Part 29. The Christmas Eve Banquet
Early that evening, I cleaned myself up in the washroom and got dressed in a crimson dress, pulling the upper half of my hair back into a bun and leaving the lower half down.
After I was finished getting dressed, I met Capt. Bordon in my quarters.
There was to be a Christmas Eve banquet for the officers and their families. I wasn't going to attend, however, after much coaxing from my husband and the captain, I decided to attend the banquet with the captain, but leave early before the festivities so I could be with William.
"Well, are you ready then?" Asked the captain.
"Yes I am." I replied. "However, please allow me to leave a not for William when he wakes."
I went to William's desk, grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill.
William,
I shall return in a couple of hours. Rest until then. I love you.
-Mary
I placed the note next to William on his pillow and kissed him on the forehead. Then, I left with the captain to the banquet.
As the captain and I made our entrance into the banquet hall, we were greeted by Lord General Cornwallis.
"Good evening Captain. Lady Tavington, good evening as well."
"Thank you my Lord." Replied Bordon. "Good evening to you as well."
"Lady Tavington, how is the colonel fairing?"
"Not very well at all, I'm afraid. He didn't get any sleep last night. I wasn't going to attend the banquet this evening, but both the captain and the colonel said that I needed to relax and enjoy the holidays."
"I would have to agree with them, especially now that you're with child."
The captain smiled and whispered in my ear, "I told you he would agree."
I smirked at his remark.
"Well don't let me keep you waiting; come and sit down." Said Cornwallis.
Capt. Bordon and I took our places at the table; the captain sat near the head of the table, on Cornwallis' left and I sat next to the captain. O'Hara, who was seated on Cornwallis' right, smiled nastily at me. I ignored the general, but Cornwallis did not.
"O'Hara, it is sinful to harobur thoughts like yours of Lady Tavington, especially when she's obviously married and with child."
"Yes my Lord; I apologize Lady Tavington." Said O'Hara grudgingly.
"I'm sure you do, General." I replied, and edge of sarcasm in my voice.
About half way through supper, I began to feel queasy. I set my fork and knife down on my plate with a clatter, resting my head in my hands. The room went silent and everyone at the table turned their gazes to rest on me.
"Are you alright Lady Tavington?" Asked Cornwallis.
"I__I'm not sure."
Some of the men and women began to snicker. Captain Bordon, looking quite annoyed, bellowed, "Silence, all of you!"
Some of the men looked surprised and glanced at the lord general to see what he might do about the captain's outburst.
"He's right." Replied Cornwallis. "It certainly isn't her fault she feels this way. All of you, especially the women at this table, should feel ashamed of yourselves; you know what childbearing is like."
After the people at the table had reassumed eating and conversing, I asked Cornwallis, "Sir, why did you do that?"
"I have morals that I expect to be upheld by not only me, but others as well. Also, Lady Tavington, you don't have it as easy here as the others. You're a maiden of the colonies who has become the mistress of the colonel of the British Green Dragoons. Regardless of your loyalties, I welcome you, just as all men should, not only as a wife of one of my men, but also as a woman who does not let obstacles overcome her."
"Thank you, Sir." I replied.
"You're welcome. Now, after you're finished eating, why don't you go back upstairs and I'll personally check up on you as soon as I am finished here."
"Thank you."
Capt. Bordon and I went upstairs and checked on William. He was awake and had pushed all the covers to the other side of the bed.
"Did you sleep, Sir?" Asked the captain.
William nodded vaguely.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Same." William rasped. "Covers were too____too warm."
"You need to relax; your muscles are tense." I said softly.
"I'll get him some broth; you rest now, Mary." Said Bordon.
That evening, around ten, Cornwallis entered the captain's quarters to check on me.
"The captain told me you were here. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Are you sure you're not catching anything, because you have been in contact with the colonel since he arrived back at the estate."
"I'm pretty confident that I am not coming down with anything, Sir."
"Alright then. I was just making sure, as you looked pale during supper this evening."
"I fine, but thank you for checking."
"You're welcome, I shall see you in the morning, Lady Tavington."
Part 30. Christmas at the Estate
"Mary, wake up!" A voice whispered excitedly in my ear.
I awoke and stared into a pair of soft brown eyes.
"It's Christmas!"
"So it is. Captain, you have the enthusiasm of a little boy." I said tiredly. "What is the hour?"
"Four."
"Four in the morning? I am going back to bed."
"Oh no you're not!" Replied the captain, pulling the covers off of the bed.
I shivered.
"Bordon!"
"Mary, as no one, save the colonel and us is awake, we can go to town to get gifts and return before anyone notices."
"Captain, what about William?"
"He knows we're going and I appointed the servant, Martha to watch him until we return."
"This is a crazy idea." I said flatly. "It won't work."
"Yes it will. There's a loyalist town not far from here and the militia were tracked about fifty miles from here just yesterday evening. We've nothing to worry about."
"Fine, I'll go, but only because I don't see how I'm going to get back to sleep with boys like you around."
Once in town, the captain and I entered a tailor's shop. There, I bought William a new ice-blue vest, a darker blue waistcoat, and a silk dress-shirt with a silk dress-cravat.
After the captain and I left the tailor's shop, we entered a shop where, arms were being sold. There, I purchased both the captain and William new pistols with ivory handles and had William's engraved with his initials.
As we left the shop, the captain asked, "Why do you have two pistols?"
"One is for William and the other is for me." I replied, fibbing the latter.
The captain gave me an odd look.
"Is there a problem with me being able to shot a gun properly and accurately?"
"Well, no."
"I didn't think so. With men like O'Hara around, it's necessary."
The captain laughed.
"True Mary, true indeed!"
For the rest of the day, until early evening, I helped the captain care for William. His breathing wasn't quite as laboured as before, and he was able to clean himself up with assistance before exhausting himself.
Around seven in the evening, after supper, I presented my gifts to William and Bordon.
"Good God, Mary. This pistol is of the finest quality and quite expensive; even the king himself would be jealous. And I couldn't find a better waistcoat, vest, silk shirt, or cravat anywhere if I tried. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Merry Christmas."
"I thought you said the other pistol was for you." Said the captain as I handed him his gift.
"I lied. However, I am a very accurate shot. My brother taught me."
"Damn Colonel, it wasn't enough that you married a feisty woman, you had to marry one that could shoot!"
I laughed and William smiled.
Oh, Captain, I have one more gift for you. Actually, it's from William and I. He had mentioned in one of his letters to me that you two had to attend a political conference once and that your boots were horridly scuffed because you had run out of polish several weeks earlier and William didn't have enough after he was finished to cover even one of your boots. So, William allowed me, in a letter, to take several new tins of polish from his stores to give to you."
"Thanks. I do go through it rather quickly. I go though it even faster than the colonel. Mr. Immaculate is such a perfectionist that he even manages to get though a battle and his boots will be as polished as they were before the battle began."
I smiled.
There was a knock at the door and Bordon answered it. About fifteen Dragoons stepped in.
"Merry Christmas, Colonel and Lady Tavington!" They said in unison.
"I don't suppose you have anything to do with this, Captain."
"Well."
"If I may say so Lady Tavington, the captain knew about this, however, he wasn't sure about the idea, being as Col. Tavington isn't exactly in a state for visitors." Spoke one of the Dragoons whom I recognized as James Wilkins. "We won't be staying long."
"I see."
"The Dragoons wanted to give you and the colonel something for Christmas." Said Bordon. "Men."
Two of the Dragoons stepped forward and presented William and I with a cradle. It was made of mahogany and had fine carvings on it. Both the headboard and footboard bore the initial "T".
"This is exquisite. Thank you, we really appreciate it." I said to the men. "Merry Christmas."
"Yes thank you." Said William. "That make one less thing that we'll be needing to buy for the future."
Some of the men laughed.
"Well, I wish you and your families the best this Christmas. Now, off with you before my wife becomes angry about me having company."
The Dragoons laughed.
"Merry Christmas Sir, and get well soon! There are still Rebels to crush and victory to be had!"
All of the Dragoons, except Bordon, left the room.
"Well, it is time for me to present my gift for you, Mary." Said William softly.
"Are you sure; you've spent a lot of energy already."
"William nodded.
"I'm sure however, I will need the captain's assistance."
Captain Bordon took a parcel that was next to the four-poster and handed it to me. I carefully unwrapped it and gasped at what was inside.
In the parcel lay my brother's favourite pistol. It had an ebony barrel and an ivory handle.
"Where did you get this?"
"I found it in the barn on the night of your capture and gave it to the colonel, thinking he would use it as a spare, but he never did. So, he decided to return it to you in case it was a family heirloom."
"Thank you, William." I said softly. "This means a lot to me."
"To whom did it belong to?" Asked the captain.
"It belonged to my brother, Samuel."
"Well, I'm glad to see it back in the family." Replied the captain.
Early that evening, I cleaned myself up in the washroom and got dressed in a crimson dress, pulling the upper half of my hair back into a bun and leaving the lower half down.
After I was finished getting dressed, I met Capt. Bordon in my quarters.
There was to be a Christmas Eve banquet for the officers and their families. I wasn't going to attend, however, after much coaxing from my husband and the captain, I decided to attend the banquet with the captain, but leave early before the festivities so I could be with William.
"Well, are you ready then?" Asked the captain.
"Yes I am." I replied. "However, please allow me to leave a not for William when he wakes."
I went to William's desk, grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill.
William,
I shall return in a couple of hours. Rest until then. I love you.
-Mary
I placed the note next to William on his pillow and kissed him on the forehead. Then, I left with the captain to the banquet.
As the captain and I made our entrance into the banquet hall, we were greeted by Lord General Cornwallis.
"Good evening Captain. Lady Tavington, good evening as well."
"Thank you my Lord." Replied Bordon. "Good evening to you as well."
"Lady Tavington, how is the colonel fairing?"
"Not very well at all, I'm afraid. He didn't get any sleep last night. I wasn't going to attend the banquet this evening, but both the captain and the colonel said that I needed to relax and enjoy the holidays."
"I would have to agree with them, especially now that you're with child."
The captain smiled and whispered in my ear, "I told you he would agree."
I smirked at his remark.
"Well don't let me keep you waiting; come and sit down." Said Cornwallis.
Capt. Bordon and I took our places at the table; the captain sat near the head of the table, on Cornwallis' left and I sat next to the captain. O'Hara, who was seated on Cornwallis' right, smiled nastily at me. I ignored the general, but Cornwallis did not.
"O'Hara, it is sinful to harobur thoughts like yours of Lady Tavington, especially when she's obviously married and with child."
"Yes my Lord; I apologize Lady Tavington." Said O'Hara grudgingly.
"I'm sure you do, General." I replied, and edge of sarcasm in my voice.
About half way through supper, I began to feel queasy. I set my fork and knife down on my plate with a clatter, resting my head in my hands. The room went silent and everyone at the table turned their gazes to rest on me.
"Are you alright Lady Tavington?" Asked Cornwallis.
"I__I'm not sure."
Some of the men and women began to snicker. Captain Bordon, looking quite annoyed, bellowed, "Silence, all of you!"
Some of the men looked surprised and glanced at the lord general to see what he might do about the captain's outburst.
"He's right." Replied Cornwallis. "It certainly isn't her fault she feels this way. All of you, especially the women at this table, should feel ashamed of yourselves; you know what childbearing is like."
After the people at the table had reassumed eating and conversing, I asked Cornwallis, "Sir, why did you do that?"
"I have morals that I expect to be upheld by not only me, but others as well. Also, Lady Tavington, you don't have it as easy here as the others. You're a maiden of the colonies who has become the mistress of the colonel of the British Green Dragoons. Regardless of your loyalties, I welcome you, just as all men should, not only as a wife of one of my men, but also as a woman who does not let obstacles overcome her."
"Thank you, Sir." I replied.
"You're welcome. Now, after you're finished eating, why don't you go back upstairs and I'll personally check up on you as soon as I am finished here."
"Thank you."
Capt. Bordon and I went upstairs and checked on William. He was awake and had pushed all the covers to the other side of the bed.
"Did you sleep, Sir?" Asked the captain.
William nodded vaguely.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"Same." William rasped. "Covers were too____too warm."
"You need to relax; your muscles are tense." I said softly.
"I'll get him some broth; you rest now, Mary." Said Bordon.
That evening, around ten, Cornwallis entered the captain's quarters to check on me.
"The captain told me you were here. Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Are you sure you're not catching anything, because you have been in contact with the colonel since he arrived back at the estate."
"I'm pretty confident that I am not coming down with anything, Sir."
"Alright then. I was just making sure, as you looked pale during supper this evening."
"I fine, but thank you for checking."
"You're welcome, I shall see you in the morning, Lady Tavington."
Part 30. Christmas at the Estate
"Mary, wake up!" A voice whispered excitedly in my ear.
I awoke and stared into a pair of soft brown eyes.
"It's Christmas!"
"So it is. Captain, you have the enthusiasm of a little boy." I said tiredly. "What is the hour?"
"Four."
"Four in the morning? I am going back to bed."
"Oh no you're not!" Replied the captain, pulling the covers off of the bed.
I shivered.
"Bordon!"
"Mary, as no one, save the colonel and us is awake, we can go to town to get gifts and return before anyone notices."
"Captain, what about William?"
"He knows we're going and I appointed the servant, Martha to watch him until we return."
"This is a crazy idea." I said flatly. "It won't work."
"Yes it will. There's a loyalist town not far from here and the militia were tracked about fifty miles from here just yesterday evening. We've nothing to worry about."
"Fine, I'll go, but only because I don't see how I'm going to get back to sleep with boys like you around."
Once in town, the captain and I entered a tailor's shop. There, I bought William a new ice-blue vest, a darker blue waistcoat, and a silk dress-shirt with a silk dress-cravat.
After the captain and I left the tailor's shop, we entered a shop where, arms were being sold. There, I purchased both the captain and William new pistols with ivory handles and had William's engraved with his initials.
As we left the shop, the captain asked, "Why do you have two pistols?"
"One is for William and the other is for me." I replied, fibbing the latter.
The captain gave me an odd look.
"Is there a problem with me being able to shot a gun properly and accurately?"
"Well, no."
"I didn't think so. With men like O'Hara around, it's necessary."
The captain laughed.
"True Mary, true indeed!"
For the rest of the day, until early evening, I helped the captain care for William. His breathing wasn't quite as laboured as before, and he was able to clean himself up with assistance before exhausting himself.
Around seven in the evening, after supper, I presented my gifts to William and Bordon.
"Good God, Mary. This pistol is of the finest quality and quite expensive; even the king himself would be jealous. And I couldn't find a better waistcoat, vest, silk shirt, or cravat anywhere if I tried. Thank you."
"You're welcome. Merry Christmas."
"I thought you said the other pistol was for you." Said the captain as I handed him his gift.
"I lied. However, I am a very accurate shot. My brother taught me."
"Damn Colonel, it wasn't enough that you married a feisty woman, you had to marry one that could shoot!"
I laughed and William smiled.
Oh, Captain, I have one more gift for you. Actually, it's from William and I. He had mentioned in one of his letters to me that you two had to attend a political conference once and that your boots were horridly scuffed because you had run out of polish several weeks earlier and William didn't have enough after he was finished to cover even one of your boots. So, William allowed me, in a letter, to take several new tins of polish from his stores to give to you."
"Thanks. I do go through it rather quickly. I go though it even faster than the colonel. Mr. Immaculate is such a perfectionist that he even manages to get though a battle and his boots will be as polished as they were before the battle began."
I smiled.
There was a knock at the door and Bordon answered it. About fifteen Dragoons stepped in.
"Merry Christmas, Colonel and Lady Tavington!" They said in unison.
"I don't suppose you have anything to do with this, Captain."
"Well."
"If I may say so Lady Tavington, the captain knew about this, however, he wasn't sure about the idea, being as Col. Tavington isn't exactly in a state for visitors." Spoke one of the Dragoons whom I recognized as James Wilkins. "We won't be staying long."
"I see."
"The Dragoons wanted to give you and the colonel something for Christmas." Said Bordon. "Men."
Two of the Dragoons stepped forward and presented William and I with a cradle. It was made of mahogany and had fine carvings on it. Both the headboard and footboard bore the initial "T".
"This is exquisite. Thank you, we really appreciate it." I said to the men. "Merry Christmas."
"Yes thank you." Said William. "That make one less thing that we'll be needing to buy for the future."
Some of the men laughed.
"Well, I wish you and your families the best this Christmas. Now, off with you before my wife becomes angry about me having company."
The Dragoons laughed.
"Merry Christmas Sir, and get well soon! There are still Rebels to crush and victory to be had!"
All of the Dragoons, except Bordon, left the room.
"Well, it is time for me to present my gift for you, Mary." Said William softly.
"Are you sure; you've spent a lot of energy already."
"William nodded.
"I'm sure however, I will need the captain's assistance."
Captain Bordon took a parcel that was next to the four-poster and handed it to me. I carefully unwrapped it and gasped at what was inside.
In the parcel lay my brother's favourite pistol. It had an ebony barrel and an ivory handle.
"Where did you get this?"
"I found it in the barn on the night of your capture and gave it to the colonel, thinking he would use it as a spare, but he never did. So, he decided to return it to you in case it was a family heirloom."
"Thank you, William." I said softly. "This means a lot to me."
"To whom did it belong to?" Asked the captain.
"It belonged to my brother, Samuel."
"Well, I'm glad to see it back in the family." Replied the captain.