“Amanda! Out the window!” Eric urged her. She ran to him. He caught hold of her waist and lifted her through the shattered pane. He paused upon the windowsill, then together they fell into the deep snow below them, rolling and rolling. She heard Damien behind them, and then Frederick and the captain. “Run!” Eric urged her, dragging her to her feet. “Run!” He held her hand. The snowdrifts were so high! The British were behind them, and he was pulling her onward and onward. Bitter cold assailed her, the snow rose to her waist, and walking, much less running, was nearly impossible.
“Eric!” she screamed, falling. He fell down with her. They had hit an embankment again, and they were rolling and rolling. Tears stung her eyes and fell icily to her cheeks as they ceased to roll at last, as he rose over her, meeting her eyes. She clutched his shoulders, and she returned his anguished stare. “Oh, Eric! There is but one life! And if it is over, dear God, I would have you know, my one life I would gladly give for you—”
“For you,” he agreed, smiling, “and this country.”
She kissed him fervently. If the British were about to come, she would seize this last sweet taste of his lips.
“One life…to spend with you. No matter how brief, no matter how long, it has been a fire of warmth and splendor.”
“Amanda, I love you.”
“I love you!”
“Amanda, it isn’t over.”
“What?”
“I’ve troops waiting in the forest. I wanted the men to follow us. Indeed, my love, we’ve got to walk again. We’ve got to reach the men.”
“Oh! You made me say all of those things—”
He smiled, tenderly, handsomely. The rogue, the gentleman, his eyes touched her with a love she could not deny. “But weren’t they true? But one life, my love, and freely, eagerly, would I give it to you!”
She laughed. She wrapped her arms around him. “Oh, Eric! It was Geneva—”
“I know.”
“Poor Damien!”
“He is a rugged lad. He will survive.”
“My father is dead.”
Eric hesitated, then he stood, dragging her to her feet. Up the ledge, they could hear the clash of steel. A musket exploded in a volley, then several others answered as if in reply. Eric grasped Amanda’s hand. “Come on, I’m getting you up on a horse and out of here.”
“I’m not leaving without you!” She panted, following him up the snow-covered decline.
“You’ll do what—”
He broke off. They had reached the top of the crest just in time to see that it was over. At least twenty of the redcoats lay dead in the snow. Others were disappearing behind the trees, running. Damien was letting loose with a wild Virginia battle cry.
Eric walked out into the snow and surveyed the scene. “The boots, lads. We need their boots for our own. Then, if we can break through the ground, we’ll bury the dead. Frederick! Take my lady back to camp, please.”
“But, Eric—” she started.
He caught her shoulders and kissed her lips. “Please, Amanda. If you wait, Damien, Jacques, and I will be back as soon as possible. It’s time we all had a talk.”
Her eyes widened. He was very serious. Her curiosity and wonder were so great that she could not think to argue any longer.
“All right,” she agreed. “But you all hurry!”
She turned about, thanking Frederick for his coat as he slipped it around her shoulder and then taking his arm.
“I didn’t think that she’d ever leave!” Damien said. “Feisty little wench, eh?”
Amanda was about to swirl around to tell her cousin what she thought of him, but her husband was answering him already.
“Patriots are like that,” Eric said casually.
