A rolled scrap of thin paper fell out onto her desk.
Lucy ignored it and studied a barely visible maker’s mark of PR on the right side of the hidden compartment. Had the piece been crafted by Paul Revere, a Boston silversmith and one of the Sons of Liberty?
Marveling over that notion, she sucked in a gasp when she read the inscription on the left side of the hidden compartment.
Martha Washington
“Oh my,” Lucy whispered, wondering if Patsy, as the woman had referred to herself, was really the wife of General George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.
Dozens of questions danced through Lucy’s mind while she finished polishing the locket. As she worked to insert the paper back into the hidden compartment, it slipped from her fingers and unfurled on her desk.
“I shouldn’t read this,” she said, even as she lifted the scrap and frowned at the unfamiliar text.
Amm trnspt shps LI Hbr frst Agst
“What on earth does that mean?” Lucy questioned aloud.
“It’s a code,” Theo said, speaking beside her and startling her so badly that she yelped in surprise and dropped the locket.
Thankfully, it fell onto her lap instead of the floor. She set it on the desk as she glowered at her brother. “Theo! What have I said? Just earlier today, in fact?”
“Not to sneak up on you, but I was sure you heard me come up the stairs. I made so much noise, you should have thought the whole army of Redcoats was storming upon you. Papa sent me to tell you it’s time to get back to work.” Theo pointed to the locket. “What’s that?”
“None of your concern.” Lucy covered the locket with her hand.
Theo retrieved the scrap of paper that had fallen to the floor. “It could be from a spy. I heard Tommy Dinsmore tell Miles Evans that there are spies everywhere. They pass notes back and forth.” He scrunched up his nose in thought as he read the message. “I think the first word means ammunition.”
Lucy stared at the child, shocked to consider he might be right. It would certainly explain why Patsy—more likely known as Martha Washington—had been dashing down the street earlier, pursued by the men, and why the man who claimed his name was Branch Barton had been watching them and tried to intercept the gloves that had hidden the locket. Had Mrs. Washington’s arrival at the shop put them all in jeopardy?
Surely not, or the woman wouldn’t have come inside.
For all Lucy knew, the words scribbled on the paper in the locket could be the writings of a madman, or a list for a servant, or … code words from spies.
Lucy carefully rolled the slip of paper and tucked it into the locket. She closed the back and the front, gave it another quick polish, and slipped it into her pocket.
“You mustn’t say anything about the locket nor the coded message, Theo. Not even to Mama and Papa. Do you promise?” Lucy asked, rising to her feet and holding out a hand to Theo.
“I promise!” Theo took her hand and accompanied her downstairs.
Their mother was in the kitchen kneading bread. From the puffs of air blowing through the room, Lucy assumed her fatherhad returned to the shop and opened the door, allowing a welcome breeze to drift inside and create a cross draft.
Lucy fingered the locket and strode into the shop, intent on keeping Martha Washington’s piece of jewelry a secret, and finding out exactly what the words meant.
If it were something that would help the Patriots, Lucy would do everything she could to be of assistance.
Two
“Wow!” Theo whispered, his mouth falling open as he stared in wonder at the enormous Society Hill home before them.
Desperate to leave the shop and arrive for her meeting on time, Lucy had wanted to shout in frustration when her mother had insisted, and her father had agreed, that it would be good for Theo to accompany her on the delivery. Neither of her parents understood the importance of the meeting, or what she hoped would be a significant conversation. One that might even alter the course of her future.
The last thing she wanted was her little brother traipsing after her.
However, she couldn’t explain the reasons why it would be best to leave Theo at home without divulging details about the locket. Oddly enough, the only other person who was aware it was safely hidden in her pocket was Theo, who was too young to be counted on to keep quiet.
Lucy gave the child due credit for not mentioning the locket, nor the coded words they had spent the entire walk to SocietyHill attempting to decipher. Theo, with his active imagination, had been full of ideas.
If the words were looked at from the standpoint of aiding the Continental Army in the war, then perhaps they had figured them out correctly, assuming the message alluded to the arrival of ships carrying ammunition in Long Island Harbor in August. If not, they had merely enjoyed a rather jolly time together, speculating possibilities.
