“Please tell me we are going to sleep at an inn or at a friend’s house.” I moaned, half-asleep to Henry. “Maybe a distant cousin twice removed?”
“Mayhap I should have left you with Elizabeth.” Henry teased. “You could have shopped, do each other’s hair, embroidered, or whatever else gentle ladies do to occupy their time.”
“You’re a complete asshole.” I elbowed him. “Do you know that?” I stroked Louis neck. “Look, Louis wants a break from all of this riding.” If I couldn’t appeal to his good senses for my comfort, maybe I could appeal for Louis’ comfort.
“I believe we overburden him with all your clothing.” Henry looked back at the bundle strapped to the back of the saddle. We should have found a wagon or another horse before we left Fredericksburg. The men didn’t want to bother with it for what they considered a short ride. “Did you really need to take half her wardrobe?”
“I have my old dirty dress that I will eventually get cleaned when we stay more than a day somewhere. I have what I’m wearing.” To show it off, I flattened the front of my petticoat, the rest was in the usual tuck and fold to prevent chaffing from riding astride instead of sidesaddle. “I left the uniform for them to dispose of. We bundled the dress I wore last night. She said I would need it when I meet Governor Dinwiddie. I wasn’t even sure that was going to happen, but she said he likes to show off his palace.” I straightened the wide brimmed hat I had procured from Elizabeth.
“He is the Lieutenant Governor, and it is the Governor’s palace that he uses it as his own.” He looked down at me. “I believe I left Mistress Amelia Murray in Fredericksburg. You must be an imposter.”
I put my hands on my hips and scrunched my face in confusion. “What in the hell are you talking about?”
“Are you going to rattle on about clothes the entire trip? I think I liked it better when you talked about killing Bouchard. Not very ladylike, but it was a bit more interesting.”
I could feel my entire body flush with embarrassment, anger, shock. My ears burned hot. I could have sworn that they whistled as steam radiated out of them.
“Listen here.” I twisted and looked up at him. If I was going to cuss him out, I wanted to make sure he saw the fire in my eyes that were going to burn straight through him. “I have been through absolute hell and if I want to talk about being clean and wearing nice clothes and not some dead man’s clothes, then that’s what I’m going to do. Don’t give me a hard…”
He smiled, put his hand on my chin, and stopped me mid-rant. “I would very much like to kiss you.” With a kiss! I opened my mouth to answer but could only nod in response. He leaned down and planted the softest kiss on my lips. I kissed him back. What are you doing, Amelia?
Washington made an audible throat clear. “Will the two of you stop riling up the horses with all of your ranting and rutting?”
He had strong lips but was gentle with mine. I pulled away from him and looked ahead down the path. I lifted my hand to my own lips. My heart raced. The kiss left me breathless. And to Washington’s pleasure, it left me quiet. My emotions went through me in five hundred directions. I stroked Louis’ neck as I tried to figure out if it was just a kiss to shut me up or if he wanted more. I debated if it upset me that he used that tactic to get me to stop talking or if I would have done the same thing. He asked and I agreed. Oh, boy!
Our first night on the road, we stopped at an inn. We secured a few rooms. The rest of the dozen men slept in a barn. We might have been able to play off the role of a married couple to share a room before, but after that kiss, that would not be an option. It would mar my honor and get me labeled as a harlot. Washington had his reputation to protect as well. He didn’t want prostitutes in his camp and after the last night at Fort Necessity and the free-flowing ale, wine, and whatever else was in the stores, he would limit the consumption of alcohol amongst his troops. He would not stand for drunkenness nor debauchery. Future soldiers of his would have me to thank for that.
Supposedly, I was to stay at Henry’s house when we got to Williamsburg. I wasn’t sure if that was going to happen now or not. It wasn’t like we had to protect my virginity; I was a widow with a daughter, after all. Would he consider my reputation to protect? Perhaps he would rent me a room at an inn until I could find a place of my own. I wasn’t sure how I could afford it. It’s not like women could easily find jobs. In my old life, I was an author. I could write and sell my stories. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I had to learn to survive in 1754 and beyond.
We stayed out under the stars the next night. Henry did not sleep near me. He kept his distance after dark. Our ride was quiet and uneventful. I wasn’t sure if he thought the kiss was a mistake and was embarrassed to talk to me. It is difficult to ghost someone when they are sitting on a horse in front of you. It surprised me he continued to ride Louis with me.
The further south we traveled, the more humid it became. Mid-July on the Virginia coast was hot and humid. Bugs swarmed and they must have thought I would be a tasty meal. I smacked a mosquito that landed on my neck. Annoying little vampire better not give me malaria. The dark green fabric and the layers of clothing that I wore stifled me. The sweat trailed down my back and drenched my shift. I would wipe my face, but the sweat would creep into my eyes and sting as if I had squirt lemon juice in them. I wore the hat that Elizabeth had given me, having lost mine somewhere at Fort Necessity. It helped keep the sun off my face, but it was a boiling heat with a million percent humidity. Perhaps Henry didn’t want to talk to me because I smelled like dirt and sweat. I washed up in a stream, but it wasn’t as though I had soap with me. I should have thought of asking for some from Elizabeth.
The third night was a filling supper of fowl—I’m guessing chicken—potatoes and bread to sop up the juices at a tavern we stopped at for the night. Procuring soap from the innkeeper, I felt better with a good wash of my cracks and crevices, but my clothes needed a good airing out. I started to make a mental list of items I would need if I were to stay in Williamsburg.
I pulled out my notebook. The pages were stuck together from caked on mud. Jumonville’s blood stained through dates and locations I had written. It should have been burned a while ago, but it was the only thing I had to connect me to my old life. My clothes were destroyed. I never found my satchel at Necessity. It had been stolen or left behind. I had my wedding ring, but it was becoming too big. If I moved my left hand too quickly, it threatened to go flying off my finger. Maybe Henry could direct me to a jeweler to get the ring sized smaller? I would ask him tomorrow. I put the notebook next to my clothes, blew out my candle, and attempted to sleep. Who was I kidding? Sleep would play hide-and-seek from me. It was like being a child and trying to sleep on Christmas Eve. I would eventually fall asleep from pure exhaustion, only to wake up an hour later.