He looked at her beautiful head and the bare shoulders. "Because you intrigue me much more."
She lifted one hand to touch her hair. "Go seek out the little Judy; she'll suit you better!"
"Her real name is Marie."
Her lashes flew up; her body was tense. Barney dropped her hand and went over to the fireplace, leaning his elbow on the mantel. His eyes searched her.
The angry jealousy that she felt was accompanied by the blinding flash of realization that this man was the most important focus of her life. It was he she had followed here; he for whom she had deserted England; he for whom she dressed and lived and breathed. She said:
"Yesterday—I mean three days ago—you expected me to congratulate you on a victory."
He answered this. "Yes!"
"Even supposing I had no conflicting loyalties, you offered physical insult and violence on my countryman, who was present at my request—nay, my urgent pleas."
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"He broke parole," Barney said. "And you should have depended on me."
She looked over at him. "On you?"
"Yes, madam. I knew Joshua was hurt. Instead of waiting for me, you go dashing for aid from your British friends!"
"And I am not permitted British friends?"
"No," he said.
"Oh," she cried, "but I am not your property!"
"Not yet. By God, I've been very patient, madam. I—"
"Patient?" she repeated incredulously.
"Do not interrupt me. I'll talk now. I should never have told you about the codebooks; it was an action born of anger." He walked over to her. "But I never thought you would attempt to steal them! Meddling in men's affairs is a dangerous business; you are guilty of a treasonable act, and we have been at war five years and every effort has been made to gain an honorable victory. Fortunately for you no one but me knows. I see you are still unconvinced, English!" She had turned away from him, and he reached for her, turning her around to face him. She drew a long breath and tipped her head back to look up at him.
Barney said, "There's a loaded pistol in my pocket, for I usually go armed. Had this room been in darkness, I might have used it, without knowing who you were. I might have seized you and knocked you across the room. We'll test the truth of that. You wouldn't have sent one of those paroled officers here, would you?"
"No," she said. "You might have—"
"Killed him, I'll end it for you."
She turned her face away from him.
"Brutal words, Douglass, but this is a war, and men feel deeply about it. Let me warn you not to tell Joshua, or you will find out to your sorrow that such a sortie into betrayal will not be condoned. You are only a woman and you do not understand."
"I do understand!"
"By Christ," he said, "if I thought you did, I'd—" His hands tightened on her shoulders. "No. You did it to get back at me; it's a personal matter between the two of us, and I will handle it. Now."
"No!" cried Douglass. "I did it for England!"
He looked down at her grimly. "Did you?"
"As the last thing I would ever do!"
"You'll retract that, shortly. You came here to me alone. You
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were married for a week, to a boy. Why don't you admit you came as a woman, seeking to give yourself completely to me? Well, then, I'll be back in a moment." His hands dropped from her, and he went to the door. He left it open and she heard him going quickly down the steps. With a quick gesture she snatched up her cape from the bed; she too went to the door, crossed the hall, and set her foot on the topmost step.
Below her, in the hallway, was a jumble of men's voices. She heard not a word of what they were saying, or of Barney's voice explaining briefly that he had forgot a previous engagement and that they would have to excuse him. Douglass was halfway down.
"Rendezvous?" Gouverneur Morris said. "I am—" he broke off. Douglass was halfway down the stairs.
She had snatched up the cape so quickly that it trailed from one hand, its whole brilliant length behind her on the steps. The filmy veil floated about her shoulders. Her face was white and her grey eyes fastened on Barney, as step by step, in the silence, she descended toward him.
Gouverneur Morris, stifling an exclamation, stepped aside from the foot of the staircase. He was struck by her vivid beauty, and he noted instantly the appeal in her eyes as she came to a stop before Barney.
But Douglass, standing before him while these men stared, knew that it was Joshua who protected her; she knew as she looked back at him that had it not been for the name she bore, Barney would keep her here openly.
"Sir," she said, low, while Barney took the cape from her hand and put it around her as though to shield her from the openly appraising eyes of the four other men.
"Thank you, sir," she said. She turned her head slowly to smile at his guests, and she made a brief curtsey. "My apologies, gentlemen, for detaining Captain Barney."
"No apologies at all are necessary. Mistress Harris," Gouverneur said quickly, bowing.
Douglass put her hand on Barney's arm. He opened the door for her. "Ah, no, sir," she said. "My coach awaits me. I go the way I came."
She slipped past him. There was no coach but he wouldn't know it, and besides that, it was only four-thirty, and not late; it was best for him not to follow and he would know it. She ran across the
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court and out into the alley. Halfway down, against the brick walls, she stopped.
Her hands were trembling a little as she adjusted her veil over her hair. The narrow alley was empty. Back in Bladen's Court she could imagine what the men were saying, but what would Barney reply, and what was he thinking?
"Oh, lord," she whispered aloud. "What have I done?"
She leaned against the wall, while her mind tried to encompass the brief thirty minutes just passed. She was alone; the loneliness of a strange land, a strange city, a narrow empty street pressed around her.
Within the window of 109, into which she could see, the cabinet maker, a jolly man from whom she had bought a set of carved chairs, put his feet up on the settle and opened the paper. He had told her proudly that his son had been with Washington since the winter at Valley Forge. She caught her breath suddenly as she realized what that man would think if he knew what errand had brought her to Elfreth's Alley. Was Barney right? The image of Joshua's face floated in front of her. She gathered her cape closely about her and walked rapidly down the alley, alone.
Chapter 20
MARSTON LET HER IN THE HOUSE. SHE DID NOT EVEN SEE HIM.
"Mr. Joshua?" she asked.
"In his room, madam."
She went slowly up the stairway, past her landing, and around to the big front room. From its doorway she saw the back of Joshua's head, as he sat in his big chair in front of the fire.
"Joshua," she said.
"Yes?" He turned his head to look. "Come in, sister," he said, smiling.
She approached him uncertainly. Was that the last time he would ever smile at her? "Are you weary, after your first day out, Joshua?"
"A little," he admitted. He had propped his legs up on the stool, and laid the book he had been reading across his knees. His smile faded. "What's the matter?"
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"The matter?" asked Douglass. She saw that his man was in the room, taking clothing out of the drawers of the highboy. Joshua followed her glance.
"I forgot to tell you," he said, "that I am sailing for Stasia tomorrow."
That was like him, she thought.
He frowned a little. "Leave us. Partridge," he said shortly.
Partridge did so, immediately. Douglass watched him go; then she bethought herself, and she went over to the door and closed it. When she returned to Joshua's chair he was eying her with narrowed eyes.