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My ic almost depleted, I took my final fiery arrow and sent it into the ical flah the water, past the two boats of astonished spectators Fish, seabeasts, and mermen and mermaids leaped into the air like sculpted soap bubbles, shi before they popped and disappeared like dreams
The firedrake and griffin faded and then disappeared The Catherine wheels spun to a stop
Matthew broke the silence that folloith an unscripted addition to our fireworks display
“We are such stuff / As dreams are made on,” Matthew said softly, “and our little life / Is rounded with a sleep”
—
ONCE THE CHILDREN WERE PUT to bed, the adults gathered in the kitchen
“I don’t re thisaround as though the space were unfamiliar to him “I must say, it’s a pleasant room”
Sarah and I exchanged sun
“You should sleep in to the sht”
“It orth it” I raised ht Hers was much better than e normally drank “To life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
The family joined in the toast, and I saw even Fernando touch his wineglass to Baldwin’s, a definite hint that the de Clerht one day form a more perfect union
“I wonder what they’re doing in Hadley to celebrate,” Marcus said “It’s funny I go for decades without ever thinking of hoht, it was the sht from the fireworks”
“When was the last time you saw Hadley?” Sarah asked
“When I left America in 1781 I almost returned—once But I went to New Orleans instead,” Marcus replied “Ever since Iher there, after she finds out about Obadiah If she still wants me after that”
“She’ll still want you” Of this, I was certain
“As for Hadley, you can go back anytime you want,” Matthew said “The house is yours”
“What?” Marcus seemed confused
“Obviously you haven’t waded through all of the Knights of Lazarus’s real estate transactions,” Matthew said drily “I bought it from your mother, just before she and the rest of the family moved to Pennsylvania Patience’s husband received a war pension, and they took it in the forrant”
“I don’t understand,” Marcus said numbly “How could you have known then that I would ever want to return?”
“Because it’s your home, the land where you were born,” Matthew said “Terrible things happened to you there, and you suffered as no child should have to suffer”
I thought of Mattheho, like Marcus, had chosen to end Philippe’s life rather than let his father live a broken man These were not empty words to him He spoke from the heart—and from experience
“Ti these old wounds,” Matthew continued “Then a day coer pain us as they once did I hoped that would be the case with you I sa much you loved Hadley even when the memories of your father were still fresh and sharp, in 1781”
“So you bought the farm,” Marcus said carefully “And kept it”
“And took care of it,” Matthew said “The land has been worked ever since I leased it to the Pruitts for as long as I could”
“Zeb’s family?”
Matthew nodded
Marcus buried his face in his hands, overcome with emotion
“The hidden hand need not always be a crushing grip,” Ysabeau said gently, looking at Mattheith love “The touch we feel as a restraint e are younger has a way of bringing us comfort later in our lives”
“We all chafed under Philippe’s rules, Marcus,” Baldwin said “It just never occurred to us that it should—or even could—be any other way”
Marcus thought about his uncle’s words for a moment
“I blamed Matthew for what happened, at first He see to taketiht in the same trap of loyalty and obedience that snared er to adht to co”
I could see from his expression that this was news to Matthew
“I was too young to have children of my own I should have learnedmore If you hadn’t co what ht have happened But it would have been even bloodier—that I know for sure”
Marcus leaned on the kitchen island, his fingers tracing the rough scars and gouges in the wood
“Whenever I think of that time in my life, what I rean with one, and I left the city after a hundred more had taken place,” he said quietly “Other people think of bright colors and laughter and parades when they think of New Orleans But it has a darker side now—and it did then, too”
32
Future
JANUARY 1805–SEPTEMBER 1817
Marcus was returning ho when he ca off aand Christopher Streets The wooden houses and shops were shuttered, and there were no passersby to intervene The h he’d been knocked down and hauled back onto his feet only to be knocked down again
“Gettaway,” theat the boys His slurred speech indicated that he had been drinking Heavily
“Corandpa Where’s your patriotism?” one of the boys jeered “We’re all entitled to some happiness, aren’t we?”
The rabble joined in with catcalls, and the circle around the htened
Marcus shoved the young ht in rapid succession The crowd parted The old ainst a brick wall, his stance unsteady and his eyes unfocused The acrid s both hands in the air, a gesture of surrender
“Don’t hurt me,” the man said
“Mr Paine?” Marcus stared at the es of dirt and beneath the frowsy, disorderly gray hair was a familiar face
Paine squinted at Marcus, trying to ascertain whether he was friend or foe
“It’s Marcus—Marcus de Clermont” He extended a hand in friendship “From Paris”
“Hey, mister, you’ll have to wait your turn,” one of the boys said His fists were bloody and his nose was running with the cold
Marcus turned on him and bared his teeth The boy stepped back, eyes wide
“Find sorowled
The boys stood their ground, uncertain of what to do next The pack leader, a burly thug of a teenager with a bad complexion and no front teeth, decided to take Marcus on He stepped forward, fists raised
Marcus flattened hied hi anxious looks over their shoulder
“Thank you, friend” Tho fro drink “What did you say your name was?”
“Marcus de Cler the jug of ruet you home”
Paine gave off a distinctive scent of alcohol, ink, and salt beef Marcus followed his nose and tracked the cohouse set in theStreet just to the south Inside, candles illuminated the slats in the shutters