Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
It was evening. In the distance, Effie could barely discern the figures of Red Hawk and Henry Smith as they sat at the edge of their encampment, huddled together.
That Red Hawk was initiating Henry into the finer points of standing the evening watch was without doubt, for now and again Red Hawk would add gestures that were all too recognizable.
Carl was watching the two of them as well. “I suppose it will be my turn to stand watch tomorrow evening…yet again.”
“I think you’re right,” said Effie.
Carl paused, then, “Do you know if Mr. Owens or his butler will eventually be taking their turns at this?”
“I don’t believe they will.” Effie laid aside her soup bowl and spoon. “Though at first Red Hawk did expect them both to take their turns, they have refused.”
“Refused? Is it possible to refuse?”
“When you’re as old as they are, it is. Though I must admit that Red Hawk does not understand why I’m acting so leniently with them. Apparently in Red Hawk’s tribe, an elder considers such duty a compliment.”
“Well, if you want my opinion,” Lesley spoke up, “I agree with Red Hawk. It seems to me that Father and his man, Fieldman, should take their turns with the watch. We are a small group, and it would certainly relieve Henry and Carl of this constant every-other-night vigil.”
“I understand, Lesley,” agreed Effie. “And you make a good point, but I also sympathize with your father. He’s worked hard all his life so he can enjoy his later years with a little more leisure.
We are actually lucky he has agreed to this excavation.
There is no better field supervisor to be found than he. ”
“I’m not so bad at it,” ventured Lesley.
“That’s true,” agreed Effie. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Oh, what you said reminds me.” Lesley got to her feet. “I have some other matters I need to speak to Father about. Please do excuse me.”
“Certainly,” said Effie, while the others murmured similar, agreeable noises.
As Lesley stepped toward her father’s tent, which sat farther apart than the others, Effie noted that Madeline seemed to watch the other woman’s progress closely. But then, perhaps realizing that she was staring, Madeline rose to her knees and scooted closer to Carl.
“I’m cold,” Madeline complained.
“Then come even closer.” Carl opened his arms wide to his wife, wrapping her in the warmth of his blanket.
Wistfully, Effie watched the two of them. They looked so happy together. What would it be like to be married?
Shaking her head, as though the action might rid her of the thought, she rose to her feet. “Well, I’m tired, I’ve eaten until I’m full and since we need to get an early start tomorrow, I’d best be off to bed.”
Carl nodded. “Good night, Miss Rutledge. I think we will follow your lead very soon.”
“That’s good,” murmured Effie. “Good night then, Carl, Madeline. Sleep tight.”
Effie padded to her tent. With an admiring glance thrown upward toward a star-laden sky, Effie pulled back the entrance flap of her tent and slipped into its cold, moldy interior, wishing herself back next to the warmth of the fire.
Sitting on her blankets to warm herself, she listened to the sounds of the nearby stream as it rushed past. Locusts and crickets added to the general noise of the evening, as well as the whirling calls of the ever-present nighthawk.
What should she do first? She waited not only for her colleagues to retire to their beds, but for Red Hawk’s presence. After straightening her shoulders, she rolled them back to loosen the muscles of her neck and back. Tentatively, she rubbed them, then sighed.
She wouldn’t remain long in the tent, she decided. She couldn’t.
She was simply too excited to stay put, although the exact reason for such enthusiasm continued to confuse her.
True, the rendezvous with Red Hawk was part of the cause, but was he the only reason?
Yes, she was thrilled because she would have the opportunity to see him tonight, alone and without the others.
Or was there more to it than what she was telling herself? Was her excitement due to the opportunity she would have to put more questions to him? If he really were from the Lost Clan, then the chance to learn more about her own craft was endless.
Think for a moment of the opportunity if it were true, if we could meet these people in the present. Think of the questions we might ask those people, the knowledge we might acquire…
So had her father spoken, long ago.
She exhaled deeply. Certainly, she was not immune to the possibilities such a condition might present.
No long sessions studying artifacts, no guesses, no conjectures to make about the way man lived long ago.
She could find out about the past firsthand.
As an added bonus, her reputation would be secure.
As one thought after another chased through her mind, she sat up onto her knees and reached for her comb.
After grabbing hold of it, she leaned back and began the process of removing the pins from her hair, as well as the lone eagle feather that adorned it.
The feather she placed in a box, along with the gun she always carried. Carefully, she set the box aside.
She shook her head, allowing the natural curls of her mane to cascade down her back, and ran the comb through her tangled locks.
“You wear too many clothes.”
She gasped.
“Do not cry out. It is I, Red Hawk.”
“I know, I recognized your voice. It’s only that you startled me.”
“You did not see me here?”
“No, I did not.”
He sighed.
“Don’t say it,” she said. “Don’t tell me again about my being unobservant and about how you will teach me to look and to really see.”
“I will do as you say,” he conceded.
He sat behind her, and she scooted around to face him, nudging him with her hand in the process. He made no comment, though for her part, a feeling of awareness darted from her fingertips, up her arm, all the way to her midsection.
“Are we to meet here, inside my tent, then?” At her question, the excitement from his touch ebbed a little, while a feeling not unlike disappointment came over her, causing her to realize she had been very much looking forward to a stroll beneath a starlit sky.
“We could stay here, if you wish it.”
Her eyes met his in the darkness of the tent. With no light, it was difficult to discern much about him. His presence, as well as the scent of mint, all mixed up with the clean, musky aroma of masculinity, filled the air. She wondered how it could be that she had been so unaware of this man.
“I had not intended that we stay here,” he said. “As well as speaking to you, I have to be about my night duties.”
“Night duties? I didn’t know you had night duties, beyond taking your turn at standing watch.”
She could sense his frown as he voiced, “Are you truly unaware of them?”
“Of course I am. When we made the arrangements for this trip, you said nothing about night duties.”
“Annisa, this is my mistake. I assumed you would understand that protecting you would demand I use the evening to scout, seeking the best trail to follow. If there is an enemy about, I will find him in the evening, thus allowing me to avoid any trail that would intersect with his.”
Effie sat silently for a moment. “I had no idea.” She frowned. “I am not familiar with scouting. In truth, I assumed you knew the trails so well that—”
“I do know them. What I do not know is where the enemy is. This I determine by looking for him at night.”
“When do you sleep?”
“In the early evening usually.”
“But that would only allow you a few hours of sleep if you have to scout ahead and search for enemies at night.”
“It is enough sleep…for now. When we reach my country, I will rest.”
“I see. And I’m sorry. Had I not been so unfamiliar with scouting—”
“Perhaps you would like to accompany me this night so you can better determine how scouting is done.”
“Yes,” she said at once. “Yes, I think I would like this very much.”
Perhaps she should have hesitated before agreeing so readily—it would have been the proper, ladylike manner in which to act.
After all, any such excursion would necessitate her being alone with this man—a man who affected her as no other man ever had.
However, as the director of this project, was it not also her duty to accompany him?
She sighed, and said again, as though to convince herself, “Yes, very much would I like to take a stroll with you...to learn about scouting, I mean.”
His laugh was soft and contagious. “Soka’pii,” he acknowledged huskily. “I will require a promise, however.”
“What sort of promise?”
“Once we leave camp, you will come under my influence. You will have to pledge you will do exactly as I say, when I say it.”
“Seems fair enough,” she said, “as long as your demands are reasonable—”
“Saa. You do not understand. You must obey me in all things, if you come with me. We are in enemy country.”
“I think I can agree.” She hesitated, trying to discern his features in the dark.
“I guess I have been naive, haven’t I? When my father and mother were in this country before, I was unaware that anything like scouting was done.
But perhaps we were better armed then and didn’t need scouting.
I know that besides my father and Mr. Owens, there were several other men working for us, and they all carried guns. ”
He nodded.
“Tell me, Mr. Hawk, on these nightly jaunts, have you found evidence of any enemies?”
“Saa, I have not. As I have said, the Crows are friendly to whites. But there are other tribes that use this country, as well. All it would take is one mistake to kill us all.”
“Oh, dear.” Effie shuddered. “What you’re really saying is that I should have hired more people to help you.”
“Saa, I do not say this. Tell me, were there more people for you to hire?”
She hesitated. “No. You know there were not.”
“Then we make do with what we have. We will hope, also, that your luck from the days of your parents continues to hold for us now in the present.”