Nancy Whiskey

“His mother named him. He carries the blood of the great Oneida, Shenandoah, in his veins.”

“Shenandoah.” Nancy pronounced it wistfully. “What a musical name.”

“A legendary Indian chief who brought corn to the starving troops at Valley Forge. Though Trueblood and I are only half brothers and ‘not much alike,’ we are very close. Now, if I am not prying, why is there such a difference between you and your father?”

“I was raised by my aunt and uncle. I never saw my father until last month, when he came for me. It is strange. I have waited for him all my life, waited for him to come and take me away to wars in strange lands. I have taught myself everything I imagined a soldier’s daughter should know. But now that it is really happening, I find I cannot quite believe it.”

“And the strange land he is taking you to is America. What does he mean to do there?”

“He speaks of buying an inn.”

“He may do well for himself then.”

“If he does not drink all the profits.”

“Where does he mean to settle?”

“Pittsburgh.”

“I lead pack trains to Pittsburgh,” Daniel said eagerly, his eyes alight. “Perhaps we can travel together. If you need temporary lodgings in Philadelphia, I am well known at Cook’s Hotel there. Until you decide what you mean to do, it is as good a place to stay as any.”

“I should be glad for your advice. I did not mean to sound so angry last night. I did not know how much danger I was in.”

“It doesn’t matter. I have been slapped before.”

“Indeed? With good reason?”

“How am I to answer that?”

“Carefully. I am quite sure Trueblood would be able to turn this conversation to his advantage. I have scarcely ever seen so much social adroitness packed into one person, albeit a large one.”

Daniel gaped at her and then smiled appreciatively. “You have his measure, then.”

“I do not mean to offend you. Your brother has been most kind to me, besides helping to save my life. But I always find myself wondering what is going on behind those dark eyes.”

“A great deal, I assure you.”

“If I were a hostess, I would always invite Trueblood, for I would know I could depend on him to handle any social disaster that might arise, or at least, dispose of it skillfully.”

“But you would not invite me,” Daniel concluded, his eyebrows furrowed delectably.

“Oh, yes, I would, for one always needs a brooding, mysterious man about.”

“To create the sort of social disasters Trueblood is adept at handling.”

“You make an admirable pair. I am sure the English ladies adored you.”

“We were invited everywhere, but then Trueblood has many friends in England. Do you entertain much in Somerset?”

“My aunt does. She could have turned me into a nanny for the children, but she raised me almost like a daughter.”

“Rather terrible of your father to tear you away.” Daniel tried to sound regretful.

“I assure you he came just in the nick of time,” Nancy replied with an impish smile.

“What?” asked Daniel, who had been watching for the dimple that lurked at the left corner of her mouth.

“I lived in momentary dread of Reverend Bently making an offer for my hand. Both Aunt and Uncle seemed to think I would make an admirable wife for a man of the cloth, seeing as I have a bent for nursing.”

“And like a dutiful and grateful niece, you would have accepted him.”

“Oh, I don’t know. If I could not have thought of a way out of it. But it does seem so often, when I am in the most desperate straits, that a solution will pop into my head from nowhere.”

“Desperate straits?”

“He nearly proposed to me one Sunday, but I fainted.”

“But how do you know then—”

“I didn’t really faint, of course, but only pretended so I would not have to accept or refuse.”

“That bad, is he?”

“I have no particular aversion to Oliver Bently. He is rather more than twice my age, but he is not ugly by any means. There is only this, that having regarded him as my spiritual leader, I could not imagine myself crawling into bed with him.”

Daniel broke into laughter, and Nancy admired the way his blue eyes lit when the corners crinkled.

“It is nearly time for the midday meal, if I am counting the bells aright,” she said of the muffled clanging. “Would you be kind enough to lead me in, sir?”

“I would be honored, Miss Riley.” Daniel took her arm with great ceremony.

“What do you suppose is the correct protocol for a stairway that is little more than ladder? Shall I go first so as not to expose my ankles?”

“No, I must go first. In case you should fall, I will catch you.”

“We will try it your way. I am sure when I query Trueblood he will say the opposite of whatever you have done.”

“Undoubtedly, Miss Riley.”

They were expecting to see land within the hour, and Nancy had been hugging the rail to get the first possible glimpse, her golden hair licked about by the wind. She was not used to being idle, so the whole trip had been in the nature of a tour for her, though the hardships of being confined with little privacy, frequently tossed about a small cabin and fed on boiled peas and salted meat would not have seemed a treat to many young women.

“Trueblood,” Daniel shouted from the deck to his brother perched in the rigging, “do you see anything?”

Trueblood turned from his scrutiny of the horizon. “A ship,” he called down through cupped hands, risking a fall from the ratlines, where he clung by his legs.

“What flag?” the captain called, handing a telescope to a seaman and sending him climbing the lines to the top of the mainmast.

“I cannot make it out,” Trueblood shouted.