Whispered Promise

by Colleen French

  "No tricks," Leah murmured. She put out her hands. "I just want my son."

  Kolheek slowly turned the canoe around and began to paddle toward the boat, watching over his shoulder, his back to them. Leah faced Harrison, caught in his powerful arms. She didn't know how she was going to get away. She was too close to Kolheek for Harrison to try shooting him. Harrison knew it too because he'd set down the Brown Bess. This would be hand-to-hand fighting if it came to that. She watched as Harrison came to stand by their son, certain he had whispered something to him.

  "Stand back!" Kolheek ordered Harrison as the canoe glided up against the side of the boat. He put out his hand. "Send the boy, quickly before this man loses his patience and the woman dies."

  "Mama?"

  Leah stared at her son's face. He didn't look afraid. She almost smiled. She rose, putting her arms out to him, trying to keep her balance as the delicate birchbark canoe rocked. Because of the waterline, the deck of the flatbottomed boat came to her mid-section.

  "Stand back!" Kolheek shouted to Harrison again. He clutched the long-bladed hunting knife in his fist. "Just the boy!"

  William walked slowly toward the canoe, one hand tucked behind his back casually.

  Leah was suddenly afraid. What was William doing? She had thought Harrison would figure out a way to get close enough to the canoe to get her out, but she didn't think he would use their son as ploy.

  William reached the edge of the boat. Leah put out her arms to him, watching Harrison, wondering why the hell he wasn't doing anything.

  Then suddenly William brought his hand around, hitting Kolheek hard in the back of the head with a piece of firewood the diameter of Leah's wrist.

  The canoe rocked violently and Leah lost her balance. Everything happened so quickly that she was barely aware of what was going on.

  Harrison appeared at her side, scooping her out of the canoe and throwing her to the deck of the boat. Kolheek bellowed with pain and white hot anger, swinging the hunting knife. He grabbed for William, and William fell on the deck of the boat. Leah heard herself scream as she saw Kolheek dragging William into the canoe. Harrison snatched up the Brown Bess. Sam leaped through the air with a howl.

  The dog clamped his jaw around Kolheek's neck and Kolheek let go of William with a screech of surprise. The hunting knife slashed through the dying light and the dog gave a strangled yipe of pain.

  Leah heard a splash and the dog whining in the water as she dragged herself off the wooden deck, reaching for William who was crawling toward her. Just as she reached her son and dropped her arms around him, she saw Kolheek raise his hand. His deadly knife arced through the air, flipping end over end toward Harrison.

  The Brown Bess in Harrison's hands bellowed with smoke. The sound of the musket fire and the splash of the water as Kolheek fell echoed in Leah's head. Harrison threw himself to the deck and the knife sank into a wooden slat of the cabin wall, reverberating in the hardwood.

  Leah dropped her cheek to William's shoulder to embrace him, but he was trying to get away from her.

  "My dog! Sam!" William scrambled up off the deck.

  Harrison took her arm and helped her to her feet. From here she could see Kolheek's body floating away, face down. The canoe had drifted.

  "Sam!" William cried, racing around the side of the boat.

  Arm in arm Leah and Harrison walked to the stern of the boat to find Jeff and Bo pulling the dog out of the water. He was alive, but covered with blood, his belly slit from Kolheek's knife.

  William fell to his knees on the deck over the dog's still body.

  Leah dropped her cheek to Harrison's shoulder, and fought her tears of joy. Harrison was safe. William was safe. Only the hound had been wounded—the dog had given his life to save her child.

  Chapter Thirty

  December 24th, 1776

  Newtown, New Jersey

  Washington's Headquarters

  "I swore I'd not carry this dog," Harrison muttered, dismounting from his horse to walk to the army tent Leah had been given. In his arms he cradled the tan hound dog who had followed them out of the Catskill Mountains. The wound the dog had acquired in the fight with Kolheek was fatal. Sam was dying.

  Leah lay her hand gently on Harrison's arm. "You said you wouldn't, but you have. You've carried him more than a hundred miles." She brushed her lips against his leather sleeve. "And I'm grateful."

  "You found your Lieutenant Ross?" He walked into the tent where William waited.

  "Yes. I explained to him what happened to Edmund. He wants to see William right away."

  Harrison squatted and laid the dog on a wool blanket Leah had stretched out for him. William went down on his knees to pet the dog.

  Sam whined and pushed his nose under William's hand, but he made no attempt to rise.

  Harrison had tried to explain to his son that the dog was dying, but William would have no part of the conversation. He refused to believe Harrison or his mother. He was certain the dog was going to recover.

  Leah stood at the tent flap dressed in a borrowed linsey-woolsey gown and black wool cloak. The clothing was loose and too dark for her new tastes, but it was comfortable. One of the wives of one of Edmund's officers had been kind enough to find her not only the clothing for herself, but for William as well. She'd also brought over a small bag of personal toiletries. Leah's hair was brushed and neatly braided, her lips rouged. She was back in civilization again and once more the Mistress of Tanner's Gift.

  Leah, Harrison, William, and the injured dog had arrived at the patriot camp in Newtown late last night. Jeff and Bo had taken them all the way to the mouth of the Hudson and from there the three had traveled overland by horses. They had been escorted into the camp by weary, heavily armed soldiers. Lieutenant Ross had been amazed that they had been able to find the camp and get in alive. New Jersey was crawling with King's soldiers bent on destroying the Colonial army here and now.

  Leah's determination, Harrison had declared, had been what got them here, her determination to see this journey through.

  "The Lieutenant is waiting for you, Wills," Leah said gently.

  William patted Sam's head. The dog lay back and closed his eyes. William seemed hesitant to leave him, but like his mother, he was determined to see his journey through. So many weeks ago, that it seemed a lifetime, he had promised the man he thought to be his father that he would deliver a message. The time had come.

  William got up and walked to his mother. He glanced over his shoulder. "Will you stay with him?" he asked Harrison, begrudgingly. Since they had gotten Leah back, the chasm between father and son had widened again.

  "I will."

  Leah dropped her hand onto William's shoulder. The boy was growing taller by the day. "Let's go. The sooner we're done here, the sooner we can go home." Leah looked up to meet Harrison's questioning gaze.

  Leah had still made no decision concerning Harrison. She still didn't know what was best, to marry Harrison and leave William to adjust, or to return home alone.

  Leah offered a smile to Harrison. God, how much she loved him. "We'll be back shortly," she said. "Lieutenant Ross said he would be happy to make arrangements for escorts to take us home." She chuckled. "Considering we've gotten this far, escorts seem a little silly at this point, don't they?"

  He smiled a sad smile. "A little silly."

  With a sigh, Leah led William out of the tent and down the long rows of canvas tents. The entire camp was abuzz with talk of attacking British-held Trenton. Reliable sources within the camp said the thought was so absurd that Washington just might be able to pull it off.

  Leah reached Lieutenant Ross's tent and stopped. She wanted to go in with her son, but she knew she couldn't. He was still a boy and she knew he still needed his mother, but for weeks he had been forced to be a man. He had been forced to make decisions on his own like a man. Right now he needed to be that man one last time.

  William adjusted the wool cocked hat that was only a little too big for
his head. "Wait for me here, Mother. It won't take long."

  She watched as her son, not quite nine years old, threw back his shoulders and entered the Lieutenant's tent. As the flap opened and closed she caught a glimpse of Ross's red hair. He smiled at her, nodding.

  Leah stood outside the tent listening to the mumble of voices. She couldn't quite make out the words, but she could hear William talking and then the Lieutenant. Only a short time passed before the tent flap lifted and Lieutenant Ross and William came out.

  William carried his hat under his arm. "I'm done, Mother. We can go home."

  Leah looked up questioningly at her husband's officer. "My husband's message, it made sense?"

  The Lieutenant smiled. "Complete sense. And the information could be vital to this army's survival. I have an appointment with General Washington at noon." He mussed William's hair. "Now go home with you, boy, and be sure and write to me and tell me about that new horse of yours."

  William skipped away.

  Leah thanked the officer.

  "No, thank you. You should be very proud of that young man."

  "I am, I assure you."

  "I'll send someone to your tent with information on your travel," Lieutenant Ross told her. "You'll be home on Tanner's Gift in no time:"

  Leah thanked him again and then made her way back to her tent. When she stepped inside, she immediately knew something was wrong.

  William was standing there, frozen, his hat flung on the canvas floor. He was staring at Harrison, his eyes filled with hatred. "You're lying!"

  Harrison shook his head, his face grim. "I'm sorry, Wills."

  Leah looked down at the dog. His bony ribcage was still. Sam was dead.

  "Son of a red bitch!" William shouted, hurling himself at Harrison.

  "William!" Leah cried.

  Harrison caught William around the waist and the boy collapsed in his arms, sobbing

  "William," Leah called, suddenly frightened. The boy was crying like he had never cried in his life, his whole body heaving.

  Harrison sat down, pulling the boy into his arms. As he cradled him, he looked up at Leah. His black eyes beckoned her to stay where she was.

  William cried and cried.

  Harrison just held his son in his strong arms, rocking him like a mother would rock her babe.

  Tears welled in Leah's eyes. She wanted to go to William, but something told her that if father and son ever had a chance to reconcile their differences, this was it.

  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," William sobbed. "I didn't mean it!"

  Harrison brushed back William's dark hair that had come loose from his queue. "Didn't mean what, Wills? Sam defended you because you were his master. It's not your fault this happened."

  William shook his head, fat tears still rolling down his cheeks.

  Leah's heart wrenched in her chest, but she kept her distance.

  "No, not the dog. That's not it. I liked the dog, but he was just a dog." He sniffed. "Asare, Asare is dead. He took care of me. He carried me through the snow when I was too sick to walk. He died to keep Kolheek from stealing me and I was mean to him!"

  Harrison smiled a father's smile. "Ah, hah. Asare, is that it?"

  William nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I was mean to him and he died. That was a terrible thing to do."

  "It was a terrible thing to do, but I know he's forgiven you."

  William stared at Harrison. "He has?"

  "Yes, now tell me something. Tell me why you were mean to Asare when you knew how good he was to you?"

  William's gaze wandered. "I was never good enough. Nothing I ever did was good enough."

  Harrison frowned. "What?"

  William toyed with his stock that had come untied. "He called me his son. He tried to make me like him, but he was never satisfied. I could never please him."

  Harrison was still confused. "Do you mean Asare or Beale?"

  "My father—Edmund." William rubbed his eyes. "I didn't cry when he died either." His lower lip trembled. "I was almost glad, because I knew I would never be who he wanted me to be. I knew he'd hate me someday just like he hated Mother."

  Harrison looked up at Leah. She gave the barest shrug as if to say she was as confused as Harrison was.

  "But I thought you and he got along so well."

  William hung his head. "He made it look like that. But, but I was always afraid I would say or do the wrong thing. He said fathers only loved boys who did the right thing." He looked up at Harrison, his dark eyes pleading. "But I could never do anything right. I never did things as good as he wanted me to."

  "So why be mean to Asare? He didn't expect anything out of you. All he wanted was your love."

  "He said he wanted to be my father." Fresh tears rolled down William's cheeks. "I didn't want another father. I didn't want to disappoint anyone. Not ever again."

  Harrison sighed, fighting the anger he felt in his chest toward Edmund. How could a man who proclaimed to love this boy have been so emotionally cruel to him?

  "And then I came along, didn't I?" Harrison asked softly. "I came with your mother and we told you I was your real father . . . another father to live up to."

  "It's stupid," William murmured, fighting the tears. "It doesn't make any sense."

  Harrison pulled the boy against his chest. "Of course it makes sense. No man can live up to another man's unreasonable expectations." He smoothed his dark hair. "Now let me tell you something. I want to be your father. I want to love you and I want you to love me back. I will expect certain things from you. Respect for your mother, for other people . . . But I will always love you for who you are Wills, not who I want you to be." He pulled him back so that he could look him in the eyes. "You want to give it a try? Just for a while, you, and me, and your mother at Tanner's Gift?"

  William stared back at his father.

  "It's what your mother wants, Wills. It's what I want."

  William nodded slowly. "We . . . we could try I guess."

  Tears rolled down Leah's cheeks as she pressed her fingers to her mouth to keep from crying aloud as she watched father and son embrace.

  Harrison hugged his son, looking over his shoulder to Leah. "Time we went home, my love, wouldn't you say?"

  A month later Leah and Harrison stood at the rail of the fence at Tanner's Gift watching William ride his new bay gelding around and around in circles through the powdery snow.

  "That's it, boy," George DeNay, encouraged, clapping his hands. He crossed the stable yard without so much a limp. His gout hadn't been bothering him in weeks.

  Leah laughed, unable to contain her joy at seeing George DeNay with his grandson. "You've made your father very happy," Leah told Harrison who stood at her side.

  He slipped his arm around her, brushing his lips against her cheek. "No, you've made him very happy. "You brought old George home a son and a grandchild."

  Leah giggled, feeling like she was sixteen again. "Actually I brought two."

  Harrison's brow furrowed. He was dressed this morning in navy blue breeches and waist coat, with a matching coat. His silky black hair was tied back in a fashionable queue with Kolheek's forelock feather dangling from it. "Two? Two what?"

  "Two grandchildren," she said slyly. She glanced sideways at him.

  Harrison's eyes narrowed. "Out with it, what are you telling me?"

  She took his hand and brought it under her forest green cloak to rest on her flat middle.

  "A baby," he murmured, sounding shocked.

  She looked at him, her blue eyes sparkling with the secret. "That which we've being doing with such abandon, that's how you get babies you know, dear."

  Harrison just stared at her, a broad smile on his handsome face. "I just hadn't . . ." He laughed. "I . . ."

  She pressed her mouth to his. "I hope you're happy," she murmured against his lips. "Because I am. Of course that means you'll have to marry me now."

  "I told you," he said softly. "In my heart we have always been marri
ed, all these years. We married once before God in a handfast."

  "Yes, well, this time it will be in a church full of people. I want witnesses!"

  "Done." He grasped her by the waist and swung her into his arms. Leah laughed, hoping she would feel like this forever. All these years and she thought her life had passed her by. Now this man with skin as red as turned Virginia soil was giving her back those years.

  Harrison whispered in her ear and she threw back her head with more merry laughter. "Now? What will the servants think? It's barely mid-morning!" She tried to act shocked, but the thought of making love in their sunny bedchamber was already making her warm beneath her cloak.

  "Mother!" William called as he rode by on the spirited bay and reined in. "Where are you and Papa going?"

  "Inside," Harrison called to his son. "It's too cold for your mother out here."

  "What a cool liar you are, Harrison DeNay," she chided softly in his ear.

  "Can't I stay out and ride? Can't I? Grandpapa George says he's going to teach me how to jump the fence."

  "No fence jumping today," Leah called over Harrison's shoulder. "You hear me George DeNay! No jumping. He'll break his neck before he's had the horse a day!"

  George laughed, waving his hand. William rode away, his dark hair blowing in the winter breeze, his hat long gone.

  Leah wrapped her arms around Harrison's neck and rested her head on his broad shoulder. The winter sun was warm on her face, the breeze tugging at her long locks of brilliant red hair that fell over her shoulder and his.

  "K'daholel, ki-ti-hi," she said, staring intently into his black eyes.

  "K'daholel," he answered with a lover's kiss. "K'daholel, ki-ti-hi."

  The End

  Are you a fan? Give it a 5-Star Review!

  Want more historical romance?

  Here's an excerpt from Judith E. French's

  McKENNA'S BRIDE

  Prologue

  County Clare, Ireland

  Autumn 1846