“She’s thinking of Blood and Thunder,” Charlotte said. She could only mean Duncan and Asa. “They’re turning into quite a show. We must hope that Thunder will soon accept that he hasn’t a chance.” She glanced at me. “You look much too surprised. Have you truly not seen it?”

“I’ve seen it,” said Liesje.

“Seen what?” Lucy said.

“Yes, what?” Rebecca’s gaze swept the parlor. “What are we looking for?”

“Watch closely,” Charlotte said. “Here comes Thunder now.”

Asa and Judge Latimer were weaving through the crowd, coming toward us. Side by side, their resemblance was strikingly obvious. Their lean figures. Their poise, like they carried a kind of quiet with them.

“Miss Coates,” Asa said. He swept a deep, formal bow. “Would you do me the honor of a dance?”

You’ll see, Charlotte had said. I didn’t. Asa couldn’t have appeared more unenthused. He looked like he was staring right through me to the wallpaper behind me. Cold anger washed through me. Why ask me to dance if the idea was so disagreeable?

“I shan’t even mind,” the judge said genially. “This once, I will gladly step aside.”

“Unfortunately, Mr. Latimer,” Charlotte said, “Miss Coates has already agreed to dance with Lieutenant Duncan.”

“I have indeed, Miss Winters,” I said immediately, surprising myself, “but as the lieutenant is not yet here, I accept.”

Asa handed his cane to his uncle and offered me his arm. I took it and felt instant regret. I didn’t need social distractions. I had to take advantage of tonight and search General Knyphausen’s home.

“You seem displeased,” Asa said as we walked to join the line.

“On the contrary. This is so civil of you.”

“Have I been uncivil?”

“You’ve been an unwelcome surprise.” From the corner of my eye, I saw him wince. Lord, my veins sizzled. I wanted to push men into the sea, one by one, and it didn’t matter who or why.

The violins and flutes struck up. I concentrated on the allemande, using the controlled movements to tame my frustration. Asa made the dance quieter by staying grounded in steps that required hopping and by modifying it in other small ways. He was an elegant mover. Better than I remembered. Our passés and turns were graceful, but when we came together, our hands gripped hard and neither of us eased up. The dance continued, our feet gliding, our fingers biting.

“Coincidentally,” he said after a while, “I have also been surprised. You’re rather unlike who I remember.”

I glared at him. “Says Mr. Latimer, the Loyalist merchant.”

“Yes. Says he. Well, this is good fun.”

I ignored his dry tone and swept out in a wide turn.

“You still have that old watch,” he said as we came together again.

My hand flew to where the watch rested at my breast. “I would thank you to be more gentlemanly, sir.”

“Would you? Very well, let me try. Shall I tell you how much it pleases me to see countless men condemned to prisons? Then deny you your good deeds? Then perhaps leave your side for a game of whist?”