Tavington rose early the next morning and, after washing and dressing, headed directly to the library to begin his first complete day in his new office.
"Good morning, sir." Matthew said as he met Tavington entering the library. "Breakfast will be served in ten minutes in the dining room."
"I will take my breakfast in here, if you please," Tavington replied briefly.
"Very good, sir," Matthew said, hurrying off. Meeting Colonel Tarleton at the door, he asked, "Will the Colonel also be taking breakfast in here?"
"Yes, I believe I will," Tarleton said, striding across the room to join Tavington who had already seated himself behind the desk.
After the butler had left, Ban Tarleton pulled up a chair to the side of the desk. "What's on your agenda today, Tav?" he asked, leaning back in the chair as he stretched his legs out in front of him.
"The first thing I need to do is recruit new dragoons," Tavington replied briskly. "I'll be interviewing candidates over the next few weeks or so and it will be easier to do so from here, rather than from headquarters."
Looking around at the sumptuously appointed library in appreciation, he continued, "This will be much more suitable than the cubbyhole that O'Hara would have no doubt assigned to me if I'd requisitioned an office at headquarters."
"Quite true," Tarleton agreed. "I get the feeling that General O'Hara doesn't really much care for you."
"I don't think very much of him, either, to tell you the truth," Tavington retorted. "He's a pompous arse who greatly overestimates his own abilities and importance."
"Too right you are," Tarleton agreed, chuckling. "I don't know how Cornwallis can stand to be around him.""
"When Bordon has finished breakfast, I'll send him to headquarters to scout for suitable dragoon candidates," Tavington said. "He will bring any he deems likely back here for me to interview. I'll have him do that each morning until I've filled all the vacancies in the unit, plus secured several reserves."
"As soon as my troops are fully provisioned, we are to head toward the upcountry, to begin flushing out the most troublesome militia groups," Tarleton said, as the butler returned with a wheeled cart bearing their breakfast. "I estimate we'll be leaving as soon as George Hanger arrives, which should be at the end of the week, I'd imagine."
"I expect I'll have to remain here at least a month, if not more, before going out into the field," Tavington estimated. "I'll have Bordon to train the new recruits, once we have enough to start a class, which will take some time. Cornwallis didn't see fit to give me any experienced men, save Bordon, to form an effective fighting force."
"To give the old boy some credit, he didn't really expect to need two Legions down here," Tarleton pointed out. "It's seems he was rather misinformed as to the level of resistance in the South."
"I suppose you're right," Tavington said reluctantly. "As much as it pains me to admit it."
"Look at it this way, Tav," Tarleton said earnestly. "At least you'll have the advantage of getting men who know the area, even if they lack fighting experience."
"That's true," Tavington conceded. "I'm hoping that will make up for lack of experience in other areas."
As the butler finished serving the two colonels and was wheeling the cart out of the room, he called out to a passing maid. "Molly, wait a moment."
The young Irish woman paused in the doorway, looking over the butler's shoulder to observe the two colonels with frank appreciation.
"You need to go help Cook in the kitchen," Matthew said, oblivious to the maid's wandering attention.
After giving the dragoons one final, longing gaze, she slowly headed to do the butler's bidding.
"A fine little piece, that one," Tavington said, after he'd noticed Tarleton staring at her swaying bottom as she left the room. "I had her last night before going to bed."
Tarleton chuckled knowingly. "Ah, you do move quickly, Tavington," he said. "But I had her this morning, so perhaps you didn't do the job properly."
"Or perhaps you were just sloppy seconds," Tavington shot back.
"Or maybe the wench is just insatiable," Tarleton speculated. "That would be my wager."
"No doubt," Tavington agreed as he took a sip of tea.
"You must agree that it was a fine welcome to South Carolina," the younger man said. "I wonder if she'll be knocking on Bordon's door next? Do you think he's up to the task?"
"My guess would be no," Tavington said, smirking. "I imagine that she'll be sorely disappointed if she tries to seduce Bordon. That man is so pious that I doubt he'd know what to do with her."
"Ah, you'd be surprised what some of those pious ones do once behind closed doors. Bordon might surprise you," Tarleton said. "But it's no matter. If he doesn't take advantage of her generosity, then that's only more for you and I to enjoy."
"Quite." Tavington grinned tightly at the thought of taking the eager young woman to his bed once again.
After a pause, Tarleton added, "That is, at least until George Hanger gets here. One time with him would no doubt send that poor girl running off into the night in terror."
"That bad?" Tavington asked with one eyebrow raised. "Does he treat his lovers roughly?"
"Let's just say he has some rather…peculiar…habits and leave it at that," Tarleton replied, not elaborating further.. "You really don't want to know the details, I can assure you."
"I've heard he's rather eccentric," Tavington ventured. "I once was told that he keeps a monkey and takes it everywhere he goes."
"That story is true," Tarleton confirmed. And a nasty, smelly beast that ape is, too." After glancing up at the mantel clock, he said, "Well, I'm afraid I must be off. I've got to look over a new group of horses this morning."
As he stood to leave, Captain Bordon rushed into the room, hastily tucking his shirt into his breeches.
"S-sorry I'm late, sir," Bordon said, obviously flustered. "I was unavoidably detained."
"Detained, you say?" Tarleton said with a wide grin as he glanced back at Tavington. "It's too bad we didn't make a bet, Tavington. It would have been the easiest money I'd ever won."
"A bet, sir?" Bordon was baffled. He had no idea what the two Colonels were talking about.
"Never mind that, Bordon," Tavington said in irritation. "You need to go to headquarters first thing and go through the recruitment lists for any possible dragoon candidates."
"Yes, sir," Bordon replied briskly.
"Set up interviews at fifteen minute intervals, starting this afternoon," Tavington continued. "I would like to have at least twenty candidates interviewed by the end of the week."
"Right away, sir," Bordon said, turning to leave.
"Let me walk out with you," Tarleton said, still smirking, as he followed the taller man to the door. "I'd like to hear more about what 'detained' you this morning."
Tavington rolled his eyes as he watched the two men leave, deep in conversation. The dragoon commander left a short time later for the stables, after retrieving his bear fur crested helmet from his bedroom. He intended to exercise his horse for about an hour before settling down to work.
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A/N: George Hanger is from actual history and he was indeed an eccentric man who kept a monkey. He and Ban Tarleton remained friends after they returned to England after the war.
Next Chapter: Tavington and Charlotte Get Better Acquainted