Well,
little sister, your brother has done it again!
Once again I have saved you from one of Mother’s infamous
operatic
rages, using only my charm and position as her favorite child. At any rate, you can stop panicking. I have convinced her that a trip to Rock
Creek would be taxing on her and is better left to a world traveler
like myself. In addition, I have enlisted
Liam and
Jonathon to join me. Both are excited to
see you and observe the Wild West as you have so vividly described it.
I wish that I could say that you had
no need then, to be anxious. But sadly,
I think I should warn you that Jonathon is up to his old tricks. Since you left and took your sunny,
devil-take-the-hindmost
attitude with you, he’s been back to his old, surly self.
What’s worse (and he’s got our dear old
mother’s full support on this) he’s got his head filled with the idea
that
he’ll be bringing you back to become Lady Marbury.
If your loving brother is reading between the
lines correctly (and I think I am) then this would be in direct
contradiction
to your own designs on Mr. Cross.
Forewarned is forearmed they say, and I hope you heed this
warning and
arm yourself appropriately.
Molly grimaced as she re-read her brother’s warning, She folded up the letter and returned it to its envelope before looking up to survey the rows of bowed heads in the classroom in front of her. Her class had shrunk to include only the children of families who hadn’t been swayed by the Tanner’s vicious accusations a few weeks earlier. Today was the last day before these few remaining students had before Christmas break and those old enough to understand such things expected to find a newer, stricter teacher in Miss Ginn’s place come January. Molly glanced outside and along with her students, wished the school day had already ended.
She wondered what lines Matt had been reading between. She didn’t have “designs” on Buck; she couldn’t imagine herself having “designs” on anyone. That she intensely, passionately thought about Buck constantly, that she liked to daydream about swooning into his arms or having him rescue her from great peril, that she lived to make him laugh, to all of that she would admit. But Molly could not, would not, believe that there was any chance that she and Buck would have a romantic affair. She remembered moments shared with him here and there which she had tucked away into some hidden corner of her heart to be called upon in old age and spinsterhood. Molly was plain and round and she knew it; so she tamped her feelings down where she had hoped no one would notice. There was no way for her brother or anyone else to have known that her heart leapt into her throat when Buck was near and so she was bothered at his insight. If Matt could tell from a letter then surely Cody, who saw her everyday, knew; and if Cody knew then everyone knew…
The day
passed in a flurry of similar thoughts and Molly found herself waiting
for the
stage and her brother’s arrival. In the
weeks since the Levesques’ accident and the town meeting, the hub-bub
surrounding her had subsided but had not been resolved.
Matt (and evidently Liam and Jonathon as
well) would stay over the weekend and then was to take her and Jacques
back to
The tallest of the three lost no time in wrapping Molly in a hug and shouting, “The west really is wild, little sister! We will have to regale you with the story of our stage companion; she was quite the character. I think Liam might even have been smitten with her.”
A pale, dreamy looking boy looked at them from where he stood paying Jesse and another boy to see their baggage into the hotel. “She was very knowledgeable in regards to Rousseau’s noble savage,” he said in reply with a faint Irish brogue.
The last of them, a burly fellow with a fantastic moustache and a noticeable limp, tipped his hat at Molly with a wink, “Miss Ginn.”
“Oh, Jonathon, don’t,” Molly protested at his formality and gave him a warm hug.
Her brother slapped Jonathon’s shoulder heartily, “It’s Lord Jonathon now, little sister, and old Marbury here never lets us forget it.”
“C’mon, your lordship,” Liam said as he watched the boys struggling inside with the baggage, “Let’s leave Matt and Molly to renew fraternal bonds while we see to that grim looking hotel clerk.”
As soon as the other two were out of earshot, Matt whispered frantically, “What are you doing hugging him? Didn’t you get my letter?”
Molly looked at him from under raised eyebrows, “It’s Jonathon, Matt, he’s my friend. Just because I hugged him doesn’t mean I’m going to marry him.”
Matt held her hand and looked at her; the concern written on his face was unexpected. “I’m not kidding here, Molly. You can’t give him any encouragement, even if it means not being his friend at all. Lately, Jonathon seems hell bent on destroying his life; for some reason he’s decided to bring you along with him. Just be really careful with him, sis, okay?”
Molly didn’t usually see her brother so solemn. “I’ll be careful.” She glanced around to be certain no one, not visiting friend nor Express rider was lurking nearby, “Matt, how did you know about Buck?”
Matt laughed, back to his usual chipper self. “You used to talk about Liam the same way,” he whispered conspiratorially and was rewarded at the horrified look on his sister’s face.
“I did not,” she sputtered, “I never liked Liam…I…”
“Oh, don’t worry, little sister, he thought it was cute.” Matt elbowed his sister in the ribs playfully and watched the blush slowly fade from her face as Liam and Jonathon re-emerged and she led them out to the station house.
Back at the weigh station, little Jacques Levesque was tugging on Buck’s sleeve impatiently. Buck had ridden in from a tough ride only moments before and had hardly put up his horse when Jacques had found him. “Buck, Buck, you will come look at my snow angel,” the little boy commanded.
Buck thought longingly of his warm bunk or, even better, some warm food and then looked back at the little boy’s face. He knew he couldn’t say no, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to. “Alright,” he conceded, “but quickly. Dinner’s soon and we both have to get washed up.”
The little boy nodded vigorously and began to pull Buck out of the barn. His breath froze in white puffs as he spoke, “Mo’s friends will be here tonight too, so I am supposed to be on my best behavior. Mo says they will like me very much. Do you think they will like me?”
Buck only
nodded, lost in his own thoughts about Molly’s visitors.
He couldn’t help but feel a little anxious
about their arrival. It was not until he
learned they were coming, that Buck realized how little he knew about
the
schoolteacher. A week ago, he’d thought
he’d known all he needed to…but now, with strange and wealthy friends
from
Jacques pointed proudly at a morass of slush and mud just outside the barn. Buck looked at it and then noticed the state of the back of Jacques’ jacket and trousers. “Looks more like a mud angel to me,” he opined.
“Yes,” the little boy agreed, “more snow is required.”
“Let’s see if Rachel has some other pants for you, eh, buddy?” Buck ruffled Jacques hair affectionately and sighed. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that the ring had been a mistake.
“And we’ve saved the best for last!” Matt cried. Molly was grinning at her brother as they walked towards the warm lights of the weigh station. The three boys had been animatedly telling her about their traveling companion and Molly had tried to appear interested. She’d gotten used to the idea of a woman in pants thanks to Lou, and tales of Western characters were never that exciting for an acquaintance of Teaspoon Hunter’s. But Matt was not to be discouraged from his tale, “Her name is…” He paused dramatically and all three of them shouted joyfully, “Teacup!”
“Teacup?” Molly stopped in her tracks, suddenly realizing why the old woman had looked so familiar.
“I know isn’t it a riot?” Matt continued, “And she’s here to meet up with her brother, named…wait for it…”
But Molly didn’t wait for it. She turned to her brother with a wicked grin and asked, “Teaspoon?”
Matt looked crestfallen, “How’d you know?”
Molly smiled but only said, “You’ll see.”
They had arrived at the bunkhouse and as Molly opened the door, yellow light, chatter, and the smell of Rachel’s cooking poured out onto the porch. The boys stepped inside, adjusting their eyes to the light. Everyone inside had tensed automatically at the sight of the well cut suits, suddenly all too aware of their own shortcomings. The anxiety melted as Matt shouted happily, “Teacup!” and flung his arms around Teaspoon’s sister.
“That the
sort of suit everybody wears in
Jonathon
shook his head adamantly, “
“I live in
Jonathon agreed with a cynical smile, “I all but live at the club. The Marbury estate is provincial at best, and once you’ve gotten used to the excitement of the city, there’s no substitute.”
“I’m gonna
have a suit like that one a these days,” Cody mused, pausing in his
eating long
enough to stare across the room in search of his fantastic future. “I’ll see
“What about you, Liam?” Rachel asked. The Irishman had been much quieter than his friends and there was a certain air of melancholy about him.
“I’m naught but a peasant, ma’am,” he said pleasantly, “I’ve got a teaching position at the city college.”
“A man of letters!” Teaspoon crowed, “What d’ya teach son?”
“Literature, mostly; some of the greater philosophers.”
Jonathan laughed hollowly, “To tell the truth gentlemen, he considers himself the next great poet of the emerald isle.” The slight hint of condescension in his voice caused Molly and her brother to exchange sidelong glances, but otherwise seemed to go unnoticed.
“I have toyed with rhymin’ some myself,” said Teaspoon happily, “Perhaps you all would like to hear my Ode to a Rattlesnake.”
“No!” roared Teacup, “I’ve heard yer poetry, Teaspoon, and I ain’t gonna let you inflict it on these innocents.”
“Perhaps another time,” the old marshal conceded and turned back to his plate.
“Miss Teacup,” Liam started eagerly, “I hope since fate has thrown us together again that you can tell me more about your experiences with the naturals.”
The older woman ran a finger along her chin, “Anythin’ you want to know, if’n I know it, I’ll tell it.”
“Sounds like somebody else we know,” Jimmy muttered.
“Naturals?” asked Cody, “What’s a natural?”
“Natives,” replied Liam, “I have a great interest in Rousseau’s noble savage.” Buck’s head snapped up at the word and there was a general amount of unease all around the table.
“It’s a philosophical idea,” clarified Matt, trying to diffuse the situation, “Rousseau, along with others, proposed that cultures living without the harmful effects of civilization…”
He was rudely interrupted. “Are you saying we’re not civilized?” Buck stared at Matt with angry eyes.
“Uhhh, no, I…” Matt tried to find a way back into his explanation, but was so flustered he faltered.
Liam’s interest had now been sparked, however, and he jumped into the fray, “Are you a natural, yourself?” he asked Buck.
Buck gave him a level stare, “I’m half Kiowa.”
“Excellent!” Liam’s pale face took on an unexpected level of animation, “Then you could give me first hand insight.”
“Excuse me, Rachel, I’ve lost my appetite.” Buck got up from the table deliberately.
“No, don’t go!” Molly cried, jumping up from where she was sitting. “Everything’s just gotten confused. Liam follows this theory that cultures separated from industry and commercialism are also separated from avarice and moral decay and…stuff.”
“Quite right,” Liam agreed, “No offense was intended.”
Buck sat back down warily and in the uneasy silence Teacup stated flatly, “The first thing I can tell you ‘bout the naturals is they’re touchy folk.”
Jonathon had expressed an interest in playing poker and the boys had agreed to a hand or two after dinner. Buck had excused himself immediately after dinner on the pretext of some pressing chore. The three visitors had no reason to disbelieve him, and everybody else respected his need to escape. The first hand was hardly underway when Molly took Jacques off to bed. She tucked him in and kissed his forehead and for the millionth time wondered how she’d ended up with him. When she felt fairly certain he’d fallen asleep, she left Rachel’s house to return to the card game, but not before stopping by the barn.
Buck was brushing down his horse vigorously, so that great clouds of dust hung in the cold air and mingled with the smell of hay and horses. He didn’t look up when he heard someone come in and didn’t acknowledge Molly’s presence as she stepped closer to where he worked.
“Honestly, nobody meant to be mean or anything,” she said quietly. Buck didn’t answer. “Do you hate all three of them, then?”
Buck stared at her with a look of contempt, “What if Jacques had been old enough to understand what they were saying?”
“To understand what? Rousseau? To understand when something is an insult and when it’s just a misunderstanding?”
“Forget it,” he muttered and started to diligently polish his saddle. She didn’t leave and after a minute he stopped and looked at her, “Are you just going to stand there?”
Molly considered her answer slowly. “Yes. I am going to stand here until you agree to give them another chance or until you turn into a green dragonfly, whichever comes first. Well, I might actually sit.” She sat down on a pile of feed sacks and looked at him pleasantly.
Buck found himself smiling, “Am I going to turn into a green dragonfly?”
“I think you might. And if you do, I want to see it.” She continued to stare at him.
“What exactly is this theory of Liam’s again?” he asked as he began to put his tack away.
Molly smiled, “It’s quite flattering really. It’s this idea that men who still live close to nature, like the Kiowa, are gentler, kinder, better human beings.”
“That doesn’t sound too insulting,” Buck agreed. “And I’d say I am a better human being than say, Tompkins or Cody.” He reached a hand down and helped her up, so that she stood close to him. Buck brushed the hair away from her face and kissed her. For a moment, Molly let hope well up inside her…
As they walked back to the bunkhouse and the poker game, hands brushing against each other, they were watched by Rachel, Teaspoon, and Teacup from Rachel’s veranda. Rachel sighed as they passed by and Teaspoon looked at her shrewdly. “What’s got you sounding so wistful, Rachel?”
“Just thinkin’ ‘bout how everybody’s growin’ up.” She watched as the bunkhouse door opened and the bright light enveloped the couple. “Suppose Molly don’t get to teach next year, what happens to them then?”
“Happens to who?” asked Teaspoon.
“Molly and Buck,” Rachel answered.
“You tellin’ me those two got somethin’ goin’ on?” asked Teacup, disbelief etched into her voice.
“We got our suspicions,” Teaspoon answered. “But neither of them tend to be particularly talkative ‘bout it. In fact, the only evidence we got is what Cody says, and I don’t expect we should entirely believe that boy.”
“True,” Rachel agreed. “But I don’t know, Teaspoon, sometimes I’m sure I catch a look or two between them and they are very good friends.”
Teaspoon nodded as he ran his thumbs under his suspenders, “Same logic might apply towards Cody too. And we know Molly ain’t got no romantic feelin’s for him.”
“Pussy footers,” said Teacup disgustedly, “Nothin’ makes me madder. Life’s too short to pussy foot around what’s important. You got to do somethin’ about this, Teaspoon.”
Teaspoon shook his head, “No, I think it’s best we all stay out of it.”
“Nonsense. You’ve got to shake some sense into the two of them before it’s too late. That British fella got designs on her, and I wouldn’t trust him as far as I can throw him. Mark my words, Teaspoon, somebody else don’t interfere, he will.”
Like his sister, Matt Ginn was an irrepressibly merry sort. He was losing badly at poker but he was enjoying it mightily. Jonathon, on the other hand, was getting more and more heated each hand he lost. Everybody else except Cody and Noah had long since quit the game and were watching and chatting happily. Liam was scribbling in a small notebook as he asked Buck various questions. Buck had never known anyone who showed such a great and admiring interest in his culture and he felt a little guilty that it gave him such a pleasant feeling. He smiled across the room at Molly, where she was keenly watching the poker game. She and her friends had been reminiscing about European exploits that seemed a world away to Buck. For the moment he was dismissing the nagging feeling that there was an entirely different Molly who he knew nothing about, and instead focused on how bright and charming she was, a sparkle of light in the cozy bunkhouse.
Jonathon had pushed the betting to an all-time high. The tension of the game was contagious, and soon even Liam stopped his meticulous note-taking and watched the kitty grow bigger. Molly had a worried expression on her face, and her brother patted her hand affectionately, “Don’t worry, sis, I’m not going to lose the ancestral manse.” Molly smiled back at him but her brow remained furrowed.
When the cards were finally laid down, Jonathon had finally won a hand with four sixes. The sight of the sixes made Liam jump a little; Matt, too, looked uneasy but Molly looked downright livid.
“You put that money back, Jonathon Marbury!” she shouted as he started to rake in his winnings. Jonathon froze and threw her a look of shock and maybe a little bit of fury. Molly met his stare with an equally sharp eye, “You cheated on that hand and you know it.”
“What?” he responded in a mild, oily manner. “My luck has changed is all. I wouldn’t cheat in a friendly little game like this.” He smiled around the table but the faces he met were mostly confused.
Molly stalked behind him and glared down at him, “Empty your vest pocket, right now.”
Jonathon obeyed, an icy stoicism replacing the smile on his face. “I just was seeing how quick these boys’ eyes were, Molly. I wouldn’t really take their hard earned money.” He threw four cards on the table and attempted to seem casual and unalarmed. Nobody missed the hint of condescension in his voice. Kid and Jimmy exchanged quick glances, this Jonathon character made both of them want to reach for their guns.
Matt chuckled nervously and slapped his friend on the back, “You’ve got to stop relying on the sixes, old boy.”
Molly was not amused, “You were hustling my friends? Cheating weasely eyed old misers is one thing, but this…” She ran out of steam and just stared at him. Her face was red with either anger or embarrassment or a complex combination of the two.
Jonathon
spoke as if speaking to a small child, “Oh, Molly, that’s why I need
you
around, to keep me honest.” He reached
up and grabbed her arm, pulling her down into her lap.
Molly squirmed uncomfortably and he leaned
in, whispering to her, “It’s like that time in
It was an awkward moment. Everyone averted their eyes, suddenly feeling like they were intruders on a private moment. Anger flared up in Buck, but he sat there motionless. It was impossible to ascertain whether Molly needed rescuing, or if this was all de rigueur for sophisticates. Everyone was so taken aback at the sudden turn of events that only a handful of them noticed that Jonathon spoke just loudly enough to be heard, or that he glanced at Buck as he spoke.
In an instant it was over, Matt had grabbed his sister’s hand and pulled her carefully away from Jonathon, before clapping his friend on the shoulder with a nervous chuckle. “Now, don’t insult the honor of my sister, Marbury. You’ll force me to duel with you, and they don’t use snappy little swords out here. No, it’s pistols all the way. Isn’t it Mr. Hickok? Showdowns under western skies, twenty paces, no seconds, just the sun over head and the flinty gaze of your opponent.”
Molly
smacked the back of her brother’s head in frustration.
One awkward situation moved into the next,
and for the first time she found herself wishing the next day would
pass
swiftly so they could all be on their way to
As the door shut, Molly turned on Jonathon, “What the hell are you up to?”
He shrugged coolly and straightened his jacket, brushed off imaginary dust from the collar. “Just remembering old times, Molly.”
She sighed in exasperation, “Don’t cheat them again, okay? They’re my friends and I don’t need them thinking I associate with cheats and thieves.”
Jonathon looked at her in consternation, “Since when do you care what people think? Don’t tell me that you, who stood up to the crème de la crème of European society, are held in check by this prudish and unsophisticated lot. Really. Most of them are probably illiterate.”
“I don’t care what they think,” she answered reflexively, “I just…I don’t want them under the wrong impression. It probably looked like we’d had a torrid love affair or something.”
Jonathon raised his eyebrows at her, “They might as well think that. After all, we will have one sooner or later, it’s inevitable,” he said smugly.
“Inevitable? It’s inconceivable!” Molly just stared at him, horrified.
Matt nudged Jonathon’s shoulder gently, “Let’s get to the hotel, huh?”
As they stepped off the porch, Jonathon turned over his shoulder and looked at Molly shrewdly. “You don’t really think you belong here do you? Us fools should stick together, you know. Let the world have a good laugh at our expense and we’ll laugh right back.”
Inside the bunkhouse, Buck slowly moved away from the door and stopped listening. Outside, the four of them froze for a moment. “Come on,” Liam said firmly and tugged Jonathon away and into the night.
Matt hung back and looked at his sister sympathetically, “Have we ruined everything, sis?”
Molly shook her head sadly, “I don’t think there’s much for you to ruin.”
“Ah, now
don’t say that. You’ve found something
out here, and I think you should try to keep it.” He
put his hands in his pockets and looked at
her thoughtfully, “You were so frantic in
Molly
didn’t know what to say in response. She
could remember the heady, ecstatic feelings she’d had in
Her brother grinned at her, “And I think I like this Buck fellow. Very solid choice.”
Molly blushed and waved his comment off. “Don’t start, please.”
Matt chuckled and hopped up the steps to give her a hug. He looked in her eyes and said very seriously, “You know, Liam did like you, but he said he couldn’t ever tell what was going on behind your eyes. You should let this one in a bit. You know, be a human being, instead of a clown.” He kissed her cheek lightly and left.
Inside the bunkhouse, everyone had finally settled into their bunks for the night. Buck was staring at the bunk above him and fidgeting with the small silver ring. He was trying to recapture the feeling he’d had in the barn, when he’d looked at Molly in the golden light and felt his heart warm with a similar glow. But all he could remember was the ridiculous dragonfly comment. Looking farther back, he struggled to come up with a single time she’d ever discussed anything seriously. Everything, her job, Jacques, Buck himself, seemed to come down to something to be laughed away, easily dismissed. Was there anything important enough, he thought, anything she cared enough about that she ceased to find it amusing?
Just then Molly burst into the sleeping room. “I just want everybody to know,” she said loudly, “I did not perform Eleanor of Aquitaine bare-breasted. Okay? I just needed to make that clear.” Everybody was too groggy and too shocked to really reply. Her gaze rested on Buck for a moment before she turned to go, and had it not been so dark, he might have been surprised to see sadness reflected in them.
Teacup liked the pale little Irish boy. He wasn’t much, an underfed city slicker, who coughed and thought too much, but he was trying to make himself into something more. For all his fine suits and better manners, he wasn’t afraid to get dirty. And he seemed to understand the inevitable earthiness of life, the irrefutable facts of life and death, blood and mud, stars and darkness. She didn’t much trust the other two, they didn’t seem to grasp the realities quite so well, as though their money had somehow shielded them from the ugly side of life and they were able to bribe anything unpleasant out of existence.
At the moment she was folding Liam’s shirt maternally, irritated at the way the fine material was snagging on her roughened palms. Liam was situating himself in a shallow hole they’d dug in a copse of cottonwoods about five miles south east of town. The sun was barely rising and the air was still cold enough to raise goose bumps on his pale skin. Finally he was crouched in the ground and nodded silently at Teacup. She nodded back tersely and laid the shirt across her saddle and picked up a grid made of light branches. She laid it over the hole and peered through the branches at Liam. “You alright down there?” she asked sternly but with a hint of concern. He only nodded. She straightened up slowly and went back to her horse, untied a dead rabbit from the pommel of her saddle and split it open with a large bowie knife she kept strapped to her hip. She’d shot it not even an hour earlier, and the inside was still moist and warm. She arranged it carefully on the grid and looked down again at the pale fellow inside. “The best way is to use your teeth,” she advised, “your hands will slip off. You’ve got to bite down on the quill.” She could see in his eyes that he’d heard her and understood, and so she straightened up again. She wouldn’t stay around to be certain he was alright. She’d made that mistake with her stepson and the boy had been furious. No, her work here was done. She mounted her gray horse and headed back for the station. There were other situations that demanded her attention. Her brother was letting everything go to hell in a hand basket, as always she’d have to clean up his mess.
Molly was not a morning person. On Saturdays when there was no school she could not, would not, get out of bed at a reasonable hour. She dreaded the ribbing that always followed when she’d finally drag herself up and stumble into the bunkhouse to nibble on what was left of an hours old breakfast. She knew she should be up and tending to Jacques or helping out Rachel, but as she lay in her warm bed she just could not force herself out of dreamland and into the real world. So Buck was surprised to find her in the barn giving Cuchulain some sugar before the sun even rose. He loved the early mornings and he usually woke up before anyone else to get a head start on his chores. She did not hear him come in, and he watched silently as she pressed her forehead against Cuchulain’s nose and squeezed her eyes shut. The green stone around her neck swayed in the air.
“You’re up early,” he commented and moved farther into the room.
“Oh,” she said, startled, “I didn’t sleep very well.”
“Excited to be going home?” he said, beginning his work.
“No,” she answered honestly, “this is home.” He looked at her quickly. The tone of her voice was unexpectedly somber. She sighed and looked back at her horse, stroking his cheek softly, “I was just thinking that if nothing changes, I won’t really have a reason to come back once Christmas is over.”
Buck paused in what he was doing and surreptitiously felt the ring in his pocket. “They need a teacher in Blue Creek.”
Molly scoffed, “I hardly think they’d be eager to hire me, considering the situation that’s prompted my dismissal here.”
“The teacher they have now didn’t seem to mind. He said you just need to supply a letter of recommendation.”
Molly looked at him quizzically, “You’ve been doing a lot of investigating. I don’t guess you know of anyone who’d write me a letter of recommendation?”
Buck grinned, “Mr. Larson would be thrilled to. Said his boy has learnt more in the year since you’ve been teaching than all the other years combined. I could take the letter over on my next run.”
Molly just nodded slowly. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it again and Buck returned to his work. After a moment she walked across towards him and stood there awkwardly, looking as if she wanted to say something.
Buck stopped what he was doing and looked at her with concern, “What?” He noticed that her eyes were almost brimming with tears. He stepped closer towards her, “What is it?” She sniffled a little and bit her lip as a tear wended its way down her cheek.
Buck hugged her gently and she flung her arms around him. “Thanks,” she sobbed into his chest.
At this moment there was a shuffling sound just outside of the barn and a bright little voice called out, “Mo!” Jacques came running into the room and stopped next to them.
Molly pulled herself away from Buck and wiping tears from her face answered in an equally bright voice, “What can I do for you, monsieur?”
Jacques peered up at them, studying Molly’s face. “Are you crying?”
Molly laughed and crouched down next to him, “Now what would I have to cry about? I’m just being a silly goose, is all.”
Looking down on them, Buck frowned.
“Oh, okay,” Jacques said happily, “I came to find Caliban and tell him good morning and all about my dream last night; it had tigers in it.”
Molly planted a kiss on the top of Jacques’ head and pointed to the little hound that lay asleep across from Cuchulain’s stall. “It looks like Caliban is having a dream of his own, but I’m sure he won’t mind if you wake him up.”
Jacques ran to the sleeping dog and sitting down, hauled him into his lap. Molly stood up and watched them for a moment until Buck broke the silence, “And why were you being a silly goose?”
“Hhhmmm?” Molly asked, distracted.
Buck turned her towards him and looked at her seriously, “Why were you crying just a minute ago?”
Molly paused as though considering her answer carefully, “Because Matt has me all worked up about things that don’t exist and don’t matter.”
“Like what?”
“Like nothing,” she answered flippantly.
Buck was ready and willing to pursue the question further. For a moment something had changed in Molly, something that made her seem fragile and small and human. But she’d brushed it away so easily, could ignore it so effortlessly, it made Buck uneasy. His thoughts were interrupted by a shout from Rachel and the frantic scurrying of Caliban and Jacques as they both ran towards the bunkhouse and breakfast.
Teacup eyed the pussyfooters warily throughout breakfast. Everyone else was preoccupied with the absence of Liam from the table.
“No idea where he went off to?” Teaspoon was asking, trying to ascertain whether he needed to be worried about the young man.
“None,” said Matt, seemingly unconcerned, “He left a note at the front desk saying he was doing some research early this morning and would return once he’d finished.”
“What sort of research?” Buck asked.
Teaspoon looked at Molly, “He isn’t stupid enough to ride into an Indian camp is he?”
“Liam is stupid enough to do anything,” muttered Jonathon bitterly. It was all too clear to him that any progress he’d made the night before had been lost. He’d been foolish enough to think he could humiliate Molly, make these rustics think her a debauched eccentric. But today it was obvious that she was still entrenched. He was reviewing his options.
Teaspoon threw his napkin on the table. “I don’t want to alarm anybody, but I think it might be best to ride out after him. Be sure he hasn’t gotten himself into something more than he can handle.”
Teacup stopped her musings long enough to catch the jist of the conversation, “He’s fine,” she asserted.
Teaspoon eyed his sister, “You know somethin’ we don’t, Delia?”
“He’s after an eagle feather,” she said simply, “He’ll be back when he gets one.”
There wasn’t much anybody could say to that. Teaspoon didn’t feel particularly reassured, but for the time being he felt it best to let it alone. Teacup seemed calm enough, so he trusted that she knew more than she was saying.
“Tell us
more about
“Hasn’t Molly told you enough?” asked Jonathon, his mind working rapidly, seeing another opportunity to advance his cause.
Buck
answered with a smile, “She never talks about it. You
must have some embarrassing story about
Molly loose in
Rachel raised her eyebrows at the comment and nudged Teaspoon who nodded imperceptibly. There was a change between Molly and Buck and he was keeping his eye on it.
“There is
no end to the embarrassing stories about my sister,” Matt chimed in
happily,
his fork poised in front of his mouth overloaded with food. “She was quite the rage in
Jonathon’s eyes glinted wickedly, “That’s true. We scandalized the upper classes quite thoroughly. The Americans, the Mick, and the Cripple, we made quite the team. Do you remember the Duchess’ Rose Party?”
Molly and Matt laughed at the memory. “What happened?” Buck asked eagerly.
Jonathon opened his mouth to answer, but Molly cut him off, “Oh, it was nothing. You had to be there.”
“The look on Lady Staunton’s face when you told her you were Irish, and an American to boot!” Matt wiped tears from his eyes just thinking about it. “Molly pretended to be a Romanian princess with this ridiculous accent and just cut everybody down with her haughtiness.”
“The rest of us were her court. I think I even scared up a monocle,” Jonathon added.
“And of course Lady Staunton is notorious for hating the Irish and hating Americans even more,” Matt went on, “But she’s also in love with continental royalty. She was thrilled to be the Princess’ best friend.”
“Liam was getting angrier and angrier. He never liked dressing up.” Jonathon interjected.
Molly joined in the reminiscing, “And of course we made him wear that turban, be my Eastern adviser. Who’d believe that stuff?”
“Lady Staunton would. So,” Matt said, looking around the table, “when she’d finally got her foot well in her mouth, Molly and Liam just let loose with a string of curses in Gaelic – something about her cat dieing on her doorstep or something equally obscure –and Lady Staunton all but fainted, she was so horrified. When she finally understood that her new best friend was an American and Irish to boot, she faints on a couch and shrieks…”
All three of them shouted in falsetto, “ ‘I’ve been duped! Hornswaggled!’” Paroxysms of laughter shook the table.
Jonathon looked at Molly tenderly, “Hard to believe that Romanian princess is adopting orphans now. What was it Liam used to say about you, ‘you’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints’?”
“Well, the sinners are much more fun,” Molly quipped.
Jonathon laughed and cast a look at Buck before he continued, “Well, you’ve become quite the saint now, haven’t you? Helping the beleaguered children of the West. Dirt, hardship, constant danger, I certainly admire your pluck, staying out here, when a life of easy wealth beckons across the sea.” Teacup narrowed her eyes at the fellow, and glanced over to where Buck sat, staring into his plate, looking a little crestfallen.
“Yeah,” Cody agreed, “If I had money like you, I’d be seein’ the world right now.”
“Well, Cody,” said Teaspoon easily, “You can see the world between here and Harper’s Ridge tomorrow on your run. I think it’s time alls of you boys got started on your chores.”
“Chores?” Matt looked around the table excitedly, “Can I help?”
The boys scattered to do various jobs, Matt following Cody who was more than happy to teach him the finer arts of fence repair. Jonathon even seemed willing to assist and had followed Buck and Noah out into the barn. Molly was clearing the table and doing the dishes. Teaspoon, his sister, and Rachel looked out the window at the young people scurrying about, still drinking coffee.
When the dishes were done, Molly started to head for Rachel’s house and the packing she needed to do. Teacup stopped her. “Now, don’t you go anywhere. We got to get some things straight ‘bout you and Buck.”
Molly blushed furiously but was speechless. Teaspoon laid a restraining hand on his sister’s shoulder, “I think, Teacup, that Molly and Buck got things worked out themselves. They don’t need us interferin’”
“I don’t know anybody who does more interferin’ than you do,” Teacup responded, “Now, you jist tell us exactly what the lay of the land is betwixt you two.” She fixed Molly with an impenetrable gaze.
“What the lay of the land is?” Molly asked nervously. “I don’t know exactly.”
Rachel extended a maternal arm over Molly’s shoulder and sat down with her on one of the table’s long benches. “We’ve noticed that there’s somethin’ goin’ on between you two, and we just want you to know that we’re here for both of you, if you needed to talk about it.”
“No,” Molly said, jumping back up, “I don’t think we need to talk about it.”
“Somebody’s
got to talk ‘bout it,” Teacup shouted, “You ain’t talkin’, he ain’t
talkin’ and
that gimpy fella’s workin’ all sorts of trouble. We
got to clear everythin’ up, right now,
‘fore you go to
“I think you’re exaggerating things,” Molly answered, trying to edge her way back to the door, “Buck and I have everything under control. Everything is fine.”
Teaspoon laid a fatherly paw on her shoulder, “If that’s what you say, Molly, then that’s fine by us. But you be sure you got things squared away before you leave, otherwise the years pass and you’re regretting the things that weren’t never said, and the chances that weren’t never taken.”
“The bottom line is,” Teacup said as she continued to fix Molly with a steely gaze, “you love him. Ain’t that right?” Molly’s eyes were as big as saucers but she didn’t answer. “And maybe, probably, he loves you. But ye’re both dancin’ ‘round the subject and sooner or later one of you’s gonna get tired of it.”
“Well, what exactly do you want me to do about it?” Molly asked frustrated. “Run out there and shout, ‘Hey, Buck, I’m wildly in love with you, now git on over here and smack me one!’ Because I’m not going to do that. We’ve had a series of increasingly awkward moments and we’ve kissed a couple of times…that’s not enough to pin your heart on.”
Rachel looked at her concerned, “Maybe he thinks the same thing.”
“Maybe he doesn’t,” Molly answered, and she turned to go. She suddenly turned back and looked them all over, “Have you had this conversation with him too?” Teaspoon shook his head, “Then, please, do me a favor, and don’t. I don’t want him feeling obligated, or like he’s broken my heart. We’re friends first and everything else is just…extra.” She stalked out, slamming the door behind her.
Teaspoon looked at his sister, “Are you satisfied, now?”
Teacup just shook her head and muttered angrily, “Pussyfooters.”
Meanwhile, in the barn, Buck was finding himself dogged by Lord Jonathon Marbury. Lord Marbury seemed much less interested in helping out than in simply following Buck around. Noah watched the two of them warily as he went about his own chores.
“Look, Buck, I can call you Buck can’t I?” Jonathon smiled broadly but didn’t wait for an answer. “I was hoping I could have a little chat with you, sort of man to man. Whenever you get a chance.”
Buck stopped what he was doing, “Now suit you okay?”
“Yes, of course, so long as it’s not interrupting your work.”
Buck sighed with exasperation and leaned against the stall wall, “Let’s just get it over with, so I can get things done.”
“Yes, of course,” Jonathon hemmed and hawed a little before continuing, “The thing is here, Buck, that I think we two should just set the record straight, come clean, and all that. What exactly are your intentions regarding Molly?”
“My intentions?”
Jonathon stopped fidgeting and leaning forward on his walking stick, fixed Buck with a level gaze, “Yes. I think it’s perfectly clear that you and I are opponents for the lady’s affections, and I just want to know exactly what I’m up against. It’s clear that you’re the early favorite, so I want to know if this is all just a casual dalliance for you, or if there’s more to it.” He paused for a moment to inspect some dust on the toe of his shoe, which he laboriously wiped away with a silk pocket handkerchief. “Let me be clear about my own intentions. Molly is to be my Lady Marbury, and I fully intend to use every device at my disposal to make her so.”
Buck clenched his jaw tightly and answered back, “I don’t think Molly particularly wants to be Lady Marbury.”
“Yes, well children don’t always want to do what’s best for them,” Jonathon’s voice was steely and silken. “You see, Buck, you may offer her romance and adventure, which she may very well want, but can you give her what she needs?” He looked around in disgust before continuing, “I mean this is hardly a job to support a family, is it? Her association with you has already gotten her ostracized in this little village. I, on the other hand, can give her the life to which she has grown accustomed, parties, champagne, caviar on toast points at tea. You see, Buck, you close doors for her; I open them.”
“What are you saying?”
Jonathon looked at him pleasantly, “My concern is merely the best interest of Molly. If you have any real feelings for her I am sure you can see my point. Do you want her to become some red-handed, over-worked, drudge like all the other women out here? Do you really think she could stand it? Why, she’s a creature of light and frivolity.” Buck’s eyes flashed and Jonathon stopped and contemplated what that meant. “It’s nothing you haven’t thought of before, is it? A life with you would squash her, it would be far more difficult than she could bear. The poverty is one thing, the social implications, well, that’s something else isn’t it?”
Buck clenched his jaw even tighter and returned to his work without a word.
Jonathon added softly, “Perhaps it is best, for Molly’s sake that you retire from the field.” He turned to go, calling out airily over his shoulder, “You think about it and you do what you feel is best.”
Cody had finally decided that Matt seemed able to tackle the job himself. For his own part, Cody wouldn’t dream of ruining the novelty of the job by helping out. Matt wanted the whole experience, and though it meant Cody didn’t have much to do for the day, he was willing to let Matt have it. Cody was leaning back on a cottonwood tree, watching Matt from beneath sleepy eyelids. He had just finished explaining the many ways he brought class and style to the Rock Creek Express Station, when suddenly Matt paused in his work and looked at him. “Got to get that finished today, Matt,” Cody said sternly, “I’ll have to do it myself if you can’t speed it up.”
Matt disregarded the remark. “Mr. Cody, do you have any sisters yourself?”
Cody nodded and let his lids droop over his blue eyes.
Matt turned again to the work but kept talking, “Than perhaps I could ask you some questions of a delicate nature.” Matt paused again, working over his next words in his mind. “You know Buck pretty well, don’t you?”
Cody’s eyes flew open and he nodded sharply.
“Well, is he a decent enough fellow then? I don’t feel like this weekend is really enough time for me to become fully acquainted with the man, and I want to be sure he’s – well, a brother tends to be protective you know.” Matt stopped working again and looked at Cody, “I’ll be frank, Mr. Cody. I believe that my sister has designs on Mr. Cross and I should very much like for her to be happy with him. What are the possibilities of that happening, in your opinion?”
This was a subject Cody could warm to. “Buck is one of the best men I’ve ever known, I can say that without reservation. And as for him and Molly, well, don’t you worry, I’ve had a talk with him. He knows better than to hurt her.”
“Good. That is excellent news. Our parents won’t be thrilled, you know, so it’s best that I can vouch for him.” Matt went back to work and Cody went back to his nap. The winter sun cast everything in sharp shadows and highlights and a snowbird chirped from the cottonwood’s foliage. Cody grunted with sleepy contentment. Matt spoke as he worked, “So then they are courting, shall we say? I couldn’t exactly tell from Molly’s letters where things stood, and she has a habit of pining away in silence. I thought perhaps I’d have to nudge things along while I was here.”
Cody cleared his throat anxiously, “I wouldn’t want to speak as to Buck’s intentions. I just, er know, er think…well, she’s not pining away in silence exactly, but I’m not sure how much has actually passed between them.”
Matt laughed and winked at Cody, “They can do what they please, Mr. Cody. I’m not a prude, far from it. I think it’d be great if Molly would kick up her heels a little bit – for all her bluster she can be very shy.”
Cody blushed darkly, “I wasn’t…ahem, that’s not what I was referring to Matt. I just don’t know exactly where things stand between them either. I was thinkin’ after the town meeting when Mrs. Tanner said those things, and then I had that talk with Buck, well, I was thinkin’ after all that that they’d be a little more like Kid and Lou. Hell, even a little more like Jimmy and Lou for that matter.”
“Jimmy and
Lou?” Matt looked surprised and slightly horrified, “You are the
strangest
group of people I have ever known. I
think it’s a credit to you all that you’re so tolerant of Kid and Lou
but that
he’s been with Jimmy too…well, the west is very understanding, it’d
never fly
in Boston. Why even in
“It was awkward,” Cody admitted, “but it wasn’t so hard to understand. I mean, being around Lou so much and all, I think we’ve all felt the same at one time or another. I mean the town girls sort of turn up their noses at us and – “
Matt just stared at Cody blankly, his mouth open, “I suppose Lou is lucky to have found some place where he would be so…accepted.”
“He?” Cody looked at Matt perplexed and then realization cast a deep blush across his features and flustered he tried to explain, “No, no, no, Matt, Lou’s a girl. Louise. Louise McCloud. We’re all so used to it, I just didn’t think you wouldn’t have noticed. The company won’t hire girls so she pretended to be a boy, but now I think everybody knows…at least no one’s that worried anymore about keeping it a secret.”
Matt nodded his head slowly, “Mr. Cody, you have no idea how many things make sense to me now. I thought Liam and Jonathon were off their rockers. Well, now that that’s fully clarified, please tell me about my sister and Buck.”
“Well, see, Kid and Lou they were always talking about each other, or making eyes at each other, or sneaking off together. I mean I don’t think they ever made an announcement or anything but it was just clear; we all knew they was together. And with Jimmy, I mean we all guessed, we all suspected, but it was a little more quiet, y’know. Now, Buck and Molly, who knows? Nobody suspected before the town meeting. Afterwards we all waited for something to happen and nothing ever has. I’ve watched for it. But if they’re together, they’re keepin’ it quiet. To tell the truth, I wish I knew. I like Molly pretty well myself. If Buck wasn’t going to court her, I wish he’d leave me room to do it myself.” Cody sort of surprised even himself by saying it. He’d only thought of it a few times in the last few weeks, found that there was something to a girl who was his friend that just a stray pretty face could not duplicate.
Matt had stopped working again and he looked concerned, “Mr. Cody, we leave tomorrow afternoon. I hope that in the meantime I can trust you to assist me in helping this situation along. When left to her own devices, Molly lets romantic opportunity slip right through her fingers. And this is no girlhood flirtation on her part, I can tell, this is the real thing. We can’t let her let it pass her by. If necessary, we must force the final confrontation.” Cody nodded in agreement, silently hoping that if things went wrong he’d be there to pick up the pieces.
Stuck in a muddy hole, stranded from his fellow man, Liam had fallen into a light doze. The day was bright, but the sun did nothing to warm his pale skin in its subterranean cocoon. The muscles in his legs had cramped and uncramped so many times that now they felt like heavy stones with the strength of jelly. Without thought he flexed and unflexed his hands, his eyes closed. The smell of the rabbit was intense and metallic, the acrid odor filling each breath. He heard the scream of an eagle and was startled into a state of full alert. He had no idea how near the bird might be, or the chances it would take advantage of the free meal, but still he readied himself, feeling the adrenaline, like liquid mercury, flow through his tired, aching limbs.
Lunch was a quiet affair. Cody and Matt kept up an endless stream of conversation about the wonders of most of the world’s cities, but the rest of the company were occupied by their own thoughts. Liam had still not appeared but Teacup had continued to reassure them that he was fine. Teaspoon made a mental note to go after the Irishman if he had not been seen by nightfall. Afterwards, the boys returned to their chores, Jonathon returned to town to work the saloon’s card tables, and Matt settled down for an intense game of checkers with Jacques. Molly followed Buck out to the barn.
“Hey,” she said to turn his attention from his work.
“Hey.”
“Do you have a second?” she asked, and Buck nodded and stopped what he was doing. Molly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small package. “I wanted to give you your Christmas present early.” She handed it to him explaining, “I tried to write a note to explain it, so you could open it on Christmas, but it just seemed like it would be easier to just tell you. And anyway, it’s pretty silly, I’m not really sure why I thought it was a good idea. It’s nothing, but Cody and Teaspoon, well, people will try to make something out of it.”
Buck raised an eyebrow and smiled at her, “Can I just open it already?” She nodded and he quickly tore away the plain paper to reveal a small ring of stone, dark brown with bands of gold running through it, hanging on a strip of leather. Buck ran his thumb across the cool smoothness of it.
“It’s like mine,” Molly said quickly, “well, sort of like mine. I know that you like mine, and well, there it is.” Buck still didn’t say anything, just tied the stone around his neck. “It’s tiger’s eye, it’s supposed to mean courage. I thought it was appropriate. Ummm, yeah.”
“It’s great, Molly,” he answered, but the tone of his voice belied the sentiment. He turned back to his work with a heavy heart and a sigh.
Molly just stood there, watching him, feeling at odds with the situation. She broke the awkward silence, “You don’t have to wear it, if you don’t want to.”
“No,” he said, “I want to wear it. It’s just…it’s great, thanks.”
There were so many words left unsaid in the space that separated them, but Molly could not voice one of them. She had agonized over whether the gift was too much, if it revealed too clearly what was in her heart. She had only finally decided to give it to him because she felt certain that Matt or Teacup were likely to expose her feelings for her and she had chosen to beat them to the punch. Before in the uneven waters of ambiguity, she’d expected a kiss in return for the necklace, at least a close embrace, what either response would have portended she would not have dared to guess. But Buck’s taciturn response and the vast emptiness between them confirmed what she’d feared, that a kiss was just a kiss.
When the game of checkers ended, Jacques had things on his mind that needed explaining. The little boy knew exactly where to go for the answers to his questions, and so he politely excused himself from Matt’s company and walked purposefully out to the barn. Buck was pitching fresh straw into the stalls with a ferocity and speed that was mind-boggling. Jacques stood waiting politely to be noticed, feeling concern for the way Buck’s brow was knit in frustration. Buck suddenly caught sight of him and paused in what he was doing, “Hey, little man, what can I do for you?” He set the pitchfork against the wall and crouched down to look Jacques in the eye.
“I need to ask you a question,” Jacques answered. “Are you going to marry Mo?”
Buck was shocked into silence and did not answer immediately. Finally he said honestly, “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
“Why not? Uncle Matt says you like her.”
Buck sighed, “I like her very much.”
“So why don’t you want to marry her?” Jacques’ brown eyes scanned his older friend’s face, trying to perceive where the truth lay in what he said. Adults were like that, you had to pay attention to know what they were really saying.
“It’s not entirely a matter of want, Jacques,” Buck said slowly, “Sometimes, especially if you like somebody, you have to do what will be best for them, and sometimes that means doing things that you don’t want to do.”
The little boy nodded, “Like when my papa left me with Mo?”
“A little bit like that, yeah.”
“Oh,” Jacques waited for a second before he spoke again, “But I think Mo will want to marry you. She calls you gra geal like she does me and Cuchulain and Caliban. She only does that to the things she loves.”
Buck laughed at the simplicity of Jacques’ way of thinking. “I don’t think it’s that easy, Jacques.”
“Why not?”
Buck heaved a sigh as he straightened up and returned to his work. “God, I wish I knew,” he answered.
Molly had slipped into town, eager to avoid Matt and Teacup, and most importantly, Buck. She cursed herself for letting her imagination get the best of her, for listening to her brother’s ridiculous theories. She found Jonathon in the hotel restaurant, nursing the best brandy the place had to offer and smoking a decent enough cigar. She flopped down across the table from him and took a gulp from his glass.
“Hello, beautiful,” Jonathon said, victory twinkling in his eyes as he motioned for the waiter to bring over another glass.
Dusk was falling fast. The sky was a smoky purple haze, and the first stars could be seen faintly along the horizon. Teaspoon was no longer feeling all that reassured by his sister’s insistence that Liam was alright. He was talking to Buck and Cody trying to figure out the best possible approach to finding the missing Irishman, when he noticed the brown stone hanging from Buck’s neck. Something about it seemed familiar and Teaspoon knew it was important that he figure it out, that it might hold a key to his and Rachel’s recent concerns about Buck, but he was too pre-occupied to really put his mind to it.
Suddenly Matt broke in on their conversation, “Do any of you know where Molly is?”
Teaspoon looked to Buck but the young man’s face was blank. Teaspoon sighed, “Don’t tell me she’s missing too.”
“Oh, I’m sure she’s not actually missing,” Matt said quickly, but the concern in his voice was evident, “Just no one’s seen her out here since lunch. I assume she must have gone into town to see Marbury. Between you and me, gentlemen, I don’t exactly trust that man with my sister.”
“Buck, you better go into town and get her,” Cody said, “Jimmy can help us find Liam.”
“Oh, could you Mr. Cross? I would feel better if she was with us than him,” Matt said with an imperceptible wink at Cody.
Buck shook his head, “You go, Cody. Somebody has to try to track Liam or we’ll never find him.”
Cody stared at Buck significantly and said through gritted teeth, “No, you go.”
“I’m a better tracker than you are, Cody, especially in the dark. There’s no reason why I’ve got to be the one that goes.” Buck answered levelly.
“Uhh, no, that wouldn’t work at all,” Matt interjected quickly, “No, it’s got to be you, Mr. Cross.”
“And why is that?” asked Teaspoon, looking from boy to boy trying to piece together what was going on. Buck and Cody were staring at each other coldly, and Matt was looking panicked from one to the other. Teaspoon heaved a sigh, “It’s gettin’ dark, boys, I don’t care who does what but it’s got to get done quick.”
There was no response and Cody and Buck continued to stare each other down. The tense moment was broken by the sound of loud and raucous laughter and the stumbling footsteps of Molly and Jonathon as they appeared on the scene, stinking drunk.
“Molly! We were just about to send out a search party,” Matt shouted, running to his sister and trying to disengage her from Marbury’s arms.
“Hi there, Matty-boy!” she cried, unnecessarily loud, “Marbury and I got drunk.”
“I can see that.”
Free of Jonathon, Molly weaved her way unsteadily towards Buck, Teaspoon, and Cody, “I had to drown my sorrows. Oh, hello, Cody. You’ve got very blue eyes, don’t you?” She stumbled and caught herself on Cody, stayed there hanging on to his neck, looking up at him. “Hullo, Buck,” she called over Cody’s shoulder.
“Hi, Molly,” Buck answered averting his eyes.
Cody tried to peel the limp girl off of him, “We have to go look for Liam.”
“How courageous of you,” she said thickly, “Oh, courage…mmmm. I need more liquor.”
Matt took his sister’s arm firmly, “No, you don’t.” He turned towards Jonathon who stood back, smiling pleasantly. “I can’t believe you got her drunk.”
“I’m not to blame,” Jonathon answered, “I merely provided the funds. Like she said she had sorrows to drown.”
“You are to blame,” Matt said angrily, prodding a finger against Jonathon’s chest, “I know you, you’re scheming and conniving and I don’t’ know what you said or did that drove her to the bottle, but I do know that it was your fault.”
“No!” Molly shouted stumbling over to Jonathon and stroking his arm fondly, “It wasn’t Jonathon’s fault. Jonathon loves me. Like an organ grinder loves his trained monkey, but still it’s sort of nice. It was Buck.”
All eyes turned towards Buck and Cody snarled, “I gave you fair warnin’, friend,” before he threw his punch.
Buck reeled to the ground and sprang back up, “I didn’t do anything to her!” he shouted, trying to push Cody back. Teaspoon grabbed Cody by the collar and put himself between them.
He was going to ask what exactly was going on, when Molly spoke up again, “That’s right you didn’t do anything. And don’t you worry about it either, I wasn’t making any plans…I mean I know that there are prettier girls, that Jenny Tompkins might come back any day.” She tottered over to Buck and flung her arms around his neck, looked in his eyes, and drunkenly ran a hand down his cheek, “We had fun, but that’s all there was to it. I couldn’t be Mrs. Cross and I won’t be Lady Marbury…no, I need to be free to run on my own without encucumbers, encomfort..encumberances, I’m a lone wolf.” And then she howled.
There was no time for embarrassed looks or responses, because suddenly a dark horse thundered into the station. Liam leapt off of it and shouted, “I got it, Teacup, I got it!” He held an eagle feather high above his face, streaks of rabbit blood down his face and chest, mud coating his skin and pants, his hair wild and dirty.
Rachel made coffee. Liam washed up and wolfed down a generous dinner all the while talking about the transcendent moment when the eagle had landed and he’d closed his teeth around a tail feather, the epic struggle when the eagle had risen again into the air and the feather had stayed behind. Matt had sternly compelled Jonathon to return to the hotel, and he now sat watching his little sister drink coffee and sober up. For her own part, Molly was remaining uncharacteristically silent after her drunken outburst. Perhaps she hadn’t been quite drunk enough to have said what she said. Buck and Teaspoon were still outside.
Teaspoon still felt a little unclear about the exact situation, but he’d seen the green ring hanging from Molly’s neck and he felt like that was the safest place to start piecing things together. He put a fatherly paw on the back of Buck’s neck, “Noticed that rock around your neck. Molly give it to you?”
“Yes,” Buck answered simply but did not volunteer anymore information.
Teaspoon could see that he had his work cut out for him, “You want to talk about it/”
“Nothin’ to talk about.”
“Son, a blind man can see there’s somethin’ to talk about. Now, I’m not sure exactly what’s goin’ on but you don’t seem particularly happy ‘bout it, whatever it is. Now, why don’t you just tell me what in sam hell is goin’ on ‘round here?” Teaspoon felt his temper rising, irritated at Buck’s evasions.
Buck stared down at his hands, “Nothing’s going on, Teaspoon…not anymore.”
“Good, now we’re gettin’ somewhere. When was there something goin’ on?” Teaspoon spoke like he was speaking to Cody or a small child.
Buck looked up at the stars and sighed, “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“It’s complicated, Teaspoon,” Buck turned to him and Teaspoon could see that the boy was confused and frustrated. “I’ve got to do what’s right, but I really don’t want to.”
“Well, that happens sometimes,” Teaspoon was still puzzled but he tried to sound wise anyway. “Maybe if’n you told me what exactly you wanted to do that you can’t do, we might be able to figure a way out of this particular conundrum.”
Teaspoon watched as Buck fished in his pocket and pulled out a velvet bag and tossed it at the older man. Teaspoon carefully opened it and took out the thin band of braided silver inside. “I bought that for Molly,” Buck started, “last time I was in Saint Joe. I thought I was going to…we were going to…”
“You was goin’ to propose,” Teaspoon prompted.
“Yeah, but then her brother and everybody showed up and now I’m not sure it’s a good idea. I mean, I still want to marry her, but I also want her to be happy and maybe she can’t be happy with me.”
Teaspoon chuckled, “Buck, I don’t think you’ve got much to worry about. That Marbury fella might talk a good game, but I don’t think Molly thinks too highly of him. Her brother sure don’t.”
“It’s not Jonathon, Teaspoon. I know Molly doesn’t like him. But he was talking to me, and as much as I hate it, he made some good points.” Buck took the ring from out of Teaspoon’s fingers and put it back in the bag, back in his pocket.
“Fer instance?” Teaspoon asked.
“For
instance the fact that Molly comes from a family where she can spend a
summer
in
“Molly don’t strike me as the sort who cares much for comfort.”
Buck furrowed his brow in frustration, “Maybe not, but can I really put her in that position? I care for her comfort. And besides that, I mean look what happened to her job because of me and Jacques. If she marries a half-breed…” For a moment he trailed off into silence. Teaspoon was about to answer when Buck began again, “The same thing could happen to her that happened to Jacques’ mother. I don’t want people avoiding her, leaving rooms when she walks in, doctors refusing to help her when she’s sick.”
Teaspoon smiled and patted Buck’s back heartily. “Son, you’re a good man and that sometimes makes these things tricky. Molly’s a good woman, a strong woman, and I think she can take it. The very least you ought to let her decide whether or not she wants to take the risk; it ain’t for you to choose for her.”
“But, Teaspoon, she doesn’t even understand. She thinks everything can just be laughed off, that it’s all a joke. She won’t know what she’s getting into.”
Teaspoon looked at Buck very seriously, “Don’t fool yourself into thinkin’ that girl don’t know the score on things, Buck. You and I both know she didn’t have to get herself into this situation with Jacques. She done what was right, and it don’t matter if she done it smilin’ or not, the point is she done it. Now the thing about that ring in your pocket that you’re forgettin’ is you just have to ask her to put it on, she’s the one that’s got to make the decision. Don’t make that decision for her by decidin’ it’s too hard for her, or it ain’t the right thing for her – that’s for her to figure out on her own; all’s you got to do is the askin’. Now, that’s gonna take more than the usual amount of courage, b’cause it means that you’ve got to take the risk that she’s gonna say yes and those things ye’re afraid of might come true. Love ain’t a matter for cowards, son, you’ve got to have the courage to risk ye’re heart. Understand?”
“Thanks, Teaspoon,” Buck smiled at the older man and reflexively touched the dark stone at his throat.
Teaspoon started for the bunkhouse door, “Now, I think after all this excitement I need a piece of Rachel’s berry pie. What about you?” Buck shook his head and leaned back against the veranda railing. “Suit yerself,” Teaspoon said and went inside.
In a few moments, Liam and Matt stepped outside with loud yawns, intent upon returning to their warm beds inside the hotel. They were startled to see Buck in the darkness, “Mr. Cross,” said Matt, “Hope you’ve recovered from Mr. Cody’s haymaker.”
Buck touched his jaw tenderly, “I’m alright.”
“Good,” Matt answered brightly, “I also wanted to be sure you understand that I don’t blame you in any way for my sister’s inebriation. You seem like a stand-up fellow and I’ll be happy to tell my parents that if the need should arise.”
“Thank you,” said Buck with a smile.
“Do you think the need will arise, Mr. Cross?” asked Matt.
“I don’t know,” Buck replied, “I guess that depends on your sister.” Matt and Liam exchanged looks and Matt turned back to Buck with a nod and a grin.
“Can you feel the love tonight?” quipped Liam as they turned to go.
“Hey,” Buck called after them, “Can you answer a question for me? What does gra geal mean? I think it’s Gaelic.”
“Beloved,” Liam shouted back, “It means beloved, light of my heart.”
The night got steadily colder, but Buck remained outside. He wanted to catch Molly as she walked from the bunkhouse to her room at Rachel’s. It was the only way he could feel fairly certain that Cody wouldn’t be looking over his shoulder. Finally, a somewhat sobered Molly came out the door, dragging her feet in exhaustion. Buck stepped out of the shadows at her side and she gave a small squeal.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Buck said softly. “And I’m sorry that I made you turn to the bottle. I didn’t realize I could even do that.”
“Oh, don’t apologize, I’m the one who’s sorry.” Molly couldn’t look at his eyes, “I howled at you.”
“I thought it was cute.”
Molly sighed and put a hand to her forehead, “Don’t tease me, please.”
“I’m not teasing, I thought you were a very cute lone wolf,” he looked at her from under one raised eyebrow, “I’m not sure I understood what you were getting at though.”
She rubbed her forehead with irritation, “Maybe that’s for the best. I’m so sorry, really. I was being a silly goose.”
Buck slipped an arm around her waist, “Are you going to tell me what you were being so silly about?”
Molly smiled weakly, “You’ll laugh at me.”
“I won’t.”
“You might,” she replied, “And then I’ll want to cry.”
He pushed the hair out of her face, “So?”
She screwed her face up tight and said quickly, “Matt and Teacup thought I had designs on you.”
Buck pressed his lips together to keep from chuckling, “Designs on me? Are you going to take me for all I’m worth? It’s not much I should warn you.”
Molly’s eyes flew open wide and she blathered nervously, “I know, it’s ridiculous.”
“It is ridiculous, I mean, you’re a lone wolf after all.”
“See I told you you’d laugh at me.” Molly struggled against his grip, but he only pulled her in closer, “I knew where things stood, I did, but I hoped and they all thought…I mean we are very good friends, and you did find a way for me to stay out here, and from the outside, it probably does look like – “ she faltered.
“Like what?”
“Like maybe you like me…a little bit.” She didn’t meet his eyes but just stared at the ground.
“Like you?” Buck asked happily, “I love you! Don’t you know that?”
She looked at him, confusion and joy at war on her face, “Really? But I’m so…so me,” she said disgustedly.
“I think you’re wonderful.” He held her even closer so that she had to tip her head up to look into his eyes.
She eyed him suspiciously, “You’re not just saying that because you don’t want to hurt my feelings, are you?”
“No, I’m saying that because it’s true.”
She looked at him, a smile spreading across her round face, “Really? Because I love you too!” Ecstatically she kissed him and it was with difficulty that Buck slowly pulled her away and held her at arms length.
“I want to give you your present early, too,” he said and pulled the velvet bag from out of his pocket and handed it to her. She looked from the bag to him with shining eyes and then hurriedly opened it, held the gleaming ring up in the faint moonlight. Buck slid the ring onto her finger and whispered in her ear, “Maybe this will give you another reason to come back after Christmas, gra geal.”
Molly flung
her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
Cody and Teaspoon turned away from the bunkhouse window
and each ate
another piece of pie.