‘Look after my sister,’ he said. ‘Do not doubt that we will hear if any harm befalls her.’
Mr Davies bristled indignantly. ‘No need to threaten me, young man. I am a gentleman.’
Tecumseh shrugged; he had met too many white ‘gentlemen’ to put much faith in their words.
‘Don’t worry about me,’ I said in parting. ‘I know how to handle them.’
Sasakwa butted me in the back derisively.
‘This is farewell,’ Tecumseh said, kissing my forehead. ‘May you reach your friends in safety.’
‘And you. Carry my love to our sister Kanawha and our grandmother.’
He smiled at my recognition of the family ties. ‘We will think of you often.’
‘And I you.’ I hesitated. ‘Would you do one thing for me, brother?’
He nodded.
‘Would you talk to Kanawha about her feelings for her future husband? I think she is too in awe of you to admit that she does not like him.’
He began to laugh. ‘Kanawha, in awe!’
‘Yes.’ His laughter died as he saw I was serious.
Tecumseh bowed his head. ‘I did not know.’
‘There has been too much unhappiness in the family. She deserves to be loved by her husband and love him in return, don’t you think?’
He cupped my chin in his hand, looking deep into my eyes for a moment. ‘You are wise for your years, my sister. It is true that I wish for her happiness more than anything else. I will talk to her on my return.’
‘Thank you.’
He helped me on to the back of Sasakwa and slapped the pony on the rump.
‘Ride well!’
I waved as the pony lurched forward. When I turned round, Tecumseh had already vanished into the trees.
Mr Stuart was putting his drawing things away. ‘A fine-looking savage that,’ he commented to Mr Davies.
I spurred my horse level with him. The artist held his pad to his chest defensively. I gave him a wicked grin and shifted my bow over my shoulder.
‘Long way we travel together,’ I commented, my voice naturally dropping into the speech pattern of an Indian.
‘Yes, indeed,’ he replied, licking his lips nervously.
‘Many dark nights.’ I adjusted the knife strapped to my waist.
‘True.’
‘Perhaps you like me to look after your sketch for you?’
He fumbled inside his pad and ripped out a page. ‘If that will make you happy.’
‘Very happy.’ I folded the picture of Tecumseh and tucked it inside my jerkin. ‘Thank you, sir. I am most obliged.’ Back to the language of the drawing room, I gave him a wave and urged Sasakwa onwards.
Our journey to Philadelphia was long and arduous, made all the more tedious by the lack of fellowship between me and my escorts. I suppose that was partly my fault as I kept them on edge with my erratic archery practice and hours devoted to honing my knife. Neither was my dark mood reassuring as I was grieving for Little Turtle and struggling with contradictory feelings of regret that I had caused his death, and (I am ashamed to admit it) relief that I had not had to marry him and remain in the village. I didn’t want to think this way but I could not hide from myself that I was thankful now I was truly heading home.
We spent two weeks riding to the coast to the nearest port and then took passage in a northward-bound sloop. Sasakwa did not like the confinement below decks, but there was no choice if she was to come with me. The pony was my only possession of value – not that she felt like mine. I could now understand how the Indians might feel they did not own anything; I regarded her as my partner in this adventure and doubted I could bring myself to sell her on arrival in white man’s country, not unless I could no longer look after her myself.
My dearest hope was that I would have to do no such thing as our little ship was bound for Philadelphia. And that meant one thing: it was the home of Johnny and Lizzie. As we drew nearer, I felt my excitement growing. I knew I was lucky to have a haven on this side of the Atlantic and friends who would open their doors to me no matter what scandalous things I was said to have done. Even if they had heard the story that I’d harmed Frank, I could trust them to wait to hear my side before passing judgement. If only I could get as far as their doorstep, I could collapse, safe in the knowledge that they would take care of me and sort out the sorry muddle I was in.
But that all lay at the end of the voyage. For the moment, my presence on board the trading vessel caused much comment and speculation. I made a strange sight, dressed like a Creek and carrying nothing with me but a bow and quiver of arrows. Some sailors found it hard to believe that I was an English girl under all that Indian gear and decided to check until they were warned off in no uncertain terms – a threat involving an arrow and their manhood. I must say this for Mr Davies, he did his duty and complained about the sailors’ impertinence to the captain and I was left alone for the remainder of the voyage.
Arriving in Philadelphia proved to be more of a shock than I had anticipated. I had become so used to the wilderness that the forest of masts and cliffs of warehouses around the port seemed like something from a past life. But in that jungle of civilization lay my friends’ house; I only had to suffer a few more hours of this and I would be safe. I could hardly bear the delay. It was late in the afternoon when the captain unloaded us and our horses on Penn’s landing. Holding tightly on to Sasakwa’s bridle, I stood on the planks bewildered by the crowds of people, stevedores, sailors and beggars.
‘Now, young woman, my bargain with your chief ends here,’ Mr Davies announced. ‘You must make your own way now.’
I nodded, too dazed to think straight. My confusion must have stirred some vestiges of decent concern in the man.
‘Do you know where you are going?’ he asked.
I cudgelled my brains, trying to remember Johnny and Lizzie’s address. ‘Yes, I have friends in Market Street.’
Davies looked relieved that he did not have to be responsible for me. ‘That is easy to find: head for Christ Church there.’ He pointed to a steeple that soared over the rooftops – hard to miss indeed. ‘That will take you to Market Street.’ With a curt nod, he and Stuart strode off, followed by porters carrying their collection of Indian artefacts and luggage.
My presence was beginning to attract attention of the unwanted sort. My street sense, far more acute than my woodcraft, alerted me to two men lounging against a stack of barrels who were eyeing my horse. I threw Little Turtle’s cloth on Sasakwa’s back and, mounting her quickly, spurred her on with a kick. She trotted smartly away, for once not disgracing her rider.
It took me some time to find the right house in Market Street as Davies had neglected to mention that it was one of the longest roads in town. I was almost screaming with impatience when I finally rode up to a neat double-fronted house with white curtains at the windows. I peeped in at the ground floor. It was theirs all right: Johnny’s drawing things were scattered over the table and one of his jackets hung on the back of the chair. Windows were open on the upper floors so I hoped that meant someone was in.
I looked down at myself: I was filthy and dressed like an Indian – feathers, beads, bow and arrow. Laughing for the first time in weeks, I lifted the knocker.
A maid opened the door – and shut it again smartly.
I wrapped the knocker again loudly. ‘No! You can’t do that! It’s me – it’s Cat!’ I thumped my fists on the door, ready to weep at this final barrier. ‘Let me in!’
I could hear feet running down the stairs. The door flew open and Pedro stood in the entrance, Lizzie behind him. They both stared at me in astonishment for a fraction of a second before she shrieked and Pedro yelled:
‘Cat!’
Grinning now, I asked meekly, gesturing to Sasakwa and myself, ‘Weren’t you expecting us?’
‘What? How?’ spluttered Pedro. Abandoning his questions, he hugged me close.
Lizzie sank on a bench. Watching over Pedro’s shoulder, I suddenl
y realized she was about twice her normal girth.
‘Lizzie, are you all right?’ I asked anxiously, cursing myself for having sprung my arrival on her so thoughtlessly. I pushed Pedro gently away and knelt at her feet.
‘Yes, I am – we are.’ She patted her stomach. ‘It’s just . . . just a shock. We thought you might be dead and . . . and that’s been hard enough to bear, but now –’
‘Now you have to bear the fact that I’ve turned up to scandalize your neighbours?’
She pulled me to her and kissed my cheek. ‘Don’t be such a silly goose. I’m delighted you did. They have nothing sensible to talk about most of the time.’ With a tearful smile crinkling her eyes, she put her forehead against mine and just held me there. Then she gave a sniff. ‘But I forget myself – you must be exhausted. Pedro, can you call Greerson to see to the pony?’
‘I must see to her first myself,’ I said, remembering my promise to Tecumseh. Then it struck me. ‘But Pedro, if you’re here, does that mean Frank and Syd are too? Where are they? How did you get off the Courageous?’ I burst out. There were so many things I wanted to know.
Pedro had finally gathered his scattered wits. ‘Yes, we’re all here. They’ve gone with Johnny to the City Tavern – there’s an assembly this evening.’
‘What! They’re out at a party!’ A little part – all right, a big part – of me complained that this didn’t seem very fitting when they should be agonizing about my fate.
Pedro smiled, guessing my thoughts. ‘They’ve gone to appeal to the city fathers to aid them in the search for you. All of Philadelphia will be there tonight. Mr Dixon arrived yesterday from London with funds for an expedition to find you and they’ve –’
‘Mr Dixon is here!’
‘Yes, of course,’ said Lizzie, stroking my arm as if she didn’t want to let me go. ‘My parents sent him to assist Frank as soon as they received word of what had happened to you. Frank sailed from Kingston to meet up with him; he arrived with Syd and Pedro only last week. We’ve been in uproar ever since.’
‘Yes,’ continued Pedro, ‘we’ve been fitting out a ship to return to Fort Frederica but were sadly short of money until Mr Dixon arrived –’
I had heard enough.
‘Come on, Pedro, we’re going.’
I mounted Sasakwa and held out a hand to him. Pedro and Lizzie exchanged confused glances.
‘Going where?’ he asked. ‘You’ve only just arrived!’
‘To save Frank from Dixon. Where else? Lizzie, put the water on for a hot bath, will you? We’ll be back soon. And whatever you do, do not let your cousin anywhere near you while we’re gone.’
Carried along by the firmness of my purpose, Pedro jumped up behind me.
‘I suppose there’s method to your madness, Cat?’
‘Absolutely.’
He steered me southwards. ‘And are you going to tell me what this is all about?’
‘Of course. But first we’ve got to catch ourselves a rat.’
Lizzie had not exaggerated when she said all Philadelphia was at the City Tavern that night. A line of coaches stretched the length of two blocks and the door was crowded with finely dressed ladies and gentlemen. Two flambeaux lit the entrance, fire leaping into the sky as the high society tribe met for their ceremonial dance.
‘Look, Cat,’ reasoned Pedro as I pulled Sasakwa to a halt opposite the entrance. ‘The footmen won’t let us in – not a black boy and . . . well, you look most peculiar.’
My rage against Dixon hummed in my ears; he was in there, only feet away from us. This couldn’t wait.
‘Where’s the assembly room?’ I asked.
‘Straight ahead.’ He pointed through the doors. We could hear the music from here, a full orchestra playing a country dance.
‘Well, as we don’t have an invitation, we’ll just have to improvise.’
I spurred Sasakwa on. Game for anything that involved mischief, the horse leapt forward and trotted determinedly towards the shallow flight of steps at the entrance.
‘You’re not . . .?’ groaned Pedro.
‘I am,’ I replied tight-lipped. I could see nothing for it but to force entry.
The flower of Philadelphian society screamed and jumped out of our way as we clattered through the door.
‘Duck!’ I ordered Pedro as we passed under the lintel.
Sasakwa’s hooves echoed in the passageway, but she had spotted a banquet laid out directly in front of us and followed her nose. Footmen tried to step in our way and grab the bridle but she had had months of avoiding capture so knew how to handle them. One ended up in a potted plant, the other stretched on his stomach. I couldn’t believe I was doing this: charging my way into a Society gathering on horseback! But I was committed now to my desperate resolution to get Dixon away from Frank. Bursting into the ballroom, Sasakwa scattered the dancers like ninepins and came to a halt at a tower of exotic fruits. I pulled her round; there was plenty of time for her to graze once I’d found Dixon.
The ladies had scurried to the side, fearing for their finery – and possibly afraid of me. I suppose I did look rather warlike in my outfit. The gentlemen had regrouped after the initial shock of my entry and were closing in. I didn’t have long.
‘Dixon!’ I yelled my challenge as the orchestra ground to a ragged halt. ‘Where are you?’
‘Cat! My God, it is you!’ I heard Frank’s familiar voice to my left. I spun round. He was standing with a group of older gentlemen, Johnny and Syd at his shoulder, Dixon a few paces off. ‘Where’ve you been?’
‘Excuse me!’ I pushed through the crowd and reined Sasakwa to a stop in front of my quarry.
‘Cat, what on earth are you doing?’ Johnny rushed forward and caught the horse’s bridle.
‘Rat-catching, Johnny, like a good cat should.’ My tone was tight with fury. Johnny gave me a keen look; he was already working it out for himself.
Stepping towards me, Dixon’s face was white but he managed to keep his voice steady. ‘My dear girl, we are pleased and, may I say, relieved to see you, but have you lost your senses coming in here like this?’ He gave the city fathers an apologetic look. ‘This is the young woman we were speaking of; we can call the search off.’ He gave a false laugh which no one joined.
A footman had now reached me and I felt a firm hand grasp my leg. I was about to be removed from Sasakwa’s back, losing my chance to denounce Dixon publicly. Seeing this, Syd pushed his way through the crowd and pulled the servant off. I put my hand on his shoulder in thanks and turned to address Frank.
‘Frank, it was your cousin all along. He faked the attack. He only pretended to be injured. Maclean told me all about it.’
My friend gave Dixon an anguished glance; his cousin shook his head slightly, rolling his eyes in my direction.
‘It’s true; I swear it!’
‘She’s obviously unhinged by her ordeal, Frank,’ said Dixon, putting an arm around him. ‘Let’s take her home before she causes any more scandal. Our family has suffered enough.’
‘Ask him to show you his scar,’ I continued loudly. ‘A bad cut to the belly should leave some mark.’
Dixon let go of Frank and rounded on me. ‘Don’t be preposterous!’
Johnny caught on quickly. ‘What have you to hide, sir?’ he asked.
‘Display a scar in front of this company!’ Dixon protested. ‘You may have lost all sense of decency, Fitzroy, but I have not.’
His indignation was almost convincing. Frank met my eyes, then turned to his cousin, pushing his arm away as Dixon attempted to steer him from the room.
‘Show me your scar, Will,’ he said quietly.
The room fell ominously silent.
Dixon flushed with anger, but he was also afraid. He pointed at me, his finger shaking. ‘You can’t listen to the wild accusations of this . . . this base-born female!’
Frank’s face hardened. He knew.
‘So Cat’s right: it was you. How . . . how could you, Will?’
&n
bsp; Dixon squared his shoulders, realizing the game was up. ‘I don’t have to answer to you for my actions! What do you know of struggling to survive? You with the privileges of rank and riches dropping into your lap, unearned, unappreciated!’
Frank frowned and drew himself up to his full height; he now had an inch on his cousin and a lot more hard-earned muscle. ‘I know all about survival, thanks to the education you saw fit to give me in His Majesty’s Navy. Did you not know that if you had asked, I would have done everything in my power to help you?’
‘Charity?’ spat Dixon. ‘I didn’t want to live in debt to you.’
‘So instead you stooped to this?’ Frank looked at his cousin in disgust. ‘For what you did to me, I pardon you; but what you did to my friends, to Cat especially, that I’ll never forgive.’ He was white with fury. ‘You forced a girl to taste hell to further your own interests. You are despicable!’
Dixon gave me a contemptuous glare. ‘You take offence for her? A girl you picked off the streets, a nobody?’
Frank threw a punch that hit Dixon squarely on the jaw. He crumpled to the floor.
‘Never come near me again,’ Frank said, standing over his cousin, his knuckles reddened by the blow. ‘If you dare show your face, you’ll regret it. Now go!’
Dixon picked himself up shakily. He tried to brush himself down and regain a little dignity.
‘You have no respect for the honour of our family,’ Dixon said in a shrill voice. ‘You will pull us all down into the dirt with the gutter creatures you prefer. Someone had to try and stop you but I regret you have not learned your lesson. You will live to rue the day that you took up with these people, cousin.’
‘At least I’ll live,’ Frank snarled. ‘And don’t try and pretend you did this for the good of the family; you did it for yourself. If you’d had your way, I’d be dead, so I suggest you beat a hasty retreat before I change my mind and have you arrested.’
Wiping blood from his chin, Dixon pushed through the crowd and disappeared into the night.
There was a profound, embarrassed silence. The city elders knew not how to restore the assembly now it had been so rudely gatecrashed. Johnny was struggling to find some placatory words but for once they would not come. But Frank was at no such loss. He held out his hand to help me dismount. Sasakwa wandered off to the buffet table, treading on several costly gowns in the process, and was soon happily investigating the hot-house flowers. Frank said nothing but gathered me into his arms and hugged me; then Syd made a third to our little huddle, so that Frank and I were lifted off our feet. We parted red-faced and rumpled. Johnny stepped forward and ruffled my hair, coming away with a turkey feather that he stuck behind his ear with a wink.
Cat-O'nine Tails Page 20