husbands. Who else will do the cooking and mending, or tend to their husbands when they are sick, or care for them when they are wounded?”
“That is for the lower classes to do, not the wives of landed gentlemen like myself. I can tell you, Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Adams will not be following their husbands on the battlefields or to Philadelphia. They will be looking after their husbands’ properties in their absence. You are mistress of River Run, and you will oversee it while I am gone.”
She threw her hands over her hips and frowned. “To say a genteel woman cannot accompany her husband in camp is a ridiculous rule.”
“Need I tell you, I am your rule and law?” he said, his tone gentle.
“No, I am reminded of it daily. Can you tell me you will not long for me—miss me? Can you not bend this time?”
“I would be compromising my principles. You will obey me and stay here at River Run.”
She clenched the sides of her gown. “I will worry myself sick over you, and miss you terribly.”
He drew off his waistcoat. “I will not leave you alone here without a man. Addison will stay . . . to protect you and Fiona.”
Her mouth dropped open with a start. “Protect us? But you said the Indians would stay away.”
He turned. “And I believe that is true. But there may be British soldiers and a few stray Indians that wander this far into the wilderness. You cannot be too cautious even when the possibility of danger is slim.”
The thought of Redcoats stomping over River Run, Indians lurking in the woods nearby, and she without her husband, made Eliza frown. Despite Hayward’s assurances, she imagined what the Indians would do to her and Fiona if they were to attack their home. And she feared what English officers would demand of her if they set foot on her doorstep. Yet she raised her face and said, “I am British. Surely no English soldier would harm me.”
“As long as you say you sympathize with them and support the King, and show hospitality to the officer in command, they will treat you well.”
Eliza bit her lower lip. How could he, knowing the risks, leave her? “I hope you are wrong and that no soldiers from either side shall come anywhere near River Run. If they do, I shall be certain to write to you and tell you of it.”
“Never mind what I said. Put it out of your mind, Eliza. The fighting will stay well to the east and north of here. I should not have said anything. Now you will worry and do your best to make me feel guilty for it.”
Unable to forbid angry tears from coming, they welled in her eyes, pooled, and slipped down her cheek. “I will not speak of it again, Hayward. Just promise me that you will come back.”
His long sigh drew her gaze. “Where else would I go? River Run is mine. You are mine. Nothing will prevent me from returning, except death.”
A moan escaped her lips, and she leaned into him. “Do not speak of death, Hayward. It frightens me, especially when there is so much for us to live for.”
“There are some things worth dying for, Eliza. Liberty is one of them.”
She lowered her eyes to hide her disappointment. “Perhaps you cannot promise you will come back to me, but I can promise I will be here waiting for you.”
He did not look at her, but nodded. Her lips parted to speak, but the words did not come. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. She felt him breathe out. She had to put it all in the Almighty’s hands and rely solely upon Him. But she could not help but yearn for the mortal closeness and protectiveness of her husband.
The next morning heat fanned across the lowlands and withered the wildflowers that grew in the fields. No breeze stirred in the trees or rippled the tall grass. The courtship song of the cicadas swept through the trees. With each passing rider or odd wagon that passed over the road above the Potomac, rusty clouds kicked beneath hoof and wheel and settled over the flora.
“That is for the lower classes to do, not the wives of landed gentlemen like myself. I can tell you, Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Adams will not be following their husbands on the battlefields or to Philadelphia. They will be looking after their husbands’ properties in their absence. You are mistress of River Run, and you will oversee it while I am gone.”
She threw her hands over her hips and frowned. “To say a genteel woman cannot accompany her husband in camp is a ridiculous rule.”
“Need I tell you, I am your rule and law?” he said, his tone gentle.
“No, I am reminded of it daily. Can you tell me you will not long for me—miss me? Can you not bend this time?”
“I would be compromising my principles. You will obey me and stay here at River Run.”
She clenched the sides of her gown. “I will worry myself sick over you, and miss you terribly.”
He drew off his waistcoat. “I will not leave you alone here without a man. Addison will stay . . . to protect you and Fiona.”
Her mouth dropped open with a start. “Protect us? But you said the Indians would stay away.”
He turned. “And I believe that is true. But there may be British soldiers and a few stray Indians that wander this far into the wilderness. You cannot be too cautious even when the possibility of danger is slim.”
The thought of Redcoats stomping over River Run, Indians lurking in the woods nearby, and she without her husband, made Eliza frown. Despite Hayward’s assurances, she imagined what the Indians would do to her and Fiona if they were to attack their home. And she feared what English officers would demand of her if they set foot on her doorstep. Yet she raised her face and said, “I am British. Surely no English soldier would harm me.”
“As long as you say you sympathize with them and support the King, and show hospitality to the officer in command, they will treat you well.”
Eliza bit her lower lip. How could he, knowing the risks, leave her? “I hope you are wrong and that no soldiers from either side shall come anywhere near River Run. If they do, I shall be certain to write to you and tell you of it.”
“Never mind what I said. Put it out of your mind, Eliza. The fighting will stay well to the east and north of here. I should not have said anything. Now you will worry and do your best to make me feel guilty for it.”
Unable to forbid angry tears from coming, they welled in her eyes, pooled, and slipped down her cheek. “I will not speak of it again, Hayward. Just promise me that you will come back.”
His long sigh drew her gaze. “Where else would I go? River Run is mine. You are mine. Nothing will prevent me from returning, except death.”
A moan escaped her lips, and she leaned into him. “Do not speak of death, Hayward. It frightens me, especially when there is so much for us to live for.”
“There are some things worth dying for, Eliza. Liberty is one of them.”
She lowered her eyes to hide her disappointment. “Perhaps you cannot promise you will come back to me, but I can promise I will be here waiting for you.”
He did not look at her, but nodded. Her lips parted to speak, but the words did not come. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. She felt him breathe out. She had to put it all in the Almighty’s hands and rely solely upon Him. But she could not help but yearn for the mortal closeness and protectiveness of her husband.
The next morning heat fanned across the lowlands and withered the wildflowers that grew in the fields. No breeze stirred in the trees or rippled the tall grass. The courtship song of the cicadas swept through the trees. With each passing rider or odd wagon that passed over the road above the Potomac, rusty clouds kicked beneath hoof and wheel and settled over the flora.
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