Chapter 1
"Father! Father! Nathan's back. Now will you tell us what you're being so
mysterious about?"
Benjamin Martin looked down at his daughter and smiled. He watched, smiling,
as nine year old Meg ran over to her brothers and sisters, picked up Susan- the
youngest- and came rushing back, closely followed by her siblings. They gathered
round his feet in an excited rabble. Nathan saw them and, pulling off his boots,
came over to join them.
"Now father? Now will you tell us?"
"Wait! Where's Thomas? And Gabriel?"
"Out with the men. They went down to the creek."
"And they wouldn't let me come." William was only six years old but already
was independent and desperate to be like his older brothers.
"I should think not" his father told him "The creek is far too dangerous. You
could be drowned."
"But you let Thomas and Gabriel go. And Nathan and Sam." William was
disappointed; being young had its disadvantages.
"If it's any consolation, he wouldn't let me go either. And I'm much older than
Nathan and Sam." Emily couldn't resist adding.
"But you're a girl."
"So? I'm a better swimmer than you are."
"But that's not fair. You're bigger than me."
"Exactly. So I should be allowed to go swimming in the creek with the boys. Why
can't I father?"
"It's not ladylike. You're a young woman, you have to conduct yourself in such a
manner that it is obvious."
"It's not my fault I was born a girl."
"It's not my fault either. Now, stop arguing and behave yourself."
"But father……"
"Do you want to hear what I've got to say or not? Good. All right then, I've just
received a letter from your Aunt Charlotte, asking if we would like to spend the
summer with her in Charles Town."
"We're going to Charles Town?" Sam cried excitedly.
"Yup- we leave in the morning."
"Father! Father! Nathan's back. Now will you tell us what you're being so
mysterious about?"
Benjamin Martin looked down at his daughter and smiled. He watched, smiling,
as nine year old Meg ran over to her brothers and sisters, picked up Susan- the
youngest- and came rushing back, closely followed by her siblings. They gathered
round his feet in an excited rabble. Nathan saw them and, pulling off his boots,
came over to join them.
"Now father? Now will you tell us?"
"Wait! Where's Thomas? And Gabriel?"
"Out with the men. They went down to the creek."
"And they wouldn't let me come." William was only six years old but already
was independent and desperate to be like his older brothers.
"I should think not" his father told him "The creek is far too dangerous. You
could be drowned."
"But you let Thomas and Gabriel go. And Nathan and Sam." William was
disappointed; being young had its disadvantages.
"If it's any consolation, he wouldn't let me go either. And I'm much older than
Nathan and Sam." Emily couldn't resist adding.
"But you're a girl."
"So? I'm a better swimmer than you are."
"But that's not fair. You're bigger than me."
"Exactly. So I should be allowed to go swimming in the creek with the boys. Why
can't I father?"
"It's not ladylike. You're a young woman, you have to conduct yourself in such a
manner that it is obvious."
"It's not my fault I was born a girl."
"It's not my fault either. Now, stop arguing and behave yourself."
"But father……"
"Do you want to hear what I've got to say or not? Good. All right then, I've just
received a letter from your Aunt Charlotte, asking if we would like to spend the
summer with her in Charles Town."
"We're going to Charles Town?" Sam cried excitedly.
"Yup- we leave in the morning."