Love & War (Alex & Eliza #2)(23)

“I assure you,” Lafayette said, an edge coming into his voice for the first time, “that Major Gimat is entirely qualified to lead this assault, else I would not have entrusted the command to him.”

Alex checked himself. He knew he had come close to going too far. Whatever Lafayette’s reasoning behind promoting Gimat, Alex knew his friend would not risk one of his officer’s lives merely for the sake of giving him a shot at glory, let alone the lives of hundreds of soldiers and the chance to end the war.

“I apologize if I seemed to suggest otherwise,” he said in a tense voice. “Nevertheless, you must know that it is what my men will be thinking.” He summoned a deep breath and spoke before Lafayette or one of the other two generals could answer. “I have spent the past three weeks on the road with these soldiers,” he said passionately, turning to General Washington. “I have marched with them, eaten with them, bunked with them. I have gotten to know their wives’ and children’s names, their brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers. They have learned how this country took me in and gave me the chance to better my lot in life in spite of the fact that I had neither name nor fortune.

“These men know that I go to battle because I believe in the United States of America. In what it offers both to its natural-born citizens and to the downtrodden across the globe, who see the New World as a place where they can make a fresh start and improve themselves, regardless of rank. And that, Generals, is why these men fight. Not just for their freedom, but for their country, and for what it offers them and their children and their children’s children. They will not share that bond with a French interloper, let alone one they have never met, but they share it with me. And that sense of kinship may well be what makes the difference on the day of the assault.”

General Washington listened to Alex’s impassioned speech with his usual stony, unreadable face. There was a long moment of silence. Then, “I have heard each of your arguments and see merit in both of them,” he said. “I will consider them overnight and give you an answer in the morning.”

Alex knew that Washington was merely stalling. He was not a rash man, but there was no real considering to be done. He had only to choose if he was going to reward a fellow patrician in Lafayette, or a faithful subordinate in himself.

“With all due respect, General, I need an answer now,” Alex pressed, as courteously as he could.

Washington blinked. From such a reserved man, it was the equivalent of a gasp. Then Alex could have sworn he saw a bit of a smile flicker over the man’s lips. “Well then, Colonel. You may lead the assault.”

Alex was stunned to silence. Though he believed every word he just said, he hadn’t thought they would have any effect. Washington was a man of his class, and his generosity rarely extended itself to the plebeians. He recognized talent and ability, but only to the degree that their possessor was useful to him. All other things being equal—and Alex had no doubt that Gimat had studied as faithfully at Lafayette’s side as Alex had studied at Washington’s—he would always side with gentry against the common people.

“You have earned this, Colonel Hamilton,” Washington said now. “With me, and with your men. I trust that you will lead them, and the Continental army, to victory.” He paused and continued with a hint of a smile. “That you are capable of eliciting this kind of quick, resolute decision-making from me helped you win your case.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency,” Alex said, when he found his voice. He turned to Lafayette. “My condolences to Major Gimat.”

Lafayette shrugged, an amused twinkle in his eye. “Ah well. There will always be another war.”





9





Hot Towels!


   The Schuyler Mansion


    Albany, New York


   September 1781


“Eliza!” Peggy gasped as her older sister burst into the house. “Thank God you’re here! Mama’s time is upon her!”

Peggy’s face was simultaneously ashen and splotched with color, and her hair hung loose around her face. Eliza didn’t think she had seen her sister look so bedraggled since she had first discovered powder. Somehow the sight of Peggy so distressed immediately made her calmer, and she took her younger sister’s hand and patted it soothingly. “Lew tells me Dot has been fetched.”

“Yes, yes. She says Mama has been very naughty and bore her early pains without telling anyone. She is very close now,” said Peggy, wiping her forehead.

“And what does Dot say we should do?” asked Eliza. “Should we call Dr. Van Vrouten?”

Peggy made a face. “Dot says no, she has it handled.”

Eliza did not quite understand. She felt a stab of panic. “So what does Dot need from us?”

“Dot says she would like a pot of chocolate.”

Eliza blinked in confusion. “Chocolate? For Mother?”

Peggy shook her head. “No. For her. For Dot.” When Eliza still looked at her blankly, she continued. “She said if I wanted to be ‘useful’ I could fetch her a nice pot of chocolate and a bowl of sugar.”

Eliza smiled inwardly but kept her face passive. If Dot was ordering the mistress’s daughter to make her chocolate, there couldn’t be anything too amiss. “Yes, well, why don’t you see if you can find Mary or Rosie and get them to help you with that? And some clean towels and hot water. I seem to recall that these are often needed during births.”