“Long overdue, if you ask me.” George’s modest title as the president’s secretary drastically understated his importance in the administration. From the moment she met George, he had seemed like Atlas as he carried the immense burden of the White House on his shoulders. He masterfully navigated the tricky Washington maze of politics and backroom dealing. It was George who had recommended Caroline for this position and helped her survive a baptism of fire working with Mrs. McKinley.

Caroline glanced at the dozen White House ushers lining the back wall. The term usher was deceptive. The men wore suits and ties, but they were actually building security. They carried side arms beneath their suits and walked the halls at all hours of the day and night to protect the White House.

“You think we need more security?” she asked, for she’d never been able to move around the building without seeing plenty of ushers on their rounds.

“I think the president needs more security,” George clarified. “He can’t stand having people hovering nearby and always travels alone when outside the residence. That needs to stop.”

A new man entered the room. Tall, slim, and dark-haired, he seemed chiseled to Caroline’s eye. He wore an ordinary suit, but there was nothing ordinary about the way his eyes studied the audience. He paced across the front of the room, constantly on the move as he absorbed every detail about the people in the chairs before him. His hands were in his pockets, his face revealing nothing, but each time someone moved, whether it was to change seats or simply to whisper to their neighbor, his gaze flicked in their direction. He was calm and measured, as though nothing could unsettle him, and Caroline liked that in a man. She lifted her chin to send him a warm smile of welcome, but he ignored it as he walked to the podium. Behind him gathered six brawny ushers.

“Good afternoon,” he said in a measured voice. “My name is Nathaniel Trask, and I will henceforth oversee all aspects of security in the White House.”

What kind of man used a word like henceforth? She hid a smile, rather liking his buttoned-down formality.

“Tourist hours for visiting the White House will be drastically curtailed, and sightseers will no longer be permitted to see the president.”

“Good luck with that,” George whispered in her ear. President McKinley was famous for his willingness to glad-hand with tourists and his unannounced jaunts downstairs to mingle with sightseers. He also liked to take the carriage out for impulsive moonlit rides with his wife. He would never tolerate such restrictions on his freedom, but the new man continued speaking.