Historical Hamgelica

Choice

A Week Later

Angelica sat in her room, staring at the opened letter on her desk.

He wanted her to make her choice, to marry him or not.  They would be leaving soon again and wouldn't be back for months.

No.  No no no no no.

There was a nock at her door and she quickly hid the letter.

"Come in."  She called and her father opened the door, looking proud of himself which meant bad news for her.

"I've found you a husband.  A business man from Britain.  He's a good serious man, the type you need.  He will reflect well on us."

"W-what?"  Angelica shot up staring at her father wide eyed.

"Stop stuttering Angelica.  He's coming for dinner tonight, just the two of you.  So, if I were you, I'd get ready." He said and left her alone again.

Angelica just stood there, not knowing what to do.  She walked over to her desk and grabbed the letter, staring at it for a while before collapsing on her bed.

A few hours later Angelica was greeting the man who introduced himself as John Church.  They went out to the balcony and sat down. Neither said anything.

"So..my father told me you're a business man."

"Yes, I suppose."

"Well..er.."  She started to say something but he just kinda sat there blankly.  She had a bit more then a sip of the wine on the table.

"How do you feel about the revolution?"  She asked.

"Well, obviously I support the patriots.  I've donated a decent amount of money and supplies to the army."

"Ah."  She said, glancing down.  Like every other rich man my father knows has.  "How do you feel about the women being involved in it?  I mean, we'd be nowhere without them helping. Managing businesses, spying, being nurses."

"Ah, I think that they may have bitten off a bit more than they can handle.  Women just aren't suited for that type of thing. They should be at home."

"Well if we just continued to manage homes then the revolution is as good as lost because you people need us."

"You people?"

"Men.  You say those things as if we're unable to do anything by ourselves."

John stared at her for a moment, ""I did not expect your father to rais-"

"Raise such a rude girl?  Well, I'm not rude, I just talk about my opinions on things the same way men do."  She said and stood up, but not after drinking the rest of the wine in her glass, and left going to her room.

Her father walking in stone faced.

"Sorry, I can't marry him."  She mumbled as she started reading.

"You will, or you won't leave this room."  He said and Angelica looked up just as he left, locking the door.

She could feel her heart sinking, her stomach hurt.

"What am I going to do.."  She mumbled, putting her head in her hands.

After about 5 minutes she glanced around the room, and her eyes landed on her window.  She got up, changing out of her big dress, going for a slimmer and much more practical one, grabbed the most recent letter from Alex, and climbed out of it, starting to run downtown.  

She was there in 20 minutes, and she ran into the tailor shop.  Hercules shot up, being able to tell that something was wrong. He started to walk over to her.

"Ang-"  She cut him off by hugging him, hiding her head in his chest.  Shocked for a second, he hugged her back. The owner walked over, lightly putting his arm on on hers, looking at Hercules.

"Take her to the back.."  He said softly. Hercules nodded and started to lead her there, walking beside her with his arm around her.

Hercules found a chair for her, letting her sit in it.

"What's wrong Angelica?"

"Alex he ask me...and then my father.."  She said, not entirely being able to figure out how to tell him.

"Slow down Ang.  What did Alex say?"

She handed him to letter and he quickly read it over.

"Why are you upset about this?  Thi-"

"Then my father walked in telling me he had found a suitor.  I tried having dinner with the man but he's just..just terrible.  But if I don't marry someone my father approves, and he won't approve Alex for me, then I'm as good as dead to the family.  If I elope then.." She trailed off, looking down, "I'd never see my sisters again."

Hercules took one of her hands.  "Yes you will. You're father may be backwards thinking but your sisters aren't.  They support you. Once they're out of that house then they are going to want to see you.  They would write to you in secret. It's not hopeless Ang."

Angelica looked up at him, tear streaks had stained her face.

"And honestly, screw him."

"What?"

"Screw your father.  Screw him for raising you like this.  To be this worried about every single thing.  He supports the declaration- Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness- but he isn't giving you those exactly things."

"Include women in the sequel…"  She mumbled.

"Mmh?"

"We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal.  I've said before a few times- when I meet Thomas Jefferson I'm gonna compel him to include women in the sequel."

Hercules grinned at that and she chuckled a little.

"You're a strong person Angelica.  Not as a woman but as a person. Everything that has been thrown at you so far you have taken with a stride.  You can make it through a little something like this. But later on, you're going to need someone you legimently cares about you and who you care about.  Not for reasons like your family, but for each other's mind and heart."

Angelica smiled at him before almost leaping out of her chair, hugging him.

"Thank you."  She mumbled and broke away from the hug, wiping away the tears that were left.

"Now, there's something I have to do."