Waiting at the Bridge

She blinked and looked around suddenly to make sure no one was listening. A bit late, of course, but they were safe. She took a deep breath. "I've never done anything... like that. How could it work?" She gripped his hand suddenly. "Do you think it really could work?"

"It could, if we do it carefully." Newbury closed his eyes for a moment. "If the lads win today, there'll be celebrations. Might be able to try something tonight, maybe."

"Tonight!" Her eyes darted towards the men of the 33rd not far away. "Don't these things take planning and all? Though I guess it's hard to make plans when every day is so unpredictable." She looked at him again, apprehensive. "I kind of wish he was here now, and we could get it done without thinking. I'm frightened, Joe."

"They do. S'why I said maybe. But it might be easier to get at him if he's not thinkin' 'bout anythin' except a good time." He swallowed, suddenly nervous. It almost felt as though just talking about the sergeant would summon him down on them.

Newbury glanced down at her hand, which was still gripped around his. "I know," he muttered. "I am, too. We'll get him though."

She noticed his glance and pulled her hand away, a little self-conscious, and wrapped it instead around her mug of tea. "Could we do it, just the two of us? Or... do you think there are others who would help?"

Newbury set his jaw and looked back down at his own mug of tea, as though he hoped it would give him some insight. "Half the company, I think. It'd be hard to manage anything without help but that'd be too much help."

"You really think there would be that many? They'd have to keep quiet about it, too, not go blabbing later when they'd had too much to drink."

"Weren't many that were too pleased when Cotton got set up," he said. "And I don't imagine any lad'll take it well if they was to find out that the sergeant had tried to get at Maggie."

It was not proveable, of course, but it didn't have to be, did it? Especially not when Hakeswill was even suspected.

"Don't tell them!" she exclaimed. "Promise me you won't tell them about that. It will be bad enough for her as it is, without everyone knowing the details."

Newbury shook his head. "It won't come from me, but it wouldn't take much for the lads to piece the whole thing together, once they see her."

She frowned. "They won't have to know it's him."

"True." He shrugged. "So if we don't let on who we figger it is, we'll still probably have half the company wantin' to help."

She used a stick to poke at the fire, watching the cinders crumble at its base. "I can't believe we're even talking about it. If we got caught..."

He didn't want to think about that, too much. "If we think about that, we'll slip up. Or be more likely to slip up."

She gave him a wry glance. "Hard not to think about it between now and then, and I like to have a backup plan." She thought for a moment, narrowing her eyes in concentration. "What if I lure him away, flirt with him a little or act like I'm game - " She smirked at the double meaning of the word. "And when he follows me and he's about to make his move, you're there to get him. And if anything goes wrong, you can say you thought I was a damsel in distress. Or pretend to be jealous and you were spying to see who I was going with. No, the first is better."

That could work. Maybe. "Could work," he said after a moment's consideration. "I don't figure he'd pass up a fair chance at sport if it was there. What about anythin' goin' wrong? Like if he ain't interested?"

"I can't imagine that happening. But... I don't know."

"Could just set one of those muleteers on him," Newbury suggested. "He's probably cheated them in some way before."

"But are they willing to risk their necks over it?"

"They might, if they was paid enough for it." Newbury bit his lip. He had no money to pay anyone, at least not enough for this task. But maybe he could find some...

"Can't hurt to ask, quiet-like, anyway."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" she gasped, fumbling in her apron pocket. "Here's the money back that I borrowed from you, or that we pooled together in Coimbra. Lucky we didn't have to use it all up. But it's still not much at all - not enough to entice someone to... do something dangerous."

He managed a smile when the coins clinked into his hand. It wasn't a lot, no. If they wanted to use muleteers, they'd need a lot more. Newbury swallowed nervously.

"Maybe it'd be easier if it was just one of us. Quicker and cleaner."

Her eyes widened slightly. "One of us? I don't actually know if I could..."

"I know," he said quickly. "I... din't mean you."

"Though if I had a pistol... I can fire a pistol," she said. "But of course that would be noisy. Everyone would come running. I'll keep a knife with me anyway. I want to do my part."