The Land Deal 7

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Hank had finally finished cleaning out all of the stalls and was just about to take his mid-morning break when he heard someone calling from the front of the stable. "Hello? Is there anyone here? Hello?"

Laying down the shovel he'd just finished with, Hank made his way to the front and pasted on as nice a smile as he could manage. "Yes, may I help you?"

"Yes, I would like to rent a horse if you please."

"A horse?" Hank never saw anyone who looked less likely to be able to ride.

"Yes, a horse. You do rent them, don't you?"

"Um, uh, well, yeah. But are you sure you want a horse? Wouldn't you be more comfortable in a buggy?" Hank tried.

"No, no, I need a horse, and quickly if you don't mind. I have some rather urgent business to take care of and the fastest way to get to my destination will be on horseback."

"Well…" Hank scrubbed his chin but decided it was none of his lookout. "Alright. I'll have one saddled and ready in about fifteen minutes."

"Good," came the pleased reply. "I have something I need to do and then I'll be right back."

"I guess I've seen it all, now." Hank muttered as he went back in and grabbed a saddle.

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Kitty walked stiffly in front of Kerns as he led her towards his house. Stifling a scream, she closed her ears to Matt's banging on the shed walls and his pleas for her to change her mind. She would not be dissuaded from this. His life meant more to her, than her own. Whatever Kerns demanded of her, and she had no doubt it would be horrible, she would do. As long as it meant keeping Matt alive, she would do it.

"After you." Kerns smirked as he opened the door to his house and held out a hand.

Kitty gave him a brief glare and entered, ignoring his outstretched hand. Once inside, she waited for him to come in behind her and close the door. She said nothing. There was nothing to say.

"Follow me." He demanded. "We'll get the paperwork taken care of first and then we can move on to other more pleasurable pursuits."

Leading the way down the hall, he ushered her into a large office decorated in leather and wood. A man's office to be certain, with nothing to indicate that a woman ever darkened the doorway. "Have a seat." He told her. "I'll get the papers and we'll get this over with."

Kitty refused the seat as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself and looked around the room.

Kerns watched her for several moments, taking in the sight of the woman he had wanted, for so long, actually standing in his study and about ready to give herself to him. He could hardly wait. Quickly as he could, he pulled out several sheets of paper and laid them before her on the desk. "You'll need to sign each one of these." He told her, a cold anticipatory note to his voice.

Kitty took the pen he handed her and dipped it into the ink well, signing her name quickly on each piece of paper he handed her. She didn't read them, she didn't care. The only thing that mattered to her was outside, pounding on the wall of a shed and screaming her name. She shut out the thought and signed the last piece of paper, handing him back his pen.

Gleefully, Kerns inspected each piece of paper, waving them to dry the ink, before finally closing them inside a folder and then placing them back inside the drawer of his desk. "Well, now." He stood back, his grin broadening as he looked at his newly won prize. "What do you say we take this upstairs?"

Kitty decided she would do what the man ordered but she would not speak to him and she would never respond physically. He would have her body, but he would never have her soul or her heart. She had already given that to Matt. Swallowing hard, she silently turned towards the door and waited for him to lead the way.

Kerns stepped back around the desk and walked up behind her. Bending down, he placed a kiss on her neck, before opening the door and ushering her back out into the hallway. "This way, my dear," he fairly giggled.

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Matt sat disconsolately on the floor of the shack, his arms around his knees and his head buried, trying hard to not to think of what was taking place in the house. He knew Kitty had done this for him but his heart was breaking never the less. He didn't want her to do this for him. He didn't want her to ever be hurt because of him.

But his pleas to her had gone unheeded. His beautiful, stubborn red head had sacrificed herself for his life, not realizing that life was worthless to him without her.

As he sat there trying to think of someway to free himself and get to Kitty, he suddenly heard a noise outside. Someone was at the door. Quickly getting to his feet, he braced himself for a fight. He was determined that he would fight whoever came through that door, no matter their size or number. He had to. Kitty needed him to.

When the door finally opened, Matt hunched his shoulders and prepared to take a run at whoever entered. But what he saw stopped him in his tracks.

"Hello, Marshal. I've come to help you and Miss Russell."

TBC