THE BEGUILEMENT OF KID CURRY - Chapter Six
Miss Martha was waiting on the porch when Kid rode up. As she walked down the steps, Kid quickly dismounted, threw his reins over the mounting post and opened his saddlebags to retrieve the items. He handed the small bag to Martha.
"Thank you, Thaddeus."
Kid nodded his head towards the girls. "You should have had the girls wait. I could have done that."
He watched as several of the girls struggled with the wheelbarrow, weighed down with rock and wet dirt, it's wheels bogged down by the muddy yard. Several times it looked as if it were going to topple over. Kid started to move to help, when Martha grabbed him by the arm, so quickly and hard that he instinctively jerked away.
Martha ignored his startled expression and said sweetly, "Although I certainly appreciate your kind offer, those girls are certainly capable. I'm afraid you have been spoiling us with all your help. Come inside. I have fresh coffee."
Kid cast another look at the girls before he reluctantly followed after Miss Martha.
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The day before when Martha had caught a glimpse of Kid reaching down to pick up his hat, but paused and reached to retrieve something on the ground, her heart had frozen in her chest. She held her breath as she watched Kid slowly examine the object in his hand, then return it back to the ground. He paused again, staring at something new, before she quickly threw the door open and called out his name.
Even if he had found something she thought she could explain it away. After all they had gone through a bloody war...there were slaves on the property…perhaps an old family cemetery. Plausible explanations.
She could have easily had the bodies buried deep in the woods, but that would give her little satisfaction. By burying them close it would be a reminder, not of the betrayal but her strength. Her power.
"Vengeance is mine, and the recompense, for the time their feet shall slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them."
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Heyes rubbed a hand across his face and chin. He scratched at the rough stubble that was quickly giving way to a soft beard.
"Kid, I think it's time for a shave. Looks like you might be needing one too. Too hot to be sporting any kind of facial hair here. Which in your case works out pretty well."
Kid glared at Heyes. Heyes just couldn't appreciate how hard it was for him to grow a good looking moustache. Usually he ended up shaving it off in frustration or to stop Heyes' endless teasing.
"Some ladies like my moustache", Kid said proudly.
"Some...ain't all...and some implies two."
Kid shook his head and laughed, "You giving me advice about women is about as funny as -"
"You giving me advice about cracking a safe." Heyes finished the thought. "You know they are both kind of alike. Some are easy to get into and others you got to really take your time and listen."
"Obviously there ain't going to be a Misses Heyes in your near or hell even far future."
"Suits me fine, Kid. I'm content with the way things are."
"Leg shot. Baking in heat that makes hell look good. Stuck in a house with a bunch of crazy women."
"Yeah...but you're with me Kid."
Kid smiled, "You really have some low expectations, Heyes."
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Kid was bone-tired, but he still could not fall asleep. He looked at Heyes envious of the sleep his partner seemed to find with no trouble. He pulled the chair close to the window and stared out into the blackness. He sat for what seemed to be hours with him no closer to finding rest. He lit a lamp and turned it low so as not to wake Heyes. He wandered around the room. There were a number of large books on a bookshelf. They were all medical books collecting dust for years judging by the amount covering them.
They all sounded right boring.
If they didn't lull him to sleep, he didn't know what would. He selected the largest volume and pulled a blanket close to the lamp as he stretched out and bunched another blanket under his head to serve as a pillow.
"The Science and Art of Surgery by John Erichsen M.D." Kid read silently.
Just reading the title and author he felt his eyes become heavy. When he opened it to the first page a folded letter fell on his chest. He started to put the letter back in the book but instead set the book aside and opened it.
The writing was very flowery, obviously in the hand of a woman. It was a love letter directed to a man named Johnathan, who appeared to be married. It was immediately evident that the woman writing the letter was not his wife, but his mistress and related to his wife.
A sister.
Kid was suddenly wide awake as he became absorbed in the tawdry activities of these two cheaters. At times the woman's used words like a poet, then quickly reverted to the cheapest horniest whore money could buy. Kid almost blushed reading her very explicit descriptions of what she wanted to do to her married lover. It wasn't until the end of the letter that she mentioned her sister by name…
Martha.
Martha?
Kid immediately felt sorry for her. He knew she must have discovered the affair, judging by her reaction to men. He started to put the letter back in the book but stopped. Kid was sure Miss Martha had never seen this letter. Any woman would have destroyed it; ripped it to pieces or burned it. He grabbed one of his boots and pushed the letter inside, deep into the toe, then placed the book back on the shelf. Kid laid back down on the blanket and locked his hands behind his head.
Betrayed by your own sister and husband.
Kid closed his eyes and thought back to when he first met Amy. She had mentioned that Miss Martha's husband was killed by Yankee soldiers and that her sister was gone.
Gone moved? Or gone dead?
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