Roses of Stone

Katharine sat on Tavington’s bed as the surgeon tended her feet, replacing the bandages. William was a bit annoyed since the doctor’s appearance interrupted his exploration of this newfound simple enjoyment between him and his wife. Yet at the same time, Katharine’s wounds needed to be looked after so his rage was kept at bay. Her feet were already looking and feeling much better in just the short time they received proper care, and Katharine was so grateful. Giving her a brief exam to see how she was doing, he told her to drink more water before picking up his things and leaving the tent. The call to tell the men to bed down for the night rang through the camp, as candles were blown out and any sounds died down quickly into silence.

Katharine lay down on the simple bed just happy to have something other than hard cold ground to lie on. After a moment she opened her eyes to see that Tavington had removed his jacket and leaned back in the chair to watch her sleep has he had done the night before. She saw how tired his eyes were, and looked down to realize that it was his bed she was sleeping in. “When was the last time you slept, William?” She whispered softly.

“Sleep? I honestly can’t remember dear.” He said rubbing his eyes a bit. Katherine felt extremely guilty for taking up his bed like this, and moved herself over to the other side as much as she could to make room for him. She pulled the blanket back inviting him in. Tavington furrowed his brow a moment in surprise, but hardly was about to turn her down. He removed his boots and vest putting them aside before lying beside Katharine and pulling the blanket over them.

It was an awkward moment, one that neither felt very comfortable in nor did they know exactly what to do. It was an extremely small narrow bed, not really meant for two occupants. Tavington looked down at her for a moment, before moving his arm behind her. She sat up slightly and turned so that she could rest her head on his shoulder lying down again. It made the bed seem larger and more comfortable, as he wrapped his arm around her rubbing her shoulder slightly holding her against him. Slowly, Katharine moved her own arm to wrap around him causing her body to press against his. They lay there in silence for a few moments before Katharine’s soft whisper broke the silence.

“How many people did she tell, William? About the intentions of those men.” Apparently, the thought entered her mind that she would have to be faced with the same type of questions that Tavington had drilled her with not very long ago. She wasn’t looking forward to it, and that was clear by the tone of her voice.

“I should hope not anyone except myself and the other officers. Yet, scruples do not seem to come into play with such young servants. As I have tried to warn you before when you treat them as equals where your conversations are concerned.” His hand moved from her shoulder as he touched her hair again, liking the feel of it from the first time he touched it not to long ago. He felt that he could easily get used to stroking it softly whenever the opportunity arose. It was not only comforting to him somehow, he was certain that it was for her as well. It was a start however small it was.

Not to long later, Tavington could hear the breath of sleep on Katharine’s lips and he looked down at her once more. Gently, he leaned down and kissed her forehead before falling into sleep himself. Usually, there was a chill that simply couldn’t be chased away no matter how much it was fought during the night in the canvas tents, but not tonight. It was warm, comfortable, safe, and quite pleasant.

The next day, Katharine awoke first, lying on her side starring at a canvas tent wall, just like the day before. Tavington stirred slightly still asleep and his arm pulled her against his body to embrace her enjoying her warmth whilst he slept. Katharine looked down a little shocked seeing his arm around her. She almost thought last night that she was dreaming and none of what happened was real. Turning back towards him, she looked to see that it was in fact William who was sleeping beside her. Carefully, she turned her body towards his and watched him sleep. Peacefully, untroubled, in a way she never could remember seeing him sleep before. Perhaps he was extremely exhausted from this war . . . and perhaps her merely being there.

“Are you simply going to stare at me and let me sleep?” He whispered as his eyes opened looking into hers. She smiled a little bit that he was awakened so simply, and turned over the rest of the way so that she was facing him.

“You seemed like you needed it. I’ve never seen you so tired . . . except when you came home the morning after being gone all night.” She didn’t mean to say it, not just then. It would sound like she was already starting to nag at him and pick a fight again so soon about his past infidelity. Yet Tavington didn’t take it as a dig this time, a lot of grace was being given between them since he found her again.

“Well, we were already on a day and a half out on patrol when we came across you and that other Solider. He seemed familiar somehow, I’m sure that he was under my command at some point.” Tavington’s voice was still quiet. “I wonder, were you both attacked when you were traveling together? His wounds were quite extensive compared to yours.” Katharine’s eyes were still soft and they turned down slowly as she shook her head slightly.

“No. I didn’t see him until that morning. He was floating by in the cold river with . . . other bodies that were left over from some battle I suppose . . .” She said her eyes closing for a moment trying to push the images from her mind once more. “I . . . reached down and pulled him out as hard as I could, and tended his wounds. He was the only one left alive.” A tear escaped her eye and slowly slid down her cheek. So many young men wasted. “You do know him, his name is Stevenson. Cornwallis reassigned him when you came to Charleston. You were told that there was some sort of affair going on between us, and you wished to confront me about it.” Tavington narrowed his eyes a moment, before he remembered the name and what she was speaking of. “I would have helped him however I could anyway, even if I did not know him. But I felt that it was somehow my fault that he was there . . . suffering, dying.” Her eyes looked up to Tavington with terror, “Did he . . . . has he . . . . is he . . .?”

“No, he’s quite alive and being looked after Katharine. He has you to thank for that, otherwise he would have been dead not long after you first found him.” A sigh of relief left her as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against his chest a moment. Once again, she was fully awake, and very affectionate with him despite of it, as he was with her. It was strange, very strange in deed. “Lets not talk of it anymore, I think you need your rest and to move past what happened. It will not do for you to dwell on it.”

Finally, Katharine decided that it was time to address the situation at hand. She couldn’t go on any further in this daydream, knowing that it wouldn’t last. Her hopes would be soaring and then the heart breaking truth would rare it’s head up and she would be destroyed. “What has happened to us William?” She whispered softly. “Am I dreaming? None of this can be real, I know it can’t be.” Tears were starting to well up in her eyes again at her words.

William looked into her eyes, really looking into her eyes for the first time in their lives together and actually felt . . . truly concerned for her. “Shhhhh.” He whispered back, “Katharine . . . this past month . . . has been absolute hell on both of us.” He said speaking bluntly even though cursing in the presence of a woman was completely undignified and rude. Not that he ever took that in consideration before. “I found myself . . . sitting at your bedside whilst you slept in darkness, confessing things aloud that I never would have thought of doing if you hadn’t become ill.” Reaching up he touched her cheek wiping an escape tear away from her eye, before stroking her hair softly again. “I nearly lost you, . . . and it made me realize . . . that you would have left, without my ever truly knowing you. . . . and I found myself wanting to know you . . . wanting to . . . hold you, truly for the first time.” His arms squeezed tighter around her as he spoke, “As I am now.”

“I don’t know . . . if any of this is possible after 10 years William. There has been so much ill between us, in so many ways. It can’t simply be erased by a whisper and a touch of hand. It can’t change just like that. I don’t . . . think that either of us has earned the right.” William still ran his fingers through her hair, as it was so distracting how soft it was and how enjoyable just the feeling of touching it was.

“I know. I know that we will never stop arguing and fighting with one another, it’s not in our nature. Though I realize that you have tried to be that sort of wife, you are not a quiet and subservient woman in the slightest. You are strong willed, overbearing, pigheaded, stubborn and have your own opinion of most things that you will express no matter what.” Katharine raised her eyebrow at his list of complaints concerning her personality. She had a list of her own concerning his as well, and felt the urge to let him know but Tavington continued not giving her the opportunity to speak. “But perhaps, we shall fight less and attempt . . . to be civil to one another for our sons sake. The personality flaws, as I have come to consider them to be . . . have become humbled. I can see it in your eyes, and your manner since . . . since we found you.”

Katharine smiled, still feeling joy at his proclaiming himself as the father of their child. She had always feared that when that day would come, if it ever did, he would not claim responsibility for it and simply say that it was her child and never call it his own. She turned her eyes a way for a moment wiping another tear away, “I heard everything you said . . . when you spoke to me while I was asleep . . . but I dismissed it as another one of my foolish dreams.” She said still a smile adorning her lips.

Tavington simply looked at her, the youthful look that she had come to have since she was out of her regular dress and had her hair tied back in a simple ribbon and nothing more. He reached up gently and turned her face up to his as he kissed her ever so softly. “Lie with me, Katharine.” He whispered against her lips kissing her once more. “Please.” Actually asking her permission to make love to her, rather then simply taking her as he always had before.

She looked into his eyes, which silently said yes giving him the permission that he sought. Leaning down he kissed her again savoring her taste, enjoying the simple bliss of caressing her lips with his own. Katharine closed her eyes and kissed him back, chills running down her spine and the sincerity behind his touches and caress. It was an unbelievable feeling. William turned her to lay on her back, and moved himself to lay over her with one swift move hungrily kissing her again.

“Colonel Tavington!” A familiar voice rang from just outside the tent. Tavington’s eyes opened and narrowed as he halted lavishing affections on Katharine. When no answer came the voice continued, “Colonel Tavington, General Cornwallis himself is coming into camp to speak with you!” William pulled away from Katharine and shouted in a thunderous voice.

“YOU DELIEVERED YOUR BLASTED MESSAGE NOW BE GONE!” He roared, feeling Katharine shiver beneath him. Sighing, he looked back down at her touching her face and gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. It was quite possible that it would never be this way again, and there would be no other chance to prove how he truly felt about her. Things would go back to being normal for the most part by the time he returned to Charleston to see her again. “Lord Cornwallis will not wait outside the tent nor announce himself. It would leave us both in a rather compromising position when he entered if we continued now.” A sadness filled Katharine’s eyes at this news and she nodded, to let him know she understood.

Tavington looked down at her for several more moments, before finally pulling himself away and slipping from the bed to dawn his uniform before the General made it to the dragoon camp. As soon as he was ready he exited the tent and found his second in command waiting to accompany him to receive the general.

Colonel Tavington and the Major saw General Cornwallis and his escort enter the camp and hurriedly followed on foot to catch up to them. “He looks out of sorts today, sir.” Borden said quietly so that only William could hear.

“It would be quite an event indeed the day Lord Cornwallis came into my camp and was not out of sorts Borden.” Tavington grumbled under his breath, before pasting the smile on his lips that he wore each time he had to meet with the general, considering how much crow there was always served to him. As the horses halted, William quickened his pace to go to the General’s side. When he had left his tent, he left Katharine hard at work grooming herself trying to make herself look as presentable as possible under the circumstances. The Colonel ordered that she be brought breakfast at once before joining Major Borden in meeting Lord Cornwallis. It was certain, that by now, he had been informed of Lady Tavington’s rescue, and would no doubt have something to say about it.

The General dismounted and walked pass Colonel Tavington to lead him away from prying ears, for he tried to keep the displeasure he felt with some of his officers out of the sight of others. But it was extremely difficult to say the very least. “You were warned countless times, Colonel Tavington. By myself and by General O’Hara that no foolish heroic action was to be taken by you in this matter, I could have your commission for this.”

“We came across her while on patrol, My Lord. Per your orders we did not go searching for her, nor did we go out of our way or stray from our path to find her. None of my men were lost, Katharine was recovered safely along with another solider, we finished our patrol and made it back here to camp with time to spare. It was sheer luck that she was found by us at all, My Lord.”

Cornwallis was still extremely displeased when he had been told that Katharine was taken back to the Green Dragoon encampment instead of being sent on to Charlestown. “And I told you that we would see to the matter, and you were to go about your duties! You think I don’t know that you have been pushing much further then planned into the territory she was last seen in? You must think I am absolutely oblivious to what goes on in my own army!” Tavington had quite the retort to this scolding he was unjustly receiving but clinched his jaw and said nothing swallowing his words. He would dare say, that it seemed that General was upset that Tavington had found her and not himself. “Katharine is to be taken back to England tomorrow along with her son. I have ordered that the ship in harbor be held for her return. She has been through quite enough, and there seems to be nothing her for her but pure misery.” The misery he was referring to of course, not subtle in the least, was Tavington himself.

“With all due respect, it is not your decision for my self and our child to return to England, My Lord.” Katharine’s voice broke into the conversation as both men turned to find that she had emerged from Tavington’s tent and was standing nearby, having heard everything that had been said. Her hair was clean and freshly washed, and once more pulled back out of her face with the black ribbon she had worn the day before. The uniform clothing that she had been given she made a few slight modifications to so that it looked more like something a woman would wear. Tavington had to suppress a smile seeing her like this again, and the fact that she had almost instantly come to back him up where he seemed to have no power at all.

Lord Cornwallis looked very shocked, a look of horror crossed his face as his eyes moved over her body and attire. A woman, a lady of position in standing, in a white undershirt no doubt she got from William this morning, and a pair of extremely tight fitting riding britches. Who ever donated that pair of clothing must have been a very small man indeed. Slowly she walked to them and curtseyed gracefully in respect to the General, and she stood next to Tavington as she spoke. “That choice belongs to William, weather or not myself and our son is to return to England or to remain here in the Colonies.”

“Lady Tavington . . . you are . . . what on earth . . . . Katharine?” He said at a loss for words as he looked at her. What on earth could he say? She was positively . . . indecent! “Return to . . . . Colonel Tavington’s tent at once. At ONCE!” He demanded in a very loud voice. Katharine bit her lip slightly feeling as though she was standing in the presence of her father, still emotionally fragile from everything that she had been through. She started to say something else, but the words caught in her throat and she turned away hurrying back to Tavington’s tent. Cornwallis had never seen her do that before, and Tavington was rather irritated that he scolded her like that. Even the Colonel had been gentle on her since she was retrieved.

“She has been through an extremely trying time, My Lord. She is still quite upset from her ordeal. The clothes she wears are replacements from the dress she wore. It was tattered, filthy, torn, and a ghastly mess. There was no saving it, and I refused to let her put it on again after she had the opportunity to bathe.” Cornwallis just starred at him for a moment.

“And you allow her to walk about among your men in such . . . in such indecency! My God man, what on earth is amiss with you that you would allow such things!” Tavington had had quite enough of this, and had to put a stop to it even if it meant being accused of insubordination.

“General Cornwallis . . . I am fully capable of looking after my own wife and attending to her needs. It was an extremely foolish thing that she did traveling into enemy territory on her own like she did, but she has been more then punished for that misjudgment twice over. I don’t think the state of her clothes and what she wears whilst in my camp to be a great concern at this time. She has extensive wounds on her feet that needed to be attended to, and I decided it would be best to stay with me for a time before she is sent back alone to the rooms that you have so generously prepared for her.” The General seemed eerily quiet while Colonel Tavington spoke, yet he continued on anyway. “I have sent for a carriage that will arrive at some point today before nightfall to take her back to the city.” There was a long pause that even managed to make Tavington nervous, yet he wanted this matter solved and closed for good. “If there is anything else you wish to discuss concerning this war rather then my personal life and family, please do so.”

Cornwallis’s eye actually twitched slightly, but silently he turned walking away from the Colonel returning to his other officers and escort. Tavington had never felt such a sense of pride and accomplishment as he did now. The relations between himself and the General were only going to be stressed even more, but he spoke the truth for what he hoped was the last time. Turning he walked back to his tent, taller then before feeling quite satisfactory having spoken his mind.

Ducking into his tent, he looked about for Katharine and paused finding her sitting on his bed with her knees pulled up to her chest with tears still filling her eyes. Once again, it was a set back when it felt like they were finally making a bit of progress. He unbuttoned his Dragoon jacket and moved to sit down next to her waiting for her to say something. “He was right, William. I was out in the open in front of all those men in my shame. I’d forgotten myself.” She whispered.

“Dear me, you are absolutely right!” he exclaimed in a rather flip and mocking manner, “Our family name is ruined and tarnished beyond all repair!” He said looking into her eyes with a sort of sarcastic look. She smiled a little looking down a moment, feeling a little better that he could actually joke with her. He took out his handkerchief and handed it to her to she could dry her tears. “Few will know exactly what you went through, and how we found you dear. He will not be the last to confront you in such a way. You must find your strength again Katharine.” She gave a nod, still quite upset before moving next to him and melting into his arms once more.

“Shall I never be as I was before, William.” She said softly, almost trembling as he held her close.

“Perhaps not. Yet, I do not believe that I . . . will be the same as I was before either.” He looked at her quietly as she pulled herself back into a controlled state . . . however much she could anyway. “But, I don’t think we can be the sort of people . . .” He wasn’t finding the words he wanted to and sighed. “Katharine, perhaps alone we can be more . . . like we are now. But in the presence of others you know full well that we are going to act as we have always acted before.”

She nodded a little bit, “I know. Your men would think you have gone soft and become unruly, and the officers who taunt you now would say things that are not very polite in the least. The same it would be with me, and I would react to that as I always have.”

“At least we’re being honest dear.” Katharine gave a nod. “As for young William, an allowance as been arranged so that you and he may move into more private quarters of your choice.” He said letting her know that she could move out of that building to any place in Charleston in reason. Silently, he wanted her out of the ever-watchful eye of his peers and superiors. Tavington knew that if she were to stay there, the same problem that he had just tried to put an end to would only continue to come up. “You shall have several servants of course, and a nursemaid to help you care for young William. It shall be more like home this way, and perhaps you shall be more at ease with your surroundings.”

“Oh how the gossip will soar then.” Katharine said softly wiping the handkerchief over her eyes once more to make sure all her tears had been dried. Tavington recognized that tone as it seemed that more of Katharine’s self was returning. “But, at least a little more privacy will be maintained that way. Honestly, I believe the walls of that building had ears the size of elephants.”

“Sir!” A voice came from outside of the tent. “The Lady Tavington’s carriage has arrived!”

“Tell them to wait, she will be there presently.” Tavington said before looking at Katharine. There were so many things he wished to say, so many things he wished to do with her, but the war would not wait nor be put on hold for the colonel’s personal life. “Well, it seems that it is time for you to return. You’ll have a decent meal, be able to groom properly, and have your clothes . . . new ones that is, that you are accustomed to.” Reaching up he tugged the tie of the uniform undershirt between two fingers, “Not these, that aren’t fit to touch your form.”

“William . . . when shall I see you again?” Katharine said softly looking into his eyes. “I know, it’s not in our . . . nature to wonder about such things, and we usually . . . enjoy the time we are apart quite immensely . . . but when?”

Tavington half smiled taking her hand in his and gently kissed her knuckles, “Whenever I can, to see you and my son.” Katharine nodded a bit, since it seemed that there was nothing more to say for now. The Colonel stood taking Katharine’s hand in his and helping her to her feet. “Now, I am sending five guards to escort you back so you will be safe and have nothing to worry about.” He told her as he escorted her out of his tent and led her to the carriage.

Katharine fell silent and followed him, entering the carriage when he opened the door turning around and looking at him. Giving her a nod of reassurance, he started to shut the door but was stopped when she nearly leaped to catch him and kiss him eagerly. William was caught off guard, and pulled back from her looking into her eyes with pure and utter shock on his face. Katharine was feeling child like again, as though she had made a terrible mistake and everything she felt had been accomplished was nothing more then a mirage. Turning her eyes down, she started to pull back into the carriage to take her seat, only to find that her arm was seized and she was pulled back to the door, her lips finding themselves being consumed by Tavington’s.

Yet it couldn’t continue like this, and finally both of them pulled back just enough so they could look into each other’s eyes. Their sense of priority and position was not completely lost and forgotten. Breathing heavily she reached up and touched his chest as his hand rested against her face again sweeping back through her soft hair once more. Silently, Katharine sank back into the carriage and took her seat, and Tavington closed the door. Both in a sort of daze and wonderment with each other. When Tavington turned away, the carriage took off down the road to take her back into the life she was accustomed to, and out of the ‘depths of hell’ so to speak. Only time would tell if what little understanding she had gained from the experience would stick with her or would melt away.

* * * * * * * *

Several weeks passed by, and Tavington had had no contact whatsoever with Katharine. The war was becoming more and more heated as the days passed by. Tavington couldn’t help but wonder how she was, and found that she had been invading his dreams constantly since he found here those many weeks ago. It was such an incredible revelation that may never have happened if the series of unfortunate events that occurred never took place.

Finally, a reprieve from the war was granted and a well earned leave was in order. Many of the officers were granted time for rest and relaxation back in Charlestown, and Tavington was one of them. Not exactly for his conduct as an officer, nor his ‘good deeds’, but both General Cornwallis and General O’Hara thought it best to get him off of the lines if only for a short time. His popularity, if it ever existed in the first place, was declining rapidly and causing a great deal of disquiet among the ranks.

After relinquishing command to Major Borden and giving instructions of how the dragoons were to be conducting their time, he rode back to Charlestown. The journey was becoming longer and longer, since the war had been pushing forward at a steady pace. Once he returned to the original quarters that Katharine had been given, he learned that she had done just as he said and moved to another house in the city, which was sold at an exceedingly low price since the previous owners wanted so desperately to leave the city. The most likely reason, was because they were worried that the British would find out that they were supporters of the Colonial rebellion and imprison them for being traitors against the crown.

As he arrived at the house, he was rather impressed seeing Katharine’s choice of dwelling, finding that her sense of taste had not dimmed since she had left England. She had quite the eye in these sorts of things. He entered into the house to find that he was greeted at the door by a servant who took his things and directed him upstairs to where Katharine was.

He took his time, a bit anxious yet apprehensive at the same time to see what sort of reception was lying in store for him. It could be a number of things really, and he was trying to prepare himself for anything that might come at him. Finally, he came to her bedroom door and stood there for several moments before reaching for the handle. He paused yet again before turning the handle and pushing the doors open. Tavington’s eyes came into contact almost immediately with Katharine whose back was to him. She was rocking young William in her arms, singing softly a lullaby from her childhood.

Tavington turned and closed the door quietly so as not to disturb this scene. Just as he had suspected, it seemed that the child had become the world to her. Lavishing all the unrequited love that she seemed to have held all of these years. As he slowly approached her, he found that she had been restored to her full health. She was much stronger, and her body had once again regained a healthily figure now that she had gained weight again.

Just then, she rose from her chair and walked to the baby’s bassinet, swaying and humming before she laid him down gently and covered him to keep him warm. Leaning down, Katharine placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and whispered something to him that William couldn’t quite make out from where he was standing.

Katharine turned from the bassinet, and was startled to see William standing there before her. She was so engrossed with putting young William to sleep, that she hadn’t heard him come in. Both just stood there for a moment, silently, not saying a word. Then, the pause in time was broken, when Katharine nervously looked down before walking past him to the doors of the bedroom and exiting, still saying nothing.

Of all the things he imagined, this was not a reaction that he was expecting. He followed out into the hall, to find that she had made her way to the stairs and started her decent. He just stood there, not knowing what had just happened. Something must have gone wrong, for now . . . she wouldn’t even talk to him. Sighing feeling slightly defeated he went back into the bedchamber to sit with his son a while.

Katharine had disappeared for the rest of the day, until dinner was announced. Tavington sat at one end of the long table, and Katharine sat at the other. Still, awkward silence was all that was there, and although Tavington starred at her waiting for something, she kept her eyes turned away from him refusing to look at him at all.

When she finished eating, she excused herself and disappeared upstairs to her room. Tavington remained and consumed an entire bottle of wine. His leave couldn’t continue on this way. Two weeks of horrid silence, not even a challenge to fight on, or a word. This must have been the quietest she was since they were married, and it was both annoying and unnerving. What had brought this on? This . . . . nothing? Finally, he could stand it no longer and finished his glass for courage and stood from the table marching up the stairs.

Without hesitating this time, he burst into the bedchambers causing a loud booming sound that seemed to fill the house. Luckily, young William had already been taken to the nursery for the evening with the two servants whose sole purpose was to look after him. Katharine had grown used to his barbaric ear shattering sounds and it was no wonder she didn’t even turn to look at him. He stormed up to her and waited for her to look at him, but it was clear she was not about to. Reaching up he grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, hoping that this would get some sort of verbal response. But still . . . nothing. “SPEAK!” He roared wanting to hear something, anything weather it be filled with hate or concern didn’t matter.

“William . . . don’t SHOUT AT ME!” She roared right back at him. Tavington looked at her for several moments before letting her go. “Is there no pleasing you!?! If I speak, you wish me to be quiet, if I am quiet you wish me to speak! How am I to know what it is you want from me if you keep changing what that is!”

“AH, well it’s good to see that things ARE BACK TO NORMAL!” He shouted again taking another step towards her. She said not to shout, so of course that is what he did. “OF course they would be! Who am I to think that you would change at all! Now here is the proof that your spoiled little girl persona did not die in the wilderness along the way!” She started to respond, but stopped. Tavington just looked at her again, as she made it painfully obvious that this wasn’t what she wanted. She had no intention of fighting with him, nor did she wish to start the argument. Turning away from him she moved to her writing desk and sat down, picking up a quill and dipping it in ink as she began to write.

“Your mother has written me, William. She has grown lonely, and is unable to bare all the criticisms that she receives from the roomers of your war efforts.” She said softly, still writing on the parchment before her. It was all she said, simply, and nothing more. Tavington slowly walked towards the desk seeing the letter with his mother’s familiar handwriting and read it. Once finished, he slipped it back into the envelope and leaned against the desk folding his arms across his chest.

“And so, you have decided to return to England, and to take our son with you. To . . . run to my mothers rescue, and so quickly leave this place, this . . . hell on earth as you see it.” He said looking down at her. She still did not look up at him, and her hand was shaking as she wrote each word. “Well, I am sorry dear. I have not lifted the restriction from our navel ports that you are not allowed passage on any ship bound for England. So I suppose that you shall simply have to stay and dear Lady Tavington will have to get along on her own in England as she has always done.” Katharine paused her writing looking towards the window.

“You would have her suffer alone?” Yet another personality he had run into with her since she was found again, this sterile, quiet, hesitant place she had fallen into. It was as if they had just entered into marriage all over again, and she was the sixteen-year-old bride that he took 10 years ago. Leaning down he looked into her eyes, until she looked back into his.

“You don’t want to go back to England, Katharine. You want to stay here, I can see it in your eyes.” Standing he walked back towards the small sitting area of the bedchamber. “And, you were going to go anyway, but hoped that I would stop you and forbid you to go. Isn’t that right dear?” He said turning and looking at her with half a smirk on his face. Quietly, Katharine put the quill down and sat still. “Well, I have forbidden you, and you are safe in the knowledge that it was not fear but my decision that kept you here.”

Katharine turned around starring at him for a moment before standing up suddenly and walking towards him. “You don’t think much of me do you, William. To think that I have ‘fear’ of anything? We have been married for far to long, and have had enough arguments and fights that hell itself, if there were no shoes on my feet and I would have to wade barefoot through the river of fire, it would not be even the slightest tip of suffering the daily agony of wearing your name brings!!!”

He just smiled at her and turned away walking to the sitting couch and taking a seat. Katharine couldn’t believe this! HE started this argument and there was absolutely no chance of his walking out of it this easily. “You have never cared for your mother! Since our wedding day, she has been my responsibility and I have had to give her all the love that you have withheld from her! If I wish to go to her, I will go to her! And nothing you can do, say, or ‘forbid’ will stop me!”

“Will you go?” Tavington said simply looking at her. This stopped Katharine’s words cold and she just starred at him in silence. How often was it that there came a time when they could disarm each other with such simple words? “Will you?” He said again since she did not seem quick to answer this time. Katharine started to say something, but the words came out as a sigh instead, as she turned away from him. “I thought not.” She crossed her arms over her chest, hating to feel as though she had lost. When had he gotten to know her so well? “Come, Katharine. Sit with me.” Tavington said moving down on the sitting couch to make room for her, reaching up and snagging her wrist, pulling her around the couch and to sit down. “Is it so hard for you to let me be the one who makes the decision for you?”

“How can you ask me such a question, when the answer is so completely apparent, William.” She said, still in a bit of a huff. Uncomfortable wouldn’t even to begin to describe how she felt about letting him make the decisions for her. Much less how she found that she wanted to let him make the choice. “Don’t think because of what happened that it means I’m weak. I’m just as strong as I ever was, and you are not going to turn into a dictator in this marriage!”

“You know, Dear. You keep trying to pick a fight with me, when I don’t wish to fight anymore then you. I decided that I would spend my leave with you when there were a hundred other places I could go. So, is it so much to ask that you sit down with me in order for us to speak in a civil manner?” Katharine just looked at him, before she gave a sigh of surrender. Tavington couldn’t suppress the smile. A victory was still a victory, especially in there relationship as husband and wife. “Now then, is there any news of our sons life as short as it has been?”

“He’s only three months old, William. But . . . he seems to be becoming aware of things. He knows that I am his mother, and he knows that his nursemaid is the one who gives him food when he’s hungry.” Her eyes went down cast for several moments when she spoke of that, it was still obvious that it pierced her heart each time it came to our mind. “He’s already quiet strong, and squeezed my finger so hard yesterday that my fingertip turned white.”

Tavington grinned at that news, “Of course, he’s of the Tavington line and quite strong indeed.” Katharine arched an eyebrow at that. Of course he was egotistical and she should be used to it by now. But she felt that a lot of his strength and other features came from her father. Yet she said nothing. “What else?”

“There isn’t very much more to tell. I’ve scolded his nursemaid quite a few times, finding that I slept through the night when I know young William did not. I’ve instructed her to wake me when he wakes, but still . . . she does not. I suppose she doesn’t see any point to it, since . . .he’s usually hungry and has no need of me in that event.”

“Katharine.” Tavington said folding his hands together leaning on one elbow that rested on the back of the couch. “It is not the end of the world because you cannot provide him with his sustenance yourself.” She narrowed her eyes and looked at him feeling as though he couldn’t understand in the least bit. “At least you are healthy and can look after him. In a few years, he will not need to feed in such a way, and it will be up to you to raise him from then on.” Katharine still felt quite alone in this matter, and it burned so badly. “It was not your fault, Katharine. Your illness nearly took your life. The doctors said that there was nothing that could be done about it weather you were here or in England.”

“But if I had stayed in England, your mother would not be distressed and lonely like she is now . . . and perhaps young William would already be learning about his home. And he would be safe.”

“And I would never have seen our son until he was . . . well, at least a walking age and a talking age. I would have gone back to England, and he would never have known me. I would be a stranger to him, and nothing but the rumors that circulate would be his knowledge of me.”

“I would have never allowed him to think such things of you, William. You know that. If it would have gotten to be to much of a burden to keep his ears away from the gossip, I would have taken him away to somewhere he wouldn’t be surrounded by lies and accusations.” Tavington half smiled as they both grew silent. There was a change there, since kind words could be exchanged even though it was uncomfortable.

William moved closer to her on the couch, and took her hand in his. “Did you ever think of what I requested of you, before the General decided to invade my camp?” The change of subject was so incredibly drastic that it caught Katharine completely off guard. A bright red glow came to her cheeks as she began to turn away from him. However, he quickly pulled her hand towards him to prevent her from doing so.

“It isn’t an appropriate subject for us to discuss, William.” She said pointedly, not liking her retreat on such an embarrassing matter halted. The fact was, she had thought about it, and she had longed that they hadn’t been interrupted. Yet still, she felt . . . strange about openly discussing such things with him. Nothing that had happened here in the Colonies was going to change that.

“Is that so?” He said pulling her into his lap and wrapping his strong arms around her waist so she wouldn’t try to get away again. “Tell me then, when would it be an appropriate subject for a husband and wife to discuss.” Katharine sighed and tried to wrest herself free from his grasp. She blamed herself for this, for it was her who had let him see the slightest hint of weakness in her. “Katharine, I do not believe that our son would have come into existence if it was such a horribly unspeakable topic.”

“Oh, WILLIAM! Don’t speak to me in such a manner when you have been drinking!!!” She exclaimed finally throwing his arms from around her and standing to her feet a little frazzled and upset that he persisted in pursuing this conversation that she didn’t want to be any part of in the first place. There were volumes of things that should be said to him, but she was simply to frustrated to say any of them. Stamping her foot angrily she turned on her heel and left the room slamming the bedroom doors behind her so hard, they rattled every window in the house.

He just chuckled slightly. Truly, he wouldn’t have her any other way. The women in court who spoke freely of such things without any recourse at all, where disgusting in the fact that they shouted out their status as a whore for all to hear with their words. Of course those women were fun to be with for a night, or so. But not to marry. Lord knows, that to have a woman more promiscuous then oneself as a wife, would make the entire world laugh behind your back. Katharine was faithful, and her modesty about such things only reaffirmed that which he already knew.