My dearest Alexander,
I am sure that I have done nothing to deserve your words or your affections.
Have you already traveled on to Massachusetts? If not, Father would very much like to have you to our home for supper. He was impressed by what little Angelica and I could tell him of you. He writes to your uncle, informing him of the superior opinion that we all hold of you.
If you are in Massachusetts, do tell me what it is like. Tell me what South Carolina is like, as well. I have never traveled outside of New York before. I would like very much to know if remaining here is a privilege or a curse.
Fondly yours,
Elizabeth Schuyler
Alexander proudly showed John and Hercules Eliza's letter. Hercules grunted and went back to pinning the new uniform that John had commissioned him to make. John rolled his eyes at Alexander, despite the fact that he looked like the most ridiculous person in the room with his arms held up and out like an awkward bird.
"We're going to have to do something about General Schuyler writing to my father." John remarked dismally. "He'll kill us both if he finds out that we've been passing you off as one of our own. According to him, the family name is nothing to make light of."
"Oh, I'll tell her not to let her father write yours." Alexander dismissed John's concern.
Hercules let out an amused noise. "You've exchanged one letter with her and already feel that you're in a position to tell her what to do?"
"It's hardly anything substantial." Alexander protested.
"That depends on who you ask." John responded, his eyes narrowing. "It is quite substantial to me."
"Let us stop focusing on General Schuyler's letter for one minute!" Alexander implored his friends. He rose to his feet, looking at both of them pleadingly. "Eliza Schuyler wrote me a letter. Me! There is a possibility that she might return my affections!"
"She kissed you." John reminded Alexander impatiently. "She must already return your affections."
"Or she thinks he's handsome enough to risk her reputation." Hercules might have been joking. It was difficult to tell when he was so focused on his work.
Alexander bit his upper lip, thinking. "If I can just get a commission from General Washington - it wouldn't be unthinkable for me to court her as myself then, would it?"
"How are you going to tell her that you're really Alexander Hamilton?" Hercules inquired dully. "Hello Miss Schuyler. I misinformed you about my identity in the past; I am really a pauper's son who clawed his way up to General Washington's employ. Would you allow me to pay you court?"
"Your impression of me? Uncanny." Alexander bit back sarcastically. He rolled his eyes. He knew that Hercules was right, though. He did not know how to tell Eliza the truth. He was too entrenched in the lie. She was writing him letters under his false name. She might not take kindly to being lied to. It might be enough to make her hate Alexander. Alexander did not know if it was better to be hated by her than it was to be unknown to her.
"He has a point." John remarked. "Miss Schuyler values very little over honesty, especially after that messy business with the traitor courting her."
"Then why did you let me lie to her?" Alexander frowned.
"What was I to do? Tell you no?" John seemed wounded by Alexander's placement of the blame.
"Yes!" Alexander and Hercules said at the same time. For once, they agreed.
"Well!" John did not have a defense to Alexander and Hercules' accusations. He scowled down at Hercules, who was now cuffing his trousers. "Don't ask, if you don't want me to say yes. Why don't you just worry about getting appointed by General Washington? Once you are in his service, you will be able to court any young lady you wish. I am certain that there is another woman who is Miss Schuyler's equal, if not superior."
Alexander glowered at John. John was always trying to talk Alexander out of devoting himself to Eliza entirely. He did not seem to understand that Alexander did not want any other young lady.
"Perhaps if I told her that I was so desperate to meet her…" Alexander suggested weakly. "Perhaps if she understood that it was the only way…"
"Perhaps." John agreed, equally weakly.
"Perhaps." Hercules echoed dubiously.
"Best get the commission first. Just in case." John added.
"And when you do," Hercules forced John's arms down, scowling at him as he examined his work. He then turned to look at Alexander, frowning. "Get someone else to make your damned uniform."
"I can't believe that you're leaving tomorrow." Alexander remarked glumly.
He was taking inventory of a ship full of exotic fruits from South America - a ship that would easily make half a million pounds for its cargo - while John followed him around. John was leaving for Washington's camp the next morning. He and Alexander were spending as much time together as possible, while they still could.
"Camp is just a few miles away." John offered unhelpfully.
"Washington won't let you take leave very often." Alexander knew that he would rarely see John once he left for camp. If he were in John's shoes, he would never leave Washington's side. Not until he had secured an officer's commission, anyway.
"He'll let me take leave often enough. And besides, with the way he speaks of you, I don't doubt that you'll be joining me at camp in no time at all. I think…oh." John trailed off as they stepped off of the ship and onto the dock.
Alexander looked up from his parchment, frowning at John. He saw that John was looking towards the city, his eyes wide and his mouth downturned. Alexander followed his eyes. His own mouth popped open when he saw Angelica Schuyler walking through town. She was looking around, her eyes surveying everything. She would see Alexander in just a few short seconds.
"I'll distract her." John was already moving towards the shops.
Alexander looked around for somewhere to take cover. He peeked after a few seconds, hoping that the crisis had been averted.
He caught sight of John walking alongside of Angelica Schuyler. He looked nervous. Angelica was looking around for something while John tried to lead her towards a ribbon shop.
Alexander turned away and ducked his head, hoping not to be recognized. If Angelica saw him, it would be difficult enough to explain why he was not in Massachusetts, like he had told Eliza. It would be impossible to explain why he was wearing ratty clothes and walking up and down the docks with a stack of parchment. Rich men left such menial tasks to men of inferior ranking, like Alexander.
"Aha!" Alexander heard Angelica's triumphant exclamation followed by the sound of heels clattering against the dock. His heart sank. He hurried towards the nearest ship. Before he could step aboard, a hand grabbed his shoulder.
Alexander turned around with reluctance. Angelica had grabbed hold of him. She was watching him critically, like she could read his thoughts. John was standing behind her, looking at Alexander apologetically.
"What's a wealthy merchant like you doing on the docks, Mr. Laurens?" She demanded, her eyes narrowed. She took in Alexander's clothing. "And what compelled you to put on such a costume?"
"I, uh..." Alexander looked to John for help.
"Alexander is..." John struggled. "He's just..."
"Poor?" Angelica suggested the word like it was something contemptible.
"No!" John protested, his voice rising an octave as panic got the better of him. "No, of course not, he's just -"
"You better think long and hard before you lie to me a second time." Angelica spoke directly to Alexander. She was not even looking at John. "If you lie to me again, I'm going to tell Eliza what I think is going on - you're poor and John is lying to every decent household in New York to elevate your position and bank account."
Alexander's shoulders slumped in resignation. There was a chance that Angelica would tell Eliza the truth even if he was honest with her, but it was worth the opportunity to justify himself.
"Okay..." He said, looking down at the ground. "You're right. I am poor. I'm not related to John - not even a little. My name is Alexander Hamilton. I work here to afford an education at King's College."
Angelica reeled back, as one did before throwing their weight into a physical attack. Alexander closed his eyes and braced himself. He deserved to be smacked. He had lied to Angelica and her sister. He had deceived them all.
He did not anticipate being punched square in the nose. Ladies did not punch. He stumbled back, his hand shooting up to the throbbing piece of flesh. A few passersby laughed and howled. Angelica shook out her hand, looking as though she, too, was in pain.
"Are you just trying to take my sister's money?" She demanded, tucking her red fist under her other arm. She scowled at Alexander, obviously trying her best to ignore the pain she was in.
"No!" Alexander responded immediately. He wiped some blood from his nose, looking at her reproachfully. "I didn't want anything other than the chance to meet her."
"Why, if not for the money?" Angelica asked skeptically.
"I love her." Alexander answered, looking down at his shoes uncomfortably. "You can't know what it's like - someone like me, loving someone like her. For the past year and a half, I've spent every day clinging on to the hope that maybe, if I was lucky, I'd see her today. If I was really lucky, she'd be smiling. Seeing her was the high point of my week, every week. So, yes, when the opportunity to meet her came up, I took it. I'm not proud that I misled her, but I'm not sorry, either. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant seeing her again."
Angelica looked angrier. She let out a frustrated noise and looked back at John. John, whose face had gone pale, simply shrugged. She turned to look at Alexander again.
"She thinks that you're going to marry her."
"She does?" Alexander perked up a bit. "Does she want to marry me?"
"That doesn't matter!" Angelica exclaimed angrily. "My father would never let you anywhere near her if he knew the truth about you."
"But he doesn't know who I am, yet." Alexander tried to say. "I could still earn her in my own right."
"How?" Angelica demanded.
"General Washington." John interjected. Angelica turned to look at John severely. John took a step back apprehensively.
"General Washington suggested that he may wish to employ me." Alexander quickly removed Angelica's attention from John. He could tell that John was afraid of her. He kept looking at Alexander's bloody nose with ill-disguised horror. "If he employs me as an aide, like John, I would be a Lieutenant Colonel. I would have enough status that courtship would be appropriate."
"What will you do if you become Lieutenant Colonel? Tell my sister that you lied to her in the first place?" Angelica demanded cynically.
"That was a bit of an oversight." Alexander admitted.
"An oversight?" Angelica echoed incredulously. "My sister is in love with you!"
Alexander tried to bite back a smile. It was an inappropriate to smile at that moment, but it was hard not to. Eliza loved him. He had never imagined a world in which Eliza could love him.
"He could say that he assumed my family last name as a young man, when his own father had abandoned him." John suggested. "That would explain why he used my last name, though his own is actually Hamilton."
Angelica pursed her lips, but didn't object.
"Why didn't you suggest that sooner?" Alexander demanded.
"I just thought of it!" John replied defensively.
Alexander let out an annoyed huff and looked at Angelica. He gestured to her with an air of finality.
"I'll attain a position with General Washington. Once I do that, I'll explain everything to Eliza. Then I'll move on from an aide to an officer, and I'll ask for her hand. Your father is a military man. He'll respect me if I have a position." He explained.
"I don't like it." Angelica declared. She didn't take her eyes off of Alexander. "But it could work."