Charon's Crossing

Color flew into Kathryn's cheeks. She turned the page quickly, unwilling to read such things. Matthew's longing for Catherine Russell was too intense. It was personal. And painful, though she knew it was crazy that the thought of a man she didn't know hungering for another woman should send such a sharp ache knifing through her heart.

The next page seemed safer. She took a breath and bent over the journal again.

... and, in my growing despair and frustration, foolishly blurted out what I have lately been thinking, that perhaps she finds more excitement in the secrecy of our meetings than joy in our relationship. Heaven forgive me, I said even worse things, accusing her of having no intention of letting me ask her father for her hand or, indeed, of ever becoming my wife.

"Finally," Kathryn said.

But the next sentence wiped the smile from her face.

I begged Catherine's forgiveness as soon as the foolish words had left my lips. I tried to explain that it had been desperation speaking, not me, but Cat was stunned, as well she might have been. She wrenched free of my arms and fled to the house, with me in pursuit.

And thus it was that I came upon an incredible scene...

* * *

They were in the drawing room, gathered around the fireplace, three men in huddled conversation.

Matthew only caught a glimpse of them before he fell back into the shadows as Cat slipped by, unseen. He recognized them all. One was Lord Waring, a despicable blowhard whom he'd seen slobbering over Catherine's hand far too often. Cat said he made her stomach turn but since he was head of the British garrison, she had no choice but to treat him politely.

The other was an influential Englishman, head of the most powerful bank on Elizabeth Island. The third man was the bewigged Lord Russell himself, who had evidently returned early from his trip.

Matthew hesitated. Now what? The situation seemed to have been dropped into his lap by fate. He could storm inside and confront Russell, stand up and declare his intentions and to hell with Cat's pleas that he be patient.

But even in his present state of mind, he knew that it would be foolish to do such a thing. First he had to soothe Cat, for he had upset her terribly. Besides, there were others in the room with Russell. No, this was certainly not the time to ask for Cat's hand.

He took a couple of deep breaths. There was nothing for it but to slip out the way he'd come, through the garden, without being seen. Tomorrow, he'd get a note to Catherin'l, beg her forgiveness for the things he'd said.

The banker lit a cigar. Waring frowned, pulled a ruffled handkerchief from his sleeve and waved it ostentatiously before his nose. The banker paid no attention and Waring walked to the French doors. Matthew fell back further into the shadows as he cracked them open.

The men's voices drifted out into the night.

"...great news, Killingworth," Russell said, "but can we trust this information?"

"Dammit, Russell, how many times must I tell you? Henry Clay and the Warhawks have won! On the first of June, President Madison sent the American Congress a secret message informing them that he intends to declare war on Great Britain on June the eighteenth."

Matthew stiffened. Christ, what was this?

"I'm simply trying to be certain we have our facts right," Catherine's father said in his upper-class English drawl. "If we make any precipitous moves..."

"Our spy in Washington has never been wrong, has he?"

Russell's appreciative chuckle drifted into the night.

"No. No, he has not. He's been worth every pound we've paid him."

"Then why should we doubt him now?" Waring asked. "The American government will make a formal declaration of war in six days."

"And no one in these waters will know it but us."

"Exactly."

There was a creak of wood, the sigh of upholstery. Russell's shadow drifted past the partly open doors.

"That's it, then, gentlemen. I shall move to seize all the American ships lying in the harbor on June the nineteenth, one day after war has been declared in Washington."

"Excellent," Waring said, chuckling. "By the time the Americans on Elizabeth Island find out they are at war with us, it will be all over."

"Remember," Russell said, "I'll want no ships destroyed. Make sure your troops underst