The Butchers Love

Chapter 36

I woke up to the sounds of hooves thundering towards the Fort, it was only 8am. Then I heard my husbands shouting voice. Almost immediately, I sprung from the bed and hid his Christmas gifts in my bedside table and underneath the bed, then quickly brushed through my hair. Once the door opened, I looked to the side to meet with his eyes. He threw his satchel and haversack on the floor before rushing up to me.

"My darling! I've missed you so!" William excitedly shouted. I did the same as him and met with his warm embrace "I love you so much Mable"

I wrapped my arms around him and nuzzled into his chest "I love you more, Will, nothing has been the same without you"

He pulled away for a moment and stared into my eyes "I'm here now, I'm not going anywhere"

"You're so annoying" I nudged his shoulder before looking into his eyes "But I love you nonetheless" It was at this point, I noticed how his waist had gotten thinner along with his arms "You look starved, come, you need something to eat"

"I can wait, I-I need to talk with you" He took my hands and stared into my eyes "I know that I'm a fool, I didn't realise what I had in front of me. You're the one who I cannot give up, I love you Mable and now I need an answer" William produced a golden ring from his pocket and stared at me once again "Will you take me as I am? A British man who is madly in love with you"

I nodded and kissed his cheek "you have a way with words" he slanted his head in confusion "You're my husband, I married you for a reason" with those words I looked into his eyes "because I love you tavy" William let out a breath of relief "But why the ring, copper was fine for me"

"Your my queen, you deserve to be treated by one"

"Then off with your head" I playfully, but gently, tapped his temple "come, you need to eat, breakfast will be ready soon"

"I'll be fine love, I just need to do a little training"

"Come on Will, your practically wasting away"

"if I say no, will you still pester?"

"Obviously"

William sighed and nodded "Alright" he smiled before sliding the ring on my finger "Beautiful"

"handsome, now come you must eat"

"Darling, breakfast is at 9am it's an hour from now"

"then what would you suggest we do in the meantime?"

"Well, I'd rather not see you freeze" as he spoke, he picked up a blanket and wrapped it around my shoulders "Stay warm"

William took off his baldric and then his belt before freeing himself from his overcoat "What are you doing?" I asked and sat on the edge of the bed.

"relieving myself of duty" he stretched before sitting on the edge of the bed "Within the past month, I've almost died a grand total of 3 times"

"You need to be careful love, I do want you intact when you come home"

"Actually it was Matheson's fault, he gave me the wrong information 3 times, he's getting demoted" he fell backwards onto the bed and smiled again "right now, I just want to admire you"

I noticed that my nightgown had no sleeves and it was only held together by lace "Well your wife is barely dressed"

"Even better?" he asked in an unsure tone, wondering how I would react.

To his surprise I blushed and bit my lip slightly "No, you need a bath before we do anything of that sort"

"Well I'll be doing that after breakfast and when I've received a fine bollocking from Cornwallis" William mumbled before sighing and sitting up once again "We lost Blackstock, it was my first defeat"

"Oh..." I looked down at my lap and then back at my husband "I'm sorry, I didn't know"

"It doesn't matter, I have you" He looked up at me and smiled slightly "Anyway, I made something while I was away" William muttered and picked up his haversack "I got rather bored a week ago when we were snowed in, so I made you this" he brought out a leather knot bracelet "it isn't much, hell its a piece of leather-"

"It's beautiful" I smiled and pulled him into an embrace "I love it just as I love you"

William took my hand and gently wrapped the leather around my wrist before adding a little piece of of metal shaped like a cross "That is to protect you, it's like a rosary but on your wrist, it was my mother's cross"

"Then you should have it" I tried to take it off but he stopped me.

"I have my own, I've had it since I was a child, that was also my mother's doing" he looked down at his chest and pulled out a leather necklace with a cross on it from underneath his shirt "I wear it in battle to protect me"

"it's kept you safe thus far then?"

"No you've kept me safe" he muttered and lifted me into his arms, I wrapped my legs around his waist and rested my forehead against his "I love you"

"I love you more" I uttered and untied the cloth in his hair, letting his rather knotty locks fall to his shoulders, carefully brushing my fingers through it.

He leant towards my touch and closed his eyes for a moment "that is heavenly" William sat down on the bed, resting me on his lap as he did so "Honestly, this gives me the most pleasure"

"Does it?"

"It does, it's calming"

"I wonder if our child would like the same"

"Is your sickness any better? I was meaning to ask"

"It's getting better I guess, compared to a fortnight ago anyway"

"I'm sorry for not being here-"

"-Don't you dare be sorry. You have a duty to your country-"

"But I also have a duty to you" He took both of my hands and intertwined our fingers "and to our child, to provide for you both"

"Your position is too important to you, you've come so far"

William rolled us both over and pinned my hands above my head "My darling, you're more important " He mumbled and kissed my forehead gently.

I placed a hand on his chest and then stared into his eyes "how about I treat you, by head down to the kitchens and bringing something for you to eat?"

"You really do spoil me"

"I love you, that's why"

"if I allow you to do that, does that mean I can fall asleep in your arms?"

I rolled my eyes and nodded "if you get a bath"

"Christ, alright, I'll get a bath"

"but first, you're having something to eat"

"I love you"

"I love you too"