Stars

Chapter 32

(Author's note: Thank you all for reading!!! I'm shocked to find that I have over 2k reads <3 I was considering making a playlist for this story so message me if you have any ideas)

"Hamilton, what is to happen to him?" Isabella asked her friend as they sat at the dinning room table together.

"Bella, I am afraid he will be sentenced to death." He said in a grim tone.

Major John André was going to be put on trial today for crimes of espionage and deceit. Two days ago, after going into hysterics because of Arnold's leave, Peggy had confessed everything to her and Isabella knew about Peggy's love for André. She prayed that he would not be killed for Peggy's sake.

Since Peggy's incident, Isabella moved into the manner house to take care of her friend. This morning, she had spent most of her time trying to get Peggy to eat and she hardly had any time herself. So Hamilton offered to fetch her breakfast from the kitchen and sit with her. She sat at the dinning room table eating her belated breakfast while Hamilton worked on the case for the trial. He was chosen by Washington to stand for André and try his hardest to prove to everybody else that the British soldier was innocent.

One of the servants took her plate once she had finished the eggs and toast on it. She stood up and gave Hamilton a side hug. "Thank you for breakfast."

"Of course, Bella." He said with a smile.

She went upstairs to check on Peggy. Suddenly, she had a wonderful idea.

"Peggy," She said as she knocked on the door. "Would you like to accompany me for a walk? The fresh air might do you well."

The door opened to reveal a disheveled looking Peggy. Her hair wasn't done like it usually was and she was still in her night gown.

"I was thinking we could pick some of the fall wildflowers." Isabella offered.

"I-I would like that. But I am nowhere near ready to leave this room." She sighed, gesturing to her appearance.

"I can help you get ready." Isabella took the dress from the foot of the bed and held it out to Peggy.

Peggy slowly slipped into the dress and turned her back to Isabella. "Can you tie this for me please?"

She tied it up the back and brought over the fur-lined cloak for Peggy to wear outside. "I am afraid I am not very good at doing my own hair..." Peggy reluctantly admitted.

"I can help." Isabella took the hairbrush from the vanity and braided Peggy's hair and then pinned it up into a bun.

"Thank you, Bella."

"Of course. You are my friend and I am happy to help."

The friends hugged and set off towards the edge of the woods where they could find the fall wildflowers. They made flower crowns for each other and bouquets for the manner. Peggy welcomed the distraction from the weight of the world that seemed to be crushing her.

~~~

John André was tried and found guilty of espionage. He worked with the traitorous Benedict Arnold to help the red coats. He was willing to pay Arnold for plans of West Point and for Washington's capture. However, his plans were foiled in the end. He snuck into a barge near West Point a few nights ago to meet with Arnold. He left and was soon discovered by skinners with incriminating documents on him. Arnold fled West Point before having the chance to help him. Though he was a spy, André was doing what he felt was right for the crown. He was simply doing what he thought was right and he was going to be hanged for it.

Isabella walked down to the gallows from the West Point manner with Peggy and the other soldiers. While they were walking, Major Benjamin Tallmadge was in a carriage with André, the condemned.

Ben tried to make small talk with the man by talking about Arnold and his failed mission.

"Arnold was a failure." André simply stated. Culper was the master stroke."

This caught Ben's attention. He didn't know that André knew so much about the ring.

"Seeing as I am about to take a vow of eternal silence, who was Culper's contact in York City?" André asked.

Ben eyed the man warily for a moment. He would never tell him because there was always a chance it could get out. "I had a classmate in Yale college by the name of Nathan Hale. I followed him into the army in '76. He was tracked and caught by Robert Rogers and was subsequently hanged as a spy."

John seemed a bit confused for a moment before it clicked. "And you think his case and mine are alike?"

"He did his duty for his country. You did yours for your king. And I want you to know that I see the honor in both." Ben explained.

"Then you're mistaken. I didn't do it for a king. I did it for a woman." John said with sorrow. "That is the loss I regret more so than my own life."

Ben's mind went to Isabella. He knew that he would be in John's position for her. How he wanted to simply hold her again. It had been months and all he wanted was to have her back. "Love did this then?"

"Yes, Love. It is often so painful but it has its moments where the happiness and joy make any amount of pain and heartbreak worth it." John reminisced.

Ben could only think about Isabella and how he needed to get her back.

~~~

By now, every soldier and any other person from West Point was gathered around the gallows, waiting for the condemned to arrive. Isabella looked at her friend to see tears tolling down her cheeks. She wrapped an arm around her and told her it would be alright.

At last, the carriage came into view and once it stopped, John André and Ben stepped out of it.

John was taken and put atop the gallows, which was really just a wagon under a tree. His hands were tied and the noose was slipped over his head. He was given a blindfold which he tied over his eyes.

The executioner began to read John's crimes off a roll of parchment and Isabella zoned out. She didn't think it was right to put a man to death for doing what he thinks is right. Her father once told her that if she were holding a red book, another person might think it was brown. If that other person is colorblind, does it make him wrong? No. That is what he sees as brown and it is not fair to call him wrong for it. It all depends on what you have been taught.

"If the condemned has any last words, let him speak them now." The executioner called out, causing Isabella to focus back on what was happening.

John lifted his blindfold and looked around at the crowd before stopping on Peggy. "I pray that you all hear me witness, that I meet my fate like a brave man."

Just like that, the wagon was pushed out from under him and his life was ended.

Peggy hugged Isabella and burried her face in her shoulder so she would no longer have to watch what was happening before her eyes.

"I am sorry, Peggy."

Isabella comforted her friend and walked her back to the manner. "Peggy, you should probably find safe passage to your husband before somebody finds out your part in this."

"I know..."

"I will do whatever I can to help." Isabella offered.

"Thank you."