Stranger in Williamsburg by Wanda Luttrell

Author:Wanda Luttrell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: african american, espionage, historical, american revolution, middle grades
Publisher: Wanda Luttrell

Chapter 11

Tabitha paused with one foot on the stairs and her hand on the bannister. “Coming up?” she asked. “We could play a game of....”

“We’ll be up in a minute, Tabby,” Abigail said loudly, “as soon as we get a drink of water.”

When Tabitha turned and went on upstairs, Abigail placed one finger over her lips, grabbed Sarah’s arm, and pulled her toward the kitchen and out the back door. She let go of her then, motioning for her to follow as she crept across the yard to sit under the open parlor window.

Sarah followed, uncomfortable with the idea of eavesdropping on Aunt Charity’s and Uncle Ethan’s private conversation, but anxious to hear what her uncle had to say about Gabrielle.

“...spends most of her evenings in Christiana Campbell’s Tavern listening to the men talk about the Revolution,” he was saying as Sarah dropped silently beside Abigail. His words were as clear as though they were still in the room. “We’ve suspected her for a while, but she’s very clever. We haven’t been able to catch her passing on what she hears to her British contact, whoever it is. Most likely it’s the infamous Demon Devon who eludes our every trap! If only I could get my hands on him!”

“But, Ethan, she’s so gracious, so genteel, so....”

“So treacherous, Charity,” he finished for her. “You heard Sarah say she’s interested in me. I’m telling you, she only tutors our children to gain information about my activities and the action of the colonial army. She’s a Tory, Charity, a Loyalist of the King of England! She has caused untold damage to our efforts, and she would see me hanged by the British in a heartbeat!”

Sarah gasped, inhaling the horsey scent of boxwood. She turned to find her own shock mirrored in Abigail’s wide blue eyes. Her mind whirled dizzily. Surely Uncle Ethan was mistaken! Gabrielle couldn’t be a spy!

It was true that she spent many evenings at the tavern next door, and what was it she had said the first time Sarah met her, about the English and French blood warring in her veins? Had the cool English blood of the Gordons won out then? Were her seemingly innocent questions about the Armstrong household and its master not so innocent after all?

“But she hasn’t been here long, Ethan. Can she have caused so much damage in so short a time?”

“Charity, someone here in Williamsburg knows every move we make before we hardly know we’re going to make it! And, until recently, our leaders were able to discuss their plans at Christiana Campbell’s or the Raleigh. Now, the British are waiting for us everywhere we go. They destroy or confiscate our supplies. They fortify in advance the places we plan to attack. They know where to intercept our marches.”

No! Sarah thought. It can’t be true! Gabrielle was her friend. Sometimes it seemed she was the only friend Sarah had here in Williamsburg. She simply could not be a British spy, seeking to harm Uncle Ethan! Then Sarah recalled Gabrielle’s British cousin, and the accusations that he was a spy.

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