A Small Price to Pay

Chapter 3 -– The Arrival

Buck Fenner left them in Denver, met at the stagecoach by a pretty little blonde with a big smile. "Lucky man," observed Bart.

"Is he?" asked his brother.

"He thinks so," Bart stated. "That's all that counts."

Just a few more days. He was sick to death of the coach, talking religion all day and playing poker all night, racking his brain to remember why Marybeth Canton looked familiar. Of not being able to stretch his legs, or light a cigar, or take his clothes off to sleep. Sick to death of having every word he said to his brother being overheard by a woman neither of them knew.

So when they came over that final hill and began the approach to Silver Creek he was more than ready for the trip to be over and done with. From the look of things Bret was too. When Mrs. Canton said she was going to Montana neither of them realized where she was going in Montana. Great Falls, Billings, Missoula? Butte, Big Sky, Bozeman? No, none of these. She was going to Silver Creek. And still hanging on to Bret like she owned him.

Finally the stage pulled up in front of the 'Silver Creek Miners Hotel.' The establishment had changed names since they left, but that had been two years ago. The town looked substantially the same, only twice as big as before. And then they were there; Bart opened the stage door and stepped out and a blue streak with long red hair flying came hurtling at him and jumped into his outstretched arms; threatening to knock both of them over. Onlookers would be hard pressed to determine which of them was laughing hardest or loudest. He picked Jody up and swung her around in a circle, spinning her as if she was a little child. Hugs abounded and Bart kissed her on the cheek and forehead and swung her around again. Bret came out of the coach next and turned back to help Marybeth down; Jody didn't give him the chance. She disengaged from Bart and jumped straight into Bret's arms next, continuing to laugh and hug with wild abandon. He at long last put her down and assisted Mrs. Canton in alighting from the coach.

Jody ran back to Bart and threw her arms around his neck. Any semblance of the proper young woman was gone; she was a little girl again and her big brother was back. "Oh, Bartley! I'm so glad you're finally here, I almost couldn't wait any longer."

Marybeth turned to whisper in Bret's ear, "Now I understand why she's not your sister, too."

Jody let go of Bart and smoothed first her dress, then her hair down and turned to Bret. "I'm glad you're with him, Bret. I've missed you, too."

"Likewise, Jody," Bret answered. "Marybeth Canton, may I present our sister, Jody Mayfield. Jody, this is Marybeth Canton. Mrs. Canton."

Bart heard Bret use the 'our sister' label and was pleased. Bret had always felt like she was much more closely related to Bart than him, so it was satisfying to hear the introduction to Marybeth. Bart even smiled.

Only then did they both see their cousin Beau standing on the steps of the hotel, patiently waiting his turn to greet them. A hug for Bret and some whispered words, then an even bigger hug for Bart, accompanied by a slap on the back. "Cousin Bart, you're looking much healthier than the last time I saw you. Welcome back."

"Thanks, Beau. Good to be here under better circumstances. You're looking fit, Cousin," Bart meant it; whatever Beau and his ex-fiancé had gone through had been forgotten and he appeared to have suffered no ill-effects. Behind Beau stood Georgia, looking even prettier than the day they left, and she had more restrained hugs and kisses for both of them. Doc Washburn was there, too – even though retired, everyone still called him Doc. He shook hands with both Mavericks and had an extra twinkle in his eye when he told Bart, "Much improved, son. Lookin' good."

Jody put her arm through Bart's and walked him up the hotel steps. "Travis would have been here, too, but he had to keep an eye on the jail while he's training the new deputy." Bart nodded; the last deputy marshal Travis Cole had was murdered on the riverboat Mississippi Bayou Belle in an effort to close down the saloon and kill Bart.

"We'll see him soon," Bart promised her.

Bret escorted Marybeth inside. "Are you staying here?"

"Just tonight. My brother-in-law will be here tomorrow morning to pick me up. He couldn't get here any before that. Will you be here tonight?"

"Yep," came his reply. "Dinner at seven o'clock?"

"I'd be delighted. I'll see you at seven."

Bret left her at the desk to sign in. The desk clerk handed him a key that said '214.' Bret stared at it and then handed it back to the man. "Have you got another room?" Room 214 had been Bart's when he was attacked. The clerk gave him 220 instead. "Thanks."

He bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and got to the top before realizing that he didn't know if he and his brother were sharing a room or not. Sounded like not, as he got to the door for 220 and all was quiet, then heard the noise coming from the room right across the hall. He knocked on 221 and Beau pulled the door open. "Cousin Bret, come right in. Cousin Bart seems a little busy at the moment." Beau made a sweeping gesture with his arm, ushering Bret into the room. Bart was sitting on the bed, with Jody right beside him and Georgia in a chair in front of him. Doc Washburn completed the circle, and as Bret walked into the room Hiram Foster came down the hall and walked inside right behind him. Hiram slapped him on the back and shook his hand.

"Seems like everybody's here," Bret commented.

"Not quite," Hiram reminded him. "We lost Harry about a year ago."

Harry met a new girl named Anna Lee at the saloon and they fell in love and were about to get married when he ran across a customer with a bad temper and a short fuse. Harry took two bullets to the chest before he could get the double-barrel shotgun that he kept behind the bar out and the cowboy paid for it with his life when Travis came to arrest him and he drew his gun. Alvin Moore had taken over running the bar and kept everything just the way Harry had it, including the shotgun. Georgia and Jody still missed him.

Hiram Foster walked over to the bed and Bart stood up and embraced the man who'd defended him. "You look a lot better with some meat on your bones, boy," the attorney grinned. "Not like that scarecrow that left us. Good job, Bret, you got him to eat."

"Yeah, I threatened to take away his coffee." The whole room laughed.

"I am here, you all know. I can hear you," the young gambler complained.

Everyone got quiet as they heard boots in the hall. Marshal Travis Cole appeared in the doorway and Jody launched herself off the bed and into his arms before he had a chance to progress any further into the room. Hiram Foster took Jody's set on the bed.

"Sorry I couldn't be here to see you in, I was tied up at the jail. " The tall man entered the room, shook Bret's hand and progressed over to Bart. They looked at each other for a moment, Bart wondering the irony of Jody marrying a lawman, Travis contemplating the family of card sharps that Jody had inserted herself into. Both decided at the same moment to accept the other without reservation; Jody Mayfield loved them. They shook hands warmly, any potential doubts set aside for her sake.

Everyone talked for a while; each attempting to condense two years' worth of life's happenings into a few minutes. Slowly everything would down and they all drifted away, except for Jody. There was to be a big party at the saloon that night, and after a few minutes alone with Bart Jody excused herself too and walked to the door of his room. "Nine o'clock tonight, Bartley – you be ready and don't make me come get you. Rest now and get your strength back."

He smiled to himself; it was sweet that she still worried about his health. "Jody, I'm fine. There' nothing wrong with me. I haven't done anything more strenuous for the last week than listen to Bret snore."

She kissed him on the cheek and left anyway. "Tonight, brother dear," and she was gone.