The Age of Hamilton

Chapter 15

I awoke to the sound of ghastly sounds of children's shouts and feet as they tapped against the wooden floor. I closed my eyes, feeling around for Elizabeth. She wasn't in the bed. I groaned, my feet touching the unusually cold wooden paneling of the floor. I allowed a sharp intake of breath as I made my way to the wardrobe. Linen t-shirts, dress pants and shirts, along with an assorted number of shoes and other accessories littered the wardrobe. Removing warm sheep's wool of the robe from my skin, I slipped into a black t-shirt and a pair of matching dress pants. I eased my way down the stairs. My office door was wide open and I could hear the shuffling of papers.

I raised an eyebrow as I pressed my back against the wall, listening to feminine groans of impatience emanate from my office. I growled in absolute displeasure at the thought of Elizabeth rummaging through my belongings. Nothing in the drawers were particularly damning but the feeling of dread washed over me at the thought of her finding the letters I had kept from James Reynolds or the simplistic written note from Aaron Burr, months prior. "Where is it? Where does he keep-?"

I took in a sharp breath before finally leaning against the entrance to my office, my hands in my pants pockets. "Eliza?" I asked and her head immediately snapped up at the sound of my husky morning voice. Her eyes glimmered with distrust.

"What are you planning, Alex?"

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "Why do you lack the trust in me?"

She was about to respond when I lifted my hand to silence her response. It wasn't exactly a question that needed an answer. We both knew the answer and I refused to allow the names to fall from her lips.

"Alexander," She warned as if she was scolding a child.

"What about last night, hmm? Have you already forgotten-?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and snapped, "No, I haven't. Alexander, you said you had to go to Delaware to continue your campaign or is that where you're going to announce that you're officially running?"

"I already announced it here. I'm certain newspapers have already come up with the news and believe me, I have scripts to write. Pamphlets to send to possible voters."

"Scripts? What are you writing some kind of opera?"

"Speeches," I corrected, pinching the bridge of my nose. Elizabeth's inquiries were seriously agitating me, fueling to the concern I already had racing through my mind by the threats made twenty four hours prior. Elizabeth nodded and she stepped away from my desk.

"What were you looking for?" I asked, the silent rage simmering.

"The pistol."

It was so simple. The words had been unnaturally simplistic in nature. Yet, the feeling of absolute shock and surprise was like a rock being dropped into a small body of water. It took a moment for my stunned expression to falter and crack as my mind raced a mile per second. Questions had led my heart to crawl to the back of my throat and pulsate. Finally, the only logical word that would escape coherently left my lips.

"Why?" It was ridiculous. Stupid even. I had been reduced to a man whose words were cut down to childish inquiries. I closed my eyes for a brief moment and for those seconds that ticked in absolute silence, Elizabeth had slammed the drawer shut. She had begun to stack the papers that had been strewn about. The next inquiry shattered the tense silence.

"You didn't hear the rocks being pelted by kids?"

I raised my eyebrows at the question. I had indeed heard childish shouts and what sounded to be of footsteps. Before Elizabeth could even think to grab the fire poker, my arms wrapped around her waist as I forced her to look at me. "Elizabeth, please, you're going to drive yourself mad trying to stop these events from happening."