A/N: Nope, still don't own it or him.
BY ORDER AND COMMAND
Catherine Cornwallis stood back and surveyed her servants for a moment. She had assembled them together, and had dispatched several on errands away from the plantation, and those who remained behind, were given the task of packing what little they would need for the journey.
"I expect all to be ready with a couple hours."
One servant had balked at this, and had been given several lashings with a horsewhip for his disobediance. She would tolerate no insubordination from mere servants, and recieved none after this momentary stupidity.
Several moments later, she entered the dining salon and found her sister seated in front of the fire. A look of perplexion reigned upon the pale face.
"Mona, why do you sit idle before the fire? There is still much to do, as we leave at first light."
When no answer was forth coming, she sighed and came to stand in front of the younger Cornwallis daughter.
"What has troubled you, my dear?"
Mona looked up at her, then turned her gaze to the long window that faced out towards the road beyond. She nodded slightly, and returned her gaze to the dying fire.
Catherine looked towards the window, then back at her sister. Something troubled her about this departure, and yet she could not bring herself to utter what that trouble was.
Yet, Catherine knew. Had known from the moment he had arrived, that Mona would be troubled by this. Troubled by his very presence in the house. And, now that they were to be escorted to South Carolina by him, Mona seemed even more troubled.
"Does he bother you that much?"
Mona nodded briefly, but said nothing.
"My dear, I cannot begin to imagine, that you would be frightened of him!"
Mona looked at Catherine coldly.
"I do not fear him, Catherine."
"Then why, do you hate him so?" Catherine sat on the bench before her sister.
"And you do not? Has he treated you kindly, Catherine? Or, has his passionate kisses blinded you to his brutish ways?"
Catherine stared at her. Was this what she imagined it to be? Was her sister angry with her for accepting Tavington's advances? Or was there something more to it?
"No, I do not hate him, Mona. And, I am not blind to who and what he is. He has treated me as a lady is to be treated, respectfully and with kindness."
"You took him to your bed! Do think father would approve of you bedding a mere soldier? Do you really believe that a man such as Colonel Tavington would make a good husband? That our father would approve of such a foul union? You are deluded if you believe so!"
Her sister's sudden outburst caused Catherine to sit back abruptly. She studied her in silence for a long time, sighed and stood up from the bench. She bristled with rage and anger, and turned a chilly gaze upon her.
"What I do, what I believe is no concern of our father's! He has not concerned himself in my life for a long time, and to think he would do so now...is to be truly mistaken!"
She drew herself to her full height and stared down at Mona.
"And what union Colonel Tavington and I choose to have, is also of no concern to father. I do not think the Colonel wishes to marry me, or any woman for that matter, and I would suggest you stop thinking he would! Now," she turned on her heel and walked to the door, "I also suggest, you see to your servants and the packing. First light comes all too soon."
Mona stared blankly at her and nodded.
"Yes, it does."
Catherine smiled slowly.
"Good, see to your packing, my dear. We have not a moment to spare for being idle and slow. I will look in on your progress shortly, and help if need be."
Mona grinned faintly at her.
"Yes, as if I cannot take care of anything without your help, Catherine. I may be the youngest, but I can take care of myself."
"See to it that you do."
Catherine had barely made it out the door, when Mona spoke up suddenly from behind her.
"Catherine?"
Catherine turned and looked at her.
"Yes, Mona?"
A slow, chilly smile spread over her younger sister's face.
"And will you be taking care of Colonel Tavington?"
"What do you mean by that, Mona?"
Mona Cornwallis' chilly smile grew steadily colder.
"Exactly what it implies, my dear older sister."
Catherine stared at her.
"If you are implying..." she moved back into the room.
Mona smiled still more coldly.
"If you bed him tonight, remember that first light comes all too soon."
She rose from her chair, and without even looking at Catherine, left the room quickly.
Several hours later, as the sun began it's slow decent to the horizon, Catherine stood staring out the window of the Colonel's study, her face twisted in silent anger.
"Lady Cornwallis?" the familiar voice came out of the dim light of the room's shadows.
She turned only slightly to see Colonel Tavington standing beside the large oak desk, a glass of wine in his hand. He studied her intently.
"Yes?" was her only reply.
He moved towards her slowly, taking in every inch of her as he did so. The long fiery red hair hung down her back in rivers, and the dark purple gown, satin he assumed, spread out around her. Her skin, so pale, yet so smooth and delicious, glowed in the candlelight.
Tavington could feel the hunger growing inside him as he moved closer, could feel the growing ache of longing wrap itself around him.
He held the wine glass out to her, and as she took it from him, her hand brushed against his slightly.
The hunger grew more intense.
For a long moment they said nothing to each other, and as the silence lengthened, the hunger and the ache inside Colonel Tavington, threatened to undo him completely.
And that was not a good thing.
Terrible things happened then.
Grabbing her by her arm, he spun her around to face him, the wine glass shattering as it hit the floor at her feet.
Catherine stared wide eyed at him. Whether from fear of him, or from something altogether different, she simply stared at him. Into the cold steel blue eyes...
...and once more, she found herself wanting him...her own intense hunger growing as he stared back.
"Catherine." he murmured softly.
She shivered inwardly.
"Colonel Tavington..."
He sighed deeply.
"When did I become Colonel Tavington to you, again? After what we have done...you would use my given name? But perhaps, you feel more comfortable using my rank?"
Catherine merely continued to stare into his blue eyes. Her heart was beating violently in her chest, her breathing quickening...
If he but kissed her again...if he but touched her beyond grasping her arm...if he did anything, she would fall...
He laughed slowly.
"Catherine, Catherine...what we did means nothing to you? That I made love to you...it means nothing?" he dug his fingers into her arm. She gasped at the fierce hold he now had on her.
"William, please..."
Again he laughed.
"How soon you forget what we did...need I remind you of it? Remind you of how you screamed and begged me not to stop...how you screamed my name over and over...have you forgotten that, Catherine?"
She shook her head rapidly.
"No...William...please..."
"Oh, you did say that, as well...when I undressed you, caressed every inch of your body...you begged me for more. Do you remember now?"
"Yes..." she tried to pull his hand from her arm. It served only to make him grip her that much more tightly.
"William..." she whimpered in fear.
After a moment he released her arm, pulled her closer, and crushed her against him. She struggled only slightly and finally, relaxed into his embrace.
"Catherine..." his lips brushed hers softly.
She shivered.
"William..." she whimpered again.
But no longer in fear.
In desire and longing. Craving...needing...
Tavington's lips moved along her cheek to her neck, biting at the soft skin as he moved downwards, lightly licking at the wounds he had inflicted. He could feel her trembling in his arms...
"You will tremble more, my love...much more." he whispered.
And before she could react, he pushed her away.
She stared in utter disbelief at him.
"William...please..."
Tavington laughed slowly and coldly.
"My dear Catherine, you know how it pleases me to hear you beg, but for now...this is only a taste of what awaits you. When I have you alone, in the dark..."
His icy blue eyes sparkled in the dim candlelight.
"You will come...?" she asked eagerly.
"Oh yes, my love...and so, shall you. But not now, later...there are too many who would not be pleased to see us together." he reached out and drew her back to him, "Later Catherine, when we are alone...I will show you my love..."
She snuggled into his embrace, feeling his beating heart, and the rising heat between them.
"William..." she whispered and kissed his neck gently.
His hands moved down along her back, tracing circles in the fabric, making her quiver...making her hunger for what awaited in his arms.
"I will show you, Catherine...just as I did last night." His fingers moved to her chest, and cupping one breast lightly in his hand, he kissed the exposed flesh. Again, he could feel her trembling...
"Think about me, while you go about your work, Catherine. Think about me, when you can think of nothing else..."
She sighed.
"Yes, William..." snaking her hand around to the back of his head, she pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss. Holding him to her, she felt him harden quickly...
...this is what awaited her later...
"That, is an order..." he kissed her more deeply, his tongue tasting and teasing her.
She moaned.
"Oh yes, Colonel Tavington."
"And, a command, my lady."
She kissed him slowly, this time allowing herself to savour the warm, wet sweetness of his mouth, before finally pulling away.
"Catherine..." he whispered and hugged her tightly to him.
"Yes, William?" her voice was shaking.
Tavington ran a hand around to the back of her head, entwined his fingers in her long hair, and yanked her head back. She squealed shrilly.
"Never, never forget who is your master."
"No..." she whispered.
He smiled at her, his icy blue eyes penetrating into her soul.
"Because if you do," he gripped her hair tighter, pulling her head further back.
She stared back at him with a mixture of pleasure and fear etched on her face.
"You will find out exactly why, they call me The Butcher."
A/N: Keep reading! Thank you!
