The man flung himself off the horse and stood staring down at her. His mouth smiled a little, but his gravely questioning eyes transcended convention with their same message of intimate understanding as when they had met in Vauxhall Gardens. The three years that had passed collapsed like the twig houses that children build. Theo felt again the trembling joy and the fear of that September night in New York.

Have I always known that this would happen? she thought. Was it for this that I awoke so gay, so happy today? And at once an inner voice chimed in: I will not make a fool of myself again. I was a silly child then.

She recovered herself, struggling frantically for composure.

'So we meet once more, Captain Lewis. I had no idea that you were stationed in Washington'. She spoke in precisely the cool voice she would have used to greet one of her father's less important political satellites.

Lewis bowed slightly, the light behind his eyes vanishing. He replied in a tone equally impersonal, though it was sharpened with the faintest edge of amusement. 'Indeed, Mrs. Alston, this is an unexpected pleasure. I am not stationed here. I am Mr. Jefferson's private secretary. I lead a life of pampered ease and uselessness. Not, however, for long, I believe.'

'Oh, indeed,' she murmured inanely, annoyed to find that his coolness had destroyed hers. No longer an insignificant frontier officer then, but secretary to the President. She could think of nothing to say. She stood there tongue-tied as a country girl, and her knees felt weak. How stupid I am! she thought angrily.

There was nothing about him so to discompose her. He was not handsome in the least: his features were too rough and gaunt for that. And he was immoderately tall. She liked neither tall nor fair-haired men, and he was both. His hair was sun-bleached to a hueless, ashy tint that nearly matched his chill gray eyes. And his dress was most careless. No gentleman should be so careless. No coat, no vest: nothing but buckskin trousers like a backwoodsman, and a cambric shirt thrown open to disclose a heavily muscled brown neck that shocked her with its naked maleness.

The stallion nickered impatiently. She grasped with relief this subject of talk. 'A fine animal, Captain Lewis. Do you fide much here?'

'Every morning. This is Mr. Jefferson's Wildair. In addition to my more sedentary duties I have to exercise the stallion. And you—do you often walk abroad so early?'

'No, in the South I never do. But this morning was different. I longed to be out to see the sun rise. I wanted to see the river. I love rivers——' She broke off. What nonsense!

Lewis smiled suddenly. 'So do I. Let us walk and see the river, then.'