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"I wouldn’t ht," Allison et out of this house for a while?" he asked her

"Yes, but I also have a feeling there’s soht and we have the history all wrong," Allison said "We’ll have to do sory about that phone call of Cherry’s"

"And who more than Cherry would receive a comedown if it was proven that Allison is a descendent--not just of the house, but of Lucy Tarleton," Logan re about Cherry?" he asked Tyler

"I agree that she stands to lose the most," he said "But I don’t know…"

"Martin Standish is passionate--and possessive!--in regard to his letters," Allison told them "He ad to the article, he believes they belonged to ‘heroes and heroines who dared not write their naet hold of these letters?" Tyler asked

Allison shrugged "He hasn’t said It can be big business, you know There are many letters from all periods of history in private hands Sometimes people don’t even realize they own the out an attic or a baseenerally see collectors buying and selling historical ite them Sometimes, what happens is that children inherit collections or letters, guns, even articles of clothing--and they don’t have a real appreciation for those objects" She gave another shrug "So they ht have them appraised and sell them That’s how some of them came on to the market In Martin Standish’s case, he’s a true lover of the era, and his collection is precious to hih everything?" Tyler asked her

She sht way, he’ll let us study his documents You do realize they won’t be in a stack on his desk He’ll have done everything necessary to preserve theet started" He turned to Logan "We keep co of Beast Bradley in the study With the overlays Jane’s done, we probably have a truer ie of the man But that doesn’t help e’ve heard about the painting--froet Sean on it again," Logan proe

Tyler enjoyed the trip Being with Allison was like being with a personal guide; she pointed out land the way and memorials to events that had taken place The patriots hadn’t just abandoned Philadelphia The British had won the Battle of Brandywine There’d been a rain-out, basically a draw, at the Battle of the Clouds

They stopped at the site of the Paoli Massacre and spent an hour walking around the pristine grounds where the British had routed Anthony Wayne’s troops on Septe out over the beautiful countryside, just touched by the gentle breeze of the late-suiven theh Allison’s eyes

"You toldafraid," she said "I still ed Every man who put his na so made him a traitor, and if the as lost and he was captured, he could be executed They had to be afraid Only an idiot wouldn’t be The British had theforces in the world at the titon, Jefferson, all the others--still signed that piece of paper Washington’s ar…and, of course, some did desert But whenever I think about it, I’ain, but they prevailed in the end" She smiled mischievously "And there were a few victories in there! The A the Battle of Saratoga And once Lafayette arrived and Pulaski helped whip ourshape, the army was in much better condition"

He slipped his ar her close "You ht," he whispered

She leaned against hi down on her hair, whichHe had to re

"So, there’s action all around Philly, even after the British occupy the city," he said pensively "When they do, our Lucy, who’s friends with a nuins her flirtation with Lord Brian Bradley Whenever she gains inforuess neither she nor any other patriot spy reached this particular battlefield in time Sounds like it was a horrible massacre"

"The Americans repulsed the British at Whiteet inforton retired with his forces to Valley Forge in Deceht?" Tyler asked

"December 19," Allison replied "We should move on You can see some of the landscape around there before we meet up with Martin Standish The old stone farmhouses that were used as headquarters still exist and they’ve built replicas of the wooden huts the soldiers used to survive the winter You’ve never been there? On a school trip or a family vacation, maybe?"

He shook his head "No But I can tell you the story of the Alaument about the deaths of our Texas heroes"