CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
From a cliff overlooking the Fehér homestead, Briella and Red Fox sat on a buffalo robe they had placed beneath a pine tree, the tree being secured there by its roots going deeply down into the rock.
It wasn't a lone tree set out by itself upon this ledge.
There was a grouping of several pines in this spot, and they had picked for their picnic the one tree which would afford them the best view of their surroundings, yet would hide their own location to those below.
It was a fine day, and a feeling of peace settled over Briella.
As a gentle breeze brought the fragrant scent of balsam to Briella's nostrils, she picked up a piece of dried meat and placed it into her mouth, savoring the taste of the smoked meat.
Red Fox was sitting behind her, his legs stretched out around her own.
This particular view they had of the valley below them let them look down upon the ranch as well as the surrounding area where the homestead was situated. The Marias River looked like a sparkling blue jewel as it wound its way across the land.
The wind was mild this day, and it came from the south, bringing a delightful warmth with it as well as the lingering scents of fresh water, dirt and grass.
The wide valley below them looked brown, although there were still patches of several different shades of green from the various grasses and the trees.
With the summer sun hot upon the land, the grass had turned a lighter shade of green, tinged in many places with grass now brown beneath the sun's heated rays.
In the west and in the far distance were the Backbone-of-the-world Mountains, although they were so distant, they looked bluish-gray to Briella.
Fluffy clouds dotted the deep blue of the sky above those peaks, and, looking out at them at their brilliant white, Briella thought she could see the shape of a spotted pony in one of the clouds.
She smiled as she leaned back against Red Fox, his arms coming around her, pulling her back farther into his embrace. She felt his breath on her face only moments before he kissed her cheek, and, turning her head slightly, she brought her lips to his.
Ah, such a simple embrace, and yet his touch stirred her soul as none other could do.
She sighed. She had been shuffling through several pieces of paper in her lap.
But, today was Sunday, a day of rest, and although she, George and Red Fox had already been out on the hunt this morning, once the chore had been done, there was little else to do today except linger here under the fragrant pine while she read the contracts to Red Fox.
Indeed, in her hands were two contracts: her own simple agreement with Maximillian and a copy of the prenuptial agreement.
With his lips next to her cheek, Red Fox asked, "Are there other papers like the ones you now hold in your hand?"
"Indeed, there are," replied Briella in a dreamy voice.
Then, sighing, she cleared her throat and stated, her tone more business-like, "There are three copies of the prenuptial agreement and two copies of the contract I signed with Maximillian.
Of the prenuptial agreement, I have one copy, my father has another and Maximillian has the other.
The other document between Maximillian and me will not be in force until after the marriage takes place.
All these copies, however, contain the same words. "
"Do they?" asked Red Fox gently. "Have you the papers your father and Maximillian hold in their possession to compare them so we might see they are the same?"
"Well, no," answered Briella as she sat up slightly to look down upon the documents.
"But, I think it is unnecessary to compare all three copies of each document.
My father would not wish to change any of the words written there since he has already agreed to the conditions, and Maximillian is a banker from New York.
I'm fairly certain he can be trusted to hold the exact same documents in his possession.
After all, his position back East is one of trust."
"Hmmm" was all Red Fox answered, his breath and his lips tickling her ear. "What you say must be true, and yet I will need to see all three of these papers so I might compare them. Can you obtain them for me so I can do this?"
"I…I can try," Briella replied. "But, why do you need to compare them?"
"Because," he answered, "in my prayers the Creator showed me these papers are not all the same."
Briella turned slightly around to stare into Red Fox's dark eyes. She asked, "The Creator showed this to you?"
"It is so," he answered. "One of the copies, and only the one, contains a lie. I must find this lie and expose it."
"And, when you expose it?" she asked.
"The difficulty we share will soon go away," replied Red Fox.
"I do not know what this lie is; the Creator did not reveal this to me.
I only know that one of the papers—and only the one—has an untruth in it, and this untruth could cause harm not only to you, but to your family if it is not discovered and made known. And, so I must discover it."
"I see," Briella replied. "Then, I will get these papers to you.
Perhaps I can ask George to help me, since I am uncertain if my father, as well as Maxmillian, would willingly surrender their delicate copies of the document to me.
But, my husband, if one of these papers contains a lie, should you not tell my father now? "
Red Fox's first response to her question was a derogatory snort. Then, he said, "After these last two winter counts, are you certain I should take your father into my confidence?"
"Oh," she said. "Of course you are right. I am certain, even though the Creator showed this to you, my father would most likely not believe it and might even prevent you learning what the lie is."
"áa, I fear it might be so.” He gently kissed her ear. "And now, my beautiful woman, let me hold you even closer still while you read these papers to me."
Although there was barely room to do so, she scooted her rump farther back into his arms and giggled a little. Then, picking up the papers, she began to read, "Definitions. The parties to this transaction are as follows…"
****
Gaining all three copies of the prenuptial agreement had been easier than Red Fox had thought it might be. And, although Poka'aki had read each paper aloud to him, neither he nor she could detect any difference.
For two days, Red Fox and Poka'aki had done little more than compare every word, every letter and even every symbol contained in each of the three documents; neither were able to find any difference.
Red Fox had looked first at the place in the document where the Creator, via the water creature, had showed him was the lie.
But, there was no difference to be found.
Not even the symbols were different; all were the same. But, his eye was not attuned to the written word, and so he had solicited his partner, George's, help. But, even George could find no difference.
Knowing the Creator would not have sent him on this tedious journey—through the white man's world of words and hidden meanings—for no reason, Red Fox became more and more convinced there was another document, one held by this Easterner, Maximillian.
This man didn't have only one document; he had two. And, the second one was hidden.
After all, hadn't the Creator shown him, via the image of Maximillian, where the lie was within the document? And, if none of these showed any difference, there was only one other possibility: there was another paper.
But, of late, Red Fox was feeling more and more pressed upon, as though he were in a race against time.
After all, the priest, who had been summoned by József Fehér to witness the signing of these papers, was due to arrive at the Fehér ranch sometime within the Moon of Flowers, or as the white man called it, the month of July.
Also, in this same moon was the yearly Medicine Lodge Ceremony, a grand event wherein the people would pay tribute to the Creator.
Red Fox was expected to be at this ceremony.
He, medicine man for the tribe's ponies and other animals, could not disregard this responsibility.
And, although the observance, itself, took little more than four days, there was much preparation that had to go into it—preparation that often required more than a few days to accomplish.
There was nothing to be done about it, though, except to work diligently so as to discover this lie and expose it as quickly as he could.
To this end, Red Fox realized he needed access to the Fehér homestead in order to discover where this man, Maximillian, had hidden the document containing the lie.
He would need to become the man's shadow, tracking the Easterner without detection.
He would be required to study the man, his habits, his haunts and learn the man's weaknesses.
And so, Red Fox sought out József Fehér.
"Father of Poka'aki and Otahko'sstss, I have seen the boys you hire from Fort Benton to watch your horses, and they do not care for them well.
I see these boys are often not alert to the dangers around them and that they often sleep when there might be enemies about.
Nor do they brush and groom the ponies. After your ponies were almost stolen from you several nights ago, it is important to have a man watch over them who will ensure they are well cared for; a man who is alert to the environment. "
Red Fox was well aware of the subtle anger in Fehér's eyes when the man replied, "And, I suppose you know just the person who should care for my herd?"
"I do," answered Red Fox. "You are looking at the man."
Fehér scowled at him with a raised eyebrow. Then, he said, "I don't think so. I believe—I know—you are looking to steal my daughter."