You know, the more I think about it, the more I have to admit you’re right, sweetheart.” Colin forked the last bit of his remaining dumpling into his mouth and washed it down with a gulp of tea as he and Mariah sat at the table.
Mariah tried unsuccessfully to read his expression as she set down her own cup. “About what?”
“We will need to be very discreet, not only after my parents return from Baltimore, but during this week, as well. Perhaps especially during this week. Our people here are loyal to a fault, but they also love to gossip. Word of our relationship could easily get back to my father and mother. I’ll speak to Eloise and Geoffrey and ask them not to mention any of my lustful intentions toward you they happened to witness.”
“Lustful intentions?” Mariah didn’t like the sound of that at all. No wedding band graced her finger as yet, and she was not about to allow Colin liberties to which he was only entitled by marriage.
Colin chuckled and angled his head at her. “My lustful intention is to marry you, my dear Mariah…if you’ll still have me, of course.”
A huge smile curved her lips. “Yes! Oh, yes.” Supremely grateful to hear him say those all-important words she’d longed so to hear, she reached over to give his arm a squeeze, but he warded her off with a raised hand.
“In that case—” He reached into his breast pocket and withdrew something in his closed hand. With a tentative smile, he opened his fingers to display an exquisite ring. “Your father assured me this would fit. Shall we try it?”
Mariah’s heart tripped over itself at the sight of a beautiful amethyst surrounded by tiny diamonds. “You bought it from Papa?” Her eyes roved Colin’s wondrous face as she nibbled her lower lip and held out her left hand.
“I did.” Light from the wall sconces sparkled over the cut gems as he slipped it on her finger. “He wanted to give it to me without cost, since it was for you, but I insisted on paying. And look. He knows you well. It fits perfectly.” He raised her hand to admire it more closely. “I chose this one because it reminded me of those incredible violet eyes of yours.”
Mariah blinked back happy tears. “Oh, Colin, ’tis ever so lovely. I couldn’t have asked for anything more beautiful.”
“I’m so glad you like it.” His lips spread into a satisfied smile. Then he grew serious. “Of course, you know that once the family returns, we’ll need to keep the ring out of sight until I secure the land I’ve been promised. Only a few days more, my darling. I’ll request it as soon as they get home from the wedding. The anniversary of my birth came and went while I was aboard ship. So I am now of age to take ownership.”
Still admiring her ring of promise, Mariah raised her gaze to his and offered a melancholy smile. “Your birthday. Another celebration we weren’t able to share.”
“Don’t worry, my love.” Colin cupped her chin with his palm. “We’ll have a lifetime of events to celebrate together.”
“I hope you’re right.” Despite his brave words, Mariah couldn’t prevent doubts from creeping in. “What if your father will only sign the land over to you if you agree not to wed me? Surely you know your mother especially will fight you on this. As her husband, he will have to give in to keep the peace.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “They can protest all they want to. But after being separated from you for these unbearably long months, I’ll not allow them to stop us from marrying. After all, I’m not without a few assets of my own. Last spring, Tuck and I both bought land between the ridges to the west of here. Do you remember that tall young gentleman I introduced you to at the race in Alexandria?”
“George Washington, I believe?”
“Right. Well, he’s been working as a surveyor for the colony, measuring and marking off parcels of virgin land along the distant branches of the Potomac. The land out there is cheap, and George has been purchasing choice parcels for himself out of his earnings. He recommended some fine pieces of land for us to buy. I bought a picturesque little valley that has the South Fork of the Potomac running through it.”
“La, your own valley.” Mariah tried to insert some enthusiasm into her response, but as wonderful as that sounded on the surface, the thought of living so far from any sort of society was daunting. What about the Indians? Weren’t they a concern?
Colin puffed out his chest, obviously proud of his investment. “Our land spreads between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains. Tuck and I canoed upstream to see our parcels last May. We traveled for miles past the last settlement. Can you imagine? We’re the first people ever to hold title to that valley. If all goes well here, I’ll take you there to see it next summer. Maybe sooner. Barclay Valley.”
The place was so remote Colin could name the valley after himself! Mariah knew she wasn’t anything like Rose. She’d never grow accustomed to living in such an isolated spot. She had a hard time concentrating on what he was saying as he continued on with enthusiasm.
“Don’t look dismayed, my dear Mariah. It’s an easy float downriver anytime we have a desire to visit the family. Also, I may not have mentioned this before, but I happen to own three fine brood mares of my own, plus their foals. All we would need is a good stud to start our own horse farm, if need be. So you see, darling girl, nothing shall keep us apart.”
He rose from the table. “Come with me to the library. I’ll show you on the map exactly where our land is—yours and mine.”
“Yes,” she managed as he pulled back her chair. “I’d love to see it.” It was probably rather silly of her to conjure up all those stupid fears. As long as she was with Colin, he would continue to take care of her as he always had.
Surely he would.
As Colin opened one of the double doors to the library for Mariah, a loud pounding rattled the front door. Who could be calling at this time of the morning? None of the plantation workers used the front entrance.
He turned and crossed the foyer. While grasping the door handle, he heard Benjamin coming from the butlery. “It’s all right, Benjamin. I’ll get it.”
“Yessuh.” With a bow of his snowy head, the African flashed a friendly smile. “Glad to see y’all finally made it home, Masta Colin. We sho’ did miss you.”
“I missed all of you, too.” Interrupted once more by the second round of knocks, he opened the door.
Dennis Tucker leaned a hand against the doorjamb, breathing hard. At the bottom of the steps, his mount also blew puffs of air and pranced nervously, its reins dangling loose on the ground.
Colin frowned. “Tuck! What’s the big rush? Is your place on fire?”
“No.” He panted, trying to catch his breath. “But I’ve come on urgent business. My kid brother saw you ride past our place awhile ago, but he didn’t mention it right away, or I’d have intercepted you before you made it all the way home.”
Colin glanced around at Mariah, who stood listening to the exchange with a puzzled expression. Exhaling, he stepped back to let Tuck in. “So what’s got you all afire?”
“You haven’t heard, then.” He swept off his hat but held it in his hands.
“Heard what?”
“We’re goin’ to war!” His eyes flared wide with excitement.
Mariah gasped and hastened to join them. She pushed past Colin and faced Tuck, her hands on her hips. “Whatever are you talking about? At war with whom? You’ve been calling on Victoria at least three times every week, and I never heard one word from your mouth about any conflict.”
“There’s a very good reason for that,” he shot back, hiking his chin. “Womenfolk always get hysterical anytime the word war is mentioned. Trouble’s been brewin’ for some time.”
She pressed her lips together and released a breath. “That’s absurd. If there was the least bit of danger, Mr. Barclay would never have blithely ridden off to a wedding in Baltimore.”
Colin couldn’t help but grin at her spunk. He looked from her to his friend. “She does have a point.”
With a wary eye on Mariah, Tuck switched his attention to Colin. “I need to speak to you alone. Shall we adjourn to your father’s library?” Without waiting for an answer, he strode across to the door Colin had opened moments before.
Colin turned to Mariah and took her by the shoulders. “Sweetheart, I’ll be just a few minutes, I promise. And I also promise to tell you everything we discuss. So please go into the parlor and wait for me. I won’t be long. You and I have plenty of our own business to take care of later.” With a meaningful smile, he swung on his heel and followed his friend into the library, closing the door behind them. “So, what’s this all about?”
Tuck met his curious gaze straight on. “Governor Dinwiddie received word back from England to call our militias to arms. He sent William Trent, an Ohio Valley trader, to Augusta County to lead their militia. He also sent George Washington upriver to Fredrick City to bring fifty men back with him to Alexandria for training and to be equipped. Dinwiddie instructed them to travel to the upper forks of the Ohio to build a fort.”
Colin tucked his chin. “While it’s still snowing? That hardly makes sense.”
“This is serious, Colin. The French have to be stopped before they send more men down from Canada in the spring. George and the men from Fredrick City rode past our place just two days ago on their way to Alexandria. George told me that if you and I want to make sure the French are stopped before they turn their greedy eyes toward the backcountry where we bought property, we need to get ourselves down there to join him. We do happen to be part of the local militia, you know.”
“But I only just got home. I haven’t even unpacked.”
“All the better. I spent all of yesterday convincin’ Father it was my duty to go. I’m packed and was just waitin’ for some food to be cooked for the journey. So don’t worry about food. I’ll share mine with you.”
Colin was still trying to process the information Dennis had related. “But I—”
“What’s the hesitation, Colin? With your family away, you won’t have to waste your time arguin’ with them.”
“That’s true, but still—”
Tuck barely paused as he rushed on. “By the way, Washington is already a hero. The whole colony is talkin’ about him. Dinwiddie dispatched him to one of those Indian villages the French had taken over—one with an English trading post—to ask them politely to leave. I thought that was a foolhardy mission, myself, and it turns out George barely escaped with his life. He and his guide ended up comin’ back across the mountains in winter on foot, with only scant supplies. Of course he’s chompin’ at the bit to get back there, this time with force.”
Shaking his head, Colin kneaded his chin. “I know we’re both signed on with the militia, but this is too sudden.”
“Oh, and by the by,” Tuck interrupted over his objections again. “Our friend George is now in command. He’s been made a lieutenant colonel. I’m sure we can distinguish ourselves every bit as well as he has, if not better. How does Colonel Tucker or Colonel Barclay sound to you?”
“Fine. Fine. But as it happens, I have some rather urgent business here at home that needs to be taken care of.”
Tuck rolled his eyes and let out a huff of breath. “Look, Colin, old man. Your family is gone for at least a week, if not more. I’m sure that once we ride into the Ohio Valley, we’ll run those interlopers right off. We’ll be back in no time at all. Even if we hadn’t bought land on the frontier, it’s still our duty to go. Our militia has been ordered to Alexandria.”
Trying to dispel the tightness in his chest, Colin breathed out a troubled breath and gave a reluctant nod. “You’re right. It is our duty.” But why did it have to be now? Why, when everything he’d spent endless months longing for was within his grasp?
He glanced toward the door. How would he explain this to Mariah?