Valley Forge

Chapter XXVI

Wednesday, February 18- Sunday, February 22, 1779

My jumbled cogitations of horror and despair left me speechless. All I could do was nod. I carried the tray to his bedchamber and knocked before entering.

The dim light of a single candle left most of the small room in shadows, but I could see that the bed was intended for two bodies and contained three. Valley Forge was so crowded, even congressmen had to bunk together. Mister Low stood up and made his way to the washstand as I crossed the threshold.

"Careful," One of the three sat up and pulled off his nightcap, and scratched at his short hair that stood up. "Not much room for stepping."

"Not much, sir." I picked my way through the confusion of boots, trunks, chairs, and discarded clothing on the floor. 

"May I stack these books?"

"Just leave the tea and begone," Bellingham grumbled into his pillow.

I balanced the tray in one hand and made space on the small table by piling the books scattered there. After I set the tray down, I lit a second and a Third candle.

Mister Low tapped with his knuckles to break the thin layer of ice atop the water of the washing-up basin. "Don't suppose we could get warm water for the washing?" 

"Get on with it, you coward," The man whose name I did not know said, "Ice water builds character, didn't your mother ever tell you that?"

Mister Low splashed the water on his face and grunted.

"Shall I pour the tea?" I asked.

"No." Bellingham finally sat up. "Go down and make yourself presentable."

My heart sank. I bowed, not trusting myself to speak to him.

"Wait!" Mister Low wiped his hands on a rag, and crouched at the side of the bed, and drew out a pile of letters, all addressed to higher ranking officials; Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, George Washington "Take care of this, will ya" His southern accent shown though.

I took the letters from him. I wanted to burn them into the fire, and into the snow

"Are you ill?" Bellingham asked. "Is your head still muddled?"

"Oh, no, sir," I stuttered "My head is clear."

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I dropped off the letters on our way to the blacksmith and there I sat with an iron necklace, with a lock. And a Key around Bellingham.  Now if I were to run away, I would be approach and arrested by any blacksmith. 

When the gentlemen left for headquarters, I spilled half a cup of tea across their papers, then covered the mess with several ledgers. I closed the fireplace flue to make the dining room smokey, then complained to Samuel, who opened the flue and all the windows to air out the room. When the gentlemen returned for their dinner, they had to eat it with their coats and gloves on, for it was as cold inside as out. Samuel received the scolding for this, which was an unexpected bonus for me.

I continued my insurrection for several days, all the while plotting my escape. The iron collar around my neck meant that benny would have to escape first, then find a foolproof way to cast off the collar and go with him. I ate all of the food I could hold at every meal to strengthen myself for the running. Breakfast was two bowls of porridge and bread topped with molasses and butter. Dinner and suppers always had some sort of roasted or stewed meat and plenty of turnips. Missus Cook took pleasure in my appetite and baked me two apple pies for me. I tasted guilt whenever I thought of Eben and the others, but I ate until my belly ached.

I prepared Bellingham's clothes for the general's birthday celebration with great care. I brushed most of the dirt from his jacket, but snipped a few threads from the buttons in the hopes that one or two might pop off in the course of the evening, I polished his shoes, picked off the lint from his black breeches, and inserted a pinch of wood shavings into the toes of his stockings so that his feet would itch all night.

Once I finished dressing him, Bellingham said that he wanted me to lead his horse to headquarters. Mr. Low frowned as he heard this, surprised, perhaps, that Bellingham was vain enough to parade his wealth before the general.

I was dismayed. I had not thought he would require me.  My plan was to wait a few hours, tell Samuel I did not feel well and would be spending the night in the back, and run as fast and far as I could until dawn.

When the gentlemen were all mounted, Bellingham waved the others ahead. Once they were out of sight, he said "All right then, Ali. Walk on."

I took the horses reins and gently pulled so that she walked alongside me. The falling rain was on the edge of turning to ice. I raised the lantern so I could better see the road.

"How do you find Benny?" Bellingham asked after a mile of walking.

His voice startled both the horse and me. I slowed until she calmed some, then resumed my pace. "Benny seems fine, enough." 

"Samuel tells me that you showed him your collar," He said a half mile later, "Did you?"

"Yes, sir."

"He's quite good with a gun," He said, "Much too valuable to let slip away."

'I am better'

"You are a wise man of business, sir."

"Do not mock me," He snapped. "Stop the horse."

I tugged on the reins. The horse halted and snorted, her breath turning to frosty smoke. We were close enough to hear the faint sounds of hammers pounding in the workshops.

"My patience is at an end, Aliliana. Did you think I wouldn't know who ruined the reports on the table, turned the dining room into a smokehouse, and muddied my best shirt? What's next, serving me curdled milk? Poison?"

"No sir."

"I thought not," He said, "Because you're running away. Tonight, correct?"

Samuel.

"Allow me to explain a few things. Benny is, Valuable, as are you, except the rebellious notions that have infected your mind." 

He dug his heels into the mare's flanks. "Walk on, I do not want to greet the general looking like I just climbed out of the river." 

I took the horses rein again and concentrated on placing one foot in front of the other.

"Everything is traded, you know, even between a father and a daughter," Bellingham said. "When you offer me honest labor and dutiful behavior, you earn my kindness. For your recent treatment of me, I should pay you back with a beating. But I suspect pain holds little fear for you after what the army has put you though. I've been pondering this predicament for days and have finally hit upon the perfect solution."

The horse hesitated as we stepped onto the bridge that spanned Valley Creek. Bellingham kicked her again. "Are you listening carefully?"

"Yessir."

"Your punishments shall be given to Benny."

"Pardon me, sir?"

"Every time you behave improperly, he will suffer. If you deserve a slap, I shall slap him, If you earn a night in the stocks, he will serve out the term. And if you are stupid enough to run away, his pain, Ali, Will never end."

Word Count: 1239.

*cogitations:  the action of thinking deeply about something; contemplation.

*Threshold:  the magnitude or intensity that must be exceeded for a certain reaction, phenomenon, result, or condition to occur or be manifested.

*Ledgers:  a book or other collection of financial accounts of a particular type.