Chapter 50 For The Sake Of Business

On the evening of the same day, Melanie was still brooding over the thought of marriage. Sunset was approaching as the girl stood in her favorite place, the plantation's gazebo, ruminating about the desperate situation. She was so wrapped up in her own worries all day long that she'd missed two meals. The young woman had lost her appetite.

Miss Prescott paced in circles around the pavilion, wringing her hands and shaking her head. The young plantation mistress had hoped to wait for love and marry when she'd found it, as her parents had. She knew that was unusual as most marriages were arranged by social class, business deal or convenience. The girl did not have the luxury of time to wait on romantic love.

Melanie, though scarcely home now for five months, had grown used to the power of being in charge. As mistress of the home, farm and business, she had the final say over all of this. She wasn't ready to give this up to a man.

Also, the young woman was leery of splitting her fortune—earned through her father and family's hard work—with a husband. It wasn't that she loved the money, it was the fact that, in her mind, it was sacred to her that her father and mother had worked so hard to build it. She did not want to see it plundered by a husband that may make bad business investments or that might possess bad habits and lack of self discipline. The young woman felt strongly about retaining some control over the fortune, how it was spent, and what was funneled back into the business.

The girl was so lost in thought that she didn't realize that she was no longer alone.

"Good evening, Miss Prescott," William Tavington called as he neared the gazebo. "Would you like some company?"

"Hello, General Tavington," Melanie greeted back as she turned his direction. "Yes. I've been a hermit all day. Please join me."

As he walked up the steps into the pavilion, the girl spoke up immediately. "I'm sorry for my behavior this morning, General," she apologized. "I had no right to question you like I did."

"It's all right," he assuaged. "I could tell that you were quite distraught over something." And though he knew the reason why she had been so upset this morning, he chose to keep his mouth shut and remain 'ignorant' over it.

The officer stepped a bit closer to the woman. "In fact, you seemed so forlorn that I brought a gift from Camden back for you to cheer you up!"

"Oh, General, I will be fine," she tried to assure him, feeling rather embarrassed now that she'd made such a fuss earlier today.

Tavington handed the fist sized box to her as she continued to feel awkward. "Really, sir," she protested, "you didn't have to do this. I….I…probably shouldn't accept it."

"No. I insist," the officer urged, pressing the prettily wrapped gift back to her. "I want you to have it."

Trying to be gracious, the young woman choked back her awkwardness and opened the paper to reveal a small box. Opening it, inside she found two rings: a single gold band and a square cut sapphire with two sparkling diamonds placed on either side of it.

Miss Prescott's eyes widened as her jaw dropped, aghast at the clearly extravagant gift of jewelry. As she continued to eye the rings as if mesmerized, she stammered, "General…I….I…..can't accept this—"

She stopped mid sentence. The girl had been so busy looking over the jewelry that she had not noticed that General Tavington was now kneeling before her.

"Miss Prescott," he began, interrupting the stunned girl, "Would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

Melanie was speechless and flabbergasted. When she first saw the rings in the box, it did not even dawn on her that they were wedding rings; she thought them just an expensive gift of jewelry. She knew that the officer had feelings for her, but had no idea how deep they ran. The young woman stood there for a moment, holding the ring box stiffly, unable to speak. Everything today seemed to be happening so fast.

After a moment, her speech returned somewhat. She squeaked, "General—"

"You may call me William now."

"Uh….um….Wil…William," she stammered awkwardly, "the ring is beautiful." With that, she closed the box and walked to the edge of the gazebo. "I just….I had no idea," she stuttered in a lost voice as the General stood up again.

Tavington remained silent, letting the proposal sink in to her mind and wanting the girl to voice her thoughts to him. "Before I give you an answer, might we talk a little?" she asked timidly. "May I ask you some questions?"

"Certainly."

Melanie paused as she gathered her thoughts as well as the questions she wished to pose. She sighed as she looked up at William, who stood patiently waiting.

"You are an officer in the military, and come from a milling background," she pointed out. "What do you know about farming and running a plantation?"

"You know that I can run the business from having to step in and take over my father's mills. Business is business. Many of the aspects and principles are the same," Tavington stated. "As for farming, you or Mr. Andrews will teach me….and I will learn!"

"Are you sure you want to marry 'Brutal Bordon's whore'?," she began. "The whole countryside knows of Alex and I and they are not forgiving at all about it. In fact, this farm has three vital customers that don't care to do business with a fallen and immoral woman."

"I've told you before, I care not that you were any officer's mistress," he assured. "Besides, I know what happened. I know that you loved and cared for him very much."

"My reputation isn't much better," he continued. "I'm the 'butcher Tavington'."

Melanie nodded as she let out a sigh. The girl went on. "I'm still in love with Alex," she said slowly and cautiously. The girl looked away sheepishly from the officer. "I'm still grieving for him."

"Yes, I know you are," he answered in a surprisingly understanding voice. "And you will still be grieving for him for some time, I'd imagine. Just as you still do your family. I will be patient and allow you your time and space to continue grieving. I know you will get through it."

Miss Prescott became quiet, thinking about what he'd said to the points she'd already brought up. But the girl wasn't through yet. She had tougher issues to share yet.

"What else are you worried about," asked William.

"I…..I can't give you children," she stammered. "When I had the miscarriage a few months ago, the doctor said that he felt that it left me a horrid mess on the inside, so I cannot conceive."

The officer already knew this, but remained silent that he did. He recalled how Alex informed him of it....at the point of his sword on his throat.

Melanie turned away from William and walked to the rail of the pavilion. "I can't give you a son…..an heir."

Tavington moved up slowly behind the woman and delicately traced the outline of the top of her shoulders. "Yes, an heir is important," he spoke softly, his mouth near her ear. "But if it is not to be, then so be it."

The officer turned her around to face him and took gently ahold of her shoulders. "Melanie, if you really want children, good God, this war is going to leave many orphans. We can adopt as many children as you desire!"

A smile broke across Miss Prescott's face as she began to blush. She had one last issue to discuss with him. The girl stepped away from the general once again.

"To be honest, while I do have some feelings and attraction for you," the girl announced, "I don't love you."

Tavington chuckled a bit. "I know you don't. Do you think you could learn…or grow to love me?" He walked to Melanie as he awaited her answer.

"Um…..well…" she stammered. But before she could say anymore, William scooped her into an embrace and gave her a long, deep kiss, taking her breath away.

"Yes…yes!...I'm sure I will," Melanie answered breathlessly as he let her out of his hold.

He laughed at her reaction, but was pleased with it as well. The officer spoke again, still trying to win the young woman over. "You know that with my business experience with father's mills that I could help with the farm business. And, right now I know this appears, as is really, a marriage of convenience for the sake of business."

Tavington looked down, then back up again at the young woman. "I feel I have gotten to know you in the last two and a half years and I have seen how you love, and that you can love deeply. My hope is that this marriage of convenience will eventually turn into one of love, trust and respect."

His eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked down at Melanie. In fact, she felt sure that the shade of blue actually deepened. At any rate, his words and the look in his eyes melted the girl.

"You should ask me again, quickly," she said, "before I voice any more reservations."

"Surely," he acquiesced. With that, he took her hand in his and brought it up to his chest, clasping it lovingly against his heart. The man then slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her gently to him. Looking down at her with his deep blue eyes penetrating her soul, he asked again. "Melanie, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she replied sweetly with a smile. The general leaned down and kissed her softly, then picked her up in his arms as if to carry his bride. He quickly left out a yelp of pain and immediately set his new fiancée back down.

"William!," she exclaimed in a worried voice putting her hands on her fiancé as he doubled over in pain.

"My wounds aren't completely healed yet," he coughed. As he caught his breath, Melanie remembered Alexander's ring, still upon her finger. She looked at her left hand at the circle of ruby and diamonds. The young woman still loved and grieved for Alex Bordon and could not bring herself to remove the ring. But she knew it needed to come off to be able to wear her engagement jewelry.

When the girl saw that the officer was upright again, she held her left hand out to him, with her eyes closed. She didn't think she could bear to see the ring of her dead lover come off her hand.

"You're going to have to take this off for me, please," she requested. "I…I..ca..can't do it."

"Certainly, darling," he replied with sincerity. "I understand." With that, William slid Bordon's ring off her hand and pocketed it.

"I'll slip it into your jewelry box later," he assured her, his voice understanding.

"Thank you," answered Melanie as she choked back the urge to cry.

The general took her hand again and slid his engagement ring onto her left ring finger. He kissed her hand softly before releasing it.

Miss Prescott gazed at the new ring on her finger and was dazzled. "Oh, Will," she exclaimed, "It's so beautiful."

The man smiled, then teased her a bit. "You're calling me 'Will' already?"

The young woman looked down, embarrassed. Tavington put a finger under her chin and raised her head to look at him. " 'William' or 'Will' is fine," he assured her.

"Now," William said as he slid his arms around the girl, "When do you want to get married?"

Melanie had wanted a proper courtship time with William, but knew the farm couldn't afford it. The woman threw caution to the wind.

"William, why don't we elope now. Tonight!," she answered.

That would have been fine for Tavington as he wanted the young woman in his bed immediately. But since this, at present, was for the sake of business, he knew this would have to be handled the right way so as to repair her reputation and appear gracious to their business customers, especially those threatening to leave.

"Melanie, believe me, I want nothing more that to marry you now. But we should do what we need to do to mend your reputation and keep the plantation's business associates."

General Tavington went on. "I think they will need to see us get married and be a part of it, and then greet us as a newly married couple."

"Then when?", she queried.

"How about two weeks from today?"

"That soon?!"

William shot her a puzzled look. "What happened to 'let's elope tonight'?"

Melanie blushed again. "Oh,..forgive me, Will. I'm bowled over by all this and how quickly things happened today."

She stood up on her toes and craned her neck up to give him a small peck of a kiss. "I want the wedding here, on the farm, in this gazebo."

"Very well, then," he agreed. William offered her his arm. "Darling, let me escort you back to the house and we'll make a proper announcement to everyone."

Once back at the house, it only took a few moments to summon the servants and some officers from the hospital. Miss Prescott had asked Mrs. Sloane to pass out glasses and champagne for a celebratory announcement. Melanie and William stayed a respectable distance from each other. As the glasses were being filled, Tavington looked about for Banastre Tarleton, but did not see his presence in the small crowd now gathered in the drawing room of the mansion.

He stepped over to one of the young medical officers. "Have you seen Colonel Tarleton?"

"I last saw him about a half an hour ago, on the veranda," he replied.

By then, the crowd was ready to hear the news. Tavington decided not to wait for Ban. He would seek him out later and inform him.

General Tavington looked at the crowd and began. "I have an announcement. I have asked a certain young lady to become my wife and she has consented to do so."

There was a small burst of exclamation from the crowd, many not knowing who the officer had been courting. They were anxious to find out.

"Who's the lucky girl," a British accented voice yelled from the crowd.

"Miss Melanie Prescott!"

With that there was a loud gasp from the crowd, then a large round of applause, obviously in approval of the match. Melanie then moved over close to William who took her hand.

Tavington continued to address the group. "I am sure you, especially the loyal servants of the Prescotts for many years, will be happy to know that I am not taking her away to England with me. We're going to stay here and make this our home."

"When do you marry," someone called from the crowd.

"Two weeks from today," Tavington answered. "Here, out in the pavilion, as my fiancée wishes." He looked down at Melanie and gave her a respectable kiss on her cheek.

Colonel Wilton immediately called for quiet and attention. "Everyone, please, raise your glass with me in congratulations for the new couple. General Tavington. Miss Prescott, or the future Mrs. Tavington. I wish you both good luck and prosperity, and a long and happy marriage!"

The new couple graciously accepted with a nod and a toast. After sipping the golden liquid, the crowd swallowed up the newly betrothed couple and began wishing congratulations and asking questions.

In a few moments, when some of the clamor died down, Colonel Wilton approached the general. "I understand the need that you two newlyweds will want this house to yourself, so I will begin moving the injured men from the house and out into the new hospital tent."

William was then approached by Mr. Andrews asking about new sleeping arrangements. The general told the man of the sick being moved out the next day. Will requested that Melanie be moved back into her old bedroom and he would be moving into Mr. and Mrs. Prescott's room, which Melanie would then move into with him on the wedding night.

As the crowd dispersed, Melanie sat down at the dining room table with Mrs. Sloan and Diedre, the house servant, and began to compose engagement and wedding announcements to be couriered around the next day. As she did, she noticed her fiancée wandering around the room.

"William, what is it?" she called to him from the table.

"Ban missed our announcement," he replied. He walked over to the table and kissed Melanie's head. "I'm going to try to find him. I'd like to tell him before he hears it from someone else first. I'll be back later to tell you 'good night'."

With that, he left the house in search of Banastre. Once out of the mansion, he saw a young lieutenant that often played cards with the cavalry commander and asked of his friend's whereabouts.

"Um…well sir…we were playing cards earlier this evening down at the followers tents," the young officer answered. "Colonel Tarleton chose to stay down there with one of those women for a little while tonight."

William headed toward the whores' section of tents. He knocked on a couple of tents before he received a less than hostile answer of, "He's over in Mary's tent."

When General Tavington reached the tent, he could hear clearly through the canvas the sound of Tarleton heavily engaged with the strumpet. In between heavy breathing and indecent words of passion, Will knocked on the wooden tent pole.

"Ban, are you in there?"

"Can't talk now," he replied, out of breath, "I'm busy, Tav."

"Ooh……mmmm…Oh Colonel!," a female's voice exclaimed quietly from under the canvas.

"May I ask you a quick question," William asked, trying not to snicker.

"Make it fast," answered Banastre, never missing a beat as he continued rutting into the young doxy laying beneath him.

"Will you stand up with me as my best man at my wedding?"

"Yes!," he replied as he kept on moving himself in and out of the whore. "Oh…..yes….darling, move your legs that way."

"Thanks," Tavington said, chuckling low as he walked away from the tent.

After another moment, Tarleton suddenly stopped screwing the whore. He looked at the girl straight in the face as asked her, "Did he just say 'wedding'?"

The girl nodded her head 'yes'.

Banastre repositioned himself slightly above the girl and resumed driving into her, this time at a furious pace. He brought himself and Mary the whore to completion in just a moment.

He sat up and began pulling his clothes on quickly, the girl helping him as his hand was still heavily bandaged. "Sorry love. I've got to go talk some sense into my friend before he ruins his life!"

With that, Tarleton jumped up and bolted from the trollop's tent. He didn't get very far before he stopped in his tracks. He spun on his heel and fished a couple of coins from his pocket. From the tent doorway, he tossed the silver to the young woman, still naked on her bedroll.

The young colonel took off running in search of General Tavington. When he finally caught up to him, the young officer was still dressing himself.

"Tav! Tav!", he said, catching up to his friend while tucking his shirt into his breeches. "You're getting married?! Have you gone insane?! Think of all the pretty wenches you will be missing out on!"

"I have thought about it," Tavington answered as the two walked toward the mansion. "I get money and social status instead. And by the way, my new fiancée is quite a beautiful wench!"

"Who is the lucky…..or unlucky…..woman," asked Ban.

"Miss Prescott."

Ban stopped dead in his tracks as the general walked on. He laughed hysterically. "Did she put you up to this?"

"No, I assure you this is real," Tavington said. "She needs a husband and I need a wife and plantation to be able to stay here."

"Well, she's a fine catch and a Goddess Divine beauty as well," Tarleton said. "Congratulations!"

Tavington accepted the hand of his friend in a gracious handshake. "But Banny, it's not just her money and convenience…..I genuinely feel affection for her."

"Willie old boy, Cupid has shot his arrow into your stupid, foolish heart!"

"That he has," William replied with a smile and roll of his eyes. The two friends began their trek toward the house again.

"So when is the happy day," asked Ban as they strolled.

"Two weeks from today," answered Tavington.

Colonel Tarleton stopped in his tracks. "That soon?" He took his friend's arm and spun him back to face away from the house. He started to walk back toward the whore's tents, practically dragging William with him. "You've got an awful lot of whoring to squeeze in during the next few days!"

Author's note: Gazebos were also called "pavilions"18th century.