And Peggy

A Winter's ball

As we pulled up at the town hall in our carriage, I am trembling and hyperventilating. "What if he doesn't remember me? What if he's found someone else? What if he's dead?!"

"Relax," Eliza soothes me "he'll be waiting at the door like a perfect gentleman,"
I smile weakly at her and continue to bounce my legs up and down.

Angelica has worn a peach coloured hoop skirt dress that goes down to her feet. Her hair is half up half down and trails over her shoulder. She has peach pumps on her feet.

Eliza wears a sky blue ball dress with a corset that falls with her natural shape. Her hair is in a low ponytail and she has glass slippers.

I am wearing a sunshine yellow hoop skirt ball gown that has some beautiful embroidery on it. My hair is in a high ponytail and I wear elevated mustard yellow pumps.

We walk into the town hall and John is not, as hoped, waiting at the door. My heart plummets about fifty ft.
Eliza pats my back sympathetically but she and Angelica are quickly swept off their feet by men dressed in blue and gold jackets with white frills. A soldiers outfit, and the hall is full of them. I start walking around aimlessly, searching for a familiar freckly face. I can't find him so I start asking the soldiers.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for a soldier,"
"Do you know John Laurens?"
"You haven't seen a soldier with curly hair and a freckly face have you?"
But no one pays attention to me. They are too busy dancing and the music is too loud to be heard over anyway. The few answers that I do get are unhelpful,
"Sorry love, haven't seen 'im"
"We faced many casualties during battle,"
"Have you tried the bar?"
"No idea where he is, but I'm single if you can't find him!"
With every answer my spirits drop lower. Eventually I give up and tears start leaking out of my eyes. I can see Eliza clapping from the side of the room so I make my way over to her.
When she sees me, she gasps and hugs me.
"You didn't find him then? Oh Peggy, I'm so sorry!" We stand together for a while, me sniffling every now and then, until Eliza whispers,
"Don't look now but there's a really cute soldier over there who I think is single."
I follow where she's pointing to see one of John's revolutionary friends. The one with the ponytail and glasses.
"Oh, that's Hamilton. He was one of J-John's friends." I stammer on Johns name. I'll never see him again. Eliza pats me on the back but she is distant in doing do and helpless to his charms.
As Hamilton looks our way, Eliza whips her head in the other direction and instead glances at Angelica who is being waltzed by yet another soldier. Eliza smirks at her. Angelica looks tired, poor girl.
But Eliza's smirk quickly turns into a frown as Angelica is approached by Hamilton and Lafayette. Lafayette tries to introduce himself but is roughly pushed aside by Hamilton before he can open his mouth. Lafayette gives him a reproach full look but then shrugs and heads toward Eliza and I. I turn to warn Eliza but she is briskly walking towards Angelica. I hear her say "this one's mine!" before Lafayette grabs my attention.
" je m'appelle Lafayette! And you are, madam?"
"Peggy Schuyler, I know who you are, Laurens told me about you,"
"Enchant'e! Laurens told me of a fair maiden who he befriended at the protest!" He brushes my hand with his lips.
"Interesting," I think. "He's a bit of a flirt but imma give him a chance. He's nice but he hasn't got Laurens sense of humour." I swallow a sob and smile at Lafayette.
"Where's your family from?" I ask.
"France, but I have journeyed to America because King George III is unfit to rule," he says.
"I agree," I say and we go on to talk about the madness of King George, Samuel Seabury and that day in NYC.

"Did you hear Alexander's roast? He was like, "is he in Jersey?" And we all cheered and-"
but I've stopped listening because caught in all the faceless people in the crowd, one stands out. Strolling around the ballroom is John Laurens.
"I'm sorry, could you excuse me for a second?" I murmur but I don't wait for a response before I storm across the room and slap Laurens across the face. As I start panting like a mad bull, John starts smiling.
"JOHN LAURENS, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! HERE I WAS MOPING AROUND THE HALL WHILE YOU'RE AIMLESSLY WALKING AROUND IN SEARCH OF SOME GIRL TO DANCE WITH! DO I MEAN THAT LITTLE TO YOU?" People are looking at us and the music has stopped now but I don't even notice. I am too overcome with emotion. Grief and relief and joy and despair. It's too much to handle. I start sobbing into his shoulder and he awkwardly pats my head and leads me to the edge of the ballroom. The music gradually starts back up again and the ballroom is full of dancing once more.
"I'm sorry I was late. Washington wanted me to file some last minute paper work. I've been promoted to left hand man." He's trying to coax a laugh out of me but I won't give him the satisfaction. Yet.
"Come on Peggy, I tried to get out earlier. I told Washington that I was expected at the Winter's ball by a beautiful maiden who would be ever so distressed if I didn't show up and after much begging and pleading, he gave in."
Dagnabbit! I can't stay mad at him. I slug him in the shoulder and he smiled at me victoriously. Then he grabs my hand and drags me onto the dance floor.
We dance all night. To every. Single. Song.

On the carriage ride home, all three of us are bursting with chatter. Eliza is yelling about Hamilton and I'm laughing about my night with John.

"What about you Angelica, any men catch your eye?" I ask mischievously.
"Nah, none of them caught my eye. But Eliza's man looked pretty good." She waggles her eyebrows. A trace of uncertainty flickers across her face.
"Meh, he's nothing compared to Laurens," I say dismissively.
There an is immediate outburst from Eliza and Angelica and I start laughing.
It's been a great night.

Heylo, it's Cocolocosam.
I hadn't intended for this to be a Jeggy fan fiction but oh well. THANKYOU for reading as always. Comment.
Cocolocosam 🐓🐔😊