by Clay Moore
“What way,” asked William?
“I never thought that a woman could be so deadly.”
“Then you learned a lesson this day, Nob.”
“What, pray tell, would that be?”
“Never, ever, argue with a Librarian.”
“Especially yours, William?”
“Especially mine, Nob.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“Why would they use my library as a way of communicating?”
“All of the master spies know that they should not come into the house. They have suborned a Secret Service man or woman. The book never seemed to leave the shelf. Still they managed to get someone through our front doors so that they could retrieve the message. He took the book which was the only message.”
“What will they do to the spy in our midst.”
“They will keep him alive and let him report on things we want the confederates to know. The library will require sign in before people are let in. You will be safe.”
“I feel safer with this.”
She waved around the derringer she carried in a pocket of her skirt. William caught her wrist. He gently removed the gun from her hand.
“I’d feel safer if you treat all guns as likely to fire.”
She rested her head on William’s shoulder watching him take out the fired round and putting in another bullet. He put the derringer back in her hand.
“I killed someone today.”
“By doing so you save the life of more Union soldiers. More wives will not have to feel the sting of their loved one’s death.”
“That is good. Is that how you live with what you do.”
“No, across the way in Richmond, I see traitors to their country. Some people cannot see them without thinking them normal Americans. They are dealing with the enemy!”
“I didn’t know that you were this patriotic.”
“Not patriotism. Pragmatism. A free economy cannot survive when there is a population working and not enjoying the fruits of their labor. Everyone who works should be allowed to buy what they need or want. This is the Free Enterprise System. Now you got me telling you my manifesto.”
“William, help me with these books. You have time to help me sort them?”
“Yeah. I have time.”
“William, do you love me?”
William answered by giving her kiss.
“I should ask you if you love me more often.”
“If I wooed you the way I want to woo you. I would be touching you a lot. All within propriety, of course.”
Rowena looked around. No one was near. “Fuck Propriety. I know what young men and women do in their bedrooms. I am a woman and you are my man. I love you, too. I ache for the moment when you do touch me inappropriately.”
She turned leaving a stunned William. Rowena was no shrinking violet. In her speech she intimated that she craved physical contact from her man.
“Are you coming?”
William smiled. He trotted to her, gave her quick kiss and took books from the stacks.
Rowena was a beautiful taskmaster. William did not mind working under her demanding gaze. He also learned a lot about library science. There were a few works that seemed odd to have in a library, like the large book of bird watercolors by Audubon.
“Why have these books int he a library supporting a policing and protecting agency?”
“I know the you want the most erudite books on the mechanical engineering side of things, and we will have those. However, even police need a wide ranging collection of books on theology, biology and medical science. There is even a place for popular fiction lick Dickens, Bronte, Edgar Allan Poe. I shall also subscribe to the
Rowena said after she finished the sorting of the books and their placement, “There.” Then she turned around on William.
“What kind of budget will I get for acquisitions?”
William looked at her, falling even more in love with her when he held her.
“Staring at me is not an answer, killer.”
Rowena was going through all sorts of names trying to figure which one was the right one. Just like William, who hit on she-wolf. That one had a case for being the one he was going to use. She liked it.
“I’m sorry I got lost in your movements.”
“Oh, geez, Mom.”
“I told you not to swear like that.”
“Okay, but you should hear Mister Hazard swear. I think he can give some of the sailors at Chicago a run for their money.”
“I told you to stay away from the docks, Johnny.”
“Rowena—Rowena.”
“What do you want to say?”
“Johnny is a boy. They practice with cussing until they try to spark a girl, and she will have nothing to do with a cusser.”
Wait-a-minute,” said Johnny.
William winked at Rowena.
“It’s true,” said William Hazard. “Ladies are really refined and really can’t take harsh language.”
William nearly started laughing when Rowena looked as if she was going to lose her cool with William.
“Yes,” she said when she could trust herself to talk without laughing.
Johnny nodded and walked out.
“What’s going to happen when he finds out that they are not all that refined?
“By then, the only cussing he will want to say is the dirty kind.”
“Never argue with a Secret Service Agent.”
“I said it once before, and I will repeat it. Never argue with a Librarian.”
CHAPTER SIX
Stolen Moments
*****
FOR ABOUT TWO months, they had a respite from the level of spying. Rumors of the Spymaster popped up throughout the city. In between the Moments when William and Thomas rode through the streets in their Clockwork Motorbikes chasing hints. William had a chance to deepen his love of Rowena
The tree swing in the front yard was their place to talk and plan for the future. Then about a month and a half ago, William accidentally touched her right breast. She said nothing about it. She just smiled. If that was the way of it for her, he should also grab her left breast.
William found himself spending more time throwing the ball around for Johnny; Johnny wanted to play the young boys league in Washington, DC. Sporing was coming and all boys’s minds turned to baseball. William agreed to help him get ready for tryouts. They had moments to talk out what it would be like to have a new Dad. In general, Johnny was looking forward to a new Dad. He fervently hoped that it would be William. William maybe a stone killer, but he was approachable and would engage in conversation.
Johnny watched his mother. He could tell of her deepening love of William; She loved him for things that Johnny did not quite understand. When they thought he was not looking, they would kiss, and used their tongues in a rather icky fashion. Johnny thought that was repulsive.
Yet his mother wore a mask of contentment, but underneath that mask, there was a fire. She was simmering. Leave a vessel simmering with no outlet, and it could explode the vessel.
William and Thomas were walking on the sidewalks, which had been shoveled off of snow. They passed Ford’s Theater. William saw that they were staging the play Hamlet with John Wilkes Booth playing the lead role. He bought one of the boxes on the left side of the stage. He took his tickets and put them in his pocketbook.
“What was that about?”
“Rowena adores Shakespeare. This Hamlet is filled with sad moments and is acted by John Wilkes Booth. I might get the stuffing hugged out of me. Especially since we are in a box.”
“Hey, that is my sister, you are talking about there,” with much lower power in his voice.
“I’d say that you and Gladys are headed in that direction.”
“I’d never thought that you could pick someone for me.”
“You better get a move on. Gladys is going to be posted to Chicago within a month.”
“I know. Should I ask Glady?”
“That’s something that only you can answer. Can you imagine your life without her?”
“No, I can’t imagine that.”
Neither could William.
“Your day is never complete without at least one kiss.”
“I never knew that you had this depth to you.
William thought: That’s because I am going through the same thing as you, my friend.
“You no longer need to see her naked to get you going.”
Thomas turned a bright red.
“I’ve never seen Rowena nude, and I am looking forward to it when it is time.”
“Thomas spoke with a smile: “You know she happens to be my little sister.”
“I know that. When I marry Rowena, you and I will be partners and brothers.”
Thomas never thought like that at all. He wanted what was best for Rowena. She obviously felt secure with William. That led to her killing the spy. That was work for even a blooded Agent like himself; The counter-spy teams were having a field day feeding the confederate spy network the wrong information.
“Did you hear anything about Shiloh?” Thomas asked William.
“There’s going to be a second part of the battle today. Yesterday was stupidity on the part of our commanders who should know better. Sherman would not believe one of his unit commanders when they said they heard the enemy. Well, he’s since listened to the enemy that Grant said was not there. He was able to rectify the situation.
“If the confederates are still there today, the Union forces will give them what for today. I’m afraid that this battle will be known as bloody Shiloh.”
The pair walked in silence for a moment. Then Thomas stopped and pointed to a workshop that was offering toys for girls and boys.
“This is where that toymaker settled.”
“The one with the exquisite automata?”
“There is a lot of business for him. This is more a run for Christmas than Easter.”
“So Business is good here,” said William.
“There are so few Toymakers that those that have kept their families here have no place to buy toys.”
“I’d like to get your feel on a device I created. Do you have time?”
“I have the time that we are walking on. If you brought…”
Thomas smiled as he Brought out the device and gave it to William. The device fits in William’s hand. It was four inches wide and five inches in length. It was an inch thick. It was covered over by a metal mesh.
“That metal mesh is the antenna.”
“For what?”
“To allow you to communicate in the field where no telegraph can be found. Just flip the antenna up. That will turn on the device.”
William complied with Thomas’ request. Nothing came over the device.
“I don’t hear anything.”
“Press that button near your thumb and say your name.”
“This is William Hazard.”
“I hear you, William,” said Rowena over his device.”
“She’s at the base station, William, in my laboratory. Say William out.”
“William Hazard out. What’s the range of this thing.”
“Bet you with some tinkering, I can get the handset to have a range of ten miles. I’ve used an application to your solution of power for our Steel Steeds. There is a clockwork that turns a tiny generator. Here’s the key which winds your clockwork.”
“You did it again, Thomas.”
“I couldn’t get this to work without your innovation of using clockworks to generate electrical power. Like it or not, you are a gadgeteer.”
“Wonderful.” He did not sound all that enthused about being called a Gadgeteer. “I want to visit this jeweler. Rowena stopped wearing her wedding ring. I want to give her something to replace it.”
Thomas followed his friend into the Jewelers. William told the jeweler the size he wanted. Then he saw it among the diamond solitaires. It was a carat and a half of brilliant fire. Thomas laid a hand on William’s shoulder.
“That’s an engagement ring, William.”
“I know Thomas. I’m done with playing around. I love her. I want her and Johnny to be my family.”
Thomas had no words for that. When William got that set in his jaw, he was going to accomplish what he said he would do.
William paid for the ring. He put the ring box in his left coat pocket. Then they resumed their walk back home.
William had a devil of a time trying to find the appropriate moment to ask Rowena to marry him. He thought that Rowena must have guessed what was coming at her. She was throwing up roadblocks.
William was able to show her tickets to the Theater, to which she agreed. The excitement of the Theater threw him off his stride. He decided that he had to steal a moment from the Theater trip. Before they went to the Theater he would ask her the question.
The day of the trip to the Theater was just chock full. Another Spy-ring was discovered, and the arresting agents needed more hands. William and Thomas rode down to the arrest on their Steel Steeds.
The impromptu plan managed to catch the spies with their incriminating documents in their possession. They were all off to jail. They both got back with the high spirits that seemed to feed off operating as Secret Service Agents. William felt so good that he walked into the library.
As usual, now, it was full of Agents and technicians. This was when he thought that he would have her all to himself. The Library was a popular place to do some reading, or studying.
Williams asked those if he could steal a few moments from their study. He wished to speak to the librarian. The Gentlemen left with big smiles on their faces. Apparently, the Secret Service agents knew how the wind was blowing with William and Rowena.
William took her hand. “I am not a poet, so this will be straight from the Heart.
“I love you, Rowena Candace. I wish to put a seal on it. Will you marry me?”
William opened the ring box in his right hand; He knelt, showing her the ring. The ring was laying there in a black velvet sea. The large diamond glittered, sending a fantastical pattern of light around the room.
Rowena started to tear up. All she could do was nod her head in assent. William took her left hand and put the ring on her ring finger.
“Why didn’t you wait till the play?”
“I wanted you to wear the ring for as much of the day as was possible.”
“And then to wear it to the Theater. We better let in the scholars.”
William smiled. He went to the door and opened it. The group had grown, which showed that there was an efficient rumor network within the house itself. A lot of the ladies who worked in the house came to congratulate her. Then men began to shake his hand and spout platitudes. William’s womanizing was all forgotten as they all watched from afar as Rowena worked her magic on him.
Eventually, the celebration had to die down. William and Rowena were in a library after all. Finally, the researchers were the only people working in the library.
William watched her looking at the ring on her finger. “Too small?”
“No, no, it’s fine. James could only manage a quarter, Carat. I don’t think his family thought I was much of a catch. I think they thought they were going to get his medal.”
“Oldest direct relative that meant you. I thought there might be a problem, so I excluded all but direct blood kin. I may have been a little strident in my language. When they found I was one of the President’s bodyguards and I killed some of those confederates trying to assassinate the President. I think they realized that they could have been arrested and evicted from the cemetery.”
“How were you able to afford this?”
“I did not do an awful lot of shopping. Most of my money was spent on the care of my uniforms. The food here was free. So, I could afford this ring.”
“I love it, William.”
“Hamlet tonight. Thomas and Gladys promised to babysit Johnny for us.”
“No, they baby
sit Johnny for me. I sleep in your bed tonight. I can’t wait any longer.”
The time came for them to go to the Theater. Rowena wore a dress in Electric blue. Her hair she put up into a cascade of auburn ringlets. For the first time, he had seen her all dolled up. When he came for her in her suite, he was stunned. She giggled when she saw that he obviously liked what she was wearing.
“I just hope that I am in fashion here.”
“At least you’re not wearing that damned hoop skirt. I’m from further north, and hoop skirts are not practical there.”
“I’m from Illinois, and I agree with you. The problem is that Washington is a southern town. Hoop skirts are practically required, or you might swelter from the heat.”
He opened the door. The footman opened the door to the walkway to where their carriage awaited. William helped her into the Carriage. He stepped up and sat down next to her.
“I like holding on to you,” said Rowena. “Playing by the courting rules is very confining. I have wanted to kiss you from the beginning.”
William was happy to oblige that.
“You can do that to me any time you wish.”
“I thank my lady.”
They made chit chat. There were things to do for the wedding, but Rowena did not want to talk about that. She just wanted to go to the Theater with her man, and encourage him to touch her in some inappropriate places.
They arrived at the Theater. William left the Carriage first so he could help his intended down. A footman tried to do that office. William literally growled at him; The footman took it with understanding. She wore a sparkler on her left ring finger. If he was going to marry that woman, then the footman understood.
William led Rowena to the door. William produced two tickets to a box; The ticket ticket-taker tore the ticket in half. William bought two programs. Then he walked up to the Box. William showed the ticket stubs; The usher unlocked the door for them. William sat Rowena in the exact center of the Box. He sat next to her as close as he could contrive. When he settled, she leaned against him.
The play began with the Chorus’s speech. During the play, Rowena was astounded by the breadth of William’s knowledge of the play. At the Act break, she was flabbergasted that William could recite some of the speeches from memory. William liked going to the Theater it was apparent. The Box was entitled to coffee service with sandwiches.
