Innocence Lost
folder
M through R › Patriot, The
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
24
Views:
5,384
Reviews:
7
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
M through R › Patriot, The
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
24
Views:
5,384
Reviews:
7
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own The Patriot, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-two
Ben Martin rode aimlessly for several hours, never seeing any sign of Tavington and his dragoons. He eventually turned his horse back to Pembroke, knowing that he needed to be present when Gabriel was laid to rest.
As he approached the village, he saw black plumes of smoke rising above the treetops. He urged the horse on, fearing the worst. He found half the houses in Pembroke burned to the ground, Anne's among them. He hurried to Reverend Oliver's house, which remained unharmed, along with the new church.
Mary Ellis caught sight of him as he rode up and hurried over. "Tavington and his men rode into town no more than a half hour after you left," she said grimly. Pointing to the church, she said. "The wounded are in there." Turning to indicate the cemetery where several men were busy digging graves, she continued, "Gabriel won't be the only one buried today. Eight of your men were killed."
Ben noticed a large purple bruise on the right side of Mary's face. "What happened?"
"Tavington wanted to know why you weren't with your men and demanded to know where you were," she said. "He wasn't satisfied with the answers I gave him, it would seem."
"Bastard!"
Mary shrugged, knowing she was lucky not to end up as Gabriel had.
Later, as he stood with the other mourners at the mass funeral, Benjamin Martin came to a decision. He'd had enough. He wasn't going to fight any more and risk losing what was left of his family. As the funeral concluded, he sought out Mary Ellis.
"I'm leaving," he told her. "I'm going to find Charlotte and marry her. We'll wait out the rest of the war together with my remaining children at the Gullah village. I have run my course and will fight no more."
Mary looked at him in shock and saw the broken man he'd suddenly become. She didn't try to talk him out of it because she understood all too well.
"Godspeed, Ben," she said, hugging him. "May the Lord go with you."
"What will you do now?" he asked her.
"Reverend Oliver has asked me to marry him and I've consented," she told him. "I'm staying here to help rebuild the town."
"I'm so happy for you," he said sincerely. Turning away, he said in parting, "Until we meet again."
Ben Martin rode aimlessly for several hours, never seeing any sign of Tavington and his dragoons. He eventually turned his horse back to Pembroke, knowing that he needed to be present when Gabriel was laid to rest.
As he approached the village, he saw black plumes of smoke rising above the treetops. He urged the horse on, fearing the worst. He found half the houses in Pembroke burned to the ground, Anne's among them. He hurried to Reverend Oliver's house, which remained unharmed, along with the new church.
Mary Ellis caught sight of him as he rode up and hurried over. "Tavington and his men rode into town no more than a half hour after you left," she said grimly. Pointing to the church, she said. "The wounded are in there." Turning to indicate the cemetery where several men were busy digging graves, she continued, "Gabriel won't be the only one buried today. Eight of your men were killed."
Ben noticed a large purple bruise on the right side of Mary's face. "What happened?"
"Tavington wanted to know why you weren't with your men and demanded to know where you were," she said. "He wasn't satisfied with the answers I gave him, it would seem."
"Bastard!"
Mary shrugged, knowing she was lucky not to end up as Gabriel had.
Later, as he stood with the other mourners at the mass funeral, Benjamin Martin came to a decision. He'd had enough. He wasn't going to fight any more and risk losing what was left of his family. As the funeral concluded, he sought out Mary Ellis.
"I'm leaving," he told her. "I'm going to find Charlotte and marry her. We'll wait out the rest of the war together with my remaining children at the Gullah village. I have run my course and will fight no more."
Mary looked at him in shock and saw the broken man he'd suddenly become. She didn't try to talk him out of it because she understood all too well.
"Godspeed, Ben," she said, hugging him. "May the Lord go with you."
"What will you do now?" he asked her.
"Reverend Oliver has asked me to marry him and I've consented," she told him. "I'm staying here to help rebuild the town."
"I'm so happy for you," he said sincerely. Turning away, he said in parting, "Until we meet again."