Chapter 41

Nora woke slowly with a smile on her face. She was so relieved to have found her Warrior, and truly felt now that they were making progress. She would find the others and stop her father’s plans. Once the four were united again, they could decide together what to do with the stone. Ben had suggested extracting all the elixir and using it to cure diseases. Jack had proved that just a drop was all that was needed to heal. She did not believe he had gained eternal life from that small amount. Perhaps Bridget would know how to destroy the stone afterwards. The power of the stone had corrupted her father—once a loving and gentle man. Though she was the Guardian of the stone, she could not bring herself to destroy it without the con-sent of the other three.

Now that her Warrior had been revealed, she needed him to take the elixir. Perhaps she could slip the elixir into Jack’s drink. Then she could explain what she had done.

But that was a horrible idea. First of all, she had to be sure that Jack drank the beverage in full. Secondly, she didn’t know if the elixir would get diluted and be less effective.
Third, it was dishonest. No, the decision to take the elixir had to be Jack’s alone. She would have to explain it to him and hopefully he would understand.

She abruptly stifled a scream when Running Bull flung the door to her bedchamber open. The interruption was jarring, bringing her fully into awareness.

“He has been taken,” Running Bull announced, striding into the room.

“I don’t understand.” Nora shook her head, sitting up in bed and pushing the hair from her face. “Who has been taken?”

“Jack,” Running Bull said.

Nora was confused. How could someone take Jack without waking her up? Had he been taken from the house?

“Who took him?”

“The British soldiers.”

“They’re here?” Nora said in alarm. They were always running from the soldiers. It seemed as if the army knew where they were at every turn.

“Jack went to the British garrison to meet with General Gage on tribe business,” Running Bull explained. “He is under arrest for your kidnapping and murder of the soldiers we killed.”

“How do you know this?”

“I followed him and saw him being moved from the gen-eral’s headquarters to the jail in handcuffs. There were too many soldiers around to fight.”

Damn him! Nora cursed Jack ten different ways. How dare he be so careless? He knew the position that they were in. He knew he was a wanted man yet delivered himself up to the British on a silver platter. Why would he have done such a thing? Wouldn’t it have made more sense for Running Bull to return to his tribe and send someone else to negotiate the treaty? Why didn’t he wake her and just tell her of his plans?

Because they were still hiding things from each other.

“Step away from the lady, heathen,” a calm voice said from the doorway.

Nora looked over to where Mr. Hamilton aimed a rifle at Running Bull’s head. Scrambling out of bed, she quickly moved to stand in front of her friend.

“No, Mr. Hamilton,” Nora said, “he is my friend, and he travels with my husband. Jack was raised as this man’s brother. He is Shawnee, and he protects me. He means me no harm.”

“Since when does a red man protect a noblewoman?”

“Since the beginning of my journey,” Nora said. “Sir, I must ask you to lower your weapon. Understand I will jump in front of any bullet shot at this man.” And unless Hamilton was a crack shot, she would survive thanks to the healing powers of the elixir. “I assure you he means neither one of us harm.”

Hamilton looked unsure but lowered his weapon all the same.

“Mr. Hamilton,” Nora continued. “This is Running Bull, and he brings me most distressing news. It seems my husband has been arrested by the British. To make a very long story quite short, I married him against my father’s will, and my father has charged Jack with kidnapping. This is a lie. We need to get him out of prison and quickly, for we must sail with Mr. Hancock. Can you help us?”

“Are you wishing to use diplomacy to release him?” Hamilton asked.

“I imagine anyone who tries will be viewed as coconspirator,” Nora said. “It would be best if no one knew we were there.”

“You want to stage a prison break from the army garrison?” Hamilton asked, aghast. “It is very well protected, my lady. We have a better chance of petitioning the courts.”

“I don’t have that kind of time, sir,” Nora refused. “I need to be in Boston in time to set sail on The Independence.”

The longer Hamilton took to think, the more anxious Nora grew. If she and Running Bull were also hunted, neither of them could appear in court. And if they were to somehow sneak onto the garrison’s grounds, they couldn’t be seen, either. She cursed Jack’s stupidity again. He was a careful man. He thought everything through. This was very out of character for him.

“If I am to be of assistance, you will need to excuse me, milady.” Hamilton bowed.

“Where are you going?”

Hamilton smiled largely and walked toward the door, calling over his shoulder, “Why, to find prostitutes of course!”