Descending the stairs, my eyes first landed on Katherine who was sure to have some way of harassing me this evening. She stepped forward as her eyes landed on William. "It's a pleasure to see you again Colonel." Her eyes flicked over to me and her smile faltered. " Miss McKenzie." She greeted me as she curtsied. I nodded back to her. Tavington excused himself for a moment as Borden came over to speak to him briefly. "Why are you still here? Still under orders to drag you around. You know General Cornwallis can only order him to do so much. Nothing will ever really happen between you."
"You poor misguided soul. The truth is…. William and I are married and have been for quite some time. I believe the first time i met you i was already Lady Tavington," Katherine's eyes widened and she stomped off. Looking around there were many officers that i did not recognize. My eyes landed on the one person i hoped had been sent out on patrol that evening as William returned to me. Major Charles Whitmore. (Brandon). Who was now talking to Katherine. William began leading me around the room making introductions to many of the officers whose names I've never been able to put faces to. Most of the time I was keeping track of where Brandon was. I doubt I would remember who was who later anyway.
"Anastasia, This is my good friend Major John Andre." My head turned to the man standing in front of us. " Maj. This is my beautiful wife." He reached out his hand and placed a kiss on the top."
"A pleasure to meet you Lady Tavington." I smiled at him and curtsied.
"The pleasure is all mine, Major. William has told me all about your days at eaton together. I almost fell off my chair laughing when William and Bordon told me of one night where the three of you snuck out of the dorms and…" I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw a shock flash across William's face. Neither he nor Bordon actually told me anything of their school days together. But quite clearly they did happen to sneak out of the dorms. Who doesn't?
Soon after we sat down to dinner. Katherin had managed to seat herself across from William. Brandon across from me who flashed a sadistic smile at me as the others were settling in. Not even William noticed. O'Hara sat next to him, Mary next to me and Cornwallis at the end. As the first course was brought out O'hara said my name and I turned toward him.
"Have you met the newest addition to the Green Dragoons? This is Maj. Charles Whitmore." I glanced to O'hara's right then looked back at him picking up my glass of wine.
"Yes, General. We met a few years ago actually. We became very well acquainted, I should say." I turned toward Maj. Whitmore. "How are you settling in Maj?" I took a sip of my wine and I could tell Tavington was listening in on the conversation.
"Quite well." He said as the first course was placed in front of us.
"That is good to hear." I looked down and took a spoonful of my soup.
Mary turned to me intrigued. " How did you two meet?" Katherine was listening in as well
"Yes, how did you meet such a charming man?" Kathrine asked. My eyes flicked briefly to Brandon and I took another sip of wine.
"We were engaged once. Although his name wasn't Charles Whitmore. Was it Brandon... Townsend?" I smirked. I knew that some of the officers may recognize the last name. Brandon on the other hand knew nothing of his family from this time. Katherine and Mary gasped. Katherine more Dramatically. Those who knew where I was from stiffened and were all looking in the direction of us. "Really you couldn't have come up with anything better than stealing the name of your law firm partner. What I saw in you I'll never know."
"Clearly you have mistaken me for someone else." He smiled and turned to whisper in Katherine's ear who blushed in response.
"Oh Stop being so dramatic Stati" Katherine laughed
"Please Colonel control your wife so that we all may enjoy the rest of the evening." Brandon said as he swirled his wine in his glass before sipping on it..
Tavington stared at him calculatingly as he took a sip of his own wine. Silence filled the room and seemed to stretch on and on until he finally spoke. "If you are who she believes you to be she is perfectly within her right to call you out…. And if you're not then Why did you address her as Ana in the hallway this afternoon before introductions had been made." Brandon paled as a wolfish grin spread across Tavington's face.
"You're not as good of a lawyer as you would like to believe." I stared at him and he visibly began to sweat.
"I thought you went by Stasi, Informally?" Said Katherin as her eyes darted between Brandon and I.
"Yes, everyone calls me Stasi. Everyone except one person in all my life.. You seem to have made two very detrimental mistakes today Brandon. You know the first but secondly you seem to have forgotten who we are sitting with and just how powerful my new friends are." I said with the biggest smile on my face. He nervously looked around at everyone then his eyes rested once again on me.
He jumped up from his chair knocking it over. "Fuck." He ran toward the door. " You haven't seen the last of me Ana, just you wait." He called over his shoulder. "And when we do there will be hell to pay." He disappeared out of the room. I sat back down and threw back the rest of my wine.
"I'm so sorry for that ugly interruption to our fine evening Lord General."
"Don't you Worry Lady Tavington I shall send guards after him." He made a motion with his hand and two soldiers who had been standing by the door left. "Now let us Eat" The second course came out as he clapped his hands together. The guards came back later right as the men went for whiskey in the parlor and The other ladies and i were about to make our way to the library. and whispered something in Cornwallis's ear. "Colonel, Lady Tavington." He pulled us aside. "They could not find him. My apologizes.' He said gravely. Suddenly I felt like i couldn't breath. I began to take in short but rapid breaths.
"Stasi" Tavington came to stand in front of me and placed a hand on either side of my face. "We will get him next time we will be prepared. It took so much strength to face him like that." He kissed me briefly on the lips. I stared up into his eyes as my breathing slowed.
"Train me." He looked at me curiously for a moment then nodded.
"Very well, but for now i think it best that we retire." We made our rounds saying good night. Most everyone understood even those that didn't know the history between Brandon and I. The only one who didn't was Katherine. Who obviously just wanted to gossip and find out the bigger picture.