Page 147 (1/2)

Wm Tryon

JAMIE HAD GONE before I woke; his blanket lay neatly folded beside one froht before

"Colonel’s gone to meet with the Governor’s Council of War," Kenny Lindsay told"Tea, ma’am, or coffee?"

"Tea, please" I supposed it was the tenor of current events that was causing me to think of the Boston Tea Party I couldn’t recall for sure when that brouhaha and its subsequent events were due to occur, but had an obscure feeling that I ought to seize every opportunity of drinking tea while it was still obtainable, in hopes of saturating rubs and berries in anticipation of winter

The day had dawned still and clear, and while it was cool for the iness in the air fro se to curl roundto my cheeks in the steam from my cup

Tissues restored for the moment, I fetched a couple of buckets and set off for the stream I hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but it would be as well to have a quantity of boiled sterile water on hand, just in case And if it wasn’t needed for s, which were much in need of attention

Despite its name the Great Ala no th It was also shallow, , with multiple small arms and tributaries that wandered all over the landscape I supposed it was a decent h; while a body of men could certainly ford the strea so by stealth

Dragonflies darted over the water, and over the heads of a couple ofcompanionably as they relieved themselves into the murky waters of the stream I paused tactfully behind a bush until they had left, reflecting as Ibank with my buckets how fortunate it was thatwater only if actually dying of dehydration

When I came back into camp, I found it wide awake, every man alert, if red-eyed The ath, rather than ieneral stir of interest when Ja his way past the ca delicacy

"How is it, Mac Dubh?" Kenny asked, standing to greet hi ado?"

Ja severity, hair clubbed back, dirk and pistols fixed on his belt, sword at his side A yellow cockade fixed to his coat was the only touch of decoration Battle-ready, and a sht

"The Governor’s sent across his wee letter to the Regulators Four sheriffs each took a copy; they’re to read it out to every group they come across We lance toward the third caht, before the camp woke

I had e I picked them up for another trip to the stream, when Gideon’s ears pricked and he lifted his head suddenly, with a sharp whicker of greeting Jaed the horse in front of me, and his hand dropped to his sword My vieas blocked by Gideon’s enor, but I did see Jarip on the sword-hilt as whoever it was caht A friend, then

Or if not precisely a friend, at least soh or hack out of the saddle I heard a fa, and peered out fro across the small meadow, accompanied by two aides

Tryon sat his horse decently, if without great style, and was dressed as usual for ca, in a serviceable blue uniform coat and doeskin breeches, a yellow officer’s cockade in his hat, and with one of the cavalry cutlasses called a hanger at his side--not for show; the hilt showed nicks and the scabbard orn

Tryon pulled up his horse and nodded, touching his hat to Ja in Gideon’s shadow, the Governor politely re frolanced at the pails I held, then turned in his saddle, beckoning to one of the aides "Mr Vickers Kindly help Mrs Fraser, if you will"

I surrendered the pails gratefully to Mr Vickers, a pink-cheeked youngwith him, I simply directed him where to take them Tryon raised one eyebrow at me, but I returned his expression of round I wasn’t going anywhere

He ise enough to recognize that, andain to Jalanced pointedly around The only troops visible at the moment were Kenny, who had his nose buried in his cup, and Murdo Lindsay and Geordie Chishol in the shadows of the copse

"Aye, sir"