Four days passed. It was half past noon; having felt unwell much of the morning, and even vomiting up both my breakfast and dinner, I went upstairs to rest for the rest of the day, while William took the children with him to the stables to help clean the stalls.

I lay awake in bed, feeling restless. I wanted to be outside, or rather, anywhere save for where I was, but William had literally taken me by the shoulders and forced me back down into bed, insisting that I stay upstairs and rest; obviously I didn't want to obey, but for one reason or another, I did.

Twenty minutes passed; I had just about surrendered to sleep when there was a knock at the door. Framed in the doorway was a man I had never known or seen before, yet his face seemed all too familiar; all too Tavington…

My eyes widened in shock. William was telling the truth!

"Pardon me, are you Lady Tavington?"

I nodded numbly and replied, "I am one of them."

To this, the man cocked an eyebrow.

"Forgive me; is your husband Col. William Tavgington?"

I didn't know what to say, but found myself nodding in response.

"Is he in, that I may speak with him?"
"No he is not. He went to town for a few days." I lied.

"Very well. Thank you."

The man turned to leave when William and the children came walking up.

"Mary what are you doing up? Who's…"

The colour drained from William's face.

"Braden, Brielle; inside." He said stiffly. "Mary, please, you too."

I nodded wordlessly and followed Braden and Brielle inside and up the stairs to the master bedchamber.

(William's POV)

I stood before my father, shaking in shock, horror, and rage.

"Well William, you've a family now…"

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?! You're supposed to be dead!" I hissed.

"I.. William, my death was staged. I didn't want you to think that I had lived"

"Then why did you come back?!" I yelled. "What makes you think that I would want you back in my life, especially now that I'm settled and I have a wife and two children?!"

"William please! I came to reconcile with you. You have no idea how awful I feel for causing you and your brothers so much pain..."

"You deserve it, bastard! Get off my property!"

"William"

"Leave!" I hissed, pulling out my pistol and aiming it at him.

"Don't even think for one moment that I won't pull the trigger! Now get out of here!"

I saw the look of hurt in my father's eyes, and for some reason, I knew it was genuine. But I didn't care. I kept the pistol pointed at him until he slowly turned around and walked down the road.