PROLOGUE
REFLECTIONSIt was late fall in the Year of our Lord 1781. It was harvest time for fruits and vegetables. The people were out picking their crops.
Robert Bordon looked out of the carriage at the dismal scene outside. It was raining quite heavily for this time of year. At least the air was fresher than it had been in London and Liverpool. Shortly after their arrival they had journeyed to the manor house that had once been the Tavington's. It was large, but had fallen into disrepair. Amanda had the deed on it among the papers she had. While there she had sold it to a bank for more than it had been worth.
Amanda stirred slightly and Bordon looked down at her where she lay on his chest. She looked so beautiful. Her hair fell thick about her shoulder and back. He kissed the top of her head. She who had been through so much to come home after living more than a year in the colonies.
He sighed heavily as he remembered how hard it had been. He looked over where Erin and Fiona sat together across from them holding the Bordon children in the arms against them. Mandy had married him, a common soldier, and was content. She had knowing kings, but loved Bordon for who he was. She had become pregnant. However, before they knew it she had been violently ill and nearly died in an accident. She had nearly fallen down some stairs when she had fainted. Luckily Robert, Ban Tarleton, and Fredrickson were all there. The doctor had come and announced her fit and pregnant.
When she had told him he was proud and happy beyond belief. She was going to give him a child.
She had been kidnapped, but by all accounts had been treated well enough. She would not tell him of the time. He had asked often, but to no avail.
A week before Christmas tide Robert had fallen in a surprise ambush. He had taken a knife to the abdomen and had somehow with his heavily pregnant wife at his side had survived. Cornwallis had moved him to Fort Carolina so he would be warmer. This was not a favor to his officer, but a favor to his adopted daughter. Robert had been amazed. The Lord general loved her as his own. His wife had never given him children before she died. Now he had godchildren whom, he loved as grandchildren.
It was mid-January when her brother, Robert's colonel, William Tavington fell at Cowpens after being fatally wounded. Amanda had journeyed to see him and he had dies in her arms. She had seen him buried before returning to her husband and weeping in his arms.
She grew heavier and heavier until finally had given birth three weeks early. She after a long labor that had been hell on both of the new parents, she finally gave him a strong boy and a beautiful girl. Amanda, however, was too weak after to nurse the infants properly. Robert had hired two wet nurses from the camp wives. They were robust and had milk to spare.
The British had suffered losses and Robert was forced to moved his wife from her bed as the army rode to Yorktown. They tried to make strongholds along the way and failed.
Robert put his young wife, children, and caregivers in a rich house gifted to them by Cornwallis in the heart of the city. He returned to duty, but the city fell and Cornwallis surrendered. Before he could return home, Amanda was found by a Colonel of her past and brought to safety away from the militia types who would do a woman harm. Again she is at the mercy of Jean and Ben. The two of them introduce her to Colonel Harry Burnwell.
She stays with the group of three men until the British captured are being returned. Robert ran to her when he saw her walking with Harry, Ben, and Jean. She sat on Jean's horse. The wet nurses sat on the other twos. She ran into his embrace and knocked him over. She was so happy to see him alive and well.
Not long after they were invited to attend a ball with the officers from both sides. The Bordons were honored and spent the night dancing, laughing, and having fun. Jean brought Mandy to meet Lafayette. She smiled at her old friend. They jumped into a conversation in French and he led her away from the crowds to catch up. The Marquis demanded a dance and would hardly let her chat with any other.
Robert made a final trip to see his friends the Cherokee. He brought Amanda with him. Al though she understood none of the conversations between Bordon and the men she still had fun. They had a feast in Robert's honor. The Chief Black Kettle began using his hands to speak to Amanda. He seem quite charmed by her. Robert translated as he began to speak. She caught the word Walela. Robert smiled and told her that was her Indian name among them. She was named Hummingbird, for she was beautiful and was independent. Black Kettle then revealed he could speak English and they spoke. He found Hummingbird very charming. He was very sad when Robert, his blood brother, and the hummingbird had to leave them. Robert adopted it as a nickname that he used to get her attention.
The boat trip over to England was terrible for the most part. They had two storms and had lost two crewmembers to them. However, Robert and Mandy woke up early one morning to sit in the bow and watch the sunrise over the small wavelets of the ocean. It had been truly beautiful.
They had arrived in London a week and a half before Christmas. Ban Tarleton took them up to Liverpool where they lived over the Christmas tide. Ban was sad to see them go.
Now they were heading for the Welsh border town of Shrewsbury. Robert's older brother lived there with his wife and family. Andrew owned a manor house on the outskirts of town. He was a farmer by trade.
Robert leaned back into the seat and leaned his head against his wife inhaling her sweet fragrance. He pulled her cloak tighter about her as he watched out the window at the rain. He could feel the carriage move as it bounced in and out of ruts. He wondered how much longer it was. He knew Mandy preferred ride on a horse to a carriage, but he would never let his wife ride in that. She would have a cough and fever within days. He could not stand the thought of losing her.