Chapter 10: The Safety Of Home

"You may go."

Captain Hugh Bordon let go of the girl, who bolted away from him in an instant. Neither he nor his men tried to stop her from running. Instead they gathered in a circle, conferring about some other matter, not seeming to give a care about Miss Burwell's reunion with her servants.

Indeed Betsy ran as fast as her legs would carry her to the plantation's faithful residents, waiting for her. Mrs. Leyanova and Mr. Waldron caught her as she fell into their embrace. The group was soon joined by Mr. Hantz. Her ordeal was over and she breathed easier to be home now. She finally felt relieved to be safe again in this group embrace with her faithful servants, never wanting them to let go of her.

"It's so good to see you, child," Mrs. Leyanova exclaimed, nearly in tears herself.

"We had no word of you," Mr. Hantz said, Betsy grateful to hear his thick German accent again.

"How are you, missy?" Mr. Waldron asked.

"I'm fine," she said, displaying her bandaged hands. "The slices are healing."

"That bastard didn't hurt you more than that, did he?" Jake Waldron was seething just at the sight of the dragoons, even though they'd returned the colonel's daughter.

The three servants were aghast still at the sight of the girl. She wore the same frock she'd had on the day she was arrested; now it was soiled with blood and dirt, and ripped as well. Her face, dirty and dusty, was in the initial stages of gauntness. Her body looked weak and her hair hung limply about her shoulders and down her back.

Betsy realized that she looked bad. But still she smiled through her tears of joy at the elders that she was so fond of.

"Thank God you're home," they said again.

"I'm happy to be back," said Betsy in a weak voice. "Please….I want a bath."

"I have some water heated for cooking," Mrs. Leyanova said graciously with a smile. "You can have it for your bath. Polly will see to you."

"Polly?" asked Betsy. Their farm had no servants or slaves by that name.

"Oh, she and her brother Andrew Callon are new," Waldron answered. "Her brother is here temporarily helping us out and getting her settled. She is an indenture purchased by your father. They showed up here shortly after you were taken bearing a note from your papa."

Betsy nodded and smiled wearily, just caring at the moment about wanting to clean up. She turned from the three adult servants and walked slowly into the house. Once inside, she paused for a minute to look about at everything, which was the same as she'd left it. The girl sighed, satisfied to be back in her home, where she felt safest. Then she looked up the stairway and stepped onto it. She grinned as she heard the familiar creaking sound of the wood as she stepped, that sound making her feel truly at home, as if the house was welcoming its mistress back.

Mr. Hantz, Mrs. Leyanova, and Waldron watched Miss Burwell as she went into the house. The three smiled at each other, happy that the girl had been returned. Waldron and Hantz were both thinking the same thing, turning to each other as they spoke.

"I don't know what kind of plans Harry had for her upon her return," Jake began, "but we should probably get her away from here, for her own safety."

"Ja, we don't want this to happen a second time," Karl Hantz agreed.

"Let's talk to her first, and together the three of us will come up with a plan," Waldron advised. Hantz nodded in agreement.

As they readied to take their leave of each other, they noticed the commander of the dragoons striding purposefully toward them. Mrs. Leyanova, who had still been standing near the two farm hands as they spoke, scowled at the sight of the redcoat officer approaching.

"Why are they still here?" Mrs. Leyanova asked with irritation.

"I'm surprised they brought her up to the house," spat Hantz sarcastically. "It's more like them to drop her off at the road and make her walk home!"

"They probably want something before they go," Jake Waldron smirked suspiciously. "Probably want some food or liquor to take with them."

William Tavington looked quite regal as he approached the group. He regarded them with disdain since they worked for a rebel commander—a traitor in his eyes. As the colonel neared the group, he lifted his chin, as if a king was looking down upon peasants.

"Waldron, is it?"

The trio of farm employees stopped in their tracks. They watched the redcoat closely, suspicion in their eyes. They knew they would have to tread carefully around this man.

"Yes," Jake answered cautiously.

"Well, Mr. Waldron," Tavington began, "I need to address the entire plantation staff."

"Haven't you done enough already by your actions to sufficiently scare everyone here—"

William quickly unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the farm manager. "You, sir, are in no position to refuse my request. I suggest you gather your staff, farmhands, servants and slaves, and meet me here in ten minutes' time."

Jake Waldron bit his tongue, knowing if he said anymore he'd be run through. He'd already been at the business end of the dragoon commander's rage days before and was nearly executed. The man knew he had to stay alive to help protect his friend Harry's daughter.

Mr. Hantz spoke up, hoping to placate the colonel for the time being, with hopes that he and his men would soon leave. In the meantime while they were still here, he wanted to avoid trouble.

"I'll get them, colonel," Hantz complied in his Bavarian accent.

"That's very wise of you," Tavington said, a slight sneer of victory curling the corners of his lips upwards.

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Lying on her bed on her back, Betsy couldn't stop grinning as she looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom, a sight she'd seen hundreds of times before. The girl was ecstatic to be home and it felt good to be in her house, in her room, on her bed. She rolled over onto her side, curling up slightly as she gazed out the window.

Miss Burwell pushed herself up to sitting when there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called as she stood up. She pulled her robe closed in front of her.

A young girl, whom Betsy estimated to be just a couple of years younger than her came through the door. The young girl put the two pails of water down next to the tub, then curtsied.

"I'm Polly, miss," she introduced herself.

"I'm Betsy." She watched the new young servant as she began to fill the tub. "Where are you and your brother from?"

"Asheville," answered Polly. "Our father died years ago. Mother died just a few weeks ago. Andrew was away serving and he was obliged to come home and take care of me."

"Where was he posted?" Miss Burwell inquired.

"Northwest territory."

Betsy's face lit up. She suddenly felt giddy. "Did he meet Major George Clark?"

"Yes miss!" That's who he served under," the young girl answered. "Major Clark was good enough to release him from duty to come home and see to me. In fact, we're here because of the major. He wrote to your father and requested him to take us as a favor to him. Commander Clark is going to call my brother back to duty once I'm settled here and protected."

"Well, consider this your home," Betsy answered warmly. She felt good just knowing that George was still alive out on the frontier and that someone had seen him. "You will be protected here."

"Begging your pardon, miss, but it doesn't seem that way," the girl commented apologetically. Polly and Andrew had been informed of the plantation mistress' kidnapping when they arrived. And today, seeing the fierce looking British cavalry served to heighten her uncertainty.

"They kidnapped me to force my father's hand," Betsy informed. "It didn't work. You can see that they freed me!"

"Yes miss," the young servant chuckled as she poured some scented oil into the water. "I've heard that you and Major Clark are betrothed."

Betsy sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Well…my father promised my hand to him…without my consent….and even without my knowing. I found out by accident." Miss Burwell laughed nervously, not wanting to explain the painful details surrounding how she'd found out. She didn't like the memory of having been forced to read her father's intercepted letter aloud in front of her servants and His Majesty's cavalry.

"That's a smart match," Polly opined. "He's from a good family…and quite handsome." The girl looked down at the floor, suddenly blushing at having been so forthright.

"That he is," Betsy agreed, flattered that other women noticed how handsome George Rogers Clark was, and that word was getting about that they would marry someday. "So, I didn't mind so much my father surprising me with an engagement to the major."

The servant girl began to lay out the linens on a chair she pulled up near the bathtub. She pulled a cake of soap from her skirt pocket as her mistress broke the short silence.

"You've met Major Clark?" asked Miss Burwell.

"Oh, yes, miss," she answered. "When Mama and I saw my brother off to leave for duty."

"Well, I'll have to have a conversation with your brother before he leaves so that I might hear some of George's deeds," said Betsy. "I only ever hear of his exploits when I read the gazettes."

"Yes. He's becoming quite famous, he is," the girl agreed. A hard knock on the door interrupted the conversation.

Betsy watched as the girl answered the door. She paid no attention to the muffled voice outside in the hallway. She smiled as she saw Polly nod then shut the door.

Miss Callon turned back to face the young plantation mistress. "Sorry, miss. I've been summoned to a meeting of the servants. Please excuse me."

"That's fine, you're dismissed," Betsy said with a smile. Miss Burwell preferred bathing without the help of a servant. The girl was still shy at her developing body.

Removing her robe, she laid it over her bed. Betsy stepped into the tub and lowered her naked body down into the water. The girl let out a sigh as she felt the warmth of the liquid. Miss Burwell sank backward, resting in the warm water surrounding her body. She closed her eyes as she felt relaxed and secure for the first time in days.

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Betsy pulled her comb freely through her damp wavy hair, glad to have washed it. Now free of its tangles, she ran her fingers through her long, sandy brown hair, tussling the waves, leaving it flowing over her shoulders to dry.

Next she finished buttoning the delicate buttons on the front of her dress, glad to have a clean garment on. The girl was just happy to have bathed again. She crossed the room to the window which looked out on the front lawn, looking out it as she pushed her feet into her shoes.

Miss Burwell's smile soon turned to a frown. The happiness she had felt for the last hour quickly turned into irritation at the sight she saw. The dragoons' horses were still in front of the house, without the men on them.

"They're still here?" she exclaimed in annoyance to herself. She quickly left her room and went to the bedroom across the hall from hers that looked out onto the back of the plantation.

As she walked, she muttered to herself, "I hoped they would be gone by now."

As she peered out the back window, she was startled at furious to see the dragoons on her back lawn setting up their wedge tents and spreading their gear out. Annoyed, the girl let out a heavy sigh. She soon picked up her skirts and headed down the stairs to the first floor.

Stepping out onto the back steps, she spied Colonel Tavington standing on the grass near the plantation's detached ballroom. The girl stomped over to the colonel and crossed her arms in front of her, completely forgetting herself.

"What is the meaning of this, colonel?" she asked, anger peppering her tone and demeanor.

William Tavington said nothing. Instead, he answered her query with an evil, 'how-dare-you-question-me' look that totally disarmed the girl and reminded her of who she was dealing with. Taking a step back from him as she remembered herself, her arms dropped to her sides. She clinched her fists to keep from lashing out again, and winced as her fingernails dug into her own injured palms.

Betsy knew she had overstepped her bounds and needed to remedy her position immediately. She sucked in an inconspicuous breath, trying to keep her composure and sound more calm and diplomatic.

"Colonel Tavington, I realize that it is late in the day now and harder to travel in the dark," she conceded, trying to sound and appear reasonable. "You may spend the night, but you and your men have to be out of here in the morning."

The dragoon commander said nothing to her, still looking down at her with narrowed eyes. She curtsied to him, then added, "No exceptions."

Before she could turn to head back into the house, Tavington grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Without warning, he slapped her hard across the face, making her scream loudly.

William then grabbed her upper arm and began dragging her toward the covered breezeway that connected the house to the detached ballroom. Betsy yelled and screamed, purposely causing as much commotion as she could, trying to get anyone's attention. She knew she was in trouble with the redcoat officer and hoped that someone would come to her aid.

"No! STOP! Colonel, you can't!" she protested loudly. She tried digging her heels into the ground, then tried pulling away from him, all to no avail.

The more she resisted, the harder the colonel yanked on her, jerking her body hard. Miss Burwell whimpered in pain, feeling as if her shoulder might dislocate. Knowing he was going to hurt her again, she kept trying to pull away from his iron grasp on her.

"DON'T! NO! PLEASE!" she pleaded.

Nothing would stop Colonel Tavington. He dragged Miss Burwell purposefully up the steps of the breezeway and into the ballroom, the girl screaming and begging all the way.

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Author's note: The Burwell plantation and house have been modeled on the Brattonsville Historical area near Rock Hill, South Carolina. The main house in Brattonsville is where the Charlotte's plantation home was filmed in the movie "The Patriot". You can also see some of the outbuildings to the side of this house in the scene where Ben and Gabriel ride into the rebel camp after the Camden defeat and meet with Colonel Burwell and Major Jean Villeneuve. And, the scene where Tavington's men raid Charlotte's house in the middle of the night is filmed in and out of that house, as are some scenes with Charlotte and Ben and his children, so you can get an idea of the house that Betsy lives in.

It doesn't show it in the movie, but the dining room that Tavington goes into where he checks the candle wicks (and we can all hear that infamous jingling of the spurs on his boots, also where one of the Martin boys is hiding under the table) is truly a detached room at the house in Brattonsville. It is made of brick and attached to the back of the main house (the "Aunt Charlotte" house) by an open, covered breezeway that you step up onto since the first floor of the house and the room are about five feet above ground level. The detached room has a kitchen beneath it with stairs leading down into it(the scene where Charlotte and her nieces/nephews hid from the dragoons as they raided her house). This detached room was used as a formal dining room and ballroom for parties when the Bratton family lived there. The last time I was there to visit (in 2005), it was still decorated as it was for the movie scene, like a dining room, the movie studio having left the props behind for the plantation to use on display. Interestingly, you cannot see this in the movie, but when you enter, to your right is a corner cupboard built into the wall/corner.

Also not shown in the movie, just to the South of the main house (the "Aunt Charlotte" house) is an older brick house built in the early 1800s that the Bratton family used, too. In this story, I am modeling Grandfather Burwell's house on that, stating that that is the house that Harry's father lived in, and now, since Grandfather has passed on, the house is not used and has little furniture on the inside of it.

For some pictures, go to:

Okay, this site doesn't usually allow a "true" web address, so I had to spell out the word "dot" for…well…where you would place a dot/period into the web address, so remember to put the "period" in where the word "dot" is to get you there!

www dot nationalregister dot sc dot gov/york/S10817746003/index dot htm

Also, Wikipedia has some good pictures as well . I think you can see the detached ball/dining room from some of the side views of the Homestead (Aunt Charlotte) house. You can also see the brick house which I use as Grandfather Burwell's house in this story.

Or just put "Historic Brattonsville" into your search engine and it should bring up some pictures of the plantation, and you'll see much more than the movie showed you and what I envision the Burwell plantation to look like.