“You’re under arrest.” Arran took Duncan by the arm and pulled him toward Semple’s office. “You’ll not be asking the questions today.”
A slow smile slithered onto Duncan’s face as understanding lit his eyes.
The last thing Arran needed was for his enemy to know where his armor was the weakest—and yet, he had just figured it out.
He’d met Eleanor Brooke.
It was a loud and boisterous group that gathered in Fort Douglas’s main hall the night before leaving for Pembina. Eleanor sat at one of the long tables, Fiona and Angus Ferguson nearby, smiling at the antics of one of the children.
Miriam had been left at the governor’s house with Nicolette, offering Eleanor a rare opportunity to relax and enjoy the company of her fellow Assiniboins.
Laughter filled the air as men and women visited and told tales of life in the Highlands. Their culture was far different from the one Eleanor had known growing up, but she thoroughly enjoyed listening to them, even when they slipped into Gaelic and she struggled to follow their stories. Though she sat with them, she was clearly an outsider. No one spoke to her or invited her to share her own stories. She simply listened, feeling more alone than she had in a long time.
A soft glow fell over the occupants of the hall as the candles and lanterns flickered with light. A fire had been lit in the large fireplace and a picture of King George III hung above it. Theladies had prepared a communal meal, which had been enjoyed and then set aside as the ale and conversation had begun to flow.
Governor Semple sat at a table in the corner of the room with Arran and other leaders of the colony. Eleanor and William had dined with them, but when the discussion had turned to business and political matters, Eleanor had excused herself to join Fiona. Her new friend was loud and animated, sharing story after story with her husband. Each tale Fiona told was bigger and better than the one Angus shared before, creating gales of laughter from their audience.
The prisoner, Duncan Cameron, had been locked in a room in the row house since his arrest. The voyageurs had kept him in shackles and Eleanor had not seen him again, for which she was thankful. Something about him had sent a shiver up her spine, and when he had reached for her hand, she had wanted to recoil from his touch. The men had spent the past three days discussing what they should do with him, but they could not come to a consensus. Arran and Mr. Robertson wanted to transport him to England to face charges against the colony and the Hudson’s Bay Company, but Governor Semple was of a mind to release him, claiming that since Mr. Cameron had come without a fight and been properly warned, he would now comply.
From the stories Eleanor had heard, she doubted Mr. Cameron could behave himself.
Arran looked across the room and met Eleanor’s gaze. As always, her heart beat a little faster when she saw him. They had not had a moment to speak in private since the night she had arrived, and she was beginning to think it was intentional on his part. Every time she sought him out, he pulled away, as if the very sight of her displeased him.
William rose from the table and caught Eleanor’s eye. He crossed the room and stood before her. “Do you mind if I join you?”
“Of course not.” She moved to the side to allow him a space to sit, and then she turned from Fiona and her husband to give her full attention to the minister. It felt good to have someone who wanted to speak to her.
“Do you have everything you need for Miriam?” he asked, just as he did every day, his kind eyes resting on her face. “For the journey and the winter at Pembina?”
“Yes. She is quite content with the new clothing I sewed from the material you acquired at the company store.” He had surprised her by bringing the cloth home after visiting the row house. In addition to cotton for Miriam’s gowns and nappies, he had included a thick Hudson’s Bay Company coat for Eleanor. The capote, as it was called, was long and warm, reaching down her thighs, and made from the popular Hudson’s Bay Company wool blanket. It was white, with colorful stripes near the bottom. It had a large hood and long sleeves, which she would appreciate during the coming winter. She had tried to refuse the generous and expensive gift, but he had insisted, saying he wanted to repay her for all her help with Miriam.
“Have you had a chance to try on the capote?” he asked.
“I have. It fits perfectly.”
William smiled, his blue eyes warming with pleasure. “I wish I could offer you something more refined, but—”
“I’m quickly learning that refinement is a luxury. I would rather be comfortable than fashionable.”
“Would that you could be both.” He smiled at her, his keen appreciation softening his features. The deep sadness that had permeated his countenance since Anne’s death had started to ease around his mouth and eyes. He had been busy marrying voyageurs to their mixed-race and Indian wives since his arrival,as well as baptizing their children. Now that there was a real minister in Assiniboia, dozens of people had come to him to legalize their unions. He had even performed a ceremony between Old John, one of the Hudson’s Bay Company men, and the Widow MacDougal the day before. He was the first minister in Assiniboia, and he was in demand. The work had been good for him, and it made Eleanor’s heart happy.
“Are you anxious to reach our winter quarters?” she asked, wanting to change the subject away from the gift he had given her.
“I’ve been told there is a large population of voyageurs and mixed-race peoples at Fort Daer in Pembina. I will be busy marrying and baptizing for some time.”
“As well as preaching and teaching Sunday school,” she reminded him with an encouraging smile.
“And you will start your school when we arrive?” he asked, his attention on her and her alone.
“Yes, as soon as we’re settled.” She was eager to get it started, though she still wondered how it would be received when most of the colonists still avoided her.
“Will it be hard for you, with the care of Miriam?” Concern lined his words. “I would not want you to overwork yourself on my account.”
“I’ve been told Nicolette will join us in Pembina. She will help with Miriam while I teach my classes.”
William nodded, seemingly pleased with the arrangement. “Very good.”
Eleanor wished to ask him about his daughter and the fact that he had not held her yet. It wasn’t her place to push him—but he was the baby’s father, and Miriam needed the love and affection that only he could provide.
