“Libby, will you show Lieutenant Addison to the outbuilding, please?”
I nodded, assuming she meant the old stable near the back of the property. “Aye. Follow me.”
I led the lieutenant through the hall and toward the back door. He glanced into the sitting room and looked up the stairs as we walked, as if he were searching for something. When he caught my eye, he smiled.
Abraham and Mariah were at work in the gardens, and the girls were sitting in the shade of a tree, playing with their rag dolls, as I led the lieutenant into the backyard. Abraham stood with his hoe in his hand, a frown on his face, but he did not question me. Instead, he sent a curious glance toward his wife, who responded with her own perplexed look.
I walked along the path to the back gate, near where Henry had stood with me on the night of my twentieth birthday. The old stable had been built with the same red brick as our home, but the wood shingles had been in disrepair for some time, and the wooden door creaked on its hinges.
“Here is the building,” I said. “’Tis not much, I’m afraid.”
He walked up to the structure and looked all around it, tapping the wall as if inspecting whether it would hold. “It will do.”
Thankfully this building was at the back of the property. Hopefully that meant we wouldn’t see much of Lieutenant Addison. I had never seen him in Williamsburg before. Mayhap he’d only just arrived. But that left the question of whether Governor Dunmore had requested more soldiers.
I pointed to Nicholson Street, which ran behind the stable. “This road will take you to the Palace Green.”
He looked in the direction I pointed, smiling and nodding his understanding. “Thank you, Miss Conant. ’Tis been a pleasure meeting you.”
He hadn’t really met me, but I nodded in response and then left, not knowing what—if anything—I should say. I did not want to welcome him or make him feel at home.
When I was near Abraham and Mariah, they stopped their work and met me on the path.
“What is he doing here?” Abraham asked, his gaze hard with suspicion.
I glanced toward the stable. “He’s been quartered here by order of the governor.”
Abraham frowned. “There’s never been a problem housing the soldiers before.”
I shrugged, uncertain why things had changed.
Leaving them, I returned to the office, where Mama was staring out the window. She glanced at me when I arrived, her lips pressed together in frustration.
“I have a feeling I know why the governor sent that officer to us,” she said.
“You do?” I sat on my chair and leaned forward.
“We printed the resolution for the day of prayer, and we also printed the petition to boycott British goods. And today, Mister Jefferson brought us his pamphlet to be printed for the Continental Congress.”
“But we’re the public printer.”
“None of those things were sanctioned by the governor or his council.” Mama shook her head. “Mark my words. Governor Dunmore is putting pressure on us, hoping we’ll not assist the Patriots. Lieutenant Addison has been sent to keep an eye on us, and if we’re not careful, the governor may rescind our contract.”
“Truly?” Alarm finally registered in my gut. The contract was the only thing keeping us out of debtor’s prison. “Are we in danger?”
“All of us are in danger, Libby.” She crossed her arms, looking out the window, up and down the street. “The governor is displeased with us. I’m certain of it. I don’t know of anyone else in Williamsburg who has an officer quartered with them—and a lieutenant, nonetheless.”
If what she said was true, no one would be free to come and go from our establishment without the governor being privy to the information. Men like Mister Jefferson and Henry would be watched carefully.
“What will we do?” I asked her.
“Nothing. We will do nothing different than we’ve been doing.”
I wanted to share in her confidence, but a niggle of unease twisted in my stomach, and I sent up a prayer of protection.
Our enemy was in our very own backyard, and there was nothing we could do. It would make all of our future work more difficult and dangerous.
16
