Author's Note: Sorry, I know this is not as long as I generally write, but I am having some writer's block. Don't worry though, I'm sure I'll get over it soon! (hopefully!)

Chapter Five: The Mansion

By the time we reached the new camp, it was dark outside. A steady, cold rain had been pouring for several hours, and I shivered in the back of the wagon as we rode into the camp. There was a large wooden wall around the encampment, at least a foot thick, and probable ten feet high. There was an opening in the front, which we moved through.
The huge, wooden gate closed behind us and I peered through the darkness, and the rain. There was a large field, and a path through the middle of it. The officers dismounted their horses and lower ranking soldiers took the reins. I imagined they were leading the horses to the stables.
Captain Williams got off the wagon and headed around it to where I was sitting, soaked and shivering.
"Come on!" he growled at me.
I crawled to the edge of the wagon and got off.
Captain Williams grabbed my arm and pulled me along behind him.
"Let go!" I said, angrily as we walked along the darkened path to the mansion. "You're hurting me!"
He let go and allowed me to walk behind him. About halfway along the path, I was forced to stop and catch my breath. Throughout the day, I had developed a harsh cough, and whenever I inhaled I could feel a stabbing pain in my lungs.
"Come on," said Captain Williams, grabbing my arm again.
I gasped for breath as he pulled me along once again. He pulled me faster than I could go, and I tripped and fell to my knees in the mud.
Captain Williams turned, and shook his head as he looked down on me. "You're hopeless," he muttered. "Get up."
I did as he said, afraid of what he might do to me and we made our way down the rest of the path. By the time we reached the large double doors to the mansion, I was out of breath and wheezing. The Captain ushered me into the mansion.
I walked into a beautiful entryway. There were wooden end tables on both sides of the room, on which vases and other decorative pieces were set. On one wall was a mirror, and on the other, a painting of a cabin in the woods. I looked around until my gaze fell on the mirror.
My hair was matted by rain and there was mud smeared all over my dress. I looked away, not wanting to see myself in such a state.
"Wait here," the captain ordered. "And don't touch anything. You're filthy."
I nodded and he walked away. I felt a great sense of relief being away from the captain.
I stood alone in the entryway, feeling awkward and out of place. After a couple of minutes, the door behind me opened.
I stepped out of the way, and a few soldiers came in. Some nodded at me, while others shook their heads in disapproval. At the rear was Colonel Tavington.
"Miss Peterson," he said, "What are you doing in here?"
"Captain Williams brought me here," I explained. "He told me to wait for him."
Colonel Tavington nodded, looking me up and down. "Take a little tumble, did you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling at the sight of my dress.
I looked down, suddenly self-conscious. "Sort of," I mumbled.
"Well, I have to go make a report to Lord General Cornwallis, my superior here."
He turned to walk away, and I grabbed his arm impulsively. He stared at my hand for a moment and then shrugged it off.
"What?" he asked, annoyed with me again.
"Sir," I began. "Have you heard anything from my brother?"
"We will discuss this later," he said, avoiding the subject, just as he had that morning. Then he turned and walked away.
Something in the way he kept avoiding the subject of my brother made me feel uneasy. I did not have a lot of time to dwell on it, though, because Captain Williams returned with a short, stocky woman at his side. Her clothes were similar to mine, so I imagined she must also be a servant to the British army.
"This is Abigail," Captain Williams said, shoving the woman forward.
She looked to be in her late twenties to early thirties, and she stared at the ground nervously.
"She is going to show you to the washroom and get you some dry clothes."
"Thank you, sir," I said, surprised that the captain would offer me anything in the way of help.
"Not my idea," he said, shrugging. "Colonel Tavington ordered it."
I nodded. "Well then, I take it back," I said, giving him the meanest look I could muster under the circumstances.
Abigail's eyes grew wide. Obviously, she would not dare talk back to Captain Williams, which made me even more weary of him. Had he abused her in some way? If he could hurt another woman, surely he could hurt me.
Fortunately, though, he said nothing, and walked away.
I turned to Abigail. "My name is Charlotte," I introduced myself.
She nodded. "Nice to meet you. I never heard anyone talk to Captain Williams like that."
"He's awful, isn't he?" I said.
"You have no idea. Look out for him. He does things to women prisoners that might be considered...inappropriate."
I tried to answer, but was overtaken by another fit of coughing. My chest felt horrible, and I nearly doubled over, trying to breathe.
Abigail put a hand on my back to steady me. "You're sick," she stated simply. "Come on. We have to get you warm."
I did my best to stop coughing and Abigail took my hand and lead my out of the entryway, and to the bottom of the stairs. I went first, and Abigail followed up behind me, in case I were to begin coughing again, and fall. Slowly but surely, I made it to the top of the stairs, and Abigail lead me down the wide, well lit hallway. When we reached the fourth door on the right, we stopped.
"This is the washroom," Abigail said. "Are you going to need help?"
I shook my head. "No, no, I'll be fine."
She nodded. "I've already got the tub filled. We knew your group was arriving tonight, so we got everything ready ahead of time. There's a chair with a nightdress sitting on it, and some slippers, and a robe. Colonel Tavington told me to get things ready for a young woman, so that's what I got. Just come on out when you're done, and I'll take you to your room."
I looked at her, surprised. "I get a room?" I asked. "Just for myself?"
"Not permanently, I imagine, but since you are noticeable ill, it was recommended that you have a room for tonight."
I nodded. "Thank you Abigail."
I turned and walked through the open door. I locked it behind me, bearing in mind what Abigail had said about Captain Williams. I stripped out of my soiled clothes immediately. I let my hair down and sat in the large tub, sinking down in it until my entire body was submerged. I got myself clean and then got out.
There was a warm towel waiting for me, so I got dry. Then I pulled on the fresh, starched nightgown that Abigail had laid out for me. I put on the light, leather slippers that were there, and combed through my hair with my fingers.
I picked up the robe that Abigail had left for me. It was a pale shade of green, with darker green flowers embroidered on it. I pulled it on and made my way to the door, coughing again.
I was about to open the door, but my coughing stopped me in my tracks. I leaned on the door, trying to breath. Slowly, I slid to the floor, clutching my chest, trying to stop coughing.
There was a short, rapping knock on the door.
"Are you okay?" came Abigail's voice.
I tried to say no, but I couldn't get the word out. I gasped for breath.
Abigail knocked on the door again.
"Charlotte, you locked the door," she called. "You have to unlock it for me to get in." Her voice was soothing, but I could hear a hint of nervousness in it.
I turned, gasping, and reached for the door knob. My coughing began to subside, and I quickly unlocked the door, and crawled out of the way so that Abigail could get in.
The door burst open, and Abigail hurried to my side. She felt my forehead and cheeks.
"Charlotte, you have to try to get up, okay? I can't carry you, so you're going to have to work with me."
I nodded, and struggled to my feet. Abigail extended an arm for my to lean on. We left the washroom, and somehow, I made it down the hallway to the room Abigail told me would be my quarters. She helped me into the large, four poster bed, and covered me. She walked away for a moment and returned, placing a cool cloth on my forehead.
"You try and rest," she told me. "You came with Colonel Tavington's men, right?"
I nodded, weakly.
"Alright, well, I'll let him know you're ill and he'll get a doctor for you. We'll have you well in no time," she reassured me.
I nodded again, and closed my eyes.
The last thing I heard before falling into a fitful, fevered sleep, was Abigail's footsteps leaving the room, and the door closing behind me.