"At least write to me!"

Margaret stood before Vivienne the next morning, tears glistening in her eyes at the departure of her new friend. The British soldiers were on the move again. Soldiers were kissing the young ladies they met at the ball for the last time.

"Of course I shall!" Vivienne hugged Margaret, realizing she would miss having other young ladies around.

All too soon, the time came to depart. Cornwallis had conveniently stayed far away from both Tavington and Vivienne. Tavington did not seem to mind, but Vivienne wanted to talk with the Lord General. She found him surrounded by soldiers and the governor's butlers.

"Sir, if I may speak to you for a moment?" she asked timidly, forcing herself to stay relaxed as everyone turned disapproving gazes on her.

"I suppose so," Cornwallis said cautiously, still wary of the young woman who had so mysteriously appeared in the British camp.

He took her arm and led her to a less populated area. She launched right into her plea.

"William Tavington and I are planning to marry, but, sir, I do not think I can stand to be away from him until the wedding!" she said dramatically, forcing a pained expression onto her face. There would never be a chance of she and Tavington's tolerance of each other if they lived in entirely different areas up until their wedding.

If Vivienne was to marry this questionable man, she would be finding out everything she wanted to know about him - and that would require a closer proximity than the distance between the British camp and the nearest town. She would convince Cornwallis to either allow her to stay at camp, or allow Tavington to stay in town. Both Vivienne and Tavington had been disgraced - the only way to avoid the criticism of society, and her family, was to marry Tavington.

"Why not simply have the wedding right away?" Cornwallis said sharply, interrupting her slew of thoughts.

"My family must come, of course, and they are so far away . . . it will take a bit of time for me to write to them and receive a response."

"And what would you have me do?"

"Let us stay together, please. We've already promised not to do anything indecent before our wedding night," Vivienne's cheeks reddened as she said this.

"I won't be any trouble to you or the other soldiers, I promise!"

Cornwallis looked at Vivienne, staring at him with huge, tearful eyes. He hemmed and hawed for a bit, but she remained still, continuing to stare at him so. Vivienne was desperate for her plan to work. She needed to win Tavington over before they married, before he had her completely in his clutches.

At last Cornwallis spoke.

"It seems a bargain is in order. Since I cannot simply give up my calvary leader for a month, you will stay in a tent of your own within one hundred yards of the camp for three weeks. And your wedding will be before the end of the month, so you will spend the better part of the fourth week in town to secure arrangements for the wedding."

Accepting this, Vivienne smiled graciously at him.

"You are generous indeed, sir." He nodded dismissively and waved her away. Vivienne triumphantly found her way back to Tavington, who was already seated on his horse. He reached down to pull her up behind him.

"I am to stay at camp for the next three weeks," Vivienne announced, keeping her tone nonchalant as she absentmindedly put her arms around his waist.

"How did you ever accomplish that?" Tavington asked, surprised.

"I can be a very convincing woman, Mr. Tavington." The British army rode off at that point, heading for the new destination for camp. Awkward silence seemed to lengthen the gap between Tavington and Vivienne. She was the one to speak first.

"What do you think of children?"

"Mostly, they irritate me," he replied.

"But if they were your - our - own children?"

"What is it you suggest?"

"I-" she began "I've always wanted children . . . "

"I suppose we shall deal with that when the time comes - for now we have more significant problems," he said tightly.

The silence swelled once again, and this time, neither of them seemed prepared to breach it.

Thanks to those who have reviewed! It is very much appreciated :-)

This chapter wasn't extremely climactic, but the tension is building. . .