(William's POV)
I left the master bedchamber and went into my study to talk to Alastor.
"Why do you insist on coming here again, and without my consent to enter my home? And why did you enter my personal bedchamber in which the only other people allowed to enter are my wife and children? And not only that, but you entered my bedchamber when Mary was alone and resting!" I hissed, barely able to keep my voice level above a yell.
"I apologise William."
"Not to me, Alastor; I would have killed you and lost no sleep over it; after all, it was Mary whom you disturbed and it's because of her that you're still breathing, and not only that, but you will stay here tonight. My son and daughter will be staying here as well, as I do not wish to send them to my brother's again. You are not, under any circumstances, allowed to give them any reason to believe that you're their grandfather. They have no grandparents. And stay away from my wife. I don't care if nothing happened, I want you to stay away from her. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir." Alastor replied solemnly.
"Good. Then you can stay here until dinner."
(Back to Mary's POV)
Dinner was quiet, as was supper. William, out of sheer paranoia and protectiveness, had Braden and Brielle eat in the master bedchamber with me, and joined us half way through supper.
"Where is Alastor?" I asked.
"Downstairs in the sitting room." William replied.
"Who is Alastor, Father?" Braden asked. "How do you know him?"
"I don't really know him. I met him many years ago back in England. He's visiting here and needs a place to stay for the evening." William replied in a tone that suggested not to press further into the matter. "Just finish eating Braden."
(William's POV)
After supper, I left Braden and Brielle with Mary and went downstairs to see Alastor in the sitting room. Feeling strangely obligated to say something I asked, "How was the meal?"
"Excellent." Alastor replied. "You certainly know how to prepare a meal."
"Yes…"
Several
minutes of silence passed, the tension beginning to thicken and feel
like a weight upon the air.
"Thank you, for allowing me to stay."
I didn't answer.
"You have a lovely family William."
"What do you want, Alastor, aside from the obvious?" I asked irately.
"I just want to converse with you."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"You must have something.."
"If I did, it wouldn't be worth saying."
"Then I'll talk. William, I know why you are acting this way, and I will more than admit that I more than deserve it. I realise I have disturbed you greatly with my return. As you said, you've a family now; a stunningly beautiful wife and two children, with another on the way. You have all that you could ever want."
"Not everything." I whispered as cold memories swept through my mind like the biting wind of winter. "I don't have a mother. I should have another daughter, aside from Brielle, but because of my superior's lustful and vile behaviour towards my wife, the baby died, just before reaching full term; he caused Mary to miscarry."
"I'm very sorry William…"
"And that's not all; I have you blood in my veins. I have endured over twenty years of shame because of you! And just because my brothers and I have begun restoring the aristocratic esteem that the Tavington name once held does not mean that the shame has disappeared. You have permanently scarred me, and yet you yourself are markless, a coward who hides from his identity. Why should I forgive you? Take you in and give you what you desire? Every other time I served you, I received naught but lashings with Shaitan's whip, or crop, or even the barbed cat-of-ninetales you kept hidden in the stables so Mother wouldn't find it."
Alastor winced but I wasn't finished with yet. As a final end to the "conversation" I said in a soft, eerily calm voice, "If you want me to even ponder upon forgiving you, you're going to have to earn the full trust of my brothers, their wives, and my wife Mary. And even then, there's a good chance that I'll still not forgive you, for what you have done cannot be altered."
With that I rose from the chair I was in and went upstairs to the master bedchamber.
(Back to Mary's POV)
It was half past eleven. Both Braden and Brielle were asleep and William had grudgingly allowed Alastor to sleep on the cot downstairs.
Lying in bed, I glanced over at William. His back was turned to me, but I knew he was still awake, and very alert at that.
"William, what is it?" I asked softly.
"It's nothing… I just can't sleep, that's all."
"William, nothing is going to happen. Alastor is downstairs, and with the threat that you gave him, along with the fact that you always seem to have a pistol or sharp blade within your reach, he won't be doing any thing to harm us."
"I know… I'm just not comfortable with having my worst nightmare literally in my house."
"I understand. I felt the same way when you and the dragoons raided my house in South Carolina."
"That discomfort didn't last long." William replied with a smirk on his face as he turned to face me.
I laughed softly.
"Try to relax William." I said, giving him a lingering kiss. "Just close your eyes, don't speak and don't move. And remember, this time, you have control over the nightmare."
