About an hour later, I gently shook William awake.
"Did you sleep well?" I asked as William opened his eyes.
"Quite." He replied sleepily.
William got off of me and helped me up. Then we fetched the horses, which were still grazing in the field nearby, and rode back to the estate.
I entered my quarters, closely followed by William. I walked over next to the window in my quarters. William walked over to the window and stood across from me.
"The officers should be returning this evening. Upon their return, as you are well enough for me to return to my duties, I am to collect my men in able condition and begin raids."
"William…."
"Mary, I must."
I nodded.
"I understand."
I put a hand up to William's cheek and stroked it.
"Just return to me in one piece."
William smiled.
"I will."
"Well, get some more rest William, and I shall wake you in time for supper."
"Thank you." Replied William, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear.
"You're welcome." I replied.
"Well then, I'll be seeing you when I rise."
I nodded. William turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
About an hour later, I entered William's quarters. He was sound asleep on the four-poster. His hair was completely unbound, his waistcoat and vest were off and his shirt was undone. I walked over to where he lay, bent down and gently kissed him. William's eyes fluttered open.
"It's time for supper." I said softly, kissing William's forehead.
William got up off the four-poster, did his shirt back up, and put his vest and waistcoat back on. Then he sat down on the four-poster and allowed me to re-queue his hair. Then, we left his quarters and went to the dining hall for supper.
After supper, William and I went up to his quarters.
"I have about fifteen minutes until the other officers arrive and I have to get my men for raids."
I nodded.
"I should probably check your wound before I leave."
"Very well."
William undid my dress and skirts, allowing them to fall to the ground around my ankles. He led me over to the four-poster and unbuttoned my underclothes all the way down my back, sliding them down my shoulders and arms to my hips. Then, William handed me his waistcoat to use as a shield and had me lay down on my back on the four-poster. William slid the waistcoat up and above my bandages and unwrapped them. I winced as he pressed his fingers lightly to the stitches.
"Your wound is still red and obviously tender, but I don't believe you'll be needing it bandaged as it is no longer bleeding. However, I still advise you not to wear a corset because of the tenderness."
I nodded. "Thank you."
I sat up and William replaced and re-buttoned the upper part of my underclothes. Then he helped me back into my skirts and dress. I was about to ask him when he would be returning from raids this evening when I heard footsteps and voices echoing loudly downstairs. William heard them too, and turned toward the entrance of his quarters.
"I should probably be going. As the men just returned, the raids won't last long and I shall probably be returning around late evening."
I embraced William tightly and whispered, "I know you already know this but please, be careful."
William smiled.
"I shall."
"Thank you."
"If you want me to do so, I'll wake you to let you know I've returned."
"Please do."
"I shall see you later this evening."
With that, William kissed me good-bye and left the room, and I returned to my quarters.
For about an hour, I sat in my quarters reading and old novel that I had found in a chest-of-drawers in my quarters. Then, growing tired, I got dressed in my nightclothes and laid down in my bed, not feeling the need to lock my door as O'Hara was at camp and William would be returning within a few hours.
Just as I was finally getting to sleep, there was a knock at the entrance of my quarters and someone entered the room, concealed in the shadows, their footsteps echoing across the floor, toward my bed.
"William?"
No answer.
"William?" I asked again, beginning to get nervous.
"Your precious colonel is still on raids, but perhaps I can pacify you for now."
"O'Hara!" I said, my voice rising in anger and fear.
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself."
"Get out, you mongrel!" I yelled.
"Hush your mouth, you little brat, or you'll lose more than just your purity!" O'Hara hissed, climbing on top of me, pinning me to the bed, pressing a dagger to my throat.
"I'd rather die!"
O'Hara glared angrily at me.
"That can be arranged…when I'm finished with you!"
I gasped in pain as the blade of O'Hara's dagger penetrated my skin. Blood ran down my throat as he slid the dagger down to the neckline of my nightdress, causing more blood to run. He slid the dagger still further, tearing the neckline of my nightdress. The general laughed evilly and twisted the dagger, causing me to scream and writhe in pain beneath him. I stared down in horror at my partially exposed front, praying William would return soon and my torture would then end.
My prayers were soon answered as there was the rushing sound of footsteps and both William and Lord General Cornwallis burst into the room.
"Get off of my fiancée, you filthy whore!" Yelled William.
He charged at the general but stopped suddenly when O'Hara pressed the dagger to my throat.
"So, she's your fiancée now is she? Well Colonel, move one little muscle and you won't have a fiancée."
I stared in horror at the general who was leering down at me.
"Get off of her, O'Hara." Said Cornwallis in a soft but deadly voice, pointing a pistol at the general."
"My Lord, you wouldn't." Said O'Hara, his voice beginning to shake.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, you filthy rat. Now get off of Miss Selton and go straight to my office. If you're not there when I arrive, I will give Col. Tavington the honour of filleting you from the inside out in front of the entire British army."
O'Hara slowly got off of me.
"Give me the dagger!" Demanded William.
The general looked at Cornwallis.
"Give it to him, O'Hara; he's certainly not your subordinate after what you just did. You are now at the level of a stable boy; you will now work in the stables with the other stable boys, eat what they eat, and stay where they stay. Oh, and if you think you can poison the colonel's horse, there will be more hell to pay."
"Yes, my Lord." Mumbled O'Hara, handing William the dagger, and he walked out of the room.
"I'll just be leaving." Stated Cornwallis, and he walked swiftly out of the room, closing the door.
William rushed over to me and cradled me in his arms.
"Oh God, Mary I'm so sorry."
I could no longer hold my composure and broke down from the pain and shock I had experienced.
William removed his waistcoat and placed it over my front. He then carried me over to his quarters and gently laid me down on the four-poster. Then, he walked over to his desk and lit a couple of candles. There was a soft knock on the door to William's quarters.
"I am in; you may enter." Said William curtly.
Capt. Bordon entered the room.
"Sir, your horse is still… Good God, what happened!"
"O'Hara." Replied William shortly. "I'll tend to my horse later; right now, I need you to get a medic up here as quickly as you can."
"Yes Sir."
Captain Bordon swept out of the room without a backward glance.
William sat on the four-poster, gently rocking me back and forth in his arms. I clung to him, crying softly.
"Shh." Whispered William softly. "Everything is going to be all right; you're safe now."
Just then, there was a knock at the door and Capt. Bordon entered the room.
"Sir, there wasn't a single medic that wasn't working."
"Damn." Said William in disappointment. "Mary, I really don't want to do this; I would expose too much of you too soon to me when it comes time to dress your wound."
Bordon, seeing his superior's dilemma, said, "I could find one of the servants to dress her wound."
A relived look crossed William's face.
"Thank you Bordon; now please do so as soon as possible."
The captain left the room. William walked over to the set of drawers next to the four-poster and pulled out a small piece of cloth and ointment. He waked back over to the four-poster and sat down next to me.
"May I assess your wound?"
I nodded.
"Yes, you may."
William poured some ointment onto the cloth. Then he took the cloth and slowly ran it down my throat, to just below the neckline of my dress, pausing momentarily on the spot where O'Hara had twisted the dagger. I inhaled sharply, as the ointment stung the fresh wound. William removed the cloth, now red from blood, and went over my wound again, but this time, with his fingers, carefully assessing it.
"Well, thankfully, it isn't very deep. I checked the dagger to see if he coated it in anything and he didn't."
I nodded faintly. There was a knock on the door and Capt. Bordon appeared, followed by a short woman with a plump round build.
"Sir, this is Martha. She is a kitchen servant and is here to bandage Miss Selton's wound."
"Thank you Captain. Well, I'll leave you to your work then, Martha."
"Thank you, Sir." Replied the servant.
William bent over and whispered in my ear, "I'll be right outside my quarters."
With that, he and the captain strode out of the room.
Martha had me remove William's waistcoat and the upper part of my nightdress so she could do the bandaging. Once she was finished, she replaced the upper part of my underclothes, and let Bordon and William back in, leaving the room upon their entrance.
"Is there anything else you need me to do before I leave, Sir?"
"No there is not; you are dismissed, Captain."
"Thank you Sir." He replied and left the room.
"Here, get under the covers." Said William softly. "It's very late, and you're exhausted."
I climbed under the soft, warm covers of the four-poster. William removed his vest and shirt and took off his boots and stockings, climbing into the covers next to me, drawing the curtains of the four-poster shut.
"Are you alright?" William asked in a concerned tone.
"I'm not sure." I replied in a small voice. "I…Oh William, it was horrible." I said, burying my face in his chest.
There was a knock at the door and Bordon's voice came from the entrance, "Sir, Asmodeus is still outside."
"Have one of the stable boys tend to him, and pay him an extra amount, for we both know how much Asmodeus loathes anyone aside from me tending to him."
"Yes Sir." Said the captain.
"Sleep now, Mary." Said William softly, holing me firmly against him. "Just close your eyes, don't speak and don't move."
"But…"
William silenced me with a kiss, running a hand through my hair. I cast him a wan smile and rested my head on the pillow we were sharing, and closed my eyes, resting my right hand on William's side, near his chest, and my left hand, at my side.