Chapter 22: Beau and Penelope
"Come on, you degenerate, no good, white trash, hillbilly piece of scum!" McGregor shouted. It jolted Sam out of her thoughts. "I know you, Billy Lime," McGregor kept on as he walked away we with tied up men. Sam assumed they were Lemoyne Raiders.
Dutch put a hand on Sam' shoulder. "You're gonna be okay. The first kill is always the hardest one."
Sam shrugged him off, turned around and walked a few steps away, still looking at the blood on her hands. She heard Dutch sigh and start up a conversation.
"Finally," he said, "we have alighted on a land so stupid, a backwater so backwards, that even we look like geniuses." Sam heard Arthur and Dutch laugh. "Bill! Get this stuff outta here!"
Sam heard the wagon pull away. Suddenly she felt warm arms wrap around her from behind, Arthur's scent hitting her nose. It provided small comfort in this situation. "C'mon, let's get out of here, huh?" he asked, brushing her hair to the side so he could kiss the back of her neck.
"...Okay," she replied softly.
Sam turned around and the two walked to their horses with Dutch. "Bit of trouble back there, Arthur?" Dutch asked.
"Ain't there always?" Arthur responded. "From what they was yellin', I think they were the buyers."
"Old Archibald didn't ask too many questions so neither should we."
"I ain't plannin' to."
"That was worth the effort, though. Deputized and hidin' in plain sight. These lawmen, these two families...I mean, I really think we can play this from all sides. It's got Hosea written all over it."
"This is startin' to sound like the young Dutch again," Arthur said happily.
"What do you mean, "Young Dutch"? I'm as strong as I have ever been. Hey, you know what...why don't I race you back?"
"Okay, you're on. Sam, you want in on this?"
Sam considered for a moment the fact that both of them had two horses known for speed while she had a work horse, which was not known for its speed. "No. I'd never keep up with you two."
"Oh come on," Dutch said. "Where's your sense of competition?"
"It died along with that man back there," she muttered to herself.
"What's that?"
Sam shook her head. "Nothing. Just-"
"Come on, Sam. Race with us. We'll take it easy on you," Arthur said, chuckling at her.
Sam let out a huff of air. She knew they were trying to keep her mind off things, so why not let them? She arched a brow at Arthur. "Take it easy on me? Oh please...gimme your best shot."
Dutch laughed. "That's the spirit. Okay, on my word, set...go!"
Dutch, Arthur, and Sam went racing off down the trail. Almost immediately the two men were ahead of her and she growled in irritation.
"Come on, Orion! Hustle!" she said.
Orion started going faster but she was still unable to keep up with the men. Suddenly she realized Dutch and Arthur were taking the road to camp. A smile spread on Sam's face and she turned off the road. She was going to take a shortcut. She raced Orion across the field and soon she was ahead of the two men.
Sam could hear Arthur cackling. "Hey, that's cheating!" he yelled.
"Not in my book!" Sam yelled back.
She crossed to the road and started hauling on it, but soon the men started catching up. She needed another shortcut and quick. Arthur came up alongside her with a smile on his face.
"So much for your shortcut!" he exclaimed before riding ahead.
Dutch soon followed and started laughing as he left Sam in the dust. Sam narrowed her eyes and pushed Orion harder. She found a spot to get off the main road and headed towards a ranch. She jumped her horse over a fence, scaring the crap out of some sheep and cattle. She leaped over another fence and ended up in front of Arthur and Dutch again. Once she was past the ranch, she took off to the left through open fields. Orion was starting to get irritated so she slowed the horse down a bit as she got back on the main road. She neared a plantation house and looked behind her. They were coming up on her fast. Arthur and Dutch passed her again and she growled. Suddenly she took a hard left and went on a trail under some train tracks.
"Come on, buddy! Just past the creek and through the woods, and we'll be home free!" Sam urged.
Orion began picking up speed again and soon they found themselves surrounded by trees near a creek bed. Orion leaped over a boulder and into the water before running up a small hill. As she made it past the tree line she saw Dutch and Arthur were a ways off on the dirt road. She might actually make it. They crossed through an open field towards the trees where the camp was hidden. Sam saw Arthur in her peripherals and she urged Orion to go faster. He was grunting and snorting but he listened. She got to the trail through the woods with Arthur and Dutch gaining on her heels. Luckily for her, there wasn't much room to pass on the trail. She saw the camp in sight and smiled.
"Comin' up on you Sam!" Arthur laughed.
"Oh no you don't! H'yah!" Orion burst forward, going faster than Sam thought the horse was capable of. She made it to camp first and she pulled the reins to stop Orion. Arthur was a close second and Dutch was a slagging third. Sam turned in her saddle to look at the two men and started laughing. "Beat ya!"
Dutch slowly came up to them both and sighed. "I never knew you both were quite so good at runnin' away."
Sam started laughing again and Arthur cackled. "Well, I never knew age had slowed you down quite so much," he teased.
All three dismounted and Sam pat Orion on the neck. "Well, time is a bastard. When you get to be my age, well, you'll know that better than anything. Be well. I had fun with you both today. Arthur, you're...I was gonna say you're like a son to me," Dutch continued, putting an arm on Arthur's shoulder, "but you're more than that."
Dutch walked away and Arthur made a small smile as he looked at Sam. She knew better than to tease such an touching moment so she merely smiled back. "So much for taking it easy on me," she said.
Arthur chuckled and pulled her in close. "Well, what I'm about to do in your tent is not take it easy on you."
Sam blushed a little and went to grab his hand when she noticed she still had blood on her palms. Her smile faded as she looked at them. "I need to rinse this off," she said.
Arthur nodded. "Let's go to the lake." Sam agreed and they both walked to the shore. As she bent down to rinse her hands, Arthur knelt down with her. "How are you holdin' up?"
Sam chuckled bitterly as she scrubbed her palms. "What do you think?"
Arthur rubbed her back. "I know it's rough, but you'll get through it."
Sam continued scrubbing. "I don't know about that. I just know I'll never be the same again."
She stood up and shook the droplets off her hands before looking at Arthur. Arthur got up and held her chin. "You know, if it weren't for you, I'd be dead. You saved my life today. Thank you."
This was true. Even though Sam felt like her innocence had died with that man, she had made sure Arthur wouldn't get shot, and that was something at least. She was reminded of the question Dutch had asked her earlier that day: do you love him? Well, she killed a man for Arthur, so obviously she had to love Arthur. Sam bowed her head, afraid that his scanning of her eyes might reveal what she was thinking. There was no way she was about to reveal her true feelings. "You're welcome."
Arthur's arms enveloped her and Sam snuggled against him. His natural scent hit her nose and she immediately felt some small comfort. Arthur rubbed her back as he held her. "You still wanna go drinkin'?"
"I'm not in the mood to drink."
"Well, I have somethin' to do over at the Gray's place. You wanna come with to take your mind off things?"
Sam nodded into his shoulder. "As long as I don't have to shoot someone."
Arthur chortled into her ear then looked at her. "You don't have to shoot anyone."
He planted a small kiss on her mouth before he directed Sam towards the horses. She went to examine Orion to make sure he wasn't too tired from his racing. He seemed fine, so Sam climbed into the saddle. Her and Arthur left the camp and went in the direction of what was called Caliga Hall. Sam and Arthur rode in silence for a while, which made Sam uncomfortable. She needed to talk about something. Anything.
"Did you ever get those debtors taken care of?" she asked him.
"No, not yet. One of 'em is all the way up in Strawberry, it would take a couple days. I don't think I should be gone for that long right now," he replied softly.
"Why's that?" she inquired with curiosity clear in her voice.
Arthur looked at her apologetically. "I want to make sure you're okay first."
Sam gave him a soft smile. It was very sweet of him to be so concerned for her current mental state. Sam took a deep breath as she looked out on the horizon. "I appreciate that, Arthur. Thank you."
"You're welcome." Sam was certain now that she would be okay eventually, especially with Arthur around. It was odd having someone else be her pillar of strength considering how much of an independent woman she was, but Sam found it to be nice for a change. She forced Orion to scoot closer so she could give Arthur a peck on the cheek. Arthur blinked a few times and smirked. "What was that for?"
"For being...you," she replied with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Just you being you."
They arrived at the entrance of Caliga Hall and Sam was impressed by the estate. It was a big area to own, and the house off in the distance was a decent size for a plantation house. Not that she would know that for sure, however. Arthur and Sam were stopped by armed guards at the gates after going through the avenue.
"What do you two want?" one of the guards asked tensely.
"This here the Gray plantation?" Arthur inquired calmly.
The guard suddenly raised his gun and aimed it at the two. This made Sam tense up but Arthur looked relaxed. "Yup. Caliga Hall. And that's as close as you're gettin' to it."
Arthur didn't miss a beat. "Sheriff's orders. He wanted me to have a word with some folk on the property. I'm recently deputized, you see."
The man lowered his repeater. "Deputized? And I suppose Leigh was drunk when he did it? Look, you can come in, but you ain't talkin' with me."
"Obliged," Arthur drawled out.
Arthur and Sam continued their way in and she leaned over to Arthur. "I'm surprised they let me in with you."
"Me too." Arthur pointed to a man tending to the lawn and they trotted on over. "Hey, can you talk?"
Sam's face scrunched up with disbelief. What the fuck kind of question was that? The man stopped what he was doing and glanced at Arthur.
"I look like I can talk? You want a talker, try Beau Gray. Out by the store houses," the man explained. "Man won't lift a hand, but sure can move his lips."
The man went back to work and the couple moved further in on the plantation. They got to the store houses and Sam spotted a young gentleman writing in a book. This had to be Beau Gray. Arthur got off his horse and approached the young man.
"Huh. I see you at the Sheriff's Office?" Arthur asked him.
The boy sighed as he looked at Arthur. "Excuse me, friend."
"We friends?"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Not yet, but here's hopin'."
"I guess."
"We don't get a lot of travelin' men here...then suddenly there's a whole phalanx of mysterious but strangely helpful Yankees about the place."
Arthur rubbed his cheek with the back of his thumb. "Is there?"
"What're you two doin' here?"
"We're just lookin' for work."
"Well," Beau chuckled, "lookin' for somethin'. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."
"What secret?" Arthur asked suspiciously.
"I've got a secret of my own." Beau shut the book and put it on the container next to him.
"Are you secretly normal?"
Sam wheezed out a laugh and gave her head a shake. "Jesus, Arthur."
Arthur glanced back at Sam. "What?"
"You crack me up, that's all," she replied.
Arthur smiled at her then turned back to the young man. "The thing is," Beau said, peeking his head around the corner, "I don't care if you kill the whole lot of us," he looked back at Arthur, "and the Braithwaites."
"I don't wanna kill anyone," Arthur drawled.
"I love her, you know."
"Love who?"
"Penelope. But it's impossible."
"Well, love tends to be complicated." When Arthur said that, Sam swore that he looked at her for a moment. "Take my wife and I, for instance." Sam did her best to keep her composure. "We love each other, but when we fight, sometimes it takes days or even weeks until we'll talk to each other again."
Beau looked at Sam as if to confirm the story. "It's true," Sam said.
"Well, you two aren't caught in the middle of a blood feud," Beau explained. "She's a Braithwaite. I'm Beau Gray, son of Tavish Gray, nephew of Leigh Gray the sheriff, grandson of old Murdo Gray." Beau walked by Arthur. "We Grays have been loyal to the State and murderers of the Braithwaites for so long now, no one can even quite explain why. Beyond blind loyalty...and stupidity." Beau started to pace. "I'm supposed to be loyal to some nonsense while she...she's amazing. She's like a woman from the future. She's-"
Sam and Arthur suddenly broke out laughing. "A woman from the future," Sam giggled.
"Why is that so funny?" Beau asked angrily.
Sam wiped her eyes, tears forming from her laughing. "Oh God, just...just..." Sam couldn't finish her sentence as she started cackling again.
"My wife is very similar, is why we're laughin'," Arthur explained. "I've told her as much. Anyway, sorry, please continue."
Beau sighed, pulling out a piece of paper. "She's like tomorrow, if tomorrow turns out fine."
"Well, I'm sorry for your predicament," Arthur said, walking back to his horse.
"Would you help?" Beau asked desperately.
"I don't wanna get involved in gang feuds, it seems unseemly."
"I'll pay." Arthur stopped walking. "I've got money. We Grays, we always got money. No brains, mind, but money."
Arthur glanced at Sam who was pouting. "Oh come on, Arthur. Please?"
Arthur sighed and shifted back around. "Well, in that case..."
"I know she loves to sit out in the gazebo on the edge of the Braithwaite property," Beau explained while stuffing a letter into an envelope. "Take her this letter, and," Beau pulled out a small box, "this bracelet." Beau handed both the letter and the box. "Please. And look out for their guards. They're worse with strangers than ours are."
Arthur nodded to him and put the things in his satchel before mounting up. The couple rode out of the property but Sam couldn't help but smile at him. "That was very nice of you, Arthur," Sam commented sweetly.
Arthur groaned. "I'm only doin' it for the money...and because you said please."
"Oh, you spoil me."
Arthur let out a cackle. "Don't let it go to your head, now."
They traveled along the road in the direction of the Braithwaite's property, but Sam suggested they go along the shore to get on the actual property. They took a detour around the area to the lake, then headed south along the beach. As the gazebo came in sight, they concurred to leave their horses behind in order to remain unseen. They crouched as they headed towards the gazebo, but then they spotted a guard by a shack facing their direction. They got off the shore and walked through the grass, avoiding detection easily from the guards. They circled around the shack and got to the gazebo. Sam sighed in relief as they climbed the steps, approaching a dainty looking blonde woman.
"Hello, Miss," Sam said. "Are you Penelipe Braithwaite?"
The woman fan herself as she spoke. "Why yes, I am."
Arthur closed in on her. "I got a letter for you," he said, placing it on the table. "And," he reached into his satchel and pulled out the jewelry box to give to Penelope," a gift."
"Ha, a letter and a gift. Well we don't even know each other."
Arthur let out a brief cackle. "Well, it's not from me. It's from, err..."
"From Beau." Pemelope gasped as her eyes lit up, grasping the envelope in her hands. "Oh, he is so..."
"Strange?" Arthur asked as he leaned against the railing.
"Well, yes, he's a little strange...but also, so hunan." Penelope poured a liquid into three cups. "The rest of our families are stuck in the Dark Ages, or," she offered the glasses to both Sam and Arthur," well, I don't know...cave people, perhaps." Sam and Arthur took the drinks before taking a seat. "Beau's different, but if they find out, they'll kill him, and send me to live someplace awful like...Ohio. Have either of you ever been to Ohio?"
"No," Arthur said.
"I have," Sam said. "Although I was just passing through, really."
"Well, I haven't, but my uncle has a factory the there. He was sort of the black sheep, on account of having left...but now they tolerate him, because he's a vicious snob," Penelope explained begrudgingly. "Families are...are...they're somethin' else." Arthur took a drink, as did Sam. "Have you got a family?"
"No, not really," Arthur said. "Other than my wife here, I mean."
Sam eyeballed him, wondering why he kept lying to people about her being his wife. Was it all part of the facade?
"Well, they tolerate him, because of the money, but me, with my ideas above my station, they can't stand."
Arthur and Sam finished their drinks and got up. "That sounds pretty complicated, I...I don't know quite what to say."
"Well nothin' to say, except I hope they all rot." Penelope paused and Sam raised an eyebrow. "I-I don't...well...maybe a bit, but here." Penelope stood up and held out an envelope. "If you see a Beau again, will you give this to him?"
Before Arthur could decline, Sam snatched up the letter with a smile. "Of course."
Sam put the letter in her satchel, then Arthur and her left the gazebo. They basically went back the same way they came and when they got to their horses, Sam gave Arthur an eye. He noticed.
"What is it?" he asked her.
"Why do you keep telling people I'm your wife?"
Arthur cleared his throat and got on Boadicea II. "Well, might as well stay consistent in our stories. Wouldn't want to he caught lyin', would we?"
Sam mounted up with a sigh. "I guess you have a point."
Still, Sam couldn't help but think there was some other reason behind his thinking. Or was she just hoping there was? Wait, where did that thought come from? Sam shook her head and both of them left the area.
