The prisoner’s smile was no longer faint. “An Irish watchdog, is it, set to keep the demon on a leash?”
“Yeah, pretty much. Promise me, Ironsides.”
“Done, Darryl McCarthy. My word of honor.”
“Good enough for me.” Darryl gave him a little clap on the shoulder and rose to his feet.
Then, seeing the prisoner’s eyes drop again, he uttered a protest. “Hey, I’m telling you, it really is a terrible picture.”
The prisoner didn’t even seem to hear him. Watching the way he studied the photograph, Darryl winced again. Like most men his age, he didn’t like to think he’d someday be afflicted by that dread disease.
” ‘Tis a strong face,” the prisoner murmured. “I like the lines of it.”
Darryl fled, as if from the plague itself.
That same evening, in Amsterdam, still another child’s fate was decided. Or, at least, subjected to debate.
All the members of the U.S. embassy were gathered in the main room, as they had been since the news had come from Wismar. After sundown, at least. During the daytime, Gretchen had channeled her own grief into sheer willpower, driving forward the organization of Amsterdam’s new Committee of Correspondence with a literal vengeance.
Already, a situation of dual power was emerging within the city. In theory, while the prince of Orange was away marshaling his forces in Overijssel, Amsterdam was under the authority of its city council—what the Dutch called the vroedschap. In practice, however, real power was beginning to slip more and more into the hands of Gretchen and her rapidly growing band of Dutch comrades. The civic militia’s soldiers, if not many of the officers, were beginning—tacitly, if not openly—to consult with the leaders elected by the new CoC. Many of the soldiers were joining the CoC themselves.
The process was neither uniform nor smooth, of course. There had been any number of angry shouting matches, in the streets and in the civic militia’s assemblies. But, so far, only one of those confrontations had escalated into outright violence.
And, even then, not much violence. A flurry of fists on a city corner, followed by a pause. Into the pause Gretchen had come stalking down the cobblestoned street. The news of Wismar had by then spread throughout Amsterdam as well, and with it the name of Hans Richter. That she was the older sister of the hero of Wismar was just as well known. As was her reputation for being the more ferocious of the siblings.
She had neither threatened with words, nor drawn her pistol. Simply stared at those who had taken it upon themselves to assault a handful of CoC streetcorner orators.
“Begone,” she commanded, and they were.
The infant Rebecca had snatched from carnage was the center of attention in the room. That had also been true, since the news of Wismar came. Grief at the loss of brothers and friends, salved by the sight of a smiling babe.
A cheerful sort of boy, he seemed. Very curious, too, the way his fresh eyes seemed to study everything.
There came a knock on the door. Heinrich answered it.
“For you, Rebecca. A rabbi says he wants to speak to you. In private, he says.”
Rebecca rose from the couch, handed the child to Gretchen, and went to the door.
Standing outside, looking very uncomfortable, was a man she recognized. She couldn’t remember the old man’s name, any longer. But she was certain it was the same rabbi who, two and a half years earlier, had led Amsterdam’s Jewish community to expel her father Balthazar for heresy. Excommunicated and banned—what the Jews called in herem.
She’d detested the man then; and, judging from the sour look on his face, detested him still.
“Yes?” she asked coolly. “You have discovered the child’s identity?”
“We knew that almost immediately,” he replied. “The difficulty has been in deciding what to do.”
“What is there to decide, for the sake of God? If he has family, we will return him to them. If not, we will care for him ourselves.”
The rabbi glared at her. “Do not speak of ‘God,’ heretic. You do not have the right. Nor—” The old man’s hard eyes went past her shoulder, looking into the interior of the house. “—does that boy. So we have decided. Even his kinfolk have agreed. He is in herem. Best you take him yourself.”