Forever Young Birth Of A Nation (33 page)

“Yes. Someone from Europe has followed Ian
or me to New York, and it is for no good purpose.”

“Why would they be so careless? I cannot
imagine a more stupid thing for a vampire to do than to make a kill
nearly across the street from a place they are watching.”

“What if a vampire followed Ian here and is
now forcing people to
cross over
in order to build a coven
of their own?”

He sat thinking about that while staring
into the fire, and then he replied “Do you have any idea who it
could be?”

“No. I was out of Ian’s life for so long I
haven’t a lot to go on regarding this. I do know that on the night
that the fire trapped me at the Francoise mansion, there were so
many vampires there that some of them escaped. We did not kill them
all. In fact I cut a hand off of one and I am sure he escaped.”

“Ian cut a foot off of one but he found him
in Paris and killed him.”

“Yes, I was told about that one. Marie gave
me some history of the raids they did after I went missing. One got
away in Austria too I hear.”

“Do you think they found each other somehow
and have tracked Ian here?”

“As far-fetched as that sounds, it would
explain this. Then again, it could all be a coincidence I suppose”
she sighed as she stared into the fire.

Stuart said “You do not believe it is a
coincidence do you?”

Shaking her head then she said “No. I think
a vampire coven is being directed to hunt and find Ian” she said
and looked at Stuart, allowing her exquisite gray eyes to glow
brightly for a couple of seconds before concluding by saying “They
might find more than they bargained for.”

Chief of the King’s Gendarmes Claude
Rousseau peered intently at the letter he had just opened. That it
was from the Laforges there could be no doubt. Their peculiar
symbol was readily identifiable in the top center of the page. It
instructed him that from that day henceforth he would talk
favorably towards France joining America in the war against Great
Britain. He was to take any and all opportunity to promote that
view in his daily contact with government officials and in his
private life as well. A list of eight reasons to support this
position was furnished and that part of the letter could be
separately recorded in his own handwriting for his convenience
should he need to refer to it from time to time. He was also
instructed to afford every courtesy to Dr. Benjamin Franklin, the
American Emissary now living in the town of Passy. He looked
forward to that part, always having wanted to meet the man since
hearing of him. The letter itself however had to be burnt at once,
as per the agreement with Monsieur Laforge that he made in
Marseille on the day that the Laforges first contacted him nearly
ten years ago.

As he watched the letter burn in a bronze
bowl he reflected on the arrangement he had made that fateful day
in Marseille. True to their word the Laforges had seen to it that
he was promoted to become chief of the King’s Gendarmes and indeed
there was a growing private bank account of his in Lausanne, in the
Swiss Confederation. Life was good for him and his family which now
numbered four children. To this day birthday gifts arrived for them
shortly before their birthdays as well as for him and his wife.
Their anniversary was never forgotten by the Laforges nor was
Christmastime ever forgotten either.

Without a doubt he would promote the cause
of France entering the war on the side of the Americans.
Considering the eight reasons listed, he reflected upon them. A
chance for France to regain some territory lost to Great Britain in
the Treaty of 1763, a distraction for the British as France could
aid Spain and attack the British-held stronghold of Gibraltar
simultaneously, ending a long term of British control of the
Mediterranean Sea. Those two alone were quite attractive to more
than a few Frenchmen whom he knew. This would not be a hard thing
to do at all.

He had no doubt that the other eight chief
ministers in the government of Louis XV would receive the same
letter and be getting ready to do the same thing as he. He was also
certain that as it was with him, they could never ask another about
whether they had an arrangement with the Laforges or even to
mention their name in public. As he looked out the window
overlooking the Champs Elysees in the drizzling rain he wondered at
the power and reach of the Laforges with amazement.

***

On a fine day in April, no one paid any
attention to a clean-shaven tall gentleman making his way down Wall
Street toward the building designated as the Milliken Merchants’
Bank of New York. Dressed in the custom of the day, he had on a new
black tri corner hat, black coat and pants, with light gray
knee-length hose and black shoes. Complete with a fluffy white wig,
he appeared to only be a prosperous Tory businessman, one of the
growing number of war profiteers now to be found in New York City.
He walked past the place, noting the strong British military
presence there, evidenced by two guards outside standing one to
each side of the main entrance. A sporadic traffic of redcoats
passed in and out of those doors at intervals.

Walking past without a backward glance he
continued onward to Government House some eight blocks away. He had
never seen such a presence of British Military as was to be seen
there before. When last he had been in New York it was not
officially occupied and there was only a token military presence.
That had changed drastically in just a year.

Buying a copy of the New York Gazette, he
sat on a public bench on a corner adjacent to an area designated as
Central Commons, reading the Tory propaganda about the glorious
progress the British were making against the rebels and how supreme
commander Howe would surely be victorious in only another year at
most.

He never noticed the large well-appointed
carriage that passed by nor the lovely woman wearing sun glasses
and a broad-brimmed hat looking out the window as she passed by. He
was too intent on the article he was reading about the new
construction following the fire of last September to notice her
companion in the other window, a young dark haired man who looked a
lot like him.

***

Cosette spoke as the carriage rocked along
heading toward Wall street. “Laura, have you not gotten even one
letter from James since he left”? She looked idly at a gentleman in
black with a fashionable white wig, wearing a black broad-brimmed
tri corner hat and reading a newspaper.

“No. I suspect that he does not want to
cause trouble between us and the crown. With this occupation now I
do not expect to see him soon either. Every day we go to the new
bank building he and Ian started and every day we do not see either
of them. It is discouraging to say the least.”

Cosette spoke then saying “I suppose I
should not insist on going down to Wall Street so often, but I
cannot think of another thing to do but wait for the two of them to
return. I just keep hoping for a random encounter, and I suppose
that is wishful thinking.”

“Well one thing that we dreaded has not
happened. The British have not dared to order us to quarter any of
their soldiers.” The others laughed then as Rebecca said “That will
not happen now after what Aunt Thelma put General Howe through last
year! I doubt that I shall ever forget the sight of General Howe on
her front porch, hat in hand begging forgiveness for the stupidity
of Colonel Grundy.”

Stuart said “Did you not tell us that he was
now Lieutenant Grundy? Was he not held responsible for something
that happened in Boston last year, Rebecca?”

“Yes he was held to account for the robbery
of a payroll ship in Boston Harbor. Papa told me to keep quiet
about it as the Admiralty does not want the story getting
around.”

“Oho; No doubt!” exclaimed Stuart with a
laugh, echoed by the other three as the carriage rocked along.

***

Ian finished reading the last article in the
Gazette and idly watched a finely appointed carriage turn a corner
as he sighed deeply.
I am not walking into government House to
demand that our bank building be returned to us. That would be
confrontational and they desperately need the space to quarter
troops what with one fourth of the city burnt down. Those troops
would just be forced on others to be housed and we still would not
dare to open the bank in this climate.
His thoughts turned then
to Boston and to Moon Owl. He resolved to go to the room in Hoboken
that he rented from the carpenter and change into his frontier
clothing that night and go to Boston. It would be good to see James
and Melissa and he could visit them awhile before going to see Moon
Owl.

I will post letters to everyone before
leaving here today and that way all will be apprised of the
situation here and of my whereabouts this spring. I could say hello
to the Millhouses, but what if Tory spies are watching them? What
if Rebecca is there? It would be best to forget that idea. No
letter either. Agents of the Crown might intercept those and who
knows my official status, me having been missing for so long? It
will be wonderful to see Moon Owl again.

***

Suddenly Cosette sat bolt upright and
shouted “Stop! Stop the carriage! Turn it around quickly!”

The other three looked at her with concern
as she said “I think I saw Ian! I think he was on that park bench
back there at Central Commons!” Leaning out the window she called
to the driver to tell him to circle back to the park.

In only four minutes they had returned to
the site and Cosette was out of the carriage so fast that everyone
was astounded as she ran to the very bench where Ian had been
sitting and looked around anxiously in every direction. Quickly and
nimbly she hopped onto the bench and then incredibly up on the
backrest, easily and gracefully balanced there like a bird as she
peered intently in a complete circle, looking for Ian. At last she
hopped down from the top of the park bench, the other two ladies
and the driver all looking on in amazement at that feat even while
she had a forlorn look on her face.

Looking around at the others she said “I saw
a man here reading a newspaper and he was wearing a white wig, and
after we got around that corner down the street, it occurred to me
that it was Ian in disguise.” She looked anxiously about once again
and then she saw a newspaper, neatly folded and tucked between the
slats of the bench. She darted to it and snatched it up as if it
held directions to where her love was waiting. She rapidly looked
the entire paper over as if there would be a clue there and then
she sighed deeply and looked at the others, saying “I apologize to
all of you. It….it just suddenly seemed as if I had seen Ian and
I…I guess…..well… I just hoped that it was him.”

Rebecca and Laura came to her then and each
put an arm around her shoulders and comforted her as she looked
about shaking her head and apologizing again, even though she was
thinking
was that you, Ian? Are you in New York? Please come
back to me…

***

“Marie! Marie! Come quickly!”

In a flash Marie was in Celeste’s bedroom
“What is it dear?”

“My God! I thought I saw Ian!”

“What?”

“Yes, yes…I was holding the baby and we were
both saying Cosette’s name and suddenly I could see that she was
riding in a carriage with Stuart and two young ladies. They were in
New York I am sure. I saw many buildings that had burnt. But Marie,
something wonderful happened!” At this she got up and whirled
around holding the baby up as little Celine giggled and waved her
tiny hands about in joy.

“You saw him too didn’t you, baby? You saw
Cosette seeing Ian didn’t you?”

The baby gurgled and laughed, saying
“Cosette….see Cosette…Cosette riding.” Marie stared slack-jawed in
awe, waiting for what would come next.

“Marie, I was holding Celeste to my breast
and just singing to her and I said Cosette’s name and suddenly we
were there, but then suddenly I could see with her eyes! My God, I
saw a man on a park bench with a black suit and a black hat and
wearing a white wig reading a paper as the carriage passed by!
Marie, I think it was Ian wearing a disguise!”

Wide-eyed Marie said “God be praised! Tell
me, Celeste!”

The baby then said “Cosette sees Ian…Cosette
riding” as she laughed and gurgled in joy. Marie stared spellbound
at Celeste, wide-eyed in wonderment and then quickly she wheeled
and shouted joyously “In here everyone! In here right now! Hurry!
Hurry!”

In seconds the others were there at vampire
speed, looking expectantly at Marie and Celeste as Celeste related
the entire incident, adding that Cosette had returned to find him
gone.

Louis said “He could be wearing a wig as a
disguise, not knowing his status. I mean, you know, in
British-occupied New York City and all.” There was then a flurry of
speculation as Liri finally reached the room, wondering what all of
the excitement was about.

Celeste said “There is more. I screamed at
Cosette, in my mind that is. I told her to turn that carriage
around and go to Ian!”

“And?”

“And she did, praise God, she did! She went
back to look and…well he was gone, but I think she heard me in her
mind! I think my gift is growing stronger.”

The room fell silent as the enormity of that
came over everyone there. The grandfather clock in the foyer chimed
the hour as a cuckoo clock in the kitchen sounded off distantly,
even as everyone looked at each other in astonishment.

Suddenly Marie came to Celeste and took her
in her arms and kissed her on each cheek and then on the forehead
and hugged her beaming a dazzling smile to everyone as she said
“Praise God everyone! Celeste is
imprinting
her gift. She
will carry it as she is
crossing over
now! It will be a part
of her forever! Oh, this is wonderful! I wish Henri was here! Come
Celeste, we must get you back out in the sunshine again. Come now,
come along!”