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he told his friend, clapping him on the shoulder as he headed for his stone house in the middle of the compound. |
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Mariah motioned the soldiers into the common room, and they headed inside. Mariah hung back, touching Holly's sleeve. "I'll start entertaining the soldiers, but we'll need some help. Will you find René? I think he said he was going after fish." |
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Mariah went inside. Soldiers were scattered around the room, seated on the benches at the puncheon tables. A couple, including Maitland and Ainsley, stood at the bar. |
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"Here you are." She poured ale and rum into tankards. She served herself some ale, tooshe needed a bit of bracing. She raised her own mug, and the two men looked at her in surprise. "May I propose a toast, gentlemen?" |
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"Certainly, Miss Mariah." Ainsley's smile was wide and friendly, though tired. He seemed like a nice enough man. He was Thorn's friend. |
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Maybe Mariah could convince him to leave the settlers alone. |
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Not much chance she could get this soldier to lay off the Indians, though. |
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"To people of the past," she said. "May they live together in peace." |
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Ainsley and Maitland glanced at each other in apparent puzzlement, then took swigs from their tankards as Mariah did the same. The ale was cool and bitter but tasted good. She took another long sip and asked one of the many questions on her mind. "Are we safe from Indians here?" |
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"No one is safe anywhere, Miss Mariah," Maitland said. "But the Iroquois seem to be massing north and west of here. This is not one of the worst places to be." |
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"How far west?" Mariah asked. |
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"How far west did your settler friends go?" countered Ainsley. "They did pass through here, did they not?" |
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Mariah didn't want to answer, nor did she want to lie. "Are there enough soldiers to help the settlers?" |
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Ainsley shook his head, his prominent top lip tucked into the bottom one in a sorrowful grimace. "We try. That is why |
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