Episode 11: A Date to Town (Part II)

Marlowe yanked Jamie off her horse and set her on the dusty town floor. "There. That wasn't such a rough ride, was it?" She held her ribs as if they were in pain, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't shake the discomfort from having his arm around her for such a long ride. He took a couple steps away from her to tether the horse. Her gut was telling her to run, but she knew he would be at the Ponderosa waiting. Jamie's eyes looked up at the sheriff's office across the way. Maybe she could do it. She could warn them. No... Marlowe's men were still at the Ponderosa. It would be a race back to the Cartwrights and if she lost...

"Your horse is fast." Jamie's thoughts were broken at the sound of his voice. "I know," she replied, "You ran him too hard."

"Oh please," he tethered the reins and walks back to Jamie. "It's an animal. God made it to run like that."

"He needs water."

"He'll be fine. Now then, you had an errand to run, didn't you?" He reached for her shoulder but rather than resting his hand on it, he griped her shirt to keep a firm, but discrete hold on her. "Where was it you needed to go?" Jamie glanced at the sherrif's office then immediately looks away. "Nowhere."

"Oh, don't be shy. Were you meeting a boy?"

"No. I..." She had to come up with something so he would not be suspicious. "The general store. I need a couple of things." She gave him a stern gaze amd said, "Especially now that you all are eating us out of house and home." He just curled his lips to a grin and slightly shoved her towards the store. Jamie locked eyes with every person they passed. Her heart sunk more and more with every "Hello Jamie," and "Miss Hunter" she received along with a nod. How could they not see the look for help in her eyes? Had she become so good at hiding it in front of the Cartwrights that now it would resurface? Marlowe gave her a shove towards the store doors when nobody was looking which forced her to grab the door frame to keep from falling inside. "Jamie?" Mr. Walker smiled to greet her. "Back again, are we? I don't have your order ready, I'm afraid. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow." He approached from around the counter and his smile vanished at the sight of Marlowe. "You..." Wes Marlowe stepped forward. "Good to see you again, sir."

"You aren't bothering Miss Hunter again are you?!"

"What? Oh no! In fact, Jamie and I have gotten very close lately. Right, Jamie?" She didn't look up but gave him a nod. "Name's Arthur." He extended his hand to Mr. Walker who skeptically shook it. "Cartwright just hired me and my boys to help with some work on his property."

"Oh," Walker nodded with suspicion in his eyes. "Yes, we heard he was hiring new hands. Strange, you got here sooner than we expected."

"So we've been told. Well," He gives Jamie a smack on the back and she practically winces. "Go to it, Jamie. I'll be right over here... waiting. Pleased to meet you, Walker."

"Likewise," Mr. Walker mumbled in response to Wes Marlowe who tipped his hat then walked to the doorway to lean on the frame and watch Jamie. She walked to the counter and Mr. Walker rounds the counter to grab a basket for her items. "What today, Jamie?" He waited for her response but she just stared at the counter. "Jamie?"

"Huh? Oh... some of those," she pointed to the barrel of apples, "A couple bags of those," she pointed to the bags of flour and her eyes kept moving around the counter and shelves, "A bottle of that elixer and... that." The last thing she pointed to was the wooden sign that Mr. Walker used to signify if he was open or closed. "Well... that's not for sale, Jamie... are you ok?"

"Huh? Oh, I mean that." Her finger moved a bit to the jar of candy. "Just one of the lemon ones." Mr. Walker didn't take his eyes off her as he gathered her items and put them in a basket. "Right, well, just return the basket?" She nodded and shoved the lemon candy in her mouth. "Put it on Ben's bill. Wont you?" He nodded and started writing out a bill for her. Just then she heard a familiar voice from the doorway saying "Good Morning" to Marlowe before entering and cheerily saying, "Jamie?" She turned and gulped down the lemon candy. "Charlie!"

"Hey. Are, um... I saw you ride into town with-" He glanced over his shoulder and tried his best not to scowl at Marlowe. "Who is that?"

"Nobody." He looked back at her with a lowered voice, his jacket hanging raggedly on him to suggest he had rushed out the door. "He had his arm around you."

"Didn't want me to fall off Pistol."

"Jamie-"

"Charlie... please don't ask any more. He's just a ranch hand."

"If you say so," he looked down at his boots to hide the jealousy in his face. "Well, here." Looking up, he handed her a letter. "Another to you fron San Francisco. Who is Sommerland?" he asked while pointing to the name on the return address. "She's... an old friend."

"She?" He looked at her with a look of relief. "Yes. She," Jamie said defensively. She tucked the letter away quickly and reached for her basket. "Oh, Jamie, wait. I also got this." He took out a telegram. "It's from the next town over." Jamie stared at the telegram with much concentration as if deciding to take it or not. Seeing her decline to accept it, Charlie continued to explain. "At first I thought it was Mr. Cartwright because it came through the wire but... it's was made out to you. Maybe you can understand what it means, It's kind of criptic." He passed the note to her and she hesitated before opening it. Her eyes skimmed the one line of the telegram and Charlie tilted his head to try and meet her eyeline. "Well? Is it a mistake?"

"No," she said softly as she folded it. "No, it's for me, alright."

"Well, what does it say?"He stood up straight when she tucked the telegram away and looked back to him. Her eyes looked over his shoulder and saw Marlowe just as he glanced back to check on her. "Nothing I can concern myself about right now," she said softly. "I've got bigger things on my plate."

"Anything I can do to help?" Charlie said with a smile. Jamie glanced back at Marlowe who had now turned to give a cold stare at her. It was clear he didn't trust the boy she was speaking with for the long period of time. "Yes," she said and looked back to him. "Keep away from me."

"W-what?" Charlie shook his head, wondering if he had heard wrong. Jamie looked down to hide her face. She couldn't tell him why, but she couldn't put more people in harms way. "Getting close to me is a bad idea, Charlie. You're better off staying away."

"But-"

"Goodbye." She stepped passed him and walked to the door. "Let's go," she grumbled to Marlowe without giving him so much as a glance. Withing moments, they had both saddled up and left town. Marlowe's grip on Jamie, nor Charlie who was still standing dumbfounded was on the 17-year-old's mind. All she could think about were the Cartwrights and how any chance of helping them seemed to be slipping further and further away.

- What was in the telegram for Jamie?

- Who is she writing in San Francisco?

- Will she tell the Cartwrights the truth?

KEEP READING! - CC