The Blacksmith's Daughter: A Mystery of the American Revolution by Suzanne Adair
Authors: Suzanne Adair
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calm, and Betsy understood herself the object of the matron's
undivided attention. She recalled
reading somewhere that Queen Elizabeth of England had focused on valued
visitors the same way, making them feel of merit to earn her audience.
Humbled, she took a deep
breath. "Yesterday morning, my
uncle, David St. James, was hiding in my henhouse." Tiny movement in the matron's lips told her
Laughing Eyes read the depth of the field, and there would be no
subterfuge. "He implied that the
Lower Creek in East Florida rescued him and my parents from the redcoats. He was headed to Williamsburg to hide and
said my parents had sought refuge with Cherokee in South Carolina, also to
hide."
"He spoke the truth. Have you told anyone of this encounter
besides Joshua?"
Betsy shook her head.
"Tell no one else."
"Yes, madam." Betsy's heart ached against her
ribcage. Laughing Eyes must know how
nervous she was. "Until my uncle's
visit yesterday morning, I didn't know that Mathias Hale, Ayukapeta Hokolen
Econa, was my father. I haven't spoken
with my mother about him. I've been
raised with grandfathers, stepfathers, and uncles, but I've always known they
weren't my father. I've never had a
father."
Kindness suffused the matron's
brown eyes. "We believe the mother
more important than the father, and the brother and sister of the mother
also. You have been raised with all
three."
"I want to meet my
father."
"I have no doubt the future
holds a meeting for you, but ill shall come if you force it before your father
can arrange it."
Betsy lowered her voice. "I've waited so long. Please tell me where they went."
"You know enough to destroy
them. Hear the timing of Creator, the
all-wise one who urges us to guard our secrets."
Betsy pressed her open palm to her
chest above her heart. "Never
knowing my father gives me great emptiness and sadness. If he's half the man I hear him to be, he
feels empty and sad from never knowing me. Tell me where they've gone, I beg of you, so I may follow them. I won't tell anyone. I swear it."
"How will you gain your
husband's permission to travel?"
Anxiety leaked into Betsy's
voice. "I shall find a way."
Laughing Eyes caught up Betsy's
hands in her own rough, warm, wise-woman hands, and scrutinized her with an unsmiling
face and a gaze that bored into her soul. "Daughter, I sense a great restlessness in you, a fear. Beyond acquainting yourself with your
father, what is your reason for seeking him?"
An answer rose to Betsy's lips,
although she suspected it wasn't quite what the matron had sought. "I carry the first grandchild. I would find a way to unite us before I bear
this baby, even if I have to search the entire South Carolina colony. Please. You understand how important family is."
"A baby." Resolve in Laughing Eyes's face
softened. Her gaze sought Joshua, who
nodded in confirmation. Then she
studied Betsy again. "I assumed
you ripe for the lesson of patience, Daughter, and I thought I saw something
else, something demanding that you answer to yourself." She sighed. "The pull of blood is strong. It can be a noble pull, but it can also be senseless. Even my judgment is affected by it.
"The life within you is the
most precious gift of Creator. I do not
wish you be blinded by the blood pull." Still holding Betsy's hand in one of hers, she extended her other hand
to Joshua, who grasped it. Then she
swept her gaze around to ensure that only Betsy, Joshua, and Standing Wolf were
within hearing. "In the name of
the all-powerful Mother of the earth, I charge both of you to use this
forthcoming knowledge wisely, or you will invite suffering upon us all."
Joshua's face sobered. "Yes, Grandmother."
The inside of Betsy's mouth felt
dry as charcoal. She managed to
swallow. "Yes, Grandmother."
"Keowee," said Laughing
Eyes, her eyes not at all laughing. "They have gone to a place
undivided attention. She recalled
reading somewhere that Queen Elizabeth of England had focused on valued
visitors the same way, making them feel of merit to earn her audience.
Humbled, she took a deep
breath. "Yesterday morning, my
uncle, David St. James, was hiding in my henhouse." Tiny movement in the matron's lips told her
Laughing Eyes read the depth of the field, and there would be no
subterfuge. "He implied that the
Lower Creek in East Florida rescued him and my parents from the redcoats. He was headed to Williamsburg to hide and
said my parents had sought refuge with Cherokee in South Carolina, also to
hide."
"He spoke the truth. Have you told anyone of this encounter
besides Joshua?"
Betsy shook her head.
"Tell no one else."
"Yes, madam." Betsy's heart ached against her
ribcage. Laughing Eyes must know how
nervous she was. "Until my uncle's
visit yesterday morning, I didn't know that Mathias Hale, Ayukapeta Hokolen
Econa, was my father. I haven't spoken
with my mother about him. I've been
raised with grandfathers, stepfathers, and uncles, but I've always known they
weren't my father. I've never had a
father."
Kindness suffused the matron's
brown eyes. "We believe the mother
more important than the father, and the brother and sister of the mother
also. You have been raised with all
three."
"I want to meet my
father."
"I have no doubt the future
holds a meeting for you, but ill shall come if you force it before your father
can arrange it."
Betsy lowered her voice. "I've waited so long. Please tell me where they went."
"You know enough to destroy
them. Hear the timing of Creator, the
all-wise one who urges us to guard our secrets."
Betsy pressed her open palm to her
chest above her heart. "Never
knowing my father gives me great emptiness and sadness. If he's half the man I hear him to be, he
feels empty and sad from never knowing me. Tell me where they've gone, I beg of you, so I may follow them. I won't tell anyone. I swear it."
"How will you gain your
husband's permission to travel?"
Anxiety leaked into Betsy's
voice. "I shall find a way."
Laughing Eyes caught up Betsy's
hands in her own rough, warm, wise-woman hands, and scrutinized her with an unsmiling
face and a gaze that bored into her soul. "Daughter, I sense a great restlessness in you, a fear. Beyond acquainting yourself with your
father, what is your reason for seeking him?"
An answer rose to Betsy's lips,
although she suspected it wasn't quite what the matron had sought. "I carry the first grandchild. I would find a way to unite us before I bear
this baby, even if I have to search the entire South Carolina colony. Please. You understand how important family is."
"A baby." Resolve in Laughing Eyes's face
softened. Her gaze sought Joshua, who
nodded in confirmation. Then she
studied Betsy again. "I assumed
you ripe for the lesson of patience, Daughter, and I thought I saw something
else, something demanding that you answer to yourself." She sighed. "The pull of blood is strong. It can be a noble pull, but it can also be senseless. Even my judgment is affected by it.
"The life within you is the
most precious gift of Creator. I do not
wish you be blinded by the blood pull." Still holding Betsy's hand in one of hers, she extended her other hand
to Joshua, who grasped it. Then she
swept her gaze around to ensure that only Betsy, Joshua, and Standing Wolf were
within hearing. "In the name of
the all-powerful Mother of the earth, I charge both of you to use this
forthcoming knowledge wisely, or you will invite suffering upon us all."
Joshua's face sobered. "Yes, Grandmother."
The inside of Betsy's mouth felt
dry as charcoal. She managed to
swallow. "Yes, Grandmother."
"Keowee," said Laughing
Eyes, her eyes not at all laughing. "They have gone to a place
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