“Aye.” Arran nodded at James’s assessment. “They’ll send us back with McGillivray.”
For four weeks, they had resided at Fort William, waiting to be removed to Montreal. Before that, it had taken them almost four weeks to travel to the fort from the Red River. It was an infuriating experience to sit idle, when Arran knew how hard Eleanor must be working just to survive.
The dining room was overly warm, though the windows were open to allow a breeze to blow in from the Kaministiquia River. The river ran parallel to the fort, which had been built near the mouth of the river as it emptied into the northern shores of Lake Superior. A long wharf had been built on the banks of the river for the ease of the canoes that came in and out almost daily through the warm summer months.
An Indian woman arrived at their table with steaming platters of delectable food. Fresh bread, salt pork, beef, ham, fish, peas,Indian corn, potatoes, butter, and cranberry sauce. They were also offered tea, high wine, and plenty of milk. Arran had not gone hungry since arriving at Fort William, but each time he filled his belly, all he could think about was Eleanor and Miriam, wondering if they were as fortunate.
“I ken what you’re thinking when you get that look in your eyes,” James said as he put a spoonful of Indian corn on his fine china. “Old John will take care of her and the bairn.”
The other men glanced in Arran’s direction, though no one mentioned Eleanor’s name. Arran was not the only man among them who had been forced to leave the woman he loved. Heden and Burke were married with children, and Pritchard had been courting one of the settler’s daughters.
“I wish there was a way we could know if they arrived at Jack River House.” Arran had said the same at least a hundred times since arriving at Fort William. “What if something befell them along the way?”
Heden’s face was long as he said, “My fear is that they tired of waiting for us and left, or took up with another man.”
“That’s a rotten thing to say.” Pritchard shot Heden a stony look. “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then keep your mouth shut.”
“And why wouldn’t they?” Heden challenged. “There are five men for every woman among the settlers. Why would they wait?”
“Mayhap they love us?” Burke asked with sarcasm dripping from his voice. “And they’re committed to us.”
“You all need to calm yourselves,” James admonished. “We are not the enemy. They are.” He pointed with his fork. “We’ll have to leave our loved ones in God’s hands and deal with what comes one step at a time.”
Arran pushed his boiled potatoes around his plate, the injustice of the entire situation making his stomach turn to knots.
There was no way of knowing if the settlers reached Jack River House, or if they would be waiting for them on their return. He had asked Eleanor to wait for him, but what if circumstances forced her to leave Jack River House? What if she lost hope of seeing him again and accepted someone else’s proposal to ensure her and Miriam’s survival?
Arran couldn’t think about such things. He had to do as James said and trust God.
A clerk burst through the front door of the dining hall and everyone’s conversation died.
“It’s Lord Selkirk!” the clerk exclaimed, rushing to McGillivray’s side, a missive in hand. “He’s landed at a point a mile upriver, and he’s in the possession of at least a hundred or more soldiers!”
“What’s this?” McGillivray rose and tossed his napkin on his plate. He ripped the missive from the clerk’s hand and quickly scanned the contents.
Arran’s entire body became still as he watched and waited. James and the other men did not move a muscle. Selkirk was here? It was too good to be true.
McGillivray crumpled the missive and turned his angry gaze on Arran and his men. His jaw clenched and for a moment, he looked as if he might address Arran, but then he turned and spoke to the partners and senior clerks sitting at his table. “If this report is true, Lord Selkirk is currently at a point west of here, with over a hundred retired de Meuron soldiers.”
De Meuron soldiers! The regiment of Swiss mercenary soldiers was first raised over forty years before for the Dutch East India Company and named for its commander, Colonel Charles-Daniel de Meuron. Arran was familiar with their servicein both the Napoleonic wars, as well as the War of 1812, when they were posted in Canada. He had heard they were disbanded, but had never dreamed Selkirk would think to hire them—if indeed he had.
“I want the Red River men returned to their quarters,” McGillivray ordered, “until further notice.” He stormed away from the table toward his room, which also served as his office. He spoke to the other partners as he went. “No doubt Selkirk is here for his men. If he gets them now, they’ll never face charges. We must remove them from here before Selkirk demands them, and sneak them off to Montreal.”
A handful of the clerks rose to remove Arran and the Red River men from the dining hall, but they did not need to be told. They left their food on their table and walked back to Bell House, on the other side of the Great Hall, with several guards following them.
“I dinna like this,” Arran said the moment they entered their quarters. He still spoke quietly, knowing the guards were posted outside their door. Three bunks filled the spacious room and a table with six chairs sat in the center. The men went there now.
“I wouldna doubt that the Nor’westers are hatching a plan to assassinate Selkirk in his sleep,” Archie said. “He is the only man who stands in the way of their plans.”
Arran leaned forward and whispered, “If Selkirk delays in coming for us, McGillivray will remove us from the fort. Once we’re in Montreal, he’ll not be able to free us from prison. Our fates will be sealed.” He tapped his fingers against the wooden table, unable to sit. He left his chair and walked to the window, looking out at the back side of the fort. “He needs to be told to strike immediately. And I will be the one to tell him.”
“It won’t work,” Pritchard said, his voice low. “They’ll be watching us even closer now.”
“I’ll find a way to escape.”
“We’ll all go,” Heden said, his voice tight and quiet.
“Nay. It’ll be harder to escape with the six of us. If I can get away tonight and warn Selkirk to strike in the morning, it’ll be our best chance.”
