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Author's Chapter Notes:
As always, thanks so much for the encouraging reviews. I am nearly through with the next chapter, so keep your eyes open
It was nearly evening when Elizabeth exited her tent. Although she had tried to perform her usual rounds in the medical tent after her discussion with Liam and Bryant, the Doctor sought her out. Once the older gentleman had pulled her aside, he explained that, before exiting the hospital tent, Lieutenant Burbank had demanded that she be brought to him once she had awoken. In hushed tones, the Doctor gently suggested that she do her best to make herself scarce, at least until Burbank had departed the camp for New York. Due to her blinding headache and bruised pride, Elizabeth had meekly agreed, hardly relishing the idea of Accepting the large pile of clothes the Doctor had handed to her to mend, Elizabeth had taken them back to her tent to sew.

Now, just prior to dinner after an entire day of tedious mending, Elizabeth hoped that the encroaching dusk would help her maintain anonymity while she stretched her legs a bit, glad to be free of the dark tent. She wasn't sure when exactly Lt. Burbank was due to depart, but she didn't want to press her luck. Stretching out her arms, she swept her sunbleached hair over one shoulder, and looked around to be sure that the coast was clear before making her way to the wood path that would lead her to the river.

She took slow deep breaths as she walked, relishing the cool breeze that drifted through the trees. The air should have refreshed her, but instead Elizabeth jumped at every noise, her mind convincing her that Burbank waited behind every bush, in every shadow. Finally reaching the bank, the young woman removed her apron and set it upon the ground. Moving forward towards the water, she bent over and quickly selected a large smooth stone from the riverbed. Wiping it off with her skirts, she returned to the spot where she had set the apron. She took one long look around her to be sure that she wasn't followed, and then finally eased herself down, trying not to jar her upper body. Although the altercation had taken place hours ago, it seemed that the constant ache in her cheek had worsened, the pain further tangling her already tumultuous thoughts. I should have known better, she thought bitterly, lifting the cool stone to her sore face. Although the pressure initially caused her to gasp sharply, it was only moments until the stone was drawing out the heat from her aching cheek. Elizabeth closed her eyes, breathing in the cool river air and relaxing as the soft sounds of the night soothed and comforted.

***

Bryant was sitting by the side of the small fire cleaning off his horse's tack when his commanding officer walked up.

"Sir" he nodded deferentially, but his tone was casual, greeting his friend. William sat down next to him and laughed lightly.

"With the hours we put in today, I think we are allowed to forego some chores for tonight. Come on, that bridle is clean enough already, you can leave it until tomorrow." He said quietly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small tin. Bryant reached over to hang his bridle on the nail sticking out from the post in front of the tent, and then turned back to his friend.

"Been hoarding the good stuff, I see?" Bryant teased, watching William roll a cigarette from the dried tobacco he had pulled from the tin. William only smiled, passing the tin to Bryant, who helped himself. The two men sat companionably in silence for a moment once their cigarettes were lit, savoring the rich sweet aroma of the tobacco smoke, feeling as the last bit of tension seeped from their bodies, both sore from the intense training from the past week. After a few minutes, William spoke up.

"We will be riding off tomorrow afternoon, as the weather begins to cool. I suggest you try to wrap up any unfinished business tonight, as I will need your help tomorrow with the men. We've got a lot of first-timers" he said, wistfully referring to the young enlisted men, eager but untrained, and hardly prepared for the battles they would no doubt fight along the way to their destination. Bryant nodded, and then paused for a moment, considering his next words.

"Speaking of unfinished business, Elizabeth..." he trailed off, unsure of how to continue, how to say it in a way that wouldn't send William after Burbank. William's eyes locked on Bryant at the sound of her name, an mild jealousy gripping him momentarily. For a few seconds, William grit his teeth to force the unwelcome emotion back--this was Bryant afterall-- before speaking.

"What about her?" he inquired, his voice forcefully light and even. Unfortunately, knowing the Major as well as he did, Bryant immediately saw the tension in William's jaw, and decided to proceed more tactfully.

"You should speak to her, before we go. With only my brother's poor person to keep her company, I think she seems a bit lonely." He said slowly. William quirked an eyebrow.

"Have you gone daft? Since when did you give a damn about what that woman felt?" He asked, not suspicious, but rather amused. Bryant fidgeted with the cigarette, rolling it between two fingers.

"She's not so bad. A hell of a rider, for a woman." Bryant shrugged, trying to appear casual.

"Then leave her to her horses" William snorted, taking another long drag off the cigarette in his hand. Bryant could see that bringing up the topic without alarming the other man would not be an easy task. He sighed and tried again.

"Well. we'll be going for a while, and its best if she knows that its safer for her to remain here in camp...and to not cause problems for those left in charge" Bryant said, gazing into the fire.

"Sure, because she has listened to me so well thus far." Clearly William wasn't buying Bryant's lame explanation. "What the hell is going on, whay are you pushing me to speak with her?" He asked in mild aggravation.

"She and Burbank had words in the tent this morning..." William shot up at the older Lieutenant's name, a scowl marring his face. "I posted a man outside her tent, she's fine. I just think she could use some company" he said, recognizing the concern in the other man's eyes.

"Did that sonofabitch hurt her?" William growled out. Bryant held his hands up.

"That woman is made of steel with a stubborn streak a mile wide, she'd never admit anything to me. You'd best ask her." He said, nodding his head towards the river path. William stood rail straight for a minute, his hands fisted. "You might want to take the long route, relax first" Bryant suggested, hoping William would calm down a bit before approaching the woman. He had seen enough of Elizabeth's temper to know that William's anger would only fuel her own, and it was only a matter of time until one of them ended up burned.

"Very well." William said softly. "I am going for a walk." He straightened his shoulders, stomped out his cigarette, and walked off towards the woods.As Bryant watched his friend leave, he couldnt help but think that, had this been another place or another time, any circumstances other than these, that William might have met his equal in that feisty young woman.


***

"Elizabeth?" William called out as he reached the riverbank, glancing around. Out of the shadows she rose, a graceful spectre in the fading light.

"Am I not to have any peace tonight?" She asked, looking upwards to the heavens in exasparation, but without any real heat in her words. She wisely kept her injured cheek to the darkness of the woods, so that the bruise wouldn't be visible.

"I heard you had an altercation with a Lieutenant this morning?" He asked, his voice stern and his facial expression grave. Elizabeth only rolled her eyes in response.

"Amazing. Men killed in battle every day and your concerned over a petty spat?" Elizabeth said derisively.

"So that was it, a petty spat?" William asked, trying to read her but with no luck. Elizabeth shrugged.

"So sorry to disappoint." She snorted.

"Miss High-and-Mighty just couldn't hold her tongue. Christ woman, you have issues, you realize that? You really need to learn your place" Not to be baited, Elizabeth laughed at him.

"That's not the first time I've heard that suggested today. Are you done lecturing yet? I would rather simply be sent to bed without my supper if you please" She said, placing a hand on her hip. William sighed and threw his hands up.

"I surrender. Can we try to have a civil conversation? Between two adults?" He asked, without anger. Unable to control her aggravation, Elizabeth rolled her eyes again.

"Oh right, I forgot. Its not like I am your prisoner or anything...oh wait, I am!" She spat, annoyed with herself for her unexplained anger towards William. All the frustration that had been pent up during the day was working its way out, and the young woman was only getting started.

"Elizabeth..." William said softly, looking at her sternly like he would at a misbehaving child. Elizabeth shot him a withering glance, and huffed, crossing her arms.

"Oh don't 'Elizabeth' me, you--" Just then a night bird took off from a nearby tree, sending a small branch to the ground. At the crunch of leaves, Elizabeth whipped around, fear gripping her at the thought that someone was approaching. William saw the look of fright that passed over her face, suprised at her reaction. He squinted and looked closer when he noticed a small bump on her cheekbone, hidden by shadows.

Elizabeth looked back at him, ready to continue her tirade but stopped as she saw the strange look in William's eyes. She saw him squint, trying to get a better look at her cheel The moment he began to reach out his hand towards her face, she turned to bolt back towards the camp.

William couldn't be sure, but he thought something was slightly wrong with the side of Elizabeth's face. Although it had been half-hidden in the shadows, he thought he had caught a glimpse of a mark, but he couldn't be sure. When she tried to suddenly leave, he instinctively grabbed her wrist in an attempt to pull her out of the shadows, closer towards him so that he could see her face more clearly.

Elizabeth wasn't about to let him get a good look at her injury. She had been mortified enough to be knocked unconscious in front of Eli, Bryant, and the hospital patients, but she was not about to appear weak or helpless in front of William, not again.

"Get your hands off of me!" She cried, glaring at him. Taken off guard by the fury in the woman's voice, William released her hand.

"You've touched me against my will before, but don't expect it to happen again" she whispered angrily. "You-"

The fury that flashed in his suddenly cold blue eyes chilled her through, and quickly shut her up. He knew exactly where this conversation was going.

"Don't you dare suggest that what's transpired between us has been against your will. You were a willing participant!" He growled, advancing on her. "I'd never hurt a woman". Elizabeth held her ground, but prayed that he wouldn't come near enough to see the damage done by Burbank's fist. She decided that she had had enough embarrassment for one day. Better to be on the offensive than the defensive.

"Oh sure, you wouldn't hurt her, but you have no problem tying her up, kidnapping her, and then holding her captive. I'm just speechless in awe of your moral fortitude" she said, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.

"Well consider yourself un-kidnapped. I leave in the morning with the rest of my men and won't be returning for some time. Once I'm gone, feel free to leave. Nothing is keeping you here. Certainly I won't." Although he said the words with a careless tone, he felt like he was twisting a knife through his own gut. When Elizabeth looked up at him with something akin to horror in her eyes, he had to bite his tongue to refrain from apologizing immediately. He spun on his heel and marched off, willing his legs to carry him away from her as quickly as possible.

As he stormed off, he cursed himself bitterly. Her accusations, though flippantly thrown at him, had hurt, and somehow he couldn't just leave it be. Once he was out of sight of the young woman, his shoulders drooped in defeat and his head hung in shame.

In the morning, he would be marching off to war, a war that he had trained for, a war that he was committed to in every way possible. So why couldn't he shake the feeling that he was running away?



Once he had disappeared into the woods, Elizabeth found herself completely alone in the darkness.

"I'm free" she whispered. As William had stalked off, the importance of his words had struck her. She was no longer a prisoner. William was leaving.

And then the tears came.





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