He scanned the river below and she followed his gaze. So far, no one had followed them.
“My family has been under attack by unseen enemies. The violence started at my sister’s betrothal ball. There was an explosion and during that time, my sister was abducted, found herself in the bowels of a ship with her hair shorn, breasts bound, dressed as a boy, and the captain bent on her demise. She barely survived. An American privateer, Captain Jacob Thorne rescued her.”
Joshua placed his foot on a fallen tree and laughed. “He thought her a male and kept her as his cabin boy.”
“I can imagine his surprise when he discovered her to be a female.”
“I don’t know the details, but they fell in love and married. She has given birth to her first born by now.”
Juliet inhaled. “What happened to the rest of your family?”
“My brother, Anthony remains in England. He’s is a brilliant scientist who never surfaces from his laboratory…except for the miraculous fact both he and Father left the place seconds before someone blew it up to kill them,” he said, his words laced with venom.
“My oldest brother, Nicholas was likewise abducted and no one knows what has happened to him. I’ve been out of touch so long, I don’t know if he is alive or dead.”
Joshua turned away. Juliet clasped his arm and continued working on his arm. No way would she allow him to retreat into himself.
“That’s horrible. Who do you think is responsible?”
“Later, when Abby had landed in Boston, she was attacked again by a man named Percy Devol who admitted to kidnapping her back in England. We speculated there were two men involved, but now know there are more.”
She took another stitch, felt his muscles harden beneath her fingers. “How do you know?” There was more to the story, she was sure.
He raked his fingers through his hair. “Not ever in a million years did I believe the hatred of the Rutlands might extend to the frontier. My war is on two fronts. Snapes wanted to get at me because of who I am.”
Her pulse jumped at the mention of Snapes. She shook it off, tied off the last stitch, and surveyed her work. She wound bandages around his arm, then darting a glance at Joshua and took a step back from the ferocity of his glare.
“Snapes has a twisted score to settle with the Rutlands and I—have a score to settle with him.”
“A score to settle?
“If I knew…”
“When he came to the Hayes’ farm and discovered you had recently been there, he asked many questions concerning you, and later he—” Her mouth went dry.
“He assaulted you?”
She shook her head. “No. Thankfully the cook came in and I was sent to attend Orpha.”
Joshua bolted to his feet. “I’ll get that bastard,” he spat out, then took her hand and headed back to camp. “We are going back on the river.”
“Tonight? I cannot—”
“I don’t want to taste your cousin’s hospitality again.”
Reaching their site, Two Eagles alert, nodded to Joshua. The tall warrior touched his twin’s shoulder to awaken him, and then gently picked up Mary, who slept soundly, carried her to the canoe and placed her gently upon the fur pack. Joshua steadied the birch bark vessel and taking Juliet’s hand again, helped her alight. He plunked a fur pack behind her, hopped in, and shoved off with his oar. “Sleep, Juliet. I will paddle through the night. Until we come upon the safety of Two Eagles’ tribe, I will not rest.”
Facing him, she settled against the furs. Sleep eluding her, and her mind swirled with so many questions. “Why do you choose to go against your noble family?”
“I love my family. But I have opposition to a monarchial regime.” Joshua dug deep with his paddle. “I left the feudal-aristocracy behind in England simply to be greeted with it again here in the Colonies. The status quo must end.”
She trailed her fingers through the water, noticing how he studied her beneath his dark lashes.
“Look what happened to you, Juliet. Is not your own situation a demonstration of the ills of nobility? You were driven out of your home by a relative before your father was cold in his grave. Afterward, you fell helplessly into the abhorrent practice of indentured servitude with no retreat but submission and slavery. Where is the fairness?”
Joshua looked deeply into her eyes. “Of concern is the aristocracy. Is it fair everything goes to the hands of the few? That the rest sacrifice everything for the sake of nobility? What we are fighting for are new ideas where every man is equal.”
“Noble but rare that rebels who revolt ever win. What if the Patriots lose this war? What then? Will you ever be able to return to England? If you stay in the Colonies, you will live in fear of being hunted down by British soldiers.”
