet and legs until they were clean then moved them about in the water a bit. After a while, she pulled her feet out and dried them off with what was left of her stockings. She kneeled over the rock and reached down cupping a little bit of water in her hands and drinking slowly. The cold water hit hard on her empty stomach and she winced a bit, yet she was so thirsty she couldn’t stop. About the third time she dipped her hands into the water she stopped seeing how the color went from clear to red.

Katharine’s eyes grew wide as she looked up slowly in horror. Dead bodies began to float past her, horribly maimed and some even dismembered. Eyes open, starring as if they were still crying out in pain trying to cling to their lost lives. Katharine quickly backed away from the river, stumbling off the rock. She felt sick, nauseated, and she could hardly catch her breath. Yet at the same time, she couldn’t turn her eyes away. The coats they wore were red, and a few were blue but not as many. She covered her mouth trying not to scream in terror, nor for the contents of her stomach to come up, what little there was, and make an appearance.

She had been close to the war, near the middle of it she dare say, but never had she seen something or anything like this. The bodies floated by slowly, as though they were nothing but driftwood moving with the current. A battle up stream must have taken place and these . . . were all that was left of the fight. She was tired, and wished to rest, but had no intention of doing it here, close to a stream filled with death. Katharine moved back slowly to where she had been sitting and reached for her shoes that she had left by the water, walking barefooted through these woods would only add to her already suffering feet.

The smell of the dead was rising up as more floated by and she felt as though she had to get away from here, as if she was trespassing on some medium between the physical and spiritual world. Reaching down quickly, she pulled the shoes to her feet and tied them as quickly as her fingers would move. Finally, she moved her skirts back over her feet and went to get up and run away from this grizzly scene. However, a hand moved up and grabbed her ankle nearly causing her to trip and fall to the ground. Katharine looked back to see that a solider who had been wounded and not killed cry for her help. The face of the boy she recognized caused her to forget what around her. “Stevenson . . .” She breathed in horror, seeing his skin and coat drenched with blood and a wound that seemed too horrific to put into words.

Reaching down she grabbed onto the shoulders of his jacket and used all of her strength to pull him from the water and up onto the shore. He seemed to come out with one large jump and she fell to a sitting position with him on her lap. The young solider was bleeding very badly. Katharine looked around for something, anything she could use to stop the bleeding but there was nothing. Her eyes moved down to her skirts and she reached underneath them to find her petticoat and she ripped of a large piece and then another. She packed the wound tight with cloth and then wrapped a sort of bandage around it to keep it in place. She pulled it as tight as she could making the bandage squeeze his body. He cried out a little, “I’m sorry Stevenson, it has to be tight.” She whispered a tear falling from her eye and rolling down her cheek as she worked. Her clothes and hands were becoming red with blood, and the fear of her ignorance in such matters taking this boys life was crushing her heart as she worked.

An hour later, she had done all she could and apparently it was enough since Stevenson was now resting. Not comfortably, he was still in a lot of pain, but not as much as when she first found him. Before he fell asleep he told her to take the knife and the small flint from his jacket and explained how to make a fire, which she did promptly, and built it up enough so they could both be warmed in the light. She sat starring into the dancing flames, feeling her stomach turn over and over. Every time she remembered those bodies floating in the river, tears began to stream from her eyes. The more disturbing reality was more then once she thought she saw Williams eyes peering out of that cold unfeeling water, as his body moved slowly down to a watery grave. Of course, none of them were his, but it vexed her greatly to learn that she feared his death in this way. What if he was to be slain in this war? Forgotten and left to meet whatever end his body might find like these soldiers who had passed by.

Her clothes were dirty and stained with blood, and her hair had fallen from where she had swept it up into. The blood that coated her skin was dry now, and the color had stained her clothing. Katharine closed her eyes and wiped the tears away, the smell was so strong that even the warmth made it worse. Covering her face she found herself tired, and lay down in a soft patch of grass beside the fire where she could see Stevenson if he needed her. Slowly her eyes closed and she fell into sleep.

Each time Tavington’s unit was sent on patrols, he pushed them further and further into enemy territory, advancing the rest of the British Army that much quicker. It was obvious to those of higher rank why he was working in such a manner, and General Cornwallis demanded that the Officers would stand aside and allow Tavington’s rage to run it’s course. After all, it was benefiting the General a great deal in his war efforts, there was no eagerness to put a stop to it.

Tavington’s Dragoons had traveled extremely far behind enemy lines, and the soldiers made camp since it was to dark and late at night to attempt to return to their encampment. Once all were bedded down for the night, Major Borden moved quietly to where Colonel Tavington sat on his bedroll. He had not slept since Katharine’s disappearance. “Colonel Tavington, we have guards posted and watches to be changed every four hours. There doesn’t seem to be the slightest bit of rebel activity.” William just gave a sort of grunt as he starred into the darkness.

“However,” Borden began which caught Williams attention slightly, “One of our soldiers have pointed out a glow in the distance. It was small and has died down, but the smoke rising indicates a fire.” Tavington found that odd, that enemy troops would show themselves so easily without care of being discovered.

“Is that so?” He thought for a few more moments before standing to his feet taking his gun from his things. The Colonel couldn’t sleep anyway, it would be something to do and make the night go faster. “Get me four men, armed, and ready. We will set out immediately to investigate.”

Borden wasn’t expecting this reaction, “Sir? Do you think it wise for you to be the one to find out whom the glow belongs to?” Tavington stopped a moment and glared at his second in command.

“What did you say?” Borden realized quickly the error of his words. Pointing out the fact that the Colonel was exhausted from lack of sleep was not the best course of action.

“Shall I accompany you sir?” He said to quickly change the canner of his question. Yet Tavington would not so easily forget his words.

“No, you shall stay here and go about your duties. Taking command of the camp whilst I am gone. IF you hear gunfire, bring the rest of the dragoons at once. Am I understood?” The major nodded as the Colonel picked up his saber gathering the men he wanted to accompany him.

Tavington had grown extremely reckless with both his life and that of his men’s in the very few days, which managed to advance the men quite a few miles into enemy territory each day. Katharine had been gone for a little over six days, and the madness that he was notorious for only made it that much worse. The not knowing what happened to her only seemed to gnaw on him more.

As the five soldiers approached the clearing, it was obvious to them that whoever was responsible for building the fire were asleep, since it was dying down rather quickly. No one was tending it, but it was not put out either. Tavington quietly gave orders to his men to have them surround the clearing and move in on his signal.

Slowly, the Colonel held his loaded pistol ready to use it if necessary, . . . . and possibly if it was not. The enemy was the enemy. It was as simple and plain as that. Tavington moved swiftly to the two bodies that lay close to the fire. The smell of blood that had congealed made it clear that whom ever it was had been wounded or had killed their fair share of men.

William aimed at a sleeping form and signaled the others to close in, and they promptly flooded into the clearing. They were very noisy and Stevenson was the first to wake. His eyes went wide as he saw that they had been surrounded by red coats, armed and ready to fire. “I am John Stevenson, a solider of his majesties forces!” Tavington just looked at the man, not trusting him of course.

However, one of the men from the dragoons recognized him and confirmed his story. Still, that only accounted for one of them. The impatient Colonel walked over to the other sleeping form, “And this?” He asked as he turned the body over with his boot.

Katharine cried out and jumped up with her eyes still closed, swinging out with her dagger preparing to stab whoever had touched her. Tavington recognized her almost instantly and caught her wrist before she could cut a gash into his skin with her weapon. Crouching down beside her, he squeezed her wrist until her hand opened and the dagger fell from her hand. She started to struggle her eyes half open, “Katharine. KATHARINE!” he shouted t her, as it seemed she didn’t even recognize him. It was quite possible that she was still asleep and couldn’t recognize the soldier’s uniforms that stood around her. “Katharine, Stop. It is safe, you are with your own countrymen now.” His voice was not tender in the slightest. In fact it was doubtful among the troops that he even had one.

Her eyes squinted as she tried to see. The tiredness in her eyes, and the redness from weeping made it difficult for her to see at all. Tavington starred at her for a moment still holding her wrists so she wouldn’t try to attack him again. The blood that had smeared on her face whilst she helped Stevenson covered her face and skin, her clothes were torn and filthy, her hair was a completely mess, and she was in such a ghastly state that she would be unrecognizable to most. Her eyes were pale from lack of nourishment and he could see there in those tired eyes, that she had seen too much. Perhaps she had to fight for her life more then once, or perhaps she had been captured and treated in the worst way and they let her go when they were done with her.

His hands still squeezed her wrists tight in his grasp until he could feel her arms just simply relented and surrendered to their captor. “Take this man back to our camp surgeon. Have his wounds tended and give him food and water. Immediately.” Putting his pistol back in it’s holster, he reached down and swept Katharine up into his arms. Then the small unit of men returned to the encampment.

Once they had returned, Tavington found a place behind a few hedges and trees to set a place for Katharine. It was just outside the camp, but knowing Katharine, she would insist on her privacy. She wouldn’t want to be seen like this more then she had to be. Frankly, Tavington hardly wanted his men gawking at her, and perhaps imagining fantasies that were simply unacceptable. Covering her with his blanket, he removed the dirty blood soaked clothes and tossed them aside. Helping her sit up, he gave her a little water to drink from his canteen before laying her back down. She seemed more comfortable and fell into sleep. Pouring a little water on his handkerchief, he went to work to clean her up as much as possible, taking care to wash the blood from her face. Perhaps the reason she fell asleep so easily now, is because she felt safe. Or she was simply to exhausted and discouraged that she simply did not want to fight anymore.

He moved down to uncover her feet by pulling the blanket back and removed her shoes. She moaned a little in pain when he touched them what caused him to pause for a moment. Carefully, he removed each one and actually felt his stomach turn at the sight of her feet. Blisters upon blisters, her skin rubbed raw until they bled over and over again. Standing to his feet he called to the dragoon surgeon who had just finished tending to Stevenson. Whilst the doctor worked on cleaning Katharine’s feet and bandaging them, Tavington had to leave feeling extremely responsible for this. He ordered the dragoons to surrender a pair of clothes so that she could wear them instead of a simple blanket when they rode back the next morning.

The surgeon finished his work, and Tavington returned to Katharine with the fresh pair of clothing. Trousers and a clean shirt was enough, and perhaps more comfortable then the layers of the dress she had been wearing. True, for a woman to wear pants was quite unheard of, but there wasn’t much choice. He would not have her readorn those tattered dirty rags.

William sat with Katharine through the night, watching her sleep. His mind was completely occupied with the fact that Cornwallis and O’Hara had become what they believed to be guardians over HIS wife. He was nearing 40 and fully capable of being the head of his own family. Truth be told, it was simply none of their business anyway. Neither were his or her father, and it was getting to be ridiculous. There was going to be an end to that, for he knew that Katharine was certainly not encouraging it. It wasn’t her way, and it had never been.

By early morning, he couldn’t let Katharine sleep any longer, knowing that she would want to clean up before putting the clean clothes on. It was going to be extremely cold water from the river, but they hadn’t anything else. Reaching out he touched her shoulder to wake her. Her eyes half opened and looked up at him, with a little more recognition then the night before. “Wake up Katharine, I’m taking you home today.”

“Home?” She whispered softly as her eyes closed again hopefully. Tavington realized at the sound of her voice that his words weren’t entirely accurate and gave her false hopes.

“Back to your rooms that Lord Cornwallis had prepared for you during your stay in the Colonies.” He said correcting himself. “Come with me, you’ll want to wash before the majority of the men wake.” With that, leaving the blanket around her he picked her up again and took her back to the stream that she had been near the day before. Not in the same place of course, there was blood everywhere and William was in no hurry to remind her of her ordeal. He sat her down on some rocks that made a sort of step down into the water, placing her nearby so she could wash. Watching her eyes, he saw her concern and even illness.

Katharine knew that everything she saw yesterday had been washed away by the current, but she couldn’t forget. Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried to push the images out of her mind. “You are safe here, there are watches and guards that will warn of danger if it should come. Here.” He said placing his kit of soap and shaving supplies beside her. “You can use this.”

Swallowing, she moved the blanket aside and slipped into the cold water, that made her teeth chatter slightly. Tavington quietly watched her before taking out his weapon making sure it was loaded and ready to use. “Are you going to stay there and watch me?” She asked softly. She wasn’t really in her normal combative mood, she just sounded curious.

“Better me then one of the lustful privates and officers in my unit, wouldn’t you say?” Katharine took a breath and sighed moving to swim out into the stream a bit going under before coming back and began to wash her hair and body. It was so cold, but already she was feeling better just being able to get the filth, blood, and dirt washed away from her. Tavington sat on the rocks after washing his hair and shaving as was his usual morning routine. Katharine tried reaching around herself, she tried to wash her back, but it was difficult. Her muscles were sore and stiff and it was hard to move. Tavington put his razor and mirror aside moved behind her and took the soap from her and proceeded to wash her back for her.

Katharine was a little surprised but said nothing; she couldn’t remember his ever trying to help her with anything. Putting the soap aside he returned to finish his shaving and Katharine slipped back into the water, going underneath the surface to get all of the soap out of her hair and off of her body. “You know, some would say that a lady such as yourself knowing how to swim is wicked.” William said as he continued to shave looking into the mirror.

“Since when do we worry about what other people say, William.” Katharine said softly, still in a non-combatant tone. She had a point, worse things were said of the Tavington name, what was one more? No one but him saw this anyway, so who was to ever know? She swam to the other side of the stream before swimming back to the rocks. Tavington had finished cleaning up and washing his face, and stood picking up the blanket to let her step out of the water and wrap it around her. “Where are my clothes?” She said looking about.

“Destroyed, there was no saving them dear.” Reaching for the clean clothes that he had acquired for her he handed them to her. “You’ll have to wear these for now. Perhaps not your first choice of garments, but they are clean and are a bit better for riding then a mere blanket.” Katharine reached out taking them from him starring at them for a moment before looking up at him. “Go on, dry yourself and change before you catch your death. The bandages on your feet will have to be changed before we start on our way.” Katharine looked down to see that her feet were bandaged, she hadn’t even noticed before now.

Tavington turned his back while she changed, and put his hair back in the usual way. When he turned around he saw how tight the uniform riding pants fit Katharine, and actually felt a little excited at the sight of how the clothes fit her. Clearing his throat he turned and picked up his kit. She walked over to him folding up her blanket. William kept from looking at her for to long and handed her his brush for her hair taking the blanket from her. “I shall start back to camp, since the men are most likely preparing to leave. The watches are still circling the area so that you’ll be safe. We shall be on our way in 15 minutes, so do not take your time Katharine.” She simply nodded quietly and began to brush her hair.

Tavington returned back to put his things away and pack his horse trying to push the image of Katharine in those clothes from his mind. Shaking his head he finished the last few adjustments of his saddle placing his helmet. The men were ready to move out, and Tavington noticed that it got eerily quite for a moment., Turning, he saw Katharine emerge into the clearing with her hair down but pulled back out of her face with the black ribbon she had found in his kit. At this moment, she looked so young, so bright and beautiful, even after all she had endured. He had almost forgotten that she was nearly half his age. His eyes darkened towards the men whose jaws were nearly touching the ground, and he quickly went over taking the brush from Katharine and took her by the arm leading her towards his horse.

He put the brush away and picked Katharine up placing her on his mount with little trouble, and then mounted himself sitting behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist to take the reigns. He gave the signal and they started to move out, taking the road that would lead them back to where they belonged. Katharine was still tired and her head dropped slightly hardly able to stay awake. Her stomach gave a large growl that most certainly was hard to ignore and not at all quiet. Reaching into his saddlebag he took out a hardtack biscuit and handed it to her to eat. “It should be enough to calm your stomach until we get back dear.” Katharine immediately consumed the morsel hardly able to control herself.

More then once Tavington felt a twinge of regret that she had to go through what she had. She was a lady, and never meant to endure such things much less witness them first hand. Once she had finished her small snack, she seemed quite stated and leaned her head back against Williams shoulder. Normally, he would have said something, but not today. Her eyes closed and it wasn’t long before she fell asleep by the warmth of his body and the steady pace of the horse beneath them.

When Katharine awoke, sometime later, she found herself starring up at a canvas ceiling that was moving with the wind outside. Slowly she sat up looking around, recognizing William’s tent. She had been placed on his bed and allowed to sleep for only God knows how long. Yet the growing darkness outside indicated it might have been all day since it was nearing night. Already she was feeling a little better but was quite thirsty.

William walked into the tent just then, carrying it with him a plate of hot food in his hands. “Good, your awake, I was beginning to think you would sleep through the night.” He placed the plate down on the table and set silverware beside it. Normally, the orderlies would have brought it but he had suspected that something unsavory had been going on with his meals since he was so unpopular with the majority of the troops. So much so that he had assigned Major Borden to watch over his food while it was prepared. Tonight he couldn’t wait for that, if she wasn’t already awake he was going to wake her. His food would be brought to him later.

Katharine stood up slowly and walked to the table, her feet feeling better but still wrapped in bandages. Tavington actually pulled the chair out for her to help her sit down. Katharine was taken aback again, he had never done this before, but still said nothing. Sitting down she could smell the food that was assaulting every sense, and tempting her to forego all of the protocols. Yet she wouldn’t allow it. “Are you not going to eat?”

“Mine will be along shortly, right now you need to eat all that I have brought you. Perhaps more if you are still feeling famished.” Katharine gave a nod and picked up her knife and fork as she took small lady like bites trying not to cram all of the food in her face at once. Tavington moved to get something before coming back to the table and setting down two glasses. Then he filled them with wine and handed one to her. She sipped it politely and put it aside returning to her supper. “Young William is fine, dear. Although I was a bit upset to find that there was a choice of them taking you, or the servant girl. Are you trying to martyr yourself Katharine? I know full well that you have a rather soft heart towards those in our service but this was taking it a little far . . .”

“Please William.” Katharine said halting his words before he could say another, “Please, I would rather not discuss it at this time.” Her voice didn’t sound the least bit enraged over the fact that she was taken, nor stranded out all alone in the middle of the wilderness with no food and no supplies. The tone in her words was more like she felt that she had been punished for the decision she made to seek out passage on a ship across enemy lines in an attempt to go home to England. Her voice and her manner seemed that she simply accepted it.

Tavington quieted at her request, but his mind wondered if there wasn’t more to her silence. That servant girl . . . Susan, had expressed exactly what Katharine’s abductors had on their minds and that she traded herself for both Susan and young Williams’s freedom. Of course he was upset with her for what she had done, but deep down inside of him somewhere, the fact that she was willing to sacrifice herself for their sons sake made him feel a sense of pride. Despite the fact he had more things to discuss with her, he let her eat in peace for now. He drank his wine, and made sure that she never saw the bottom of hers even though she seemed to switch between water and her wine.

When she was finished, an orderly came in serving William and asked if Katharine would like more. She shook her head slowly and smiled handing him her plate saying thank you politely. “I’ve sent for a carriage that will take you back to the safety of Charlestown. It shall arrive sometime tomorrow. You will have to stay here for the night.” Katharine just nodded, still silent as the grave, and gave no argument. The rest of the mealtime was spent in silence.

A while later, Tavington finished his paperwork and put it aside. It had been quite the patrol these past two days and he was rather tired. Yet finding Katharine alive, made it feel as though a great weight was lifted from his shoulders. Reaching up he rubbed his eyes a bit. Turning around, he saw Katharine had leaned back where she sat, resting her elbow against the arm of the chair and her hand cradled her head. Her eyes were closed, indicating that she was not quite back to her strength yet and was still fatigued. Standing up, he moved over to her and reached down picking her up from the chair and carrying her over to the bed laying her down.

Katharine opened her eyes and saw him standing over her, sitting up as she looked at him. “William . . .” She began almost not able to keep her eyes upon him at all. “I did not know. All of the things that I have seen . . . this is what a war is?” She said softly asking a rhetorical question. “How can you . . . be here in the midst of danger and death day after day?” She said as tears filled her eyes. “How are you strong enough? . . . . I didn’t understand . . . so much before . . . ” Tavington reached up and pressed his finger against her lips to quiet her. She had had quite a bit to drink, and he had a feeling that it was loosening her tongue a bit more then she would have wanted it to be.

“Katharine, I know that you were leaving me.” He said quietly, solemnly. Katharine stopped her words and grew silent looking up at him. She had almost forgotten after the first day when she got lost in the woods that was her intention.

“Of course when I was first told of your plans, I was absolutely furious with you. If you were standing there before me, I would have given you my opinion in the matter and I assure you that you would have thought the wrath of God himself was coming down upon you.” Taking a breath he drew his hand back and looked away from her. Who knew that facing her in this way was more difficult then running into a barrage of cannon fire and carnage? “However . . .” He began, “After several long hours of contemplation, I realized that I hadn’t left you very much choice but to try and flee from me. You do not want our son to grow up in my image.” Katharine felt ashamed suddenly that he spoke the truth. It was how she felt and the reason she was running, but that was before she was abducted.

He turned his eyes towards hers and quickly said, “I do not wish for that either.” He had to say it quickly otherwise it would have never left his lips. Looking away from her again he tried to explain why, “I do not want young William to have to spend his life making amends for his fathers . . . mistakes and disgrace, as I have been cursed to do.”

“You never wanted to be a father William, it was my fault, I forced you into it.” Katharine said her eyes still tilted downwards. Tavington’s brow furrowed at those words and he looked at her straight on for the first time since she was retrieved without hesitation or difficultly.

“How on this earth could an educated mind like yours concoct such a ridiculous notion, Katharine Elizabeth Tavington? Do you think that I am not as much to blame as you? Honestly woman, I wish you would stop this thrashing of yourself for everything attitude since I found you yesterday. It is nothing like you and rather disturbing to say the least.” He said feeling quite a bit indignant about how she seemed to have changed in such a way. Where had her pride gone? He remembered that question that he wished to know before, and felt no shame in asking her now. “The servant girl told us the rebels intentions with you when she was sent away. So tell me now Katharine, and be honest with me as you always have been. Did they have their way with you?” He asked bluntly.

“No.” She said quietly still not looking at him. William wasn’t sure how to read that, if she was lying or ashamed, or telling the truth. Katharine turned away from him standing to her feet, “No William.” She said again with more conviction feeling like he was starring a hole through her with his invasive question.

Needless to say, Colonel Tavington wasn’t at all satisfied with this answer. It was something that had invaded his thoughts from the time he learned of her abduction. “Katharine, you must answer me.”

He said standing to his feet and following after her close at her heals. “I answered you William, there is nothing more to say.” She said still trying to end this conversation that was nothing she wanted to recall much less discuss.

William felt his temper flare and reached out spinning her around and grasping her shoulders tight as he pulled her against him roughly and looked into her eyes. “As your husband I am entitled to know the truth, Katharine! So tell me and tell me now! Did they rape you!?” He shouted at her.

Katharine couldn’t help the burst of emotion that seemed to explode from deep inside of her and she pushed her hands hard against his chest causing him to fall back slightly and her to fall from his grasp. “NO! WILLIAM, NO!” She almost screamed at him. Turning away from him she starred at the canvas wall of the tent wrapping her arms around herself as the image of a dying man whose life was leaving his body at her hands entered her mind again. William knew now for certain that she was telling the truth. “He . . . . was dead before he could touch me in such a way.” She whispered her voice cracking as her eyes squeezed tight trying to push the images away and her head dropped in shame.

That was something that he wasn’t expecting, and could hardly believe that she was capable of taking a life. Of course it was rumored, disused behind backs, and suspected all in a flip and non-serious way, yet never had he imagined she had it in her to perform the act. Tavington remembered the dagger that she had nearly plunged into his stomach when he woke her the night before. She was terrified and wasn’t willing to be captured or attacked again. Katharine had already killed once, and that was the strange disturbing look in her eyes that hadn’t left since he tended her wounds. Guilt, sorrow, horror, terror, regret, and perhaps a thousand other emotions that tended to destroy ones pride. An honest and good-hearted one at least who placed her worth and pride on her incorruptibility. Tavington himself never felt such a way. Yet he had seen it in Katharine, it was part of her and always had been, and knew that it was this that had broken her.

William regained some sort of reverenced and non-combatant attitude and walked up behind her. “This is why you haven’t asked me how our son fairs isn’t it. You no longer feel worthy to be his mother and mentor, because of this . . . single indiscretion that you had no choice but to defend yourself in. I have been informed that your illness has rendered you . . . helpless to see that he receives the nourishment he needs. It is why you intended to sacrifice yourself instead of his nursemaid. Is that not the truth?” It was definitely a rhetorical question, and Katharine seemed to shrink in presence at his words, for she did believe everything that he had said was true.

“You know that everything you’ve just spoken was true, so what do you want from me? Do you want me to say it? Confess to it aloud?” She turned looking at him with tears in her eyes, “That now I’m not only a failure as a wife, I’m one as a mother as well! That I took a life instead of sacrificing my own!”

Tavington cut her words off now, “This sense of morality will be the death of you woman, and me as well! No we don’t choose our battles, we don’t choose what family we are apart of, what parents we have, . . . who we marry!” He said the last one for Katharine, since it was true she had no choice in the matter. “We certainly don’t choose the situations we find ourselves in that require such a decision! But we make our choice and we learn to live with it!” He paused for a moment letting his voice calm down a little before continuing. He took a step towards her. “You made yours Katharine. You did not make it for yourself, you made it for our son.” She looked up at him as a tear fell from her eye. “I suspect that you do not trust me nor anyone else in this world to look after him as well as you would. The death of your own mother still haunts you to this day, and you don’t wish that on young William.”

She closed her eyes, “William please . . .” All of these words were burning her heart, for she had no idea that he saw her that well. She had always imagined that he simply went through the protocols, argued with her, and only had her as a wife in title. Period. It was almost to much to bare after 10 years, 10 years of being alone in a marriage, of trying to open herself up to him only to be shattered when he saw a weakness. Now. . . now she was more venerable then she had ever been, and she continued to wait for that moment when he would take that advantage to cut her to the core. She was to frail and emotionally weak to fight him or ignore it now.

Tavington almost knew that it was this she was waiting for, and she wasn’t going to stop struggling against him until he made it clear that he was not going to try and cause her more pain this time. Reaching out he pulled her into his arms and embraced her tightly against him without uttering a word. Her eyes went wide, he had never done this before. It was a shock in itself, like a dream almost. It only took her a second to melt into his arms and hold him back resting her head against his shoulder.

It was an amazing feeling, to comfort her like this. For her to allow him to hold her and for him to actually do so with no ill intention, seemed like it opened a facet into their marriage that he never even imagined was there. Holding her tighter he reached up resting his hand against her head and stroked her hair slightly. “You are not a weak, cowardly or wicked woman Katharine and you will be stronger because of all you endured.” He whispered into her ear, in that gentle voice that no one, not even Katharine, knew that he had.

After several long moments, Katharine looked up at William wondering what brought about this sudden . . . tenderness. He was not known for it, in fact he was believed to be the most monstrous human being to walk the earth. Tavington looked down into her eyes for several long moments, before he found himself kissing her tenderly.