I put out my hand, thinking she might give me her own. When she didn’t, I touched her arm, but she just stood there, motionless. I heard Verrieul’s and Joseph’s voices, speaking softly in Abenaki, as they went back through the darkness toward the lake. My hand that had touched her sleeve felt rough and clumsy. I waited for her to speak; and the two of us were so long silent that I was in a panic for fear she might go back into the house.

“Joseph thought—–” I began, but the loudness of my voice, in the dark stillness, choked me and I was silent again.

Ellen moved a little, and I imagined a heavy warmth came out from her and struck against me. “Evidently it was not important, what he thought.”

“I came as soon as I could,” I said. “I didn’t know—I was surprised—he thought you wanted to see me.”

She moved impatiently. “That’s true, in a way. I was very much put out because you didn’t come here to inquire concerning my wishes.”

“Of course,” I said, “I’d have come if I’d suspected—I mean, I was afraid you wouldn’t be pleased if I—that is, I was afraid I wouldn’t be welcome.”

“Not welcome? Why do you raise the question of being welcome? I did not wish you to come here so that I could welcome you, but so that I might learn how long it would be before you proposed to send me to Albany.”

I wondered how to speak to Ellen of the things Cap Huff had told me, and I couldn’t figure how to do it.

When she spoke again, her voice was graver. “How long do you expect to be here in this place?”

“I don’t know. Until the fleet is built.”

“And how long will that be?”

“God knows! If we can get enough men from Maine, we’ll build it in a month!”

“Men from Maine?” she asked politely. “I have seen nothing about men from Maine to make me think they’re more capable than men from other parts of America.”

I saw fit to ignore the implication in her words. “They know how to build ships, and that’s more than can be said for a lot of the men they’re sending us. If we get many more Yorkers and Dutchmen, we’ll be here forever!”

“I see,” she said coldly. “So you’d be willing to leave me here forever, too, if you can’t get your wonderful men from Maine. I think you’ve forgotten I’m to be sent to Albany when I can be sent safely. Since that’s now possible, why don’t you send me?”

“Ellen,” I said, reluctant to answer because of my unwillingness to hurt her, “this doorway’s no place to stand and talk.”