Chapter Twenty-Six
It was mid-morning when Guy and Henri and their two Huron scouts entered the clearing. At the river’s edge, in their canoes, the two men they’d come upon last night when they’d crossed the river waited. Alain Rioux, a trapper turned farmer, was looking for his wife and children. With him was his brother, Lucien. They’d come back three days ago from checking their trap lines to find the house burned to the ground, his animals scattered, and the remains of his wife’s brother in what was left of his barn. Now, he not only wanted his family back, he wanted to wreak revenge on the men who’d destroyed his future.
Wanting to avoid a full-scale war and knowing Luc believed white men were masquerading as Mohawks to cause trouble, Guy invited them to join their party, explaining that he was looking for his fiancée as well. He’d shared the information he had about the damage being inflicted by irate coureurs de bois, but Alain found that hard to believe.
Strangely, his brother didn’t. Since his livelihood still depended on the pelts he brought in, he claimed there was a lot of dissatisfaction among the trappers where the colony and the crown were concerned, but the thought they could stoop to murder worried him. Why would white men kill their own like that?
The men had picked up the family’s trail near the Outaouais River two days ago and had tracked them down the valley and across the Saint Lawrence, convinced they were indeed following renegade Mohawk braves.
“They were here,” Luc said. The Huron walked around the glade, stopping here and there.
“Six braves with four captives—two children and two women.” He walked over to what no one else would’ve recognized as a fire pit and stuck his fingers in the earth.
“They’re about a half day ahead of us, maybe less. We can catch them before nightfall.”
“Monsieur Rioux,” Guy called. “Describe your family?”
“Have you found bodies?” he cried, standing, ready to get out of the canoe.
“No. My scout claims we’ve almost caught up to a group of Mohawk braves traveling with two small children and two women. It could just be a family returning from trading at one of the settlements along the river, or it could be the group we’re looking for. Could the children be yours?
“It’s possible,” he said, exhaling heavily. “Jean is three, Lucie is seven.”
“Alain,” Guy said trying to ease the man’s fears while he suffered them himself. “If this is your family, we will get them back. The Mohawk don’t harm women and children. These men aren’t trying to hide their tracks in any way, which leads me to believe they haven’t done anything wrong. If their leader is the man I think he is, he’s an honorable man. I know Akhilesh; this isn’t like him.”
“If he’s an honorable man who’s done nothing wrong, why did he burn my farm, run off my animals, kill my brother-in-law, and kidnap my family?” Alain spit the words out, his anger increasing with each phrase.
“I don’t know,” Guy answered, his jaw clenched. “But I intend to find out.”
Guy didn’t understand this behavior of Akhilesh’s any more than Alain Rioux did. It went against everything he knew about the chief, and contradicted Pierre’s suggestion he was being used as a pawn in the conspiracy. While the Mohawk were semi-nomadic, following the game during the warm weather and hunkering down during the cold, this was quite a distance from his usual territory and village. Akhilesh’s tribe had suffered tremendous losses in the smallpox epidemic last year, so it was possible he had left the old village for good, but the tribe wasn’t in any shape to wage war with the French. That was why the chief had agreed to the treaty. Guy felt the outside of the pocket where he carried the wampum belt. He would know the truth soon enough.
They rounded a bend in the river and spotted the Mohawk canoes just ahead of them. Expecting to see them try to flee, Guy was surprised when they headed into shore as they normally would at this time of day. The first brave out of the craft went into the woods, while the others took out their gear. He was relieved when he recognized Akhilesh who helped Isabelle out of one of the canoes, the red shining in her hair unmistakable even at this distance. He slowed the canoe, so that he was abreast of Monsieur Rioux’s craft.
“I need you to pull into shore over there with Henri and Anue, and wait there for my signal. Luc and I will go and speak to them. We don’t want to endanger anyone.”
Alain raised his arm and motioned toward the shore across from them.
“Those are my children.”
He pointed to the boy and girl running along the beach, no doubt happy to be out of the craft at last.
“I know this is hard,” Guy pleaded, “but I know this man. Trust me, please.”
Rioux nodded, tears continuing down his cheeks.
Guy and Luc paddled to shore. The Mohawk braves greeted them.
“I wish to speak to Akhilesh,” Guy said in the Iroquois tongue they understood.
“Why does my French brother speak to me with anger in his voice?” Akhilesh asked. He stood next to Isabelle, his hand on her arm.
“Akhilesh has invaded my village and stolen women and children,” Guy answered, and glared at the confusion on the chief’s face. “The woman you hold is my woman.”
Guy turned to Isabelle and spoke to her in French.
“Izzy,” he said. “Are you hurt?”
The moment he used her name, Akhilesh released her as Guy had known he would. Names were sacred to the Mohawk and meant familiarity as well as respect.
“No,” she answered. “I’ve been treated well enough.”
“Walk away from him, and come to me. Don’t act surprised by anything that I do,” Guy said. “Do you have what I gave you yesterday?”
She nodded and walked over to him. As soon as she was within reach, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard, all the fear and exasperation pouring from him. This had to work. For all their sakes, he had to convince Akhilesh she was his.
He slowly pulled his mouth away from hers and thrust her to the ground at his feet.
“She’s my woman,” he yelled at the Mohawk chief whose face betrayed the surprise Guy hoped it would. He reached for Isabelle’s skirt and pulled it up over her face to expose her thigh and the blade she wore there.
“See where she wears my knife? The knife you got for me when I spoke to you in Quebec at the big chief’s palace? The blade you gave to my scout? Had you come near her, she would’ve gutted you like a fish. When a people aren’t at war, a man doesn’t steal another man’s wife.”
“The Kanienkehaka,” Akhilesh said, standing stiff in front of Guy, using the name the Mohawk called themselves rather than the name the Huron and French had given them. “The people of the flint aren’t at war with their French brothers. I did not know this was your woman. I would not have accepted her from the maker of guns if I had. He told me she was a gift for me from the great chief across the salt water, a gift to cement our alliance. We spoke when I was in Quebec with your great chief. That is the blade you asked for. She is your woman.” He hung his head. “One of the coureurs de bois, a man I do not know well, brought me the message as I was leaving the settlement. The other men here were with our brothers the Outaouais. They attacked no one. When I went to the meeting place, he gave her to me. Her injury was an accident. She fell and struck her head.” The Mohawk glanced from Izzy to him and back again.
Guy could see the sadness on his face. What had happened to cause the man such sorrow?
“My woman and two of my three sons died last year. The maker of guns knew this and used my desire for a new family against me. He is a man without honor. My brother is a lucky man. The woman with fire in her hair as well as her heart will bear you many fine sons.”
“I’m not finished,” Guy said holding on to his anger for Alain’s sake. “You say your men attacked no farms and yet that woman and her children,” he pointed to them, “were stolen from a farm where a man was killed. Why does my Mohawk brother lie to me?”
Akhilesh fisted his hands at his side and stiffened.
“I am a man of honor. I smoked the peace pipe with the French. I do not make war on my allies. This is the second time today the white soldier I thought of as my friend accuses me of dishonor. Men have died for less. Balavas,” he called to the man standing next to Madame Rioux and her children. “Tell him where you got the yakon:kwe and her young.
Balavas reluctantly stepped away from his charges and walked over to stand beside his chief. Guy could read his anger and indignation.
“Trappers I have never seen before, but known to my brother the Outaouais, brought them to my camp. The men found them frightened, alone, wandering in the forests. Their home was attacked by renegades, and they fled for their lives. For seven nights, we camped and parlayed with the Outaouais and I searched for a new wife but with no success. Two days ago, just before Lalitmohaná and I were to cross the great river and join our chief, the men came. They said the Outaouais chief had told them of my loss, and since they were now alone in the world and needed protection, they could replace those I lost to the great sickness.” He smiled at the woman and her children. “Because I can’t explain it to her in words she can understand, she’s afraid, but perhaps Lieutenant could explain it to her? I will treat them well.” He looked at Guy, his eyes full of hope.
Guy shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Balavas, but French women can’t be given away like that. The trapper lied to you,” Guy said.
Balavas stiffened, his face turning an angry red in the waning light.
Guy smiled at the woman holding her children tightly to her. He signaled Luc to call the others over.
“Madame Rioux, I’m Seigneur Guy Poirier. You and your children are safe now. Can you tell me how you got here?”
“Indians attacked the farm, but it wasn’t these men, my lord, and they were dressed differently. At first, I thought they were coureurs de bois, which is why we didn’t run. My brother was in the barn, he called a name—I suppose he recognized someone—but the man fired an arrow into his chest. That’s when I realized they must be the renegades disguised as trappers and we were under attack. I was heading into the house when they set in on fire. All I could do was beg for my life and the lives of my children.” She shuddered. “They tied us up, and we traveled on horseback until they turned us over to some trappers, but the men were English. I couldn’t make them understand we wanted to go home. I was so afraid ... We walked a short distance to the river and they turned us over to Balavas. My lord, these men have treated us well, but we want to go home. I want to bury my brother and see my husband again.” Her last words were choked with emotion.
Guy watched the proud brave’s gaze on her. From the way the man’s face fell as she finished speaking, he realized the Mohawk had understood some of her words.
“The woman says Balavas speaks the truth, and your men are not those who attacked her home and stole her. My apologies for doubting you, old friend, but someone, including the maker of guns, has gone to a lot of trouble to cause problems between us.” He turned to the brave whose face mirrored his sorrow. “Balavas, I’m sorry for your loss, but you can’t have this family. It belongs to another. He comes now and wants his wife and children back.”
As soon as the children saw their father, they freed themselves from Balavas and ran to the water.
“Papa, Papa, you found me,” Jean cried, running into the man’s arms. “Maman said you would.”
Alain Rioux hugged his children to him, his gaze fixed on his wife. Tears ran down his cheeks.
Balavas turned away, sorrow imprinted on his face, and walked over to stand with the other braves.
Isabelle sat on the ground at Guy’s feet where he’d dropped her. She’d pulled her skirt down to cover herself but hadn’t moved. Knowing he could do so safely, Guy reached down and helped her stand, pulling her into his arms. He nuzzled her neck and whispered in her ear.
“This is the third time that I’ve almost lost you, my love. Enough is enough.”
Izzy moved closer to him.
“I was so afraid, but I knew you would find me. These men treated us well, but I don’t know what would have happened once they’d gotten us to their village.” She shivered.
Guy let fear wash over him again.
“Giroux.” He spat the man’s name. “He has a lot to explain.”
“How did you know it was him? He killed Pierre and poisoned Papa. On the ship he would’ve killed Sophie, but he couldn’t get her alone because of the guards. He doesn’t know she isn’t Pierre’s widow though. He works for a group within the company, but not all its members are complicit with their actions. The chevalier may have a lot to answer for as does Solange, but neither of them is involved in this … They simply took advantage of the situation presented to them.”
“Shush!” He kissed her quickly to stem her words. “You can tell me everything later. Pierre’s coded notes held the answers we needed. I wish I’d gone to look for your trunk when you mentioned it aboard ship. I would’ve spared you this.”
“Don’t say that, Guy. If I hadn’t been taken, Marianne and her children wouldn’t have been rescued either.”
“You’re right, my dear. When we met Alain and his brother, they were ready to kill every man here to rescue the family. We would’ve been at war before we knew it, and if Akhilesh had been killed, the entire Iroquois Confederacy would’ve been on top of us.”
“My lord,” Alain called, walking over to him, his wife by his side, his son in his arms, and his daughter clinging to his leg. “When can we leave?”
Without releasing Isabelle, Guy turned to Akhilesh.
“Are we free to go, my friend?” he asked.
Akhilesh nodded.
“Balavas and I regret the worry we’ve caused you. There’s no bad blood between us, but the river can be treacherous at night. Stay with us and share our food.” At that moment, the sixth brave returned with a brace of rabbit and a bag full of roots. “There’s enough for all.”
Guy nodded. Whatever misunderstandings Giroux had hoped to create had been resolved. Guy took Isabelle by the hand, unwilling to let her go, and walked over to the Rioux family. He nodded to the woman who clung to her husband much as he did to her.
“They’ve offered to share their camp and their food with us tonight. It’s an offer of friendship and good will, one we can’t refuse. Whoever’s behind this may not be all that far away. I want to talk with Akhilesh. Perhaps he knows something we’ve overlooked. There could’ve been a massacre here today, all caused by others who want to see not only the peace but the colony fail.”
“I understand,” Rioux said. “Very well. You’ve have been right up to this point and Marianne says they treated her and the children well unlike the dogs that destroyed our home. She feels sorry for Balavas.” The man chuckled. “He reminds her of her brother. My lord, if they didn’t destroy my farm, who did?”
Before Guy could answer, Akhilesh walked over to them. With him was the young hunter who had caught the rabbits. The Mohawk chief was angry.
“Okwaho says there’s a party of men traveling overland no more than an hour or so ahead of us. He followed the trail while hunting. The group includes the man whose lands encompass those of my former village and two of the trappers who brought the woman and her children to Balavas. They travel south, toward the English. They’re in a hurry, not hiding their trail well.”
“Des Courts.” Guy cursed. Isabelle started beside him at the name.
“Are these the men trying to break the peace between my people and the French?” he asked. “They’ve damaged the honor of my people. They must pay the price.”
Guy release Isabelle and pulled the wampum belt out of his pocket.
“Do you recognize this?”
“Yes. It’s the same as the wampum belt the great chief showed me in Quebec, but it’s not real.”
“How do you know?” Guy asked. “This belt implies your people have signed a treaty with the Abenaki who support the English to wage war on the French.”
“You read the belt well, my friend, and it would look that way to most, but the belt also says my brother the Tuscarora signed, and they’re not part of the Iroquois Confederacy. Maybe someday they will be, but not yet. If those men have done this, they’ve insulted my people. This dishonor must be avenged.”
Guy sighed. He would like nothing more than to turn des Courts and his friends over to the Mohawk chief, whose justice would be swift and painful, but other lives were at stake. As he’d told Dupuis, they would never get to the bottom of the conspiracy with des Courts dead. No. It was vital they somehow complete Talon’s plan.
“While I’d like to let you have them, Akhilesh, I can’t. They must be returned to the colony for judgment. They’ve committed crimes against the great chief, and he must punish them. The maker of guns will also be punished. He’s been badly injured by those he trusted, a fitting payment for his deceit. De Courcelle will know you had nothing to do with this, but we need to bring those men to Quebec alive to prove it. There are other missing women and children to find.”
“The ways of the French are hard to understand, but I will stand by my mark. My tribe has no other captives, but the Seneca have been hunting near our village. Perhaps they have some. I will send word. In the meantime, my men and I will help you capture these dishonorable men. Tonight, we’ll eat and rest. When Kiohkehnehkha Karàhkwa rises, we’ll leave the women and children here with the old ones,” he pointed to Henri and Balavas who were helping skin the rabbits. “We’ll catch them before they break camp.”
Guy, his hand still holding Isabelle’s, returned to the rest of his party and explained what would happen in the morning.
“Promise me if these are the ones who burned my farm and killed my brother-in-law, you’ll make them pay,” Alain Rioux said, pulling his wife into his side.
“You have my word on it. I’m sure they’ll prefer French justice to that of the Mohawk whose honor is important to them. Akhilesh will help us capture these monsters, but for my plan to work, I need cheese to bait a trap.” He turned to Lucien Rioux. “I could use your help, sir.”
“It’s yours, my lord,” the young man answered. “This land is my home. I have no desire to see if painted red with blood.”
Guy nodded. “It’ll be good to have another musket with us.”
He walked to the edge of the water with Isabelle.
“I was so afraid I would never see you again. I have much I would like to say to des Courts, but instead I have to find a way to make him beholding to me. I have to figure out how to “rescue” him, so he thinks I’m a friend, and we can carry on with Talon’s plan. Unless we expose the conspiracy, the colony, and all of the people of Akhilesh’s tribe are in danger.”
No one else should die because of des Courts and his plans.
* * *
Isabelle sighed contentedly. Dinner had been a pleasant meal. They’d supped on rabbit, boiled wild onions, and bannock—bread cooked on sticks over the fire. Guy sat close to her, as if he was afraid to let her out of his sight. She shared his feelings. She watched as Henri tried to learn a few words of Mohawk. Young Jean and Okwaho had taken on the role of teachers.
“Kwa’yenha, rabbit,” Henri said, his accent making the word barely recognizable. “Iotékha, fire.”
“Rioux,” She looked up at Balavas who squatted in front of them. He spoke quickly to Guy in Iroquois, and Guy nodded. He turned to look directly at Rioux, and as he spoke, Guy translated his words.
“I have no family and by taking what wasn’t mine, I’ve tarnished my honor. I owe you a debt. I give you my life for the one taken from you. Let me come with you and help rebuild your home. I’ve grown fond of your family.”
“It’s quite a gift he’s offering you,” Guy added. “He’d been prepared to adopt your family. Now, he’s asking you to let him join yours. You’ll need all the help you can get. I’ll send you some men to help rebuild and seed to replant your fields. Balavas is a good provider. He’ll see to it you have plenty to eat. Your wife and children can stay with my mother in Ville-Marie until they have a home to return to.”
Marianne whispered in her husband’s ear. He nodded.
“Tell Balavas we’d be happy to have him join our family.”
Guy translated and a huge grin split the taciturn Mohawk’s face. He motioned to the children who were asleep and then toward the small hill where he’d set up the furs they’d used on the previous nights. Marianne nodded and rose. Balavas picked up the boy while Rioux carried his daughter and the family moved off to the rise and tonight’s sleeping place. Isabelle watched as they were settled and then saw Balavas spread his fur a few feet away. He sat on it, his bow and knife at the ready. He’d protect his new family through the night.
“I think we should follow their example.” Guy stood and held out his hand to her. She took it. “Tonight, my love, we stay together.”
She nodded and followed him to the small canvas tent he’d erected to give them some privacy.
“I’m safe, you know.”
Isabelle spoke as they walked toward the area where they’d sleep slightly away from the others.
“What do you mean? You’ll always be safe with me.”
She squeezed his arm. “I know that, but what I meant is the chevalier isn’t looking for me. He won’t look for me here if anything Monsieur Giroux says is to be believed, and considering the heinous crimes he so readily confessed to, I can’t imagine him lying about this.”
Guy stopped and turned her toward him. She could sense his excitement.
“What did he tell you—not about his employers, but about the chevalier?”
“He claimed the morning we sailed, he saw a chance to make some extra money and offered to search for me in the colony. Vincent told him if he didn’t find me in France within the fortnight, he had no use for me, so if he did find me he should give me to the savages, which is what Gerard did.” She shivered. “He plans to collect payment for the job when he’s in France. I guess he didn’t understand that Akhilesh was a man of honor and would give me back once he knew the truth.”
Guy nodded.
“I doubt he’ll ever collect that bounty. The morning we sailed, I saw him speaking to the chevalier and wondered what they’d discussed. Isabelle de Caen is dead and buried. You’ll soon be Isidore Poirier. Knowing you’re safe here makes my happiness complete. Come. Akhilesh gave me the fur he gave you. We’ll be comfortable tonight.”
Isabelle smiled. “Of that, I have no doubt, my lord.”