Your Interest At Heart

Chapter 25: Philip Hamilton 1782-1801

Clement (Clem) Seabury: Red hair, blue eyes.

Samuel, Clem, and I were at Eliza's house when we caught wind of something. Clem is eighteen right now. I had answered the door to learn that Philip was at the hospital.

"Eliza, where's Philip?" I asked, closing the door. Samuel looked up at me and his brows furrowed when he saw that my face had drained of color.

"He didn't say where he was going." She replied absentmindedly. We were listening to Clem's violin. "Why?"

"He's in the hospital." I told her quietly. Clem stopped playing and looked up in horror.

"Is he okay?" She demanded. Samuel stood up.

"Okay, let's get a carriage and go see." He decided nervously. Eliza rushed out the door, the rest of us in tow. Clem left her violin and bow leaning against Philip's piano. Soon enough, we were at the hospital.

"Philip Hamilton." Samuel told the lady at the front desk. Her face softened and she gave us the room number. We waited outside the room so Eliza could go in. Alexander was already there.

After a moment, there was a blood curdling scream from Eliza. Clem gasped and I peeked through the window. I saw Eliza sobbing at the body of her nineteen year-old son, Alexander crying silently beside her. I looked at my husband, who was staring at the scene, eyes wide and face pale.

"Take Clem home, I'll come back with Eliza." I murmured. He nodded and led our daughter away. I sat down outside the room until my sister and her husband ventured out. Eliza was staring at me, but looked to be looking through me. Alexander was studying the floor. We were still recovering from Peggy's death, which happened eight months ago. I didn't say anything, just linked my arm with Eliza's and led them out and into the carriage. They didn't say anything on the way back.

As a matter of fact, Eliza didn't speak for almost a week. They moved uptown to get away from everyone. The first thing Eliza after the death of her son was:

"It's quiet uptown."

Angelica came home from London to help me and Alexander plan Philip's funeral. Eliza couldn't even think of planning a funeral. Clem hasn't left her room since that day at the hospital, and Samuel and I keep trying to talk to her. Her violin was still in the same place it was before we went to see Philip.

"Aunt Angelica thinks it's a good idea for you to play your violin at his funeral." Samuel told her through the door. The funeral was tomorrow. Then for the first time in a week, Clem opened her door. Her hair was messy, eyes puffy, and she was in her night gown. The lights were off and the food was pretty much untouched.

"Why?" She croaked.

"It's what he would've wanted." I said gently.

"How do you know?" Clem demanded, looking at Samuel and I.

"He loved it when you played." I reminded her.

"And now he can't." She said bitterly.

"He'll still be listening." Samuel told her. Lip trembling, Clem threw us both in a hug. Then disappeared back into her room. 

"Do you think she's going to do it?" Samuel asked me quietly.

"She wouldn't miss his funeral, so if she brings her violin we'll know." I told him after a moment's thought. Samuel nodded. Boston was in Clem's room and had been for days.