Love and Loyalty

~5~

Following the events of the previous evening, William needed to clear his head. He had already been given permission to ride the horses as Eliza was usually too busy to exercise them herself. After around five minutes of lounging around in bed, he dressed as usual and walked down the stairs into the drawing room. Eliza was there with Arthur, brushing threw his hair with a comb. William smiled slightly before picking up his boots and walking over to a solitary chair so he could put them on.

"Good morning Mr Thorne, did you sleep well?" Eliza asked with a smile before finishing her son's hair and placing the comb on the table.

"Better than most nights, thank you" He spoke before putting on his left boot. His new boots weren't made for riding, he still used his old ones when exercising the horses, he seemed to have more control over the beasts.

"I thought I said that you didn't need to work on Saturdays" Eliza mumbled, turning to face him fully.

William tried forming a sentence before clearing his throat "...The horses need exercise, I'll probably ride them around the field and then the corral" he muttered as he slid on his right boot before looking up at the mistress.

Arthur's head his head around, a wide smile apparent on his lips "Can you teach me to ride?! Oh please?!" he begged before looking up at his mother "He'll keep me safe mama, I know he will"

She looked towards the ex-colonel and shrugged her shoulders "It's up to you"

"go on then" William smiled as the boy rushed to get his boots "hopefully it'll tire him out so he actually sleeps through the night"

Eliza let out a quiet laugh before shaking her head "Have him back for dinner, he'll be irritable otherwise"

"Of course Miss Matthews"

"how many times have I told you to call me by my name?"

"I apologise miss...Eliza, it's a force of habit I guess" William said, quite liking the way her name rolled off his tongue. After a moment his downcast eyes raised to lock with hers. Eliza's cheeks flushed slightly so she looked down at the comb in her hands to distract herself from his rather intense gaze. He was about to say something when Arthur ran into the room with his shoes on "Are you ready little man?"

"Yes!"

He stood up and Arthur bolted it out of the door, William was about to follow when he heard Eliza say his name "Keep him safe..."

"No harm will come to him, I swear"

As he walked towards the stable he couldn't help but think of Eliza's flushed appearance, she looked adorable in his opinion. But he wouldn't allow a woman almost half his age determine his actions. He had free will, no one could change that.

~~~

William lifted Arthur onto the horse before taking a hold of the reins "Now, you better be holding on tight, your mother will crucify me if you fall off and break something" As he spoke, he guided the horse around the corral in a slow trot "That's it Arty, well done" Arthur was holding onto the saddle for dear life it seemed, he looked happy, so very happy. William stopped walking and pulled the reins back so Arthur could take a hold of them "now wrap you hand them- that's it -that's perfect"

"Is this right? just like that?"

"that's it, now hold on tight, you're riding on your own now" He smiled and took a step away from him, allowing him to truly ride on his own. William was proud, although this boy wasn't his own son, he was as good as.

"I'm doing it!" He gleamed as he trotted the paddock.

'papa! papa! look I'm doing it!'

'I couldn't care less, now be quiet before I beat you shitless'

William felt a shiver at the memory of his father, he did indeed beat him that night. He even had a scar on his lower back to prove it. But being as young as Arthur is, he didn't know what he did wrong, nor could he understand why his father was addicted to. Then around ten years ago he understood when he first felt alcohol touch his lips when he escaped Cowpens, it made him feel just about normal for the evening, then a day, then a week. With a shake of his head, he snapped back into reality, he saw how happy he had made Arthur just by taking him on the horses. In that moment, he felt peace, like everything in the world wasn't as bad as he had made it out to be. To see himself in a boy that wasn't even his was enough.

"Come on then little man, I promised your mother that you'd be back well before dinner" William caught the horse by the bridle before helping Arthur off the saddle "go and get changed, alright?"

"Okay Will!" then he wrapped his small arms around his waist and hugged him tightly "Thank you!" Arthur smiled before rushing back towards the plantation.

William took the horse by the bridle and guided it back to the stable. Once the horse was securely back in its stall, William unsaddled her and put it on the stall wall. When he was done, he walked out of the stables and made his way over towards the plantation. When he saw Eliza sat on a rocking chair on the porch, he stopped in his tracks and swallowed thickly.

He hated the way she made him feel. But...her eyes, her sincerity, her smile. He was a dog, harsh and cold to people who even disliked him. When he saw her, he became somebody else. He travelled throughout America after the war knowing that he should be kicked to the side, like every stray dog should be. But, like a stray dog, he became dependent on those who fed him. Eliza. Every slight touch, every 'good morning,' every damned gaze. He fed on it, and now...he couldn't imagine life without it. The warmth had grown on William. And he loathed and loved it at the same time.

Come on William, it's just a woman, grin an bear it!

He cleared his throat and slowly walked back to the plantation, and as expected, Eliza looked up at him and smiled "Good evening William"

"good evening Eliza" The words came so naturally, he hated it.

"Will you be joining me for dinner?"

"I believe so, I'd need to get changed as I smell of horse"

She nodded slightly and stood up "Well Omari informed me that dinner will be in half an hour" William's lips broke into a smile for a moment as he thought of what to say. God, she was beautiful, but he hated himself for admitting that "Thank you for teaching Arthur to ride, I've just been overly busy this past year to do it myself"

"what can I say, the boy has grown on me" he shrugged before leaning against the doorframe, staring into eyes as he attempted to form yet another sentence.

"Would you care to join me for tea later this evening?"

He considered it for a moment before nodding "yes, tea would be most lovely"

A grin spread across her lips "brilliant, I shall see you at dinner"