CHAPTER TWO
The early morning sun shone down its warmth upon the back of her head as Czanna strode north and west across the treeless prairie, returning to the site of the wagon train. Gazing forward, she studied the brown grassy hill as it rose up gently from the flat plains and stretched out for many kilometers in front of her. Just over the knoll there, she knew she would find the wagon train.
A scent of smoke still lingered in the dry morning air, even at this distance of perhaps a mere kilometer, around a half of a mile. Czanna grimaced and pinched herself; she had to remember to calculate distances in miles instead of kilometers here in the American West.
She rolled her shoulders, relieving some of the stress in her muscles, if only a little. What, in the name of the good Lord, was she to tell the others?
Carefully, she retrieved the letter she had tucked within the bodice of her gown last night. Was it only the previous evening when a man, recently come up from the fort, had given it to her? For a reason she didn't understand, it seemed as if a lifetime had passed since then and now.
Sighing, she glanced down and scanned the letter's contents again before bringing it in close to her and holding it against her chest, handling the paper as though it were a person. Gently, shefolded the letter and placed it back into its position against her heart.
The letter—written by her brother's manservant, Mr. Sebestyn—represented her only contact with the world she had once known. But, oh, what terrible news it brought.
Climbing up to the top of the hill, she looked forward, expecting to see the wagon train lazily positioned in a circle, there under the early morning sunlight. But, where was it?
Czanna felt a rush of anxiety flood over her as she quickly scanned the horizon in every direction. It was as though by her look alone she willed the caravan to suddenly appear.
But, it was not to be.
Fear engulfed her as she gazed down upon only one wagon, it appearing to be alone and vulnerable as it stood upon the vast, green-and-brown grassland. At least it was her wagon, thank the good Lord. But, where were the other seven prairie schooners?
What has happened here, and where is my family?Czanna thought.
As alarm swept through her, she picked up her skirts and ran down the hill. As she came in closer to her own coach, she could at last see her two siblings as well as Lilike, Mr. Henrik's daughter, who had become Czanna's maid. Lilike was holding Czanna's baby sister, Béla, on her right hip and was standing next to György, Czanna's brother, who had only recently turned twelve years old.
Oddly, Czanna noted how tall György had become since beginning this journey. Why, he was almost as tall as Lilike.
At present, they were huddled in the back of the wagon's shadow; this would account for why Czanna hadn't been able to see them at a quick glance. But, at least she could see them now, thank the good Lord.
But, what had happened? And, where was Lilike's father, Mr. Henrik?
As if her thoughts alone had produced him, big and bulky Mr. Henrik jumped down from the seat of the wagon and trod away from the front of it. As he looked up at Czanna, he lifted his hat and greeted her, saying, "Mistress Czanna, happy I am to see thee. I have been worried about what might have happened to thee."
"Thank you, Mr. Henrik," replied Czanna. "I am sorry if I caused you any grief. I…I simply needed to be alone for a while. But, where are the other wagons? Why are they not here?"
"They all be gone, Mistress. Thine own family and me-self are the only folk left here, alone upon this vast land, and, afeared though I be to tell it to thee, ye and me have some trouble."
"Trouble? Please, Mr. Henrik, come walk with me for a moment and tell me what has happened in my absence." Quickly, Czanna glanced at her siblings and her maidservant, greeting them, too, by saying, "I am happy to see you all, but please allow Mr. Henrik and me to speak to one another."
György and Lilike nodded. It was Lilike who whispered, "I am so very happy to see you, Mistress."
"And I, you. Please give your father and me a moment so he might tell me what has happened here."
Lilike nodded.
Czanna felt as though she were spinning in all directions at once, though, of course, she stood up straight and without moving.
How did this happen so quickly?Czanna thought.I left upon my lonely walk last evening—only hours ago.
Once she and Mr. Henrik were out of earshot, Czanna said, "Now, please tell me what has occurred here."
"'Tis the gold seekers, Mistress. They came up from the fort late in the evening last night and joined us; they were carrin' tales of gold and were braggin' of goin' to the gold mining fields. 'Twould not be so bad exceptin' for the scout, Mr. Hanson, the man I had hired to take us north into the Glacier Mountains. He has gone with them gold seekers now and has left us stranded; but,worse, he has taken with him all the silver I gave him when he agreed to the task."
Czanna frowned, momentarily speechless. Briefly, she recalled Frederic's words to her before she and the rest of their siblings had been forced to flee Hungary:
"I am trusting you—not Henrik—to hire a guide to take you to our cousin in the mountains."
But, she had met Hanson, had talked with him and had even approved of Mr. Henrik's choice. It was, therefore, as much her fault as it was Mr. Henrik's.
