Early the next morning, William Tavington had his first cup of tea at his desk in the library, while he did some paperwork before breakfast. As he sat down to wait for Matthew to bring the teapot, he found Bordon's request for transfer waiting, just as the captain said it would be.
Sighing loudly, Tavington scanned the request perfunctorily, then dipped his pen in the ink bottle and hastily scribbled his signature at the bottom in approval. It was a shame he was losing Bordon, but his presence was not so crucial now that his dragoons had been removed from front line duty and had been relegated to a largely defensive role. From now on, he would need the skills of Captain Wilkins much more than he needed Bordon's talents.
Tavington feared that losing the war was now a foregone conclusion or else the Lord General would never have removed Tavington and his men from the front lines. He would continue to do his duty as always, but now it was more a matter of going through the motions out of an ingrained sense of duty than any real convictions. His concerns were increasingly turning to making provisions for where and how his small family would live after the war.
As Matthew appeared a moment later with a small teapot, Tavington asked, "Have you seen Captain Bordon yet this morning?"
"Yes, sir," Matthew replied. "He left about a half hour ago, saying he had some urgent business to attend to."
"Didn't waste any time, did he?" Tavington mumbled under his breath after the servant had left the room. "Ah, well."
Twenty minutes later, Tavington went downstairs to join Charlotte for breakfast in the dining room and found her alone at the table.
"Good morning, love" he greeted as he leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek before taking his place at the head of the table. "Mary didn't come down for breakfast, I see."
"No, I've not seen her," Charlotte added. "And she usually gets up at the same time I do."
"I suspect that she's waiting for me to leave before she comes down," Tavington said dryly. "I don't imagine she holds me in very high regard just about now." He shrugged his shoulders to indicate that he wasn't overly fussed about the matter, one way or the other. "Matthew told me that Bordon left out of here nearly an hour ago."
"I suppose he's seeing to new lodgings for them," Charlotte said. Patting his hand with a smile, she added, "And this will be the first time since we've been married that we'll have the entire house to ourselves!"
"It will be nice," her husband agreed. "But don't be too loud talking about it, as I suspect the army would immediately send new people to billet with us."
"No doubt," Charlotte chuckled. "Have you seen Ruth yet this morning? I fed little Will just before coming downstairs for breakfast and left him with Bessie, but I really feel better when Ruth is watching him."
"As you know, she spent the night with Tapp, so I'd not expect her too early," Tavington observed. "They've not been together - in the Biblical sense - for quite some time and are no doubt making up for lost time." Giving his wife a naughty look, he said, "I know you and I wouldn't leave the bedroom for a week if we'd been apart for several months."
"Nevertheless, I need her home soon," Charlotte said, frowning. "I need Bessie to be doing other things and Ruth is the best one with the baby."
"I need to have a word with Tapp some time this morning, anyway," he told her. "I'll send someone down to tell him to report to me here at the library and that will no doubt bring Ruth home as well."
"Perfect solution," Charlotte said smiling as the two settled back to enjoy their breakfast.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
James Bordon spent most of the morning canvassing Charlestown looking for suitable accommodations for his small family.
He'd gone to army headquarters first thing that morning to see what openings were available for a man of his rank and abilities. There were no openings, unfortunately, with Tarleton's dragoons. However, there was a rumour that John Simcoe of the Queen's Rangers would be needing a new hussar major soon, as the one he had was ailing and there was the question that the man might give up his place and sail home. Bordon had dashed off a quick note to Simcoe, expressing interest in the position, should it become available, and sent it off with a courier heading north. Bordon had briefly served with Simcoe in the northern campaign as a Lieutenant before transferring to Tavington's Green Dragoons, so he had high hopes should Simcoe actually need a man.
Meanwhile, he was becoming increasingly frustrated in his search for a new billet. He'd gone to several places but there was something unsuitable about each one. Several places took single officers only, while many others were for enlisted personnel, and the few that were suitable were full.
But he kept on looking, because to continue to live with the Tavingtons was out of the question. He didn't know how long it would take to get an answer from Simcoe - or even if he actually had an opening available - but continuing to live with the Tavingtons while waiting would be completely unacceptable in Bordon's book. If need be, they'd pitch a tent to live in.
Finally, as he was about to give up looking, he found a small, dilapidated house on the outskirts of town that would be marginally acceptable for a short time stay, especially considering that it was already furnished. At least they would have the house to themselves and, best of all, there would be no Tavingtons. The home had two bedrooms, plus a garret space for a servant, which he intended to hire at the earliest opportunity to do the cooking and light cleaning.
After Bordon had turned his now-tired horse to head slowly back toward town, he began ruminating about his abrupt change in fortune the night before. He'd been quite surprised when Tavington had turned on him so completely and sided with Marcus Tapp. It had been such a blatant case of insubordination that could not, in Bordon's eyes, be explained away.
The more he continued to brood about it, however, certain things slowly became clear to him, things that had always been there, but Bordon had been oblivious to up until this point. And the more he thought about it, the more he chastised himself for not noticing earlier.
The truth was that William Tavington and Marcus Tapp were two birds of a feather. It suddenly dawned on Bordon that if not for his high birth and privileged background, William Tavington would have been nearly indistinguishable from Marcus Tapp in manner, outlook, and attitudes. This had never been more apparent than with the unspeakable brutality in Pembroke that Tavington had authorized and Tapp had been in charge of carrying out. Though he'd been loath to call it what it was at the time, he'd still been uncomfortable with Tavington's casual brutality after leaving Pembroke.
They were both hard, cruel men, the only difference being that Tavington had the veneer of civilization and could be called a gentlemen only because of the accident of birth. Now that he'd acknowledged this simple truth, it was no wonder that Tavington got along so well with Tapp and sided with him on nearly every issue. They were kindred spirits
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Marcus Tapp slowly awakened at mid-morning, stretching and yawning lazily like a big cat. He didn't know the last time he'd slept so well. Tapp glanced down at Ruth, who was still asleep and curled up contentedly against him, with decidedly mixed feelings.
He had missed her. God, he had missed her. And he hadn't realized how much until they'd lain together the night before. They'd made love several times, with him taking her as a thirsty man coming out of a desert drinks water.
The unfamiliar tender feelings that Ruth was now generating in him, made Marcus nervous and apprehensive. He'd always valued his freedom and being his own man, entirely unfettered by domestic bonds and obligations. He saw what blind love had done to his mother; had left her alone and bereft, destroying her common sense as she pined after his uncaring father, so he had determined at a young age that he wanted none of it.
He still had his manly needs, of course, and they'd been a powerful itch all during his adult life that required frequent scratching, but he'd always held himself as aloof as possible from becoming emotionally entangled, never allowing any one woman to get too close to him. It had worked well for him his entire adult life and though his resolve to keep his distance from Ruth was now cracked down the middle, he still could not give in completely to her love. There was a part of him that had to remain free to come and go as he pleased, if he were to remain true to himself.
Ruth awakened seconds later and she, too, yawned at length. "Good morning, Marcus," she said sleepily, smiling shyly up at him.
"Good morning, yourself," he said with a lopsided grin. Leaning down to cover her again, he said, "So, how about another go before we start the day, hmm?"
"Nothing I'd like more," she said, grinning fiercely, as she opened her arms and her legs to accept him once more.
About a half hour later, as they cuddled together in afterglow, a knock came at the door.
"What is it?" Tapp called out in irritation from the bed, not bothering to get up and answer the door.
"Colonel Tavington needs to see you at his home as soon as possible," one of the other sergeants called through the door.
"All right," Tapp replied. "I'll be there as soon as I get dressed."
"Oh, I forgot all about what happened yesterday," Ruth said, as Tapp swung his legs off the side of the bed, then reached to the floor to get the breeches he'd discarded the night before. "Do you think you're going to get in trouble?"
"I could," Tapp told her honestly. "But I think if that was going to happen, Tavington would have seen to it last night. He's not been one to wait to hand out punishments in all the time I've served under him."
"I'm sorry I got you involved in all of this," Ruth said worriedly. "I'd hate to see you get flogged or something else because of me."
Taking her in his arms, he leaned his forehead against hers and said, "It's not your fault, Ruth. I did what I did because it's right for me to protect you and I'd do it again." After leaning down to give her a brief kiss, he carelessly added, "So what if Bordon got his feelings hurt? He'll get over it."
"All the same, I love you for it and I hope the Colonel isn't too angry." This was the first time Ruth had ever spoken the word "love" to him and her heart began to beat madly as soon as the word had passed her lips.
"It will be all right," he repeated, feeling distinctly uncomfortable at hearing her speak the word, even though he knew deep down that she loved him. He turned to gather the rest of his clothing as she rose from the bed to dress.
"I'm going back with you," she said. "I left yesterday without telling Miss Charlotte, so I need to see if she needs me for anything."
"I imagine she's been told where you went," Tapp told her.
"I'm sure she'll need me to help with the baby," she said. "It's been good practice for me to take care of little Will. I won't have any trouble knowing what to do once our own baby comes."
"No doubt," he agreed. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."
As they entered the courtyard to the Tavington home a short time later, Ruth reached up to give Tapp a kiss before they went inside. "Good luck, Marcus," she whispered. "I'll be nearby if you need me."
The butler, Matthew, met the couple at the door as they came in.
"Miss Charlotte has been looking everywhere for you," the butler said in hushed tones to Ruth. "She is upstairs in the nursery."
Ruth glanced at Tapp and back again to Matthew, then shrugged as if to say, "You know how it is."
Turning to Tapp, Matthew asked, "Are you Sergeant Major Tapp?"
"Yes, I am," the tall dragoon replied.
"Colonel Tavington is upstairs in the library waiting for you, sir," the butler said. "Right this way."
"Ah, there you are, Tapp," Tavington called out from his desk as soon as Matthew had announced the sergeant major a few moments later. "Do come in and be seated."
"Would you like some tea or coffee," Tavington offered after Tapp had taken a seat.
"Coffee, sir," Tapp replied.
"So, tell me about the altercation between you and Captain Bordon yesterday, Tapp," Tavington said, leaning back in his chair as he sipped his tea.
"I was back at my billet, minding my own business," Tapp began. "Ruth turned up out of the blue, terrified out of her mind that Captain Bordon's wife was going to make her give up her baby, telling her that she wasn't fit to raise it."
"Go on," Tavington urged.
"I didn't like that at all, so I came back with Ruth to help her out," Tapp continued. "I wanted to make it completely clear to the Bordons that as long as there was breath in my body that such a thing would never happen." Taking a deep breath, he looked squarely at Tavington and added, "Begging your pardon sir, but I know how some high class people get when they get something they want to do stuck in their heads."
"No offense taken, Tapp," Tavington said indulgently, knowing exactly how obsessive Mary Bordon was. "Do continue."
"I knew I had to be quite blunt about it if I wanted to make my point clear, if you get my meaning," Tapp went on.
"That I do," Tavington said, repressing the urge to chuckle.
"Captain Bordon didn't care a thing at all about what I had to say, so he took a swing at me, but I was able to dodge him easily enough," Tapp concluded. "And that's when you came in."
"You do know that Captain Bordon demanded that you be flogged for insubordination," Tavington told him.
"Yes, sir," Tapp said, looking his commanding officer directly in the eyes. "I'm willing to take any punishment you want to give me, as long as it keeps Ruth safe and our baby in her keeping."
"There will be no punishment this time," Tavington told him. "I've been called many things in my time, but I'm not a hypocrite and I won't punish a man who did exactly what I would have done if I'd been in his shoes."
"Thank you, sir," Tapp said in quiet gratitude.
"But let this stand as an unofficial reprimand," Tavington said. "That is, you were wrong not to bring this matter to me and to allow me to sort the problem out. It was not your place to confront Captain Bordon directly. If something of a similar nature happens in the future, you are to come directly to me. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," Tapp replied, keeping the insolent grin he was feeling off his face. "Thank you, sir."
"Another thing," Tavington said. "You are to keep the details of what happened to yourself. Only you, Captain Bordon, Captain Wilkins, and the women know what happened last night and I'd like to keep it that way. I am making a break with proper protocol with how I chose to handle the matter. As I do not want a rash of enlisted men inspired to challenge officers in light of this, you are not to speak of it to anyone."
"Yes, sir, I understand," Tapp said, now wanting to chortle in glee.
"One last thing before you go," Tavington added. "Captain Bordon has requested transfer because of how I chose to handle this matter, so you would be well advised to feign ignorance when the news becomes common knowledge among the men. The real reason why the captain is leaving must never be divulged."
"Yes, sir," Tapp repeated.
"That is all, Tapp," Tavington said, "You are dismissed."
As Marcus Tapp strolled out of the library, feeling quite satisfied with himself and his place with the Green Dragoons, he met James Bordon coming down the hallway to his room. Looking the man boldly in the eye, he gave him a wide insolent grin, but said nothing as he turned to swagger to the staircase to leave.
It took all of James Bordon's self- control to keep from knocking the man down the stairs, but he knew Tavington could see out into the corridor and he didn't want to give neither him nor Tapp the satisfaction of a reaction, so he coldly turned away, intent on getting Mary and Susan out of this house for good.
"Oh, there you are," Mary said breathlessly as he entered the bedroom. "I thought you'd never get back."
"Have you been in here the entire time I've been gone?" he asked. "Did you not even go downstairs to breakfast?"
"I could not bear to face Charlotte or look at that man," Mary told him, sneering indignantly "I'm afraid I'd not have been able to keep my mouth shut and I didn't want to make things worse for you."
"You must be terribly hungry," he said.
"Oh I sent a maid down to get a tray for me and Susan," she said airily. "We've both eaten."
Looking around the room, he remarked, "And I see you have everything packed and ready to go. "Well done, indeed." Leaning down to give her a quick kiss, he said, "I've found us a small house to stay in that we'll have all to ourselves. It's a bit shabby, but it's fully furnished and will be good enough until my transfer comes through."
"That doesn't matter," she said. "I'd be willing to go back to living in a tent if it meant we'd have our own privacy."
"It shouldn't be for too long," he promised her. "I heard that there might soon be an opening for a hussar major in Simcoe's Queen's Rangers, and I've already sent a notice of my availability to him. I'm quite prepared to purchase my majority, if need be, but I've served under Simcoe before and I'm almost certain he will be willing to simply promote me on merit."
"Oh, how wonderful," Mary said, clapping her hands together.
"Let's go," Bordon said, picking up a couple of bags. "I'm done with Tavington and the Green Dragoons."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Historical note: In 1777, John Graves Simcoe was given command of the Queen's Rangers, a light infantry unit comprising of 11 companies of 30 men, 1 grenadier and 1 hussar, and the rest light infantry. The Queens Rangers saw extensive combat in the northern campaign of the war, before being transferred south. Like Tarleton's Legion, they wore green jackets and light colored breeches. Simcoe was captured in late 1779, but was later freed in a prisoner exchange, when he rejoined his unit in Virginia, where the unit continued to fight until the surrender at Yorktown. Hussars, like dragoons, were a form of light cavalry.