It was a dark night, the rain fell heavy on the estate about an hour ride from London.
A small baby's cry pierced the September night.
The lord of the manner ran up the stairs and threw open the door to the bedroom.
"What is it!" He cried out desperately.
"A beautiful daughter." Said the midwife, then paused and looked at the ground. "However your wife… is now with Jesus…"
Lord Newbury let out a grunt and picked up the baby. "My wife's last birth will not be in vain…I will name her Jamison Anne Newbury I will raise her as a boy. " He declared.
26 Years later:
William Tavington walked into the office of General Cornwallis and bowed. "You called for me my lord."
"Oh… yes… I wanted to tell you I am assigning another Colonel to your ranks."
"What?" The word was said with a snap and air of disbelief.
"You have proven to be out of control, so hopefully the instituting of Colonel Newbury will encourage you to stop your brutal tactics!" Snapped Cornwallis. "He will be arriving on the ship today, I expect you and the other dragoons to go out and meet him." Tavington's eyes narrowed and he did an about face and walked outside.
"Bordon! Assemble the riders." He snarled angrily, grabbing his horse's reins.
The dragoons quickly assembled when Tavington angrily told them the news. No one spoke. They hadn't seen the Colonel this livid in a long time.
The dragoons rode out to the harbor, the ship docked nearby. Tavington and left the other dragoons on their horses as he dismounted and walked towards the ship. Then froze. A woman walked out of the ship, wearing a dragoon uniform. She was slim and had long blonde hair that had a gentle wave to it. Her eyes were like the crystal sea. Tavington did a double take, not moving as she walked towards him. She wasn't like any woman he'd met, She held her head high and walked with an air of command.
"You must be Colonel Tavington of the Green Dragoons, correct?" She asked. Tavington nodded.
"My name is Jamison Newbury." She said with a smirk.
Tavington suddenly found his voice. "It's a pleasure. But one question… why are you here? The whore house is a little further south in the city."
Her eyes narrowed in anger. "What was that?" Her voice was low.
"I am just saying in the colonies only whores cross dress."
She pushed past him, and walked down to the dragoons, most of them gave the same reaction, surprise and disbelief their new commander was a woman.
Bordon then dismounted and walked over held out his hand. "Welcome to the Colonies, Colonel Newbury."
A smile spread onto her face for the first time. Tavington rolled his eyes Bordon was always the charmer.
A white horse was led of the ship. Jamison turned around and smiled walking over to it and mounted it.
"Shall we, Colonel?" She asked Tavington who mounted and put on his helmet.
"Try to keep up, madam." He snapped and rode away. She smirked and kicked the white horse and her horse whinnied and ran after him and his men, she quickly passed the men and rode next to him.
When the arrived back at the fort where Cornwallis resided, Tavington literally stormed into the study where Cornwallis sat, Jamison on his heels.
"A WOMAN!" He cried out in rage. "You thought me so incompetent you brought a woman to work with me!" He yelled, gesturing at Jamison who only stood there, waiting for him to finish.
"In my defense?" Said Jamison said, Cornwallis nodded and Tavington turned looking at her.
"Why again do you have a child dressed as a colonel?" She asked looking at Tavington.
"How did you really get this position? How many other positions did you have to do to become a colonel?" He whispered into her ear, almost lovingly touching her hair with his nose.
"Not ALL officers get promoted that way." She said looking at him with a judgmental look.
"That is enough!" Cried out Cornwallis. Both Tavington and Newbury went silent and looked at him.
"I assure you, Tavington that Newbury has proven herself a capable leader in many situations. She use to the captain of the guard for the Queen herself." Continued Cornwallis.
"Thank you, General." She said, watching Tavington closely, she knew he was fuming and she enjoyed every second of it.
"You are dismissed Colonel Newbury." Said Cornwallis, Jamison smiled and saluted, walking from the room.
She walked out the door, where Bordon stood. "I am to show you to your room." He said with a slight blush.
Jamison smiled. "Then, please, do." She said following him up some stairs to the second floor.
"The officers stay in this house…here is your room." He said opening a door, inside was a blue room. It was nice enough. Jamison walked around it, inspecting it and nodded. "It will do." She said looking at him.
"If you need anything, I am down the hall a ways and Colonel Tavington's room is two doors down." He said, saluting and leaving the room.
Her trunk was brought up the stairs into her room by two men, She was sitting watching them. She stood up as Tavington walked into the room, she'd pulled off her uniform jacket, only wearing a white shirt.
"Yes, Tavington?" She asked turning to look him in the eyes.
"Tomorrow we will be leaving at 8 in the morning for patrol." He said with a snap then walked over to her. "So please… do get to bed early tonight." He said slowly.
"One of these days you will go too far." She said with a snarl to his face and turned away from him.
"Perhaps… but I doubt that." He whispered into her ear and left her room.