What Happens By Candlelight

Chapter Thirteen: Birthday

Autumn settled around the area before I could even blink.

My mission was failing.

Amanda was now a married woman, leaving me alone in the world of spying.

We had worked out a correspondence, where I would write her letters to hand off to our employer. John hadn't taken the news that we two women were spies well, and refused to let Amanda continue on with her work. He did, however, let her take letters from me to the tavern of Patriots. If not her, then John himself would take them, at least according to her letters.

I couldn't sleep.

I sat up from my bed, glancing around my room for something to do. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

With the weather becoming less hospitable, battles and common wartime activities will become less frequent, and even stop for a period of time. When that happens, I get a break from my own war-related job.

Shifting a shawl over my shoulders, I lit a candle and left the room I had been given in the plantation. I still shivered a bit, seeing how my shawl was worn out after years of prior ownership. I will have to see about getting a new one when the weather worsens. 

Eventually, I came across the parlor, which lay vacant due to the time of night. The piano lay closed in the corner, and the books on the bookshelf were in perfect condition. Everything was in its place, except for me. I still had to be cautious considering it was long after curfew at this point.

I lowered the chamberstick onto a table before taking a seat on the chaise. Would reading help relax my mind? It never has, but maybe if I find a book I have absolutely no interest in reading? No, I'll just aggravate myself.

Was there nothing I could do to relax!?

"What are you doing up?" A scowl lit up my face the second I heard his voice. I had done an amazing job of avoiding him and having no interaction with him. The Lieutenant Colonel has done enough damage, and he need not do more.

"It does not concern you," I stuck my chin up, all while wrapping the tattered shawl closer to my body.

"It does when you are up during the early hours of the morning, and after curfew." I tried to ignore him, but a question interrupted my plans.

"Did I wake you?" Concern. Why was I concerned? He could lose sleep for the rest of his life, and I shouldn't care. He has done nothing but insult me recently, and I couldn't care less if he's saved my life before.

"No, I am often awake at this time. You, however, are not," I raised my eyebrows, wondering how often he was up to know what exactly people were doing at two in the morning. "So I shall repeat my question: Why aren't you in your room and in bed?"

I didn't want to answer him, but I also didn't want to fight. "I couldn't rest my mind enough to sleep if you must know. There, I answered your question, now leave me."

"Well, aren't we high and mighty!" I clenched my fist, feeling the dull ache in my right hand as I did so. While my hand had healed, there was an ache that remained.

"I do not need to be reminded of my current station or situation again Lieutenant Colonel, we both remember what happened the last time, I presume," I released my fist before massaging my hand. It helped relax me when I got stressed. "I would like to be left in peace. I'm trying to fall asleep, not wake myself up further with foolish arguing."

"Foolish arguing? If you think it so foolish then why do you constantly instigate them?"

"Instigate? I defend myself against those who insult me beyond measure!" I lowered my volume once I realized how loud I was. "Do you not understand? I am asking you to leave to avoid another argument. Whatever happened to the Gabriel that saved me from certain death? Was it all because I had been kind that once?"