The Butchers Love

Chapter 24

Tavington's POV
Great another thunderstorm, I looked over to Mable and thankfully she was asleep. I stood up, covered her in the blankets and walked over to my desk. The first flash of lightning caused me to squeeze my eyes shut. This was my father's doing.

Flashback
I looked down at the desk in front of me and quietly opened the desk drawer. There resided my father's flintlock pistol, I took it into my hands and traced my fingers over the gold engravings.

My father walked into the room, rather stumbled, and lit a candle. A flash of lightning made him look towards the window which was unfortunately behind me. I threw the pistol onto the desk and tried my best to escape the room.

"Oi, yer little shit!" my father slurred, Mother would have said he was drunk. He grasped onto my hair and dragged me back towards him "What were yer doin' in here!"

"N-n-n"

"I forgot, yer can't talk" I squeezed my eyes shut and he dragged me towards his desk "fuckin' halfwit" another clap of thunder made me look towards the man I called 'father' out of fear and all he did was slap me across my cheek "Yer soft, just like ye mother" he threw me to the floor and I hit my cheek on the ground. Tears welled up in my eyes and I couldn't do anything, I just wanted my mother at that moment "Ger out!"

As quickly as possible, I stood up, ran out of the drawing-room and then downstairs into the living room. My mother looked up from her book and tilted her head to the side, then she saw the tears in my eyes and rushed up to me.

"William" she cooed and wrapped her arms around me "What happened"

"I-I-I"

"Shh, take a deep breath and speak when you're ready" In response, I nodded and took in a deep breath "That's it" she did the same as me for the next breath.

"I-I was playing in the drawing-room and I found something in father's desk, H-he caught me and-" mother cut me off by bringing me into a hug "Why is he like that, Ma?"

"Your father is obsessed with a certain drink, you'll understand when you're older" She mumbled and tenderly stroked my back "I need you to promise me something, Will"

"Anything, Ma"

"When you're married, never lay your hands on your wife, treat her with the utmost respect and make her feel loved every day"

"I promise" I smiled but winced at the pain in my cheek "How do you know when to get married? Did you know?"

"Well, your father and I married due to responsibility, we had no choice in the matter" She muttered before sitting on her knees "But you'll get a feeling in your stomach, nervousness or maybe even giddiness, you won't be able to think of anyone but her"

"So a little my friendship with Anna? She never seems to leave me alone"

"No, you'll know when you've found her" she looked up at the clock and then back at me "Now go off to bed, you have your first riding lesson tomorrow"

"Will father be there? Will he teach me?" I excitedly asked and my mother just shook her head.

"Unfortunately, your father has different plans"

"Oh...alright, Will you be there?"

"Of course my dear"

End of Flashback
It had been almost 18 years since that conversation with my mother, I looked over at my wife and smiled, she was truly my one and only. I poured myself a small glass of whiskey and looked out of the window, just staring at the rain beating the land and then over to the forests. Another clap of thunder made me shiver and drink the rest of my whiskey.