No Place For a Child

Kitty walked next to Matt along the dusty boardwalk on the familiar journey from the jail to the Long Branch. He'd done it again. She shook her head, glancing over at the little blonde he was carrying in his arms. He'd talked her into taking in one of his hard-luck cases once more. Of course, she could hardly be jealous of this one. The girl cuddled trustingly against her man's broad chest was only ten years old and sound asleep.

"What's wrong, Kitty?"

"I'm trying to figure out how mad I am at you this time."

"What do you mean? You could have said 'no,' you know."

"Right. I did say 'no,' two hours ago, remember?" As if I ever really say 'no' to you, Matt.

"Yeah." Matt sighed, frustrated. "I know you did, and I really appreciate you changing your mind."

"Sure." She didn't really mean to give him a hard time. His hands were a little tied, and she was almost as taken with the little girl as he was, so it wasn't that she minded having her. It was the way he took for granted her willingness to provide a job or a room to every female with a problem he couldn't handle that bothered her.

He had come to the Long Branch after leaving Charity with Dora Henry, and after telling her how well it had gone, they'd spent the next ten minutes teasing each other about his rounds and the long night she had ahead of her and him stopping for a nightcap at closing, and pretending that anyone eavesdropping on their conversation would think they were just flirting. They parted with a long look that promised another night of love. And then he came back five minutes later.

"Forget something?" Kitty arched a brow at him then lowered her voice to a sultry whisper. "Or are you just impatient tonight, Cowboy? We aren't gonna close for another two hours."

He jerked his head toward the office door. "Can we talk in private?" Something about the way he asked the question told her that not only was it not going to be the type of private conversation she would have liked, but most likely their plans for later weren't going to materialize.

"Sure," she said, pursing her lips in annoyance and leading the way. He pulled the door closed behind them and she turned to face him, folding her arms in front of her and looking up at him expectantly.

"Now, don't look at me like that, Kitty," Matt began. He tossed his hat on the table and pushed his fingers through his dark hair. He grinned at her and eyed her figure appreciatively. Kitty sat down at her desk and crossed one leg daintily over the other, waiting for the all-too-obvious compliments about how pretty she looked in that dress to begin. Instead he said, "You know, asking Mrs. Henry to take Charity for the night was a really good idea."

Kitty sighed. "Didn't we just go through all that a few minutes ago? Why don't you just skip the flattery and go ahead and tell me whatever it is you have to tell me?"

"I'm getting to that."

Kitty was afraid she could see where this was leading, but she just shook her head in resignation. "Go on."

"Well, anyway, I thought it was a good idea, and Mrs. Henry thought it was a good idea, and obviously you did-the only one who didn't think it was a good idea was Charity. She was waiting for me at the jail just now."

"Oh, Matt! Mrs. Henry wasn't mean to her, was she?"

"No, she says she wasn't. She said…." Matt hung his head in embarrassment for a moment before continuing. "What she said, was Mrs. Henry didn't make a very good Daddy."

"What are you gonna do with her, Matt?" Kitty couldn't help feeling somewhat amused along with the disappointment and irritation she felt over the loss of a night together.

"Just hear me out, Kitty-"

"No!" Kitty got back to her feet and stood in front of him, hands spread out in appeal. "I already told you 'no' earlier and I thought we agreed this was no place for a child!"

"Do you think the jail's any better? And before you answer that question, let me tell you how Chester acted when she showed up."

Kitty smirked. "Must have given him the vapors."

"Well, just about. He was practically too embarrassed at being caught with his shirt off to even watch her long enough for me to come back over here."

"I see what you mean, Matt, but-do you know why I know this isn't any place for a child?"

"I know you were pretty young when you started working, but you-you weren't raised in a saloon?"

"Starting when I was about her age, yes. After Mother died, the only people there were to take me in were friends of my father's. Dealers and saloon keepers, and….well, you get the idea." She turned her back to him and he walked up behind her, gently taking her by the shoulders.

"Kitty, what are you trying to say? You weren't...working...at that age, were you?"

"No...not the way you're thinking, anyway. It was still no way to grow up."

"I'm sorry, Kitty. I didn't mean to bring all that up for you."

"Never mind. I guess one night isn't the same thing. But I mean it, Matt. One night. Tomorrow we have to think of something better." We. Kitty was surprised at how quickly she had started thinking of Charity as their problem, not just Matt's.

"We will, Kitty. There has to be someone around here who will take her in, who she'll stay with."

Kitty insisted on going back to the jail with Matt, so she could have a talk with Charity first. There was no sense in bringing her back if she wasn't going to stay there, either. When they got there, though, Charity was sound asleep with her head on Matt's desk. Kitty woke her enough to ask her if she wanted to stay in her room for the night. Charity sleepily answered that she would, then her eyes drooped shut and she put her head down again.

"Well, Daddy, I guess you're gonna have ta carry her over there," Chester snickered.

"Daddy?" Kitty raised her eyebrows.

"Knock it off, Chester! Ignore him, Kitty; he's been calling me that all day."

"Well, you know, it's just kinda too bad Mister Dillon can't keep her…." Chester stopped when he saw the look Matt was giving him.

"Uh, huh." Kitty gave Matt a look. Maybe if she took to calling him Daddy herself he'd be a little quicker about finding Charity someplace else to stay. It certainly wouldn't put any other ideas in his head.

If she wasn't careful she'd get ideas herself, she thought, watching Matt carry Charity to the Long Branch. Though she didn't think for a minute it would happen, she couldn't help wondering about what Chester had just said. Kitty was under no illusions about what would actually happen. Charity had said Mrs. Henry didn't make a good Daddy, but if she stayed with Matt, she'd soon learn that a marshal wouldn't make a very good mama. As the only woman in Matt's life, that role would fall to her, and as much as she liked the little girl, she didn't think she was ready for that kind of responsibility, with or without the Long Branch. Matt had made it clear from the beginning that given the nature of his work, he had no right to have a family. There was no reason to believe that philosophy wouldn't extend to the two of them taking in an orphan. So she put the thought out of her mind, unlocked the door to her room, and set about fixing Charity a place to sleep on the settee.

Matt put the sleeping girl down carefully and watched Kitty tuck her in. He hung his hat on a hook on the wall and reached for the buckle of his gun belt.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kitty eyed him suspiciously.

"Well, I just thought I'd…"

"Oh, you did, did you?"

"You sure you don't want to put her in one of the guest rooms?" Matt asked.

"No, I want her in here so I can keep an eye on her."

"Well, I just thought it might be a little more private…." Matt trailed off when Kitty began to shake her head slowly. "No?"

"You wanted me to put her up for the night. What exactly did you think the sleeping arrangement was going to be?"

Matt scowled. "I guess I didn't. Think, I mean. Could I come back later and just...sleep?" he asked sheepishly.

"No! Of course not!"

"I was just askin'."

"I'll see you later, Matt." Kitty took him by the arm and began to usher him to the door. "Tell Chester goodnight for me," she added, with barely concealed amusement.

"Hold on! Don't I even get a goodbye kiss?"

Kitty stretched up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then looked at him like the cat that ate the canary. "There! Happy?"

He wasn't. "All right, then, I'll see you tomorrow." He made no attempt to hide the irritation in his voice. He grabbed her door to slam it but, catching sight of the sleeping Charity just in time, made an exaggerated point of closing it slowly and quietly. When it opened again a moment later, Kitty was standing there holding his hat out to him. Just before the door closed, Kitty winked at him suggestively, which he answered by rolling his eyes. "Women!" she heard him mutter on the other side of the door.

Kitty leaned against the door and smiled. If she knew her cowboy, he would devote the next day to finding a permanent home for Charity, and they would spend that night making up for lost time.

END