Free Paper Woman: A Mystery of the American Revolution by Suzanne Adair

"damned Papist" in the
house.   And St. Augustine, of all
people.
    The chill slid
up her backbone again.   St.
Augustine.   San Agustín .   Wasn't there an old Spanish fort at St.
Augustine in East Florida?
    Having acquired
East Florida from Spain after the Old French War, Britain had booted most
Spaniards out to Havana, then concentrated military attention on the thirteen
colonies.   The garrison and residents of
St. Augustine formed a stronghold of the king's friends.   The city hardly sounded like a haven for a
meeting between a rebel courier and a Spanish lord, unless the meeting was
facilitated by an agent in St. Augustine.   How likely was it that a spy for Spain resided there?
    The Congress
was desperate for support from another European power like France.   Spain had declared war on Britain in June of
the previous year, then intrigued with France.   But Spain hadn't made an official alliance with the American
rebels.   Even though rebels in the southern
colonies won smaller battles, such as that fought not far from Alton at Kettle
Creek the year before, the entire southern Continental army had surrendered to
the redcoats just three weeks earlier in Charles Town.   The Crown also held Augusta and Savannah.   The rebels needed more direct intervention
from Spain.   Earning approval of a
Spanish lord who had the ear of King Carlos couldn't hurt the rebel cause.
    Time to make
Edward aware that she'd cracked the code so he could exonerate her, and she
could find out what else Mathias had needed to tell her.   The folded paper in hand, she headed
downstairs, entered the front shop, and stopped short, stalling a conversation
between Barrows and Fairfax.   Both men
looked at her.   What the deuce was
Fairfax doing there instead of Edward?   She slid the paper toward the pocket of her petticoat, but Fairfax
missed nothing.   "Barrows, it
appears Mrs. Barton has completed her assignment."
    "Yes.   Inform Major Hunt that I've decoded the
cipher."
    "Excellent."   He strode forward and shot out his
hand.   "I shall convey it to
him."
    "I'll give
it to him when he arrives here tonight."
    "Unfortunately,
he's occupied with new issues."   Was that worry in his tone?   "He's unavailable to meet you tonight.   Give me the translation."
    She hesitated a
second too long.   Seizing her upper arm,
Fairfax propelled her against the wall, where he pinned her wrist.   With a gasp of pain and astonishment, she
released the paper.   He snatched it,
still restraining her.   "Mrs.
Barton, can it be that you don't trust me?"
    Fear and anger
twisted round each other in her soul for a second or two before the same anger
that parched her of tears crushed the fear.   Fairfax would love to cow her.   Rather than yielding to her desire to jam her knee into his groin, she
glared at him.   "Whatever gave you
that idea?"
    He released
her.   "I'm glad we understand each
other.   What have we here?   Ah, Gálvez.   Do you know who the Gálvez are?"   She shook her head.   "They've distinguished themselves in military service to the Spanish
monarchy.   Don Miguel: counselor of
war.   Don José: minister of the
Indies.   Don Matías: captain-general of
Guatemala.   Don Bernardo:
brigadier-general and thorn in our side in West Florida.   While I've not heard of Don Alejandro, the
family is quite large.   Cozying with the
powerful Gálvez.   How well this fits
with our anticipation of rebel activities.   I'm intrigued.   How did you break the code?"
    He thought she
lied and was feeding the redcoats a story they expected to hear.   Anger firmed her jaw.   "My father's favorite number is
three.   Every letter in that message
represents the third letter in a word in Confessions .   Each word is identified in the list by page
number and word number on the page."
    "Show me
an example of this scheme."
    Turning about,
she exited the shop, but it was too soon to breathe relief.   Fairfax followed her up to her bedroom.