In the following days and months since Benjamin and Gabriel's departure, Hannah kept herself busy. She did many of the chores around the plantation, more than she was accustomed to, but she didn't care. She wanted to do them. The blacks there would laugh when she would volunteer to do their jobs for them, but they knew Charlotte wouldn't mind. They never let her do it all herself, just helped her enough to let her think she was. During this time, she thought about her past, about Thomas, her parents, the British redcoats, whether Benjamin was live or dead, and the same with Gabriel. She didn't know what to think. She worked to keep her memories away, but instead of helping, they seeped into her conciousness.
As much as she tried to forget, she couldn't help it. Her past came rushing back. Playing Indians in the woods with Thomas and Gabriel, taking her etiquette lessons from her mother, listening to Benjamin tell her and the other children stories, it all came back. One incident came back with sparkling clarity. Horses were always had on the Martin's place, and always the children played around them, especially Hannah and Thomas. They both shared the same love of horses and constantly got into trouble because of it. That day, they felt especially devious and decided that they should ride the new horse that had come yesterday. He was a gentle horse and wouldn't hurt a fly, Thomas explained to her. Hannah had grinned and had followed him.
Thomas had thrown a burlap sack on the horse's back, lead him over to the fence, stepped on the fence and climbed on his back. Hannah stood on the fence, her arms outstretched to the horse. Thomas grabbed her arms as she jumped, landing safely on the horse. The horse jolted, but that was all. It sat patiently in the corral waiting for orders. Thomas turned around to Hannah. "You want to go fast?" He asked, a smile curling on his lips. Hannah grinned. "Yes! Let's go fast Thomas! As fast as the wind." Hannah said excitedly. "Alright. Hold on tight now Hannah. I don't want you to fall off. Here we go!" Thomas kicked the horse hard and the horse shot forward, nearly carrying off the two children with him.
The horse ran and ran. Thomas felt they weren't going fast enough so he kicked the horse again, but this time, the horse didn't go forward in burst of speed. It stopped dead in it's tracks, knocking Thomas' head against his neck. As he slumped over the horse's neck, Hannah looked at him in horror and looked at the horse. The horse was beginning to rear into the air, with them still on it. As if it was in slow motion, Hannah began to fall, grabbing Thomas as she did so. Then fell onto the ground hard and Hannah watched the horse in disbelief. But finally, help came in sight. She saw Gabriel running as fast as he could towards them and she began to cry with relief. She looked down and saw Thomas unconcious in her arms, a purple bump growing on his head. That did it. She began to sob as Gabriel led the horse to the nearest fence and tied him up.
He ran over to Hannah and Thomas and knelt down beside them. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He asked gently. Hannah choked down her tears and tried to talk. "I'm fine. But Thomas, Thomas got hit in the head by the horse." She choked. Gabriel looked down at Thomas and fingered the bruise. "He'll be alright. Just knocked out thats all Hannah. Now stop your crying." As Gabriel spoke soothingly to Hannah, Thomas groaned and sat up. Gabriel grabbed his collar. "Are you alright?" He asked, almost angrily. Thomas, surprised by the roughness that his brother showed, merely nodded, his eyes wide. "What did you do to the horse? Didn't Father tell you not to touch him? To leave him alone?" Gabriel asked.
Thomas began pawing at his captive collar. "We just wanted to go for a ride and I kicked him hard and he stopped instead of going forward, now lemme go Gabriel!" Thomas said anxiously. "Oh Thomas. Why can't you obey?" Gabriel asked, exasperation in his voice as he lifted his brother to his feet and led him to the house. Benjamin gave the two children a stern talk about their adventure and also the reason for the horse's strange reaction. The horse had been beaten by his former owner and had to be retrained. Something Benjamin was trying to undertake. When Hannah's mother came to retrieve her, her eyes flashed in horror as she retold the story. From then on, her mother never let her near horses, unless Benjamin gave her permission.
Hannah sighed at the memories. She and Thomas had been six then. And to think that she was fifteen now. Fifteen and alone. Then she began to think of the first time that she had truly felt alone. She had been four and her Mother and Father had left her in the care of the servants of their house as they went to Charlestown for a fortnight. The night before they returned, there was a terrible thunderstorm. One which nearly burned the house down. She had been sleeping in her large bed when she awoke to a peculiar smell. She looked out the window near her bed and saw a barn on fire. Then she had run to the door and opened it, hoping to escape. She shrieked as she saw embers creeping towards her door. She stood still in horror, unsure of what to do. She ran back into her room and grabbed her water pitcher, throwing it on the embers, destroying them.
Hannah ran through the smoke filled house and out the door into the pouring rain, her arms grasping her doll tightly. It was so dark. She couldn't see anyone or anything but the fire taking hold of the barn and the little embers that flew above her head. She finally ran towards the underbrush of the woods and lay down in the shelter of a huge elm, shivering and holding her doll tightly. The next morning, she awoke to the cries of her anguished parents. She was wet and groggy from the nights events and as her eyes opened, she saw the blackened remains of the barn and shivered. Her parents saw her emerge from the underbrush and they ran to her, taking her up into their arms and thanking God that she was well.
Hannah sat still in the rocking chair, the burlap sack she had been sewing falling from her hands. She stood up, dazed and walked towards the figure in the door, standing amid the mist. It was odd for there to be mist swirling about her ankles in the afternoon, but she paid no heed to it as she approached the figure. He turned and the face of Thomas smiled at her. She nearly fell to the floor, and would have, had Thomas not grabbed her and pulled her up. "My you are clumsy. Whatever happened to those etiquette lessons?" He asked jokingly. Hannah didn't speak, merely stared at him in amazement. "Thomas. You're here. You're really here." She whispered. Thomas smiled and touched her cheek gently with his fingertip.
"Of course. I'm always here Hannah." He replied softly. "You know about your Father and Gabriel?" She asked. Thomas turned away. "Yes I do. I'm glad they've gone. They can help us win this war." He said happily. "Oh Thomas I don't think this war will ever end. And even if it does, the British will most likely be victorious. You must see that." She said sadly. Thomas turned to her again, his green eyes shining. "No I don't see that. All I see is freedom. Freedom from these British and their king. Freedom Hannah. Freedom of speech, religion. Everything. I see it. It will end Hannah. I promise you it will." Hannah looked at him doubtfully. "What? Don't you trust me?" He asked teasingly. Suddenly, though Hannah had not moved, Thomas began to drift away from her, like an autumn leaf on a windy day. The mist swirled away with him, pulling him farther and farther away. Hannah tried to move, but her feet were stuck to the floor. "Thomas! Don't leave me!" She called out. The mist was almost gone and with it Thomas' voice. Through her cries, she could hear him calling out, "Don't you trust me?" It echoed through her head like a voice bouncing off a canyon.
She could still hear it as her eyes flew open. As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she saw Nathan leaning over her. She was still in the rocking chair, her work still in her lap. No mist filled the barn, no shadow of Thomas filled the doorway. "Are you alright Hannah?" Nathan asked, touching her arm gently. Hannah looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. "Yes, I'm fine. Why?" She asked. Nathan's eyes widened, but he answered her. "You were calling out for Thomas. I could hear you from outside. I wanted to make sure that you were alright." He said, his voice filled with concern. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes, but she held up her head high. "I'm fine Nathan. You best go and help out with the chores now. I'm fine really." She assured him. Nathan nodded, still not convinced, but walked out the door. Hannah's hands drew up to her face as the tears fell. It had all been a dream. A simple, yet beautiful dream. She could never forget it. She couldn't forget that shine in Thomas' bright green eyes that she never thought she'd see again, the shine of a patriot.
As much as she tried to forget, she couldn't help it. Her past came rushing back. Playing Indians in the woods with Thomas and Gabriel, taking her etiquette lessons from her mother, listening to Benjamin tell her and the other children stories, it all came back. One incident came back with sparkling clarity. Horses were always had on the Martin's place, and always the children played around them, especially Hannah and Thomas. They both shared the same love of horses and constantly got into trouble because of it. That day, they felt especially devious and decided that they should ride the new horse that had come yesterday. He was a gentle horse and wouldn't hurt a fly, Thomas explained to her. Hannah had grinned and had followed him.
Thomas had thrown a burlap sack on the horse's back, lead him over to the fence, stepped on the fence and climbed on his back. Hannah stood on the fence, her arms outstretched to the horse. Thomas grabbed her arms as she jumped, landing safely on the horse. The horse jolted, but that was all. It sat patiently in the corral waiting for orders. Thomas turned around to Hannah. "You want to go fast?" He asked, a smile curling on his lips. Hannah grinned. "Yes! Let's go fast Thomas! As fast as the wind." Hannah said excitedly. "Alright. Hold on tight now Hannah. I don't want you to fall off. Here we go!" Thomas kicked the horse hard and the horse shot forward, nearly carrying off the two children with him.
The horse ran and ran. Thomas felt they weren't going fast enough so he kicked the horse again, but this time, the horse didn't go forward in burst of speed. It stopped dead in it's tracks, knocking Thomas' head against his neck. As he slumped over the horse's neck, Hannah looked at him in horror and looked at the horse. The horse was beginning to rear into the air, with them still on it. As if it was in slow motion, Hannah began to fall, grabbing Thomas as she did so. Then fell onto the ground hard and Hannah watched the horse in disbelief. But finally, help came in sight. She saw Gabriel running as fast as he could towards them and she began to cry with relief. She looked down and saw Thomas unconcious in her arms, a purple bump growing on his head. That did it. She began to sob as Gabriel led the horse to the nearest fence and tied him up.
He ran over to Hannah and Thomas and knelt down beside them. "What happened? Are you hurt?" He asked gently. Hannah choked down her tears and tried to talk. "I'm fine. But Thomas, Thomas got hit in the head by the horse." She choked. Gabriel looked down at Thomas and fingered the bruise. "He'll be alright. Just knocked out thats all Hannah. Now stop your crying." As Gabriel spoke soothingly to Hannah, Thomas groaned and sat up. Gabriel grabbed his collar. "Are you alright?" He asked, almost angrily. Thomas, surprised by the roughness that his brother showed, merely nodded, his eyes wide. "What did you do to the horse? Didn't Father tell you not to touch him? To leave him alone?" Gabriel asked.
Thomas began pawing at his captive collar. "We just wanted to go for a ride and I kicked him hard and he stopped instead of going forward, now lemme go Gabriel!" Thomas said anxiously. "Oh Thomas. Why can't you obey?" Gabriel asked, exasperation in his voice as he lifted his brother to his feet and led him to the house. Benjamin gave the two children a stern talk about their adventure and also the reason for the horse's strange reaction. The horse had been beaten by his former owner and had to be retrained. Something Benjamin was trying to undertake. When Hannah's mother came to retrieve her, her eyes flashed in horror as she retold the story. From then on, her mother never let her near horses, unless Benjamin gave her permission.
Hannah sighed at the memories. She and Thomas had been six then. And to think that she was fifteen now. Fifteen and alone. Then she began to think of the first time that she had truly felt alone. She had been four and her Mother and Father had left her in the care of the servants of their house as they went to Charlestown for a fortnight. The night before they returned, there was a terrible thunderstorm. One which nearly burned the house down. She had been sleeping in her large bed when she awoke to a peculiar smell. She looked out the window near her bed and saw a barn on fire. Then she had run to the door and opened it, hoping to escape. She shrieked as she saw embers creeping towards her door. She stood still in horror, unsure of what to do. She ran back into her room and grabbed her water pitcher, throwing it on the embers, destroying them.
Hannah ran through the smoke filled house and out the door into the pouring rain, her arms grasping her doll tightly. It was so dark. She couldn't see anyone or anything but the fire taking hold of the barn and the little embers that flew above her head. She finally ran towards the underbrush of the woods and lay down in the shelter of a huge elm, shivering and holding her doll tightly. The next morning, she awoke to the cries of her anguished parents. She was wet and groggy from the nights events and as her eyes opened, she saw the blackened remains of the barn and shivered. Her parents saw her emerge from the underbrush and they ran to her, taking her up into their arms and thanking God that she was well.
Hannah sat still in the rocking chair, the burlap sack she had been sewing falling from her hands. She stood up, dazed and walked towards the figure in the door, standing amid the mist. It was odd for there to be mist swirling about her ankles in the afternoon, but she paid no heed to it as she approached the figure. He turned and the face of Thomas smiled at her. She nearly fell to the floor, and would have, had Thomas not grabbed her and pulled her up. "My you are clumsy. Whatever happened to those etiquette lessons?" He asked jokingly. Hannah didn't speak, merely stared at him in amazement. "Thomas. You're here. You're really here." She whispered. Thomas smiled and touched her cheek gently with his fingertip.
"Of course. I'm always here Hannah." He replied softly. "You know about your Father and Gabriel?" She asked. Thomas turned away. "Yes I do. I'm glad they've gone. They can help us win this war." He said happily. "Oh Thomas I don't think this war will ever end. And even if it does, the British will most likely be victorious. You must see that." She said sadly. Thomas turned to her again, his green eyes shining. "No I don't see that. All I see is freedom. Freedom from these British and their king. Freedom Hannah. Freedom of speech, religion. Everything. I see it. It will end Hannah. I promise you it will." Hannah looked at him doubtfully. "What? Don't you trust me?" He asked teasingly. Suddenly, though Hannah had not moved, Thomas began to drift away from her, like an autumn leaf on a windy day. The mist swirled away with him, pulling him farther and farther away. Hannah tried to move, but her feet were stuck to the floor. "Thomas! Don't leave me!" She called out. The mist was almost gone and with it Thomas' voice. Through her cries, she could hear him calling out, "Don't you trust me?" It echoed through her head like a voice bouncing off a canyon.
She could still hear it as her eyes flew open. As her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, she saw Nathan leaning over her. She was still in the rocking chair, her work still in her lap. No mist filled the barn, no shadow of Thomas filled the doorway. "Are you alright Hannah?" Nathan asked, touching her arm gently. Hannah looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. "Yes, I'm fine. Why?" She asked. Nathan's eyes widened, but he answered her. "You were calling out for Thomas. I could hear you from outside. I wanted to make sure that you were alright." He said, his voice filled with concern. Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes, but she held up her head high. "I'm fine Nathan. You best go and help out with the chores now. I'm fine really." She assured him. Nathan nodded, still not convinced, but walked out the door. Hannah's hands drew up to her face as the tears fell. It had all been a dream. A simple, yet beautiful dream. She could never forget it. She couldn't forget that shine in Thomas' bright green eyes that she never thought she'd see again, the shine of a patriot.