A Light in the Darkness- Chapter Three

Three

My days went on monotonously after that night, whirling with the usual purposeless activity as my heart was tortured with waiting. I welcomed the distraction of work and the weather- spring had arrived and each day was glorious. The errands I was assigned I enjoyed, for I could then experience the sun and breeze and warmth, a wonderful respite from wondering. However, as I walked my mind did spin. What was to come of my conversation with de Blays? Would he investigate my defense seriously? Or would he be callous and stubborn and forget we had spoken? I had no reason to think he would be merciful. He had saved me- out of duty- so apparently he had been well brought up, but kindness I had not seen from him. He despised me- and for no just reason. Yet, something about his demeanor that night...
I forced myself to pull away from my reflections and realized I was in the middle of Mulligan’s store, my arms full of goods. How could I get so lost in my thoughts? I had no inkling of what I had been doing. Examining what I was holding, I realized I had everything I needed- I paid for them with the money I had been given.
But before I left the clerk said in a low and intense tone,, “Miss Patten?”
I looked at him sharply; I knew him not, but said, “Yes?”
He slipped me an envelope, “From Sir de Blays,” he said, and retreated to the back room. Sense ruled my curiosity and I put it in my pocket for later, then stepped out once more into the brilliant day, the encounter seeming even stranger in the bright daylight. Knowing speculating about the letter would help me none, I cleared my mind of it, and, stepping around people on the busy streets, focused on my next errand. However, as I walked down a side ally, a soldier standing in my path would not let me pass.
“Not so fast,” he growled, “What do you think, boys?” he said to the two others with him.
One gave me a long scrutinizing glance, then responded.. “You’re quick. It’s her for sure. Hope Patten.”
“In that case,” the first said, grabbing my arm, “You’re under arrest, Miss Patten, for corresponding with spies and other various treasonous actions against The Crown.”
I was completely at a loss. “I cannot fathom what you speak of- this must be a mistake,” I stammered.
“I doubt you’d want dishonesty to be added to you charges,” the second sneered- he seemed to be the somewhat clever one, while the first was the brawn, “You, Miss Patten, have been seen by multiple persons with known spy Wilson de Blays.”
So that was why de Blays had cared so much about me passing on intelligence- he was a patriot spy! And he had now implicated me for his side! “I did not know of his allegiances to the rebels,” I said.
“That,” the clever one snapped, “is for the general to decide.” They pulled me along and I suddenly remembered the letter. That would incriminate me for certain! What if they searched me? I prayed to God that they would not. A mansion served as the lodgings and headquarters of the general- I was brought into a study and the interrogation began.
No matter what I said, the general would not accept that I knew nothing of de Blays’ spying. That was for good reason, for I knew a little- and I had the letter. But I would not give in. Sir de Blays was a patriot- helping to implicate him would go against my beliefs, father’s beliefs. In addition, he had saved me. There was not a chance I would betray him, even when the general said I would not be let free until I did, even when I became exhausted and dejected. God help me. At last we locked in a stale mate, staring at each other across his desk, he tired of my dodging answers, me nearly worn out. A knock on the thick wooden door broke the silence.
“You may enter,” the general bellowed. Sir de Blays walked in- they have caught him!
“She has passed?” he asked the general.
“Absolutely. Flawlessly,” the general answered.
Sir de Blays walked to me and, grasping my hands, pulled me up out of my chair and said, “Miss Patten, I welcome you as a patriot to the New York spy ring.”
“What’s going on?” I asked, pulling my hands away and looking from de Blays to the general, my mind working to make sense of it.
“Forgive me,” Sir de Blays said, “You would be confused. I’ll explain. But would you like to go out to the garden?”
“This is ridiculous! Am I not being arrested?” I said; I just wanted to understand.
“No, no; that was staged,” Relief like that of waking up after a nightmare swept through me, but I was still not comprehending what was going on, “Let’s go,” he said. We stepped outside and I found myself in a neat spring garden, trees in bloom, new flowers springing up. We came to a bench, right in the middle of it all, and he sat down and motioned for me to join him. For a moment, we sat in silence. He laughed nervously, “I don’t know where to begin…” he admitted. “Well, to start out, I’ve basically been completely wrong about you and I now know you are the exact opposite of what I thought in every way….after what Elise told me, that is. I went to her to see if what you had told me on the night you were attacked by Swenson and Grimmer had any truth to it at all. When she found out all the things I had presupposed about you she was furious,” he smiled wryly.
“And that came as a surprise to you, did it not?” I interjected.
“Yes; completely. You know how she‘s so agreeable and acquiescent normally. But you’re very important to her. She told me I was a fool for even thinking something as ridiculous as you spying on her family and passing on intelligence. She informed me in no uncertain terms of just how faithful of a friend you had been; carelessly she said that you were the exact sort of person I’d want on my side. And that’s where it started.”
“What?” I asked.
“The idea that you could be a spy,” he said. I wasn’t sure what I thought of that, “I’ve been sent to this city by a certain patriot general specifically to gather intelligence. He gave me the name of the Rivieres as an ally; they knew my business here; Elise knew I was in need of a helper. In short, after we had discussed it, we agreed you would be perfect, and that you’d want to do it. But you still needed to be tested, hence, the arrest today; it was staged. I’m sorry I had to put you through that; for certain I’ve already caused you enough pain…” he stared off into space, “Agh! I’ve been such an idiot. I had never even met you but because of what I saw I made assumptions. They couldn’t have been farther from the truth. I treated you terribly, especially that night you were assaulted. You had gone through so much and I couldn’t even spare some courtesy,” he looked at me again, “So, Miss Patten, I know I don’t deserve it, but I am asking your forgiveness.”
He said it so sincerely; he was laying his heart bare for me. There was no way I could refuse him. He was not the villain I had made him out to be, “You’ve left me no reason to deny you. Of course I forgive you,” I said, “And I have been wrong about you as well.”
“I doubt that,” he said, shaking his head, ashamed, “Though I’ve done one thing,” he added, “Swenson and Grimmer have been dismissed from the Mathews household.”
“Thank God,” I breathed, and paused in thought, “Now I’m a spy…” I said.
“That is what you want, is it not?” he asked, concerned.
“It is, exactly. I’ve always been adventurous at heart,” I smiled mischievously, then added more solemnly, “And it will be fulfilling my father’s dream, finishing what he started. He would be so happy to see me, though he would never have chosen it for me, because of all the danger… This can be my greater cause to live for, beyond my work. I feel as if everything in my life is coming together, fixed. Even my friendship with Elise…”
“How could I do that to you?” he said, berating himself, “How could I be so stupid, and selfish, and blind, and-“
“Don’t do this to yourself!” I cried, “Listen: you’ve made right the wrong you did; I’ve forgiven you. It’s behind us and revisiting it will not help us.”
He looked at me amazed, “And after all the hurt I caused you….” he paused, then said, his voice and eyes full of sincerity, “Thank you.” Another pause. “So then, Miss Patten, shall I introduce you to the rules of spying in New York City?”
“Yes, go on, please do,” I said, and a new chapter of my life began.