Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I should really update my Tav fic first but one has to write while the muse speaks and right now Bordy's the one that's talkin! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!
6.
Once the Bordon's returned to camp following the ball at Middleton Place, Teddy was steadfast in her decision to make things work out well for herself and Captain Bordon. She had no idea how she would manage that; Ram had always been so much easier to impress. She could always bull his boots, pick over his uniforms or find a way to make or buy his favorite treats from England if she wanted to make him happy.
However, Teddy had known Ram much longer and she was never sure what Bordon would appreciate or take offense to. Although she still hadn't figured out a way to worm her way into Bordon's heart, Teddy continued to do everything she would normally do. She kept their quarters tidy and worked with the patients in the hospital tent while he was away. When he was there, she tried not to bother him too much and she made sure she slept in his bed. Not so much for the warmth anymore, but because she liked it.
Since their interlude at Middleton Place, Teddy longed to know her husband in a more biblical way but she knew better than to push him. As much as he seemed so stiff and proper at times, she now knew there was a very passionate man lurking inside. At night, once they were settled in bed and she was sure he was sleeping, she would slip her arms around him, memorizing his body and the way he felt against her. She would breathe in his scent and stroke his hair- and he never seemed to notice. If he did notice or began to stir, Teddy would feign sleep or pretend she was merely stretching herself.
Then one day, after speaking to Colonel Tarleton, it came to her attention that Captain Bordon would be returning to camp soon. For once, she would be able to prepare for his return. She could make sure his bath water and clean clothes were ready. And maybe…
When Bordon finally did return to camp, he made his way to his quarters with Colonels Tarleton and Tavington, along with Tarleton's adjutant, Major Hanger and Captain Wilkins- since he knew the area so well- hot on his heels.
They planned to sit and discuss some new intelligence they had regarding their Ghost and Swamp Fox. Since Bordon had the space with his newly acquired table and chairs, he would play host, hoping that his wife would be at her usual duties in the hospital tent.
When they arrived however, Bordon was slightly irked to discover that in fact, Teddy was there. She was standing over the fire, stirring some unidentifiable mixture bubbling in a pot. Whatever it was, it smelled good. But it was unlike Teddy to actually cook anything, so as Bordon gestured to the pot, he had to ask, "What's this?"
"Supper," she answered with a short laugh.
"Smells wonderful," Wilkins remarked casually as his stomach growled audibly. His lips turned up in a boyish grin and his cheeks turned pink.
Teddy told him to sit and she dished up a plate for him. Everyone but Wilkins- who wordlessly took his seat at the table and waited- looked at her almost pleadingly. Bordon could hardly believe that with the promise of home cooked food, Teddy had reduced four of the finest Dragoons he had ever served with to puppy-eyed beggars.
Teddy just laughed and told them all to sit and go on with their meeting while she went for more plates. She also brought out a loaf of fresh bread, hunk of cheese and a bottle of wine he had never seen before. As she set everything on the table Bordon asked her where it all came from. He was half afraid to hear the answer but her face brightened as if she had the juiciest bit of gossip ever to share.
"I saw these two young boys today walking through camp with the biggest rabbits and I asked them where they came from," she began to explain.
"They told me they killed them with their slings and were going to skin them for their pelts and feet. I sweet talked them into giving me the meat. At first I was going to fry them and make some gravy and went to the cook to ask him for some lard. He said he didn't have any to spare- which I highly doubted. But anyway, he offered me the vegetables and suggested I make a stew- so I did. And you must be a favorite of his, Andrew, because then he gave me the wine and the other things….Oh! And a lovely apple tart and he told me not to worry about it because officers pay for their meals whether they eat them or not. Can you believe that?"
"No," he answered skeptically.
"Alright," she relented with a guilty expression. "I paid the boys to go kill the rabbits for a shilling each and the pelts. I convinced the cook that it wasn't fair that you pay for your meals even when you're not there to eat them and guilted him into giving me the rest."
Tavington choked and brought a hand up to cover an obvious smile, Tarleton and Wilkins didn't bother to try to cover their grins and Major Hanger made a comment about what a resourceful lass she was. This surprised Bordon considering that Hanger usually kept himself to making inappropriate comments at times like these. The second explanation she gave didn't surprise Bordon nearly as much as her previous version and he left it at that.
As he tucked in to his supper and discussion, Bordon had to admit, it was nice of her to have something ready and hot to eat on their return. He appreciated the fact that he would not have to rush through the planning of the Dragoon's next patrol in order to get to the mess hall before they stopped serving for the night. To top it off, the stew was very good and when the sound of clinking forks and lip smacking was over, he felt a bit of pride when his fellow officers thanked his wife for the fine meal. Nor could he mistake the brilliant smile she gave in return.
Teddy cleaned up the mess and scrubbed out the pot and dishes silently, allowing the officers to plan their next move. Bordon felt he knew her well enough to trust her with what little information she might pick up overhearing them and approached the subject of finding and capturing the elusive rebel militia hiding in the swamps.
Teddy half-heartedly listened to the officers gripe about this "Ghost" and "Swamp Fox" when an idea occurred to her. She thought of making a suggestion but she wasn't sure how it would be taken. She listened to them struggle for ideas on how they could flush out the enemy that was making their lives hell. Apparently Cornwallis wanted things done in an honorable and gentlemanly manner- as if war could ever be gentlemanly. So Teddy just decided to come out with it.
"What about a brace of hounds?" She said not meaning to interrupt them, but doing so anyway. "They could sniff out the rebel camp."
By now a few other Dragoons from Tarleton's legion as well as Tavington's had joined the group crowded at the table and they all turned their head slowly to look at Teddy.
"Mrs. Bordon, dogs cannot track a scent over water. The swamps are surrounded by water," Tavington informed her as if she were the stupidest woman in the world.
"Bloodhounds can," she countered ignoring his condescending tone. "Slave catchers use them all the time to track runaways. In Trenton, I once watched one track a little toddler girl who was lost in a cornfield. They just gave the hound her cap to catch her scent and he went right after her. Found her alive and well too."
Colonel Tarleton slapped his hand on the table and said, "I think that is a capitol idea!" To which Tavington retorted with a snort, "You would."
"Colonel, where are we going to find a brace of bloodhounds trained to track humans?" One other Dragoon asked his commander.
"For the right price I'm sure we could hire them," Wilkins piped in. "I've used slave catchers before. They have no loyalty but to themselves. For a handsome fee, they'd take the job."
There were murmurs and debates about the idea and then it seemed as though it was dropped. Teddy was a little disappointed they didn't run with it. After all, it sounded more productive than burning people out of their homes in an effort to scare up information and she was only trying to help. As usual, they blew it off and she couldn't help but wonder if it was truly a bad idea or if it was because they couldn't abide using the idea of a silly woman and she eventually left them and turned in for the night.
In the morning, she woke alone again and wondered where Captain Bordon had gone off too. She also woke to a rather scratchy throat and stuffy head and thought she might be coming down with a cold.
After she dressed and had breakfast, she still had not discovered her husband's whereabouts and decided to go hunt for some rabbit tobacco to ease her cold symptoms.
Rabbit tobacco would be the perfect remedy this time of year now that it's leaves had turned silver. The tea made from it would chase away a sore throat, break up any mucus in her chest and shorten the length of a cold. If she were brave enough to inhale its pungent smoke, the herb would also clear her stuffy head. It was best to find some now before she started to feel too poorly and so Teddy set out with a knife and basket and wandered the countryside near camp looking for her remedy.
Before she knew it, she had a basket full and was just starting to stuff another bunch into it when she heard someone speak close by. Teddy stopped suddenly aware of her surroundings. She was a bit farther from camp than she would have liked, but she listened again and then Teddy saw them. A small group of men standing in the trees watching her watch them. Regardless, they were either rebels or deserters and at that point it didn't matter which, Teddy knew she was in trouble.
Before the men could make a move, Teddy dropped her basket, picked up her skirts and ran like her feet were on fire and her ass was about to catch. She knew if she couldn't escape, no matter who these men were, they could definitely harm her.
Teddy could hear them behind her, shouting to each other that they must catch her and she forced her legs to run faster. Crashing through a small copse of trees, hoping to slow them down, Teddy leapt over fallen logs, scattering birds and small wildlife in her path. Branches and twigs whipped against her face and legs. She hardly noticed; her only concern was getting to safety.
Teddy reached a familiar clearing and realized she was close to camp. She started calling out for help but was so breathless she wasn't sure if anyone heard or not.
As Teddy continued running like a mad woman she suddenly felt the Earth tremble under her feet and when she saw what was causing it she was struck with terror like she had never felt before in her life.
To her left, British Legion charged towards the her right, where The Green Dragoons had ridden over a ridge. That's when she remembered they had discussed a training exercise between the two unit's the night before. Teddy was caught between them, right in their path.
If Teddy was terrified of being raped and murdered by a group of deserters or rebels, she was even more terrified of horses and had been since she was a child. It never bothered her so much being close to one that was well under control. But she never rode and she certainly didn't like the idea of being trampled to death by two legions of the charging brutes.
She would never make it to the other side before they clashed. She tried to turn and run back the way she came but at the sight of the men chasing her she decided that wasn't such a good idea either. She couldn't think well enough to figure out alternate escape and instead, stood there frozen like a deer and praying they would ride around her.
As they came closer she made out the faces of the commanders as well as her husband and Major Hanger.
They looked like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with their minions riding straight out of hell. As she closed her eyes tightly and waited for them to either pass her or trample her, her father's sermons on Revelations came to mind.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, "Come and see."
And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
Indeed, War, Conquest, Famine and Death were coming straight for her.
Teddy opened her eyes and saw Tarleton's eyes widen when he realized she wasn't going to move. He urged his mount to part from Major Hanger's side, who followed his commander's lead splitting the legion in two. Teddy couldn't bear to watch them and yet she was too afraid to move. Where could she go? There was no place left to run.
She shut her eyes again, covering her face with clenched hands. The sound of thundering hooves was too much and she said a heartfelt, "God, please have mercy."
Then, just as she felt the beasts bearing down on her, she was plucked up from the ground. An arm wrapped tightly around her waist and she was slammed onto Bordon's lap. Teddy didn't have to look at who her savior was to know it was Bordon. She could tell precisely by the way he felt who it was.
He hadn't even slowed his horse but kept up with the punishing pace of the charge. It scared the hell out of her and she almost wet herself. Teddy knew in her heart there was no longer a reason to be afraid but her body overrode her rational thought. She began to tremble, then shake and eventually, even though she fought it, she sank into blackness.
Bordon couldn't understand what on Earth Teddy was up to when he saw her running across the training grounds. That is until he noticed the men chasing her. As soon as they saw the Dragoons charge, they ran off, back into the trees where they had come from. His wife was not going anywhere. She wasn't even trying to get out of the way and as they rode closer he saw the look of sheer terror on her face.
Even though Tarleton had moved to give her a wider berth, Bordon knew he had to do something to keep her from panicking and getting herself trampled.
There were too many men riding hard behind him to give him room to slow down. Bordon had to lean low into his mounts stride and scoop her up with one arm.
He heard her cry of alarm as he landed her in his lap. She buried her face in his coat and grasped him so tightly it squeezed the breath from him. Then her body shook and relaxed and when he glanced down at her face, he realized that she had fainted.