Chapter 2

Peggy made her way to the Lewis Bakery where afternoon tea was scheduled with Angelica and Eliza. The bakery was one she visited often where she chatted to Maria and filled up some of her spare time, if she wasn't going on long walks, looking round all the department stores, or visiting the harbour. She would stay there for an hour sometimes, just watching the ships leave and come back. or seeing the waves roll up onto the industrial harbour, restless almost.

She stepped inside the bakery to the pleasant smell of cinnamon buns and muffins creeping up her nose and the warm glow from inside the bakery thawing the ice cold atmosphere in the streets. She walked towards the counter where Maria was putting new cakes under the jars on display.

"Hello Peggy, afternoon tea at four for you with your sisters?" Asked Maria checking off her name on a checklist.

"Yes," stated Peggy, her smile was bright, and she was wearing a thick brown coat with a beret perched at a jaunty angle on her chocolatey mass of hair and a faux fur scarf.

"You're rather cheery on this freezing winters day," smiled Maria as she took Peggy to her seat in the window of the cosy bakery. She paused for a second. "He's been sending you letters hasn't he?"

Peggy nodded and blushed "Most days, he tells me all about it, every detail, he will possibly come back in a few months when the ship has a repair!" She sat down on a checked window seat cushion.

Maria's smile grew even wider "Thats brilliant Peggy! I must admit you're Lafayette is quite the gentleman!" They both laughed, just as the bell above the door rang and Angelica and Eliza stepped in.

As soon as they saw Peggy they ran up to her and gave her a massive hug, laughing and Peggy gasping for breath from being hugged so tight, happiness radiating over the three sisters like a torch in the midst of a foggy day, each off them grinning from ear to ear.

They sat down and suddenly immersed themselves in conversation, and scones, of course.

"How are you Peggy?" Asked Angelica, as poised as ever and sipping out of a beautifully decorated and probably ancient china cup.

"I've been ok, I suppose I'm just not used to it, not having anyone around and all. Putting that aside how are you"

"Good," Eliza smiled "Although Philip is missing Alex, he keeps calling out to him when he's asleep and waking up from nightmares in a real state. I stay with him but it is sometimes not enough." Eliza's expression fell, her anxiety for her child creeping back into her mind again.

Angelica smiled sympathetically at Eliza's face, one of which was smiling, but behind it an overworked, tired and anxious mind.

"You need a break," Suggested Peggy "A holiday, upstate or in the countryside, something like that."

"Mmm." Agreed Eliza, wishing she could.

…

Lafayette laid down on his ship bunk, now docked at South Carolina. He was the only one awake, and the bright moon was his only source of light.

John Church who was below him was snoring and the rest of the crew was still and asleep

He would write his letters at this time of night a lot, he found it peaceful, where he could concentrate on just that, no distractions. He pulled out his notepad and fountain pen and started his letter.

My Dearest, Peggy

These letters flowed out of him, writing almost a page about the surprisingly non-eventful day, although including cases of underage boys going into the army, then being found out and taken back home, but most of all they expressed his yearning to see her, and tell her that he loved her and keep her in his arms forever, that was what the letter was mostly about. They also consisted of telling her all the places they were going to go when he was back, everything they were going to do together.

And by every drop of ink he wanted to be back more and more.

It was 5 and a half months until the ships repair was due in New York, and he couldn't wait to see Peggy again. He could imagine her suddenly seeing him, her smiling as he would get off the ship, Her real smile. How he wanted to be back in New York, walking through Central park, and seeing the place that had become his home.

Au revoir Peggy mon amour,

Yours, Laf

Finally when he was done writing them he enveloped it up to be sent to her tomorrow morning, then closed his eyes, his thoughts being occupied with her, and finally he smiled slightly before falling asleep.