What was left of William Tavington's dragoons stumbled back into camp in Winnsboro late in the evening of the 17th after evading the pursuing Americans. They'd split up from the remnants of Ban Tarleton's dragoons not far out of Cowpens, each going their own way in hopes of confusing their pursuers.
Tavington and Bordon were at the head of the now-shortened column, with Tavington dirty and bleeding from his confrontation with Benjamin Martin. Bordon's jacket was torn and dirty and his hair half-unqueued, but he was otherwise uninjured. Marcus Tapp rode not too far behind the officers, his expression grim. Corporal Sanders rode silently beside him, but Corporal Freeman had been killed, his body left on the field at Cowpens.
Charlotte Tavington rushed outside at the sound of the hoof beats. Her heart leaped at the sight of William, dirty and bleeding, his facial expression bleak and defeated.
"Oh, my word," she murmured, as Mary Bordon and Ruth came out to join her. She'd never before seen William come home from a battle looking quite like this. Charlotte put on a brave smile as he carefully slid down from his horse and handed it off wearily to a waiting groom. She was grateful that he'd come home at all and mostly in one piece.
As he walked over to her she threw her arms around him, not caring that he was getting blood all over her. "William I'm so glad you're home," she breathed, pressing a fervent kiss to the side of his cheek. "But you're wounded. You must really have this looked at by the doctor."
"It's nothing," he said dismissively. "It will heal. But many of my men paid the ultimate price today and will never get the chance to heal."
"Let me get you inside where I can clean you off, at least" she said decisively. Turning to Ruth, she asked "Please go draw some water from the well so I can tend to the Colonel's wounds.'
"Of course, Miss Charlotte, right away."
As Ruth turned to fetch the bucket sitting outside the Tavington cabin, she noticed Captain Bordon being fussed over similarly by his wife and step-daughter. Moving down the path to the nearest well moments later, she looked at the group of dismounting dragoons praying that she'd find Marcus among them.
She sighed with relief when she spotted him among the other enlisted men. And even though they were not back together, her heart soared to know that the father of her child was still alive and unharmed. Humming contentedly to herself, she set about fetching the water for the Tavingtons.
/\/\/\/\/\/\\\/\\/
"What happened, William?" Charlotte asked Tavington in concern as she carefully helped him to remove his bloody jacket,
"It was a bloody disaster," he muttered, wincing as she moved to remove his shirt, which was stuck to the bleeding arm wound. "First of all, Tarleton drove his men without enough food or rest, so that when they finally fought Morgan's men, they were unable to fight effectively. Tarleton had also underestimated how many men Morgan had and the ground was such that we didn't realize just how many they had until it was too late."
"I'm sorry, love," Charlotte said sorrowfully.
"Not only that, but there were so many casualties and hundreds of men were taken prisoner," he reported. "In all my years as a soldier, I've never seen a worse outcome."
Charlotte did not comment, but merely continued to gently wash his wound with the water Ruth had brought earlier. She knew she'd do him the most amount of good simply by listening sympathetically, rather than talking. After all, what did she know of war?
A few moments later after his injury had been dressed and he was clad in a new shirt and his banyan, Tavington took Charlotte's hand and led her to the bed.
"Come have a seat, Charlotte," he said quietly, patting the mattress next to him. "There's something else I need to tell you."
Not releasing her hand after she'd sat down next to him, he said, "There's no easy way to put this, but Benjamin Martin died at Cowpens."
"Oh, my," Charlotte responded, not quite knowing what to say. "Did you see it happen?"
After a short pause, Tavington admitted, "I was the one who killed him." Not waiting for Charlotte to comment, he continued, "He initiated the attack. I was unhorsed leading a charge and no sooner had I regained my feet than he was rushing at me with his tomahawk. It was almost as if he was waiting for me."
"Ben always was one to carry a grudge," Charlotte admitted sadly. "But could you have not simply wounded him?"
Tavington sighed loudly at his wife's naïveté before responding. "I did wound him, Charlotte," he explained as patiently as he could. "He kept coming at me - where do you think I got these wounds from?" After a pause, he concluded, "He didn't give me any other choice. In fact, it took both me and Tapp to bring him down - he'd have killed me if Tapp had not come along at just the right moment."
He did not add that there wasn't any way he'd have spared Martin's life, in any instance. Benjamin Martin had simply been a nuisance that Tavington had eradicated and he was glad that Martin had given him the opportunity to do so.
"His poor children," Charlotte said sadly. "Orphans now, and having lost their two oldest brothers as well."
"Martin should have thought about that before taking up arms against the King," Tavington said unsympathetically.
"It's still a shame, though," Charlotte said in a small voice. "No matter what their father did, his children are still innocent."
Later that evening, as the Tavingtons wearily climbed into bed for the night, Charlotte snuggled closely against her husband, knowing he was still brooding about the day's defeat at Cowpens.
As his arm went around her, he said heavily, "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but we could lose this war. To see all my hard work come to nothing…" His voice trailed off.
"No matter how this war turns out, you'll always know that you did your best to serve King and Country," Charlotte said firmly. "I suppose you do know that you're not personally responsible for the outcome of this war?"
"Yes you're right, of course," he conceded. "But I do so hate to lose."
"The war isn't over yet," Charlotte reminded him. "Things could turn around at any time. One defeat in battle does not equal a war lost." Kissing his cheek, she continued, "And no matter what happens, we still have each other. That's what matters most." A moment later, she added, "And since we've sold the plantation, we'll have plenty of money to start over somewhere else if need be."
Taking his hand, she placed it on her belly to feel the baby kicking. "I think he's nearly ready to come out and meet the world," she said, smiling.
"I wouldn't imagine it would be too long," Tavington agreed as he felt the vigorous kicking under his hand. "Seems as if he'll be a strong lad, if those kicks are any indication."
"Just like his father," Charlotte murmured dreamily. "It could be a girl, you know."
"It could be," Tavington agreed. "But there's just as much chance it will be a boy."
"Boy or girl, I hope it's born soon," Charlotte said. "I am dearly sick of being pregnant."
"Amen to that," her husband concurred. "Now let's get some rest."
He took Charlotte into his arms again, spooning against her from behind, but did not attempt any further intimacy, as his arm throbbed too much for him to concentrate on that. Sex had also become increasingly awkward for her, now so late in pregnancy. It was enough for him now just to feel the steady reassuring beat of her heart under his hand.
Early the next morning, Tavington reluctantly slipped out of bed into the cold morning air to go an early meeting with the Lord General. Banastre Tarleton and his men had not slipped into Winnsboro until late the previous night, so Cornwallis had decided to wait until his arrival to debrief the two dragoon commanders.
He dressed as quietly as he could, not wanting to awaken Charlotte, who had spent most of the previously night tossing and turning in discomfort. Now that she'd finally fallen asleep, he wanted her to sleep as long as she could.
Tavington found Ruth already up and tending breakfast by the fireplace when he entered the main room from the bedroom a few minutes later.
"You're up early," he observed as she dished him out a plate of porridge from the pot hanging over the fireplace. Indicating a chair, he said, "Please. Join me for breakfast."
Nodding in assent, she fixed herself a second plate, then sat at the rude wooden table across from him.
"I find that I've tended to wake up earlier in recent weeks," Ruth said, indirectly referring to her pregnancy. "It's for the best, as I get more accomplished if I rise early."
"Very true," Tavington said. "And especially so at this time of the year when the days are shorter."
"Will Miss Charlotte be joining us for breakfast?" Ruth asked. "I made enough for all three of us."
"No, she had a largely sleepless night, so I don't expect her to rise any time soon," he informed her. "She needs all the sleep she can get now, as she won't be getting much once the baby arrives."
"I'll keep something warm for her for when she does wake up," Ruth assured him.
The two fell silent for a few moments as they continued to eat. Tavington regarded Ruth as they ate, noticing that she seemed more at peace now than she did when Marcus Tapp had first walked out of her life, more accepting of her situation.
Clearing his throat, Tavington told her, "I thought you might be interested to know that Sergeant Major Tapp saved my life yesterday at Cowpens. If not for his timely intervention, I would have almost certainly been killed by Benjamin Martin. I intend to recommend the Sergeant Major for the highest commendations for his bravery."
"Thank you for telling me, Colonel," she said with a shy smile. "I'm very glad to know that." After a pause, she added, "I'm relieved to know that you both returned home safely."
"Contrary to what my wife and especially Mistress Bordon have been telling you, Sergeant Tapp isn't as bad as they make him out to be," Tavington said. "He's simply a man who values his independence."
"I know that, Colonel," she said quietly. "I just don't understand him, is all."
Suddenly feeling ill at ease, Tavington pushed back from the table to leave. "If Mistress Tavington awakens before I return, tell her that I've gone for a meeting with the Lord General. With any luck, I should not be gone for too long."
"Yes, sir," she replied.
A short time later, Tavington approached the house where Charles Cornwallis had made his headquarters. It was only slightly larger than the cabin that Tavington occupied, but was in much better repair.
He found George Hanger standing outside, chatting with several of Tarleton's other officers, but the diminutive Tarleton was nowhere in sight.
"There are you, Tavington," Hanger called out in a casual tone. "I'm not sure if you really want to go in there. I would imagine that the Lord General is handing Tarleton's arse back to him on a platter just about now."
Tavington repressed an instinctual shudder, then said dryly, "No doubt."
"Dreadful business yesterday," Hanger remarked. "Did you know that Billy Washington rode up just to jeer at Tarleton near the end? But Ban simply shot big Billy's horse out from under him." Hanger chuckled briefly at that.
"I hadn't heard that," Tavington said, chuckling. "Sounds like something Tarleton would do, though." Heaving a sigh, he said, "I suppose I'd best go inside and face the music."
Tavington went inside the dimly lit structure to find a contrite Tarleton, helmet in hand, standing in front of a seated, irritated Cornwallis, still dressed in his banyan.
"Glad you could finally make it, Tavington," Cornwallis snapped. "Had a hard time dragging yourself from bed, did you?"
Tavington did not respond, as he knew the Lord General did not expect an answer.
"As I was telling Tarleton before you arrived, we have two objectives now that we've lost Cowpens," Cornwallis informed Tavington. "First, we need to pursue Morgan and see how many of our men we can get back. Secondly, the defences at Charlestown need to be strengthened. It's our most important southern port and it needs to be held at all costs."
Looking soberly at both men, he emphasized, "If we lose Charlestown, we've pretty much lost everything, as that would be the end of our supply line."
"Toward that end, I've decided to send Colonel Tarleton after Morgan," Cornwallis continued. "Colonel Tavington and what's left of his force, will be reassigned to the garrison at Charlestown, with primary duties being the defence of the perimeters of the city. Colonel Tarleton and his men will leave as soon as his unit can be properly re-supplied. Tavington, you will need to report in Charlestown in two week's time."
"Sir?" Tavington was stunned that he and his group would not be included in the chase for Morgan.
Understanding Tavington's unspoken question, Cornwallis said, "You've not done anything wrong, Tavington. In fact I've entered an official commendation into your record for eliminating Benjamin Martin."
"Thank you, sir," Tavington said. "I would also like to add that Sergeant Major Tapp should also be commended, as his timely intervention saved my life and allowed me to finish the job on Martin."
"Noted," Cornwallis said. "I'll attend to that promptly. Returning to what I was originally saying, the assignment in Charlestown is of the utmost importance and required me to send the senior man, which is you, Tavington. Mistress Tavington's knowledge of the area and its inhabitants as well as that of Captain Wilkins also played a role in my decision."
"I understand, sir," Tavington acknowledged. "I know that Charlotte will be glad to hear the news."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Charlotte Tavington got up less than a half hour after Tavington had left for his meeting. Feeling distinctly unwell, she slipped on her dressing gown over her shift and donned a pair of mules before entering the front room.
Ruth was still sitting at the table, doing some needlework as Charlotte entered the room.
Miss Charlotte!" Ruth said. "I didn't expect to see you up so soon. Colonel Tavington said you'd not slept well last night."
"That's true," she acknowledged. "But I can't sleep any better now that it's daylight, so I figured I should at least get up and have some breakfast and perhaps take a nap later on."
"There's still some warm porridge left," Ruth said, indicating the pot over the fireplace. "Why don't you have a seat and I'll get some for you."
"Don't get up," Charlotte said, "I don't mind getting it myself."
As she turned to head to the fireplace, she was suddenly hit with a sharp pain in her midsection. Staggering over to the table, she sat down to ride out the pain.
"Are you all right?" Ruth said in concern.
"I think I might be in labour," Charlotte managed to say a few moments later as the pain abated. "This is not the first pain I've had."
"Have you had many more pains like this?" Ruth asked. "And, if so, when was the last one."
"Yes, about ten or twelve minutes ago," the other woman estimated. "Perhaps I'm wrong however, as I'm about two weeks early."
"Babies have their own time, Miss Charlotte," Ruth told her. "You should know that. My Mum delivered my baby sister nearly three weeks before she was supposed to, but everything turned out well."
Getting up, she said, "I should go get the midwife to come look at you to see if you're truly in labour."
"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Charlotte said weakly. "But before you go, could you bring me some tea and porridge?"
"Of course," Ruth said. "Will you be all right while I'm gone?"
"I'll be fine," Charlotte said. "William shouldn't be too much longer, I would think."
A few minutes later, Ruth hurried along the mud-rutted road to the enlisted men's tent encampment, where the midwife resided with her infantry sergeant husband. As she entered the area, she nearly ran right into Marcus Tapp, who was leaving to go to the tavern in the centre of town.
"Marcus!" she said, giving him a tentative smile.
Steadying her with both hands at her elbows, he looked down at her with the ghost of a smile on his lips.
"What brings you down here, Ruth?" he asked. "And in such a hurry, too."
"It's Miss Charlotte," she explained breathlessly, her heart beating madly at the nearness of him. "I think she's in labour and I'm going to go find the midwife."
"Is Colonel Tavington there with her?" Tapp asked. "I saw him earlier heading up to see the Lord General."
"No, I think he's still in the meeting," Ruth reported.
"If you like, I can go by and let him know what's going on," Tapp told her. "It would save you a trip."
Smiling wider now, Ruth said, "Thank you; that would be a big help to me."
"It's my pleasure," he said, before loping off in the direction of Cornwallis' headquarters.
Ruth watched her erstwhile lover for a long moment before reluctantly turning away to head to the midwife's tent.
She found the woman a couple of minutes later out in front of her tent doing some mending for her small family.
"Mrs Carter?" Ruth said as she walked up to the woman.
"Yes?" Martha Carter looked up at the young woman. "You're the Tavingtons' maid, right?"
"That's right," Ruth said. "I think Mistress Tavington has gone into labour. She needs you to come right away."
Getting up from the stool, the older woman said "Let me get my bag and we'll be off." Turning to a boy who appeared to be around ten, she said "Jacob, tell your father that I've gone to deliver the Tavington baby when he gets back. If he needs to see me I'll be up there."
"Yes, ma'am," he told his mother.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
As Marcus Tapp reached Cornwallis' headquarters where George Hanger was still holding forth out front, the door opened as both Colonels Tavington and Tarleton came out.
"Colonel Tavington, sir," Marcus Tapp said, stepping right up to his commanding officer. "You need to get back to your quarters as quickly as possible. I met Ruth who was on her way to fetch the midwife and she asked me to tell you that your wife is most likely in labour."
"Thank you, Tapp, I appreciate it," Tavington said briskly. "I'm on my way."
As the dragoon Colonel hurried off eagerly in the direction of his quarters, Tapp watched him for a long moment deep in thought. He was reminded of his own impending fatherhood realizing he had decidedly mixed feelings about the entire matter. Tapp wasn't all that eager to become a father, but he now realized he did want to at least see the child when it was born. He knew it was likely he had sired other by-blows over the years, but this was the first time he'd ever had any real curiosity about one.
A moment later, he turned and headed for his original destination, all thoughts of fatherhood pushed to the back of his mind and forgotten for the time being.
William Tavington walked as fast as he could back to the small cabin, moving at almost a jog. He'd remembered Charlotte telling him the night before that she had almost two weeks before the baby was supposed to come, so he was rather alarmed at the notion that it could be coming now.
He threw open the door in haste when he reached the cabin and rushed inside to find no one in the front room.
"Charlotte!" he called. "Where are you." He walked further into the room and, to his dismay, found a large wet spot on the floor not far from the table.
"I'm in here," a muffled voice called from the bedroom.
As he entered the bedroom, he found Charlotte standing naked as she rummaged through her pile of clothing.
"It's freezing outside," Tavington said. "You'll catch your death of cold if you don't put something on."
"I'm looking for a fresh shift," she explained. "My water broke suddenly and I needed to change shifts." Smiling widely at her husband, she announced, "I think I'm in labour, William."
"Let's get you into bed," Tavington said once she'd put on a clean shift. "Where is Ruth? Tapp came to find me and said you were labour."
"Marcus Tapp knew I was in labour?" Charlotte asked, mystified. "How did he know? Never mind, it doesn't matter." Taking his hand and smiling again, she said, "Ruth should be back with the midwife any time, I would imagine."
Once Charlotte was settled comfortably back in bed, Tavington got a chair from the other room and pulled it up close to her bed.
"I thought you'd told me that you still had two more weeks to go," he said. "I hope there's nothing wrong."
"It's close enough that the baby should be fine" Charlotte assured them. "Babies come when they're ready and I imagine this one is just eager to see the world."
Leaning over to kiss her cheek, Tavington rumbled, "Ah, a true Tavington, then, never wanting to miss a thing." He looked intently at her and said, "You have never looked more beautiful to me than you do at this moment. You are my heart and my entire world, Charlotte. Nothing matters more right now than to see our child safely born into this world."
"Just think, William," Charlotte murmured. "By this time tomorrow, we won't be just a couple any longer; we'll be a family!"
At that moment they heard the front door open and close and the voices of Ruth and the midwife reached them as they walked in.
"There you are," Martha Carter said, smiling, as she came into the bedroom. "Ruth tells me that your pains are about ten minutes apart now?"
"That's right," Charlotte said. "And my water broke after Ruth left to get you."
"Well, it would appear that you are indeed in labour, then," the midwife said. "But I'll need to make an examination to be sure." Turning to Tavington, she said, "If you'll please excuse us, Colonel. This is women's business now."
"Of course," he said, getting up from the chair. Leaning down to kiss Charlotte on the cheek, he said, "I'll be right out in the other room if you need me."
"I'll be fine, William," she assured him. Looking up at him tenderly she squeezed his hand and silently mouthed the words, "I love you."
After Ruth and Tavington returned to the front room, she turned to him and said, "I'll make you a cup of tea then get started on the noon meal. We're likely in for quite a bit of a wait here, though not as long it would likely be if it were Miss Charlotte's first baby."
"Thank you, Ruth," he said, seating himself at the table. "Perhaps after you give me the tea and before starting the meal you could go fetch Mistress Bordon? I'm sure that my wife would be comforted by her presence.'
"Of course, Colonel," Ruth said, managing to conceal her distaste for the other woman from Tavington.
Ruth left a short time later and was back within minutes with Mary Bordon, who accompanied by Bordon and Banastre Tarleton, who had a bottle of brandy under each arm.
"Thought we'd keep you company and keep you distracted while you wait, Tavington," Tarleton said as he set the bottles on the table. Pulling out a deck of cards from his waistcoat pocket, he added, "And this should keep us well occupied."
"Indeed," Tavington said, grateful for his two friends.
As Ruth returned to her cooking and Mary disappeared into the bedroom, the men settled in with the brandy and cards, prepared for a long wait.
Nearly eight hours later, Ruth stepped out the front door of the small cabin to where the three men stood, taking a short break from the cards.
"Come quickly, Colonel!" she cried. "You have a big, healthy son!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Thanks to Esther and Julie for helping me break the logjam of writer's block while writing this chapter.