Patriots: Boston

Chapter Seventeen Bunker Hill

I woke up the next morning. I was soaking wet and a little cold, but there was something warmer I was leaning on. I opened my eyes and heard Isaac's voice.
"Sleep well?" He asked.
I then realized I had slept against his arm. I looked up and he was smiling at me.
"Oh! I'm sorry! Am I hurting you?" I asked, backing off.
"No, that's my good arm you were sleeping on. Did you sleep well?" He asked again.
"Yes, you're...comfortable," I said awkwardly. As soon as I heard the words coming out of my mouth I wanted to slap myself.
He just looked at me and laughed. I laughed awkwardly too, but then I noticed it was getting light out and I had work.
  "I need to go to work!" I said, getting up, heaving my wet petticoats up.
  "Work? Why?" He asked.
"Since you left I've been working for some rich ladies to earn some extra money," I explained. "I really must go now."
"As long as you come back at the end of the day," he said.
"I will," I smiled, wringing my hair out.
I walked back into the house. Zeb was waiting for me.
"You're soaking wet," he observed. "You stayed outside with Isaac last night, didn't you?"
"Yes, what's it to you?" I asked.
"You have to go to work now, when are you going to have time to dry off?" He asked.
"I'll change my dress right now and and put my hair up," I said. "No one will know, except- oh no! Do my parents know?"
"No, and they won't unless you drip all over the floor," he said, gesturing to the wet floor where I had been standing.
"Ohhhh," I cringed.
"It's alright, I'll get that. You change and get ready for work," Zeb offered kindly.
"Thank you, that would be very nice," I said, running to the bedroom.
I pulled my old work dress from my wardrobe and put it on. I quickly tied up my hair and ran back into the kitchen. Zeb was waiting for me, but leaning on one of our stolen British muskets. "I'll walk you there."
"Why do you have your gun?" I asked.
"Militia training after I drop you off," he said.
"You asked my father, right?" I clarified.
"Of course," he said.
"And he is fine with it?" I asked.
"Yes, he's fine with me going," Zeb said seriously.
"He's not going to throw you out too?" I asked.
Zeb sighed. "He's alright?"
"I guess," I said, "He was certainly in good spirits this morning. That doesn't mean he isn't still sick, but at least he's happy."
"I feel bad," Zeb said, "For not saying more."
"Yes. If you did say more maybe my father and mother would listen to you," I said.
Zeb stayed silent for a minute. Finally he said, "We should go."
"Alright," I said.
We walked together down the street. We passed the favorite taverns of the Sons and the silver shop of Paul Revere.
"Oh would Isaac be excited to see that," Zeb laughed.
"Yes he certainly would," I smiled to myself.
"Oh! Liza, since I'll be gone all day, could you swing by Doctor Warren's on your way home and pick up some more medicine for Isaac and congratulate him on his promotion," Zeb said.
"What promotion?" I asked.
"Yesterday he was commissioned by the Provincial Congress to be a Major General in the army," Zeb explained with excitement. "I can't wait to serve under him!"
"Where and when?" I asked.
"Probably soon," Zeb said, "we're still under siege."
"Alright, just be careful today," I said.
"Don't worry, I will. I can shoot a gun and do all the training exercises no problem," Zeb said, confidently, but not too cockily. "Here's your stop."
"Thank you, Zeb. Goodbye!" I called.
"Bye!" He called.
I looked back to see him stare suspiciously at a horse that was finely saddled. I soon realized why. I entered the parlor where Amaka was bringing breakfast to Mrs. Harold and Cordelia. Philip was there too, along with two other older soldiers. Cordelia was giggling at something Philip whispered to her. Mrs. Harold looked quite pleased with herself, having a soldier on each arm.
"Oh here she is! This is my other daughter, Betty!" Mrs. Harold said opening her arms in a friendly manner.
I was very confused.
"Little sister!" Cordelia said with a cheesy smile. I could tell it was killing her.
"Umm, hello," I said awkwardly, looking to Amaka who was laughing at the whole thing.
"What?!" Philip asked, as confused as I was.
"You have two daughters, Mrs. Harold?" one of the older soldiers asked.
"Yes, one of them, Cordelia, takes after me in her looks. We don't know what happened to the other one," she gestured to me pitifully.
"Dinah, please get us some tea cakes, and would you lovely gentlemen like some wine?" She asked, a sly glint in her eye.
"Madam, it's only half past 8 am!" the other soldier copied her sly expression.
"Oh, I know," Mrs. Harold leaned on the second soldier and gave him another flirtatious look that made me uncomfortable. "Dinah, the wine please."
"Of course, madam," Amaka said, walking out of the room. I followed her.
"Amaka, what is going on?" I asked once we got to the kitchen.
"Between having to pay you and losing her husband, she's in danger of financial trouble. She has been having these gentlemen over to flirt with them and get one of them to marry her so she can have money again," Amaka explained.
"But what about me being her daughter?" I asked, horrified.
"More children makes a woman more desirable, I guess?" Amaka laughed.
"But isn't her husband not even confirmed dead?" I asked.
"He's probably dead, but I guess there is still a chance he's alive," Amaka said.
"That's awful! And now she's trying to get them drunk in the morning?!" I asked in shock.
"Yes, it seems that way," Amaka said. "That's woman amuses me."
"That woman disgusts me! And what is she going to tell the one she marries about me when he moves in and I'm still just hired help who lives with my own family?" I asked.
Amaka laughed. "Well, that's certainly a problem for her!"
"So what am I supposed to do?" I asked.
"Play along, make jokes, do what you want! No matter how this plays out, it will be funny!" Amaka handed me the tray and put 5 full red wine glasses on it. "Let's just have everyone drink and sit back to watch the show!"
I smiled slyly and carried the tray into the parlor.
"Here you all go," I said, bringing the tray to everyone in the room.
"I'll pass on the wine, thank you," Philip said when I got to him.
"What?!" I snapped a little too loudly.
"I'm not a morning drinker," he said innocently.
"Why?!" I asked, purposely annoyingly.
"Well, General Howe needs me when we take Breed's and Bunker Hills tomorrow! Oh damn it!" He whispered, smacking his forehead with his hand.
"Whoa!" I almost screamed.
"Betty, Philip, what is going on?" Cordelia asked between sips of wine.
"Oh nothing, your sister is a delight!" He mocked.
"Come here Mr. Davis, I need to talk to you!" I grabbed him by the hand and pulled him out of the room.
"Betty, what is this?" He asked.
"If you're truly a deserter, be a good one and tell me everything you know about what General Howe is trying to do!" I whispered once we had gotten to the kitchen.
"Fine, I'll tell you," he said. "The British are going to try and take Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill tomorrow! Some of the militiamen already know."
"Because you told them?" I asked.
"No," Philip said shaking his head, "I don't know how they know. Maybe that provincial congress?"
"Maybe," I said thoughtfully, "But what's so great about Breed's and Bunker Hill?"
"They're easily defendable," Philip said.
"Well, we Americans won't let you take them," I said confidently.
"You have no idea how many they are sending," Philip said gravely.
"Well, how many?" I asked.
"A lot," Philip said.
"Well, that's very specific. Thank you very much," I said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry, I just don't know the exact numbers," he apologized.
"So you think the whole militia knows?" I asked.
"At least the generals and majors," He said seriously, "and I guess you now."
"Thank you," I said. "Do you even want to see what they're doing in that parlor?"
"I'd probably rather not," Philip said, seeming uncomfortable and violated.
"I think we have to," I laughed.
"Great," he muttered.
We opened the door to the parlor to see Mrs. Harold curled up in the same arm chair as one of the soldiers. The other soldier was sitting in a different chair chugging his glass. Cordelia was sipping a little too much at a time. Everyone was laughing hysterically at something.
"Oh Philip! See what Major Hopkins can do!" Cordelia laughed.
The soldier who was sitting in his own chair stood up and tried to balance the glass on his head. Of course, it fell off and shattered on the floor and everyone except Philip and I laughed.
"Do it again, Major!" Mrs. Harold pleaded between laughs.
"No!" I shouted.
"Oh come on, Betty! It's only a little fun!" The soldier who was in she same chair as Mrs. Harold said.
"I don't want to clean up a ton of broken glass!" I complained.
"Why would the daughter of a nice wealthy woman like Mrs. Harold need to be the one to clean this up?" Major Hopkins asked, still laughing. "You have the slave girl!"
"I'll clean that up," I insisted, annoyed. "Now, I think you've all had enough wine in the morning!"
"Don't be silly, Betty!" Mrs. Harold snorted. "Go get us some more!"
"Madam, I must advise against that," I said.
"You do not need to. I haven't ordered you to advise against it! Ha! Ha! Go get us some more wine!" She laughed.
"No, madam! You are all quite drunk enough," I scolded.
"Betty, go get us more wine!" She tried to stand, but she swayed and fell over.
The soldier in her chair tried to help her up, but he fell onto the floor too and continued to laugh. Soon everyone was rolling on the ground laughing.
I couldn't help but be amused by these dignified, high class rich folks who were getting so crazy. Philip of course seemed uncomfortable.
"How are you a British soldier who doesn't drink?" I asked.
"I just don't like the taste," he said plainly.
I chuckled. "Well..."
"What?" He asked.
"Aren't you fancy! No alcohol for you," I teased.
"Betty, don't make fun of me," he said sourly. "I still have a gun, you know."
"Sorry, Philip," I said, stopping my laughter.
"Anything else you'll need, mother?" I joked.
"No, Nothing more, go play, darling," Mrs. Harold slurred.
I walked back to the kitchen and decided to do a few more favors for the Harolds until Zeb picked me up. We walked down past the silver shop of Paul Revere.
"Oh look, Liza," Zeb pointed to it.
"Yes," I smiled with the sad nostalgia.
"That kid," Zeb laughed. "Hey, you think he's ok?"
"Probably," I said. "I hope so."
"I can't believe your parents kicked him out," Zeb said, fidgeting with his gun.
"I can't believe it either," I said sadly. "And don't fiddle with that."
"You think your father is still for the war?" Zeb asked.
"Maybe," I said. "But you'll never catch him on the battle field."
"Isn't that what you said about yourself, Liza?" Zeb asked with a smirk.
"He's just not super into fighting with a gun himself," I said. "Why are you smirking? Do you know something I don't? Was he at militia training with you?"
"No," Zeb said blandly. "I was kind of hoping he would come though."
"I'm actually surprised he let you go," I said.
"Yes, that was awfully nice of him, but he did say that I had to make sure you stayed far away from the battle and any other fighting," he said.
"Battle? You're going to that Breed's and Bunker hill battle?" I asked, nervously.
"How do you know about the specifics?" Zeb asked, concerned.
"I have my ways," I said slyly.
"Oh dear," Zeb smiled. "Tell me?"
"A spy on the inside?" I said, doubting whether I should even be telling him.
"Who?" He asked.
"Don't be too angry," I said cautiously. "That Philip from the tea party at the Harold's."
"That son of a- I can't believe you would ever speak to him! He shot Isaac! How can you even look at him?!" Zeb yelled at me.
"Shhhh! You're so loud!" I scolded. "He's a deserter who didn't mean to shoot him."
"Liza we almost lost someone who is like our brother because of him! I can't believe you would still be able to hold a conversation with him without trying to kill him!" Zeb ranted.
"Maybe I just have more temperance and can forgive people a little more easily." I said.
"Oh sure! You have more temperance!" Zeb said sarcastically.
I gave him a strong look.
"Alright, you have more temperance to be able to go back to that house and see that assassin everyday!" Zeb submitted.
"Assassin? You and your words!" I teased.
"It's almost like you don't care about Isaac at this point!" Zeb said, exasperated.
"What?!" I shouted, then checked my volume. "Would I sleep outside in the rain if I didn't care?! Would I cry in my sleep, having horrible nightmares for weeks on end if I didn't care?! Would I have not given up the hope that he would live if I didn't care?!"
Zeb was quiet until we got home. We stood on the front stoop, just staring at each other.
"Aren't you coming to supper?" I asked.
"I ought to get going," Zeb said.
"What? Why?" I asked.
"Bunker and Breed's hill. They need us to go and build fortifications so we have a decent shot tomorrow," he said.
"But Philip said-" he cut me off.
"He could have been lying, Liza," Zeb said scornfully,
"Zeb, don't go into that horribly outmatched battle!" I pleaded.
"Well hey! Lexington and Concord were outmatched too and we won," Zeb said confidently.
"The militia won. We suffered greatly," I said angrily.
"Now hey, we'll be shooting from a distance and I can actually shoot. We'll even gave fortifications that are not civilians' homes! I will be fine. Now, kiss me goodbye and I'll be off!" He said, trying to comfort me.
"Zebulun!" I heard Eleanor's voice. She flung the door open. "You're not leaving are you?"
Zeb smiled and looked into her cute little hazel eyes. "Just for tonight and the day tomorrow, Ellie. I'll be ok."
"You're sure? You're not going to wind up half dead under the porch like Isaac, are you?" She asked fearfully.
"What do you mean half dead, Ellie?!" I shouted.
"He's been sleeping and not moving all day! I wasn't allowed out today to check on him, but I could see him from the window," she explained.
Zeb grabbed me by the hand and ran behind the house. Eleanor followed. I knelt down beside Isaac. He was asleep. He had to be exhausted, but he was scaring me a little, so I checked his pulse. He was still definitely alive, and when I touched his wrist, he grabbed my hand so quickly I jumped.
"Ma's gonna kill you," Eleanor said in a sing song voice. "Holding hands like that."
Isaac opened his eyes and laughed. "Did I scare you, Liza?"
"Hell yes," I said angrily.
"I guess I better say goodbye to you too," Zeb said to him.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"Bunker Hill. The British are going to try to take it and I'm going to help defend it," Zeb explained.
"I wish I could go too," He said, his face falling.
"I'm glad you aren't," I smiled. "Zeb, please be safe!"
"I will," Zeb said seriously. He looked at Eleanor with his stunning blue eyes. "Goodbye, Ellie," he smiled, giving her a little kiss on the cheek. He did the same to me.
"I don't want you to go, Zebulun," she said sadly.
"I promise I'll be back and able to play with you as soon as possible," he said, pulling her into a hug.
"You're not going to wind up like-" she started to say.
"No way," he said with a smile. "Be a good girl while I'm gone?"
She nodded her little head and hugged him again.
"Now Liza, no following me," he said gravely.
"I won't," I said.
"Alright, goodbye," he said, giving me a hug.
He ran around to the stable and rode off toward Bunker Hill. 
"Liza," Ellie asked, her eyes wide with worry, "He will be alright, won't he?"
"I hope so. He knows what he's doing," I said, trying to reassure her.
"I can't believe he gets to go and I don't," Isaac complained.
"You can barely walk! Why would you be able to fight?" I asked.
"Ugh, don't remind me. Everything just hurts," Isaac winced.
Then I realized that because Zeb had come and picked me up from work, we had not stopped by Doctor Warren's to get him more medicine.
"Ellie, tell Ma and Papa I had an errand to run. I will be right back," I said.
"Where are you going?" Eleanor asked.
"Doctor Warren's," I explained. "I need to pick up some medicine."
"Don't go near that battle without me," Isaac said jealously.
"Don't go near the battle at all," Eleanor scolded.
I ran to the stables just to find that Agnes was not there! I would have to walk across town. I set off on foot and walked for about 20 minutes before something actually happened.
"Johnny! Slow down!" A girl's voice called.
"No time, Cilla! I need to get to Doctor Warren's!" A boy called back to the girl.
   I turned to see what was going on. Within a second I was knocked over by a tall, lanky, fair haired, handsome boy who was running too fast to notice me until he had tripped over me.
  "Watch where you're going!" He yelled at me.
"Watch where you're going!" I scolded.
"Johnny! Did you just fall over a girl?!" A girl who looked only a little older than me with dark golden hair came into view chasing after this boy.
"No way! I didn't oh-" he saw me, "Oh yes I just did. Ugh! I'm in such a hurry to enlist under General Warren! I want to fight this battle!"
"Johnny, you're being ridiculous. Tell the girl you just ran over that you're sorry," the girl scolded.
The boy looked at me. He looked so familiar. "Do I know you?" He asked me.
"The question is are you Whig or Tory?" I asked. It hit me immediately that that was such a dumb question.
"Whig! There! Just shoot me now you Tory scum!" The boy taunted.
"Calm down. I'm a Whig too!" I said, annoyed. "Were you at Lexington?"
"I'd rather not think about that day, but yes I was around," he said sadly.
"Something bad happened to me that day too," I said.
"My best friend was killed," the boy stared at the ground.
"My best friend was wounded pretty badly and lives under my porch now because my parents kicked him out of the house for breaking his apprentice contract," I explained.
The boy seemed to be judging me like I was extremely strange.
"That's...nice," He stuttered awkwardly. "Cilla! Hurry up if you want to come!"
"I'm coming!" The girl called.
"Anyway, I'm sorry about your friend," I said sympathetically.
"I'm sorry about yours too, I guess. And I'm sorry for being a clumsy oaf and running you over," the boy apologized.
"It's alright," I said. "I need to get to the Doctor too."
The girl finally caught up with the boy. "Shall we go now, Johnny?" She asked.
"Yes, let us go!" The boy shouted, taking off running again.
We all got to the door of the Doctor's house at the same time. He checked the curtains cautiously and opened the door, shoving us inside.
"I'm here to enlist, Doctor Warren!" The boy said excitedly.
"Alright," Doctor Warren laughed. "Your hand has been better since its operation?"
"Yes, it's fully functional now," the boy said.
"That is great. Now, if you are to serve on Bunker Hill tomorrow you ought to get going and help build the fort with the other men. I'll be there tomorrow. See you soon!" The doctor said, showing him and the girl out.
They said goodbye and walked back the way we had come.
"Now you, Liza. You usually have something pressing for me," he smiled.
"I need some more medicine for Isaac," I explained.
"Ah, yes. He went home. Did he make it alright?" He asked.
"Miraculously, yes. The problem is he does not have a job anymore because he broke his contract and my parents kicked him out of the house," I explained.
"Your father did that?!" The doctor asked in disbelief.
"Well, he was pretty angry at the time, and my mother was probably influencing him," I explained.
"Well, I'll make an effort to persuade him to take Isaac back in. The poor boy has nowhere to go, and cannot get another job in his condition. Also, he has no family left and your family was the closest thing he has," the doctor said thoughtfully.
"That's what I hate about it all!" I cried. "My father had to endure a fatherless childhood, yet he's so willing to do this to someone who I thought was like a son to him."
"I hope everything turns out alright," the doctor said kindly. "Will Zebulun be joining me at Bunker Hill?"
"He will, and I hope he is alright," I said, worried.
"I will make sure he comes back," the doctor smiled.
"Doctor Warren?" I asked. "You be safe too."
"I'll try," he said gravely,"but I know every man there is more than willing to die fighting, and I am no exception."
"People need you here, Doctor," I said.
"People need me there," he said with a smile.
"So you are going as a soldier, not a surgeon?" I asked.
"Yes, I am going as a soldier. My brother is going as a surgeon. Now Liza, may I entrust you with something important?" He asked seriously.
"Of course, Doctor," I said willingly.
He handed me two letters. "Please give this to my fiancé and children if I do not make it back alive, and this one to my mother."
"Hopefully I won't need to, Doctor," I said, a little bit of fear in my voice.
"You may need to though," he said, looking at the letters he had just given me.
"I will deliver them if necessary, Doctor," I said.
"Now, it has to be almost your supper time. You ought to be heading home with the medicine," he handed me a little container. "Dose whenever he needs it."
"Goodbye, Doctor," I said, looking him in the eyes as I left.
I walked back to my home just in time for supper.
"Where's Zebulun," my mother asked.
"Bunker Hill," Eleanor said, almost crying.
"John? You let him go?" My mother asked.
"Yes. He will return," my father said. "He'll be able to hold himself."
"As long as he stays alive," my mother said seriously.
"Will the army ever need a chaplain?" Father Ignatius asked.
"They'll hang you, Father," my father said gravely.
"No one else is joining the army!" My mother scolded.
"Just an idea, Aileen," Father Ignatius grumbled.
I sat and ate just a bit of my supper. I saved enough for Isaac to have a substantial amount. That night, once everyone had gone to bed, I went out back to see Isaac. I gave him his food and medicine and sat under the stars in silence for a while.
"What if he doesn't come back?" He asked suddenly.
"He will," I said plainly.
"You wouldn't need to marry him if he died," he said.
"What are you implying?!" I asked suspiciously.
"I mean, not that I want him to to die, but I think it's unfair that you are betrothed," Isaac said quickly. "I mean, he likes that Penelope girl, not you. If I met the right girl, I'd want to marry her."
I froze. Did I love him and he did not feel the same way about me? Did he mean me? I had just assumed all this time.
"Yes," I said. "When you meet the right person you should not have a silly arranged marriage in your way."
"Because I'm not the one inheriting the store," Isaac said,"I better find a rich girl to make sure I don't live at the bottom like I'm living now."
"There's nothing wrong with being poor, Isaac," I said with an edge in my voice.
"Still," he said, "I won't have anything to bring to a marriage. We'd be living with nothing if she wasn't rich."
"Now you listen to me," I said crossly. "I want to get your job back for you, but if I can't, I want you to find a new job. You can not live without a job."
"I know, Liza. You know what my ideal job would be," He got this fiercely spirited look in his eyes.
I did know. He wanted to be a soldier. I also knew that at least at this point, the soldiers were not paid.
"Isaac, that's not a stable profession," I said plainly.
"But Liza," he said, now staring deep into my soul. "That's what I feel called to do. That's what will set us free."
I didn't say anything. I put my head on his good shoulder and he put his arm around my shoulders. I fell asleep like that again and woke up to the sound of distant gunshots. The battle of Bunker Hill had begun.