Jamie and Tanaka form a surprising friendship with an English captain in his fight against the French…
Jamie and Tanaka encounter an English encampment adjacent to a Choctaw village and, much to Jamie’s amazement, are welcomed by the commander, Captain Matthew Garland, and his companion, Nashoba, a Choctaw chief. Before long, Jamie and Tanaka are involved in yet another confrontation with the French, this time on the side of the English. Jamie, at first wary of the affable Captain Garland, soon begins to see that the man is honorable and a good leader of his men.
When they reach their objective, Fort Bligh, they find it commanded by a drunken Colonel Fowler, and Matthew is forced to assume command. The fort is attacked by a large French army, the leaders of which are already infuriated by Jamie, Tanaka and the Choctaw scouts’ successful attempts to harass the army’s approach.
But the danger they all face comes not only from a common enemy, but also from within their own ranks when a humiliated officer intends to punish Matthew for his supposed treason.
Can Jamie and his friends save Matthew from a deranged man out for revenge, or will grief overshadow victory?
Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of battle violence.
General Release Date: 23rd July 2019
They had traveled practically nonstop for many weeks. Jamie had lost count a while back. Tanaka said he could tell by the changing of the weather around them. The snow had gone, the rivers close to flooding from the melting. They rested only at night, while keeping a wary eye out for predators of either the four- or two-footed variety during the daylight hours. It was to be expected that they would at some point run across soldiers, settlers or Indians. Tanaka had heard of people like him belonging to different tribes spread out across this great land, which to Jamie now seemed limitless.
Occasional sunshine glinted through the clouds, bringing some warmth with it, but the nights were still long and cold. Tanaka said it would be many more days before they could shed the heavy deerskin coats and leggings Small Woman had provided them with for their long trek into the wilderness. Jamie was thankful for the warmth of Tanaka’s body when they found shelter from the wind, and a sleety rain that chilled their bones. Wrapped in each other’s arms, they would lie by the small fire they used to cook whatever game they could catch, fish mostly for there was an abundance in the swift-flowing rivers.
Jamie felt they had long ago left the French soldiers behind. Surely even the mad Colonel LeTouque would not still consider it worthwhile to send his men out in a fruitless pursuit. However, they could take nothing for granted, and every now and then they would find some promontory point from where they could scan the land behind them. So far there had been no sign of the blue-coated militia. The relentlessly vicious colonel must have decided to call off the search. Jamie knew it would stick in the man’s craw that he had not been able to inflict the dire punishment on Jamie he had so recklessly craved. He couldn’t resist a grin at the thought.
“It appears that the Frenchies have given up,” Jamie remarked to Tanaka, who stood at his side.
Tanaka nodded. “They would find other dangers to contend with out here so far from their fort.” He swept his gaze over the forest before them. “We too must be careful. The woods ahead of us might hold those who would do us harm.” He pointed to a spot far off in the sky Jamie had missed. “See, the faint darkening in the blue. Smoke. Not enough for a big fire, probably from village cooking fires.”
“So there’s the likelihood of folk up ahead. They might be friendly enough.”
“Yes, they might, or they might not. We must be on our guard from here on. Come…” Tanaka set off back down the hillside they had climbed in order to see what, if anything, was behind them on their trail. Jamie followed. He trusted Tanaka’s instincts at times like these. The man was a skilled tracker and although Jamie had learned much from him, he was not of a mind to think he knew better than his companion.
The forest was quiet and not at all to Jamie’s liking. Too many shadows, too many vantage points for a sudden ambush if an enemy lay in hiding. He wondered if there would ever come a time when he was not pursued or hunted in some form or another. It seemed that all his life, from the time he’d been a lad in Scotland, danger had lurked nearby. From a traitrous clan that had sided with the English, the English soldiers themselves, pirates, murderous fools like Ferguson, the pig farmer, the coward Captain John Davenport and ultimately the French colonel…all out to punish Jamie for the mistaken ideals of their own making.
Jamie owed his life, not once but twice, to Tanaka, and for that the man would always have his heart. They’d saved each other’s lives a time or two since then and most likely would have to do so again. They’d set out on this journey to escape the revenge of LeTouque but also to avoid further trouble with the French for Jamie’s Choctaw friends. Passion and the need for vengeance ran high in the land, greed and treachery never far away, and life for the Choctaw people was tenuous at best. Regardless of a king’s promise, treaties, it seemed, were made only to be broken.
He stopped ruminating and crouched low as Tanaka, walking ahead of him, held up a warning hand before sinking to his haunches, his body tense and alert. Jamie moved cautiously forward to his companion’s side.
“What d’ye see?” he asked in a whisper.
“Not see…hear voices. English…”
“Damn,” Jamie murmured.
“And Choctaw.”
Jamie arched his eyebrows in surprise then followed Tanaka’s example and crawled forward on his stomach. In a clearing ahead, the red of a soldier’s uniform flashed.
Damn it all to hell. English soldiers out here after all the distance I thought we’d put between them and us.
The soldier was young, and his upright stance and bearing reminded Jamie of Captain William McBride, who had become somewhat of a friend during the last confrontation between the English troops and the Choctaw led by Black Eagle. The soldier was talking quite amiably to an Indian warrior and even going so far as to rest a hand on the man’s bare arm as he spoke.
Jamie glanced at Tanaka to see if he was making sense of the scene in front of them. He started with surprise when Tanaka suddenly stood and walked into the clearing. The two men, no less surprised, raised their rifles defensively but thankfully did not fire.
Tanaka raised his hand in greeting. “Halito, i kana…my name is Tanaka.”
The Indian lowered his weapon and touched his chest. “Nashoba.” He gestured to the redcoat. “Captain Matthew Garland.”
The captain regarded Tanaka warily but after a quick glance at his companion also lowered his rifle and afforded him a sharp nod. Jamie chose that moment to stride into the clearing and again the men raised their weapons. Jamie knew he must look a sight, his hair wild and a beard of several weeks hiding half his face, so he tried a grin and held open the palms of his hands to show he meant no harm.
“This is my friend, Jamie MacDonald,” Tanaka said.
“And what is your business here?” Garland asked.
Tanaka shrugged. “We are travelers. I am of Black Eagle’s tribe.”
“You’re on the run more like it,” Garland said. “From the French?”
Jamie thought it a good idea to agree. He nodded. “Where are we exactly?”
“The French named this region Alabama after one of the tribes here,” Garland told him. “Nashoba is Choctaw. He’s been scouting for us against the French. We’re enjoying something of a respite between hostilities.”
“Is your village near here?” Tanaka asked Nashoba.
“Very near,” Nashoba replied. “You are welcome to rest with us.”
“Our thanks.”
Well, this is all fine and dandy, but how do we know they’re to be trusted? The Choctaw maybe, but the English captain? Nae so sure… Mind you, he looks affable enough wi’ his bonny blue eyes and a look like butter wouldna’ melt in his mouth. If Tanaka’s fine with it, so should I be, I suppose. But I’ll keep a sharp lookout, forbye.
Jamie followed on behind. He supposed his wariness might be ill-chosen but after what he and Tanaka had been through in the last few years, trust was hard to place in men in time of war. So the French were the enemy in these parts. Not surprising, as their thirst for new territories appeared to be unquenchable. But were the English any better? It would seem that since he’d been away from Scotland, common ground had been forged between the Scots and the English. He recalled one of the lieutenants at Fort Sumner where John Davenport had tried to kill William McBride. A Scot, from Arbroath if Jamie remembered correctly…but he’d told Jamie he’d been educated in England.
“You are uneasy,” Tanaka said in a low voice. He had fallen back to walk by Jamie’s side.
“I think distrust has become embedded within me.” Jamie sighed. “There was a time when I wasna’ sae suspicious of others’ intentions, but now…”
Tanaka nodded. “I understand, but I believe Nashoba can be trusted. I sense that, like me, he is shaman, and…” He gave Jamie a sideways glance and smiled. “If I am not mistaken, he and the captain are more than mere companions at war against the French.”
Jamie gasped. “How can you tell that?”
“The way the captain looks at him. And did you not see him touch Nashoba with affection earlier?”
“Affection? You read a lot into what could’ve been a friendly pat on the arm.”
Tanaka chuckled but added nothing to the debate as they approached the village. Jamie was surprised to see army tents off to one side and several English soldiers resting or engaged in conversation while some Indian children played nearby. This was a very different scene from what he and Tanaka had expected.
“The king’s treaty must have held,” Tanaka remarked.
Jamie cast his gaze about. “Aye, English soldiers and Indians shoulder to shoulder isna’ something I ever thought I’d see.”
“Against the French.” Nashoba turned to inform them.
“Who is the chief here?” Jamie asked.
“I am.” Nashoba regarded them sadly. “My father was killed by French soldiers, and the elders told me I must take on the task of looking after the people.”
“A great responsibility,” Tanaka said.
“Indeed. Captain Garland has been most helpful. He and his men aided us in the defeat of the French in our most recent confrontation. But of course they will be back.”
“And we’ll be ready for ’em,” Garland muttered grimly, but he gave Nashoba a look of encouragement before turning to Jamie and Tanaka. “I expect you men could use a hot bath and you, sir…” He flitted his gaze over Jamie’s unruly beard. “Perhaps a sharp razor?”
“That would be grand,” Jamie told him, surprised that such niceties could be afforded in a bivouac situation. “Thank you.”
“I’ll have a couple of men see to it. Nashoba and I need to discuss our next offensive move.”
“If we can be of any help, let us know,” Jamie said. “We’ve had dealings with the Frenchies afore, and Tanaka is an excellent tracker.”
“Good to know.” Garland put a hand on Nashoba’s shoulder and started to lead him away. “Enjoy your baths, gentlemen. It may be some time before you are afforded another. We march tomorrow. Join us if you wish.”
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