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“Are the other two passages secure?”
“As secure as we can make them. But there’s nothing we can do about the windows except to cover them up, and avoid letting them see how many of us are inside. ”
“Or how few,” Polly whispered.
“Now, you’ve been courageous so far. Keep your chin up. We have a handful of men with guns, manning a defensive position with which most of us are well acquainted—myself being the exception, of course. But I’ve been in worse spots than this one, trust me. ”
“I trust you. ”
“Gideon, you’re right. We need to cover all the windows, at least on the first floor. That will be our next priority. ”
“I already did it. The back entrance locks up easily, and fastens with a full-length beam. They’d need a horse to knock it down, and even if they had one, they probably couldn’t persuade it to help. So I took the long way back and drew all the curtains. ”
“Excellent. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. ”
The scientist paused, and when he said, “Thank you” Grant thought he almost sounded insulted.
“How many guns do you have on your person?” Grant asked him.
“Only the one. ”
“What kind?”
“A Starr revolver. ”
“Ah, another ’58 model. Good gun. How much ammunition?”
“A pocketful on me. More in my bag. ”
“You always travel armed to the teeth?”
“Only when I’m wanted for murder. ”
“Then today’s our lucky day. ” Grant patted his own pockets to remind himself of his holdings. “I have a Remington and a fistful of cylinders. ”
Bardsley snorted. “What about you? Do you always travel so heavy, yourself?”
“Only when warhawks are trying to assassinate me. ”
Grant thought he saw Bardsley’s eyes roll, but in the dark he couldn’t be certain. “This isn’t an assassination attempt. They didn’t even know you’d be here. ”
“They’re shooting at me all the same, and if they kill me, we both know what the history books will call it. Now, where the hell is Wellers?”
“He took the other wing, where Lincoln is. Might’ve stopped to look in on him. ”
“Polly, go check. ”
Polly dutifully crept away, relieved to be sent from the front of the fray.
“Mr. Grant,” Gideon said quietly, and closer to him than Grant expected. The man moved like a cat, for God’s sake. No wonder he’d stayed alive this long. “Lincoln has a gun as well. I don’t know how much ammunition he’s packed. ”
The president considered this, and said, “He should keep the gun for now, unless we get any other good ideas that require it. But I hope it doesn’t come to that. If everything goes to hell, he might need a last defense, though I hope it doesn’t come to that, either. It’s a wonder he can even hold one. … Goddammit, what’s taking so long down there?”
“I could go and find out. ”
“No, because if you don’t come back, then I’m really up a creek. Stay here, and take shots at anything you see moving past the edge of that quilt, you got it?”
Grant shuffled low and fast back into the hall, even though it made his knees ache. All along the hall the other doors were shut. When he tried one he found it locked—and saw no key—so that was
