GW 2
Posted by Barbanne on July 15, 2003 at 00:49:21:
GOING WEST.
Chapter two.
I exited Belle's draped over Dave's shoulder. The other girls winked and waved and Belle looked at me and grinned and wiped away a pretend tear. I waved back rather feebly.
When he got me outside, he put me down on my feet and with a side of the mouth "C'mon," he and Tim set off walking fast on their long legs. I walked behind and then found I had to hurry and then I was nearly running and even so I had to hop every now and then and skip two or three times to keep them in sight.
"Hey Dave, slow down."
"You just keep up gel."
I stopped, a bit pissed, and put my hands on my hips and shouted after them. "Ya come into Belle's, bloody uninvited, ya give her ten bucks for me, bloody insulting, ya cart me out like a sack of spuds and then ya expect me to run to get to ya bloody boat so I can start work as a bloody tom for ya whole bloody crew."
Dave stopped, turned slowly and walked back to where I was standing. Tim followed, still carrying my gear. Dave looked down at me. He was thirty centimetres taller than me and I craned my neck to gaze angrily into his eyes.
"Listen girl, I dragged you out of the Ohio, buck naked and covered in slimy mud with weed up your ass. You looked more like a drowned rat than anything else......"
"Yeah, well..................."
"Shut up." He positively glared. I did as I was told.
"..........I laid you out on the deck, you looked more dead than alive, and I emptied a half of the river out of you and brought you back to life and cleaned you up and clothed and fed you."
Yea..................."
"SHUT UP!"
"I bought you here and off you skipped to Belle's. I presume its not the first such place you've been in? I know you visited Adolph Krietschmeier's boat and I know he hasn't been seen since. I know one of his men was killed that night and the police are searching for the murderer. I don't want to know what he did to you. I knew you didn't get in the river by yourself and we (he looked at Tim) didn't have to be geniuses to know that when we found you, you'd been beaten and sexually assaulted. (he looked at Tim again) We're not that stupid..........."
"I.............." He stared at me and his stare said shut up.
"Despite all this I haven't been able to get you out of my head. I see you like a little kid in those clothes we gave you that didn't fit worth a damn and I think I have to have that girl. I have to look after her, she obviously stuffs her own life up and needs looking after. I don't want you for a tom. I want you for myself."
I was staring at him, my eyes open like saucers and my mouth hanging open. I said "Duuuuhh....."
"I love you, you stupid broad." he gathered me in his arms and swept me off my feet and crushed his lips to mine. I crushed back and my heart went thumping along and my knees went watery weak and my mind wheeled away. He put me down and my legs gave out and I half sat before he grabbed me and held me upright.
"I, I,................." Nobody had ever said anything like that to me. NOBODY had ever said "I love you." to me. I started bawling.
"Oh for Pete's sake."
I grabbed onto Dave's arm with both of mine and positively wrapped myself around him. I looked up through drying tears. "Let's go then...........skipper!"
Tim had been standing there all the while looking bemused and now he laughed. Dave laughed and my heart swelled with, I dunno, weird feelings, but they were all good.
"Yes Miss."
Off he went again with me wrapped to his arm. Walk, run, walk, run, skip, skip, skippety skip.
We arrived back at the boat.
"Where's our cabin Cap'n?"
"I want you to meet someone."
"OK."
He took me into the stern cabin and said "Therese."
A girl in a patterned dress turned to look at us. She had red hair and blue eyes and a VO-luptuous figure and she was so pretty I felt like plain Jane.
A proper dag.
"Hi! said Therese.
"Hello. I waved without releasing my grasp on Dave's arm.
"This is Barbanne, Therese. Therese, Barbanne. Barbanne, Therese.
"Hi."
"Hi."
I released him long enough to take Therese's hands and kiss her on the cheek.
"Barbanne will share with you Therese until I find me a preacher to get us hitched."
I beamed.
"I can't have her in my cabin 'til were married proper like. I might get tormented by temptation. I wouldn't want to do lustful things until we're man and wife."
"What if I want you to do lustful things?"
"See what I mean Therese?"
"I'll look after her Dave."
"Thanks."
He turned to go.
"Wait."
I grabbed him and kissed him until I thought I'd faint from loss of air.
He looked at Therese. She was smiling.
"See what I mean?"
Dave's boat was called "Ticonderoga" and she was a river keel boat. We were headed up the Mississipi to where the Missouri joined in, sixteen kilometres above Saint Louis. Then we were going to go up the Missouri to collect beaver pelt and hides from the French trappers who came down from Canada. When Dave told me, I thought "I could show you beaver pelt Dave without leaving Saint Louis." But I kept shut up. He was sort of sensitive to my blurting this stuff out in front of everyone. Dave had a dozen crew including Therese. She did for them in the way of cooking and washing and general home comforts and I was only too willing to lend her a hand. Captains' Lewis and Clark had set off up the Missouri not too long before, searching for the North West passage. So, where we were going was pretty much unexplored after a very short part of the way. We set out the morning following Dave's having collected me from Belle's. We travelled against the current of the river as it made its way down to New Orleans, so we stuck to the sides and all of the guys lined up and poled the boat upstream. They pushed their poles into the bed of the river and walked back along the boat and in this way propelled the hull through the water. It was hard work and the weather was still warm, although autumn was coming on. Dave was late making the trip as he should have set out in spring to gain as much time as possible before winter came again and froze the river over. He knew it was dicey leaving so late but circumstances had mitigated against him so he was left with no choice. I heard him saying to Tim that he hoped the trip would go well and that the weather would hold. I hoped he'd find himself a preacher so I wouldn't have to stay on hold myself.
A week later we were into the Missouri and one morning I woke before anyone else. It had been a hard slog and the guys had been rested while we tied up at river side overnight. I don't know what woke me, only that it was still dark and yet I had popped awake. Guilty conscience I wouldn't wonder. Therese was still asleep and was breathing quiet but steady in that deep sleep that often precedes waking. I got out of bed and walked out on deck wearing a shawl over my nightie. My passion killer, but it was warm for these cool nights on the water. It was dark and quiet except for the plop of fish jumping and the sounds of birds awakening and an occasional creature on shore. The river had cliffs along the banks and beyond was lightly timbered rolling fields and hills. The air smelt so clean it was like heavenly nectar.
It was very beautiful.
Dawn suffused a pink stain on the horizon and it was so glorious I caught my breath. As often happens the temperature dropped just before dawn and I shivered and wrapped my shawl closer. It was like someone had walked on my grave and I felt a sense of foreboding that was foreign to my nature. Then two strong arms encircled me and Dave said, "Hello Beautiful." and turned my face to him and kissed me on the lips. I put my arms around him and hugged him awfully tight and kissed him long and hard and opened my mouth and just touched him with the tip of my tongue.
"What were you thinking of?"
"How lucky I am."
"Think so?"
"Know so. I don't deserve to be this happy."
"I'll make you earn it."
"Oh darling. Lets not wait. Take me to your bed now."
His hands roamed my body and he breathed heavily. "I'd love to but the day's starting. There's work needs doing."
"I'll give you my quick service."
Hah. I'll bet you could."
"Pleeeeeeeeeze."
"Gotta find a parson today."
"Skipper." A voice called and the moment was gone.
I went back inside and Dave went to get things started. Therese was yawning and stretching. "Hi Barb."
"Hi Therese."
I had never cared for anyone but number one. Me. Now suddenly I felt like I had family. People who cared and a man who wanted me. Me myself because I was myself. And the land was beautiful like I had never seen before. I was confused. I felt like a shit. Which I was. I shouldn't be allowed to have this from people. I knew guilt for the first time and knew I would have to share my guilt with others. I would have to face punishment for the wicked things I had done. I knew this.
Then Therese said "Come on Dopey Dora. Breakfast won't make itself. Stop dreaming and gawping." I laughed and said "You're a tough woman Therese." We dressed and headed for the galley.
We cooked up a mess of vittles and the boys ate hearty. While Therese and I cleaned up their mess, they got the boat underway and we headed for the west once more. We passed an abundance of bird life and fish jumping clear from the swirling waters. We could see antelope and jack rabbits running ashore and Dave determined to stop ere nightfall and shoot a few for the cooking pot. With their Kentucky long rifles the boys could hit a running rabbit at a hundred metres. I was sunning myself on deck talking to Therese between cleaning up breakfast and starting lunch.
"You know." I said, fingering my dress which was dusted with flour, "This isn't exactly the best thing for wearing on a boat like this."
"I couldn't agree more." Opined Therese.
"And as for all these damn stiff petticoats...." I flashed them.
"Curse of being a lady Barb."
"Well, I'm no damned lady."
"Not that much of one myself."
"I envy the guys their trousers and shirts."
"Me too."
"C'mon then, lets do something about it."
Off we went and raided the stores for two pair of duck trews and a couple of shirts. We chose small sizes but they were still far too large. I sat down with scissors, needle and thread and after an hour's diligent work had adapted them to fit both me and Therese. We carried them into our cabin and got naked together. Therese had a fabulously voluptuous figure and I just drooled when I saw her starkers. I dragged myself back to reality. "Well, I'm not gonna have the comfort of these and be done up like a trussed chook underneath."
"Oooh Barb, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying I'm putting on these knickers," I held them up. "and nothing more underneath. If the fellers sight an occasional stray nipple, stiff shit!"
"Ow Barb!"
"Here goes." I pulled on my knickers, nice ones they were, that I had bought with Belle's loan. Then I pulled on the shirt over my bare chest and hoicking up my trews, tucked the shirt in. I laced the shirt at the neck. I pulled on my working shoes.
"There."
"Oooooh."
"C'mon Therese."
Therese dressed likewise. I fingered my shirt's neck tie.
"And this might get a bit loose depending who's watching."
Therese giggled.
We trooped out onto the deck.
"Hey you men." Shouted Dave.
We marched over.
"Aye Cap'n."
"Oh my God!"
Dave and the other guys soon got used to us.
A week later we stopped at a little Lutheran settlement called St Joseph, near a bend in the river, and a stern faced preacher with a beard and a bible made Dave and me man and wife. I put on my dress and all of them petticoats for the occasion as well as stockings! The guys all came and watched and so did the town. Therese outshone me in the pretty stakes as my bride's maid. Then we repaired to the boat and Dave broke out the rum and they partied and danced and I danced with all the fellers and then left them to Therese, while me and Dave disappeared into the cabin where he removed my finery bit by bit until I was lounging on the bed as naked as naked can be. Then I took off his clothes and we had ourselves a honeymoon. I was no virgin that's certain, but the loving I had with Dave was special. By midnight when he finally let me go to sleep, I was covered in a bath of sweat and every part of my body had been licked and kissed pink. My pussy felt like it had done a full day's work too. Oh yeah!
Next day we were back in our boy clothes and the boat was making way upstream. Despite my newly acquired status as Missus, I was just as hard at work in the galley alongside Therese. The weather was getting colder and frequent rain showers swept across the river. I didn't know squat compared to the others, but if we were going to get where we were going and back before winter, I was a ...........well, whatever. There were sand bars and rips in this part of the river and we didn't travel at night as Dave adjudged this too dangerous. We stopped by the bank under an overhanging cliff with a little beach and were treated to yet another gorgeous sunset. Reds, pinks, yellows fading into orange and then black, it was fabulous.
Therese and I fed them and we all retired for the night. Dave and I had our umpteenth honeymoon and settled down to sleep. I was just drifting off when I heard "Ahoy, the boat." I grabbed Dave's arm, "D'you hear that?" He was already out of bed and I followed him, chucked on some clothes, and went on deck. A figure was hailing us from the little beach.
"Ahoy."
"Ho there." Replied Dave.
"Permission to come aboard Cap'n."
Dave ran out a plank and a young blonde woman came up it.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Annie Jones Cap'n, English lady."
We went into the cabin and Annie proved to be about twenty some with a short straight cut head of blonde hair, dressed for travelling in a stained velvet jacket and skirt and long boots. I didn't like her.
Dave looked at her, "So, Annie Jones, how comes you're out in this God forsaken wilderness, all alone."
"I was enroute with my party, overland to Saint Louis, from Montreal when I became separated a few days back. I found the river and followed it. Then I saw your boat."
"You must have been a long ways lost or taking a strange route to be out here."
"I wasn't the navigator."
"How have you survived since becoming separated from your party?"
"I had some food and I've been making do."
She looked awful healthy for one making do.
"Well, we're headed west. So join us that's where you'll go."
"Hmmmnn. Can I bunk down with you while I think over my options."
"Sure. Barb will show you somewhere to sleep."
"Thank you Captain."
I thought Annie Jones altogether too glib for an English lady lost in the wilderness. She was English, her accent said that. I showed her where she could bunk with Therese. Therese was up and I introduced them. Annie peeled off and we all went back to our beds.
I woke to an awful ruckus coming from my old room. I jumped up and ran next door. Dave was mumbling awake. I pushed aside the door and sighted Annie, fully clothed, bashing a semi-naked Therese's head against the wall. What to do? It seemed Therese was definitely losing. I grabbed Annie's short hair and pulled backwards. She screamed and turned toward me and pulled a knife from her skirt. I jumped backwards but she leapt at me, slashing with the knife. I grabbed the hand that held the knife and we went over backwards. I tried to keep the knife from my throat but she was very strong. I could see the blade, up close and very deadly looking. I figured I was a goner. The knife point pierced my skin. Bang! A pistol fired and Annie's eyes disappeared to be replaced by whites and she said "Unnngh." and the knife fell away and she flopped onto me, dead! I scrambled out from under her, rolling her body sideways. Therese was standing in her night slip, smoking pistol in hand. Dave was at the door. Crew members were hollering from the passage. Dave shouted at them that it was alright, he'd handle it. Annie lay dead on the floor, a look of surprise in her wide open, sightless eyes, a bullet hole in her left side. I ran to Dave, the front of my night shift soaked in Annie's blood. I grabbed him and held tight.
"What was that all about?" I gasped.
"Well you might ask." He looked at Therese.
"I woke up to find her, dressed and going through the safe."
We had a small safe which was kept in Therese's room. I had seen it when I shared with Therese. I now noticed it was open and papers were scattered nearby. Dave crossed to it, picked up the papers, glanced at them and put them back inside and closed the safe. He looked at Therese.
"She was looking for..................."
"I know what she was looking for Therese."
"I jumped her from behind but she was a strong bitch and was bashing into me when Barb came galloping in and she turned onto her. That gave me a chance to grab the pistol and when I saw she was about to skewer Barb I shot her."
"Right, well, who was she. Not who she said I think."
Dave crossed to Annie and with Therese's help they got her body onto the table. He closed her eyes and she looked peaceful as though asleep. I was going through her dress pockets and found a few papers describing her as Annie Jones, English, twenty eight years old. I showed them to Dave. He read them and said, "OK, lets strip and search Annie Jones and see what other secrets she may have."
Therese and I started on that. I pulled off her soft leather boots, they were beautifully made. Therese unbuttoned her jacket while I pulled off her skirt. I helped Therese lift her limp body while she removed Annie's coat. I pulled down Annie's underskirt and helped Therese unlace her corset and remove it. Annie lay stretched out on the table, dressed in knickers only. Dave had been going through her clothes as we passed them to him. "Anything?" Therese asked.
"Nothing."
I took the waist elastic of her soft silk knickers and slipped them down her legs and off. I felt something bulky in the smooth material. I felt and found a secret pocket and withdrew a letter.
"Dave."
He and Therese moved close. I opened the envelope, it wasn't sealed and withdrew the letter. I unfolded it and spread it out on Annie's groin. It was addressed to the French Commander in New Orleans. It was from the British Forces Command in Montreal and outlined plans for these two nations to destroy the fledgling United States. It was signed Petra, Lady Buchanan. I looked at my companions. Dave looked at Therese. "So, Jefferson was right."
"Hey what's going on."
"Looks like Annie here is, or rather was, a British spy."
"But I thought the war with Britain was over yonks ago."
"So did we."
"Well................?"
"Looks like they haven't given up after all."
"What was Annie....," I touched her dead leg. "......looking for on this boat way out here. I mean what would she want with a bunch of fur traders."
Dave looked at Therese."Good question." He looked back at me and then at Therese. "You want to tell her?"
"She's your wife."
"True."
"Tell me what. Hey what's going on here?"
Dave looked at me. He smiled. "Barb as you seem to have guessed we aren't just fur traders. That's all you need know now."
"Oh, I see. Clear as mud. And I suppose Therese here isn't just a cook and bottle washer."
"Not entirely."
"Dave if you think I'm going to......................."
"Feisty isn't she." Dave addressed Therese over my head.
"Rather you than me Dave."
Dave took my face in both hands and kissed me on the forehead. "You'll learn soon enough my darling."
"If you..........I, what.........? Jeezus Dave, its a good thing I love you like crazy because this is going to test my............................ Oh shit!" I turned to Therese.
Dave said. "Therese, get rid of this." He indicated Annie's corpse. "Barb will help you."
"C'mon Barb." Therese left to get some canvas to make a shroud.
I looked down at Annie. Her body was very white. She had beautifully round soft breasts that had splayed out and her large, brown, upthrust nipples pointed away from each other. Her tummy was flat and her pelvic bone pronounced so that her mons veneris was prominent and drew my eyes to the soft pouch of her vagina. She had long, slender arms and legs and pretty feet. The bullet had entered between her ribs and must have smashed her heart. Her face was very pretty and her short chopped blonde hair made her look angelic. A little blood stained her lips. Therese came back with a canvas sheet and we manouvred it under Annie's body and folded it over her. Dave brought some big rocks in and we inserted these into the shroud and then sewed Annie up. Two crewmen joined Dave and they all three carried Annie out and without a by your leave dumped her overboard. She sank without trace.
I had no idea what was going on, no clue as to what I had gotten involved in, but I was with Dave and Therese all the way. Although not a native born American, I had no time for England, a country where class distinction had been made an art form. Where dominating matriarchs under the rule of inbred men and helped by a public (read private) school system riddled with homosexual hazing, had created inadequate men and unhappy and frustrated women.
"God bless America." I thought.
I began to suspect there was more to Dave and Therese than I had first thought. Not their secrets. God knew what they involved, but them, themselves. I suspected that there was something between them. Something that had been going on long before I arrived in Dave's life, fished out of the Ohio, more dead than alive. Why had he married me? What were they up to? Were they lovers? And who was this Petra, Lady Buchanan?
I stroked Dave's face as we lay in bed after sweetly making love one evening.
"Do you love me Dave?'
"Uh huh."
"Uh huh, can't you do better than Uh huh."
"I love you like life itself. You're everything to me."
"Truly?"
"Yes."
I lay there for a minute or two.
"Dave?"
"Yes Barb?"
"Do you? Er, do you...............Oh God! do you love only me?"
He was silent.
I blurted out. "Do you love Therese?"
"Barb. Therese and I have known each other for a long time."
"But do you love her?"
"In a way."
"Oh Dave!"
"She loves me and she loves you Barb."
"What do you mean?"
"I think you know."
"You mean..........................."
"I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen you Barb. But Barb, you're the one I want for wife. You're my real true love."
"Oh Dave." I was confused. He called softly, "Therese."
She must have been listening. She slipped in and joined us in the bed. I looked askance. "Therese you're naked!"
"So are you Barb..............and so is Dave."
"But we.................."
"Only way to be between friends honey."
"Oh Therese.................Oh Dave.
I had never realised how much I loved these two. Differently and yet the same. I admired them and craved their friendship, but I also found I could give my body to both of them and that doing so at the same time resulted in the most wonderful, loving sex I had ever known. Never had I imagined it could be like this. We slept not a wink that night and we wore each other out in ways I had only dreamt could be. I greeted the dawn tired, and yet exhilarated. Both sides of my character had been released and I was theirs. My two wonderful lovers. As I washed the fluids of our love making off I thought of one as yet unexplored delight. I could be "dead" for them. The game I had so enjoyed at Mrs Carling's. To lie, helpless and submissive whilst my two darlings explored and used my body. Used me and used me until they fell exhausted.
What a dream!
I would make it happen.
Somehow.
We had moved past the open forests and turning northwest we had entered the open plains of the prairies. I had never seen such beauty. And then I saw buffalo for the first time. Hordes of them. Blackening the plains. Oh how I loved this country!
Then the Indians came.