The Hamilton Girl

Chapter XV - A Winter's ball

(...)

February, 1780

Almost four years had gone by. Four years of growth, pain, happiness, but yet still not freedom. The now 22-year-old Louise Hamilton had plenty of scars over her body from all the battles she had fought, however they were not too many.

Since Alexander accepted to be Washington's aide-de-camp, alongside his sister, her title of Lieutenant Colonel served for nothing more than embellishing her status, as she spent more time in the office, writing and revising the General's correspondence, than in the battlefield, leading the men.

When she did participate in the battles, Louise was no longer part of the artillery, like her brother. She turned into a horse-back soldier, fighting and leading along with the cavalry. Lafayette would fight with her, but being on top of a horse didn't really give her proper conditions to fire precisely to the Redcoats, resigning to only giving the orders.

There were a couple of times that soldiers noticed something odd about her, even some rumors spread out in the camp, but no one knew about her identity yet, despite her brother, Lafayette, Mulligan, the General and Aaron Burr, who after 4 years couldn't seem to process that information.

Laurens had never returned from the South since the cold day on November 1776, when with eyes filled with tears, he promised Louise to come back as soon as he could. They would write each other every week, to keep any fear of death away. During the first year, it was difficult to both of them to let the feelings fade, but as time went by, it got easier, to a point where everything was left between them was a strong friendship. The woman missed him dearly, as he would always rise up the spirit of everyone.

- Who the hell thought a ball would be a good idea?!

Mulligan's voice interrupted her thoughts. They were now in the army's winter quarters in Jockey Hollow, New Jersey, as that winter seemed more vigorous than the previous ones. Mulligan, Louise and Alexander were eating breakfast in their assigned room, gathered around the fire.

- Washington, apparently. - Hamilton replied, not lifting his eyes from the letters he was writing.

- Ye, it's totally better to spend the money we don't have in a ball! - Louise let go, ironically.

- The General said it would be good to cheer up the soldiers.- Alexander turned to Louise.- Besides, we've been fighting for four years now, we deserve some amusement.

- Well, if it wasn't the Tomcat Hamilton saying that, I would have thought you genuinely just wanted to get off work for a while.

Mulligan's comment made Louise burst in laughter, as her brother rolled his eyes and got back to work. It was true that her brother had a reputation with women, mostly for making them fall for him to get on their skirts. Louise couldn't blame him... at least he was not married. But when the rumor Martha Washington had named her feral tom cat after him came out, they couldn't help themselves but laugh at Alexander... until that day.

Lafayette entered the room, holding a tray with a teapot and some cups, finding Louise and Mulligan crying of laughter while Alexander was writing in his desk.

- Well.- his accent drew their attention.- Qu'est-ce que j'ai raté?

- My brother getting roasted like a ham!- Louise managed to say between her laughter.

- The usual then!- he shook his shoulders.- Tea?

- Should we trust you with the tea?- Mulligan recalled the episode 4 years ago in Laurens' house.

- I had a good teacher back then, I hope I improved.

He smiled a Louise, who gladly took a tea-cup, accepting the tea. Before she could taste it, Lafayette sat next to her, starring with a playful look as she brought the cup to her lips. The tea was, indeed, very good, and in that cold morning it tasted like a piece of heaven in her mouth.