Midnight Liberty League - Part I
Page 20
Whenever I see the Times or the Globe, I cannot help but notice the heavy hand of John Adams,” Hamilton quipped, “not to mention your well-crafted, although somewhat glorified, recent autobiography.”
Adams countered as respectfully as he could manage, “Exercising the mind just as much the body. Have you been doing otherwise?”
“I have been similarly industrious,” Hamilton replied. “I have returned home and been engaged in business there.”
“New York? I’m sure our paths would have crossed sooner,” Adams said.
“No, the West Indies, hoteling,” Hamilton returned.
“Ah yes, I forgot you were a Caribbean man,” said Adams. “You find some pleasure in servicing tourism?”
“Pleasure? Quite, both in service and tourists. Mortal eagerness to eschew public obligations in pursuit of private romance is as vigorous as ever.”
“You never learn your lessons, do you Alex?” Adams accused.
Hamilton countered, “The tarnish of life is of no consequence to my reputation now.”
“I suppose not,” Adams said with weary nonchalance.
“Were I blessed with a wife possessed of as much wisdom as yours, perhaps my mind would have been more at ease in the homestead. Admittedly my own misdeeds caused too vast a rift between us to persuade me of eternal bliss, even in spite of her unshakable support of the family. As I have doomed myself to be a bachelor forever I must, as you say, keep busy,” Hamilton suggestively complimented.
“As long as you’re content,” Adams rationalized.
“Over two hundred years of marriage, and you were never once tempted?” Hamilton cajoled.
“You know Abigail, I should otherwise fear for my life,” Adams joked. “You prefer the tropics?”
“Naturally, I was born to it. Have you not been?”
“Philadelphia is as hot as I can endure,” Adams continued.
“I think you’ve earned a tropical reprieve by now,” Hamilton urged.
“Nonsense,” Adams declared. “If it wasn’t for the snow and ice we would all be giddy morons. A bleak winter is essential to maintaining a balanced mind.”
“I recall you suggesting the opposite the last time you and Franklin were forced to share a bed,” Hamilton interjected with a cackle.
Adams rolled his eyes. “I mean so for the advancement of mental fortitude and disciplined conditioning, independent of the immune stress, of course. I must have my seasons.”
“A time I think best to indulge upon the slopes rather than suffer quietly at home. In either case if you’re going to sweat over a tractor, why not at a Caribbean resort?” Hamilton suggested.
Adams judged, “Hardly productive.”
Hamilton beamed, “But it is. My group is expanding into the Asian market presently. You’d be surprised what people will pay for a little sun and sand.”
“I’m glad to see piracy still flourishes where you come from,” Adams jabbed, “it’s important to keep up traditions.”
“Not at all. I would be a terrible buccaneer,” Hamilton said cockily. “I much prefer a stable domestic note to foreign bullion.”
“I suppose, but Hancock takes care of most of that for us. Abigail, however, is fascinated by the mathematics of arbitrage. So much so that she claims it as research to advance her luxury expenditures while she is on her congregational missions,” Adams confessed.
“Really? I knew Abigail to be very judicious with her finances.”
“She is a tireless proponent of supporting local economies, and you wouldn’t believe what she’ll pay for a little sun and sand,” Adams responded, “or at least what she’ll let Dolley coax her into spending, which consequently is where they are now.”
“Well she certainly needn’t owe me,” Hamilton offered. “She is always welcome at my establishments. There is a generous discount for immortals.”
“Very gracious of you,” said Adams with an obligatory nod.
The two men bowed and took seats on opposing sides of the table. Will, wary of getting wrapped into the stifled spat, remained standing and awkwardly admired the room. Fortunately, additional company arrived, in the form of Hancock and Madison, to calm the already feisty air.
“Hello gentlemen,” Hancock announced with a friendly wave as he and Madison entered, carrying half-emptied pints of beer.
“Oh no, choosing sides already?” Madison noticed with humor.
“Defining one’s interests is the foundation of achieving one’s goals,” Hamilton mocked right back. “So why don’t you come sit with me, then move round the other side when the entrees arrive, and back again at dessert.”
“Should the food get stale by the coarse air on one side, I shall certainly move to the other,” Madison insulted back with a haughty stance.
“Then you shall go hungry at a feast,” Hancock laughed.
“Or order everything on the menu only to send it back,” Hamilton joked again.
“Naturally, so I’ll accept your offer to the open seat, but will align myself according to the constitution of the evening’s conversation,” Madison retorted.
Madison sat next to Hamilton. They appreciatively shook hands and settled in comfortably like old friends, much to Will’s relief.
“This is going to be exhausting,” Hancock stated as he sat next to Adams.
“Good, we’re going to have to test William’s stamina if he’s going to keep up with us,” Franklin orated as he entered the room with a bent posture in respect of the group.
Franklin moved to the head of the table and pulled out the chair next to him at the corner for Will. The young man thankfully sat, unsure of how he would otherwise have proceeded taking a side.
“It’s not my stamina I’m so concerned with,” Will acknowledged, “it’s my slower healing rate.”
“We’ll do our best to keep you out of harm’s way,” Adams pledged.
“I’m afraid it is the only way in which we find ourselves, so long as we’re all obliged to be in each other’s company,” Franklin corrected. “Sorry Will, no false promises.”
“It’s alright, I’m starting to get used to it,” Will urged. “At least I’m beginning to understand what’s going on.”
“Any concept can be understood through explanation, but never felt without its burden. I’m sure you’ll realize that on Sunday,” Franklin said. “Ideology is important, but useless without the means to defend it.”
“Be careful, Ben, you’re starting to sound like Alex,” Adams accused.
“And someday yet, you’ll thank me for it,” Hamilton replied.
Hancock interrupted, “It’s just us this time though. There are no Continentals to back us up, so we’ll have to tread carefully.”
Hamilton supposed, “Then may I presume that you’re not as opposed to this offensive as you sounded earlier this afternoon?”
“Regardless of my apprehension of the surprise rousting from my comfortable corporate life, it appears we must entertain this meeting in the short term to prevent harm to Miss Franklin,” Hancock explained. “Besides, you cannot have innovation without risk.”
“I can agree in part,” Madison added. “If we’re going to do it, then it must be done determinately.”
“Excellent,” said Hamilton, “because we certainly cannot engage in some kind of half-hearted quasi-war.”
“Now that,” Adams shouted, “is an insult I cannot endure! Reconciliation was the only thing that prevented our annihilation at the hands of a completely militarized Republican France.”
“Please, gentlemen, we have already reached an accord.” Franklin entreated. “What are your thoughts Will?”
“I agree,” Will approved, “my home and my family are at stake too.”
“Don’t worry, I also concur and had since you called me, though it pains me to consider the effects of consolidating this company,” Adams confessed with affront to Hamilton.
“To think I should have lived to see John and Alex agree to something,” Madison jabbed.
“See William, sometimes it pays to be the youngest of the group. You learn the way your teachers think and later get to push them into uncomfortable traps,” Hamilton decreed.
Adams shook his head. “Don’t pay any attention to him, Will.”
Will, Franklin and Madison all laughed in unison as Hamilton and Adams faced off from their opposing seats. Just then the Generals emerged from the hallway, drawn by the commotion. Wayne and Greene followed behind Washington.
“Good evening everyone,” Washington greeted. “Forgive me for interrupting.”
“Please George, by all means do,” Hancock welcomed.
“Then I will exercise my executive right to do so,” Washington further commandeered.
Greene and Wayne took the two remaining seats at the sides of the table, leaving the head across from Franklin open for Washington.
“I hope you all didn’t reserve this for me. I’m not the only attending President,” Washington said gratefully.
“We know no finer man to fill it, Sir,” Hamilton acknowledged his old commanding officer.
“On the contrary Alex, you said the greatest man in history was Julius Caesar,” Adams reminded.
“Jefferson’s accusation, not my precise words. I thought you said you doubted the divinity of Christ?” Hamilton shot back. “How do you feel about it now?”
Adams fired back. “If any man here can specifically define our condition, or purport that the Lord personally offered him explanation, then I will agree. Until then, I will interpret it as a reward for hard work and ingenuity, and be thankful for my eternal productivity. If