sunrise, once Jesse made it clear he’d be along for the crossing, their wary faces eased. The lead man voiced his intention of settling along the Nolichucky.
“Hear tell General Sevier’s got himself a brand-new state yonder. The State of Franklin.”
“The back country is in a state,” said the store clerk. “Though whether it ought to be called Franklin or the Great Divide, I’ll leave it to you folk to reckon. Politics runs high t’ other side o’ these mountains.”
Jesse watched their faces as the clerk described the situation Overmountain, where many of the leading men like John Sevier had formed a separate state after North Carolina ceded her western lands to the Union three years back, not knowing till after they’d set up the Franklin government and shaken hands and signed their names that the General Assembly had snatched back those lands in a repeal of the cession. Now everyone’s hackles were up, and neither side was backing down in their say on who should claim, protect—and tax—the Watauga settlers. North Carolina or Franklin. Old State or New State.
“God alone knows where the confusion will end,” the clerk said. “A man might do better going right on through the Cumberland Gap, follow Boone and his lot up into Kan-tuck-ee.”
“What of the Shawnees up along the Ohio?” the lead man asked. “We hear tell that’s a bloodier ground by far.”
Cade and Jesse exchanged a glance. “If you’re fretted over Indians, you’d best keep east of the mountains,” Cade said. “Forting up from time to time, having a crop or a cabin burnt, that’s going to be a way of life once you cross over.”
Jesse knew Cade didn’t like seeing so many settlers heading west,filling up the coves where the Cherokees and Shawnees once hunted. But settlers were coming whether he liked it or not. What bothered Cade more were tales of women and children scalped in the passes before ever setting foot on the land where they hoped to prosper.
Movement glimpsed sidelong made Jesse turn to see Sim outside the stable, with him a dark-skinned woman he recognized as Parrish’s maid. The two had their heads together. The woman cast a glance toward the Brophy house, where Tamsen was staying. Sim looked toward the store yard, catching Jesse’s eye. Taking hold of the maid’s arm, Sim drew her inside the stable.
Jesse knew the look of two people conspiring. Over what, he couldn’t say. Much was amiss in that household.
“Mata-howesha,” he murmured.
“What isn’t good, Jesse?” Cade’s Shawnee was still as fluent as his own, but Jesse shook his head, thinking it best he held his tongue—in any language.
The settlers were saying they’d wait and see the lay of the land and decide whether they meant to file a claim on the Nolichucky or head to Kentucky instead. “All we’re asking of you is to get us over safe,” he said, nodding toward the blue rise of foothills to the northwest. “Help us keep our scalps and stock and young’uns along the way. You swear to that and we’ll talk about compensation.”
“I can avow,” the store clerk said, “not a man, woman, or puppy dog has regretted placing their lives in the hands of Cade and Jesse Bird.”
The light slanting through the window heralded sunset; still Mr. Parrish had not returned. With pins and combs and the hot iron, Dell had swept back Tamsen’s heavy curls and tamed them into ringlets, secured at the crown with a lace pinner in place of a cap, to show off more of herhandiwork. Tamsen was dressed to stays and petticoat, hose and heeled silk shoes but didn’t want to don the blue gown until certain a meeting would take place.
“Dell, I think ’tis time. Why don’t you go on out to Sim?”
Tamsen turned from pacing the room to stare at her mother, dressed in nutmeg silk, then at Dell, who’d just set the cooling iron on the hearth. She’d heard her mother dismiss their maid after a thousand hair dressings, yet never in such a manner.
“Hear tell General Sevier’s got himself a brand-new state yonder. The State of Franklin.”
“The back country is in a state,” said the store clerk. “Though whether it ought to be called Franklin or the Great Divide, I’ll leave it to you folk to reckon. Politics runs high t’ other side o’ these mountains.”
Jesse watched their faces as the clerk described the situation Overmountain, where many of the leading men like John Sevier had formed a separate state after North Carolina ceded her western lands to the Union three years back, not knowing till after they’d set up the Franklin government and shaken hands and signed their names that the General Assembly had snatched back those lands in a repeal of the cession. Now everyone’s hackles were up, and neither side was backing down in their say on who should claim, protect—and tax—the Watauga settlers. North Carolina or Franklin. Old State or New State.
“God alone knows where the confusion will end,” the clerk said. “A man might do better going right on through the Cumberland Gap, follow Boone and his lot up into Kan-tuck-ee.”
“What of the Shawnees up along the Ohio?” the lead man asked. “We hear tell that’s a bloodier ground by far.”
Cade and Jesse exchanged a glance. “If you’re fretted over Indians, you’d best keep east of the mountains,” Cade said. “Forting up from time to time, having a crop or a cabin burnt, that’s going to be a way of life once you cross over.”
Jesse knew Cade didn’t like seeing so many settlers heading west,filling up the coves where the Cherokees and Shawnees once hunted. But settlers were coming whether he liked it or not. What bothered Cade more were tales of women and children scalped in the passes before ever setting foot on the land where they hoped to prosper.
Movement glimpsed sidelong made Jesse turn to see Sim outside the stable, with him a dark-skinned woman he recognized as Parrish’s maid. The two had their heads together. The woman cast a glance toward the Brophy house, where Tamsen was staying. Sim looked toward the store yard, catching Jesse’s eye. Taking hold of the maid’s arm, Sim drew her inside the stable.
Jesse knew the look of two people conspiring. Over what, he couldn’t say. Much was amiss in that household.
“Mata-howesha,” he murmured.
“What isn’t good, Jesse?” Cade’s Shawnee was still as fluent as his own, but Jesse shook his head, thinking it best he held his tongue—in any language.
The settlers were saying they’d wait and see the lay of the land and decide whether they meant to file a claim on the Nolichucky or head to Kentucky instead. “All we’re asking of you is to get us over safe,” he said, nodding toward the blue rise of foothills to the northwest. “Help us keep our scalps and stock and young’uns along the way. You swear to that and we’ll talk about compensation.”
“I can avow,” the store clerk said, “not a man, woman, or puppy dog has regretted placing their lives in the hands of Cade and Jesse Bird.”
The light slanting through the window heralded sunset; still Mr. Parrish had not returned. With pins and combs and the hot iron, Dell had swept back Tamsen’s heavy curls and tamed them into ringlets, secured at the crown with a lace pinner in place of a cap, to show off more of herhandiwork. Tamsen was dressed to stays and petticoat, hose and heeled silk shoes but didn’t want to don the blue gown until certain a meeting would take place.
“Dell, I think ’tis time. Why don’t you go on out to Sim?”
Tamsen turned from pacing the room to stare at her mother, dressed in nutmeg silk, then at Dell, who’d just set the cooling iron on the hearth. She’d heard her mother dismiss their maid after a thousand hair dressings, yet never in such a manner.
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