A Game of Shadows (8 page)

For the first week, Abbie felt awkward being surrounded by the British, but eventually the novelty began to wear off.  She had to act natural around the lodgers and being nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs wouldn’t help their cause.  Abbie tried to see past the uniforms to the people underneath, but then it made it so much harder to hate them.  The only time she felt at ease was when she and Finn took their afternoon off.  She’d never been to a city larger than Williamsburg, and New York was teeming with people and life.  Mrs. Cromwell gave them every other Thursday afternoon off, and two hours to attend church on Sundays.  It wasn’t enough time, but it was a welcome break from the boarding house. 

Abbie and Finn simply walked around the city
, taking in the sights and sounds.  They’d gone to the East Side Wharf to see the ships at anchor, but quickly left, suddenly overwhelmed by the might of the British Navy.  The great ships towered above their heads, a sea of masts piercing the summer sky and reminding them that victory would not come easily or swiftly. 

The Revolution relied on men to fight for the cause voluntarily, but Britain still press-ganged able-bodied men into service, swelling their ranks considerably and providing the Navy with much-needed manpower.  The men might not care about defeating Americans, but they had no choice but to fight for their country for fear of being persecuted for treason or desertion.  In either case
, the penalty was death, so their only hope of ever returning home to their loved ones was to win the conflict and be released from bondage before they died.   

Abbie and Finn passed
the Fulton Market where the vendors brought fresh fish caught that morning in the East River, but the smell of the fish kept them from stopping to take a closer look, and they kept walking until they reached Battery Park where Finn took Abbie to a coffeehouse.  It was still several hours till supper and they were tired and hungry from walking for so long.  Abbie tried a currant scone with clotted cream and found it to her liking.  She’d have to learn to bake those and then show her mother how to do it once she got home.  The girls would love the crumbly pastry with the sweet bursts of currants.  They loved anything sweet.  Thinking of Annie and Sarah made Abbie homesick, so she tried to focus on the sights and sounds of the city, pretending that she and Finn were just travelers in a new land, rather than spies working against the people who barely noticed their presence.  It was better that way.  To the soldiers who boarded with Mrs. Cromwell, they were just servants, there to see to the smooth running of the boarding house.  The less attention they paid them, the better.

After their coffee break, Finn and Abbie took a walk in the park, grateful for the shade of the trees on such a hot day.  A crowd had gathered around a makeshift stage where a show of some
sort was being performed.  Most of the audience was made up of soldiers, but there were a few civilians in the crowd, some of them with small children perched upon their shoulders to get a better view of the stage.

“Let’s go see,” Finn suggested, pulling Abbie along and maneuvering her through the crowd so she could see the stage.  Two puppets were going at each other,
eliciting uproarious laughter from the spectators.  One was dressed in the colorful outfit of a court jester, his beaky nose the most prominent feature on his malicious face.  The bells on his hat jingled violently every time he swung his stick at the female puppet, causing everyone to laugh.  He had a strange voice that sounded unnaturally high-pitched, making it almost impossible to make out what he was saying, but making him sound comically deranged.  He was berating the woman for something, trying to get in as many blows with his stick as he could as the female managed to dance out of his reach every time. 

The female puppet was almost round, with a bosom that came up to her pointy chin
, and a voluminous cap that quivered every time she ducked the jester’s stick as she screamed abuse at him to the delight of the crowd.  It was so silly, Abbie couldn’t help but laugh.  Eventually, the woman managed to get the stick from the jester and beat him over the head until he retreated behind the painted screen, bringing the show to a close.  The crowd reluctantly dispersed, leaving the puppet master to put away his set and dolls and move on before the park grew dark.

“What was that?” she asked Finn as they finally walked away. 

“I think it’s called a Punch and Judy Show.  It’s popular in England, so they perform it here for the soldiers.  Did you like it?”

“It’s kind of
silly really, but in a funny way,” Abbie replied, shrugging.  She preferred something a little wittier.

“I think that’s the idea.  It’s meant to cater to a large crowd where people don’t really get too
involved in what they are saying.  I bet Annie and Sarah would like it.”

“Yes, they’d love it.  I miss them so much.  It must be hard for them with everyone suddenly gone.  I hope Jonah is all right.  How soon do you think he’ll get leave?”  Abbie knew her parents were terribly worried and would love to see Jonah, if only for a couple of days.
  He’d been so eager to go, he barely said goodbye.

“I don’t know
, maybe you should ask Sam.  I hope we hear from him soon.  I’m a little worried since he didn’t turn up for our meeting this week.”  Finn instantly regretted his words, seeing the anxious look on Abbie’s face.  Finn had waited for Sam in the designated spot for over an hour, but Sam never showed, forcing Finn to return to the boarding house before he was missed by the ever-watchful Mrs. Cromwell.  He couldn’t afford to draw attention to himself by disappearing for too long, even in the evening.

“I’m sure he’s just fine
, Abs.  We’ll hear from him soon.  Now, where would you like to go next?” Finn asked in an effort to distract Abbie from worrying. 

“I think I’d like to go back to the loft if you don’t mind.  I’m awfully tired today.”  Abbie slid her arm through Finn’s
, leaning her head on his shoulder.  It would be absolute heaven to get out of these clothes and lie down for a little while before the evening meal. 

**

“Abbie, where in God’s name are you?  If you think I’m going to do all this laundry by myself, you are gravely mistaken.”  Libby was standing in the doorway, her arms on her ample hips, her face a mask of indignation.  She was a good sort, really.  Abbie couldn’t blame her for being annoyed.  There was enough work for both of them, and they needed to pull their weight to get through the day.

“I’m coming.  Sorry Libby.  Just felt a bit faint.”  Abbie laboriously rose to her feet, reluctant to go back in.  She took a few last lungfuls of the briny air coming off the river before following Libby
into the steamy laundry room, heat coming off the cauldron of laundry in suffocating waves.

“You do look
a bit peaky.  Have a cool drink while the Dragon Lady is not here.  There’s an open barrel of beer in the cellar.  She’ll never notice a cupful or two missing.  I just had one.”  Libby gave her a mischievous smile as she disappeared into the laundry room.  “Don’t worry, the laundry will keep till you come back.”

Abbie wiped her forehead with the sleeve of her dress.  It was clammy
, and her upper lip was covered in perspiration.  Libby was right.  A cool drink would set her to rights.

Abbie viciously tore off her cap, her shaking fingers already undoing the buttons of her dress.  “God, I can’t take this heat.  Help me with the buttons, Finn.”

Finn obediently went to help, trying to sneak in a kiss once Abbie li
fted her hair to give him better access.  She jerked her head away, irritated and upset.

“Sweetheart, it’s not so bad in here.  The breeze off the river is nice tonight.  Here, take off your dress and lie down.  That will help you cool down.” 

He’d opened the little window as soon as he came up, letting the heat
from the afternoon dissolve in the briny air blowing from the river.  Abbie seemed unusually flushed as she finally came up with a pail of stew, some bread, and a bottle of beer that Mrs. Cromwell provided for their supper.  Normally, they ate in the dining room, but some nights they preferred to eat in the loft, enjoying a little alone time after a day of never-ending chores.  Finn wouldn’t have minded eating at the main house, since there was a good chance of getting seconds and an extra cup of beer, but Abbie said she couldn’t stand being at the boarding house for a second longer than she needed to be, so he quickly agreed to have supper in the loft, not wanting to upset Abbie further.

Abbie
barely touched her food, drinking most of her beer in one gulp and slamming the cup onto the scarred wooden table that also served as a nightstand and holder for the pitcher and ewer.  Finn didn’t think that it was just the heat that was making Abbie so angry.  True, it was hot, but not any hotter than it was in Virginia at this time of year, and Abbie hardly ever complained there.  She was worried about Sam.  It was safer for her not to know where Sam was staying or whom his contacts were, but it also made her feel isolated and vulnerable.  Finn was used to the ways of the Committee, knowing that the lack of information was meant to protect him and others, but Abbie was still new and felt as if she were purposely being kept in the dark. 

Abbie lay down in her shift, using a pamphlet to fan herself.  “Aren’t you coming to bed?”

Finn busied himself with tidying the small room in an effort to avoid Abbie’s intense gaze.  “Actually, I have to go out for a while.”  There, he’d said it, and now he could brave the storm that was about to rage through their little room.

“And where are you going at this time of night?”  Abbie sat up on the bed, her eyes boring into him. 

“I got a message from Sam this afternoon.  He wants to meet with me.”

“Why didn’t you say so?
” she asked happily.  “I’ll come too.  Maybe he has some news of home.  I miss them so.”  Abbie was already reaching for her dress when Finn finally turned around to face her. 

“Sweetheart, you can’t come,” he said quietly.
  Damn Sam for putting him in this position.

“
Why ever not?  I’d like to see my brother.”  Abbie rolled up a stocking, ready to put it on, but Finn gently took it out of her hand and replaced it on the chair by their bed.  It was probably wiser to stay back as he told her the news, but he felt awful for upsetting her further when she was already out of sorts.

“I’m meeting Sam at
Mabel’s brothel.”  There, it was out.    Abbie’s mouth opened in shock, no sound coming out for a few moments until the shrieking began.

“
You can’t be serious!  Why, in the name of all that’s holy, would Sam want to meet in a brothel?  What’s the meaning of this?” Finn quickly clamped a hand over Abbie’s mouth before the officers at the boarding house heard her.  She struggled for a brief moment before realizing her mistake and hanging her head in shame.  Finn slowly removed his hand, studying her for signs of further screaming before replying.

“I don’t know, but I’m sure he has a good reason.  Why don’t you just stay here and get some rest
, and I’ll be back as soon as I can?  I will tell you everything that happened, I promise.” Finn was already backing out of the loft in the hope that Abbie would calm down once he left.  Now that she knew Sam was alive and well, maybe she would be able to get some rest and calm her frayed nerves.

Finn had to admit that he was just as puzzled as Abbie.
  Sam certainly didn’t live a monastic existence, but a brothel?  That just wasn’t like him.  Finn jammed his hat onto his head and stepped out into the sultry night.  Sam was one of the most patriotic and clever people he’d ever met, aside from Mr. Mallory, so whatever he was up to must have a purpose.  Being in this situation, they had to trust each other implicitly since even the slightest mistake could lead to their capture.  Sam would never knowingly do anything to endanger Abbie and Finn, so his reasons for meeting in a whorehouse had to be sound — besides, Finn was more than a little curious.  He’d heard of the existence of such establishments, but he’d never been to one.  Abbie had been the only girl he’d ever been with, and that was how he wanted it to be for the rest of his life.  He knew that some men still visited brothels despite being married, but Finn felt no such desire.  Both his father and Mr. Mallory were faithful husbands, who treated their wives with the utmost respect, and Finn intended to be the best husband he could be.

Finn
chuckled as he thought of Sam.  Sam certainly never missed an opportunity for a roll in the hay.  To him, sex had nothing to do with emotional love, and was to be enjoyed as long as both participants were willing.  Sam simply loved women, and the notion of settling down with just one was probably the next best thing to a prison sentence for someone like him.  Would Sam ever find a girl to tame his wild heart?  Finn certainly hoped that he was around to see the woman who took Sam in hand.

Jonah, on the other hand
, would probably fall in love with the first girl who showed him any affection, following in his father’s footsteps and settling down at an early age.  Finn said a silent prayer for Jonah’s well-being every night.  He missed him more than he could have imagined, often carrying on a conversation with him subconsciously while he worked.  Sam and Jonah were the closest thing Finn ever had to brothers, and he prayed that they would survive this war that was to last for another four years.  A lot could happen in four years.