Forever Young Birth Of A Nation, page 64
They concluded their business and departed, having already packed their belongings and being prepared to take passage on the next ship bound for London or Liverpool. That their future in their later years now looked bleak was evident in the defeated way they departed. Their body language said it all really, and yet they were only two of hundreds who knew that they could not hope to live in America any longer for being known as loyalists. So they went the way of many others who had dreamt of wealth and comfort in America and now faced an uncertain future back in England.
***
At the former Stillman plantation old Lucretia saw a carriage approaching up the gravel drive between the live oaks. It came to a stop at the front entrance and she opened the door and came down the steps from the colonnaded porch to stand waiting. The driver, a muscular looking man with dark hair and dark eyes, with a pale complexion helped a fair-complexioned lady with light brown hair and hazel eyes to climb down. The man turned to her and said “You must be Lucretia. I am Mr. Moore and this is the widow Stearman.”
Nodding with a bright smile Lucretia said “Mawnin, Masta Moore. Mawnin, Miz Steahman. Your rooms be ready.” The woman merely stared at Lucretia, raising her eyebrows a bit saying “Hello, Lucretia.” in a low voice as she seemed to look right through her.
Raising her voice as she turned around Lucretia said “Rufus! Get your lazy self ovah heah and take these bags upstairs right now. Hurry now! These folks got no time fo your shufflin’ along.”
A husky boy of twelve years age separated himself from a gaggle of black children peering around the corner of the porch wide-eyed at the new arrivals. He ran to the carriage and began to load himself with as many bags as he could carry while Lucretia followed the two newcomers up the brick steps to the porch. She nimbly stepped ahead of the two and held the door open with a bright smile as the pair seemed to glide through the door, both of them looking around. Rufus made his way past them, struggling up the stairs with the suitcases and luggage as best he could.
Lucretia noticed how the pair seemed to look right through her and thought how curious their eyes looked. “Would you like to see your rooms first, Miz Steahman, Masta Moore?”
“Yes.” said the woman in a low voice, so Lucretia moved her considerable bulk up the broad staircase and took the pair to a large bedroom overlooking the porch and driveway. “This be your room, Miz Steahman.” she said as the woman seemed to glide past her, looking about. Turning to Moreau Lucretia said “Your room is just across the hall, Masta Moore, right ovah heah.” She gestured toward the hall and an open door across from the widow’s room. He passed through the door and looked around at a spacious room overlooking the side yard of the house, looking past a large flowering magnolia tree toward a large well-made barn some two hundred feet distant.
Rufus came huffing and puffing into the room with an armload of bags, putting them alongside the door and turning to go down and get more of them. Moreau stood looking out the window, saying nothing. Soon enough all of the luggage had been carried to the two rooms and Lucretia said “I can start suppah any time you likes.”
The woman glided from her room to the hallway saying “That won’t be necessary, Lucretia. We will be downstairs later to see the rest of the place. Please leave us now.”
“Yes’m.” she said as she backed down the hallway for a bit and headed back down the stairs.
The man walked to the woman and said “Well June. We’ve done it. Here we are and not a soul knows who we really are. Are you pleased?”
Smiling at him, she said “Why yes, Arnold. This went well and you have done as you said you would.” She thought I will let you bed me now; perhaps even tonight. I know that you want it, and truth to tell, so do I. It has been far too long for me to be without lovemaking.
Looking at him then she said “When the darkies have gone to sleep, we’ll hunt. Who knows what we may find out there?”
“Well we know one thing for sure, and that is that Ian McCloud will not find us here. But when we are ready someday, we’ll find him, will we not?”
“We will. But not before we have enough help to kill him this time.”
Chapter 126
Ian found and bought several businesses, being a brickmaking facility in New Jersey and a lumber mill halfway to Tappan, as well as an import-export house in New York with connections to many suppliers. All three businesses were humming along at peak capacity as building and trade began in earnest in New York City. He also bought a glazing plant near Trenton, being as glass was an expensive and highly desirable product, much in demand. All of the businesses excepting for the lumber mill were formerly Tory-owned and therefore they were priced ridiculously low. In spite of assurances of the British high command that former Tory’s property rights were to be honored, the smart ones were selling as quickly as they could while they could sell at all. As things turned out in most cases they were right to be fearful because later, some former Tory holdings were seized by the various states to be sold for defraying wartime expenses, in spite of assurances guaranteed in the Treaty of Paris.
The three of them had traveled to the land of the Seneca and there, Aimee was a sensation, even more so than anywhere else they had ever taken her before. There were few in the village, even among the men who did not desire to touch her golden hair. For her part, she was very interested in the ways of the life of the Seneca people and found many playmates among their children. Her two favorite places were the great waterfalls at the Niagara and the small waterfall where Ian had built a rope swing a few miles from the village. There she amazed the children of the village with her fearless diving skills, having permission to show off to her heart’s content. No doubt she was having the time of her life roaming around the frontier with Ian and Cosette.
When they wanted some romantic time by themselves, the two simply slipped away when Aimee was occupied with the children of the village, which was a daily thing being as the Seneca children were seemingly infatuated with her.
She watched the annual Lacrosse match with great interest although it lasted all day long. Tall Elk’s team won by a score of 3-0 as once again, Ian did not allow a single goal. Once again, Tall Elk’s village won the right to hunt in the shared lands between the villages over the winter.
When it was time to bring Snow Fawn back to New York, Ian used a sling that he had made just for her. Snow Fawn was brought to New York City for the summer two years in a row, and Aimee accompanied the two when they went to get her and when they returned her. She had been given a wardrobe so that she could be anywhere with them, never even being noticed. Her hair was always in a bun when in public and she had been given a pair of ivory framed sun glasses on a golden chain just like Cosette’s. Not having really strong Indian features anyway, she only appeared to be a dark complexioned middle aged lady of some foreign extraction the way that Cosette made her up.
She had learned just enough English to get by and they were careful where they took her so as to never place her in a situation which might be embarrassing to her. She was happy and curious about so many things, always asking questions and peering about. The sheer number of people was the thing that amazed her most it seemed. She had quickly adapted to living in the big house with the others, realizing that they too were of the same strange race of people as Ian and Cosette. Cosette instructed her in proper table manners by preparing her meals especially and serving them to her in the kitchen. Everyone in the place went out of their way to make her feel at home, and Aimee spent a good deal of time with her. By the time she attended a large sit-down meal with the family or the Millhouses, she was accustomed to using utensils and well versed in the eating habits of well-mannered white people.
They had taken her sailing several times on a small ketch Ian had bought and it had been an astounding experience for her. The third year she had declined to return with them, being as she had married Gray Fox. She had been forty four years old at the time and he was only thirty three, having lost his wife in a drowning accident some years earlier. She had given birth to Moon Owl at only age fifteen, so she was not really an old woman by any means, and had a fine figure, being very fit and trim. The two had a daughter and a son in successive years and she never again traveled away from her village, although Ian, Cosette, and Aimee would go to visit her every year.
Rebecca gave birth to a son and Stuart had come to work for Ian and Cosette, beginning as a teller and becoming assistant manager in three years. The two still lived in the tenant house in back of Ian and Cosette’s home which by now was furnished quite nicely. Rebecca’s father had retired from the British Army being given an honorable discharge and a colonel’s pension. He lived alone at first in the home where he and Rebecca had lived before, but hostilities due to him being a retired British officer caused him no end of grief. Ian bought the place from him at the going rate for houses of that size and locale and he was able to move into Ian and Cosette’s tenant’s house with his daughter and Son in Law, Stuart.
Ian asked Priscilla and Oliver if they would like to move into the old Davis place and they accepted, liking the idea of more privacy, even though the two were at Ian and Cosette’s place nearly every evening anyway. The two of them were deeply in love and were overjoyed at the turn their lives had taken since becoming part of Ian and Cosette’s family. Both were trusted officers of Milliken Merchants’ Bank, and began to get some training from time to time regarding helping to oversee Ian’s four businesses.
Ian and Cosette kept current nearly on a daily basis with the family whether they were in France or in the Swiss Confederation by means of Celeste and Celine. The two of them were easily able to communicate with Li and Sophia although those two were increasingly busy with three businesses in Manhattan that they had bought. Of course Ian and James had kept up their official correspondence with Robert Milliken and Henri using official channels. It was agreed to open a third bank in Philadelphia in 1787 so Ian and Cosette made plans to go there. It would be entirely funded by Henri and Ian though, and not a part of the Milliken partnership. This would the first bank that Ian had ever put startup funds of his own into.
“Cosette, I want for us to go to Europe when we return from Philadelphia. It is wonderful to be able to talk to all of them through Celeste and Celine, but I want to see everyone.”
“Speaking of Celine, she and Xavier are going to be thirteen years old by the time we get to see them. Let’s book passage as soon as possible and get things lined up regarding our businesses then so we can go as soon as we return.”
“What about Aimee?”
“She is no trouble at all. If she wants to come with us, then we’ll take her. If not, she can stay with Li and Sophia. Why don’t we just leave it up to her?”
The three of them made ready to travel afoot to Philadelphia, figuring to buy a small wardrobe for themselves after they arrived. Cosette had a complete set of frontier clothing made for Aimee similar to theirs.
Stuart was placed over the operation of the bank and a letter to that effect was written and sent to Robert Milliken in London. Both Priscilla and Oliver were put in charge of Ian’s and Cosette’s four businesses.
Ian, Aimee, and Cosette slipped away from Manhattan late one night by canoe, departing from their own property on the Hudson River where Ian kept the canoe. After stashing it behind the carpenter shop in Hoboken where Ian still leased the storage building, they soon were rocketing through New Jersey toward Philadelphia.
Chapter 127
The young man waited nervously on the porch of the grand mansion, located just east of Lacoste. A tall muscular man with strange eyes that seemed to look through him answered.
“I am here to see the Marquis de Sade.”
“Whom shall I say is calling, sir?”
“Tell him it is Max. He knows me.”
He was shown in to the grand foyer, marveling at the opulence of it even as he passed through, following the large, muscular butler into the parlor.
The butler said “The Marquis is in his study. Please wait here monsieur.” Max nodded and sat down in an exquisitely carved wingback chair.
In the study the Marquis was just sealing a document and was thinking here are funds that you will need to pursue Ian McCloud. I hope you will have success this time. For five thousand pounds, you had better do well.
He walked to the parlor then, and as he entered it he said “Hello Max. Would you like some tea?”
“Why yes, thank you monsieur.”
After the tea was poured and the butler had vanished, the young man made an impassioned plea for support from the Marquis. “I have word that I may get to sit in on the committee who will decide how the vote is taken by the 3rd estate. You know my views on that, and I am desirous of your support, sir.”
The 3rd estate was what the general French public was called, the other two estates of France at that time being the Clergy and the Noble families.
The Marquis studied him over his teacup, thinking King Louis is losing control or else he would not have called for a meeting of the three estates. You are a zealot and one of seemingly high principles, but in your zeal, I see a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. You will do nicely for what we have planned for France and for Europe.
“Max, I am inclined to write my friends in support of you. If so, you may be assured that you will be heard and supported in this procedure. However, your loyalty to us must be absolute. Be assured that dethroning King Louis, abolishing the power of the clergy, and having the vote for the common man are goals of ours too. If you will swear your loyalty to me now, I will see to it that you will indeed have a voice that shall be heard not only at the upcoming hearings, but afterward when a more suitable appointment will be made available for you.”
“I do so swear, sir.”
The Marquis thought Good. My cohorts and I will use zealots like you to achieve our goal of toppling King Louis and for the holocaust that will follow.
“Very well then. You will go far, Max should you remain loyal. My friends and I will remove any opposition you should encounter along your way.”
He rose and beckoned for Max to follow and the two entered a well-appointed study where a massive marble topped desk dominated one end of the room. Sitting down he took parchment and quill and wrote a letter, sealing it with wax and his signet ring. Looking up, he gave a perfunctory smile, saying “My friends are influential, being the banking cartel of Europe. They supply the oil needed for the wheels of progress to turn favorably, Max. This will be sent tomorrow and you will soon know that you have powerful backers.”
“Do your friends include the Lafayettes?”
“No. They support the Crown and the status quo. My friends are progressives like you and me. They support the leftist Bourgeoisie and their principles, such as those written in the ‘Rights of Man’ document.”
He rose then, saying “I will show myself out sir. Thank you. You won’t regret this. Good night.” he said as he turned and walked toward the foyer.
The Marquis leaned back, laughing as he thought no I won’t regret it Maxemillien Francoise de Robespierre. You will one day be the spearhead of a reign of terror such as France has never seen. It will even surpass the horrors of the St. Bartholomew’s day massacre. You’ll go down in history, Max.
Chapter 128
Ian took the time to take Cosette and Aimee to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania where he had spent several winters with the Continental Army. There he told them of how often the men would go hungry during the harsh winters, and explained how that in spite of the game he was able to kill for meat, that it meant little to an army that was rarely below eight thousand to nine thousand men. The two got to appreciate the hardships suffered by the soldiers who had fought under Washington for so many years.
“I can tell you both that I saw men with their feet wrapped in rags marching at night when we took Trenton in ’76. I can still remember seeing bloody footprints in the snow that night and on other nights here in this place. I have seen men cut up what are left of their boots to boil and eat them. I suppose that was what motivated me to hunt for them each winter.”
Aimee asked “Did you kill any of the British in the fighting?”
“No, sweetheart. I was asked to join a marksman’s detachment, but I refused.”
“What is that?”
“Their job was to kill as many British officers as possible during a battle or anywhere else we could find them. For us, shooting and killing humans is easy, and to me it is murder. I just couldn’t do it.” Laughing then he said “I think some of them figured me to be a Quaker.”
“What is a Quaker?”
“They live around these parts and are opposed to violence of any sort. The ones I have met are real nice people, really. Anyway, I never joined the Continental Army, so I could leave whenever I wanted to. I always waited until springtime to leave so that I could help feed them while I was with them.”
“What did you do in the summertime?”
“I usually went to the land of the Seneca. I had been wanted for sedition by the Crown so I never went to New York City except once. I wore a white wig and looked like a rich Tory.” He and Aimee laughed at the thought as Cosette said “I knew that was you! You were reading a newspaper on a park bench at Central Commons one day!”
“Why yes! Yes I was. I had come to see if the climate was right for me to return, and I decided that I had best stay out of New York. So you saw me?” he said with surprise.
She came to him and put her arms about his waist, looking up at him she said “It was Celeste, Ian. She somehow got through to me that I had just passed you by and when we returned, you were gone. I was so discouraged that I could have wept. In fact I forgot that I was in a public place and I literally jumped up onto the backrest of that big bench and looked all about for you. That is how Priscilla saw me and knew that I was a vampire and began to follow me around.”
