Israel Boone stretched his arms and legs, happy to be free from the tight, dark cell. His parents and his sisters had come to get him. They would go home and in the afternoon, he would have to speak to the town council. As they turned to leave the fort, he saw Mr. Jacobs in the distance. He was no doubt on his way to give his testimony to the council. He saw him enter the gates and felt a wave a guilt. He could see the purple bruises from here but thinking of Anna Lee his guilt faded. He glanced at his parents to see if they'd seen him. His father reached for his mother's hand.
"Becky," He warned gently.
She saw Mr. Jacobs then, and turned to look at his father and her look confused Israel. She looked frightened. Israel couldn't really think of a time when he'd seen her afraid. Over the years he had seen her worried but not truly frightened. He could think of only two times that he had seen true fear on her face: Once when the Choctaw dragged her away and the other was when they had been told his father was dead. He couldn't understand why the school master would frighten her.
He fell even with them now. He glared at them but said nothing. He disappeared around the corner. His mother let out a long breath and leaned against the wall of the tavern, her head lowered. His father turned towards Israel.
"Walk your sisters home, Israel. Your Ma and I will follow."
Puzzled Israel had led his sisters out the gates of Boonesborough. He glanced over his shoulder and saw his father's tall frame bent low as he put an arm around his Ma.
"Was it scary?" Rose asked him and he turned to face her.
"What?" He asked.
"Being put in the jail cell. I was scared for you."
He smiled at his little sister and taking her hand said, "I was only scared when I realized someone was going to tell Ma what I'd done."
***DB***
Israel waited until his father had gone outside for some kindling and followed him out.
"Pa, today at the fort when we saw Master Jacobs, Ma seemed almost frightened. Why would she be afraid? Was she afraid?"
He had been so overwhelmed with worry that he hadn't wasted any time getting right to his question. His father sighed and set the ax down.
"Your Ma's a strong woman, Israel. She'd have to be to survive out here and especially being married to me."
"I know. That's why I am confused. She survived being taken by the Choctaw for nearly a month. Why would a school master frighten her?"
"Well, those Choctaw couldn't harm her only living son, now could they?"
"No." Israel said softly. "She made sure of that." His shoulders sagged under the weight of responsibility. "I wish I'd managed my temper for her sake."
"No, Israel. You did right by Anna Lee. I nearly did the same in defense of your Ma and am sorry I didn't now. I would be the one in trouble then, not you."
He looked over at his son who looked burdened down with a heavy weight. "Loving folks is a dangerous thing, Israel. Look at all that it's cost your Ma. You are young and Anna Lee is a beautiful girl. But while you are courting her it is important to be sure you can talk things through together. You need strong hearts to survive all that comes your way. Think of James. Think of Patrick and the others. Think of all the hard times your Ma's faced here without me."
"Yes, Pa." Israel said seriously. "I am sorry for the trouble I've caused her, and especially the pain. I hate to think I caused her pain."
"Oh, heavens! You two are so serious!" His mother said her hands resting on her hips. Neither of them had seen her follow Israel outside. "Daniel Boone! You've left off all the good parts." She crossed to where they stood, and reaching out brushed Israel's hair out of his eyes.
"Israel, it is true you want to be sure Anna is strong in heart and spirit but your Pa forgets that it is love that will strengthen her. I can endure most anything with your Pa beside me. And he's beside me even when he's far away."
Israel blushed and said, "I've hardly talked to her about things, yet, and haven't even spoken to her Pa. You and Pa both talk as if . . ."
"Love is easy to see, son." His father said with a grin.
"No, I mean I know for me, but Anna might not feel the same."
"He wasn't talking about you, Israel." His mother said softly. She smiled at him as his eyes grew wide in surprise and laughing put her arms around him. He had grown to be a good three inches taller than her.
"I miss you being small. Not that my worries were any smaller then. I didn't have to worry about prison, but I did have to worry that maybe a panther got ya!"
Israel leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Don't fret, Ma. God watches us all." She laughed thinking of all the many, many times she had told him that. "And prison or not, it's not just Anna's love that gives me strength." He squeezed her hand and went inside the cabin.
He left them alone knowing that his father would wrap his long arms around his mother to comfort her as she cried.
***DB***
"I guess that is all of it." Israel said quietly. "I should have managed my temper better, I admit that. It wasn't right for me to harm another person simply because of what he said. I know better." He stood before the council. His father sat behind him watching protectively and thinking of his father he added, "I was raised better than that."
"Israel, who started the conversation? Did you approach Mr. Jacobs or did he come to you?" Tom Walker asked.
"He came up to us. My sisters and I were speaking with Anna Lee, and he walked up to us."
The men at the table listening turned to one another. Esa Green whispered something in Tom Walker's ear.
"Is this the first time Mr. Jacob's has made comments in your presence?" Tom asked.
"No, sir. He came to our house for supper. He spoke poorly of my Ma. My Pa sent him out, I think. I wasn't there for that part. My parents sent us away. I was pretty angry about it though." He admitted. "He treated my Ma . . ." He hesitated. "Well, I guess you could ask my Pa about that if you wanted, but he wasn't respectful.
"So, you were already angry with him when he spoke to you the other day?" Esa asked.
"Yes, I guess so. When he spoke of Anna that way, it was just one time too many. I suppose that's true."
"What did he say, Daniel?" Tom asked. Israel glanced back at his father who stood and moved to stand beside him.
"Well, I don't like repeating the things he said. Israel is right. He treated her rudely, and I did toss him outside."
"I understand your hesitation." Tom said. "We just want to have a clear sense of Israel's thinking before we decide anything."
"Well, he never addressed her by name, and assumed that she was my bond-slave; that we weren't uh, married. He said it to her directly. He said other things as well." His face darkened. "I wanted to throttle him, but Becky wouldn't let me."
"He said that in front of you too?" Tom asked.
"Yes, sir. And my sisters. I guess you are right. It made me angry. It still does just thinking of it. Then when he said those things about Anna and right to her face too, well, I lost my temper. That's all there is to it really. I got angry and behaved badly. I apologize for it." Israel sighed and looked down. His father's hand rested on his shoulder.
"Alright, thank you Israel. I don't think we have any more questions. We will decide. We can trust you enough not to run off? We don't have to put you in the jail cell, do we?" Israel shook his head. "I thought not. You can come back tomorrow morning and we will let you know our decision."
***DB***
Grace Bradley sat next to Rebecca on the Boone's front porch watching the moon rise.
"I don't imagine anyone will sleep tonight." Grace said. Becky shook her head. Inside they could hear the children playing. Glancing through the window they could see Matthew and Dan standing beside the fire talking. Near the pantry, Israel and Anna Lee cleaned up the dishes, smiling as they did.
"Well, I suppose it will be official some day not to far off." Grace said.
"What?" Becky asked her.
"We will officially be family when they marry." She smiled at her.
"We've been family for years." Becky said. They smiled at each other. "You have to tell me about it! What did Israel say?" She whispered.
"Oh, he was terrified! It was funny. He's known us his entire life, but there he was shaking and trembling. He said, 'I want you to know that I think highly of your Anna Lee and I was hoping that you would give me permission to call on her.' He said it all in one big gulp without taking a breath! I thought he'd pass out."
"And I said," Matthew said coming out the door followed by Daniel. "Well, I said nothing for a good few minutes." He grinned.
"You were terrible Matt! That poor boy. First he faced the town council, and then he had to face you." Grace said looking at him. She reached out and squeezed the fingers of his left hand. He had never completely regained the use of his left arm, but he could move his fingers and wrist. Sometimes, if he concentrated very hard, he could even bend it at the elbow a tiny bit, but he could not move it at the shoulder joint at all - A Shawnee arrow had forever destroyed that; a Shawnee arrow that had been aimed at Daniel.
"Well, I had to torment him a little. Your Pa treated me just terrible! Don't you remember? He wouldn't even let me on the porch!" He laughed. "But we gave him our blessing - as long as he waits 'til she turns sixteen. I wanted to say eighteen, but that seemed cruel."
"They are young." Rebecca said. "I guess it isn't fair of me to note it, as I was sixteen myself. Still it seems younger with them. How old were you Grace?"
"Seventeen, and my, how I thought I was old and grown!" She laughed remembering. "I remember thinking later - good Lord! what have I gotten myself into?"
Laughing Rebecca said, "I remember about a week or so before our Jim was born that I started thinking sixteen was younger than I thought! I had no idea how I would take care of a little baby! We hadn't even had our first anniversary! When I think of those two children raising a cabin, running a house and raising a family!"
"I imagine that's how our own parents felt about us." Daniel said. "He's not a boy any longer, Becky."
"I know. My own childhood was so short. I guess, I wanted to extend his a little. It didn't work with Mima either! I can't say I blame him. I couldn't love Anna more and she's just the right girl for him - anyone who knows the two of them can see it. Still . . ." She sighed.
"Poor, Becky! At least you've still got your girls!" Daniel said laughing. "And at least they won't move far away like Jemima." He sighed thinking of her.
Becky reached out and squeezed his hand. "Poor Dan!" She grinned up at him.
***DB***
Israel took the clean plate from Anna and set it on the shelf. Her three brothers were playing on the floor near the fire with his old toy soldiers. Her sister Elizabeth sat with Rose at the table. They were reading a book together; something about fairies.
"All finished!" She said cheerfully.
"What do you suppose they are talking about?" He said glancing out the window to where their parents were gathered.
"About how young we are." She smiled at him and slid her hand under his arm.
He smiled down at her and patted her hand gently. "Well, we aren't exactly old folks. Your Pa is a wise man and you should listen to him."
"Oh, Israel. They were just as young! And look at them. One thing you can say about our parents: they are happy together."
"That's true. I just know that your folks want the best for you and so do I." He thought about how much he wanted to kiss her but heard her brother Isaac say, " Eww! You gonna kiss her?"
"Isaac! Be quiet!" Anna said chasing him back over to his brothers.
Israel laughed watching his look of panic as Anna came at him. He remembered all the times had tormented 'Mima.
"Never pester a sister about her beau!" Israel told him. "It always ends with your ears getting boxed!"
***DB***
Midnight had come and gone. The snug cabin was quiet. Daniel stood on the porch watching the stars and waiting for the dawn. The Bradley's had stayed late into the night and both he and Becky were grateful for the distraction. Now, though, the morning seemed a million miles away. He sighed and sat down on the front step trying to think of a chore he could tackle that would occupy him for a few hours. He had thought of work to do in the barn but didn't want to disturb Alice, their old milk cow. She was temperamental enough without being awoken at odd hours.
"Coffee, mo shearc?" Becky handed him a steaming cup.
He smiled at her and took the cup. She sat beside him, the matching cup in her hand. He sipped the rich, warm brew. Setting her cup down, she slid her hands around his arm and rested her head against his shoulder.
"Tell me one of your stories." She said softly.
"I don't know if I have it in me, darlin'.". She squeezed his arm.
"Tell me about the time you tricked those Jensen brothers and they chased themselves back home."
He turned and looked down at her. Her cheek rested against his shoulder. Her long red hair was loose and fell down to her elbow. He ran his hand through its silky softness. He loved her hair loose and free but she always kept it tucked, twisted and knotted during the day. Only he ever saw it like this and maybe that was why he liked it this way best.
He had told Israel about the heavy burdens that love brought and on a night like tonight he could feel that burden full force. But feeling Becky's soft fingers holding on to him and the weight of her as she leaned her head against him, reminded him of what Becky had told Israel too; love strengthens you. He kissed her just above her red eyebrows and began.
"Now, some folks will tell you I'm just spinnin' a yarn and none of this never took place, but I'll tell you, my love, it all did. Weren't nobody there but me and them shiftless Jensen brothers and they're long gone now, 'sides ain't anybody alive with sense who'd ever trust that bunch of lyin', thievin', gang of lay-abouts. It was near spring time, as I recall, or thereabouts and was headed home to my darling red-haired love, when those lazy no-good Jensen brothers way-layed me." His voice drifted out into the dark Kentucky night, as they patiently awaited the dawn together.