Read Online The Turning of Anne Merrick by Christine Blevins - Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Blevins
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days,” Anne agreed.
Fraser said, “It’s a wonder, Mrs. Merrick, that you survived to see Lord Howe’s army regain control of the island. It must have been difficult for you during the rebel occupation.”
Anne gave a little shrug. “As my girl Sally would say, needs must when the devil drives.”
“We welcome you to our cadre, Mrs. Merrick,” John Burgoyne said, “but I have to wonder what has compelled you to leave the safety of our British bastion in New York town and join this army on its journey?”
Anne looked the General straight in the eye. “I am bound for Albany, sir, to begin a new venture with my brother. At his suggestion, I took along my stock of wares and joined the army as a purveyor, and it is proving to be a safe and profitable means of transport for a widow alone.”
Much to Anne’s relief, her answer seemed to satisfy the General. He called for red wine to be served prior to the second service, and attention was diverted while bottles were uncorked and glasses filled.
“A new wine requires a new toast.” Burgoyne rose to his feet once again. “May the enemies of Britain be destitute of beef and claret!”
“Hear, hear!”
General Fraser contemplated the red liquid in his glass. “Perhaps, Mrs. Merrick, you can refresh my memory. I seem to recall an incident—some recent tragedy at the Crown and Quill…”
Fluttering her fan at high speed, Anne could feel her face go red. “An awful, awful tragedy. It pains me so to even think on it…” Angling toward General Burgoyne, she put her wineglass to her nose, breathing deep.
Simon Fraser would not allow her to avoid the conversation. “Anofficer quartered in the rooms above the Crown and Quill set upon by rebel banditti, or some such, as I recall?”
“A truly horrible affair.” Anne steadied her nerves with a good gulp of claret, giving herself a moment in which to spin a fairy tale for the persistent General Fraser. “Three officers were quartered in the rooms above my shop. We had all gone out for an evening of Faro and punch at Mrs. Loring’s on Broad Way. Not feeling well, one of the officers returned home earlier than the rest of us. He must have surprised some miscreants who had broken into my shop, and he was brutally attacked with knife and pistol.”
“Thieves?” the Baroness conjectured.
Anne nodded. “Or perhaps rebel spies searching for intelligence, as the officer in question was aide-de-camp to Howe. But I most suspect rebel fanatics bent on instilling terror among New York’s Loyal citizenry. All rooms were ransacked, and the words ‘Tory Take Care’ were scrawled in blood on my floorboards.” She forced a shudder. “You cannot imagine coming home to such a nightmare. Perhaps it was cowardly of me, but I took the dire warning to heart, and quit the city that very night.”
“Far from cowardly…” Pepperell reached beneath the tablecloth, and rested his hand on Anne’s knee. “I think you are one of the bravest women I’ve ever met.”
Anne rescued the handkerchief from her pocket, dislodging Pepperell’s hand from her knee in the process, and dabbed at an imaginary tear. “Oh, I don’t know about brave…”
“You are certainly wise to seek sanctuary under your brother’s roof,” Fraser added. “Your continued loyalty to the Crown seems to have earned you the enmity of ruthless men.”
“Spineless rogues, these rebels—” Burgoyne’s tone filled with scorn. “Preying upon women.”
Anne nodded. “It was foolish to think that I could survive the turmoil of war without the protection of a man.”
“Not to worry, Mrs. Merrick.” John Burgoyne reached over and gave her hand a brief squeeze. “You are traveling under my protection now, and I will see you safe to your brother’s keeping in Albany.”
“To Albany!” Pepperell proposed.
Anne raised her glass again in silent toast.
To Jane MacCrea, and all Americans who’ve suffered under British protection.
Waiters bearing
Fraser said, “It’s a wonder, Mrs. Merrick, that you survived to see Lord Howe’s army regain control of the island. It must have been difficult for you during the rebel occupation.”
Anne gave a little shrug. “As my girl Sally would say, needs must when the devil drives.”
“We welcome you to our cadre, Mrs. Merrick,” John Burgoyne said, “but I have to wonder what has compelled you to leave the safety of our British bastion in New York town and join this army on its journey?”
Anne looked the General straight in the eye. “I am bound for Albany, sir, to begin a new venture with my brother. At his suggestion, I took along my stock of wares and joined the army as a purveyor, and it is proving to be a safe and profitable means of transport for a widow alone.”
Much to Anne’s relief, her answer seemed to satisfy the General. He called for red wine to be served prior to the second service, and attention was diverted while bottles were uncorked and glasses filled.
“A new wine requires a new toast.” Burgoyne rose to his feet once again. “May the enemies of Britain be destitute of beef and claret!”
“Hear, hear!”
General Fraser contemplated the red liquid in his glass. “Perhaps, Mrs. Merrick, you can refresh my memory. I seem to recall an incident—some recent tragedy at the Crown and Quill…”
Fluttering her fan at high speed, Anne could feel her face go red. “An awful, awful tragedy. It pains me so to even think on it…” Angling toward General Burgoyne, she put her wineglass to her nose, breathing deep.
Simon Fraser would not allow her to avoid the conversation. “Anofficer quartered in the rooms above the Crown and Quill set upon by rebel banditti, or some such, as I recall?”
“A truly horrible affair.” Anne steadied her nerves with a good gulp of claret, giving herself a moment in which to spin a fairy tale for the persistent General Fraser. “Three officers were quartered in the rooms above my shop. We had all gone out for an evening of Faro and punch at Mrs. Loring’s on Broad Way. Not feeling well, one of the officers returned home earlier than the rest of us. He must have surprised some miscreants who had broken into my shop, and he was brutally attacked with knife and pistol.”
“Thieves?” the Baroness conjectured.
Anne nodded. “Or perhaps rebel spies searching for intelligence, as the officer in question was aide-de-camp to Howe. But I most suspect rebel fanatics bent on instilling terror among New York’s Loyal citizenry. All rooms were ransacked, and the words ‘Tory Take Care’ were scrawled in blood on my floorboards.” She forced a shudder. “You cannot imagine coming home to such a nightmare. Perhaps it was cowardly of me, but I took the dire warning to heart, and quit the city that very night.”
“Far from cowardly…” Pepperell reached beneath the tablecloth, and rested his hand on Anne’s knee. “I think you are one of the bravest women I’ve ever met.”
Anne rescued the handkerchief from her pocket, dislodging Pepperell’s hand from her knee in the process, and dabbed at an imaginary tear. “Oh, I don’t know about brave…”
“You are certainly wise to seek sanctuary under your brother’s roof,” Fraser added. “Your continued loyalty to the Crown seems to have earned you the enmity of ruthless men.”
“Spineless rogues, these rebels—” Burgoyne’s tone filled with scorn. “Preying upon women.”
Anne nodded. “It was foolish to think that I could survive the turmoil of war without the protection of a man.”
“Not to worry, Mrs. Merrick.” John Burgoyne reached over and gave her hand a brief squeeze. “You are traveling under my protection now, and I will see you safe to your brother’s keeping in Albany.”
“To Albany!” Pepperell proposed.
Anne raised her glass again in silent toast.
To Jane MacCrea, and all Americans who’ve suffered under British protection.
Waiters bearing
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