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Very tiresome, but there it is.
If these rebels continue, he may not be so finicky about British justice, Percy pointed out in reply.
Besides, if he needs proof, he will eventually get it.
I hope so, Ethan said. But tell me of this new plan. I confess, I am intrigued.
If he continues to send spies into the country-side, I hope Gage is choosing men with cool heads who
can pass for locals, Travertine said thought-fully.
He is, Percy assured. Every officer in the gar-rison with any knowledge of the countryside has been
interviewed, and Loyalist agents are being re-cruited from the local population.
Every nerve in Ethan s body tensed. It was cru-cial that he find out details, but he dared not risk
suspicion by asking any direct questions. He knew from experience that while a direct question might fail
to elicit information, a skeptical attitude often brought forth an instant response. Ridiculous, all this talk of
spies and informants, he drawled, sort-ing his cards. We re not at war, you know. You ve been
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listening to too much gossip at Province House, my friends.
It s not gossip, Percy insisted.
Ethan did not reply. He merely eyed the other man with good-humored indulgence, as an adult might
look at a child who insisted that fairy tales were true.
As he had hoped, Percy bristled at that disbe-lieving look. Provoked, he leaned forward in a
con-fidential matter and added, This is not gossip, Harding. I am among those chosen for future
mis-sions. In addition, I have heard that several other men of our acquaintance are also participants in this
plan.
Ethan wanted to laugh. Percy couldn t pass for aBostonartisan or country farmer if his life de-pended on
it. But there were other men in his Tory circle who could. Perhaps Katie could help him find out who
those men would be.
Ethan betrayed nothing of his thoughts in his ex-pression. Gad, Percy, you ll be running about the
countryside in late winter? How dreary.
Powder isn t the problem, anyway, Travertine said with a sigh. What Gage really needs to do is find a
way to contain these outrageousBostonmobs. They become bolder every day and have gone from being
a petty inconvenience to a real source of danger. A man loyal to our king can t walk the street without
taking his life in his hands. Something must be done.
Absolutely, Holbrook said, and lifted his glass. After taking a drink, he turnedto Ethan. Are you
coming to my party week after next? It s only sup-per and cards, but it should be quite entertaining.
Ethan hoped so, but not quite for the reasons to which Holbrook referred. Thomas Flucker, a friend of
his who was also an aide to Gage and the father-in-law to Whig bookseller Henry Knox, had already
informed him that Holbrook kept most of his secret dispatches and documents in a locked desk at his
home. Ethan intended to have a look at them to see if he could discover any infor-mation about Viscount
Lowden. In that task, he suspected Katie would be of great assistance to him.
That depends, he answered. May I bring a friend ?
Certainly. To what friend do you refer? A gen-tleman or a lady?
Neither. Ethan flashed him a grin of one man of the world to another. A man s mistress should never
be a lady.
The other men at the table laughed with him. Holbrook slapped him on the shoulder. Conversa-tion then
shifted to talk of the Governor s Ball scheduled to take place in two weeks time, and Ethan knew he
would probably learn no more in-formation tonight. He had a great deal more to do before the evening
was over, including a meeting with Katie, and he needed to make his exit.
At the end of the next round of play, he rose from the table. Gentlemen, I must be on my way.
The other three looked at him in dismay as he began to gather his winnings.
But it s early still, Percy said, pulling out his watch. Onlyquarter to eleven.
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Quite. Ethan stood up and removed his black and gold dinner jacket from the back of his chair and
slipped it on. He put the profits of the evening in his pocket and adjusted his lace cravat. But I have
another engagement.
Another engagement? Holbrook repeated. Something to do with this new mistress, I ll war-rant?
Ethan let a secretive smile play at the corners of his mouth, but he said nothing.
Travertine put in, It s going to be rather incon-venient for the rest of us if this mistress will always be
taking you away in the midst of an enjoyable evening s card play. Who is she? An actress, per-haps?
He thought of Katie s dramatic abilities and found Travertine s comment quite appropriate under the
circumstances. Besides, making her an actress would provide a perfect background for her, and he
silently thanked Travertine for the sugges-tion.
He had his carriage brought around to the front of Percy s lodgings and instructed his driver to take him
to the White Swan, where he was to meet Katie.
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