~*~
“I’ve thought long and hard about a proper response to give to your lieutenant,” I told my sister as I slipped into our shared bed later that night. “I think I know just what you should write.”
Hannah giggled. What the devil was she laughing at?
One candle was lit to write a most reprimanding letter to Hannah’s man. I had a piece of parchment on a small board. The ink and quill I placed on our bedside table when I turned to look at my sister’s beaming face.
“Oh, I’ve written to him long ago, Violet. I couldn’t stomach to wait for you to help me. And he’s already written me back. I had his letter completely misunderstood. He’s set me right though.”
“When? When did this all happen? It’s only been a few hours since—”
“I lied . . . earlier in the field. I had already written to him, but I didn’t want to admit as much to you because the note I sent was rather juvenile, but it must have worked since he sent an instant message back.”
I consciously relaxed my on-edge teeth. Setting the board and paper beside the quill, I gave my sister my entire attention, complete with high arched brow.
“Oh, I hate it when you look at me like that.” Hannah squealed, nestling under the bedding and flinging the quilt over her head. She murmured under the covers, “Yes, I am wretched for lying, but that face you make . . . I feel as if I’m but seven years of age!”
I frowned down at the lump under the covers. “First tell me how you had all this quick communication today. Boston is still more than twenty miles away, is it not?”
Hannah peeked her eyes and nose over the quilt. “Not when you can travel by ferry over Charles River; it’s only eleven miles then. All right, I’ll tell you! Just quit with your eyebrow. I gave my letter to Dr. Prescott, who I knew would be traveling to Lexington to visit his Lydia Mulliken. Good Lord, when are they going to get married? Have you heard how late Dr. Prescott was returning from Lydia’s house last week? Two in the morning, that’s when Dr. Prescott finally returned from Lexington. I dare say what they were doing at two in the morning.”
“Hannah!” I inhaled deeply, hoping for some desperately needed patience.
Hannah knitted her light colored brows together. “Dr. Prescott, upon getting my letter, said there was some silversmith in Lexington who happened to be going all the way back to Boston, and that if he hurried, my letter could get to my beloved within a couple hours time. That silversmith must have really flown because I got a reply right before we supped together. Didn’t you notice my happy face?”
“I did.” We had had a marvelous meal together. Neither Mathew nor I had to poke at Hannah to become cheerful. Not even once. “I just thought that you were happy being in the company of Mathew and the Joneses.”
Hannah finally let the rest of her face emerge from the bedding with a large smile. “I was, but mostly I was so content because Mark had written me back, and hastened his letter to me. It must have cost him a small fortune.”
“So now he’s not worried about £5000? Why did he write such an un-gentlemanlike letter to you in the first place?”
“Violet, I appreciate knowing his worries.” Hannah scowled at me, as if I was an errant child, needing my lesson in adulthood. “I don’t think there was one ounce of un-gentlemanly demeanor in his letter. After all, we are going to be partners in life, and I need to know what is resting heavy on his mind. But he’s not worried about the money any more, as his mother’s visited their family’s lawyer, and found a loophole within the will. My clever man will be wealthy and have me as a bride as well.”
“All of this happened within just a few hours time today?” I asked incredulously. “Your lieutenant hears back from his mother who is in England within a few hours? The fastest sailboat from Massachusetts to England is more than three weeks. Hannah, some of this does not make sense, don’t you think?”
Hannah’s bottom lip trembled, but she lifted her chin. “He’s promised me to clarify everything. In fact we are meeting soon. Very soon. And he will explain everything to you and Mother as well. He’s promised me, and I believe him. Please, give him a chance.”
I sighed and nodded. “Of course. I just . . . I’m now worried that you’ve given him too many chances.”
Hannah took my hands in hers. “I know you say these things to me because you love me and want the best for me, but I think I’ve found it, Vi. I really believe I have found a wonderful man.”
I squeezed her hands and felt my eyebrows descend to their less suspicious pose. “Very well. And when are we to meet this tall, gorgeous creature of yours?”
Hannah giggled. “Almost immediately. Sleep, and perhaps in the morning you might meet your new brother.”
With another sigh, I hugged my sister, hoping she had more than just faith in her soldier, hoping she might find truth in him too. Then I let a worried sleep take me over into the true-to-my-country bitterly cold, black night.