The Lost Princess [Hamliza Anastasia AU]

Chapter Thirty Three: Philadelphia At Last

Saturday, March 12, 1927. Philadelphia Pennsylvania

"Pennsylvania!" John shouted, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the city. They had disembarked from The Liberty just as dawn broke, and now they were standing on the docks, trying to figure out where to go. 

Glancing around at the drab grey buildings and grim faced men, Alex wrinkled his nose. "It looks just like New York."

Aaron shook his head. "It's just this part. Pennsylvania looks nothing like New York."

"Yeah," John added, a wry smile on his lips. "It looks like Pennsylvania."

"New York was more beautiful," Beth said loyally, and Alex's heart just about melted. She'd been so intent on escaping the country that he had no idea she'd harbored any warm feelings toward their homeland. Well, it's good that she does,he reasoned silently. She's to be their Elizabeth. 

Annoyed at her, John sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're such romantics! New York is not the world! Let's try to live a little!" He gestured at the blooming trees, and Alex thought he caught something oddly guilty in his gaze. 

Aaron looked dreamily around him, gazing at the warehouses and cargo ships as if they were opulent and full of wonder. "The last time I was in Philadelphia, I was just a toddler. I was like this tall..." He held his hand about a foot off the ground, and Alex raised his eyebrows, deciding only at the last moment not to make a quip about the accuracy of his friend's estimate. 

Taking a breath, Beth looked around at them. "We should figure out where to go. I'm going to ask that man over there," She pointed to a young dockhand unloading casks of wine from a large cargo ship flying French colors. They nodded their approval, and she hurried off. 

"Look at her," Alex said softly to John, watching Beth talk to the sailor in stilted French. She looked like a seasoned courtier, not the quiet girl they had first met. Of course, it was all an act, he could easily read the tension in the lines of her body, but no one who didn't know her would be able to tell "Rattling off with him," Alex continued, "We've done so well, we might actually get away with this."

"She'll break your heart Alex," John told him, leaning in and speaking softly so Aaron couldn't hear this comment. 

"Be quiet!" Alex snapped, shoving him. He was not going to think about that. Besides, it was impossible. The conman Alexander Hamilton didn't have a heart, just a taste for beautiful women.

"If they accept her as Elizabeth, you'll never see her again," his blonde friend reminded him. 

He shook his head. "As usual, you don't know what you're talking about," Alex wasn't even sure what he was talking about. Was he telling John he was wrong about his feelings, or about whether he would ever see Beth again?

Swiftly, Beth returned, her face somber. "He says he has no idea," she reported. "I can go talk to someone else if you like?"

"No," Aaron shook his head. "We can probably find it on our own. I remember a bit from our first time here, and the Dowager Countess's shouldn't be that hard to spot, once we get into the Yorktown District."

"Yorktown?" Beth cocked her head toward him, confused. 

Aaron nodded. "That's what they call the district where a lot of the New York immigrants live, like a Chinatown, but where all the New Yorkers are quartered. Since Philadelphia has a lot of expatriates, they've got a mini court and everything. That's why the Dowager Countess should be easy to find. Since she's the oldest living Schuyler and the most closely related to King Philip, excepting your royal self of course, they treat her like she's the queen."

Beth nodded, taking a deep breath. "Ok, let's go."

"Alright," Alex declared, practically skipping down the dock and then the short street that led toward the rest of the city. Coming onto the first tree lined street filled with nice houses, he couldn't stop a wide grin from spreading across his face. "We made it!" He exclaimed. 

"Even when I was mad at you, I never doubted we would," Beth said, her voice heavy with emotion. She smiled softly at him, a very different emotion flickering in her eyes, one that drew an answering flutter from his heart. "Thank you, Alexander."

It was nothing, he wanted to say, or maybe, Thank you, it was your diamond that got us the money. Heck, get him a few pints, and what would have come out of his mouth was marry me. Instead of any of those, however, he said "Thank Aarot and John," Then hurried awkwardly down the street after them. He was usually so confident with women, why did this one tie his tongue in knots? And more, why was he falling in love with one he could never have?