Two Sisters
The evening was warm. Too warm for his tastes, but there was not much he could do about it. A soldier went where he was sent. And the heat did not change that situation any.
Colonel Tavington sat his horse with an air of absolute command. His men followed close behind him, keeping a close eye on the surrounding woods. It would not do to be ambushed along the way.
No, that had already happened once that day, and Tavington was in no mood for it to be repeated.
He had other, more pressing issues to deal with.
Lady Catherine Cornwallis being one of those pressing issues.
Why had her father given him this hideous command? What had he done, to deserve this post? Protecting a female? Though the Lord General had insisted, that the Dragoons were not protecting just any female. This was, after all, his eldest daughter. Her safety was their first priority. Not to mention the land on which she now lived...the land was highly favourable. The house that stood on it, even more so.
But it was the woman who was Mistress of both, that demanded this protection. Never mind, Lord General Cornwallis had said, that she could look after herself. She was a good as any soldier, and perhaps, even more dangerous.
None of that made Tavington very happy. If she could protect herself, what did she need the Green Dragoons for? Having thought about it, he decided that it was the land they were here to defend.
Nevermind the woman.
But, that was the crux of the matter. Colonel Tavington DID mind her. There was more to her then met the eye, and that's what bothered him greatly. What he could not see of her, unnerved him.
Though only slightly. She was only a female. A woman. He could handle her with ease. She would not be a problem.
As they rounded the bend in the road, the huge house came into view. Tavington looked upon it with an air of acute satisfaction. To be master of this house would be a situation he could get use to. And to be master of the woman...
He smiled coldly to himself.
Oh yes, his to command. His to ravage over and over again...she would not refuse him that honour.
His right by all accounts. And be damned the Lord General.
He signed for them to halt. Captain Wilkins rode slowly over to him, nodded at the house, and awaited his commander's orders.
Tavington grinned faintly.
"Make certain that the pillet is set. No one is to leave here, nor is anyone to enter on this property. We have had one near fatal ambush today, and a second would not be favourable."
Wilkins nodded wearily.
"Yes, Sir."
Tavington motioned him away, turned slightly in his saddle, and stared back down the road they had travelled.
"Set a watch along the road, as well. If they do not come through the woods, they will most likely come along this road." He turned back and looked up at the house.
He did a double take.
A lone figure stood upon the porch watching them. For a long moment neither the Colonel, nor the figure, made any move.
Tavington had not seen this person when the Dragoons had been here earlier, so where had they come from? Who were they? And, were they Loyal to the King?
He would find out presently.
"Borden!"
The young man rode forward.
"Sir?"
Tavington eyed him for a second.
"Do you see what I see?"
Borden followed the Colonel's gaze, then nodded.
"Yes, Sir."
"And what is that you see?"
Borden looked again.
"A woman, Sir."
Tavington nodded.
"Quite right, Borden. Now, you were with us when we were here earlier in the morning, yes?"
The young man nodded.
"Yes, Sir."
"Is that the same woman that we met then?"
Borden looked once more.
"I don't believe so, Sir."
"Nor do I, Borden."
Tavington allowed his gaze to sweep over the woman standing silently on the porch. No, this was definitely not the same woman. This was not, Lady Cornwallis.
This was not the woman he harboured a burning desire, want and need for.
"Borden?"
"Sir?"
"What are the differences between them?"
Borden studied the woman for a moment.
"She is blonde, Sir."
Tavington nodded.
"I can see that, Borden. Anything else?"
"Well, Sir, she is taller then the first. She is much paler, too."
Colonel Tavington grinned slowly.
"Yes, again, I can see that Borden. Look again."
Borden did as he was commanded.
"Sir?"
"Yes, Borden?"
The young man cleared his throat before speaking. A nervous habit he seemed to have picked up...the day he learned he would be under the command of Tavington.
The Butcher.
"There ar no other differences." he stated finally.
Tavington turned a frosty glare upon the young man, who shrank back in his saddle.
Then he smiled slowly.
"You are not mistaken in that, Borden. The first woman, and this one, " he nodded his head at her, "If I am not mistaken, and I am most certainly not, they are related in some way."
Borden eyed him curiously.
"Related, Sir? How do you mean?"
Tavington's smiled grew steadily.
"Sisters, Borden. She must be the other Lady Cornwallis."
Borden paled slightly.
"There are two of them...? he moaned, "Sir!" he added a second later.
Tavington nodded, ignoring his man's lapse in proper manners.
"That would appear to be the case, Borden."
The young man slumped forward a bit, then recovered himself.
"Sir?"
Tavington looked at him, but said nothing. Borden continued.
"Sir, that would be mean we are to protection not only the land, but TWO women. And..."
Tavington eyed him coolly.
"And?"
Borden was at a loss on how to continue. Tavington unnerved him considerably.
Tavington shook his head, turned away and stared at the young woman standing on the porch. She had not moved. She continued to stare at them in silence. And, if he was not mistaken, and he was not, she was watching him, more then the other men.
Nudging his horse forward, he made his way towards the porch, and to the woman who stood upon it. When he reached it, and her, he caught his breath.
She was, indeed, the other Lady Cornwallis. She had her elder sister's beauty, though where Catherine was redhaired with eyes of green, this sister...
She was blonde and pale, but much taller. She, Tavington concluded, was the regal one of the sisters. Catherine was the mistress, of course, but this one...oh this one was the one who carried out the orders of her sister.
He nodded to her, bowed from his saddle, and motioned at her.
"Madam."
She stared at him silently. A cool smile played at the corners of her full mouth.
Tavington looked passed her to the door of the house.
Where was Catherine?
"Colonel Tavington."
Momentarily startled, he returned his gaze to the woman. She was smiling at him. Not a warm, welcoming smile...no, this smile was cold, cruel and devious. Nowhere near the welcome he had gotten from her sister.
"Yes, I am Colonel Tavington."
She glared at him.
"I did not ask you, Colonel, if that was your name and rank. I know who you are. I merely wished for your undivided attention."
"And you had it, Madam."
She laughed softly.
"You do not lie well, Colonel."
"I do not understand what you mean."
She laughed once more.
"You looked passed me to the entrance of the house. Is there some other that you look for?"
Tavington stared at her with a cold, deadly look in his blue eyes.
"Madam, I am always looking. I watch everything. It is the way of a soldier to look beyond."
She laughed again.
"Yes, I know what the ways of a soldier are. I cannot help but to know that, Colonel."
He grinned.
"Be that as it may, you know who I am. I do not know who you are."
The woman eyed him curiously.
"As if you do not know! Do not pretend that you have not already figured out who I am. I saw you watching me before you ever made a move forward."
"Of course, madam."
She motioned towards the doorway.
"My sister will be along presently. You have already met Catherine, no?"
Tavington said nothing.
"Ah yes, I can see that you have. I can see she has had her usual affect on you."
Tavington muttered darkly.
"And what would that be?"
The woman laughed a long, cold laugh.
"She has you bewitched, which I find interesting. The Butcher is bewitched by a woman! I never thought that would happen, let alone see it with my own two eyes."
Tavington glared back at her, narrowing his eyes he pointed at her with a black leather gloved finger.
"I do not know what you mean, madam. I am here only on your father's orders, not to dally with his daughters! Do not presume to know what I feel towards anyone, or anything. It is a dangerous presumption."
She laughed.
"Dangerous or not, it is truth. And truth, regardless of what face it hides behind, will always come out. Now, Colonel Tavington..."
"What is your name, madame?" he cut acrossed her.
She smiled slowly.
"Lady Cornwallis, the younger."
She was infuriating. Just like her elder sister.
"That, I already knew. Do you not have a first name?"
She looked amused.
"Of course, Colonel."
He waited.
She laughed once more.
"My given name is Mona Alexandra Cornwallis."
Tavington nodded.
"I am pleased to met you, Lady Mona." he bowed slightly to her.
She stared at him in amusement.
"You are no gentleman, Colonel Tavington. Do not insult me with your pretenses to aristocracy."
At this, his cool reserve broke.
"Lady, if you will excuse me, I must see to my men."
She nodded.
"Oh, of course."
He bowed again, turned his horse, started off towards the camp.
"Colonel."
He stopped, turned in his saddle and stared at her.
"Yes, madam?"
A slow, cold smile crept over her pale, beautiful face.
"The truth is such, that there is not one, but TWO, who are bewitched."
Tavington stared blankly at her.
"Oh?"
The cold smile was now fully formed.
"Yes, Colonel...it seems my sister, despite her own cold and cruel nature, has been bewitched by you. Perhaps, if you admitted to that truth, it would be a much more pleasant stay for you?"
Tavington bristled with rage.
"Madam, I do not know what you mean by this. As I said, I am not here to dally with my commander's daughters, nor am I here on a plesant visit! I am here to protection what is the Lord General's."
Lady Mona smiled coldly.
"And that would be what, Colonel Tavington?"
"The house and the land it sits upon...and..." he hesitated. That was all she needed to hear.
Lady Mona laughed.
"You fail to mention something."
Tavington said nothing to this.
"Yes, you are here to protect the house, the land and..." she titled her head slightly, "His daughters. But, if I am not mistaken, you want one of us...but which one would it be? The eldest? The youngest? Or," she looked him at him directly.
"Or?" he asked coldly.
The same cold, cruel smile swept over her face again.
"Or, both of us?"
Tavington had never thought of that before. Not until she mentioned it...so forward for a Lady...so blatantly eager...
He smiled an equally cold, cruel smile and bowed to her.
"Perhaps, you will have to wait to find out? But for now, I have other matters to attend to, madam."
She nodded.
"Please attend to them then. My sister will be expecting you for dinner tonight, 7 o'clock suite you, Colonel?"
"Yes, it does. Tell her I shall be here promptly."
"Oh, I will do that."
He grinned.
"And you, madam?"
"I will be here. Not for dinner, but I will be here. You will, no doubt, see me later in the evening."
"I look forward to that, then." he bowed again.
"Good day to you, Colonel." she waved him away and went into the house.
As the door slammed shut behind her, Tavington muttered darkly to himself.
Just what had he done to deserve this?
And why, he thought wryly, had he not done it sooner?
He was going to enjoy this particular command.
Two for the price of one.
Catherine.
Mona.
Sisters.
He grinned evilly to himself.
Oh yes, he was going to enjoy them...
