Chapter Eight
Tavington and Caitlin walked in silence; Caitlin stumbling as she tried to keep up with Tavington's military march through the forest. The silence only served to fuel the embarrassment that was suspended in the air. After a while they reached a slow-moving stream in a small clearing of lush grass and wildflowers. Caitlin would have thought it pretty had she not been so mortified. Tavington stopped and turned towards her, his eyes superciliously taking in her meagrely clad form.
"I will give you fifteen minutes to make yourself…decent. I request that there will be no disobedience. You are familiar with the consequences if you escape,"
Caitlin stuck out her tongue at him as he turned away to make himself comfortable on a fallen tree. Checking to see that he definitely wasn't watching, she removed the soiled dress and dunked it into the stream. With hurried, vigorous scrubbing she managed to get most of the stain out. Next were her white undergarments. She was uninclined to wash those as that would leave her completely exposed, at least until she was into the fresh underclothes. She didn't trust that he could keep those piercing eyes averted. But time was running out, so as quick as lightning, she changed into her new petticoats, tossing the dirty ones into the stream. She was only halfway through washing them when Tavington called out.
"Your time is up,"
She froze in her washing attempts, listening as his footsteps approached behind her. There was a charged pause; Caitlin could feel his eyes on her form as she perched by the stream with only thin white cotton separating her nakedness from his knife-like gaze. She placed the wet garments with the green dress on the grass and then stood up, still with her back to Tavington.
It's only polite that he look away so that I can change properly. With that thought, she spun around to face him, cheeks flushing from both discomfiture and annoyance but was shocked to find him only inches away, holding the navy dress over his arm. She endeavoured to back away but reached the edge of the stream and became imbalanced. Tavington dropped the dress and grasped her arms, pulling her away from the edge. Caitlin crashed into his broad chest, instantly wishing that she had fallen into the water instead. It was much preferable to the uncomfortable closeness of him; the heat from his body dangerously beguiling. She could the vibrations of his soft laughter as he held her still.
"Clumsy aren't we?"
She tried to shove him away with all her strength but was no match against him; he enjoyed watching her squirm as she knew all too well. Tavington clenched her arms even tighter.
"Let me make myself decent sir," Caitlin said through gritted teeth.
"Of course," he stepped back and picked up the dropped dress for her, holding it out so that she had to reach for it. Cautiously she raised her hand to take it. But Tavington wasn't going to let her get away that easily. He dropped the dress and took her wrist, pulling her close so that she was against him yet again. Crying out in fury, Caitlin raised a hand to strike him in the face, but he grabbed it with his other hand, pulling it down with ease.
"I told you I liked my hostages feisty," he murmured into her golden hair. He crushed himself to her petite figure, trapping her arms between them.
"I ask you to let me go now!"
"Ask, or beg?"
Caitlin would not stoop to his level of pettiness, so remained silent yet deeply enraged. He reached down and traced the curve of her cheek with his hand. His touch sent a not unpleasant shiver down her spine. Tavington noticed this which made his mouth twitch wickedly. Her reaction encouraged him to trace the soft curve of her lips, causing her to sigh involuntarily.
Stop it Caitlin! She chided herself and willing her body to resist his advances. She snapped at his roaming fingers, yet it only made him laugh again. He is so annoying!
His hand was at her hair now, teasing out the knots. While he was distracted, Caitlin lifted her foot and stomped with all her might onto the colonel's leather boot. It only served to make him pay attention rather than cause any significant harm. His hands followed the curve of her hips and waist; beneath the thin cotton fabric they felt cool to the touch.
"I ask you to keep your hands to yourself butcher,"
This irritated him a little.
"I'll be interested to see how you manage to stop me,"
"Is that a threat?"
His hands found the sides of her face. He leant down and whispered in her ear
"Only if you want it to be,"
Before she could protest he forced his lips onto hers, bruising them in his enthusiasm. Caitlin instantly froze, her hands at his chest attempting to push him away. All of a sudden his kiss changed rhythm. Instead of being hurried and forced it became gentle, probing, encouraging her to respond. Caitlin's head swam with mixed feelings.
I shouldn't want this! I shouldn't even enjoy this! But her emotional barriers could take only so much beating and she gave into the colonels kisses. Her hands traced the hard muscles in his arms; she struggled to keep standing. Tavington compressed her body closer to his so that every part of her was touching him. She felt that at the same time he was pulling her too close yet not close enough. She managed to catch her breath as he began follow the contour of her collarbone with his lips.
"No," she warned, breathless. She could feel him slipping the strap from her chemise to expose her shoulder. "No…"
"Oh most certainly yes," he murmured against her bare skin. His mouth had found hers again, undeterred by her weak protests. As she felt him endeavour to remove her chemise she bit him on the lips, hard. She heard him growl but he did not release her.
"That was rather harsh," he glared at her, his lips battered from her attack.
"And rather necessary. You go to far colonel,"
This made him smirk.
"From what I could gather, you seemed to enjoy it,"
His closeness made her muddled, his masculine scent confusing her train of thought.
"I…you…wait," she struggled to find a retort but sighed, admitting defeat. She couldn't deny that she did not enjoy it, her flushed face and thumping heartbeat was testament of that. Tavington took that as his consent and gathered her easily in his arms. She did not have the resolve to object as she no longer had control over her body. He reached the centre of the clearing, placed her gently onto the soft green grass and knelt beside her, leaning over so that his face hovered inches from her glowing one. His piercing blue eyes searched hers. Caitlin merely blinked languidly and waited for his next move. Still looking into her eyes, Tavington moved his hands down her thighs, down until they reached the end of her skirt. He began to slowly push it up.
The sound of a pistol shot not to far from where they lay cracked through the air, startling them both. Tavington immediately sprang up, reaching for his own pistol that was fastened at his hip.
"Stay here," he ordered Caitlin before sprinting off into the woods.
"Well where else was I about to go, dressed like this?" Caitlin felt a little discontented. She sat up and felt her bruised lips, wondering how far she would have let the colonel go in his conquest. She was a modest girl and had her morals; loosing her virginity in the 18th century was not on her plan of things to do before she turned eighteen. She stood up and walked over to pick up the blue dress, but the sound of a stick snapping made her pause. Heart hammering, she turned around quickly, hoping that Tavington had returned. But the shape that approached her was not Tavington, but it was not entirely foreign.
"Caitlin?" a familiar, soft yet sure voice called out. Caitlin stared as the figure of Benjamin Martin approached her hurriedly. He reached her and grasped her by the shoulders as if she would run away. "Are you alright?"
Nodding her head, Caitlin managed to mutter an unintelligible reply. The situation was beginning to become overwhelming for her. First she was all but sexually molested by the colonel and now Benjamin was standing before her, looking a little rough for wear, but still the same kind, patient surrogate father that she had grown to depend on. The last she had seen of him was in the forest when they had parted during the ambush of the Green Dragoons. Suddenly she remembered.
"Gabriel? Did you rescue him?"
"We did. And the children are safe with their Aunt Charlotte,"
Caitlin sighed with relief.
"Are you here with anyone?"
Caitlin was about to reply, but the sound of footsteps approaching cut her off.
"The colonel! He'll be back any minute now!"
With that statement Benjamin took Caitlin by the hand and they began to run, away from the clearing and away from Tavington as he made his return. Caitlin looked behind her briefly and was relieved to see that Tavington had not yet reached the clearing. She wouldn't know how to react if he had seen her escaping, the conflicting emotions regarding her desire for the colonel and her loyalty to Benjamin would bewilder her state of mind.
… … … … … …
As Tavington approached the clearing, he knew instantly that something was amiss. His instincts were proved to be correct as he found Caitlin to be missing from where he left her in the middle of the grass. This angered him greatly.
The little minx probably escaped with the rebels he concluded. This thought only angered him more and he took the pistol from its holster and fired it into the nearest tree. The bullet rebounded, grazing his arm as he leapt to the side away from its destructive path. Yes, he really had to gain control over the renowned temper that was so well known in the Tavington family.
Nothing infuriated him more than to have someone disobey his commands. And by an impertinent girl at that! She was aware of the consequences if she got away, and by God he would stand by his plan. The girl was going to pay for her disrespect, even if it took him the entire war to find her.
…