Liberty Calling

Chapter 4

Children ran past our house, and I couldn't help but wonder what their lives were like. Did they have secret loves mingled in their little groups? Were the boys holding impatient frogs in their pockets, just waiting to drop them into a girl's lap? How many of them had only a mother to take care of them while their fathers marched away with the militia?

"Em?" James called, a smirk growing on his face. "Where is your mind wandering off to now? Didn't you hear my question?"

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I did not."

He chuckled a bit. "I asked how you feel to be going back to England."

"Rather indifferent actually. Of course I am excited to see my family again but...it's not like we're going to France, or Egypt, is it?"

"Egypt!" James scoffed. "Why in the world would you want to go there?"

"I don't. To be in the heat, all surrounded by sand, it must be horrid. It's just that it's exotic. Show me a painting of the Virginian countryside, and another of the English country. There is no difference, and I could not tell one apart from the other."

Zachariah, who leaned against a tree just behind me, poked me in the back. "I'd count myself lucky if I were you. You get to go, while I have a duty which keeps me here." His voice was thick with sarcasm.

"And I've never left the colony," James said. "My last relative to set foot in England was my dear great-great grandfather, or whoever it was."

"It's a shame," Zachariah said.

Levi snorted, and rubbed the scruff on his unshaved cheeks. "Not really."

Zachariah raised a brow and stood a bit taller. "A bit disrespectful to the kingdom that provides you with everything, don't you think?"

I glanced nervously between the two. As vocal as James was in his support of the rebel cause, so was Zachariah in his loyalty to the crown. The two looked at one another for a moment, the tense clash of opinions hanging heavy in the air. I tried to think of anything to say to serve as a distraction, but didn't have to. Instead, Mother called for my brother from inside the house, and he hurried to her.

"Are you trying to start fights now?" I asked James, hoping disapproval was plain enough in the look I gave him. "I respect that you have opinions and you know that, but you become more reckless with them every day. You can't say such things around our family, and especially while my brother and Father are here. They fight in the Crown's army, and you think they'll take kindly to criticism of their cause?"

A dark look shadowed his face, and I worried what he would say. "Emmeline, I have no intention of fighting with your family and you know that. I have the greatest respect for you all. But I will not pretend I'm someone I am not, and the way I see it, this war will not go anywhere so long as we rock back and forth along the fence for the sake of niceties."

I was taken aback, and my expression betrayed me. For as long as I had been friends with James, we rarely disagreed. All we did and said was in harmony with one another, though we lived such different lives. But now, I grew afraid. The horrible thought came to mind that I was not sure our friendship would survive as political rifts divided the colonies. My family was intensely loyal to the Crown, and never would be swayed. A quiet thought then made my stomach sink- but what are you loyal to?

"I should go," I said after the silence became overwhelming. I began to stand, but stopped as James sighed.

"Emmeline," he said, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you. I care more for our friendship than you think."

"I know." I smiled softly. "I should go though...Father and Zachariah are leaving in a few days and..."

"And you should be with them," he said. "Go on, then. But promise you'll come see me before you leave for England."