This Kiss of A Ghost
**( Please note that this story takes place before the movie 'The Patriot'. It will be from the point of view of both Benjamin Martin, and his soon-to-be wife Elizabeth Selton.)
"There was a time when I questioned the validity of Lieutenant Brewer's statement that there was never any peace to be found during a time of war. Now.. now I've come to realize that is anything but untrue. There are moments where you forget the bloodshed, the screams, and the death. But those few moments are haunted by the faces of the men I've killed. They are my constant companions, my demons." – Benjamin Martin
"For God's sake, Elizabeth, occupy your mind with something else! You're going to wear a hole in my floor with your damned pacing." Judith Sikes was a cynical woman whose tongue was nearly as quick as that of a snake. Fortunately her bitter nature was not enough to drive away her newly acquired companion: Elizabeth Selton. The young woman's patient and nurturing manner kept most of the older woman's pointed words at bay while she read to her, played the pianoforte for the woman's entertainment, or sewed along side her. At the present though, despite her best efforts, her thoughts where elsewhere- her concentration fixed on the gate to her father's townhouse across the street.
It was October 23rd.
It had been October 23rd all day yet her hearts desire had yet to have been filled, much to her nerve's regret. It had been five months since she had last seen her neighbor, and she could wait no longer. His letter had been clear- October 23rd, but a small part of Elizabeth's mind was still left to doubt.
"I'm sorry Ma'am." Elizabeth breathed before dragging her gaze away from the window and towards the pianoforte sitting silently in the corner. She needed to occupy herself before Lady Sikes fired her. Smoothing out the folds of her gown, Elizabeth moved the chestnut bench and seated herself before the ivory keys.
Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat out of anticipation she extended her hands over the keys before beginning to play. The melodious sound, though a pleasure and a comfort to Lady Sikes's ears, was drowned out by Elizabeth's heartbeat as time ticked on.
Fixing her thoughts upon the music before her she desperately tried to submerge herself into the task at hand. A woman should submit herself to this kind of desperate anxiety involving a man. It wasn't healthy. Elizabeth had never been obsessed about anything in her life- it simply wasn't who she was.
Yet for all her attempts to keep her feelings under control she couldn't keep a steady grip upon her heart.
"What is that horrible racket?" Elizabeth took no notice of Lady Sikes's demanding tone. "Elizabeth!" With a start, Elizabeth was pulled back into reality and the music came to an abrupt stop.
Turning towards the elderly woman she arched a slender brow doing her best to remain calm. The woman told her to play and now she was drawing her attention elsewhere, but Elizabeth's annoyance with the woman melted away as she recognized the "racket" to which Lady Sikes had been referring.
There was no mistaking the sound of the celebration outside of the home she was sitting inside. Rising, in a near trance like state, Elizabeth moved to the window with haste.
"The regiment…" Those words upon the young woman's lips held such a tender excitement that not even Lady Sikes spoke up initially.
"I suppose your going to want to have the rest of the day off…"
Elizabeth turned towards the woman with a smile of pure joy upon her lips as she looked at her hopefully. What had all her patience been for if Lady Sikes turned her down now?
With a heavy sigh the woman gave a shrug, "Fine, fine, but tomorrow you'd best have your head out of the clouds, understood?"
Elizabeth nodded, "I understand." She replied, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. "Thank you!"
With one hand, Elizabeth hiked up the folds of her gown, and moved from the room as quickly as possible. Upon reaching the front door she dropped her skirts, and took a moment to adjust them before slipping out into the street.
It had been five months.
(Additional chapters coming! Hopefully they won't be this short! )