The Last Marigold

XXIX

"Why on earth did you come to the colonies lass? it is dangerous for a woman in the middle of a warzone" Major Borden sighed as he helped her out of the wagon, sighing slightly when Captain Wilkins appeared when he appeared out of nowhere. He made eye contact with the colonel's sister before joining his men "Isabella, you're gawking"

"I'm not, am I?" She muttered and looked up at Borden "I-I don't know, he's rather handsome i suppose"

"Your brother would shoot him dead if he had the chance" James sighed as they walked over to the front door. He reached forwards and unlocked the door, smiling at Isabella's reaction "My wife and I reside here with William, his wife will surely love you though"

The young Tavington smiled when a dog came bolting down the stairs, followed by her brother's familiar shouting voice. Isabella knelt down and gently stroked the dogs head, smiling softly before kissing it's nose "James, why couldn't you arrive in the morning..." William asked as he pulled on his waistcoat while he was walking down the stairs "And why is...my- Isabella! what the bloody hell are you doing here?!"

The young miss stood up and rushed over towards her brother, hugging him rather tightly "I thought that I'd surprise you, the other three grew distant after they were married"

William shook his head and pecked her forehead "and here I am thinking that you would be married first, I have missed you dear sister" He noticed her reaction when she eventually registered his face "I was injured around three months ago, I wrote to you more than a dozen times and you never seemed to reply..."

"Yes, dear mamma decided to move us out to the country around a year after you left...your letters were probably sent to our house in London" Isabella smiled slightly when her brother's eyes widened ever so slightly "Mamma is well, she is nearing fifty now. Katherine, Felicity and Anne are all married now, they found their matches mere months after moving to Yorkshire"

"Yorkshire? you and mother are living well I hope?"

"Very, she has found a new husband, a wealthy man who actually loves her...unlike father"

"A-And no one wrote to tell me? I would have come home immediately and witness the wedding"

"Mother thought that you were dead when we stopped receiving your letters. When I turned eighteen, I set out on a journey to find you and prove to mother that her only son was alive, I did some asking around Charles Towne and discovered that your camp was in Camden. I managed to then convince a nice fellow to take me, I arrived this morning at the camp and now I'm here" Isabella beamed before hugging her brother once again, hearing another pair of footsteps coming down the stairs in the process "And every letter I tried sending was denied, no one knew where your dragoons were"

William nodded his head "It's alright, you're here now, that is all that matters, It's been hard without you" he beamed before taking her hands into his "Come, you must eat, you can meet my wife and boys if you wish as well"

Marigold watched the scene from the stairs, smiling slightly when she saw her husband happy once again. When she eventually managed to make her way over towards him, her smile turned into a shy one when Isabella looked at her with wide eyes "This is your wife, I presume?"

"Ah- yes" William turned to face Marigold "this is Marigold Tavington, the love of my life and the mother to our children"

"She is quite beautiful! how did you manage to secure her brother?"

"luck, cake and wine" He jested before hearing one of the babies crying from upstairs. William smiled slightly as he walked towards Marigold "I will tend to them, get comfortable while Isabella torments you with memories from our youth" He lightly pecked her cheek and made his way up the stairs.