Hello again. It is I. I had a very interesting suggestion. Someone wanted to know the year this was taking place, not the actual season. But the year. I don't know all that much about Matt or Kitty's history. I'm going to guess that Matt came to Dodge not long after the war. Maybe less than five years after the war since a few episodes dealt with the hostilities between the South and North still lingering. We know that the civil war officially ended June 2 1865. So for arguments sake, I'm going to believe that Matt Dillon, went into Law enforcement right out of the war. People didn't like to speak of where they were from in the episodes cause things were still so touchy, so four years after the war is about when Matt became Marshal of Dodge. So He came to Dodge in 1869. I'm going to say that he would have been about 24 years old. Now Kitty on the other hand, I would put her to coming to Dodge about a year later, 1870 at the tender age of 19, maybe even younger if you've read any of my other stories. Matt is six years older than Kitty. In reality, I believe they are six years apart with James being older than Amanda.
Okay, so, The Foundling takes place season 19. So I figure it is around June 17th, 1886. Yes, I know.. My math isn't off. I'm making this actually around season fifteen or so. Don't ask, I've no idea why. I guess after 20 years of waiting for them, tptb, waiting for them to get off of their duffs to get them together. They get together earlier and earlier in my writing. LOL
When we left our story, Maylee Baines was on the so-called witness stand being questioned by Breck Taylor. She had just found out some things about Kitty and Mary Kathleen that she did not like. Their bond would be strong as if the child had been born to her.
"I have no more questions your honor." Breck said.
"You may return to your seat, Mrs. Baines." Judge Brooker said to her.
Maylee returned to her seat. Thomas Geyllor stood up and looked at his notebook. "You're honor, I'd like to call Miss Russell back to the stand?" He said.
Kitty looked at Matt who sat to the Judge Brooker's right. He would not allow this man to insult Kitty again as he had before. Kitty stood and turned to her right, gently handing a sleeping Mary Kathleen to her Uncle Festus Hagan. Straightening skirt she headed for the chair that was to the left of Judge Brooker. She sat down and looked at Thomas Geyllor.
"Miss Russell, you said that you worked at the Lady Gray in New Orleans?" He asked her.
"Yes..I did." She replied.
"How old were you when you started working at the Lady Gray?" He asked her.
"Fourteen." She admitted and there was a slight gasp in the court house.
"You were fourteen years old?" He asked rhetorically. "Fourteen years old and you expect us to believe that you did nothing but run errands and dealt?"
"I told you before, I don't care what you believe Mr. Geyllor…." She started.
"You were only fourteen years old and dealing in a saloon. You were that good of a dealer.." He leaned in towards her…"or were you that good in bed?" He asked and she suddenly hauled off and slapped him.
"Mr. Geyllor, you will refrain from baiting Miss Russell." Geyllor was taken aback slightly that the judge would reprimand him and not the woman who had just slapped him. Geyllor touched his face and looked at Kitty as if he wanted to beat her. Kitty looked at him defiantly and daring him to try. He turned and walked over to his table. "How do you expect us to believe that you, at the tender age of 14, was the dealer that could draw in crowds enough that Micah Haversham would not put you to work upstairs in the whorehouse."
"If you had dug a little deeper, you would have found out who my father was." She flushed from slight embarrassment. "Wayne Russell." There were slight laughter and whispers.
"And exactly who is that?" Geyllor laughed and the room.
"Only one of the slickest gamblers this side of the Texas Border." Someone yelled from the back.
"So he taught you to hazel cards?" The room grew silent. Kitty could hazel cards better than anyone, but she only did so for entertainment or if it were a life or death situation. Kitty did not answer. "I asked you a question, Miss Russell."
"Did you? I could have sworn you accused me of cheating at cards." Kitty said bitterly.
"Actually I accused you of Hazeling but I suppose it's the same thing." He said.
"Mr. Geyllor…there is something you don't understand about dealers. Some are dealing to cheat and hazel customers and most of us deal for the love of the cards. The game is more than just a game for money. It's a game of honor."
"You're speaking about poker, Miss Russell, not Chess." He said in his best insufferable manner.
"Chess is for the weak. Poker is for those with a stronger stomach." Kitty said and the room burst into laughter.
Geyllor felt out of his league. Breck smiled at Kitty's words as did Matt, Doc and Festus.
"That still doesn't convince me that you never worked in the upper rooms of the Lady Gray. Tell me, Miss Russell, do you remember a woman by the name of Betta McDaniels…I'm sorry, that's Betta Haversham?" He asked Kitty.
Kitty had to think for a bit. "Oh, yes, I remember Betta. She was his eldest girl upstairs. She told Micah to get rid of me, but Micah….Mr. Haversham didn't take orders from her. I was hired as the errand girl anyway." Kitty said
"That's funny, she said you were Micah's number one girl. You were his most popular whore." He said trying to bait her.
"That's a lie." She said angrily. "I was never one of those girls." She was feeling humiliated that once again he called her that.
"She said that you were the most popular whore in the Lady Gray." He said still baiting her.
"That's not TRUE!" She said angrily as she stood up abruptly.
"You have quite a temper don't you, Miss Russell. A temper like that is not exactly a good one for raising a child." He said taunting her. Kitty covered her face with her hands.
"Objection, your honor!" Breck said angrily.
"You've lost your temper many times, Miss Russell, at the Lady Gray, haven't you?" He baited her.
"I dont know what you're talking about!" She said angrily.
"You shot a man in New Orleans, didn't you?" He asked her. "You shot and killed him didn't you!" He said angrily.
"No…" she said softly. "I shot a man, yes, but I didn't kill him. I wanted to kill him, but I…I was only 16…I didn't know how to handle a gun… I only wounded him…but I wanted to kill him." She hung her head in shame.
"Why? Did he catch you cheating?" He asked her. She didn't answer. "Is that why you shot him? You were cheating at cards and you got caught and he accused you.."
She stood up abruptly again, the chair fell. "No. NO!" She fell to her knees.
"Tell us the truth. Why did you shoot him!" He said taunting her. Doc had to hold Festus back as he stood up.
"Because…" she looked over at Matt. "He…he raped me." She hid her face to cry. The room was filled with a rush of whispers and gasps.
Maylee stood up. "Stop it! Thomas stop it!" She ran to Kitty and knelt down. She took Kitty by the shoulders and pulled her face to her shoulder to hold her. "Leave her be, Thomas. She was only a child when that happened? What difference does it make? Kitty Russell is a good and decent woman. I'm not going to let you hurt her anymore." She gently rocked Kitty in her arms. Matt relaxed a bit. "I'm not going to allow us to hurt her anymore." Maylee said ashamed of the things she had allowed to happen to Kitty. Maylee climbed to her feet, pulling Kitty up with her. Matt quickly walked over and pulled the chair upright as Maylee guided Kitty to the chair. Kitty kept her head down. She felt humiliated and defeated. Now the town would know about her past. About the rape. She felt dirty again. Matt knelt beside her as Maylee looked at the judge and then the people in the court room. "You all know me. You know I have a home and a place for the child. You also know Kitty Russell and she too has a home a place for the child. She's a good woman. A decent and kind woman. Mary…..Mary Kathleen belongs with Kitty. I wanted her so badly that I would do anything to get her. Even hurt a good friend of mine." She turned to look at Kitty. "I'm sorry, Kitty."
Geyllor didn't want to let go. He wanted to win this case no matter what. "Your honor, it seems that my client has given up her pursuit of the child. However, the fact remains that while Miss Russell is a good and decent woman, she is an unmarried woman."
TBC
Well another chapter finished. I'm hoping that you are enjoying it. Please stay tuned for the final chapter.
KR