The Charade

by Laura Lee Guhrke

  He didn’t bother to give her any answering pleasantries. “Be seated.”

  She took off her cloak and draped it over the back of the chair he indicated, then sat down. “I assume you would like me to tell you the full story.” Without waiting for confirmation of that assumption, she swept on. “The plan that Worth and I concocted about the watch succeeded admirably. In fact, I was able to begin working at the Mermaid right away. But Molly Munro, the wife of the owner, put me in the kitchen, cooking and washing dishes, not letting me serve ale in the taproom as I had hoped.”

  She knew she was talking too fast, and she prayed that to the viscount’s ears she sounded confident rather than nervous. “This, of course, presented a problem. You cannot see into the taproom of the Mermaid from the kitchen, and you certainly can’t overhear anything from there. So, I—”

  “Who is John Smith?”

  “I’m getting to that. So, I knew I’d have to take further action if I were going to learn anything of significance. I did learn that John Smith always comes late in the evening, and he doesn’t drink in the taproom with the others. There is a private room where he meets with other Whigs, and—”

  “What other Whigs?” He leaned forward in his chair, and his black eyes seemed to grow colder. “Give me names.”

  Katie had been expecting this demand, and she was prepared to fulfill it. Crossing her fingers beneath the table to wish that Ethan had been right when he’d told her Gage would not arrest anyone just for talking about sedition, she said, “David Munro is always there, as well as a man named Joseph Bramley, who I am given to understand is a messenger for both Paul Revere and Samuel Adams.”

  He nodded. “I am aware of Bramley already.”

  “They meet in that back room so that Smith can give him information to pass on to Adams and Revere. I figured that out right away, so—”

  “But what information is Smith giving them, and how is he getting it?” Lowden interrupted, clearly impatient to get to the heart of the matter.

  Katie had no intention of letting the viscount’s impatience control this meeting. If she allowed that to happen, her well-rehearsed story would become much harder to tell. “I’ll give you all the information I have, my lord, but everything I’m telling you is important, so let me tell it my own way, if you please.”

  Lowden’s black eyes snapped with irritation at her autocratic tone, and Katie knew she had best tread carefully, or she would push him too far. “It will be worth the wait, I assure you. To continue, I knew that if I were going to find out anything, I had to find a way into that back room, but I just couldn’t see how to manage it. Then I figured out how to do it. I invented a reason to be away one evening when I knew Smith would be there, but instead of leaving the tavern, I slipped into that private room and concealed myself in the cupboard that stands in the corner.”

  “That was clever of you.”

  She heard the grudging hint of admiration in his voice, and that took away some of her nervousness. So far, her plan was working. In response to his compliment, Katie lifted her chin with a conceited smile. “Yes, it was rather clever of me, wasn’t it? You’ll think me even more clever when I tell you what I heard.”

  She took a deep breath and leaned forward, implying that she was eager to tell what she knew. “I heard Smith tell the other two that he had learned Gage’s plans to confiscate all the rebel powder stores. He gave them details, saying how Gage was sending officers into the countryside dressed as colonials to spy out the powder stores, then send troops to confiscate it. He—”

  “But how does he know this? Cease prattling on, and tell me who the traitor is, girl.”

  She frowned at him to convey some vexation. “If you would stop interrupting me, my lord, I might be able to tell you.”

  The viscount swept one arm wide with exaggerated politeness. “Please forgive me. Continue.”

  Katie had known she would have to give Lowden an alternative suspect to Ethan, and she had no qualms about doing so. “David Munro became so excited by the news of Gage’s plans that he called Smith by his real name.”

  “What name?” The viscount straightened in his chair. His gaze bored into hers with such intensity Katie felt her throat go dry, and her palms started sweating again. “What name?” he repeated.

  Katie threw the dice. “Holbrook.”

  “Holbrook?” he repeated in clear disbelief. “You’re joking.”

  Katie felt reasonably safe throwing Sir William to the wolves, and the man was such a lout she could not drum up much remorse about doing it. Besides, she knew that without proof, he could not be arrested, either. Since he was innocent, proof would not be forthcoming. She nodded emphatically. “I am not joking. That is the name Munro called him. He said, ‘By God, Holbrook, it is amazing how you learn these things.’ And Bramley cried out, ‘Holbrook? So that is who you really are!’”

  “So Holbrook is the traitor,” Lowden murmured, drumming his fingers on the table. “I always knew that man’s hearty Tory loyalty was an act.”

  “I did not know who Holbrook was, of course, but I could tell from his voice that he was a gentleman, so I knew it would be best to search for him among the elite of Boston society. That’s why I became Harding’s mistress.”

  The viscount gave her a hard stare, and she knew he was not swallowing her story without question. “If Holbrook is the traitor, would you not have learned more by becoming his mistress?”

  She shuddered in revulsion that was not altogether pretended. “What, that lecher? Absolutely not. There are some things I won’t do, my lord, not even for freedom and money. Harding, at least, is a reasonably good lover.”

  “I’m so glad you are enjoying yourself,” the viscount drawled with unmistakable sarcasm.

  Katie ignored the caustic tone of his voice and grinned, pretending to find his comment amusing. “A girl has to be convincing in her role, my lord. And I must say, I have enjoyed myself. Harding has taken me to parties and balls, he has given me clothes, jewels, even a house. The poor fool. I’ve milked him for quite a haul.”

  “No doubt,” Lowden said dryly. “And have you been able to take time out of your social calender to find proof of Holbrook’s sedition?”

  Now she was coming to the tricky part. “Not yet,” she answered. “I am working to discover it.”

  The viscount leaned forward. His voice was ominously low, and Katie swallowed hard, fighting back the cold fear that seeped into her bones. “I hope, for your sake, that you find that proof.”

  “I will. The house I persuaded Harding to lease for me is directly across the alley from the Mermaid, and I have been watching the tavern and visiting with Molly Munro as much as possible. The problem is, I have not seen Holbrook going in and out of the tavern, at least not by the back door. I have higher hopes for finding the proof from another angle. Harding takes me to all the fashionable functions, and I make every attempt to converse with Holbrook and others in his circle, including the governor himself. I am certain that my efforts will lead me to the proof you require that Holbrook is John Smith, but I need more time.”

  She could tell that Lowden was not pleased by the delay, but if she had been convincing in her story, he would agree to grant her request. After what seemed an eternity, he nodded. “Very well. I received a dispatch from London, stating that Gage will be receiving orders to arrest all Sons of Liberty by mid-April. That gives you more than three weeks to find proof against Holbrook so that he can be arrested with the others.”

  Katie rose to her feet, displaying none of the relief she felt. Instead, she acted as if she had expected nothing else. She stood up, pulled her cloak from the back of her chair, and flung it over her shoulders. “You’ll have your proof,” she told him. “By the way, Harding has insisted on buying my indenture and has already begun making arrangements with my master. So by the time I have your proof, you won’t have to bother setting me free.”

  “How convenient for you that Harding finds you so charming. But
I still hold an arrest warrant against you for theft.”

  “I have not forgotten that. All I ask from you is that you keep your part of the bargain. When I have the proof of Holbrook’s sedition, you will give me the money you promised me, and you will tear up that arrest warrant and give me an assurance signed by the governor that I cannot be prosecuted for the theft of Weston’s purse. Then, and only then, I will give you your proof.”

  A flash of anger came into his eyes. “Careful, Katie,” he warned, rising to his feet. “Do not dictate demands to me. Remember, you are not free yet.”

  She turned and walked away without a backward glance. Just before she stepped out of the room, she replied over her shoulder, “That, my lord, is something I never forget.”

  During the fortnight that followed, Ethan was kept very busy. He began receiving reports from all quarters that activity of British Regulars was increasing. Troops were reported making marches through the countryside west of Boston and were often seen in their off-duty hours repairing their tents and breaking out their field equipment. In addition, on April 5, longboats were launched from British naval ships anchored in the harbor and moored under their sterns ready for use, a clear indication to the citizens of Boston that something serious was in the wind.

  One afternoon two weeks after the ball, Ethan learned that a party of British officers had been sent to examine the roads to Concord. That night, Ethan called an emergency meeting at the Mermaid.

  “The word from Fort Hill is that Gage will definitely be sending troops to march on Concord.” Ethan glanced at the other three men seated with him in the Mermaid’s private back room. David, Andrew, and Colin all remained silent, and Ethan knew they were thinking the same thing as himself. War with England was very near at hand.

  Finally, it was David who spoke. “When do they march? Do you know?”

  “Probably within a week. There has been a great deal of activity among the regiments, as you know, and my guess is they will move very soon. But I cannot say for certain. My sources at Province House are being very silent about this mission.”

  “Do you think this is part of Gage’s plans to steal our powder stores?” asked Andrew.

  “I do,” Ethan answered. “Concord has a very large arsenal of weapons, cannon, and gunpowder. I know Gage would love to get his hands on it.”

  Colin spoke for the first time. “If they march, what are we to do?”

  Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know. I wish I could talk with Adams and Hancock about this. Have they left Boston?”

  It was Andrew who answered. “When all the activity began in the harbor, they finally became convinced it would be wise. Those orders from London to arrest all Whig leaders should be arriving any day. Joseph Bramley is with them, but he is prepared to return to Boston, if you need his assistance.”

  “I don’t believe that will be necessary. He’s better off to stay out of the city if he can. It is going to become more and more dangerous to be a Whig in Boston with each day that passes. Already, the tension is thick enough you can almost see it in the air. Where are Adams and Hancock staying, Andrew?”

  “Right now, they are in Lexington, at the parsonage.”

  “Then I must go to Lexington. I’ll go on to Concord from there.”

  Immediately, there were protests from the other three. “Ethan, you could be followed,” David told him. Colin said that if Gage’s orders came through and he were caught with Adams and Hancock, he would be arrested as well. Andrew pointed out that if the city gates at Boston Neck were closed in his absence, he could be prevented from returning.

  “I know there are risks,” he said, cutting through their protests in a voice like steel. “There are always risks. I’m going anyway. I must sit down with Samuel and John so that we can discuss what happens if Gage’s troops march. Concord will need to be warned. Powder and ammunition will need to be moved. I don’t want to trust this information to a courier. I’m going myself.”

  “What do you want us to do while you are away?” Colin asked him.

  “Colin, I want you to keep a close eye on activity in the harbor. Being a fisherman, you won’t cause suspicion if you do. Andrew, you meet with Paul Revere often in the Green Dragon. I want you to talk with him and determine ways to warn the countryside if the troops march on Concord. My opinion is that a system of couriers would be best. These couriers could ride through Massachusetts by various routes and raise the militia.”

  “Paul is of the same opinion.”

  “Good. Figure out a way to make it work. If they do march, send Paul to bring the word to Concord. David, I want you to see what you can find out in the taverns. Send Daniel if you have to, and see what Dorothy and Joshua have heard at the White Swan.”

  The three other men at the table nodded their heads in agreement, and all of them stood up to leave. “I’ll ride to Lexington tomorrow night. If you hear anything before then, let me know as soon as possible.”

  David laid a hand on his shoulder. “Ethan, this could be dangerous. I would hate to see you arrested if those orders come through. Keep your wits about you.”

  “I always do, my friend. I always do.”

  During the two weeks that had followed her meeting with Lowden, Katie had been given plenty of time to think about the choice she had made. Lowden had given her a reprieve, and Ethan seemed inclined to do the same, for she neither saw nor heard from him during the fortnight following the ball.

  She tried to tell herself that it was all for the best. After all, she already knew she had no future with Ethan, and once his purchase of her indenture was arranged and she was free, she would have to run as far from Lowden as she could. There was no way she could find proof of Holbrook’s sedition, since he was wholly innocent, and without that proof, Lowden would surely have her arrested, unless she was able to escape before he could exercise the warrant he had against her. She knew that once she left Boston, she would be on the run from Lowden for the rest of her life, but she did not regret her choice. She had not betrayed Ethan, and that was all that mattered.

  Katie spent her days in the Boston shops and her evenings wrapped in the comfort of a warm house, delicious food, scented baths, and a soft bed, but somehow these luxurious comforts she had enjoyed so much in the beginning no longer gave her the pleasure they once had. The only pleasure she truly had was Meg, who was growing from a little ball of fluff into a bigger ball of fluff, and because the animal had been a gift from Ethan, Meg was a bittersweet reminder to her of the wonderful moments she’d had with him. Only a fortnight without seeing him, and she missed him terribly.

  Every morning for the past two weeks, she had waited anxiously for the post, hoping there would be a note from Ethan requesting her assistance on some adventure, but the days had come and gone with no word from him at all, and with each day that passed, she missed him more and more.

  After fifteen days, she had been unable to stand it any longer, and she had finally sent him an invitation to supper and chess with her for that night. To her surprise, he came, but, to her chagrin, he said very little. He was polite, cool, and very distant. It was as if their adventures together had never happened, as if they had returned to being mistrustful strangers, as if the night they made love had never been. She saw no desire in his eyes, no welcome in his smile, no enjoyment in being with her.

  Katie studied him across the chess table from beneath her lashes. He wore no wig, and his black hair was caught back in a simple queue at his neck. It gleamed in the candlelight like a raven’s wing, and she remembered how the strands had felt like silk in her fists.

  She watched him as he contemplated his next move, and she contemplated hers as well. Somehow, after their night together, the events at Province House, and a separation of more than two weeks, a wall had come between them. She should be glad of it, she supposed. She should be grateful he did not expect her to help him spy on the Tories any longer, for she did not relish being caught between Ethan and the viscount at some party or as
sembly. She should thank the heavens above he did not want her anymore, for she had meant her words to him that she would not lead the life her mother had. If this wall remained between them, he would never learn of her duplicity. He did not love her, but if he never discovered her secret, at least he would not hate her, either.

  Katie told herself all of these things over and over as they played out their chess game in silence, but none of it proved to be any comfort. Finally, she could stand it no longer.

  “Why haven’t you come to see me?” she asked him, breaking the silence between them that had lasted at least half an hour.

  He did not look up from the board, but she saw his hand tighten around his glass of brandy. “I have been quite occupied with business matters, my dear,” he said, and pushed his rook two spaces forward.

  “Don’t you need my help any more?”

  He leaned back and slowly raised his gaze to hers as he lifted his brandy snifter to his lips. “I told you, you have fulfilled your part of our bargain. Helping me now is not required.” He took a sip of brandy and gestured to the board. “It is your move.”

  Katie glanced down, moved a pawn, and refused to be diverted from the subject. “I know it isn’t required, Ethan,” she said softly, “but you need my help just as much now as you did before. I thought—” She broke off abruptly at the coolness in his gray eyes, eyes that had looked at her with burning desire two weeks before. She took a deep breath. “I thought you might want my help.”

  “Are you offering it?” He leaned forward, reminding her of her first impression of him, that he was tense as a coiled whip ready to strike. “Are you now embracing the cause of liberty?”

  She didn’t care about his cause, and she tried not to care about the mockery in his voice that told her he knew that fact perfectly well. She loved him, she wanted to be with him as much as she could before she was forced to leave him, and she knew time was running out. “No,” she answered. “It’s just that I… I’ve missed our time together.”