The day was nearly here at last. A few weeks after proposing to Mary Miller on the spur of the moment in the observation tower, James Bordon would finally take her as his bride on the morrow,
Both the bride and groom would have been just as happy to have gone to the Legion chaplain and been married the day he proposed, but they'd both agreed it would be best until he'd made a complete recovery. Though Mary was not a first time bride, Bordon was adamant that their wedding night to be one to remember, which necessitated them waiting until he'd recovered fully and regained his strength.
During the weeks before the wedding, Charlotte and Mary had been busy preparing for it; planning the wedding feast as well as making new gowns for Mary and Susan. Jim Wilkins had made a trip out to the Miller farm armed with a list of items that Mary had sent him there to bring to the fort, which would turn the engaged couple's soon-to-be-shared quarters into a home.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"Tavington," Ban Tarleton said to his fellow officer as they both made their way to Bordon's bachelor party the night before the wedding. "I have another wager for you."
"Again?" Tavington replied, rolling his eyes. "Don't you ever get weary of losing money, Tarleton?""
"I'm confident I'll win this one," the other dragoon insisted.
"All right, then," Tavington conceded. "What do you want to bet on?"
"I'll bet you the same amount as before that I can get Bordon to roger Molly before the party is over," Tarleton said confidently.
"Oh?" the other man said. "I didn't know she was going to be there."
"Hanger's bringing her along to liven the party up a bit," Ban reported.
"She'll certainly do that," Tavington said dryly, remembering his last encounter with her. "All right, then, Ban, I'm in."
"And the best thing is, once Bordon gets a shot at her, the rest of us will all get a turn, too," Tarleton said, grinning in anticipation.
"And I would suspect that even if Bordon declines, the rest of us will still get our turn," Tavington observed astutely.
"You can count on that!" Ban agreed.
The two men made their way through the large tent encampment to the furthest end to where a large marquee tent had been set up just that day for the party. Ban Tarleton had purposely ordered that the tent be put there, so that the women wouldn't see any of the shenanigans that were likely to happen there tonight.
As for the women, they were back at the main house having a gathering of their own. Charlotte hosted the party and had invited several officers' wives whom Mary had become acquainted with since moving to the fort.
The two dragoons entered the tent a few minutes later, from the back side. Several dragoon lieutenants from both Tavington's and Tarleton's units were milling around chatting as they waited for the party to begin. A few others from other units were in attendance as well.
As Tavington lifted the flap and entered the dim candle-lit tent with Tarleton directly on his heels, he noticed that neither Bordon nor Wilkins were in evidence. Nor did he see George Hanger or Molly, for that matter.
"Bordon's not here," Tavington said, stating the obvious.
"You do remember that the party is supposed to be a surprise?" Tarleton asked him. Not waiting for a response, he continued, "Wilkins will be bringing him along shortly. He's going to tell him that there's a meeting here to plan for an upcoming battle." Pausing to get himself a drink, he added, "They should be here any time now."
"And Hanger and Molly?"
"Oh, they'll be along later," Ban told him, waving a hand dismissively. "We want Bordon to be relaxed before she arrives."
"Ah, I see now," Tavington said slowly. "If you get him drunk first, he'll be more likely to succumb to Molly's wiles."
"Our bet never specified that he had to be sober!" Ban pointed out indignantly.
"That's true," Tavington conceded grudgingly. "Of course, if you get him too drunk, he won't be able to do Molly any good and he does have to complete the deed for you to win the bet."
"I think Bordon's a man who can hold his liquor," Ban said confidently.
"You hope," Tavington retorted.
No more than fives minutes later, Tavington could hear Bordon talking to Wilkins right outside the tent.
"This is certainly an odd place for a meeting," Bordon said as he came through the tent flaps. As he looked around at the group inside the tent, most of whom had drinks in their hands, his expression became even more confused.
"Surprise, Bordon," Wilkins said heartily. "We couldn't let you go to the altar without a good party first!"
"You know, it's one last bit of fun before you put on the shackles," Ban Tarleton said, thrusting a drink into his hands.
"I appreciate it, Colonel," Bordon said, laughing, as he rolled his eyes at the shorter man in amusement.
About an hour later, Ban Tarleton felt that Bordon was sufficiently tipsy that they could safely begin the second part of the night's entertainment. Everyone had been drinking enthusiastically and had become thoroughly loosened up
Turning to Tavington, he said, "I think it's about time for Molly. She and Hanger are back at her tent, so I'm going to go let them know it's time. If Bordon asks where I've gone, just tell him I went to the privy."
"All right," Tavington said.
A short time later, Ban Tarleton slipped back into the tent with Molly and George Hanger, along with two more slatterns.
Catching Tavington's raised eyebrow, Tarleton told him, "I thought we'd probably need a few more to handle the entire group."
"Thoughtful of you," Tavington remarked dryly.
Turning to address the group, Ban Tarleton announced, "And now for the second part of tonight's festivities." Indicating the three women with a flourish, he continued, "These fine ladies are here to see that everyone has particularly good time."
Amidst murmurs of approval, he added, "And, as I'm sure you'll all agree, I think it only fitting and proper, that Captain Bordon starts off and gets his first pick of the ladies while they're still fresh!"
"All right, then," Bordon said, grinning, as he looked the women over., After a few moments of deliberation, he chose a tall, busty blond named Martha. Turning to the two dragoon colonels, who were standing nearby, he said, "Why don't the two of you join me. There are two other women available, you know."
"Don't mind if we do!" Tarleton said enthusiastically. "Will, why don't you pick next?"
"All right," he said.
Molly looked at Tavington expectantly, but he passed her over to choose a brunette with blue eyes much like his own. When dealing with whores, Tavington felt it best not to choose the same one all the time, as he wanted to avoid having any of them developing feelings for him. Though he liked dallying with women of easy virtue, he saved his feelings of love for Charlotte.
She gave him a dirty look when he chose the dark haired trollop, but brightened again, when Ban Tarleton took her hand.
The three men led the doxies over to a long wooden table that had long benches on either side. The men sitting there quickly got up and moved the benches out of the way. George Hanger and a few others gathered around to watch, but some others stepped outside with their drinks. Jim Wilkins went outside, so he'd truthfully be able to tell his sister that her intended had not been up to any shenanigans if she should ask.
Bordon was a little embarrassed to be taking a whore in view of several of his fellow officers, but he'd had enough port that it wouldn't stop him from going ahead with it anyway. Plus, Tarleton would never let him live it down if he did not properly roger the young doxy.
"Lean over the table," he murmured to the blond, who was nearly his own height. After she did so, he lifted her petticoat to expose her bare bottom, which reminded him of a ripe pumpkin. Reaching between her legs, he found that she was ready, no doubt because she'd likely been with other men earlier in the evening before coming here.
He noted that Tavington and Tarleton had not wasted any time; both were buried to the hilt inside their respective trollops, thrusting vigorously. Bordon hesitated no longer. He leaned forward, bracing his hands on either side of the whore's round bottom on the rough table, pushing decisively into her. His wrist and shoulder were mainly healed, but he braced most of his weight on his left side, just to be careful.
He thought of Mary for one moment, but then banished her from his mind. He reasoned that relieving some of the sexual frustration that had been building in him for weeks on this doxy would help him to be more relaxed with Mary the next night and not attack her like a wild predator.
Satisfied with this reasoning, he began hammering into the moaning blond with gusto, generating an "oomph" from her with every thrust.
Tarleton and Tavington, likewise, were pounding away as well, with the abused table squeaking and vibrating beneath them. It would be a lucky thing if the table did not collapse once all three men were done.
All three dragoons finished within thirty seconds of one another. Other men lined up to take their turns with the trollops, as Bordon and the two colonels buttoned back up.
Tavington was ready to call it a night and head back to his quarters to make love properly to Charlotte. Bordon had asked him to be his best man, so he needed to get enough rest to get up early to make sure the groom made it to the altar on time.
"I'll see you in the morning, then," he said to Bordon as he moved to exit the tent. "Bright and early."
"Yes, sir," Bordon slurred, still thoroughly tipsy.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Ban Tarleton said, meeting him at the tent flap. "Pay up, Tavington!"
"Yes, yes, of course," Tavington replied irritably, reaching into his jacket pocket for the coins to hand to the impatient Tarleton.
He left the tent with no further ado, leaving the men inside to their debauchery, as he threaded his way back through the maze of tents on his way back to Charlotte and their bed.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Mary Miller had been awakened early the next morning by Susan coming in and jumping on her bed at the crack of dawn.
"Is it time yet?" Susan asked eagerly, standing there in just her shift. "I'm ready to put on my new clothes to see you and Captain Jim get married!"
"Oh, no, dear one," Mary said, her voice thick with sleep. "We've a bit of time yet." Pulling the covers back, she said, "Why don't you get in with me and we'll talk awhile before getting up."
Susan slipped gratefully into bed with her mother and snuggled up close, as she'd done nearly every morning since her father had died. Mary was going to miss this after she and James were married.
"Are you sure you don't mind me marrying the Captain?" Mary asked Susan. "We could wait awhile longer if you're uncomfortable with the idea."
"No, Mama, it's fine," Susan assured her with a brave smile "Captain Jim is very nice to me and I think Papa would have liked him. I know Papa would approve."
"I think he would have, too," Mary said softly, giving her daughter a hug.
"I miss Papa," Susan said suddenly, tears appearing in her eyes. "I hate this stupid war!"
"I do, too," her mother agreed, meaning both Thomas and the war. "But I'm afraid we have to deal with life as it comes. I'm very lucky to have found the Captain, as he's a fine man and he'll be good to both of us."
About a half hour later, Mary sat up and said, "If we're going to make it to the wedding on time, we need to get up now." Swinging her legs to the side of the bed, she said, "I'll need to find someone to bring us up a bath right after breakfast. Miss Charlotte will be here to help me dress and arrange my hair, so we need to not waste any time."
As Mary and Susan were dressing, Charlotte Tavington was being awakened in the most pleasurable way possible. She'd been pleasantly surprised last night when William had returned home from Bordon's party at a relatively early hour.
"I missed you love, and I couldn't bear to be away any longer," he'd told her before they'd slipped into bed together where he'd spent an hour or two proving just how much he'd missed her.
Now, as she reclined half asleep in bed with the early morning light streaming insistently through the window, she felt William's arms tighten around her and his lips kissing her neck urgently. The worst of the morning sickness had passed by now, so she was able to respond to her amorous husband without queasiness.
Next, his lips were on hers and she felt his erection pressing against her thigh. As his kisses deepened, she could feel him quickly lifting her shift above her hips. A moment later, he'd mounted her and slipped smoothly inside.
Their lovemaking this morning wasn't leisurely, but urgent and primal, as it often was on the days when William had a busy day ahead of him. All too soon, it was over and they both reclined side by side, panting in aftermath.
After a long interval, Tavington reluctantly sat up, and swung his legs off the side of the bed. "I'd better see if Bordon is awake yet," he said. "He might need a bit of prodding, as he was quite drunk when I left him last night. Wilkins said he'd get him up, but I'm afraid he'll need prodding as well."
"I'll have a bath set up and waiting for you when you get back," she promised.
"Why don't you get in first, as I know you have to go over to Mary's to help her get ready," Tavington said, "It may take awhile to get Bordon alert and moving." After a moment's thought, he added, "I'll even stop by the mess tent and get us both some breakfast and bring it back here."
Standing beside him in her shift and bare feet, Charlotte reached up to kiss Tavington briefly. "Such a wonderfully thoughtful husband!" she enthused.
"You are eating for two now, and it's my pleasure to take proper care of you," he said, reaching down to rub across her slightly swollen belly. "I can't wait to see our child."
"Nor can I," she agreed, leaning into her husband's embrace.
He left a few minutes later, calling out to a passing servant to bring up a bath to their quarters on his way out.
A little over an hour later, Charlotte was getting ready to leave to go to Mary's quarters to help her dress. Just as she was about to open the door, William came in.
"I was right!" he crowed. "Both Bordon and Wilkins were still snoring when I got there. I drenched them both with a bucket of water to the face, so they're both well on the way to getting ready now!"
"I wish I could have seen it!" Charlotte said, laughing. "The expressions on their faces must have been priceless!" Leaning over to give her husband a kiss, she said, "But I must go now, if I'm to get Mary ready on time. The bath water is still warm for you."
"Excellent," he said, starting immediately to remove his clothes.
About fifteen minutes later, Charlotte was standing behind Mary, tightening her stays.
"Do you think I'm doing the right thing marrying James?" Mary asked fretfully, as Charlotte pulled on the strings. "It's so soon after Thomas' death and I really don't know James all that well."
"Yes, you're doing the right thing," Charlotte said firmly. "Captain Bordon is a good man and William trusts him implicitly. You and he are well matched, in my opinion." Pausing to pick up Mary's petticoat for her to put on now that the stays were in place, she continued, "There's no particular virtue in a long widowhood. The only reason I stayed widowed so long is that I'd not met the right man until William came along. But I can assure you that if I'd met him shortly after John's death, I would have married him, just as you are marrying James now."
"That is true," Mary agreed. "My instincts are telling me that it's the right thing to do, but I want to be sure."
"Trust your instincts," Charlotte urged her. "You can never know the future for certain, but instincts are often accurate.
"I suppose it would hurt to have a little faith," Mary said.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Several hours later, James Bordon and his new bride climbed the stairs to their quarters over the stable. The Tavingtons were keeping Susan for the night, so they'd have the whole place to themselves for their wedding night.
"Welcome home, Mrs Bordon," he rumbled and he carried his petite bride over the threshold.
"Be careful, James!" she admonished. "Your arm!"
"It's fine," he assured her, as he set her back on her feet and took her into her arms for a long, searching kiss. After a long moment, he reached behind him and locked the door with a decisive click.
He was surprised a moment later, when Mary grabbed his hand and began leading him to the bedroom, where a larger bedstead had been set up by slaves while they were at the wedding.
No sooner had they entered the room than she began pulling at his cravat to unfasten it. Pleased by his new wife's eagerness, he took her hands into his own and said, laughing, "Let me. It will go faster that way."
Bordon smiled wryly at Mary's haste. He remembered being concerned the night before about putting Mary off if he came on too strong from sexual frustration on their wedding night. It now seemed as if he'd been foolish to worry. He belatedly realized that Mary had been celibate longer than he had, considering how long she'd been widowed.
"Do hurry, James," she urged. "I've wanted to do this most likely from the first moment I saw you."
"That makes two of us," he said, chuckling lowly, as he continued to divest himself of his clothing, careless tossing each piece aside with alacrity.
"I don't need you to be gentle," she assured him a few moments later, once he'd unlaced her stays and thrown them in the corner. "We have the rest of our lives to be gentle. Now, I want you to ravish me."
"I fully intend to," he growled, as he pulled her shift off, then picked her up and tossed her on the bed.
Joining her on the bed, he took her into his arms and began to devour her mouth as a starving man would if given a meal, as his hands learned the contours of her body.
Mary, who was eager to get on with it, snaked her hand along his body until she found the body part that interested her most, which, to her great satisfaction, was standing at attention and ready to do its job.
"Now, James, now!" she entreated, pulling him closer.
Needing no further encouragement, he spread her legs further with his knee, then moved to enter her, sliding in with a smooth, practiced movement.
After Mary wrapped her legs around his waist and hooked her feet together against his back, he began to move in a effortless, undulating rhythm, with Mary meeting him, thrust for thrust.
The only sounds that could be heard were moans and grunts as the aroused couple strained ever faster toward completion.
As Mary's body stiffened as her climax overtook her, Bordon let go seconds later, as he spent himself inside her. Feeling a bit of soreness from his healing arm, he rolled gently off her onto his back beside her, as both reclined side by side in the afterglow.
Mary sighed in satisfaction, completely content. A moment later, Bordon began emitting soft snores - he'd fallen asleep!
Rolling over to look at her sleeping husband, Mary chuckled to herself as she snuggled up to join him in slumber. They had years ahead of them to make love and she was looking forward to it.