Part 1. Martin's Suspicion
(Back to Mary's POV)
Several weeks had passed; I was still with Martin and his men. Though Martin had strict orders of his men not to touch me, I still didn't receive much graciousness, which was to be expected. Martin was respectful, as was his son Gabriel, but the majority of his men were different. Whenever he wasn't around, they would sneer at me, call me obscene names or just be blatantly ill behaved. I was also underfed and I didn't have enough shelter from the elements at night so I became ill. I also became rather moody at times for seemingly no reason at all. Thankfully I was not penalized for this.
On one particular evening I was lying down in one of the tents shivering with fever when Martin awoke me and presented me with a tray heavily ladened with food.
"Why is it now that you present me with a decent meal?" I asked icily, taking some bread from the tray.
"Because your appetite has grown almost larger than that of some of my men."
I nearly choked on my food.
"What are you suggesting?" I asked suspiciously, even though I already knew the answer.
"I believe you know perfectly well what I am suggesting, after all, it is possible."
"I've been underfed." I countered.
"There are other signs, Lady Tavington; you're quite moody at times, more moody than usual."
I stared hard at Martin.
"I may not be correct however, please take into account that I have fathered seven children."
With that Martin left the tent.
I sat on the cot, my appetite suddenly dissipated from what Benjamin Martin had said. Suppose he was right; suppose I was pregnant; who was the father? It could very well be William, but then again, it could be Steele. What was I to do? How would William react if the child weren't his? Surely, he would understand that it was not my choice what happened. But how would he treat the child if he weren't the father?
I felt like I was about to crack. I drew the worn blanket on my cot around me and curled into a ball, trying hard to concentrate on the fact that if I was pregnant, there was still a chance that William was the child's father. After about ten minutes, I fell into a dreamless sleep.
Part 2. RescueI awoke early, around half past one, to the sound of footsteps just outside my tent. They were slow and deliberate, and I began to get nervous.
"Who are you?" I asked.
No answer except that of a stifled sneeze; then the footsteps drifted off.
I fell back into a light uneasy sleep, only to be awakened suddenly thirty minutes later by a strong hand being clamped over my mouth.
I tried to scream, but my efforts were in vain.
"Hush Mary, you'll wake the entire camp!" Hissed a familiar voice in my ear.
I turned and my eyes widened in surprise. It was Bordon. He was dressed in his black riding breeches and riding boots, but his hair was in a civilian tie instead of a military queue, and he wore a green waistcoat.
"Come, your husband is waiting for you not far from here."
Bordon led me carefully out of the camp, avoiding the few men that were awake. We reached his horse which was just beyond the camp but cleverly hidden behind some trees and tall brush. Bordon embraced me tightly, kissing my cheek.
"Oh God Mary, we were so worried!"
"Thank God you're here; I've missed you." I said, kissing Bordon's cheek.
"Let's go before they find out you're gone."
I could hardly contain myself upon seeing William. I dismounted Bordon's horse and ran strait into William's open arms, his loving and protective embrace wrapping around me tightly.
"Thank God we found you! I nearly went mad!" Said William in a choked voice, kissing me deeply.
All of a sudden, we heard voices coming from the camp.
"Where the hell is she! Billings, you were supposed to be watching her, damn it! She's a Selton, they're known for their stealth!"
"Hurry, let's go!" Whispered William urgently.
He lifted me onto his horse, mounting behind me in the saddle and nodded quickly to Bordon.
Bordon returned the nod and we rode off in two directions.
About two hours later, we arrived at one of the British encampments. William dismounted, lifted me off of the horse, and carried me into his tent, setting me down carefully on his cot.
"You look pale; are you ill?" William asked, a tone of concern in his voice.
"Perhaps a little." I replied.
William felt my forehead.
"You've a fever. I'll get a washbasin in here so you can clean yourself up."
"What else have I to wear?"
"I had Bordon ride back to the estate a couple of days ago to gather some of you belongings; they're in the trunk at the foot of the cot. When you're finished, get dressed in one of your nightdresses; I want you to rest."
I nodded and William left to find a washbasin.
He returned about ten minutes later with the washbasin and filled it. Then he sat down on a chair in the tent silently reading reports as I washed.
When I was finished, William helped me into a nightdress and laid me gently down on the cot, wrapping me tightly in blankets.
"You're exhausted; get some sleep." Said William, kissing my forehead lightly.
"William."
"Yes?"
"I…I..oh, I don't know how to say this."
"Say what?" Asked William, a flicker of worry in his voice.
"William I….."
The look of Worry on William's face was unbearable and as he came closer to me on the cot, I began crying.
"Mary please! What's wrong!" Said William, wrapping his arms around me.
"One of Martin's men, Steele…he..he….."
I couldn't finish and buried my face in William's chest, sobbing.
William's body tensed up and he whispered cautiously, in a choked tone, "Mary, were you…did this man force himself on you?"
I nodded and whispered in a choked voice, "Yes."
"Oh God Mary, I'm so sorry. I feared this would happen if they found you." Said William, holding me against him.
I felt something wet on my forehead. William had begun crying as well, but silently.
After a while, William's silent cries dissolved into familiar cold fury, his eyes nearly white with anger and his hold on me became even more tight and protective.
"I'll have Martin's head for this. It doesn't matter that he didn't do this to you, the man who did was in his charge, and should burn in hell for what he did to you."
"He is already dead. Martin shot him for it." I whispered softly, clinging to William.
"That still does not erase what happened." Said William caressing my tear-stained cheek.
"I am not leaving you alone again. From now on, I will see to it that you have a personal guard in your presence at all times when I am not around; if there is ever a time when Bordon is off duty while I am not, then it will be him."
Part 3. Bittersweet NewsOne month had passed since my rescue. William had taken me back to the estate the day after my rescue with strict orders for the guards to do their job and especially watch the gardens of the estate.
It was around eight in the morning; I hadn't been feeling well since I arrived back at the estate; I decided to go bathe anyway, even though I felt tired and miserable.
I was just finishing bathing and got out and got my robe on when I felt a pair of arms encircle my waist.
"Are you alright Mary?" William asked softly. "You've seemed a bit distressed lately."
"William I…I think I'm..I think I'm pregnant."
William, noting the reason of concern when I said this asked," How sure are you of this?"
"Pretty sure. Even Martin sensed that something was different with me; my appetite has increased and I tend to get mood swings a lot more than usual. It would also conclude my reason for being ill for so long. I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier; I just didn't know how you would react."
"I understand." Replied William, an air of numbness in his voice. "Have you missed your cycles?"
I nodded.
"Well, I think you're correct, but I'm going to get a doctor just to be sure."
About thirty minutes later William arrived back in our quarters. I was relieved to see that the doctor he had brought with him was Dr. O'Brien, the same doctor I had last seen when I was pregnant the first time.
"Good morning Lady Tavington." Said the doctor in the same warm tone he had when I first met him. "Well then, shall we proceed?"
"Would you like me to leave?" Asked William.
"Well, it is standard procedure however, because of the circumstances, which I give you my word, will remain confidential, you can stay if you like."
"Mary is that alright with you?" William asked.
"Yes, please do." I replied.
Dr. O'Brien smiled.
"Well then Lady Tavington, why don't you lie down on your back on the four-poster?"
William and Dr. O'Brien followed me over to the four-poster and I lay down.
(Dr. O'Brien's POV)
I felt Col. Tavington's eyes boring into my back almost dangerously as I began examining his wife. Lady Tavington seemed to notice this and gave the colonel a reassuring look. However, anxiety was clearly written on her face as I carefully began feeling around her mid-section and her lower body.
When I finished the examination the results were as I predicted they would be.
"Lady Tavington, you are just under two months pregnant."
A couple of moments passed and I felt the tension begin to grow; I could only hope that Col. Tavington was the father of his wife's unborn child, but after what had happened to Lady Tavington, the possibility of that seemed stunted.
I couldn't think of anything more to say so I quickly nodded to Col. Tavington and left their quarters, closing the door behind me.
(William's POV)
I felt numb all over; I didn't know what to say. I sat next to Mary on the four-poster and held her close. She began to cry softly; I kissed the top of her head and whispered softly, "It doesn't matter, Mary. I will love the child whether I am the father or not."