The Colonel put the Adams back into his drawer, then turned and pocketed the key. “Now, let’s see, it’s midday. I’ll find you a fresh horse, give you that letter and some food, then you can be on your way. It isn’t a long ride. You should be there by six o’clock, maybe earlier. I’ll write you that letter, then send you Truslow hunting. Let’s be to work, Nate!”

The Colonel accompanied Starbuck for the first part of his journey, ever encouraging him to sit his horse better. “Heels down, Nate! Heels down! Back straight!” The Colonel took amusement from Starbuck’s riding, which was admittedly atrocious, while the Colonel himself was a superb horseman. He was riding his favorite stallion and, in his new uniform and mounted on the glossy horse, he looked marvelously impressive as he led Starbuck through the town of Faulconer Court House, past the water mill and the livery stable, the inn and the courthouse, the Baptist and the Episcopal churches, past Greeley’s Tavern and the smithy, the bank and the town gaol. A girl in a faded bonnet smiled at the Colonel from the schoolhouse porch. The Colonel waved to her, but did not stop to talk. “Priscilla Bowen,” he told Nate, who had no idea how he was supposed to remember the flood of names that was being unleashed on him. “She’s a pretty enough thing if you like them plump, but only nineteen, and the silly girl intends to marry Pecker. My God, but she could do better than him! I told her so too. I didn’t mince my words either, but it hasn’t done a blind bit of good. Pecker’s double her age, double! I mean it’s one thing to bed them, Nate, but you don’t have to marry them! Have I offended you?”

“No, sir.”

“I keep forgetting your strict beliefs.” The Colonel laughed happily. They had passed through the town, which had struck Starbuck as a contented, comfortable community and much larger than he had expected. The Legion itself was encamped to the west of the town, while Faulconer’s house was to the north. “Doctor Danson reckoned that the sound of military activity would be bad for Miriam,” Faulconer explained. “She’s delicate, you understand.”

“So Anna was telling me, sir.”

“I was thinking of sending her to Germany once Anna’s safely married. They say the doctors there are marvelous.”

“So I’ve heard, sir.”