Alex and Eliza: A Love Story(42)

“What is so amusing?” Eliza asked, turning to him. “Are they being very naughty?”

Alex shook his head. “No, I am just enjoying the view,” he said. “It is not every day that we are graced with such pleasing company.”

She blushed, and he liked seeing the rosy flush on her cheeks; it gave him a wellspring of hope.

“You look very beautiful tonight, Miss Schuyler,” he said bravely. “I hope you will allow me to compliment you.”

Eliza lowered her lashes. “I’m afraid I did not pack many party dresses but thankfully, my sisters did.”

“I do not think it is the dress,” he murmured, finding her dark, almost-black eyes—and the gentleness in them—her most appealing feature.

Halfway through the second course, Alex pinged his fork against his wineglass to signify he was making an announcement and stood up.

Conversation ceased and the entire party gave him their attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if I may intrude on your serious conversations for a moment, I’d like to propose a toast of thanks to our host and hostess tonight for giving us the pleasure of eating and drinking . . . at someone else’s expense. It puts to shame the many nights we poor soldiers have shared a pint or two of ale at Jacob Arnold’s tavern and pretended it was a meal.”

“Hear! Hear!” came the agreeable shouts from the other officers.

“And what more can be said of the lovely company you have chosen to surround us with tonight, Mrs. Cochran? The work these ladies are doing is quite sure to save battalions of lives. I salute you for your attention to our country’s most basic of needs.”

Alex raised his glass toward Eliza, whose dark eyes sparkled with good cheer in recognition of his kind words. He sat back down and leaned over to whisper into her ear. “Your aunt was overly generous to include me in tonight’s dinner party,” he confided. “I owed her a few words of praise.”

“I think it’s fair to say Aunt Gertrude is already quite taken with you, sir, and her seating you next to me at the table is more than just a coincidence. Indeed, she’s made it a point to repeat how contentedly she sleeps through these long cold nights lately, knowing that you are out there . . . guarding the house.”

Alex bit his lip, trying to suppress a smile at the thought of Aunt Gertrude blissfully snoring away in her night bonnet.

As if she had read his mind, Eliza smiled as well.

“It is nice to see you smiling at me. I take it my presence is not as objectionable to you as in the past?” he said.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” said Eliza, still smiling.

“The weather has been atrocious, and I am sorry for it.”

Eliza took a delicate bite from her fork. “Why? Does Mother Nature usually attend to your wishes?”

“Not in the least, but there was to be a dancing assembly on the morrow, but it has been canceled due to the snowstorm. I wished to take you in the sleigh . . . only for Hector’s sake, of course.”

“Of course,” said Eliza, turning pink once more.



AS THE MEAL was winding down, Eliza noticed that Stephen and Peggy had pulled their chairs closer together in a sort of silent pact. She thought perhaps the plethora of words from the shy young man’s earlier monologue had squeezed all the air out of him.

Angelica started in on him innocently enough. “And what brings you to Morristown in the bleak midwinter, Stephen? Surely it must be a business matter of the utmost importance.” She gave Eliza a little wink.

Stephen put down his fork and looked Angelica in the eye. “I came to see Miss Peggy.”

“And . . . ?” Angelica pursed her lips and tilted her head in a way that begged for more information.

“That is all.” Stephen picked up his fork again and continued with his dinner.

Angelica dabbed her lips with her napkin. “My goodness, Stephen. You are quite the conversation stopper—isn’t he, though, Peg!”

Peggy glared at her sister as a cool hush descended over the dinner guests.

Aunt Gertrude stepped in to break up the awkward moment.

“Perhaps now would be a good time for something sweet?” She held the tiny silver bell in the air to ring for Louisa. “And who will be wanting coffee as well?”

Once the dinner plates had been removed, Peggy turned to her aunt with a simple request. “Aunt Gertrude, supper was perfectly splendid and we know your cook is famous for her lovely desserts. But will you forgive me?” Peggy rose from her seat, squaring her eyes at Angelica. “I-I feel a bit of a chill in the air.”

Stephen stood up clumsily and pulled back her chair. “Thank you, Stephen. Shall we take our coffee in the parlor by the fireplace, then?”

“Of course, Miss Peggy, as you wish.”

Stephen turned to Aunt Gertrude and bowed low. Eliza noticed the crown of his head where his hair was starting to thin and something inside her softened toward him. Sometimes Angelica pushed too hard.

“Mrs. Cochran,” he said stiffly, “I am most obliged for the respectable food tonight.” He pushed the two empty chairs back against the table and followed Peggy out of the room.

Perplexed, Aunt Gertrude looked around at Eliza and Angelica. “He’s not much of one for light conversation, is he?”

Eliza, ever the hopeful pragmatist, said, “Perhaps Peggy sees something in him that we do not.”