The 15th Star (A Lisa Grace History - Mystery) by Lisa Grace

The tears and the painful pulls of her lungs for air, sent sharp pains from her cracked rib throughout her body. Grace could not control the loud sounds her shocked body insisted on releasing.
    “Did Major Rivers hurt you?” Mrs. Louisa helped pull her pantaloons up.
    Grace tried to catch her breath. “Never mind, Mrs. Louisa,” she cried in pain as she struggled for another breath, she shook her head, “it’s nothin.”
    Grace gasped again.
    “Oh dear!” Mrs. Louisa said, “He hurt you!”
    Grace nodded, while she wheezed, “Nothin can be done.”
    “ What happened?” Louisa asked in shock at Graces’ condition.
    “ I was taking the dinner dishes to the mess.” I got lost on the way back,” Grace wiped away her tears and tried to stop the shudders that ran through her body.
    “ I’ll be fine Mrs. Louisa. Help me get home, please.”
    “ We must tell George at once,” Louisa fastened Grace’s pantaloons as best she could.
    “ Mrs. Louisa, that won’t help none. It’s done.” The pain became manageable as her lungs stopped their panicked pulls.
    “ George will do something. He has to! He would not allow this to happen.”

“ Missus, your husband is the only good man I ever met, but he can’t do nothin. ” Grace shuddered, wiped at her tears and tried to catch her breath. It hurt her so bad to breathe. “Major Rivers is important. It’s the law. He allowed by the law.”
    Louisa looked shocked, “That can not be! That can not be.”
    “ Missus, I’s sorry, it is.” They both stood in shock while Grace tried to straighten and catch her breath. “Please Missus Louisa, help me get back.” Grace’s ribs hurt so bad she couldn’t stand up straight.
    “ Oh Grace!” Louisa’s tears glistened in the dark. She helped walk her friend back to their quarters and stayed with her until she fell asleep.
    ***
    After Grace fell asleep, Louisa told Maggie, “I’m going to see George.”
    A young man had been sent to guard the women and Louisa made him get another soldier to stand at the post while he escorted her to George ’s quarters.
    When she walked in, George was at his desk going over the daily work reports.
    “Over nine hundred American merchant ships taken this last year, and over ten thousand of our jack tars pressed back into The Royal Navy’s service. We can not let them treat us like they own us. They mean to make us a colony again, Louisa. President Madison is right. It must stop now or everything we fought for will be lost. As soon as their trade war with France is over, they will be marching against us. We must stop them now before it is too late.”
    Louisa nodded in agreement. She knew her business was not as important as that of national defense. “I have every confidence in you, George, and I pray that the Lord guides you in safety and strength.” Louisa knew to follow up this show of heartfelt support with a bit of personal flattery. She walked up to George and hugged him around the waist to gain his full attention on her womanly charms. “And how can they possibly stand against your superior wit and war expertise? Spank them and send them on their way.”
    George smiled. He hugged her back, kissed her gently, and then chuckled.
    “Did you get my note?” Louisa asked.
    George unwrapped himself from her arms and motioned her to sit. George sat back down behind his desk. He leaned forward in his chair, a serious look on his face, and placed his hands on his desk gesturing for her to place her hands in his.
    “Yes, Louisa, I’m sorry. There is nothing I can do.”
    Louisa, even though she had been warned by Grace, could not believe what she heard.
    “Nothing you can do?” Louisa raised her voice and pulled her arms back, “He raped her, and there is nothing you can do?”
    George got out of his seat and walked over to his wife, laying his hands gently on her shoulders, “Louisa. I am sorry, I truly am, this young girl was in the auspice of my care and I have let her down.