Over the next three weeks, Charlotte and Tavington had few opportunities to be alone together, and never for more than a few minutes at a time. James Wilkins came by every day to assist Bordon in recruiting efforts, which now proceeded smoothly, thanks to Wilkins' connections., Tavington's time was increasingly spent in readying his unit for deployment in the field. At the same time, Mrs Powell's health declined rapidly with Charlotte rarely leaving her bedside.

"Missus! Wake up! It's Missus Powell; I think she's passing!"

"Hmm, wha--?" Charlotte jolted awake as Ruth jostled her shoulder. She'd not left the sick room in over twelve hours, other than to relieve herself and to change into her nightclothes a few hours earlier, and she'd eventually nodded off in the chair. After a moment of clearing the fuzziness from her mind, the servant's words finally registered.

Jumping up from the chair, she nearly knocked it over in her rush to reach Mrs Powell. The elderly woman was struggling to take raspy breaths that came at widely spaced intervals. Finally, the breaths stopped altogether, as Charlotte held her hand.

"She's gone," Charlotte said, exhaling loudly. "It's over."

"I'm sorry, Missus," Ruth said, not knowing what else to say.

"Go get Bessie and have her help you prepare her body for burial," Charlotte said wearily, as she laid the old woman's hand gently back on the coverlet. Running a hand through her unbound hair, she continued, "I'm going to go to bed."

"Yes ma'am," the servant said. "We'll take care of it."

Without another word, Charlotte left the sickroom, her duty done. As she made her way down the hall to her bedchamber, she saw that the library was still lit. Venturing inside, she saw William Tavington hunched over the desk, absorbed in paperwork.

"Charlotte ," he said, looking up from his work. "You're up rather late. Is everything all right?"

"Mrs Powell just died."

"I'm so sorry," he said. "I know she meant a lot to you."

"She was almost like a mother to me," Charlotte said, a single tear appearing at the corner of one eye. More tears appeared and she soon was weeping softly.

"Join me for a drink," he said, holding up a snifter of brandy as he rose from the chair. Tavington quickly poured another glass for Charlotte , then moved to the couch.

"Thank you," she said as she seated herself beside him. "I think I could use one right now."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tavington asked gently. "Surely you should not have to handle this alone."

"There's nothing, I'm afraid," she said, close to tears again. "The servants are already taking care of her body."

"What about the funeral?" he asked, after taking a long swallow of his drink.

"I haven't really thought that far ahead yet," she admitted.

"I can send Bordon to her church to advise the minister," he said. "Or, if you like, the Legion's chaplain can conduct the service; whichever you prefer."

"I...don't know," she said "She hadn't been to church in quite some time and the church she used to attend has a new minister." Her voice trailed off in indecision.

"That's all right, Charlotte ," Tavington said smoothly, reaching out to take her into his arms. "You don't have to decide right now. Tomorrow will be soon enough."

Charlotte leaned eagerly into his embrace, sighing loudly as his lips claimed hers.

Tavington was gratified by the alacrity to which she responded to his kiss. Ever since their interrupted intimacy in the gardener's shack a few weeks back, he'd been unable to get her alone long enough to finish what they'd started. He wasn't about to let the opportunity pass now.

Pressing her back into the couch cushions, Tavington reclined nearly on top of her as his hand reached to open her dressing gown.

Suddenly aware of his hard length pressing against her thigh and where this was going, she murmured, "We'd best move to my bedroom. The servants are still about tending to Mrs Powell's body."

"Yes, of course," he replied, as he helped her to straighten her nightclothes.

A short time later, Tavington turned to take Charlotte into his arms, after closing her bedroom door behind them.

Resting her head against his chest, she felt totally at home in the shelter of his embrace. "Alone at last," she whispered, with the faintest hint of a blush colouring her cheeks.

"Finally," he murmured, as he leaned down to claim her lips for a languid, unhurried kiss. They continued to kiss, as Tavington untied her dressing gown, then slipped it from her shoulders.

Charlotte watched with bated breath as he quickly worked the buttons to his breeches loose as they seated themselves on the side of her bed. Leaning forward boldly, she reached inside, then sighed in anticipation as she stroked his rigid manhood for the first time. It had been so long since she'd made love that she could barely contain herself to follow his lead.

Tavington released Charlotte briefly to hurriedly remove his boots, then kicked his breeches off after them. After quickly removing his shirt, he turned back to kiss her as he lifted her nightgown over her head and tossed it off the side of the bed.

"So beautiful," he said, as he beheld her nude body for the first time under the glow of soft candlelight. He reached up with one hand to caress her breasts, the nipples rising to his touch, as he eased her back on the bed, while he moved to lie beside her.

As Tavington continued to kiss her while his hands explored her body, Charlotte reached around and released his hair from its tight queue. She quickly unbraided it, running her fingers through its silky softness.

Tavington slipped one leg between hers, gently spreading them further apart. His almost painfully aroused shaft rubbed against Charlotte 's thigh as he did so, eliciting a soft whimper from her. With great discipline, he resisted the urge to immediately mount her and bury himself inside her. Instead, his hand slowly snaked up the inside of her legs, softly caressing her. He slipped one finger, then two, inside her, swirling them around. Within a short time, she moistened against his hand, indicating her readiness for him.

"William, please!" Charlotte moaned. "Now!" She felt as if she'd go mad if he wasn't inside her that very moment. Reaching out, she put one hand on his backside, urging him closer, as she stroked his manhood with the other.

Tavington was only too happy to oblige. His need was as great as hers and he knew that once his initial itch had been scratched, he would make love to her in a more leisurely fashion the second time around.

Needing no further encouragement, he positioned himself between her legs and entered her with one quick movement. Hearing her sigh of contentment to finally be penetrated, he braced his weight on his elbows and began to move within her. As he felt Charlotte begin to thrust back in unison with him, he quickened his pace, unable to hold back.

As Tavington pounded into her with weeks of frustration behind him, Charlotte brought her legs up around his waist crossing her feet together. Her nails dug into his back as he swiftly brought her to a shattering climax.

"William!" She panted raggedly as Tavington, too, reached orgasm and poured his seed into her.

Warm with perspiration from his efforts, Tavington rolled onto his back, bringing Charlotte with him to lie with her head on his chest. Kissing her, he reached up to brush a strand of hair from her face.

Neither spoke for several minutes, each basking in the afterglow as their breathing slowly returned to normal.

Snuggling closer, Charlotte murmured, "That was worth waiting for."

"Indeed," Tavington said, as he idly stroked her bottom. Taking her hand, he guided it down to his already reviving manhood.

"Already?"

"You inspire a great deal of passion, my dear," he said smoothly as he moved to mount her yet again.

This time they made love in a leisurely fashion, now that their initial desires had been satisfied. It was nearly dawn before the amorous couple finally fell asleep, still entwined, having fully indulged their passions.

"Ruth, have you seen Mistress Selton this morning?" Matthew asked when he spotted the maid carrying bed linens down the corridor. "Her dressmaker, Mrs Wilson, has arrived and has been waiting in the front sitting room for twenty minutes."

"No, I haven't," Ruth said, giving the butler a worried look. "It's not like her to sleep late, especially when she has an appointment." Shifting the bundle in her hands, she continued, "But she was up quite late last night when Mrs Powell died. Perhaps she just overslept."

"Please check on her and remind her of her appointment," Matthew urged. "I'll wait out here and hold the sheets while you do so."

As Ruth moved toward Charlotte Selton's bedroom door to obey him, Captain Bordon leaned his head out from the library door. "Have either of you seen Colonel Tavington this morning?" he asked the servants. "I have two recruits waiting to see him."

"I have not, sir," Matthew replied. "Perhaps he stepped out for a short time."

Ruth tapped lightly on Charlotte Selton's bedroom door as the men talked. Not getting a reply, she opened the door hesitantly, guessing that her employer must be in her dressing room. "Mrs Selton?" she said softly as she entered the room.

The maid drew her breath in sharply as she glanced inside the room. At the foot of the bed, she saw a hairy masculine leg laying across a smooth, feminine one, both sticking out from below the sheet. As her eyes travelled up the bed, she saw Colonel Tavington lying on his back, asleep, his long dark hair spread on the pillow. Mrs Selton slept with her head on his naked chest, her arm around his waist. A dragoon jacket was draped carelessly on a chair by the bed, with a pair of cavalry boots on the floor in front of them.

Shocked by the sight before her, Ruth quickly backed out of the room, averting her eyes in embarrassment. As she left the room, she did not notice Tavington's cold blue eyes regarding her, having been awakened by her footsteps.

"What's wrong?" Matthew asked when he saw Ruth hastily shut the door to Mrs Selton's room. "Did you not find Mrs. Selton?"

"Yes, she's in there."

"Did you not tell her that Mrs Wilson is waiting for her?"

"No," she replied carefully. "She was…ah, uh….indisposed." The young woman blushed furiously.

"What is wrong?" he demanded. "Speak plainly."

Looking nervously at Bordon who was still standing in the doorway, she turned toward the butler and said in a low voice, "She's asleep in bed…with Colonel Tavington!"

"I see." Handing her back the linens, he said, "Return to your duties."

As the door closed behind the maid, Tavington rubbed Charlotte 's back, then gently kissed her.

"Mmmm," Charlotte murmured as she slowly awakened. Looking up into her lover's eyes sleepily, she said, "What time is it?"

"It's about eight," he replied, looking over at the mantel clock. "Your maid just came in here and saw us together."

"I had a dressmaker appointment!" she suddenly remembered. "She probably came in here to remind me when I did not appear to greet Mrs Wilson."

"And I am also late for recruit interviews this morning," he said. "However, I'm sure your servant has no doubt now told Captain Bordon of my whereabouts."

"Do you regret this?" she asked in a low voice.

"Not at all," he said, kissing her again. "But I have no wish to cause you any embarrassment."

"I'm not ashamed of what we did," she said quietly. "In fact, I'd like it very much if you'd move your things in here and sleep with me from now on. It's not as if there is a point in trying to be discreet any longer."

"I'd be delighted," he said, smiling, moving to kiss her again. After sitting up and swinging his legs off the side of the bed, he continued, "But as much as I hate to leave you now, I must go see those new recruits."

"And I must make some sort of an excuse to Mrs Wilson," she said as she slipped into her robe. "I should have had someone send word to her to cancel our appointment because of Mrs Powell's death, in any instance."

"Have you given any more thought about her funeral," Tavington asked as he collected his clothing from the floor and the chair.

"I've decided to let your chaplain handle it," she said. "Mr Powell is buried at the cemetery at her old church, so we'll have her buried there next to him."

"Good," Tavington said. "I'll tell Captain Wilkins to attend to the arrangements."

"I appreciate it," she said, looking into his eyes gratefully.

"You know I am here for you," he said. Taking her into his arms, he admitted softly, "I think I'm falling in love."

"As am I," she replied, her heart filled with gladness.

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Next chapter: Making a Decision