(Back to Mary's point of view)
It was around one in the morning when I awoke to the touch of William's lips upon my own. He was still in his uniform.
"How have you been feeling?" Asked William.
"Much better."
William cleaned himself up, got dressed in his nightclothes, and climbed into the four-poster, wrapping his arms around me.
"You've certainly changed in appearance within the past month."
I smiled as William laid a hand on my stomach. William kissed me tenderly on the lips.
"Only another four months, my love." He whispered, caressing the side of my face.
"Yes William, only another four months."
Part 33. Stairway of HellAlmost four months had passed, and I was now two weeks away from my due date. William had been given time off, should I go into labour before the intended due date, so Capt. Bordon was in charge of the dragoons while William was on break.
I was lying in bed reading. I looked across the room at William who was busy at his desk writing reports. He put his quill down, looked up at me, and gave me a small smile.
"I can't believe it; it seems like yesterday when I first received news of your pregnancy."
"I know. Time just passes so quickly." I replied.
"I agree." Said William.
There was a knock at the door and William answered it. It was one of the servants.
"Sir, Cornwallis sent me to tell you that he needs to speak with you in his office downstairs immediately."
William nodded and then dismissed the servant.
"I shall see you as soon as I'm finished meeting with Cornwallis." He said.
He swept out of the room, a slightly irate look on his face.
Fifteen minutes passed by, then thirty; William still hadn't returned. I was getting bored, so I decided to go down to the banquet hall.
As I was just getting to the stairs, a voice behind me drawled, "Well well, if it isn't Lady Tavington come to grace me with her presence."
"Not intentionally." I replied icily.
"Do not insult me you patriotic whore! You may be married to an Englishman and you may be pregnant with his child, but were born a patriot, raised a patriot, and you will always be a patriot and only a patriot."
"I was born British!" I said angrily, raising my right hand to backhand O'Hara across the face, but he caught my wrist and twisted it violently.
"Unhand me at once!" I said in a deadly voice, ignoring the searing pain in my wrist.
O'Hara smirked and pulled me close to him so that our faces were only an inch apart, and said in a malicious voice, "As you wish."
O'Hara released me, shoving me hard, and I lost my balance. I tried to grab the railing but couldn't. I felt an excruciating wave of pain as my head hit the stairs; my vision blurred, turned red, and then everything went completely black.
(William's point of view)
I closed the door to Cornwallis' office and started for the stairs. I was in an irate mood and was thinking of how I could kill O'Hara and make it look like an accident.
Just as I was getting to the bottom of the stairs, something hit my boots. I looked down and let out an involuntary yelp as I stared down in horror at Mary, who lay unconscious and bleeding profusely on the floor. My eyes traveled slowly up the stairs, which were stained and dripping with blood. They came to rest just at the top of the stairs on none other than O'Hara himself, who stood rooted to the spot in fear upon seeing me.
Without questioning the consequences, I pulled out my pistol and took aim at the general. Just as I pulled the trigger, Cornwallis came out of his office.
"Col. William Garrick Camden Tavington, what the hell do you think you are accomplishing, firing at one of your superiors!" Bellowed Cornwallis as the bullet narrowly missed O'Hara.
"Much more than you think!" I shot angrily at Cornwallis.
I stepped away from my wife so Cornwallis could see what I meant.
"Dear God, what happened!" Yelped Cornwallis.
I looked back toward the top of the stairs, but the general wasn't there; damn Cornwallis for distracting me!
"Why don't you ask that bastard whom you call Gen. Charles O'Hara, as he was here when it happened!"
"Stay with Mary!" Said Cornwallis urgently, ignoring my comment. "I'll get a doctor."
"What do you think I'm going to do Bastard! Leave her here!" I muttered under my breath.
Cornwallis rushed out of the estate.
I sank to the floor next to Mary. For a few moments, I stared at Mary, horrified; I wanted desperately for this just to be a nightmare, to be able to wake up from it all and see Mary's sparkling green eyes and gentle face, and feel assured that everything would be all right.