Looking around me I took in my surroundings as I sat up, the pain in my wrist throbbing. I was in what looked like old slave quarters made into cells. There was only a bench against the right side of the wall. Shit why did i think that telling them would do anything to help the situation. And now not only am I in a jail cell alone but they still had yet to bring Tavington down. There arose another problem. In doing this I have ruined his name and I knew how important his status was to him. As if on cue I heard footsteps on the stairs and as they rounded the corner there was Tavington, stripped of his uniform, beaten and being dragged over to the same cell that I was in. I rushed over to him. "William!" I exclaimed before seeing the look on his face. The look in his eyes was absolutely murderous and staring right at me. "Shit!" The two guards opened the cell, threw him inside and locked the door behind him. Slowly he rose to his feet, never taking his eyes off me.
"Stasi…." Taking three large steps toward me he had me smashed against the wall. I struggled. "Your mistake has cost me everything. You shall pay for this." He hissed in my ear.
"It was no one's mistake but your's". I spat in his face. "You didn't tell me that no one knew." This only fueled his anger.
Grabbing my long hair in one hand he pulled roughly and with the other ripped the front of my dress as his body held me against the wall. "I think it's time I exercise certain….rights, before we die."
"No!" I cried and I began to struggle harder against him. I managed to elbow him right in his nose. And he backed away holding it. "You know what I went through before. Please don't do this?" I held out my hand in front of me as if that would stop him. He approached me again and I scurried just out of reach. Although in a cell this size I knew that I would not escape him forever. "I'll hate you forever. You'll be just like him." He hesitated for a moment and looked into my eyes as I started to cry. "Please William."
"I don't need you to like me to take what is rightfully mine. Nor to produce an heir if we somehow manage to get out of this. Although I would have preferred you to be willing. We both know how much you really feel for me." He came at me again and pushed me hard against the wall. I turned my head away from him as I struggled to push him off of me, toward the cell door.
"If you go through with this and we make it out of this alive i will never forgive you and you will never have any part of me again." As I spoke looking at the cell door I recognized how it was made. "Half barrel hinges!" He froze and looked at the door then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. In this moment he had subconsciously loosened his hold on me. I kneed him in his groin and he stumbled back in pain. "I can get us out. I know the passages the slaves take around the house. I can get the book to Cornwallis, restore your reputation, and maybe even get you a promotion."
"Nothing you say will get you out of this Stasi."
"I'll willingly give you an Heir, but if you ever rape me I will find a way back to my time... even if I am carrying your child." I narrowed my eyes at him challengingly.
"You wouldn't dare." He sneered. "You and I both know you have nothing in your time."
I did my best impression of him. "Try me." I smirked. He stared at me as I watched the gears in his head turn as he realized that I may have assets in the future
"Very well but you get me a promotion to Brigadier General. If you fail….." He left that threat lingering, released me and began to turn away.
"One more thing Colonel." He turned back toward me just as my fist came flying through the air. He caught my wrist and inch from my face and forcefully pinned them above my head as he repinned me against the wall. His eyes hard as they bore into mine "That is for being an asshole."
"I would not attempt that again if I were you." He growled. "Now get us out of here my darling wife." He kissed me roughly then stepped away to stand out of the way. I went up to the bench and was able to position it perfectly by myself as the Colonel stood in the corner with his arms crossed. "Are you sure you know what you are doing?" He asked as some of his anger melted away.
"Yes, of course I know what I'm doing." I looked toward him. "I need your help. Pulling down this side of the bench." He sighed aggravatedly, but came over to assist nonetheless. On three we pushed down on the bench and the cell door burst off its hinges. "Told you so." He was instantly glaring at me again.
"Move, someone would have heard that." I nodded and led the way to a small door in the wall. And slid into the passageway. We hurried through the passageways until we came to a set of stairs. "How exactly do you know where we are going? This place is a labyrinth."
"This is not the first time I have been here, Colonel. I've been here many times for research projects." He looked at me suspiciously. "What?" He shook his head and motioned me to continue on our journey. Lifting my skirts I ascended up the stairwell until we had gone up about three flights and there was a hallway that branched off in either direction and i froze
"What is it now?" He snapped irritability. "You're lost... aren't you?" He sneered. I rolled my eyes.
"No, I know exactly where I am going." In reality I had forgotten which way led to our room seeing as it wasn't a prominent thing I thought I would ever need when I was here on the research trip. I heard footsteps approaching from the left and hurriedly went down the right and turned another corner. The Colonel right behind me before we could be seen by the servant and stopping at a door in. "This should come out across from our chambers."
"Should!" He shouted, turning his icy gray eyes on me. I pressed my ear to the wall and hearing that it was silent on the other side I pushed it open, revealing the door to our room across from us. I stepped out of the hallway and entered our room. "What exactly is your plan, Stasi? You can't just walk right into Cornwaliss's office." I turned to look at him as he closed the door. "Bloody hell Stasi! That's your about what could happen to you."
"Yeah pretty much. I did and if this works just imagine the possibilities. And why do you care? Less than an hour ago you hurt me and would have hurt me more if I hadn't been able to get us out. I assumed we had an understanding of each other that night of the ball. It appears I was foolish enough to think that you could care about anyone but yourself and I will not be making that mistake again." I started to go through his desk until I found my id hidden in the bottom drawer under some dispatches. I turned to see him sitting on the bed, arms crossed. Staring at me.
"Your plan is crazy. There is no way this will work." He stood up and approached me and I took a step back.
"Or is it so crazy that it just might work!" I gathered up the history book. I turned to leave the room when Tavington's hand gently grabbed my hand and I looked up at him. Pulling me to him he traced my jaw with his index finger.
"Make sure it does, my beauty." His thumb traced over my lips. His eyes once again held desire. I stepped away and left the room making my way back through the passageway. His footsteps followed until we found ourselves on the other side of the general's office. It sounded as though he was in the middle of talking to someone.
"Thank you Major Whitmore. You are dismissed." It became quiet.
"That better not be…." William cut me off and i turned to him
"Stasi, before we do this I let my anger get the better of me. Do you know what it's like to have everything ripped away from your family and then work as hard as I have to get back again only to have it ripped away in one moment? I lost control of my anger. My feelings for you are more than you may realize. Given my recent behavior." He said in a hushed tone so as not to be heard from the other side.
"That's an understatement. Besides, you're only sorry because you are getting what you want."
"We can talk about this later. Just let me do the talking."
"Why? Cornwallis isn't all that fond of you." His eyes narrowed. "Fine you can do the talking…Most of it." Looked at Tavington for a brief moment more before pushing open the panel of the passageway.
"Lord General Cornwallis! There are some matters My wife and I would like to discuss." We stepped out of the passageway and into the office