We left the next morning with Louis raring to get a move on, Tamhas bundled to my chest, and Henry behind me. “We should be at Tanaghrisson’s by the afternoon.”
“How do you know where we’re headed?”
“It’s close to one of my tobacco plantations. That is how we met.”
“Plantation? I thought you said you didn’t enslave people.” My blood boiled. Had he lied to me?
“I do not.”
“Then how do you run a plantation?” Did I hope to catch him in a lie?
“I told you, indentured servants. Most are on contract for transportation to the colonies. They can either stay or leave when their contract is completed.” He said matter-of-factly. “The others are renters.”
I supposed he hadn’t lied to me. “Do you spend much of your time at the plantation, or are you always out running around with Washington?”
Henry laughed at my question. I didn’t find it funny. Perhaps he found me naïve. “I don’t run around with Washington. I joined the Virginia Regiment only of recent, at the request of Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie.”
“But you’re a captain. I don’t understand.” I knew a bit about the military and knew there were the officer ranks lieutenant to general and that the men worked their way up through the ranks. Washington had been serving with the Virginia Regiment for a few years and had quickly worked his way to lieutenant colonel, but he was still so young and Henry, well, he wasn’t that young.
“I served for a couple of years and was a lieutenant when I left His Majesty’s service and eventually moved to Virginia after Caroline died. Governor Dinwiddie asked me to offer my services and here I am.”
I pulled my hat a little further over my eyes. The sun beamed over our heads. “How long have you been working with Washington?”
“Two months. Taking command of the Fort Prince George while Captain Trent was off taking care of other business was going to be my first assignment. That was not the greatest start to my illustrious career with the French taking the fort before I could arrive.”
“You’ve only been in the Regiment for two months? You could have fooled me.” Tamhas stirred in his wrap. Our bodies were producing enough heat to cook an egg. “These past couple of weeks we’ve spent together, you’ve known where to go and who to speak with. I thought you had been doing this forever.”
“I’ve lived in Virginia for nearly six years.” He laughed. “Hardly a newcomer to the colonies or the people. In fact, I am not in full time service. I am called up when needed. The remainder of my time is spent managing my businesses and estates.”
By my hunger calculations, and the sun beaming down on our heads, it was a little past noon when four of Tanaghrisson’s men approached us. They sat on their horses at the edge of the woods. The Mingo men led us to the encampment to speak with Tanaghrisson. Women and men worked outside of longhouses, young children played, older children tended to the gardens, and all turned to look at us when we approached.
“Are you sure we are supposed to be here?” I whispered to Henry.
“Yes, Tanaghrisson told me to bring you and the child to him. It will be fine. I won’t allow any harm to come to you.”
I gulped hard. “But did he specifically ask for me?” My pulse quickened. “How did he know to ask for me? Are you sure he doesn’t want me dead?” My voice shook.
“I’m not sure of anything right about now.” I could sense Henry felt the same uneasiness I experienced as we approached.
Tanaghrisson, the Half-King, stood at the doorway of a hut, flanked by two Mingo. One was an older woman, who I later found out was the clan mother; the other was a man that appeared to be close to my age. Tanaghrisson appeared to be mid-fifties; his skin weathered. His gray hair laid down his back in two long braids. “Thank you for welcoming us,” Henry began. Our hosts welcomed us into the shelter they had exited and sat down. Tamhas squirmed. After these few days with him, I knew if we didn’t feed him and change his diaper, we would experience an epic meltdown in three-month-old proportions.
“I must apologize,” I interrupted the stare down I had received by the three hosts. They were either sizing me up or offended by interruption. “I need to get Tamhas, the baby, fed and changed.” I motioned towards the child wrapped at my chest. “The goat's milk, that is what I’ve been using to feed him, is in a bag on our horse, along with clean cloths. I… uh…” I looked over towards Henry, desperate for acknowledgement or help.
After some negotiation, I agreed to follow the woman outside to meet with a group of women working next to one of the other longhouses. As I understood it, one of the women had agreed to care for Tamhas while I sat in the discussion with Tanaghrisson and Henry.
I hesitated as I handed Tamhas to her. I didn’t want to care for a baby, but at this moment, I found it difficult to part with him. Where did those maternal instincts come from? I knew it wouldn’t be for long, she would care for him while we discussed the situation with the French. Perhaps, I felt guilty for passing the responsibility on to someone else.
Tanaghrisson nodded to us as we returned. I tried hard to hide my anxiety. I twisted my ring around my finger. Henry had mentioned that Tanaghrisson wanted the woman who walked through time and the child. I closed my eyes and hoped that they wouldn’t throw me on a pyre having deemed as some terrible spirit.
Our hosts stared at me. My eyes shifted from one to the other. Tanaghrisson broke the tension and told a story that I didn’t understand. My recollection of the story does not matter, it is not my story to tell. Only, everyone laughed at it, except for me. Henry said he would explain it to me later, but he never did. Without notice, the mood changed and hung heavy in the room, when Tanaghrisson stated that I was the woman that walked through time. It wasn’t a question, and I couldn’t deny it.
“I, uh, well, I suppose that’s me.” I looked towards Henry. He grabbed hold of my hand and gave it a squeeze.
He told me the story of how they watched the area and saw the French pour in like a flood. They were curious about me when they saw me escape and run to the fort.
“You were watching me?” I was taken aback. They could have seen that I was in danger with the French, but they chose to not get involved. “Well, yes. I escaped the French. I had to warn the British that they were going to be attacked and they had no chance against the French.”
I was encouraged to continue my story about the French and the British. “There will be many deaths and battles over the boundary of the land, but the British will win in the end.” Henry’s head snapped at me. His eyes bore a hole deep into my soul. I looked over at him and my shoulders sank. What could I do? I had told him about the notebook with some of Washington’s upcoming battles, but I had not told him too much about the future of the war. “At least, that is the way it is supposed to be. Jumonville, the guy that had held me captive, has my notebook. If he can get to Washington, that is, Lieutenant Colonel George Washington, and kill him, I don’t know where the future of the country will end up.”
The Mingo spoke among themselves and asked if I knew the dates and locations of the battles and who would win.
“Well, some. I don’t know them all by heart. There’s Jumonville Glen, Fort Necessity, and sometime next year will be Braddock’s March to Fort Duquesne. I’m not sure of dates or exact locations.”
Henry looked towards me. “Why haven’t you mentioned all of this to me?”
“I mean, I mentioned some of it. I told you I needed to get the notebook back.” Henry’s face dropped in disappointment. I mouthed, “I’m sorry,” to him. My heart ached. Add this to the growing list of the times that I felt like a complete ass.
Henry sat up straight and looked at Tanaghrisson. “We are to join with Lieutenant Colonel Washington at Wills Creek.” Henry said, avoiding looking at me. I really screwed things up with him.
“Listen, I’m not sure how much you knew or if I had over-shared and will cause some time catastrophe, but whatever happens, I need to get the notebook from Jumonville.”
Tanaghrisson told me they would find Jumonville and see to it that I get the notebook back. Tamhas and the murder of his parents was next on the docket. As Henry expected, they were not responsible for their deaths. The woman sitting next to Tanaghrisson, said they would adopt him into her clan. It was her decision. I admired the respect she held with her people. The walls expanded as I let out the huge sigh of relief from the weight of caring for infant taken off my shoulders.
They offered us food and a place to sleep in the longhouse, which we gladly took. I tossed and turned. Henry slept nearby, with his back towards me. He had not made eye contact or spoken to me since our meeting with Tanaghrisson. I could hear Tamhas cry a few times throughout the night, but whomever was caring for him soothed him. I didn’t need to worry about him anymore.
I was excited about our journey tomorrow. I would get to meet the young George Washington. Sure, he was young enough to be my child—if I had a child at the age of eighteen – but, that didn’t matter, he would be the first president of our new country. Meet George Washington and save his life? No problem, just a day in the life of Amelia Murray. Who am I kidding? I was terrified that we would fail, and Virginia would become a colony of France. Jumonville must not use my notes and change the course of American history.