Tales of Timeless Romance

Chapter Seven

“W hat do you mean I am not allowed to ride?” Liddy stared incredulously at her father’s overseer. Daniel was in the background, settling the horses after the drive from Wilmington. He glanced up and sent her a warning look.

Josiah Carr scratched his reddish beard and arched a thick brow at her. Liddy had never liked the man, considering him a toady who would do or say whatever was expedient when her father was around. When Amos Fennell wasn’t, Carr was leering and disrespectful.

“Your pa said you’re only to ride out in my company, and I have work to do. In fact, I likely won’t have time at all today.”

Conscious of the warning glance Daniel had given her, Liddy plastered a smile on her face. “Thank you for informing me, Mr. Carr. I shall endeavor to find other ways then to keep busy. Good day to you.”

She turned on her heel, swearing she heard him emit a slight snicker behind her. Ooh! Sometimes, what she wouldn’t give to be a man! There would be no question then of what she could or couldn’t do. Men had all the freedom. They weren’t confined by silly expectations that all they were worth was to make a good marriage and produce plenty of children.

Reluctant to go back inside where she might encounter her father, she wandered around the side of the house to the gardens laid out so many years ago according to the plans her mother had drawn up. That was a perfect example of what frustrated Liddy so. Her mother had been talented at planning and creating gardens. Her ideas rivaled those Liddy had seen from the drawings of William Kent, the Englishman. But because she was a woman, her talent was confined to improving the gardens of her husband’s properties.

Well, Liddy would not be Iain MacGill’s obedient bride. She was going to find a way out of this mess. If Alec Kirkwood couldn’t be bothered to help her, then she would just get out on her own. It was a thought easier made than turned into action.

Liddy spent the day exploring the house that she had grown up in as a child. The land had originally belonged to her mother’s family. Perhaps she should have taken that as a lesson that her father saw marrying well as an efficient way to increase the family’s coffers. As Liddy explored the house this time, though, it was with an eye to the best places where she might sneak out unnoticed—by her father while he was here and by any servants after he had left. She was sure that he would have his spies, like Carr, both inside the house and out.

Interminable hours later, she sat down to supper with her father. Even with the leaves removed from the dining table, she was still grateful that his position at the head and hers at the foot kept some distance between them.

“Did you enjoy your first day back, daughter?” he asked as the first course was set before them.

Liddy took her time spreading her napkin on her lap. “I did, indeed, Papa. And you?” She refused to provide him with any details of what she had actually been doing. She raised her spoon to begin eating her soup as her father began to speak.

“I have discovered there is a lot of unrest in this area. I am not at all sure it is safe to leave you here.” As Liddy’s hopes began to rise that he might take her back to Wilmington after all, he continued, “Perhaps it would be best to ask Mr. MacGill to quit town so that we might hasten your marriage. As an engaged couple, I’m sure it would be all right if he were here to help look out for you while I attend to business.”

Oh, no. That was not at all what she wished. Trying to keep that out of her face and voice, though, she asked, “What type of unrest?”

“As you know, Governor Martin anticipates the arrival of the king’s army in our area. The governor has been working to recruit good, loyal men, like Mr. MacGill, to support the regular troops. Indeed, I have offered this house as a place for some of the officers to billet.”

Over her dead body. Liddy fumed as her father continued.

“Rumors say rabble-rousers, spurred on by word of those traitorous rebels in the Massachusetts colony, are raising their own militia. I have even begun to suspect that the militia training right there in the open in Wilmington are not loyal to the Crown.”

Liddy raised her brows. While her father might think it was in surprise of that news, the only surprise was that it was only now dawning on him that many people did not support continued subjugation to an absentee king. It would be even more of a surprise to him that his own daughter was among them.

“When might we expect to have guests here, if you don’t mind my asking? I would like to make sure we are prepared to make them welcome.” Liddy hoped a welcome from colonial muskets and rifles might have them turn tail and run. However, she really had no idea how she could relay that information.

“It won’t be until the spring,” her father continued. “In addition to the British regulars, Governor Martin is drawing on the Scots loyalists.”

“I thought most of them had settled along the mountains to the west,” Liddy remarked as she somewhat overenthusiastically stabbed a bite of the roast on her plate.

Her father chuckled. “They did, indeed. They are quite fierce, many still fighting in their tartans.”

Liddy shuddered and blew out a shaky breath as if what her father was telling her was alarming. Well, it was, but perhaps not as he might think. “I hope they will not be staying here.”

“I believe they will be billeting on a farm not far from Moore’s Creek.” Her father let that slip casually as he sipped more of the ale in his glass. He prided himself on knowing things. Sometimes, loosened by his ale consumption, knowing information turned into spilling information.

Liddy smiled. She did have one ally still at Oak Grove. She had to get word to Daniel before he left in the morning to return her father to Wilmington. Perhaps he could get word to the militia.

Once dinner was over, Liddy used the excuse of fatigue from their travels to make her escape to the room that had been hers since she was just a child. The house had been built to take advantage of breezes and shade. The windows were large, and one in her room was strategically placed just above the gently sloping roof of the veranda encircling the house.

Now all she had to do was wait for everyone to settle in for the evening. Unlike life in town, everyone in the country kept early hours, so slowly the warm glow of lanterns and candles disappeared from the buildings around the big house. Only one glow remained—the thin line of light from beneath the carriage house doors. Daniel would still be awake, cleaning and oiling harnesses and checking wheels and axles. He was meticulous about what he did, which would serve Liddy well for what she needed to do.

On tiptoes, Liddy crossed the room to the low cupboard where her clothing hung on one side and was folded into drawers on the other. At the very back of the bottom drawer, she felt around until her fingers discovered what she had hoped to find. With a small smile of triumph, she extracted the breeches she had hidden there along with a shirt and vest.

It would be far easier to make her escape through the window without skirts and petticoats dragging her down. The fact that it had been years since she had snuck out this way did give her some pause, but the message she needed to give Daniel was far too important. Liddy had little doubt that Governor Martin and men like her father fully intended to make sure that Wilmington was firmly in control of people loyal to the Crown.

As she tucked her shirt into the breeches, Liddy released a nervous breath. If Daniel relayed her message, there would still be plenty of time for the militia to muster and stop the influx of Martin’s Scotsmen.

The climb was more treacherous than she remembered, but then she had never attempted it in such complete darkness. Most of her previous forays had been very early in the morning. The window opened inward on well-oiled hinges. God bless the servants who took such pride in their work. Barely daring to breathe, Liddy sat on the sill and silently lowered her bottom to the wooden shingles covering the veranda roof. While the wood gave her traction, it was a challenge to remain quiet until she reached a corner supported by a brick pillar.

Bare feet enabled her to find crevices in the mortar for toe holds as she slowly climbed down. By the time she reached the ground, her breathing was shallow and her arms and legs trembling. Getting back in might be harder than she had imagined.

After making sure no one was out and about, even sitting outside for a time before retiring, she hurried across the cold ground to the carriage house door. From inside, Daniel whistled as he worked. As quietly as she could, Liddy turned the latch to open the door.

“Who’s there?” While quiet, there was no doubt from Daniel’s tone that he would take care of any unwelcome intruder.

“It’s Miss Liddy, Daniel.” She slipped inside and shut the door behind her.

Daniel set his rag on the carriage wheel and put his fists on his hips. “Just what are you doing out here, Miss Liddy, especially at this time of night and dressed like you are?”

“I need you to get a message to Alec Kirkwood at the bookshop.”

Daniel arched a brow.

Liddy stamped her bare foot in imitation of her friend. “Don’t look at me like that. This is more important than any feelings we may or may not have for each other.” Liddy sighed. The latter was probably more accurate, at least on Alec’s side.

“Then what brings you out here in the cold and dark, barefoot and dressed like a boy?”

“Papa says he has offered Oak Grove as a place for English soldiers to billet.” She held up her hand as Daniel started to speak. “That’s not the most important part. You know how Papa is when he drinks too much ale. He let slip that Martin has recruited a force primarily of loyalist Scots, and they are already on their way. I know Alec is part of the safety committee in Wilmington, and I suspect he is far more deeply involved than that. You must let him know, Daniel.”

He narrowed his gaze at her. “Your father is loyal to the king. You would go against that?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes. I have read a lot on this subject. The rebellion has already begun, Daniel, in the colonies to the north.”

“What if it is not successful?”

Drawing herself up to her full height, Liddy replied, “It will be. It is time for a change. Time for Americans, for that is what we are, to move forward in a new direction—one that will provide freedom for all people.”

He tilted his head. “All white people?”

“All people.”

“I will deliver your message, but you best take care. There are people on this estate who feel just as your Papa does, and some that might have even stronger feelings than him.”

He didn’t need to say who. Liddy knew. She planned to do her very best to stay out of Josiah Carr’s way, as well as Iain MacGill, should he show up.

“You stay here a minute or two, Miss Liddy, and I’ll make sure you get back in the house without having to climb your way in.”

She smiled. “I will be happy to do that.”