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Goal for today: Don’t feel guilty At least not for eating a proper meal

"Alave hi to the wohouse, there were more than twenty thousand people crowded into as not a very large area at the southern tip of Manhattan Island Cecilia wasn’t sure what the population had been before the war, but she’d been told that nued once the British had taken over the city as their headquarters Scarlet-clad soldiers were everywhere, and every available building had been pressed into service to house the since left town, but they had been replaced andcolonies in search of British protection

But the strangest sight--to Cecilia, at least--were the Negroes She had never seen people with such dark skin before, and she’d been startled by howport town

"Escaped slaves," the lieutenant said, following Cecilia’s gaze to the dark-skinnedout of the blacks your pardon?"

"They’ve been co up here by the hundreds," the lieutenant said with a shrug "General Clinton freed the the order, so their slaves have been running away to us" He frowned "Not sure we’ve got room for the to be free"

"No," Ceciliaback over her shoulder When she turned back to the lieutenant, he was already at the entrance to the Devil’s Head Inn

"Here we are," he said, holding the door for her

"Thank you" She stepped in and then out of his way so that he er valise in front of her, Cecilia took in the main room of the inn and public house It looked very much like its British counterparts--dimly lit, a bit too crowded, and with sticky bits on the floor that Cecilia chose to believe were ale A buxo down s with one hand as she cleared dishes with the other Behind the bar a man with a bushywhen it seemed to jam up

It would have felt like home had not almost every seat been filled with scarlet-clad soldiers

There were a few ladies a and demeanor Cecilia assumed they were respectable Officers’ wives, maybe? She’d heard that some women had accompanied their husbands to the New World She supposed she was one of them now, for at least one more day

"Miss Harcourt!"

Startled, Cecilia turned toward a table in theyears with thinning brown hair--was rising to his feet "Miss Harcourt," he repeated "It is a surprise to see you here"

Her lips parted She knew this ht out in her quest to find Tho and unhelpful of the bunch

"Major Wilkins," she said, bobbing a polite curtsy even as herwith unease More lies She needed to come up with more lies, and quickly

"Are you well?" he asked in his custolanced over at the lieutenant, as now conferring with another soldier "Thank you for asking"

"I had assuave hi in lieu of a reply Truly, she did not wish to speak with hiiven him any indication that she planned to leave New York

"Mrs Rokesby! Ah, there you are"

Saved by the young lieutenant, Cecilia thought gratefully He was e brass key in his hand

"I spoke to the innkeeper," he said, "and to--"

"Mrs Rokesby?" Major Wilkins interjected

The lieutenant snapped to attention when he saw the major "Sir," he said

Wilkins brushed him off "Did he call you Mrs Rokesby?"

"Is that not your naainst the fist that see around her heart "I--"

The ht you to be unmarried"

"I was," she blurted out "Ito hold water She couldn’t have got herself o I was unmarried We all were I mean, if one is married now, one once was un--"