Stars

Chapter Thirteen

"Isabella, mon ami!" Lafayette exclaimed as he saw her approaching the fire he and Hamilton were seated at.

"B-bonjour, Lafayette, H-hamilton," she nodded at both of them, trying to collect herself enough to not stumble about her words.

"What brings you to our humble fire? I thought you were writing a letter in your tent." Hamilton asked.

"I was, b-but I ran out of ink. I-I came to see if y-you had any that you could lend to me," she said to Hamilton.

"Of course I do! I picked up a few extra inkwells today and I just so happen to have them with me," Hamilton said, reaching into his leather satchel and pulling out a canister of ink.

"Thank y-you. I promise to repay you," she offered.

"Don't worry about it." He said.

"I-I'm going to finish this letter... thank you again." Isabella informed them.

"Wait. Are you feeling well, Bella?" Lafayette asked, concern etched onto his face.

"Y-yes..."

"No, you're not. Tell us, please." Hamilton added.

Isabella sat down next to Lafayette but didn't know how to begin. She didn't have to say anything yet as shock took over Lafayette's face.

"Mon ami! What is zis?" He asked, turning her head so that he could see it better by firelight.

"What happened?" Hamilton asked in shock once he saw the cut on her cheek and the bruise on her jaw.

"I-I fell."

"Don't lie to us, Bella," Hamilton said, using the nickname only her closest friends and family used.

"I was walking here a-and I ran into somebody and... and...." she didn't know how to tell them. If her emotions hadn't failed her, Isabella didn't plan on telling anybody about what happened. She didn't want them to think she was weaker than they already thought she was, being a woman and all. "I came here to see about the ink and on the way I was thrown against the back of one of the wooden holding cells and nearly... nearly..." like earlier, she couldn't finish the story.

Lafayette and Hamilton got the point though. The Frenchman seemed shocked while Hamilton was all rage. "I fought him off and ran all the way here."

Lafayette engulfed his friend in a hug and rubbed her back. "Do not worry, mon ami. Tell us who did this and he will be punished."

"Who did this to you?" Hamilton inquired with a cold expression when Isabella did not speak.

"If I tell you, you must promise to tell nobody about what happened to me," she bartered with them.

"Why don't you want us to bring justice to this scoundrel?" Hamilton raised his voice.

"I don't want people to think I am weak. And that is how horrible rumors start. I do not want anybody to think any different of me." She explained.

Lafayette sighed. "Who did this?"

"Colonel Bradford." Isabella whispered.