"LARABEE'S LADY" – CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Title: "Larabee's Lady"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult language and situations

Summary: Mary's best friend causes Chris to re-think his future.

Date Written: September 16, 2010

Disclaimer: Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, J.D. Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, Casey Wells, Mary Travis, Nettie Wells, Inez, and The Magnificent Seven are the property of TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM and Triology Entertainment. Other characters, i.e., Catherine Stewart, Jonathan Stewart, Eloise Stewart, Miles Kettering, etc. are the sole property of the author. The author makes no profit from this work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

(For the next couple of weeks, Mary and Mrs. Wilkes stay at the ranch with Catherine while she recovers from her ordeal. Casey and Nettie make daily trips to both the ranch and to town, and provide reports on Catherine's condition to those in town. All are concerned, but Chris is strung exceedingly tightly. The first day that Mary returns to town after the attack, Chris spies her the moment she comes into view, and he's at the newspaper office before she can dismount from her horse. His expression is tense and concern is written all over his face)

Chris: "How is she, Mary?"

Mary: (anger in her voice) Her bruises are nearly healed. Fortunately, Poague wasn't as rough as he could have been. It's her spirit I'm worried about."

Chris: "But you said she was healing. . ."

Mary: (lashing out) "She was raped and beaten by a filthy, vile animal!"

Chris: "Don't you think I know that?"

(They stare angrily at each other for a few moments, both of them hurting for Catherine. Mary realizes that Chris' reaction is caused by his feelings for Catherine and relents.)

Mary: "I'm sorry, Chris. It's just so hard to see her like this. She barely eats, she won't talk abut what happened, and there hasn't been a night that's gone by that she hasn't awakened screaming. It's been all Mrs. Wilkes and Nettie can do to get a little food in her. She sits in her room just staring out the window. Farley has come to the house several times with questions about the horses, but she says to tell him to deal with whatever it is."

(Vin walks up to join them)

Vin: "That ain't good. She can't keep it up. We need to do somethin'."

Mary: "What? If anything, I would have thought she'd show some interest in her horses, but not even that got a reaction out of her. It's as if the Catherine we all know doesn't exist anymore."

Chris: "There's got to be something we can do."

(Vin has been looking beyond Chris and Mary and sees Mrs. Purdy heading toward them.)

Vin: "Here comes trouble."

Mrs. Purdy: "Mary! About time you got back to town! I want to send a telegram."

Mary: "I'll be right there, Mrs. Purdy." (Dismissed, the woman walks off.)

Chris: "She's lookin' mighty smug.

Vin: "Humph, up to no good's more like it."

Mary: "Probably."

(Mary goes to the newspaper office to see to Mrs. Purdy, and Chris and Vin walk toward the Sheriff's Office.)

Chris: "I could kill that bastard for what he did to Catherine!"

Vin: "Killin' would be too good for the likes of him. I'd say what Catherine did to 'em is justice. Nathan said she was right . . . Poague won't ever be able to hurt another woman like that again. . . Recon we ought to be worrin' about how to help Catherine 'stead of worrin' about Poague.

(In the newspaper office, Mary walks behind the counter and faces Mrs. Purdy. Mary is still very upset with the woman for her sanctimonious attitude over what happened to Catherine.)

Mary: "How may I help you, Mrs. Purdy?"

Mrs. Purdy: "I want to send a wire to Washington, to Sen. Stewart."

Mary: "To Sen. Stewart?"

Mrs. Purdy: "Yes."

Mary: "I see. Just write down what you want to send and leave it on the counter. I need to see to the presses. The fee will be two dollars."

(Not caring that she's being rude, Mary walks into the back and leaves Mrs. Purdy standing at the counter. A few minutes later, Mary hears the door close and walks back up front. On the counter is the message and two dollars. Within minutes, Mary is angrily striding toward the General Store. J.D., who was walking from the Livery, passes Mary and hurries into the Saloon where the rest of the Seven are spending the afternoon.)

J.D. "Mary's headed to the General Store looking like she wants to kill someone!"

(Knowing Mrs. Purdy wanted to send a wire, Chris and Vin exchange an uneasy glance as all Seven start towards the store. They hear Mary's angry voice long before they actually reach their destination. By the time they've all pushed through the door, Mary is really worked up.)

Mary: "How dare you? I absolutely refuse to send this anywhere, let alone Washington! You're nothing but a mean, spiteful, old biddy, and you just want to spread vicious lies!"

Mrs. Purdy: "Don't you dare talk to me like that, Mary Travis! Catherine Stewart has behaved like a whore since the day she came to town! I'd wondered why the daughter of a United States Senator would want to live all the way out here instead of in Washington, and now I know. Her parents forced her to come out here because they were ashamed of her. They couldn't find a single, self-respecting man to marry her and take her off their hands so they got rid of her by sending her here. Well, the Senator can find somewhere else for his harlot daughter to go. The decent people of this town don't want her kind here!

Mary: "For your information, Mrs. Purdy, the decent people of this town have been out to see Catherine every day since she was attacked. In fact, the only person who hasn't been to see Catherine is you, and thank God for that!"

Mrs. Purdy: "The only tine I want to see that woman is to watch her leave town!"

Chris: "Enough! . . . Mrs. Purdy, Catherine did nothing wrong! She doesn't deserve your hatred, and the only reason I can think of for you to be so vindictive is jealousy."

Mrs. Purdy: "Jealousy"

Chris: "Yes, jealousy. Catherine is beautiful, young, smart, successful. All the things you're not. She doesn't conform to your misguided way of thinking, and you hate her for it. Not another person in this town blames Catherine for what happened."

Ezra: "Indeed. Most everyone believes she's something of a heroine for keeping Casey Wells from the clutches of those vile miscreants."

Buck: "And for keeping you from coming to any harm."

Nathan: "And she paid a high price for her trouble."

J.D.: "I'm grateful to Catherine for keeping Casey safe."

Josiah: "Cast ye not the first stone . . ."

Vin: "Seems to me, Ma'am, that if anyone should be leavin' town, recon it ought to be you."

Mary: "The sooner the better."

Mrs. Purdy: "Well, we'll just see about that. Get out of my store – now!"