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that my great-great-granduncle was the first judge for the Northwest Territory—till he drowned when his canoe capsized. One member of my family lost an arm at Bunker Hill, another a hand at Valley Forge.”
    “Not too good at holding on to their body parts, are they? Must’ve been runnin’ backwards rather than forward.”
    “Unlike your Montezuma, they managed to keep their heads at least.”
    Lucy let out a delighted screech and smacked Albert hard. “Don’t you go defaming my people—you hear me, Yankee boy!”
    “You dare talk that way to a wild young colt like me?”
    “Oh? Ain’t noticed no colt ’round here.”
    Albert grabbed her aggressively around the waist and with a loud puckering sound kissed her on the lips. She stepped away and rolled her tongue around her mouth, as if savoring a candy. “I’d call that a cheerful kiss,” she said mischievously. “Fond and friendly. Didn’t taste no eager, plucky ‘young colt’ in it.”
    “That’s ’cause your mouth’s set so stern, nuthin’ much can get through.”
    Lucy made a playful swipe at him. “I’m a serious woman,” she declared. “Don’t want no wild teenager for a husband, so it’s a good thing you’re a lousy kisser. I’m looking for a man with good cow sense.”
    “The cow’s about the stupidest animal exists.”
    “But does what it’s told. No sass.”
    “Oh—so you’re lookin’ for somebody you can boss around. Sorry ma’am, no descendant of Revolutionary War heroes is about to take orders from anyone, not even from an Aztec queen.”
    “I ain’t all Aztec.” She gave him a hard stare and decided it was time to get it over with “I love you, Albert,” Lucy said solemnly. “Even more, I admire you,” she went on, her voice low and resonant. “Your principles, your dangerous work on the
Spectator
on behalf of my—of people who are downtrodden. I want to share that work with you. I want to spend my life with you. I’m a proud woman, Albert. I’m not ashamed of any part of who I am. But you should know that I’m of many parts, not just Spanish and Indian. Do you understand me? To try and marry would mean the other parts might come to light—with hell to pay.”
    “I understand, I’ve understood for some time,” Albert said, his voice subdued.
    “You and I know who I am. We also know that if I want to live with you and stay alive, only you and I must know.”
    Albert moved to embrace her. “I accept that completely, Lucy, completely.” She abruptly pushed him away.
    “Better than
I
can, then! I’ll do what I have to do, what I been doin’, but I curse this land that makes me deny part of myself in order to survive. I
curse
it, you hear?!”
    Albert grabbed her and held her close, comforting himself as much as her. “I know, my love,” he whispered quietly. She cried bitterly as he stroked her hair. “I know. But we do have each other. That means something, doesn’t it?”
    Lucy wiped away the tears and disengaged from Albert’s arms. “It means everything—especially if they don’t murder us.” She let out a playful laugh, as Albert marveled to himself at her quicksilver changes in mood. Lucy grabbed his hand and led him toward the house. “Now recite me some verse, my wild colt, like those poems you sing to Bessie. Prove to Lucy that she’s in the hands of a safe and singing man.”

Part Two

Chicago
1873
    “We need to go north,” Albert said as soon as the results of the state election became known. “And we need to go soon. With the Redeemers in power, things will go hard with people like us.”
    “Don’t look at me. I’m packed and ready. Been packed ever since we got to Waco.”
    Albert laughed, then drew Lucy into his arms. “I thought it would be easier than it has been. We can’t even touch on the street,” he said softly.
    “Which, you may remember, is exactly what I predicted. The question is, where will it be any better?” She disentangled from Albert’s