Disclaimer: I don't own the Characters except the ones I made up. Also if you find something historically inaccurate…well, this is fiction after all.

Many of you may notice that this story is familiar, you aren't crazy, It's not a rip-off of the original Ghost, Butcher, Hawk, I have decided to re-write this after several years, I finally couldn't stand how crappy my writing was and how out-of-century this was. There is far too much 21st lingo and plot holes for this to be ok. I'm changing the plot a little, adding some stuff, destroying other stuff and doing some heavy editing. Most of it will be pretty familiar. It will still be the same story you loved (or hated…I don't judge) but It will be different. If you read it the first time around I suggest you re-read it, It will be a lot better I promise.


"When love is not madness, it is not love."

Pedro Calderon de la Barca


Chapter One

"Please Colonel, do you honestly think a straight on assault is how to take Boston?" A Young woman's voice rang out among the chatter and gossip of the warm evening ball, a few pairs of eyes turned on Colonel William Tavington and a Lady Eleanor Heaton. Whispers and gossip floated around them.

"Well we need to show those damn rebels that we mean business." He snapped back at her.

"But When you just sweep through you kill innocent people in the process! Plus you destroy the city. Land and supplies that could be of use are ruined." Tavington shook his head and clicked his tongue. The two proceeded to stare one another down for a few moments

"I hardly think you would understand that the tactics sometimes outweigh the ethics of battle my Lady." Came Tavington's steely reply. Lady Heaton glared at him defiantly, turning her heel and stalking off leaving the irritated standing there triumphant but feeling like a fool for some reason. He sighed and followed after the Lady, ignoring the whispers of scandal from others as she disappeared around the house.

"Oh lord….They're at it again…." General O'Hara commented lazily to Lord Cornwallis as he let his eyes roam Lady Heaton's retreating form. Cornwallis certainly noticed the leering General but was slightly distracted by the two fighting.

"It seems they are…we all know how this will end. I really wish he wouldn't antagonize the Lady, she may not know her place as a woman but she certainly deserves some manner of respect. Well, at least-"

"Tavington is put in his place by Lady Eleanor?" O'Hara said lazily as he looked to his Lord General, mouth raised into a devilish smirk. Cornwallis rolled his eyes.

"As will you be. Don't bother with a woman like her. She's not a pushover like the others." O'Hara watched Lady Eleanor's form, retreating around the house, still arguing with Tavington.

"That's where all the Fun is in the Chase Sir…" He grinned softly.

--

As soon as Tavington and his female counterpart rounded the corner of the house, out of sight from the rest guests, she reached up and slapped him. Anger flared in Tavington's mind, temporarily clouding his thoughts as his leather-encased hands balled into fists.

"That was for earlier…" She snapped, her silvery eyes alight with controlled vexation. The Colonel was about to reply when his head was slapped into the other direction, this time he was ready for it. "And that…." She said breathlessly. "Was being gone for so damn long without a letter!" He turned his head, neck popping as he did so, eye twitching with anger then roughly pushed her against the wall, pressing his lips to hers. She complied willingly, returning the kiss with zeal. After several moments his lips left hers and went over her chin to the smooth column of her neck, he kissed it hungrily. She tilted her head back some, taking a deep breath.

"William…" He looked up, his eyes clouded and lusty, he set a finger under her chin.

"Ellie, I do apologize….but It is hard to send a post rider, you know the scandal it would cause, the men are already suspicious, they know your father is in Virginia now, what am I to give them for a reason as to why I am there? "

"I'm so glad your home." She said gently, ignoring what he had said all together, or perhaps not wanting to acknowledge that he was right….for once. He smiled some. "I've missed you so much." She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest, taking a deep breath. Gunpowder, horses and cologne invaded her nose, it smelled like him in that she found happiness. He leaned his head down, into her hair, breathing in. Lilac, honeysuckle, hibiscus, her favorite imported perfume but also the faint smell of her peppermint tea blended in subtly. A feminine scent he had missed in the past few months, a welcome change from the smells of camp, men and horses he had endured.

Captain Wilkins walked through the plantation estate where his superior, Colonel Tavington was supposedly staying for the week while the other dragoons had set up camp several miles down the road with the rest of his royal majesty's army. It belonged to the Lord General Heaton, his daughter, Lady Eleanor Heaton had taken residence in the home ever since her father acquired it during his first campaign. He however moved north in the past few years to aid in the war effort.

It was quite a scandal at first but polite Society had been assured that Lady Heaton's younger brother, Michael was there to keep the Lady safe and her modesty pure. After all, the Lady had still not been wed. She had quite the slew of suitors at first, she was quite beautiful, she came from good blood, her father being a Lord General after all, but alas she turned them away. She was too spirited and head strong, a woman with scandalous ideas. Every so often one would in passing call on her, only to be turned away by her brother.

As the Captain mused over this he started to noticed the manor itself, there was certainly affluence in the owner of the house's family but there was a regal elegance that showed through in the fact that there was no over indulgence in this home like Wilkin's had seen in Cornwallis' homes. He was interrupted by his study of the architecture when he heard the metallic ring of sabers crashing together. The sound resonated through the halls. Wilkins heard voices that sounded they were fighting. He rushed down the hall and turned the corner, bursting through the door to the courtyard.

There he saw his commander lying on his back, in just his shirt, untied and open, boots and breeches arms pinned to his sides by a smaller man who was straddling him, he sat on his stomach, the man's back to Wilkin's. His saber held hovering dangerously close to Colonel Tavington's chest. The Colonel looked slightly winded but mostly smug. Wilkins pulled out his pistol, the snap of the hammer being pulled back alerted the two on the ground.

"Colonel!" The person sitting on Tavington, looked over their shoulder. "L-Lady Heaton?" Wilkins stammered. She nodded slowly.

"Yes?"

"Wh-What are you doing?" He stuttered in shock, the young captain knew that the Lady and his icy commander did not get along but he didn't think that she would go to lengths to kill him. The Captain paused, just how did she manage to subdue him and dis-arm him? The Colonel was well-versed in sword-play. The Lady stood up, brushing herself off before looking to him. Tavington slowly pushed himself to his feet, his expression was no longer jovial but now the same unreadable void.

"We were sparring…" She said, as If they were chatting idly on the weather.

"But…why?"

"Because we can?" The woman offered, sheathing the sword at her side. It was just then that Wilkins realized she was in men's clothing as well, though it was very modest, the ruff was tied right up to the neck, her hair bound back in a queue. Tavington was standing very close to her, too close to be polite aquaintences, Wilkin's noted.

"Is-Is she your…pardon me for saying this Colonel but Mistress?" Tavington's brows rose while Lady Heaton's eyes narrowed.

"He has a mistress…?" She asked, her breath low, it was almost a growl. Tavington laughed, a short scoff really but it startled both Wilkins and The Lady.

"Good Heaven's no! She's my wife Wilkins!" Wilkins blinked, unsure what to do about this information, he started to laugh uncomfortably. The Colonel having a wife? If that were the case someone would have said something by now to him. The Colonel never mentioned having a wife, in fact in the two months that Wilkin's had joined the Dragoons he had only heard the Colonel say that love was a ridiculous malfunction of the mind serving to distract one from the task at hand.

"Oh! I see, You almost had me there-" He stopped mid-sentence at the glare he was receiving from the Colonel and his wife. "Y-Your married?" They nodded. "But Sir, forgive me but you said that such relations were-"

"I said that they were a distraction and they are. You must learn to separate your professional live from your private and I believe I have successfully. We are at war with rustics, the more they know of my personal ties, the more they can use it against me. And the more human I seem." He said dangerously in a way that made Wilkin's appreciate that he had chosen the correct side. The Colonel scared him, even with a home life. Wilkins looked between the two before looking to Lady Heaton, or Was it Lady Tavington?

"But what if someone like that letch O'Hara attempts to court you Lady...Tavington?" He asked unsure, The lady nodded and he continued. "Surely you'd be found out."

"Oh come now Captain, everyone thinks I am determained to be an old maid. I'm not interested…simple as that. I need no rescuing." Tavington smirked at his wife scolding his second in command. Wilkins open his mouth but closed it quickly as The Lady raised a brow.

"Why haven't you told the loyalists?"

"My father knows, Captain Bordon attended our wedding, and a few personal friends, now is not the right time to tell the public, you merely learned by accident." Lady Heaton-er….Tavington said. She was still a Lady Correct? What did that make the Colonel?

"Captain?" Tavington intoned, he looked mildly annoyed that his Captain seemed so inept that he had to bother with these silly questions about something he really shouldn't have known in the first place. "If you are done with the idiotic interrogation, why are you really here?" the Captain was suddenly flustered, trying to remember exactly why he was there.

"There were more dispatches that came in from Lord Cornwallis." The Colonel looked rather displeased, Wilkin's minutely shrunk back.

"Walk with me." He growled, the pair of Dragoon officers left the courtyard, once they were out of earshot, the Colonel stopped suddenly, his brilliant furied eyes making the much taller Captain feel a slight terror. "Captain, I realize that it has put me in quite a predicament of hypocrisy with you stumbling upon your discovery but note this, once you leave this house you will not speak of it to anyone, ever, not about her, not about this plantation. Not to Captain Bordon, you will especially not address it with me. My wife is very dear to me and if anything were to befall her due to your own incompetence I will slaughter you myself. Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" He said with a viciousness. The Captain nodded quickly.

"Y-You have my word Colonel."

Colonel William Tavington looked back over his shoulder to his wife as he rode away from her, away from their home. He turned down the rode towards the Dragoon camp. The moment he passed the gate he was no longer William Tavington, the devoted husband. He was Colonel William "The Butcher" Tavington. Once he had reached the officers tent, he dismounted from his horse, handing the reigns to a groom, pulling off his gloves and walking inside.

Borden and Wilkins were mulling over a map when Tavington entered the room. Wilkins looked up, when his eyes fell on his commander, he fidgeted, as if nervous. Tavington sent a silent order to him to cut it out, it was irritating. Wilkins stiffened, standing to attention. Borden looked up, following suit.

"Sir. Good to see you back. Lady Heaton was as dashing as always?" Borden asked. Wilkins flinched, it did not go unnoticed by Bordon, did Wilkin's know? He looked to his commander, who, would be angry for sure. He was correct in that assumption.

"If you mean a hospitable host, then yes. But if you are implying otherwise may I remind you to steel your tongue."

"I apologize for my idiocy sir." Wilkins was thoroughly amused by this until Tavington shot him a glare. Tavington didn't reply to Borden, he instead moved to the table and leaned over the map. "Sir the ghost-"

"I don't believe in Ghosts Captain, find this man so I can kill him!"

And that was the First chapter, I hope you enjoyed it not sucking so much , I've toned down Ellie's modern lingo and tried to peel back her personality a bit more but I doubt she'll be so forgiving of me. I've also made Tavington less of a Sap and more of the steel-heart that we know and lust-er I mean love.

Anyway new Reviews would be loved!