My Brave Boy (TURN:Washington's spies fanfiction)

The Garrison (Chapter 8)

Belle woke up early in the morning, that time when sunlight is fighting through the darkness. She blinked her eyes a couple of times, sat up in her bed lazily and drowsing across the room. For a moment, she expected to find the usual desk, and her friend, Nina, sleeping warmly in the opposite bed of the room. Then, she realized. Yesterday, she had come home! Home! Which she missed for the past decade of years. But her return was not the way she had planned it to be. There was no Caleb nor Ben to celebrate her return, and Abe was tied up with his family matters. Anna seemed so far away at the tavern, and her father.....yes, that was the biggest disappointment that brought sorrow to her heart. Her father, whom she had once been so proud of, was welcoming the British soldiers into their home, fed them with the best food the town could offer, when...when their dear soldiers of blue and gold could be starving out in the wild.

Belle lazily shifted from her bed, then washed. That day, with unhappiness dawning on her, she had taken longer than usual to make herself look presentable. She was staring unblinkingly at her own reflection in the mirror on the vanity when she distinctly heard horses neighing and the sound of the hooves. Soon, the noise was accompanied by the chattings of what seemed like a rather large group of men. Taken by curiosity, Belle went towards her window and found the very same sight that she had seen the night before.

A crowd of redcoats.

What are they doing? , she thought, Shouldn't they have returned to their quarters last night? Or, did they actually stayed at White Hall for the night?

She quickly closed the curtain, hiding herself, as she spotted a man glancing at her. "He must have seen me," she said to herself aloud, but she couldn't care less.

Once the group of men was gone, and she made sure Major Hewlett was with them, Belle quietly descended the stairs. The house was so deadly quiet now. She found her father getting ready to go out.

"Are you going somewhere?" she inquired, and honestly, Richard Woodhull seemed startled to hear her. Belle flashed an innocent beam at her father.

"Belle! Oh yes, I'm going to--the garrison," he said, and with a pat on her shoulders, he was gone, as swift as the wind.

"Why the garrison?" Belle mused to herself. She was however disappointed, as she was looking forward to having breakfast with her father. "Aberdeen," she said during breakfast, "I'm going out today. I won't be back for lunch, tell my father I'm at the clergy house. If he asks." she added doubtfully.

Belle went out shortly after this, making way towards the only place she had ever felt like home ever since her mother's untimely death. She just hoped that Rev. Tallmadge would be there. But the trip to the church seemed longer than usual. Because she was invited to every house for tea. Everyone rejoiced at seeing her again and she would have felt the same if her mind wasn't constantly bugged with the sight of many redcoats in town. What had happened? Sure, New York had been occupied with the Queen's men, but Setauket was such a little town. New York needed redcoats to keep under control. Setauket was a different matter. Belle felt uneasy to see many redcoats here. Back in New York, Belle had a little problem with one of the redcoats. She shuddered to remember it.

She went over the meadows and finally, the homely sight of the cottage appeared over the horizon. Belle smiled, relieved, a part of her was childishly imagining that perhaps that angelic home had vanished away as Ben had. But she kept telling herself this was not true, and now, there it was! The smoke wavering out from the chimney, the little fence, and the small garden as pretty as ever. Belle felt the surge of happiness flowing through as she gasped for breath, hardly believing that the cottage could still exist, after so long a time. With a smile on her face, she ran toward the house, each step bringing her nearer to the place she loved so much.

Through the little gate, Belle went int. She tapped excitedly on the door. An old man came to open it, his eyes narrowing in confusion. He seemed to be wondering who the young lady was. "Reverend Tallmadge, it's me! Belle Woodhull!" she introduced herself enthusiastically, becoming the small child once more in front of the man who had cared for her as much as her father.

"Belle?" Revd Tallmadge spoke slowly. It was difficult indeed to recognize Belle from her childhood self, but there was no betraying to those green eyes that glimmered with excitement. "Indeed it is Belle!" the old man cried out in delight while Belle gave a shriek of happiness as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Why, you've grown much!"

"Yes, sir, and I've missed you very much!" Belle said. Revd Tallmadge invited her into the house and Belle gratefully followed.

"Come in, come in! There's so much to catch up on!" Whether he meant about catching up on Belle's life, or the situation of the town, she did not know. But she wasn't going to ask either. Now, this place, she truly felt at home.