Cornwallis dragged Sadie back to her room, where, without a word, he flung her inside, shut the door and locked it. She listened to his footstes fade away and the door at the end of the hall slam shut. Sadie turned around and leaned her back against the door. She looked across the room to the mirror and saw a mark forming on her face where her uncle had struck her. A few tears fell from her eyes, but the urge to cry went away as quickly as it came on when she remembered the soldier who had found her. He was such a handsome boy. Why hadn't the Col. waited a little longer so that she could have learned his name? it bugged her so.
"Boy," she said to her room," Who are you? Will I see you again?"
She walked slowly to her window and looked out. Her heart leapt. There he was! Col. Tavington was addressing him. He straightened up and soluted the Col. then suddenly, as if in slow motion his gaze traveled and locked with hers. Sadie's window was on the second story of the building, facing the back wall of the fort. No one was back there now except for the boy, who stood staring up at Sadie. The Col. must have had to talk to him in private. As Sadie stared, the boy looked around him to check for anyone watching, then came closer under the window. Sadie opened the window and leaned out.
"I wondered if I might see you again," she said to him.
"I wondered the same my lady," he replied.
"Please. In case we are interrupted again. Tell me your name. I wish to know you."
The boy smiled at her,"My name is Samuel. Samuel Hawthorn."
"Samuel," Sadie repeated," What a wonderful name. Were you in trouble with the Col.?"
"No my lady," Samuel said," He has relieved me of my duties for a week as a reward for finding you."
"O that's wonderful. Tell me. Will you be around here often?" Sadie asked.
"Yes my Lady. For a long while I'm sure."
"I wish to know you more. Won't you visit me often?"
Samuel's face seemed to light up," I would be honored to have the privilege my Lady."
"Please," Sadie said," Call me Sadie."
The two smiled at each other. A voice echoed on the other side of the house.
"I must go now. I can try to come back later tonight. If not tonight tomorrow," Samuel said.
"I shall be waiting for you, Samuel."
"Til then," Samuel said," Sadie."
He disappeared on the other side of the house. Sadie turned her back to the window. She sighed and ran to her cat, lifting him up and twirling around with him.
"O Tavy," she said," What a wondeful boy! I can hardly breath. He attracts me so."
She put the cat on her bed. He meowed loudly at her.
"I can't wait to see him again."
Sadie fell asleep waiting for Samuel to come back. She awoke to a sunny morning. Lifting her head she noticed something outside her window. She got up and opened her window. She was delighted to find it was a bundle of roses tied together with a note . Sadie opened the note.
Miss Sadie,
i apologize for not coming back last night, and unfortunately I did not have the chance to see you this morning. Other matters have kept me occupied. I had enough time to leave these roses, not just as a gift, but as a promise that before the day is done, I will see you again. I hope it was alright to leave you the roses.
-Samuel H.
Sadie grinned from ear to ear and smelled the roses he had left for her. They smelled lovely, and just thinking that he had left them for her gave her butterflies. She quickly found a vase and put the roses in it, and set it on her dresser. She hummed as she dressed. The events of the week seemed to have slipped from her mind. Just as she was finished tying her hair, the lock on her door clicked and her uncle came in. Sadie's smile disappeared and she sat down slowly in a chair as she stared at him.
"I thought you would be awake," Cornwallis said.
Sadie did not answer him. He shut the door and sat down across from her. Neither of them said anything for a moment.
"I don't understand what on earth you thought you were doing, Sadie."
"I wasn't thinking, Uncle," Sadie replied, picking up her cat," All I knew was that i was angry and i wanted nothing to do with this place or you."
Cornwallis stared at the floor, slightly stung by her words.
"I thought about what happened, and the things I said and accused you of," he said," I was wrong, and I'm very sorry. I know Tavy could not have been trained to do such a thing."
Sadie looked down at her cat and stroked his head,"Why have you been so cross uncle?"
Cornwallis sighed,"It's hard for me sometimes to be happy with this war going on. I just wish it were over. Then you and i could go back to England and live happily."
"We can do that here Uncle," Sadie said," Why let this war spoil it."
Cornwallis smiled and got up," O Sadie. If only you could fully understand the impact that thos war has had on me."
He kissed her head and went to the door. It was then he noticed the roses.
"Where did these come from?"
"Uh..One of the servants brought it this morning."
"Sadie, this door has been locked all morning. Now don't lie to me. Where did they come from?"
"THey were on my window when I woke up. I don't know where they came from."
Cornwallis eyed her and then the flowers," O well. As long as it's just roses."
He left her room. Sadie breathed a sigh of relief," That was close."
