Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from the movie "The Patriot", simply borrowing for this story.
Character Notes:
Tavington, Bordon, O'Hara, Cornwallis, etc appear physically as in the movie. (Bordon has been brevetted from Captain to Major for this story).
Miss Karen Stirhaley (original female main character):I conceive her as looking like actress Jennifer Ehle portraying Elizabeth Bennett of the A&E television channel version of "Pride and Prejudice" (1995 starring Colin Firth)
Laura Pratt, McKinnon House servant (original female supporting character): view the "Patriot" movie, ball/party scene. The blonde on Tavington's right at end of this scene as ship is blowing up is how I conceive this character to look.
Captain Wentworth (original male supporting character): view the "Patriot" movie, deleted scene "The Heart of a Butcher" (not on latest "extended cut release). The blonde dragoon dragging rebel Rollins into the room is who I conceive this character to be.
Banastre Tarleton appears as how he looks in the famous Reynolds portrait of him.
This story was originally written in 2001. I have revised and refined it (hopefully) and have added some more scenes to it. And 2012, the Prologue has been added to and included now in Chapter 1.
I hope you enjoy. Thanks!
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO GO TO A WEBSITE CALLED "DEVIANT ART" TO VIEW AN ILLUSTRATION BY KELLY RAINE/DEVIANTART OF A SCENE FROM THIS TAVFIC. IT IS AN EXCELLENT, BEAUTIFUL RENDERING! This will not let me put a link in, so just type "Deviant Art" into your search engine, once you get to the website search for "Lepipsqeak" and view all the artist's work and you will see a rendering of Tavington and Karen Stirhaley from this story. I believe also if you type "you can't go you can't" into the search on the website, it may also bring up the picture.
THE BOUNDARY
(the Prologue is a bit of background on Tavington and Bordon as young officers in England before the war started, and Tavington and Karen's betrothal.
Tavington was a bit less stressed at that time. You will see him as a younger, light hearted young man before the drive for victory and weariness of duty and war overtake him.)
Prologue: A Young Officer's Happiness
Late Autumn, 1775 – Sussex, England…..
The small group of soldiers rode along the dirt road, cutting a dashing swath in the countryside, looking crisp and handsome in their red and green cavalry uniforms. The group of young dragoons were happy to have a day and a night of furlough. The soldiers had just been paid and were headed out for some fun with that money.
The group of handsome young cavalrymen turned the heads of all the ladies that passed by. Not a chance was missed by the men to tip a head and show a subtle smile to the young women on the road.
The men were busy talking of the recent eruption of rebellion in the colonies. All mused aloud, wondering if they would be called to go. They were all excited and agreed that they would make the trip for the fight…..and the chance to see the new world.
As the group sauntered along on their horses, Captain Tavington turned to his friend in the saddle on the steed beside him, Lieutenant Bordon. "Miles, you are always so handy and charming with the ladies, why is it that you are not married yet?"
The affable, cinnamon-haired officer laughed. "I haven't found the right woman yet…at least that's what my parents tell me."
"But you've courted some very lovely young ladies," Tavington objected.
"I agree," Bordon said, "But mother and father are bound and determined that I am going to marry a woman from our social class with as much a fortune or more than what we have. I don't really have a say in it."
"So, you're rebelling by not getting married ?"
"On the contrary," answered Bordon, "I want to get married and have a family. Perhaps I could court one of Karen's sisters?"
"Ah, the last one left was just betrothed," Tavington informed.
"Damn," Miles swore. "Maybe I could challenge him to a duel."
William laughed. "And don't get any ideas about Karen."
"I still think that if I'd have met her first that morning all those months ago," Bordon stated, "that she would be my girl and not yours."
"You're probably right," William agreed with a chuckle.
"William, you know me," Bordon began, "Even though I'm from wealth, that I've never used that to judge others. And as far as women, I never cared about their money or social class. I just want a nice, pretty girl."
"Perhaps you'll find one soon?"
"I will probably fall madly in love with some beautiful little poor girl," Miles mused, "elope with her and get myself disinherited!"
"You are ever the romantic," Tavington commented. With that, William stopped his horse.
"I take my leave of you good fellows now to pay a call on Miss Stirhaley," William said.
The others waved good bye, leaving William and Miles at the end of the long lane leading up to the Stirhaley estate.
"And where are you off to, Bordon?"
"Ah….there are some young ladies in the village who desperately need part of my paycheck," Miles joked.
Tavington raised a suspicious eyebrow at his friend. "Bordon, the gentleman lieutenant, in a bawdy house?"
"I can retain my gentlemanly manner in a brothel!", Miles exclaimed. "A gentleman's money is just as welcome there as a thief's!"
"Ah…a gentleman in the parlor but a brute in the bedroom, hmmm?", Tavington laughed.
"No. I am always a good boy and never forget my manners," Bordon joked back with a smirk. "Well, have a pleasant visit with the fair Miss Stirhaley."
"Thank you. I'll see you back at the barracks tonight, or will you be tucked warmly into some pretty little bird's bed?"
"The latter, I hope," Bordon called as he nudged his horse away.
William smiled as he watched his friend catch up to the group. Tavington then turned his horse and headed up the lane toward Miss Stirhaley's house.
/
Harry Stirhaley was reorganizing his desk when he heard a knock on the door of his study. He recognized the voice of one of the servants.
"You have a visitor, Sir," he said.
"Oh?"
"Yes, Sir," he answered. "It's Captain Tavington."
"Ah. Send him in, please," Mr. Stirhaley requested. He was a bit confused as to why the officer wasn't calling on his daughter. Perhaps Karen didn't know he was there. Maybe she wasn't able to come downstairs to greet him yet, he thought.
William soon entered the study carrying his helmet under his arm. He was dressed as usual in his dashing red and green cavalry uniform. He nodded his head and smiled at Karen's father.
"Good day, Mr. Stirhaley," he said. Harry noticed that the officer's voice didn't seem as confident as it usually sounded.
"And to you," greeted Stirhaley. "Here to call on my daughter?"
"Yes…..I mean….uh no….well, sort of….." stammered the captain.
The elder man looked puzzled and said nothing, letting William find his bearings again. The young officer was obviously nervous about something.
Tavington took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "Actually, Sir, I am here to talk with you."
"You are?"
"Yes."
William was silent for a moment, summoning up some courage. He closed his eyes and took a breath, then reopened them and tried to relax.
"Uh, Mr. Stirhaley," he began, "I'd like to ask your permission to propose to Karen. I want to marry her, if it is alright with your family, and if she'll have me."
Harry Stirhaley sat back in his chair a moment. He sighed, feeling relief and anxiety both, that this moment had finally come. The whole family genuinely liked Captain Tavington and wondered if he would ask for Karen's hand in marriage. They knew that Karen loved him so.
After a moment of silence, William began to worry. He had worried that the Stirhaley's may reject him as a suitor for Karen. Tavington was, after all, not as wealthy as the Stirhaley family or Karen's sister's husbands or fiancés. He had salvaged his father's business after the elder man had ruined it. The Tavington family flour mills managed to finally turn a small fortune again after his father had squandered nearly all of it. The captain, however, was unable to save the Tavington name and family from disgrace. He had hoped to redeem the family's good standing through his military command. Will had a promising future as a young officer. The Stirhaleys were aware of this.
"Sir, I have a moderate inheritance from my family," he began his plea, "and because I am an officer in the cav—"
"It's alright, young Tavington," Harry interrupted with a wave of his hand. "You don't have to prove anything. Our family is quite fond of you, as is my daughter."
William sighed in relief, then felt a flush begin to creep across his cheeks. He wasn't exactly sure how Karen's family had felt about him, and was taken aback to hear this from her father.
Harry Stirhaley sat stone faced and gave no clue to William if he would allow the proposal. Instead, he began a polite interrogation of his daughter's potential suitor.
"Do you desire children, Captain?" asked Harry.
"Yes."
"Many?" continued Mr. Stirhaley.
William became daunted at this question. Did her father want him to have as large of a family as he had? Or maybe larger?
"Whatever the Lord gives us," William replied calm and naturally, trying to cover up his nerves. "I at least would like to have a son to carry on my name."
Mr. Stirhaley raised his eyebrows. "Oh? No daughters?" he remarked, somewhat testing the young gentleman.
Tavington knew he must answer this question eloquently. William didn't want that many children, but was mostly concerned with having at least one male heir. He did think that he might also like to have a daughter.
"Well, they would be a blessing," William answered.
"And a curse," stated Harry.
"Sir?" questioned William, furrowing his brow.
"You constantly have to watch and protect them so that they do not fall to men with lewd and ungentlemanly desires," replied Stirhaley.
William squirmed in his chair. He desired Karen because he loved her, and was guilty of having secretly thought lasciviously of her. The officer had fantasized about what it would be like to make love to her. He had dreamt of feeling her naked next to him in his bed. But, Karen was a lady and he would not force her to shame by acting upon his feelings. Although, he found it hard to grapple with desire from time to time.
"Yes, Sir," Tavington agreed.
Karen's father went on. "I find myself wanting to castrate any man who would besmirch or hurt one of my daughters."
William, though innocent of his desires, felt a sudden ache between his legs. He also felt sick. Surely Karen's papa could not see or know what he had thought about his daughter.
"That's severe, Sir," William answered.
"Yes," Stirhaley said. "You will understand when you have a daughter of your own."
"Yes, Sir," Tavington replied. He was beginning to be sorry he had asked to marry Karen. What had he gotten himself into? Since he was not a father himself, he didn't speculate that Stirhaley was only testing the waters.
"Relax, Captain," he soothed. "You are nothing less than a gentleman with my daughter."
William smiled in relief. A servant entered, bringing the two men some tea.
After the servant disappeared, Harry Stirhaley pressed on with his questions. He just wanted some extra assurances from Tavington before he could consent to giving him Karen's hand in marriage.
"Captain," he said, "I'd like you to drop all pretense and formality and answer something. I assure you that I will not judge you or hold anything against you."
"All right," William complied with a nod of his head. Concern crossed his face.
"Tell me truthfully, how you feel about Karen."
William was quiet for an instant as his nerves now strangely vanished. He was able to look at Mr. Stirhaley with a new found ease.
"I love her very much," he replied, then went on. "I desire her the way a man wants his wife, but only because I want her to be my wife. I love everything about Karen and care very deeply for her."
"What do you want from her?" asked Harry.
William kept his eyes locked on Karen's father. "To be loved and cared for by her. To have her beside me forever. I would like for her to be a loving and devoted wife and mother."
Mr. Stirhaley, true to his word, listened intently to the young officer's confession and passed no judgment. "What will you give her?"
"I'd give my life for hers, if need be," he said without hesitation. "I will give her love, devotion, and care. A stable home and income. I am not as wealthy as some men, but I want to be a General and feel confident that I will achieve that. As I rise in the ranks, that will give us some privilege and fortune."
Tavington took a sip of his tea, then continued in a very sincere voice. "No matter what happens, I will do all within my power to provide for and take care of her and our family."
"Captain, please be assured that wealth is the least of my worries when it comes to my daughters," Mr. Stirhaley remarked. "Trudy and I have never judged anyone by money, and Karen is the same way. Might I say that I am unconventional, wishing my children to marry for love and happiness first, with fortune second."
Karen's father drank down the last drops of his tea, then went on. "You see, I believe that marriage and family will persevere through any hardship as long as there is love. If Karen had to work next to you in a field or shop to make ends meet, and as long as the two of you are in love and happy, then that is what really matters. For marriage is forever, which is a very long time."
Tavington said nothing. He was impressed by Mr. Stirhaley's honesty. The young captain loved Karen so, and was happy that money was not a deciding factor when it came to their betrothal.
Another moment of silence passed, each man lost in his own thoughts. The quiet was soon broken by Mr. Stirhaley.
"Captain Tavington, you may have Karen's hand," he stated, "if she consents to your proposal. You have my permission to ask her."
William's heart leapt in his chest. He felt as though a weight was lifted off of him. The cavalry officer was very pleased.
"Oh, thank you, Sir!" he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. He grabbed Harry's hand and shook it heartily. "I'll do my best to make her happy, Sir, I promise!"
"I think you will," Mr. Stirhaley agreed with a gentle shake of his head. A smile crossed his face.
"Oh, Captain," he said. "You may ask Karen today. But, first, would you grant me a favor?"
"Yes."
"Would you please take my grandchildren into the garden for a few moments while I speak to my wife of this? I promised them I would take them for a walk out there. But, that was before this happy turn of events."
"Certainly," Will answered.
With that, the two left the study. William waited patiently at the door for the children, placing his helmet on the sideboard.
The children soon appeared. They were the young son and daughter of Karen's older sister, Melinda.
"Well, well, young Master Robert and Little Miss Anna," William greeted. The children bowed and curtsied to him. The three then disappeared through the door and into the garden.
Mr. Stirhaley had set this up. He was not going to speak with his wife of the marriage just yet. He wanted to watch how William acted around the children. Though Will had attended many family gatherings at the Stirhaley household, Karen's father had always been too busy to watch him interact with any of Karen's nieces or nephews. He was curious to see this now and would watch him through the window of his study. It was yet another aspect that Harry Stirhaley needed to feel sure of: what kind of father Captain Tavington would be.
"Come along, children," William said, walking toward the garden. He looked at the kids, each of them carrying a toy. "What do you have there?"
Six year old Robert showed William his toy sword.
"Master Robert," said William, "That is a fine sword."
"But it is not real like yours," said the boy.
"Well, you shall have a real one when you are older," William assured.
"See my doll, Captain William," said tiny four year old Anna.
William knelt down next to her and looked at the doll. "It is a very nice doll."
"Her name is Katrina," said the timid girl. She began to finger the dolls clothing. "See all the ruffles on her dress? And look at all her curls. She is very pretty."
"Yes, she is," Will agreed, "but she is not as pretty as you, Miss Anna. You are as beautiful as a little angel in Heaven!"
"I am?" she asked in wonderment.
"Yes!"
Young Robert crinkled his nose at what he regarded as silliness from his little sister. He quickly diverted the Captain's attention.
"Will you read to us?" Robert asked.
William agreed and took the small book Robert held from his hands. The trio sat down upon the garden's stone bench. Little Anna climbed up onto Tavington's lap as Robert settled in next to the officer. The officer opened the book and began to read it aloud.
Meanwhile, inside, Harry Stirhaley watched the scene unfold before him. William seemed at ease with the children. The man was now assured that Captain Tavington would make a good father to any children he and Karen should have. So, he left the study and went upstairs to find his daughter and speak with her of William.
In the garden, William was nearly finished with the short story. Robert leaned on his right shoulder, while Anna remained on his knee. She laid her head on the captain's other shoulder and was sucking her thumb.
Before William finished the book, he realized both children were against him. He looked down at little Anna, sucking away absently on her thumb. "Are you tired, little one?"
She nodded her head 'no'.
Will reached his hand up to her face. "See here, Little Miss Anna. You are a big girl now. Young ladies do not suck their thumbs." He gently pulled her hand from her mouth.
"She does!" exclaimed Robert with disgust as his little sister was constantly on his nerves.
William looked at his pocket watch for a moment, then gazed at the house. He thought it was taking Mr. Stirhaley a long time to speak with his wife, Trudy, of this matter. Maybe she was fighting him on the issue, not wanting her daughter to marry him. Will didn't worry too much, though. He knew that Harry, as head of the household, would have the final say.
"Come along, children," William said. "Leave your toys here and let's take a walk." The children put their toys upon the bench and took hold of Will's hands.
They walked for a few feet until they came to a muddy and soggy patch of grass. He held the children back from it as Robert dropped his hand.
The boy looked over at his sister. "No, no, Anna," he ordered. "You can't come with us. You must stay here. Mother will be upset if you get mud on your dress." With that, Robert began to walk ahead.
William started to walk after him, when he no longer felt Anna's tiny hand in his. He turned back to see the little girl with tears in her eyes, starting to sob. This tugged at Will's heart.
He bent his tall frame down to the little girl. She was sniffling now. "Shhhhh. It's alright, Miss Anna. I will carry you over the mud. I'm wearing boots." He kissed her forehead as he said this.
Her tiny, cherubic face lit up with a smile as the officer picked her up. She put her arms tightly around his neck and kissed William's cheek.
"Thank you, Uncle William," she cried.
Robert shook his finger up at his sister, clearly annoyed at her faux pas. "No, no, no," he scolded in his little boy voice, "You are supposed to call him Captain Tavington, not Uncle William. He is not our uncle yet."
Will did not like Robert admonishing his sister all the time. After all, she was only 4 and knew no better. She was just a little girl. But, William understood how little sisters sometimes irritated their big brothers. He knew Robert to be very intelligent for his age, but with little patience for his sister.
"Master Robert, must you always correct your sister?" asked William, as he held the girl securely to him still as they tramped through the soggy grass.
"Yes! Because she is little and Mama and Papa aren't here now to do it!"
The child was too smart for his own good. William sighed and rolled his eyes at the boy's answer, thinking him incorrigible.
"Young man, you are a handful!"
"That is what mother and father say," retorted Robert innocently. "Aunt Karen says that I am smart and handsome."
"Oh, she does now, does she?" William quipped.
"Yes!," the little boy affirmed. "But she says I am not as handsome as you."
"Oh?" Will questioned with small, but pleasant surprise. "What else does your Aunt Karen say of me, hmmmm?"
"That she is head over heels in love with you," answered Robert with no hesitation, and very matter of factly.
"Well, I love her very, very much!" replied Will.
"Then why don't you marry her?" the boy asked bluntly.
"Well, I'd like to," answered William, "but that is up to your grandfather to decide."
/
Upstairs in the house, Harry Stirhaley peeked his head into one of the sitting rooms, spotting his daughter as she worked on a quilt for a friend's baby.
"Karen," he father began, "I'd like to speak with you about William."
She was immediately concerned, noting the serious tone in his voice. Karen put down her needle and thread and looked at her father.
He began slowly and carefully. Harry Stirhaley knew that the couple loved each other, yet, he still needed to hear her put her feelings into words. He just wanted to hear her voice utter the words, to reassure him.
"How do you feel about Captain Tavington?"
She grinned at her father and laughed. "Is it not obvious?"
"Well, yes," he agreed with a smile. "I just wanted you to talk to me honestly about him."
The smile slipped from her mouth as her face contorted to an odd mixture of sincerity and concern. "Oh, Father, I love him so."
She sighed and continued. "But, I am distressed. We have been courting for a year and he hasn't proposed to me yet. I thought for sure he would have by now." She shook her head and looked down.
Mr. Stirhaley could see clearly his daughter's disappointment. He knew that she loved Captain Tavington with all her heart.
"Do you want to marry him?" he asked her without conveying that Will had just asked for her hand. He wanted to find out directly from her if this is what she wished.
"Yes! Very much!" she replied. "I long to be his wife. I love him deeply. I want to be with him forever. I want a family with him."
Mr. Stirhaley was satisfied now that he had given William permission to ask her. He was happy that his daughter wanted to marry the Captain. He was very pleased that the couple loved each other deeply, feeling this would be a strong foundation for a happy marriage.
"Well, then your Captain is worth the wait?"
"Yes, father," she answered. "But I hope I don't have to wait forever."
Her father laughed and got up from his seat. He left his daughter to her quilting and returned to the lower level of the house. Harry then summoned the servants and told them to set an extra seat at the table for a luncheon guest.
Then, he called back up the stairs to his daughter."Karen," he called, hardly able to contain himself, "Captain Tavington is here to see you. He is out in the garden waiting for you!"
Immediately after that, he rushed out the door and called out to the garden for the children to come up to the house to clean up for lunch. The children scampered in to the house to an awaiting servant.
"Captain," called Stirhaley, "Karen will be out to join you momentarily."
"Thank you," replied William. He stood for a moment, resting his hand on a tree. Tavington suddenly became nervous, not sure what had transpired within the house. He only knew that he had been given permission to propose to Karen, and the garden seemed as good a place as any to do it.
Back inside, Harry grabbed Trudy, Karen's mother, by the arm and ushered her into his study. He was grinning like a schoolboy at his wife as he closed the door behind them.
"What is it, Harry?" she asked, looking at him as if he were crazy.
He took her by the hand and pulled her to the window. "Just watch."
Mr. and Mrs. Stirhaley stood silently watching out the window. They saw their daughter cross the lawn to join her dashing Captain within the family garden.
"William!" Karen called to him with a beautiful smile on her face.
When Will saw her, time suddenly stopped for him. He took her hands in his as she neared him. The captain brought them to his lips and kissed them both. He drew her to him and they kissed each other's cheek at the same time in a cordial and acceptable greeting.
"We are alone, Will," said Karen. "Mother and Father are busy in the house."
"Oh," he said. With that he put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him. The couple gazed deeply into each other's eyes. Then, they kissed passionately for a moment, which took Karen's breath away.
"Can you stay for awhile today?" she asked him.
"Yes! Your father already asked me to stay for lunch."
"He did?"
"Yes! I've already talked to him."
Karen was confused. Her father had just been upstairs conversing with her. It was only a moment after he'd left her that he was calling up the stairs to inform her of William's arrival. She brushed it off.
William took her hand and the couple walked quietly together further into the garden. Karen noticed that Will acted strangely and was very quiet.
"Are you alright, Will?" she asked him, squeezing his hand.
"Yes, I am," he assured her. "It's just….I ….I….I need to talk to you." He led her by the hand back to the same stone bench upon which he had read to the children earlier. The couple sat. Karen was worried.
"Karen," he began, taking her hand again in his, "you know that I love you very much."
She nodded her head. "I know William," she replied sweetly with a soft smile.
William loved her so, but was still very daunted at having to propose to her now. He knew it was a decision that would change both of their lives. The young captain couldn't understand why something he wanted could be so nerve wracking.
He took a deep breath and turned to face Karen. She could tell he was nervous over something. She reached out and touched his cheek softly with her fingers. Then she kissed his cheek, silently telling him that it was alright for him to say whatever he needed to say to her.
"Um…I have spoken with your father," began Tavington, "and he has granted me your hand in marriage." With that, William knelt before her as she was seated still on the bench.
Inside the house, there was excitement within Mr. Stirhaley's study.
"Oh, Oh, Harry!" Trudy Stirhaley exclaimed, "He's going to propose to her!"
Harry grinned and put his arm around his wife as they watched the scene unfold. Trudy put her hand on her mouth, excited over the situation. She was very happy for the family—and her daughter!
Outside, Karen's mouth dropped open in disbelief. She had only just talked with her father about this, and now here William was, proposing to her.
"Karen, will you marry me?" he asked her. Excitement and concern swirled in his azure blue eyes. "Will you be my wife?"
Karen took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Finally, the moment she had waited for was here. The words of acceptance caught for a moment in her throat. William squeezed her hands, which seemed to dislodge the words.
"Yes, William. Yes!" she accepted with a pretty smile.
Will Tavington grinned and jumped up. He picked Karen up off the bench by her waist and swirled her around in the air, both of them laughing in joy.
As he put her down on the ground, he put his forehead against hers and looked deeply into her eyes. "I'm so glad you said 'yes'."
"Me too!" she beamed. They kissed softly for an instant, then William took her hand and pulled her behind a large tree.
Inside the house, Harry and Trudy were beside themselves with happiness. The atmosphere was jubilant as they hugged each other and kissed themselves. They were very pleased to have yet another child getting married. They were satisfied that Karen was marrying for love, and not for money. The young couple seemed so happy.
"Oh, Harry," sighed Trudy, "you can tell that they love each other so much. They carry so much affection for each other."
"Yes!", he agreed. "Theirs will be a happy union. As ours is."
Trudy smiled at her husband and gave him a peck of a kiss. They left the study, arm in arm, to begin preparing for lunch.
Outside, William embraced Karen tightly. He kissed her deeply, pushing his tongue into her sweet mouth. She accepted it willingly, and nearly swooned at the heart stopping kiss.
"Oh, William," she said breathily, "I can't wait to marry you!"
"I can't wait until our wedding night," he said mischievously, raising an eyebrow.
"William!" she cried with surprise at his boldness.
"Then I may have you as a man has his wife."
"You're being naughty," she said, playfully swatting his arms.
"I can't help that. I want you in my bed. I am in love with you!"
Karen looked shyly up at him. She was always captivated by his deep blue eyes. "I can't wait to be in your bed. I want to be your wife."
"So, you do have desire for me, hmmm?" William said, forcing her playfully to admit it.
"Yes!"
"Ah, the truth comes out," he joked. "You aren't such a proper young lady."
She laughed at him. "Let's go tell mother and father."
The couple then strolled hand in hand into the house.
/
The family soon gathered around the table inside for a bite of lunch after William and Karen announced their engagement. The dining room seemed full of happiness and excitement as the main talk was over a possible date for the wedding and the plans.
"Children, the Captain will be your uncle!" Mr. Stirhaley declared.
"Can we call you 'Uncle Will' now?" asked Robert.
"Not until the wedding," Mrs. Stirhaley said.
"Aunt Karen," little Anna said timidly, "Will you have some girls for me to play with?"
Karen and William looked at each other and smiled. "Anna, we have to accept whatever the Lord gives us," she answered.
"I hope it's not all boys!" Anna said quietly with a wee pout.
"We'll try to have at least one girl," William said to her with a smile. Even though he wanted a son to carry on the Tavington name, he was so taken with his future niece Anna that he wanted a little daughter just like her.
CHAPTER 1 Ambushed
[Chapters 1 though 28 take place throughout the year of 1780]
(Our story resumes in January 1780 in South Carolina on a river plantation northwest of Charles Towne… the war in the colonies is raging)
A tall, bedraggled figure in a torn and bloodied uniform stumbled to the grand porch and promptly collapsed. British soldiers loitering there picked up the injured man and helped him into the house.
"Ambushed…..thieves..," the man uttered, fading in and out of consciousness.
At the same time, a young lady was downstairs in the wine cellar keeping the mistress of the estate company as she chose wines for the evening meal. A frantic voice pierced the cool calm of the cellar.
"Miss Stirhaley, come quickly!"
She looked at Mrs. McKinnon, the homeowner's wife, both sharing looks of wide-eyed question. In an instant, Karen Stirhaley lifted her skirts and bounded up the stairs, where a uniformed officer was waiting for her.
"What's the matter?" she inquired.
Major Miles Bordon gently took her arm, put his other arm around her back in a protective manner, and led her through the dining room to another stairway.
"It's Colonel Tavington," began the Major. "He's hurt badly."
They ascended the stairs in time to see soldiers gingerly bearing the injured Colonel around the bend of the landing. The couple followed them into the bedroom where Tavington was laid on his bed. Colonel Tavington's chamber, as well as the hallway outside of it was a flurry of activity. Soldiers and Dragoons were hovering around the bed in the room, as various other onlookers spilled out into the hallway, all straining to see the injured officer. One soldier ran out of the room and down the stairway frantically looking for a doctor.
Someone pulled a chair up next to the bed and seated Miss Stirhaley. The sight of her fiancé, laying on the bed slipping in and out of consciousness, uniform shredded and covered with blood, was too much for her to take. Her eyes filled with tears.
"William?" she said softly, leaning in over him. He said nothing back.
"William," Karen repeated. "William? It's me—Karen." She took his hand. "Can you hear me, darling?"
Within a moment, the army camp surgeon entered the room with a young,novice field medic, in tow behind him. Following them a few steps behind was an apothecary, toting a large medical kit. The three medical officers deftly cleared a path through the crowd that had assembled, a product of working in small,crowded medical tents and buildings.
By now, the soldiers that had helped Tavington up the stairs had already begun to disrobe the Colonel, tossing the uniform scraps to the floor. His white, ruffled shirt was shredded at the left shoulder, with a large blood stain surrounding the frayed cloth. The lower right front of the garment showed a ragged hole outlined haphazardly in crimson.
The shirt was removed to reveal a deep sword gash to his shoulder and a bullet wound just above his right hip. Both bled profusely. As the doctor began to probe and assess his wounds, Tavington regained his senses, thrashing and moaning in pain as the surgeon touched him. A cloth covered bite stick was forced into the Colonel's mouth by the young medic, muffling the Colonel's cries as he clinched it between his teeth.
"Hold him down," the doctor requested. A couple of soldiers did this as the medic and another soldier fought Colonel Tavington to get him out of his breeches. The doctor administered a very minimal amount of Laudanum to ease his pain and calm him, though he still fought the restraint. The surgeon began to work on his patient immediately, wasting no time. Tavington jerked violently as the doctor probed his hip wound to retrieve the lead bullet ball.
"Hold him still, please," asked the doctor again as he collected the musket ball. The man dropped the ball into a cloth on the table, then turned to the new medic, instructing and teaching him. "We wash out the wounds first with vinegar," he directed the young officer.
During this time, the apothecary had already gone to work, busy at a side table in a medical kit. A new edition book, Buchan's Domestic Medicine, lay open in front of him. He leafed quickly through the book as he hurriedly assembled ingredients from the medical case.
A pained groan escaped Tavington's mouth despite the bite stick, as he clamped his eyes closed and threw his head back in severe hurt. Karen, in tears herself, reached out to touch his face in an attempt to calm him, but couldn't quite reach it for the crowd of men around his bed.
The surgeon and medic cleaned the wounds when the apothecary turned to face the commotion. "Poultice is ready!" The apothecary then joined the doctor and young assistant at the bedside with dressings in hand.
"Next, we stop the bleeding," the doctor advised the apprentice. "The poultice is a bit of blue vitriol, ashes, brandy and warm water. I've found it to work well."
As the three men applied the dressings, the Colonel, still drifting in and out of consciousness and in severe pain, continued to resist. The poor officer fought the treatment…and death. The man struggled to loose his arm from restraint, as if desperately trying to find Karen's hand.
"Take her out of here," the doctor ordered. They were close to having to expose the injured officer's body, leaving the surgeon to preserve his patient's modesty. The trio of medics also needed more space to work in, especially in having to stitch the wounds.
Major Bordon complied and gathered the woman up. As she was being herded out of the room, Miss Stirhaley looked back over her shoulder at her helpless fiancé.
"No! I want to stay here," she cried. "He needs me! He needs to know I'm here." She struggled against the Major's hold on her as he insistently moved her into the hallway.
"He knows," assured Bordon. "But it will be better if we get out of the way and let them attend to him."
The Major had a gentle hand on her elbow still after arriving in the corridor. The door was closed behind them. The young woman, feeling helpless and worried, broke down. Bordon held her as she sobbed onto his shoulder.
"You know that he's strong," Bordon comforted. "He will make it through this."
She said nothing as she continued to cry. Major Bordon knew that the sight of her badly hurt fiancé had shaken her up. He stayed with her awhile and said nothing else, letting her sob.
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Lieutenant Colonel William Tavington, now 30, was commander of His Majesty's Light Dragoons. He had been born into privilege and wealth. His father, Garrick Tavington, owned several flour mills in England. Young William grew up with the best his elite class could afford him, but watched all that wane as his father nearly destroyed all that he had built.
The elder Tavington had fallen into drinking, gambling and womanizing, plunging the family into social disgrace and squandering a sizeable amount of the fortune. After receiving a desperate message from his mother, he returned home from school at Oxford to salvage what he could of his family's reputation and fortune. It turned out that Will had a head for business and saved the family's wealth by selling off most of the mills for decent profits. He then paid off all debts incurred by his father, and had some money left over to retain some of the profitable mills. He steered this profit back into the family with some actually saved for he and his sibling's inheritance. There was also enough to keep his family's ancestral home and for his mother to be taken care of for the rest of her life.
William, an excellent horseman and good with a sword, found that King George needed men with those talents. With the purchase of an officer's commission from an advance against his part of the Tavington fortune, he began his military career as a Lieutenant in His Majesty's Cavalry in 1770. With the rebellion in the colonies, he traveled from England in 1776 to Philadelphia to fight for king and country. By 1778, a legion of Light Dragoons had been formed and the then Major Tavington had been asked to command one of these elite units.
Tavington was a fearless and natural born leader. Often he could be a stern taskmaster. He loved duty and despite some harshness, was devoted to his men. In just four years, he had moved from north in the colonies to the south and had achieved many victories. The officer loved the glory of it. And with glory attained with each victory, Tavington felt that it redeemed his family name from the bad reputation his drunkard father had brought to it.
Aside from his love of duty, glory, and his men, he loved his fiancee, Karen, with equal fervor. Miss Karen Stirhaley, 25, was Tavington's dutiful and loving woman, having never known him as anything other than a fellow aristocrat and military man.
Karen had grown up with the same wealth and privilege as William had. She was half English and half Irish, raised an aristocrat, though kind, humble, and caring, not taken to elitism. Many men wanted the privilege to marry her and get into her family. The Stirhaley family fortune, she in the third generation, had come from textiles.
Karen and then Captain William Tavington had met in 1775 in England. They had courted for nearly a year and became engaged. But, the young officer's cavalry regiment was quickly called into action at the beginning of 1776. He had to leave for the colonies so quickly that the wedding plans were scrapped, not knowing when he would return to England.
William, not knowing how long his absence would be from England, needed to assure that the Tavington family flour mills and business interests would have sufficient funds to stay afloat. The young officer and his mother entered into a betrothal bargain with the wealthy Stirhaley family. Karen's father, who liked William immensely, and loved Karen deeply, was thrilled that the match between the two was not only a match of wealth and class, but that the young couple were in love. Mr. Stirhaley was only too happy to give William a lump sum for the betrothal period to pad his family business' coffers and add to his officer's salary. Will's future father-in-law also gladly offered a generous brideprice to be paid on the day of the marriage. And of course, upon his death, Karen would inherit her share of the Stirhaley estate, to be shared with William and any future children.
After six months in America, Tavington, missing his fiancée badly and wanting her with him, had written to Karen asking her to join him in the colonies. It was decided that she could go without a familial chaperone because she would be under the watchful eyes of the aristocratic elite in Philadelphia.
Miss Stirhaley joined her fiance in Philadelphia, continuing their courtship and enjoying the social life the city had to offer its citizens during wartime occupation. The girl followed Tavington to the south, as well, when he took on leadership of his own cavalry legion.
In the four years that the couple had lived and courted in the colonies, Tavington was so busy with military duties or gone for extended periods of time, that the couple still had not gone through with the marriage. They would look for time for proper wedding nuptials, but the war business just didn't seem to allow it. William's hands were so full of keeping order with the rebels that they couldn't find even a small window of time for a quick elopement. But, Karen never minded. She knew William was hers and would be her husband someday, and that was enough for her.
Now in South Carolina, the Dragoons were staying on a beautiful, huge plantation called McKinnon House, after its owner, Mr. McKinnon. McKinnon was a Loyalist who had come to the colonies 30 years ago and amassed a fortune in plantation goods, shipping and trading. Since he was 'too old to fight physically', he generously opened his home, grounds, barns and outbuildings to the English army. It was decided that Tavington's, and fellow commander Banastre Tarleton's division, would use this particular estate as their headquarters and residence in the South.
The many rooms of the huge, three-story English countryside manor house were home to Dragoon officers such as Tavington and his adjutant and close friend, Major Miles Bordon, a bachelor as well. Karen had her own room there, too, complete with an abundance of chaperones! Some other cavalry officers were lucky enough, like their commanders, to be able to possess rooms in the main house along with the McKinnon family. The rest of the cavalry stayed near the house, occupying the nonfunctional outbuildings and barns as temporary homes, or encamped in tents on the grounds. The overflow of English army personnel and whatever other humanity wandered on to the estate were put up in the canvas village as well.
A huge hospital tent was the center of the encampment. Nearly as large were a mess and recreation tent, and conference canopy. Small groups of various size temporary canvas dwellings radiated out from there, the smallest of them, the 'wedge' or 'A-frame' tent, made up the largest percentage of the encampment.
The whole area around the McKinnon's estate was teeming with British. The generals, especially Brigadier Charles O'Hara and Lord Charles Cornwallis, were staying on the next plantation over, Riverview Manor. Two miles of land and road separated it from McKinnon House, but was an easy horseback or buggy ride to get from one place to the other, or to have messages couriered back and forth. Riverview Manor not only boasted lands, barns and a spectacular mansion of its own, but a fort for the British Army Headquarters was soon built there, known as Fort Carolina, and would serve as the British nerve center for most of the war in the southern colonies.
The officers went back and forth between the two estates often for meetings, strategy discussions, briefings, supplies, etc. The road connecting the two plantations was heavily patrolled and the whole area was considered British, with the rebels choosing wisely to stay away, usually outnumbered by Redcoats. Even with a British influence in the area, groups, especially civilian, were encouraged to have some military escort with them for safety.
However, the cavalry officers, brave as they were, sometimes lulled themselves into a false sense of security, feeling invulnerable. Occasionally these confident officers would chance to ride the road alone, feeling safe.
It was on one of these rides that Colonel Tavington, returning alone from headquarters, was ambushed on the road between.
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"I will be honest with you," the doctor began, "your Colonel is bad now, and the next few days will be crucial." He was addressing the small group of four now gathered outside Tavington's room. Major Bordon was still there with Miss Stirhaley, but Generals Cornwallis and O'Hara had arrived from Fort Carolina after having been summoned urgently with the news.
The surgeon continued. "He has lost just enough blood to have left him weak. He is running a high fever now, which may take days or even weeks to break. We cleaned the wounds well, but there is always the threat of infection. There is a poultice of Indigo root and butter on the wound now to fight mortification."
After rinsing his hands in the wash basin on the hallway table, the doctor dried them as he continued addressing the group. "Keep him calm and quiet the next few days. He will need a lot of rest. He is in and out now, so I don't know how much he remembers of his ordeal, or what he will be able to relate about it. Sponge him down with cool water and camphor—hopefully that will help break his fever. Whenever he is awake, try to get some liquids down him."
The doctor reached over to open the door to Tavington's darkened and now quiet room. "I've given him a Laudanum elixir that will help with the pain and keep him peaceful for awhile." He led the group into the Colonel's room, where the young medical officer had cleaned up and was pulling the covers up around Tavington's chest.
In a subdued voice, the surgeon continued. "I am hopeful that he will come through this because of his good health and sheer strength. Why, the struggle he put up against us was incredible in itself!"
The group walked over to the foot of the bed and looked silently at a now tranquil Tavington. They thanked the doctor as he left, reminding them to call him when the Colonel was fully conscious for a re-examination.
"Shame. He is one of our best and bravest officers, despite his…" General O'Hara hesitated, trying to choose a word, " 'methods'. And the Crown needs him badly!"
"Yes," agreed Lord Cornwallis. "I want an investigation made. Where was the patrol at the time and how did those thugs get onto the property?"
"Yes, sir," O'Hara obeyed.
They heard a rapping on the door frame. One of the house maids, Laura, stood in the doorway with arms full.
"Come in," Bordon said as he stepped to the door.
"Begging your pardon, sir," she began, "Fresh water for the colonel."
The Major raised his arm, directing her through the small group toward the table. Bordon watched the pretty blonde's movements intently. She turned back toward the door after placing the basin and caught the officer gazing at her.
Though not embarrassed that he'd been watching her, Miles grinned despite himself. The lovely servant moved back to the door, stopping for a quick curtsy of respect to the officer.
"Thank you," he said quietly with a smile.
Karen sat down next to the bed. Cornwallis touched her shoulder and asked her to keep him updated on Tavington's condition. She was to call on him if anything was needed. Miss Stirhaley thanked him, then looked bereft on her fiancé.
"I'll see you out," Major Bordon said. He turned to Karen and bent down close to her ear. "I'll leave you alone with him, and I'll check in on the two of you later."
"Thank you, Major," she replied in a hushed tone. With that, the three officers left her alone in the room with her ailing William.
His long, dark auburn hair had been let out of the regulation fabric wrapped queue and fell around his head on the pillow. His breathing was shallow. Laying on his bare chest just above the sheets was the Saint Christopher medal that he always wore, given to him by Karen, to protect him in battle. She hoped it would now give some protection during his recovery.
"William," she murmured. She touched his hand and arm, then his face, noting how hot his skin felt. Karen bent over him to softly kiss his cheek and forehead. Then, she knelt on the floor next to his bed and prayed, asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, and the Angels and Saints.
She began with the simple prayer dedicated to the Madonna. "Hail Mary, full of Grace," she began, making the sign of the Cross upon herself, "the Lord is with Thee. Blessed are Thou amongst women, and Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen." Then she paused and looked into her heart, wishing to ask for the right thing, wanting not to waste the Virgin's time.
She continued. "Oh, Mary, most kind and merciful," she prayed, "you are the Mother of us all indeed. You watch over us and take care of us. I humble myself before you to ask for the life of my fiancé, William. Please heal him with your love. And, I ask you to stay by his side as he recovers. I humbly beg you to intercede for him to your son, Jesus."
She paused again to dwell in silence then continued. "Help me to have the strength to accept whatever fate comes of this. I sacrifice willingly anything you want of me for your intercession and help. This I pray, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen."
She pulled her Rosary beads from the pocket of her skirt, and began the Rosary prayer, offering it up for the intended recovery of her William.
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Within moments of meeting with the surgeon, Major Bordon had gathered the men of Tavington's legion together. He stood on the steps of the side veranda as he addressed the soldiers. The aide-de-camp gave a short account of what had happened to their leader and the prognosis for his recovery.
"So, as a result of the Colonel's misfortune," he continued addressing the assembly, "I've inherited the command of this brigade—temporarily. That now makes Captain Wentworth your second in command, and Lieutenant Kidwell here is provisional third in charge."
Just then as he spoke, he noticed a wisp of light blue brush past behind the group. He could see the pale skirt floating on the breeze as the woman passed. Bordon knew right away that it was Laura, the pretty house maid, on her way to the well just steps beyond the assembly of cavalrymen. His eyes instinctively followed her.
The Major averted his gaze back to the circle of soldiers, trying to finish his speech. "So, we're not only short men, but now missing an officer." His eyes moved back toward the well, spotting Laura as she filled a water bucket. He continued addressing the cavalry as his eyes stared at the servant.
"Since we're short…..duties may have to be…" the officer's voice trailed off as he continued to watch the lovely blonde at the well. Again, she caught the major staring at her as she turned and picked up her bucket to leave. The corners of his mouth turned up faintly into a soft smile as he watched the girl depart.
The sound of Captain Wentworth clearing his throat brought him from distraction. "Major?"
"Sorry. What was I saying?" Major Bordon was unaware that all of his underlings had just seen him studying the pretty servant.
One of the soldiers spoke up with a comment that wouldn't have been as freely said around Lieutenant Colonel Tavington. "Do those extra duties include noticing all the pretty wenches about?"
Major Bordon was able to laugh at the comment, knowing he'd just been caught—again— staring at Laura. "Yes. Always!"
The group laughed at the comment. They knew they could joke about some with Major Bordon and were glad to let their guard down a bit.
"She is a pretty little bird, isn't she?" asked another soldier.
With this comment, all the men turned to look at the girl as she walked toward the stables. Just then, Laura turned back to look at her favorite cavalry officer, Major Bordon, but was met with the stares of all the men. Startled and embarrassed to be ogled, she quickly turned her head the opposite direction and scurried toward the kitchen building. This caused a low roar of laughter from the group.
"Remember yourselves, gentlemen", Major Bordon admonished lightheartedly, smiling at the assembly.
The new commander directed talk back to the matter at hand. "Be assured that I'll inquire about picking up a couple of Tory recruits. Until then, be prepared for extra duties to arise." He bowed his head respectfully to the men. "Dismissed."
The men dispersed, leaving the three officers at the foot of the porch. The two junior officers bid farewell to their new commander, leaving him alone.
He stood there for a moment, his thoughts drifting back to Miss Laura Pratt, the servant, as he recalled the men's comments about her. The officer agreed with them, murmuring to himself. "Yes…she is a pretty little thing."
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The morning after the accident, a sleeping Karen was awakened by a delirious Colonel Tavington. In his fever, he ranted incoherently about his weapons and his horse. The officer next raved on disjointedly about battles and places. William muttered the names of some of his men, as if calling roll. Crying out for Karen, he began to flail on the bed, his arms especially reaching into the air for something.
"I'm here, William," she answered. He didn't answer back or open his eyes. Karen dipped a cloth in the cool, fresh water brought in by a servant only recently as she slept. She wrung it out and began to sponge Tavington's arms, neck, and face. She put another cold compress on his forehead. This seemed to soothe the man, making him still for the present.
Miss Stirhaley, relieved that he was calm again, relaxed back into her chair. She promptly dozed off, only to be awakened a short time later by Tavington thrashing about on his bed, knocking the compress from his forehead. His jerking became so violent that she thought he would throw himself off the bed. Karen rightfully feared that his freshly sewn wounds would open. And worse, that his body was expending precious energy that was needed for recovery.
Alarmed, she ran to the door and called down the hallway for Major Bordon. Not waiting for an answer, the girl ducked back into William's chamber. In a panic, she threw the window open and shouted outside for the aide-de-camp.
The second in command heard her frantic cries from the stable where he stood. Bordon quickly ran to the house and up the stairs. Once in the room he found Karen standing back against a wall with her hand clamped over her mouth— a look of horror in her eyes. She was fearful as she helplessly watched her injured fiance flailing on the bed. The major took control of the situation immediately, knowing he had to calm both of them down.
"I think he's dying," said Karen to the Major, her voice breaking.
"No, he's not," he reassured, "it's convulsions." He walked over to the bed and put the bite stick into Tavington's mouth. He then spoke some calming words to the Colonel as he put his hand on his commander's forehead. In a moment, the thrashing lessened, and Bordon motioned for Karen to come over to the bed. He reassured Tavington that they were both there with him, and put Karen's hand upon his forehead to prove that she was. This simple touch of her hand seemed to have calmed the injured man the most for the jerking stopped completely. Bordon found the wet compress on the bed beside the Colonel and replaced in upon his forehead.
After a moment of quiet, his body began to shiver. It never ceased to amaze Karen how the human body could feel so hot, burning with high fevers, yet leave the ill to shake and chill as though outside in the cold. "He's burning up," she remarked, feeling the heat from his skin.
"Yes," Bordon answered. "It's the fever. I know he's hot, but let's try covering him to see if he might sweat out the infection." The two then wrapped him loosely in all the blankets they found within the room. They both knew that the fever would last days or even weeks, but hoped that any 'poison' his body could dispose of would leave him in a better state with a low grade fever instead of one raging high and out of control.
The Major took his leave of her, letting her spend time alone with his ailing commander. Given Tavington's present state of illness, he thought that more than one person with him at a time may hinder his recovery at this most crucial point. Karen stayed with William the rest of the day, which proved to be a quiet one—more calm than that morning had been.
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Sometime in the middle of the second night, William opened his eyes and could see, albeit blurry, his fiancée asleep in the chair by his bedside. He tried to lift his arm, wanting to touch her, but was too weak to do so. The officer slipped into unconsciousness an instant later.
A few hours later, just before dawn, Major Bordon shook Karen lightly, waking her up. The officer was concerned, feeling she looked nearly as bad as the Colonel from worry over him and lack of sleep. The aide-de-camp felt that he needed to get the young woman some relief.
Bordon knelt in front of her. "Miss Stirhaley, why don't you go to your own room and get some sleep. I'll stay here with the Colonel and I promise to wake you if he revives." She agreed, too tired to be stoic, and left the two men.
Once in her own room, exhaustion overtook her and she slept soundly in her bed for a good part of the day. By evening after supper, she was back at her fiancé's side. Another day nearly ended, another day of watching Tavington's awaited recovery.
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On the fourth morning since the ambush, as the sun rose, Miss Stirhaley had fallen asleep slumped forward in her chair with her head upon her folded arms on the bed. She awoke to a hand running through her long brown hair. Karen looked up to see a weakened Tavington, awake and alert, touching her head. She clasped his hand and brushed a light kiss against his cheek. He smiled faintly then grimaced as he tried to shift in bed.
"No," advised Karen, "Don't move. Just stay still and rest."
"I made it back," William whispered.
"Ssshhh," she quieted him, then kissed his lips gently.
"I was bound and determined to get back here, even if I had to crawl, " he murmured. "I wanted to die in your arms."
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In the early afternoon of the fifth day after the accident, Major Bordon sat with Tavington for a few hours in Karen's stead. She was making good use of the time to catch up on writing letters, and much needed rest.
Bordon had noticed that his friend and commander was unusually still this day. He leaned foreward often just to check that he was still breathing. Miles noted that this was the most restful period of sleep the Colonel had so far, stirring hardly at all. It's good for him, thought Bordon.
A few steps from the bed was the Colonel's desk, where Bordon had moved to, taking care of some legion paperwork. The adjutant would look up with concern whenever he'd hear a soft groan from Tavington, wondering if one of these moments might be the one that his commander would become lucent. The adjutant concluded the administrative work and returned to William's bedside.
As the Major looked at his sleeping commander, his mind traveled back in time. He remembered how the two of them had met years earlier.
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Miles Bordon, son of an Irish mother and English father, met William Tavington while attending school at Oxford University. Like Tavington, Bordon came from a wealthy family, growing up in privilege among the social elite. Bordon's father had made a fortune in furniture: seems the well-to-do had a penchant for furnishing their elegant homes in the finest of it. Miles had accepted that someday he would run the business and inherit the proceeds.
With the news of imminent war in the colonies, both young men were eager to do their part to help His Majesty. Since they were sons of wealth, their families had given their blessings for the two of them to purchase officer's commissions. Both were good with the sword and excellent horse riders, so they were encouraged to join the cavalry.
Both young men were disappointed when they were flatly refused commissions due to their religion. The men were born into and had grown up in Catholic families, their parents part of the minority of population in Britain still refusing to give up the old ways. Bordon and Tavington held out hope that they would find a way into the officer's ranks.
They soon found a cavalry officer near retirement who had amassed a mountain of gambling debts and now had nothing to pension on. Knowing that money spoke loudly, William and Miles struck a bargain with the financially ailing officer. He made them pay triple what the commission would have cost and would only let both in on the lowest rank of lieutenant. It was a high price but well afforded by the two friends. The old officer justified the high amount they paid as one third paying the actual price of commission, the second third to pay his debts, and the last third to turn a blind eye on their Catholicism. Tavington and Bordon just called it a steep bribe, but well worth it.
The two young cavalry lieutenants soon carved paths through military life. Tavington was quite ambitious, eager for glory that victory and heroic deeds would bring. He hoped to someday become a general. Bordon, on the other hand, wanted just to serve to the best of his ability, for King and country. He did just that. His qualities of fairness, loyalty, common sense, patience and compassion served him well, as did his men. He soon earned the respect of all who served below, above, and around him.
Over the years, the two men had become best friends and confidants, as well as officers serving together. And when Tavington was given his own light cavalry unit to command, he asked for none other than Bordon to be his aide-de-camp. As Tavington had been made a Lieutenant Colonel of the Light Dragoons, he immediately brevetted Bordon from his current rank as Captain to Major.
Both men proved to be good commanders. They led, though, in different ways. Tavington was more brash and impulsive, and had come into a fierce temper as the years went by. He was not given to much patience, and sometimes was stern and harsh.
Bordon was more calm and level headed. He had honed finely the skill of split second reasoning and logic, able to think ahead of consequences of actions, where as Tavington gave no care of that. Sometimes Bordon found himself biting down hard on his own tongue at some of Tavington's orders, disagreeing with them. Occasionally, he would speak up, challenging his commander, although taking care in what arena to do it in, not wanting to question authority in front of the men. Other times, Bordon looked the other way, letting Tavington run the outfit the way that he would.
However different their leadership styles were, both were trying to get to the same place: victory for England. As differently as they led, they were the same in other facets. Both were fiercely loyal to their men, although not as readily shown by Tavington as it was by Bordon. The two officers were brave and daring, which served them well in all aspects of military life—on and off duty.
They worked together well—most of the time. And whether the two officers were in agreement, or frustrated with each other's shortcomings, the two friends genuinely loved each other. Each would have laid down their own life for the other if need be. Their friendship of many years supported the two through the daily rigors of war and military life.
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A light rustling of the bedcovers brought Bordon from his memories. He anxiously sat foreward as he saw William stir and flutter his eyes open.
Where's Karen," asked William in a weak voice.
"I gave her the day off," joked Miles in a quiet tone. "She was going to write some letters, and hopefully, get some rest."
"Good. She needs it," Tavington replied.
The Colonel did not feel well enough to eat, but wanted a drink of water. Bordon helped him take a few small sips.
"Just rest, Tav," he said. "Don't drain your voice with conversation."
"I won't," began William, "I just need to say one thing."
"What's that," Bordon asked.
"Promise me you'll take care of Karen if I don't make it," he begged, "or that you'll see that she's taken care of."
"I will," Miles replied, sincerely.
"But that doesn't mean you can marry her when I'm gone," the colonel retorted.
Bordon laughed. "You know I've always said that if I had met her first that day, that she'd be my girl—not yours."
"You're right," Tavington reluctantly agreed.
He shifted in the bed, emitting a painful groan as he did. William then settled in again, as Bordon pulled the covers up around the commander's neck.
"I should have married her before all of this," William lamented. "I had plenty of chances."
"And you'll have plenty more when you recover," assured Major Bordon.