Chapter Nine
My dearest John,
I have so much to apologize for. I apologize for the neglect that has fallen upon this journal. I apologize for not thinking of you as often as I would like. I apologize for being in France two weeks beyond the intended date of my departure for England. I apologize for my conditions, which I am certain are much better than yours. Most importantly, I apologize for Marie.
Ever yours,
A. Hamilton
"I have to go," Marie giggled, her cheeks flushed and her lipstick smudged. She looked around the maze, lit by candlelight at night. "My ladies will be wondering where I am. You know, I am the queen. I should not allow you to dictate where we are to meet."
Her accent was thick, Austrian. Evidence that, like Alexander, she did not belong in French court. Alexander smiled lazily at the sound of her voice before focusing on her words.
"Do you consider this to be a disagreeable place?" He asked, still smiling.
"It is the perfect place," Marie admitted with an air of playful resentment. "I just wish that I had been able to instruct you to meet me here first."
"Then why don't I hold you responsible for our next clandestine meeting?" Alexander suggested teasingly.
"Hmm…" Marie's mouth pursed with an involuntary smile. "How about…"
"Not now," Alexander shook his head, grinning. "Send me a message closer to the desired time. Give yourself a moment to think."
"There you are, ordering me about again." Marie smiled, her dimples etched into her face by the moonlight.
"I apologize, your highness," Alexander bowed dramatically low.
"Don't bother," Marie rolled her eyes, giggling. "You know perfectly well that I don't mind. But how shall I send you a message? I don't know if I trust you with one of my ladies."
"I assure you, your highness, I will treat your ladies like queens."
"Ah, but you see why I worry, Monsieur Hamilton," Marie smiled, backing away from him towards the entrance of the maid. "I know all too well how you treat a queen."
"Goodnight, your highness," Alexander grinned as Marie left his sight.
"Goodnight, Monsieur," Marie's voice carried breezily through the night air.
Just as Marie disappeared from sight, there was a rustling behind Alexander. He turned around to face a beaming Sophie. The grin that he kept on reserve for his affair with the queen dissolved. He frowned at Sophie, not bothering to hide his displeasure at her company.
"And what do you have to share with me tonight, Meester 'amilton?" Sophie enquired, lacing her arm through Alexander's and leading him around the maze. She did not mind his contempt; she continued to tease and flirt with him as though they were old friends.
"Not very much. She's a sixteen year-old girl who wants to discuss nothing other than the dinner party she is attending next," Alexander answered irritably. "While I listened to her drone on, I continued to wonder - why don't I just turn you in? I wouldn't lose favor with the queen. She doesn't know you, and it would be my word against yours."
"Because then, Meester 'amilton, I would 'ave to 'ave you keeled," Sophie replied as though doing so would cause her great pain.
"How would you do that? I'm staying at the palace, which you have no access to, and again, I'll remind you that I am the queen's favorite, not you."
Sophie clucked her tongue, halting their walk and placing a hand upon Alexander's cheek. "Do not think zat others have not had the same thoughts as you, silly man. Eef you overstep the limits that we 'ave placed, you will be keeled. Do not think that the queen's affection may save you from me."
Alexander flinched away from Sophie's touch. "I don't have any information for you tonight."
Sophie's eyes narrowed. "I 'ope you are telling the truth, Meester 'amilton. I would 'ate to see that 'andsome 'ead of yours fall on the wrong side of the guillotine."
"Mr. Hamilton!" Five nights later, he heard a voice across the ballroom that sent a chill down his spine.
"Mr. Hancock?" Alexander didn't hide the disbelief in his voice.
From her throne beside her husband, Marie looked from Alexander to Mr. Hancock, displeasure plain on her face. She did not like it when Alexander noticed anyone but her at a party.
"I thought that we had lost you forever!" Mr. Hancock looked uncharacteristically happy, giddy with surprise. "We had written to the General, informing him of the loss. But how did you escape?"
Alexander looked around the ballroom, knowing that he was not in a safe enough environment to tell Mr. Hancock what was really happening. He was hardly the only person at court under Sophie's control. Nobles watched him with narrowed eyes. Marie watched him with a pout. He was certain that at least one of Sophie's brothers were watching from the eaves.
"I would like to see you again, my friend," He said, his voice strained as he did his best to withhold tears.
"Then you shall!" Mr. Hancock said, not seeming to understand that Alexander could not go anywhere or do anything on his own free will. "I intend to have dinner with Mr. Benjamin Franklin, his colleague, Mr. John Adams, and Mr. Adams' protégée, Mr. Thomas Jefferson, tomorrow night. You will join us. There, we may discuss the purpose that brought you to France."
At least the man had enough care to avoid talking about Alexander's American origins in this French court.
"I would like that very much," Alexander agreed with a relieved smile. He could work with such a dinner invitation. Sophie would be foaming at the mouth for a rare insight into the workings of the French diplomats sent from America. There was mass speculation throughout Paris as to whether America would be a decent investment for France.
"Wonderful. Shall I engage a carriage to pick you up, or do you have means of transportation?" Mr. Hancock looked around the ballroom, possibly beginning to understand that Alexander's position in court was precarious at best.
"If you had a carriage to spare, I would be much obliged," Alexander answered, knowing better than to trust any carriage that Sophie might have access to.
"Then I shall send a carriage around five. I assume your courtly duty will be done by then," Mr. Hancock looked around the ornate ballroom, looking slightly amused by the grandeur of it all.
Alexander only smiled. His courtly duty was never done.
Mr. Hancock bowed low. "Mr. Hamilton."
Alexander returned the bow. "Mr. Hancock."
As soon as Mr. Hancock disappeared, one of Sophie's brothers materialized by Alexander's side. "Come out to the gardens, immediately."
Alexander knew better than to argue. He glanced in Marie's direction - smiling hesitantly at her pouty frown - before escaping the ballroom and venturing outside into the garden. He ignored the few noble couples carrying on throughout the gardens, each tactfully ignoring the other's extramarital affairs, and proceeded towards the maze, where Sophie was waiting for him. She looked displeased. News spread fast among the French court.
"You are to dine with Meester Hancock?" Sophie asked, her voice harsh.
"Yes," Alexander answered cautiously. He recognized this as just about his only chance of getting out of Versailles without losing his head in the process. "Mr. Hancock, along with Mr. Benjamin Franklin, Mr. John Adams and Mr. Thomas Jefferson. I believe that I could learn a great deal about American/French relations at the dinner."
"Why should I trust you?" Sophie demanded suspiciously.
"Because I'll come back," Alexander responded quickly, forcing himself to look into Sophie's cold eyes as he spoke. This was a long-shot, but it was still his best chance at survival. "I'll always come back to you, Sophie."
Morally speaking, leading Sophie to believe that he was interested in her was abhorrent. But then, Sophie's morals were also abhorrent. Plus, Alexander was only lying in order to save John. Surely that redeemed his actions considerably.
Sophie's eyes widened. She tried to catch herself, but it was too late. Alexander saw the opportunity and seized it.
"Surely you must know," He implored, taking her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. "This is all for you. Had I not been so enchanted, so…inspired, I would have tried to escape long ago."
"Just dinner," Sophie yanked her hand out of Alexander's grasp. He didn't care. He saw the blush spreading across her cheeks. His act had been effective. "Then you return to me. Yes?"
"Yes." Alexander breathed, struggling to force back a smile.
As she turned and walked down the path, Alexander finally let himself grin, a massive sigh of relief heaving from his chest.
One step closer. He now found himself one step closer to John Laurens.
John had fallen asleep again in the hospital room. He woke up to pain.
"Ah, good to see you're alive," an unfamiliar voice spoke up as John's spotty vision returned to normal.
John sat up a little bit. He winced.
"You're lucky, Laurens. Most people who get interrogated by Wyatt don't get medical attention. Adds to the torture affect," a familiar voice, Reggie, sounded rather annoyed.
"Reggie, no one asked you to come. Please leave," Eddy said.
"Whatever, but don't take long." Reggie left.
"You too, Thomas." Eddy turned to the other fellow in the room.
"But-" Thomas protested.
"Out." Eddy pointed to the door.
"John, I looked through the notebook. Who's Alexander?" Eddy asked him once Reggie and Thomas were both gone.
"He...he's my best friend. From back in America." John wasn't lying.
"He's better drawn than I am. And how long has it been since you've seen him?"
John shrugged. "However long since I left home."
"It's very impressive." Eddy looked over the drawing again.
"Thanks…ow." John had moved a limb and now it ached.
"You should rest, it's better for your recovery." Eddy closed the notebook.
John nodded in understanding. He lay back down. "Why did you bring me to the hospital? Aren't I just a prisoner?" He raised an eyebrow.
Eddy sighed, looking at the ground. "You might've died had I not called Sherwood to help bring you in. Wyatt did some terrible damage to you and we need you alive."
John could see in Eddy's expression that wasn't the only reason.