Author's Note: Pardon my lateness in posting, but I'm still pretty broken up about the death of Pete Postlethwaite (who portrayed the main character of my next story, "Let This Heart Be Still") and haven't been much in the mood to write. This is a chapter I had to pull out of myself, word by word.

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January 1783 - New York

William Tavington sighed in relief as he staggered down the gangplank of the packet ship that had that had taken his small family up the eastern seaboard from Charlestown to New York. They had been accompanied by their two servants, James Wilkins, and the Tapps. The trip up the coast had been endured in bad weather and choppy seas, so no one had been happier than he when lower Manhattan had first come into view. The dragoon colonel spent most of the trip to New York as he'd done on the reverse trip three years previously; on deck, bent over the rail, spewing the contents of his stomach into the churning sea.

As he set his feet on solid ground again, on a pier in Manhattan in the frigid morning air, he resisted the impulse to get down on his knees to kiss the steady planks. "At last," he muttered. "I don't think I could have stood another day on that damnable ship."

James Wilkins and Marcus Tapp both chuckled at the seasick Tavington, as both men were natural sailors. Charlotte Tavington had been rather queasy herself on the voyage, but she had a better reason than did her husband, as she was now newly pregnant with her second child.

"Why don't we find a couple of carriages and find our billets," Wilkins suggested. "I'm sure the women and children are tired and would like to get settled."

"Excellent idea, Wilkins," Tavington said. "We'll try to use the same billet I used when I was here prior to coming to South Carolina. I can only hope there are rooms available now. If not, there are several other places nearby."

Marcus Tapp had been to New York many times in the past; both while as a sheriff in New Jersey and when passing through during his years as a mercenary. However, he had no intention of taking Ruth and Martha to any of the seedy dives he'd stayed at while in the city previously. He had a sufficiently respectable inn in mind that, while not as nice as where the Tavingtons intended to lodge, would be perfectly safe to bring his small family to. And it was situated in an area that would give him a base of operations in which to generate more blunt before he and Ruth would make the final leg of their journey in the spring. He'd made quite a good bit of money while in Charlestown, but was always looking to add to his nest egg, as his family was also about to grow in a few months.

Within a short time, the group was on its way, with the Tavingtons and Wilkins in one carriage, the Tapps in another, and the servants following behind the Tavingtons in a wagon with the Tavingtons' baggage.

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Several streets away from the pier, Mary Bordon was awakened by her son's crying. James, who had been in a deep slumber, awakened groggily. "Wha…?"

"Go back to sleep," she murmured. "It's just Georgie. He probably just needs to be changed." Looking at the clock, she saw it was nine-thirty. "And fed, too, I'd imagine. Let me go tend him before he awakens Susan as well."

Bordon yawned loudly and asked, "Are you wanting to go to church this morning? We've not been in weeks."

"It's already too late for that," she said dismissively. "And I don't want to bring Georgie out into the cold, in any instance. We'll just have a nice quiet day at home."

"Sounds good to me," Bordon said, yawning again, before sitting up to stretch prior to getting out of bed.

The Bordons had been sent to New York after the fall of Yorktown, along with the other officers in Cornwallis' command. Bordon had accepted a staff position in the city, as they didn't want to be at sea when Mary gave birth. Their son George Horatio Bordon had been born in February of 1782 in New York, and Bordon had decided at that time to remain in his new post for the duration of the war, as he wanted to delay being on half-pay for as long as possible. As the Tavingtons and their party arrived in New York, little George was approaching his first birthday.

Mary was happy in New York, since there was so much to do and see and the Bordons were friends with several officer couples close to their own age. But she knew it would eventually come to an end, as there wasn't any way they could remain in New York once the war was over. James assured her that if she liked New York, she'd like London even better because it was so much bigger than New York.

As she went into the other bedroom, she found Susan already up, sitting with George, who had calmed down to some extent

"He needed to be changed, Mother," the girl told her mother in a matter of fact tone. "I just went ahead and did it, just as you showed me."

"Ah what would I do without you?" Mary said, smiling down at her oldest child, patting her on the shoulder. "Let's get him dressed and we'll go downstairs to have something to eat."

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In the building next door, Charlotte Tavington looked around appraisingly as they were shown to their rooms. While the rooms were perfectly lovely and a vast improvement over the pokey little cabin they'd had about the packet ship, she was once again reminded just how much she was going to miss her lovely home in Charlestown.

Masking her thoughts from her husband and suppressing a sigh, she turned to him and smiled. "I'm sure we'll be quite comfortable, William. I do look forward to seeing the city while we're here."

"We've a few months to explore it," Tavington promised her. "We'll have a grand time."

"I've invited Ruth for tea tomorrow," she confided. "Perhaps we'll do a bit of shopping as well. If we go, Bessie will remain here with Matthew to watch the children.'

Bessie had replaced Ruth as Charlotte Tavington's maidservant since Ruth had married Marcus Tapp, while her faithful butler, Matthew had agreed to come as the Colonel's manservant. The other slaves had been freed, while the few white indentured servants had been released from their indentures. Matthew looked forward to working for wages as a free man in England, while Bessie had jumped at the chance to be able to live near her family again, while still holding a respectable position.

"I'll have to report for duty some time tomorrow," Tavington told her as they continued to inspect the suite of rooms. "Because we'll be here for a few months, I might as well volunteer for some sort of duty, so I can draw full pay. But I should be able to escort you on your shopping expedition tomorrow if you would like."

"That would be nice," she said. "I'll probably spend some time tomorrow to get this place to look more like a home, as well.'

As the couple entered the nursery, they found Bessie making up little Will's bed, which was a smaller cot meant for a servant. He and Bessie, who would sleep in there with him, had switched beds, as the smaller bed was more appropriate for the two year old boy.

"Mama, Papa!" he called when he saw his parents. "Where Marfa?"

"Martha will come to see you tomorrow," Charlotte told him, leaning down to kiss the top his head. The toddler had dark hair like his father, but green eyes like his mother. "But right now, it's time for you to take a nap. We'll have something to eat when you wake up, I promise."

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Early the next morning, Marcus and Ruth Tapp lingered in bed until mid-morning until Martha awakened them.

"Time to start the day, I suppose," Marcus Tapp said as he sat up in bed. "I need to go out and go to a tailor shop and have some new clothes made. I don't have all that much civilian clothing and very little of what I do have is suitable to wear in Canada's climate."

"Miss Charlotte asked me to come by to see her today, because she also wanted to go shopping," Ruth said. Moving to stand beside her husband as he began to shave in front of the mirror, she asked, "I don't suppose I could persuade you to be our escort, could I? Bessie is going to take care of both children."

"I could be persuaded, I think,' he allowed, grinning wolfishly.

"I'll make it worth your while later on tonight," Ruth promised, returning his grin.

"I'll hold you to it," he promised patting her backside, just before dipping his razor into the basin of water.

A short time later, the Tapps arrived at the Tavington suite. Matthew opened the door to him, much as he'd done as butler in Charlestown.

Charlotte Tavington entered the room a moment later. "Ah, Ruth, there you are. Do be seated. I'm afraid we'll have to wait for a bit before we set out. The colonel has gone to army headquarters to report for an assignment."

"Marcus has volunteered to escort us," Ruth said. "He knows the city and he has some shopping of his own to do."

"Wonderful!" Charlotte said, "Why don't you bring Martha into the nursery. Bessie is there with Will and the children can enjoy an afternoon together while we're away."

"Shall we go, ladies?" Tapp said after Ruth had returned from the nursery.

"By all, means, sir," Charlotte replied, laughing. "Lead on."

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William Tavington left army headquarters with an agreeable assignment; being in command of coordinating all cavalry operations in the city, a position quite similar to the one he held in Charlestown. As in Charlestown, he'd not be out patrolling personally, but would work in an administrative role.

As he turned the corner of the hallway to head back out into the street, he collided with another person coming from the other direction, sending papers going in every direction.

"Pardon me, sir," Tavington murmured in apology, as he stooped to help retrieve the scattered paperwork. "I was preoccupied and was not looking where I was going." He looked up and was surprised to see James Bordon staring back at him in equal astonishment.

"Bordon," Tavington greeted. "Surprised to see you here."

"Likewise," the major said guardedly. "We've been here since not long after the fall in Yorktown."

"Bad business all around," Tavington remarked. "Congratulations on your promotion to major, by the way. I heard that you served most admirably as Simcoe's commander of hussars."

"Thank you, Colonel," Bordon responded quietly. "It was a most useful experience. Simcoe was a most capable leader to serve under."

Tavington pressed his lips together tightly, but gave no other indication that he'd understood Bordon's subtle dig. Deciding to ignore it, he continued, "I also have heard from Captain Wilkins that congratulations are in order for the birth of a son."

Bordon beamed at the mention of his son and heir. "George was born nearly a year ago. Mary and I are quite proud of him."

"As well you should be," Tavington said. "There's nothing like having a son."

"Quite true," Bordon agreed. "I dote on young George and look forward to when I'll be able to teach him to ride."

Tavington chuckled. "One my first things to do when I get back home is to find a proper mount for Will, though I've not yet told Charlotte that."

Bordon gave him a sympathetic look. "Women…"

"I was just headed back to my billet to get Charlotte to take her out to the shops," Tavington said. "Why don't you and Mary join us for dinner this evening?"

"I'll have to check and see what she has planned," Bordon said hesitantly, not sure if Mary would want to share a table with William Tavington. "But it should not be a problem"

"We're staying on Queen Street, two blocks north of where it intersects with Wall Street," Tavington said. "The first house after the intersection on the left."

"We're staying in the house right next to it," Bordon said. "When did you get here?"

"Yesterday morning," Tavington replied as the two men walked toward their billets.

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Mary Bordon walked up the street back to her lodgings, as it was close to noon and time for the children to eat. The three went out for a walk nearly every morning, as Mary couldn't stand being cooped up in their rooms all the time.

She knew that the British forces had recently evacuated from Charlestown, though she'd not had a letter from her brother Jim in quite some time. But he'd told her that he was planning to resettle somewhere in Canada after the war, considering that the new American government would deport all Loyalists as a matter of course. Mary figured that Jim would likely stop in New York on the way to Canada and hoped he would do so before she and James left for England.

As Mary and Susan walked up the street, Susan looked idly inside the windows of the shops they passed. Encumbered with little Georgie, Mary did not window shop, as all her concentration was devoted to carrying him. He'd been taking a few steps, but could not yet walk well enough to go for a stroll. When they passed a tailor shop, Susan looked inside to see a man who greatly resembled Sergeant Major Tapp, the man whom she'd had a crush on when they were still in South Carolina. She did not mention what she'd seen to her mother because the window was grimy, so she wasn't sure what the man really looked like and because she knew her mother did not like Marcus Tapp.

Putting what she'd seen out of her mind, she skipped along next to her mother to the next store, when the door opened and Miss Charlotte and Ruth stepped out of a millinery shop.

"Look, Mother!" she exclaimed. "It's Miss Charlotte!"

Charlotte Tavington turned at the mention of her name to see Mary and Susan walking up to them. "Mary Bordon!" she greeted. "Your brother said you would be here." Noticing little George for the first time, the blond woman said, "What a fine, big boy. He looks just like his father."

"That he does," Mary said proudly. "This is George Horatio Bordon. He'll be a year old next month."

"He was worth waiting for," Charlotte remarked quietly.

"That he was," Mary agreed.

Ruth hadn't said a word since they'd spotted Mary Bordon. She still hadn't forgotten the cavalier way the woman had treated her by having the effrontery to ask her to give up her own child. However, for Miss Charlotte's sake, she kept her mouth shut and a neutral expression on her face.

But then she heard her name mentioned. "So Ruth decided to come to England with you?" Mary asked. She wondered where Ruth's baby was, but did not ask directly.

"No, I'm not going to England," Ruth put in frostily. "I am no longer in the Tavingtons' employ. I'm Mistress Tapp now and my husband and I merely accompanied the Tavingtons on our way to Canada where he has been hired as a sheriff." Lifting her chin to the other woman, she added, "We have a beautiful little girl and we're to have a second child in a few months as well."

Mary was rendered speechless for a moment. She found it hard to believe that Marcus Tapp had finally given in to marry Ruth. Before she could comment, however, the door to the tailor shop opened to reveal Marcus Tapp himself.

Noticing Mary right away, he strolled lazily over to Ruth, putting his arm around her as he gave Mary an easy, slow grin. "Fancy meeting you here," he drawled, rolling his eyes.

Mary still could not abide Marcus Tapp, but she now felt rather ashamed of her impulsive behaviour back in Charlestown. Now that she had George, it was hard to imagine that she'd ever been so desperate for a child that she'd attempted to get another woman to give up her baby. Still, she was too proud to apologize to the Tapps.

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William Tavington and James Bordon had a somewhat stilted conversation on their way back to their respective billets, talking about everything under the sun except the incident that caused Bordon to request a transfer. They spoke of their children, the war, their plans for after the war, until it got to a point where the two men almost felt comfortable with one another again.

All this was shattered when they turned the corner leading to their billets and ran into Marcus Tapp escorting their women back home. James Bordon's eyes narrowed with loathing when he spied the tall man towering above the women. All the resentment he'd felt at the time of his confrontation with Marcus Tapp came roaring back in all its intensity.

Stopping dead in his tracks, he hissed to Tavington, "What is this man doing here?"

Tavington resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It had been going so well with his former second in command, too, but Tavington knew that whatever reconciliation they'd achieved was now gone.

"Tapp is on his way to Canada with his wife - yes, he did marry Ruth - to take up his new position as sheriff of Charlotte County, New Brunswick," Tavington explained patiently. "The Tapps have travelled with us, which has been good for Charlotte, and their daughter has been a playmate for little Will." He didn't add that he also found the sergeant major good company, knowing it would only fuel Bordon's ire.

"Will they be at dinner tonight?" Bordon demanded.

"Yes, I would expect so," Tavington replied neutrally. "Charlotte invited them."

Turning to his former commanding officer, Bordon said haughtily. "I'm sorry, sir, but it seems as if Mary and I have other plans, after all, and will not be able to share dinner with you."

Not waiting for Tavington's response, he collected his family and headed to their billet without another word.

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Author's note: Alert readers will recognize Bordon's question, "What is this man doing here?", as being taken from the 1960s TV show, "Hogan's Heroes". This was Major Hochstetter's signature line. I needed a bit of a smile, so when this phrase popped into my head, I went with it.