Dark Reflection
Chapter 34
"Catalyst"
by Lilyjack
Author's Note: Registered readers and "guests", thank you again for all the glowing reviews. I hope you won't let all the angst get in the way of your enjoyment of this epic romance. Ya'll should know by now I never write anything that doesn't end Happily-Ever-After for our heroes, especially Matt and Kitty. The bushel basketfuls of pain and suffering and selflessness should make your skin-tingling anticipation of their slow-burning love story all the more delicious. That's the way I see it anyway. 😉
And, dear guest reader "Phoenix," I hope this chapter finds you feeling much better. I would like to send you a private message, but since I can't locate an account for you, I have no way of doing so. I'm glad this story gives you a bit of a diversion and I appreciate your very kind words. I hope you have a loved one or friend caring for you. Stay Kitty Strong. ~lj
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Kitty held the week-old newspaper as close to the lamp as possible. She squinted ferociously at the small type under the flickering light to no avail. Frustrated, she noisily folded it back up and tossed it onto the table. It was late, her eyes were tired, and so was she. Besides, since Blackthorne had taken over the town, there wasn't any news allowed in the paper that was worth reading anyway—it was all church socials, quilting bees and sales on grosgrain ribbon and French lace at Mr. Jonas' general store. No real stories. She sighed, scrubbing her hands over her weary features.
Yes, it was terribly late, and Chester and Matt should have returned from shooting practice by now. Kitty picked up Matt's borrowed pocket watch and looked at it anxiously for the dozenth time in the past hour, holding it her ear to make sure it was still ticking. She felt her hands start to tremble and impatiently rolled her eyes heavenward. Kitty growled through her clinched teeth in utter frustration at the intermittent yet chronic symptoms she continued to suffer. Dropping heavily to her cot, she fell back on the pillow in case the tremors should spread. Where the hell were Chester and Matt?
Kitty's ears pricked up at the steady sound of booted feet on the bricked tunnel floor. It sounded like only one man, and the steps were heavy and urgent. Her eyes widened when she detected a light in the hallway through her open door. Rising guardedly to her feet, she took a hesitant step forward. A shadowy figure appeared in the cellar doorway, dark hatted, clad in a long black duster, eye covered in a mask. A sickening feeling overcame her, and her mouth fell open in silent terror. Her whole body began trembling violently.
The looming figure advanced, reaching out a hand. The voice was deep. "Kitty…"
Quickly, she grabbed a drinking glass in her fist, smashing the top of it against the cellar's brick wall, shattering it into a jagged weapon. "Don't come near me!" She backed away warily, brandishing the glittering glass. "I'm warning you."
The dark-coated figure moved closer, spoke anxiously, "Kitty, honey…it's me!"
Glowering in hate, she retreated until she was backed against the cold brick wall. She leveled the razor-sharp glass at him in her shaking hand, muttering, "I'll kill you, you son-of-a-bitch. I'm warning you."
Matt, glancing down at his appearance in sudden realization, hastily shucked off the long coat, abandoning it on the floor, jerking the dark hat from his head. "Look, honey…it's me. It's Matt Dillon. I'm not gonna hurt you."
Her eyes seemed to focus on his face, recognition dawned, and finally her mouth dropped open in disbelief. It was as if she'd woken from a dream. "Matt…?"
"Yes, Kitty-it's me…" he spoke soothingly. She looked just like she did when she woke from one of her nightmares. "You know I'd never hurt you."
She gazed down at the shattered glass in her blood-stained hand. "I'm…I'm sorry. I don't know what…"
He tentatively reached out and took the glass gingerly from her hand, setting it on the table. "Come over here…sit down," he coaxed. He perched next to her, but took care not to sit too closely. She was still shaking and a sheen of perspiration covered her face. "Here, have a drink of water. You can use my glass…"
"Yeah," she murmured in wonder. "Mine seems to be broken." She looked at him in confusion. "I'm so sorry, Matt," she apologized again.
"It's okay, Kitty. I understand." He watched as she gulped down the entire glassful of water, then placed it safely on the table. "You okay now?"
"I will be. I think I just need to sit here for a minute."
"I'm sorry, too, Kitty. I didn't mean to scare you. I should've…taken off my disguise before I came in here. Of course, you…didn't recognize me."
"Where's Chester?"
This time, her inquiry regarding the whereabouts of their wiry friend failed to lodge a painful knot in his gut. Instead, it brought a pleasant fluttering to his chest, a thrilling reminder of the earlier revelational conversation with Chester. Matt struggled to keep a big, happy grin from his face and simply said, "He's tyin' up the horses and should be along any minute. Here, let's wrap this washcloth around your hand." He gently offered his own hand to her, palm up, patiently waiting, wary of distressing her any further.
"I'm okay." She regarded him pensively a moment, looked down at her bloody knuckles, then acquiesced.
He murmured, "Let me see if you have any glass here. Be real still."
She found it remarkable how gentle his large hands were as he carefully dabbed the blood from her hand, looking for shards. She ventured, "I think it's worse than it looks."
"Not too bad," he agreed. "Let's keep this rag pressed right here to stop the bleeding."
Kitty's inhaled in alarm as she noticed a wet stain on Matt's dark shirt sleeve. "Matt, what's this? Are you hurt? Did I cut you?"
He reassured her, "No, you didn't do this. I had a little run-in on the way back here."
"Oh no, what happened? Did anyone recognize you?"
Just then Chester, openmouthed and breathless, poked his head in the door. He was similarly attired for incognito travel through the back streets of Dodge, but he wore a colorful poncho, large sombrero and a black mustache he'd fashioned from horsehair. He exclaimed, "Miss Kitty, Mister Dillon's done been shot!"
"Shot?" she breathed.
"It's just a crease. Nothin' to worry about," Matt assured her.
"Just a crease?" Kitty countered. "But, Matt…"
"I'll be fine, Kitty."
"But we need to get your arm bandaged up. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I'll help," piped up their eager amigo from the door. "But first lemme tell ya what happened real quick. You shoulda' been there, Miss Kitty!" He loped inside quick as a wink and scooted a chair up close, launching into his tale with obvious relish. "We was keepin' our heads low, headin' fer the warehouse through the back alleys a' Dodge when Mister Dillon, he noticed somethin' a little odd. There was this noise like breakin' glass and a coupla muffled thuds, and then we was purty sure we heard a lady's voice—sounded like she was in bad trouble. There weren't no lights on a'tall in the place and, well, it seemed mighty suspicious."
"Where was it?" Kitty anxiously looked to Matt, her eyes crinkled in concern.
Matt answered, "It was at your dressmaker's…Mary Mahaffey's."
Kitty cried, "Mary! Oh, no! Is she alright?"
Quickly, Matt reassured her, "She's gonna be just fine, Kitty."
Chester enthused, "Yes, ma'am, she's gonna be just fine cause a' Mister Dillon here!" He beamed. "You shoulda seen it, Miss Kitty. Why, lightnin' fast, he got down offa his horse and tried the door, but it was locked, so he kicked it in just like it was nothin'!
"Oh my!" Kitty gasped.
"Yeah, and then he took them fellers what was a'botherin' Miss Mary, he grabbed 'em by the scruff of the neck, and he cleaned their plows alright!"
Kitty's mouth dropped open. "Oh, Matt!"
Matt offered, "Chester helped. Don't let 'im…fool ya'."
Pleased as punch at the mention, Chester grinned, "Well, I did help out a little bit." He straightened his listing sombrero and continued enthusiastically, "Well, anyways those fellers was all out cold 'cause whoever Mister Dillon didn't knock out with his fist, he buffaloed 'em on the noggin with 'is gun. I sure do hope all them rascals all have a whopper of a headache tomorrow. I gotta tell ya', Miss Kitty, Mister Dillon's got a powerful backhand, too, he surely does. Anyways, so then we dragged 'em outta the house and left 'em a'layin' in the alley. But we took poor Miss Mary over t' the boarding house so Ma Smalley could see to her. Miss Mary was just a little shook up is all."
"Who were the men?" Kitty asked.
Matt grimly replied, "At least two of 'em were…Blackthorne's men. I recognized them."
"Aren't you worried that they recognized you, too?" she fretted.
Chester elaborated confidently, "Well, Miss Kitty, we was a'wearin' our clever disguises here, and before we busted in we pulled our bandannas up over our faces real good. Would you believe, Miss Mary said them men was drunk as Cootie Brown, broke in to steal her money and then they attacked her? What's the world a'comin' to?"
Kitty touched her fingers to her lips, her expression horrified. Lately, she often wondered the exact same thing herself.
Chester reassured her, "But she's just fine, Miss Kitty, don't you worry none. Cause Mister Dillon's a hero, that's what he is!"
"Now, Chester…" Matt gently protested.
"Well, it's the honest truth!" Chester replied, grinning from ear to ear.
Kitty rushed to say, "Well, I'm so glad that none of you were hurt. And I'm glad you saved Mary, both of you."
Chester chuckled, "Aw, shucks, Miss Kitty."
Kitty couldn't help but smile a little as she requested, "Chester, will you please run upstairs now and get me some bandages and see if there's any alcohol? Oh, and some hot water, too. I wanna see to Matt's 'crease,' if that's all it really is. We may hafta send for Doc."
Matt objected, "It's not that bad, Kitty."
"Well, I wanna see for myself. What if you need stitches? And Chester, you might wanna take off that poncho and sombrero. And the mustache. I don't want you scarin' Charlie Fitz or Mr. Botkin."
Chester's face fell. "But Miss Kitty, I kindly like bein' in disguise."
"I'm sure you do, but I don't think our friends will appreciate it too much if they unexpectedly encounter you in the shadows."
"No, ma'am, I guess yer right." He dutifully removed his sombrero. "I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail."
"Thank you, Chester."
As Chester step-hopped up the stairs, Kitty turned to the man sitting beside her on the cot. "Now let's get a look at your arm. Take off that shirt."
tbc
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