Chapter Six
Disclaimer: Own nothing.
A/N: In response to Tigerchild: Sorry about the short chapters. I promise, they'll get longer.
She fainted the first time in Chapter Two, when Tavy shot her.
She awoke in a medical bed, in a tent. British were running in and out. A red-faced man with a white wig stood at the foot of her bed.
"Charles O'Hara," he said, seeing she was conscious.
"Patricia," she said. O'Hara sighed. "I've heard."
"Did that bastard tell you?"
"Who? If you're talking about Tavington..."
"Yes, him..."
They both stopped their conversation as they heard yelling from outside the tent.
"That must be him now," O'Hara said.
Tavington stormed in, red in the face, apparently very angry. He was furiously taking a roll of bandage and wrapping up his shoulder by himself, which was not working.
"I'm telling you-!" he yelled to someone outside.
"You'll tell me nothing, Colonel! You need to stop!" A large, middle-aged man came in. Patricia recognized him as the one the colonists so disrespectfully talked about, Lord Cornwallis.
"This girl," argued Tavington, "shot at me first! She killed a Dragoon! You said it yourself, only attack if they show aggression!"
Cornwallis glared. "It's wonderful, Colonel, how you have finally rediscovered the rules of war, but there is no more war! It would've been grand if you had stood by those words a few months ago! However, we have lost. No more rules of war until next time! Do you understand?" he asked, menacingly.
Tavington gave up. "Yes, my lord."
"Remember your place," Cornwallis snapped, and left.
Tavington pulled his hair out of hit braid. It was long and wavy. He threw himself down on a medical cot, held out his bent shoulder and said, "Fix it."
O'Hara went over to him. "Lord Cornwallis is right, you know."
"Not now, O'Hara."
O'Hara was mock-offended.
"What are they doing with that wench? Fill me in," Tavington demanded, completely ignoring the three nurses fussing over his shoulder.
O'Hara leaned foward. "The 'wench, as you call her, is named Patricia."
Patricia looked up at hearing her name.
"I don't care for her name! I need to know if she is loyal to the Crown, as I doubt she is."
O'Hara leaned over to her. "He's in a terrible mood today, forgive him," he whispered, "Pardon my asking, Mrs...?"
"Kellings."
"Mrs. Kellings, but are you a loyalist, or a rebel?"
Patricia knew she must think if she did not want to end up hanging from a tree by these lobsters. "You Redcoats will kill me if I tell you," she answered.
"You are a rebel, then?" O'Hara asked, growing impatient.
"Get rid of her," Tavington called, from across the room.
"I'm not a rebel. I never said I was. But I don't get myself involved in politics and warfare and such. That is for the men in this country to deal with," she answered, wisely.
O'Hara nodded, relieved. "Did you hear that, Colonel?" he asked.
Tavington said nothing, but took a sharp intake of air as a nurse pinched his shoulder too hard.
O'Hara smiled. "You go to sleep," he told Patricia, "I'll tell Cornwallis you are a loyalist, you can stay here now."
A/N: Didja like it? Review!
