5.

As springtime edged on into summer, Tavington made slow progress with taming his land. Tavington still spent plenty of time with Jason. And he continued to enjoy the boy's company. What made that time even better was when he was accompanied by his grandfather and his mother. If Jason Mitchel had ever been a help, his mother and grandfather were even more so.

Tavington and Mr. Mitchel went on those fishing trips and often sat for hours at either man's table exchanging ideas on how to improve Tavington's land. Mitchel's fatherly charm made him easy to talk to. Although Tavington never let on to his brutal tactics he discovered that Mr. Mitchel didn't mind discussing his life as a soldier and listened eagerly as Tavington described his own experiences as a commander. He even seemed impressed to know that Tavington had been a cavalry man.

He had only known the man for about a month now but Mitchel seemed to actually care for Tavington. This led to strange emotions he struggled to deal with. His own father hadn't seemed to give him much thought and here this virtual stranger seemed to accept him as one of his own. It was a little overwhelming at times and Tavington hardly felt worthy.

Esther Mitchel not only proved herself to be a wonderful cook and housekeeper but she was also happy to share advice about gardening. She brought Tavington starts from plants from her own garden and like Jason, taught him how they should be planted. She still seemed a little shy, but was patient in explaining cultivation and propagation techniques to Tavington. It seemed like that was her language and as long as he was willing to speak it with her she was fine. But her shyness often made her seem secretive and he noticed that if he tried to deliberately flirt with her, she would shut down.

This confused Tavington. He never once had any problems with the ladies. It wasn't as if he wanted to seduce the poor girl, although he wouldn't mind a good long tumble with her. But he couldn't so much as get a toe in that door before she would slam it shut on him. It was starting to hurt his pride and he couldn't deny an attraction. She was like everything he never had in a woman and everything he never knew he wanted. She was country, and quiet, pretty and intelligent. Even though she was a mother, she had an oddly refreshing innocence about her. She loved to spin and would sit for hours twisting yarns that she later used for knitting or traded for other goods. Esther could be very witty when her defenses were down and he learned quickly that she could wield a wooden spoon like a saber.

Tavington discovered that little fact one day when he was at the Mitchel's trying his damndest to engage her in a little flirtation. He nonchalantly stuck his hand in a crock of shelled walnuts in an attempt to sample them when she cracked his hand sharply with her spoon. The sting on his knuckles was enough to bring anyone to tears and at first he was a little incensed. But what more than made up for the pain was the priceless expression on her face when she scolded him and then realized her words.

"Keep your dirty hands off my nuts!"

As soon as she said it her face turned crimson and she clamped a hand over her mouth. Tavington smirked and she blushed even deeper. Then he started to chuckle and she scowled at him which only made him laugh harder. Once she understood that he was amused rather than offended she laughed too. But after that, Tavington kept his hands out of her cooking, especially when she had a wood spoon in her hand.

He figured out soon enough though, that if he left her be and let her come to him on her own, she was much easier around him. She didn't seem as nervous although she still preferred to keep her distance in the physical sense.

If he moved too close or too quickly she would move away and she rarely allowed him to touch her. Even when Tavington attempted to be chivalrous she rejected it. She might let him pull out her chair or open a door, but she never took his arm if he offered it and she never let him take her hand.

It made him wonder if she had been beaten but he simply couldn't imagine Mr. Mitchel striking her or allowing his son to do so. She was a puzzle that much was certain. And as much as she rejected his gentle advances he found himself craving her attention. He even admitted to himself that he cared as deeply for Esther as he did for Jason. If he could only get her to be more affectionate with him, he decided, he would be tempted to make an offer for her.

Bart Mitchel never seemed to give Tavington the time of day, which was just fine with Tavington. In another time and place he knew that he could have brought Bart Mitchel to his knees and was not intimidated in the least by him.

He still viewed Bart as a bully and a coward. Seeing more and more every day the way he and Timothy treated Jason and Esther only proved that opinion. Tavington was no saint by any means but he could never imagine treating his own family- when he had one- with such disdain and disrespect.

Jason seemed to take everything in stride. He still enjoyed spending as much time at Tavington's place as his mother would allow. Of course once Tavington knew Bart and Timothy Mitchel a little better, he understood why. Jason felt protected by Tavington. Part of it gave Tavington a sense of pride that this boy admired him so. Yet it also made him pity the boy a little to think that a child his age had to escape his tormentors at home.

Then one day it all came to an ugly festering head.

Tavington showed Jason how to make a slingshot with twine. He demonstrated how to make the proper knots and Jason giggled as Tavington recited the rhymes that helped a man remember how to tie a bowline loop.

"Lay the bight to make a hole

Then under the back and around the pole

Over the top and thru the eye

Cinch it tight and let it lie!"

When they were done, Tavington showed Jason how to use the sling, slipping the loop over one finger and holding the tail between his index finger and thumb. He placed a stone in the little leather pouch and demonstrated an overhand and underhand throw. Then he let Jason try it out explaining that Jason must never use the sling near the house or other people and he must never target something he didn't intend to eat.

Jason was so impressed with his new weapon that he left to show his grandfather. As the boy ran off, Tavington wondered if Jason wasn't about to go hunt down Goliath. Little did he know that Goliath would hunt Jason.

It wasn't long before Jason came running back bleeding from a gash in his head. Tavington was disappointed that the boy had already injured himself. He would have never made such a thing for him if he didn't think Jason could handle the responsibility. Jason was only seven, but Tavington had fired his first weapon by that age.

Then he became furious when Jason explained through his tears that it had not been a miss-fired shot and that his cousin had caused the injury. He tried to remain calm while he cleaned the wound. It was only about an inch long. But scalp wounds always bled badly and Jason was sure to have a goose egg by morning.

"Why do you think your cousin treats you so badly Jason?" Tavington asked. He used the boys own hair to tie the wound shut and then cleaned as much blood away as he possibly could.

Jason didn't think twice before he answered plainly, "It's on account of me being a bastard I reckon."

Shocked that a child so young would know such a word, Tavington squatted down in front of him and asked him eye to eye, "Do you know what word means Jason?"

"It means I don't have a pa."

Tavington took the boy by the shoulders and said, "You will never use that word when referring to yourself in my presence again. Do you understand me?"

Jason shrugged.

"Yes, Mr. Tavington. I understand you completely," Tavington said, pressing the boy to repeat it.

Jason looked at him timidly but he repeated the words. The fear on the boy's face took Tavington back for a minute. It reminded him of someone but he couldn't quite put his finger on whom. The one thing he did know what that he never wanted Jason to fear him.

Tavington shook the thought from his mind. He had other pressing matters to attend to and would have to revisit those memories at a later time. He forced a reassuring smile for Jason, hiding his fury with Timothy and patted the boy's back.

"No friend of mine ever refers to himself as a bastard, Jason. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir," Jason answered.

"Now, you go water Sam and Sue and give them each a flake of hay. I need to go speak to your mother."