“Of course, but ask her if there are babes asleep before you play it in the house.” In a few minutes, the boy left, whistling and trotting out a complicated rhythm on the drum as if it were as natural as breathing to him.
Margaret seemed preoccupied and spoke little. I tried to smile and be gracious but inside I felt put out with her again, and wondered why she came if she had naught to say to me, for indeed, including Dr. Warren was congenial but it hindered any freedom of our conversation. At last I said to her, “Margaret? I have missed you so, all these months. Well, then. I know not where to begin. Who made your gown?”
“A new seamstress; it matters not. You know I have missed you, too. You must accompany us back to Boston today. And please come to tea next week. Ressie, I had to come here because I could not speak to you at my house. I know not which of the servants is to be trusted. There are ears in every wall.”
“And that is why I never hear from my old friend? We could have spoken of music, or hats,” I offered. Uneasy silence filled the room. I touched my cap nervously, suddenly aware there was no reason to signal either of them. “Dr. Warren? I hope you have not too many patients ill?”
He looked to Margaret, and then to me. “No. Actually. Your brother—is—quite ill. He asked me to beg your presence. Today.”
I said, “I shall tell Cullah to be ready.”
“You alone, dear, but the house is watched,” Margaret added. “Wallace Spencer has again pressed charges against Captain Talbot for piracy. You don’t want Cullah anywhere near him, for he’s too often been said to be at his side. My husband has, has—oh, Resolute, he has men watching your brother’s house night and day for any activity.”
I said sharply, “Your husband has been tormenting everyone I know. My own house has been searched half a dozen times since he became governor. If August is so ill, what activity could there be?”
“Doctors coming and going,” Margaret said. “Only doctors. It would not seem amiss for his sister to arrive. Or to stay a bit.”
Dr. Warren added, “Captain Talbot asked that I should come to tell you.”
We left Alice to cook for Cullah and Bertie, and mind the house, which, I was glad to think, at last left both of them feeling quite safe with one another.
After we stopped under the grand porte cochere and left Margaret across the street, Dr. Warren took me to August’s house. I learned that my brother was still pretending to be sick, though since I had last been there, he had dismissed his entire staff but for Rupert. When August left at night, he left Rupert, a man about his same size and hair color, to wear his dressing gown and walk before the upper windows so the spies would think it was he. After greeting the doctor and me, he pushed a leather sack of coins into my hand and said, “Tomorrow, I will be leaving for a week. If you need anything, any more money, contact Rupert. If you can get word to your son Benjamin, tell him it is a matter of a horse, and I will know to come to your aid at once.”
August led me to his library, where, though lack of a regular cook should have made things meager, Rupert had laid a nice supper of mutton stew with barley and potatoes. He poured us Madeira wine, and served us at a small table before a nice fire.
“Ressie? I have something to ask of you. I know you tried to volunteer to carry messages, but there are plenty of men to do that. We have a net of spies and committees that can do what we need to do but this is something few could do, and no one could execute it the way you could.” He opened the battered trunk, the one Cullah had once criticized as not belonging in the room with the other fine furnishings, and lifted up a rolled blue cloth which he unfurled to reveal a coat. “This came from France, and a few of us have ordered scores of them. We don’t have them yet, of course, because no one can pay for a quarter of what they want delivered, plus we want the Continental uniform somewhat different. Wider here, narrower there. Less of a collar. We want our men to see. The British soldier is not meant to see or think, and his foolish collar will not allow him to turn his head. So, less of this thing.” He pointed to the undercollar. “To do this, you will have to take it home unseen. You cannot leave this house with it, because everyone who goes in and out is searched. They even stop the doctors, search their satchels and verify their credentials to make sure they are real doctors, as if a doctor cannot be a Patriot. The blighted Tories actually did me a favor, doing that. Found one of the kitchen wenches helping herself to the silver and pewter like a thieving tinker.”