"Are you joining General Washington's forces, Mr. Laurens?" Eliza asked Alexander as she, Angelica, and Alexander walked the dirt roads leading to the Schuyler mansion. The sun was getting a little low in the sky. Alexander hoped that the sun would hold at least until he returned to his dormitory. He did not wish to encounter robbers in the dark, not when he was wearing such fine clothes.
"I'm starting a company of my own, actually." Alexander answered with a friendly smile. "That was my primary purpose for contracting Mr. Mulligan's business this afternoon. I was hoping that he would help me recruit in exchange for a leadership position."
"Your own company?" Eliza echoed in surprise. "What for? I mean, oh, please don't get offended Mr. Laurens, I only mean that a man with your name could surely get a position in General Washington's existing troops as an officer."
Alexander tried not to be offended.
"I think that there's something noble about starting off on your own, like a common man would." Angelica interjected. She smiled at Alexander, bolstering his confidence.
"I don't see why I should receive a position that I haven't earned on the basis of wealth or title." Alexander picked up on Angelica's hint. "It seems against the cause that we are fighting for."
"I suppose you're right." Eliza smiled, pacified. "That is terribly noble of you, Mr. Laurens."
"I wish you would call me Alexander." Alexander reminded her. She had called him by his first name at the ball where they had first met. He assumed that she was using his last name for Angelica's sake. "Both of you."
Angelica rolled her eyes. Eliza's smile grew brighter.
"What sort of company will you have, Alexander?" Eliza slipped into the casual use of his first name easily. "Will you remain in New York?"
"In the immediate future, sure. Mr. Mulligan and I will have to train our men to the best of our abilities. It seems practical to do in New York, so long as the British don't overwhelm the area." Alexander was thinking as he spoke, but was careful to use a tone that suggested that he had given the matter serious thought already.
"How many men are you going to train?" Eliza wondered.
"We need at least sixty to have a company." Alexander replied. "I'd like more, if I could find them."
"Are you qualified to train sixty men?" Angelica teased.
"Is anyone?" Alexander countered.
"What made you choose the military?" Eliza ignored the playful conversation between Alexander and Angelica good-naturedly.
"The cause, of course. I could not in good conscience think to do anything else while men less able than myself are laying down their lives for a cause that I believe in just as heartily as they do." Alexander said.
That was a lie. He was joining the cause in order to advance. It was easiest to gain title and wealth in the military than it was in any other profession. A militia could not afford to only promote those with money and status - men would die unless the most qualified men were the ones put in charge.
"How very noble. Is anyone else in your family in the militia?" Eliza inquired.
"John is." Alexander proffered humbly.
"Yes, I know that Mr. Laurens is working for General Washington." Eliza allowed, looking down at the ground as they walked on. "I suppose that I was asking more about your immediate family - your father or brothers."
"Oh. No." Alexander grew quiet. He did not want to talk about his father or his brother. He did not want to think about them.
"Are they very proud of you?" Eliza looked at Alexander timidly. "They must be very proud of you for joining the militia."
Alexander did not know how to tell Eliza that his family was emphatically not proud of him. They had never been proud of him. They would never be proud of him.
"Your country will be proud of you, that's for certain." Angelica cut in again. She smiled at Alexander softly, nodding her head a bit.
Alexander smiled at her gratefully.
"Where are you staying while you're in New York?" Eliza made another attempt at finding out more about Alexander. She frowned at Alexander and Angelica. She seemed to be misreading the situation, thinking that Alexander preferred Angelica to her.
"At King's College." Alexander could be truthful about that, at least. Many soldiers and mercenaries were staying in the dormitory with him. Since the war, enough men had dropped out of school that the school was glad to repurpose the dormitory as a boarding house for profit.
"In the dormitory with all of those men?" Eliza wondered. "Isn't that disruptive?"
"I don't think so. There's always something to do." Alexander answered.
"I think that sounds wonderful." Angelica contributed. "Walking around all of those men, discussing different things that they're learning. I'd love to go to those classes right there with them."
"Angelica." Eliza laughed and rolled her eyes.
"What would you study?" Alexander couldn't help but ask.
Angelica seemed surprised by his question. She thought for a few seconds.
"Politics." She finally said.
Alexander let out a small laugh. "I don't believe that is a field of study, Miss Schuyler, unless you wish to study the Roman senate and maddened emperors."
"Why not?" Angelica grinned. "We're under a maddened emperor right now, are we not? Even seemingly archaic ideas can be of use in unusual circumstances."
"Oh, but what a life!" Eliza seemed caught up in the good humor now, instead of jealous of it. "Competing for the affection of the masses. How could you make all of those decisions? How could you know enough about everything to make rules about anything? I think that I would much rather stay home and run a household."
"And I thank you for that, Miss Schuyler." Alexander smiled and nodded at Eliza deferentially. "For I am utterly useless at household affairs, as are many men like me. We need someone much like you to make sure our house is in order while we make our vain attempts at glory and renown."
Eliza's face turned a pretty shade of pink. She looked off into the distance, smiling to herself. Alexander smiled, too, pleased with himself for making Eliza smile.
"We're right down this way," Angelica cut the silence after a moment or two. She gestured down a dirt road that led to a rather substantial mansion. "If you come with us any further, you'll have to meet Father."
"What's wrong with Alexander meeting Father?" Eliza turned to look at Angelica, her bottom lip poking out into a pout.
Alexander just smiled and took Eliza's hand in his. This immediately redirected her attention away from Angelica. Alexander leaned down and pressed a kiss to the back of Eliza's hand. He saw goosebumps erupt up her arm as he straightened his posture out. It caused him a considerable amount of satisfaction. He allowed his eyes to slowly drift back up to meet Eliza's.
"Goodnight, Miss Schuyler." He said.
"Goodnight, Alexander." Eliza whispered in return.
Alexander smiled to himself as he turned and started down the dirt road, heading back for the city.