Nathaniel despised himself for how long his mind lingered on the very thought of Henri's hand on his arm. It had certainly been too long since he had last been with anyone if that simple gesture was remaining in his thoughts for so long. Indeed, he had been too concerned over establishing himself in his new country to consider seeking companionship for more than a few moments. Of course, he would never risk such a thing with Henri, even if Henri would be willing. Were they to be discovered, Henri's very freedom would be taken, as it was something considered to be a crime worthy of arrest, if not death.

In truth, the only reason he kept to himself so thoroughly was the fear of disrupting another man's life. Such a pairing was never to last very long for any number of reasons. There was, of course, the dreaded discovery. If that did not result in arrest it surely would still end things. There was also the expectation for every person in society to fit into their place, and that appeared to mean marriage in the colonies as much as home in England. Though Nathaniel had no desire to marry simply to preserve his reputation, he had known of other men like himself who had done so. Surely owning a tavern and coffeehouse wasn't unacceptable for a lifelong bachelor.

At times he had thought of being a better father than his own, but the very notion of being bound to a wife for the remainder of his life in order to be a father did not sit well on his mind. Perhaps a wife in name only would be endurable, but finding that would be a challenge. Though, once or twice he had thought perhaps he and Marie should marry to keep the talk about them to a minimum. He supposed they were still gossiped about at times, despite her going three years in his employment without having an obvious pregnancy.

And so he had concluded that he would live a bachelor life until the end of his days, for he would not take a wife or have children. Nor would he seek the companionship of a man who would never be able to remain with him for very long at all. It would be a lonely life, but he didn't mind. He had all the company he needed among the daily visitors of his establishment, and he had a friend, almost a sister, in Marie. Conversation and news from outside his door, and her genuine friendship from within, was all he needed in his life.

Or so he reminded himself as he watched Henri read through the day's papers at a nearby table. Marie called to her brother from the kitchen and he gracefully rose, set the papers aside, and walked into the kitchen, speaking to Marie in French.

"Did you hear?" a man said as he sat down at the bar in front of Nathaniel. He was a tailor by the name of James Stewart. "They killed another deserter today."

"That I hadn't heard," Nathaniel replied. "When was it?"

Stewart asked for a drink, then settled more comfortably in his chair. "About an hour ago. Shot the lad before all his fellow soldiers. It's a pity I say."

Nathaniel served him his drink. "There's few who would see it that way, I believe. Though I also do."

Stewart nodded to him. "Aye. One of them finally saw the uselessness of what's been going on and he paid with his life."

"More than likely he just got caught sneaking off to see another man's wife or daughter," declared another man from a nearby table. Nathaniel looked over and realized it was John Steel, a man who owned shares in several merchant ships, if Nathaniel remembered correctly. He was reading a paper while drinking his coffee and gazed over it at Stewart.

Stewart turned to look at him. "Perhaps this city would fare better if everyone didn't assume the worst about those they consider their enemy."

"I wouldn't call a deserter an enemy," Henri declared, appearing from the kitchen. "No matter the motive, he was still leaving the British side."

"Truth in that!" Stewart said with a firm nod.

"You speak of sides and enemies as if there's a war going on," Marie observed, setting a fresh loaf of bread at the bar.

"Soon enough!" Steel cried from his table, eyes once again on his paper.

Stewart reached out to touch Marie's arm. "Don't you worry your pretty head, lass," he told her gently. "Surely there will be a civilized solution."

This was not a conversation that was new to Nathaniel's ears, nor was it to Marie's. He was impressed, when he looked at her, to see how well she was pretending to be afraid. Her blue eyes were wide and she had a hand to her chest.

John Steel laughed. "There could be no civilized solution now," he declared. "I believe all the soldiers know it, too. If they don't all desert and get killed by their own fellow soldiers, we'll kill them all ourselves. Why, I say we start now."

Nathaniel held up a hand. "That violence isn't welcome in my house. I don't take kindly to plans of attack being laid here. Certainly, plans of defense are acceptable, but I won't have more soldiers laying siege to me because plans for attack were promoted here."

"Come now, Mr. Steel," Stewart said with a nod to Nathaniel. "Mr. Hill here doesn't need your dangerous talk. Let's spare this good man from further troubles."

There was some grumbling from Steel and a few others, but eventually the talk turned to the usual daily news and gossip again. Marie served the patrons with thick slices of buttered bread, meat, and pudding while they drank their coffees, chocolates, and alcohols. The men came and went, some staying longer than others.

"Marie never warned me there was such talk as that going around," Henri told Nathaniel some time later. "Though I've been well appraised of the state of things since I arrived. I had not expected Britain's colonies to despise her so much over taxes, tea, and soldiers, and to discover it has been growing worse by the year."

Nathaniel grimaced. "Perhaps she never told you to spare you from worrying about her."

Henri nodded and gazed out over the tavern room. "I have always worried for her, regardless. I had sent my sister alone to a foreign land. I feared she would regret it and want to return home. I feared so many of the things I was certain would happen to her. I feared even more when she told me she alone worked for a bachelor tavern keeper," he added, glancing back at Nathaniel.

Nathaniel let himself smile slightly, though surprised by the change in the subject of conversation. "I hope I've set that fear to rest."

"Yes," Henri said with a nod. "Thank you for being kind to her."

Nathaniel's mind traveled back to the memory of Henri's touch and he looked away. "You are both quite welcome. I'm glad she has been kind to me, as well."

Henri chuckled. "Marie is kind to everyone."

"I saw her slap a man out of his chair once," Nathaniel stated.

Henri laughed outright. "He must have deserved it."

Nathaniel smiled and finally looked back at Henri. "Indeed. He was drunk and too free with his hands."

"Much like the others more recently?"

Nathaniel nodded, certain he understood the concern. "She can quite hold off a single man, but when I saw multiple men behaving in such a way, I knew it was my duty to assist her."

"I never did have much to fear." Henri smiled as he watched Marie laughing with a few townspeople at a table by the fire. "All will be well."

Nathaniel wasn't certain he believed that completely, but he nodded. "It will be, in the end."