It's been almost three days since we were rescued from Seabury and my back has healed slightly. I can't wear a corset because it is too tight and hurts me too much, I can't bear to look at my back when I clean my wounds. I have long welts and tears into my back as I could barely shift my should blades. The men left us letters telling us that we need to avoid making it look like we are not here. We mostly stay upstairs and avoid being seen. I could walk some distance and Peggy could too. But we were too scared now, we flinch when the door is knocked on. I kept sitting by the window watching the stars as Angelica walked in with her small candle. "Eliza, have you eaten yet?" She asked as I looked at her and shook my head. "Eliza, you need to eat." Angelica said as I shook my head.
"I'm not very hungry right now…" I said as she winced in pain. "Angie, are you alright?" I asked worried as I got up from the rocking chair as she nodded.
"It's fine, it's just a small pain from my stitches." She said as Peggy ran into our room.
"Peggy? What's wrong?" I asked her as she handed me a letter, shaking.
"They won." She said as I looked at them. "What?" I said shocked as she pointed to the letter. "We won the war! England surrender to the army. They are coming home!" Peggy exclaimed as Angelica and I covered our mouths and we all embraced. "Our men are coming home…" Angelica said amazed as we all nodded. "Our world is officially turned upside down." I said as we hugged onto each other tightly.
"How did you get this letter?" I asked Peggy as she looked down.
"It was on our doorstep. I know we are not a loud outside now but I recognized the hand writing. It's from Hercules." Peggy explained as we pulled away from her. She winced and let out a small cry as she took a step back.
"I'm sorry…" Angelica and I said as she looked down.
"It's not your fault. I'm fine… let's go to sleep." Peggy said as she went to her bed.
"Peggy, does it say when they are coming home?" I asked as she nodded.
"It says that they will be home tomorrow." Peggy said as she climbed into her bed wincing.
"Peggy, is your back hurting more than normal?" Angie asked worried as she shook her head.
"It just hurts getting into bed." She said as I covered her up.
"Get some sleep okay." I said as Angie and I pecked her forehead. "Get some sleep." I said to Angelica as she kissed my forehead.
"Good night Liza." Angie said as I drifted off to sleep till I woke up from the same recurring nightmare. I was in a cold sweat and out of breath as I saw the sun rising. I took a deep breath as I heard horses approaching.
"Angelica?" I said as she woke up and looked at me.
"What's wrong?" She asked as she looked at me. "I think I heard horses." I said as she got out of bed and peeked behind the curtains.
"It's them!" She said as Peggy sat up in her bed.
"It's them!?" She exclaimed as Angie nodded and Peggy nearly fell out of her bed and we all ran downstairs and outside in our night gowns as we watched them ride to the front of the house.
"It's really them." I said shocked that this moment was happening. They dismounted their horses then Peggy took off running to Hercules as he picked her up and spun her around.
"I've missed you so much." Peggy said as she cupped Hercules face as he peppered her face with kisses.
"I've missed you too." Hercules said as Washington hurried past them and went to Angelica as he kissed her forehead. I looked at Alexander and hurried down the porch steps to him as he smiled at me.
"Alexander, I missed you." I said as a smile mused at his lips.
"Follow me." He said as he took my hand and we walked to the back as I took a struggling breath. "It's okay." He said as he and I walked hand and hand towards the stream bank. "How are you feeling?" He asked as we sat on a log next to the flowing stream.
"I'm better. I still hurt but I am able to walk." I said as he patted my hand.
"Do you think you can tell me that what happened that day?" Alexander asked as I shook my head.
"No… I can't…" I said as I shook my head.
"Eliza, you need to tell me. I don't know how I can help you feel less helpless if you won't tell what happened. I feel guilty because this is my fault. I should have been here to protect you and your sisters." Alexander said as I bit my lip.
"Alexander, you can't say that it was your fault. It was our fault… You don't know this but… we went to the town…" I said looking down as he furrowed his brows.
"What do you mean you three went to town?" Alexander asked as I bit down. "You understand you risked your entire life for one measly trip to town!?" He exclaimed irate as I cringed back in pain from my lashings and from his voice.
"I'm sorry but we couldn't stay in this house like birds in a locked cage… We didn't expect Seabury to see us or find us… We didn't even know how he found us." I said close to tears as he pulled me close to him while I broke down crying. "I'm sorry…" I said as I cried into his chest, he rubbed my arm gently and kept trying to soothe my cries.
"I didn't mean to make you upset…" Alexander said as I bit lip.
"It's not your fault." I said sniffing as he lifted my face up.
"Eliza." Alexander said softly as he looked me into the eyes as I felt my face heat up.
"Alexander…" I said softer as he pulled me into a tender kiss. I giggled, wiping my tears away as he pulled away with a smile.
"I love-." Alexander started to say as he fell backwards as Seabury stood behind Alexander and kicked him in the stomach as he held on his pistol in his hand.
"No!" I screamed as Seabury slapped me hard across my very bruised cheek as I saw stars as I fell to the dirt as Seabury grabbed my wrist. "Let me go!" I screamed as he punched me in the till I fell silent. I could barely lift my head as I was tossed roughly onto the back of a horse as he got onto the horse.
"Shut it!" Seabury said as I cried while he galloped away from the house.
"Alexander!" I screamed as Seabury ripped my hair ribbon out of my hair and tied in around my mouth to muffle my cries and to gag me as I felt my thin night gown starting to rip as I cried. I sobbed as he roughly pulled me off his horse and dragged me into a fancy looking house.
"Take her upstairs and make sure you look the door." He said as he tossed me to a guard and the guard took my arm roughly and pushed me into a windowless room, I ripped my hair ribbon off my mouth as I shook my head and looked at the door.
"No!" I yelled as the guard slammed door shut. "No…" I said as I got up and tried to open the door. "No! No! No!" I screamed louder as I slammed my small fists against the large wooden door as I slide to the ground. "Help!" I screamed till my lungs gave out. I gasped for air as I looked at the bleak brown room with the small bed. I got off the ground and sat on the bed as I tried to calm myself as the door was opened to reveal Seabury.
"Ah finally you decide to calm down." He said as he slowly walked up to me.
"Please let me go…" I said as my voice cracking as Seabury touched my face as I jerked away from him. "Don't touch me." I said trying to gain confidence.
"Ah my future bride is trying to stick up for herself." Seabury said as I felt my heart shattered.
"I will never marry you." I said as he glared at me.
"Yes you will my dear Elizabeth. You and I will be wed this Sunday and you will then be joining me as we return to England." He said he grabbed my wrist and I jerked away from him. I saw my chance to flee as I reached for his gun and pulled it away from him. He looked at me shocked as I pointed the loaded gun at his chest.
"Get away from me!" I yelled as he took a step back.
"Give the gun to me." Seabury said as I fiddled with the trigger.
"Get away from me!" I screamed as he jumped back before he lunged at me. I pulled the trigger before he landed on top of me with a loud thud. I let out a small scream as I scurried up and realized that I had killed Samuel Seabury, I felt his warm blood soak through my night gown. I tore out of the house as I ran through the street as I lifted my skirt up and kept running till I felt my lungs burning. I saw the house as I saw a figure jump up and run inside the house and the others came outside and someone came running to me.
"Eliza!" Angelica screamed as she ran towards me and we ran to each other and we broke down crying into each other's arms.
"Angelica." I cried as she lifted my face up as she laughed through her tears and she peppered my face with kisses as she held me close to her as I tried to wipe away her tears away as Peggy ran over to us and we all held onto each other tightly. "What happened to you?" Angelica asked as we ran out of tears.
"Seabury… he attacked Alexander and I when we were by the stream. He kidnapped me and had me locked up in his house. He sorta told me that he was going to marry me and that would be going with him back to England. I grabbed his gun and shot him…" I said quietly as Angelica and Peggy looked at me shocked.
"You killed Seabury?" Peggy asked shocked as I nodded.
"Come on let's get you back to the house." Angelica said as she helped me stand up and we walked back to the house.
"Is Alexander okay?" I asked as Angelica nodded.
"After we heard you screaming, we ran into the back and down to the stream and saw Alexander knocked out and you gone. You had me scared to death. Laurens and Lafayette carried Alexander inside. He said that you two talked and then he heard you screaming. We had no clue who took you or anything. We were going to come search for you till Hercules ran inside and told us that it was you running to the house." Angelica said as we got in.
"Dieu merci, you are safe Eliza." Lafayette said rambling as I gave him a small smile.
"Where is Alexander?" I asked as Lafayette pointed upstairs.
"Laurens is trying to calm Alexander down. He is desperate to go out and find you." Laf said as I nodded and I brushed my hair back. I walked upstairs and hurried to Alexander's room as I froze when I heard Laurens talking down Alexander.
"I need to go find her!" Alexander said as I listened intently.
"Alexander, we will find her but you need to rest." Laurens said as I heard Alexander groan.
"I need to find her. Laurens if I don't find this girl then I will lose a huge piece of myself." Alexander said as I stood in the doorway.
"Alexander?" I said with my voice shaking. He sat up in disbelief.
"Eliza!?" He said shocked as I ran to him and he pulled me into a tight embrace as he pressed his forehead to mine.
"You scared me to death." He whispered as he kissed my face as I tried to wipe the tears running down it away.
"I'm sorry Alexander. I'm so sorry." I said as he pulled me into a tender kiss. I pulled away as people were cheering and clapping as I looked and saw Peggy and Angelica smiling happily as I laughed.
"Come along Eliza, let's get you cleaned up." Angelica said as I nodded and I got up.
"We will talk after I get up?" I asked as he nodded. I walked out and followed Angelica and Peggy to our room. I locked the door as Angelica helped lay out my cream dress as I wrapped my arms around my stomach. "Do you think I can change alone?" I asked as Angelica nodded.
"Of course. Just fold up your night dress and I'll sew the hole up later." Angelica said as I nodded. "Come on Peggy." Angelica said as Peggy nodded and followed her out.
"Thank you…" I said softly as I locked the door and sighed. I started to unbutton my dress as I caught my reflection in the mirror. I gasped and I tossed on my cornflower blue dress as I hurried over to the window and closed the curtains as I was struggling for air. I tied the back of my dress as I brushed my hair out with my face as I looked at what Seabury has done to me. I had bruises around my neck and my wrists were bruised from the shackles. My right cheek was darkly bruised as I barely grazed my fingers over the dark markings. I walked out of my room and went to Alexander's as I knocked on his door. He was sitting up in his bed and reading as he looked up at me.
"Eliza. Come in." He said as he put his book down.
"Close the door?" He asked as I nodded and I closed the door.
"What do you want to talk about?" I asked looking down as he lifted my face up and he looked at me intently.
"Whoever it was really got you. That son of a bitch will pay for what he did to you." Alexander said as he moved a piece of hair out of my face as I winced at his touch.
"I'm sorry…" I said softly as he looked at me worried and scooted over in his bed.
"Here, come sit with me." Alexander said as I bit my lip nervously.
"Are you sure?" I asked as he nodded and I sat on his bed. "What happened at the stream? I don't really remember that much." Alexander asked as I looked down.
"Well… you were starting to say I love and then you were whipped in the back of the head by Samuel Seabury. He slapped me to the ground and then he kidnapped me… He locked in a windowless room and when he came in, he said that he was going to marry me and that he was going to be taking me to England with him… I…" I stuttered out as I remember the blood that poured out of the wound from shooting him.
"What happened?" Alexander asked softly as I shook my head.
"I k-killed him… Alexander I took another man's life…" I said shaking as Alexander touched my arm softly. I jerked away from him, wincing as he looked at me.
"I'm not going to hurt you Eliza. I swear that I will never hurt you." Alexander said as I bit my lip.
"Alexander… I'm scared…" I said close to tears as he gently grazed my arm as I stiffened. "It's okay." Alexander said as I relaxed at his touch.
"Alexander… What were you going to say that you loved before Seabury attacked you?" I asked as Alex looked at me.
"I love you Eliza Schuyler." Alexander said as I felt my heart burst.
"You love me?" I asked shocked as he looked at me and nodded.
"I do. I know that you are scared, but I promise that I will protect you will all my life." Alexander said as I took a struggling breath. He cupped my lessen bruised cheek and pulled me into a tender kiss. I felt him wipe away my tears as he pulled me close to him. I laid my head on my chest and I started to relax as his hand barely grazed my welts. I had a sharp breath as he looked down at me. "I'm sorry Eliza." He said kissing my forehead as I relaxed.
"It will be okay." I said as I fell asleep with him rubbing my back softly as I didn't flinch at his touch.
