"Well well well. Looks like we won't come empty handed after all," his cold voice whispered in my ear, sending chills down my spine. "Let's show dear uncle, shall we," he pulled hard on my arm.
This was the end. I couldn't have been captured by a more dangerous fugitive. I knew my chance of survival was very dismal at this point. "The Butcher," doesn't merely take prisoners and let them walk away.
Once outside, I looked frantically for any signs of my family. Seeing that they must have made it out safely, I breathed a silent sigh of relief.
It was complete an utter chaos. I could see the slaves not providing any information, and being shot for it. Grimacing, I turned my head away from the bloody scene, trying not to be sick.
All of a sudden, shots were being fired. I knew it had to be my uncle. The Butcher actually smiled, which I'm surprised didn't crack his face. "To horse," he yelled the orders to his men. He threw me to the front of his steed, as he sat behind me. Much to close for my comfort.
I held on for dear life, as we raced in the night after his "Ghost." Finally, when it was obvious we weren't anywhere near to catching him, we stopped.
"We'll set camp for the night," he ordered the dragoons, getting down from his horse.
Snatching me down, I stumbled into him, my legs like rubber after riding for so long. He smiled maliciously at my stunned expression, "it's time for bed my dear."
He escorted me to his tent, which had already been set up by a lower ranking officer, and studied me.
I rubbed my sore arm, from being tugged on so roughly from before, and glanced at my surroundings. There was nothing to elegant inside. A small writing desk, with a chair, and a single cot.
Trying not to show how panicky he really was making me, "how did you know he's my uncle?" I wanted to know, while hoping he would stop undressing me with his eyes. I had only a robe covering my gown thank goodness, but still felt completely naked before him.
Colonel Tavington still just looked at me, trying to intimidate me. Finally the monster spoke. "You will be sleeping here for the night," he pointed at some blankets on the ground beside his cot, ignoring my question. Dismissing me, he sat at his desk to start making his reports.
Biting my tongue, to not make a sarcastic reply, I gathered the sheets and went to the corner of the tent. I wanted to be as far away from this human as possible, that is, if he was human.
I knew he was watching me again. I could feel his eyes, following my every move. Trying to ignore it, I settled under the sheets, knowing that I would defiantly be sleeping with one eye open.
Birds were chirping, waking me from my slumber. I didn't realize I had even been asleep, since the ground doesn't make for a soft bed.
"Ahh, I see your awake. The day is half wasted already," Tavington smiled down at me, while I looked at him in disbelief.
Smiling? Something was defiantly not right about this. He chuckled at my gaping. "We leave in half an hour. There's a bucket of water over there, for you to clean up since you smell pretty awful," he stated, nodding towards the end of camp.
I looked to where he was showing me and glanced down at the ground, then back to his face. "I, could, I please have a jacket or something," I stuttered nervously, wanting desperately to cover myself.
He seemed amused by this, "I don't think you're in any position to make requests, Miss McAdams," he walked back inside his tent, me feeling even more humiliated.
Defeated, I walked over to the buckets to try and wash some of this filth off me. I had bathed a day ago, but it felt more like a week. Sleeping on the ground was not very pleasent.
I was wondering how my family was fairing. I assumed they had made it out safely. I couldn't imagine loosing another family member, but new the chances were very high.
The men were mounting their horses, when a Captain walked up to me. "This is for you," he handed over a long jacket, which I was very thankful for. I wrapped it tightly around me, feeling it's warmth.
Colonel Tavington walked over taking my arm, a little less roughly this time. He mounted his horse, and held his hand out to me, helping me up behind him.
We were off. As I held on tightly, I could just picture the smirk on his face.
Little did I know, we were being watched. Two sets of eyes, not very far, were observing the scene like hawks.
We rode for a couple of hours and reached Middleton Place. I could see the prison camp in the corner filled with a handful of prisoners.
Tavington dismounted his horse, and waited for me to join him. He handed the reigns to a stable hand, and looked around for a moment.
Without warning, he drug me in the direction of the prisoners. Grabbing a key from one of the guards he opened the gate, and pushed me in.
The soldier I fell against helped me up gently, while Tavington stared coldly.
"Be ready to give a full report on our Ghost, McAdams, or you will suffer miserably for it," he said in an eerily calm voice, and abruptly left.
An: Thanks for all the reviews. I hope everyone liked this chapter! It was a lot easier to write, since things are starting to get moreinteresting. Also, one of my friends pointed out to me that Charlotte couldn't be Nancy's real Aunt, since only her mom had one brother, but just ignore that. Since she stayed with her, she grew close to Charlotte as if she were her aunt. I didn't even catch that, but oh well. Thanks for reading, and I hope so far I've done Tavington justice:)
The disclaimer will apply to all chapters.
