Chapter 53

The meeting that evening was held outside the main house at Hickory Hill for two reasons. First, everyone was invited, and that included all of those that worked for us and not just us O'Connells. There wasn't a large enough room in the house for that many people.

Secondly, it was a very nice warm evening, and it would be more pleasant outside. We hung a number of the Magic-powered lamps in the trees around the main house for light. Seamus and I stood in one of the wagon beds so everyone could see us and hear what we had to say. The meeting started once everyone had arrived at about 7:30. I was the lead speaker.

"A few of us went to Statesboro today. Actually, we went to the area where Statesboro will be in a few years to investigate the area where the original O'Connell plantation had been. We discovered that people had already settled in the area," I started.

"From the people that we spoke to, we learned that a number of farmers had settled there by 1785. In 1790, a British Army Colonel named Crosbie moved into the area with some men from the New Jersey Loyalist Volunteers. Apparently, he and a partner purchased five hundred acres of land, but it soon became apparent that he wasn't satisfied with that and claimed that all of the land in the area was his and that the farmers were all trespassing. He now has control of some twenty-seven thousand acres in the Big Lotts Creek area and another two thousand acre parcel of land where Statesboro will eventually be established. He has basically enslaved the farmers in the area who are mostly Irish or Scot-Irish. We don't intend to allow him to continue doing that," Seamus told the listeners.

"Does he have legitimate title to the land?" John asked immediately after that.

"We don't know, but with the Tories in charge of things for the last twenty years anything is possible. However, even if he has legitimate title to some of the land, he acquired most of it illegally. We will not permit him to continue persecuting those people and robbing them of their crops. He and his men have also beaten and killed a number of those who opposed his takeover," I told him.

"We will need you to investigate who holds title to the land after we deal with these men," I told John after that.

"There is presently a large three story house with a number of outbuildings where our Great Grandmother's house was originally," Seamus added.

"So what is the plan?" Ken asked.

"Tomorrow we go there in strength and deal with this Crosbie and his men," I announced.

"What strength?" Sererena demanded.

"All of the O'Connell men," I answered.

"You're not leaving us out of this!" a number of our Sisters and Wives shouted in anger.

"WE are as much O'Connells as you men are!" Gwyn shouted in a loud angry voice.

"We have a stake in this family also," Duncan reminded us in a loud voice and a number of the other future Husbands joined him in agreement. I looked over at Seamus and then at Ken and Kell to judge their reaction to all of this. Seamus was smiling broadly, and Ken and Kell had grins on their faces.

"All right!" I agreed before adding, "but only the O'Connells and their Husbands and Wives. Our current employees do not have the strength of Talent if this develops into a major confrontation or battle."

"However, this brings up another point," I continued. "That point being, do any of you wish to go with us to settle in Georgia? Do not feel that you must go, or that you need to decide now. All of this will take some time to be worked out. We will still be here at Hickory Hill for the foreseeable future. WE are also going to need to confer with our people in the Border Rangers to determine who will be in charge of them when we leave, but that too will be down the road quite a bit," I told all of those in the crowd.

"What time should we meet here in the morning?" Ken asked after I had finished.

"How does 8:00 o'clock sound?" I asked.

"In uniform?" Amelia asked.

"Ah ... yes, definitely in uniform, but we won't need our horses. All of us know the destination for our Great Grandmothers' house," I reminded them.

"Is that a good idea?" Ken asked. "Is it wise to appear in front of the house initially?"

"Humm! You may have a point, Ken. Where else should we appear though?" I asked.

"How about the road in front of Albert's house?" Wolf suggested.

"Only four of us know that destination," Seamus objected.

"True, but it would give us a chance to do a little reconnaissance of the area before we confront those guys," Carl pointed out.

"A good suggestion, Carl," I agreed. "We really haven't gotten a good look at the area around the house and its outbuildings.

"So, be here at 8:00 in the morning in uniform, and we will transfer you in groups to the road near Albert's house," I told all of my relatives and the remainder of those listening. The meeting broke up then as people returned to their rooms or stopped to discuss what had been said at the meeting. The Magic-powered lamps were taken down by those that they belonged to as they departed.

Clare was inquisitive when we returned to our room at Mount Sterling.

"Is this going to be dangerous? Is that why everyone wants to go?" she asked.

"I wouldn't think it will be any more dangerous than any of the other things that we have undertaken. We have our spells, our wards, and our Power Rings," I reminded her.

"But there could be trouble!" she insisted.

"There can always be trouble. That is why we will all have our strongest wards around us when we transfer there," I reminded her just before I kissed her. We were way too busy following that for any questions, and we were ready for sleep when we finished.

Clare and I were up early the next morning and met our relatives in the Officers' Mess for breakfast. Everyone had assembled by 8:00 that morning. Even John and William were there, so there were thirty-six of us. We broke everyone down into four groups of nine people each and one group transferred at a time to the road near Albert's house at two minute intervals.

I took the first group and Carl would bring the last group through. The first group consisted of Ken, Kell, and their Wives along with Gerald, Clare, and me, Mark. We appeared a few yards up the road from Albert's small house. It was immediately apparent that something was wrong. The front of the house was a wreck now with the door and the window broken and broken furniture scattered around the yard.

"Check your wards!" I immediately ordered and could feel everyone checking to ensure that they had their strongest wards set.

"Let's find out what happened here! Ken, cast a Defensive Shell around the area of the house when we reach it," I ordered. On reaching the house and entering, we found Albert's Wife lying on the floor crying, and the children huddled together in the rear of the house. Sunshine and Rose immediately went to help the woman, while Clare went to see about the children. Sunshine and Rose soon had the woman's bruises healed, and had her at least coherent if not relaxed.

"What happened?" Sunshine asked her calmly.

"Early this morning some of the guards came and broke into the house. They demanded to know where their man was. Albert told them that he didn't know, but they hit him and took him to the master's house after wrecking ours," she told Sunshine with a sob before beginning to cry again.

"We'll find your Husband," Rose assured her.

"We have a spell around your house now. No one will be able to get in here to bother you. We are going to find Albert now," I assured her. When we got back outside the remainder of our relatives had arrived. Seamus had sent Duncan, Morgan and Donald to check the area for spies or lookouts. They soon returned.

"There was a man watching the house from over in those trees," Duncan told us pointing to a clump of trees further up the road. "He had been gone for some time when I reached there," he added.

"What direction did he go in?" Seamus asked his Brother-in-Law.

"His trail was parallel to the road, but back in the trees. He didn't even try to hide his trail," Duncan answered. Morgan and Donald hadn't found signs of anyone else watching us.

"We can presume that they know that we are here. They have Albert also. It doesn't appear that we will have time or the necessity to do a reconnaissance. Let's just move toward the house. I want our strongest Magic users in the front with me," I told everyone when they had gathered around. "The remainder of you with Power Rings take the outside ranks of the column. The Mages and those without Power Rings stay inside of the column but close to your partners to add your Magic to theirs if they need it. Seamus, take rear guard to be sure that they don't try to sneak up behind us," I finished.

There was a lot of movement then as everyone moved into position. Those from Mount Sterling were on the right side of the column. Those from Fort Washington were on the left side. The Hickory Hill people helped Seamus with the rear guard. Ken, Kell, Airmid, Almha, and I were in the front rank. We quickly set out for the large three story house.

It took us about fifteen minutes to reach the vicinity of the house. I could hear how surprised the others were when they got a good look at it. It was huge with many windows and four chimneys visible. We could also see that those at the house were prepared for us.

There were well over twenty men drawn up in two ranks in front of the house. They all had muskets with fixed bayonets pointing at us. There were two more men on the broad front porch of the house behind them. Both had pistols and one also had a sword.

"Everyone, check your wards," I quickly reminded our people.

"What do you want here? Why have you come in a mob?" one of the men on the porch demanded in a loud voice.

"We've come to retrieve Albert," I answered in the same Old English dialect that he had used, but added, "and to remove you and your men."

"And how do you expect to do that without any weapons?" the second man on the porch demanded with a laugh. He was the one with a sword.

"The British have asked us that question several times. You really don't want to find out. I suggest that you surrender immediately," I called to him and the other men facing us in an amplified voice. Their answer to my demands was very simple and quick in coming.

"Fire!" the second man on the porch shouted and all twenty-five or so of the men in front of us fired their muskets at us.

We weren't Jillian, who had been alone and unprepared. We had a solid wall of our strongest wards around us, and their musket balls had no effect on us. The same could not be said for the men in front of us. We five instantly raised our arms and poured Magic Fire into the group of men with the smoking muskets. They all burst into flames and were consumed in a short time. Airmid and Almha were still glowing with Magic Power even after that, and they each fired on one of the men still on the porch with as intense a blast of Magic Fire as I had ever seen or felt. Those two disintegrated in flames in less than a minute. Ken and Kell put out the flames on the porch where the men had been standing.

"Damn, don't piss off Airmid and Almha!" someone behind me whispered in the following silence, as we stared at the scene now devoid of living people. Suddenly something moved on the ground near the porch. It was Albert, and he was in terrible shape. All six of our Mages rushed forward to help him while I gave orders to the others.

"Mount Sterling people take the right side of the house and search all of the buildings there. Fort Washington people take the left side and do the same. Hickory Hill people take the house. All of you be careful and keep your wards up. Let's do it people," I directed, and we all moved. I grabbed Gerald as he moved past me.

"Gerald, would you take security of the Mages while they work on Albert?" I requested.

"Sure, Mark!" he agreed and moved toward the porch and the Mages there.