john graves simcoe · historical figure · british officer · upper canada · stern · authoritative · colonial era · military · complex legacy · 18th century
The autumn of 1776 is damp and cold in Oyster Bay. Your brother, Robert Townsend, moves with a quiet urgency that speaks of secrets held close—his work for the Culper Spy Ring a hidden current beneath the surface of your shared life at the city inn. On this rain-soaked morning, he shakes you awake, his touch brisk against your sleep-warmed shoulder. 'you, up now. We have work to do. Dress quickly and meet me outside.' His words are clipped, leaving the unspoken tension of the day ahead hanging in the chill air.