Maggie's Dreams (Book Five of the Red River Valley Brides)

by Rita Hestand

  His eyes sparkled. "I have had virgins before, and I think I scared them. But they never set me on fire, like you do. You are my mate, my love, and what came before is unimportant. We are one now. We will be together no matter what. You carry my seed. I could never leave you. But I am happy you have told me. For my trust in you grows even stronger."

  "Dakota, I want to marry you. I want a chief to perform a wedding for us."

  "It is important to you?" He asked.

  "Yes, promise me, we will marry."

  "I promise you." He kissed her again to seal the bargain. "I was not sure you wanted me that badly."

  She made a sound in her throat of disbelief at his words. "I want things right between us. I am your woman, and I want to be your wife. Even if your chief has to perform the wedding, I don't care. I want to know I am yours forever. Do you love me enough to marry me? To commit to me."

  His eyes sparkled into hers. "Your words make me very happy. I committed to you the moment I brought you up here."

  "And I as well." They cuddled and spoke soft love words to each other for long moments. "I knew when I first came up those stairs that we would either make love, or I would go away and never see you again."

  He lifted her golden hair and kissed her on the neck, on the shoulder and down her arm, then he moved her arm and kissed her breasts once more. "I can never get enough of you. You have breasts that fill me with a hunger. You are an exciting woman, my love. The way you walk, talk, and sing."

  If he could accept her past, then she could accept her future with him, no matter what came. "I will hunger for you always." He promised.

  She chuckled, "I hope so." She cuddled into him, kissing him on the mouth now for so long they both lost breath. "I don't want to leave you. I want to stay with you, but I know I can't."

  "Nor I you. But we must be very careful my sweet." He warned her. "I want no harm to come to you because of me."

  "I guess I should go home now…" She said quietly laying on the bed beside him.

  He pulled her face around to look into her eyes. "Are you worried little one?"

  "I never even thought about having a baby," She cried. "But strangely, I do want yours, and soon."

  "Our love is powerful. It is very possible that you carry my child now." He smiled. "And I would love it. I would never turn my back on you now, never! We know each other, and it is important. We are as one. God knows we know each other. We are committed."

  "I know that in my heart?" She smiled.

  "I would love our child like no other. And I will take no other woman but you. This I promise." He smiled back. "You are mine now, we are one." He said simply.

  "Yes! Oh yes, darling, we are one! And you are the only man I want. Ever."

  She dressed and put her clothes on, and he watched. Then he got dressed and walked her home.

  As they drew near the boarding house he pulled her into the shadows and kissed her hard. "Did I hurt you?"

  "No," She smiled at him. "Never."

  "I tried to be gentle, but you were so beautiful, I was afraid I'd be too rough with you. Too anxious to have you. Do not worry little one."

  He kissed her again.

  "Someday, maybe we can stay together all night. I would love to wake up with you in the morning." He whispered between kisses.

  "Will you tire of me?" She asked with concern.

  "Tire of you?" He searched her face with a smile. "Never my love. You are my woman. In the bible, God created woman for man. He created you for me." He declared and proved it with a kiss that sent her head spinning.

  "Have you had many women?" She asked with a slight smile.

  "Hundreds!" He laughed. "No my love, a few, but none like you."

  "Am I that different?" She turned her head in question.

  "Very much so, my love." He whispered. "You are what I want, what I seek, what I hunger for. You are not afraid to love with all your heart and mind. I could not dream up a woman as good as you. You must always remember we are one!"

  A tear escaped down her cheek, and he caught it with his finger.

  "I love you, but I fear for us, for the baby we might have together…"

  "Do not fear…I will always take care of you. You must have faith in me. And our baby will know this too." He touched her tummy softly, and smiled. "I hope you are."

  "But people can be so cruel."

  "Our love is worth any cruelty."

  "You make me so strong with your words."

  "We will stay until you start to show then we will have to leave." He told her. "If you are with child. And if you are not with child, you will be soon, for I will see to it. The way we make love, it would be a miracle if we didn't have a child and soon."

  "Oh but…"

  "Do not worry so much. Our love will see us through." He told her.

  She nodded and offered him a shy smile. "I have faith."

  "Good, for you will need it."

  But she did worry. She rushed to her room to clean herself good thinking that might stave off a pregnancy. But when she thought of their love-making she realized how powerful it was and how perfect, she feared she was pregnant. Before she went to bed she prayed that she wouldn't get pregnant right away. It wasn't the baby that concerned her, it was having to leave everything she knew, it was all the problems a pregnancy like this might cause.

  She wasn't ashamed for her love for Dakota, she was afraid for it. If anything happened to him, she might curl up and die, she loved him so much. She feared for him now, not herself.

  No one here except maybe the girls and Ma would understand that love. And if she became pregnant she'd have to leave here. She'd made the decision the minute she decided to make love with Dakota, but now that the decision was facing her, it worried her.

  But as she lay there on her bed that night, she thought of how life might be with her and Dakota. He would love the child, and that made her heart skip a beat. She wasn't even sure she was pregnant and already he loved their child. Their child. She sighed with happiness.

  She knew all the dangers, but she also knew the gladness in her heart. She rubbed her tummy gently, closed her eyes and went to sleep with a prayer on her lips. "Please God, keep our love safe!"

  Chapter Thirteen

  She told the girls about her love for Dakota. She had to, she was so happy it seemed to bubble forth from her.

  All the girls had met him at the Theater and he had seen that they always had the best seats there. They thought he was polite, and very sweet to see to them to their seats. They supported her and promised to help her in any way they could. Trish wasn't here, but she wrote her a long letter telling her about her and Dakota.

  The next two weeks went by in a frenzy. Every rehearsal day, she stayed after and went upstairs with Dakota and they made love. Her love and respect grew from his constant protectiveness of her. No one saw them, and for a while it was heaven. When she was away from him she missed him, and he her.

  But then the other entertainers arrived and since Mr. Montgomery gave them a suite upstairs as they were man and wife, Maggie didn't know how she would sneak into Dakota's room any longer. They'd be caught. It was impossible to meet in his room any longer.

  "Maggie dear, I'd like to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, they will be doing magic tricks between your songs."

  Maggie extended her hand and smiled brightly. Mr. Campbell nodded, but his wife didn't seem impressed with her. Her nose went to the air. Maggie overlooked it as fatigue from their travel.

  The woman stared at her for a long moment. "Do you have a suite upstairs too?" The way she asked that had Maggie wondering what her problem was.

  "No, I live at the boarding house," She answered wondering why the woman was so interested in where she lived.

  "Oh, I see. Well, we'll have to get together."

  "Perhaps tea or coffee at Ma's?"

  "Ma's?" the woman questioned.

  "Ma owns the boarding house." Maggie explained.

  "How delightfu
l. Yes, that would be wonderful." The woman still stared. "Sometime." She added.

  Maggie looked her over too, she was small, and had beautiful dark hair and blue eyes. The way she presented herself Maggie wondered if she was from another country. She had kind of an accent but Maggie had no idea where it came from.

  Her husband was tall and lanky, with dark hair and eyes. He wasn't as unfriendly. But his look was amicable.

  Maggie excused herself.

  When Dakota came in the woman seemed mesmerized by him immediately. Her eyes rounded on him with what looked like wide-eyed anticipation. She didn't bother to hide her attraction for him and her husband seemed to indulge it to some degree.

  "Is he an Indian?" She whispered to Maggie before she walked off.

  "Yes, he is." Maggie left her with her mouth open.

  When Dakota walked her home that night, he pulled her into the shadows.

  "Do not worry, I will find us a place that we can be together."

  "Oh Dakota, as soon as you do, let me know."

  "Never fear, I miss you in my arms, in my bed." He said and kissed her hotly as they went behind the boarding house to kiss.

  That first evening Dakota walked her home, they hadn't been upstairs and he pulled her into the shadows. He kissed her with such longing, and before she knew what he was doing, he pulled up her skirt and took her. She couldn't object, she wanted him just as badly. She let her head fall against the house, as he entered her and made love to her right there. "Oh my sweet…" she moaned aloud. Just the off chance of being caught scared her, but her need of him outweighed even that. The chance he took to be with her, sent hot desire sweeping through her. And the sweet rocking motion, the fact that he didn't rush to take, but needed her to enjoy it, made her climax so hard, that she nearly passed out from the thrill of it. When he put her skirt down, she sighed and he kissed her hard. "We will find a way to be together. I promise."

  "I think we just did." She smiled with such satisfaction, still drawing breath from his amorous seduction. There was something so daring about the way he took her tonight, that had her heart tripping with both excitement and pleasure.

  It was getting chilly now and winter wasn't far behind, but they weren't complaining, they were grinning.

  "I will find a place we can meet, and be together." He told her.

  "When will we marry?" She asked softly looking into his eyes.

  He stared at her in the darkness, a smile there, "We will arrange that too. You still want me as a husband?"

  "I want to be your wife so bad." She cried. "I promised Ma we'd marry somehow. I want to keep that promise, for her and for me."

  "She is a good woman to understand."

  "Yes, she is."

  "You will be my wife, but we will have a Shaman marry us." He agreed. "And soon, very soon."

  "Yes my love." She cried and threw herself in his arms once more.

  "I don't want to say goodbye, or goodnight. I want to keep you here in my arms." He whispered as his lips devoured her once more.

  "Oh Dakota, to wake up in the morning in your arms must be pure heaven." She sighed.

  "One day you will know…." He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I promise that."

  Days went by and the only way they were together was in the darkness of night. But Maggie didn't complain, Dakota had interesting ways of making love with her and each one was a surprise and a sheer pleasure. And Dakota took every precaution to hide her from view.

  But several days later he came to her before every one met for rehearsal. "I have arranged for us to be married," he told her.

  "Oh, Dakota, I can't believe it, when?" She asked breathlessly.

  "Tomorrow night after rehearsal, I will walk you home and we will go into the woods and be married by a Shaman of my tribe." He promised.

  "I can't wait."

  "I have found a shack that has been abandoned, not far from there and we will be married then go to the cabin. I have asked the owner for permission to use it a while. He agreed. We will go there as often as possible to be together. How does that sound."

  "It sounds wonderful." She cried and kissed him hard on the lips. "I'm sorry we have to hide our love. I don't want to hide it; I want to shout it to the rooftops. But I know it's impossible."

  "Only from the white man. The Indian will accept it." He told her.

  "I'm glad of that. Not everyone is against us, then." She sighed.

  "Go to bed my love and dream of our wedding night."

  "Dakota, do you love me?" She whispered.

  "More than my own life," he said in a soft raspy voice.

  "Tell me we can live together soon," She cried, as she went into his arms.

  "I promise, soon."

  She heard the crickets chirping, an old owl hooted from the woods. She waved at him, he threw her kisses.

  She ran back to him, kissed him on the lips and went inside.

  She peeled her clothes off, and this time she got into bed without dressing. It felt cool between the sheets. She rubbed her tummy and smiled. Someday she would carry his child, many children, she thought with a giggle.

  But she wasn't kidding herself. She knew there would be a lot to sacrifices for this love. She'd eventually have to give up her job. She might have to live with a tribe of Indians to be with him, but she thought about that too. As long as he was there with her, it didn't bother her. Besides, she found Indians to be a warm and friendly people.

  She wondered how the Indian maidens would accept her. If anyone would accept her. But still, her love for Dakota was so strong she was determined to endure anything.

  She imagined herself braiding her hair like an Indian, wearing deerskin clothes, carrying a papoose on her back. And yet, Dakota was so white the way he acted and spoke. All the Indians might not accept that about her and him. But in her heart she thought even God would condone their marriage as they truly loved one another.

  She wasn't going to worry and fret over it. She'd handle whatever came. For the love they shared was so powerful, there was no way she could live without him. The past week had proven that much.

  She was committed to the man and so deeply in love with him she would endure, somehow.

  The next morning, she woke up and snuck downstairs to tell Ma the good news.

  But she'd barely got the words out and in walked the Reverend. "Maggie, good to see you."

  "Yes, good to see you too." Maggie smiled.

  "You've missed a few Sunday's is anything wrong?"

  "Oh, no, I'm sorry. It's just with the new entertainers and all, things are hectic for me right now, Reverend." She tried to explain.

  "Yes, I heard there was going to be added attractions."

  "Yes, they do magic acts." Maggie explained with a wrinkle to her nose.

  The Reverend's face fell, "Magic huh?"

  Oh dear, that didn't set well with him. Magic and religion didn't go together. Maggie let that slip her mind.

  But that wasn't the reason she hadn't gone. Sunday was the one day that her and Dakota could be alone together in his room, because the couple attended church.

  Her routine was changing and everyone seemed to notice.

  "Well, I'll stay for your songs, Maggie, but we'll probably leave after that." The Reverend said with a smile.

  "Thank you…" She grabbed his hands. "I appreciate the loyalty."

  "We appreciate the great seats we have at every performance; Dakota seats us personally. He's quite a character, isn't he?"

  "Yes, he is."

  "Reverend, could I speak with you a moment."

  He nodded.

  She sat down at the table with him and Ma. She looked from one to the other. "I want to marry Dakota Reverend. A Shaman from his tribe is going to marry us, but…well, I want to be married in every way. Would you marry us too?"

  He stared at her a moment, saw the expression of hope, love and dreams. He also saw the great struggle within her too, knowing no one else would accept such a marriage. But he
hadn't known how serious their relationship had gotten and for only a second he paused. And then he broke into a big smile. "Of course I will. Just let me know when and where."

  "Oh God, thank you!" She reached up and pecked him on the cheek. "It means so much to me. We love each other so much, and we know there will be trying times for us. We know the dangers. But I feel that even God sanctions our love."

  "It is unusual, and there can be no written record of it, but I will be witness and so will Sarah, and it will be a marriage. I'm happy for you, Maggie. You deserve happiness."

  "Thank you, you're so very kind."

  "Well, actually, Moses had a black wife and God was not angry with him. So I see no reason to not recognize your marriage although you realize I'm sure that not many will agree. We haven't progressed that far in thinking. I know you must have already realized the dangers, and I'm sorry for your struggles, but it is part of what makes a marriage stronger. Now, we haven't had a solo from you in a couple of months at the church." He told her.

  "Oh yes, I'm sorry. But…. please, not this Sunday, but next, I promise to sing for you, how's that?"

  "That would be great, thank you." He talked to Ma a while and left.

  "Maggie, I'm proud of you about all of this. I would never have thought you capable of going through with this kind of thing. But you truly must love him. And I think it's wonderful. Could I come to the ceremony?" Ma asked. When Maggie looked doubtful she explained. "Honey, if anyone ever catches you, at least I can tell them, you were properly married."

  "Well, it's going to be in the woods, late at night, do you want to come anyway?"

  "Yes, perhaps, the girls might want to come." She said.

  "Alright, Ma, I'd love for you to be there."

  "What if I ask Nadine and Gabrielle to bring me. Would that be alright?"

  "I suppose it would. If they don't mind coming."

  "I'm sure they'd love to see it too." Ma told her and held her hands in hers.

  "I'm so excited."

  "I'm happy for you Maggie. I really am."