Chapter Two
Weeks passed, skirmishes with colonial militias left many injured. Fortunately for Beth she evaded injury as the treatment of any would reveal her identity. Tavington, impressed by her accuracy kept her close on his personal staff. She had proven herself as a soldier but he had also discovered a shrewd and conniving mind in her. He had brought her in during strategy meetings, her knowledge of the area had been of great help to the British. She knew the trails through the back woods, places where rivers could safely be crossed and the best places to take shelter.
Some of Tavington's men were beginning to wonder about the growing respect that he showed for the young Lieutenant. While none would openly question the relationship and it's leanings, certain observations had been made. Many had seen Tavington watching the movements of Charleton, looks lingering longer than was appropriate. Most evenings various officers would dine with Tavington and Borden but Charleton was always there, every night. Borden, believing his commander was above reproach, was one of the last to notice something odd. One night, after returning his horse to the camp stables, he was walking to his own tent. Twenty feet ahead of him was Tavington, standing still. As Borden approached he realized that the Colonel was staring into the tent of Lt. Charleton. The tent flap was open slightly and Tavington was watching what was happening inside with great concentration. Borden could not see, and did not want to see, what was going on inside. He had no interest in keeping such a close eye on the men. Tavington had kept Beth's secret, even from his closest officer.
"Colonel Tavington," Borden said as he approached, not wanting to surprise the man. This gave the Colonel a chance to move, saving him any embarrassment. Tavington closed the few feet between the two of them, removing Borden's chance to observe the goings on in the tent, preserving Beth's secret. Tavington said nothing, just raised his eyebrow, waiting for Borden to speak.
"Everyone has returned, safely. The grooms report that all horses are well stabled for the night." Borden knew it was a weak report but the near panic he felt made him want to run. Tavington, sensing the discomfort in the Captain and realizing how this all might look, thanked and dismissed him. The whole short, uncomfortable conversation was over quickly and Tavington returned to his own tent.
There he sat, his feet on his desk, enjoying a large glass of scotch. He was beginning to realize that his attention to Lieutenant Charleton was being seen as unnatural to his men, weakening his position of command. Even now he was finding it hard to concentrate on his problem, his mind began to wander back to what he'd observed in Charleton's tent. He had noticed the lamplight and started to approach the tent, visiting unannounced would put Charleton off guard, making her realize she was being watched, but what he saw through the tent flap left Tavington off guard.
Charleton was shirtless, bathing her upper body, her back to the tent flap. She hadn't realized that the evening breeze had blown it open slightly. As she lifted her arm to wash, Tavington had seen the curve of her left breast, a sight that thrilled him, freezing him in his tracks. He had seen many a naked woman before and yet this small glimpse of Beth excited him more. He drained his glass, put out the lamp, took off his jacket, vest and boots and retired to his bed, still thinking of Beth. He found himself with an erection that was demanding attention. He unbuttoned his breetches, pulling out his hard cock and began stroking it up and down, tightening his grip as he imagined Beth spread beneath him. He maintained enough control that he made no noise even as he came, shooting onto his stomach and chest. A hand job was not a sufficient replacement for a good fuck but it would have to do for now. He cleaned himself up with his shirt, taking it off and throwing it aside before rolling over to sleep.
Beth lay in her bed. She'd heard Borden's voice call for Tavington and knew they were close. As she'd turned she realized the flap was open just enough for someone to have seen through. She grabbed a shirt and threw it on before frantically closing the ties on the tent. Had anyone seen her? Had anyone figured it out or was it just Tavington watching her again? She'd noticed him watching her. He kept her close. She wasn't sure if he was protecting her or if he appreciated her skill. Either way she was enjoying her position in the Dragoons.
The camp was quiet at night. The guards patrolled the outskirts, passing near her tent every 15 minutes. Every now and then you could hear the horses whinny. Some of the men had trouble sleeping and they would wander the camp. If any of them had ever suspected she was a woman they might try to visit her tent but none had tried. Beth kept a knife under her pillow just in case. She believed her deception was working but Tavington's attentions were threatening this. She laughed to herself as she realized that the men might be thinking that the Colonel was homosexual. His attention to her, of course, proved them wrong, despite her appearance. She liked the Colonel, he had accepted her as a soldier, although she didn't think he was completely at ease with the situation. She'd always avoided thinking of men in a romantic way, but Colonel William Tavington was different. She actually found him attractive for more than his looks. One night, while on patrol, she'd been on guard while the other men slept. In the moonlight she'd been able to make out his features, his strong jaw line, solid chin, his hair lose around his face. She was staring at him as his eyes suddenly opened and met hers. She had kept his gaze for a few seconds, then looked away. Neither of them mentioned it later, in fact he behaved as if nothing had happened.
She liked the way he carried himself. He was a confident man and an arrogant one. He could kill with no remorse. His eyes were a chilling shade of blue and were as cold as ice. The only emotions she'd ever seen in them were anger and indifference. His demeanor made him the perfect soldier. He could make decisions without second guessing himself, often raising the ire of his commander, General Cornwallis. He was, she decided, the perfect soldier.
Beth lay in her bed, unable to sleep. She lay in the dark listening to the night around her. She fell asleep still thinking of the Colonel. He did not invade her dreams though that was left to a man from her past. Beth had only been with one man in her life, Alistair McKinnon, a friend of her brother. He had been staying with the family and was not at all fooled by Beth's appearance. He had approached her in the barn one day, not long after her 22nd birthday. He grabbed her head in his hands and kissed her forcefully. He was tall with broad shoulders, much more muscular than her brothers. She knew of his roguish reputation, having enjoyed the raucous stories told over dinner. He pinned her up against a cart, leaning over to whisper in her ear.
"Shall I show you what it feels like to be a woman?" He asked, looking for her permission to proceed. She remembered throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. He pushed her off him, took her hand and led her to the room at the back of the hayloft where he'd been staying. Once the door was closed he pulled her to him and kissed her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth surprised her and she jumped back. His arm grabbed her around the waist as his free hand groped at her breast.
"Relax, it's alright, I won't hurt you." He assured her. Nervous as she was, she wanted to know what it was like to be with a man so she let him proceed. He reached down and undid the hand-me-down breetches, pulling her shirt out. He reached up under the shirt and ever so gently caressed her breasts, her nipples responding immediately to the sensation. She inhaled deeply as he gently rolled and pinched them between his fingers. He lifted her shirt so her breasts were exposed to the light and bent over to kiss them, sucking lightly on her nipples. Her breathing deepened and she couldn't help but moan. He straightened, taking off her shirt and then his own. He pulled her to him, pressing her breasts against his muscled chest. She slipped her arms around his waist, her hands stroking his skin. They kissed deeply, their tongues twisting around each other. He bent over and quickly lifted her off her feet, placing her on the bed in the corner of the room. He finished removing the undone breetches and his own before lying down beside her. His penis was already erect and she'd never seen anything so strange looking before.
"You can touch it." He whispered. Unable to resist, she reached out to touch him. He smiled at her eagerness as she ran her fingers over his entire length. She was surprised at how soft the skin felt despite the hardness of his erection. Beth wrapped her hand around him, suddenly shocked at its size.
"Will this hurt?" She asked quietly.
"Probably, just a little, but then it will feel so good." He tried to reassure her. "I'll warm you up first." He started to slowly stroke her body. He ran his fingers up and down her torso, circling her nipples, spreading out over her belly and down her hips to her thighs. He pressed his fingers between her thighs and she spread her legs just enough for him to reach the places only she had touched before when washing herself. He knew his way around a woman and found her clitoris quickly. Beth gasped and flinched under his touch. He moved down her body, kissing her lightly as he went. Soon his tongue was pressing through her hair and had replaced his finger, which traced slowly down, spreading her lips. She moaned and sighed, thoroughly enjoying every new sensation. She groaned as his finger slid inside her. She may have been a virgin but her body had responded to his attentions as he expected, she was so wet. He continued licking her clit as he moved his finger in and out of her. A second fingers insertion caused Beth to groan and her hips bucked up against his hand. He increased the speed and pressure of his fingers until he felt her muscles tighten around his fingers as Beth came for the first time in her life. He removed his fingers and kissed his way back up her body.
"What happened?" She asked, catching her breath, "It felt great."
"That was your climax," he informed her, "any man worth your attention will make sure you feel that good every time. Are you ready?" He didn't want to surprise or shock her but he knew she might feel like screaming as he entered her. She nodded her consent. He knelt between her legs, raising her thighs over his and used one hand to guide himself to her entrance. Anticipation had kept her wet but in his excited state this first entry would still hurt. He slowly pushed into her, watching her eyes for signs of pain. As her eyes squinted in discomfort he looked her in the eyes and asked her if she was alright.
"Yes." She sighed
"Just don't scream, it won't hurt long." He said, then he thrust in breaking her hymen causing a sharp intake of breath as Beth fought the desire to yell. He thrust in to the hilt, holding there as he enjoyed his conquest. He liked the feeling of deflowering virgins but usually they weren't this willing. She'd closed her eyes as he thrust in but opened them to see him watching her. As their eyes met he started to thrust in and out of her. She grabbed his hips to try to control his movements but he was much stronger. He increased his pace, slamming into her again and again, his balls bouncing against her ass. He suddenly slowed his pace, not wanting to rush, wanting to teach her rather than just using her for his pleasure.
"Reach down with your hand, touch that spot I was licking." He told her breathlessly, noticing the shocked look on her face he said, "Don't worry there's nothing wrong with touching yourself." He kept up his slowed pace, fully out then slowly back in. Her hand reached down, her middle finger finding her clit. "Now rub it." He told her. She followed his direction. The combination of her own touch and his thrusting cock was an overwhelming sensation. Very quickly her breathing increased and she was asking for what she wanted.
"Faster." She sighed. He fulfilled her request, increasing his pace, knowing he wouldn't last much longer. He felt her muscles start to tighten around him and he thrust not just faster but harder. A few more thrusts and she let out a cry as her orgasm hit, her tightened muscles causing his sudden strong release. They both groaned as he thrust in deeply and held there as spasms shook his body. He dropped down on top of her and rolled to her side.
"Thank you." She said once she had caught her breath. He laughed. "What are you laughing at?"
"That is the first time I have ever been thanked for that." They lay together for some time after, mostly in silence. Alistair left three days later having made love to Beth each day and promising to visit again.
Over the next few months he had taught her a lot. Every time he visited he taught her something new. She learned how to pleasure a man with her mouth and how good it felt to have a finger inside her ass. On his last visit to the farm he had promised to shock and thrill her on his return but that never happened. Several months went by with no word from him. Then finally one day a letter arrived. Their names had been found in his belongings and the letter announced his death in a rockslide out west. Beth missed him but knew he was not her true love, she didn't believe in such things.