The guards deposited Erin outside Colonel Munro's war room, saluted Duncan, and then were away back to their nearby posts.

Duncan regarded her with calculating eyes. "How did you know about the French?"

"I've already explained Major, my sources cannot be disclosed." Erin became aware in that moment, just how tired Duncan looked, not just in body but everything about him. The trials of being cooped up in this place, she could feel it too, it had begun to feel suffocating in the walls of the fort. Patience grew ever thinner as rations dwindled, bombardment continued and disease clustered in at the corners, darkening moods and fraying tempers.

"I don't think the Colonel will be happy with that explanation."

"Well, it's all I have," Erin said, trying not to let his exhaustion rub off on her.

"Perhaps if you spent more time telling the truth and less time cavorting with savages, you would not be in this mess, hmm?" His words were cruel but his tone was not, it was matter of fact and brotherly, a statement of plain truth to his mind.

"Those 'savages' saved all our lives more than once, Sir!" She spat the polite term out, stating clearly in this moment she did not find him very gentlemanly at all.

"Even if you are indeed a French spy Miss, letting a man like that..." He blustered off, too embarrassed to say more. "It is against the laws of man and nature."

She stared at him in startled dumb surprise, realizing suddenly he really did believe that. As hard as it was for Erin to swallow, this wasn't strictly because Duncan was a terrible person, it was the way of things here, an opinion held by many as an indisputable fact. Being confronted with this reality was a shock to Erin's system. To him, to many, Uncas wasn't really a person; an invisible, irrational wall making him closer in kin to an animal to some minds. Nathaniel had been right to worry about townsfolk and pitchforks it seemed.

"How dare you!" Erin said through gritted teeth, unable to help herself.

Duncan gave her a strange look as if he didn't understand why she was becoming so heated. "I am only speaking the verity of the matter Miss, being corrupted by those whose company you keep is a fast way to ruin and-"

"Quiet!" she barked, and Duncan responded to the note of command, pulling himself up taller, shoulders back, but quickly eased back into his former relaxed manner.

"If there has been any corrupting, I am to blame, I am the corrupter, do you understand?" Erin hissed.

Duncan again looked rather puzzled. An indulgent smile came to his lips, his words soft and offering comfort. "Miss Cooper, you may believe that, but women are very easily led by emotion, and such... men... I fear you do not-"

"Put your anger and dislike on me, Major!" she continued, ignoring his quite obvious path of demeaning her into some milksop of a girl that couldn't fend for herself, and heaven forbid, know her own mind. "I am the one to blame, not Uncas." Erin could feel heat burning through her as rage and indignity battled within her. This was partly her fault, she'd put Uncas in Duncan's direct line of ire, but that didn't excuse the fact that, to her modern mind, this man was so openly a bigot. "Don't put your hatred on a man who has never done you any wrong!"

Duncan opened and closed his mouth silently as he tried to understand this baffling situation. "I'm sorry if I offended you," he said, finally reading a little of the current atmosphere. "It is because of our journey here together and the friendship I bear for you that I guard you against such notions. As I would any of the women under my care."

"I'm not under your care, Duncan! My life is my own." Erin wanted him to understand, but knew this was a losing battle. He couldn't see her side and never would. For him there was no other side, only his society's versions of right and wrong. She could not change his viewpoint in a few days, even a lifetime may not have been enough.

"I assume that is advice you gave to Cora also?" He flicked a disapproving eyebrow at her.

"I would give that advice to any woman, rather than be chained to a loveless, unhappy union!" Erin let her anger out, at Duncan, at the situation, at this time, at the unfairness of it all.

"Well, I never!" Duncan's face fell, his mouth turning down as all politeness and niceties were lost to her attack of clear rude insult. Contemptuous rage gathered within his eyes, ready to be unleashed. His lips curled, only just holding back unkind words, his finger coming to point at her breastbone in a jabbing manner - but he stopped mid motion, seeming to suddenly regain his rigid conformity to etiquette.

He turned away, taking a short moment to gather himself and not let anger hold sway. He let out a frustrated breath, checked his hair was still smoothed back and then returned to face Erin, all signs of offense gone. "I do not wish to be at odds with you, despite the situation we now find ourselves in." He shook his head, and to Erin's ear he sounded momentarily condescending, like he were a patient parent having to deal with a toddler's tantrum. "Maybe this is the way of things for you with your travels at sea, but it is not how we do things here! Whatever foolish notions your father and grandfather taught you, they do not have merit here in America, where English rules lead!"

Erin scoffed, laughing openly at him, knowing she was being a little cruel and crass in her enjoyment.

'This land won't be led by English rules soon enough!' her mind sang, just making her chuckle all the more.

"Miss!" His tone was stern, like that of a teacher singling out an unruly pupil. Erin's laughter faded.

"Listen to me. Stop this folly! You are endlessly stubborn, and if you have gotten yourself into some muddied deal with the French or that... man, I would offer you aid if you tell me and the Colonel everything now!" His tone became soft, coaxing. "But you must submit to our way of doing things."

Erin looked over his face with a sudden frosty glare, eyes dimming as she closed herself off to his pleas of 'reason'. "I thought better of you Major." She turned to stare at the closed door, her expression stating she would hear no more.

Erin knew her anger was justified and, within the same infuriating moment, unjustified. She couldn't balance out the repulsion of his attitude with her own fondness for him, the man and politics seeming to mix like oil in water. Part of her knew he only wanted to help, his intentions charitable, but in this moment she refused to allow herself to understand the nuance.

They stood in silence for a short moment, Duncan's face pinched in frustration as he tried to understand her sudden shift in mood. He sighed heavily, as if finally giving up on the matter, and knocked on the door, which was returned with a shout of "Come", allowing them access.

Inside was Munro, still looking as put together as he had the last time Erin had seen him a short while ago.

"Ah, Major Heywood. You brought the girl, good."

Erin stood uneasily in the room, her wrists bound uncomfortably in front of her. Colonel Munro was looking over what appeared to be hundreds of papers, some he was stuffing into wooden boxes. Upon a nearby table was a letter, she could just about make out the fluid and large signature of General Webb, and noted, with a slight recoil of her senses, that the paper was stained in what appeared to be dried blood.

"So, Miss Cooper, is it?" He didn't even look up to address her.

"Yes, Sir."

"Are you going to tell me the truth of this matter? Where you heard this information? How you knew the exact terms of the French, down to the one damnable cannon?" His soft Scottish lilt was pleasant as if they were making small talk, a faraway look to his features, intent on sorting the papers in his hands.

"No, Sir."

He glanced up, his eyes suddenly sharp and glowering. "Is that so?"

"I will tell you all I can to keep you and your daughters safe. Beyond that I am a closed book... Sir."

"Are you a spy?!" His voice rose, becoming raspy in the accusation.

"No."

This clearly was not a good enough answer. "You will tell me all you know if you know what's good for you!" His anger was besting him.

"I will not!" Her own anger grew to meet his, determined not to be cowed by him this time.

"She is very stubborn, Sir," Duncan put in, feeling the situation becoming fiery. He looked as if he was keen to defuse it.

"Stubborn?" Munro laughed, it was a highly unpleasant sound in its unkindness. "I suppose that word could describe her."

Erin jutted out her chin in an act of sedition. Their eyes met in a silent battle. Munro was used to being in full control of all those under him and Erin's insubordination was akin to mutiny, it was clear he would not stand for such insolence. He took one menacing step forward, eyebrows furrowing in an authoritative demand that she was to do as she was told.

Erin remained silent, lips pressed together as she clung doggedly to her act of insurrection.

"By God, madam! I will have you whipped from here if you do not speak!" His finger came to point accusingly at her, the digit shaking with temper.

Duncan looked slightly queasy.

Erin stood her ground, not shrinking from him, and this only seemed to enrage him further. He took several fast steps forward, his manner so threatening that Erin had to hold back the urge to close her eyes in anticipation of just what was to come next, but then the door opened and Cora walked in, the tension dispelled within seconds.

"Father, what is all this?" Her eyes were wide. "Why have you tied Erin up?" Her dark gaze admonished him and he relented under the scrutiny.

"I cannot allow a spy to roam the fort free, Cora."

"She gave us warning about the French."

"To save her own skin no doubt! She's a defector, if not an agitator. I should hand her over to the French and allow them to do with her as they will!"

"No, father, no. Erin is a friend to us, she has always been a friend. Whatever her reasons are for not being able to tell us everything, I know they have merit."

"You have a soft heart girl."

"Cora has often been a good judge of character, Sir," Duncan put in, and Erin saw Cora's face alight, he still was the man they all thought he was under everything that had happened, a good man. "Whatever circumstances Miss Cooper has for not being able to tell us, I think it still stands, Sir, that she has come to us with this information. It may give us the advantage to know what is to come tomorrow."

Munro glanced from his daughter to his Major, looking as if he felt besieged on both sides.

"Although Miss Cooper is... odd," Duncan said, finding the only word that seemed to suit after a beat, "I have never seen her do anything to harm any of us, in fact she has helped us many times." Duncan looked at Erin, a small smile upon his lips, perhaps even a note of apology gleaming within his eyes. "I am willing to believe she has come forward to aid us. What she said did come to pass, I believe we must give her some credit for her warning."

"Then you are as soft hearted as Cora." Colonel Munro's tone was full of dissatisfaction.

"Father," Cora soothed, "trust me now as you have trusted me in the past. Trust Duncan."

Munro sniffed, disliking being cornered. "Very well. But she stays bound and under guard!" He pointed a stern finger at Erin, but the room seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief. "She's your charge once you leave this room, Cora, until we leave this damned place, take that as you will."

His eyes drifted back to Erin, now calm and ready to take back control.

"Now, Miss Cooper?" Munro's voice was soft and courteous, as if no harsh words had passed between anyone in the room.

"Yes, Colonel?" Erin said, following his genteel lead to diplomacy for the good of all.

"Would you be so kind as to tell me everything, once more, with as much detail as you can?"

"I can do my best, Sir," Erin said, walking up to the table and pointing at the area she suspected the ambush would take place. She took a deep breath and began her tale.

/

Another Friday another hello :)

A shorter chapter this week, but a longer one to come next.

I really enjoyed touching upon Erin's own views/ways not being compatible with this time and how torn she feels about who Duncan is as a person. I think that is a obstacle many of us would come up against if we did go back in time. The whole difference in society, what is acceptable or seen as just normal, would be unthinkable today (at least I really hope so.)

Reading many history books of this period and accountants of British, French and settlers, I find it can be jarring to see such racism, bigotry, sexism and general ideas that don't gel with the way we think today. Although, I personally really enjoy Duncan as a character, (I think his bravery often goes underappreciated) I do see his flaws too. It's fun to make him a villain or a buffoon who is a bit of a jerk, because it's easy not to agree with so many of his core principles, but I do see the hero and the good man within and I hope I can express both sides equally within this story.

Thank you again for the lovely reviews MohawkWoman and Flowangelic. It's always a treat to read your thoughts. I'm glad the humour is still coming through :D

To answer Flowangelic about the scene at the Cameron's. I think Alice's own views on who Uncas was, could have been challenged at the cabin, as (I assume) all she's heard is the often overly dramatized stories about this wild place. So, seeing Uncas is just a human, just a man, was perhaps a big change for her whole outlook.

In my own head canon, that is what could have happened in the movie. She saw his humanity at the cabin. She goes from a dismissive young woman at the start, talking about 'red men' and how 'she simply can't wait to return Portman Square after going to the wilderness!' like it's all a safari adventure she can brag about later, to being so distraught at Uncas' demise that she follows him off the cliff, in defiance of Magua or for romantic tragedy, it's left to the watcher to decide why she made that choice.

If Alice's revelation had happened earlier at the Cameron's in Spark, then a few words at the burial ground, a few more at the fort etc I believe each small event between Alice and Uncas, would propel it to the next and the connection and bond would be made stronger. If each connection was blocked (by Erin's meddling) then it couldn't grow into more and no romantic (or even friendship) attachments could be formed. So although Alice has indeed come to see Uncas outside her earlier narrow view point in Spark (Chapter 10), (and without that catalyst needed from the Cameron's massacre), it hasn't had those further interactions to feed any romance and help it grow. So that was my angle. Does that make some sense? :))))

Sorry for the long winded explanation. Be warned! I can never just explain things simply lol

I think I wanted this story to touch on the themes of fate and destiny, what can be changed, what can't, what we change without knowing it and what we also make happen without meaning to... it may have a bigger role to play later ;)

Again, I want to state these are all my own opinions, views etc and don't affect your own views on these characters, even in this work, my intent is not your reading, so view it as you like :)