Music Inspiration: John Lunn- "An Ideal Marriage" and Lorne Balfe- "A Bitter Truth"
Burglar on the Homestead
10 February 1774
Caroline and Samuel walked together south of their home with a wooden pail in each hand as they headed towards the mill. Work in Davenport never stopped and with winter slowly thawing away, everyone's energy was renewed with the warm sunlight and melting snow. Everyone had survived the winter with enough food in stock since Ratonhnhaké:ton made sure to stay in Davenport each winter to ensure nobody starved. With the Aquila at dock, a trip to the colonies would be faster than with wagons since becoming trapped in the snow could be very dangerous to one's survival.
"And then, just as the Valiant is cornered by the pirate ship, the Aquila arrives to lend a helping hand" Samuel piped up excitedly as he'd been recounting a story from one of his recent play with the model ship he received for Christmas. The young eight year old boy had not stopped talking about Ratonhnhaké:ton's present because it clearly bested all of his other toys. Only upper-class children could buy such gifts to decorate their room but since he shared his partitioned room with five siblings, he appreciated his blessings in life.
Caroline chuckled to his vivid imagination since she often caught him mumbling about adventures in his sleep. Samuel could tire his sisters with endless toy talk, even sweet little Alice, but Ratonhnhaké:ton listened to him until he ran out of steam. As they walked down the sloped path, he raised his free arm to motion towards the river peeking out in front of them behind the large boulders and grinned, "And with waves crashing upon the Valiant's sides, the brave captain rallies his men for one last fight. 'It's been an honor fighting with you' he says and just as they prepare to fight off the pirates, the Aquila fires its cannons to strike the pirate ship. Pow! Wooden planks go flying into the air and the evil pirates yell as their advantage is taken away!"
He imitated attack sounds despite never having heard cannon fire and Caroline laughed to his entertaining tale. She was truly lucky to have one of her brothers survive into childhood and hoped he'd never leave her family's side. She noticed a figure decked in white and red clothing walking behind them and was certain that nobody from the workers dressed that way. Coats were rarely used by the workers of the mill at that time of day and definitely not one that went past the knees. It was quite familiar to her but she couldn't pinpoint from where or when since her peripheral vision only offered so much. Were they a visitor to Davenport? Following her mother's teachings, she laughed aloud to Samuel's storytelling to show she wasn't alone and that there were people nearby at the mill. Being a lady of age and with a young child in tow, Caroline had to watch herself carefully.
"Caroline?"
When her voice was uttered, her step quickened as the voice failed to register and the stranger did not give off trusting vibes. She'd read enough tales not to heed the warning and grabbed young Samuel by the hand to lead him further down the trail. She could already hear the saws at work to cut or size trees and chiseling that cut off bark. Her uncle Terry was always keeping watch over the workers while her father tended to do the heavy lifting so either would hear her calls. Still, the footsteps proceeded to follow after hers and her protective side took hold.
Her feet shuffled faster as she held her head high and she made her warning clear and concise, "Sir, I've no dealings with you. Be gone or I will shout for one of the men at the mill here. My father carries an axe and he isn't afraid to use it!"
"Caroline, it is me!" the person insisted with a clearer louder tone and the white hood lowered to reveal her friend underneath the hood. Oh. She hadn't seen him in two weeks and had often found herself curious to his whereabouts in Davenport since the snow and his studies hampered their outings. Whenever she played with her siblings in the outdoors, she wondered if the brief flashes of color in the forest were the light-footed Ratonhnhaké:ton.
"You . . . well, I'm definitely underdressed today" she bit her bottom lip in embarrassment to her simple blue dress under her cozy brown wool coat. His usual blue and white garb had been changed to a white and red variation that had led her to question his identity. There were a few new weapons also that she'd taken notice of and didn't see his bow strapped to his back at the moment either. She'd become accustomed to the calming blue hue and saw it as a part of his identity but people were allowed to change clothes for hygiene's sake. She chuckled with embarrassment to uttering threats against him of all people and apologized, "My apologies, I assumed you were a shady visitor since your clothes are different now. What happened to your old ones?"
"A change was in order for the coming months" he replied easily as he remained mysteriously elusive as always with his outings. In reality, Ratonhnhaké:ton had been curious about dyeing his clothes for quite a while and took the plunge with his robes. Achilles had chastised him for changing the calm color to a bright hue (contradicting their tenets) but allowed the young man to explore his fashion sense. You were only young once, after all. Hopefully, he wouldn't be adding any outrageous accessories or attempting five colors in one outfit.
Samuel hopped forward to grab the thick tailcoat to run his fingers over the ruby red fabric and smiled, "I like it!"
The two teenagers chuckled to his enthusiasm but Caroline reminded him to keep an eye on the lunch pail he'd abandoned in his happy haste. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled to his little unofficial brother since the winter brought out the best adventures for the two as they either played in the snow or tracked the footprints of the residents to make sure everyone was fine. Now that winter was thawing away, March would bring the yummy syrup season when the maple trees would be bursting with maple sap to collect. The men (and him) tapped into the trees to remove the sap and they would collect buckets full of it to bring home to heat up and create maple syrup. The women made an entire day of it and Ratonhnhaké:ton was pulled into dinner with sugar goodies to take to the manor by the end of it.
"How have you been?" Caroline asked kindly but what she really wanted to ask if he'd be staying. She missed having her friend around because springtime usually took him away from home until the late summer. A fond smile dimpled her cheeks when she saw that he'd cut off his hair back to its shoulder grazing length and had tied it halfway at the crown to keep warm. No matter what style he used, he was always a handsome young man in her eyes.
"Well" he stated simply since there was nothing to complain about and looked in the direction of her home. There was always a small billow of smoke puffing out of the fireplace in the early morning before dying out by late morning and picking up again in the late afternoon. Cooking was not easy work and he'd often heard the girls complain that they hoped future generations would find faster ways to cook meals. He hadn't seen the youngsters for a few weeks, only bidding Godfrey and Terry a warm welcome whenever they crossed paths, and asked, "And your family?"
"Alice had a fever but she's better now with mama's care" she informed with a relieved smile since a little sneeze could become the death of you. Alice had been on the receiving end of one that had been stubborn to leave and their parents were one step away from taking her to Boston for medical help. It was times like that that they wished Davenport had a doctor but thankfully, the fever broke and Alice was playing alongside her siblings within the week. Their mother, of course, didn't let her out sight for one minute after spending sleepless nights tending to her.
Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't believe the cheerful Alice had been ill and he'd been cooped up training the entire time. Caroline caught his worried look and grasped his shoulder to smile reassuringly, "She's all right now, I promise. She's sewing one of her doll's dresses at home while I'm on my way to bring my father and uncle lunch."
"I am relieved to hear that, truly, I am" he admitted with concern to the small girl that always managed to pry a smile from him. If any of the children ever grew ill, he'd set the Aquila on full sail to head to the nearest town for medical aid. He ruffled Samuel's hair and the lack of bear grease in his thick mane brought a smile from the young boy.
"Business is going well then?" the young assassin inquired since winter were the harshest times for businesses on the frontier. Caroline nodded because they would persevere and Burnetts were never quitters. During the winter, he'd bought pieces of lumber and journeyed to Lance's home to learn to whittle small woodwork pieces. He had begun to design a small jewelry box for Caroline after getting an idea to make a bone comb with an oyster pearl at the top. They were pricey in the cities but with the open lush environment around them, the materials would be free to gather quite easily. He motioned to the mill ahead of them since it was his route for the time being and asked, "May I walk you there?"
"Of course" she smiled courteously and a small blush appeared on her cheeks when he returned it. As winter passed, Ratonhnhaké:ton was losing the old awkwardness that surrounded his outings with Caroline. Slowly, he was gaining confidence to be proactive with his outing requests or to accompany her around Davenport. Her fair gender restricted her to life in the town so he couldn't take her anywhere else and would abide by it. Otherwise, he might have Godfrey chasing him away for behaving disrespectfully.
Samuel was lost to the nonverbal affection between the two and asked worriedly, "Why are you both turning red? Is something wrong? Should I get boban?"
Caroline quickly shook her head to prevent being flustered further and cleared her throat to dissuade her brother from doing so. It would be embarrassing enough explaining why her blush had sprouted and changed the subject by asking their friend, "Will you be staying a while?"
Ratonhnhaké:ton managed to pry his attention away from her rosy cheeks and answered quickly, "Yes, I will be staying until the Aquila is repaired- it sustained damage."
Her brow furrowed since the ship was a formidable vessel so their enemy must've been the same size or large in numbers. The worry soon left the ship for its young captain and Caroline asked the question poking around in her mind and Samuel's, "I hope you didn't receive the same?"
"A few scratches, nothing to worry about" he dismissed casually since cuts were easily disinfected with alcohol about and clean strips of cloth to bind them. If he needed to stich any lacerations, he had a needle handy in his cabin for such. He'd survived in the wilderness to know the sea would carry the same danger so he always traveled prepared.
"Did you face pirates?" Samuel asked giddily to hearing a suspenseful story around the hearth. His mother didn't approve of them but when he took walks with Ratonhnhaké:ton by the river or around the manor, the older boy indulged him.
"Not this time since I was transporting my first trade shipment with my ship" he admitted with enthusiasm to his newest venture over the high sea. As he traveled the colony to oversee trade routes, he began to wonder about exporting goods from Davenport by ship. The mill produced excellent lumber and Lance's goods were the best he'd seen while wandering the cities. Warren and Prudence had yet to arrive at planting season but once their crops grew, they could sell well all over the colonies. Well, maybe not the south but Ratonhnhaké:ton would work on it. The ground crunched underneath his boots as he led the two towards the growing noise of the mill and admitted, "I might want to make an import/export business if all else fails one day."
"And just what is it that you do, Mr. Ratonhnhaké:ton?" Caroline asked playfully as she tried to coax a few clues about his job. Her friend, however, merely offered a simple smile that apologized for the missing reply and offered nothing at all. She swung her pail back into both arms and smiled mischievously as she teased, "Right, I might have to disappear-"
"There's boban!" Samuel interrupted cheerfully as he treaded forward and waved his arm to catch the attention of their father. Caroline was quick to grasp him by the shoulders before the young boy accidentally hurt himself by running through the lines where workers currently using sharp tools. Sometimes, her little brother was too hasty to realize what dangers he opened himself to and he apologized, "Sorry, Carrie."
"It was nice to see you again, Ratonhnhaké:ton, but this little bird is ready to fly" she smiled with amusement to Samuel's hastiness and the young boy offered a sheepish one to their friend. They walked forward to head between the cleared aisles of flat boards assembled into stacks while Ratonhnhaké:ton stayed on the path to travel south. They waved their hands in farewell as they headed off to provide lunch for their family and she called out pleasantly, "Give my best to Mr. Davenport!"
He nodded quietly and headed for the tree line to the south with a speed that she couldn't believe. Within seconds, he left tracks in the loose dirt of the path and had scattered into the dense brush bordering the area of the mill along the cold river and chuckled endearingly, "There he goes again. What does that man do?"
It seemed some mysteries were meant to be unsolved.
4 March 1774
Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled to himself as he watched the children make toys from materials around Davenport. Samuel never tired of making pinecone wagons for his grass soldiers while Alice enjoyed dolls of all kind to add to her collection. With Ann growing up alongside her, Alice became her unofficial big sister and taught her how to dress her little grass dolls with pieces of scrap fabric.
The mornings weren't too cold and the snow had mostly melted away with frost lingering until mid-morning. During the late winter, the children played during the early afternoon when the sun peeked through the light cloud cover. Amelia had decided being cooped up in the house was enough and had brought her books to study outside with her new lap desk as Martha sat beside her to catch a glimpse of her studies. Elizabeth had dirtied her slippers while feeding the chickens so she was currently washing them with a hard bristle brush inside a bucket. The soapy water was already dark but Elizabeth saw no difference in the smudges of the shoes at all.
Caroline helped the children with their new toys as her fingers threaded the dried grass into itself to create the doll's limbs. She'd done this so many times that it was as natural as sewing and explained to her friend, "When corn husks or sticks aren't available, grass makes a very good substitute."
"I played with similar when young" he admitted quietly about his younger days in the village when he didn't have a care in the world. A child felt safest when they had a loving parent watching after them as their defender but when that precious individual was lost. . .having fun wasn't the same anymore. Ratonhnhaké:ton had quickly lost his adventurous spunk after his mother's death and took on the task to protect his people from enduring another attack like that again. He would be as strong as he could be to protect them from harm, along with Davenport's residents.
"Amelia and I played like this for a few years since we didn't have much when we first arrived in the colonies" she smiled sheepishly about her history because they'd been as poor as poor could be during their first years. Despite all of that, she had grown up in a household full of warmth and love so she would not complain in the slightest. She had wonderful parents and sweet siblings that she'd never trade for all the riches in the world.
"My mother helped me gather supplies and showed me how to use dyes to color them" he said solemnly since the happy memories of his mother were always tinged with longing to see her again. The years didn't make her loss any easier but he'd make sure nobody else endured the agonizing pain he had on that day. He still remembered her way of cutting off pieces of a feather to place on his little dolls for a splash of color. His mother had been a dedicated woman to his upbringing and he couldn't have asked for a better loving person. He chuckled softly about a specific memory of his childhood and admitted to her, "I'd been so eager to play with my dolls that I accidentally dropped them into the lake by our village and they drifted away. I had slipped on a rock and scuffed my knee . . . but my mother had been there to save me and my little grass friends."
The three young children aw'ed to his tale since they wouldn't want to lose toys either and Ann asked sympathetically, "Did you lose your grass friends?"
"No, mother dried them in the sun and they were well again" he answered with a warm smile since he remembered waiting for them to dry. He'd been so impatient to play that after his fall by the lake's shore, he sat next to his mother while she sewed without making a peep.
"See, now you're making me wish I'd known you then just to tell you it would all be all right" Caroline chuckled gently because imagining a sweet little Ratonhnhaké:ton melted her heart completely. Had he worn his hair similarly back then as when they met? Had he been a quiet or adventurous child? Had he had the same freckle count on his face that he had now? Ratonhnhaké:ton merely smiled bashfully to her words and Caroline's own smile grew to his modesty.
"Did your mother have a secret stain removal recipe because I'm dying here" Elizabeth declared with misery as she scrubbed mud and chicken poop off the top end of her fabric shoe. She forgot the early morning left patches of the earth stiff and others a muddy mess as the snow thawed. She wiped her brow with a frown and her shoulders slumped when he regretfully admitted that his mother hadn't had one.
Martha, who had been watching the conversations with a keen eye, leaned over to Amelia and whispered in her ear, "They're staring at each other again."
"Martha" Amelia quieted her assumptions since she'd begun to have a little gossip streak as of late. She had never been the type to call out attention to someone or something and preferred to blend into the shadows. Elizabeth had already spoken about Caroline's and Ratonhnhaké:ton's interactions last December but she hadn't paid it any mind.
"You think they fancy each other?" she continued as she tried to figure out the two because they were always in each other's company. Martha rarely saw him alone without Caroline and if her siblings tagged along, her oldest sister was always by his side. Martha held no interest in boys at all since growing into an adolescent body was infuriating enough.
"I think Carrie would sooner fancy an axe and Connor a bow" Amelia replied with a sly smile since the two always had a weapon in hand to defend themselves. Whenever she and her sister spoke about the future, men had never been involved and Amelia assumed because neither of them held interest.
"Connor is kind but his people aren't seen nicely . . . could you imagine what colonists would think of Carrie?" Martha suggested with worry because she'd rather have her sister safe than pelted with fruit or declared insane for being in cahoots with a native. Settlers wanted to seize land to colonize the west and some wouldn't be kind like their family as they opened their arms to Ratonhnhaké:ton. He had done many great things for her family but Martha didn't want either to face pain if they treaded down that road. Her fingers drummed against her skirt as she pointed out matter-of-factly, "It could place her in trouble with the law-"
"We live in Davenport, Martha, and nobody harms one of our own" Amelia reminded firmly but knew that although Ratonhnhaké:ton appeared strong enough to stand against a group, the law didn't need hands. They were lucky enough to live in the north where different skin color was tolerable but she wasn't sure interracial couples would warrant the same. She would have no issue with whomever her sister loved, as long as they loved her in return, and quieted Martha, "So stop pondering about such foolishness. They are friends, just like we all are."
"Well, he's never given us a book or walked the trails without playing a protective escort" Martha pointed out matter-of-factly with a triumphant smile and crossed her arms. She had grown to accept Ratonhnhaké:ton as part of their family, especially after his considerate Christmas gift, and wanted the best for him. Unfortunately, it would conflict with the unwritten rules of society and hoped there was a native girl out there somewhere that would catch his heart instead of Caroline. She'd rather have them separated for both their safeties rather than hounded by society and stated quietly, "It'd be best for Carrie to be a nice neighbor and cut off any other activities for her sake."
"Oh, Martha" Amelia sighed in disappointment since her younger sibling adhered to laws as she viewed them as the ultimate protection. Women were already seen as lesser and had limitations in place in a court of law so Martha tried her best to maneuver within the system. If women were allowed to have sophisticated professions, Martha would've made a wonderful lawyer. Amelia decided to chide her sister as she sharpened the slate pencil while pausing her studies and teased, "Don't tell me you're jealous?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Amelia" she snapped swiftly to that horrible possibility because she held no interest in boys at all. Frankly, if she was Caroline's age, she'd be trying to find work like Amelia was or finding a suitable husband. She sniffed disdainfully to the thought of chasing after a native (although their neighbor was a good well-mannered person) and pointed out sharply, "It is simply not proper for them . . . not with these growing conflicts. I respect Connor for everything he's done but it wouldn't be an easy life for Carrie. It is tolerable here in the north but imagine if they traveled elsewhere?"
Amelia chuckled softly as Martha blew everything out of proportion on a mere hunch and advised, "You're getting too far ahead of yourself. Davenport is their home and with it being a safe haven, I doubt either will be leaving soon."
"I hope so" Martha sighed worriedly because as much as she fretted with her siblings, she loved them dearly. Caroline had taken great care of them when their mother was forced to work as a seamstress to make ends meet and she wanted the best for her.
Unfortunately, Martha's fretting wouldn't stop the two adolescents from venturing on their adventures. Ratonhnhaké:ton's keen hearing overheard the conversation and although he didn't want the Burnetts knowing of his affection, Martha had a point. If Caroline dared to be involved with him, it would not be an easy life and they would be eyed suspiciously everywhere they went. It was fine when he acted as a Spanish merchant but Caroline wouldn't want him to hide his true culture for a mere ounce of respect from other people.
"Would you like to go on a walk later today?" Caroline asked softly to hide the nervous shaking in her voice whenever he was concerned. She always worried that he'd figure out her requests rivaled any young man's of her time when it came to courting but he never said a thing. His friendship was one of the things she valued most (besides family, food, and shelter) so she wouldn't dare risk fracturing it unless she was certain he reciprocated her feelings. For now, she'd innocently ask him to walk the trails with her and folded the dry strands of grass between her fingertips, "The chipmunks have started to come out of their hideaways and little flowers have begun to bloom in the west."
"Yes" he agreed with a happy smile despite Martha's words and watched her face light up to his reply. No matter what he did, he couldn't rip her out of his mind. She was a part of his life, for better or worse, and he'd do anything to keep her happy. He handed her a sturdy strand of grass so she could tie the grass into limbs and admitted sincerely, "You don't have to ask me, Caroline, I will follow you to where your heart desires."
This time, she did fight that bothersome blush to his undeniably sweet words. How was she not supposed to find him endearing? Frankly, she was surprised he hadn't managed to put Amelia and Martha under his spell. His close proximity as they sat together on the grass didn't help matter any but she'd rather have him close than far. Focusing on her task, her voice shook bashfully as she handed Alice the husk dolls, "Here are your little handmaidens for fair Henrietta and Susanne. Remember to share the bundle with Ann."
Alice and Ann smiled with glee to having new toys but they wouldn't be selfish with the grass dolls. They were thankful enough to have one on their own and the rest were just their new lucky little friends. Ann giggled joyfully as Alice placed their fabric and corncob dolls neatly on the blanket they sat on to prevent staining their dresses. Caroline smiled serenely as she watched the two girls and leaned close to Ratonhnhaké:ton to admit softly, "I wish they could stay like this forever. Eventually, they'll be just like Elizabeth and Martha as they walk through adolescence and dolls won't be the same to them anymore. It's just another reminder that time doesn't stop and we must adapt to it, whether we want to or not."
"Your heart doesn't change, Caroline, only the outside does" he comforted her worries since Alice and Ann would walk through the same steps of life that they had. Well, maybe not his because everyone wasn't made to be an assassin. He wasn't the same awkward teenager from years prior but he still carried his natural modesty about the unknown. Caroline wasn't a rambling mess of bashful words and her adventurous drive only increased as she aged.
The year of 1774 would be quite interesting indeed.
Caroline and Amelia had been entertaining the children while their mother and Diana fetched water from the river for supper. The eldest sister had already cut vegetables and boiled broth for her share of the work to avoid a lecture for her outing. Everyone had been playing Blind Man's Bluff in the middle of the Burnett home when they heard the door latch jiggle. Amelia had been ready to open the door but Caroline immediately seized her hand to stop her. Her younger sister looked to her with surprise to her action because their mother might need help. The older redhead, however, was already a sharp step ahead of her and pointed out, "When have you known mother or Aunt Diana to jiggle the latch? She calls us to open the door."
Amelia froze since they usually heard their mother and aunt chatting by the time they arrived at the door but not today. Their father and uncle were still at the mill and even if they came to the door, they'd announce their presence. Frankly, anyone from Davenport would announce themselves but not today. It was eerily silent from the other side.
When the door latch jiggled again and a thump against the door was heard, Amelia stopped the children's game to prevent noise. If there was a stranger at the door, they had to act as quiet as a mouse since they were defenseless children. Caroline didn't have a good feeling about what lay behind the door and quickly flicked her gaze to the loaded shotgun, Charlotte, hanging next to the doorway.
"What is it?" Samuel asked worriedly as he removed his blindfold to see what had happened. His sisters had gone silent and the racket from the door only led to more questions.
"I-" Caroline began to explain but Ann whimpered when a dark shadow passed over the curtained window. Her mother used white muslin to allow more sunlight to filter into the house now that winter had thawed but it also served as a thin shield to view silhouettes. The build of the person was clear enough to tell them it wasn't a woman and they were too short to be their father or Uncle Terry. Lance O'Donnell was rounder and Warren Deon was leaner so that removed them as well as possibilities (but even they would've been respectful to knock). This was an unknown man on their land and he was trying to break into their home.
The three youngest children ran behind Elizabeth and Martha since they were closest to the beds that offered refuge. There were no windows in the far side of the house and being small, they were always taught to look to their eldest siblings. Caroline slowly crept to the shotgun, being extremely quiet in her steps, while Amelia huddled everyone to the back of the house where they wouldn't be seen. Elizabeth wasn't going to lie down without a fight and although she was afraid, she looked to Caroline for protection. Being young women, they weren't taught to protect themselves in dangerous situations and she asked worriedly, "Carrie, w-what do we do?"
Caroline ushered her siblings to hide under the beds as she grabbed her father's trusty Charlotte from her safe stand, flinching when she heard another bang on the door. She sucked down her fear to face whatever wanted to harm her family and backed away to point the gun dead on the center. The door sounded ready to give way at any minute and she yelled at the person to leave, stating she was armed. Ratonhnhaké:ton's lessons became incredibly valuable at that very moment as she cocked the gun to release the safety on the flintlock and stated firmly, "I know what papa would want and that's to protect you."
"Carrie, y-you don't know h-how to use t-the g-gun" Alice whimpered fearfully since her sister was trying her best to protect them. Her poor heart felt ready to burst from her chest and tears stung her eyes painfully because fear had never been experienced. She didn't like hiding under the bed while Caroline stood in the center of their home and Amelia used herself as a shield, along with a trunk she'd placed in front of them. Amelia didn't want them to witness anything traumatic and a trunk would bide them a few seconds time if the intruder forced themselves inside.
"Don't you worry, I have a few tricks up my sleeve" Caroline replied with a quivering voice since the door was shaking horribly with each strike from the robber. Each thump made her believe that it would be torn by its hinges at that very second but the door held sturdily. When a Burnett and Galloway crafted a door, it was made to last. At the same time, she couldn't waste a bullet since it would take a while to reload the next shot. If the door opened a crack, she would aim and fire immediately. When she heard a soft thump under the bed, she ordered calmly to keep them safe from harm and lower their fear, "Stay down and don't move unless I call you out."
Ratonhnhaké:ton strolled down the familiar path to the Burnett household from the manor but he stopped when he noticed a familiar blue skirt billowing towards him. Mrs. Burnett. Uh-oh, did Martha blurt his nonverbal behavior towards Caroline? Her hasty pace told him that something was amiss because Catherine carried herself like any lady and he hurried to meet her. His assumption was correct before he even came to a stop as he noticed her flushed face and widened eyes as she stammered fearfully, "Connor! Connor! Some lout's trying to break into our house! He's armed! The children are inside but I couldn't face him alone-"
That sent an immediate protective alarm off in his head since the children were vulnerable and he ordered firmly, "Go to the mill. I'll deal with the intruder."
Catherine's hands were shaking uncontrollably but she obeyed for her children's sake, despite every fiber of her being told her to stand her ground. Ratonhnhaké:ton squeezed her shoulders to hearten her courage before setting off towards their properties. He used all of his agility to take the shortcuts to the top of the hill before the person managed to gain entry into the home. Davenport had always been a safe land but their isolation would eventually draw unsavory folk to test their luck.
Ratonhnhaké:ton heard Caroline's voice shouting from inside the house and rounded behind the unknown man until his shadow caused them to notice him. The thief was surprised to see the native man approach him without a sound and he realized his chances at stealing anything decent were slim. Not to mention, the ferocious look the native wore was enough to send him scrambling and Ratonhnhaké:ton took chase. Nobody stole from his people, much less frightened them, and he chased the thief as fast as he could. Nobody really stood a chance against an angry assassin but the thief tried his best as he tried to aim shoddily with a pistol.
Unfortunately for him, Ratonhnhaké:ton was a better draw and a single shot to the back of the skull ended the chase. He'd killed deadlier men so a careless thief was nothing when it came to skills. The chase after the robber had led past the mill and Ratonhnhaké:ton returned to the flabbergasted men to inform them of what happened. Needless to say, it didn't end as calmly as he hoped.
At the homestead, Catherine and Diana called the children to open the door so they could know they were safe. Catherine had turned around when Diana (along with the loyal Elijah) found her and she'd grabbed Terry's rifle to give their neighbor backup in protecting the children. They might not have been strong like their husbands but when their children were in danger, they were armed mother bears. They found the Burnett home deserted and assumed Ratonhnhaké:ton had succeeded in chasing the man off the property. Catherine didn't need any more convincing to knock on the door so they could enter and better protect them if the thief returned.
With their fright, it took some convincing since thieves could manipulate family members under the threat of death to rob the rest. Caroline hadn't been ready to open the door without a weapon drawn to make certain the coast was clear but Amelia talked her into it. Elizabeth unlocked the door while Caroline stood at attention because a single strange face would lead her to pull the trigger. Catherine opened it to find her oldest pointing their trusty family rifle at the doorway and despite she feared her oldest could accidentally fire it, her motherly worry won over to soothe, "It's all right, children, they're gone now. I promise you on my life that it's safe."
Elijah's happy barking outside of the door told them that everything was fine and the danger had passed. If anyone outside of Davenport had been standing there, Elijah would've barked endlessly or torn them apart by now.
"Oh, mama, I thought he had you" Caroline whimpered with distress but was immensely relieved to see her mother again. She placed the weapon on top of the fireplace where none of the small children could reach it and ran to hug her mother. The nightmare was over and although it hadn't been long, it felt endless to her. She was followed immediately by all of the children since they'd only just seen her head down to the river but it seemed like hours.
Ann ran to her mother to cry in her arms and Diana held her tightly to soothe her fears. It was a good thing the children were all together or the burglar might've managed to get into their homes separately and caused them harm. Catherine didn't have enough hands to hold all of her sniffling children and improvised with a nice bear hug to comfort them. Oh, how afraid she'd been as she hiked from the river with recipes in mind for supper only to see a stranger trying to break into her home. Nobody snuck into the home her husband had built with love and she'd been blessed to find help immediately.
"Is everyone all right?" Diana asked fretfully as she took in Ann's appearance for any injuries but found none. She couldn't imagine bearing to see a bruise or worse on her only child and kissed her little face. The children had done as they always lectured them to when it concerned opening the door. As she stood up to make sure nobody else decided to knock on Catherine's door, she sighed softly, "We've become so used to the peace out here that we forgot low life folk travel the wilderness. Elijah can't protect all of us so I'll ask Terry to buy a hound for our property as well."
"What happened to the robber, mama?" Alice asked fearfully as she wiped her eyes dry of cascading tears with one hand while the other clutched her mother's skirt. She didn't want that horrible shadow and the thumping to return but was glad for her mother. She never felt as safe when her parents, especially her father, were by her side to protect her from harm. She was tightly wedged between Martha and Samuel but she'd never been happier, sniffling softly, "Is he gone?"
Catherine kissed the top of her head to pacify her sniffling and explained gratefully, "Connor chased him off as soon I found him. If it weren't for that boy, I couldn't have gotten back to you."
"He always saves the day, I told you" Samuel smiled gladly as he pretended he had debris in his eye but his mother knew better. She held her young children, even the reluctantly proud Elizabeth, as if they were her precious newborns all over again. They were so dear to her and she would've fainted at the thought of any of them coming to harm.
It wasn't long before Ratonhnhaké:ton returned with the lumberjacks in tow and as the couples reunited, he snuck away to check on the children. Their mothers had set out food on the Burnett's dining table and all seven children had a plate of warm corn cakes and fried hare meat to eat. The warm food would settle their nerves and wipe away the fear from enduring a foiled robbery. Samuel had been ready to jump off his seat with a mouth full of food to greet him but Amelia reminded him of his manners.
The young boy frowned as he sat back down to finish his delicious meal but waved at him with nonverbal thanks for his help. The other children weren't far behind in adding their own gratitude and Ann managed to scramble away to give him one quick hug before returning to eat. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled to see all of them well because none of them expected robbers on their land and spoke sincerely, "I'm glad to see you're safe all safe."
"Thank you for being there, if you hadn't . . . I don't know what they would've done" Caroline said shakily as she approached him and embraced him in full view of everyone. The fear had left her rattled since she'd never faced danger from humankind before and sought the one person that always pulled through for her (besides her dear parents). He was her fortress when she needed protection and held him tightly as she murmured softly with gratitude, "Thank you, a million times thank you."
"You're safe now" he stated gently since his residents would never come to harm and found himself at a loss on how to react. He wanted to embrace her tightly to keep reassuring her and himself that he'd never let anyone near her. Being in public, however, forced him to simply pat the top of her back and hoped she understood why he had to do that. The children could draw multiple conclusions from their hug alone but hopefully, they would think it was out of fear of what happened. He couldn't exactly take her outside because it would definitely draw questions then and merely repeated that everything was fine now.
Her body shook in his arms since she hadn't been ready to fire as her frightened siblings and Ann had distracted her focus. How could she have fired correctly when her hands had been shaking erratically? He was incredibly brave to never hesitate but she'd fought the temptation to hide with her siblings rather than fight. It made her feel like a coward after being trained to shoot a weapon and she murmured shamefully against his collar, "I wasn't strong enough to scare away that man. If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have been able to fend him off if my shot didn't hit-"
"You did fine with what you knew" he reassured since he was certain she'd improvise with using the butt of the gun as a club. He didn't want her emotional distress to worry the rest of the children and it would be best for her to sleep away those memories. Being in the front lines of danger often brought more distress than hiding and hoped sleep would do her a world of good. Grasping her by the shoulders to offer a comforting squeeze, he looked through the open doorway to call her mother, "Mrs. Burnett, I believe it would be best for Caroline to lie down for a while."
Catherine had been trying her best with Diana to calm Terry as his anger appeared to be getting the best of him. Godfrey paid him no mind because everyone was safe now and simply waited for the hot air to leave his head. Ratonhnhaké:ton led a fretful Caroline with caring hands back to her worried mother and reassured the young woman, "It is all right, Caroline."
"I don't know where I'd be without you" she whispered privately with a fond smile since her life was in good hands when he was around the town. Ratonhnhaké:ton didn't bask in the compliment too long after what she endured and allowed Catherine to lead her back inside. Caroline was more than happy to have her mother by her side because nothing spelled safety better than her parents.
With a wave of farewell to the children and a pat to Elijah's head, the young man was off to return home to practice his new rope dart on test dummies. Unfortunately, Ratonhnhaké:ton's rescuing didn't end at the thief as Samuel and Elizabeth found him less than ten minutes later halfway to the manor. They were quick to inform him that their father and Mr. Galloway were in a scuffle after the thief's botched attempt to steal. Godfrey was no problem to pacify because the man was trying to do the same with Terry's short temper. Each man had been worried about their family and it was understandable . . . to a point.
Ratonhnhaké:ton had a surprisingly great amount of patience when it concerned his residents and although the women advised him to let them duke it out, he intervened. The woman had ushered the children back inside to prevent them catching any of their fighting and assuming it was normal. In a few minutes, Ratonhnhaké:ton managed to calm them with strength and a bit of diplomacy since two lumberjacks carried great strength of their own. He earned a small scuff to the bottom of his chin and a swat to the temple but it was nothing to worry about.
He had spoken to both men afterwards to ensure no physical tangles happened again, especially in front of the children. It wasn't the type of behavior children should learn to see as acceptable because everyone deserved the same respect in his book. Thankfully, it was just a meaningless scuffle but Ratonhnhaké:ton wanted Terry to have a better handle on his anger. His self-appointed therapy was working in the mill so as long as he drained all of that energy there, he'd be fine. As he readied himself to leave the lumberjacks homesteads, he caught a hint of red by the doorway and caught a curious Caroline peeking out.
"Didn't I tell you to sleep?" he asked with light jesting as her posture appeared child-like and it amused him. He approached the Burnett home with quiet footsteps and noticed the children were hearing a story being read by Amelia to keep their mind occupied. Samuel had already fallen asleep on the floor on his belly while Elijah licked the boy's forehead in affection.
"With all of the new excitement outside?" she asked dryly since the noise had been unavoidable and she'd lain in bed hearing most of it. She didn't need to hear new colorful language to add into her vocabulary and had gotten up to see what was being done about it. Needless to say, that was not the best way to relax after an eventful evening. She didn't know how her mother and aunt dealt with it through the years since she didn't like fighting anyone. Again, her friend had intervened to instill peace over their land and she smiled kindly to his good heart, "Thank you for preventing another scuffle."
"You can thank me by sleeping soundly" he insisted since the sudden shock would wear off easily with a good night's sleep. Well, if she lacked nightmares, that is. He usually tended to roll around in his bed on good days and bad days left him on the floor with neck pain. He leaned against the doorway to add privacy to their little chat and whispered softly, "It would put my mind at ease, Caroline."
"You and I both then" she whispered solemnly as her day was hampered by a low life trying to steal their things. It wasn't bad enough that they were cautious of wildlife but they had to contend with malevolent people of their own species as well? She sighed softly as her gaze shifted to the darkened horizon since their evening had been spoiled completely and managed a small smile, "My apologies for not being able to join you on that walk today."
"There's a rolling pasture to the south so we can go another day" he reassured gently to ensure that there would be many outings to come. Their days of adventure didn't need to have that awful event embedded into them and he'd make better memories for her. His words brought a smile to her face and soothed her worries by warming her heart when he whispered caringly, "My concern is your safety and wellbeing."
"I will hold you to that outing" she stated softly and nodded to him in farewell before returning inside. Sleep sounded wonderful at that moment and she smiled when Ann skittered across the room to ask him to join their storytelling. For the sake of the children, he agreed with a smile and allowed her to lead him inside the house. His gaze met Caroline's one last time before she pulled the curtain over the foot of her bed to get some privacy in order to fall asleep.
Caroline's next outing would bring her the most joy in her young life as it answered her most burning question: What did Ratonhnhaké:ton truly think of her?
A/N: I decided to alter this mission chronologically for the flow of the story to set the foundation for the upcoming romance between Caroline and Connor. When it comes to protection, Caroline will stick to guns for better efficiency in eliminating enemies. That's not to say her skills won't expand though. I found it oddly humorous in the game that although Connor told Catherine to find the men, he ended up finding them first in his chase after the thief. Due to that, I changed Catherine into a protective mama bear that would return for her kids to give Connor a hand to match the game sequence.
Vampireadtic: Thanks, I love writing humorous tales (which is what my Altaïr centered fic is) but this one is more family/romance/adventure packed. I think I'll keep doing that narrator's question quiz for the next previews. Lol
Life Is Like An Hourglass: Connor will be naïve with his feminine suitors but he tends to be a little overconfident, especially his youth, so that will backfire when it comes to Caroline's feelings. As for Caroline, said backfiring will lead to male suitors that will make him regret his actions and learn from them. I'm glad you're excited for it.
East Coast Captain: There were definitely bad people taking advantage of isolated communities and even innkeepers turned to murder in order to gain money (the Benders were the first criminal family on the frontier). Connor has always been a kind friend with his gifts to Caroline and it will carry over through their lives, even to their future children. Some of the gifts will be sweet and others will be for protection in their later lives (i.e, pistols or dog). Caroline's faith will be shaken, given how devout people were to religion back then, but she's a strong person internally to surpass that and believe that everything happens for a reason. As for Norris and Myriam, they won't be making their first appearance until a few more chapters.
Chiharu-angel: Thanks, I love it when my characters are loved since there's quite a bit. I've always been an author that builds romance slowly, even when there's a flicker of attraction starting, and Connor is sweetly reserved that he needs to take things smoothly. You made me laugh about the bears because I was always happy to have a bunch of pricey bear pelts to sell. Man, those bobcats though, they jumped out like rockets to climb onto my back. I made it a rule to not hunt in Davenport (I couldn't kill the cute beavers) but the wolves broke my patience and I pretty much made them extinct in that area. Lol
EleinKL: Do not worry, I understand second languages are never easy to write. Thank you for the kind words about the characters and the setting since I've researched as much as I can to make it fictionally accurate. Caroline is as basic a girl as you could imagine during those times and I love writing about everyday characters that aren't like the illogical super-heroes you mentioned. You can bet Caroline will be worried when Connor's in jail. I'm still deciding whether to have her know the truth about that when Achilles is ready to leave Davenport or when Connor actually returns.
Next Time: My Shelter From The Storms
Caroline untied the fabric strips pinning her hair to her head and allowed the blue scraps to fall into her lap. A curly red ringlet followed as the long hours from her sleep and her early chores set her hairstyle into place as she hid her little knots under a bonnet. She had never been the type to worry about her hair when she'd been a girl and had allowed her mother to do her styling. Time, however, passed by and now it was time for her to begin carving her own respectable fashion sense. Since she'd begun to notice Ratonhnhaké:ton romantically, Caroline bashfully admitted that she'd prettied her appearance every time he knocked on their door.
Amelia helped to brush out each ringlet to leave her long hair in smooth loose waves. With the weather bringing in cold air every once in a while, Caroline wrapped a braid around the top of her hair and left the rest loose to keep her warm. As her siblings occupied themselves around the house, Caroline avoided her mother's eye since Catherine had begun catching her daughter's telltale signs of affection.
When the children weren't paying them mind, Catherine approached the two eldest girls under the premise of sweeping the area. She was a protective mother goose and she'd been in Caroline's steps many years ago when she'd met Godfrey. The young farmer had helped her family when her father fell ill by lending a hand around the house and she'd taken notice. Catherine saw the same steps repeating with her daughter but she approved of Ratonhnhaké:ton after watching him grow up alongside her children. As Caroline pinned her braid over the top of her head, her mother stopped her random sweeping to ask carefully, "Carrie, have you told Connor what he's asking of you in our culture every time you two walk together?"
"No. . . but this time, I asked him" she stated matter-of-factly as she tried to evade any motherly heckling in order to leave on her outing. To be quite honest, she doubted that Ratonhnhaké:ton knew what he was asking of her since he was always calm and friendly for her to decipher his intentions. Plus, she was too shy to point out the fact he was asking her to court him with each outing because she loved spending time with him. She didn't want their walks to end and the hours flew by as they roamed the countryside.
"Carrie, your father would hit the roof if he heard you" Catherine hushed her oldest since she had an independent streak that didn't falter. Adolescence had not removed it in the slightest and Caroline kept growing into a headstrong woman that didn't want to adhere to the rules. Thankfully, she was fond of respectable fashions but her behavior with the opposite gender was not going as Catherine expected. She wagged a motherly finger to end any foolish play that could leave her in hot water and lectured firmly, "Caroline Grace Burnett, you tell that boy the truth or I'll break that sweet little heart of his because you failed to do so."
Her eyes widened at the idea of her mother telling him everything and she urged quickly, "Mama, no, I. . . these walks are all I have. I don't want to lose his friendship over something as silly as society's rules."
Catherine thinned her lips into a line since she expected her oldest to know better but Caroline pleaded with her. Amelia did the smart thing and stayed out of the problem entirely to prevent either being angry with her and focused on removing lint from Caroline's white stockings.
At the top of the hill outside, Ratonhnhaké:ton didn't know why he always felt guilty requesting Caroline's presence for walking the trails since he knew the children enjoyed his company. Normally, he took them for an outing in the hills or clearings during the week since Sundays were their religious observation. Apparently, they weren't allowed to do anything but sit quietly and read books or their religious scripture on Sundays. Due to that, he took Caroline on walks during Saturdays to let her enjoy one day of boundless freedom so she could be with her family the following day. He had barely rested his fist to knock on the wooden door when it pried open and Samuel smiled widely to announce, "Connor's here!"
"How did you-" he asked with surprise but then noticed Alice waving from one of the glass windows.
Oh.
Catherine ushered him inside with a warm smile as she wiped her hands clean on her apron to appear presentable. After a firm talk with her oldest, she hoped that her Caroline would do what was right or she'd do it for her. As her daughter grew into adulthood, she had to acknowledge that she was old enough to distinguish right from wrong and heckling Caroline would only make her rebellious (or resentful).
Who will admit their feelings first? Just what sweet little outing will they go on together? Will they become the town's new gossip? Find out next time! Thanks for reading and please, leave a review. :)