by Barbara Goss
She sat up straight and said, “I don’t scream.”
“That’s right: you’re a brave Chinook. You belong with the Chinooks, not with the white man.”
“Parker, if you care for me, please take me back.”
“I can’t do that. I need to prove to you how very much I love you. I can’t live without you, you’ll soon realize that.”
Dawn sighed. “It will never happen, Parker. Love isn’t something you can turn on and off. I love Jake, and we’re going to marry.”
“You belong with your own people. Now, hush, or I’ll be forced to put the handkerchief back in your mouth.”
He pulled something from his saddlebag and opened it. “Here, eat.”
Dawn shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”
Parker ate the cheese himself and then an apple before helping her up and putting her back on the horse. This time, he put her in front of him which was a lot more comfortable, but she would still rather not be there at all. Often while they rode, he’d try to pull her closer, but she’d stiffen and deflect his advances. He'd once been her beloved friend, and now he repulsed her.
At least now she could see where she was going, and though she wanted to be anywhere else, she had to admire the beautiful scenery. The branches of the pine trees had been lightly frosted, resembling decorations on a cake. The forest was thick. Birds sang and flew from branch to branch, completely unaware of her situation.
When it became too dark to ride, Parker stopped and helped her off the horse. He tried to embrace her, but she pushed him away. He shrugged and turned to care for the horse.
The thought of her running away was ridiculous. Where would she go? She’d never survive on her own, but if Parker tried to force himself on her, she knew she’d have to try. She’d never give him what belonged rightfully to Jake.
If he planned to take her to the Chinook village, she knew the chief would help her. It was the only place she could think of that he might take her. Since he didn’t speak English, he wouldn’t take her to another white man’s town, so he had to be taking her to Bay Center. She just needed to be patient, bide her time, and plan her escape from there.
Parker laid out two padded bedrolls and offered her food once more. Again, she refused. She moved her bedroll as far from him as she could while he built the fire.
While lying on the bedroll with two blankets heaped on her, she listened to the sounds of the night. She shivered and was tempted to move her bedroll closer to Parker, but she then decided she’d rather face danger from nature than from him.
Somehow, she must have fallen asleep, for she awoke in the morning, rested and alert. She saw Parker rolling up his bed, so she did the same.
While he strapped the bedding to the horse, she said, “I have to make a nature call.” She hadn’t had one since they’d first stopped to rest the day before.
He shrugged and pointed to the woods. “I’ll wait.”
While she was gone, the urge to run was strong, but then she remembered the sounds of the coyotes and who knows what from the night before, and she dutifully returned.
They rode half a day before Parker slowed the horse and turned down a deeply rutted lane. She was curious as to where the road might lead, since it had been the first time he’d turned from the main path since they’d started. On and on they trotted, with nothing of interest in sight when she'd expected to see a village with rows and rows of longhouses.
Just before the sun dropped below the horizon, Parker made another turn, and few thousand feet later, she was surprised to see a large tent.
“What is this place? Chinook don’t live in teepees.”
“This is where my father and I hunt.” He tried to pull her closer, but she resisted. “This will be our home until you fall in love with me. Then, we’ll return to Bay Center, and my family will arrange for the marriage ceremony.
Dawn tried to remember if the males in the tribe ever slept with their women before the ceremony, but she’d been too young to note such things. She prayed Parker wouldn't force himself on her.
Beside the tent was a large fire pit, a stack of logs, and a wire that ran from one tree to another. The land had been cleared around the tent, and it was hidden from the main trail. They were also miles from any other human life form.
Parker helped her down from the horse and pointed to the tent. “Your home.”
He untied the flap that served as a doorway and pushed her gently inside.
It was much larger inside than she'd imagined. It consisted of one round room that had been richly furnished with overstuffed settees covered with various animal furs. There was also a large double bed, covered with animal furs. In the middle was a firepit and a table with four chairs. The dirt floor had been covered with a colorful mat.
What worried Dawn most was the double bed because it was the only one in the tent. Parker seemed to pick up on her worry. “I will sleep on the settee until you invite me into your bed.”
While Parker made a fire, Dawn sat gingerly on the bed, trying to think of the best way to handle the situation. He’d said that if she fell in love with him, he’d take her to Bay Center. There, she'd get help from the chief. Still, how could she even begin to pretend to love him? Love wasn’t something you could make-believe. She had no idea how she might play Parker's game and win.
Chapter Seventeen
Jake had to wait three days before he could connect with Arthur Bortner. He sat before Bortner’s desk and discovered that the man hadn’t a clue about the note or what happened to Dawn.
He rubbed his throbbing temples and sighed. “All I know is that a note came for Dawn, supposedly from you. We think she came here, and she hasn’t been seen since.”
Arthur cleared his throat and said, “When I left, both Bob and his son, Parker, were still bunking in the back, but they were supposed to lock up and leave the day after I left.”
“Of course!” Jake yelled. “They took Dawn. I know it. Would you know where they might have taken her?”
Arthur scratched his head. “Why would they take her?”
“It seems Parker thinks she’s his.”
Arthur sighed and said, “Oh, that’s not good. The only place I can think of that he’d take her would be the Chinook village. It’s a long trip, though.”
“Can I take a train?” Jake asked.
“Oh, no. There are no train rails up there yet. It’s nothing more than miles and miles of wilderness.”
“Why would the Chinook pick such a desolate place for their village?”
“They don’t want to live close to white men,” he explained, “and they're basically fisherman—they always choose places by water. For them, it’s all about seclusion and the fish, especially salmon”
Jake stood and paced the floor. “Where would I hire a guide to take me to the village?”
“I’m sorry that I’m unable to guide you, but there's a trapper named Finch Dubois who you could hire. He’s reliable—I’ll put him in touch with you if he’s able to take you to the village.”
“Thank you.” Jake turned to leave, but then he spun around. “Can you do that quickly? I’m worried about Dawn’s welfare.”
“I’ll work on it today,” Arthur answered.
Jake walked out of the Indian Agent’s office and started to walk back to the Spitzers’s when he was stopped by someone tapping his shoulder. He spun around and prepared to defend himself, when he recognized Bob.
“I need a word with you, sir,” Bob said.
Jake grabbed his collar and demanded, “Where’s Dawn?”
Bob gulped and tried to twist himself free. “I’m not sure, but I want to help you find her.”
Jake dropped the man. “Where is she?”
“My son took her, but don’t worry—he would never hurt her. He’s in love with her.”
Jake took several deep breaths to help himself calm down. “Why do you want to help me instead of your son?”
“My son is wrong. I promised to help him, yes, that I admit
, but I had no idea how far he’d go. I thought he only wanted to talk to Dawn. I never would have helped him had I known his plan.”
“How do I know you’re telling me the truth now?” Jake asked.
“You don’t, but I can take you to Bay Center to look for them.”
Jake thought for several moments. “All right, but know this: I come armed.”
*******
Dawn had been so exhausted, she’d fallen asleep on the bed fully clothed. She awoke with a bear skin wrapped around her. Dawn pulled the skin off, shivered, and pulled it back on. She peeked across the room and saw Parker asleep on the settee, also covered with a skin. Dawn felt the need to empty her bladder, so she crept out of bed, keeping the skin around her. When she opened the outside flap, Parker sprung up.
“Where you going?”
“I need to…I need a nature call.”
“Don’t dawdle. I saw a bear out there last night.”
Dawn considered her options: being mauled by a bear or by Parker. She came right back after her nature call.
Parker was building up the fire. “I’ll cook you a delicious breakfast, but first I must go out and hunt for it.”
Dawn was about to refuse food, but her stomach felt hollow, and she knew she’d need her strength, so she nodded.
Parker took a shotgun down from the wall and left the tent.
While he was gone, she neatened up her bed and then Parker’s and then she knelt and prayed.
The breakfast Parker cooked was primitive, but since she was hungry, she ate her piece of rabbit and drank the tea he’d made with spring water. There was a small, knee-high chest near the settee that seemed to contain unperishable supplies like tea, sugar, flour, and some hard biscuits. Dawn figured they had enough food for weeks.
When they’d finished Parker cleaned up the mess and then knelt beside her. “You see, Dawn, I’m going to take good care of you.” His eyes revealed that he'd truly meant his words. Dawn inwardly shivered. How could she make him unlove her?
He touched her leg, and she jumped up and pulled away.
“Don’t worry—I won’t do anything to make you dislike me. My aim is to make you fall in love with me. Sometimes, I just need to touch you to be sure I’m not dreaming.”
Dawn began to worry about the man’s sanity.
“What would you like to do today, my love?” he asked.
Dawn looked about the room. “What are my choices?”
“We could go for a walk—there’s a stream nearby with fresh spring water, and we could haul more of it in for tea. I know you love tea.” He shrugged. “Or we could kiss and become better acquainted.”
“I would love to help you haul in some water,” she replied. “There will be no kissing.”
“Kissing is a good way to fall in love with someone. I’ve been told I’m a very good kisser.”
“I think spending time together is a better way,” Dawn said.
“And that’s why I brought you here. There's a chess game, a checker board and a deck of cards under your bed. We have all sorts of things to do, my love.”
Dawn suddenly felt ill. Had it been the rabbit meat or the fact that she’d be trapped in that tent all winter?
Day after day, the two of them lived in the tent. Parker cooked, cleaned, and catered to her as if she were royalty. They played chess, checkers, card and dice games—some of which Dawn had to teach him first, but Dawn didn’t enjoy any of it. She was homesick for Jake, Laura, Caro, and Max—but mostly for Jake.
As she thought about how she and Jake would have been married by then, Dawn started to think about how she might escape.
She knew that if Jake talked to Arthur Bortner, he’d find out about Bay Center and probably find someone to guide him there, so she had to find a way to persuade Parker to take her there. He’d said they’d go there to be married after she'd fallen in love with him. She knew she wouldn’t be able to kiss him or fake that she loved him, so convincing him to go there could be tricky.
*******
Jake and Bob pulled spare horses behind them at Jake’s suggestion. He’d been on cattle drives and knew a long trip needed fresh horses. With the spare horses, they'd be able to make better time.
During the nights, they talked about many things after they'd made camp. Bob was interested in Max's horse breeding, and so Jake told him all about it. Jake asked Bob questions about the Chinook and Dawn’s time with his tribe.
While Jake was used to rugged cattle drives, he wasn’t used to traveling in the cold and blustery weather. He recalled how he’d complained about the Texas heat and vowed never to complain about the heat again.
Both men lay as close to the fire as they could get, but they were chilled to the bone, nevertheless. Once morning had come, a bit of the chill had left the air, but by noon, the sun helped thaw them out before the nighttime had taken the heat away again.
Jake feared what Parker might do to Dawn. It made him so angry, he wanted to shoot the man once he'd found him. No matter what Parker did to Dawn, Jake still considered her his, and he would still treasure her. Whatever happened, it wasn’t her fault. Jake would simply strangle Parker Cole for taking what was his. He’d marry Dawn and enjoy his life with her, no matter what.
*******
“So, my sweet Dawn,” Parker said one morning, “what would you like to do today?”
Parker had just finished cleaning up after a breakfast of cheese and crackers; the weather had been too blustery for Parker to hunt.
“I’d like to pack up and move to Bay Center. We can get married once we’re there,” she said, avoiding looking at him while she lied.
“I’d like that, too, but you aren’t in love with me yet.” He moved closer to her. “I think you’re warming up to me, though.”
“I am close to loving you.” Dawn hated lying, but she supposed it was permitted in dire situations. At least, she hoped so. “I’m fairly sure that once we’re married, the rest will come.”
Parker seemed to digest her words. “You still act cold toward me. You won’t even allow me to kiss you.”
Dawn reverted to lies again. “I’ve lived longer with the white people than I have with the Chinook, and it’s not their custom to kiss before marriage.”
“Not even a snuggle?”
“No, never.”
“You’ve never kissed your Jake, then?”
Dawn shook her head.
“So, if I take you back to the village, you’ll go through with the marriage ceremony, and then you'll kiss me and snuggle with me, and more, of course—I want a son someday.”
“I wanted Jake because he was a white man, and I’m used to the white man’s ways, but if I marry you, I’ll be returning to the heritage in which I was born. That seems right to me.” Dawn held her breath as Parker nodded his head in agreement.
“I believe you," he said. "Let’s pack up and leave for the village. It’s only a two-day trip from here.”
They packed up their belongings and traveled together once again, but this time she hoped it was toward her freedom. She prayed silently along the way for God to forgive her lies, although she knew He already had.
Chapter Eighteen
Parker led Dawn to his family’s longhouse. He left her standing by the door and went in search of his mother among the women working in the kitchen. Dawn watched him greet his mother and then pull her over to Dawn. Since the women of the tribe didn’t change their names, his mother was called San-wi.
“You remember Dawn, don’t you?” he asked his mother. When she nodded, he said, “She’s finally agreed to marry me. His mother looked surprised but then smiled and hugged Dawn. Previously, when Dawn had stayed in their longhouse, she’d barely spoken to her, but now she hugged her and kissed her cheek.
“I will begin planning the ceremony. First, we must let Johnny—” she turned to Dawn, "our chief—know of our plans. He has to approve them, of course.”
Dawn simply nodded. The fewer lies she had to tell, the bett
er. On her way to the longhouse, she’d searched the area with the hope of spotting Jake. She was betting on his coming to rescue her. Dawn hated to think of what might happen if he failed to arrive in time.
Parker and his mother took Dawn to the chief’s longhouse where Chief John Hall sat, smoking a pipe with an extraordinary scent that made Dawn nearly gag.
San-wi asked for the chief’s permission to meet with them.
He nodded and invited them to sit.
Parker addressed the chief first. “This fair maiden, Dawn, also a Chinook, has agreed to marry me. Will you allow us to plan the ceremony for three days from now?”
John Hall studied Dawn for several moments before speaking directly to her. “Is this true? You have agreed to marry Parker Cole?”
There was something about the chief that instilled reverence, and Dawn struggled with her lie, but finally she answered, “Yes.”
“Hmm,” was all he said before turning to Parker. “I will consider the matter. Because your chosen wife is only half Chinook, I’d like to speak to her alone. Please leave us,” he said this to Parker and San-wi directly.
Parker knew better than to argue with his chief, so he backed out of the longhouse, staring at Dawn all the while, his eyes begging her to cooperate. San-wi left with him.
John Hall took a long puff from his pipe. “Why are your eyes not sparkling with love and joy?”
Dawn cast her eyes downward. She found it hard to lie to the man who was much wiser than she’d imagined.
“I don’t know,” she answered.
“You wish to marry your own kind, but which blood flows in your veins—that of a Chinook or that of a white trapper?”
Dawn fiddled with her fingers as she tried to come up with an answer. “My parents died when I was young, and the chief of my tribe gave me away to a white man as a slave. I grew up in a white man’s family. I…I…” Dawn suddenly realized that her admission had just revealed her feelings.