"What's the matter?" he asked, curtly.
"I wanted no one to hear us," she said.
"So I assumed. Your action speaks plain enough." He laid the book on the table. "Well? I'm waiting."
How to begin, she wondered wildly. She sank down into a chair, a straight ladderbacked chair. "Sir," she said bravely, "I have to tell you first. I would rather—than have you hear it elsewhere. I went to Bladen's Court!"
"What?" exclaimed Joshua; then he was silent, his blue eyes icy.
The words tumbled out. "I waited for Barney upstairs. When he came home, we quarrelled; he left me for a moment to go down to tell his friends to leave. I—I went down after him."
She looked across at his face. "They knew me, of course. I spoke to them. One of them was Gouverneur Morris, and one was Captain Humphreys and the others are two whose names I forget."
He said grimly, "They won't have forgotten yours. And why did you go there? You omitted that salient fact."
"To see Barney," she whispered.
Joshua sat forward. "Tell me the truth! That is a He!"
"Joshua," she pleaded.'
"I wish to know why you went there," he repeated, "and I want the truth!"
"Joshua," she said. "I went—I went to get our naval code-books!"
He had been leaning forward. He swung his legs off the stool and stood up, forgetting the injured leg; a knifing pain went all the way to his head, and he grasped for the top of her tall chair. Resting his weight on the good leg, he put his other hand in her thick curls and turned her face up. He spaced each word evenly.
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"How do you know about the codebooks?"
"Joshua," she gasped. The low voice and deadly calm did not deceive her; he was pale with anger.
"From your dear friends next door," he muttered, answering his own question. Blue eyes narrowed, he slowly unfastened the fingers of the hand he had in her hair. Because she was afraid of him physically, she cried out and put her bright head in her hands.
Joshua raised his open hand. "You would, would you?"
"Joshua," she cried, "it wasn't the men next door—" She stopped. "What is the use?" she whispered, through her fingers, her body braced for the blow that was coming.
But it didn't come. He stepped back. And through his mind went suddenly and vividly the struggles that had confronted Barney and himself not only to lay hands on a ship but to finance her; through his mind went the whole day just past, when men were making every conceivable effort to win—"You'd jeopardize it all, would you? You can look at me, madam! You don't need to hide your face! Much as I'd like to—" He took another step backward to his chair, and sat down heavily.
Douglass shivered with relief, and raised her head slowly. But when she saw his face, she knew it would have been better if he had struck her. "I wouldn't have minded, if you had," she said tearfully.
"I might have broken your goddamned neck," he said. Then he smiled grimly.
"Oh," she said. But the punishment that was coming was going to be worse—she was sure of it. Her eyes fastened on him.
"I confess I find this difficult to credit, madam. Not only aid and comfort to the enemy, but outright treachery!"
These words, almost calm, did not deceive her either. She moistened her lips.
"You would have stolen—from three hundred and fifty American officers and men, including Barney, what may offer them some slight protection against the whole damned British fleet now stationed in the West Indies! Rodney sailed from New York today, with eight sail of the line, and numerous escort ships. He meets with more, at his West Indian station. You wished to add to the odds?"
"Rodney sailed?" she asked and fear smote her. "I did not know," she whispered, and she looked at him with her grey eyes and waited, because he was speaking.
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"Doesn't that please you?" he asked, with sudden force. "Well, I shall send you to join him because that's where you belong, and God forbid me from keeping you here against your will!"
It was her turn to stare unbelievingly.
"You—you are sending me—back to England?"
"Indeed not," he said. "I have no money for passage! Another of my vessels leaves next week. I shall make arrangements for you to sail on her, as far as Stasia."
"Stasia?"
He smiled grimly. "The men at Stasia won't bother to enquire about your politics, madam!"
"Stasia?" She rose and steadied herself on the chairback.
"It is hardly my fault," Joshua said evenly, "that the most lawless port in the world is the only one by which you can reach England. See the British resident, upon arrival, or seek aid from the Governor. As a distressed English refugee, you should arouse deep sympathy in the breasts of the men in port."
She flushed deeply. "I want to say one thing—"
His smoldering anger burst through his tones. "I don't want to hear it! Now get out!"
There was nothing for Douglass to do but go.
Joshua stared into the fire. She had deliberately worked against all for which he had striven for so many years. It flashed across his mind that last year the Cabot firm in Boston had had twelve vessels; now they had none, through the activities of the Navy she was so interested in aiding. A blasting oath came from his lips and he stood up. He limped over to the table as fast as he could and poured himself a glass of whiskey, which he drank off standing there. How had she dared?
His leg hurt. Then the gross ingratitude occurred to him. Partridge, coming down the hall, heard his master swear again. Partridge saw that Lucie was standing at the door, ready to knock.
"Don't!" He shook his head warningly, but it was too late. Within Joshua heard Partridge.
He limped to the door and flung it open so that it crashed back against the frame. While the sound died away, Joshua glowered down at Lucie. "You come from madam?" he growled.
"Oui" said Lucie, shaken.
"Is she too afraid to come herself?"
"Oui," Lucie faltered.
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"She shows wisdom. By God, my decision is final! Convey my message!"
"Oui, m'sieur," said Lucie. "But that is not what I came to ask." She drew a breath. "S'il vous plait, m'sieur."
Joshua's leg was now paining him considerably. He saw the bed was nearest, and he went over slowly and sat down, stretching out the leg, his hands touching around the wound gently, rubbing the aching muscles. "What is it?" he muttered.
She looked at him. "I am sorry sir," she whispered to his bent head.
"What for?" Joshua muttered again.
"That your leg hurts, and that you and madame—"
He looked up. "Get on with it! What do you want?"
Her face was white. She was the daintiest woman he had ever seen. From the small slippers with their ankle ties, to the top of her shining head, she was lovely. "I'm sorry, Lucie," he said gruffly. "Tell me. What is it?"
The curling lashes swept up as she raised her yes. "I sail with madame?"
There was silence. Joshua didn't answer. In trepidation Lucie waited. Finally he said, "Yes."
Her knees trembled. Was he sending her away, too? He was speaking further, and she listened fearfully.
"Madam"— he grumbled over her name even— "should be accompanied. But you will be escorted from the ship—you do not sail with me, you know. I sail tomorrow. But I will leave orders that you are to be escorted to the Governor's house. There you will be safe. There I shall see you. If I am not in Stasia when you land, wait. Do you understand?"
Her relief was great. "Oui, m'sieur. I wait."
"Un moment," he said, and smiled a little. "In Stasia, a woman does not go about by herself. Most especially in Lower Town. That is for men. Men only."
"Oui, m'sieur. I shall not."
"Remember." He said, then, "An revoir, Lucie. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir," she said softly. Then she was gone.