“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to better the lot of others, or strikes out against an injustice, he sends a ripple of hope. For every battle won, we cross a new threshold of daring, and create a powerful current that can sweep down the mightiest wall of oppression and resistance. This war will be won and succeeded by the exertions of men far better than myself. Losing is not an option.”
They passed beneath a heavily canopied cover of overhanging branches, blotting out the light of the somber moon. As the canoe scraped over gloomy shallows, a slight breeze bowed the reeds growing near the bank. The magnitude of his conviction impressed her, and she admired his principles. Did she not believe the same? Did she not rail at the injustices she’d seen? His fervor was indeed infectious…and the deep timbre of his voice grew seductive to the point she wanted to reach out and touch him.
She folded her arms. To touch him anymore was a lie. Had he not pushed her away and told her to marry Sunderland?
He considered her a burden. She had helped him escape and now he felt responsible for her. With certainty, he was dedicated to his cause, and she was surrendered to the specter of intangible idealism. “Does your family know what you do?”
“My sister, I suspect, has eavesdropped on conversations I had with my uncle in Boston.”
Juliet tapped her chin. “As a spy, why did you go to the fort when the risks were so great?”
“I had no idea I had been seen meeting with General Horatio Gates at Saratoga.”
“You live a very dangerous life.”
He shrugged. “All warfare is based on deception. The ruse of a Loyalist trapper and selling his furs was a believable trick. The best spies can make a very small shadow on the wall. Unfortunately, my ruse has been revealed by Snapes.”
“I must say, I was almost convinced by your act, mumbling banalities despite your cloaked erudition, giving a calculated progression of disclosures with the right amount of praise to feed my cousin’s vanity.”
“You are a smart woman, Juliet. I should be wary of you.” His mouth twitched at one end into a boyish grin. “Of course, the disclosures are already known to add credence to the deception. The flattery is to win easy favor. I thank you for your praise.”
“It wasn’t meant to praise you. Your foolishness nearly secured a rope around your neck.”
He said nothing but she observed him consciously forcing his limbs to relax. “Juliet, thank you for saving my life.”
She was overcome by his raw emotion. “I’m glad you escaped…I couldn’t let them do anything to harm you.”
She remained quiet for a while, and then asked, “When did you become a Patriot?”
“So many questions,Lady Faulkner,you make me dizzy.” He inclined his handsome head meaningfully. “In England, I had attended a lecture by a passionate colonial, Benjamin Franklin. As soon as I finished my schooling, I left for the Colonies, joining my uncle, Thomas Hansford, in Boston. He is an ardent Patriot and introduced me to many of the Sons of Liberty.
In Boston, there was great fervor against the Quartering Act and unfair taxation. I fought in Breed’s Hill. Many of my companions died. A fire torched in my belly.
“From there, I traveled with Henry Knox, a bookseller and captured Fort Ticonderoga. We dragged sixty tons of artillery through forests and swamps, across the frozen Hudson and Connecticut Rivers, arrived in Cambridge in January and, afterward, set up the cannons on Dorchester Heights. Can you imagine the surprise of British General Howe waking up to the bombardment of Boston? As a result, General Howe was persuaded to evacuate Boston or have his troops and ships destroyed.”
Juliet laughed.
“During the New York and New Jersey campaigns, General Washington asked me to scout the New York frontier. During this time, the British launched a major campaign to secure the Hudson River Valley. I did reconnaissance for General Horatio Gates at the headwaters where the British General ‘Gentleman Johnny’ was defeated.”
Juliet pulled her loose hair back and braided it. “The Patriots have had remarkable successes. You aredizzilyconvincing,Lord Faulkner.” She gave a knowing smile, emphasizing his title, like he had hers, and pointing out how he had hidden the fact of his nobility.
Joshua dug his paddle where the current ran strong. “I have faith in the Colonies. We Patriots are like tiny bees that fly around the head of a great giant. We are but a little annoyance, even if we sting, at which time the hand of the giant might slap and crush us. But every now and then,” he added, “the poison of the tiny bee’s sting becomes deadlier than the bite of a rattlesnake and he who is stung dies.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
A week later they came to the mouth of a river branch, and they descended into an azure lake. In the distance, smoke curled to the sky, and a short break inland lay a settlement.
Two Eagles paddled harder, the pleasure and breathless haste of seeing his home spurring him on. Edmund’s eyes rounded, suddenly alert, and Joshua, too sat in awe. Mary stayed reticent, looking to Two Eagles who beamed with pride and excitement.
“We will be protected here by the Oneidas who are loyal to the Patriots and also it being the home of Two Eagles,” Joshua said.
Onuaga, was no insignificant Indian village. It sprawled at the edge of the forest, and like sentinels, tall trees of maple, ash, poplar and beech loomed up behind. Between the village and the lake were fields of rich black earth, cleared of underbrush, all worked and partially planted.
Bark canoes lined the shore. With dogs yapping at their heels, boys ran along the river’s edge, hailing Two Eagles and Joshua, curious of the newcomers.
The boys helped them pull their canoes ashore, staring at Juliet and Mary. They gawked and pointed at Edmund, apparently noticing the similarity between Two Eagles and his twin.
Men dressed in breechclouts approached, followed by naked children. Women with necklaces and ear piercings festooned with shells, rushed forward topless, their breasts browned by the warm sun. Juliet colored fiercely at their blatant nudity.
