Chapter 1
The soft glow of the fire cast a golden hue against Lara Donaghue's pale skin as she dropped back onto the worn chair and took a gulp from her cup of ale. The three fiddlers perched in the corner started to play an Irish tune 'The Swallowtail' from back home that she knew well. As the fire crackled, the whoops and cheers from the Mills Inn filled her ears and Lara wiped her eyes with the heel of her hands. These last few days had been some of the happiest days in a long while for her. She had been in the Americas for a week now with fellow servant Marie and the cook Mr Brown, having arrived ahead of the Munro party. Every night was a lively affair, filled with people from all walks of life. Just the other night, she had listened to tales from the Frontier from a glorious looking gentlemen. His skin was the color of copper and his hair was longer than her own, adorned in feathers and beads. He told stories of the many scars that marked his body and spoke of the Buffalo in the winter. It stirred a feeling deep inside Lara. One she felt an affinity with but could not explain.
"Fancy seein' you here again Miss Donaghue!" a familiar voice said.
Jack Winthrop took off his tricorn hat, running a hand through his unkempt fair hair and Lara leant forward to shake his hand. They had met the second night of her stay, the sound of another Irish voice a comfort to a homesick Lara and they had became firm friends in a short space of time. He pulled over a bar stool and sat himself down pouring out the last of the bottle. He took a swig and grimaced at the bitter taste much to Lara's amusement.
"I'll get us another bottle, not this poison, tastes like the bilge the swines bathe in" he said as he cast his eyes over to Marie who was dancing a reel with one of the regulars. "How is Marie then? Has she been askin' about me since the last time we danced?"
"I think you have been replaced there."
"I think you might be right - " Jack grinned as he cast one more look at Marie and he suddenly rose to his feet as the main door opened. "Uncas, Nathaniel!"
"Jack Winthrop, why am I not surprised to see you here" a tall man with dark hair that skimmed his shoulders, dressed in buckskin called back.
Lara watched as the two men shared a hardy embrace and Jack shared an eager handshake with the second man, a handsome native. The three of them spoke for about a minute before Jack invited them over.
"Lara, this is Nathaniel and Uncas, you don't mind if they have a drink with us?"
"No of course not, please sit" Lara immediately felt herself at ease as the native man sat down next to her, his eyes warm and inviting. "How do you do?" she shook Uncas hand first and as she took Nathaniel's hand, her breath hitched as his eyes locked with hers. "... How do you do sir?"
"Very well Miss" Nathaniel nodded, as they parted hands and a warm tingle rose in her stomach as she averted her eyes. He glanced back at her as he took off his rifle strap and set his rifle upright against the wall.
"Right, I'm going to get us that drink" Jack announced.
"Uncas, you better go with him, make sure he doesn't get kidnapped by the barmaid" Nathaniel joked dryly. A smile twitched at Lara's lips as she took another drink and there was a moment of silence before she built enough courage to look back over at Nathaniel. He was leaning back in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips.
"What part of Ireland do you call home then?" he asked.
"Cavan, do you know it?" her eyes lit up then but Nathaniel shook his head.
"I've never set foot off this land" he said in a very matter of fact way. "You sound like Jack when you speak. Figured you must be from the same place."
"Jack's a Cork man - " Lara started to explain but realized none of this meant anything to Nathaniel. " - I'm from the North, Jack's from the South."
"You're what the Scots call - bonny" he murmured.
"I'm not a Scot" she laughed softly, the sound magical to Nathaniel's ears as he grinned for the first time.
"No, but you're a woman. Irish, Scot, Delaware, it's all the same to me" he murmured, raising his eyebrows a little and as she realized the meaning of his words, Jack returned landing the bottle heavily on the table, causing her to flinch a little. Nathaniel turned his gaze to the fire, inwardly cursing Jacks' interruption.
"French wine. The irony of that is not lost on me" Jack laughed broadly as he started to pour.
"So what it is that brings you here Jack?" asked Nathaniel not intending to get drunk.
"A French & Indian army out of Fort Carillon's heading south to war against the English. I'm here to raise this county's militia to aid the British defense. Where's Chingackgook? You boys just back from Castleton?"
"Pa's settling some business, we're meeting him after. We're jus' back from Schylerville - "
"Traded with the Dutch some silver for our skins" Uncas nodded at Lara, a kind act on his behalf to include her in the conversation. "Then we're headed to Can-tuck-ee for the winter so I can find a woman and make Mohican children so our father will leave my brother & me in peace."
Laughter followed around the table as Jack rested the bottle down.
"What about you Lara? I never asked you, is there a man in your life? Some heartbroken stable boy back in Cavan" he grinned mischievously and Nathaniel noted the dark expression that came upon the pretty young woman's face.
"Never mind Lara, what ab't you Jack Winthrop? When are you gettin' wed?" Nathaniel interjected quickly and Lara felt the weight lift from her shoulders as the others start to fool around once more, teasing Jack about his attachment to the bottle. After an hour and a bit of drink and talk about the French, Nathaniel got up, nodding to Uncas it was time to get going. Disappointment riddled Lara that they were leaving already, knowing this would be the last time they would likely cross paths. It would only be a matter of days before the Munro sisters would arrive in Albany and she would be leaving to be with them.
"It was good to meet you, Miss" Uncas nodded once in acknowledgement of Lara.
"You too Uncas. Have a safe journey" she smiled.
"Take care of yourself Lara" Nathaniel called to her, his gaze lingering for a few moments as he retrieved his rifle. "Bye Jack."