She was almost constantly in his thoughts, and not just questions about her political attitudes or future plans. He repeatedly and methodically remembered almost every encounter with her during the last few years. His heart had leapt the first time he saw her, as she almost seemed to float down the path toward his cabin. The intriguing confluence of youth, naïveté, acute intelligence, eagerness to learn everything about frontier life, carelessness about her own appearance, and apparent lack of awareness of her extraordinary beauty had been almost immediately apparent. Soon thereafter had come ingenuous and unabashed intimacy as she had talked frankly about her private feelings, and her amusement when she had looked directly at him until he invariably turned away. His body still tingled when he recalled a warm spring afternoon as he had lounged on a creek bank with her and Kindred. Mavis had reached out, touched his forearm, and commented about the thick blond hair, which she stroked with her fingers. She and Kindred had both laughed at his muscle spasm and his blushing embarrassment.

Subsequently, Ethan had tried to minimize such opportunities for direct contact with her, but some were inevitable as the three of them rode horseback, explored the swamps and woodlands, and shared family meals and farming projects. He felt certain that neither Kindred nor Epsey would have had any concern or even awareness of the intensity of his feelings toward Mavis or her apparently innocent flirtations with him.

Ethan’s visits to his home became more infrequent, as he always found Epsey unharmed and apparently satisfied and happy with little Henry. In addition to giving necessary care to the foraging animals, she had even made one trip into Wrightsborough to trade corn and the last two of Ethan’s chairs for some needed supplies. Both of them realized that they had been fortunate in the early choice of their homesite. Not only was it in a remote area through which there were no passersby, but it was considered to be part of the original Quaker community, which both sides in the war had decided to exclude from their more brutal forays. Even during this time of the state’s sharp division, no families in the Wrightsborough area had been injured in any way, and he was not surprised that his wife was quite self-sufficient.

Late in June, after a discussion of their present circumstances, Ethan asked Epsey about Mavis, and Epsey responded that she had decided to move into Wrightsborough to stay with one of the Quaker families who had offered her room and board for her services as a house servant.

He didn’t comment, and managed to conceal his disappointment by coughing and turning away. He did not stay for the night, but he said that his services were needed, and began the long journey back to his militia unit.

CHAPTER 38

The British Take Georgia

JUNE 1779