The room erupted into objections. Voice overrode voice until complete sentences could not be distinguished. The two captains viewed each other solemnly. Cloud saw the brightness in her eyes fade. She smiled faintly, a smile of acceptance of something she had never accepted before in her life: defeat. She turned her head away from him, certain her defeat meant losing him-—not just for now, but forever. He willed her to face him again so he could tell her it was not true but she would not turn her head.
Mechanically, Alexis took her seat. She heard little of what was being said, wondering what it would be like in prison, then refusing to think about it. Her eyes focused on a flickering shadow on the opposite wall, and she made herself listen to parts of the conversation.
“Lafitte. She must bring us Lafitte.”
“She’ll change her mind once she realizes we are serious about these charges.”
“A few months waiting for trial will make her see she must cooperate.”
A dull, lifeless voice—she did not know whose—said she would be kept in Davidson’s home under guard until the following evening when the charges would be processed and other arrangements could be made. She felt a hand take her by the arm and help her to her feet. The hand was cold, clammy—or perhaps it was her own flesh that felt that way.
She did not turn back. She walked out of the room concentrating solely on the command from her brain to her feet.
Cloud stood, his face calm, a trace of a smile on his lips.
“Gentlemen, you have been very hard on Captain Danty this evening. I believe I can convince her tomorrow to see things my way, if you would permit me to speak with her. I will bring her belongings with me in case she chooses to disregard what I have to say.”
“What can you say to her that we haven’t said already, Captain?” Farthington asked.
Cloud smiled enigmatically. “If I could have a few hours alone with her I believe I can persuade her to do anything.”
Howe raised an eyebrow suggestively. “Oh, I see. Well, there will still have to be a guard at the door, but it can be arranged so no one will disturb you.”
“I understand. Any arrangements will be satisfactory. I will leave word of her decision with the guard.”
“Make her understand we do not want to press charges. She is forcing us to do it,” Granger said anxiously. “Can you make her see that?”
“I can make her understand what she must do.” Cloud stepped to the door. “If there is nothing else, gentlemen, I will be leaving now. This evening has been most instructive.”
As Cloud was leaving the house, Davidson returned to the dining room, slamming the door behind him. He pulled his chair out roughly and sat down. “Well, Senator?” he asked. “She is locked in the guest room with one of your men at the door. I can’t keep her there forever. Imagine the scandal if someone finds out she’s here. And I can’t very well tell anyone precisely who she is. What the hell are we going to do with her?”
“Do with her?” Howe asked, unconcerned. “Why we are going to do what we always planned. She is just as valuable as Lafitte. We’ll find another way to approach him if the captain is unsuccessful in convincing her.”
“You should have heard our dear captain, Robert,” Bennet said, fixing himself another drink. “‘A few hours alone and I believe I can persuade her to do anything,’ he says. That bastard! You’d think the sun rises and sets because he commands it to.”
“Shut up, Bennet,” Howe said pointedly, riveting his cold gray eyes on the young man. “You’re getting ugly.”
“I don’t think he should be allowed to see her tomorrow.”
“I disagree. He did not realize how serious we were until this evening. He will do everything he can to keep her out of prison, and that means convincing her to bring Lafitte. If he fails, then we still have her.”
“All right, Senator,” Bennet sighed. “We’ll do it your way. It will serve that arrogant son of a bitch right if he does persuade her.”
Chapter 13
When Cloud arrived at his home Tom Daniels had already spread the word that Alexis had been taken back to Davidson’s. As a result, Cloud found more men waiting impatiently in his drawing room than he would have liked.
Cloud paused at the entrance, long enough to let them see he was in no mood to make any explanations. Then he strode past them to the other side of the room to pour himself a glass of brandy. No one said a word.
“Captain Danty has refused to meet their demands,” Cloud said at last. “The charges will be processed against her and a trial will probably be held in the near future.”
“Those bastards!” Harry swore. “Who’d have thought they’d go ahead with prosecuting her?”
“Captain Danty did,” answered Cloud.
“Did Mr. Madison-—-” Forrest was cut off before he could complete his thought aloud.
“The President was not there. The others acted according to his wishes.”
