A/N: I am so sorry about not updating for the past three weeks. With school picking up again and my other activities I take part in, plus a bad case of writer's block related to this particular chapter (yet, somehow, inspiration galore with chapters that I still have yet to begin), I just haven't been able to write much until a few days ago. I suppose my getting sick over the weekend (and my cold [?] being severe enough this morning to force me to stay home from school) was a mixed blessing.

Now, without further ado...the next chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter 8: Reaction (Eliza)

"...this morning's interview."

I saw my husband's mouth move—saw him speak—but the fears that still plagued my mind had completely drowned out all but a few of his words.

"Alexander...would you repeat what you said?" I asked as he came near.

"Betsey," he replied, a smile evident in his voice, "I'm staying."

Alexander...He's going to—!

I threw my arms around him and held him close, the whole time letting a semi-coherent string of words expressing my relief out into the air: "Alexander-I-was-so-scared-that-you-would-leave-for-the-interview-thank-the-Lord-you-chose-to-stay-instead-"

"Calm yourself before you start gasping for air," my husband interrupted.

"Well," I said then, after pausing to breathe, "after a weight like this had just been lifted, I could not help but be joyful."

"Perhaps we can celebrate at another time," Alexander responded.

"Perhaps we can," I said once I let go. "Not too far from now, but I can wait for a little while.

"Anyway, now that your life is no longer on the line," I continued, moving on to the next topic, "what still needs to be done?"

"My second will need to be told of the change of plans," my husband responded. "Leave that to me."

"No, leave that to me," I said. "After all that time convincing you to miss the interview, I would much rather not risk being an unsuccessful Calpurnia in this matter.

"Besides, even without that risk, you've likely been up and about most of the night. For a few nights in a row. Even in this light, I can see the dark circles under your eyes. You need sleep."

"I—" Alexander was cut short by his own yawn "—I can't exactly quarrel with that."

"You're giving in that easily?"

"Is that an issue?"

"No. Only unexpected." I noticed then that the silver moonlight had begun to fade into the hazy glow of daybreak. "I distinctly remember you saying, when I still had no idea of the risk you were about to take, that the interview was to occur at dawn."

Alexander shrugged slightly. "All that had been was—" he yawned a second time "—was an attempt to trick myself into putting my aff—everything in order more quickly, since my second would—" a third yawn "—likely arrive around that—"

"Alexander," I said, cutting him off. "You do not need to go on about that. At least I know your second—whoever he may be—will be coming here." Which will make telling him an easier task than expected, I finished in my mind.

"Judge Nathaniel Pendleton," my husband said. "He is to be—or rather, was to be—my second in the upcoming interview."

I nodded as an image of the judge appeared in my mind's eye. Pendleton, as a dear friend of the family, would be immediately recognizable.

At that moment, a knock sounded on the wall next to the open door.

"Yes?" Alexander called.

A slim, fair-haired young woman stepped just inside the doorway. Smoothing her hands on her apron, she began, "Sir, Judge Pendleton is outside waiting to speak with you."

My husband and I exchanged a look before I asked that she tell Pendleton that Alexander was currently unavailable but I would talk with him soon.

My request clearly confused her, but she didn't protest, instead replying that she would do so.

"Thank you, Sarah," I said as she left.

About twenty minutes after that—in slightly less time than I personally had expected—I was dressed and ready to speak to the judge about the change of plans. "Goodnight, Alexander," I said as I turned to leave the room. "Get some rest."

"I plan to," my husband replied. "I love you."

"I love you too."

A/N 2: The "unsuccessful Calpurnia" bit is an allusion to the point in Julius Caesar where Calpurnia (Caesar's wife) persuades Caesar to stay home on the Ides of March, only for Decius (one of the conspirators) to convince him to do the exact opposite less than a minute later. I guess Eliza saw the parallels pretty quickly, as she has no intention of letting Pendleton become the Decius of the current situation.

Speaking of Pendleton, does anyone have any idea what he looked like historically? I've looked him up a couple times but found nothing about that (which is frustrating because I've found pictures, at least, of literally everyone else involved in the duel).