annastrxng:
“I be most sorry to hear that Lieutenant. But I am happy that you have returned to Setauket safe and sound,” Anna replied with a genuine grin.
Her smile faded into a dreary frown when he made his inquiries. With a sigh she answered, “Setauket…. well there was nearly a war when Captain Simcoe thought it be a good idea to have Reverend Tallmadge and Caleb Brewster’s uncle tried for crimes they did not commit. Major Hewlett, is said to have bound and gagged the unruly officer and he most definitely sent him to Philadelphia to face a Court Martial. Since then we have known a bit of peace. Save for where the Magistrate is concerned….” Anna swallowed sharply. She did not like speaking ill of Richard Woodhull aloud.
“I be as fine as I can, considering the circumstances,” the brunette added when he directed the inquiry to her well-being.
A heavy sigh parted from her lips, bringing her shoulders into a less confident slump. “Aye. Martin Deyong now owns the tavern. I was forced to sell it to the Magistrate because my husband Selah be a suspected Patriot. I now sleep here in the tavern, my home too has been taken from me. Still I should not complain, things could be worse….” she remarked with the slightest hint of disdain in her tone. Deyong was not a very kind nor patient man. He irked Anna terribly and every moment she was forced to endure his rancid company was a moment too long. He allowed men to pull down their drawers and mark their territory and worse.
Running her hands nervously down her apron she asked, “be there anything I can get you Lieutenant?” Her brown-eyes fixated sheepishly upon him.
Dipping his head a fraction he smiled. It was pleasant to have someone welcome him genuinely rather than the usual greeting which questioned why in the world he was back in the city. Aside from the presence of the garrisson Setauket seemed untouched, and that was welcome even though the war could be seen from the docks.
Seemed being operative. Listening to the list of events that had taken place since his last visit the people here had just as much hardship as he’d been witness too all along the New England coast. Besides hunting for privateers, smugglers, and blockade runners the Navy had also been transporting troops up and down for a series of raids.
It was things like that which made Grove’s blood run cold. War was not for civilians. It wasn’t for people who were supposed to go about their business and be able to trust that if someone showed up wearing the uniform of the King that it meant they were safe. He echoed her sigh with one of his own. So much for the rest that he had been wanting to have upon arrival, now his mind was reeling enough to make a man dizzy and question his own sanity.
Actually something that had been happening quite a lot.
“I’m so very sorry, for what happened.” Inching towards treason in his thoughts Theodore muttered low enough for the other tavern patrons to miss, “They did not pay you the market price I trust, did they?” A pattern he’d noticed among magistrates. “No thank you Mrs. Strong I don’t need anything at present. Perhaps only some of your time? If I’m not being too forward.”