I see. Speaking of having no sensewhat the devil was that taradiddle about me planning to kidnap George Washington?
Randall actually laughed at that, and William felt his ears grow warm.
Well, not you, personally, he assured William. Just a ruse de guerre. It worked, though, didnt it? And I had to think of some explanation for your outré appearance; being an intelligencer was the only halfway believable thing I could think of.
William grunted and gingerly tried a mouthful of succotash, a fried and buttered mixture of diced squash and corn sliced from the cob. It went down well, and he attacked the rest of his meal with increasing enthusiasm, ignoring the minor discomfort of eating. Denys watched him, smiling a little as he ate his own meal but leaving him alone.
When the plates were empty, there was a contemplative silence between them. Not friendly, but not hostile, either.
Denys picked up the brandy bottle and shook it; a small sloshing noise reassured him and he poured out what was left into their cups, then picked one up and raised it to William.
A bargain, he said. If you come across any news of Ezekiel Richardson, send word to me. If I hear of anything pertaining to your cousin Benjamin, Ill send word to you.
William hesitated for a moment, but then touched his cup firmly to Randalls.
Done.
Denys drank, then set down his cup.
You can send me word in care of Captain Blakeney; hes with Clintons troops in New York. And if I hear of anything ?
William grimaced, but there wasnt a lot of choice.
Care of my father. He and my uncle are with the garrison at Savannah with Prévost.
Denys nodded, pushed back his bench, and stood up.
All right. Your horse is outside. With your knife and musket. May I ask where youre bound?
Virginia. He hadnt actually known that for sure until he said it, but the speaking gave him certainty. Virginia. Mount Josiah.
Denys groped in a pocket and laid two guineas and a handful of smaller coins on the table. He smiled at William.
Its a long way to Virginia. Consider it a loan.
8
Visitations
Frasers RidgeBY MIDAFTERNOON, ID MADE great progress with my medicaments, treated three cases of poison ivy rash, a broken toe (caused by its owner kicking a mule in a fit of temper), and a raccoon bite (non-rabid; the hunter had knocked the coon out of a tree, thought it was dead, and went to pick it up, only to discover that it wasnt. The raccoon was mad, but not in any infectious sense).
Jamie, though, had done much better. People had come up to the house site all day, in a steady trickle of neighborliness and curiosity. The women had stayed to chat with me about the MacKenzies, and the men had wandered off through the site with Jamie, returning with promises to come and lend a days labor here and there.
If Roger Mac and Ian can help me move lumber tomorrow, the Sinclairs will come next day and give me a hand wi the floor joists. Well lay the hearthstone and bless it on Wednesday, Sean McHugh and a couple of his lads will lay the floor with me on Friday, and well get the framing started next day; Tom MacLeod says he can spare me a half day, and Hiram Crombies son Joe says he and his half brother can help wi that as well. He smiled at me. If the whisky holds out, yell have a roof over your head in two weeks, Sassenach.
I looked dubiously from the stone foundation to the cloud-flecked sky overhead.
A roof?
Aye, well, a sheet of canvas, most likely, he admitted. Still. He stood and stretched, grimacing slightly.
Why dont you sit down for a bit? I suggested, eyeing his leg. He was limping noticeably and the leg was a vivid patchwork of red and purple, demarcated by the black stitches of my repair job. Amys left us a jug of beer.
Perhaps a wee bit later, he said. Whats that yere making, Sassenach?
Im going to make up some gallberry ointment for Lizzie Beardsley, and then some gripe water for her little new onedo you know if he has a name yet?
Hubertus.
What?
Hubertus, he repeated, smiling. Or so Kezzie told me the day before yesterday. Its in compliment to Monikas late brother, he says.
Oh. Lizzies father, Joseph Wemyss, had taken a kind German lady of a certain age as his second wife, and Monika, having no children of her own, had become a stalwart grandmother to the Beardsleys growing brood. Perhaps they can call him Bertie, for short.
Are ye out of the Jesuit bark, Sassenach? He lifted his chin in the direction of the open medicine chest Id set on the ground near him. Do ye not use that for Lizzies tonic?
I do, I said, rather surprised that hed noticed. I used the last of it three weeks ago, though, and havent heard of anyone going to Wilmington or New Bern who might get me more.
Did ye mention it to Roger Mac?
No. Why him? I asked, puzzled.
Jamie leaned back against the cornerstone, wearing one of those overtly patient expressions thats meant to indicate that the person addressed is not being particularly bright. I snorted and flicked a gallberry at him. He caught it and examined it critically.
Is it edible?
Amy says bees like the flowers, I said dubiously, pouring a large handful of the dark-purple berries into my mortar. But theres very likely a reason why theyre called gallberries.
Ah. He tossed it back at me, and I dodged. Ye told me yourself, Sassenach, that Roger Mac said to ye yesterday that he meant to come back to the ministering. So, he went on patiently, seeing no hint of enlightenment on my face, what would ye do first, if that was your aim?
Ah. He tossed it back at me, and I dodged. Ye told me yourself, Sassenach, that Roger Mac said to ye yesterday that he meant to come back to the ministering. So, he went on patiently, seeing no hint of enlightenment on my face, what would ye do first, if that was your aim?
I scooped a large glob of pale-yellow bear grease from its pot into the mortar, part of my mind debating whether to add a decoction of willow bark, while the rest considered Jamies question.
Ah, I said in turn, and pointed my pestle at him. Id go round to all the people whod been part of my congregation, so to speak, and let them know that Mack the Knife is back in town.
He gave me a concerned look, but then shook his head, dislodging whatever image Id just given him.
Ye would, he said. And maybe introduce yourself to the folk whove come to the Ridge since ye left.
And within a couple of days, everyone on the Ridgeand probably half the brethrens choir in Salemwould know about it.
He nodded amiably. Aye. And theyd all ken that ye need Jesuit bark, and yed likely get it within the month.
Are ye in need of Jesuit bark, Grand-mère? Germain had emerged from the woods behind me, a pail of water in one hand, a bundle of faggots clutched to his chest with the other, and what appeared to be a dead snake hanging round his neck.
Yes, I said. Is that a But hed forgotten me, his attention riveted on his grandfathers macerated leg.
Formidable! he said, dropping the wood. Can I see, Grand-père?
Jamie made a gracious feel free gesture toward his leg, and Germain bent to look, eyes round.
Mandy said that a bear bit your leg off, he said, advancing a tentative forefinger toward the line of stitches. But I didnt believe her. Does it hurt? he asked, glancing at Jamies face.
Och, nay bother, Jamie said, with a dismissive wave of the hand. Ive a privy to dig later. What kind is your wee snake, then?
Germain obligingly removed the limp serpent and handed it to Jamie, who plainly hadnt expected the gesture, but gingerly accepted it. I smiled and looked down into my mortar. Jamie was afraid of snakes but manfully disguised the fact, holding it up by the tail. It was a big corn snake, nearly three feet of orange and yellow scales, vivid as a streak of lightning.
Did you kill it, Germain? I frowned at the snake, pausing in my mashing. Id explained repeatedly to all the children that they ought not to kill any non-venomous snake, as they helpfully ate mice and rats, but most adults on the Ridge considered that the only good snake was a dead one, and it was an uphill battle.
Oh, no, Grannie, he assured me. It was in your garden and Fanny went for it with a hoe, but I stopped her. But then your wee cheetie sleeked through the fence and jumped on it and broke its He frowned at the snake. I dinna ken whether it was its back or its neck because how could ye tell, but its dead all right. I thought Id skin it for Fanny, he explained, glancing back over his shoulder toward the garden. To make her a belt, maybe.
What a lovely idea, I said, wondering whether Fanny would think so.
Do ye think I might be able to buy a buckle for it from the tinker? Germain asked Jamie, taking back his snake and redraping it round his neck. The belt, I mean. Ive got twopence and some wee purple stones to trade.
What tinker? I stopped mashing and stared at him.
Jo Beardsley told me hed met a tinker in Salem two days ago, and he reckoned the man would be here sometime this week, Germain explained. He said the tinkers got a sackload o simples, so I thought if ye needed anything, Grannie
I cast a quick, greedy glance at my medicine chest, depleted by a planting season rife with ax and hoe injuries, animal and insect bites, an outbreak of food poisoning, and a strange plague of respiratory illness among the MacNeills, accompanied by low fever, coughing, and bluish spots on the trunk.
Hmmm I patted my pockets, wondering what I had to trade, come to think of it
There are two bottles left of the elderberry wine, Jamie said, standing up straight. Ye can use those, Sassenach. And Ive got a good deerskin, and half of a wee barrel of turpentine.
No, I want to keep the turpentine, I said, adding absently, Hookworms, you know.
Jamie and Germain exchanged a cynical glance.
Hookworms, Jamie said, and Germain shook his head.
Before I could enlighten them about hookworms, though, a shout came from the direction of the creek, and Duncan Leslie and his two sons appeared, one of the sons with a large ham tucked under one arm.
Jamie stood up to greet them, and they all nodded politely to me but didnt seem to expect me to stop what I was doing in order to chat.
I shot a good-sized pig last week, Duncan said, motioning the son with the ham forward. There was a bit to spare, and we thought ye might use it, what with your family come, and all.