Tavington rode towards Pembroke, happy to see that his soldiers had followed orders and were even now ushering the last of the residents of Pembroke into the church. It would make things simpler after all, if he could speak to them all at once.
He kept a close eye on Captain Wilkin's as he watched him speak to a family that had ridden in later than the others. He should have remembered that his Captain had once resided here, and he hoped that his attachment to these people would not hinder the job before him.
Taking his cue from his men that the last person was inside, he rode, a calculating look in his eye as he did not dismount his horse, but rather rode into the church. He could see by the scared faces on those that looked up at him, that this had been the right choice. They would be forced to look up at him, be forced to fear him.
"This town has given aid to Benjamin Martin and his rebels and I wish to know his whereabouts. So, anyone who steps forth with information shall be forgiven their treason"
He paused, scanning the crowd, looking for the weak link, the person who would take him at his word and give him the information he so desperately needed. When no one spoke, he sneered down at them. "Very well"
Tavington turned his horse, if they wanted to be uncooperative, very well. He was close enough on his own, or so he liked to believe, to finding Martin. He didn't need these... people. His mission here would be the same whether they chose to give him the information he requested or not.
From behind him, he heard a noise, and turning saw one of the men stumbling towards him. "This man" he said, pointing out an elderly man standing with his wife and daughter, "Gives Martin and his men supplies. He takes them to black swan... near the old Spanish mission"
"Is that so?" Tavington replied, arching an eyebrow as he studied both men, "Thank you very much"
Turning again, he ignored the shouts from the people behind him as he ordered his men to shut and barricade the door shut. He assumed they would all be wondering why he hadn't taken the man away. Why they weren't being forced to watch as he was hung, or worse.
He smiled as Wilkins came forth holding a lighted torch, "Ready to burn the town on your orders sir" he said, taking a step back as Tavington looked down at him. "The town?" he laughed, "Burn the church Captain"
Tavington waited, watching Wilkin's with a careful eye until the torch was thrown and the flames burst on the steeple of the church. He knew the eyes of all his men were upon him, just as he knew that some of them would be against the action. But they would follow orders.
Turning away as the screams and cries issued from inside, Tavington and his men rode away. They did not need to stay here, there was no doubt that the fire would burn, killing everyone inside, just as he had intended all along.
"They stood against the crown" he said, turning his head as they rode to look at Wilkin's, "They deserved to die a traitor's death"
Wilkin's merely nodded, he had known those people, had lived in that town.
"What would your wife say Colonel" he heard himself say, "If she knew what you had just done"
Tavington looked over at his Captain, a cold, cruel smile on his face, "She would not be surprised" he said, "It was her idea"