When I woke up, Will was already awake. He had made me breakfast. Eggs and dried up ham. I seem to always forget about my wounds because I tried stretching. "Owwwww-ouch". Will quickly looked at me and came to my side. He helped me outta bed. "Mornin' darlin'." I smiled. "Mornin." He heard knocking on the door. He answered. "My boys!" I heard him say excitedly. I heard laughter. Then he looked at me and back to whoever his 'boys' were.
"Uh, wait a sec. I gotta get Allie dressed." He told them. As soon as Cap started walking toward me, I heard Tom (Skunk hair) say "Wait! Lavicy made her a new skirt!" Then Jim Vance said "Yeah, said' she's seen her in the same damn skirt for three days. Reckoned the girl might like somethin' new to wear." William smiled. And I heard him whisper "Thanks mama."
He came over to me and held up the new skirt. I gasped. "Wow, Lavicy sure can sew fast! Wow, it's so beautiful." I was so excited to wear something new for once. "Here," he said, "take one o' my shirts." He handed me a navy blue plaid shirt. I buttoned it up and tucked it into my skirt. I looked at him, noticing he's been watching the whole time.
"You look beautiful." He spoke quietly. I blushed, smiling. I looked down, and right back up at him, about to say something. But the banging on the door interrupted that. I cursed under my breath. "Come on in there!" I heard Tom say, impatiently. Will took another long stare at me before he got the door. "Hope you boys'er hungry." He told them. Jim helped me to the table.
"Allie, you cooked?" Jim said, taking a mouth full of dried ham. I opened my mouth to answer but Cap butt in. "Yeah, she did. Believe it?" I looked at him with a weird expression. He just smiled and winked. After we was done eatin', the skunk hair said "Welp, we best leave soon. Come on sugar you can ride with me." Tom grinned at me. "Don't think so Tom, she's be a ridin with me." Cap said. He smiled at Cap and Tom and Jim exchanged grins.
They got on their horses and rode off. I grabbed ahold of my old, filthly, soaked with blood clothes Cap said "Hold on Lassie. I'll take those home to my mama. She'll wash em' up fer ya, and I'll bring em' back here. Never know when ya may need another night here, ya know." He smiled and continued "By the way, I said you cooked breakfast cuz' Uncle Jim'll soften up to ya. He likes a good women who can cook. Don't matter though. He already likes ya."
I laughed. "I gotta get home. Don't worry bout' Randolf." He shrugged and took my hand out to the horse and helped me up. "He or any of them damn sons of his touch you again, I wanna know bout it. I'll kill im'. My family cares a lot about you." Then I heard him mumble quietly to him self "Espeically me." I blushed and nodded. He took me to the bridge just before me home, and helped me down. "I'll see ya real soon, Lassie." Before I could say anything more, he took off.
I went into my McCoy home to find everyone sitting at the table. Sally looked at me first. And then Randol. "Where the HELL WERE YOU!?" He shouted. "Husband!" I heard Sally say. "I spent the night under a Hatfield roof." I said honestly, but sourly. Ole Ran'l got up and hit me hard. "Husband!" I hard Sally again say, and then a "Daddy stop it!" from Calvin, Bud, Jim, Allifair and a few other of his girls. Of course he stopped. He just looked at me. Well. More like glared. "Daddy, you can't expect er' not too! That's her kin!" Calvin said, defending me. "I don't care. Sally, I want that girl outta this house by the time I get back. I don't care where she goes, or anything, just get her out!". Randol said. He walked out the door. Sally just looked at me. "Ill take er' to aunt Betty's mama." Calvin offered. She nodded.
Calvin took me on his horse and took me to his aunt Betty's. I loved that woman. Yeah, she was kinda cocky. And hated the Hatfields just as much as any other McCoy, she did. But she loved me. Time slowly past there as I got bored, depressed and lonely. Until one day me and aunt Betty was out picking peas. "aunt Betty?" I heard a familiar voice say. We both jumped and saw Rosanna. We looked at eachother weirdly. "Rosanna!" I hugged her. "Whudda'ya doin here, sugar?" Aunt Betty asked. "Mama said you'd take me in."
Aunt Betty and I looked at eachother again. "Ain't nobody else want me." Rosanna finally said, in a very sad tone. Weeks more went by. During these weeks, I was hopping one place to another. I was staying with Rosanna and my aunt Betty most nights. But also most nights and days I'd sneak to the cabin Cap built for him and the boys. We'd meet eachother there. It wasn't a secret to his family though. During the days I'd spend time with Lavicy, Jim Vance, Skunk Hair, Ellison, Cotton, Johnse, Billy and the other Hatfields. And Anse… Anse had offered me a job in his lumber. I greedily accepted.
The more time with William, the better. Yeah, I'll admit. I've been kinda fallin' in love with this boy. For some reason, my aunt Lavicy and Ellison thought Cap was a fallin for me too. I'd just laugh it off when they told me that. But I'd hope it was true. One day, me and Rosanna decided to visit her family, since she knew her poppie wouldn't be home. … I walked in with a bucket a water Sally asked me to fetch for her. I heard them talking. "In time," Sally took a break from rolling dough and kissed Rosanna's forehead, "You'll meet a suitable boy."
I had forgotten about Johnse and Rosanna's romance because of my own with William. But nobody except us Hatfields knew about that. "Mama…" Rosanna started to say but sniffed. I looked at her. "S'to late." Sally put her hand on her hips and sighed. I looked at Rosanna cautiously. "I ain't had my flow in two monthes." She explained, and started crying. I widened my eyes. "I'unno what to do." She cried. I went over to her and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Rosanne."
"You come home with a Hatfield bastard in yer' belly?" Sally asked, disgusted, but then looked sorry for her as she weeped. I shot her a nasty look when she said that. She just looked down, and sighed. "I suppose you'll be staying at your Aunt Betty's fer awhile." Sally said. Perry Cline then walked through the door. "Perry!" I said and gave him a hug. I somewhat liked him, and somewhat didn't. Rosanna rolled her eyes. We talked and then Sally said "Perry, would you mind taking the girls up to their aunt Betty's? They walked, and it's time for them to go."
"Of course!" he said cheerfully and took Rosanna's hand and walked her out. Sally held me back. I looked at her. "You take care o' her." She told me. I nodded and hugged her, whispering "thanks for being a mother I never had." I didn't see her expression because I walked out the door then. It wasn't exactly true we walked. I took my own horse, and Rosanna rode with me. Since Rosanna and Cline were already in the carriage, I trotted beside them. Hearing them talk about marriage. I kept my mouth shut the whole time, even though I wanted to tell Perry to shut the hell up several times.
