Chapter 98: June's Boys

It was getting cold, very cold as what few were left of us made our way toward the river, the Delaware, and hoped for safety in Pennsylvania. Foster's men had drawn rear guard again so we were constantly in sight of the camp followers and their wagons. Cornwallis or whoever was in change mounted what one college boy labeled "desultory" attacks on our flanks, just chivvying us along. Most of the Germans and Redcoats had gone into winter hiding, curled up with their doxies and some hot rum drinks.

One of those crisp days, I wandered off and found Gilly. We bundled up in the back of her wagon and renewed our friendship in a few lunging heaves that produced squeals from her and relief for me.

"Whatever happened to that girl I bought you?" I asked, as we buttoned up and got our breath back.

"Who?" Gilly asked, kissing me and then dropping from the tail gate to walk beside the wagon. I pulled up my britches and joined her, buckling my heavy belt around my shrinking middle. I had made two new holes in it on this retreat.

"You know, the freckled one, little red-headed thing," I said, patting Gilly's wide bottom.

"Oh, that quail, June she's called if you don' remember."

"That's the one, June. You know she was a slave?"

"She didn't tell me. Didn' stay long with me."

"So, what happened?"

"Oh, she's a cute one, that scamp. Now the darling of the drummer boys she is. Guess they're more her age than rascals like you, y'big bull with your grizzly beard and ferocious horn."

I felt my face, trying to remember the last time I scraped it. "Is she now their pet?" I said.

"Oh yes, she has them right around her little finger. They's all doing her beck and call, and she's teaching them tricks in her bed night after night."

"You sound jealous," I said, putting my arm around Gilly's heavy shoulders.

"Not me. She c'n have 'em, every one, snot-nosed bunch of worthless monkeys."

"I'll have to see this," I said. "Those boys do work y'know, hauling powder and such, keeping the step."

"And panting around June," Gilly said with a laugh. "Try over yonder. We're getting ready to make camp." She pointed toward a ridge. It was perhaps an hour before sunset.

June was easy to find. She was sitting on a stump watching three young soldiers put up a small tent. She was wearing black boots and long, white breeches that buttoned down the sides and disappeared into them. She had on a patterned wool shirt like mine and a grenadier jacket with the sleeves turned back. Her soft hair was plaited and rolled up onto the back of her head. She looked happy and perhaps a stone heavier than the last time I had seen her.

I sat beside her and she jumped. "Whoa," she squealed, "what're you doing!"

"Uppity for a slave," I whispered in her ear, and she screeched, leaning back to look at me and then throwing her arms around my neck and kissing me enthusiastically and for some time.

I saw the boys watching us, dumbfounded, jealous, surprised, as I pushed her away, turned her around and petted her shamelessly. She felt very good, firm and wriggling under my hands.

"I hear tell you have a few admirers," I said after I took her hand and walked her away from our audience.

"Um hm," she said, swinging our hands to and fro. "Lots of boys looking out for me."

"And what are you doing for them?" I asked, looking down at her and feeling ancient.

"Me," she said, giggling.

"Yes, miss," I said. "You know we all have jobs to do in this here war."

"I work hard," she said. "Generally I roger at least one a'them boys everyday and two on Sunday." She laughed. "They's like a bunch a'rabbits, always hopping around, pawing and groping, panting and carrying on."

"You like it, do you?"

"Um, mostly. Some a'them's getting right good at it. Most a'them'd never been with no girl afore I come along, proper virgins they was."

"Do you think I could sample your wares, Miss June? See how you do it and so forth?" We leaned on a rail fence and watched the sun fade into some very icy-looking clouds. I wondered if it was going to snow again.

"Hum," she said, scratching at her eyebrow. "You're awful big, make two or three of them drummer boys. I don' know if I can fit you in. I got a regular schedule, y'know."