1901

“Theodore, this isn’t a baseball game. We are at a serious disadvantage and must use every means at our disposal to win.”

Roosevelt nodded agreement. “You’re right, John, you’re always right.”

“I certainly try to be. Unfortunately, Theodore, that is not the end of the bad news.”

“Spare me; I’ve heard enough for today.”

Hay ignored his request. “As the Germans contracted their perimeter on Long Island and, in effect, gave the Island back to us, they burned or destroyed just about everything they could not use in order to deny it to us. The land is a ruin.”

“Dear Jesus.”

Hay looked at him sadly. “I am truly sorry to report that one of the places destroyed by fire was your home at Sagamore Hill.”

There was a stunned silence for a moment, then Theodore Roosevelt began to weep tears of pain and impotent fury.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The Schuyler Estate was located about twenty miles south of Albany on the east side of the Hudson. Upon first seeing it, Patrick could readily understand Trina’s description of it as a castle. There was a barbaric splendor about the multistoried stone and brick structure. As he came closer, he saw it was basically a three-level building with a stone turret that carried another two levels into the sky. Using his soldier’s background, he reviewed the place as a fortress and decided it would hold out quite well against light opposition. As he eyed the construction more closely, it became apparent that some of it was quite old and perhaps had been built with defense against Indians in mind.

Trina greeted him at the massive oak door and showed him his quarters, a three-room suite with a view of the forest. He was honored, she assured him; less-favored guests had views, and smells, of the barn and stables in the back.

Later, when he had changed and refreshed himself from the one-day trip, he met her outside for a tour of the grounds. She wanted to show him around while it was still light. The interior of the house could wait until later.

Her choice of clothing shocked him at first, then pleased him. She wore a man’s flannel shirt and denim pants. It was the first time he’d ever seen a woman in pants, and it was a little disconcerting. Because the pants fit quite well, he decided two things: first, she had a delightful figure and, second, the pants had been made especially for her. She confirmed the latter by saying they had been custom tailored for her by Levi Strauss amp; Company.

Trina took his hand and showed him the buildings around the main house. In addition to the house and a large barn with storage and animals that made the estate almost self-sustaining, there was a stable with a number of horses.

The house, she explained, had been started by an early ancestor in the eighteenth century and added to by succeeding generations of Schuylers. Along with quarters for a half-dozen servants, there were ten bedrooms, living and entertainment areas, kitchens, baths, a ballroom, and a pool. There was also indoor plumbing, electricity run by a generator, and a telephone.

It was impressive and Patrick was a little awed. “Eighteenth century? Does that mean you’re actually related to the Schuylers who fought in the Revolution?”

“You mean the one who lost Ticonderoga to Burgoyne? No. We are a different branch of that family. Any relationship is now quite distant.”

As the afternoon shadows lengthened and dinnertime approached, they walked a little through the woods. Trina was quite agile as she navigated the narrow trails. The terrain was a very good reason not to wear a dress.

“When I was a little girl I liked to walk through the woods and think of fairy tales and trolls and things like that. It can be a scary place. Delightfully frightening when you’re small.”

“How much of this is your family’s?”

“From here to Oregon,” she replied with a straight face. “Are you really so concerned about how much my family owns?”

He flushed, confused. “Concerned? No,” he finally stammered. “But I confess to being intimidated. I’ve met people before whom I considered rich, but you are far beyond that.”

She took his arm and squeezed. “Well, don’t worry about it. Actually it’s rather pleasant being rich, and I’m not in the slightest ashamed of it. Some of my friends feel guilty that they have so much while others do not. I look on it as an advantage that gives me the opportunity to do things that might prove useful. I hope most of them will be for the right causes and reasons. At any rate,” she said merrily, “I have no intentions of giving it all away just so you can have more money than I do.”

A look at the sky told her they’d stayed outdoors later than they should have. “We have to get back for dinner. Wear your uniform and all the stars. It’ll impress my father more than you know.”

The largest dining room could seat fifty. With only four people present, they used the library and seated themselves about a mahogany table in front of a small but sparkling fire in a large brick fireplace that took up almost all of one wall.