The Proposal

"Mary, I've been thinking," Heyes said, suddenly.

Heyes and Mary had been to dinner and he was walking her home. On the way, and to her surprise, they had taken a diversion into the children's playground. They were sitting on the double children's swing, gently rocking back and forward. They had been for some time in silence.

"Oh! So you want to talk now do you?"

"Yes." Then Heyes frowned at her. "Excuse me?"

"You've hardly spoken to me all evening," she sniffed. She took a deep breath. "And now you want to talk. Come on then. Out with it."

Heyes looked put out. "Hmm, well … it's like this. I've been thinking and …."

"I could see that! At one point I thought I was having dinner by myself the amount of notice you were taking of me!" Mary sat upright on the swing looking straight in front.

Heyes frowned. He turned a little towards her. He licked his lips. "Hmm." He started to say something then stopped. Mary glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Her mouth was almost a smile. He saw her and decided. Taking a deep breath he said, "How would you like to come to church with me Thursday?" he asked, casually.

Mary blinked. "Church?"

He nodded. "Yes on Thursday."

"Why?"

"Well there's gonna be a wedding and I'm hoping you might like to go with me."

"A wedding?"

He nodded.

"Whose wedding?" Mary frowned. "I wasn't aware that anyone was getting married so soon. Do… I… know them?" She put a hand to her throat, confused.

He nodded.

"Do I knew them well?" She was wide-eyed at the thought she might have missed the news that someone she knew well was getting married.

Heyes considered, nodding his head from side to side. "I guess."

Mary sniffed. "Well this is a surprise!" By her side, Heyes grinned but it faded as she went on. "I wouldn't say I know him well but I suppose you do." Heyes frowned. "I had no idea that Thaddeus was even seeing anybody let alone serious enough …."

"Oh! No, no, no!" Heyes shook his head and held up a hand. He cleared his throat. "No it's not Thaddeus."

"I see."

"You do?" he asked, eagerly.

"I do." Mary nodded. Realisation had come to her in a flash and she was determined to have some fun after he had ignored her all evening. "You think I know about the book." She smiled knowingly then shook her head furiously. "Well I don't," she assured him.

Heyes frowned. It was his turn to be confused. "The book? What book?"

"They're running a book, Josh." Mary smiled, amused by his reaction.

"They are?" He shook his head, frowning. "Who are? On what?"

Mary's smile became broader and she clutched his arm. "On when you're going to ask me of course."

"They are?" He blinked. "But I haven't."

"No you haven't." Mary inclined her head gracefully. "Don't you want to find out? The answer might be yes." She smiled faintly.

Heyes took a deep breath, trying not to grin. He cleared his throat.

"Right then." He turned to her and took her hands. "Mary Fletcher, would you like …." He couldn't stop the grin spreading over his face and had to clear his throat and frown to stop it. This was a serious moment and grinning like a loon would just not do. He took another deep breath. "To…." He breathed deeply but lost his nerve. "….go halves on a set of baking tins? We've got a new line in….oh!"

Mary touched his cheek and kissed him. "I said yes, Josh," she whispered, keeping his face close.

He grinned broadly and covered her hand that was on his cheek. "I love you, Mary. And I would really like you to be my wife."

She smiled. "I would like to be your wife but…"

He looked at her in surprise. He went cold. She couldn't possibly know who he really was. That was something he would have to tell her but not yet. Not until he was sure.

"You have to ask me first."

He whimpered. "I thought I just did!"

"No," she said, firmly. She shook her head. "You have to ask me … properly."

Heyes looked a little sick. He knew what she wanted him to do and he peered at the ground, in disgust.

"Kinda dusty," he frowned in appeal.

Mary rolled her eyes and pushed his shoulder. "Do it properly!"

"Yes ma'am." He gave a furtive look round. This was not something he wanted others to see. Nor should they witness this embarrassing thing he had to do. Mary was worth a little humiliation. He took a deep breath and dropped to one knee, taking her hands from her lap. "What's your middle name?"

"Elizabeth."

He nodded and took another deep breath. "Okay." He licked his lips, trying to get some moisture in his mouth. He cleared his throat. "Mary Elizabeth Fletcher, would you agree to marry me on Thursday?" He swallowed hard. "Please," he added, as an after-thought.

She looked at him and sniffed. He widened his eyes. Why wasn't she answering? It was just one little word. Slowly she smiled.

"Yes I will agree to marry you on Thursday."

Much relieved a smiling, Heyes returned to the swing. "Thank you, my darling." He put an arm round her and kissed her head. He beamed. "Thank you," he murmured, and then he kissed her with all the feeling of a newly engaged man.

"But Josh why Thursday?" Mary asked, straightening her hair when she was able. "Oh I see. You're trying to catch them out aren't you?"

"Catch them out?"

"Yes."

Heyes shook his head. "I don't understand. Catch who out? With what?"

"The people running the book!"

"WHAT book?" Heyes was almost incensed now. He'd forgotten about that.

"I told you the book on when you were going to ask me. There's a side bet for the wedding date." Mary looked at him innocently.

Heyes looked back, opening and closing his mouth. "You … said … you didn't know about the book," he spluttered.

"Oh I don't," she confirmed, a little too quickly and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Much," she added, licking her lips nervously. "If we marry on Thursday, folks are going to think there's a reason," she said, looking away but making her meaning clear.

He looked her sharply. "Well we knew there's not! I've been a perfect gentleman. Haven't I been a perfect gentleman?" he demanded. It was important to him that she know that.

She laughed. "Yes you have."

He took a deep breath. "It's Thursday for two reasons. The first is 'cos that's the earliest the Reverend could do it. And secondly…" He cleared his throat and fiddled with his collar. "'Cos um I …." He looked away. "…. Dunno how much longer I can be." He tailed off.

Mary laughed giving his arm a squeeze. "Darling." When he looked at her, she touched his cheek. "We don't have to wait." She said it quietly.

"Oh yes we do." He nodded, emphatically. "But only until Thursday!"

Mary kissed him. She ran a finger down his cheek. "Good. I don't think I can wait much longer than Thursday either."

He smiled and nodded. "Oh!" He rummaged in his pocket. "I have something for you." He brought out a ring box and opened it. He revealed a single diamond ring. It was small but it was all he could afford. Somehow, he didn't think she would mind but he was nervous all the same.

"Joshua!" Mary hands flew to her face.

He smiled at her. He picked the ring out of the box and slid it onto the third finger of her left hand.

"It fits! Oh Josh, it's beautiful!"

She threw her arms round his neck and kissed him. He was reluctant to pull away but he did. Only until Thursday, he told himself sternly.

Then a thought struck him and he grinned and looked seriously at her. "Maybe we ought to wait a while before we tell everyone."

"Why?" She frowned.

"Well how much do you reckon the book's up to? Maybe I can get Thaddeus to make a wager!" He widened his eyes.

She laughed and hugged him. "Oh Josh, I'm so happy!"

Heyes tightened his hold her. "Oh me too. You've no idea. No idea at all."

The cabin was in darkness when Heyes returned home that night. He knew the Kid was there as he had the early shift in the morning. He was busting to tell him his news. Yet at the same time, he didn't want to wake him. He knew how hard the Kid worked in the livery.

Their bunkroom was tiny, two bunks down either side, and barely enough room to stand between them. He undressed in the main room and tiptoed into the bunkroom in just his underwear. Wincing as he got into bed when it squeaked. He lay on his back in the dark, one hand behind his head. Sleep might well elude him tonight for a number of reasons.

A broad grin crept over his face. He was engaged to be married! He chuckled silently in delight. He, Hannibal Joshua Heyes, was engaged to be married!

He allowed himself a brief moment of euphoria and then his smile faded. That was the good news. Now there was a whole set of problems and hurdles to face. All of which could shatter his dream.

Not least of which was the one to his right, quietly slumbering away. Heyes knew that the Kid was pleased for him and Mary. Yet he also knew the Kid was hurt by it. It would fundamentally change their relationship forever. The Kid was right; Heyes would have a new partner. There would be things he would share with Mary but never with the Kid. Heyes threw a lopsided grin. Looking forward to some of those!

Heyes shifted uncomfortably. Yeah, there he was again thinking of just HIS happiness. Although the Kid was popular amongst the young unmarried women in town, several disastrous evenings had stalled his pursuit of any of them. He now preferred his female companionship to be of the saloon variety. That and his lack of enthusiasm for his job, Heyes knew that the Kid hadn't really settled at all into Porterville life. His comment the other evening about not being there yet, chilled Heyes to the bone. The Kid was restless. He hadn't said anything but Heyes knew he was thinking about leaving Porterville. If so, when? Where would he go? What would he do? Oh, they had to talk!

For Heyes it had been different. He had quickly settled into Porterville life. The job Lom had found for him couldn't have been better. He had relished the challenge of sorting the chaos of The Hardware Store. It now had customers, the shelves were well stocked and items could be found easily. Since the clotheshorse fiasco, Seth had let him do the books and he could see that the store was making a tidy profit once again. Recently Seth had hinted that he was thinking of retiring, selling up and moving to Cheyenne where his daughter and her family lived. Heyes' thoughts were turning to think how he could approach the bank for a mortgage to buy the store once that happened.

Ha! Hannibal Heyes with a mortgage! There was a misprint if ever there was one. Yet he knew that's what he wanted. He was enjoying hardware. He was pretty much his own boss these days. Organising, planning, customer relations, bookkeeping all things he had done before. Yeah okay as leader of the Devil's Hole Gang. That wasn't the point. They were transferrable skills. And he would need to have a reliable, secure source of income if he was to be a married man. Perhaps … he hesitated to even think it … be a family man one day.

Yet he wasn't there yet by a long chalk. The next thoughts filled him with horror. He had to tell Mary who he was. Before they were married. If he was gonna be married he wanted to be part of Mr and Mrs Heyes, not Smith. He accepted that in public that's who they'd be but officially – no. Mary had to be Mrs Heyes or … not at all. He swallowed hard.

How was he gonna tell her? It wasn't something you just dropped into the conversation. Oh by the way, you're gonna be Mrs Heyes 'cos your husband is Hannibal Heyes, notorious but reformed outlaw. Is that okay with you honey? Heyes rolled his eyes at the ceiling and shook his head. No of course not. This would require a great deal of thought and he didn't have much time. The Reverend had them pencilled in for Thursday. In three day's time.

Then once he'd told her and she was alright about it … why wouldn't she be? After all, he was a good catch. Everybody in town thought so. There was a book apparently. He rolled his eyes. Something to find out about later. But shut up Heyes, he thought irritably Even if she was alright with it … he hoped … there was her father!

He had told Mary he would go and see her father tomorrow to ask for her hand in marriage. He wasn't planning on telling Luke Fletcher who he was until after he had told Mary. Even if Mary was alright with it, he couldn't see the former sheriff of Porterville being overjoyed that Hannibal Heyes would be his son-in-law. Heyes knew that during his time, Luke Fletcher had caught some high profile outlaws. Having one of the biggest, most successful outlaws in the family … Oh Boy!

Heyes groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. Too much to think about right now. He turned his head to look over at the lump in the opposite bunk. Of all his problems, that was the most difficult and the one he had no idea how to solve. The others were simple in comparison. Just come clean, Heyes. They would take care of themselves one way or another. With the Kid? Well … He turned on his side facing the wall. Perhaps something would come to him in the middle of the night. It usually did.

For now, Mary had agreed to be his wife and he would go to sleep thinking about her. He snuggled down with a big smile on his face.