The Patriot Bride Read online

  PRAISE FOR THE PATRIOT BRIDE

  “The Patriot Bride is an amazing adventure of patriotism, adventure, and romance. Kimberley Woodhouse has long been one of my favorite authors, and this story did not disappoint. With her attention to detail and historical accuracy, Kim weaves a tale that is sure to keep the reader turning the pages. I think my readers will truly enjoy this story.”

  –Tracie Peterson, bestselling author of the Heart of the Frontier series

  “Kimberley Woodhouse is a master at historical romance, and it’s nearly impossible to find her equal. I highly recommend The Patriot Bride for an instant immersion into a beautiful romance laced with authentic details around our country’s beginnings.”

  –Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of The View from Rainshadow Bay and the Rock Harbor series

  “The Patriot Bride is my favorite kind of historical fiction and Woodhouse executes it so well. She plays out great moments in history by setting fictional characters right next to true historical figures. I loved reading this. I wish schools taught history in such a fun way.”

  –Mary Connealy, bestselling author of The Accidental Guardian

  “In the latest installment of the wildly popular Daughters of the Mayflower series, bestselling author Kimberley Woodhouse takes the reader on a breathtaking journey woven around the historical facts of the American Revolution. Fans of historical romance are going to love this action-packed tale!”

  –Kathleen Y’Barbo, bestselling author of The Pirate Bride and My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas

  “The Patriot Bride is a tale as spirited and full of conviction as the era it represents. At a time of revolution, the twin virtues of duty and love compete and compel. Readers are sure to cheer on endearing characters until the very last page.”

  –Jocelyn Green, award-winning author of A Refuge Assured

  “Woodhouse’s love for this time period and these characters shines through on every page. If you enjoyed The Mayflower Bride, you’re going to love The Patriot Bride.”

  –Becca Whitham, award-winning co-author of The Promise Bride

  “A must read for anyone who appreciates historical fiction and the sacrifices made to establish this great country. The Patriot Bride is populated with unexpected twists and turns amidst a familiar story of our nation’s founding. Readers will see sides of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin not taught in school. Kimberley Woodhouse blends fact with fiction in such a way historical fiction fans will be hooked and inspired to give air baths a try.”

  –Darcie J. Gudger, author of Spin, Toss, and Catch

  ©2018 by Kimberley Woodhouse

  Print ISBN 978-1-68322-606-2

  eBook Editions:

  Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-68322-608-6

  Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-68322-607-9

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

  All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

  Model Photograph: Lee Avision/Trevillion Images

  Published by Barbour Books, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., 1810

  Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

  Our mission is to inspire the world with the life-changing message of the Bible.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  DEDICATION

  This book is lovingly dedicated to my outrageously incredible-one-and-only-son: Josh.

  Who somehow along the way earned the nickname of George.

  You’ve been a delight to me since before you were born (even though you broke one of my ribs).

  And I’ve loved you more and more each day.

  As a baby you were cuddly, smiley, and really quite chunky. (I’m sure you’re loving me for writing that in this dedication. I should include a picture….) You never met a stranger and could cheer up and encourage everyone you encountered. You entertained us and made us laugh and gave the very best hugs. Your creative genius still amazes me and it almost makes up for all the Legos I stepped on in your room over the years.

  It’s hard to believe that you are grown and married—(gasp! How did I get that old? And how did you survive with a mom who homeschooled you and tortured you with math drills and diagramming sentences? And let’s not forget all the book tours? Especially once you were old enough to handle all the hookups on the RV…I won’t go into details, I promise)—but I’ve treasured watching you grow and mature into the amazing man that you are today. I’m sure I’ve embarrassed you plenty over the years, but it was all worth it, right?

  You are incredible, and I couldn’t be prouder.

  You amaze me every day.

  I could never tell you how much you mean to me and what a thrill it is to be your mom. Oh, and one more thing…just remember that I love you more.

  Dear Reader,

  How exciting to be back with the Daughters of the Mayflower series. I hope you have enjoyed The Mayflower Bride, The Pirate Bride, and The Captured Bride. As the fourth book in this series, The Patriot Bride follows the descendants of the Lyttons and brings us to a fascinating part of our history: the Revolutionary War. Make sure you watch for The Liberty Bride and The Cumberland Bride also being published this year.

  In documenting the great events of our country’s history in this series, it is important for me to remind you that this is a work of fiction. While I strive to be as historically accurate as possible, in many places I had to take artistic license.

  For instance, George Washington; Benjamin Franklin; and his son, William, are integral pieces of American history and are also key characters in The Patriot Bride. But please note that even though I did extensive research, there’s only so much I could ascertain about personalities and other details. So good ol’ George and Ben are depicted in the way my imagination created them for this story. I created their dialogue and traits, although I based my interpretations on information gleaned from numerous biographies. The part they play in Matthew’s life in this story is not based on any fact; it is purely fictitious. The part that George plays in Faith’s life is also a creation of my mind. As is Benjamin Franklin’s role in the story. It is not my wish to take anything away from these brilliant men who were founding fathers of our country. Any mistakes are also purely my own. Please see the Note from the Author at the back of the book about other details and a timeline discrepancy with Benjamin Franklin as well.

  Might I suggest some wonderful nonfiction books to read if you wish to truly know these great men? His Excellency George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis is an excellent biography of our first president. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow is also a brilliant read (even tho
ugh the tome is tiny print and more than eight hundred pages long). George Washington: A Collection compiled and edited by W. B. Allen is a fabulous compilation of the writings of this amazing man. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is also an incredible read and one of my preferred choices. It is definitely a classic. One of my favorite parts is seeing how he scheduled his day. Lots to learn from both of these fascinating and honorable men.

  Charles Thomson was the secretary of the Continental Congress and also one of the Sons of Liberty, along with Paul Revere, Alexander Hamilton, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and even Benedict Arnold, along with many others. Their depiction in this story corresponds with events that actually occurred in history, but all the details are created for the purpose of this story.

  For your ease of reading, I’ve written the majority of the manuscript in modern English with just a few hints here and there of colonial expressions to help create a sense of the time period. This was to aid the flow of the story and make it understandable for the modern reader.

  For more details on the actual events of the American Revolution and the people who truly lived during this time, I’ve given sources, websites, and links in the Note from the Author at the back of the book.

  Enjoy the journey, Kimberley

  William Lytton married Mary Elizabeth Chapman (Plymouth 1621)

  Parents of 13 children, one who was Lucas

  Lucas Lytton (born 1625) married Anna Andersen (Massachusetts 1649)

  Luke Lytton (born 1652) married Martha Baker (Massachusetts 1675)

  Luke Lytton (born 1677) married Ingrid Sjursen (Massachusetts 1699)

  Luke Lytton (born 1700) married Patience Martin (Virginia 1730)

  Only child was Faith Lytton

  Ten-year-old Faith Lytton placed her hands on her hips—like Mama did when she was exasperated—and looked at the sad little group of puny troops allotted to her. Why must the bigger and mostly older boys always insist that their teams be so mismatched? A huff left her lips.

  “What’re we gonna do, Faith?” Tommy kicked the dirt. “They win every time.”

  Several of the other boys whined their discontent. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her team. In fact, come rain or come shine, they had been the same team for almost forever. It’s just they were all…well…small.

  Taunts echoed across the field from their opponents, the League of Victorious Virginians—a ridiculous name for ridiculous boys. Obsessed with playing war and pretending to be soldiers, the league wanted nothing more than to win, so much so they fought their skirmishes against younger, smaller opponents.

  Faith narrowed her eyes. The only girl under sixteen years of age within ten miles amidst uncountable boys, she had learned to hold her own with the lads a long time ago. Now, she found herself a leader. Even if it was of the scrawny crowd.

  How could she teach the other team a lesson? They weren’t all older, nor were they smarter. Just because they were bigger and stronger shouldn’t mean that they should get their way every time. It was almost like they just wanted to tromp all over the smaller, skinnier, and more studious kids.

  Of which she found herself a part.

  Another huff, but this time bigger. If only the other team could feel her aggravation all the way across the field. She was tired of getting tromped. Plain ol’ tired of it. She wanted to win.

  “Faith?” Charlie poked her in the shoulder. “Come on, we gotta come up with something.”

  “I’m thinking.” She glared at the boy she outweighed by probably twenty pounds, even though he was five months older and she was thin as a rail, as Mama would say. Scrawny indeed.

  “Well, don’t take all day. My ma won’t let me eat supper if I show up late again.”

  Faith glanced around at the other nine members of her team. Skinny, short, a bunch of boys who’d rather stay at home and work their sums than play war every day. Then she took a long look at the others. Taller and stronger. There really wasn’t a contest. But…She tapped a finger against her chin. They weren’t that bright. In fact, there wasn’t a truly intelligent one in the bunch. Mama would scold her for such thoughts, but Mr. Brickham—her tutor—would laugh because it was true and he loved what he called “Faith’s inquisitive intelligence.” The thought made her smile.

  Her team had been going about this the wrong way for too long.

  The only way to win would be to outsmart them. And while the bigger boys might have the brawn, her team definitely had the brains.

  She turned toward the pond. An idea struck her in an instant which caused her smile to grow. Trying not to giggle with glee—because soldiers didn’t giggle—she gathered the rest of her group into a tight circle and whispered her plan.

  Several of her team looked to the pond and shrugged, while the others appeared concerned…or was it confused? It really wasn’t that difficult.

  Tommy crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know, Faith. That sounds awfully risky.” He crinkled up his nose.

  “It’ll work. Trust me.” The grin that split her face couldn’t be contained. Wait until she wrote George about it. He’d be impressed with her plan, she just knew it. The letter she’d received from him yesterday was sitting on her dresser waiting to be answered, and boy, wouldn’t it be grand to write her friend about a victory?

  As her team walked to the center of the field, she thought about what she would write. George Washington was more than just a friend—he was her best friend. Add to that, he was her family’s closest neighbor. Since Faith was an only child, she’d followed George around all her growing-up years. Wherever he went around their two farms, she’d traipse along behind him. She looked up to the boy as an older brother. And when he’d left to go learn more about surveying for Lord Fairfax, she’d cried. That day had broken Faith’s heart, because George was her pal. But he’d promised to write her letters and visit as often as he could.

  While penmanship had been her least favorite to study, she’d put great effort into learning how to correspond with him. From the time she was five years old until this day, she’d been determined to pen her own letters to George. Much to her mother’s consternation.

  Not because Mama didn’t want her writing letters or learning penmanship, but because she had given Mama fits over what she wanted to learn and when she wanted to learn it. On more than one occasion, Mama—whose Christian name was Patience—had proclaimed that the good Lord above had a sense of humor since she had to practice the virtue from sun up to sun down with Faith. That was probably half the reason Papa hired Mr. Brickham so early for her. Oh, he might have told her it was because she was so smart and they wanted her to have the very best education they could provide, but she knew better.

  Because she wanted to impress George—and didn’t want to exasperate Mama—she worked harder and soon wrote flowing letters to her pal. They were quite grown-up too. George often said so.

  She’d always wanted to be grown-up like him—he was ten years her elder—but George told her there was no rush to take on the responsibilities of an adult. And he should know, having lost his father when he was only eleven.

  He constantly reminded her there were plenty of children her own age.

  Plenty of children, yes, but there was one problem. They were all boys. So George taught her to use her smarts and keep up with them.

  Well, wouldn’t George be proud now?

  The two teams came together in the center of the field. Robert—the leader of the league—gave her a smirk and shook his head as he looked down at her. “Which side of the pond do you want? Since there’s no chance of ya winning, we’ll let you choose this time.”

  Faith put on her best frown and crossed her arms over her middle. War was serious business. Even if it was just a game. Time for them to take her seriously. “We’ll take the west side.”

  Several moans came from the boys behind her. Never mind them. She knew her plan would work.

  Robert laughed. “Sure, Faith. You can have whatever you want.” He gest
ured to two of his team. “Post the flags.” He turned back to her. “Same rules as always. No one can leave their side until the horn blows. If you are captured by another team member, you’re out. Whichever team captures the other’s flag first, wins. Agreed?” He stuck out his hand.

  Faith grabbed it and shook.

  “You’ve got thirty minutes to get to your flag, plan your attack, and then John will blow the horn for the battle to begin.” Robert snickered then turned back to his team.

  With a wave of her hand, Faith motioned for her team to follow, and she ran for the reeds on the west side of the pond. The pond was always the chosen battleground because to capture the opponent’s flag, you had to venture through woods and dense undergrowth while trying to avoid the enemy. The league was good at hiding people along the route so that she normally lost a good portion of her team before they even reached the halfway point. This time would be different. The other team wouldn’t expect them to do anything out of the ordinary.

  As her little band crouched in the reeds in front of their flag, she kept looking to the woods. “Ya know, they’re going to set up just like they always do because they always win with that strategy. They will hide enough of their team to try and capture us along the way in the woods, but we won’t be there. Let them think we don’t have any other plan. So just stay here. We’ll pretend we are coming up with a plan—which we already have—while they think it will be like every other time, and then when we start, they will get into position. The two they’ll send to advance on our flag will wait to scare us, but since we’re not going to take that route, we should have about twenty minutes to make it to the other side.”

  Charlie chuckled. “I can’t wait to see their faces when we surround their flag.” He lowered his brow. “Hey, why didn’t ya come up with this plan sooner?”

  “Do I have to do all the thinking around here?” Faith pushed his shoulder.

  “No. But I just wish you woulda—’cause we’re gonna win!”

  The rest of the group caught on to the excitement, and Faith enjoyed listening to the boys chatter about what they wanted to chant for their victory. While the entire team was educated at home and quite studious, Faith’s private tutor taught her more than just arithmetic and reading. Mr. Brickham had a passion for history, and since Faith had a leaning toward tomboyish ways, she often coerced him into teaching her about famous battles. Mr. Brickham told her it was fine with her parents unless she began to get behind in other studies.