The Redcoats were evacuating. They were simply waiting for good winds. They would all leave, allowing the Continental Army to come in. Dr. and Mrs. Rivers would be able to come home. In a few short days, there would be no need for the Shadow Fox.
Robyn pressed harder into the dough. She would miss it. It had been exhilarating—the mad gallops through Boston on Midnight, dressing as a drummer boy, sneaking into camps, speaking with General Washington himself, clever plots, exciting escapes, her duels with Agent Chaplen. Ah, he had been a worthy opponent. More than once he had her in his grasp, but she had either cleverly escaped, or her had let her go because of his pride. It was a relief that she was no longer in danger of hanging. Yes, it would be difficult to become used to normal life again.
Suddenly, Jack Richards burst into the kitchen. “Robyn!”
He doubled over panting and she quickly poured him a drink. “Goodness, Jack, what is it?”
Gasping for air, he downed the cup of cold water. “Ben has been arrested for aiding the Shadow Fox!”
“What?! Are you sure?!”
“Yes! He will be hung before they leave Boston!”
Robyn sprinted out of the kitchen, leaving Jack a bit confused. She hiked her skirts up in a very unladylike fashion—above her knees—and took the narrow stairs two at a time. Without bothering to knock, she burst into Agent Chaplen’s study.
“Agent Chaplen!”
Surprised by her uncharacteristically sudden and loud entry—not to mention the fact that she had remembered his correct title—the man looked up from the letter he was writing. “Goodness, Miss Rivers, what is the matter with you?”
“You arrested Ben!” She gasped.
He returned his quill to the inkwell. “Yes, I did. He has been charged for treason by aiding the traitor to the crown known as the Shadow Fox.”
“But, but, is there nothing you can do? He’s my brother, sir!”
Frankly, Chaplen was surprised by the terror in the girl’s eyes. She had never shown this much emotion over anything. He spread his arms. “Unfortunately, your brother is a traitor, Miss Rivers. He should not have chosen the path he did.” He held up a finger. “However, I am more than willing to exchange him for the Shadow Fox. If you can get the Shadow Fox to give himself up, I will clear the charges against your brother.”
They could evacuate at any moment. There was no time for clever plots or exhilarating escapes. There was only one thing she could do. She forced herself not to shake in front of him. Swallowing, she began, “Agent Chaplen, I’m—“
~~~~~
Sovay trotted into the kitchen. “Hello, Jack. I saw you sprinting down the street. What’s the hurry?”
Jack shook his head. “Oh, Sovay, Ben has been arrested for aiding the Shadow Fox.”
“What?!”
“He’s to be hung soon,”
“Where’s Robyn?!”
“I told her already. She ran up stairs—“
“And you did not stop her!?”
“Well, no, why—wait, where are you going?!”
Sovay was already halfway up the stairs, skirt hiked shamelessly above her knees. She burst into Chaplen’s study and grabbed her cousin by the shoulders. “Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Fear not, cousin! We will get your brother back!”
She rushed Robyn out, leaving a very, very, confused Agent Chaplen. He wondered what the girl was going to say to him. Maybe she knew something about the Shadow Fox? He had no doubt Miss Willows did, but surely not silly Robyn. Could he be wrong about her? Preposterous.
However, his plot to capture the Shadow Fox was working well. Soon, that idealistic young fool would turn himself in. Chaplen had been contemplating hanging them both, but after seeing the look in Robyn’s eyes he had decided against it. No, once the Shadow Fox was dead, the British would be gone, and Benjamin Rivers could do nothing to the British Army. Besides, the Shadow Fox was the reason he was sent here from England, not some troublesome lad of no account. Once the little fox swung from the gallows, Chaplen could return to England with his pride intact.
Sovay dragged her cousin to their attic bedroom and shut the door. “Are you out of your mind?!”
Robyn spread her arms. “What was I supposed to do?”
“Not go telling Chaplen!”
Robyn sank to the bed and put her head in her hands. “We are out of time. They are—they are—“ She choked and a sob escaped.
In all their many years together, Sovay had never seen her cousin cry. She had always thought of Robyn as the strong one who stood tall through everything. But this had been too much. Now, she was hunched over, sobbing helplessly into her hands.
“It’s all my fault,” she cried between sobs. “He was always worrying about me and now he’s captured because of me and now they are going to—“ She sobbed. “Hang him!”
Sovay did the only thing a good friend could. She put her arm around Robyn and murmured comforting words to her. “Robyn, they are not going to hang Ben. We are going to make it through this. We are going to get Ben out—without you telling Chaplen your identity.” She squeezed her cousin’s shoulder. “Now, quit yowling like a lost kitten and get working on a clever plot.” Sovay handed Robyn a handkerchief.
Sniffing, her cousin dried her eyes. “It has to be something we have not tried before.”
“Aye.”
“It cannot fail.”
“True.”
“It has to be clever, something that Agent Chaplen would never suspect.”
“That it does.”
“It has to be done tonight.”
Sovay nodded knowledgably.
Robyn rose to her feet. “That’s it! I am getting myself arrested!”
Sovay quickly stopped nodding.“What?!”
------
Hehe, I love this chapter. The dialog cracks me up. So our stoic female finally broke down and cried. We knew it had to happen, right? Aaaaaand she decides to get herself arrested. Brilliant. I think she's lost it. I'm so excited this is the gang's last big adventure! Well, before... hmhmhm (that was an evil chuckle) well, before the end!
Have a lovely week, ya'll.
C.P. Out!
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