(Told from William's point of view)
Mary and I received no sleep that night, for our thoughts gave us no peace. The next morning I was extremely fatigued, and in a bad mood because of the events of the day before, and because I didn't want to face the questions I knew I would receive from people about those events. Also, seeing O'Hara in the morning was reason enough not to want to go down to the banquet hall for breakfast.
I left my quarters that morning without Mary, and headed down the hall to Bordon's quarters and knocked on the door. The captain came out and we began to make our way to the banquet hall. As we descended down the stairs, the captain said, "I take it Mary will not be joining us this morning."
I nodded but said nothing.
As the captain and I entered the banquet hall, men were talking in hushed voices, and some of them made gestures at me. I caught snatches of what they were talking about and my mood became even sourer. Of course they were conversing about what happened yesterday, as I knew they would, but some were saying that they heard that Mary just fell down the stairs! Such insolent lies!
I walked over and grabbed one of the conversing men by the throat and slammed him hard on the banquet table.
"If you're going to speak of me or my family, tell the truth, you bloody fool!"
"My apologies Sir! That's just what O'Hara told me, and he seemed quite upset about the whole matter." Said the man gasping for breath.
"Fool! Just because O'Hara is my superior does not mean he is honest! That is in fact, the worst lie that devil has ever muttered!" I said angrily, tightening my hold on the man's throat, making his eyes bulge. "Tell anyone else what O'Hara said to you and I'll slit your throat!" I growled, taking out my dagger and running across his neck threateningly.
"A little early in the morning to have your dagger against someone's throat, isn't it Colonel?"
I turned, removing the dagger from the man's throat and faced the lord general.
"Not if they are muttering lies about my family." I replied, trying to hold my temper.
"Follow me, Colonel."
I followed Cornwallis out of the banquet hall and into his office.
"Exactly what was this man saying that made you pull a dagger on him?" Asked the lord general.
"He stated that O'Hara had told him that Mary had fallen down the stairs." I said, quivering with anger. "You and I both know that is not really what happened."
"Yes, that is, in fact, false; Mary was pushed by O'Hara." Replied Cornwallis. "That is why I called you into my office."
"My Lord?" I asked, a puzzled look crossing my face.
"I found O'Hara shortly after the doctors began examining your wife. He had locked himself in the wine cellar, but fortunately hadn't begun drinking. So, I held a pistol to him and questioned him about the matter. He gave in and admitted that he had indeed, pushed your wife down the stairs on purpose."
"Bastard." I said, not caring that I was in the presence of the lord general.
"I can't have him killed, Colonel." Said Cornwallis.
"What! Why not!" I said, a shocked expression on my face.
"Because there is nothing to prove it. Mary was the only real witness to the crime and she suffered a concussion, and O'Hara can always change his story."
"He told you; he admitted to you that he did it! It's your word against his and obviously you would win!"
"Yes, but that's not enough evidence to prove what he did."
"That's not good enough!" I yelled. "To me, that seems reason enough to have him hanged!"
"Calm down, Colonel. I can propose something."
"You just told me not two minutes ago that he couldn't be killed!"
"Calm yourself Colonel, and listen to me! I propose a duel, not to the death mind you, but still, a duel in front of the British army, between you and O'Hara. If you lose, O'Hara receives nothing of punishment, but if you win, O'Hara admits publicly, what he has done, and gets court-martialed. I shall judge the duel and proclaim the victor."
"It is done." I replied without a second thought to the matter.
"Alright then. I shall notify O'Hara and the duel shall take place at camp just before supper. The victor shall receive the rest of the day and all of the next off."
"Yes my Lord."
"Col. Tavington you are dismissed."
I nodded, turned on heel, and returned to the banquet hall.