Chapter 19 #2
“I’ve found something!” he had called out. Unfortunately, in his enthusiasm, he had tried to run with the find, almost dropping it.
Effie had hurried forward, as did the others, but none were fast enough to save the piece. Luckily, Lesley was a little more experienced than her husband, having grown up around archaeological digs. She had dived for the piece and had caught it after Henry had inadvertently dropped it.
“Thank you, Lesley,” Effie had said, offering her a hand up. But Lesley had refrained from taking the proffered hand and had gained her footing without aid.
The artifact had turned out to be a carefully carved cup, made from the horn of a bull.
Effie now spent her time checking each excavation site for the type of artifacts discovered, since more were uncovered every day. She also carefully supervised the cleaning of each piece, if only because the cleaning required a delicate touch.
Sometimes she helped with the digging. But her biggest duty, which kept her adequately busy, was cataloging each artifact found, while comparing them to similar finds from previous digs. In this way, the age of each piece could be determined.
It was not the most physically demanding work. But because it was being done in the heat of the day, even this was exhausting.
John Owens, except for an occasional spurt of activity, sat beneath his awning. Occasionally, he cataloged findings. But for the most part, he did little work, except to fan himself and to read odd journals about other digs that had no significance to what they were doing.
Although it was true that due to his age, as well as his experience, Owens should not be required to actually dig, there was so much else to do on an excavation project like this, and so little of it required physical exertion, that it was hard to justify his inaction.
Not even Owens’s manservant, Fieldman, lifted a hand to help. Instead, he catered to his employer, with an ever-ready supply of cigars and brandy.
Not once did Effie complain about Owens or Fieldman.
Instead, she tried to understand. In his youth, Mr. Owens had had his day; he’d done his work.
Perhaps it was his right now that he was older to do nothing more than watch the operation, as well as give each one of them suggestions on how to do their work better.
Perhaps there were other reasons. It had certainly been a grueling, though exciting journey here. Maybe he and his manservant really did deserve a rest.
Effie sighed, and taking a break from her work on the records, she glanced around their campsite, as though she expected to see Red Hawk there in front of her, teasing her, making himself a nuisance.
She missed him. She had become so used to his presence over these past few months that no day seemed quite right without him.
Red Hawk had told her he was visiting relatives and was resting in their camps, yet she wasn’t certain this was the whole truth.
In the beginning he had seemed rested, but now, each time he visited, he looked more and more exhausted.
She couldn’t help but wonder if this rest wasn’t bad for his health.
But if visiting relatives wasn’t all he was doing, what else was occupying his time?
In vain, she searched her memories for a clue as to what he might be doing, any conversations they might have had about it, but it was useless.
Her musings brought to mind one of the most spectacular experiences of her life. Smiling, she recalled vista upon vista of unprecedented beauty—the place known as the Gates of the Rocky Mountains, an area of the Missouri River that sliced through stark cliffs and pine-covered mountains.
It had been slow going through those mountains, made longer because of Red Hawk’s reluctance to push too far during the daylight hours. He had said to her, “Once my people know I am here and that I lead these wagons, there will be no trouble. But I must alert the Blackfeet to your presence.”
“Why?” she had asked him. “If your people find us, couldn’t you simply tell them we are friends?”
“I could,” he had said, “but I fear that the warriors will shoot first and ask questions later. I could be wrong, for scouts will reveal my presence here. Still, I would rather not take the chance.”
So they had moved tardily through that beautiful area, though strangely no one had objected.
Now, looking back on it, Effie wondered if the overwhelming views, as well as the feeling of independence this place imparted, might have been the cause of such acquiescence.
Was it this, also, which had drawn her closer to Red Hawk?
For she no longer winced when he called her wife.
Indeed, she relished in the warmth of his expression of love.
She desired to feel the closeness between them again.
However, since the moment when they had arrived at the excavation site and had set up a more permanent camp, Red Hawk seemed disinclined to remain with her.
Certainly he ventured into the campsite often enough to bring fresh meat, but he was soon gone, and with the exception of a few stolen nights, he might as well have been a stranger.
Their group was at present in their second week of excavation, and a loose schedule of sorts had been set up. In the mornings, the women cooked breakfast, while the men washed up. After eating, the men set to work, while the women bathed, joining their partners about mid-morning.
Although the women oftentimes dug within the site, it was more generally accepted that the men should take on the physical aspects of the work, reserving the cleaning and recording of any artifacts found to the women.
In the evening, they all retired to the river for a swim before supper.
All except Effie, who usually continued to clean and catalog well into the supper hour.
On this day, Effie had missed her supper altogether, easy enough to do since the sun set so late in the night sky. The light was beginning to fade when Madeline brought her a plate full of food.
“You really should eat more, Effie.”
Effie glanced up at the other woman and gratefully accepted the extended plate. “It’s just that there’s so much work to do, and if I don’t do it—”
“Then we’ll just have to stay here a little longer.”
“Yes, that’s true. But our resources are stretched as it is.
” Picking up her fork, Effie began to eat.
“It seems incredible that I don’t know more about you than I do.
Here we are, alone so often, and yet… Let’s see.
What do I know? That you and Carl are happily married, that you both share a love of history and archaeology and that you are a kindhearted individual, one I should like to know better.
Tell me a little bit more about yourself.
How long did you know Carl before you married? How did you know it was love?”
Madeline shrugged. “There’s not too much to tell, actually. Carl and I fell in love when I was only fifteen. That was five years ago. Our parents encouraged us to get together, as our two families were friends. We married fairly young. I was only seventeen.”
“Lucky you,” said Effie. “I wish I could have married so young.”
“Yes. Lucky me.” She glanced away from Effie.
“Do you have any interests outside of archaeology?”
“I like to dance.” She gazed back at Effie and smiled. “At one time my parents made it possible for me to receive classical ballet lessons.”
“Really? I didn’t know that. But I should have guessed. You are so graceful.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you and Carl plan to have any children?”
“Oh, yes,” said Madeline, “though I don’t seem to be doing well in that particular regard. We have tried to have a baby, but so far we have not been successful.”
“That’s too bad,” sympathized Effie, “but what fun you two must be having in the meantime.”
For a moment Madeline looked startled by the comment. But then she smiled, as did Effie. Before long, the two of them were laughing, just as though they were grand old friends.