(Catherine's POV)
I sat on the bed listening to muffled yelling and then silence. After three or so minutes had passed, Col. Tavington walked back into the room with a confused, angry look on his face.
"Might I ask what is wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing is wrong. I just...I have other business to attend to. I must go."
With that he turned on heel and walked out the door, closing it quietly behind him.
It was supper time so I decided that I might get one of the servants to bring me something to eat, as I was feeling a little better than I had earlier. The servant came back with a tray and a piece of parchment stuck underneath the plate of food.
"What is that?"
"I was only told by Col. Tavington that I was to give it to you."
With that, she handed me the tray and left the room. I rushed to the bed and set the tray on the night table, slid the note out from under the plate and unfolded it carefully. The handwriting was neat. It read,
Catherine, meet me in the gardens at midnight. There is something we need to discuss.
It was almost twelve o'clock midnight when I left for the gardens. I spotted Col. Tavington sitting on a bench nearby, looking around nervously as he waited.
"Colonel?"
He stood up and walked towards me.
"Catherine, I need to speak with you about Ebony. Earlier today she came to my quarters and said that if I didn't stop speaking to you she would kill you and...make me wish she had killed me as well."
"Colonel, am I to believe that you actually care what happens to me?" I asked in mock disbelief.
"Catherine, please. I think you have made your point. I was...wrong. Now please..tell me who raped you."
"I can't. I...I don't remember who..."
"Catherine you know that's not true. If you tell me I might just be able to help you. Now please tell me."
I began to turn around to walk away. I didn't know weather or not I should tell him or not. I didn't want him to know. But before I could completely turn my back to him, he placed a warm hand on my forearm.
"Please...I need to know."
"...Wilkins." I whispered softly.
"What?"
I turned around and looked at the colonel with tears welling up in my eyes.
"Wilkins. He...raped me." I started to cry and he held me close letting me cry into his chest.
(Col. Tavington's POV)
I held Catherine in my arms as she cried, unable to say anything more as I had been stunned into silence. All I could do was rock her slowly in my arms in an attempt to comfort her as a raging inferno welled up within me.
He will pay...
