Here Comes a Candle (38 page)

She had never heard anything like the horrible, high-pitched scream that rose above the clamor of the guns.
“
I don
’
t know. Some new weapon? Jon, you can
’
t, it
’
s horrible—
”

“
It
’
s no place for you. Get back to Washington, Kate, and find Sarah for me. I know you will. I trust you. I love you. Let me say it, this once. And—I
’
ll come to Hillingford
’
s as soon as I can.
”

“
But, Jonathan—
”
tears fought with speech.

“
No.
”
His eyes held hers for a timeless moment before he pressed her hand once, hard, then turned away to take his place in the line.

She sat for a few moments quite still, watching the little band of sailors pull away, Jonathan
’
s figure gradually becoming indistinguishable from the rest as they moved steadily, relentlessly toward the battle on the other side of the hill. Tears streamed down her face. See him tonight? She would never see him again. But that did not absolve her from doing what he had asked. She turned Sampson once more and set out toward Washington.

The old horse was tiring now, and she had not the heart to press him. It was still intolerably hot, and a grisly picture flashed through her mind of the Baltimore
mili
tia
sweating it out in their winter uniforms. A little party of horsemen caught up and passed her at an uneasy trot, and this time she recognized the man in the black suit. Jemmy Madison had left the field of battle.

She tried to tell herself that this need not be so sinister as it seemed. Very likely he had merely been there to encourage the men before the fighting started. After all, he was known for a man of peace.

Yes—a man of peace, like Jonathan. War did strange things to people, she thought, and came to the top of a hill to see the Capitol standing before her and realize that she had missed the turn-off that would have taken her across country to Hillingford
’
s house. Nothing for it now but to take the road through town, and, perhaps, pick up some news on the way.

Outside the Capitol, sweating clerks were loading papers into wagons. She saw Madison
’
s party stop to speak to them and paused after them to ask,
“
What
’
s the news?
”

“
Terrible. The battle
’
s lost, he says. They
’
re in full flight on the Georgetown road. And look! this way too.
”

Turning in the saddle, she saw the first wave of fugitives coming in sight along the road and heard at the same moment the sound of gunfire from a new direction. Barney must have set up his guns at last, but surely too late for anything but a doomed rearguard action?

“
I
’
m sorry. What did you say?
”
The clerk was looking at her curiously.

“
That you
’
d best get going, ma
’
am, before they blow up the bridges. The redcoats will be here any time now, from what he says.
”
He did not dignify the President of the United States with any fuller description.

Full panic in Pennsylvania Avenue now, and when she got to the President
’
s house it was to see wagons drawn up there, too, and a hostiler
looking crowd surrounding them. No time to hope that the President
’
s wife, Dolly, was safely out of town. She must get quickly to Hillingford
’
s house and warn him of approaching disaster.

But when she got there she found that he had already heard the news from a party of stragglers who had paused to ask for water in their flight.
“
A shambles,
”
he said,
“
a disgrace. The English had some newfangled weapon, it seems, a rocket or something—a red glare and a great deal of noise, and no damage whatsoever, from what they say, but it panicked our men just the same. And now the Capitol
’
s wide open. We
’
ll never live this down. Never.
”

“
Not quite wide open.
”
Breathlessly, she told him about Commodore Barney and Jonathan.
“
But they can
’
t hold them long; a handful of men like that. I tried to get him to come away, Mr. Hillingford, but it was useless.
”

“
Of course. He and Barney are old friends, from his sea captain days. Comfort yourself that Jon was right, my dear. He couldn
’
t have come away.
”

“
I know.
”
It was cold comfort. She slid down from Sampson
’
s hot back.
“
Mr. Hillingford, what about Sarah?
”

“
No news I
’
m afraid. Mrs. Ellicott came back half an hour ago. Not a trace of them. Of course, in the general confusion—and, suppose they
’
ve used other names. An elementary precaution.
”

“
Yes.
”
She had thought of that too. So—what hope was there? But she had promised Jonathan. Very likely her last promise. A sudden vision of him, shirt sleeves rolled up, marching alongside Barney
’
s sailors, filled her eyes with tears.
“
Mr. Hillingford, we
must
find Sarah tonight. Don
’
t you see, if the English take the city—and there
’
s nothing but Commodore Barney to stop them—Mann
ing
ham will be able to join them without the slightest difficulty. It
’
s tonight or never.
”

“
Yes,
”
said Hillingford,
“
and—the guns have stopped.
”
He regretted it when he saw her blanched face.
“
Don
’
t worry too much, my dear. Barney
’
s a man of sense as well as courage. He won
’
t throw his men
’
s lives away. Wait; hope; Jonathan may be here any time. In the meanwhile, you must have something to eat. When he gets here will be time enough to think about Sarah.
”
He would not tell her now, while she looked so near to collapse, how little hope he really had of their finding the child. Instead, he made her sit down, eat some cold meat, and drink a glass of wine.

They tasted of dust and despair but did her good.
“
You think he
’
ll be able to get here?
”

“
Of course. The army
’
s retreating to Georgetown—even beyond, some of the stragglers say, but Jonathan won
’
t go. Well, there
’
s no need. He
’
s a civilian, a Federalist. Naturally, he
’
ll come here.
”

“
But Mr. Hillingford.
”
Here was the secret core of her terror.
“
If he
’
s taken prisoner, may they not shoot him as a spy?
”

“
Nonsense!
”
He was roundly comforting.
“
You
’
ve seen our soldiers! If they shoot everyone without uniform—why they
’
ll be busy with firing parties all week. Don
’
t worry so much, my dear. He
’
ll come back, I promise you. He was always lucky, Jonathan. Did he ever tell you about the time he fought the Barbary pirate? No? I thought not: he
’
s a great one for not talking about himself. Let me pour you another glass of wine, and I
’
ll tell you
...
”

“
No! No, thank you. We ought to be doing something.
”

“
What?
”
he asked reasonably.
“
Think a little, Mrs. Croston. The confusion is at its very worst now. Soldiers everywhere, civilian refugees still making their escape—I hear Dolly Madison left it pretty late, among others. It would be courting trouble to go out now—and, besides, we
’
d miss Jonathan. Just wait an hour or so: all the rats will have left; the streets will be empty—or at least emptier. Then, I promise you, if Jonathan has not arrived, I
’
ll come with you in one last round of the hotels. After all, there is one thing on our side. No need for Manningham to flee—or to hide, once he knows the English are here. He
’
ll be convinced everything is going his way.
”

“
And so it will be.
”
What comfort was there in this?

“
Yes, but don
’
t you see, the last thing Manningham must actually want is to be saddled with Sarah. Trust me; he
’
s been bluf
f
ing it so far; there will be another message from him. That
’
s what I
’
ve been counting on.
”

“
I see. Yes. You might be right at that. But, Mr. Hillingford, you ought not to stay here. Suppose the English sack the town.
”

“
I
’
ll suppose nothing of the kind. They
’
re not barbarians, after all. Oh—we may have trouble, just as we might from our own stragglers, but that
’
s a chance I
’
m prepared to take, and so is Mrs. Ellicott. We talked it over this morning. We
’
re too old, both of us, to be wandering round the country in an open wagon. And we
’
ve taken our precautions.
”

“
Precautions?
”

He laughed his dusty lawyer
’
s laugh.
“
I
’
m afraid you will think them very mundane, Mrs. Croston. But you must have noticed that all the fugitives who had knocked at the back door while we have been talking have gone away quite soon and quite cheerfully.
”

“
Yes, it
’
s true, I had thought it surprising.
”

“
Not surprising, Mrs. Croston; strategy. I always believe in expecting the worst: it
’
s part of a lawyer
’
s training. As soon as I heard the English had landed at Benedict I began making my preparations—or, to be precise, Mrs. Ellicott did. She has enough beer and meat pasties out back to feed a small army. And that
’
s what she
’
s doing. She gives them a drink—not too little, not too much—presses a pasty into their hand, and urges them to lose no time in getting to safety. T
he
y
’
re panicked already: it works like a charm. When the English come, it will be the same thing (I do hope she will not have run out of pasties) only, of course, she will marvel at their daring to stray so far from their camp—wherever it is. She
’
s a fine woman, my Mrs. Ellicott. I
’
m not sure I won
’
t marry her, when this is all over.
”

“
Mr. Hillingford,
”
she heard her own words with a kind of horrified surprise.
“
If Mrs. Penrose really goes to England with Charles Manningham, will
...
will Jonathan be able to divorce her?
”

“
No, my dear.
”
The dry voice was extraordinarily kind.
“
I would not be your friend if I let you indulge in hopes of that sort. And Jonathan—well, you know him; I don
’
t have to spell it out for you.
”

“
Thank you. No, you don
’
t. I—would you excuse me for a moment?
”

“
Cry here.
”
His voice was gentle now.
“
Just let yourself cry here, Mrs. Croston. I won
’
t interrupt.
”