Kindred (18 page)

Both were disheveled messes, but Adeline looked the worse. Her fine silk gown was now fit for the trash pile as it was ripped and covered in dust, her hair hung in strands around her dirt smudged face. She slipped. Tears now mingled with the dirt. Douglas helped her up.

“You will regret this, Kindred,” she cried, chest heaving. “Mark my words.”

“Not as much as you if you remain here,” Kindred shot back.

“Unhand me.” Adeline snatched her arm out of Douglas’ grip. She straightened, found her footing and made for the hall.

****

“Get up! Get up!” screeched Adeline as she bursts into Sebastian’s room. “I cannot endure it. I cannot wait any longer.” She paced back and forth, trailing dirt over the floor boards. Now! It must be done now!”

“What?” Sebastian, jolted awake by her intrusion, bolted from the bed and fell on the floor.

“Wake up. Open your ears. The plan.”

“What plan?” Sebastian rubbed the back of his head where hit it on the night table. He looked her up and down. “What happened to you? Look like someone cleaned the yard with you. Smell like it too.” He grinned, then broke into loud laughter.

“The plan we discussed several nights ago.”

His face lit up. “When? When?”

“As soon as possible.”

“What about that spouse o’ yours? If I have to tangle with him, I may have to kill ’im. Kinda defeats the purpose, don’t ya think?” Sebastian got up and back into bed.

“He and Joshua have left for Fort Stanwix. All the unrest should give us sufficient time.”

“Good. I can’t wait to be gone from here.”

“Neither can I.”

Chapter Twenty Nine

A humid, mosquito-filled haze floated above the marshy wild as Joshua and Lelaheo approached King’s Highway on foot. Their trek through the swampy wild had been arduous. Especially with Lelaheo insisting they keep a swift pace as they got closer to their goal.

“Lelaheo, are you trying to kill me before the redcoats do?” puffed Joshua, streaming perspiration. Each carried extra weight in the form of some food stuffs, a knife, a flintlock, powder and lead shot and a hatchet in a knapsack.

“Tired? Too much sitting.” Lelaheo kept the pace, awash in sweat.

“Someone has to run the hall.”

“And after you are done, get outside and get moving.” Lelaheo heard the crunch of brush ahead of them and muffled voices. “Get down, Joshua.” They hit the forest floor. Lelaheo lifted his head. Mohawk, Seneca and some Tory Rangers were hiding in the thick foliage bordering the road. Both men looked down the road to see the patriot forces pick their way up the badly overgrown, deeply rutted path. Laden oxcarts, wagons and horses rolled slowly, clogging up the way for the accompanying rear guard, which were bottlenecked at the end of the line. Easy pickings for an ambush.

“What should we do, Lelaheo? What can we do?”

“Join the fray. Pray like hell. You with me?”

“Always.”

Joshua and Lelaheo scrambled to their feet and whooped a warning at the top of their lungs as they charged into the breach.

****

Kindred bent to turn the bacon in the frying pan on the hearth. Lela cooed from her cradle in a corner of the kitchen. Nachman and Douglas were in the latter’s surgery. Rozina, by order of Dr. Twain, was resting in her room. Adeline had not been seen since the encounter of this morning; Sebastian was around.

“Oh!” Kindred cried at the press of a hand on her bottom. Without facing her admirer, she spoke, “Lelaheo, do not do that when I am hanging over an open fire. For all your intelligence, I wonder sometimes.” She wiped her hands on her apron and undid her head wrap. “Did you forget something?” She pivoted and came face to face with Sebastian.

“It ain’t your man, sweet thing. It’s your master. Besides, he belongs to somebody else.”

“Get your hands off me! ” Kindred screamed. She slapped and kicked him and clawed one side of his face.

“Why you bitch. I’m gonna have to tame your ass. I know a lot o’ ways too. I’ll try this one now.” He punched her once, knocking her unconscious. Kindred went limp, dropping her head wrap. Hoisting her in his arms, he sped out the kitchen door. In seconds, Adeline appeared. She tipped across the room, snatched Lela from the cradle

and exited the same way.

****

The fighting in the ravine was close and fierce. It was flooded with well over one thousand men from both sides, the odor of animals, blood and fear. The sounds of battle and death were deafening and reverberated through the dense woodland. Supply

wagons rolled over onto unseated riders, pinning them to the ground. Seneca, Mohawk and Tory Rangers pounced on doomed patriots finishing them off. The remaining militia stood their ground. Having disposed of the fancy drills and exercises, they fought with clubs, fists and hatchets. The saddest encounters were those between former

neighbors. Neither party spared the other. They whole-heartedly hacked or shot each other to pieces.

“Behind you!” yelled Joshua to Lelaheo. In one fluid move, without looking around, Lelaheo jabbed a bayonet out behind him, impaling his attacker.

Suffering from a slashed shin, Lelaheo limped over to Joshua, who sat propped against a birch tree. Having been bayoneted in the left thigh, he conducted his version of battle from his perch. He drew on attackers as they charged him or passed by. Lelaheo huddled next to him, taking in the carnage.

“Is all lost, Joshua? Is this how it ends?”

“I hope not, brother.”

Three Seneca braves spotted them and broke into a dead run toward them. Hatchets held high, clubs at the ready, they were prepared to annihilate them.

Lelaheo, with a heavy heart, set his sights on them. His flintlock failed. Hastily, he set about reloading.

“Hurry up, Doctor!” Joshua managed around the cork stopper to his powder bag which was clenched between his teeth.

The trio got closer and louder.

A volley of shot rang out from behind them, cutting the group down. With his last

breath, one flung his hatchet. It lodged in the bark of the birch just above the heads of Joshua and Lelaheo. An American commander and two militiamen appeared.

“Look, they’re retreating.” He pointed to the scores running back into the woods. “Once the Natives pull back, the British follow suit.”

“Help us get to Fort Stanwix,” said Lelaheo. “My family is there.”

“Your family is safe. The fort is like a vault. Do not worry. In your condition, you

will be scant help to them. None of us will. Return home. This will pass soon.”

“Are you positive,” asked Joshua, getting to his feet with Lelaheo‘s aid.

“Yes. Go home. Hold it. Defend it. You have fought well here.”

Chapter Thirty

After managing makeshift bandages for himself and Joshua, the two made their way, slowly, back to Twainhaven.

“No jaunt this time, brother,” said Joshua. “Thank goodness.”

“But we need to keep a steady pace,” insisted Lelaheo. “With rest periods of course. And with a peeled eye or two.”

They leaned on each other all the way back.

****

They tumbled through the kitchen door, alarming the people at the table. Lelaheo and Joshua slid to the floor.

“Water! Water!” cried Lelaheo.

Nachman poured two cups of cider and helped Joshua drink while Rozina held the cup for Lelaheo. Adam’s apples bobbed as they gulped audibly.

“You are wounded,” noted Nachman. “I assume you did not make it to Fort Stanwix. Skirmish?”

“Try a genuine battle, my dear doctor.”

“Tsk! Tsk! And such a beautiful land.” Nachman spied his pupil’s bloody leg. “Let me tend you.”

“See to Joshua first,” sighed Lelaheo. He looked around. “Where are my girls?”

Rozina and Nachman glanced at each other, said nothing.

Lelaheo caught the looks.“ Where are Kindred and Lela? I did not see them in the garden.”

Again silence.

He slammed his cup on the floor.

“Why will no one answer me?”

Douglas entered the room, eyes moist and red.

“They are gone.”

“What? Gone where? You jest.”

“Do you hear me laughing, Lelaheo? The past has come back to haunt me.”

“What are you saying?” Lelaheo struggled to his feet.

“Gone. More likely taken. Sebastian has settled an old account. He has taken them because I took Kindred and Rozina from him all those years ago.”

“When did he leave? How?”

“Possibly a day ago. Longer. They went missing after breakfast yesterday. I found this on the floor.” He placed Kindred’s head wrap in Lelaheo’s hand. Douglas plopped into a chair and sobbed loudly. “It is more than I can endure.”

“Douglas? How?” Lelaheo shook the man soundly. “Compose yourself.” By then Joshua was comforting a crying Rozina.

“Stop, Lelaheo. Stop,” said Nachman. “This I know. The day Sebastian arrived, that evening at supper he said he was here on business.”

“Business?” He looked to Douglass and patted his shoulder. “I am sorry. Forgive my actions. Nachman, what kind of business?”

“In the house, you were. You did not hear. He was here to capture runaway slaves. He had caught three. Had them on a river barge two miles down the Mohawk.”

“No,” growled Lelaheo. “So Adeline’s prophecy has come true.”

“Whatever you say. That is where he has taken your family. I am sure. You know the land. How far away could he get in a day or more?”

“Too far. I must go. Patch me up as best you can, Nachman. I have to move quickly before he reaches Albany.”

“One more thing, Lelaheo.”

“Tell me.”

“Adeline is gone too. I believe she aided him.”

“It follows logic. Nachman, will you come with me?”

“No,” said Douglas, rising shakily from his chair. “I shall come with you.”

****

Kindred felt strangely weightless as her mind cycled up through levels of haze. Once fully conscious, she immediately smelled the river, heard the birds screeching as they glided overhead. She was face down on the floor of a river boat, gagged, hands tied behind her back. She moaned and rolled onto her side.

“She’s awake again.”

“Let her eat,” said Sebastian.

Adeline swayed as he walked across the deck. She sat Kindred up.

“Not a sound out of the ordinary from you when I remove the gag or you will stay this way the whole trip. Understand?”

Kindred nodded. Adeline yanked the gag down around her neck. Kindred worked her aching jaw. “My baby, please.” Adeline went to fetch Lela from a young negress who had been suckling her and returned.

“My hands, please. How am I to hold her?”

“Remember what I said.” Adeline undid the bonds and placed the child in Kindred’s arms.

“I hope you have not let Lela nurse while you have been drugging me.”

“Kindred, what is this obsession with sleeping potions and the like?”

She ignored Adeline’s remark. “It could kill her.” Kindred’s eyes narrowed and hardened as she spoke in a steady tone. “If that happened, there would be no place on Earth where you could hide.” She nuzzled her child. “That is a promise.”

“Stop the dramatics. Let me remind you that you are in no position to threaten anyone.” Adeline left to retrieve the food.

Kindred hugged Lela closer and cooed to her. “He will come for us!” She shouted after Adeline.

“She a sweet baby,” said the other young, black girl on board the boat. “Min’ be daid, but I got milk so dey tell me to feed’um. Sweet baby, she be.”

“Thank you, thank you. And who are you?”

“I be Cynda. I run away, but Massa ketch me. Now we go back.”

“Back?” Kindred’s stomach lurched. Back to that hellhole. The place where her life had begun and where it would end. Not if she had anything to do with it, she vowed.

Adeline brought some cheese, bread and cider to her.

“Look who is serving whom now.” The blonde chuckled. “Ah, life. Truly ironic.”

“Tell me, Adeline,” Kindred demanded as she wolfed down the fare. She was hungrier than she had thought and needed to keep her strength up for Lela. “How does what you have done gain you Lelaheo?”

“It does not. After seeing you together, I realized I could never come between you and him. My efforts were useless. Cassian sees only you. I have thrown my lot in with Sebastian.”

“He is your lover?”

“That rube? No. He is my benefactor. He helped me. I helped him. His ‘property’ has been returned to him. For my assistance he is paying my passage back to England. Once there I shall arrange to divorce Cassian. I shall have my share of Twainhaven yet.”

“I do not understand your reasoning, Adeline. You damn me, but you still will not have Lelaheo.”

“But most importantly, neither will you.” She smirked. “Eat up.”

Chapter Thirty One

Once on the water in their provisioned canoe, Lelaheo and Douglas had acquainted themselves with the Mohawk’s current. As they had raced to Kindred’s rescue, the fall out from the battle of Oriskany manifested itself. As they had traveled down river, they’d seen smoke spiraling skyward from burnt out homesteads and had

heard the wretched cries of the owners. The stifling, new day made paddling a killing duty. Douglas was in shirt sleeves and Lelaheo had stripped to his buckskin leggings and breechclout for ease of movement and to breathe. He silently thanked the Great Spirit that Twainhaven had miraculously remained untouched and hoped it would remain so until their return.

He noted Douglas paddled like the Devil was on his shoulder. They knew from the design of Sebastian’s bateau that it would have a difficult time maneuvering around dead trees and would become stuck in the muddy river bottom. Sebastian would have to abandon the craft and proceed over land to Albany. Lelaheo counted on the delay to aid

them and the fact he and Douglas had taken turns paddling through the night.

“Slow down, Douglas. Pace yourself. You will wear yourself out. Let the river carry us for now.”

“I just keep thinking that Sebastian has put Kindred in danger. Again.”