Old Friends & Good Time
Chapter 3
Alexandria, 2 days later
Daniel sat very formally at the dining room table. The food served was excellent, the attitude easy enough to feel at easy despite the formality of the service and everyone dress and manner. Lord John had been welcomed warmly by Lord Dunsmore.
Mingo was still dress in his Cherokee attire. Daniel knew that his Indian friend had been spending almost all of the last 48 hours with his father, and not once, had he shown anything but good manner while being Cherokee to his core.
Daniel was admiring Lord Dunsmore - he was cheerful and friendly and always addressed Mingo by the name given to him by Talota. Yet, he was also worried; the older man had aged badly since the Revolutionay War. He was now living in the Bahamas, the climate sunnier, warmer; but still the man looked much older than last seen.
John was a charming guest, full of stories about the Old and the New Continent, his new lifestyle, his family whom Lord Dunsmore knew.
Mingo was bright and vivacious, and enclined to touching his father often, on the arm, the shoulder, as if....
Daniel had arrived only early today, despite having been in the city for two days. He had received a formal invitation from Mingo's hand himself, late last night at the Inn. He would leave for Kentucky, alone tomorrow. He could not help wondering if John Dunsmore knew about Mingo and John Nelson.
Lord Dunsmore's manservant was brought in a fresh pot of coffee. Everyone had had their full at the meal and dessert and no one wanted to disrupt the good mood at the table. John Dunsmore's friend had his wife and his two young daughters with him; the gentlemen would only leave the dining room when Lady Elspeth would get up. They would adjourn in the library, for brandy, cigars even. Daniel was thinking about the choice Mingo had truly made - the Cherokee life was his to lead and cherish above all else. Yet Mingo managed quite well in such a setting.
Shortly before nightfall, Daniel bade everyone good night and made ready to leave for the Dark Knight's Inn. Mingo offered to walk him there, which he accepted gladly, not knowing when next he would see his friend.
They left the mansion in silence, under the scrutiny of the butler. As soon as they had turned the corner, Mingo began.
"So what do you think of my father?"
"He has shown himself to be very accepting of you, Mingo. This is a very different man than the one I saw last. Is he sick?"
"He looks it, does he not? I have asked him, but he said his health is as fine as a man his age can be. Still, he asked me if I would reconsider my lifestyle and move back to England with him at the end of his term."
"He did, did he?"
"Yes. He did. I said no. He was not surprised. He felt he ought to ask one last time. But he added, would I write to him as often as possible. He added that he hoped I was a happy man."
"Your father? Well, he may not be sick, but he's had many years without you in his life. I know for sure, being your friend, I am better for it. It may be simply he realized the distance between you, and it's not good for a father to not have his son in his life", Daniel was saying, knowing he had been a son, and now was a father, that choice of one, was never easy on the other.
Mingo didn't say anything else. As they neared the inn, however, Daniel put his hand on Mingo's shoulder, and said simply. "See you soon in Kentucky, my friend. Be safe. Be happy."
Daniel walked away into the night. Mingo turned back towards the Elspeth's mansion, towards John Dunsmore, towards John Nelson - two men who loved him.