The Day of the Toymaker Read online

  “Not that many.”

  “I think William is the one who brings the dates to you,” said Rowena. “Then you both go on a double date. The man does you a favor, and you pay him back by forbidding me to be courted by him?”

  “There you go again, putting words in my arguments.”

  “Like what?”

  “Forbidding. You misinterpreted what I meant.”

  “Thomas! You want me to replay the conversation from the beginning?”

  Thomas hated this about his sister. She was able to replay conversations word for word.

  “Are you telling me that Rowena has a photographic memory?”

  Rowena whirled on William. “I do. What of it!”

  “Nothing. I think it’s great. I can remember a lo of things, but it takes awhile for me to memorize things. It must be great to look once and have it in your brain.”

  “You won’t think it’s great when she dredges up what you said years ago, and uses it against you.”

  “Actually, I think that’s something all women can do. I think it gets activated the moment she says, ‘I do.’”

  William was digging himself a hole, but he kept on with the gist of his argument.

  “What an infantile thing to say,” said Rowena.

  “She’s a librarian. She’s had a big dictionary available to her since she started working in the library.” Thomas clapped William on the back.

  “Now you two don’t do that Brother-in-arms thing against me.”

  “Now who is being infantile,” said William. “You castigate me for painting with the Broad Brush, and here you are painting us with the same brush.”

  Rowena blinked once; She tipped her head to her left. Rowena blinked again. Her face softened, and she put on a smile.

  “I stand corrected.” Her voice softened.

  “Because I am concerned with dealing with Physical threats, you think me unintelligent. Perhaps you would like a lesson from me. Do you play chess.”

  Rowena looked at her brother, who seemed to want her not to challenge William to a chess game. She ignored him.

  “I would love to play chess with you.”

  “My set is here. He pulled out a box of pieces and a wooden board. He opened it onto the table that had a kerosene lamp. William took two pawns, one black and one white; He moved them from hand to hand under the table. He presented both hands. She tapped his right hand.

  He felt an electric thrill at her touch. She must have felt the same thing; William opened his right hand and showed her the white pawn. He turned the board around. Immediately she played a king’s pawn opening.

  William took a few moments. She was an unknown player; He decided to set a subtle trap. He wanted her to think him an unintelligent player; after all, he went to a Military Academy. She did not know that the US Chess Champion was an ordinary soldier who played William in chess in the camp and taught him a tactician’s appreciation of the game.

  His development was normal until he was ready to lay his trap. When he was ready, he dangled his Queen as bait. She went for it. Thomas covered his face with his hands. This was not going to be suitable for his sister.

  William moved his Queen to a protected spot where he checked her King. She moved to interpose a bishop. The Bishop succumbed to his Knight; She took Knight for Knight. The Queen took the Knight, putting her back into check. She moved her King forever, giving up castling.

  So concentrated on moving her King, she missed William’s Bishop that protected the space directly in front of the King. He pushed the Queen.

  “I believe that is checkmate.”

  Rowena looked at the board, shocked. “I usually win.” William bowed his head.

  “Tell her,” said Thomas.”

  “You are a beautiful woman,” said William. “I doubt that some of the men who played you played their best game. They were seeking to gain your good opinion of them.”

  “What are you saying? That I am a terrible player?”

  “Nothing of the sort. You have a better than average knowledge of the game. I just happen to be the US Army Chess Champion.”

  “Now, I feel the fool.”

  “Nothing of the sort. If you’d like, I can correct the deficiencies in your game.”

  He put his left hand on the table before her. She leaned forward and put her hand on his and squeezed it.

  “I would like that. Oh, look at the time. It’s time for a certain gentleman to retire for bed.”

  “Oh, Mooooom. Just because you want to sit with Uncle William and make goo-goo eyes at him, you want me to go to bed.”

  “Uncle William—?”

  William smiled. He grabbed Johnny by his belt and carried him up the stairs like he was a portmanteau. Rowena followed, chuckling all the way to their suite.

  William prevented her from assisting her son in dressing for bed.

  “It is unseemly for an unwed woman to see a man without his clothes. I will see that he does not put on his clothes backward.”

  There was a comment from Johnny. “Thank you, Uncle William.”

  William smiled at Rowena as he entered the boy’s bedchamber. He assisted the youngster in his pajamas. Then saw him in his bed. William opened the door to Rowena, who entered the room. She kissed her son on the forehead.

  “Uncle William, can you tell me a story.”

  “A story? What kind?”

  “The kind of heroes and villains.”

  “Ahh, The best kind.”

  William thought for a moment. Then he came up with a story. He went to the kerosene lamp and turned it down.

  “A long time ago, there was a farm. On this farm lived a Knight and his family. They managed to acquire one more son. All the sons worked hard. Since their father was a Knight, they had to get ready to receive the accolade at their father’s hand. So did Arthur, their adopted son.

  “And one day they went to a tournament. That’s where the Knights showed off their skill with a sword, bow, and lance. As they rode into the keep, they rode past a stone where the sword, Excalibur, was stuck in the stone. The boys’ father told them it was the sword of the King.

  “They went to the tournament. Arthur’s adopted father did great. His brother forgot his sword. Arthur went looking for a sword. He came upon the…”

  William stopped there because Johnny was fast asleep; Rowena followed him out of the room and her suite. She stopped him.

  “What happens next?”

  William laughed. “You are a librarian.”

  “I know that.”

  “I was telling the tale of King Arthur.”

  “I know. You were telling it very well, too. Thank you for handling that. There is a lot to tempt a young boy here. You telling him a story allowed him to sleep.”

  She reached up and grabbed William by the head. She bent his head down, and she removed his hat. She placed a kiss on his forehead. He was about to put the hat on his head, when she stopped him.

  “I want my brother to see it.”

  “I hope you are not trying to separate us as a team.”

  “I just want my brother to know that he has nothing to say about my love life. Show him my kiss on your forehead.”

  William did have to go over the protocol for the funeral with Thomas. It would be military, and there would be a few things. The young boy would be given the flag that draped his father’s casket. At the Medal of Honor Ceremony, the medal would be given to Rowena.

  William walked into the library and walked into a closet. Two pairs of eyes saw that and went back to their room.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Awarding a medal

  *****

  WILLIAM KNEW THAT Thomas wanted help with the last bit of his experiments. William was not afraid of the bolts lightning that was being flung around Thomas’ laboratory. He understood the electric principals being demonstrated. Thomas was sure that he could have the sea to sea coverage of the US. Thomas was about to do something glorious, but it would be limited to the Secret S
ervice.

  Last night was rocky between the partners. Thomas knew what the kiss on William’s head meant from his Sister. She announced in muted red color that she was going to let William pay her court. Thomas rejected it in the most strident terms. Finally, William had enough of Thomas calling him a philanderer. It was right to a degree, but for Rowena Candace William would give up his ways. He just did not know how long he could play the courting game; when she would be ready to marry again.

  He noticed the warning light. He pulled the goggles off his hat and on his eyes; he stepped on the spiral staircase.

  Thomas was in his element. The crackling of the lightning and the motor turning the great rubber band. William’s entrance into the lab caused Thomas to stop his experiments.

  Thomas took off his rubber gloves and his own goggles. “You’re a little early.”

  “I wished to apologize for my intemperate remarks last night.”

  “What’s the catch?”

  “No, catch, as your Family’s Eldest male, by tradition you run the family. I request your permission to court Rowena Candace.”

  Thomas stared at William in surprise. He doubted that William had any manners at all. First, an apology and then the request to court Rowena.

  “I have to ask her if that would be acceptable to her.”

  Thomas stormed out of his lab. He found Rowena talking with the Secret Service Agent’s wives. Thomas came up to the chattering table.

  “As head of our family, I have had a request to pay you court.”

  “Oh, Bother, I intended to go home after the business this morning. Who has asked?”

  “William.”

  “Of course, I would love to receive him. Now I got to find a job to pay our way.”

  “I’ll find a library job for you. So I can tell William, yes?”

  Rowena smiled and nodded vigorously. The ladies all congratulated her on landing the handsome William Hazard. In her mind, she tried on the names; Rowena Derek-Hazard; Rowena Candace Hazard. There was her son’s name. Unless William adopts the boy, he would have a different last name than his siblings.

  She decided to put that problem away. Johnny might like to have the last name of Hazard.

  “Please give him my regards. I hope for the pleasure of his company.”

  Thomas went back to William. “Rowena would love for you to pay court on her.”

  “Not today, though, she has a sad duty to perform. I will be there for her if she wants.”

  “She will want. So will Johnny.”

  The time came around for them to board the brougham. The driver drove them at a sedate pace to the burial site on the Arlington lands seized from the Lee family.

  They arrived at the gravesite. Relatives of the Fulbrights were in the area, some wore uniforms. Rowena introduced her brother and William, as her beau.

  William felt rather good about being introduced as a beau. He shook hands with all the male Fulbright relatives. He did notice that all the men noticed his holstered gun. He bowed over the hands of all of the lady relatives.

  “Special Agent Hazard!” yelled someone behind him. He turned to see a bluecoat. Hazard returned his coil gun gun to its holster; William walked over to the Cavalry officer.

  “There are ten Confederates. They broke through the line. They’re coming straight here, sir.”

  “Why here?”

  Thomas answered sadly. “They think to kill the President.”

  “Good thing that the Secret Service is here. Set up at these two tombstones. I’ll be back after I tell Rowena.”

  Thomas nodded. He wound up his clockwork that created the the electric power that flung the bullet out of the barrel. The gun was fascinating. Thomas had to invent a different kind of action. The recoil provided the mechanism to bring up a new bullet and shoot it out.

  William jogged up to Rowena. “We have some uninvited guests. There’s going to be a scuffle here. I think Thomas and I have it covered. Just keep everyone calm.”

  He stayed long enough to make sure she understood. Then he jogged back to the tombstones that they were using for cover.

  William saw them coming up. They were coming at the right time to kill the President if they knew of the Burial change in time. This ten-man unit wore butternut, but he wondered if they were using the uniform to fend off summary executions. That really did not matter. They were about to come into the range of his coil gun.

  “Okay,” he said to Thomas. “Commence firing. Pick your target and hit him.”

  The countless hours that both of them spent at the range hitting paper targets paid off in spades. When they fired, a bullet left the barrel above the speed of sound. The Two Agents made only the kerthwap of the gun.

  One Confederate ran away only to be cut down by Custer and his Company. William looked expectantly at Thomas. William had caught the disease, he called Rowena, bad.

  “Go to her. I’ll see what I can find on our dead confederates.”

  William sauntered over to the Crowd.

  William took up Rowena in his arms. “Thomas and I took care of them. Custer arrived to make sure that we don’t have any more problems.

  “Oh, thank you, William.”

  “Uncle William, uncle Thomas is waving at you.” William tousled the boy’s hair. Then he walked back to Thomas.

  “You find something,” asked Thomas. “What’s the first thing they teach you in spy school?”

  “Eat the secret decoder ring?”

  Thomas chuckled at that one. “No, get rid of any correspondence. This is a message from someone styling himself as the Spymaster.”

  “We’ll have to get that to codes right away.”

  “Yeah, but we promised them an outing away from the House. Wait, is that Emmitt Spalding,”

  “Yeah. The Director could get this off to codes in the House for us. Also, ask for them to have the run of the House.

  Thomas went over to the Director. He showed the Director his badge.

  “No need to show me that, Thomas. Have something for me. You and William always seem to have something for me. What is it?”

  “A note mentioning this place and when the President was supposed to be here was found on the ranking Confederate. We don’t know who this Spymaster is.”

  “What do you want me to do.”

  “Could you pass this to codes at the House. My sister is bereaved. She has to deal with two ceremonies celebrating the death of her husband. William and I thought going to the toy exposition would lift their spirits.”

  Director Emmitt Spalding knew the regard that the President gave them. He was coming to appreciate what the President saw. He took the paper and put it in his black frock coat.

  The Master of Ceremonies for the ceremonial unit of the Army came by. He sat with Rowena and Johnny on his right; Thomas sat to her left. William stood behind Rowena with a supporting hand on her shoulder. She touched the hand on her right shoulder with her right hand.

  William noticed that the Fulbrights were doing a slow burn. It was their son that had died. Yet her brother sat next to her, and her beau was behind her with a consoling hand. William understood how family feuds can get started. The Fulbrights better not start anything. The Hazards and the Dereks would give as well as they got.

  The funeral was very good with all the pomp and circumstance that the Army can put on. They were burying a Medal of Honor recipient. The flag was removed and folded. The master of ceremonies handed the flag to Johnny with the phrase “From a grateful nation.” Then the honor guard Fired an eleven Shot salute.

  Rowena remained seated. The President of the United States came up to her and shook her hand. The President smiled at William and Thomas.

  A podium and a Lectern were set up near the grave. William had an idea. He allowed Thomas and Johnny to surround Rowena; he only left the Fulbrights, mother, father, and sister. Grandparents uncles and aunts and nieces were not allowed to collect near Rowena.

  Grandmother wondered how William got his
authority. She called for an army guard to oust the hanger on before her. The guard immediately desisted when William showed him a badge and ID card.

  “Just who do you think you are,” sputtered the Mother of the deceased.

  “I am a Secret Service Agent. I am part of the detail assigned to the President. Now quiet ma’am, they’re about to begin the ceremony.”

  Lincoln got up to the podium; He took out a slip of paper. Lincoln put his spectacles on. He quickly read that piece of paper.

  “We are here to award the medal of honor posthumously for James Franklin Fulbright. The after-action report says that he performed the following. He sent to the rear each of his men servicing guns to the back when they were wounded. That while he was alone, he maintained a gun and kept it firing until the bullet came that killed him. James Franklin Fulbright gave the full measure of devotion for his country.

  “Mrs. Fulbright, it is my pleasure on behalf of the Congress and the people of the United States to give you the medal of honor that your husband earned.”

  Lincoln took out the box. He opened the top and handed it to Rowena. William was sad that he could not come and comfort her. But there were no other secret service agents around the President. It probably was going to take an act of Congress to force the President to allow the Secret Service to protect him.

  While the President was in the cemetery, William and Thomas acted as his bodyguard. They were floating around looking everywhere.

  When the President was finished glad-handing everyone, he walked to his carriage. Once he was on the carriage and moved towards the Washington DC William, and Thomas met up with Rowena.

  “You sure put a bee in their bonnet,” said Rowena to William.

  “The President slipped his Presidential protection detail again. He was up here without any cover or protection. Well, the last I looked in my bag it says Secret Service special agent. So your brother and I became his Presidential detail.

  “We allowed his mother, father, and sister to be there. A little further on the family tree, and you probably don’t know them by sight. That was why I excluded them from the medal ceremony.”

  “Thank God for you, William Hazard. That old battle-ax thinks she runs me, even though her grandson is dead. They look at Johnny as the future of the Fulbrights. Let’s get back to the House. I want to get ready for the Toy exposition. Johnny is over the moon about seeing all those toys.”