The Bastard Son (Winds of Change Book 2) (23 page)

“Don’t touch me, traitor! Watch me die and live with it upon your conscience!” His venom spewed forth, but before Benny could utter another word, Sumner heard horses. Had Benny’s men returned? But another thought raced through him as the horses rounded the bend of the woods. British soldiers!

Joseph and Sumner exchanged looks. Sumner called, “Run back. Take Jane! I will hold them off!”

“We aren’t running from anyone,” Joseph said squarely. He motioned for his men to take a defensive stance, but as he uttered so, Sumner caught sight of Benny edging toward the undergrowth. Too late, Sumner realized Benny’s intention.

Instantly, Sumner realized he was the target, too large and too close to miss. Benny gritted his teeth, smiling through his own pain. Benny extended the pistol toward him. Sumner started to reel out of the way, but it was too late.

From the corner of his eye Sumner saw Joseph launch himself between him and Bloody Benny hard and fast. The pistol discharged, hitting Joseph at close range. He doubled over with the bullet striking him soundly in the stomach. Immediately, a shot rang out from a distance. Benny fell back upon the ground, dead. A straight shot to the head.

Rushing to Joseph, Sumner glanced up. Colonel Leckie lowered his rifle and leaped off his horse, joining Sumner. Joseph dropped to his knees. Sumner could hear the clamor of commotion behind him.

He didn’t care. He caught Joseph as he fell backwards. Joseph’s breathing became labored; his face paled. He reached up to Sumner with a blood-soaked hand. Clear and strong above the clamor, Sumner heard Durham’s voice giving commands, but his attention stayed with Joseph.

Joseph coughed and tried to talk, but no sound was made. His hand clambered to Sumner and clenched at his shirt. Sumner clasped the hand tightly.

“It is well, my friend. Jane will live because of you. She will know and keep it within her heart always.”

Joseph swallowed. He tried to smile. Sumner and Leckie glanced at one another. There was nothing anyone could do.

God, why do I feel so helpless!
Sumner grimaced.

Joseph endured a fit of coughing. Sumner held his shoulders up trying in vain to give a semblance of comfort. Joseph struggled to gain a breath. “Tell her,” he uttered in a feeble voice. It was all he could manage.

“I will tell her everything,” Sumner said. “But she knows already. You could see within her eyes she doesn’t hold anything against you.”

Released was the guilt within him, Joseph’s manner eased. He gulped a final breath and was gone. Sumner slowly laid the lifeless body down upon the ground. Joseph’s face looked peaceful as Sumner uttered a prayer over him.

* * * *

Standing, Sumner sighed. The impossible had been accomplished, Bloody Benny had been defeated, but now what the hell was he going to do? Joseph’s men had been disarmed by the British who held them all within their power.

The answer was quick and swift. With a white flag for truce waving in the breeze, Elijah rode up into the turmoil.

Elijah was met quickly. He handed over a letter, which was given without hesitation to General Durham. He didn’t wait for permission and made his way to Sumner’s side.

“We rode through the night and have only just arrived at the cabin. The women are safe.” Elijah glanced down at Joseph’s body and Benny’s not far to the side.

“I don’t know what has happened here, Sumner, but Colonel Shelby is here with his whole unit. But do my eyes deceive me…one unit holding another within the British holds to them. Will it help to know that we have everyone surrounded?” Elijah glanced back at General Durham. “It eases my mind to know it is Colonel Shelby that holds control.”

The line of thunderstorms dissipated far to the northeast, breaking way to an eerie stillness. There had been no noise of a battle. To Jane’s surprise, the men had disappeared with no indication of where they had gone.

Molly admonished Jane to lie down. “You need to rest, Jane. The news won’t change with leaning against the window. We will know soon enough. All we can do is pray.”

“Pray?” Jane asked. Her eyes widened with the pain held within them. “To whom would you have me pray?”

“God.” Molly walked over and rounded Jane’s shoulder with her arm. “It isn’t for us to understand, but to live our journey. Life is full of hurts, Jane. It is only for us to live.”

Jane nodded. Her eyes flickered over the kind woman. How could she question her? Molly had known pain. Jane reprimanded herself. The poor woman had lost everything and she still clung to her beliefs.

Jane had not lost everything, not yet. Oh, the nausea overwhelmed her again.

The trepidation for herself had been replaced with fear for Sumner. The look within his eyes when he left—he didn’t think he would return. Jane tried to still the thumping of her heart.

There was hope. Hadn’t Sumner’s militia unit arrived to save them all? But Sumner wasn’t here. He had gone to face her worst fear—Bloody Benny. She feared him even more than the gallows.

When Hugh had run in exclaiming the militia was here, she felt as though her heart would explode out of her body. Jane had prepared for the worst, but hope resurged once more. To her horror, her legs weakened and she collapsed onto the floor.

Jane woke to find Sumner’s commander in the cabin looking down at her as she lay in bed.

“Colonel Shelby, ma’am. It’s good to see you,” he said as Molly sat beside Jane and held her hand. “I have explained everything to Mistress Dawes, but I wanted you to know that the skirmish is over. There has been a complication. The British have also arrived. I go now to negotiate the situation.”

“Sumner?” she whispered.

“He is alive,” Colonel Shelby stated, but from his tone she understood well that his fate was in doubt. “Before I leave, you need to be aware that it may become necessary to remove you quickly.”

Her world went white around her. Molly pushed back Jane’s hair from her face. “We will be prepared, Colonel.”

On his departure, Jane’s eyes once more welled with tears. “I wish I was as you are, Molly. I’m so scared. I don’t know what I will do—”

“You will live, Jane,” she said firmly. “You have to have faith that all will end as it should. You are a strong woman. Look at all you have survived. Don’t question fate now. There will be plenty of time to do so after everything is settled.”

Jane wiped her eyes. “How can you be so brave, Molly? One would think you’d be bitter for the course of your life. Your husband is dead as well as your children, and yet you offer me comfort.”

“I have had time to deal with it all, Jane. Do you think that I have reached this place in my life without any problems?” she asked gently. “Come, we will wait upon the porch. If we have to leave in a hurry, we will be ready.”

Jane walked slowly out the door into a cool, crisp breeze on this November day. The skies had cleared, and the sun streamed down from the heavens. In the distance, a faint rainbow materialized.

“It’s a sign of promise, Jane. All will be well,” Molly said, sitting on the rocking chair.

Jane nodded, but felt unable breathe, like she was holding her breathe, waiting to exhale. Instinctively, her hand went to her stomach, as in some way she could protect the child by doing so.

She hadn’t allowed herself to think of the child she carried. She couldn’t. She wanted the baby so badly and if…

“It will be as it should, Jane. It is okay to love the little one. The baby represents hope, and you should cling to it. Don’t fear what hasn’t happened yet. No one can live that way.”

“How do you know what I feel?”

“For I have lived with loss, but also with joy. The births of my children, I will always remember as I do their deaths. But if I don’t remember their lives, then it would be as they had never lived. I can’t accept such,” Molly said with a faraway look in her eyes. “You ask me how I am today as I am. I wasn’t always like this, and tomorrow my sorrow may overwhelm me once more. I live day to day.”

“How do you do it?”

“I will tell you something I have never told another living soul,” Molly said in a low voice. “There was a moment, a dark, desolate moment in which I wanted no more to live. I couldn’t even bring myself to get up in the morning. I could hear my children’s voices, see my husband’s face and then the realization they were no more overcame me. I wanted nothing more to do than die.”

Suddenly, Molly became quiet reliving the moment. She looked back at Jane. “I even planned of how I would do so. I would drown myself in the river. I could feel the need to be near my loved ones, but then as I was walking toward the river, I heard a noise, crying and sniffling.

“I found Hugh that day. He was no more than six or seven. Scraped. Dirty. Hungry. Dressed in nothing more than rags. He cowered when I approached, but when I offered my hand to him, he took it. I found I couldn’t leave him.

“Hugh brought back meaning to my life. He may be slow, but he is the kindest, gentlest of creatures. We needed each other. That was eight years ago.”

Jane walked over and kneeled by Molly’s chair. Jane held Molly’s hands as she laid her head upon Molly’s knees. Molly silently stroked her head.

There they stayed. Time passed slowly. The sun was sinking down over the horizon when a noise woke Jane. Bolting up, she rushed to the railing. Horses, she heard horses.

Riders appeared. The militia had returned. In the midst of the men, she searched desperately for her love, and then, her eyes caught sight of him.

She watched as Sumner urged his horse forward. Jane ran down the steps and he leaped off the horse. Her world had come back to her. He pulled her into an embrace and didn’t care that all watched.

She broke from their embrace. Her hand went to his face. His hand caught hers. “You are alive,” she uttered low. “I—”

Jane watched as Sumner urged his horse forward. Running down the steps, she fell into his arms when he leaped off the horse. Her world had come back to her.

Breaking from their embrace, she caressed his battle-worn face. “You’re alive…I’m been out of mind with worry…”

 His hand caught hers. “Jane, there is…”

Jane withdrew from his arms. Something was wrong. Turning, she scanned the crowd. Colonel Shelby. Colonel Leckie…General Durham.

She grasped back for Sumner. “Tell me,” she cried. “Tell me he is not here for you!”

“We need to talk, but it is all settled.” Sumner calmed her. “They aren’t after me as they had been. I will explain all, but it’s not—”

She knew before he said the words. Jane looked from him and searched the faces once more. “Joseph? Where is Joseph?”

His arms rounded her.

“No…” She broke down. “Tell me, no!”

Sumner spoke words, but she didn’t hear anything except that Joseph had fallen. “He saved me, Jane. He wanted nothing more than forgiveness. He found it.”

Tears streamed down her face. “It is my fault. All is my fault….”

He drew her back into his arms and let her cry.

* * * *

Molly had prepared the little she had for the men to eat. Jane tried to help, but Molly rebuffed her.
“It isn’t necessary. Truly, it is not a burden. Sit with Sumner and lean upon his strength.”

Jane’s hands still trembled as she took the chair beside Sumner. Sumner reached over and held tight to them. Joseph had been buried before the sun set. Molly wrapped him in one of her quilts.

Jane bent down and kissed Joseph’s forehead before they wrapped him up. He looked so peaceful as he had when she first saw him, except when she met him, he had smiled up at her and asked if she was an angel. He had always smiled at her. Jane’s tears couldn’t help but flow. He had sought to redeem himself. She hoped he had found his angels.

Now, she found she was exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to be held in her husband’s arms and sleep sound, but there was much to face before that time. She could feel
his
eyes watching her, but she refused to look at him.

“We will leave as soon as the men eat, if you don’t mind, General,” Colonel Shelby said. “I will take you upon your word.”

“I assure you, I will allow everything I have promised,” General Durham said firmly. “I believe it will be acceptable to us both.”

“I would hope that Mistress Meador won’t have to endure any more than she has,” Colonel Shelby responded. “I am certain I won’t have to repeat our position.”

“All seems to have come to light. The offender is now in custody and justice will be swift for him,” Durham stated stoically. He looked over at Sumner. “If you return to straighten out the last few details of the events, you will be allowed to leave after that time. You won’t be prosecuted. And if you still desire your family to depart for England, I will help make arrangements.

“Joseph Williamson’s men can leave with you, Colonel Shelby, without interference from us as Benny’s men will leave with us. I believe that covers the matter.”

Jane caught Sumner’s eyes. What did he mean if Sumner still wanted his family to leave for England? Bloody Benny was dead. She uttered to Sumner, “No, I won’t leave.”

Sumner leaned over. “We will discuss this later.” He gave her a short smile and no opportunity to argue.

* * * *

Jane wished more than anything to have time alone with Sumner. She had none. He promised to explain everything, but it had been half explanations…short sentences. Her concern grew as the time neared for all to depart. She was confused as to what had been arranged.

“Be ready to leave,” Sumner whispered in her ear, leaning over after dinner was finished. “I have need to talk with Colonel Shelby. And then we will leave with the British.”

She looked uncertainly at him. Jane wondered if he was intentionally being ambiguous. She hadn’t a chance to ask, for he had walked out the door with his commander and Elijah, leaving her with Colonel Leckie and to her dismay, General Durham.

Jane could feel his eyes upon her. She didn’t dare look at him. What does one say to another who had wanted one dead?

Suddenly, Jane felt unsightly. Since her arrest, Jane had not had the luxury of a bath. She had washed to the best of her ability, but her dark hair was in disarray, her dress stained and wrinkled. A far cry from the comforts she had found at Elm Bluff.

In her short time within Charles Town, Jane had quickly assessed that most of the British, especially General Durham, felt the colonists inconsequential. She pondered if it was the reason he had so callously arrested her for treason.

She hadn’t cared then, but now? She didn’t know why it bothered her so at the moment. And to show further her weakness, she was sick. Jane couldn’t prevent her stomach from turning so. She wondered if British women hid such infirmities.

It will be good to have you back at Elm Bluff if only for a short time.” Colonel Leckie’s attempt at polite conversation had taken her off guard. She fended a small smile as he continued. “I realize it is an odd situation. I know you have gone through quite a lot, but only wanted to let you know that you were missed. And the little one, hopefully, will return.”

“To be truthful, I don’t know how I feel at the moment.”

“I’m afraid it will all come at you later,” Molly said, cleaning the table. “After you have time to contemplate what has happened.”

Jane tried once more to help. Molly gently reprimanded her. “You need to rest. After everyone leaves, I will have nothing to occupy my time. You, on the other hand, will have a small one to chase around.”

Unintentionally, she caught General Durham’s eyes. Did she see remorse within him? She broke from his gaze. She had to have imagined the look and she had no patience to deal with him. Jane pushed back her chair to leave the table.

“Jane,” Colonel Leckie began.

She looked up at him. The days had worn upon him, but he seemed intent upon her attention. Jane sat back down. He seemed pleased with her action.

“I wanted to add that I believe we will have a guest at Elm Bluff upon our return. I hope you don’t mind. It’s Katy Landor. She helped clear Sumner’s name at her own expense.”

“Katy?” Jane absorbed the news for a moment. “Cleared Sumner’s name? I’m sorry, Colonel. I am a bit confused. I haven’t had a moment in private with my husband.”

Colonel Leckie pressed his lips together in a thoughtful manner. “I should have deducted as much. Sumner will have time on our journey back to Charles Town. But know you have no worries now.”

“My worries are many, Colonel,” she retorted, taking her irritation out on him. “Pray, what exactly do you mean we are returning to Charles Town? Why on earth would we do so? I was under the assumption that you British wanted Sumner as you want the Swamp Fox or the Gamecock. Have you not done everything within your means to capture him? What game are you playing now?”