The Blooding

The Blooding
James McGee

Hawkwood’s in America for this gripping, action-packed follow up to the bestselling Ratcatcher - for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Igulden and Patrick O’BrianDECEMBER, 1812Britain is locked in a bitter war with America and Matthew Hawkwood, soldier turned spy, is stranded behind enemy lines.A TERRIFYING PLOTHawkwood heads for the Canadian border, along with former comrade-in-arms, Major Douglas Lawrence. But as they men make their escape, the two men uncover a plot that could turn the British Empire to dust.A PERILOUS JOURNEYPursued by a relentless enemy, Hawkwood and Lawrence set off across the Adirondack Mountains. But they are not alone. Buried deep in Hawkwood’s past is an old alliance – one which could save both their lives and turn the tide of war…

JAMES McGEE

The Blooding

Dedication (#ulink_3b124b65-58e4-5ce4-b9f1-25face67e7c9)

This one is for my cousin, Mark.

Flying free …

O:nen Ontiaten:ro

MOHAWK NAMES (#ulink_a87afccc-d1cc-5f34-a470-300ff8648c71)

The Mohawk at the time the novel is set had no written language. Iroquois vocabulary was originally transcribed by Jesuit missionaries and therefore, even today, there are discrepancies in the origins, spelling and meaning of certain words. I’m indebted to Thomas Deer of the Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language & Cultural Center in Kahnawá:ke, Montreal, for his guidance.

Rotinonshón:ni: “People of the Longhouse” – the Six Nations – Iroquois Confederacy

Kanien’kehá:ka: “People of the Place of the Flint” – the Mohawk

Kaion’kehá:ka: “People of the Marsh” – the Cayuga

Oneniote’á:ka: “People of the Standing Stone” – the Oneida

Ononta’kehá:ka: “People of the Hills” – the Onondaga

Shotinontowane’á:ka: “People of the Great Mountain” – the Seneca

Tehatiskaró:ros: “People of the Shirt” – the Tuscarora

Kaianere’kó:wa: “The Great Law of Peace” – the Constitution of the Six Nations

Oyata’ge’ronóñ: “People of the Cave Country” – the Cherokee

Wendat: “People of the Island” – the Huron

Ahkwesáhsne: “Where the partridge drums” – Mohawk village near St Regis

Kahnawá:ke: “On the rapids” – Mohawk village near Montreal

Kanièn:keh: “Land of the Flint” – Traditional homeland of the Mohawk

Kenhtè:ke: “Place of the Bay” – Mohawk village on the Bay of Quinte, Canada

Anówarakowa Kawennote: “Great Turtle Island” – North America

Atirú:taks: Adirondacks

Kaniatarowanénhne: “Big Waterway” – the St Lawrence River

Ne-ah-ga: Niagara

Oiqué: Hudson River

Senhahlone: Plattsburg

Tanasi: Tennessee

If they are to fight, they are too few;

If they are to be killed, they are too many.

Theyanoguin

Wolf Clan, Kanien’kehá:ka

Warrior, sachem, diplomat, orator

Table of Contents

Cover (#ua17055dd-a55d-5585-a4d0-5216b31451ca)

Title Page (#uc706196f-e88e-54b5-a601-fa4f3105ec61)

Dedication (#ud0d36570-7c63-56ef-99fa-c8b76759837b)

Map (#u26f5f71b-4165-5720-a74a-ce010e6f862a)

Mohawk Names (#uf098fd35-8f67-536f-83c7-11b0643f54d0)

Epigraph (#u64915892-be35-5ff9-bceb-9a489ead93da)

Prologue (#u04ae1b44-92ad-5bf2-b1d9-8c6f769ef16e)

Chapter 1 (#uad9b8665-b754-5d96-80c7-01d710ad16fc)

Chapter 2 (#u5ebfecc9-7b0a-5038-bdc7-e42e09872d86)

Chapter 3 (#uf16fa912-4bec-558b-9aaa-3a234019f3e8)

Chapter 4 (#ud257206e-6950-53a8-aab1-f5bcf4ba03e8)

Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)