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Piety and Infamy	By : MarianTheBlackadder Category: M through R > Patriot, The Views: 2093 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Patriot, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
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It was deathly quiet on the ride back to Cornwallis�s headquarters.
Cornwallis had quite a volume of things to say to her, it was quite obvious that
he was holding a brutal scolding back. Each time the General glanced at her, she
hardly noticed him at all and made no acknowledgement of him whatsoever.
Heather�s eyes just remained on the road ahead of them thinking about William,
knowing that it was most likely her actions that had caused Tavington�s
reaction. But his words were what haunted her most. It had been a side of him
she had always somehow known existed. God himself knew how many times she heard
the others that came into the headquarters speak of it. Yet this was the first
time she had ever seen it with her own eyes. It had frightened her at first,
when he was looking at her in such a strange way and speaking as if he would
spit in the face of God himself if that was what it took. Yet now she found
herself worrying about him all the more.


The stress caused by the war, the pressure from the other officers who
were his peers, General Cornwallis breathing down his neck at every turn, and
the Ghost that William spoke of to her. All of these things individually would
cause anyone to become bitter and angry, much less all of them combined
together. She could understand it better now that she had time to think about
it. Still, his temper that she had witnessed only once before was one matter.
This was something entirely different. She sighed softly thinking about all of
these things wondering how he had had the strength to bare it as long as he had.


The hooves of the horses in the darkness moved slowly, and the rattle of
the weapons that the soldier�s sides didn�t distract her from her thoughts.
She had wished she could have been able to stay with him, just for the night and
she would have returned to the headquarters in the morning. That way, she might
have been able to ease his mind some, try and take some of the pressure from him
and let him know that she shared his suffering. Yet he sent her away without
even a word of goodbye. She was sure that he was just worried about her being
safe, and that her being there would have made it more difficult to defend the
camp should an attack take place. Such an occurrence would have only made
everything worse.


Her mind wondered back to when they were courting still. It was a rare
occasion that he came to see her since he was sent on assignment after
assignment each day. Sometimes it would be an entire month or even more before
she would be able to see him again. Yet when he did come, it was only spend time
with her and she couldn�t remember his ever even speaking of the war except to
warn her to be cautious. They had kept their relationship a secret for as long
as they could until she was struck with a fever that should have ended her life.
That was when the secret came out for he refused to leave her alone and stand
idly by while she called his name. In the midst of the ones she had lived with
who lived in the town, he pushed his way past the boarding house mistress and
sat by her side holding her hand.


She remembered the first time she saw him; he and his second in command
came riding up to the boarding house dressed in their dragoon uniforms. She
remembered how handsome he looked as the bright colors he wore always stood out
against the dismal and dark setting. The bright crimson contrasted by the forest
green, and accented by the gleaming white, and gold buttons that made up his
uniform. Tavington had always kept his uniform in perfect condition and it
looked as if it had never been worn once and they were always brand new.


A small smile found it�s way to her face as she rode on in silence, the
memory easing all of the troubles that had clouded her mind. Remembering what it
was that made her first see him, and how much she loved him regardless of his
faults. Tavington was always one of the most handsome soldiers that the British
forces had to offer, but she found him even more attractive to her as her
husband, her love. No matter his short comings, no matter his faults, and no
matter what sorts of stories where circulated about him behind his back because
they cowards would never dare say such things to his face, that was who he would
always be. The man whom her heart belonged to.


The smile fled her face as those thoughts entered her mind, remembering
that they were the reason she had runaway for a short time to begin with. She
wished there was some way to make them all see they were wrong about him, and
see the man he really was. Yet even if there was a way, they would not listen.
They knew nothing of him and didn�t know him as anything but the monster in
the stories that they heard. If the could see what it was that she saw, if they
saw him up close as the man he was rather then the solider . . . . . yet they
would not. They were to happy thinking of him as the heartless butcher, with no
human emotion of any kind, and less of a person then they were. Yet he was
human, and some day they would all be able to see just as she did every time she
looked into his eyes . . .


Her thoughts were interrupted when Cornwallis�s voice shattered the
silence. It would seem he could not wait any longer to give her a piece of his
mind. �I would appreciate it my dear, if you do not flee from my headquarters
like some prisoner or criminal that is held against their will. What you have
done today I should hope will never be repeated again. I had nearly half of my
forces pulled away from their duties to comb the countryside looking for you.
You could have been killed, or even worse captured. The colonial militia would
like nothing better then to get their hands on the wife of a British officer.�
He looked to her to see her reaction and to find out if she was even listening
to him. Heather refused to look at him and continued to stare at the road before
them letting him speak. There was really nothing she could do or say in her
defense. William had asked her not to argue so frequently with the General and
she had every intention of honoring his wishes.


�These men are not civilized Gentlemen. Do you have any idea of the
sorts of horrors that could have befallen you? What might have happened to
you?� Her eyes closed for a moment now knowing she was right in keeping her
brief capture earlier in the day to herself. They all seemed to find so much
relief in finding her before the colonials did. Her eyes opened against going
down cast glancing at her arm where her sleeve covered the strange shaped scar
that had at last healed how it would stay for the rest of her life. Of course
she knew what could have happened to her. She also found herself remembering the
man they called, �Benjamin� and his son, �Gabriel.� That she had met
earlier in the day. They were so kind to her, but perhaps it was because they
thought she was still a colonial. She knew they were right, for her official
title now was �The wife of a British officer�. She couldn�t help but
wonder if their generous way of treating her while she was with them would have
been the complete opposite if they knew. They might have let that Frenchman slit
her throat since he was so anxious to do so regardless of who she was.


A lump formed in her throat at this memory and she choked it back, and
Cornwallis still continued to address her, �The next time you wish to go joy
riding through the countryside, please request permission so proper arrangements
can be made. I will send you with an escort in a place where there had been no
rebel activity and that is well behind our lines. I will not be so lenient
should this happen again. Do you understand?� Cornwallis asked sternly looking
at her once more feeling that his scolding was complete.


Her eyes remained downcast as she nodded submissively. Cornwallis nodded
and looked back to the road ahead of them. �I am sorry that I caused so much
distress. I promise that I will not do it again My Lord.� He gave a slight not
satisfied with her word as the for came into view.Heather looked back once more,
wondering how long it would be until she could see William again. He had
promised that it would be soon since he would find her another place to stay as
soon as he could. Never once had he broken a promise to her and she doubted he
would start now.


Turning back she looked down at her tattered clothing and sighed
remembering walking through bushes in the forest that mercilessly tore the cloth
of her dress. Her eyes turned to her hand where her wedding ring once rested
before it was stolen several months ago. Her finger brushed over the empty space
a moment, if it was still there, questions would have arisen that those
colonials would want answers for. In a way it was a blessing, but she still
wished it had not been taken. It wasn�t like she needed one, their marriage
wasn�t a small piece of gold jewelry. It�s missing didn�t make her single
again for she still belonged to William. They were bound together in heart long
before he presented it to her. Still she wished it still sat proudly on her hand
declaring to all that she was wed.


She would stand by him, and defend him no matter what. For if she did
not, his own wife, then who would? He would never have to think himself alone or
uncared for again, for she would always be there happy to see him with open
arms.

To Be Continued .
. .
- 12
- 13
- 14
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Piety and Infamy