A little boy bowled his hoop down the street. Two women with shopping baskets walked by. She was about to turn away when the door to headquarters opened and Captain Warren appeared. His clothes were covered with dust, and his boots were spattered with mud. He put on his hat and started toward the house.
She stared as if seeing him for the first time. Medium height, not a remarkable face except for the perceptive gray eyes. She took a deep breath. There must be no hint that she had spent hours wondering what he had wanted to say. She must be cool and polite.
He came up the steps and looked at her intently. “Were you well looked after? Have you recovered your strength?”
“I’ve been well looked after. Very well.”
“Hamilton told me just now that you’re going home.”
“I am. My escort will be here any minute.”
“Then there’s not much time. May I come in?”
“Yes.” She swallowed and led the way to the parlor. She took a seat by the window. He sat down in a nearby chair and cleared his throat.
“I’m just back from New York. The judges needed more evidence against Jamieson.” He hesitated. “You knew Strant the bookseller in Philadelphia.”
“Very well. I hear he has a new shop. I meant to call on him when I got back from Lady Eden’s.”
“Which will never happen, because Mr. Strant’s shops were nothing but covers for his illegal activities. He made a fortune by selling information to all sides.”
“Illegal activities? Mr. Strant? He loved his books.”
“The man was a clever manipulator, but after a little arm twisting I learned that Graham was being blackmailed by Agamemnon, the code name for John Briscoe, the loyalist who owns that mill. A major breakthrough for us.” He paused. “When I knew you were missing, I went to Strant and offered to pay for information. It was against his principles, but he hinted that Graham was connected to Jamieson. Because of that, he’s now on his way to the West Indies with a whole skin.” Another pause. “Before leaving New York, I paid your bill at Mrs. de la Montaigne’s. Abigail is packing your clothes. We’ll find a way to send them to Myles.”
“Oh. Those clothes. Thank you.”
A bugle sounded in the distance. Captain Warren stood up. He put his hands behind his back and took a deep breath. “That first meeting at your aunt’s. I was too harsh with you, but I was new to intelligence, afraid to make a mistake. At Valley Forge, I saw your courage, the wits to see that you’d been tricked. I couldn’t get you out of my head. I tried to fight my feelings about you, even after you married; I tried, but I never succeeded. If this upsets you, I’ll leave at once.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She shook her head. “I’m not upset.”
He sat down and took her hand. “Mrs. Colborne—Sarah—I care for you. I want to protect you. Because of what we’ve been through together, no other man will know your worth as I do.” His grip on her fingers tightened. “I can’t take the place of Captain Colborne. I would never try, but I will never love another woman as I love you. I’m not asking for a commitment—that wouldn’t be fair— but I believe—I hope that when the war is over we might be able to make a life together. That’s all.” He put her hand back in her lap.
She closed her eyes. He cared for her, he was asking her to share his life. He deserved an honest answer. Somehow she must find the right words.
After a moment, she opened her eyes. “It’s hard, but I’ll try to explain. Yes, I loved Charles very much. The war brought us together. He was honorable and lovable. I was devastated when he died, but after a few weeks in New York, back with his friends, I knew that I would never have been happy in England. In the end, we both would have been unhappy.”
“But now?”
“When we first met, I disliked you very much,” she said slowly, feeling her way. “After Valley Forge, I hated you. That changed after we confronted each other on that hill and you decided to help me find Jamieson. I began to see your worth, respect your abilities. I saw them even more clearly that terrible night. I—never imagined making a life with another man, but because of what we’ve been through, the shared danger, we know each other better than most people ever do. Not in the little things, but in the ones that matter most.”
His hand loosened. “I don’t ask for a commitment. Just whether you could ever see a future for us. Working together as we have.”
She pushed back her hair. “None of us can see ahead, but yes. I think—I believe—that when the war is over, we have every chance of making a life together. A good life.”
He leaned forward and took both her hands. The look in his gray eyes conveyed more than words. “That’s all I ask. Nothing more.”
For a moment they sat there, staring at each other. So little time and so much to say. She tried to smile. “You may change your mind. There were times when you wanted to wring my neck. That may happen again.”’
“It will, but in the end we always managed to settle our differences without blood being shed.”
“True, but what will you do after the war? Abigail told me your family was one of the finest in Boston and that you were quite a wild boy.”
He grinned. “I was. Your father wouldn’t have approved.” His face grew serious again. “I expected to go back to Boston to be a doctor like my cousin Joseph. Now I think it must be the law. Too many greedy men will try to become dictators, bluster their way into power. We need to build a sound legal system. What about you? Will you stay with your family?”
“For a few weeks. I need to make my peace with them again, and then I’ll go back to Philadelphia. When my aunt made me rich, she asked me to take her place and play a part in forging a new country. It was her dying wish.”
“One that must be honored.”
“Yes. It must be honored.” She turned her head. A blue flag with thirteen stars was hanging by the door at headquarters. “That flag. So many like James have died to save it. I wonder how long people will remember what was done for them.”
“No one appreciates independence until there’s danger of losing it, but we have to make the right beginning.” He stopped and looked out. She followed his look. A small gig was at the door. Riders were circling their horses in the street.
He stood up and pulled her close. “It may be hard to write. As soon as I can, wherever you are, I’ll come to you.”
She leaned against him, wanting to remember the feel of him. “Be careful,” she said into his shoulder. “Be very careful.”
“My love.” He raised her head. Their lips touched. “You’ll never be out of my thoughts. Be well. Be safe.” He picked up her cloak. They walked into the hall. She hurried through the door and didn’t look back.
The gig was open, with yellow wheels. She got in. The driver lifted his whip and the riders turned. They moved at a brisk pace down the busy street and out into the countryside.
The storm had brought down the remaining leaves, a sign of the changing season. She sat back and closed her eyes. A few moments ago, as she sat waiting for the escort, the years ahead had seemed joyless and empty. Now, like the season, her life had changed. There was hope for the future, a future with a man she trusted, respected, and could learn to love.
She opened her eyes. They were passing a corn field. It lay shorn and bare, but in the spring, the field would be plowed and reseeded. Like fields, a country torn and divided by war would find new growth. Her part in the war was over, but there was work to do. This vast land—all its mountains and water and forests—must be cared for and preserved for her children—and for all the generations to come.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Endless thanks to my wonderful family and friends, who have helped and supported me in so many ways. Love you. Special thanks to Richard Buel, emeritus professor of American history at Wesleyan University, and to the Yale University Sterling Memorial Library. Thanks as well to Stephanie Burgess; Elizabeth Cadley; Sue Jones; Amanda Reynolds; and the caring staff at Ess
ex Meadows.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo credit: Shealah Craighead
Eugenia Lovett West (known as Jeannie) was born in Boston, MA. Her father was the Reverend Sidney Lovett, the widely known and loved former chaplain at Yale. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and worked for Harper’s Bazaar and the American Red Cross. Then came marriage, four children, volunteer work, and freelancing for local papers. Her first novel, The Ancestors Cry Out, was published by Doubleday; it was followed by two mysteries, Without Warning and Overkill, published by St. Martin’s Press. West divides her time between Essex, CT and Holderness, NH, where she summers with her large extended family. Visit her website, www.eugenialovettwest.com.
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Were you engaged right away or did you feel the book took time to get started?
2. Are the characters realistic? Do the main characters change and grow? Are their actions justified?
3. Is the plot engaging? Fast-paced or slow? What is the focus?
4. What main themes does the author explore? Are they well-developed?
5. What passages strike you as insightful?
6. Is the dialogue realistic?
7. Is the setting important to the story? How much does it add?
8. How would you describe the quality of the writing?
9. Was the end emotionally satisfying for you? Why or why not?
10. Has this book broadened your perspective? What have you learned from it?
SELECTED TITLES FROM SPARKPRESS
SparkPress is an independent boutique publisher delivering high-quality, entertaining, and engaging content that enhances readers’ lives, with a special focus on female-driven work. Visit us at www.gosparkpress.com
Just Like February, Deborah Batterman, $16.95, 978-1-943006-48-9. Rachel Cohen loves her Uncle Jake more than anything. When she learns he’s gay, she keeps it under wraps, and when he gets sick, she doesn’t even tell her best friends—until she realizes that secrecy does more harm than good.
Trouble the Water, Jackie Friedland, $16.95, 978-1-943006-54-0. When a young woman travels from a British factory town to South Carolina in the 1840s, she becomes involved with a vigilante abolitionist and the Underground Railroad while trying to navigate the complexities of Charleston high society and falling in love.
Girl with a Gun, Kari Bovee, $16.95, 978-1-943006-60-1. When a series of crimes take place soon after fifteen-year-old Annie Oakley joins Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, including the mysterious death of her Indian assistant, Annie fears someone is out to get her. With the help of a sassy, blue-blooded reporter, Annie sets out to solve the crimes that threaten her good name.
A Dangerous Woman from Nowhere, Kris Radish, $16.95, 978-1-94300626-7. When her husband is kidnapped by ruthless gold miners, frontier woman Briar Logan is forced to accept the help of an emotionally damaged young man and a famous female horse trainer. On her quest to save her husband, she discovers that adventures of the heart are almost as dangerous as tracking down lawless killers.
The Year of Necessary Lies, Kris Radish. $17, 978-1-94071-651-0. A great-granddaughter discovers her ancestor’s secrets—inspirational forays into forbidden love and the Florida Everglades at the turn of the last century.
Alphonse, Carl Sever. $16.95, 978-1-943006-24-3. Alphonse, an old hobo living in a small town in Indiana in the 1950s, must overcome his destructive hatred of an abusive priest in order to protect the young son of his closest friend.
Sarah's War Page 24