Chapter 25

The following day Camille decided to pay a visit to Buck out at the Pony Express station. As she pulled her buckboard into the yard, Ike, Jimmy, and Noah all came out of the bunkhouse to greet her.

Rachel eyed her from the porch before she stepped down to greet her as well. Rachel could tell this girl was trouble with a capital T. "Can we help you miss?" Rachel asked.

"Yes ma'am, I'm looking for Buck. I thought he might would like to join me for dinner tonight to catch up." Camille replied looking at the group in front of her.

Noah and Ike automatically disliked her, they knew who she was and had a good idea what she was up too. Jimmy however thought she was beautiful and wanted to get to know her better, he thought he might just be able to get her mind off of Buck.

Rachel knew what the girl was up to too and decided that she was going to open this girl's eyes to who Buck loved. "Buck's in the barn miss you can go on in and talk to him if ya like."

"Thank you ma'am" Camille said as she stepped out of her buckboard with Jimmy's assistance and then headed in the direction of the barn leaving the guys with Rachel.

"Uh Rachel you know Buck and Lou are in the barn right?" Noah asked.

Rachel smiled, "Of course I do … what better way for the girl to see that Buck doesn't want her."

The guys all grinned knowing what Camille was bound to walk in on.

Buck and Lou had been in the barn mucking out stalls. They had just finished and were currently nestled together in one of the clean stalls in the back of the barn. Lou who was still concerned about Camille had decided that she needed to show Buck how much she loved him.

Lou had already managed to get Buck's vest, shirt, and long john top off. Buck knew things were getting out of control but being a guy he still could not stop himself as he unbuttoned Lou's shirt and pushed it off her shoulders. Lou's hands went to the ties of Buck's pants as his fingers started undoing the buttons on her long johns.

Buck freed Lou's arms from her long johns leaving her chest exposed to him. He drank in the sight before he brought his mouth down to her breast and started kissing and suckling on them. Lou moaned as she pushed her hands into Buck's hair and pulled his head closer. Buck's fingers were just going to the buttons on Lou's pants when they heard a startled gasp.

Buck automatically shielded Lou with his body as he turned his head to see who it was. He had expected Rachel since the gasp had definitely been a feminine sound, instead he saw Camille standing there, with her hand over her mouth, hurt in her eyes.

Lou managed to pull her shirt back on and was in the process of buttoning it up as Buck slowly stood up holding his pants up since Lou had undid the ties. "Camille what are you doing here?" Buck asked.

"I … I … I came to see you Buck." Camille stammered out flustered by what she had walked in on.

"Why?" Lou asked standing up.

"Because … Because … he's … he's supposed to be mine." Camille stuttered upset.

"Camille that was a long time ago, we were just children. A lot has happened since then, we don't know each other anymore. And to be honest, I didn't want to be promised to you, I thought of you as a sister." Buck said placing his arm around Lou's shoulders.

"But … But … we are still promised Buck." Camille said.

"No Camille we are not … Louise is my wife in the Kiowa world … we have already become one. I'm sorry if this hurts you but I never expected to see you again. After what happened to our village I left and went to a mission school, I met Louise there. I fell in love with her the minute I heard her voice. I'm sorry Camille, I never wanted to marry you; I've only ever wanted to marry Louise." Buck explained.

"You're lying … that can't be true." Camille stated.

Lou stepped forward and lifted her sleeve to reveal the silver cuff. "You know what this is right?" Lou asked, at Camille's nod she continued, "Then you know Buck is telling you the truth. We are married according to the Kiowa and this is Buck's promise that he will always love me and come back to me. It's his promise that we will marry in the white world too. It's time you moved on with your life Camille. And I just happened to know a couple of really nice guys who would like to get you know you better."

Camille smiled sadly at Lou and then looked at Buck. Buck looked back at her with a look of sympathy. "Alright you're right. I'm sorry about … well um … for … well you know." Camille stammered out embarrassed.

Lou laughed softly, "I'm just thankful it was you and not one of the boys that would have been really embarrassing."

Camille grinned slightly while Buck laughed out right. "Come on lets go introduce you properly to the others." Lou said putting her arm around Camille's shoulder.

Lou led Camille from the barn leaving Buck to fix his appearance. Course Lou could have used some adjustments herself. While she did have her shirt back on, it was hanging out of her pants and she had hay stuck all in her hair.

As soon as she appeared outside of the barn the guys all started laughing at her appearance. Lou silenced them with a single look. She walked Camille over to the guys and started the introductions.

"Camille this is Ike McSwain, Noah Dixon, Rachel Dunne, and Jimmy Hickok. Cody is out on a run right now and Teaspoon is back in town at the marshal's office. This is Camille; she's an old friend of Buck's and is a friend of Dorthia's." Lou said making the introductions.

Buck came up at that point and plucked some hay out of Lou's hair. He grinned mischievously as he held it out to her. "You don't look any better babe." Lou muttered.

The guys snickered as they looked Buck over. While his clothes were fixed he did have a couple of pieces of hay in his hair as well and it was slightly mused from where Lou's hands had been in it.

"Why don't we all go inside and eat. Lunch is ready, Camille you are more than welcome to join us." Rachel said trying to hide her smile but failing miserably.

Jimmy offered his arm to Camille which she took. Ike and Noah followed behind them as they made their way into the bunkhouse. Rachel hung back with Buck and Lou. "I hope she didn't walk in on anything too intimate."

"A few more minutes and she might have." Lou admitted blushing.

"Who sent her in there, the guys knew I was in there with Lou." Buck asked Rachel.

Rachel grinned, "I did; I knew that girl had her sights set on you. And Louise told me about you two being promised as children. I thought I would just open her eyes to the fact that you were already taken."

Buck and Lou both blushed and then started laughing with Rachel as they made their way into the bunkhouse.

Around the lunch table Camille and Buck caught up on their lives since she had been taken from the Kiowa. Now that she wasn't after Buck, Lou really did like her and was trying to decide who would be better suited for her Jimmy or Cody? After lunch Jimmy assisted Camille into her buckboard and solved Lou's dilemma for her.

"Miss Camille would you like to go on a picnic with me tomorrow?" Jimmy asked.

Camille smiled and caught Lou's eyes. Lou silently encouraged her to accept. "I believe I would like that a lot Mr. Hickok." Camille replied.

"It's Jimmy." Jimmy said.

"Then call me Camille."

"I'll pick you up at Kid's tomorrow for our picnic then Camille." Jimmy said with a small grin.

"I look forward to it Jimmy." Camille said blushing slightly.

As she drove away the guys started teasing Jimmy, but he didn't care. That woman was beautiful and he looked forward to getting to know her a whole lot better.