Chapter 179

Saratoga, New York, 1777

Grass, leaves, and snapped twigs flew into the air as Christian’s boots flew over farmland, interspersed with heavily wooded areas, plenty of small and wider streams, and whatever else Mother Nature had to throw in his direction. He had no time to stop and stare at his surroundings. The message he held in his pocket for General Horatio Gates was of utter importance. General George Washington had not said as much when he’d dispatched Christian to take it to the other leader, but there was no need to explain. If Captain Christian Henry were asked to deliver a message, it had to be important.
He’d left his horse tied to a tree in the middle of a thick woods just a few miles from where General Washington was currently stationed in Pennsylvania. With General Washington’s successful defense of Philadelphia, the tides of war were shifting. Now, with British forces headed through New York, it was imperative that Gates know Washington intended to send him supporting troops. Likewise, Christian was to survey the area and make a recommendation as to the best place to deploy said troops, particularly the sharpshooters under the command of Colonel Daniel Morgan.
It was the sort of journey that would take a man on horseback more than a few days to complete. Christian would be there in half the time--two, two-and-a-half days at the most. He would run the entire way straight through without stopping for more than a few seconds to catch his breath and take a sip of water. He had no need to sleep, no need to eat, no need for anything human, and his legs could carry him more quickly than any animal could possibly sprint, particularly over the uneven ground, between the trees, and over the tributaries.
Only a few others in the service of General Washington were aware of his talents. The commander himself was under the assumption that Captain Henry was so quick because he knew the area so well, that he commanded backroads and little known paths others were not aware of. A few of his other adjutants knew, particularly Stephen Moylan, a friend of his father’s who had gotten Christian the appointment to begin with. Others like him served elsewhere on both sides of the conflict, though Christian thought the Goodies fighting against King George were more numerous than those who’d taken their eyes off of the true villains to sail across the ocean and fight this different sort of battle. A few of the former Goodies who’d lived in the new world had taken up on behalf of the old country but not many. Christian’s father had disassociated himself with those fools quickly, as had Captain Henry.
That wasn’t what weighed most heavily on his mind, though as he cut between trees and over rocks of various sizes. Instead, he was fixated on the beautiful face he’d seen early that morning, right before leaving camp. Long dark locks situated perfectly atop her head, a beautiful face with dainty, dark eyes, and those feminine hands, held so gracefully as she’d peered through a door left slightly ajar. She was divine, and he could not get her out of his mind, despite the fact that she was the wife of one of his commanding officers.
General Nathanael Greene frequently allowed his wife, Catharine, to spend time at headquarters, when it was safe to do so. Now that Philadelphia was safe, she had become quite the fixture at camp. She was unavoidable, honestly. It seemed every time Christian turned around, there she would be, off in the distance, that gentle smile on her face, her lips slightly parted as she seemed to take in even the slightest detail of what was happening around her.
His feet flew up an embankment as he tried to press thoughts of the woman out of his mind. It was ridiculous, really, to think about her the way that he was allowing himself to do. She was, after all, a married woman. Despite the fact that her husband was much older than her, he was a military leader, wealthy, handsome, Christian supposed, and certainly provided Mrs. Greene a fine life--or would once this ridiculous conflict was over. The fact that he found her both beautiful and desirable was of little importance.
As he continued to make his way over the uneven ground, splashing through the brook at the bottom of the embankment and up the other side, his mind went through some of the women he’d met in the last thirteen years since he’d gone through the transformation process. There had been plenty. He’d struck out on his own about a year after he’d defeated his first Vampire. He still fought alongside the Goodies whenever he was called to do so, but he was more comfortable operating by himself. His mother said he was sowing wild oats. His father called him blasphemous, saying he’d strayed from the morals of his upbringing. Christian knew that neither of those assessments were completely true. What he was really doing was finding out exactly who he was, what he was capable of, and who he wanted to surround himself with. There was a woman out there who was meant to be his, he was certain of it. He wanted to find her. In the meantime, he had met a lass or two who hadn’t left him completely tongue tied the way that woman in the dress shop had so many years ago. He was awkward and uncouth in their presence, but some of them found that becoming. He’d managed to discover some women were willing to commit more serious sins than swearing under their breath, and sometimes he didn’t even have to pay for it.
Catharine Greene was different, though. She was a lady. She deserved the utmost respect. From time to time, he thought he felt the weight of her eyes on the back of his head, and when he’d turn, she’d look away, her cheeks pinking. Christian knew it was wrong to lust after someone else’s wife, but the fact that he was practically immortal, and her husband was a frail human, made him question the immorality of the situation. After all, Greene was bound to die before her, and then it would be perfectly fine to make advances toward his wife. So what if he got a bit of a head start?
He hadn’t done it, though, not yet. If General Washington were to discover he was having an affair with General Greene’s wife, he would lose his position, and Christian very much enjoyed working as an aide-de-camp for General Washington, particularly on days like this when he was allowed to prove his skills to his commander. When he returned to camp, having fulfilled his duties in a way no one else could, he’d receive a pat on the back and words of praise from his commanding officer, as well as everyone else on the general’s staff. Perhaps it wasn’t the same as having his wages increased or being allotted a land grant, but in the end, he would revel in the accomplishment for days and weeks to come until he was given his next assignment.
Going behind the generals’ backs and fooling around with Catharine Greene was a sure-fire way to ensure that he was transferred to another position, and potentially even court marshalled. It simply wasn’t worth it, despite her beauty, despite the fact that Christian was fairly certain she was just as interested in him as he was in her. She’d just have to find herself a different young man to lust after, he decided. He wouldn’t be caught up in attempting to steal a woman away from his superior, no matter how tempting.
He was nearly to his destination, so he slowed his pace. He’d have to be aware of any other troops coming or going so he could sneak around them. Without his horse, it would seem odd that he was being dispatched from General Washington in Philadelphia. He would explain that he’d left his horse behind for some ridiculous reason he’d make up later--a lame foot, a rocky pass he wasn’t sure the horse could make, or even just say he’d tied up on the other side of the picket line. No one ever questioned that so long as he approached calmly on foot, his boots clean and his uniform straightened. If someone were to see him tearing through the trees twice the speed of an equestrian, the questions he’d be forced to answer would be far more difficult to explain than simply having dispatched his ride before his arrival.
British troops may well be scouting out this area as well. It was no secret the Redcoats were moving north. Thus, Washington’s reason for dispatching the troops he was sending this direction. They’d be here as quickly as possible, but it would take time, and Gates needed to know to expect them. If Christian didn’t handle this professionally, his papers may be questioned, and he could spend some time locked up before it was all straightened out. No, it was best to slow down and become observant at this point so he didn’t have to tangle with any humans who might question his methods.