Gold Raven (55 page)

They smiled, showing a face of
contentment before their friends, as Red Crow stood outside with his
braves, and Hope entered their dwelling with a few of the other wives
joining her. She socialized as politely as she was able, smiling, although it was
not what she felt. She would have preferred to have been alone but
played the perfect hostess regardless.

She could hear the men outside,
laughing and funning with their comments. Joking with Red Crow on
how wonderful it was to have a wife now at his disposal. She could
just imagine him outside doing the same thing she was inside doing.
They did not stay long. The women were the first to leave,
noticing her preoccupation when she missed a question or comment
here and there. She apologized and made the excuse of being tired.
Their eyes widened as they looked at each other and grinned.
Instantly she realized what they must be thinking and pretended
ignorance so they would leave.

When the men finally left, Red Crow turned and entered his
tepee, to see his wife sitting crossed legged on the bed. She was deep
in thought and brushing her hair. Split down the middle, for each side to land in her lap, curls and waves galore. She was so deep in thought
that he stood for moments before she was aware that he had entered.
When she realized, she turned to him, eyes big and remorseful for the
things she had said. Hoping that they relayed what she could not
bring herself yet to say. He stood without a word, staring down at
her, obviously deep in thought as well.

"I, umm Red Crow..." She swallowed, bowing her head,
thinking ‘
Why can't I just say that I'm sorry? But if I do, will it give him hopes
that I will be his docile wife? With no integrity to seek those I 've set out to find?'

His move towards her made her look up again. He positioned
himself behind her, sitting comfortably; he gently took the brush from her hand and began
brushing her hair. The act was so unexpected, so soothing, so loving,
it brought tears to her eyes, tears she could not explain. She was
horribly confused. There was no room in her heart to love him.
Doing so would force upon her decisions that might keep her from
her brother, mother and father. This was not the right time to fall in
love with this Indian, chief or not. It did not matter that he was her
husband. Nor did it matter how she felt when he touched her.
The beauty of him did not matter. The way he loved her did not
matter. The way he pulled her hair aside and kissed gently at her
nape...did not matter. Laying the brush aside to guide her to her
back, to kiss her in that way that said all the things a woman
needed to feel and know...did not matter.

No matter how the
sensations grew, no matter how much tingling rippled across her flesh
while he touched her in ways, he knew would bring her pleasure.

None of it mattered. Making love to her now, the way that he would
continue until they were both sated and gasping, would
eventually...mean nothing. For the moment however, it was
everything.

Hope, completely exhausted, fell into a deep sleep in her
husband's arms a few hours before dawn. Waking up suddenly to the
quiet around her, she sat up. He was not there next to her. She shot
to her feet with her heart pounding. Yanking her gown over her head
and slipping her feet into her moccasins, she ventured out in search
of him. She was informed, that he and many of his braves, had left
before dawn. She stood reeling and angry.

'How?'
She wondered, how
had he figured her out? Her plan was to follow them when they
prepared to leave. He had left a day early, tricking her. Now it was too
late. She had no idea of which way to go.
She was stuck. With no choice but to remain where she was until
his return, she hoped and prayed, he would return with her
brother.

Chapter Twenty-Two

In a few days, the Webster's would reach Fort Jacques where they
hoped to find one of the missing members of their family, Hope. It
was a bit out of the way, but just incase the army decided to take the
women there, they needed to check. For Manny, it was the first time
he had ever traveled with children, except for Hope when she had
been a babe of three. This trip had turned out to be quite the
experience.

As for his five grandchildren, they were in heaven. Each had a
travel partner serving to keep them well entertained. Filling their
every need where companionship was concerned. This was a
tremendous relief to Maria, who was surrounded by a group of men,
all clearly doing their best to make the trip easy on her. Gaitsu was
there to share the burden of cooking most of the time even though he
preferred to cook alone, giving Mike and Maria time together when
they stopped, time to draw closer as they discussed plans for their
future and that of their children.

Despite his efforts to draw his son out, Mike noted a definite
change in Esteban. His son no longer clung to his side as he had
once done. As any father would want his son to grow, seeking his
own independence, Mike knew that in this case, it had been speeded
up by his horrific experience. As the days went by, he was drawing closer and closer to Leon; talking more to him, asking him things that
he and his father had always discussed together.

With Leon being eve
r
considerate and conscious of those around him, he never failed to
speak frankly to Esteban, letting him know, that in life, the greatest
gift any young man could have, was a father that truly loved him—no
matter what errors or mistakes a father made, no one could replace
him.

He went so far as to let him know, that as much as he did love
Manny, not a day went by, that he didn't sometimes long for his
own, but death...death was permanent. "As for mistakes
son, errors in judgment...they can be forgiven. You just have to find a way to it, because time, if you waste it, will remove the option."
Esteban sat mulling that over, as well as Mike, who looked at his own
father and Manny, who thought of his own.

"I'm your friend and will do my best for you but that man, he's your daddy...don't forget
that."

They had just broken camp and were heading easterly only to stop
dead in their tracks to see coming towards them over the ridge, a large party of Indians. Manny and Mike both swallowed nervously, Esteban
looked from the growing numbers ahead to his father ready for
instructions, as Leon cursed and Gaitsu gave no reaction at all. The
four of them were riding with children, Papo with Manny, Lolita
with her father, Felix with Leon and Celina with Esteban. All four
rode close to the wagon for the children to hop over and into the
back. No sooner was it done than the Indians sounded a
cry
to scare
them as they came charging down to surround the small party of
travelers.

Red Crow and his party of braves had just broken camp
themselves and were heading west, it was normal for them to stretch
out in a line as they moved forward. It was effective in intimidating any they may run into. Making them seem more in number than they
really were. The strategic move also placed them in immediate readiness to charge and attack. Each at the opposite ends knew to
rush ahead in a pincer movement, to quickly surround their target.

However ready they were, Red Crow was not prepared, not
expecting to encounter whom they did. All were aware of the wagon
approaching them from the vibration of the wagon wheels and the dust it sent up in its wake.

They stopped where they were, once the
y were certain they had been spotted, they knew they could move in
and circle the travelers. No one would attack unless Red Crow gave the command.

Red Crow regretted not wearing war paint, having surrounded the
wagon, he and Greeneye were close enough to see the riders, Red
Crow felt his stomach cramp and tighten at the sight of the two large
white men and a black man who rode forward. Even after the passage
of time, Red Crow knew the man...Maynard Ramsey Webster. He
had been a very close friend of his mother,
he still remembered him even though he was
older.
Red Crow sat tall in his saddle, looking unmoved by the white men he
would have to face; with little choice in the matter, he rode forward
with Greeneye beside him. With the three riders facing them, barely ten feet away, they stopped and waited for them to speak.

"Hello." Manny began nervously, his fear, solely for Maria and
his grandchildren. Yet he knew better than to show it to his possible adversary.
"I am Maynard Webster, these are my sons, Michael Webster
and Leon McNeil; we're a small
party
of travelers seeking safe
passage. We mean no harm to anyone."

Red Crow sat staring into his face, into his eyes; his heart
pounding, his temples throbbing. On the outside, he remained
calm, on the inside he was suffering a range of emotions.

"We — we travel with women and children. My daughter-in-law, and grandchildren; as you can see, there is nothing we can do against
your numbers." Manny calmly continued, staring directly into the
familiar dark blue eyes. Taking note of the red hairline from his
temples; he knew without a doubt the Indian he faced was Josey's son
Lil'Bear. Then he remembered Lena telling him of his name change
to Red Crow, having to do with some ridiculous reason surrounding
their daughter. At the time of hearing it, he voiced his dislike for the idea,
even though Lena thought him harmless.
It had taken her a while to calm him down when he’d disagreed
with allowing their daughter to befriend a male, of any kind, Indian or
not but much more so with an Indian because he could see no means
of happiness in such an arrangement for his daughter’s future where a
marriage mate was concerned.

Lena had stood firm, saying that the
boy meant no harm, and his declaration of claiming their daughter as his future wife was only the cute infatuation of a young male.

He sat upon his mount,
facing that very same boy, now
a
man. By the looks of him, an Indian with no great love, like or
tolerance for the white man.

Red Crow could not believe his eyes or ears. Here stood his wife's
father, and beside him, as incredible as it was, sat her brother, the very
brother he and his braves were out to find and save. He was free
from the military post and with his father. He wondered how this
could be, moreover...where were they going? They were off the
route one would take to Webster Fields. The hammering of his heart
increased, knowing perfectly well, where they were possibly
heading...but asked anyway.

"Why do you seek passage through this land? You are a man of many ships Maynard Webster, why take chances through dangerous
land travel?"

Manny hoped that his long friendship with his mother would
make a difference in how they were treated. The consequences were
too horrific to imagine.

"If you will please allow me this, are you not, Red Crow, the son
of Josephine O'Brien? I'm sure that I remember you, even though you
were just a lad."

Red Crow paused a moment...then answered evasively.

"I am Red Crow. Red Dawn -or- Woman of the People is my
mother."

"Then I am correct. Her friend, Lena and I have discussed
her...and you. How is your mother? Red Dawn?"

Red Crow only stared at him.

The whole time this was going on, Mike studied the Indian chief
closely. He had not been a bandit all that time, living among other Indians, not to be able to detect someone trying to hide something; or someone being defensive for no reason. If indeed his mother and this
Indian's mother had been friends...why was he not greeting them
with joy? Why was he not greeting them with the pleasantness many
Indians were known for if they held no grudges? He acted as if he
resented them being here, and so he decided to include himself in the
conversation.

"Perhaps my father has asked you a sensitive question, is your
mother not well?"
Red Crow looked at Mike, and then slowly answered.