The Bastard Son (Winds of Change Book 2) (17 page)

“I will send men out to check the area immediately, and I will go see the general personally. He won’t be happy if you’re correct, Joseph. He suspected as much.”

“If Sumner’s here, I will find him,” Joseph stated as a fact not in question.

In the morning, Jane awoke to the noise of men shouting. Leaping from bed, fear swept through her. She looked out the window and panicked. British soldiers swarmed the plantation, running about as if searching for something or somebody.

They know. Oh, my God! They know
. She reached for her dressing gown.

She glanced over at Caleb and Roscoe. Wide-eyed, Caleb sat straight up.

“What is the matter, Mother?”

She eased down by his side.
Calm yourself. Think. They would not be searching so if they had captured him. No, they are looking.
She had to find Israel.

“Nothing.” She gently caressed his face. “I want you to be upon your best behavior this day, my little General.”

To her surprise, Caleb reached up and hugged her neck tightly. “I will, Mother. I hear them, too.”

She nodded and kissed the top of his head. “Don’t worry. But I need to see what is going on. I don’t want you around the soldiers this day. Whatever you do, I want you and Roscoe to stay far away from them all. I know you don’t understand, but it’s important. Wait here, both of you, until Careen brings you breakfast.”

“I will.” His little voice sounded so brave.

She glanced back, opening the door. “Stay,” she reminded him and closed the door as she exited. She rushed down the hall. Where was everyone? Careen? Willard? She paused at the top of the stairs.

General Durham in full uniform stood with his back to her in the middle of the foyer. Others mingled around him. Her first thought was to run back to her room and gather Caleb up, but too late. He turned and glared up at her.

“Good morning, Mistress Meador. Pray, come down and join us.”

“I haven’t readied for the day,” she said, nervously pushing her loose hair from her face. Her eyes fell upon Joseph, who stood behind the general.

“It isn’t an issue. Come down the stairs or I will have you brought down.”

Gripping tight to the railing, she immediately understood the situation. Slowly, she eased down the staircase. Summoning all her courage, Jane held her head high.

Soldiers abounded in the foyer and out to the lawn. She looked back at Joseph and then at General Durham. His eyes blazed upon her.

The core of her being shook. Her legs weakened, but she urged them on. She would show no fear.

“What is this, General? I hope you don’t expect me to feed all of these men?”

Instantly, she knew he didn’t care for her humor.

“I don’t think you will have to be concerned about that.” He motioned for her to go into the study. “I believe we need to talk once more.”

Jane walked into the study to find Colonel Leckie standing behind the desk with a map in front of him. The room was crowded with men she had never seen before in her life. Pulling her wrap tighter about her, she walked to the window and gripped her trembling hands in an effort to stop their shaking.

The door slammed. Turning back, Jane cringed at the sight of General Durham.

“So, Mrs. Meador, I believe you have much to explain.”

Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath, but made no response, only turning her back to him.

She didn’t hear him walk to her side, but she felt the hand on her arm that jerked her about to face him. A cry escaped her.

“Don’t touch me, General!” she cried. “I have no idea what this is all about or what you want of me! You bring the whole of the British army to threaten me.”

“I’m not playing games anymore,” he declared fiercely. “Sit down! Now.”

Jane eyed the door. Durham stepped between her and her intention and took her by the shoulders. In a swift motion he threw her upon the couch. From the corner of her eye, she saw Joseph move toward her, then stop.

“I will make this simple. Did you meet with your husband last night?”

“How could I have done so? I am followed by a brigade.”

“I will ask one more time, but let me say this first. We have found the widow’s cook, what was her name…Donia? It seems she asked to find shelter within these walls last night.” His temper rose as did his voice. “It was strange when we searched the widow’s house and grounds this morning. We found a tunnel. Tell me now, Mrs. Meador that…”

His voice faded into the background. She had begun to smell an odor—smoke! She looked out the window and from her view, a pillar of smoke appeared in the distance. She rose and rushed to the window.

“You set Widow Hanson’s house on fire?” Terror surged within her. Her voice faltered, “Tell me, please, she wasn’t in the house. Oh, God, no! Her servants?”

She stared at General Durham. Her head hurt. The smell. The cries. Everything became blurred.

A distant voice called to her. “Jane, run! It is a raid. They have cut down Troy,” her grandfather pleaded.

“I can’t leave you, Grandfather,” she cried, as two men rushed into the bedroom, dragging the old man down the stairs. The house was barraged with assailants. Dishes crashed to the floor, breaking into a million pieces. Chairs bashed against the wall. Pictures hung crooked or broken. Her hands clung desperately to her grandfather. Someone laughed harshly and forcibly removed her hold.

“Mrs. Meador, I won’t ask again. Do you want more harm to incur upon those you know?” General Durham asked.

She tried to focus, fighting her mind. Flashes emerged of Reese jumping on the one that had held her. Oh, my God! No! A sword thrust through the air. Blood spewed everywhere, drenching her in her cousin’s blood.

She looked down at her hands. They were clean. What was happening to her?

“What is the matter with you?” a voice trailed in the distance. “It won’t save…”

Crawling to Troy’s side, he gurgled and gasped for air. Blood, pieces of…

She looked away. From the corner of her eye, Joseph walked forward.

Joseph, she saw Joseph on his horse riding like a mad man. A voice commanded, “Leave no one alive.”

He cried out, “Do her no harm, you damn fool! I will run you through myself. What the hell have you done?”

More yelling, screaming. Was it her that was screaming? Someone was calling to her. “Jane, Jane, come back to me! Oh, my God, what has happened?”

Did she feel the sensation of being carried? Her eyes opened. Smoke choked her. The house was afire. Her home…her family was gone.

A hand took hers. “Jane. Jane.”

She looked up. To her dismay, she found herself lying on the settee with Joseph holding her hand. She quickly withdrew it.

Trying to sit, her head spun. Fighting back the dizziness, she knew only the immediate urge to leave. Holding her head in her hands, her eyes slowly focused, but she had already felt their eyes upon her.

They all must think me mad. I don’t care let them!

Jane rose, refusing Joseph’s offer to help her stand. Her mind cleared. She straightened her dress out and patted back her hair. She had to regain her composure and quickly.

“You have pushed her too far. I have seen this before with others who have lived through hell,” Colonel Leckie said, standing between her and the General. “Let her collect herself. My God, have some compassion!”

“Compassion leads to defeat,” General Durham said sharply. “I have been burned too many times by that damn word.” He stepped toward Jane, but Joseph stepped before him.

“I want Sumner as much or more than you, General, but this isn’t right. She hasn’t done anything!”

“What? A Williamson telling me I’ve gone too far! I think not.”

Jane walked around Colonel Leckie. “Do what you will, General. I have found I have no control of your actions. If you want my life, take it. For the answer you seek will not come from me.”

She walked toward the door, waiting for someone to stop her. No one did. She left the room and headed up the stairs.

An ominous feeling overwhelmed her. The general’s eyes betrayed the knowledge that she would soon pay for the frustration the British felt. She needed to prepare…she needed to get to Caleb and make sure he was safe.

She hadn’t much time. When she was safely out of sight, she ran back to her room. Relief flooded her as Caleb, for once, had minded. He sat upon the bed dressed for the day with Roscoe by his side.

“Mother, what is wrong?”

“Caleb, I need you to listen to me. I have an adventure for the both of you boys. Would you like such?”

* * * *

Sumner didn’t like it. She was late.
Where was she? Why hadn’t she come?

With the burning of Widow Hanson’s house, a message had been sent to Sumner. He received it—he had greatly underestimated the British’s desire to capture him.

He had made a tremendous mistake. In his arrogance, he thought he could outsmart the British. He had only succeeded in endangering his family.

His anger grew. To use Jane so! But in truth, it was his own fault. In his own arrogance, he thought he could outsmart the British. He had only succeeded in endangering his own family.

He waited alongside Elijah. His friend didn’t have to tell him that their mission had been compromised. Retrieving Rebekah was in itself a formidable task, now loomed a much bigger challenge.

When he had first seen the smoke, he had feared it was Elm Bluff. The closer he came, he realized it was the widow’s house. He watched it burn from a distance as the British held back Widow Hanson from running back to her home.

“I’m going in. I can’t sit back…” Sumner shook his head in disgust. “I have made a mess of this. I need to fix this.”

“Wait, my friend. Don’t be foolish. What is Durham going to do? You are not a mere Patriot fugitive. He can’t burn the plantation. He would have to answer back in England. He may suspect, but what can he do to your wife and son? He is going to hold her for seeing her husband? What law is there against that? There are already many rumblings of discontent. It would add to it greatly, Sumner. The general won’t be rash. So we won’t.”

“Since when of late, does it have to be held to the law, Elijah?”

“Ssh….” Elijah pointed to the clearing. Sounds could be heard, running feet, mumbling. Two small boys appeared holding fishing poles in their hands, followed by Israel.

“Hold, Master Caleb,” Israel said. “What did your mother tell you?” He looked nervously over his shoulder. “We don’t have time—”

“She told me that I needed to go fish,” Caleb stated in a loud voice. “She told me to find you and take you with us. He would come and we would go.”

“I don’t know, Master Caleb. Are you sure you are not on one of your adventures?”

“No, he’s not, Israel,” Sumner said, emerging out of the bushes. “We don’t have time. Hurry. They will suspect.”

Caleb dropped his fishing pole. He took Roscoe’s hand and ran to Sumner’s side. Behind the boys, Israel looked around anxiously.

Sumner had never seen Israel in such a state. With all the two had been through, the large, black man never once faltered. It scared him.

Bending over, Sumner picked up his boy. The son he had not seen in years. Caleb made no protest, accepting him without question as if it was the most normal of things.
Jane.

Waiting only for Elijah to mount up, he handed Caleb to his friend, and then Roscoe.

“Take them back to the Jenkins’. I’ll wait for Jane.”

Israel shook his head. “I’m sorry, Master Sumner. I’m sorry. She’s not coming.”

“No,” Sumner said emphatically. “I will go back and—”

“She’s not there,” Israel said in a low voice. “We need to hurry, for I imagine they will be upon us soon enough. We need to leave now.”

Sumner stared at his son and nodded slowly. “Come. We will go.”

* * * *

Deep down an old dirt road that wasn’t much more than a path sat a deserted log cabin. It served no more than a shelter from the rain, if that. The roof had a multitude of holes; the porch had long rotted away with the door sitting to the side of the opening.

Sumner reined in his horse. Their progress had been slow, too many people, not enough horses. The boys rode with Elijah, Israel with him. Israel jumped off first and helped the boys.

Disheartened, Sumner slowly dismounted. Caleb walked over to his father’s side as Sumner took the reins and tied them to a branch. He sighed heavily and walked around the backside of the horse. Beside him, Sumner heard his son sigh also and keep up step for step.

Sumner looked down at the reflection of himself. “Do you know who I am?”

“My father. Mother told me you would be at the creek. She sent me on a mission to save you. Did I do so?”

Sumner eyed him questionably. “What did she say?”

“She told me this morn to stay away from the soldiers. Sometimes, she says things and I do them anyway, but I didn’t this morn.”

“Why is that?”

“’Cause the Red Coats came. They were all over the place. I don’t like ’em, except for the colonel. He’s funny.”

Sumner bent down upon his knees. “What did your mother ask you to do?”

“She said she was scared for you. They want to take you away, Father. Mother said to get my fishing pole with Roscoe. If anyone stopped me I was to throw a fit. To say I was promised to fish this morning. I knew what she meant. I did it, too.”