Of Venom and Traitors
"The Lord General is my father!"
"So sorry to inform you, Lady Cornwallis, but the Lord General is the one who sanctioned your execution."
~Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton~
Two miles outside Camden….
A steady rain pounded down upon the Dragoons, soaking all to the bone. The rain had started sometime during the late evening and had yet to cease. The call to duty before the sun had even risen was a soggy and gloomy, mess.
Lt. Colonel Tarleton and Major Hanger sat their horses near a dense line of trees. They scanned the horizon every so often, and returned to getting a few minutes rest. The rest of the Dragoons had hidden themselves in various spots surrounding the Lt. Colonel and the Major. Captain Wilkins was discreetly a hands length behind the Major.
"Lt. Colonel?" He nudged his mount closer.
Tarleton turned to look at the Captain.
"Have you seen something?"
The Captain shook his head.
"No sir, but I have heard something." He nodded his head toward the mist covered hill just a quarter mile ahead of them.
"What did it sound like, Captain? Tarleton inquired.
Wilkins eyed the hill for a moment, and then turned his attention back to the Lt. Colonel.
"Horses, sir."
Tarleton nodded.
"And how many did it sound like?"
Captain Wilkins shook his head quickly.
"I cannot be certain, sir. But, Private Williams is hidden just below the hill. I can inquire from him, how many there would be."
Tarleton nodded again.
"Find out, and report back as quickly as possible."
"Yes, sir." Captain Wilkins turned his horse towards the hill, and galloped off.
Silence descended once more and the heavy rain continued to fall.
"Could it be them, Ban?"
Tarleton turned to Major Hanger and grinned.
"Possibly. If it is, we must be ready for them."
Hanger grinned tiredly.
"She should be with them. Our scouts were out early, and informed Colonel Tavington, that Lady Cornwallis was indeed, with the Rebels."
"Earl Haverhill, as well?" Tarleton asked hopefully.
The Major nodded.
"Good," Tarleton sneered coldly. "This is going to be quite an easy mission, and will make the Colonel a very happy man."
"The Lord General will be quite pleased, as well." Major Hanger said happily.
"Of course he will, George! This has not been a particularly happy moment in His Lordship's career. What with his own daughter going over to the Rebels, and then the Earl making haste to join her! I imagine he shall be beyond happy."
"Not to mention, Lady Tavington…"
"If the Lord General, and the Colonel, are happy, then Lady Tavington will be happy. You know well, what she said she would do to her sister if she saw her at the fort. Lady Catherine is even more ruthless then her husband is!"
Hanger snickered loudly.
"Pray tell, Ban!"
Banastre grinned slowly.
"You do know of the Colonel's reputation…"
"Of course."
"Lady Tavington is far more ruthless then her husband is. Considering, she is willing to hang her own sister. Whereas Tavington is rough and vicious, and looks the part, mind you, his lady is wrapped up in silk and satin."
Hanger laughed.
"I see. She is a pretty serpent who is just as deadly as her husband?"
"Indeed she is, George. You would not know she was deadly, until she strikes. Lady Tavington would have made an agreeable Dragoon." Ban smiled at this.
"I noticed that the Colonel made a gift of a rather unique saber to his wife. Is that a wise thing for him to do, considering she is so much like him?"
Tarleton nodded.
"Tav just wants to make sure she is well protected, Hanger."
"But, she is always surrounded by any number of the Dragoons! Usually, Wilkins or Borden is watching her. Tavington asked me this morning, if I would consent to guarding his wife! Why would I entertain such an idea?"
Tarleton glared at him for a second.
"Because, she is the wife of a superiour officer! She is a very beautiful woman. She is the daughter of the Lord General. And, it is an honour to be asked to protect Lady Tavington!"
Hanger groaned dejectedly.
"I take it, Banastre, that you have pulled this particular duty?"
"Yes, I have."
Hanger smiled.
"Well, perhaps I should? Lady Tavington seems agreeable enough."
"I recommend it, Hanger." Tarleton winked at him.
A lengthy silence followed this exchange. Several moments later, they heard a horse approaching them.
Captain Wilkins appeared out of the misty rain.
"Well, Captain?" Tarleton leaned forward in his saddle.
Wilkins scowled.
"Private Williams reckoned there were about fifteen or so riders. Perhaps more, but he could not tell rightly."
Tarleton nodded.
"Did you see any of them?"
Wilkins nodded.
"Yes, sir, we did."
Tarleton waited patiently. Wilkins went on quickly.
"Both the Earl and Lady Cornwallis are among the riders. They seem to be making camp near the left side of the hill, just where the creek ends."
"Oh?"
Wilkins nodded once again.
"Yes sir. We only saw the fifteen riders coming along the hill path; they went straight to the camp. Though I did not see any others there, save for a supply wagon and a few pack animals. As I said, sir there may be more hidden in the woods."
Tarleton glanced at Major Hanger.
"I do believe we shall just have to give them a surprise. Hanger, you go with Wilkins and watch the hill path. I want none to try to escape that way. Have Williams and Randall remain where they are. They can cut off their escape that way."
The Major nodded gleefully.
"Ah, a surprise! I do love to give surprises!"
Tarleton sneered wickedly.
"Yes a very nasty surprise. One they will not soon forget." He glanced towards the mist-shrouded hill.
"If they live, that is."
Lady Mona Cornwallis sat just inside the canvas tent; musket laid flat across her lap, and watched the falling rain. She hummed softly to herself, glancing every so often at the others gathered around a small fire pit.
After a moment, she noticed Lord Haverhill walking slowly towards her tent. He seemed truly fascinated with her, but something nagged at her. His attention seemed genuine enough, yet she was unsure whether it was merely the fact that she was Lord Cornwallis daughter, or that she was his daughter and a traitor to King and Country, as well as to her father.
"My lovely Lady Cornwallis!" The Earl bowed deeply before her.
Mona smiled as sweetly as she could, despite her trepidations.
"My lord."
"You are well, I take it?" Haverhill asked.
She nodded tersely.
"As well as can be expected. I am not use to this sort of living, as I can tell you are not, as well."
Haverhill grinned morosely.
"No, of course not. I dare say that this shall soon be remedied."
Mona stared at him.
"Do you really think it will be? We have been hiding for the last several weeks! Colonel Martin is dead, and in the hands of my father, and yet…" She trailed off for a moment. "Yet, you are still of the belief, that all will be well soon."
"Be that as it may…"
Mona waved his words away.
"You are obviously a fool, Haverhill."
The Earl snickered at this.
"Better a living fool, then a dead fool."
"A fool regardless, my Lord Haverhill!" She snapped at him.
"Whichever you would like me to be, Lady Cornwallis. I am entirely at your service."
"Indeed you are."
Haverhill smiled. Mona did not quite understand what is fascination was with her, yet she was secretly glad of his presence. He seemed to understand the situation far more than she did, and knew where they were headed.
"Have the scouts returned yet?" She inquired of the Earl.
He shook his head dramatically.
"Not as of yet. They should have arrived back to camp hours ago, but we have had no word from them."
"That is worrisome. Perhaps they have gone further ahead? You know we are just outside Camden, and that is much too close to Fort Carolina."
Haverhill shifted from foot to foot, and glared steadily at the sky.
She nodded in agreement.
"We are perfectly safe here," Mona said softly. "I doubt my father would send anyone this far from the fort, without sending out scouts first."
The Earl did not seem to agree with this.
"He has been known to do just that, Lady Cornwallis. He most certainly would send them this far!"
Mona grinned.
"He might send my dear older sister's husband…"
"Tavington?"
"Yes, but that would not be practical right now."
Haverhill raised an eyebrow quizzically.
"Ah yes, he died at Cowpens, true?"
Mona nodded, and then smiled coolly.
"Yes, he most certainly did die at Cowpens. By Colonel Martin's own hand…"
Haverhill cocked his head to the side.
"And?"
"He is very much alive still."
"You are certain about this information?"
"I have my own scouts who have been bringing me information on both Tavington, and my sister. Need I remain you, Lord Haverhill, that your wife is at the fort, as well? She is in the clutches of my sister's husband, as well as his fellow Colonel, Tarleton."
Haverhill's face turned a deep purple.
"She would not dare to be unfaithful to me!" He sputtered.
Mona laughed coldly.
"Oh, she would, and she has. My illustrious brother-in-law is quite the charming rogue, but he is so bewitched by my sister, that he has not looked at your wife. Lt. Colonel Tarleton though, has no scruples, or a wife, to curtail his behavior. Your wife, Earl, has most likely been bedded numerous times by him."
Earl Haverhill looked as if he could kill at that moment. The look changed abruptly, though.
The sound of approaching horses could be heard not far away.
"Oh good, the scouts have returned." Haverhill smiled.
Once again, his mood changed considerably, as they both heard one of their fellow patriots yelling frantically.
"The British!"
Mona jumped up from the cot she had been sitting on, checked to make certain her musket was ready, and raced out of the tent towards the commotion.
As she reached the edge of their camp, what she saw stopped her dead in her tracks.
Banastre Tarleton, along with more than thirty dragoons had descended upon the camp. When he spotted Mona standing just inside the clearing, a slow cold smile curled at his lips.
"Lady Cornwallis…" He called to her.
She simply stared silently at him.
When she did not reply, he dismounted from his horse, and walked towards her. Though armed with a musket, she seemed to have forgotten she still held it.
"I do believe, lady, I shall now relieve you of this weapon. It is of no use to you now." He said as he removed the musket from her shaking hands. Still, she did not say anything to him.
He chuckled softly at her lack of response.
"Would seem that your voice has left you, my lady." He chuckled again. "Not that it matters, since nothing you shall say will less your fate."
Mona did not reply to this. She had known the situation was lost the moment they came this close to Fort Carolina. Would her father have sent his other butcher? Somehow she did not quite believe that he would have.
Tarleton inclined his head towards her and smiled slowly.
"No, your father did not send me."
He waited for her to say something to this. When she did not, he continued.
"Colonel Tavington wants you taken care of just as much as your father does. Sadly for you…"
Mona cut him off in mid sentence.
"The Lord General is my father!"
Tarleton laughed coldly at her sudden outburst.
"So sorry to inform you, Lady Cornwallis, but the Lord General is the one who sanctioned your execution."
Mona's whole world seemed to have crashed down around her at his words. How could this be happening? Her own father had sentenced her to death?
"Now," Tarleton reached out to take her by the arm. "If you please come along nicely, there shant be any trouble for you. Though once we reach Fort Carolina, I cannot assume to know what will happen."
"My sister…" Mona rasped.
Colonel Tarleton sneered hatefully at her.
"Is of no concern of yours."
"But Colonel…"
"You are a traitor; therefore you shall die a traitor's death."
"At Fort Carolina?" She asked quietly.
Tarleton looked down at her with a dark and deadly glare on his handsome face.
"Fort Carolina? Oh no, my lady, I never said you were going to Fort Carolina…"
"But, you said when we reach the fort…" Mona said desperately.
Again, he glared darkly at her.
"But Colonel…" She started.
"Yes, I did state that you would be going to the fort, however, I never said you would be going there alive."
And with that, Mona knew she had very little time left in this world.
All because of her darling older sister.
