Chapter 41: What Are The Odds?

Arthur was heading through West Elizabeth towards Blackwater. As much as Arthur needed to get out of camp after the death of his wife, he hated it, but he owed it to her to go save Sean. Lilly would have wanted him to. On his way, however, he had been sidetracked by a man named Albert Mason, an amateur wildlife photographer. During their meeting, the man's bag had been stolen by a coyote and Arthur had gone to chase it down. He eventually retrieved the bag and brought it back to Mr. Mason. The whole situation was hilarious, to say the least, and it had been a much needed distraction from Arthur's troubles. Still, by the time he got to Javier and Charles, he was back to being his sullen and grumpy self.

"How many?" Javier asked as Arthur neared the two men.

"A lot. Uniforms everywhere," Charles replied.

"You see Sean?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Dammit. Where's Trelawny?"

"Who knows?"

Arthur squeezed in on his belly between the two men. The two men looked at Arthur with surprise in their eyes. "Arthur...we didn't think you'd show," Javier said.

Arthur sighed and shook his head as he pulled out his binoculars. "I owe it to Lilly to do this. Where is the little Irish bastard?" Arthur asked.

"I'm not quite sure. Trelawny's off tryin' to find out," Charles said while looking through binoculars.

"Has anyone been into Blackwater to see how things lie?"

"Place is crawling with Pinkertons...bounty hunters...pictures of Dutch and Hosea," Javier replied.

Arthur groaned breathlessly. "We got a lot of money sittin' in that town."

"And that's where it's gonna remain...for now."

"Why haven't they changed Sean, I wonder?"

"I think he's bait...or they wanna try him publicly," Charles commented.

It was at that point when Trelawny showed up. "Gentlemen...Sean is being moved up the Upper Montana...then to a federal prison out west."

"Damn," Arthur said. He wasn't about to let Sean get stuck in some federal prison. Lilly would be turning in her grave if he allowed that to happen. The thought of his wife made him bow his head.

"Ike Skelding's boys are moving him to a camp nearby before handing him over to the government."

Arthur lifted his head with determination in his eyes. "I don't care how many god damn bounty hunters they have. I'll kill every one of them if it's the last thing I do. We need to stop them before they get to camp. Charles, you head up on the north side and we'll head up on the other side of the valley and meet you, that way we have them in either direction." Charles nodded and got up. "Javier, Josiah, come on. Let's go see."

All the rest of the men got up and walked. "You know, Arthur...the government or people whom the government like, seem to be very angry."

"Sure, well...we'll rescue Sean and then we'll get ourselves lost, good and proper. It's a big country."

"I hope so." Trelawny looked around as the boys mounted up. "Say, where's Lilly? I'd expect her of all people to come to Sean's rescue."

Arthur shut his eyes and bowed his head. "You and Charles didn't tell him," Arthur said to Javier.

"Tell me what?" Trelawny looked at the two downtrodden men.

"Lilly's dead, Josiah. She was murdered three days ago," Javier said with a sad tone.

Trelawny blinked. "No. You must be joking."

"Why would anyone joke about something like that?!" Arthur snapped at Trelawny.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."

Arthur grumbled. "Arthur's taking it the hardest, Josiah. They were married, after all."

"When in God's name did that happen?"

"Right before she died," Arthur said glumly before looking at the men. "Can we go please? Let's head up river and find this boat."


Lilly ran through the streets of Edinburgh chasing after the three men. They were fast but not as fast as her or the wolves. They turned a corner by a book store and Lilly turned after them...running into a man. She knocked him down and he groaned as he hit the pavement. Lilly stopped, as did her wolves.

"Sir! I'm so sorry!" The man looked up at her and Lilly gaped at him. "...Trelawny?! Is that you?!"

Trelawny looked up at her in shock. "Lilly! My goodness! How are you?"

Lilly helped him up, hugged him and laughed. "Holy shit, what are you doing here in Scotland?"

"I'm on vacation," Trelawny said while brushing himself off. "What are you doing here?"

"It's a long story."

Arthur came running up behind her and stopped when he saw Josiah. "Well, I'll be god damned! Hey there, Trelawny!"

Trelawny looked like he'd just seen a ghost. "Arthur? My dear boy, I...I thought you were dead."

Arthur smirked at him. "I got better."

"Ha! Tough as ever, aren't you?" Josiah looked at the wolves and smiled. "And I swear you two delinquents have gotten bigger since I last saw you."

"Maybe just a wee bit," Lilly mentioned casually. She looked at Arthur. "Mo chuisle, perhaps we should go back and pay for our food?"

"Sure," Arthur said. "Walk with us, Josiah."

They group walked down the street in the direction of the restaurant. Arthur went in to pay the bill and order food for Brian and James while Lilly and Trelawny chatted away. "So, are you and Arthur here on vacation as well?"

"Not exactly. We've uh...well, I was charged by the king to uh, deal with the werewolf infestation here."

"You're kidding. You're the Monster Slayer of County Galway?"

"Yep," Lilly chuckled. "The wolves here have been a huge help, you see."

"Uh huh. Last time I saw you, you were pregnant. Are your children here?"

"Oh, no. They're back home with Da and Athair." [Father.]

"Oh, so they made it too? Anyone else?"

"Tilly, Sean, Karen, John, Abigail, Jack, Sadie, and Charles."

Trelawny frowned. "What happened to the rest of the gang?"

"Well, Miss Grimshaw was shot by Micah, Micah was shot by me, and I have no idea what happened to Javier or Bill. The rest just up and left not long after you did."

"Oh." Trelawny frowned and lowered his head. "Poor Miss Grimshaw." He lifted his face and smiled sadly. "Well, have any of them tried to contact you?"

"No." Arthur came out from the restaurant with two raw steaks and tossed them to the boys. They gobbled them up hungrily. Lilly smiled at them as they ate. "Good boys."

"So who were you chasing after?" Trelawny asked.

"Oh, just some asshole who got animal control on Brian and James."

"Animal control? Why?"

Arthur chuckled. "The man called her a bog-trotter and Lilly damn near killed him."

Trelawny smiled at Lilly. "Ah. Glad to see your temperment is still intact, dear girl."

Lilly laughed and kicked the ground a little, putting her hands into her pockets. "Yeah, it is."

"Where are you two staying?"

"The Balmoral Hotel."

"That's pretty expensive, but I suppose for a countess and an earl, it's nothing." Arthur, Lilly and Trelawny walked along the sidewalk with the wolves as Lilly and Arthur got Trelawny up to speed on everything that had transpired since his departure from Beaver Hollow back in the States. The Indians, Arthur's death, Lilly's move to Ireland with some of the gang...all of it. When they were done, they found themselves outside a small park. "Well, that is certainly quite the tale," said Trelawny.

"Yes it is. So, what have you been up to?" Arthur asked the man.

"Oh, just scams here and there. Finally made it big enough to afford a vacation to Scotland and I've been having a marvelous time."

"Have you been home to England yet?" Lilly inquired.

"Not yet, I've only just gotten here."

"Well why didn't you come visit Darach ar an gCnoc? I'm a little disappointed."

"I'm sorry, my dear girl, but I never found out if you'd actually made it back home."

Lilly smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, now you know. You should come for a visit. Da and Athair would be happy to see you."

"As would I. And I could meet the twins as well."

Lilly smiled at Arthur. "Well, we should be goin' back to the hotel, but which one are you at?"

"Jock's Lodge."

Lilly giggled at the name. "Well, how about we stop by tomorrow in the morning and we'll have breakfast together?"

"Sounds delightful!"

The couple said their goodbyes to Trelawny, who took a bow before leaving. Arthur and Lilly waved him off as he walked back up the sidewalk. "What are the odds of runnin' into him here?" Arthur asked.

"Not a damn clue."

Arthur pulled Lilly close to him and kissed her. "Mmm, let's go back to our room. I wanna see what else that book has for sex positions."

Lilly snickered and hushed him. "Keep your voice down, mo chuisle."

Arthur leaned in close and suckled on her earlobe. "Mmm, cén fáth ar cheart dom? Ní dócha go gcoinneoidh tú do ghuth síos nuair atáimid ann." [Why should I? It is unlikely that you will keep your voice down when we are there.]

Lilly trembled as he blew on her earlobe. "Tá tú chomh dána." [You are so naughty.]

"Tá mé. Anois déanaimis dul." [I am. Now let's go.]

Arthur squeezed her rump and Lilly squealed. "Arthur!"

Arthur let out a chortle and grabbed her hand. "C'mon."

She walked him back towards the direction of the hotel. The boys loitered behind them and Lilly noticed the odd stares they were getting. Strange. These weren't the normal types of glances they usually got. These people looked wary and fearful of her wolves. Perhaps because they hadn't heard much about them yet. Yes, that had to be it. By the time they had reached the hotel, it was dark. They went up to their room and left the boys in the sitting room while Arthur hastily looked through the Kama Sutra book.

"This sure is some book, Lilly," he said, looking at a picture with the book upside down. "I can't even figure out how to do this one."

Lilly walked over and glanced at the picture. She snorted and covered her mouth. "Oh my God! That's so strange!"

Arthur laughed, turned the book upright and went to the next page. "Oooh. How 'bout this one?"

Lilly raised a brow and looked over at a table. "Hmm, you think the table is stable enough for that?"

"It better be for how much we're payin' for this room."

Lilly cackled at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. "Mmmm, what does it say about the position?"

Arthur kissed her while reading the book. "Mmm, it says...mmm, baby, let me-"

Lilly didn't stop kissing him. "Just, mmm, read it," she said against his lips.

Arthur chuckled into her mouth. "It says, mmm, you gotta put, mmmmmm, your legs on my...shoulders while, mmm, you sit on...mmm, a flat surface."

"Anything else?"

"The position is...designed for...mmm, deep penetration and G-spot...stimulation."

Lilly stopped kissing him. "What the hell is a G-spot?"

Arthur cackled loudly. "I don't know, but we're gonna find out right now." Arthur tossed the book on the bed, grabbed Lilly by the head and kissed her passionately.