Chapter 2

My Darling dearest Elisabeth,

How I miss you, dear. But I keep myself warm at night thinking about you sweet love and charming smile. I look foreword to the day when you shall be mine. I still picture you in that pink gown of yours, the one you wore to the Christmas ball, You looked lovely that night. I miss you. I love you. I devout my heart to you, dearest. The Rebels are going to be broken. I swear it. General Howe is going to be moving to Charleston, so I shall be able to see more of you. I love you. Yours forever

William Tavington.

Beth nearly gagged when she read the letter. She could picture Tavington's leering gray eyes, and his shrewd mouth. She quickly went on to read the second letter.

Beth,

Hello sister dear! I am sitting in front of a fire, my boots are roasting to a melty messy goop, but the heat feels bloody good, so I let them roast. I am sure Tavington is going to try to lead you to believe that we are concurring heroes, here to rescue the land from savages. Beth, I might have been born here, but I am very British, with going to school in London. But I am struck by the Rebels. They are organized, more so than we first thought. They made them seem like bumpkins, and thought they might be, they are trained bumpkins! Our unit, commanded by your beloved Tavington, is to trace that blasted Ghost. So far, we have only managed to get three men killed; loose four horses in the mucky Carolina bogs, and get royally lost. You should have heard Tavington! Did he every fume! Beth, I need you to help me, I need to get information on a girl. Her name is Alexandria Dashney. You should know the name, I am to marry her. But I receive a letter from her father, calling the engagement off. Why? Not that I really care, I never even met the girl. Oh Wait. Odetes Ball last January. But I only talked to her a moment. So I have no feelings for the girl, but still, I do wonder what happened to her. If you could find out….

I miss you dear sister. Take care.

Your devoted Brother,

Daniel.

Beth gently folded the letter from her brother, biting back her tears, how she had missed him! She sighed, trying to think of the girl he had mentioned. She had heard her parents talk about her to both Daniel and last month, after she had gone to bed, or so they thought.

"Olivia," Beth called over her chambermaid, "Have you heard of Alexandria Dashney? My brother was asking after her."

The girl turned to Beth, her dark eyes wide, "Yes Miss, I have." Olivia finished setting out the silk gown. "I read that she was kill last month." Olivia looked bothered, "It not good to speak of dead Miss Beth, ghost follow ye fer years." Olivia's large dark eyes darted across the room as if she expected to see the ghost of Alexandria Dashney standing in the long morning shadows. "But I heard from me husband that she felled from a bridge just out side of Charles Town. Poor Lamb. Ice covered the river before they could retrieve her poor body, but they saw the dress she was wearin." Olivia shook her head, as to ward of any spirits of the dead girl. "Come Miss, get dressed. Ye have service in less then an hour."

Beth nodded, and pulled on the whalebone corset and hoops. She let Olivia tighten the stays, gasping for breath.

"Olivia, why don't you come to church with us?" Beth asked softy.

"Land Miss, I be Catholic, and proud. No, never would I set foot into an English Church." Olivia brushed threw Beth's long dark hair, "I be a proud Irish woman."

Beth grinned, "You know Olivia, I fancy that one day people will not say that they are Irish, or English, or French or Spanish, but will instead say they are American."

Olivia again looked like fighting off ghost, "Land Miss! Don't let your pa hear ye say things like that! Ye could be imprisoned for treason."

But Beth smiled brightly, "No Olivia, I know that one day, we will all be American, whether of not Daddy likes it." Beth rose from her chair, her silk gown floated gracefully on her slender frame. She grinned, "Well, it looks like I am ready to leave." She walked down stairs and out to the waiting carriage. Her mother was staying home with a headache, and her father was at the shipping office.

"Yer going alone, Missy?" Peter, their large black Coachman, asked.

Beth nodded, and he helped her in. They lived in the rich out skirts of Charlestown, in a huge rolling mansion with three gardens, two stables for Daniel and her father's racehorses, and a large green house for her mother. But Beth loved their country plantation better then their city home. There, she could ride free, and be out in the fresh air. In moments she was sitting in their family pew. She glanced around, to see who was there. Not many young men any more. So she was surprised to see two young men with Miss Charlotte Walters. She knew one, the older one, was Gabriel Martin, her nephew. But the other was a stranger. Both men were blond, though the younger one had nearly white hair. She'd always thought Gabriel was handsome, the few times she had seen him, and that was rare indeed, with his charming smile and deep brown eyes. Sigh, says the author. HE IS GORGEOUS! He was about six feet with a lean body. The second man was smaller, with huge blue eyes. Beth smiled; he was very handsome…

After the service, Beth stood in the churchyard, talking to Anne when Gabe waltzed up.

"Good morning Ladies." He smiled at Anne. "I found Reverend Hollow's stand on the Patriots Rebellion to be very inlighting. Did not you?" Anne cocked her brow.

"Gabe, you are a liar. I know where you stand on the Revolt, and after sitting in a House of God, you lie! Shame." Anne tried to hide the twinkle in her eye. "Besides, Beth is a Loyalist, and it is disrespectful to speak of this in from of her."

Gabe nodded his blond head. "I am sorry, Miss Stark," He again grinned ear-to-ear, "Sorry you are a Tory!"

"Gabriel!" Anne's slender hand flew out, slapping him on the shoulder. Gabe brushed it off easily.

"Tis no problem." Beth whispered. She always seemed to be nervous around Gabriel, and she never knew why her heart pounded and when he looked at her, she grew hot.

"I want to introduce you ladies to my new friend." He motioned for the man standing by two large horses. He jogged over the yard, a smile plastered on his face. "Miss Stark, Anne, this is Master Alix Clark from New York City. He is a student of the law, mind you."

"Tis a pleasure." He bowed gallantly, his blue eyes sparkled. "But I do fear that Master Martin does tend to stretch the truth a tad. I am only from New York in the winter, and a follower of the law." He grinned, and Beth fleetingly thought him dashing and handsome.

Beth and Anne laughed accordingly, causing him to blush boyishly.

"How do you find South Carolina?" Beth asked softly, smiling at him, as Gabe snuck off to speak with Anne, alone.

"Honestly? I spend all my summers here and find it wonderfully refreshing to return to it. It brings back many happy memories." He lost his cheerful smile for a moment. "Are you from Charlestown, Miss Spark?"

"It is Miss Stark, and yes, I am." Beth tried not to be distracted by Gabe and Anne, "Though we have a plantation in the country, tis my favorite place." She sighed. "I need to go, Master Clark, but twas a pleasure meeting you." He nodded, bowing.

"The pleasure was all mine." Alix grinned, as Beth smiled and walked to her waiting carriage.