"Where is Seabury? He was supposed to be here an hour ago." I asked pacing in our room as Angelica crossed her arms.
"Maybe he is late. Eliza, if you keep pacing like this they will find us too." Angelica said as she sat in the rocking chair that Lafayette fixed for her as I rolled my eyes and stopped as I realized she was correct.
"What did they do with George again?" I asked trying to take my mind off of what is happened as she looked up from her book.
"He is staying in Lafayette's room for right now." Angelica said as I sighed and sat on my bed as I heard horses riding towards the house.
"She's here!" I exclaimed quietly as I got up and peeked out the curtain to see Seabury pulling someone out of a carriage. She wore a dull yellow dress and a brown cloak with the hood over her head. Her wrists shackled together as he pulled on the chain and she fell forward with a loud cry. I took a step back as I looked at Angelica. "It's her… I think." I said shocked as Angelica motioned me to be quiet.
"Mulligan. Glad to see for once your home is clean." Seabury sneered as I knelt on the floor and put my ear to the floor to listen.
"I thought it would be better if I cleaned up for the future bride." Hercules said as I heard the girl softly cry as I heard a smack, I cringed along with Angelica.
"Good, her guard will be posted outside. Send the boy back to Yorktown when you are finish." Seabury said as we heard the door slam shut.
"Well, you can take off you cloak. I would like to see your face." Hercules said as I heard her weep softly. "I am Hercules by the way. What's your name?" He asked as I listened closely.
"My name is P-Peggy… p-please l-let… let me go?" She cried as I felt my heart break. It was silent for a bit till I heard someone knock on the door. I got off the floor and looked at Angelica as she opened the door to reveal Hercules with Peggy as I covered my mouth.
"Oh thank the Lord!" Angelica said as she pulled Peggy into a tight hug. Peggy cried into Angelica shoulder and I hugged them both. "Thank God you are safe Peggy… You're safe now." Angelica said repeatedly we fell to the floor as I looked up at Hercules.
"We need to get her into the attic quickly. I then have to make it look like she escaped." Hercules said as I nodded.
"Thank you Hercules." I said as he nodded and Angelica helped Peggy stand up.
"Come on, let's hurry." I said as we walked quietly to the attic hatch and we helped Peggy up. Angelica climbed up as I heard Seabury.
"I'll close it and hide in our room." I said softly as she nodded and I closed the door softly and latched it shut. I hurried to our room and closed the door and locked it as I heard Seabury erupt in rage.
"What do you mean she escaped!" Seabury yelled as I sat on my bed in shock that we managed to get her back. "She must have run out the back when I was going to grab some lace from the attic. I already sent the guard to get you sir when I found that she was gone." Mulligan said as I heard Seabury storm out and start yelling orders.
"Find the girl." Seabury yelled as he rode off. I heard the door shut and a lock click as I looked out the window to see Seabury riding away as I heard Mulligan walk upstairs and knock on my door.
"You can come out now. He said as I unlocked the door and stood on my toes to stand at the same height as him and hugged him.
"Thank you so much Hercules." I said as he patted my back. He walked away as I ran to the hatch and unlocked it.
"It's safe." I said as Angelica climbed out first and then helped down Peggy. "Come, let's go talk." I said as Peggy nodded and we walked into our room and Angelica sat Peggy on her bed.
"Now, tell us what happened?" Angelica said as she pulled up the rocking chair and I sat beside her as she fiddled with her fingers.
"Well… after you and Liza ran a different way than me. I managed to get to the town of Yorktown. Someone found me. His name was Aaron Burr; he was part of the army that was led by General George Washington… He let me stay with him for a few days. But then Samuel Seabury came to see him. Apparently… Aaron Burr is now working for Seabury and when Seabury found me…. Aaron Burr gave me up to him. He kept… he kept hitting me because I couldn't tell him where you were. He was going to marry me as my punishment for being out after curfew and running away from Manhattan… he tried to cut my h-hair and kept touch me… He was a horrible monster. He made me sleep in the same bed as him and would watch me undress for bed…" Peggy said crying as I hugged her.
"Your safe now Pegs." I said as she touched my hand.
"That man downstairs Hercules. He said that after the guard went away that I needed to listen him… I thought he would do what Seabury does… he took my shackles off and then told me to be quiet and to follow him. Then he walked me upstairs and knocked on the door and then I saw you and Angelica, my… my heart burst!" She said as tears slide down her face as Angelica hugged us both.
"We are back together now and we will stay that way for now on." Angelica said as she rubbed the back of our heads. I heard someone knock on our door as I looked up and saw Alexander.
"I'm sorry to interrupt." He said as I got up and Peggy clutch onto Angelica.
"It's fine. Alexander this is our sister Peggy. Peggy this is Alexander Hamilton. He saved us and has been taking care of us." I said as Peggy gave him a timid wave as Alexander smiled at her.
"I'll have Herc bring in a spare bed from one of the rooms." Alexander said as I nodded.
"Thank you Alexander. For everything." I said as he smiled at me. He walked out of our room as I shut the door.
"Eliza? Angelica? Do you think we will ever go back to Manhattan? Back to Daddy?" Peggy asked as I grimaced as the name. She still has no idea why we left Manhattan.
"Peggy you know why we had to leave home right?" Angelica asked slowly as I wrapped my arms around my stomach.
"No… you never really said why we had to leave. All you said was that we needed to leave without Daddy knowing…" Peggy said looking down as I sat on her other side.
"Peggy… Father wanted to marry us off to British soldiers to make Samuel Seabury happy… Peggy I don't think we could ever go back home…" I said softly as Peggy looked at me confused.
"That doesn't sound like Daddy at all. He wouldn't do something like that." Peggy said shocked as she looked at me and Angelica.
"Peggy, Father was different around us then when he was around you." I said softly as she looked at me, heart-broken, as she shook her head.
"Why would he do something like that?" Peggy asked sadly as I bit my lip.
"Peggy, we don't know why he wanted to do that." I said as she wiped one of her tears away.
"Please don't cry Peggy." Angelica said soothing her as I felt my heart break from her crying.
"You'll like it here Peggy. Sometimes when it is nice out. Angelica and I go out towards the river and pick the prettiest flowers." I said trying to make her better. "I know it seems bad staying here at first. But the men that are here, they are good people and take good care of us." I said as she wiped her tears away.
"Will we ever be able to go home?" She asked as I looked at Angelica and sighed. "I don't know if we can." I said as Angelica got up.
"Now, how about we find Hercules and have him bring in your bed and make you feel at home." I said as she nodded.
"Okay…" She said as I brushed my teal dress and we walked downstairs to find Lafayette talking to Washington.
"Come tomorrow morning. We rally the troops and strike by early Monday night." He said as Lafayette nodded.
"Ah Eliza, Angelica. This must be your sister Peggy." Washington said as I nodded.
"Yes, we are looking for Hercules. We need to ask if he could move a bed into our room." I said as I heard Hercules swearing upstairs.
"I think he is already doing so." Lafayette said as we walked upstairs to see Hercules moving a mattress and bedframe into our room.
"Thank you Hercules." I said as he nodded and walked out.
"Um. Hercules, do you think you have any yellow fabric scraps left over?" I asked sweetly as he nodded.
"I take it you are going be making Peggy a quilt to pass time while we are away starting to stir up trouble?" Hercules asked as I nodded.
"I'll find it and bring it to you after our briefings." Mulligan said as someone called for him. "I'll be right back." He said as I smiled at him and walked back into my room.
"They are really nice…" Peggy said sweetly as Angelica was cutting some creamy yellow fabric to make Peggy a new dress as I lit the candles in our room.
"Eliza, I'm tired." Peggy said as I started to make her bed up with some of the blankets that Alexander gave us from when we first stayed here.
"Well, get ready for bed." I said as she looked down and shook her head. "It's okay Peggy. Here I will lock the door." I said as I walked over to the door and locked it. She started to unbutton her now dull yellow dress and slid off her corset and brushed the wrinkles out of her very dirty shift, it was covered with dirt and blood as I cringed. "Oh Lord, what has this man done to you." I said as she looked down and shook her head.
"He… did things…" Peggy said softly as she climbed into bed and I covered her up.
"We will talk about it when you are ready." Angelica said as she pecked Peggy's forehead and blew out the candle before she motioned me to follow her out of the room to let Peggy sleep. We walked downstairs to the men talking about military plans as I smelled food.
"Who cooked?" I asked Angelica as she shrugged and grabbed the two plates of meat and rice. I ate quietly as we listened closely.
"We will send word tomorrow for the troops to come here. Before the sun rise." Washington said as I bit my lip.
"Then I will send word through one of my classified confidantes and will ask for money from France." Lafayette said as I gasped.
"They are really going to do this?" I asked as Angelica nodded. "Let's head upstairs and get ready for bed." Angelica said as the men walked in.
"How is your sister doing?" Alexander asked as Angelica nodded.
"She is resting." Angie said as I took the plates from them and everyone left expect for Alexander.
"Tomorrow, you and the others are going to start stirring things up?" I asked as I washed the dishes and handed it to him to dry and put away.
"Yeah. I know it seems sudden and might be scary now that Peggy is here and she might not know that rules that might keep you guys alive." Alexander said rambling as I put my hand on his to silent him.
"It's okay, Angelica and I will help her along and it might be sudden but it is for the best, then we will have our country back." I said smiling at him through the candle light.
"Alexander, what if this rebellion does not work like last time?" I asked scared as he shook his head and put the last plate away.
"It will this time Eliza. I swear it will." Alexander said as I brushed my hair back.
"Alexander, can you please promise me that you will be okay?" I asked as we walked out of the kitchen and began to lock up for the night.
"Of course I will be okay. Eliza, are you worried about me?" He asked as I took a step on the stairs.
"Of course I am. I worried for all of you. Laurens, Mulligan, and Lafayette." I said as he looked up at me and had a look in his eyes that I couldn't place. "Alexander, please promise me you will stay alive? That would be enough, if you would stay alive during this?" I asked pleading with him as he touched my hand gently.
"I will. I swear that I will." He said as I smiled at him.
"I should go. Good night Alex." I said as he nodded.
"Goodnight Eliza." He said as I turned and walked upstairs. I walked into our room quietly and saw Angelica comforting Peggy as she stroked her hair.
"H-he'll come b-back… he… he is going… he is going to hurt me… again… and again…. And again…" Peggy cried as Angelica held her close to her.
"He will never hurt you again Peggy." Angie said as I watched from the door frame. She looked up at me and shook her head as I walked through the opened door.
"What happened?" I whispered as Angie got up from Peggy's bedside and walked over to me and closed the door softly behind me.
"She woke up crying that Seabury was going to hurt her. Then Mulligan came by to give me the fabric you asked for and she screamed and nearly jump out of her skin. Sent her into a tailspin." Angie explained as I looked over at Peggy's sleeping form as I sighed.
"The men are leaving before dawn… they are going to go and start causing small stirs of trouble. Maybe then she will get used to us." I said while Angelica got into bed as she agreed.
"Are you coming to bed Eliza?" Angelica as she blew out the candle as I nodded.
"I will in a minute." I said as she nodded and laid down. I wandered over to the window in the darkness as I drew back the curtains and I looked up at the moon and stars. I shook my head as I looked down. "I don't want to loss these men…" I thought to myself as I watched the moon shine brightly as I closed the curtains and ready myself for bed. I kept looking back at the window as climbed into bed and fell into a worried sleep as I heard shuffling outside. I sat up and rubbed my eyes as I climbed out of bed and walked to the window. I watched Alexander climb onto a horse as he turned back to face the house. He looked up at me as I took a deep breath to realize this was happening. I put my hand on the window as he gave me a nod and began to ride off. I sighed quietly and began to feel… helpless.