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had fought together before would be the ones riding out against one another. The nation’s finest military schools had always drawn their cadets from across the country; naturally, now, the officers in the United States military all hailed from every region. If it did come to war…
    Whichever side he chose, Ian would be fighting old roommates, classmates, teachers—and friends.
    Possibly his own relatives. He winced, telling himself he had made no decisions yet. No decisions had been called for yet. The country had come to the brink of war before and compromises had been made. Still, what the hell should he do?
    Keep praying
, he advised himself.
    He turned and reentered his room, found fresh water in the ewer on his washstand, and quickly freshened up. Still, he had tarried too long. He arrived in the breezeway just outside the dining room in time to see the servants clearing away the meal and to hear the company all lifting their lemonade glasses in a toast to congratulate Peter O’Neill on his engagement to Elsie Fitch.
    Congratulations were in order. Elsie was pretty, sweet—a bit vacant in Ian’s opinion—but for a man like Peter, that was probably best.
    She was also very, very rich.
    “Ian!”
    His father’s voice. Behind him.
    Ian forgot everything as he was engulfed in his father’s hug. Jarrett took a step back from his son then, coal-dark eyes examining him. “You look fine, son. Indeed, a damned fine sight for these aging eyes.”
    Ian laughed. “Speaking of aging, happy birthday, Father.”
    “A very happy birthday. My children will all be home. I’m anxious to spend some time with you—hear about the world.”
    “Father, I’m not quite certain you want to know about the world. You can’t begin to imagine the situation—”
    “Trust me. I’ve seen a great deal. I will manage to view in my mind’s eye all that you tell me. I fear deeply for our country, and our state. News coming here is, of course, so often very slow, but it doesn’t matter; you can feel a surliness building like storm clouds. The failure of the National Convention seems to have set a new breeze stirring. There is a dangerous, ugly mood to the country now.”
    “The division in beliefs is growing so deep, I fear that it can never be repaired.”
    “We’ll talk later,” Jarrett said. “I believe your mother has just sent the gentlemen to the library, and a flock of young ladies will soon be heading toward the stairs to nap for the evening’s festivities. Naturally, I suppose you might prefer to be swamped by young ladies, but your uncle will want to see you and the not-so-terribly-young ladies will spend just a few minutes with the gentlemen, so your aunt will get to give you a kiss and hug as well.”
    “I saw Uncle James and Aunt Teela not so long ago. Did they tell you?”
    “Indeed, it seems they see more of you than we do, since you’ve been spending so much time at the base at Key West. Come, let’s head for the library, and get out of the way of the feminine stampede!”
    “As you wish, sir,” Ian said. With a grimace, he followed his father.
    As Jarrett had warned him, they had just slipped into the library before it seemed the breezeway was filled with giggling, fluffy creatures, all in skirts filled with so many starched petticoats that they could probably stand for building supports. A few, daughters of old friends, caught sight of Ian and gave him welcoming hugs and proper kisses.
    In the melee, he thought he saw a swirl of teal brocade flowers and delicate ivory lace: the golden blond beauty who had been holding court with her fencing party upon the lawn.
    Before he could question his father about the girl, however, his aunt appeared in the hallway. “Ian!” she greeted him with pleasure, and he met her with a hugand a kiss on the cheek, and when he looked up again, the little spitfire siren was gone.
    “Wait. Please, wait. You must wait!”
    Alaina had almost managed to escape the