Valley forge, p.36
Valley Forge, page 36
"What happened?"
Skoyles looked down at the body. "We settled an old argument."
"He was the last of them," said Clark.
"Who fired that shot?"
"I did. I killed the man you knocked out with that spade."
"You also killed Major Featherstone," said Skoyles. "But for that shot, I might not still be alive." He put a hand to his wounded shoulder. "What happens now?"
"We get out of here fast."
"The horses are waiting," said Proudfoot.
"What about the dead bodies?" said Skoyles.
Clark was practical. "No better place to hide those than in a churchyard," he said. "We can't leave them aboveground as evidence."
"This one does not deserve a Christian burial."
"He'll have to go into the grave with the others. After we've taken off his boots, that is."
"His boots?"
"Yes, Jamie," Proudfoot explained. "Boots are much needed in Valley Forge. We've six pairs to take with us."
"As well as all the weapons we've just acquired," said Clark. He shrugged an apology. "I'm sorry that this had to happen. We hoped to give you a quiet funeral."
Skoyles gazed down at Harry Featherstone. "I would not have had it any other way," he said. "This man was my nemesis. Not anymore."
He continued to stare at the corpse as the full implications of what he had done slowly dawned on him. In killing Featherstone, he had exacted revenge for past crimes and liberated Elizabeth from the man's unwanted attentions. But he had done much more than that. Skoyles had, in effect, changed one life for another. He had severed his links with a British army that he had served devotedly since he was a callow youth. What lay ahead for him, he did not know but he was keenly aware of the friendships and camaraderie and the unquestioning loyalty to the Crown that now lay behind him. Standing over the dead body of Major Harry Featherstone, he was renouncing his birthright and becoming an American. The impact on him was profound.
"We must go," said Clark, crisply. "I've organized a burial detail to take care of things here."
"Did you hear that, Jamie?" asked Proudfoot, touching his arm to bring him out of his reverie. "Are you ready to come to Valley Forge?"
"Yes," replied Skoyles with conviction. "I am."
David Garland, Valley Forge
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Skoyles looked down at the body. "We settled an old argument."
"He was the last of them," said Clark.
"Who fired that shot?"
"I did. I killed the man you knocked out with that spade."
"You also killed Major Featherstone," said Skoyles. "But for that shot, I might not still be alive." He put a hand to his wounded shoulder. "What happens now?"
"We get out of here fast."
"The horses are waiting," said Proudfoot.
"What about the dead bodies?" said Skoyles.
Clark was practical. "No better place to hide those than in a churchyard," he said. "We can't leave them aboveground as evidence."
"This one does not deserve a Christian burial."
"He'll have to go into the grave with the others. After we've taken off his boots, that is."
"His boots?"
"Yes, Jamie," Proudfoot explained. "Boots are much needed in Valley Forge. We've six pairs to take with us."
"As well as all the weapons we've just acquired," said Clark. He shrugged an apology. "I'm sorry that this had to happen. We hoped to give you a quiet funeral."
Skoyles gazed down at Harry Featherstone. "I would not have had it any other way," he said. "This man was my nemesis. Not anymore."
He continued to stare at the corpse as the full implications of what he had done slowly dawned on him. In killing Featherstone, he had exacted revenge for past crimes and liberated Elizabeth from the man's unwanted attentions. But he had done much more than that. Skoyles had, in effect, changed one life for another. He had severed his links with a British army that he had served devotedly since he was a callow youth. What lay ahead for him, he did not know but he was keenly aware of the friendships and camaraderie and the unquestioning loyalty to the Crown that now lay behind him. Standing over the dead body of Major Harry Featherstone, he was renouncing his birthright and becoming an American. The impact on him was profound.
"We must go," said Clark, crisply. "I've organized a burial detail to take care of things here."
"Did you hear that, Jamie?" asked Proudfoot, touching his arm to bring him out of his reverie. "Are you ready to come to Valley Forge?"
"Yes," replied Skoyles with conviction. "I am."
David Garland, Valley Forge
