Yes, I know, this fic is historically inaccurate, and...stuff. I don't have the energy to go lookin' stuff up, and it's been a looong time since I took an American History course. Let's all pretend I know what I am talking about, and, uh, yeah.
(However, if I am so far off base that it's driving you mad, uh, go ahead and e-mail me.)
Wild Horses, Chapter Two
"San Francisco"
~Four Months Later~
Monica rode through the woods, stopping her horse when she came to a clearing that overlooked the San Francisco Bay. She slid off of the horse, and tied him to a tree. The late afternoon sun shone over the water, the light glistening like diamonds dancing on glass. Monica took a deep breath, then hopped up onto a boulder. This was her favourite spot in the world. She loved looking over the water, and dreaming of a life filled with adventure and excitement. She often fantasized about riding off into the desert, a gun on her hip and a knife in her boot, with nothing and no one telling her what to do or where to go. Sometimes, in her fantasies, she wasn't alone. Sometimes she'd be riding through the plains with the blue-eyed man from Colorado. Monica smiled, dreaming of a life far away from her over-bearing mother, and the pressures of "society" life. She was startled from her fantasy, when her horse let out a yelp. Monica turned, and saw that the horse was dancing nervously around the tree. She quietly scanned the area, a task made more difficult by the fact that the day was quickly waning away, as the sun began to settle into the horizon. Monica squinted, and stayed as still as she could, but she still saw nothing.
"This ain't the safest place for a woman to be sittin all alone," the voice came from behind her. Monica turned quickly, and came face to face with a set a familiar blue eyes.
"Oh, it's you," Monica sighed, smiling.
"It is me. May I ask what you are doin' out here all alone?"
"Just watchin' the sun set. Are you followin' me?"
"Not at all, Miss," Chandler tipped his hat.
"Then what are you doin' up here?"
"Me 'n Joey set up camp not far from here."
"I see."
"As I said, Miss, it ain't safe to be up here unaccompanied. Where is that fella of yours?"
"Fella?"
"The gentleman that is afraid of guns."
"Who, Ross? That's my brother," Monica laughed.
"I see," Chandler replied, trying to hide his smile. "So, then..."
"I am unattached," Monica said.
"I find that rather hard to believe."
"Really? Why is that?"
"Pardon my bluntness, but, you are...to pretty to not have a suitor," Chandler smiled, lowering his head to conceal his reddening face.
Monica smiled, and bit her lip.
"Well, uh, you'd best get back to town, Miss. It's getting awfully dark out here."
"I'll be okay," Monica replied non-chalantly.
"You don't know these woods," Chandler argued.
"I know them better than you think I do. And besides, it's not you job to look after me."
"Well, I think someone needs to," Chandler said slyly, trying to push her buttons.
"I can take care of myself!" Monica shouted stubbornly, and stomped off toward her horse.
"That would certainly explain why you don't have a suitor!" Chandler yelled back.
Monica shot Chandler a harsh look, then mounted her horse. She turned to face him, her chin in the air.
"You, are such a typical...man!" She said snootily, and turned to ride away.
"And *you* are a spoiled brat!" Chandler shot back, as Monica rode off.
**
An hour later, Monica was beginning to realize that she was not as familiar with the woods as she had claimed. It had gotten dark rather quickly, and in the dark of night, the woods looked very different. Monica found herself in a small clearing that she was very unfamiliar with. She stopped to get her bearings, looking around her. Suddenly, a snake hissed, spooking Monica's horse. The horse bucked, and it took everything Monica had to stay on the horse. But when he bucked again, Monica couldn't hold on, and she hit the ground hard, as her horse took off running.
"Dammit," Monica said, standing up and brushing off her dress.
"I hate to say to a lady 'I told you so'," Chandler rode into view, and steadied his horse, "but you aren't much of a lady," he laughed.
"You are *not* funny," Monica sneered.
"Would you like a ride into town?" Chandler said, still grinning madly.
"No," Monica said shortly.
"Oh, that's right, you know where you are," Chandler nodded, and pretended to ride away.
"I don't appreciate your tone, sir," Monica said loudly.
"Yes, well, I'm not known for my good manners," Chandler chuckled.
"That much I gathered," Monica said.
"Anyway, I am not keen on watching innocent people die. You can't walk back to town. There are montain lions in this region. I am obligated to take you back myself," Chandler sighed, as though it were a huge inconvenience to do so.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't want to be any trouble," Monica said mockingly.
"Too late for that," Chandler laughed.
Monica felt the heat rise up in her face. How dare this man! But she refused to let him see that he was upsetting her. Instead, she pasted on her best smile, and walked toward him.
"Fine, you can take me back to town," she said in her sweetest voice.
"Ain't you gonna say please?"
"ARRGH!" Monica stomped, her calm exterior melting into frusteration.
"Okay, okay, come on," Chandler dismounted and held out his hand, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
Monica sighed heavily and reluctently took his hand, and let him hoist her up onto his horse.
"Are you supposed to be ridin' like that?" Chandler teased, noting that she wasn't riding side-saddle. He re-mounted his horse, settling into the saddle.
"Are you going to take me back or not?" Monica put her hands around Chandler's waist, and tried her best to control her rapidly beating heart.
"Fine, fine," Chandler laughed, and kicked his horse into gear. After about fifteen minutes, they rode out of the woods, and toward the edge of town.
"We weren't that far at all!" Monica said, annoyed that the ride was so short.
"Yes, but you didn't know that, did you?" Chandler replied.
"Oh, you are the most incorrigable man I have ever had the displeasure of knowing!" Monica yelled, as Chandler slowed his horse. "What are you doing?"
"This is where I drop you off. You wouldn't want anyone in town seeing you with someone like me, would you?"
"You're right about that!" Monica said a little too quickly, and hopped off of the horse.
"Well, then, I suppose this is goodbye," Chandler said, trying to cover for the fact that Monica's last comment stung.
"I suppose. Uh, Thank you."
"Anytime," Chandler tipped his hat, and rode away from town.
Monica watched him ride off, and sighed heavily, before heading into town.
***
"Monica! Where have you been! It is well after dark young lady!" Judy stood in the foyer of their new home, her hands on her hips.
"My horse got away from me," Monica explained.
"I don't want to hear it. You are to go to bed without supper!" Judy huffed, and headed into the parlour.
Monica followed, and saw that that Sandra and Rachel Green were seated in the parlour.
"Oh, hello," Monica said, suddenly very conscious of the fact that she was filthy.
"Hello Monica," Sandra said.
"Monica, I'm happy you're here. Your mother said that you may have a dress I can borrow for the dance next Friday," Rachel led Monica out of the parlour, and toward the staircase.
"Yeah, I should have something," Monica replied.
"It's okay, I don't need a dress," Rachel whispered, "I just needed to get away from my mother!"
Monica giggled. "Come on, let's go up to my bedroom."
*
"Monica, I couldn't help but notice that you are a little, um, dusty," Rachel said, as she walked into the bedroom.
"I know, I fell from my horse out in the woods," Monica replied.
"Oh! Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. But I have no idea where my horse is," Monica laughed.
"How did you get back into town?"
"An...acquaitance helped me," Monica said.
"Acquitance? Sounds juicy! Do tell, Monica!! I promise, I won't tell a soul!"
"Uh, he is this man we met on the way out here. And he is the most obnoxious man I have ever met! He is crude, and very full of himself. I can barely stand to be around him."
"Sounds like you are smitten!" Rachel exclaimed.
"What? I am not!"
"Is he handsome?"
"If you like that sort of rugged...filthy...uh, blue-eyed man," Monica stammered.
"Uh-huh."
"Well, what about you, Rach? Are you going to marry my brother?"
"I don't know," Rachel sighed. "I mean, I like him, and everything, but--promise not to tell?"
"Of course!"
"He is so...dull! I mean, he is always going on about all of these strange facts! I just...I don't know if that's what I want."
"I thought you wanted to marry him?"
"I did...but--I mean, he is very smart, and very stable, so I know that I would be taken care of. But I just--I want a little--excitement!!"
"I know!"
"You too? Don't you just want to, uh, rip off these corsets, and ride around like the men?"
"All-the-time!"
Rachel giggled, happy that she finally found someone to bond with.
"You know, Rach, that man that I was telling you about--he has a friend."
Rachel's eyebrow arched, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, really?"
~*~
(However, if I am so far off base that it's driving you mad, uh, go ahead and e-mail me.)
Wild Horses, Chapter Two
"San Francisco"
~Four Months Later~
Monica rode through the woods, stopping her horse when she came to a clearing that overlooked the San Francisco Bay. She slid off of the horse, and tied him to a tree. The late afternoon sun shone over the water, the light glistening like diamonds dancing on glass. Monica took a deep breath, then hopped up onto a boulder. This was her favourite spot in the world. She loved looking over the water, and dreaming of a life filled with adventure and excitement. She often fantasized about riding off into the desert, a gun on her hip and a knife in her boot, with nothing and no one telling her what to do or where to go. Sometimes, in her fantasies, she wasn't alone. Sometimes she'd be riding through the plains with the blue-eyed man from Colorado. Monica smiled, dreaming of a life far away from her over-bearing mother, and the pressures of "society" life. She was startled from her fantasy, when her horse let out a yelp. Monica turned, and saw that the horse was dancing nervously around the tree. She quietly scanned the area, a task made more difficult by the fact that the day was quickly waning away, as the sun began to settle into the horizon. Monica squinted, and stayed as still as she could, but she still saw nothing.
"This ain't the safest place for a woman to be sittin all alone," the voice came from behind her. Monica turned quickly, and came face to face with a set a familiar blue eyes.
"Oh, it's you," Monica sighed, smiling.
"It is me. May I ask what you are doin' out here all alone?"
"Just watchin' the sun set. Are you followin' me?"
"Not at all, Miss," Chandler tipped his hat.
"Then what are you doin' up here?"
"Me 'n Joey set up camp not far from here."
"I see."
"As I said, Miss, it ain't safe to be up here unaccompanied. Where is that fella of yours?"
"Fella?"
"The gentleman that is afraid of guns."
"Who, Ross? That's my brother," Monica laughed.
"I see," Chandler replied, trying to hide his smile. "So, then..."
"I am unattached," Monica said.
"I find that rather hard to believe."
"Really? Why is that?"
"Pardon my bluntness, but, you are...to pretty to not have a suitor," Chandler smiled, lowering his head to conceal his reddening face.
Monica smiled, and bit her lip.
"Well, uh, you'd best get back to town, Miss. It's getting awfully dark out here."
"I'll be okay," Monica replied non-chalantly.
"You don't know these woods," Chandler argued.
"I know them better than you think I do. And besides, it's not you job to look after me."
"Well, I think someone needs to," Chandler said slyly, trying to push her buttons.
"I can take care of myself!" Monica shouted stubbornly, and stomped off toward her horse.
"That would certainly explain why you don't have a suitor!" Chandler yelled back.
Monica shot Chandler a harsh look, then mounted her horse. She turned to face him, her chin in the air.
"You, are such a typical...man!" She said snootily, and turned to ride away.
"And *you* are a spoiled brat!" Chandler shot back, as Monica rode off.
**
An hour later, Monica was beginning to realize that she was not as familiar with the woods as she had claimed. It had gotten dark rather quickly, and in the dark of night, the woods looked very different. Monica found herself in a small clearing that she was very unfamiliar with. She stopped to get her bearings, looking around her. Suddenly, a snake hissed, spooking Monica's horse. The horse bucked, and it took everything Monica had to stay on the horse. But when he bucked again, Monica couldn't hold on, and she hit the ground hard, as her horse took off running.
"Dammit," Monica said, standing up and brushing off her dress.
"I hate to say to a lady 'I told you so'," Chandler rode into view, and steadied his horse, "but you aren't much of a lady," he laughed.
"You are *not* funny," Monica sneered.
"Would you like a ride into town?" Chandler said, still grinning madly.
"No," Monica said shortly.
"Oh, that's right, you know where you are," Chandler nodded, and pretended to ride away.
"I don't appreciate your tone, sir," Monica said loudly.
"Yes, well, I'm not known for my good manners," Chandler chuckled.
"That much I gathered," Monica said.
"Anyway, I am not keen on watching innocent people die. You can't walk back to town. There are montain lions in this region. I am obligated to take you back myself," Chandler sighed, as though it were a huge inconvenience to do so.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't want to be any trouble," Monica said mockingly.
"Too late for that," Chandler laughed.
Monica felt the heat rise up in her face. How dare this man! But she refused to let him see that he was upsetting her. Instead, she pasted on her best smile, and walked toward him.
"Fine, you can take me back to town," she said in her sweetest voice.
"Ain't you gonna say please?"
"ARRGH!" Monica stomped, her calm exterior melting into frusteration.
"Okay, okay, come on," Chandler dismounted and held out his hand, his blue eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
Monica sighed heavily and reluctently took his hand, and let him hoist her up onto his horse.
"Are you supposed to be ridin' like that?" Chandler teased, noting that she wasn't riding side-saddle. He re-mounted his horse, settling into the saddle.
"Are you going to take me back or not?" Monica put her hands around Chandler's waist, and tried her best to control her rapidly beating heart.
"Fine, fine," Chandler laughed, and kicked his horse into gear. After about fifteen minutes, they rode out of the woods, and toward the edge of town.
"We weren't that far at all!" Monica said, annoyed that the ride was so short.
"Yes, but you didn't know that, did you?" Chandler replied.
"Oh, you are the most incorrigable man I have ever had the displeasure of knowing!" Monica yelled, as Chandler slowed his horse. "What are you doing?"
"This is where I drop you off. You wouldn't want anyone in town seeing you with someone like me, would you?"
"You're right about that!" Monica said a little too quickly, and hopped off of the horse.
"Well, then, I suppose this is goodbye," Chandler said, trying to cover for the fact that Monica's last comment stung.
"I suppose. Uh, Thank you."
"Anytime," Chandler tipped his hat, and rode away from town.
Monica watched him ride off, and sighed heavily, before heading into town.
***
"Monica! Where have you been! It is well after dark young lady!" Judy stood in the foyer of their new home, her hands on her hips.
"My horse got away from me," Monica explained.
"I don't want to hear it. You are to go to bed without supper!" Judy huffed, and headed into the parlour.
Monica followed, and saw that that Sandra and Rachel Green were seated in the parlour.
"Oh, hello," Monica said, suddenly very conscious of the fact that she was filthy.
"Hello Monica," Sandra said.
"Monica, I'm happy you're here. Your mother said that you may have a dress I can borrow for the dance next Friday," Rachel led Monica out of the parlour, and toward the staircase.
"Yeah, I should have something," Monica replied.
"It's okay, I don't need a dress," Rachel whispered, "I just needed to get away from my mother!"
Monica giggled. "Come on, let's go up to my bedroom."
*
"Monica, I couldn't help but notice that you are a little, um, dusty," Rachel said, as she walked into the bedroom.
"I know, I fell from my horse out in the woods," Monica replied.
"Oh! Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. But I have no idea where my horse is," Monica laughed.
"How did you get back into town?"
"An...acquaitance helped me," Monica said.
"Acquitance? Sounds juicy! Do tell, Monica!! I promise, I won't tell a soul!"
"Uh, he is this man we met on the way out here. And he is the most obnoxious man I have ever met! He is crude, and very full of himself. I can barely stand to be around him."
"Sounds like you are smitten!" Rachel exclaimed.
"What? I am not!"
"Is he handsome?"
"If you like that sort of rugged...filthy...uh, blue-eyed man," Monica stammered.
"Uh-huh."
"Well, what about you, Rach? Are you going to marry my brother?"
"I don't know," Rachel sighed. "I mean, I like him, and everything, but--promise not to tell?"
"Of course!"
"He is so...dull! I mean, he is always going on about all of these strange facts! I just...I don't know if that's what I want."
"I thought you wanted to marry him?"
"I did...but--I mean, he is very smart, and very stable, so I know that I would be taken care of. But I just--I want a little--excitement!!"
"I know!"
"You too? Don't you just want to, uh, rip off these corsets, and ride around like the men?"
"All-the-time!"
Rachel giggled, happy that she finally found someone to bond with.
"You know, Rach, that man that I was telling you about--he has a friend."
Rachel's eyebrow arched, her curiosity piqued.
"Oh, really?"
~*~