“How have you been?”

“As well as could be expected. I’ve managed to stay busy with my spinning and weaving, and the Friends have been very nice to me.”

Ethan said, “I’m grateful to them.” After a moment he added, “Have you been back out to our place?”

“No, there wasn’t much need, and I didn’t want to go by myself.”

“I’d like to see it, and hoped you’d go with me.”

They went together to the homestead, and Epsey immediately showed Ethan the undisturbed grave. They covered it carefully with stone and erected a more permanent marker, on which Ethan chiseled Henry’s name and age. Although he was gentle with her and seemed eager to ascertain her needs, Epsey hardly recognized this to be the same man she had known before Kindred’s death. Even his appearance seemed to have changed, from that of a relaxed farmer into an intense, wary, and dedicated militiaman. He was hardened and tough, completely unforgiving now as he swore revenge against Brown’s Rangers, even using a few shocking words that grieved her deeply. Ethan was obviously impatient to return to his company in the battle area, and he left her in Wrightsborough and departed somewhat abruptly, before sundown.

She rarely heard directly from Ethan after this brief visit, but she could follow his general movements from occasional news that came to the Quaker settlement about the activities of Captain William Few. Epsey learned from one such report that Ethan had now received the rank of lieutenant and was Captain Few’s aide-de-camp.

CHAPTER 39

Americans and d’Estaing Attack Savannah

In July 1779, Thomas Brown sent a report to Governor Tonyn:

Your Excellency:

After our feint toward Charles Town, almost all the Rebel troops were pulled back into South Carolina, but the so-called Government of the Georgia rebels is still in Augusta. They are Divided and the two sides are almost at war with each other because General Washington has transferred Brigadier General Lachlan McIntosh back to Georgia to serve under General Lincoln. The Continental Congress ignores the Politicians and deals only with Lincoln, who remains at his home in Purysburg, S.C. He is said to weigh almost Thirty stone, almost too Fat to move around on foot or on a poor horse.

The Rebels are trying to show some Benefit from their new agreement with the Europeans. A Polish Count has reported to Charles Town and is moving around in western Carolina, and Count d’Estaing has been landing some French raiding Parties along the Southern coast, but all of this will end as soon as our fleet moves South again.