Alexander tried to avoid Maria once he and Washington returned to camp. He deliberately walked longer routes to avoid walking past the medic's tent. He glanced out the window as he worked; if he saw Maria walking towards Washington's quarters, he would make an excuse to leave the building until she was gone. He skipped dinner, claiming that he had too much work to attend to.
He began exchanging letters with Eliza. His were long letters, describing the day-to-day banalities of his job, as well as the hopes he held for the future. Hers were shorter letters, mostly reiterating her desire for the war to be over. They danced around the subject of love. Alexander did not want to risk ruining their friendship if Eliza did not feel the way that he did. He hid all of the letters that he received from Eliza underneath his cot. He did not want Maria to find them.
He did not know what he was going to do about his engagement. He could not deny that he liked Maria - it was impossible not to like Maria - but he felt a magnetism to Eliza that was made any feelings he had for Maria seem miniscule. He did not like to think of himself as the kind of man who would break an engagement once he got a better offer, but he had never considered that he might get a better offer.
"I say that honesty is the way to go," John advised him one afternoon. He had seen Alexander agonizing over one of Eliza's letters and did not have to guess at the cause of Alexander's agony. "Avoiding Miss Lewis is childish and will only injure her further. If you have your heart set upon Miss Schuyler, you must be honest with both Miss Lewis and yourself."
Alexander hung his head. He then shook it.
"I do not even know if Miss Schuyler would have me." He replied miserably.
"She is writing you letters nearly every night." John reminded him. "You said that she spoke to you a great deal while you were staying at her father's home. It sounds to me like she has forgiven you for your transgressions and would happily have you."
"I cannot assume that." Alexander argued. "And if I do not know beyond a doubt…"
"It is unfair of you to remain engaged to Miss Lewis only because you do not know that Miss Schuyler will have you." John remarked, casting Alexander a disapproving look. "Hercules would lecture you for hours if he knew."
"Mm." Alexander hummed.
He knew that John was right. He missed Hercules for that reason. Hercules would know exactly what to do.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen." Washington entered the room before Alexander could decide what it was that he was going to do. All of the aides rose to their feet in a respectful gesture towards Washington. "I apologize for interrupting what appears to be very diligent work. It is my pleasure to tell you that General Schuyler, General Knox, and General Greene will come to our camp for a war council meeting in two weeks. Please prepare documents providing each general with the appropriate information for the meeting."
Alexander perked up at the mention of General Schuyler. If General Schuyler were to visit camp, it would afford Alexander the opportunity to discuss the possibility of asking Eliza for her hand.
"You may return to your work." Washington said.
There was a shuffling noise as the aides sat down and picked up the work that they had been focused on prior to Washington's entrance.
"Colonel Hamilton." Washington strode across the room to Alexander's desk.
Though Alexander had worked for Washington for weeks, now, he was still intimidated by the sight of Washington. He was unusually tall and always carried himself in a manner befitting his status. To see him standing before Alexander's desk was enough to make Alexander nervous.
"Yes, sir?" Alexander forced himself to meet Washington's eyes.
"A letter arrived with General Schuyler's confirmation of our appointment. It is addressed to you." Washington set an envelope down on Alexander's desk.
Alexander's name was scrawled across the envelope in Eliza's handwriting. Alexander felt his face redden with embarrassment.
"Thank you, sir." He mumbled.
Washington nodded before returning to his own office.
Alexander waited until the door clicked shut behind Washington before tearing open the envelope. He smiled at the sight of Eliza's messy handwriting.
"What is she saying today?" John asked from his desk. He did not look up from his own work.
"She is coming to camp with her father in two weeks." Alexander replied, his brows furrowing. "She will be joining him in place of her mother, who does not feel that she is able to make the journey."
"Hm." John hummed. "I suppose that means that you had better make a decision soon, does it not?"
"Yes." Alexander said with a frown. "I suppose that it does."
Alexander attempted to break off his engagement with Maria countless times prior to Eliza's arrival at camp. Each time, he could not bring himself to say the words. He had no desire to hurt Maria. He would have rather she left him on her own.
By the time that General Schuyler and Eliza rode into camp, Alexander was still engaged to Maria.
He watched as Eliza rode behind her father on a pretty chestnut horse. She was looking around as the soldiers whispered to another. When she spotted Alexander, she smiled. Alexander smiled back at her, altogether forgetting about Maria until she placed her hand on his arm. He turned to look at her in surprise. She was looking back at him disapprovingly. Alexander felt a pang of guilt as he turned to look at Eliza again. Her smile had evaporated. She was now looking ahead, her expression neutral.
"I must join General Washington in greeting his guests." Alexander told Maria in a low voice.
"What? No." Maria protested. "I do not like the idea of you speaking with Miss Schuyler - not now that I have seen the way that she looks at you."
Alexander stared back at Maria, struggling to keep his face expressionless. He liked the idea that Eliza looked at him in a special sort of way, but he could not allow Maria to know this.
"It is my job to assist the general in such matters. I doubt that he will care for any concerns over the way that Miss Schuyler looks at me." Alexander retorted with a smile. "You need not worry. I will keep myself safe from Miss Schuyler."
Maria pouted as Alexander made his way through the small crowd to place himself behind Washington. John and Lafayette were already standing behind him, their hands behind their back and respectfully bland expressions on their faces.
"Did you tell Miss Lewis that you would not marry her yet?" John asked in a low voice.
General Schuyler dismounted his horse, then helped Eliza down. Once they were both safely on the ground, they began to approach Washington. General Schuyler smiled at Washington, evidently glad to see his old friend. Eliza looked straight at Alexander. She, too, was smiling.
"No." Alexander murmured back to John. He said nothing to justify his own cowardice.
"Then I suppose that you had better be prepared to tell Miss Schuyler that you are still engaged." John said before forcing a smile and moving forward to greet General Schuyler.
Lafayette turned to look at Alexander inquisitively.
"Are you and Miss Schuyler…?" He inquired uncertainly.
"Colonel Hamilton," Eliza approached Alexander before he could answer Lafayette.
"Miss Schuyler." Alexander forced his most polite smile. He knew that both Washington and General Schuyler would be watching him. "I hope that your journey was not too tiring."
"We were blessed with unusually good weather." Eliza replied. Her cheeks were turning pink as she spoke.
"I am glad to hear it." Alexander felt a blush creep up on his own face.
"Thank you, Colonel Hamilton." Eliza smiled.
Alexander felt his composure dissolve at the sight of Eliza's smile. He forgot about the existence of Washington, General Schuyler, or Maria.
"Colonel Hamilton." General Schuyler made Alexander aware of his presence once more as he brushed past Eliza to extend his hand towards Alexander. Alexander shook it heartily. "It is a pleasure to see you again."
"Thank you, sir." Alexander directed all of his attention to General Schuyler. He nodded deferentially.
General Schuyler glanced over at Eliza. She was speaking with Lafayette, who appeared to be just as spellbound by her charms as Alexander was.
"My daughter and I should like some rest before dinner." General Schuyler said. Though his words were intended for Alexander, they were loud enough for Lafayette to hear.
Lafayette quickly dropped his eyes to the ground and bowed to Eliza.
"Colonel Hamilton - would you show General Schuyler and Miss Schuyler to their quarters?" Washington asked.
It was a task not quite befitting Alexander's rank, but for once, Alexander did not mind the slight.
"Yes, sir." He replied agreeably.
He began to walk towards the set of houses that Washington had leased for the visiting generals. General Knox and his wife, Lucy, were already settled into the house beside the one allocated to the Schuylers.
"General Washington has leased the blue house for your comfort during your stay." He told General Schuyler as they neared the house. "I hope that it will suit your needs."
"I am certain that it will be perfectly suitable. Thank you, Colonel Hamilton." General Schuyler said.
Alexander nodded as General Schuyler and Eliza proceeded into the house. Eliza glanced over her shoulder just before the door swung shut behind her. They exchanged small smiles that would tide Alexander over until he saw Eliza again at dinner.
Alexander smiled to himself as he walked back in the direction of Washington's quarters.
Dinner was a grander affair than usual, now that there were visiting generals to impress. Washington's staff worked for hours to create a meal worthy of the esteemed guests it would be served to.
"Mm. I don't see how you could have gotten any work done this afternoon while smelling that roast." Maria commented as she stepped inside the quarters to accompany Alexander to dinner.
Washington had invited Maria to join the officers for dinner since she and Alexander had become engaged. It would not have been proper for Alexander to enjoy a proper dinner while Maria was stuck outside eating with the enlisted soldiers.
"It was not without its difficulties." Alexander admitted with a small smile.
"Hello?" General Schuyler stepped through the door shortly after Maria. He looked around the crammed room that the aides used as an office. "General Washington told me that dinner would be served here."
Eliza stepped into the room after General Schuyler. She looked around for a few seconds before noticing Alexander. She smiled at the sight of him. Her smile faded somewhat when she noticed Maria.
"Hello General Schuyler; Miss Schuyler." Alexander greeted them as politely as he could. "General Washington is meeting with General Knox before dinner. You are welcome to join them if you would like, General Schuyler."
General Schuyler appeared tempted by the prospect of sitting in on Washington's meeting with Knox. Alexander was not surprised by this. All of the generals were in constant competition with one another for resources, rations, and perhaps most importantly, Washington's ear.
"You should go, father. I am sure that Colonel Hamilton will entertain me while you meet with the generals." Eliza encouraged her father.
General Schuyler cast Alexander a dubious frown. Alexander stared back at him, uncertain of how to assuage any concerns he might have had.
"Very well." General Schuyler agreed at length.
He cast Alexander one last severe look before stalking off to join Washington and Knox in Washington's office.
Eliza turned to smile at Alexander. Maria cleared her throat loudly from beside him.
"Oh. Er…Miss Schuyler, allow me to introduce you to my fiancé, Miss Lewis." Alexander hastened to introduce the women.
His face was red with shame. Had he been honest with Maria when he first realized that he did not want to marry her, he would not have had to introduce her and Eliza. He would not have had to witness the uncomfortable way that both ladies curtsied to one another.
"Colonel Hamilton has told me much about you, Miss Lewis." Eliza told Maria.
"Is that so?" Maria glanced at Alexander. She did not look pleased. "I cannot imagine when he had the chance to speak with you about our engagement."
"You remember my visit to the Schuyler residence." Alexander reminded her. He did not like the jealous manner in which Maria was conducting herself. It was supremely embarrassing, especially in front of a well-bred lady like Eliza. "I accompanied General Washington to discuss the war with General Schuyler."
"Ah. I was not aware that Miss Schuyler was present during your visit." Maria did not seem to care about Alexander's disapproval.
"Colonel Hamilton spoke very highly of you." Eliza interjected, looking thoroughly uncomfortable.
Alexander wished that he could apologize for Maria's behavior. He knew, however, that if he dared to do such a thing, Maria's behavior would only grow more embarrassing for him.
"I certainly hope that he did." Maria remarked. "I have heard much about you, as well."
"Oh." Eliza did not seem to know what else to say.
"Miss Schuyler, are your sisters well?" Alexander decided to change the subject. He did not wish to dwell on the awkwardness of the conversation.
"Yes." Eliza seemed relieved to talk about something else. "Both Angelica and Peggy instructed me to tell you hello on their behalf when I saw you. Angelica is now married, you know."
"Already?" Alexander jerked his head back in surprise. "But she was only just engaged."
"The war expedited matters." Eliza replied with a small smile. "Her fiancé wanted to marry her quickly, so that the war could not tear them apart."
Maria looked pointedly at Alexander. She had been asking about a wedding date since Alexander had returned from his visit to the Schuyler mansion. Alexander had been using every excuse that he could come up with to defer.
"What am I to call her now that she is no longer Miss Schuyler?" Alexander quickly sidestepped the issue.
"She is now Mrs. Church." Eliza replied, smiling. "It is something that we are all having great difficulty growing accustomed to. When I walk to the store with her, I feel as though I am walking with a stranger. I turn my head every which way whenever someone says 'hello, Mrs. Church'."
Alexander laughed. Maria did not.
"Colonel Hamilton." Washington emerged from his office behind them.
Alexander turned around. He saw General Schuyler and Knox appear behind Washington.
"Yes, sir?" Alexander's smile vanished as he readied himself for whatever Washington would ask of him.
"We are going to dinner. Will you escort Miss Lewis into the dining room?"
"Yes, sir." Alexander agreed.
He watched as Eliza walked over to General Schuyler. He would escort her to the dining room, as she was unaccompanied by a suitor. Alexander would have preferred to accompany Eliza into the dining room, instead. He would have preferred her hand atop his, instead of Maria's.
"What meal do you think will be your first once the war is over?" Maria asked Alexander as they strode into the dining room. "When food is not rationed and we may eat whatever we like once more."
Alexander tried to consider this question. He knew that Maria meant only to engage him in conversation. It was a perfectly reasonable thing for her to do. It was not her fault that Alexander wished to be with Eliza instead.
"I cannot profess to know; I have hardly considered it. What will you eat?" Alexander asked.
"I think that I shall eat an entire pheasant all by myself." Maria replied, laughing. "And I shall have plenty of greens and fruits on the table, too. And for dessert, there will be plenty of hot chocolate."
Alexander could not help but smile. He did not wish to marry Maria, but he could not deny her charm.
"Who will be affording this meal for you?" He wondered.
"You will, of course." Maria replied cheerfully. "It will be one of our first true meals as husband and wife."
Alexander looked to her, startled. He had not realized that she was already making plans for the post-war future in her head. It made his cowardice feel even crueler. He resolved to tell her that he could not marry her that very night, after dinner.
Everyone took a seat at the table. Washington was seated at the head of the table. General Schuyler and Knox sat on either side of him. Eliza sat beside General Schuyler. Lucy sat beside Knox. Alexander was seated beside Lucy. Maria was across from him, sitting beside Eliza.
The conversation revolved around the war. Alexander was rarely asked for his opinion, but provided it freely when he was. Washington sat in stony silence while General Schuyler and Knox each tried to assert their opinions as the supreme one. Eliza politely spoke with Maria and Lucy about the latest fashions and mild gossip about families that Maria did not know.
After dinner, the generals opted to play cards so that they might avert their minds from matters of war for at least an hour or two. Alexander was invited to join them. He declined the invitation. He was resolved to tell Maria about his change of heart before he hurt her any further.
"Will you go to sleep so early?" Eliza asked Alexander as the three of them left the dining room.
Maria glanced at Alexander suspiciously.
"Er…no." Alexander replied awkwardly. "I had hoped to take a walk about camp with Miss Lewis."
"Oh." Eliza did not seem to expect this response. Maria, on the other hand, appeared thrilled. "Would it be a terrible imposition if I asked to join you? My father is likely to stay up all night playing cards, and I would rather see more of General Washington's camp than go to bed at seven o'clock."
"Perhaps you might ask Mrs. Knox to walk with you?" Maria suggested.
Eliza blushed.
"I would ask Mrs. Knox, but she has already expressed her intention to write a letter to her dear friends in Boston tonight." She responded.
"There is no harm in permitting Miss Schuyler to join us." Alexander heard himself tell Maria. "We should be glad to serve as your entertainment for the evening, Miss Schuyler."
"Oh, thank you." Eliza smiled uncomfortably.
It was an exceedingly unusual and unwelcome situation; one in which Eliza was forced to behave as the outside party while Maria acted as Alexander's lover. Alexander wished that he had never asked Maria to marry him.
"Do you not have letters to write, Miss Schuyler?" Maria asked as they began to walk about the camp. "It seems that you are a rather industrious writer, if the letters that you write to my Hamilton are any indication."
Alexander turned to look at Maria with wide eyes. He had not known that she was aware of Eliza's letters. He had taken care to hide them beneath his cot, where there was no chance of her reading them. At least, he had believed there was no chance of her reading them.
"I enjoy corresponding with Colonel Hamilton now that the war has brought him away from New York." Eliza conceded with a startling amount of confidence. "For I am not blessed with as much company as you seem to enjoy here at camp. New York is an exceedingly lonely place for a supporter of independence."
"I do hope that you will soon find someone else to socialize with in New York." Maria said with a tight smile.
"I fear Miss Lewis is being too generous when she calls you industrious in your correspondence." Alexander would have preferred to lose Maria's favor rather than losing Eliza's. He knew that he was risking it by speaking of Eliza's letters. "You do not write me nearly as much as I would prefer. I am lucky if I receive one letter from you every two weeks."
"I have been busy, I will have you know." Eliza cast Alexander a smile that was nothing short of devastating.
"Busy, how? You have just admitted to Miss Lewis that you have little company to entertain you in New York." Alexander teased her.
"I have assumed a great deal of responsibility in my household since my father has gone away. I am a chaperone when Peggy's suitor comes to pay her court, I am sometimes expected to preside over dinner as the hostess, and I often supervise the servants when they make dinner." Eliza countered.
"Peggy has a suitor?" Alexander wondered in surprise.
He forgot to address Peggy formally, as he might have done when speaking to a mere acquaintance. He did not even realize it. He just grinned at Eliza, waiting for her response.
"Yes. It seems that my family name is in high demand since father's promotion." Eliza replied with an airy laugh.
"And yet you remain unmarried yourself, Miss Schuyler." Maria chimed in, her tone rather unkind.
Alexander looked to Maria disapprovingly.
"I do so by choice." Eliza replied, tilting her chin upwards. It seemed that she had learned to expect Maria's petty swipes. "For there is no man in New York who I am inclined to marry."
She glanced at Alexander as she spoke. The right side of her mouth curved up into a smile. Alexander smiled back without a second thought.
Maria looked between Eliza and Alexander with a wounded expression. Without a word, she stalked off into the night. Alexander assumed that she was returning to her quarters. Both he and Eliza turned to watch her go.
"Oh." Eliza deflated somewhat. "Did I…did I say something that I should not have?"
Alexander shook his head.
"It is I who should have said something." He replied, hanging his head as they continued to walk. "Miss Lewis has had her suspicions about my feelings for you since I first met her, but it seems that I am not able to soothe those suspicions when she can plainly see what is before her eyes."
There was a long pause.
"What is plainly before her eyes?" Eliza echoed softly.
Alexander knew that he had spoken too freely; he had hoped that Eliza would be too distracted to notice. It seemed that he did not have such luck.
Alexander hung his head.
"Yes, I suppose…I suppose I have made it rather obvious. I had proposed to Miss Lewis when I believed that you would never have me. We had not yet made peace following our fight, nor did I have reason to think that we would ever make peace at all." He said.
He shoved his hands in his pockets, clenching and unclenching his hands as he spoke. There was something about Eliza that made him unspeakably nervous.
"Do you mean to tell me that you would not have…proposed to Miss Lewis had you…had we made peace?" Eliza asked hesitantly.
Alexander shook his head, but did not offer any additional words.
"Colonel Hamilton, it is exceedingly unusual for a lady to have to request a declaration of love." Eliza said. Her words were playful, but her expression conveyed a genuine fear of rejection.
Alexander looked at her in surprise. He had not expected her to be so candid, nor did he expect such a profession to be welcome. He had assumed that he and Eliza were destined to be friends, but nothing more.
"Miss Schuyler -" He started.
"Eliza." She corrected him with a smile.
"Eliza," Alexander conceded. Despite his nerves, he, too, smiled. "You know how I felt about you from the day that I saw you. My feelings have not changed. I still believe that you are the most kind, the most charming, the most beautiful woman that I have ever met. Had I believed that there was any hope that you might let me…that you might have me, I would never have asked Miss Lewis to be my wife; for it is you whom I wish to marry."
Eliza took Alexander's hand in hers. Her hand was soft, compared to Alexander's own calloused skin.
"Well then," Eliza said, her voice soft. She continued to smile despite this. Her eyes were dancing. "I suppose that we had better do something about it."
Alexander looked down at their joint hands before looking up to meet Eliza's eyes. He could scarcely believe that she was truly standing before him, returning his feelings. It seemed too good to be true.
"I will speak to Miss Lewis tomorrow. Will you allow me your hand once I do?" Alexander asked.
"You will have to talk to my father." Eliza replied, brushing Alexander's hand with her thumb. "He will not be won over easily."
"I will win him over for you." Alexander assured her.
"I love you." Eliza said, looking up at Alexander shyly.
Alexander smiled broadly.
"I love you, too." He said.
God help him, he did.
"I hate you!"
"Maria, please. Be reasonable -" Alexander protested as Maria began to throw rolled up bandages at his head.
"You told me that you loved me!" Maria shouted, continuing to throw the bandages at him. "Was that conditional on Miss Schuyler's own feelings about you?"
"I meant it when I told you." Alexander argued, though he was not entirely sure that it was true. "I cannot explain why those feelings no longer remain; I can only tell you that they do not."
"I suppose they might have remained, had my family the money that Miss Schuyler's family has?" Maria spat out.
"It has nothing to do with money." Alexander responded.
"Oh, it is just a coincidence, is it?" Maria wondered sarcastically.
"You are not conducting yourself in a becoming manner." Alexander accused her, growing tired of tolerating her insults.
"And you are?" Maria would not be so easily humbled. "You promised me that we would spend our lives together. I depended upon your promise. I rejected several men who would have made me a good match. I could have already been married, perhaps expecting my first son. You have taken that away from me."
"You can still make a good match and have as many sons as you would like. You are young. We both are." Alexander reminded her.
"Do you really think that good men are desirous of a woman who has suffered a broken engagement? You have made me defective. You have ruined any chance that I have of making a good match." Maria folded her arms across her chest, her face red with anger.
"I have encountered several fine ladies in my life who have survived a broken engagement. I expect you shall do the same." Alexander resented Maria's attempts at making him feel guilty. "Now, I shall take my leave of you. I have no desire to stand trial while you hurl insults at me."
"You are a coward." Maria called out as Alexander turned to walk away. "You are a coward for allowing me to love you for as long as I did."
Alexander stopped for only a moment before continuing his walk back to Washington's quarters.
He knew that Maria was right, but he would never allow her the satisfaction.
"Miss Lewis does not join you tonight, Colonel Hamilton?" Washington inquired as they sat down for dinner that evening.
Alexander felt his face redden.
Eliza looked at him from across the table. She nodded slightly, careful to keep her expression neutral so that no one would see the true meaning of her gesture.
"No, sir." Alexander answered slowly. "I am afraid that Miss Lewis and I are no longer engaged."
There was a pause.
"I see." Washington said at length. "I hope that you are not suffering too badly from such a blow."
Alexander looked at Washington, frowning. He knew that Washington had guessed at his reasoning for ending the engagement. It seemed that Washington had expected him to end the engagement all along. It was cruel of him to behave as though it was a matter which should have caused Alexander great distress.
"No, sir." Alexander replied, averting his eyes. "I fear that it was merely a case of incompatible personalities."
"Poor dear." Lucy Knox remarked with a frown. "I hope that you were careful with her feelings, Colonel Hamilton. I have seen how the ladies stare after you; I fear that you have all the makings of a heartbreaker."
"Your accusation wounds me, Mrs. Knox." Alexander said, matching her frown. "For I do not intend to injure any lady for any purpose."
"Let the young man be a young man." Knox told his wife with a grin. "It was not so long ago that I would have cheered on such raffish behavior, myself."
Alexander chafed at the word raffish. He could not show his dislike of the phrase, however, for fear of offending Knox. He could not anger one general and then ask another general for permission to marry his daughter.
"Perhaps we should discuss something else, before we all find ourselves longing for the youth currently bestowed upon Colonel Hamilton." Washington declared, casting Alexander a sympathetic gaze.
Alexander smiled back at him gratefully as the conversation shifted to matters of war.
Dinner lasted for another hour or so. Alexander said very little. He exchanged glances with Eliza when no one was looking. He waited for the opportunity to speak with General Schuyler privately, so that he might ask for Eliza's hand in marriage.
Once dinner ended, Knox suggested a game of cards between the gentlemen. The ladies rose to retire to their rooms while the men played cards. Alexander watched as Eliza rose to her feet. She kept her eyes downcast until she reached the doorway. She flashed Alexander a quick smile before disappearing from the room.
"Colonel Hamilton," General Schuyler spoke before Alexander could gather the courage to ask him for an audience. "I would like a word with you."
Alexander glanced at Washington for permission. Washington nodded slightly.
"Yes, sir." Alexander agreed, rising from his seat. General Schuyler did the same.
General Schuyler left the dining room first, as was befitting of his station. Alexander followed after him, his heart hammering against his chest. He did not know the intent behind General Schuyler's request for an audience, but he feared the worst.
General Schuyler led Alexander into the office in which the aides worked. He sat on the corner of John's desk and folded his arms across his chest as he appraised Alexander.
"What is your intention in ending your engagement with Miss Lewis, Colonel Hamilton?" General Schuyler asked in a frank tone.
Alexander was startled out of his senses.
"Sir?" He asked helplessly.
"You see, Colonel Hamilton," General Schuyler did not seem bothered by Alexander's confusion. "I am under the impression that my daughter, Elizabeth, is quite taken with you."
Alexander swallowed hard. He said nothing to deny General Schuyler's suspicion.
"I believe that you terminated your engagement to Miss Lewis in the hopes of marrying Elizabeth. Am I correct in my thinking, or have I put too much faith in the abilities of my daughters to attract whichever suitor catches their eye?" General Schuyler inquired.
Alexander looked down at his shoes. He knew that he could not lie to General Schuyler - he required General Schuyler's consent to marry Eliza. Admitting the truth, however, felt like the wrong thing to do. General Schuyler had phrased his question like an accusation.
"I have a strong inclination to marry your daughter, General Schuyler." Alexander admitted, forcing himself to meet General Schuyler's eyes. "With your permission, of course."
General Schuyler was silent for a moment, considering Alexander's words. Alexander was left to stand before him, subjecting himself to judgment.
"Why should I allow you to marry my daughter, Colonel Hamilton?" General Schuyler asked at last. "You do not come from a good family, nor do you possess wealth. You are but a colonel with no promise of success after the war."
Alexander flinched at General Schuyler's appraisal. He knew that his words were true. They had prevented him from proposing to Eliza in the past.
"I am not a man of title, status, or wealth." He professed, his voice shaky. "But I believe that you are wrong when you state that I show no promise of success after the war. I show nothing but promise of success. I have come from nothing, and now here I am - serving as General Washington's right hand. I have befriended Colonel Laurens, the son of Mr. Henry Laurens. I write letters to members of Congress daily. I have aligned myself with many of the most powerful men in the country. I achieved all of this within two years. If I am permitted to marry Miss Schuyler, I will have an entire lifetime to deserve her."
General Schuyler raised his eyebrows.
"Do you wish to marry my daughter for my family's money?" He asked.
"No." Alexander answered automatically.
"If I were to tell you that I have no intention of giving you a generous dowry, or supporting you after your wedding…" General Schuyler supposed.
"I desire to marry your daughter, with or without your money." Alexander said loftily.
General Schuyler nodded to himself. Alexander wondered if that was a good sign.
"If you break off an engagement to my daughter because you believe that you have found a more advantageous match, I will…" General Schuyler began to threaten.
"I will not." Alexander interrupted him once more. He shook his head in an adamant gesture. "There is no one I would prefer over your daughter."
"Hm." General Schuyler did not seem convinced. "Very well. I will consent to the match - not because I believe that you are worthy of my daughter, but because you are what she wants. I hope that you prove me wrong, Colonel Hamilton."
"Me too, sir." Alexander agreed as General Schuyler rose from the desk.
General Schuyler glanced over his shoulder before proceeding to the dining room, where the rest of the men were still playing cards. Alexander heard him chuckle as he walked away.
The gentlemen were not through playing cards for another four hours. Alexander remained in the aides office during that time. He had no desire to walk about camp, for fear of running into Maria. He knew that Eliza was in bed at this hour, which made a visit to her father's quarters highly improper. He did not wish to join the card game, for fear that General Schuyler might change his mind about consenting to his engagement to Eliza. He could not go to bed until the men were through playing cards, as the room which had been designated to the aides was just beside the dining room.
Once they were through playing cards, Knox, Greene, and General Schuyler left Washington's quarters. Knox was in the middle of telling the other two generals a joke. Judging from the laughter that bounced around the night air, it was a pretty good one.
"Goodnight, Colonel Hamilton." Washington called from the dining room.
The statement was immediately followed by the sound of Washington's heavy footsteps on the wooden stairs sitting between the dining room and the aides' room.
Alexander let out a sigh and finally allowed the tension to leave his shoulders. He had accomplished everything that he had set out to accomplish that day. It had taken a toll on him.
There was a knock on the office door. Alexander turned to look at it in surprise. It was nearly midnight. He could not imagine who might be on the other side of the door. The knock was not frantic enough to suggest an attack, but it was insistent enough that it could not simply be a drunken soldier looking for extra rations.
The knock came again.
Alexander crossed the office and opened the door. His eyebrows nearly leapt off of his face in surprise.
"Eliza?" He asked, lowering his voice so that Washington would not hear. "What are you doing here?"
"I snuck out as soon as my father fell asleep. He told me that he consented to the match." Eliza whispered, her eyes alight. "Are you going to let me in, or would you rather some soldiers see me standing in the doorstep?"
Alexander stepped away from the door so that Eliza could enter the office. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Washington had not come down. He knew that Eliza's presence at that hour was highly improper - improper enough to get him fired, possibly.
"You really shouldn't be here." He told her, frowning.
"Aren't you happy to see me?" Eliza wondered, also frowning.
"Yes, of course I am, but I cannot have General Washington or any of the aides seeing you. I would be fired on the spot, and I cannot imagine what your father would say." Alexander replied.
Eliza cast Alexander a hesitant look before unlacing her cloak. Again, Alexander looked over his shoulder for anyone who might be spying. When he turned back around, he was startled to see that Eliza was standing before him wearing nothing other than her shift.
"Eliza." He said, his voice hoarse.
"If we are truly to be husband and wife for the rest of our lives, I see no reason why we cannot be together tonight." She said, looking down at the floor.
"I share a room with the other aides." Alexander replied. He looked down, too. He felt as though he was doing something wrong by seeing Eliza like this. "Eliza, I think that you had better go back to your quarters."
"But I…I really want to do this, Alexander." Eliza insisted.
Alexander's brows furrowed. He could not imagine what was prompting Eliza to behave in such a manner. She had never expressed an overzealous interest in sex before.
"Why not wait until we are really married?" Alexander advised her. He took a step forward in an effort to shepherd her out of the door before they were caught. Eliza did not budge.
"When will that be?" Eliza wondered. "I return for New York tomorrow. To hear General Washington tell it, the war is far from over. I do not know when I will see you next."
"What's going on?" Alexander asked.
He had not known Eliza to be a particularly impatient person; impatient for sex, or impatient for marriage. She had seemed perfectly content when he had spoken to her last. He could not believe that it had been a ruse that she employed until he was formally engaged to marry her. He had known her for far too long to believe that.
"I…" Eliza pulled her cloak back on, still frowning down at the ground. When she did force herself to meet Alexander's eyes, he saw that her eyes were red. "I do not want to end up like Miss Lewis."
"What?" Alexander took a step back from her.
Eliza shook her head. "I know that you are…I trust you, I do. But when I think about how you ended your engagement with Miss Lewis so suddenly…Alexander, it would break my heart if you ended our engagement."
Alexander immediately understood the meaning behind her behavior. She had hoped to consummate their relationship before they left so that he could not break off their engagement. Once they were intimate, Alexander would have to marry her or risk both of their reputations. It was as concrete an act as she could achieve without actually marrying him on the spot.
"Honey, I'm not going to break our engagement." Alexander softened his voice. He took a few steps forward, closing the gap between himself and Eliza. He wrapped her up in his arms. "The only reason that I broke my engagement with Mar - with Miss Lewis - is because I was in love with you. I am in love with you. There is no force of nature strong enough to tear me from you."
"Do you promise?" Eliza asked.
"I promise." Alexander assured her. "Now, why don't you go to bed before someone catches you here? That might break our engagement, if your father catches wind of it."
"All right." Eliza finally smiled. She swiped at her eyes with a small laugh. "I am sorry for…well, all of this."
"There is nothing to be sorry for." Alexander assured her as he escorted her to the door. "I love you, Eliza."
"I love you too, Alexander." Eliza said, glancing over her shoulder before stepping out into the night air.
Alexander watched as she disappeared into the darkness. He heard the crunch of the grass beneath her feet long after he lost sight of her.
He let out a sigh as he backed into the doorway again. Before he could close the door, he heard the thump of a window shutting. He looked up, startled. To his utter mortification, he saw Washington looking back down at him.
Twice, now, Washington had borne witness to a Schuyler woman leaving Alexander's company at an indecent time.
Alexander grimaced as he stepped back into the quarters and closed the door behind him.
I'm trying to post a new chapter every Saturday, but I was running a bit behind yesterday. Hopefully anyone still reading this mess will forgive its lateness. I am already working on the next chapter, so there shouldn't be any delays next week. In the meantime, enjoy whatever this is!