Chapter 61 Consolation And Desperation

"Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Tavington is coming up the lane," the servant exclaimed while looking out the window.

A smile crossed Bridget's face, glad to have her friend come to call. She walked out onto the porch fully expecting to be greeted by the Tavington's coach, but instead was alarmed to see her friend traipsing up the path.

The butler ran out to meet the woman, who looked tired and bedraggled. The man helped his mistress' friend ascend the steps into the house. Melanie was shaking and out of breath, barely able to tell Bridget that she had run all the way from her house.

In a moment she collapsed onto the couch and began to cry. A sympathetic Mrs. Wilkins took her friend into her arms, trying to console her. Major Wilkins, hearing the commotion came out of the study and into the large parlor to see what the trouble was.

"Ruth, please get Mrs. Tavington a glass of wine and bring a basin with cold water and a linen, please," Bridget asked.

"What happened?", Jim asked, looking at the state their neighbor woman was in.

"I'm not sure, darling," Bridget replied, "She ran all the way here."

The maid quickly returned with wine and a water basin for their unexpected guest. Melanie sipped a bit of wine as Mrs. Wilkins dabbed her friend's face and neck with the cold water in an attempt to cool her down a bit.

James Wilkins sat in the wingbacked chair near the sofa, pulling it a bit closer to be able to hear the women talk. He suspected that something drastic must have happened at the Tavington house to have made the woman run all the way here.

The servants were dismissed, leaving the couple alone. They listened quietly and patiently as Melanie tearfully recounted what happened between her and William. The Wilkins' were attentive to their friend and neighbor: Bridget holding her friend in her arms trying to console her, and Jim listening quietly, taking the whole situation in.

After a few minutes of talking and crying, Mrs. Tavington finally got hold of herself and calmed down a bit to where she was just sniffling. She dabbed at her tear filled eyes with her handkerchief and sighed.

"Did you know that he'd done that?", she asked both Wilkins. Jim had seen William shoot the horse from under her first hand in Pembroke. He recalled being so stunned that he said nothing to anyone on the ride home to the fort. And Bridget had been equally as shocked when she heard it from Jim as she attended to Melanie during the miscarriage.

Bridget and Jim nodded their heads sorrowfully. Mrs. Tavington looked down at the floor and closed her eyes, then back up again at her confidents.

"I feel like I am always the last to hear things," she proclaimed sadly.

"What do you mean?," asked Bridget.

"Well….when my family died," Melanie began, "It was kept from me for months."

"You were unconscious and near death for so many weeks," Mrs. Wilkins answered.

"Yes, the generals made the decision to keep it from you until you were well and out of danger," Jim explained calmly.

"And then, when I was with Alex, I had no idea that he was married," Melanie lamented, "I had to hear it from the camp whores. I was humiliated."

"I think everyone at the Fort assumed that you knew he was married," Bridget said sympathetically. "I felt terribly for you at that time—I remember how hurt you were. I should have said something."

Mrs. Tavington shook her head in understanding. "And today," she continued, "To hear two privates, that you are barely acquainted with talk of something so private. Did everyone at the Fort know?"

James and Bridget looked silently at each other. They just did not want to hurt their friend anymore than she was already. The couple wanted to be truthful, but easy on the poor girl.

"It was partially known, mostly within the legion and the infantry unit that witnessed it at Pembroke," Jim informed.

"I didn't know any of it," she bemoaned.

Bridget held her friend's hand in comfort. "I thought Alexander would have told you," she stated.

"He didn't ," Melanie simply answered.

"I'm sure he thought you had been through enough and maybe he wanted to shield you," opined Bridget.

While secrets were being revealed, James thought he'd better bring up something else he'd witnessed, assuming that Melanie probably didn't know anything of it, either. "I suppose you didn't know that the Major challenged Tavington to a duel?"

"No. I didn't." Mrs. Tavington looked distressed upon hearing this.

"Yes. He said the colonel had killed his child," James explained, "They fought with swords. Lord Cornwallis made General O'Hara break it up. He didn't want either of his two best officers killed or maimed because of a duel."

Melanie began to tear up again. She stood and paced about the room for a moment, wringing her hands and sobbing.

"Oh, what am I to do?," she cried, "I hate him. I hate what he did to my child, and now what it has done to me. He didn't even deny that he did it! He said horrible things to me and he defended his actions."

"Melanie, come sit down," a sympathetic Mrs. Wilkins begged, "You don't have to resolve things this very minute."

"I never would have married William had I known this," Mrs. Tavington

The Wilkins' friend began to pace at a more frenetic pace. She was breathing hard and shaking her head, as if on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Bridget shot her husband a worried look. He reached out to grab Melanie by the hand and try to get her to sit down."

"Melanie—"

"I'll get an annulment," she blurted out. "I have good grounds. I married him under false pretenses."

Bridget gave her husband a silent look beseeching him to speak up. Being from Ireland, and also not being raised in the wealth and privilege that her husband and friend grown up in, she wasn't sure what the laws were and how they would hold up with the 'well to do'.

"I'm afraid that won't hold up within the law," James pointed out. "A lot of spouses don't know things about the other one on their wedding day. And, it is his word against yours. He'd deny it and say that you knew."

"Then I'll divorce him."

"No—that is out of the question," Major Wilkins answered firmly. "You married him to repair your reputation and save your business. A divorce would hurt the Prescott name and legacy, as well as his family and position as an officer. It would ruin your plantation—everyone would refuse to deal with a divorced woman. "

"Then I'll throw him out," said Melanie resolutely. "I'll have him banished from the plantation. It is my family's farm!"

"I'm afraid not, Melanie. Not anymore," James informed. "When you married him, everything you own became his. He could actually banish you , then you'd never see your beloved farm again."

"Then we will live separately. I refuse to be near that murderer!"

Jim sighed aloud. He knew that his lifelong friend was on the verge of desperation and losing her mind. And he was running out of answers to give her to prevent her from doing something crazy.

"You could do that, but word will get out, and that won't look good, either."

Mrs. Tavington stopped her pacing and looked at her friends. Tears filled her eyes again. Hopelessness laid heavily upon her face.

"Then what do I do?", she exclaimed. "I hate him. I won't go on living with him."

"I'm afraid you don't' have a choice," Jim said. "You have to, Melanie, even if it is in name only. The two of you must look like a married couple if you want to keep your business and family reputation good and avert gossip."

A distraught Mrs. Tavington wiped the tears from her cheeks as she sat down. Bridget once again took her hand , trying to comfort her friend.

"The two of you will get through this," Mrs. Wilkins said giving her friend's hand a gentle squeeze.

"No.I will never be able to forgive this," Melanie said.

"You may stay with us," Bridget assured her.

"I'll send word to the General that you are here and safe," James said, standing up from his chair.

"No!," shrieked Mrs. Tavington.

"Why not? I'm sure he's worried about you," Bridget pointed out.

"No! He said that if I left the house, that I'd pay for it when I returned."

"I'm sure those were just angry words," soothed Mrs. Wilkins, "Weren't you both angry—"

"Oh, Bridget…..I just……I….," Melanie's voice trailed off again as she broke down into tears.

"You don't have to think of this anymore tonight," Mrs. Wilkins comforted.

With that, she ushered her friend to a guest bedroom for the night. The servants brought her chamomile tea missed with Valerian to help her relax and sleep. Finally feeling safe and comfortable, Melanie Tavington dropped off to sleep, exhausted from the emotions she'd been through today.

Later that evening, Bridget and Jim Wilkins retired to their bedroom, both still disturbed by what their friend had learned.

Bridget stood in front of the window, looking out into the dark night sky, her arms folded in front of her. She sighed, worried about Melanie and hoping she wouldn't do anything rash in the next few days.

Jim Wilkins had stripped down to his breeches. He came up behind his wife and slipped his arms around her, then ran his hands over her swollen belly.

"I know this is upsetting," Jim murmured into his wife's ear.

"I think she should stay with us for a few days," Bridget remarked.

"No, darling, she can't," her husband replied.

"Why?" asked Mrs. Wilkins as she turned in her husband's arms to face him.

"She has a home and a marriage," James reminded, "She belongs there."

"We can't send her home," Bridget stated as she stepped away from Jim, "She's so upset with William. She's afraid of him."

"She will get over this."

"You heard her. The rumors I heard about him beating her must be true," Bridget alluded. "He threatened to punish her."

"That's not our concern," James indicated.

An astonished Bridget looked distressed at her husband. "How could you be so heartless?"

"Bridget, I do care, but this is not our business," he replied. "We can't interfere in another couple's marriage. Also, I can't get involved in my superior officer's personal business. I don't want any retribution—"

"Surely he wouldn't….." his wife's voice trailed off.

"I wouldn't second guess the man."

"If the general hasn't come for her by tomorrow afternoon," Jim informed, "then we will send her home. Nothing is going to get resolved anyway with her here and him there."

Bridget blew the last candle in their bedroom out, then made her way over to her husband. She slipped her arms around him in the new darkness of the room.

"She deserves an understanding husband," Mrs. Wilkins remarked.

"Like me?", Jim teased, nuzzling her neck.

"Yes! But I won't share," Bridget whispered.

With that, the couple shared a deep, passionate kiss, then moved toward their bed. Bridget helped nudge Jim's breeches down as he lifted her chemise up and over her head.

"Why don't you let me show you how understanding I am," James murmured. "Understanding of you and your enticing body."

The Wilkins' then slid into the cool sheets of their bed, where they could affirm their love for each other well into the night.