Chapter One

They had traveled practically nonstop for many weeks. Jamie had lost count a while back. Tanaka said he could tell by the changing of the weather around them. The snow had gone, the rivers close to flooding from the melting. They rested only at night, while keeping a wary eye out for predators of either the four- or two-footed variety during the daylight hours. It was to be expected that they would at some point run across soldiers, settlers or Indians. Tanaka had heard of people like him belonging to different tribes spread out across this great land, which to Jamie now seemed limitless.

Occasional sunshine glinted through the clouds, bringing some warmth with it, but the nights were still long and cold. Tanaka said it would be many more days before they could shed the heavy deerskin coats and leggings Small Woman had provided them with for their long trek into the wilderness. Jamie was thankful for the warmth of Tanaka’s body when they found shelter from the wind, and a sleety rain that chilled their bones. Wrapped in each other’s arms, they would lie by the small fire they used to cook whatever game they could catch, fish mostly for there was an abundance in the swift-flowing rivers.

Jamie felt they had long ago left the French soldiers behind. Surely even the mad Colonel LeTouque would not still consider it worthwhile to send his men out in a fruitless pursuit. However, they could take nothing for granted, and every now and then they would find some promontory point from where they could scan the land behind them. So far there had been no sign of the blue-coated militia. The relentlessly vicious colonel must have decided to call off the search. Jamie knew it would stick in the man’s craw that he had not been able to inflict the dire punishment on Jamie he had so recklessly craved. He couldn’t resist a grin at the thought.

“It appears that the Frenchies have given up,” Jamie remarked to Tanaka, who stood at his side.

Tanaka nodded. “They would find other dangers to contend with out here so far from their fort.” He swept his gaze over the forest before them. “We too must be careful. The woods ahead of us might hold those who would do us harm.” He pointed to a spot far off in the sky Jamie had missed. “See, the faint darkening in the blue. Smoke. Not enough for a big fire, probably from village cooking fires.”

“So there’s the likelihood of folk up ahead. They might be friendly enough.”

“Yes, they might, or they might not. We must be on our guard from here on. Come…” Tanaka set off back down the hillside they had climbed in order to see what, if anything, was behind them on their trail. Jamie followed. He trusted Tanaka’s instincts at times like these. The man was a skilled tracker and although Jamie had learned much from him, he was not of a mind to think he knew better than his companion.

The forest was quiet and not at all to Jamie’s liking. Too many shadows, too many vantage points for a sudden ambush if an enemy lay in hiding. He wondered if there would ever come a time when he was not pursued or hunted in some form or another. It seemed that all his life, from the time he’d been a lad in Scotland, danger had lurked nearby. From a traitrous clan that had sided with the English, the English soldiers themselves, pirates, murderous fools like Ferguson, the pig farmer, the coward Captain John Davenport and ultimately the French colonel…all out to punish Jamie for the mistaken ideals of their own making.

Jamie owed his life, not once but twice, to Tanaka, and for that the man would always have his heart. They’d saved each other’s lives a time or two since then and most likely would have to do so again. They’d set out on this journey to escape the revenge of LeTouque but also to avoid further trouble with the French for Jamie’s Choctaw friends. Passion and the need for vengeance ran high in the land, greed and treachery never far away, and life for the Choctaw people was tenuous at best. Regardless of a king’s promise, treaties, it seemed, were made only to be broken.

He stopped ruminating and crouched low as Tanaka, walking ahead of him, held up a warning hand before sinking to his haunches, his body tense and alert. Jamie moved cautiously forward to his companion’s side.

“What d’ye see?” he asked in a whisper.

“Not see…hear voices. English…”

“Damn,” Jamie murmured.

“And Choctaw.”

Jamie arched his eyebrows in surprise then followed Tanaka’s example and crawled forward on his stomach. In a clearing ahead, the red of a soldier’s uniform flashed.

Damn it all to hell. English soldiers out here after all the distance I thought we’d put between them and us.

The soldier was young, and his upright stance and bearing reminded Jamie of Captain William McBride, who had become somewhat of a friend during the last confrontation between the English troops and the Choctaw led by Black Eagle. The soldier was talking quite amiably to an Indian warrior and even going so far as to rest a hand on the man’s bare arm as he spoke.

Jamie glanced at Tanaka to see if he was making sense of the scene in front of them. He started with surprise when Tanaka suddenly stood and walked into the clearing. The two men, no less surprised, raised their rifles defensively but thankfully did not fire.

Tanaka raised his hand in greeting. “Halito, i kana…my name is Tanaka.”

The Indian lowered his weapon and touched his chest. “Nashoba.” He gestured to the redcoat. “Captain Matthew Garland.”

The captain regarded Tanaka warily but after a quick glance at his companion also lowered his rifle and afforded him a sharp nod. Jamie chose that moment to stride into the clearing and again the men raised their weapons. Jamie knew he must look a sight, his hair wild and a beard of several weeks hiding half his face, so he tried a grin and held open the palms of his hands to show he meant no harm.

“This is my friend, Jamie MacDonald,” Tanaka said.

“And what is your business here?” Garland asked.

Tanaka shrugged. “We are travelers. I am of Black Eagle’s tribe.”

“You’re on the run more like it,” Garland said. “From the French?”

Jamie thought it a good idea to agree. He nodded. “Where are we exactly?”

“The French named this region Alabama after one of the tribes here,” Garland told him. “Nashoba is Choctaw. He’s been scouting for us against the French. We’re enjoying something of a respite between hostilities.”

“Is your village near here?” Tanaka asked Nashoba.

“Very near,” Nashoba replied. “You are welcome to rest with us.”

“Our thanks.”

Well, this is all fine and dandy, but how do we know they’re to be trusted? The Choctaw maybe, but the English captain? Nae so sure… Mind you, he looks affable enough wi’ his bonny blue eyes and a look like butter wouldna’ melt in his mouth. If Tanaka’s fine with it, so should I be, I suppose. But I’ll keep a sharp lookout, forbye.

Jamie followed on behind. He supposed his wariness might be ill-chosen but after what he and Tanaka had been through in the last few years, trust was hard to place in men in time of war. So the French were the enemy in these parts. Not surprising, as their thirst for new territories appeared to be unquenchable. But were the English any better? It would seem that since he’d been away from Scotland, common ground had been forged between the Scots and the English. He recalled one of the lieutenants at Fort Sumner where John Davenport had tried to kill William McBride. A Scot, from Arbroath if Jamie remembered correctly…but he’d told Jamie he’d been educated in England.

“You are uneasy,” Tanaka said in a low voice. He had fallen back to walk by Jamie’s side.

“I think distrust has become embedded within me.” Jamie sighed. “There was a time when I wasna’ sae suspicious of others’ intentions, but now…”

Tanaka nodded. “I understand, but I believe Nashoba can be trusted. I sense that, like me, he is shaman, and…” He gave Jamie a sideways glance and smiled. “If I am not mistaken, he and the captain are more than mere companions at war against the French.”

Jamie gasped. “How can you tell that?”

“The way the captain looks at him. And did you not see him touch Nashoba with affection earlier?”

“Affection? You read a lot into what could’ve been a friendly pat on the arm.”

Tanaka chuckled but added nothing to the debate as they approached the village. Jamie was surprised to see army tents off to one side and several English soldiers resting or engaged in conversation while some Indian children played nearby. This was a very different scene from what he and Tanaka had expected.

“The king’s treaty must have held,” Tanaka remarked.

Jamie cast his gaze about. “Aye, English soldiers and Indians shoulder to shoulder isna’ something I ever thought I’d see.”

“Against the French.” Nashoba turned to inform them.

“Who is the chief here?” Jamie asked.

“I am.” Nashoba regarded them sadly. “My father was killed by French soldiers, and the elders told me I must take on the task of looking after the people.”

“A great responsibility,” Tanaka said.

“Indeed. Captain Garland has been most helpful. He and his men aided us in the defeat of the French in our most recent confrontation. But of course they will be back.”

“And we’ll be ready for ’em,” Garland muttered grimly, but he gave Nashoba a look of encouragement before turning to Jamie and Tanaka. “I expect you men could use a hot bath and you, sir…” He flitted his gaze over Jamie’s unruly beard. “Perhaps a sharp razor?”

“That would be grand,” Jamie told him, surprised that such niceties could be afforded in a bivouac situation. “Thank you.”

“I’ll have a couple of men see to it. Nashoba and I need to discuss our next offensive move.”

“If we can be of any help, let us know,” Jamie said. “We’ve had dealings with the Frenchies afore, and Tanaka is an excellent tracker.”

“Good to know.” Garland put a hand on Nashoba’s shoulder and started to lead him away. “Enjoy your baths, gentlemen. It may be some time before you are afforded another. We march tomorrow. Join us if you wish.”

 

* * * *

 

It wasn’t long before a couple of privates approached Jamie and Tanaka and announced that they had prepared baths for them as per the captain’s instructions. “If you’ll follow us,” one of them said, not bothering to hide his dismay at the state of their clothing. “If you like, I can have the women in the village wash these out for you. Seems a shame to put them back on all dirty-like. I’m Charlie, by the way, and this is Henry.”

They were led to a tent set apart from the others that housed four large tubs, two already filled with soapy water. Charlie and Henry stood by patiently while Tanaka and Jamie pulled off their dirty clothing.

“I don’t know if washing will be much help…” Jamie shrugged. “But maybe the women can work wonders.”

“I’ll take them over.” Henry held the deerskin coats and leggings gingerly away from himself as he left the tent.

Jamie chuckled. “I would be ashamed ordinarily, but, as you can probably tell, we’ve been roughing it for quite some time.”

Charlie nodded and handed Jamie a washcloth. “Ye’ve come a long way then?”

“Far enough that we’re not sure exactly how long we’ve been traveling.”

“Well, ’tis the month of April, if that helps.”

Jamie traded looks with Tanaka. “Three months… The going’s been hard through the bad weather. It should be easier now that the snow has stopped.” He slipped beneath the water with a sigh of pleasure and scrubbed at his tangled hair with soapy fingers. When he surfaced, Charlie was holding a straight razor in his hand. “Careful, soldier,” Jamie cautioned Charlie. He didn’t reach out to grasp the soldier’s wrist, but the look in his eye must have been warning enough as the man stepped back.

“No, no…no harm intended,” Charlie sputtered. “I just thought you might want to shave some of that off yer face.”

Tanaka chuckled as Jamie looked embarrassed. “Aye, well, I thank ye for that. It’s beginning to itch like the very devil.”

“I’ll do it if you like. I shave the captain when he requests it.”

“Do y’now?” Jamie wasn’t sure if he wanted a veritable stranger holding an open razor near his throat, but it wouldn’t make sense for the man to cut him, would it? “Right, you’ll most likely do a better job than me.” Besides, Tanaka was there to make sure Charlie didn’t ‘accidentally’ make any slips.

He settled back in the tub while Charlie softened his beard with the soapy washcloth. He closed his eyes and tried not to flinch as the sharp blade passed over his cheeks. It might be he even dozed off for a few moments. When he opened his eyes again, Tanaka was standing by the tub, rubbing a towel over his lean body, his jet-black hair sleek and shining from his bath.

His beauty never failed to stir a response in Jamie’s blood and he had to look away in case that response became visible when he stood up out of the water. He certainly didn’t want Charlie to think it was his ministrations that caused any such noticeable swelling down there. He accepted the towel Charlie handed him and thanked the man for shaving him. Running his hand over his face, he could tell Charlie had done a good job of it.

“I’ll find ye both something to wear until yer clothes come back.”

“If they come back,” Jamie said, chuckling.

Charlie disappeared for a time. When he returned, he was carrying two shirts and two pairs of britches. “Sorry, no spare boots.”

“We have our own,” Tanaka told him.

“A bit worse for wear, but they’ll have to do,” Jamie added. Thank you for these.” He slipped the shirt over his head just as Nashoba and the captain entered the tent.

“Well, are these men the same ones we found on the trail, Nashoba?” Garland asked.

Nashoba grinned. “Water makes new men of them.”

“Aye, well, your man Charlie here was a great help.” Jamie wondered at the captain’s seeming affability. Taking two wild-looking men into his camp, letting them bathe and giving them fresh clothing was strange in Jamie’s opinion, but he couldn’t fault the captain’s apparent ease with which he conducted himself. And maybe Tanaka was right. There did appear to be some kind of bond between him and Nashoba.

“Now that you’re kitted up, you must be hungry. I know I am.” Garland flashed them a winning smile. “We’ll head over to the officers’ mess tent and take care of that in a moment. First, I want to know if you’re still of a mind to join us tomorrow against the French? Nashoba’s trackers tell us that there’s a large detachment of the buggers just over the rise there, all rarin’ for a fight.” He pointed to a tree-covered hill about five miles distant.

Jamie nodded. “That’s not sae far. What if they decide on a night attack?”

“We’re prepared for that. We have men, both ours and Choctaw, stationed at intervals between here and the hill. Runners will inform us if the French make a move tonight.”

“Good to know ye’ve got a handle on it. Tanaka, what say you to us having a go at the bluecoats again? I could pretend their leader’s LeTouque and gie him a wee bit of a thrashing.”

“LeTouque?” Garland laughed. “I doubt if he’s anywhere near us. He was sent back to France in disgrace two months since.”

“Was he now?” Jamie grinned at Tanaka. “No wonder there were no Frenchies on our tails.”

“How do you know the colonel?”

Jamie drew in a breath. “He was—but that’s a story to be told over the hot meal you’ve mentioned.”

“I can’t wait.” Garland ushered them outside. “Follow me then, and I expect to be told all!”

 

* * * *

 

There was no doubt that the captain enjoyed Jamie’s telling of his encounter with LeTouque, the French colonel who had ordered Jamie taken dead or alive. He roared with laughter when Jamie got to the part where he and Tanaka had turned the tables on the colonel, tying him to the tree where just minutes before he’d had Jamie trussed up and on the verge of giving him ‘the unkindest cut of all’.

After the meal and some fairly good ale, Nashoba’s hospitality extended to a lodge Jamie and Tanaka could share for the night. Jamie tried to see in which direction their host went when he left them…to his own abode or Garland’s tent. In the darkness he wasn’t sure and when Tanaka pushed him away from the entrance he had no chance to satisfy his curiosity.

“Dammit, Tanaka. I just wanted to see if you were right.”

“And what good would knowing do you? Spying on our hosts when it is not necessary is rude and—”

“Nosy, I ken, but like I said I just want to see if you’re right about them.”

“I am right.”

“Oh, then there’s nothing else to say about it?”

“That is also right.”

Jamie huffed. “D’ye think they ken about us?”

“Undoubtedly. They are not stupid men. Now…” He pulled his borrowed shirt over his head. “As we have clean bodies for the first time in many weeks, I suggest we do not waste time by gawking at other men.”

Bringing each other release while hampered by the cold and heavy deerskin clothing had not been a satisfactory way of making love. Seeing Tanaka’s smooth and limber body bared before him was a joy…and an invitation too sweet to ignore. Quickly, he removed his shirt and dropped his britches, kicking them off to one side. He grabbed Tanaka and, after claiming his mouth with a crushing kiss, tipped him over onto the bearskin rug that covered one corner of the lodge. “No time like the present!”