Part 1. Post Problems

The next morning William left early for military business. A few days later, I received a letter from him stating that he would be gone for another month or two, and that he was considering sending for me so that I could be with him when he wasn't working.

I wrote a quick reply to his letter and waited for his next letter. When it didn't come I began to get anxious.

Finally, after several weeks, it came; it didn't contain the seal of the British Green Dragoons and it was also written differently that the other letters I had received, probably for protection; I only knew that it was him because of the unmistakably neat and flawless penmanship.

M.K.S.,

I apologise for not being able to write for so long. There have been problems with post interceptions, so if you could, please refrain from writing to me unless I specify otherwise. I love you.

I stared at the letter silently, not quite knowing what to make of it. I was relieved that I had received a letter from William. But I was also disturbed by it; now I had no way of contacting William without the risk of endangerment.

Part 2. American Ambush

Hours later, my thoughts were still on the letter I had received form William, so I tried to relax myself with a horseback ride in the gardens near the woods in the back of the estate.

Suddenly, there was a movement in the bushes and a man in a blue coat stepped out in front of me, sneering evilly and said, "So, it's true. The scouts we sent earlier, one of which was killed, weren't lying. You are here of your own accord now. My only question now, Mary, is are you really married to that diabolic godforsaken bastard Col. Tavington? Well either way, you're damned."

"Who are you! What is going on!"

"I am a messenger of The Ghost. I have orders to bring you to him, and I suggest you cooperate."

"You will not lay a hand on me you insolent fool!" I seethed, pulling out my brother's pistol and cocking it.

"Nice bluff Mary, but it won't work."

I pulled the trigger, firing right between the man's eyes; he crumpled to the ground dead.

"I wasn't bluffing."

Suddenly, another shot rang out from the woods, hitting my horse in the belly, leaving an exit wound. The horse screamed shrilly, rearing up wildly, and threw me from the saddle; I landed on the ground hitting my head hard on a rock. Within seconds everything went black.

Part 3. Steele

I awoke hours later on a cot in a tent. My wrists were tightly bound together with a leather cord; my head was searing with pain and my vision was somewhat blurred.

"Awake now, are you little missy?"

I scowled as my vision cleared, trying to decipher whom the figure in front of me was. Once I could see clearly, I noticed that the figure was a medium sized man; he was quite filthy and William would have been appalled at his unshaven and bristly face. The man had a look in his eyes that was only too familiar and it made me even more uncomfortable than I already was; it was a hungry look, one of pure lust.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"My name is Steele." Said the man coming closer to me, trapping me on the cot. "Is it not obvious what I want?"

My face tightened in anger and I hit him hard in the groin with my bound fists.

Steele howled and I sprang from the cot, hitting him in the back of the head. I tried to get out of the tent, but Steele grabbed my arm and threw me back on the cot, cuffing me across the face.

"Whore!" He growled climbing on top of me, holding my arms above my head.

"No!" I cried weakly.

"Oh yes!" Replied Steele, holding my wrists in one hand and stripping me with the other.

Tears began welling up in my eyes and I began to shake my head.

"No, no no………no!"

I screamed as he forced himself in me.

"No! God no! Stop!"

But my cries fell on deaf ears.