There weren't many children on the property, so Ellie had them all cleared out in one group. Though the servants were reluctant to leave, they did as they were told. Ellie watched the first group leave. The less noticeable ones. Before they left Ellie pointed them to the safest and most hidden path. Now she watched them through her window as the children were ushered through the trees and out of sight. She sighed and turned away.
"Do you think they will make it?" Margo asked as Ellie flopped into a chair.
"I'm sure they will. No one knows of that path. I have walked it many times."
Margo nodded and sat down across from Ellie.
"I'll be sad to leave this place," she said.
"We will see it again," Ellie replied,"Just not for a while."
Margo nodded and leaned back in her chair. The two stared around them for hours. Tavington wasn't expected back for a while. Maybe not even til the next day, but neither of the two sisters were going to get their hopes up. Ellie's thoughts trailed off into the scenes of the previous night. As she got more and more lost in thought, she felt a sensation in her lower body. She clenched her legs together and drew her thoughts to something else. Stupid Col.,she thought.
There was a noise outside. Ellie got up and went slowly to the window. It was the Col.
"He's back," Ellie said.
Margo jumped out of her chair," O i don't want to deal with him."
"Go upstairs," Ellie said," I'll make your excuses if need be."
"Thank you sister," Margo tore out of the room and up the stairs. Ellie sighed and went back to her chair. She sat facing the fire place and listened to the noise outside. She was so ashamed of herself for the arousing feelings she was now getting from being with the Col. those last two times. She wanted to die just for being touched in such a manner by a man who was not her husband. The door handle behind her turned and the door opened. Ellie watched the shadow on the wall as it came closer to her spot. A hand touched her shoulder and she shivered.
"Ellie," the Col. voice said," Are you alright?"
"I am held captive in my own house and being whored off to a man I thought I loved," Ellie spat, not looking at Tavington," What is there to possibly be sad about?"
There was no reply. Ellie clenched her hands together, waiting for a blow to the head or something, but no such thing came. Instead she heard retreating footsteps and the door close. Ellie waited a moment and looked behind her. He had left. She breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in her chair. The only thing now that had her on edge was the missing servants.
Tavington and Ellie had dinner privately that night. Ellie could see in his eyes that he had been feeling some kind of guilt from her sarcastic remarks earlier. He was constantly opening his mouth to say something, but then closed it again everytime.
"You obviously have something on your mind Col.," Ellie said, keeping her eyes on her plate," Why should you have problems speaking your mind now when you don't on a normal basis?"
"I suppose your words have struck me, Ellie," Tavington replied.
"O?"
"I suppose I have been rather unfair to you and your sister."
"Just a little bit," Ellie said," i always used to wonder why people would turn against the British Army. And I think that most people do it because of men like you."
"Ellie, don't say those things," Tavington snapped," You go too far."
"I don't think I have," Ellie shot back.
"I think you have, and I would advise you to be silent."
Ellie could see that his anger level was rising, but she didn't care.
"I have had my trust for you thrown in my face Col. and I refuse to be silenced by the likes of you-"
Ellie fell out of her chair by the force of his blow. The room was spinning around Ellie as the Colonel lifted her from the floor and carried her upstairs. Once they were in their room, the Col. threw her on the bed and ripped off her clothes.
"Understand Ellie," he said as he took off his clothes," I do love you. I was desparate. All I know is that I want you, and if this is the only way to have you...I'll take it."