Alex and Eliza: A Love Story(76)
“Or what?” Eliza spoke up now. “You’ll drag me there by my heels? I can only imagine how that will look.”
Governor Livingston turned on her coldly. “Do you think I have no ammunition at my disposal, Miss Schuyler? Your family’s financial troubles may not be generally known, but I can assure you that I know them and can destroy General Schuyler’s reputation with but a few well-placed asides. Your elder sister has already caused a scandal by eloping with a British rascal who many believe to be a spy for King George, and your younger sister has all but been sold to the Van Rensselaer child so as to save your family’s fortune. You yourself were known to have consorted with Colonel Alexander Hamilton until but directly before you announced your engagement to my son. Do you think that anyone will believe you did not throw over your paramour for the sake of our family’s money? Your family may not have any money left to lose, but there are still many other things that can be taken from you.”
Eliza was rendered speechless. She could only stare in shock at this, the most powerful man in the state of New Jersey, threatening to destroy her entire family for the sake of a petty grievance.
Aunt Gertrude also didn’t say anything. However, she did stand up and go to a small escritoire on the far wall. She opened a drawer and pulled out a case, which it took Eliza a moment to recognize. It was her aunt’s medical case—the same one in which she had once carried the supplies for the smallpox inoculation. She opened it now and pulled out a small vial—the same type of vial that had contained the inoculum.
She turned back to the governor and walked toward him slowly.
“Do you know what this is, Governor Livingston?”
“How should I know what that is?” Governor Livingston replied haughtily.
“Indeed, how should you? Despite your high station, you are in many ways a terribly ignorant man. This,” Aunt Gertrude continued, holding up the vial with a flourish, “is a tincture of the great pox itself.”
Governor Livingston gasped and drew back.
“Madam! You cannot be serious.”
“Serious? Furious is more like it. That you could come into my house and speak to my niece with such effrontery. It is even more disgraceful than your son’s action. No doubt we all now know where he gets it from. Well, I shall not have you in my house any longer. Either you leave this instant, or I uncap this vial and pour it all over you.”
Governor Livingston stood up and stepped behind his chair.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Wouldn’t I? You have attempted to corner a mother hen, Governor. Yet there is no animal fiercer than a mother who fights to protect her young, and I think of Eliza as the daughter I never had.”
“Madam, I implore you—”
“I am an old woman,” Aunt Gertrude cut the governor off. “My hands have started to tremble of late, and in my agitated state who knows what might happen. I would suggest you leave before an accident occurs.”
The governor hung fire for one more moment, then turned and ran out the door.
Aunt Gertrude turned to Eliza with a smile. Eliza drew back in horror at the vial, which sat carelessly in her aunt’s hand.
“Aunt Gertrude! Do be careful!”
“Relax, dear, it’s just smelling salts.”
Eliza stared in disbelief for a moment, and then collapsed into the sofa in relief.
“Aunt Gertrude! You are a hero! Whatever else happens, I will always have this memory.”
“I don’t expect it will keep the governor at bay for long. I do wish we would hear back from General Schuyler. There is only so much a woman can do on her own.”
Eliza nodded her head, but it wasn’t her parents she was thinking of.
Where is Alex? she asked herself for the thousandth time. How could he have left me now, when I need him most?
As if he’d read her mind, Loewes entered the parlor. The footman had a concerned look on his face.
“Yes, Loewes, what is it?” Aunt Gertrude said in a commanding voice.
Loewes grimaced. “I just thought that Miss Schuyler might like to know that the horse Colonel Hamilton requisitioned from the mail coach was found yesterday.”
“Found? What do you mean, found?”
“It wandered into the Boone-Towne station. It was still saddled but quite riderless. I’m afraid, Miss—I’m afraid there was quite a bit of blood on the saddle.”
33
Ambush
The Post Road
Outside Boone-Towne, New Jersey
April 1780
After four years of army life, Alex had come to know a bit about men—the good, the bad, the heroic, the unspeakable. He had met Henry Livingston’s type before. He knew that when Henry Livingston awoke in the morning, if he had any memory of what he’d done, he would find a way to blame it on Eliza or on alcohol. On anyone but himself. Which is to say, there was no way a man like Henry Livingston would do the honorable thing and release Eliza from her engagement. The Livingstons were a venerable clan, but perhaps too proud. They, too, would be more inclined to sweep the affair under the rug rather than admit wrongdoing. No, if anyone was going to put an end to this disastrous union it was going to be the Schuylers.
It was up to him to get to them in time.
Albany was some 140 miles from Morristown. If Alex rode all night and through the following day, he could reach the Pastures by nightfall Thursday evening. He would need multiple horses, though, which meant commandeering them. The mail coach would have an ample supply, and as a colonel on General Washington’s staff, Alex should be able to pull rank and commandeer one. No doubt he would be chastised for it when all was said and done, but this was the last chance to win Eliza. He would risk anything—even his career.