Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Phil arrived at the Boone cabin at five o'clock, spruced up and excited. Though the turkey was still roasting and the bread unbaked, Rebecca beamed a convincing smile at her guest and produced a cup of berry tea for him. For Dan and Mingo she produced nothing but daggers, her blue eyes sharp and angry. The two men stayed as far from her as possible and did nothing to aggravate her farther. Israel picked up on the mood and stayed outside finishing his snow fort.

Dan engaged Phil in polite conversation to distract the young man's mind and hopefully prevent disaster. The iron rod supporting the turkey did fall once, but Becky and Mingo rescued the turkey before it burned and Dan reattached the rod. Becky's apron did get singed as she bent over the fire, but no one considered that especially strange. Not so when Mingo's two turkey feathers dropped off the back of his head. The two men exchanged a guarded look as the Cherokee bent to retrieve his feathers and disappeared behind the loft stairs to reattach them.

Everyone in the room reacted to the knock upon the door. Becky, Dan and Mingo exchanged a look that indicated hope that their experiment yielded positive results, and Phil smoothed his hands over his brown hair nervously. Dan opened the door and Milly strode into the room, Ivy quietly entering behind her mother.

"Thanks for the invite, Mrs. Boone. I was just rememberin' the time we spent here with you afore our own cabin was built. My, I like thinkin' about them days." Though Becky did her best to cover her thoughts, Dan and Mingo could see that she too remembered "them days" but not nearly as fondly as Milly Moss.

Striding to the fire, Milly loudly asked Becky about the seasoning she was using for the meat, adding her own opinion on how to best roast a turkey. Becky grimaced but did nothing to display her aggravation as Milly's voice went on and on in the quiet cabin.

She shot a look at her husband, mutely asking for his help.

"Mrs. Moss, the weddin' was real nice. Rocky and Greta seem like a happy couple."

Milly turned to Dan and began to regale her audience with the particulars of Rocky's cabin and his plans for the future. Becky smiled her gratitude and finished the meal.

Mingo sat apart and watched Ivy and Phil carefully. They were sitting near each other, quietly smiling. Nothing in the cabin demonstrated any propensity for movement.

Becky soon called everyone to the table. Dan opened the door and beckoned Israel. Then the roomful of people sat and ate the delicious meal. Dan sat at the head of their table, Becky opposite him. Mingo sat at Dan's right hand, Israel at his mother's. At Dan's left Rocky ate silently. Milly and Ivy sat across from the young man, Ivy close beside Mingo. Though the Cherokee swallowed nervously as she sat, he smiled courteously into her pretty little face. She beamed back at him and daintily ate the meal.

Mingo couldn't help noticing that Phil was very taken with Ivy, and the feeling appeared to be mutual. Though Milly's strident voice echoed off the walls painfully, Mingo smiled. His eyes met Dan's, and both men nodded slightly. It appeared that the experiment was successful.

An hour later as Milly and Becky cleared the table and Ivy washed the dishes, the three men and Israel sat before the fire and visited. Phil expressed his desire to remain in the community and the three were investigating the probable careers available to him.

"You know, Daniel, Boonesborough could use an inn. Travelers like Phil now have to use any abandoned cabin in the area if the room in the tavern is occupied. Perhaps Cincinnatus and Philadelphia could work out an agreement whereby Phil could run the inn if Cincinnatus builds and stocks it."

"Mingo, you may have somethin' there. Phil, how would such a thing appeal to you?"

Phil's green eyes were beaming as the idea grew in his mind. "I like Cincinnatus. Maybe he and I could come to some kind of agreement. Would you come with me to ask him, Mr. Boone?"

Daniel nodded as the three women finished the dishes and came to join the men. Dan took his dulcimer from its place and strummed a few chords. Becky suggested "Green Grow the Rashes" and soon the voices were echoing from the rafters. Ivy's bright green eyes were locked on Phil's as they sang Robert Burns' chorus. "The sweetest hours that e'er I knew were spent among the lassies, oh." Beside her Milly noticed her daughter's expression, and true to her personality she commented upon the discovery.

"Ivy, honey, you seem right taken with this feller. And I cain't help but notice that he's right taken with you. O' course he is. Would you two like to take a little walk away from all us old folks?"

Ivy blushed a deep red and dropped her head. Philadelphia Banks did likewise. But Dan picked up Milly's cue and added his voice. "It is a pretty night. A mite cold, but you don't have to go far. And we'll have a warm drink ready for you when you return. Go ahead younguns."

Phil raised his head and stepped before Ivy. He silently extended his hand, which Ivy took. The two bundled up and left the warm cabin together. Milly moved into Ivy's place beside Mingo as the tall Indian stiffened in readiness for the barrage.

"Injun, I just want you to know how much I owe you for watchin' out for my Ivy two day ago. I never give no thought to her getting' bothered 'cause I knowed you wouldn't let that happen. I'm obliged to ya."

"Mrs. Moss, I was pleased to be able to offer my services. Ivy is a lovely young girl and I am fond of her."

Milly's face fell and she leaned away from Mingo. Her eyes narrowed in the firelight as she stared into his face. "Injun, there ain't no way I'm a lettin' my little Ivy go to be a squaw. You can just ferget that right now!"

Mingo jumped to his feet and left the cabin. Becky and Dan choked back their laughter, carefully avoiding each other's eyes. Israel, true to habit, piped up and added his own colors to the conversation.

"Mingo don't want to take Ivy to Chota. He don't like girls!"

Dan could keep his laughter contained no longer. Like Mingo he jumped to his feet and followed his friend into the March darkness. Becky bit back her laugh and hugged Israel hard. Milly sat muttering to herself before the fire. "Injun wants my Ivy. What's the world acomin' to when a mother cain't trust a civilized Injun?"