The next day Mary and I climbed into the carriage soon after breakfast. We were met with Lieutenant Mills, Captain Jones who had been with William from the beginning of the war. Danver and Avery were also accompanying us, which I was not that happy about. WIlliam had insisted that they were for our protection and said it was the only way he would allow me to go. It was clear that there would be no room for argument.

"Stasi you need to really think about this. You have no inkling of where Brandon may be or when he will attack. Or even who he might have convinced to help him." I leaned back in my seat and crossed my arms looking straight ahead of me. " I have half a mind to postpone this trip for both of your safety." I turned my head and glared at him.

"And as I have told you I will not have this trip canceled. You yourself prepared me to assist if anything were to happen. Which it will not. Beside the place of lodging is a known loyalist establishment." He narrowed his eyes.

"You are too stubborn for your own good."

"Thank you." I replied sassily.

"That wasn't a compliment," He glowered.

"William, I promise everything will be fine. I love you." He stepped up on the step of the carriage.

"You better be. And if anything does happen…. You will be fully responsible." He leaned in and kissed my cheek. "And if it does…. Expect repercussions." He growled in my ear. He pulled back and I stared into his eyes. He had the same look in his eyes as he did last night. He got down off the step as Mary approached. He assisted her in. "Have a lovely time Ladies." He closed the door and we set off.

About an hour into the ride we suddenly stopped. "We can't be there already." I stuck my head out the window at the sound of shouts. And quickly sat back down Looking at MAry.

"This is the King's Highway where I advise you and your men to make way." I heard Jones shout. Damn it. "This is not a military matter." Said one of the others. "Disperse at once gentleman." I shot.

"STOP STOP. You might hit Ana." Shouted Brandon/Charlie.

"Fuck." I looked at Mary and said, "I'm sincerely sorry Mary." I discreetly grabbed my knife and pistol from under the seat.

"ANA! Come out of there. My friends and I are here to rescue you from that bastard Tavington." I put the weapons in my pockets that I had sown in most of my dresses. They would be safe there as one would not beagle to tell i had pockets by just looking at me.

"Stasi? No!I took one last look at Mary and nodded. Taking a deep breath I slowly opened the door and Lieutenant Mill's who had been guarding the door held out his hand helping me out.

"Thank you Mills." I looked around and we were outnumbered 3 to 1 even with me fighting. I had to think quickly. I spotted Charlie. I approached him. "Please tell your friends to let Mary go? I was to escort her to a match for marriage." another shot rang out and Avery fell to the ground. I turned to look where the shot came from and found a man whose cheeks were sunken in and eyes black as coal

"Rollins! Hold your fire." A man I recognized as Ben Martin said. " We are here ONLY to rescue Miss McKenzie."

"You will not be taking either one of these ladies anywhere. This….." I quickly turned to Mills.

"Lt. Mills, I am no longer in need of your assistance." I stepped backwards. "Take care of Mary."

'"Yes Ma'am." I got several odd looks from the men from the militia as I turned toward Ben. "Please let her go." Martin just stared at me.

"I recognize you. You were locked in that room when i went to do a prisoner exchange." I nodded. "Alright we will let her go." I smiled and handed over to Charlie who pulled me into a hug that looked loving and safe to those around us. He threaded his fingers through my hair.

"Your move." He whispered in my ear. I pulled back and smiled at him. I looked around and Martin was whispering to some of the men. I overheard him ordering them to double back and kill the soldiers and leave the girl.

"Brandon I'm so glad you were able to rescue me. I want you to know I did what I had to so I could survive. Until you were able to come for me." I stretched up on my toes and kissed him. I pulled back and he cupped my cheek looking into my eyes.

"I understand my love." He leaned in as if to kiss my cheek. "I know you let him fuck you. You enjoyed it. You enjoyed being his whore. You know there will be consequences." Shit what have I gotten myself into. I took a step away from him but he gripped my hand tightly and I winced.

"May I say goodbye to my friend? She had nothing to do with what happened back at the fort. She made sure I had food when there was no fancy officer's dinner. That was the only time I was really allowed to eat. With an exception of when the Colonel felt…. Generous. That's stretching it." His eyes softened for a moment.

"Don't pull any tricks Ana." He let go of my hand. I walked over to Mary, who was standing by the carriage, taking her hand.

"I'm sorry Mary. I must go." Tears escaped from her eyes as she let out a sob.

"No you Can't! Not after…." She lowered her voice. "…everything he's done to you." I looked down and placed my hand on hers.

"I will be fine Mary. Thank you for being such a dear friend." I leaned in and gave her a hug. "Tell William page 63." I pulled back and smiled. "Stay safe my friend." I let go of her hand and rejoined Brandon. We disappeared into the woods on the back of the horse he stole from William with the rest of the group. After fifteen minutes I heard a gun go off 3 times. I wipped my head over my shoulder and glared at Martin.

"You said they would be safe!" I yelled at Martin.

"I have kept my word. Lady Cornwallis was not harmed. We can't have the men following us." He rode on ahead.

Tavington walked into Cornwalis's office an hour after they had left. "I'm going after them. I should have never let them go."

"Marriage becomes you Colonel, But do not forget we are at war and I require you here." Cornwallis looked up from his map of the carolinas.

"Is that really of more import than the safety of your daughter and my wife sir?" William snapped at his commanding officer.

"I will disregard your tone Colonel, but if you truly think something is amiss then go." Tavington nodded and left the office to gather 20. They rode hard to catch up. They slowed as they crested the hill and overlooked the scene before them. The carriage was sitting there three of the men that had been sent laying dead around it.

"No." Terrified of what he might find Tavington kicked his horse into a gallop. Quickly followed by the rest of his men. Reaching the carriage he jumped off the horse as it was still in motion and flew open the carriage door finding Mary in the carriage alone. Tears streamed down her face. "Lady Mary?" Tavington climbed into the carriage and sat across from her. "What happened? Where is Anastasia?"

"We were stopped by the man that had come to the fort for his men. He recognized her from the fort. He said something about rescuing Stasi That horrible man Charles or Brandon whichever he goes by was with them. One of them shot Jones. After they left a few of them came back and killed the others. It was only by Stasi's insistence that they left me alone Mills ran off after them even though Stasi had told him to let her go. It seemed like she wanted to go with him and I would have believed it. Until she came over to say goodbye." Tavington narrowed his eyes.

"She wanted to go?" Mary nodded.

"I thought it was strange but she told me to give you a message. Page 63. Not sure what she meant by that."

He raised one of his eyebrows, "Page 63? That was all she said?"

"Yes Colonel that is all she said." He looked away from her in thought. Maybe she truly had wanted to go. Am I that unbearable that she had to go back to that bastard? She left me.

"Lt Mills went after them, you say?" Again Mary nodded. "Thank you Lady Mary." He climbed out of the carriage.

"Wait Colonel!" He turned toward her. "She loves you. I saw how her face lit up every time you came into the room. The way that it seems like once you are there you're the only other person in the room." I turned away from her.

"LT MILLS!" He yelled as he saw him approaching from out of the woods. "You seemed to have abandoned your post." Tavington hardened his face. "You left Lady Mary alone.'' The Lt looked down and saw Jones's body on the ground. "Care to explain."

"They were alive when I went after your wife, Sir." Tavington stepped closer to him

"And what was your plan against at least 20 rebels?" Tavington sneered.

"...I hadn't thought that far ahead." Lt Mills struggled to keep eye contact with his commanding officer.

"Indeed, you hadn't thought." He took another step closer and they were now standing toe to toe with the Lt. "You could have not only put yourself in danger but also the life of my wife even more than she already is at risk." The Lt began shaking. "Back to Camp Lt."

"But…."

"BACK TO CAMP LT." The Lt hurried to get back to camp with some of the others as Tavington and ten others escorted Mary back to the fort. Once she was safely back Tavington made his way to the camp. The entire ride back he thought what the hell could Stasi mean by page 63.

He made his way to his room followed by Borden. "She's left me, Stephen. SHe had to have had this planned. Why else would she be so insistent on going." Tavington slammed his door. Borden looked around the room. Nothing showed that anything was gone except what was needed for the trip. That was still all on the carriage making its way back here. William sat on his bed with his head in his hands. "How could she do this Stephen?"

"I'm sure it is not as it seems,Will. What does page 63 mean?" Tavington Jerked his head up looking at Borden. His eyes darted around the room.

"Page 63!" He jumped up from the bed and began digging through the draws of the desk. He pulled out the history book and opened to page 63. There was nothing there other than details of weapons. He slammed the book closed and threw it as he looked more. Not finding anything he pushed the chair over aggravatedly. He looked over the room and ran over to her bedside table pulling open the drawer finding War Horse there. He quickly pulled it out, opening to page 63.

"William, I love you and I will find my way back to you. This ends tonight. Brandon dies tonight. One more thing Benjamin Martin is the Ghost. I need a distraction. Page 15 semicolon close pernacies." (Smiley face) He looked up at Borden in shock. "She is going to try to take him on herself." He tossed the book on the bed and went to look out the window, arms crossed.

"Well she didn't leave you" He picked the book up and opened to page 15 "Will!" Tavington turned tworded Bordon. Borden was looking at him Beaming. Tavington narrowed his eyes.

"What are you so happy about?" He walked over to Borden and grabbed the book away from Borden and stared at the page in front of him. "She's Carrying my child." At first William felt elated. Then Dread washed over him as the current situation came back to the forefront of his mind. "Let's go."

Pushing the tent flap aside he entered the tent. "As you were." the men who had started to get up sat back down. "Wilkins!" He sat up from his cot just walking up from a nap. "What can you tell me of Benjamin Martin?"

"He's the Ghost." stated Borden

"Hell everything. I could tell you the size of his boot.

"Does he have any family? Where would he hide his children" Wilkins looked around as the rest of the men stared at him.

Wilkins cleared his throat. "His wife's sister owns a plantation. It's not far." About an hour later they were off heading to Charlotte's Plantation.