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Spanish beauty, half his age.”
    “You know him?” The woman
looked terrified. “You won’t tell him, will you?”
    “Of course I won’t tell him.
That would expose my son.” She walked back to the table and opened
her bag. “I have some camphor but it may hurt more than it helps.
The midwife that I assisted didn’t use any kind of topical
anesthetic.”
    Carlotta began to cry. “I’m
so ashamed.”
    Marina put her arm around
her. “That’s silly. You’re not the first young woman who married an
old man and wanted to know what life was really about.
Unfortunately, you chose my son.”
    “It isn’t Bill’s fault,”
Carlotta said quickly. “I like it. The bondage, I mean. He only
does it to give me pleasure.”
    “Yes, well, I think you may
be wrong about that, but I’d prefer not to discuss it.” Marina took
her arm from around the younger woman and blotted Carlotta’s tears
with her handkerchief. “We won’t do this until you’re ready. If you
haven’t bled to death by now you’re in no real danger.”
    “I’m sorry about how I
behaved earlier. You’re very kind and I’m grateful.”
    ~
    Marina and Thomas were
standing on the fantail of the ferry. “Do you have any cigars?” she
asked.
    Thomas nodded. “You’re not
going to smoke a cigar in public, I hope.”
    “Just light one and let me
have a puff or two. I’m exhausted.”
    Thomas went through the
ritual of clipping and trimming a small cigar then positioned
himself to screen Marina from the view of the other passengers
before giving her the cigar.
    Marina took a deep pull on
the cigar and inhaled the smoke through her nostrils as she
released it from her lips.
    Thomas looked nervously over
his shoulder.
    “It might be best if you
don’t mention this to your father,” Marina said.
    “Your smoking or William and
Justine - or whatever her name really is.”
    “Her name is Carlotta and
your father knows I smoke, Thomas.”
    “Where does he think you
are?”
    “West Point. William told
him that Robert was ill. When we get home, I’ll tell your father
that it was a false alarm and that Robert is perfectly healthy.
We’ll just have to hope that Robert goes along with the
lie.”
    “Robert will go along. He’s
terrified of William.”
    “You’re being overly
dramatic.”
    “Robert told me that William
is a monster.”
    Marina turned to look at him
and gave him back the cigar. “William is somewhat deviant in his
sexual behavior, as is that woman, but he’s not a
monster.”
    “I’d rather not discuss it,
Mother.”
    “Very well. I know this is
asking a lot but can you go back up to West Point tomorrow and get
your Uncle Thomas’s sailboat?”
    “William promised to bring
it back.”
    “I have no confidence in
William’s promises. Besides, you’re a much better sailor than
William. He almost drowned us both on the trip upriver.”
    “In William’s defense, Uncle
Thomas’s little sharpie is a fine boat for oystering on Long Island
Sound, but not for traveling against a heavy river current like the
Hudson.”
    “Will you get the boat or
must I do it myself?” she asked angrily.
    “Yes, Mother, I’ll get the
boat. But I can’t get it tomorrow.”
    “When then?”
    “As soon as I can,” he
snapped. “If that’s not good enough, please feel free to go get it
yourself.”

May 13, 1828
    Cornwall, New
York
     
    Carlotta Dubois opened the
door of William Van Buskirk’s house. “Bill’s not here.”
    “I know,” Thomas said. “I
had to come back up here to get my uncle’s sailboat so I thought
I’d check on you.”
    “Check on me?”
    “See how you are. See if you
need anything.”
    “Oh.” She stepped back.
“Come in.”
    Thomas followed her inside
and closed the door. “William says that he hasn’t seen you since my
mother – my mother’s visit.”
    “That’s true. I’ve sent him
a dozen messages but he refuses to answer.” She led him into the
parlor and sat down on the couch and began to