by Rita Hestand
"Oh no dear, someone knew. A beautiful young girl knew. She worked in a saloon, and she told me about you. She helped doctor me until I was much better. We fell in love, I taught her English. She couldn't speak a word of English, but I taught her. I was intrigued with her, she was so kind to me. She said she'd lived at the camp where you were. When she told me, I hired these fellas to go get you. It was my sweet little Indian maiden that led us here to the cave, a perfect place to meet up with you."
Sweet little Indian maiden?
Naomi rejected the whole story, shaking her head. A saloon girl? Indian maiden? And then it dawned on her— Painted Dove.
"How is it they didn't kill you when they killed Helen and Martha?" she asked gasping and staring at his wound.
"I hid in the cellar."
"You hid?" she asked, "Alone?"
Had he been a coward in the face of disaster? He had let the Comanche kill the women and child? She couldn't believe John had changed so much.
"I didn't hide intentionally. But, yes, Helen had gone out to warn you, they killed her in the field. Martha was in the kitchen along with Henry. They killed them there. I'd gone down to the cellar to get my rifle and ammunition. You know I kept it there always. I didn't like guns in the house.
But I heard them when Martha screamed. So, I stayed hidden. I knew from their screams it was too late to help them."
"My God, you didn't try to save them?"
"It would have been futile. I'd only have gotten myself killed. At the time I couldn't shoot very well. But I have learned. I'm rather a good shot now."
He paced suddenly, then stared contemptuously at her. "My Dear, they were dead, they screamed I knew they were dead. So, I stayed in the cellar. I stayed there for the longest before I heard them leave. Later I tracked them and followed them but lost their trail many times before catching up to them. It took me nearly nine months to find them."
She could tell he felt some guilt for their deaths, just from his expression. It weighed on him.
What he was saying didn't make a lot of sense though. Except he had let them kill Helen and Martha and even Henry. He'd hidden out. She stared at him now, he had changed, something about his entire demeanor was different but she couldn't put it together, so it made any sense. How could a man of such a strict religion do the things he'd done? How could he be so low as to let those women and the child die like that, without a bit of help from him? She stared so much he began to pace, rather than look her in the eye.
"Why are you here now? Why am I here?"
He stopped pacing and stared, "You're my wife. And we must go to the north country now…"
His words stunned her. Her mouth opened, her eyes rounded on him.
"You can't mean to take me there!" she shouted.
"I can, and I will. You are still my wife."
"I am not your wife any longer."
"Of course, you are."
Naomi stared at Hershel now. Hershel's lip curled.
"Don't look at me, I just found you, is all."
"This man raped me." Naomi exclaimed to John. "He took me three times John. Will you do something about that? Or are you going to let him get away with it."
John stared at the man. "I'm sorry my dear, truly. But he won't hurt you any longer."
"What are you going to do?" her eyes widened when she saw the gun, he had pulled from his coat pocket.
John shot Hershel dead. Right there, right then.
Naomi stared at the shock on Hershel's lifeless face now.
As though it was nothing to him. John killed Hershel Dolin in the blink of an eye. Naomi finally glanced at him, edging away from him. For he killed without a second thought to the man's life. This was not the man she had married so long ago.
Naomi stared at him. "You—you killed him."
John smiled, "He was a snake of a man. Of course, I killed him."
"I didn't mean for you to kill him. Just take him into town to the sheriff or something."
Patrick stared from a distance, not saying a word. He might have been a big man, but he was afraid of John. Obviously with good cause too.
What had happened to John? Was he insane? This wasn't the man she married. He wasn't the man she thought she knew.
"How did you find me? How did you know where to look? Who was this saloon girl?"
She wanted to know for sure that it was Painted Dove. She had to know, and she had to figure a way to get away from John, as she had no intention of going north.
Chapter Twenty-Six
"I can answer that," Painted Dove came into the cave now, dressed provocatively in skin tight pants and a vest. She looked wicked and Naomi felt ill. The vest barely covered her breasts and the pants looked much too tight, but there was one thing that really startled Naomi. She wasn't pregnant.
"Painted Dove! I don't understand this!"
She shot Naomi a smirk, "You took my man, and I took yours. It's that simple." She laughed and turned to look at John.
Naomi stared, "What happened to the— baby?"
Painted Dove laughed and shook her head again. "You are so naïve. I can't believe you believed my story. There was no baby. I told Bear Foot I was with child. I was sure that Red Elk would claim it, as badly as he wanted one."
"My God! Is there no limit to your treachery? Don't you know he'd have guessed eventually?"
Painted Dove kissed John on the lips, amorously and then turned to her with a snarl. "By that time, I'd have been married to him. Besides, I could fake losing it."
"That's insane! He'd have never married you. He knew you were sick…"
"I wanted him and would have had him if not for you." she smirked at her. "Now, I go to the north country with you. Did you tell her?" she looked at John now.
"Tell me what?"
" John and I are married. Bet you didn't expect that."
"No, he didn't tell me." Naomi swallowed and stared at John, "You… and John?"
Naomi felt sick. How depraved had John gotten, killing a man, marrying this Indian. She didn't know him anymore. What happened to everything was sinful?
Patrick moved closer now, "Your man killed Hershel, not that I care that much, but are you planning on killing me now too?" He asked her.
Painted Dove stared at the man, "You've been injured?"
"Took a couple of arrows at that Apache camp."
"I'd say you've had enough pain. We don't need you anymore and I'm sure you won't be bragging to anyone about this, now will you?"
He shook his head. "No, not a word."
"Get out of here Patrick, go see a doctor to take care of your wounds." Painted Dove instructed him.
"You got my money?"
John looked at Hershel's body and pulled the money from the man's pocket, then handed it to Patrick, "I guess you get it all."
Patrick nodded to them, "Thanks," he said backing away.
"Why did you kill Hershel honey?" Painted Dove asked him sweetly, leaning to kiss his lips softly.
"He raped her three times. I had to."
"Well, I'm sure she's been raped a few times by now." she put the money in his hand.
Patrick glanced at both of them then walked out, got on his horse and left as fast as he could.
"Yes," John turned back to Naomi how. "We are married, dear. Painted Dove is going with us to the north country. She took care of me when I was so hurt. She loved me despite how I look. How could I not love her for all of that?" John insisted. "Dear do you think we should have let him go?"
"He won't do anything, he's too much a coward. Besides, we are leaving here in the morning, so we don't have to worry."
"Will your leader Brigham Young approve of her?" Naomi asked, the emotions overcoming her now.
"Of course, she is my wife now. She's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Don't you agree my dear?"
"I can't believe you married her? Look at her John. Do you not know what she looks like? This is no prim and proper wife. She's a whore!"
Joh
n slapped Naomi hard across the cheek. Naomi fell and held her cheek. She lay one the ground as she stared up at John. Shocked that he would touch her like that. Tears came to her eyes, but she didn't let them fall. They would never see her cry. He'd never hurt her no matter how angry he was, but now, she was more than stunned, she was almost afraid of him. Had he lost his mind when they scalped him? Something had to have happened to change him so radically.
"Perhaps she was, but now she's my wife, and I would appreciate you not talking about her like that. Yes, you see, I followed after the Comanches, wanting to get even with them for killing Helen and Martha and little Henry. When I couldn't find you, I assumed they took you. When I found them. I had the interpreter to help me talk with them. I told them I was looking for you. They had told me you were traded to an Apache. They killed the interpreter, took me prisoner and scalped me. I played dead, so they'd leave me there to die. Painted Dove found me some time later in the woods after they'd moved on. I was very dazed from all they done to me. I thought I was dying. She took me to town, where she worked in the saloon, she nursed me back to health and took care of me. In return I taught her English. We fell in love and I married her. It happened just like that. I guess that kind of shocks you, doesn't it?"
"Yes, a lot of things shock me now."
"I was a very lonely man. I thought I was going to die. At times I wished I would have, but Painted Dove kept me from doing anything rash. She encouraged me to get well. One night, she tied me to the bed and then she took her clothes off and stood there staring at me. She made love to me, wild, unending love. I never knew anyone could be like that. At first, I rebuked her advances as sinful, but as time passed and we got to know each other better, I realized I couldn't live without her. That her life had become my life. She's truly the woman I really love."
"I cannot believe this." Naomi struggled to her knees now and stared at him. "You aren't the man I knew."
"No, I suppose I'm not. I'm much wiser now, thanks to the Comanches and Painted Dove."
"Your much more violent now too, aren't you?"
"You said he raped you three times. He was scum."
"How could you lose your faith like this, John? Granted I never liked your religion, but I respected you for your beliefs."
"Not lost, but perhaps I have rearranged my thinking. I understand now why you did not respond to me, Naomi. I am sorry for that. I'm much better at making love now, thanks to Painted Dove. You'll see!"
"You cannot make love to her too, John. I will not stand for that." Painted Dove told him. "I thought you didn't want her any longer?" Painted Dove asked, her hands on her hips, her lips snarling.
"Well, not like I want you my darling. But she is my wife, I have a duty to her."
"You are crazy John. The Comanches did this to you?"
"No, but I have been through a lot. And she found me and cared for me? How could I not love her? Look at her, she's the most beautiful creature I've ever known. I love her Naomi. I really love her. And she's taught me so much." John stared at her.
"Yes, how to kill for one." Naomi stared at Dolin's body now. "I thought you'd have him arrested, not kill him in cold blood."
"He raped you, he deserved it."
"Dolin raped her?" Painted Dove asked.
"Yes, three times." Naomi informed her.
"Did you enjoy it?" she asked with a laugh.
John studied her a long moment. "And she has told me of your Indian husband. That's too bad Naomi but Indian ceremonies don't hold up in the white man's world. Now I'll take you north to the Mormon country and we'll all be one big happy family."
"Did you know John was my white husband?" she asked Painted Dove.
"Not at first, no. But when my people told me he was a white man from Texas looking for you, I figured it out. I mean you did tell Bear Foot about your white husband, and Red Elk. Anyway, words spread, you should know this. That's how I knew who he was. He was nearly dead when I found him. But I took care of him, loved him, nursed him. We have been together many times. I taught him how to make love. You should have done that Naomi. But no matter. You probably don't know enough to teach anyone about making love." She chuckled and looked at him. "He knew nothing of making love, I had to teach him, but he learned quickly. He got to where he liked me tying him up. He let me do things to him. We make love a lot now. He enjoys it too."
"How did you figure out he was my white husband?"
"Well I'm not dumb. He was from Texas, from where you came. He said your name. And when I first found him, he talked of his people in Salt Lake. Mormons. My tribe knows them. They told me they killed him. I asked where. I went and found him. I took him into town where I worked. I wasn't sure who he was until we had time to talk to each other. I had a hunch, but until he taught me English I couldn't be for sure. But then I knew… when he told me of his other wives dying. A Mormon. How many times do you run into a Mormon from Texas?"
"What were you doing working in a saloon?" Naomi asked.
"My tribe would not have me. I had to eat. I could not even speak English then, but you don't have to know a lot to be a dancehall girl. And I was one of the best, everyone said so. John taught me English though. First a few words, but I learned quickly. As payment, I made love with him. He is a fantastic lover…now. I finally told him where to find you."
"You want to go to Mormon country?" Naomi stared at her.
"Yes, my people are from there."
"Are you going to return to them?"
"No, I am John's wife now. I go with him and you."
"What happened to your tribe?" Naomi asked.
"They went north. They did not want me back. They spurned me. He told me my tribe killed his two wives and a child. Most unfortunate. How he thought you were taken from his farm. I couldn't believe this was the white man that had married you so long ago. My plan all fell into place. It was as if the Great Spirit had smiled upon me."
Oddly, Painted Dove had pulled off a huge revenge.
Painted Dove sat down beside John and she took his hand and kissed his cheek. "Your man is my man now. I have had both your men, have I not? Isn't that interesting?" She smiled with satisfaction.
Naomi stared, her mouth open, her shock still putting it all together. She looked at John, he had changed so much, and the gash was hideous. But many things had changed. All in Painted Dove's favor.
"She doesn't love you, she only wants revenge on me." Naomi told him. "Can't you see that."
She looked like the whore she was. How would his Mormon friends look upon her? How could he look upon her with lust in his eyes? He was Mormon, wasn't he? Had that changed too?
Naomi felt sick. It was like some bad dream. How could they have run into each other, married and found her? It was like some bad dream. Why had he bothered finding her at all? If he was happy with Painted Dove, why didn't he just return north?
When John went to sleep, Naomi studied Painted Dove. "Why did you tell them where I was?"
Painted Dove put her hands on her knees as she sat on the rock. "Because, you took Red Elk from me." She shot her a venomous glance. "He was mine. And you took him. We were lovers for three years. Now, I have taken your husband from you? He wants me, and we make love all the time now. I have taken two men from you. How does that feel?" She lifted her chin and smiled like the demonic woman she was. "You will have to watch me make love to him all the time now. He won't want you any longer. He wants me, only me."
"Then why bring me along?" Naomi insisted.
"Because you, stupid white woman, you will never see Red Elk again. That is your punishment for stealing him from me."
"But you have John, Isn't that enough?"
"No, it is not. I want to see you miss Red Elk so bad you'd kill yourself to be with him. I want to see you beg me to let you go."
"John's religion will never accept you as his wife, I'm afraid."
"It does not matter, he will not leave me. We will live in the hills there. I know many places we can live. P
laces you won't like, but he won't care."
"Then why didn't you just take him and go?"
"I have told you. Because my revenge would not be complete. I did not just run into John. I ran into my people. I stayed a few days with them. I heard rumors and I asked around. They are the ones that told me of John. When they told me about him, I figured it out. I also figured out that I could pull this off and be a very happy woman. To see you miss Red Elk so badly would make me very happy. If you want to blame someone, blame John. He's the one that mentioned your name. Two things confirmed it for me, first your name, which is not common, second, he is Mormon and had two other wives back in Texas. If he hadn't have opened his mouth, I wouldn't have figured it out."
"What happened to him, how did you change him so?"
She cackled. "I made love to him. I learned from Blue Sky."
"Love or sex?"
"Love, I have learned much since I left the Apache camp. Blue Sky was a great lover, like his cousin. But Blue Sky taught me other things, that thrill a man. John loves me. He'd do anything for me now."
"What happened to Blue Sky?"
"He left."
"Why?"
"He found out I wasn't pregnant, too!"
"And your family?"
"My father died, my brothers ran off with Blue Sky when we got to the Comanche village."
"And John, how did you manage to change him so?"
"Life goes from one to another. Blue Sky taught me how to make love, I taught John. He stayed in my room, and I made love to him, every night. Granted, I had to tie him up the first time or two, but even that was fun. I think he got to liking it. I bent his Mormon ways into. He was full of lust for me. You want to know how?"
"No, I'm not interested."
"I will tell you. I stripped my clothes from my body, then I took his. I tied him to the bed. At first, he resisted, which made me lust for him more. Then he liked it so much, he became an active lover. He couldn't take his eyes from me. He thought me the most beautiful woman in the world, just like Red Elk said many times. Oh, you didn't know that Red Elk thought me the most beautiful woman in the world too. He did and said so many times. He bragged to others. I'm sure he probably misses me as a lover by now. Getting back to John, though, we made love that first night and every night since then. He told me how you were such a bad lover. You knew nothing of making love. That you just laid there and let him take you. I brought him here to find you. To make you miserable for the rest of your life. You will not have Red Elk ever again either. That is my revenge. It is complete now and I am happy. I am also happy with John too. I guess that's hard for you to believe, but you have no idea what a tiger he has become in bed. He's my playmate."