Dear Gil,

I am sorry that you won't be coming back as soon as we have all hoped. I am still going to wait for you. I have no intentions of going astray and am working hard to save money. I am relieved to hear you are alive, but am terrified that you almost died. I work in town as a seamstress for a woman named Mrs. Larson. She is a mean old bat who has nothing better to do but look over my shoulder and scold me. If I had the nerve I would tell her what I think, but the pay is needed. Is it dreadfully hot there? It is here. I go to the river with John to swim, but even the reflection of the sky on the water makes me think of your eyes. Oh when will you come back!

Sara

Dear Sara,

It is very hot here, but thankfully we are near a water source. I am pleased to hear that you work and make time to swim with John, you don't need to become depressed. I am also happy to hear that you will not go astray. I have been treated wrongly in the past and you hold my heart in your hands. I would surely want to die if you loose your love for me. When this is all over I will teach, like we planned, and build a house in Philadelphia. Nick is getting along fine, though he had a bit of sickness for a while. Tell your aunt all is well. I long to hold you in my arms, my dear. Please have faith.

Your Gil

~~00~~

September 1778

Dear Gil,

It has nearly been a year since the battle in our valley, Brandywine, and also since we met. I remember the first time I saw you. I was with John and we were looking out the window and you were on a horse. You smiled at me, I recall, but I must have been rude because I almost always am. I also remember the days you were wounded. That was a scary time, but look how far things have changed for us. I never would have thought that you were to be my love. This winter is going to better than the last and I hope it will be for you too. We have fresh vegetables in storage and the new cow that had been bought in the spring. I kiss your letters when you send them to me. I know it sounds mad, but I can almost smell you. I love you and forever will.

Sara Elizabeth Sidle. Your one and only.

Dear Sara,

I laugh when I read that you remember the first time you saw me. I recall that day and I noticed you, but I didn't know it was you. To be honest the first time I took notice was when you brought me a bottle of whiskey and hid it in your dress. I didn't want to say anything, but you had missed a button! I remember the battle of Brandywine, it was hard and we have lost some good men. I though that I would surely die there, but your family stepped in. I have to be honest with you Sara, I had been married before. When she left me she took my pride. I thought I had been in love, but I learned that it takes a man and a woman to make a home. I was better off when she left, but I wanted to die. I sold my things at auction, including my clothes, and left to fight in this war. When I had been shot I thought it was my turn, but then I saw you and heard your voice and for the first time in a long time I wanted to live. Maybe I should be praising you for saving me. I am afraid I have to end this letter and go . I love you with every beat of my heart.

Gilbert Aaron Grissom. Your one and only.

My love,

I am sorry you were treated like that. When we are married I will love you as much as I do now. Since you had been honest with me, I will be honest with you. I have been living with Uncle Jim since I was twelve. My mother is Uncle Jim's sister and one day there was a fight over money. The taxes made it hard for us to buy anything and my father was drunk a lot. My mother took a knife and killed him… and I saw the whole thing. I was so scared she was going to come after me that I ran to a neighbors. We ran a boarding house and one of the tenants went to get the constable. I haven't seen my mother in a long time, but I suppose she has been hanged. I don't remember the days after that much. I remember that Uncle Jim came and picked me up at the train station and that it was a long ride. Aunt Catherine said that I would hardly speak. I know that this my be the reason I am so strong willed and rebellious. My mother told me that knowledge is power, no matter who knows it. I didn't have much schooling then, except the basics and a little arithmetic. Uncle Jim is a well to-do man, he was able to buy me books and let me take other lessons. I am not sure weather he regrets it or not, but I don't. When we marry we will have to come and visit them often. They are my family and soon will be yours too. Don't you have a mother somewhere? I am sorry to be asking, but we should know each others secrets.

Love forever,

Sara

Dearest,

I am sorry to hear about your mother. If she was anything like you then she was amazing. Yes, we will have to visit you're family often. I am afraid I don't have much family. I have a few cousins here and there, but nobody I am close to. My father died when I was a boy and my mother died before I left for the war. I had no brothers or sisters growing up, so my childhood was lonely. I always dreamed that if I had children, then I would have many so that they would have each other as they grew up. I had money once because being a teacher of science pays well. Abigail drained me of my money before she left. I would have given her anything, but she took it all. I plan to provide a comfortable life for you and our children. I want you to live in a nice home with all the luxuries you could ever want. Our children would go to private schools and have nice clothes. We will have a garden and in it will be all the vegetables that you always hoped to have. I am afraid that the days are starting to get cool again, but we have blankets to keep us warm. I noticed that you spray a bit of cologne on your letters, it makes me think of you. I imagine that you were here with me sometimes and that we were married. I promise to love you well and ache to touch you.

Lovingly,

Gil

October 1778

Dear Gil,

I hope this letter finds you well. I miss you, but time seems to be dragging on. All my days are filled with pain and work. I am still adding money to our collection, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good. Food is starting to grow short and I am afraid that Uncle Jim will try and kill Bessie, our milk cow. I grow tired of all this waiting and look for you every day. Uncle Jim says that he sees no end to this and some of the men are forming a militia in town. I am sorry to be negative, but that is how I feel. Sometimes I wonder if this all worth the fight.

Sara

Sara walked into town thinking of her last letter to Gil. She knew she had been rude, but she was depressed. They days were cold and lonely and Gil's letters were few.

"This love will last… this love will last," she told herself.

Aunt Catherine had sent her into town to buy a pound of sugar for baking pie. The day outside was gray and cold. It made her ache for the warm days of summer and for Gil. As she walked the mud stuck to her shoes and dirtied the hem of her dress. She heard the sound of a wagon behind her and turned to see a man coming up the street. He slowed when he saw her.

"Can I give you a ride to town," he said, taking off his hat.

Sara thought this through. Town was only just ahead and she was tired of the mud, but she was courting Gil and it didn't seem fit.

"No sir," she said. "I'll get along fine."

"Please," he said. "I don't mean anything by it. Your dress won't be as muddy."

Sara looked down at her dress and saw that it was muddier than she realized. She nodded and took the man's hand that he had offered to her. He had dusty brown hair and dark eyes. She couldn't help but admire his looks.

"Thank you," she said.

"It aint a problem, miss. My name is Gregory Sanders," he said.

Sara nodded. "I am Sara Sidle," she said.

Gregory smiled at her. "I remember you from primary school. You sewed Betsy's coat up," he said.

Sara laughed. "I did indeed! I don't recall you," she said.

Gregory started the horses up and they headed towards town. " I kept to myself, but I would always try to put a tac on the teachers chair," he said.

Sara smiled. "I remember you! You almost set the school house on fire!" she said with a laugh.

He nodded. "That was me, alright. I remember thinking that you were the nicest of all the girls. You even played football with the boys until you had to leave school," he said.

"All the girls left school when they reached a certain age, but I still studied," Sara said.

The town was up ahead and Sara was relieved when it got closer. She hadn't seen Gregory in years, but she started to feel uncomfortable around him.

"I recall you were as smart as a whip!" he said.

Sara laughed nervously. "I don't want to lead you on, Mr. Sanders. I am in courting," she said.

Gregory laughed. "I don't know weather to be furious or flattered that you think I was admiring you. It wasn't my intention to make you feel uncomfortable," he said.

Sara felt embarrassed. "I apologize. You can let me out here," she said.

Gregory stopped the horses and Sara climbed out of the wagon.

"Thank you for the ride," she said as she turned.

~~0~~

The Halloween celebration was always a good time in the fall. A lot of the elders thought that it was the worship of spirits and demons, but all the townspeople did was tell ghost stories and dance. Sara went to the celebration to hear good stories, but John went to make mischief.

"You keep yourself out of trouble," she told her little cousin as she joined the mass of people that gathered to hear the ghost stories.

John stuck his tongue out at her and ran to join the other children. Sometimes he made her so mad that she wanted to scream, but she kept her temper.

"Hey!" Sara heard a voice say behind her.

Sara jumped and turned to see Gregory. "You scared me!" she said.

"That's what this is all about. I can show you the graveyard," he said in a spooky voice. "That is much better these stories."

Sara turned it over in her head and nodded. "Alright, but I have to be back to collect John and go home soon," she said.

Gregory took her hand and they ran towards the graveyard. Other people had come to play in the graveyard, and they all held lanterns.

"Don't step on a grave," one boy warned. "or you will be haunted until you die!"

Gregory pulled Sara over to a headstone and she read the name.

"Lucy Grymes," she read.

"I hear she haunts this graveyard. Only if you kiss someone under the stars will she leave you alone," he said.

Sara shook her head. "I can't," she said.

Gregory pulled her closer. "I won't tell," he said. "you don't want to be haunted do you?"

Sara shook her head and looked into his eyes. They told her to trust him, but a voice in the back of her head reminded her that she was courting Gil.

"It's just a kiss. To keep the ghosts away," she told herself.

Gregory put his lips on hers and all Sara felt was uncomfortable. She didn't feel the tingles she felt when she kissed Gil. Instead she felt guilt and she hated herself.

"Sara," John said behind her.

Sara turned and looked at her younger cousin. He looked confused and upset.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Nothing," she said as she took his hand. "lets go home."