The Untold Story of Mary Seymour

Chapter 43

Later the next day as we all quietly sat around the dining room table eating dinner, we were startled by the slamming of a door and Ronald rushed into the room. "Good you're all together. I have bad news."

Sam put his fork down and leaned against his chair. "What is it?"

"Many of the delegates are calling for two more days before a decision is made. It seems that there are still many of the delegates who don't know which way to vote. I don't know how much more convincing we can do, but we are running out of time," Ronald explained in a rush.

John Adams sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Correction, we are out of time. We don't know if Howe is already on his way to New York. We can't afford to waste anymore time trying to convince these men in sessions. This needs to be done now."

"I was just at the tavern on Main Street, and there were half a dozen of them there now discussing which way they should vote," Ronald stated.

We remained quiet for a few moments, that was until Sam quickly pushed back his chair. "I've got this. I am going to go to the tavern and see what I can do. I will go everyday until they are on our side."

Adams opened his mouth to stop Sam, but Sam was already out the door before anyone of us could really process what he said. "I am happy to see that something in him realized that he could motivate these men, but I wish that he realized this earlier on."

"And why is that?" I asked out of curiosity.

John looked at me with a surprised look on his face. "Because maybe we wouldn't be in this rush to get the votes. By the time that a vote is decided, it could be too late for New York."

My brother leaned back in his chair, it was his normal thinking pose. "What do you think caused this sudden change in him?"

We all thought about the question, and if anyone could answer it, it would be me but I could not think of what Sam's motivation could be. I was pulled out of my thoughts when Ben spoke. "It's Mary, I mean what else could it be. You told him that once the vote is made you will be leaving. You have always been his motivation, from what I have observed."

I shook my head in disagreement. "No that makes no sense. Sam told me he wants me to stay so why would he be making the voting process go faster?"

"Because Mary," my brother began. "All he has ever wanted is to see you happy. I am assuming you told him what you told me, that you need to find a place of your own, and Sam knows that it would make you happy once you can leave. We don't know what else you could have said to him, but Ben is right. Everything he does is because of you. You convinced him to stay and fight with us. You are the one that convinced him he could be a leader and what kind of leader he could be. I know you are tired of hearing this, but Sam loves you and that love is his driving force. It is also yours."

"I have done nothing to convince him that he can be a leader. Sam was a leader before I arrived in Boston. It may seem like that Sam has become something because of me, but that is not the case. It is just a mere coincidence. Do not sell Sam short, he now needs your support more than ever," I stated, not being able to stop myself from being defensive at my brother's own statement.

"Mary," John Adams spoke softly. "We know that Sam has always had this within him but you made it come out. You showed him that this is much more than the people of Boston and the small ring that he had. You showed him that to be a good leader he needed to think through his plans carefully."

"I know you are all trying to make me see that Sam needs me and has always needed me, but I will tell you what I told Paul back in Boston." I stood up from my chair and tossed my napkin on the plate. "There are reasons why I can't be with Sam because I need to see him happy. Truly happy, and to do that I can't be in his life. I know that this is an attempt to stop me from leaving, but what you all need to know is that I am leaving. I am leaving after the vote. My job here is done and I need to move on with my life. Now if you'll please excuse me."