to sit up on his pillow. She leaned forward to help, but he rejected her assistance, scooting himself up again to a sitting position. “How long have I been here?”
“Since last night. I found you on the riverbank of our plantation.”
“What is the name of your home?” he demanded.
“Caswell Hall.”
His eyes closed. “I was hoping—” he began and then stopped, looking at her again. “Who are your neighbors?”
“The Webb family lives to the west, on the other side of the Chickahominy River, and the Hammonds own the plantation to the east.” She paused. “Are you acquainted with either of them?”
He lifted his head and then rotated his body, placing his feet on the floor. “I must leave right away.”
She watched him for a moment as he struggled to stand, but he wavered. She grabbed his arm and helped him return safely to the bed before he injured himself further. “There will be no leaving until you heal.”
“You do not understand.”
“I am aware that Arnold is coming.”
He turned toward her, his eyes wide. “How do you know?”
“You kept saying it in your sleep.”
His gaze wandered back to the window.
She picked up the bundle off the floor and set it on the edge of his bed before returning to her seat on the stool. “Here are shoes for you, and a waistcoat.”
He eyed the bundle. “Where did you find the clothing?”
“The clothes belong to my brother.” She held out the yellow ribbon. “And this belongs to me.”
“Will your brother not miss his clothing?”
She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “I do not think so.”
He eyed her with curiosity. “Where is he?”
She paused. “Grayson has been missing for four years.”
“I am sorry.” He hesitated. “Is it because of the war?”
“I believe so.”
“It is a brutal affair.” He pushed himself back up on his elbows. “Which side do you find yourself on?”
“The side my grandfather was on.” She paused. “He wanted peace.”
“Aye. That is what most of us wish for, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “It will come soon, will it not?”
“I pray it will.”
She smoothed her hands over the lace on her gown. “Are you a rebel or a Loyalist?”
His shoulders straightened. “I am a Patriot.”
She slumped back against the wall. “I thought you might be . . . You were on a British ship.”
“I was a guest.”
She blinked. “A willing one?”
“Hardly.” He shifted his leg. “How far are we from Williamsburg?”
“About four miles.”
“I do not suppose I could hire a horse to ride.”
She cocked her head. “Do you have someone waiting for you?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“There is no livery near here.” She studied him for a moment, wondering whom he needed to visit in Williamsburg. “Perhaps I could send a message to your friends.”
He shook his head. “I fear I must deliver this message on my own.”
“Lydia?” She heard Hannah call outside.
Why was her sister looking for her?
Lydia stood and backed toward the side of the room, away from the window. The finger to her lips warned him to be quiet, but she realized he probably didn’t need a warning.
“Where are you?” Hannah called, terribly close to the room. “I know you are out here.”
Protocol demanded that family members not frequent the quarters of their servants, but Hannah seemed more concerned with Lydia’s secret than protocol at the moment. If her sister opened this door, there would be nothing Lydia could do. Not only would her sister find this man, but she would find Lydia in his chamber. Father’s heart might give out with that news.
She held her breath, praying silently that Hannah would continue searching for her on the other side of the building.
Seconds passed, and she glanced over at Nathan. He’d covered his head with the pillow, as if Hannah wouldn’t see him when she walked into the room. Any other time, it might have been funny, but Lydia couldn’t find much humor in it
“Since last night. I found you on the riverbank of our plantation.”
“What is the name of your home?” he demanded.
“Caswell Hall.”
His eyes closed. “I was hoping—” he began and then stopped, looking at her again. “Who are your neighbors?”
“The Webb family lives to the west, on the other side of the Chickahominy River, and the Hammonds own the plantation to the east.” She paused. “Are you acquainted with either of them?”
He lifted his head and then rotated his body, placing his feet on the floor. “I must leave right away.”
She watched him for a moment as he struggled to stand, but he wavered. She grabbed his arm and helped him return safely to the bed before he injured himself further. “There will be no leaving until you heal.”
“You do not understand.”
“I am aware that Arnold is coming.”
He turned toward her, his eyes wide. “How do you know?”
“You kept saying it in your sleep.”
His gaze wandered back to the window.
She picked up the bundle off the floor and set it on the edge of his bed before returning to her seat on the stool. “Here are shoes for you, and a waistcoat.”
He eyed the bundle. “Where did you find the clothing?”
“The clothes belong to my brother.” She held out the yellow ribbon. “And this belongs to me.”
“Will your brother not miss his clothing?”
She shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. “I do not think so.”
He eyed her with curiosity. “Where is he?”
She paused. “Grayson has been missing for four years.”
“I am sorry.” He hesitated. “Is it because of the war?”
“I believe so.”
“It is a brutal affair.” He pushed himself back up on his elbows. “Which side do you find yourself on?”
“The side my grandfather was on.” She paused. “He wanted peace.”
“Aye. That is what most of us wish for, isn’t it?”
She nodded. “It will come soon, will it not?”
“I pray it will.”
She smoothed her hands over the lace on her gown. “Are you a rebel or a Loyalist?”
His shoulders straightened. “I am a Patriot.”
She slumped back against the wall. “I thought you might be . . . You were on a British ship.”
“I was a guest.”
She blinked. “A willing one?”
“Hardly.” He shifted his leg. “How far are we from Williamsburg?”
“About four miles.”
“I do not suppose I could hire a horse to ride.”
She cocked her head. “Do you have someone waiting for you?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“There is no livery near here.” She studied him for a moment, wondering whom he needed to visit in Williamsburg. “Perhaps I could send a message to your friends.”
He shook his head. “I fear I must deliver this message on my own.”
“Lydia?” She heard Hannah call outside.
Why was her sister looking for her?
Lydia stood and backed toward the side of the room, away from the window. The finger to her lips warned him to be quiet, but she realized he probably didn’t need a warning.
“Where are you?” Hannah called, terribly close to the room. “I know you are out here.”
Protocol demanded that family members not frequent the quarters of their servants, but Hannah seemed more concerned with Lydia’s secret than protocol at the moment. If her sister opened this door, there would be nothing Lydia could do. Not only would her sister find this man, but she would find Lydia in his chamber. Father’s heart might give out with that news.
She held her breath, praying silently that Hannah would continue searching for her on the other side of the building.
Seconds passed, and she glanced over at Nathan. He’d covered his head with the pillow, as if Hannah wouldn’t see him when she walked into the room. Any other time, it might have been funny, but Lydia couldn’t find much humor in it
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