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“Been vacant for years,” Jones replied “Mr Girard took it over when the fever struck This is one of his wagons But these folks aren’t going to the hospital We’re headed to potter’s field”

Marcus and Gallowglass sent him on his way They settled Betsy down on the street, each taking one of her s, a testament to the resilience of children

The tavern that Marcus had known as German Gerty’s was still on the corner of Front and Spruce Streets Dock Creek, however, had been paved over and was now a narroisting alleyway that jutted off at an angle across Philadelphia’s regular street plan

The door was open

Gallowglass gestured to Marcus to stay where he was and stuck first his oar, then the rest of him, inside the dark interior

“It’s all right,” Gallowglass reported, sticking his head out a“Nobody here but soust”

To Marcus’s astonish in the front , though he had lost his left radius and ulna His left hand was perched rakishly atop his head

They searched high and low for food, but found none Betsy’s lips started to quiver The child was famished

Marcus heard a snick

“Stop there”

He turned, his hands up in the air

“We’re not here to rob you,” Marcus said “We just need soirl”

“Doc?” Thehands looked like so with yellow skin, blackened lips, and red-rimmed eyes

“Vanderslice?” Marcus lowered his hands “Christ, man You should be in bed”

“You caan to weep

—

THEY GOT VANDERSLICE UPSTAIRS, where they found stale bread that had not yet gone moldy, a bit of cheese, and some beer They settled Betsy in a corner as far away from Vanderslice’s bed as possible It was covered with vomit and flies Marcus stripped the bed and tossed the sheets and blanket out the

“He’s better off on the floor,” Marcus said tersely when Gallowglass started to lower Vanderslice onto the mattress

Gallowglass and Marcus used their coats to make a pallet, and Marcus cleaned up his friend as best he could

“You look good, Doc,” Vanderslice said, his eyes rolling around with fever “Death suits you”

“I’m not dead, nor are you,” Marcus replied He held some of the beer up to Vanderslice’s lips “Drink It will help with the fever”

Vanderslice turned his head “Can’t It burns going down, and it burns worse co up”

Gallowglass shook his head at Marcus This is hopeless, his expression read

But Vanderslice had been the first to make roo and on the run frohosts It was Vanderslice had shared food with him, and his blanket, at Trenton Vanderslice had whistled Christs when he was on patrol duty, no matter the season, and told bawdy jokes when Marcus’s spirits were low When Marcus had been utterly alone in the world, afraid and without kith or kin, Vanderslice had accepted him like a member of his family

Marcus ht have killed his own father, but he had no intention of losing Vanderslice He’d lost enough—his home, his mother and sister, countless patients, Dr Otto, and now Veronique

Marcus wanted soain Someone ould restore his faith in family after Obadiah and the de Clermonts had made him doubt the bonds of blood and loyalty

“I can o away,” Marcus said He crouched down next to his friend—his brother

“No, Marcus,” Gallowglass said

“It will hurt like hell at first, but you won’t feel much pain after that,” Marcus continued, as if his cousin hadn’t spoken “It takes a bit of getting used to, but you’ll have to drink blood to survive And you’ll have to learn to hunt You never could bait a fishhook, neverdown a deer, but I’ll teach you”

“Have you lost your fucking rabbed Marcus by his collar and hauled hi to start a family”

“Let go of lass” Marcus’s voice was even, but he was prepared to strangle the man if his cousin refused The more time that passed, the more obvious his choice became and the more resolute he was to save Vanderslice’s life “I’ve ripened now, you see, and I e, but that’s been true my whole life”

Marcus’s intentions lass dropped hi with appreciation

“He reminds me of that French kakker,” Vanderslice said “What was his na like that”

“De Clerlass said in unison

“That’s it De Clermont Wonder whatever happened to hiot his head chopped off in France, along with his friend”

“They’re both still alive, actually,” Marcus said “The chevalier de Clermont saved me at Yorktown I had a fever, like you”

Vanderslice looked at Marcus skeptically “Not even you can save one”

“Yes I can,” Marcus said

“Wanna bet?” Vanderslice was always up for a wager

“Don’t do it, Marcus,” Gallowglass warned “For the love of God, listen to me Mattheas never supposed to make any more children, and you’ve promised not to do it, either Granddad said—”

“Bugger off, Gallowglass,” Marcus said pleasantly He atching Vanderslice closely, and though he was lucid now, his heartbeat was skipping faster than Betsy had on her way to the tavern, and his breath was shallow “Take Betsy with you”

“If you break your word to Philippe, you’ll regret it,” Gallowglass said

“He’ll have to find me first,” Marcus replied “No lass”

“I thought that—once We all believed it, once” Gallowglass told him “And we all learned better”

“Thank you for bringing me to Philadelphia Please tell Ysabeau where I arandmother knehere he was, Mattheould find out And if Matthe, then he would inform Veronique—if she were still alive, that is Marcus could do nothing to save Veronique, but Vanderslice was another matter

“And that’s it Thanks, and don’t let the door hit you on the arse on your way out?” Gallowglass snorted He beckoned to Betsy, as listening to their conversation with interest “Come, lass Let’s let these two brew up their cup of disaster and drink from it, while we take a walk and look for your mam”

“Mu,” Betsy said

“We shall see if we can rouse her,” Gallowglass said, taking her by the hand “You best wake up, too, Marcus You can’t be turning everybody you love into wearhs It’s not how the world works”

“Good-bye, Gallowglass” Marcus looked over his shoulder “And Ime to Philadelphia”

Fever or no fever, this here Marcus was supposed to be Here, in this familiar place where he had saved some lives and been saved by Dr Otto’s faith in him and the Associators’ friendship Here, in Philadelphia, where he had drunk in the atmosphere of liberty and freedom in that heady summer of 1777

When the sounds of Gallowglass’s heavy footsteps and Betsy’s piping voice had faded, Marcus looked down to discover that Vanderslice was studying him

“You look exactly as you did fifteen years ago,” Vanderslice said “What are you, Marcus?”

“A vae of Vanderslice’s filthy bed “I drink blood Ani It keeps ” o;Been vacant for years,” Jones replied “Mr Girard took it over when the fever struck This is one of his wagons But these folks aren’t going to the hospital We’re headed to potter’s field”