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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
- 16
- 17
- 18
As usual, the night didn�t last long enough and morning soon broke
through the darkness. Heather sat before Tavington�s vanity brushing her hair
which had been let down during the course of the night to make herself more
presentable. She had left William asleep knowing how hard he worked on a daily
basis. He needed all the sleep he could get. Heather adorned her skirts once
more, but only her lace undergarment that was worn below her blouse. She
couldn�t help the smile that swept across her face, feeling the loneliness she
had been suffering these past few months where nowhere to be found. As if they
had melted away in the hours she and William had spent together.


Setting down the brush on the tray, she wrapped her arms about her self,
rubbing her shoulders as she closed her eyes feeling the warmth deep inside.
Quietly, she thanked God once more for keeping William safe while he was away
from her, and in the middle of a dangerous and bloody war. Then she prayed that
he would continue to watch over him while he was away from her, knowing he could
see William where she could not.


While Heather was lost in her thoughts, she didn�t hear William awake
and get up from the bed. He stood behind her a few moments watching her in the
mirror, creating another memory that would keep him warm on the cold nights they
were not together. After a moment he took a few steps towards her placing his
hands gently on her shoulders. �Good Morning my love.� He whispered leaning
down to kiss her velvet neck.


Heather jumped at his first touch, feeling as if she had been caught
being silly. She smiled up at him as Tavington moved his arms to wrap about her
pulling her tight against him, and rested his cheek against hers looking into
the mirror. Heather closed her eyes loving the secure and safe feel that he gave
to her each time his strong arms held her in such a way. Tavington chuckled a
bit, �I think I�m due for a shave.� Leaning closer her breathed gently
into her ear before whispering, �Although I realize how much you favor it when
I do not.�


Heathers cheeks grew bright red in a blush at his words and she smiled
before quickly looking away. He was a solider after all and had a trained eye,
not to mention it was a rare occasion when he took his eyes from her when they
were together. She should have known better then to think he would not notice.
Tavington laughed and kissed her neck again still holding her securely against
him. Heather put down the brush and turned looking up at him. �Is there
nothing that I may hide from you William?�


A mischievous smiled graced his face as he looked at her, �Nor more
then anything I may keep hidden from you my love. You know far more then you
should of matters concerning my life.� He said in a lighthearted tone, not
putting very much stock in the observation. A good wife always knew the affairs
of her husband, it�s one of the many mysteries of the female sex. Heather just
smiled at his words, knowing that he had her cornered. He chuckled finding the
situation most amusing and kissed her passionately once more. Heather�s eyes
remained closed for a moment, just savoring the feel of his kiss and the warmth
of his embrace.


After a moment, Heather pulled back breathing deeply, knowing it was
early in the morning and the feelings that were surfacing were pursued, the
sound would reach the ear of every solider in the camp. Even if they were
married, it would only add to the rumors that were circulating about the Colonel
and Heather would rather not add to that reputation or to make things worse.
�I don�t think . . .that the General is going to be to happy that I left the
fort again. He . . . could be on his way here now to yell at us both again
William.�


She pulled back from him enough to stand as she put his dresser in order.
�He could be here any minute.� She said gently swallowing the tightness in
her throat. Apparently, she was not the only one suffering from the desires that
had only grown with each passing second they were kept apart. William stepped up
behind her wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her against him as he
kissed her shoulder.


�Happy . . . . I�m most certain, would not be a word to describe him
this morning, but he knows where you are. You need not concern yourself with
that.� He whispered, kissing his way up towards her neck. Heather�s eyes
started to close as she found herself more then willing to give into his
affections, but she stopped herself and pulled away before turning to look at
him.


�My love?� She said quickly before he embraced her again, wanting to
know how he knew that General Cornwallis wasn�t searching for her after her
sudden disappearance. William blood was still fired hot and he began to take a
step towards her to pull her against him again. Heather quickly grasped a clean
undershirt that rested on the vanity behind her and held it up to him, stopping
him in mid stride. His eyes looked down at the garment before looking up at her.
Even though he would have happily continued in his endeavor, he knew she was
right. In the middle of a solider encampment, with every man wide awake and
roaming about, was hardly the place and it certainly wasn�t the time.


Taking the clean shirt from her he sighed putting it down and taking off
the one he wore, he tossed it aside. �Captain Wilkins, who was the officer
that was being debriefed in my tent when you arrived in the camp yesterday, was
instructed that should you come to camp alone and without escort as before, he
was to immediately send word to General Cornwallis of your whereabouts. I�ve
made it a permanent standing order of the Dragoons as long as I am in
command.� Pulling on his new undershirt he straightened the collar and secured
the cuffs. Heather picked up the brush from the vanity and went back to taming
her hair as he continued. �I would rather he did not make unnecessary trips
down here. The few times he comes to camp are unpleasant enough without adding
more to them. I�m sure he will want to have a word or two with you once
Captain Wilkins�s returns you to the fort. I wish I could help you there, but
you know that I cannot.�


Heather�s expression grew solemn as her head dropped hearing his words.
�Your sending me back today then.� She whispered softly in a sorrow filled
voice. Tavington paused and turned towards her hearing her tone. It was obvious
that she had no desire to return today, or any other day for that matter. He
watched her for a few moments before going back to getting dressed.


�I have been looking for another place for you to stay Heather, as I
had promised you that I would.� He began tucking in his shirt as he continued,
�As it would seem, the safest place for you to be away from Lord Cornwallis,
and away from danger, would be back home in England.� Hearing those words,
Heather stopped cold. �Unfortunately, I regret that until I return to England
you would have to stay with my mother, whose nagging tone will make you want to
commit and act of murder. But you will grow used to it and this war shouldn�t
last but a few more months if you were to go back and wait for me there.


Still in shock at his solution to the problem that had been expressed,
the brush slipped from Heather who had been caught completely off guard, hitting
the ground hard. Tavington stopped what he was doing and looked at her,
instantly seeing a look of pure terror in her eyes. �William . . .� She
breathed in a soft whisper, unable to get any louder. Her gaze was locked on his
eyes, and her breath seemed to have stopped almost completely. England was, at
the least, a three-month trip across the sea barring weather difficulties. It
was a place she had never seen before, and even worse, it was 3,000 miles away.
If something happened to him, she might never see him again. Or news would come
to her to late to do any good. Even being here now, she lived in fear and saw
him very rarely.


Taking a step forward, she found the will to speak. Tavington watched her
in awe, at how quickly her entire person changed before his eyes. William had
not been expecting that, and her voice had changed as well. He could only
compare it to that of a child who had awaken from a nightmare and didn�t wish
to return to sleep. �William . . .William please don�t send me away from
you. Not back there, not so far away. Please.� Her voice broke revealing the
hurt that was in her heart behind her words.


William took a breath, hating that he had caused this reaction in her so
clumsily, not considering how she would feel at the thought of parting from him.
Reaching out he pulled her into his arms and held her close. �No . . .no
it�s alright my love. I just meant that it was a possibility. It is by far the
most logical option I found, but I would never . . .I could never send you back
to England alone.� Tavington brushed a hand over her hair to calm her down
holding her against him. He could feel her form tremble against him as if she
had seen a ghost, or had been frightened beyond all recognition. Silently he
proceeded to curse himself for letting the idea pass through is mind, much less
saying it aloud and terrifying her like this. �I could never send you so far
away from me my love.�


Heather wrapped her arms around him in return clinging to his body, �I
would die without you William. I couldn�t survive being so far away.� Her
eyes closed as she buried her face in his chest trying to muffle her whimpers.
William still held her tight continuing to comfort her.


�Shhhh, it�s alright. Look at me my love, everything will be
alright.� Reaching down, he hooked his finger under her chin and turned her
face up to look at him. He smiled down to her, �I am not going to leave you
Lady Tavington. I am far too jealous of a husband to leave you behind for
someone else to try and take my place.� He chuckled slightly, �There is no
doubt in my mind to leave you unattended, weather I was deceased or not, you
would have an endless line of suitors. Foolishly seeking to take your hand in
there�s, and take my place in my wife�s life.� He kissed her softly
looking down into her eyes, � I will never leave you Heather.� He whispered,
feeling her heart rate slowing in her chest and seeing the fear in her eyes
diminish.


Taking a breath she nodded, letting him know she understood and accepted
his comfort. Tavington kissed her forehead and gave her one more reassuring
embrace. �Come now, finish getting dressed darling. The morning is quickly
disappearing.� Leaning down he placed a gentle kiss to her shoulder before
letting her go. Heather sat back down at the vanity and picked up her blouse.
Slowly she put it on and began to button it up. For some reason, the thought of
her being sent so far away from him never passed her mind before, and it scared
her more then anything else she had learned during the war ever had. Shaking her
head, she quickly finished her hair and replaced her silver clips in her hair,
expertly taming each curl.


A while later, William pulled the flap of the tent open letting Heather
exit before he did. Heather slowly walked towards the edge of the camp whilst
Colonel Tavington gave Captain Wilkins orders to get an escort commissioned to
take her back to Cornwallis�s headquarters. There was no doubt in either of
their minds that Lord Cornwallis was not going to be the least bit happy with
her escaping the fort without his permission for a second time. Captain Wilkins
give his salute and hurried off, while William turned back going to Heather and
taking her hand and they began to walk together in the field just outside of the
camp. All there was was this short walk together before she had to leave again.


�I still can�t write you, can I William.� She said softly, knowing
that she already had a book full of letters in her journal that she wished she
could give him, but Heather had a feeling that she would get a proper scolding
for keeping such things when he had told her not to. Tavington shook his head a
bit as they walked together.


�No my dear, it�s not safe as I told you before. You remember how
they reacted to our relationship when they found out about it in the town you
lived in before we were married. How they treated you when they realized that
you belonged to a British Officer? Nothing has changed, it has only gotten
worse.� William said seriously as he looked at her. Sighing a little bit,
Heather looked down at the ground a moment.


�The British Aristocracy doesn�t show it as much, they at least try
and fain gentlemanly conduct when I�m around them, but I can�t say the same
for those who were born in England. They�re no more fond of me, then those who
were born here in the Colonies.� Her voice still stayed quite and gentle but
her eyes remained on the ground. Each time she realized how many people on both
sides despised her husband and herself, it made her heart ache just a little
bit. After a moment, Heather smiled and looked at him, �I can just chalk it up
to jealousy, and after all they don�t have you.� Her words made William
chuckle and brought a smile to his face.


�I could well in turn say that some of the British Aristocracy finds it
most aggravating that I have you.� Heather knew who he was talking about. Her
secret wasn�t such a secret anymore, and even some of those who stayed in the
General�s headquarters began to whisper of it. As they came to the edge of the
wood on the car side of the field, Heather leaned on a rather large fallen tree
looking into the forest, before turning and looking back at the camp. William
came and stood beside her just taking in her features and burning them into his
memory. Even then, his eyes repeatedly scanned the trees nearby, not willing to
take the chance that the dragoon patrols did not do their job of clearing the
area as they were supposed to do. His eyes turned back to her once more when she
began to speak.


�How long will it be until I can see you again, William?� Her voice
told him just how much it hurt and worried her each day that she didn�t see
him and heard about the battles and the names of the officers who had been
killed. It seemed that there were more as of late, like the rebels had started
targeting them specifically.


Tavington gave her a little bit of a smile, �I don�t know how long
darling, but after last night, I can promise you that it shall not be as long as
it was before.� He chuckled a bit as he moved next to her and turned her to
face him wrapping his arms about her waist and holding her close. �I think I
may have fallen in love with you all over again, dear Lady Tavington.�


It was impossible for her not to cheer up a bit after hearing his words,
no one else in the world saw this side of him. How sweet and gentle he was with
her, and perhaps he showed to no one else. He smiled at his beautiful bride and
kissed her hungrily wanting to make these moments last as long as they could.
They held each other as if for dear life, afraid that this could be their last
meeting but refused to acknowledge that possibility. No, William would be safe,
the war would come to an end, and they would live happily ever after as it was
supposed to be and they had dreamed about.


After several long moments, he unwillingly pried his lips away from hers
and gave a sigh, �We had better go back. Captain Wilkins will have your escort
waiting to take you back to the fort. I apologize that I won�t be able to go
with you my love, I know that Lord Cornwallis will be hopping with anger that
you left again.� He grinned evilly, �And that you didn�t return last night
and spent it in your husbands bed.�


Reluctantly she nodded, knowing that his duties couldn�t be forgotten
or ignored. The Ghost was causing so much trouble, and making it harder for them
to see each other since William had to secure their supply lines almost
constantly. After a few more long moments, they were finally able to release
each other. Tavington offered her his arm and she smiled for him and took it.


Just as William had expected, the escort he had ordered was mounted and
waiting to take her back to the fort where she would be safe. The horse she had
come in on was ready as well, having been brushed and groomed and saddled with
the same rig that she had rode in with. William inspected the horse and a very
displeased look found it�s way to his face. �This horse has been saddled
incorrectly! This is a straddle!� His temper was starting to flare and the men
started to cringe knowing that his anger was going to be taken out on someone.
�How is she supposed to ride this beast back with this sort of saddle you
blundering idiot! . . .� He shouted at the Captain.


Heather quickly reached up and touched his shoulder, �It�s . . . the
right saddle. The one I rode here in.� It was a little embarrassing, knowing
it was incredibly improper for her to ride such a thing. �I .
. . stole the first horse I found in the stable that was ready to be ridden.�
He arched a brow at this news before letting out a sigh, watching her walk to
the side of her horse. Tavington wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted
her with little effort placing her on the horse. He shook his head slightly as
he watched her move her skirts about trying to make it look a little better but
it was obvious she was riding straddled on the horses back. His eyes slightly
narrowed giving her a look of aggravation, he reached up handing her the reigns.


�Stop stealing the General�s horses my Dear, you have been given one
of your own you know.� Tavington�s attention turned to the Captain, �As
soon as she is safely settled back in at headquarters, you are to return to camp
immediately. There will be no time for foolish wasting time.� He looked back
up at Heather as his look softened a bit. �I shall see you again soon, Lady
Tavington.� He took her hand and kissed her knuckles gently, looking at her
once more wanting to remember for the nights to come.


�Please be Careful, William.� She whispered to him, squeezing his
hand in hers. She wasn�t ready to leave yet, that was obvious, but there was
nothing that could be done about that during this godforsaken war. He held her
hand back tightly before releasing it, �Captain.� He said giving him the
word to be on his way. Heather watched him as he walked away from them returning
to his tent.


�My Lady?� Captain Wilkins voice said breaking the silence and
Heather�s troubled thoughts. She nodded before taking one last look, and then
turned her horse as they began on their way, back to Cornwallis�s
headquarters. The one place in the world that she�d rather not be.


No one talked in the small detachment who was given this detail, it was
as silent as the darkest part of the night. It was deathly quiet, even though
Heather didn�t really expect to hear chattering. She knew that the lower ranks
weren�t permitted to speak while on duty. But it only made it harder for her
to try and push the worries out of her mind. So she turned to the one person in
the formation that was allowed to speak, �You were born here as well, Captain
Wilkins?�


He almost seemed startled when she talked, not quite expecting it. Being
Colonel Tavington�s wife, he almost assumed that she was just like him.
�Yes, I�ve lived her all my life, and actually grew up on a farm just south
of here.�


Giving a sigh she looked ahead of them at the road that seemed to go on
forever once again. �As have I. Your speech is different from the British
soldiers. Just like mine. I suppose it�s one of the reasons that the officers
in General Cornwallis�s headquarters look at me strangely sometimes.�


Captain Wilkins shifted slightly in his saddle and sat up a little
straighter keeping his proud demeanor. �I see our Loyalties lie in the same
place then, Lady Tavington.� He said proudly as if just finding an ally in his
own beliefs. Heather was fully aware that he was a Loyalist, and perhaps looked
down on just a bit more then she was.


�Where would that be exactly Captain?� She said softly, trying to
keep the daggers she felt out of her voice. Of course she was married to
William, but she had never sold out her family or friends to those who
considered them traitors and enemies.


Captain Wilkins thought it was a sort of strange question, but looked at
her for a moment willing to answer. �To King and country of course. Where my
loyalties have always lied. Is it not the same with you? Don�t you think we
owe all that we have to the king and England?�


She couldn�t stay silent, and she finally had to say something, �My
loyalties lie with my Husband.� She said in a definite tone, and she dug her
heels into her horses side to quicken his pace enough to get ahead of the
Captain so she didn�t have to speak with him anymore. She regretted having
ever started the conversation. He was the narrow-minded unforgiving type to say
the least. Even worse, he was the sort of man who would lick the boots of his
superiors to get ahead even an inch. The feeling he gave her sent chills up her
spine. He knew that she was Colonel Tavington�s bride, and had been attempting
to gain her approval of him. Closing her eyes she sighed again in frustration
and continued on their way to Fort Carolina where she was certain that a
scolding was waiting for her.
To Be Continued .
. .
- 16
- 17
- 18
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Piety and Infamy