Two years had passed. William spent less and less time in Liverpool and more time in London, where he had managed to scrounge enough money find a place of his own. How he managed to care for Asmodeus was nothing short of luck: William had nearly begged a pub keeper named Aaron into allowing him to keep his horse behind his pub if he would be allowed to work at the counter for coin and board. William had brought little with him; Asmodeus, his tack, some rations, two sets of clothes, one pair of boots, one pair of shoes, and some of his mother's belongings. Any other essentials, he bought in London.
It was midday, and William was just scrubbing the pub counter down when a young man with sandy hair and brown eyes ambled in. With one look, Tavington could tell that the man was inebriated.
"'Rrink," He slurred.
Throwing the rag he was holding down on the wooden counter, William reached for a pint and filled it with ale.
"Here you are," He spoke, looking directly at the man, who took the pint greedily, sloshing the drink down his front and on the table.
William turned away and went back to scrubbing the counter, waiting for more people to enter the pub.
"Your hands are blistering," Aaron, the pub keeper approached William but kept his distance.
"It is nothing… He's drunk," William murmured, gesturing at the sandy haired man who slumped in his chair, pint consumed.
"What else is new?" Aaron smirked.
"It irritates me."
"Don't work here then."
"Where else do I have to go?"
"You're absolutely right…" Aaron smiled. "Pour me a pint of whisky?"
William nodded and poured him a pint before looking up to see a woman enter the pub alone.
"Begging your pardon, Miss, but are you lost?" He asked.
The woman giggled, twisting her fingers around her ashy blonde hair. William's eyes widened in surprise.
"Kate?" He whispered.
"Oh no," The woman laughed. "I am Marie."
William frowned.
"I should have known. Your eyes are brown," He said flatly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" The woman asked, slightly affronted.
"Nothing… Are you lost?"
Marie smiled and placed her left hand over his and grinned coyly.
"No. I came here of my own accord. Alone."
Tavington clenched his jaw but did not move his hand.
"Miss, this is no place for a lady; especially a lady unaccompanied."
"Oh I am quite sure I can take care of myself. What is your name," She asked boldly, flitting dainty fingers across his hand.
"Tavington! Don't just stand there! Get the woman a drink!"
Tavington signed and did as he was told, fetching the woman a glass of wine. She pouted.
"Surely you can do better than that. A pint of whisky, perhaps?"
"Very well."
"Tavington, is it," Marie asked as he fetched her some whisky.
William nodded tersely.
"Not a common name, is it? Tell me, where do you come from?"
"Up north." William replied in a short voice, growing red.
Marie took a deep drink from her pint and looked up, grinning and unfazed. She shifted her light blue skirts to reveal soft, fair legs. William looked away.
"Are you married, Tavington," She asked.
"Yes." William lied.
"Oh pooh. We could have so much fun. I'm not asking for pay; not tonight, anyway," She said, lowering her voice to a seductive tone. "Where is your wife?"
"Back up north."
Marie frowned.
"You simply just left her there? My my, you are trouble…"
William rolled his eyes. Truly, Marie was attractive enough, but her personality was something to be desired. Still, he couldn't help but picture her with a pint in her belly and naked. He turned away and went back to the counter, feeling himself grow hot.
For another six hours, William worked the counter, and Marie never left the pub. She sat at the same table, ordering pint after pint soliciting flirtatious glances and comments from the men in the pub. Tavington's shift was over and he thought that the woman had had quite enough to drink. Striding over to her, he took a half filled pint out of her hand and spoke, "Now that is enough."
"Tarrington," She slurred, laughing. "I am finnne."
Marie attempted to get up but stumbled into William and he dropped the pint, spilling its contents on the floor.
"Enough," He hissed, grabbing her shoulders and guiding her to the back of the pub, where a small, narrow staircase led to his and Aaron's rooms. "In here…" William led her into a small room and all but dropped her unceremoniously on his small, straw cot. "Now, stay." William left, slamming the door behind him.
Making his way around the back of the pub to Asmodeus' stall. The horse raised his head and nickered. Tavington said nothing but stepped into the stall and began stroking the stallion's neck absentmindedly.
"Well, you're a-" William cut himself off at the sound of vomiting coming from his bedroom window. Sighing, he left Asmodeus in his stall and made his way back to his room, where he found Marie hunched in the far left corner of the room, regurgitating.
"Thought you said you could take care of yourself," Tavington said in a brusque voice. Marie looked piteously at him. William groaned and left the room to retrieve a pail and some water for her.
"Use this. And drink some water." With that, he left once more, got a mop and bucket, and cleaned the bile off of his floor. Once he had finished, William looked back at Marie. She had settled herself on his cot with the water he had offered her. She looked half asleep.
"You can stay here for the night. I will be out back," William said resignedly.
"Wait- Where is my kiss?"
"You have a headache."
"And a kiss will make it all better."
"You're trying my patience," William growled.
"Kiss me…" She purred.
"No."
"Kiss me," Marie demanded.
"No," William raised his hand to her but she caught it and pulled him close with surprising strength and began to kiss him with a drunken passion. William refused at first but when she flicked her tongue over his lips he was lost, hands roving all over her body, possessing it. Marie shivered with pleasure and bit William's neck, eliciting a moan from Tavington. He pushed her further onto the cot and onto her back.
"Your skirts…"
Marie eagerly obliged and William went into her, the first few thrust filled with brutal pleasure. Within minutes, both were spent, panting together in the darkness.