"Aidan, Jae, glad to see you two could make it for supper." Col. Tavington greeted the two in an even tone as they entered the dining area, yet his eyes were narrowed into into the slightest hint of a stern glare.
"Sorry.." Jae mumbled, taking a seat next to her sister who glanced briefly at her before returning her gaze back to her plate.
"My apologies, Colonel. I am the one to blame seeing as I thought Jae and I would have more time to ride."
"I see." replied the colonel with a stiff nod. "Well, don't make a habit of it."
"We won't." Jae answered, her face reddening slightly.
"I know you won't." Col. Tavington remarked pointedly, fixing his piercing gaze upon Aidan.
Mary shook her head, sighing softly.
Darling, I know you were in a bit of a strop when you got home but please, don't let it carry over...
"William.."
"Mary..."
"Come, sit down."
Reluctantly, Col. Tavington lowered his gaze and strode over to his spot at the head of the table and took a seat while Aidan took one next to his brother who momentarily glanced at him before turning his gaze expectantly to the colonel.
"Alright, now that everyone is seated, we may eat."
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Supper was a short thirty minutes as everyone ate silently, particularly Col. Tavington who even had a stony air to go along with it. Once supper was finished, everyone took their dishes to the kitchen and dispersed to various locations in the house while the colonel stayed in the kitchen, waiting for his wife to check on Brielle and give her a quick feeding before returning to wash the dishes.
"William, what has gotten into you?" Mary murmured, grabbing a plate and setting it in a washbasin while reaching for a cloth to begin scrubbing at it. "You were completely silent during supper and I don't doubt that you made the guests uncomfortable. Just because you're upset about the situation with Brentan Garrick doesn't mean you can snap at Jae and Aidan for being a tiny bit late for supper."
"I didn't snap, Mary.." replied the colonel through gritted teeth.
"Fine, William, you didn't snap, but you were being unreasonable, glaring at them as if they were a couple of your subordinate men."
Col. Tavington snorted derisively but decided to remain silent, grabbing a plate and helping his wife with the washing; after about thirty minutes, he left the kitchen and was on his way upstairs when he felt a tug on his arm and turned to see Jae, a questioning look upon her face.
"Can I talk to you?"
The colonel gave her a small smile.
"Let's go into my room."
Jae nodded vigorously before following him up the stairs and into the master bedchamber, closing the door behind them and taking a seat in one of the two large armchairs that the colonel motioned to in the middle of the room.
"We're not going to wake the baby, are we?"
"No." Col. Tavington replied, sitting down across from her. "Brielle sleeps like her mother."
Jae smiled.
"What was it that you wished to speak with me about?"
Biting her lip nervously, Jae responded quietly, "What happened to O'Hara after we left?"
Col. Tavington averted his gaze and was silent for a couple of minutes before answering, "He... He was killed."
Jae cocked an eyebrow.
"There was a battle not long after you left; things got a bit out of hand and a 'stray bullet' found its way to his chest."
Jae's mouth opened slightly.
"You..."
Col. Tavington nodded slowly.
"I did. After what happened to you... and what he did to my wife... I was never caught for it either."
Jae let out a soft but hollow laugh.
"Of course you weren't, or you wouldn't be here." she said, trying to keep her voice even.
"Jae..."
"No, no it's fine, don't apologize." Jae replied, shaking her head. "I didn't like him, let alone love him. I just sort of thought he might want to know.. but hey, it's a bit late for that."
Col. Tavington frowned slightly and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around Jae, who instinctively buried her face in his chest.
"I don't blame you for what you did. In fact, if I was you, I would have done it too." she murmured, letting out another hollow laugh before pulling away from him.
"Jae, are you sure you're all right?" Col. Tavington asked, concern building in his eyes.
"Dad, I'm fine." Jae replied with a small smile. "I just needed to know, that's all."
"Alright, but if you need anything..."
"I know.."
Col. Tavington gave Jae a half-smile.
"Of course you do. Well, I believe Aidan wanted to see you after supper; he's probably downstairs in the sitting room."
"Thanks for letting me know. I'll see you later then?"
"Yes," replied the colonel, kissing her cheek, "I'll come into your room before I go to bed."
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Ten minutes after Jae left, Mary entered the master bedchamber and carefully picked up a sleeping Brielle before she turned to face her husband who was still sitting in the armchair, his eyes slightly glassy.
"Love?" she asked, walking over and taking a seat across from him as she rocked Brielle in her arms.
No answer.
"William..."
"Oh... sorry.. yes?" Col. Tavington asked, his face reddening slightly in embarrassment.
"How far along is she?"
Col. Tavington cocked an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry?"
"Jae."
The colonel's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"She told you then?"
Mary shook her head.
"No, she did not. But I suspected it. Even before they left last time, I wondered. And I also noticed that she wasn't able to keep down her supper this evening."
Col. Tavington sighed and nodded slowly.
"I noticed that as well."
"When did she tell you?" Mary asked.
"She told me just before I brought her and the rest of them back here."
"Poor girl..."
A couple of silent minutes passed between the two before Brielle awoke, letting out a tiny squeak when she yawned, showing pink gums as Col. Tavington looked down at her and smiled.
"Hello, my little angel." he said softly.
Brielle stared up at her father with curious eyes as she stretched out a little hand and wrapped her fingers around his left index finger.
"So, would you like me to take the baby downstairs and have one of the girls watch her and Braden for a while to give us the time alone that you requested earlier?" asked Col. Tavington as he turned his gaze back to his wife.
"Actually, William, I think Brielle will be fine here but if you could have one of them watch Braden, it would be much appreciated. I just want some time to talk with you."
"That can be arranged." replied the colonel. "Stay here and I'll be back in a few minutes."
With that, Col. Tavington left the room, taking the stairs quickly down to the sitting room and stayed just long enough to ask Aidan and Jae to watch Braden before returning back to the master bedchamber, leaving the two with a hyper two year old who wouldn't calm down until after a solid hour of 'pony rides' from Aidan; after that, he nearly fell asleep on the floor and Aidan carried him upstairs to his bedroom, got him dressed in his nightclothes and tucked him in while Jae waited at the door.
"Well, he's out." said Aidan quietly as he walked back to meet Jae.
"So is your back." she teased.
"Tell me about it." Aidan replied in mock exasperation. "No, Braden is a lot of fun, actually. I mean, for a two year old..."
Jae laughed softly. "He is... when he's not screaming or acting like a moody version of his father."
Aidan smirked.
"Of course." he replied, letting out a sleepy yawn. "Good lord, it's getting late and my brother and I told the colonel that we would help him with errands in town tomorrow."
"Oh boy..."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Aidan asked.
"Nothing. You're just going to have a more than full day tomorrow, that's all." Jae replied with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Have fun!"
"Oh come on, it can't be that bad."
Jae shrugged.
"Whatever. Just do what he says. I'm going to bed."
"Alright. Good night then.." replied Aidan quietly as he took Jae's hand and gently kissed the back of it, his eyes unblinking as her cheeks began to redden slightly.
"Yes... Good night, Aidan." said Jae slowly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aidan smiled and released her hand, watching her go down the hall to her room and was about to follow when he spotted his brother out of the corner of his eye, glaring icily at him and turned.
"What?" he growled at Brant.
"Don't hurt her, Aidan.."
"I haven't..."
Brant shook his head and pushed past his brother, making his way to his room where he shut and locked the door behind him, leaving Aidan alone in the hall to brood.