Chapter Eleven: Hermioniah, l'héroïne (Hermione the heroine)
"Wake up, you two. There's someone on the river."
Hermioniah's urgent voice woke Henri from his troubled sleep. Beside him Ronald was rubbing his eyes, "Did we sleep too late?" he asked.
"Shush," said Hermioniah, but nodded to his question. "There is a large party coming up the river. I can hear them," she continued in a whisper.
"Who?" Henri asked.
"I'm not that gifted in my hearing," she replied with a impish smile. "But come watch the river with me. They won't see our canoe. We've hid it well enough."
Ronald groaned as he rolled out of his furs, but a couple of minutes later, the three of them were crouched in the undergrowth along a bluff overlooking the river and watching a flotilla of canoes coming upstream.
"Mon dieu," breathed Ronald. "The governor's own flag."
"A war party," said Hermioniah dully. "They are on their way to make war on my people."
Henri flinched, but did not attempt to deny this. There was no other reason for such an expedition in force. "Do you think we should show ourselves?" he asked Ronald.
Ronald shook his head. "Scrimmejeur would want us to come with him. And they'd treat Hermioniah as a captive."
Henri turned back to the girl herself. "Should we try to warn your tribe? Somehow?"
Hermioniah took a deep breath. "I… I wish that we could, but it would be impossible to get past your governor's party, I think, and we are on an urgent mission. Damayaga is watching for trouble already. He would not want us to turn back." She bit her lip, looking as though she were about to weep but would not let herself.
Henri was dumbstruck at her courage. Without thinking, he slipped his arm around her shoulder. "It's likely the governor won't even go near their village. They'll retreat into the wilderness, if the worst comes to pass."
"And face the winter there," said Ron bleakly.
"They're a hardy people," Henri replied with vehemence. "They know how to survive."
"I would rather not speak anymore of this," said Hermioniah suddenly. "It does no good to imagine these dangers when there's nothing I can do to prevent them. We need to be on our way."
"Yes," agreed Ronald. "Henri, you'll have to let go of her so we can do that."
Henri's face turned a deep crimson. Quickly, he pulled his hand back from Hermioniah. Hermioniah didn't seem to notice his embarrassment, however. She got to her feet and went back towards their campsite to pack their things up.
Ronald stared after her for a few seconds, then turned to Henri, a serious look on his face. "I know you didn't mean anything by touching her, Henri," he said awkwardly, "but you shouldn't do that."
"Ginevre," said Henri.
"Yes, and… Hermioniah's going to be my wife. I don't like to see any other man touch her."
Henri gasped. "Your wife? When was this decided?"
"The night before we left her village," said Ronald, his eyes gleaming. "She was crying when I met her coming back to the village from the woods. I don't know why. Perhaps she was sorry to leave her family. But I caught her then in my arms and kissed her and I told her of my love for her. And she agreed to marry me."
Henri's stomach gave a sickening lurch. "Why did you not tell me?" he demanded.
"Hermioniah said she needed some time to become accustomed to the idea before we told anyone. But, Henri, are you happy for us?"
Henri said nothing for a second, then he forced himself to smile. "Indeed I am. I offer you my deepest congratulations, Ronald!"
"I am not certain how my family will take the news," mused Ronald. "Marrying a savage…"
"My mother was a 'savage,' Henri reminded him. "And your family has welcomed me into their midst."
Ronald brightened at these words. "Yes, I really should not worry. You are right. Percivale will probably disapprove, but Percivale disapproves of everything. And Ginevre will be happy to gain a sister."
"Ronald, Henri!" Hermioniah shouted from the campsite. "Hurry!"
Paddling hard down the St. Lawrence River, Henri had plenty of time to reflect on the situation in which he now found himself. He could not continue so close to Hermioniah, unable to express his desire. Perhaps he should leave New France entirely, sail away to the land of his father's birth with Ginevre at his side, and there forget all about Hermioniah. Ginevre would like to go to France, wouldn't she?
But then, it was very likely he would die at Vol de Mort's hands, and all these worries would come to nothing.
They came to the Island of Montréal late in the day. "Civilization at last!" cried Ronald at the sight of the town. "You've never seen anything like this before, have you, Hermioniah?"
"It is very large," conceded Hermioniah. "But I have seen the English settlements in New York, Ronald."
"Oh," said Ronald, disappointed. "But you've never seen anything like Québec, I'll wager."
"I look forward to seeing it then," said Hermioniah graciously.
The guards on the Island called out to them to put in, as Henri had expected. Citizens and visitors to Montréal crowded around as their canoe came into shore. It was not every day that an Iroquois canoe made an appearance here. However, someone recognized Henri as he climbed out of the canoe and suspicion was turned to celebration. Henri Potère, the legendary hero, had returned from the wilderness! People crowded around him, asking him questions of his quest and offering to buy him a mug of beer.
"Are you returning to the Véslées' farm?" asked Michel Cornier, whom Henri knew from school.
Henri shook his head. "No, we must continue to Québec toute suite.
Cornier looked disappointed, but his face changed as he caught sight of Hermioniah beside Ronald. "Who is that?" he said, staring at her as though he was not sure of his own eyes.
"Her name is Hermioniah. She is the daughter of an ally of New France," Henri assured him.
"Véslée has good taste. I assume she's Véslée's? You'd not bring another woman so near your Ginevre."
"Hermioniah is her own woman," said Henri stiffly. "She came with us as a guide and friend, not as a paramour."
Cornier grinned. "So you say. But tell Véslée if he tires of her, there are plenty of men including me wouldn't mind taking her on."
"Shut your filthy mouth, Cornier!" Henri snapped. Before the man could react, he turned to the crowd. "You've made sure we're not a war party! We will be on our way again!"
Over protests, they launched their canoe again. "Did you hear what that man said?" Henri whispered to Hermioniah as they settled in their places.
"Yes," she whispered back. "Do not worry. I am not shocked. There are always men like that. They think only with their groin. But no more. If Ronald heard, he would insist on going back and beating the man, non? And that would delay us."
Henri nodded. "What are you two talking about?" called out Ronald from the back of the canoe.
"I was asking how far it is to Québec," said Hermioniah, which satisfied Ronald.
At their campsite that night, Ronald was the first to fall asleep. Hermioniah and Henri, on the other hand, stayed up late talking, exchanging in detail the stories of their lives since they'd been parted in childhood. "You have had all the adventures," remarked Hermioniah, smiling.
Henri shook his head. "Your people's daily life is an adventure. Or so you'll find people here think. You'll be a celebrity in Québec, I must warn you."
"Do you think I might change the French view of my people then? Some of us want peace, you know, but no one here seems to realize that."
Henri pondered the question. "It will be difficult to change hearts, but if you have patience…"
"I long for peace. I would do anything for it."
In a flash, he understood. "Even marry Ronald?" he asked quietly.
She stared at him. "How did you know?" she asked.
"He told me. You believe that a marriage to a Frenchman would be beneficial to your tribe, don't you?"
"Wouldn't it?" she asked back.
"Yes, I think it would."
"Do not think that I do not love and respect Ronald," she said quickly. "I cannot return the passion he has for me, but he is a good man."
"I know that. He is my best friend. But, Hermioniah, does he know that you do not feel the same way about him as he does about you?"
"No," she admitted, and glanced over to where Ronald lay sleeping. "Don't tell him, Henri. It would hurt him. Besides, I am not so cold as to find his embraces unpleasant. So, please, say nothing."
Henri battled with himself for a second then answered, "I promise I will not tell him. But Hermioniah, where did you learn to be so heroic?"
"You know very well where. The same place you learned. The Forest asks nothing less of her children."
Wrapped in admiration and grief, Henri finally fell asleep.
Author's Note: Nasty situation, huh?
The trio arrive at Québec next chapter and look for the locket. And Hermioniah saves the day, then gets in trouble for doing so.