For those of you were asking about Cornwallis favoring Maria, please ignore that because when I first thought of it I thought it would be a good idea if Cornwallis had some part in the story, but now that I think of it it was a bdad idea and it would completely throw off my story so once again please ignore that part. Thank you very much.
General Cornwallis took Maria and Tavington up to his quarters. He ordered O'Hara to leave the room, then he shut the door behind him.
"Now,"he said," I don't know what this conflict between the two of you is all about, but I will tell you right now that it needs to stop."
Tavington shot a nasty look at Jillian out of the corner of his eye.
"Colonel Tavington you are not to bother miss...," The Lord General didn't know Maria's name.
"Maria," she said.
"Yes miss Maria," Cornwallis continued," You captured her and brought her here, now leave her to us and concentrate more on your own duty."
"Yes sir," Tavington said.
"If your paths should cross-and I don't doubt they will-do not say anything to each other. If you want to say 'hello' or happen to get caught up in a conversation, be nice for goodness sake," Cornwallis said.
"Like he will ever be polite," Maria said," He's the Btucher, and there is nothing nice about him."
"Don't even get me started on you-" Tavington started.
"That is enough," Cornwallis said sharply," This is what I'm talking about. You come within two feet of each other and you start bickering at each other."
No one said anything.
"After today I don't want to see you two near each other," Cornwallis said," You will both stay here. Once you have apologized to each other and worked out your issue you may leave."
He got up and went to the door," Maria your new quarters are on the third floor. It's the very last door on the right. Here is your key."
"Thank you sir," Maria said," Does anyone else have a key to that room?"
"I do," Cornwallis said," But I doubt I will ever use it."
He exited without another word.
"I hope you're happy," Tavington muttered.
"Oh I am," Maria said," I beat the hell out of you and the Lord General called you a child. I have never been more satisfied."
"If you would just change your attitude a little," Tavington said.
"I don't have to change anything about myself just to make you happy," Maria snapped.
"You don't have to change for me, but you certainly have to change," Tavington shot back.
"Not I don't," Maria said.
"Do," Tavington said.
"Don't," Maria said.
Tavington made an angry noise," You are so thick."
"You're one to talk Colonel,"Maria said.
"Quit mocking me," Tavington growled.
Maria flopped back in her chair. Niether of them seemed to want to cooperate with each other. Tavington was the Butcher and wasn't one to give up so easily. Maria was just as hard headed and would rather run Tavingtons saber throught her stomache then 'kiss and make up' with him.
"So," said Tavington.
"So what," Maria said.
"I believe you owe me an apology," Tavington answered.
Maria laughed and got up.
"You owe me my family," Maria said," Give me my family, and you get your apology."
Tavington got up, grabbed Maria's shoulders and held her in place," I will tell you again. That was not my fault. Can't you just get over it?"
"What did you just say," Maria whispered.
"Get-over-it," Tavington said," They're gone and there's nothing you can do. Quit blaming me. I had nothing to do with their death."
Maria slapped Tavington as hard as she could.
"How dare you," Maria said," You know nothing of what it was like to watch my mother falling to the ground with a bullet lodged in her head. You have no idea what it feels like to watch your entire family go down in one day. You don't know."
"I suppose you think I haven't watched people I love die," Tavington said," I watched my filthy drunk disgrace of a father, kill my mother, and I watched as he ruined our name little by little."
Maria stood there and stared at him.
"But what am I telling you for," Tavington said," You're too wrapped up in yourself at the moment."
"You're right," Maria said after a moment," I am wrapped up in myself, and until I'm over the fact that my family is gone, I intend to give youno apology." She swung the door open and walked out. Tavington stared after her, lost for words once more. How does this one girl always leave him wordless? It was strange.
A few hours later Tavington went up to the third floor to try to talk to Maria. He reached the end of the hall to find that her door was wide open and she was not there. Tavington went against his better judgment and entered the room. It was a nice room, and looked similar to his own. As Tavington looked around him, a scraping noise met his ears. It was coming from outside. He walked over to the window and found Maria outside by the rose bushes he had kicked up earlier. Maria had replanted each and every single one of them, and there was a very small fencing around them acting as a barrier. That must have taken her the whole day to do,Tavington thought. He watched a moment more and saw that when Maria looked towards the house she wiped her eyes. Maybe he had said alittle too much. Maybe they had both said too much.