"I'm so sorry." His father must have passed away, too, Caroline thought. Jacob was an interesting man. Of mixed race, yet well educated. Friendly, but apparently lonely. And quite busy from the looks of his desk.
She rose and set her empty cup on the table. "We should let you resume your work, but we'll come again. Thank you for the invitation. And the cider."
"It was good to meet you." Jacob stood. "I'll walk you back."
Halfway to the Great House, they discovered Jane Thomas scurrying toward them.
"There you are, Caroline. I've been looking all over for you. Oh." Jane glanced at Jacob, then quickly away. "I - I didn't realize you knew each other."
"We just met." Caroline noted the frightened glint in Jane's eyes. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes." Jane motioned toward the river. "They're back. They're docking at the pier right now."
"Who is back?" Jacob asked.
"Agatha is delighted they have returned." Jane clenched her hands together. "I should have never invited her here. She is increasingly hard to bear. She knows only two pieces of music, and she plays them over and over."
"You can hide in the nursery with us," Charlotte suggested.
Jane laughed nervously. "I may do that." She led them toward the pier. "I was afraid this would happen. The captain mentioned before that he was impressed with the house and its location."
They rounded the bend, and the pier came into view. The children gasped. Jacob cursed softly.
Two large barges had docked at the pier. British soldiers unloaded crates and horses.
"They're moving in?" Caroline whispered.
Jane nodded. "Will you come with me to greet them?"
"No!" Charlotte seized Caroline's skirt. "Don't let them come! They're bad men!"
The fear on the little girl's face pierced Caroline's heart. Her first instinct was to take the children and run. But Jane was afraid, too. She couldn't repay Jane's hospitality by leaving her alone to face the British. And she couldn't expect Virginia to travel during her last weeks of pregnancy. There was no choice but to stay.
"I'll come with you," Caroline told Jane, then she knelt in front of the children. "Listen to me. We will have to be brave. Remember to be courteous at all times, and you must never mention that your father or grandfather are fighting with the Continentals. Never. Do you understand?"
They nodded.
"Edward, take your sister through the trees to the back of the house. Then go to the kitchen and tell Dottie what has happened. Stay there 'til I come for you."
"I'll take them," Jacob offered. "They'll be safe with me."
"Thank you." Caroline watched Jacob lead the children through the trees that bordered the front lawn. "He's a nice man. I'm glad he's here."
Jane sighed. "We all have our crosses to bear."
An odd thing to say, Caroline thought, though Jane might be referring to the redcoats who were taking over her house. "We'll have to pray they won't stay very long."
"Oh, no." Jane pressed a hand to her chest. "What if my son returns now? This is terrible."
"We must hope for the best." Caroline studied the redcoats in the distance. "Now that I think about it, if there are officers living here, they might know a great deal. And there could be quite a few messages that pass through the house on the way to Cornwallis."
"What are you saying?" Jane gave her a horrified look. "Are you suggesting we spy on them?"
Caroline swallowed hard. She'd merely been thinking out loud, but her thoughts were definitely leading her toward espionage. Did she dare?
Jane grabbed her arm. "You mustn't. 'Tis far too dangerous."
Caroline recognized Captain Hickman amongst the soldiers. He would make a likely target. "With a little flirtation, I might learn something important."
Jane shook her head. "You're frightening me."
She was frightening herself. Caroline steeled her nerves. She could do this. Her sister had been successful as a spy in Boston. Haversham had said there were patriot soldiers in the area. Any useful information she gleaned could be passed on to them. "Don't worry, Jane. I'll be careful."
Chapter Fifteen
Matthias knew something was wrong the minute he rode into the stable. It was highly doubtful the new horses had arrived at Loblolly on their own.
He sprinted from the stable to the side of the kitchen, then peeked in the kitchen window. Only Dottie was inside. He edged to the corner of the building, his back pressed against the brick wall.
There was just enough moonlight to see the British foot soldier on patrol. Matthias waited for him to round