The Rescue 38
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As the Marshal and his prisoner rode into the small, sleepy little village of Cardinal, Colorado they were acutely aware of the curious eyes that followed their progress down the short narrow dirt path that passed as Main Street. Spying no jail, Matt breathed a little easier and steered their horses over to the small building with the big sign declaring it to be 'O'Bryan's General Store.'
As soon as he dismounted, Matt made his way around to Kitty and easily lifted her off her horse and to the ground. Even at six months pregnant, she was still awfully small and barely showing. "I don't see a jail, which means no regular lawman." He whispered to her as helped her down. "We may not need this badge after all, so let's not say anything unless we have to."
Kitty nodded, as she followed Matt into the warmth of the small mercantile.
"Hello there." A rich Irish brogue greeted them as they walked in the door. "How may I help you?"
"How do," Matt answered with a quick dip of his head. "I was wondering if there's a place in town here where we could put up for a day or two. Traveling is kind of bad right now, and she could really use some rest." He jerked a thumb towards the red head practically hiding behind him.
The man peered around at the slight framed woman in the too big coat and pants. "Hard ridin' for a woman." He remarked.
"Yes, it is." Matt agreed. "All the more reason to find a place to let her rest."
"Well," the man shook his head. "We don't have a regular hotel here. As a matter of fact we don't have too much at all here that's regular. Don't have much call for it. Let's see…"
As he stroked his chin in thought, Matt felt a tug on his coat sleeve. Turning, he saw Kitty slightly swaying behind him.
"Matt," she said urgently. "I need to sit down." Her grip of his arm tightened for a second then she released him as her eyes rolled back into her head and she slipped towards the floor.
Matt quickly grabbed her and picked her up, cradling her against his chest. "Is there at least a place where I can lay her down for a while?" He asked, scared of what could be wrong and berating himself for not letting her rest before now.
"Come this way." The man said quickly as he hurried towards the back of the store and led the way up a flight of stairs to the floor above. "In here." He said, opening a door to a small sparsely furnished bedroom.
Matt crossed the room and laid her gently on the bed. "Ki…" He halted in calling her name, deeming it unwise, regardless of the circumstances. Instead, he anxiously grabbed her hand between the both of his and rubbed it tenderly.
"I will get some water." The man said as he turned for the door.
Matt paid him little mind as he concentrated on his wife. Only when he heard the door close behind him did he utter her name. "Kitty, sweetheart, can you hear me?"
Kitty swallowed hard and opened her eyes, unable to focus for a moment. Finally her eyes locked on Matt and she tried to sit up. "Matt?" She looked around the small room she found herself in and then back at Matt.
"It's alright, Kitty." He told her, as he ran a hand across her forehead and smoothed back her hair. "Don't get up, honey. Just lay back there. You fainted."
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just suddenly felt faint. I didn't mean to…'
"Of course you didn't." An Irish female voice sounded from behind them.
Looking behind him, Matt saw a petite lady with deep green eyes and dark auburn hair approach the bed with a basin of water and a towel across her arm. "Me husband said you fainted." She remarked as she looked down at Kitty.
Kitty nodded. "I guess I did. But I'm fine now." Once again she tried to rise only to have both Matt and the woman, both, push her back down.
"You need rest and some good nourishin' food, me girl." The woman's face was kind and her words kinder still. She looked up at Matt. "Me names Maura O'Bryan. James said you two are needin' a place to stay."
Matt nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. Even more so now." He looked meaningfully over at Kitty.
"Well, you've found it." Maura said. "This wee girl needs rest and you won't be getting' it a ridin' around the countryside."
"We don't want to put you all out, Ma'am." Matt spoke up. "But if you have the room to spare, we'd be glad to rent it from you for a couple of days."
Maura gave him a disapproving glance. "I don't run a hotel, Mr…"
"Adams." Matt answered with the first name that came to mind. "Russell Adams." He gave a quick wink to Kitty for borrowing her former last name.
"Adams." Maura repeated. "No, I don't let rooms at all, but I'm not about to let you take your wife back out into that cold."
"Oh, I'm not his wife." Kitty suddenly protested. "I'm his prisoner."
Matt gave her a startled glance as Maura looked at Kitty and then scowled up at Matt. "You took this poor lass across the barren wastes of this country to her certain ruination all because of that small piece of tin on your chest?" With each word, Maura's voice rose and her accent thickened. "Faith and begorra. What were ya thinkin', man?"
"Ma'am." Matt tried to defend himself. "I… I have a job to do. It's my duty to…"
"Your duty?" Maura seemed to grow even angrier. "This child's not well, no matter what your duty says about it."
Matt, red-faced and flummoxed, was at a loss for words. He had no idea why Kitty would've told the woman that rather the much more convenient truth.
Maura rose from the bed and started towards the door with a "HMMPH" of irritation. "I'm going to get this lass some decent clothes and some food. You are going to allow her time to rest. Do ya hear me?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Matt answered, properly chastised.
"Well, come on then." Maura held the door open.
"Uh, no, Ma'am." Matt protested. "You see, her being my prisoner, I need to stay here and watch over her. Make sure she doesn't get away." He looked back over at the merriment on Kitty's face.
"And just where do ya suppose she'd be getting' off to, Mr. Adams?" Maura arched a brow at him. "She's a wee one but she's not small enough to get through key holes or fly out the window like some bird."
"Uh, no, Ma'am." Matt agreed. "But still…"
"But still what?" She demanded as her eyes narrowed in irritation.
"Mrs. O'Bryan." Kitty finally pushed down her amusement at the predicament; she'd inadvertently placed Matt in, and found her voice. "It's alright. Honest. He's been a perfect gentleman to me. He has to stay with me until he gets me to where we're going. He won't hurt me."
Narrowing her eyes even further, Maura gave Matt one more suspicious scowl before turning. "Well, alright, if you say so." She started to turn for the door but gave Matt one last stern look. "But mind ya, now. I'll not have any dallying here. Just because she's your prisoner, doesn't mean ya can take advantage of her. Do you mind me words?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Matt nodded again, keeping his expression as neutral as possible.
"Good." Maura finally opened the door and stepped out, closing it firmly behind her, never seeing Kitty place her hand across her mouth to keep her giggling from being heard.
Matt took a deep breath and looked down at the highly amused face of his wife. "What'd you do that for?" He demanded in a whisper. "It'd been a whole easier for both of us if she knew we were married."
Kitty finally managed to quit laughing and looked up into the very serious face of her husband. "I'm sorry, Matt. But don't you see, it's safer this way. Anyone looking for us will be looking for a man and his woman. Not a Marshal and his prisoner. Besides, you taking me cross country to a jail cell makes sense and is easier to explain then us running from the law."
Matt wearily scrubbed his face with a nod. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He sat down on the bed beside her. "But I sure don't like the idea of not being able to stay with you at night. And I can guarantee Maura O'Bryan won't like it if I do."
Kitty grinned and sat up a bit to kiss him. "I know." She said, wrapping her arms around him. "But we'll only be here for a couple of days. We can hold out that long."
Matt returned her kiss with interest, holding her tightly for a moment before releasing her. "I sure hope so." He said.
TBC