Arthur and Dutch entered the camp at horseshoe overlook at a gentle walk. They'd taken the trip back at a relatively leisurely pace, because they didn't know how fit the new horse was and it also gave time for Dutch's mood to improve a little. By the time they reached the path he had more or less calmed down. The money that Arthur had given him from the bounty also helped improve his mood.
Dutch suddenly glanced at Arthur.
"I'm sorry son" he said. "With everything that's happened I forgot to ask how it went with that O'Driscoll boy?"
Arthur flushed slightly "Oh that" he said. "Little runt actually saved my life"
Dutch laughed "Do I really want to know?" he asked.
"I got jumped by an O'Driscoll at the cabin, so he shot him. Must have picked up one of the revolvers off a dead O'Driscoll" he said.
Dutch frowned. "Did you cut him loose then?"
Arthur shrugged "Nah, he was too afraid Colm would hunt him down, so I've told him he can look after the horses for us."
He gestured to the little horse. "Just as well if your going to keep going off buying horses for people".
Dutch looked across at Arthur "As I recall, when me and Hosea took you under our wing, one of the first things we got, you was a horse".
Arthur laughed. "Yeah, you nicked it off a bounty hunter if I remember correctly".
Dutch laughed. "Yes, I did".
As they reached the hitching post, Dutch glanced across at the O'Driscoll boy who was brushing one of the he horses.
"Hey, boy" he yelled. The boy got up, he looked terrified, but ran over.
"What's your name boy?" Dutch glared at him.
"Kieran, Sir...Kieran Duffy" he said.
"Well Kieran Duffy" he said "Take care of these horses, especially that little mare, or you'll have me to answer to". He turned his back on the boy and stifled a grin.
Once they were out of earshot he grinned at Arthur.
"Sir is it now". Both men laughed as they headed into camp.
As they walked across the camp they heard a shriek of laughter come from the poker table.
Ella was perched on a chair and Karen was standing next to her, with an arm round her shoulder.
Sean and Uncle, were opposite. Both weren't looking too happy.
Dutch walked across to the table. "What's going on here then?" he asked with a smile on his face.
Ella look around and smiled. "Karen is teaching me how to play poker" she giggled.
Karen whispered something in Ella's ear. Ella's face straightened. "All-in" she said, as she pushed all her chips into the middle. The two men looked at her, and pushed their chips into the middle of the table, glancing at each other, sure that this wasn't going to end well.
Karen look from one to the other. "OK boys, lets see what you've got" she said.
They didn't have much, Sean had a pair of 3's and Uncle had a pair of Jacks.
Ella gave another shriek of laughter, and put her cards on the table.
" 3 aces". She grabbed all the chips and drew them towards her.
As she laughed she leaned back on the chair a little too hard and it tipped backwards and started to fall.
Dutch rushed forward and caught it. He smiled down at her "Careful my little card sharp" he said.
She smiled back, he brushed a stray lock of hair off of her face, and righted the chair.
Ella looked at Karen. "How much did I win this time" she asked.
Karen looked at the pile of chips on the table. "Reckon about 3 dollars" she said, and grinned.
Sean got up and sighed "Well she's cleaned me out" he said as he walked away.
Dutch turned Ella's chair around "looks like you've been having fun today" he smiled.
Ella smiled back "I have, but I missed you today, and look" she said as she rolled up her trouser leg.
Ella showed Dutch her leg, it had no bandages on it.
"Charles took off the bandages, he says I don't need them any more." She smiled.
Dutch was about to say something but didn't get a chance.
"And look" she said, hardly catching her breath. Charles gave me a present. Ella pulled out a make do crutch, got up from the chair and started to hobble up and down.
Dutch laughed. "Well, haven't you had a busy day. And haven't you turned into a little chatterbox".
Dutch looked at her for a moment. She seemed like such a child, he thought. Not really knowing anything of the world, or having any experiences.
He looked at her. "I have a surprise for you too" he said.
She smiled at him "What is it?" she asked as she walked towards him.
"You'll have to wait and see" he removed his neck scarf and covered her eyes with it.
"I can't see" she said,
He laughed and put his arm around her shoulder, "come with me." he said.
He guided Ella to where the horsed were hitched. The little grey mare still had the saddle on.
He removed the blindfold and turned her to face the horse.
"This is yours" he said
She looked at him "but…"
"I know" he said, "you can't ride, but if you're going to stay with us, your going to have to learn."
Do you want to stay? He asked
She looked at him and smiled "Yes I do."
"Good he said." With that he grabbed her by the waist, picked her up and gently put her on the horse.
She grabbed the horn of the saddle with both hands as if it were the only thing holding her on there.
He'd wondered if she had been telling the truth about never being on a horse, but by the look on her face right now, he knew it was true.
He laughed and looked at her. "Relax, you need to hold the reins. he said
He tried to take one of her hands from the horn of the saddle, but she was gripping it so tightly. He cupped his hand over hers.
He looked her in the eye. "Let go" he said.
She, hesitated, then let go with one hand. The other hand gripped even tighter.
He opened her hand a placed the rein in it.
"Now" he said "you need to hold this really gently because you don't want to hurt her do you?"
Ella shook her head, too terrified to speak.
"Now do the same with the other hand, If you feel unsteady, hook your fingers in her mane" he said quietly.
Ella did as she was told.
Dutch walked to the front of the mare and started leading her down the path.
"She's moving" Ella shrieked
Dutch stifled a laugh, "yes she is, but that's the general idea" he said "now just relax."
Dutch lead the horse up and down the path for about 10 minutes, telling Ella when to squeeze with her legs, when to pull gently on the reins to slow her, and how to turn her.
As they headed back toward the hitching area for the last time, when they were about 10 yards from the post, he let go.
"See" he said raising his hands "you can ride."
She turned to look at him and gasped, then smiled, and gently pulled the reins until the little mare stopped.
Ella gently patted the horse and stroked its neck.
She glanced at Dutch with a worried look on her face.
"How do I get off" she said.
He laughed. "well for now, you'll have to have some help"
He walked over and placed both hands on her waist. He paused savouring the touch of her body. After a while he picked her up and gently placed her on the ground, and passed the make do crutch back to her, which was leaning against the hitching post.
As they walked back to his tent, he placed his hand on her back. It was beginning to get dark.
"I think I might go to bed" She said.
He smiled "Off you go, at least now you're are mobile, I wont have to keep carrying you everywhere"
"I'll see you in the morning?" It was half statement, half question.
"Yes you will" he replied.
She pressed her lips to his cheek "Thank you" she whispered and disappeared inside the tent.
Dutch walked over to the table where Hosea was sitting.
"Well?" asked Hosea.
Dutch recounted the details of what had transpired during the day. He also told him about the brief riding lesson.
"So she really had never been on a horse?" he exclaimed
"Not unless she was faking it, and the look on her face, she clearly wasn't" Dutch replied.
Hosea took a deep breath.
"Dutch, what is it with you and this girl" he said. " Why don't you just cut her loose, take her to the Sheriffs office in Valentine and see if they can find her family"
Dutch stared at Hosea " I can't believe your even suggesting that, after what I just told you. If the slimy toad manages to talk his way out of the jail, she'd be back to square one"
Hosea paused "People are beginning to notice how you are with this girl. She's just a kid, Dutch. Are you sure you're not just trying to help her, to make up for the woman at Blackwater"
Dutch looked at Hosea his face flushed angrily.
"People!..Notice!.. Notice what? And for your information this has nothing to do with the woman in Blackwater."
Hosea lowered his voice "Dutch, I'm only saying this because I'm your friend and I care."
He looked at Hosea still angry "Just back off! I know what I'm doing" with that he stormed off, back to his tent.
Hosea watched him leave, wondering to himself if he really knew what he was doing.
Next morning, Dutch rose early. He'd had trouble sleeping after the argument with Hosea. He kept thinking about what Hosea had said. He was still slightly angry that the man was trying to second guess him.
Charles was also up early, but that was normal for Charles. He often wondered why people needed so much sleep.
Dutch beckoned him over.
"Thank you for making the crutch for Ella, he said, Its made her a lot more mobile.
Charles nodded. "Everything is fine now except for that calf muscle. She needs to start using it, otherwise the leg will be useless."
Dutch frowned "What can we do?" he asked.
"Did you massage her thigh" he asked.
Dutch smiled, thinking about massage he had given her a few nights ago "he nodded".
"Well" Charles said. "you probably need to do similar on her calf muscle." He paused. "I think her leg may have not been used for sometime before we found her, so the muscle is a lot more wasted. You also need to make her put weight on the leg for a few minutes each day. It will be painful, but necessary".
Dutch nodded and returned to the tent.
Ella was propped up on her elbows looking towards the door.
"Did you hear that" he asked.
"Some of it..this is going to hurt, isn't it?" she said.
"Not too much" he lied.
Dutch gently rolled the leg of the britches up. He'd seen the other evening how little muscle there was, when he had bandaged the leg.
He gently ran his hands up the front of her leg before grasping the back of her calf digging his thumb and fingers into the non existent muscle.
She screamed and fell back down, gripping the side of the mattress and arching her back in an almost physical attempt to pull herself away from the painful massage.
After about 5 minutes, Dutch paused to give her a break. After a few moments he started to repeat the process.
She wailed "No Dutch, please don't… it hurts" He looked at her, but ignored her screams. She writhed on the bed and attempted to pull away, but he had a tight grip on her ankle.
After a few moments he stopped and she lay still on the bed exhausted.
He sat on the side of her bed and put one hand either side of her shoulder, he lowered his face so it was a few inches above hers.
"Ella" He said.
She opened her eyes to see an icy stare.
"There is one thing you need to know" He said
She swallowed hard.
"Nobody...nobody ever tells Dutch Van Der Linde No!"
He pause for a few seconds.
"Now lay still".
Dutch moved from the side of the bed and grasped her calf and continued the painful massage until he was satisfied.
During the process Ella still screamed in pain, but she no longer tried to pull away.
Once he had finished he gently stroked her leg and finally rolled the leg of the britches back down.
Tears were running down Ella's face and she looked at him angrily.
"I hate you" she screamed at him.
He sat on the side of the bed and cupped her cheek in his right hand and stroked her head with his left hand.
In spoke quietly "No you don't" he said
After a few moments she sat up and buried her head his chest and started to sob.
He held her until the sobbing had subsided. Then laid her gently back down on the bed.
Exhausted she closed her eyes.
Dutch quietly left the tent and sat down at the table. Arthur came over and handed him a beer.
"what was that all about" he asked.
Dutch explained about the leg, and what Charles had suggested.
He looked at Arthur "Well its done now, at least for today." He said.
"Its for her own good" Arthur said calmly
"True." Replied Dutch, "but I don't think she see's it that way."
"What is she doing now" Arthur asked.
"Sleeping for now, and apparently she hates me" he laughed.
"Of course she does" Arthur grinned. "How many times did me and John hate you, its just easier when boys hate you" he said.
Dutch Laughed. "I wasn't put into this world to be loved, but I get the job done".
Dutch thought for a bit. "I'll take her out on the horse later, that should cheer her up".
Arthur laughed, "or scare her half to death". Dutch laughed.
He took another gulp of his beer, disappointed to find that the bottle was empty.
Dutch sure had a soft spot for that girl, but he wondered if it was more than that.
It was early afternoon and Ella still hadn't emerged from Dutch's tent. Dutch had been chatting with with Mary-Beth and some of the boys about another potential train job. There was also the possibility of the bank in Valentine, but that would need some further scoping out.
Arthur had suggested he go back to the sheriffs office to see if he could pick up a few more bounties, and Micah was keen on doing a stagecoach job.
Hosea had also got in contact with a feller at Emerald Ranch who they might be able to deal with, but he needed Arthur to tag along.
All in all Dutch was pretty pleased that they had potential work on the horizon, and money would soon be rolling in..
Arthur and Hosea decided to head off to see what they could do at Emerald ranch.
Micah was a bit pissed off as he wanted Arthur to do the stagecoach job with him But as Arthur said "I can't split myself in half", Micah agreed that they would delay it until next week, as it did the same run each week.
With everybody more or less occupied, Dutch decided go back to the tent, to see if Ella was asleep or just sulking.
Ella lay on the bed with her hands behind her head staring at the ceiling.
As Dutch walked in she sat up. She gave a weak smile and looked down at the floor
"I don't really hate you" she said
He walked over and sat on the side of the bed and tipped her chin up with his fingers.
She looked at him.
"I know you don't" he said, and smiled.
He grabbed the crutch and passed it to her.
"Now lets go outside" he said.
"I must look awful" she said touching her tear stained cheek.
He laughed. "You look perfectly fine to me."
Ella hobbled outside
Dutch put his hand on her back and guided her towards the horses.
"Come on lets go out for a ride"
She looked alarmed. "What on the horses."
Dutch laughed. "Yes on the horses"
Dutch lifted Ella onto the dapple grey mare and then mounted The Count.
She gently squeezed with her leg and the horse moved forward. She wrapped her fingers in the soft main, to make sure that she didn't accidentally pull it in the mouth, and they both rode side by side along the path that lead from the camp.
Ella glanced over at Dutch.
"Thank you" she said.
He smiled. "What for" he replied.
"Oh just about everything" she said. "The horse, teaching me to ride, taking me out here today".
They reached a small clearing surrounded by trees.
Dutch gently reined in his horse.
"Lets stop here" he said.
Ella, gently pulled the reins to slow her horse.
Dutch jumped off the count and hitched him to a tree, then walked over to Ella and lifted her from the horse.
"Here he said" and offered her his arm, she limped towards the centre of the clearing, with him, barely being able to put any weight on her leg. She kept glancing over her shoulder.
"What's the matter" he said.
She looked frightened. "What if they come" she said.
"Who?" he asked.
"The other men...from the c..c..cabin" she said.
Dutch stopped. He turned to face her and took her hands in his.
"Sit" he commanded in a gentle voice.
She sank to the ground and sat on the grass looking up at him.
He sat in front or her and gently touched her face.
"Let them come" he said. He pulled his revolver from its holster and held it up. "They will only come once".
She smiled, feeling reassured that she was safe, but then she always felt safe when she was with Dutch.
He put the revolver back in its holster.
"I've never met anyone quite like you" she said, staring at his face and focussing on his eyes. She suddenly felt powerless, but she always did, when he looked at her or spoke to her.
He moved closer and gently kissed Ella's lips, she shivered and moved forward to kiss him back.
He gently lowered her to the ground and kissed her a little bit harder, gently exploring her mouth with his tongue. She showed no resistance, so he move his hand to the inside of her shirt. Caressing the skin and slowly moving his hand until it made contact with her breast.
His hand caressed her nipple gradually squeezing harder until she let out a gasp.
She felt the need to surrender to his touch.
For a brief moment he stopped kissing her, but she pushed her lips towards his with an intensity he hadn't expected.
With a sense of urgency, he unbuttoned her shirt and trousers. Exploring the rest of her body with his tongue.
As his tongue invaded her body, she was surprised how the intense reaction of her own body overwhelmed her.
Enjoying the response, Dutch unbuttoned his trousers, unable to restrain himself any longer. Aware of the vulnerable girl beneath him he gently lowered himself inside her, she let out a groan of pleasure as she grabbed his shirt and pulled herself harder into him. He obliged and pumped hard and fast, until they both erupted into a peak of pleasure.
They lay entwined for a few more moments, he then withdrew slowly.
Dutch moved so that he sat on the grass beside her. He looked at the beautiful young woman, realising that she was finally his. His hand slowly moved to caress her face, and their lips met again, this time in a passionate, tender kiss.
When their lips parted, she looked him in the eye and whispered.
"I never knew it could be like this"
He looked at her with a lust he struggled to control. "For us, it will always be like this." He whispered.
