Becoming Miss Lee

Chapter 37 - Moving Forward

1797 came and I found myself still at Monticello. I connected to the outside world with letters. I wrote to Benjamin, Gideon, and Alex, desperate to know of the politics going on outside. It was in that same year that I learned Washington had stepped down and John Adams had taken his place after a rather swift election. The country rejoiced at the election of a new president, but that was when I realized that Thomas was now Vice-President of the United States and that remaining any longer at Monticello may cause problems for him. Still, he insisted that I stay, and I found myself being whisked away to the inaugural ball against my better judgment. Thomas made it a point to show himself, as he and Adams were friends, but I was also rather surprised to hear that Alex was to be there.

I entered on his arm and heads turned. I was draped in my finest dress and had my hair curled in the dramatic style of the period, yet among the young ladies I felt horrendously out of place. I learned over to Thomas, "I fear I make a dreadful sight."

"Look a little closer." He advised as he led me into the room and nodded at the men who greeted him fondly.

I did as he suggested and almost felt stunned. The younger women were gazing at me in admiration, admiring my hair and Miss Anne's necklace and ring that I wore to every social occasion for good luck. I heard one remark upon how lovely my hair was, another upon my delicate skin tone, and the finest came from a lady who openly commented on how I looked overall absolutely lovely. The ladies around her had nodded in agreement and I looked to the ground to hide my blushing cheeks. Thank god for dim candles. They bustled about attempting to find someone who knew me so they could be introduced, and that was when Betsy burst forth from the gaggle and giggled in delight, "Beatrice Fisher Lee!" She exclaimed and we hurried into each other's arms in girlish delight. "Ladies, allow me to introduce you all to Beatrice Lee, daughter of the late Mister Richard Henry Lee."

"I told you she was a southerner!" One of the ladies triumphantly declared. "So, you arrived with Mister Jefferson. You simply must tell us what he is like. I heard he barely speaks."

"He is very handsome, too!"

"Oh, go elsewhere, giddy hens!" Betsy saved me and pulled me away towards the wall where she had been standing when I had walked in. I found myself dragged up beside Alex, who turned to me with a start and quickly adjusted himself. "Look who I stole away!"

"Well, see fit to escape Virginia and return to us here in New York?" He mused and kissed my hand almost theatrically. I knew that he meant that based on who they had represented in the Constitutional Convention and I rolled my eyes.

Betsy gave his arm a smack and turned to me, "Ignore him, dear. He knows not what he says. Abe was here not a moment ago..."

"Had I known you were heading to steal his lovely mother away, I would have kept him here! I sent him to get us beverages."

"I did tell you that! See, he never listens to me, Bea."

As Betsy shook her head, I turned my own head towards a flurry of excuses that was heading towards us and lifted my hand to my lips. Abe looked as stunned as I was, dressed in maroon with his hair pulled sharply back from his face and tied with a black ribbon, and he almost dropped the glasses before he even passed them off to Alex. His freckles had not faded and his hair was still the lovely sun kissed auburn of his childhood. "Mama?" I just held out my arms and he ran into them. He was so much taller than me now that I only came up to his shoulders and he had to look down to kiss me now. He looked like a younger Alex that I couldn't help but wonder if that is why Alex agreed to the proposal in the first place. Betsy watched on with a touched gaze and a sigh as I stood there hugging my son. As we parted, he took my hands with a grin, "President Adams wants me to continue my secretarial duties under him! Is it not this great, Mother?"