CHAPTER 11 Footsteps in the Hall

It was now the evening of the second day of Major Bordon's Inquest, a little over eight weeks since his incarceration. Colonel Tavington had wanted to be on hand, but a Dragoon assignment had kept him away. Tess attended what she was permitted to, and the rest of the time was spent with Geoffrey in his cell, or waiting at the Fort.

Tess Bordon arrived late back at the mansion both nights. She ate late dinners both evenings alone at the dining room table. The young woman was lonely and she missed the men. The house and grounds of the plantation seemed quiet and stark without the Dragoons.

The past few days, Tess was worn out emotionally and mentally. Worry over Geoffrey's fate and the Inquest exhausted her. But, she was also frazzled over thoughts of Colonel Tavington. She could not get the man out of her mind.

He'd been so kind to her. She found herself missing the Colonel badly over the last two days while he was gone. She marveled at how he started out firm and harsh to her, then became kind and caring.

The two nights he had already been gone were sheer torture to Tessa, and she couldn't understand why. She was only sure that she wanted him badly. She pined to lay beside him and feel his naked body. She desired his strong arms around her and his touch on her body. She longed to hear his deep, rich, and commanding voice. Tess wanted to look into his ocean blue eyes, even though they would render her helpless. Mostly, she wished to see his handsome face again.

Confusion reigned over Tess. She felt emotion and feeling for him. However, she'd never had a romantic relationship before with a man, so she wasn't quite sure of what she would feel when she was in one. Was this what she was supposed to be feeling? Was she just infatuated? She couldn't pinpoint anything or find answers for any of her own questions.

Tess worried, as well. Now that their bargain was off, she thought she'd like to be courted the traditional way by Colonel Tavington. She wished to "wipe the slate clean" between them and start over in an old fashioned manner. However, she wasn't sure if Major Bordon would allow this.

She couldn't even be sure of Tavington's feelings for her. Tess was not sure if her liked her romantically. She didn't even know if he wished to court someone at this time. The only thing she knew was that he was concerned for her emotions and welfare.

After dinner, Tess went to her room. She tried to write letters home to England, but started and stopped them so many times due to lack of concentration, that she soon abandoned the task.

Tess floated aimlessly about her quarters, from the bed to the chair to the fireplace. Then she walked to the window. There, she sat down on the window bed and heaved a sigh. She chastised herself for whiling away her time in such a frivolous manner.

Suddenly, she heard the thunder of hoof beats coming toward the house. Her heart lifted and face brightened in anticipation. In a moment, she recognized the familiar red and green uniforms with the forbidding black plumed helmets. Her eyes sparkled with happiness and relief when she saw Colonel Tavington ride up.

Her heart beat fast as she saw him dismount and enter the house. She ran out her door and to the landing of the stairway, watching him from the upper floor as he entered the house. She could barely breathe from her excitement.

"Ah, Good Evening, Colonel," Tess heard Mr. McKinnon, the plantation owner, call.

"Hello. Good to be back," William greeted him back.

"Supper for you and your men," asked McKinnon.

"No, Thank you. We stopped at a tavern not too long ago," he replied. "How about baths for all of us."

"Certainly. I'll send the servants around straight away," he complied.

William held his helmet under his arm and some mail in the other hand. Tess watched him from above as he ascended the staircase. He looked so weary. At that moment, she wished to massage his weary body, then watch over him as he fell to sleep.

Realization that she was musing romantically brought her out of her reverie. She did not want it to look obvious that she was making eyes at the Colonel, so, she straightened up and tried to act prim and proper. She quickly and quietly walked back to her door.

The Colonel soon rounded the bend of the stairway landing and entered the hallway. He smiled wearily at her. "Good Evening, Miss Bordon."

"Good Evening, Colonel," she replied demurely.

As he approached her, she tried to contain the fire within her. "What is the word from your brother's Inquest?"

"Oh, no verdict yet," she said, forcing a smile, trying to act as if she wasn't worried about Geoffrey.

"Well, I am going over there first thing in the morning. I'll let you know exactly what I find out," he promised.

"Thank you, Colonel," she replied.

There was an awkward silence between them. She wanted the Colonel to grab her and pull her into her bedroom. She had no idea what he was thinking.

Tavington was tired. He needed to get to his chambers, look over his mail, bathe, and relax. He broke the silence.

"Well, Goodnight, Miss Bordon," said William. "Bath and bed await me in my room."

"Good night, Colonel," she replied, masking her disappointment.

Tess closed the door to her room and sighed forlornly. She rested her head against the door, disappointed as she heard William walk away. After only two steps, she heard him stop. Her heart jumped with hope. She held her breath and listened for the footsteps in the hall to return to her door. After an agonizing moment of silence, she heard the footsteps again. She looked down, dejected, when she heard them walk away from her door.

Tess walked over and sat down on her bed. She didn't know what to make of things. She had no idea where she stood in the Colonel's affections.

After a few contemplative moments, she made an important decision. At the risk of possibly looking like a fool or a brazen woman, she decided that she would approach the Colonel.

She walked to the mirror and looked at herself. She was an adult now. Tess would act as a grown woman now and go to the Colonel's room tonight.

* * * * * *

William felt better and caught his second wind after his bath. Though his muscles ached slightly, he was no longer tired. He sat down in his reading chair and began to thumb through his letters when there was a knock at his door.

He thought it was probably one of his officers coming to give him a message. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Miss Bordon standing there.

The officer was even more astonished by what she had on. She was wearing a pale pink and lavender wrap, tied at the waist. He could see the top of a lace nightgown peaking out just above the shawl collar of the robe.

Tavington took her hand and pulled her gently inside and closed the door quietly. He didn't want anyone to see her in a robe outside his room at night. He didn't want the gossip about her.

There was an unwieldy silence between them. They just looked at each other, not knowing what the other was thinking, and not knowing what to do or say.

Tess bravely conquered the silence. "I want you to make love to me, William."

Her words were measured and cautious, yet sensual. "I want to lie with you in your bed."

Tavington looked at her and said nothing for a moment. He could see the unmistakable look of desire in her eyes. He knew that it was what he longed for: a pure desire for him.

Suddenly, he realized that she had just called him by his first name. She had never done this before. It made him want her all the more. He took her by the hand and pulled her away from the door to the center of the room.

He dipped his head to kiss her. As his lips kissed hers softly, he spoke against them.

"Tess," he whispered still pressed to her lips, "Are you sure?"

"Yes," she murmured back, their lips still touching all the while. "I'm sure."

She pulled back from his mouth and looked up into his eyes. "William……I want you……more than anything."

His passion was rising fast. He would not reject her.

Will reached his hand out carefully to the sash of her robe, as if testing her for permission. She let him undo the tie. Her robe fell open to reveal a beautiful, lace and chiffon nightgown. The girl looked stunning.

William slipped his hand inside her robe over her gown. He hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. His fingers and thumb caressed her back through the thin material.

He smiled at her. "At least I won't have to fight with a corset," he quipped. He grinned warmly down at her, and she returned a grin with a dainty laugh. His remark broke the ice between them. Tess liked this playful side of the Colonel.

She slipped her arms around his neck as he brought his face to hers for another kiss. They kissed slowly at first. Then he deepened the kiss. He slipped his tongue in between her parted lips and she accepted it willingly.

As the kisses became deeper, her hands slipped down his body. She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. Her soft hands glided over his chest, stomach, and arms. She loved how hard and muscular his body felt. It was well defined.

"I'm nervous," she confessed in a whisper.

"I know," he replied quietly. "That's natural. I'll be naked first if that will help ease things."

"Alright," she said.

He took her hands and brought them to his mouth. He kissed them, then put them on his breeches. He nuzzled her ear and neck as she undid his trousers. Tess pushed them down slightly, then they slipped down his legs the rest of the way to the floor and he stepped out of them.

She looked at his body quickly, then kissed him. Her tongue lingered in his mouth, tasting the wine he just had.

William pushed her robe off her shoulders and it fell in a graceful pile at her feet. The sight of her in a nearly transparent nightgown took his breath away. She slipped her arms back around his neck. As they kissed his hands slipped to the sides of her thighs. There, he gathered the material of the skirt of the gown, inch by inch, into his hands. As soon as the material was bunched into his fists, he pulled the gown up and over her head. As soon as he did, she shook her head to let her curls fall down her back.

He turned her around gently so that she was facing a full length mirror in his room where he stood behind her and wrapped his arms about her body. The colonel began to kiss her neck and shoulders. She watched him do this in the reflection of the mirror, completely mesmerized. Though still nervous, she felt like it was completely natural to be with William this way.

Will stopped kissing her for a moment and put his chin down on her shoulder, looking at their reflections. He admired her body in the mirror. The moonlight filtering through the window made her look like an incredible vision.

Tavington was so taken aback by her loveliness in that mirror and light that she could have made him do anything for her. He became her slave. Will even forgot his own lust for the moment, wanting to do nothing more than stand there and gaze at the beauty against his body in the mirror.

He clasped her right hand with his right one, and laced her fingers into his with her hand covering his. Tess laid her left hand on top of his left hand, then wove her fingers delicately between his. With her hands upon his, he wrapped his arms about her body. She watched, entranced by the vision in the mirror, as his palms brushed over her breasts and stomach, then rubbed her outer thighs and hips. She loved how her hands could feel his as they touched and explored her body.

As William held her bare body back against his, she could feel his rising attraction for her hard against her soft bottom. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, then nuzzled and kissed her ear. This made her smile softly. She had never heard this tone of voice from him. She loved it. There was no command to it, almost as if he had surrendered himself to her.

She turned back around to face him. Tess kissed William's neck, shoulders, and chest as she ran her fingers lightly up his firm thighs. She heard him sigh as she touched his firm manhood.

Tess made a fist around it and began sliding it up and down his hardness. She kissed his mouth slowly and deeply as she did, coaxing him close to the edge. Will's desire was so great that he was near to releasing his seed. He reached down and gently gripped her wrist to stop her. He then took both her hands, brought them upwards, and draped them about his shoulders.

William hooked his left arm under her knees and picked her up. He held her body close to his as he carried her to his bed. Once there, he laid her on her back softly then joined her.

They kissed for a moment as they lay naked next to each other. As they did, his hand roamed up her thigh to the softness between her legs. He gently pushed one of his fingers up into her.

"Oh….ah…" she gasped as he did this, never having felt anything inside her there before. She was very wet and so tight, which pleased him. He moved his finger gently within her, but was prevented from total deep entrance by her tight, virgin sheath.

William moved over on top of her, parting her legs widely with his knees. He stayed centered between them as he took his time kissing her lovely mouth. He then trailed a path of kisses over her neck and shoulders, kissing and nipping at her ear every once in awhile. This made Tess coo.

His hands caressed her breasts as he kissed her neck and ears. "Oh, Tess," He murmured, "I want you so much."

She closed her eyes and held her breath at those words. Then, she kissed his lips furiously. After a moment, his mouth moved down to those luscious breasts. His mouth and lips captured first one, then the other nipple. His lips, tongue, and mouth worked the supple rubies into hardened jewels.

William could hold back no longer. He wanted to be inside of her. Tess felt his hand slip between their bodies, but she wasn't sure what he was doing. He guided his erection to her awaiting entrance. He paused there, letting it rest against the opening for a moment so that she could feel it.

"See how much I want you," he asked in a low voice full of desire.

"William……." Her voice trailed off in passion.

"I'll be gentle," he coaxed, knowing that was what she was going to say.

After another minute of his kisses, he gently pushed his hardness into her wetness. He stopped at just an inch or so inside her, feeling the resistance of her virtue.

Her eyes rounded with panic and fear at his initial violation. He thought she looked like she might cry. He tried to calm her.

"It's alright," he soothed and kissed her cheek, "there is always a bit of discomfort the first time."

She nodded her head. Will then pushed himself in a little deeper. He immediately felt her body tense up.

"No, Tess, stay relaxed and don't fight against it," he advised with care.

Again she nodded her head in compliance and tried to calm herself. William then slowly eased himself yet a little deeper. His mouth found hers and kissed her a moment, then he slid himself in further.

He cautiously and slowly pushed himself in to the point that he could feel the resistance of her virgin sheath. When she felt this as well, she wrapped her arms about his neck. He pushed at it gently a couple of times, then realized he would have to thrust in a little harder to break it.

Finally, on the third thrust, he broke through her virgin shield. He felt her fingers clamp down hard on his shoulders as he did, fearing her wince. He eased himself in slowly until his erection was buried within her.

She couldn't believe the amount of pain. She felt as though he was splitting her pelvis apart.

"Are you alright," Will asked. She nodded.

Tess wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her face into the crook of his shoulder and neck. She put her mouth against his skin in the guise of kissing him there, but she was really stifling her cries of pain.

William was pleased at how tight she was and was aware that he was going to have to fight hard against his own urges. He began to move within her in small pushes and pulls, gently and softly. He then pulled himself out a little further with the next set of thrusts.

He stopped for a moment as he became aware of how tight she was holding him.

"Darling, I love your arms around me but you're strangling me," he said, "Relax. Not so tight." He kissed her sweet lips for a moment, then continued to push and pull within her.

He moaned under his breath, wanting to quicken his strokes and thrust in hard and deep. He resisted the urge, but had no idea how he did.

William continued his gradual thrusting, increasing the length and depth of them. Then, he began to move a little bit faster. After a moment of this, he felt wetness on his shoulder and neck.. He stopped his movements, but left himself inside of her.

William then propped himself up on his elbow and snaked his fingers into her long hair. He gently pulled her head back away from his shoulder to see her face. He could see glints of tears on her cheeks from the moonlight through his window. She had been crying softly all the while into his shoulder to hide it from him. He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs.

She was embarrassed that he'd caught her crying, thinking she must look ridiculous to sob during an intimate and pleasurable(or what was supposed to be) act.

"Look at me," he said. She opened her eyes and did so, tears running down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?"

"It hurts," she sobbed. "Does it always hurt this much?"

"No, only the first time," he soothed. His voice was calm and warm. "You won't have this discomfort again."

He brushed a kiss against her lips lightly. "Try to relax and it won't hurt as much."

He began to thrust again, slowly and gently pulling himself out of her, and pushing in again. His strokes were long. After another moment, he heard her weeping again.

William stopped and pulled her head back away from his shoulder again. He was concerned. "You didn't really want this, did you?"

She was now crying pitifully and feeling ashamed that she was.

Tess looked into his eyes. "Yes. I did, William," she sobbed. "It's just that I didn't know it would hurt so much."

"The pain will pass after a few moments, I promise." With that he began to thrust and move inside her again. He was momentarily and selfishly lost lost to his own feelings of pleasure, not wanting to stop.

After another minute, he felt Tess starting to struggle beneath him. She was trying to crawl out from under him.

"Shhhhhh," he calmed her, pressing her body down firmly and holding her tight so she couldn't get away.

"William, please," she begged, her voice fraught with tears, "Stop, please. I want you to stop."

He looked into her eyes and pleaded with her. "Tess, please let me finish. It won't be long, and the pain will pass soon, if you let it." She tried to hold back whimpers and sobs.

"Hush, Tess," he quieted.

As soon as she calmed, he decided to help her through the initial pain.

"Alright, take a deep breath, and let it out slowly," he guided, "I'll take one with you." They both inhaled and exhaled together. "There now, good girl."

"Now, take my hand," he said. He clasped her hand and laid it back on the pillow up beside her head.

"Put your arm around my neck."

She slipped her other arm around his neck, still looking up at him.

"That's it. Now, kiss me," he directed. They took a moment and kissed deeply and slowly, making the most of it.

After another minute passed, he could feel her body ease slightly, so he began to thrust gently again. Tess winced and held both his neck and clasped hand tightly, but tried not to fight against it.

After a few thrusts, she felt the pain waning. This helped her relax even more.

Tess felt a warmth deep within her pelvis starting to build and closed her eyes. Her head dropped back into the pillow. She let go even more.

William sensed that she would be fine after this. He slipped his hand out of hers and slid them underneath her to cup her soft bottom. He then pulled her hips into him so that they fit snugly together. He wasn't so concerned about wanting to thrust deeper, but to insure that he would be rubbing himself against her in the right place, thus assuring that she would at least have an orgasm that way.

Will's thrusting, now that her virgin tightness had become acquainted with him, became insistent. He felt her body go rigid and her breathing ragged. His was doing the same.

"Oh……..mmmmm…..oh…oh….William….I'm so close…." She gasped. Will was close as well, fighting hard against the urge, wanting her release first.

Soon, a powerful orgasm ripped through her body and made her cry out his name.

He let go very soon after she did, and came with her. "Oh, God, Oh Tess……Tess…..," William cried aloud. He pulsed inside of her. She felt his manhood throb within her, leaving her warm and wet, full of his seed.

She kissed his neck and shoulders as his body calmed itself while still on top of her. His mouth found hers a moment later and kissed her slow and deep. Then, they looked into each other's eyes silently as they did. He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Say my name again," he asked her, gazing into her eyes.

"William," she murmured. She echoed his name again softly, "William."

She smiled up at him and he down at her. "That is the nicest sound I have ever heard." His lips then brushed against hers softly. "I rather liked it to hear you calling out my name, as well." He grinned at her.

She smiled shyly and looked away from him. Then she looked back at him and brushed her finger tips over his lips. He kissed them lightly as they slid across his mouth.

"Tessa, you are so pretty and charming," Will mused. He added in a whisper, "So beautiful."

"No one has ever told me that," she said amazed and flattered.

"You should be told that every day," replied Will as he kissed her cheek.

He then withdrew himself from between her legs and rolled on to his back beside her. Tess then settled in to his body, laying her head on his shoulder.

"May I stay here with you tonight," she timidly asked in a whisper.

"Of course," Will answered warmly. "I was hoping you would. We'll wake early enough to get you out of here before anyone suspects anything."

"Alright," she smiled.

William wrapped his arm about her and held her close to him. The two then said nothing to each other, both exhausted physically from their carnal activity, and mentally from each of their separate daytime activities. The stillness of the room soon lulled them to sleep.

Hours later, Tess awoke to see the last of the night slipping into the early dawn through Tavington's window. She was on her side with William spooning her, still holding her body close to his. The girl moved slowly and quietly as she slipped out from under his arm. She froze when he stirred, but watched him as he rolled to the opposite side and kept on sleeping.

Tessa climbed out of Will's bed and padded softly over to where her nightgown lay, still in a puddle of chiffon on the floor. She quickly pulled it on over her head, then slipped her robe on.

In a heartbeat, she let herself out quietly and ran silently down the hall to her suite. She slipped safely inside and dove into her own bed. Tess closed her eyes and relaxed, still incredulous of the night she'd just spent with the commander of the Green Dragoons.