The Revolution

6|Room Where It Happens

October, 1774

Silence lapsed as I ladled chili into wooden bowls, setting them on the table in the proper table setting. With the arrival of the four soldiers into the already cramped home, Oliver, Daniel, and I had agreed to eat dinner after they had eaten. The table was small and round, and could fit no more than four grown men, but we pushed it with five. Uncle Henry was to eat with them, to "keep the peace" as we had put it.

"Dinner smells good," Oliver exclaims as he steps in through the front door, latching the door close behind him.

"It sure does." I nod. "How'd your day go?"

"Good," Oliver comes and stands over the pot of chili that sat boiling over the fire, taking in a good sniff. "I am famished."

"You'll have to wait."

"I know," he shakes his head. "Darn soldiers"

"Oliver," I mutter through clenched teeth, "What if they came back early."

"They didn't," Oliver shakes his head, taking a seat. "How's your head?"

"It's doing well, just a dull ache as usual."

"Good. Very good."

The arrival of the soldiers brought great change to how the household functioned, and I avoided them at all costs. While previously Daniel and Oliver had shared on of the biggest of the rooms, Uncle Henry had his, and I had my own, now, all the boys shared Uncle Henry's room, and the soldiers took the largest room. Being a women I was allowed my own room for privacy and propriety. I kept my same room, the room closest to the stairs and the smallest. Next to mine was where Uncle Henry had previously slept, but it was now where all three men of the household slept. Next to that room was the largest room of the household, where the four soldiers now stayed.

I did all that I could to avoid any interaction with the soldiers, rising before dawn to make breakfast, and then slipping into my room as they woke. They would be gone for the day, doing whatever soldiers did. I would make dinner, leaving it out for them to eat when they got home and I would again slip into my bedroom when they arrived. After dinner they would often go do who knows what out in the city, and wouldn't come back till much later, after we had all gone to bed. I always made sure to lock my door at night, and to stick my desk chair under the door knob for good measure.

"Well," I set a steaming pan of corn bread onto the table, tucking a piece of hair that had slipped from it's up do behind my ear, "You can catch me upstairs."

...

I let out a rather un-lady like groan and eye roll as I listened to the soldiers downstairs with Uncle Henry. Getting down on my hands and knees, I peak through a slat in the floor to the main floor. My room was situated right above where the table was, and I watch the soldiers and Uncle Henry as they eat. There are two brunettes, a red-head, and a blonde.

"This dish is absolutely divine," The blonde smiles, motioning to his bowl of chili.

"Yes," Uncle Henry nods, "My niece, Miss Williams, is quite the cook."

"We haven't seen much of Miss Williams," One of the brunettes prods, and I recognize him as one of the soldiers I encountered on my way home from Mr. Knox's store. Bile rises in my throat, and I clench my fists. I had not informed my male counterparts about what had happened that fateful evening, as I knew it would only stir up trouble with the soldiers, and then their superiors would get involved, and I knew that Daniel and Oliver could not hold their temper if involved. When we were first left alone since the soldiers arrived, Daniel lost his cool demeanor and threw a chair against the wall in anger, and Oliver stormed out of the house saying he needed to "blow of steam."