CHAPTER THREE
The sun was rising behind the steamboat, announcing its arrival in the east with a pink-and-reddish glow cast upon the greenish-brown land, asThe Wanderereased through the water toward Fort Benton's dock. With the fort's cannons saluting the ship, the ship's bells ringing from every deck and shouts of welcome from the hundreds of people lining the shore, it was difficult to hear what was being said by a person standing directly by one's side.
It was uplifting, yes. It was also noisy.
Every passenger aboard the steamship was lining the starboard side of the boat as it slowly eased toward its landing. Some passengers were waving, and many of the men who were standing along the shoreline of the river waved back. But, Briella's only thought was:
Where is he?
As Briella glanced out toward the crowd of spectators, she saw many a Pikuni man, including her sister's husband, Stands Strong, and her former nanny's husband, First Rider. But…where was Red Fox?
She knew he was a close friend of Stands Strong and First Rider, and she had expected to see him standing alongside his friends and their wives. Perhaps he was with her brother, George?
But, no. She could see her parents, of course, and there was her brother George, and, standing alongside of him was his Pikuni wife, Sweetgrass Woman.
But, of Red Fox, there was no trace. She couldn't help it: a tear stung her eye.
"How could you do this, Red Fox?" She asked the question of him, although to herself. "You promised to be here."
"And, so I am," came his silent response. "But, I will not stand with the others. You will soon learn why."
"Do you honestly think the silly opinions of the white men, whatever they are, would matter to me? Well, listen to me; it is not important to me what others think or say."
"I know. But, it is not because of the considerations of others that has changed my view of the world we now live in."
"But, I wish to see you, to talk to you with my voice and not in the mind-speak. Please, won't you let me? Where are you?"
"I am here," he answered, sharing a picture of his location with her.
"I do not know where this is, could you—"
"Well, m'dear," interrupted Maximillian. "It seems the entire countryside has gathered here to greet me, not to mention the welcome salutations of setting off their cannons in my honor. Why, there must be hundreds and hundreds of people who have come here to greet me. Capital. Capital, I say."
"Yes, indeed. It does appear they are honoring you," said Briella agreeably, though she doubted anyone within a few square miles of the fort even knew of the great tribute they were bestowing upon Maximillian. The Indians were here to trade. The whites were here to discover how they might take financial advantage of the new crew arriving at the fort. Little did they know they would meet their match in Maximillian. But, she wasn't about to tell him any of these little details, nor be the one to shoot down the image her fiancé held of himself.
"It is a welcome greeting, is it not, indeed?" commented Sheila Neuerman, the fake lady's maid.
Behind Sheila stood Briella's actual lady's maid and friend, Parisa Long. Glancing at Parisa, Briella shared a knowing glance with her. At that very moment, Briella's brother and his wife, Marsha, along with their daughter, Maria, joined Briella and her fiancé, there where they stood at the railing of the ship.
"Oh, there they are! I see our parents!" cried Briella. "Do you see them, too, Frederic and Marsha? There's Mother and Father! Also, there's George and Sipat-simo-aki! Let us all wave at them!"
Amazingly, no one thought to question her suggestion, and they, one and all, shared in waving their hands, though Briella noted Maximillian did little more than raise his right hand, as did his mistress, Sheila.
But, what did it matter?
Speaking to Parisa, Briella confessed, "I have a powerful feeling coming over me simply because I am home again."
If only Red Fox were here to share my enthusiasm.
But, later, after all the "hellos" were said and done, she would seek him out and discover why this man was so reticent to join her family at the dock of Fort Benton.
At last, the crew swung the gangway into place upon the dock, and Briella and her companions crowded forward in preparation for disembarking. Frederic and his family took the lead; followed by Maximillian, of course; and lastly by Briella; Sheila; and Briella's actual lady's maid, Parisa. They were closely trailed by the gamblers and the gold-hawks—the name given to them by the Indians when they were not using other not-so-praiseworthy names.
"Mother!" shouted Briella as she stepped forward and ran straight into the arms of her mother, Mária Fehér. Then, a little less enthusiastically, she gazed at her father and forced a smile before she said, "Hello, Father."
"Hello," returned her father. "It is, indeed, good to see you, my daughter."
Briella returned her father's smile, but she feared her eyes did not mirror any happiness when she gazed at this man who was her parent. After all, both he and Frederic had stolen her away from here two years ago. What does one say to a father who accomplished this without giving a thought to his daughter's wishes?
