Scarlett Meadows, March 1899
They arrived at the train station just as the clouds were beginning to gather overhead. Jamie jumped down from the horse, followed by Arthur.
'C'mon now,' the outlaw said, 'your sister's waiting for you inside.' Hitching up his horse, the boy ran into the station.
'Father's been very sad,' Arthur heard Mary say as he entered the station, seeing the siblings in an embrace.
'Father wouldn't know sadness if it died in his bed,' Jamie snapped, pulling away from his sister.
Although the years had been kind to Mary, who was still as pretty as the first day he met her, Arthur couldn't help but notice the strain around her eyes. He could fault her on a lot of things, but never for how much she cared for her younger brother. Even if he was an idiot.
Arthur took a bench out of their way, allowing them to have their reunion and squabbles alike.
'But I'll come home...' Jamie said in a defeated manner, 'for you.'
His sister smiled as she clutched her hands to her heart, the relief visibly sweeping over her.
'My boy... my sweet boy,' she spoke softly, cupping the side of his face. 'Jamie, why don't you wait on the platform, while I say goodbye to Arthur,' she passed him the bags as Arthur continued to look to the floor, not wanting to have some emotional goodbye.
He'd already had enough of those over the years and he had no need to dig up the feelings that he felt over a decade ago.
'It was nice seeing you again, Arthur,' Mary said, smiling at him, her hands resting on her hips as she looked over the outlaw.
He looked over his shoulder to see Jamie carrying out the bag to the platform and out of earshot.
'So...' Arthur began, glancing at a departing train, waiting for it to pass through the narrow rail, the rhythmic sound of metal on metal passing across the windows.
'Oh, Arthur, don't be like that!' She said, stomping her feet.
'Like what?' Arthur asked, raising his eyebrows in confusion.
'I can only do so much, Arthur,' she said, exasperated, trying to avoid the issue. 'I just wanted to thank you, was all, and to say goodbye,' she walked over to him, her eyes downcast as he stood.
'Ain't we done enough of those?' Arthur gruffed, hooking his thumbs into his belt as he tried to avoid looking at her. There truly had been enough goodbyes, more than any man's heart could take.
'I never had a chance, Arthur. Not truly. You were always too stubborn,' she shook her head with her lips pressed into a thin line.
'What do you want me to say, Mary?' Arthur said, flicking his hand as his voice rose, the anger seething below the surface. Just once, he'd like to be done with her constant scrutiny, a scrutiny which had not disappeared after all this time.
'Well, for one, you could have talked to me about it, instead of leaving.'
'Talk to you? What the hell do you think I did?' Arthur yelled, his temper getting the best of him.
'It's always an argument with you, Arthur!' Mary protested, as Arthur noticed a few sideway glances from the other travellers.
He took a deep breath, attempting to calm himself.
'You didn't want me, you wanted a husband, a provider, a man who would take care of you. Not some outlaw,' he said with bitterness in his voice, 'you and your Daddy made that all too clear.'
'You could have left them, Arthur -'
'It's ain't that simple, weren't then and ain't now,' he pinched the bridge of his eyes seeing a hundred flashbacks of when they would have this argument with both youth and passion on their side.
'You always said that, Arthur...' Mary sighed, looking up at him as a loud whistle approached the station. 'I've got to go Arthur and thank you for rescuing Jamie,' she said, fidgeting with her hands, 'just please... take care of yourself.'
She put a gentle hand on his arm as he caught, for the briefest of moments, that sad look she would always get, buried deep in her brown eyes.
'You'll end up in an early grave if you don't give this all up. And there won't be anyone there to save you,' she gave a small smile as she walked away, onto the platform.
He turned following her with his eyes as she grabbed her bags and escorted her brother onto the train. With one last look, he tipped his hat to her as the train pulled away from the station. He watched the train go by before turning back, feeling a sting in his chest. She was gone. Again.
Arthur climbed down the steps, his body numb as he watched the train disappear into the distance. His mind drifted, thinking of the events that led to him being here. Thinking of Mary and how much she used to mean to him.
Those days were long gone but her parting words stuck with him as he climbed onto Montague, and turned him around.
He rode along the road as Montague picked up a gentle canter. He didn't know where he was going or what he was doing. All he knew was that he needed to leave. To ride and to be alone.
He took the road that headed back to camp, but decided he wouldn't end up there tonight. Instead, he rode until he came to the outskirts of town, making his way down to the river.
The water was cool, almost refreshing, despite the heat. The water lapped gently against the shore as he sat on a rock, staring out across the wide expanse of the river.
He remembered the times he and Mary would swim together. How she would laugh, how she would scream. He remembered her laugh the most. It was the first time he ever heard it, that day when they had splashed in the river. He thought to himself that he would never hear another, not for him anyway.
'Damn you,' Arthur muttered, as he stared at the dark waters.
He didn't miss her though, not like that. He missed what they had, the sense of belonging that only a woman could provide. No matter what he'd seen or done that day, all the darkness would disappear as soon as he saw her. Now, the darkness had swallowed him whole.
He led Montague off of the track, heading across the grasslands. A light rain fell, which washed away the dust of the trail. He kept his head down as he rode, watching the clouds roll overhead as thunder rumbled above.
A sudden crack sounded in the heavens, followed by more lightning flashes. Arthur held on tighter as Montague reared and threw him forward onto the saddle horn.
'Whoa there,' he said as the horse cried, whinnying as he danced sideways.
Arthur tried to steady the beast, grabbing hold of its mane to pull it under control.
The wind whipped up around them, forcing tears out of Arthur's eyes. Thunder boomed again and the world went a bright white.
When the sound faded, Arthur kicked the horse forward.
'Let's go find us some shelter, boy' he spoke to the horse, patting the side of his neck.
The animal seemed reluctant to move on as the storm rolled over them. They travelled slowly, stopping every now and then. When the sun finally started to set, they were far away from anything resembling a town or even a house.
Arthur looked around as both he and the horse shivered.
'C'mon, boy,' he said with another light kick, 'over there,' he pointed to a small alcove in the rock face before them.
'I hope that doesn't scare ya', he added, 'we can't stay outside forever'.
Montague neighed lightly as Arthur dismounted before leading him into the cave. There was barely enough room for the two of them but it would do for now.
'Here,' Arthur said, taking off his coat and laying it aside before placing his gun belt beside it.
By some small miracle, there were already some half burnt twigs and stone, no doubt from another weary traveller. He knelt, touching the coal light with his fingers.
Cold, he sighed to himself, hopeful that they wouldn't be disturbed.
Arthur relit the fire in front of him with the flint from his pocket. As the flames started to lick around the wood, Montague finally settled down, kneeling down on his haunches in the comforting warmth.
Arthur patted at the horses flank affectionately as he reached into the saddle bag for a bottle of whiskey and a few oat cakes.
Allowing the horse to nuzzle the biscuits out his hand with a sloppy enthusiasm, Arthur uncorked the bottle with his teeth.
There was silence apart from the occasional drip of water falling on the stones outside. Arthur glanced out of the corner of his eye, hoping to catch sight of the stars peeking through the night, but the clouds were casted in an impenetrable black above.
Sitting back down next to the fire, he closed his eyes, enjoying the smell and taste of the alcohol burning in his stomach. His thoughts drifted as the drink slipped through him like a cold stream running through ice.
He couldn't sleep after drinking, so he continued to sit, listening to the wind rustle around outside. After several hours, he grew bored.
He reached back for the bottle and gulped another mouthful, letting it burn all the way down. Then he placed the near empty vessel to one side, sighing heavily as he leaned back against the wall.
After some time, the storm eventually passed. Arthur did little except drink and think. A habit he wasn't fond of.
Arthur stretched and groaned, pulling himself up off the floor, in an attempt to forget his thoughts. His legs ached from sitting on the ground for so long, and he felt tired beyond belief.
He rubbed his sore muscles, standing and stretching, then he moved over to his horse, checking on him before putting back on his gun belt. He walked quietly towards the entrance of the cave, holding his breath as the sounds echoed through the passageway.
He stepped carefully outside, keeping low to try and avoid any attention should anyone else be about. As he exited, however, there was no-one in sight. Just miles of endless land as far as the eye could see.
He sighed deeply, leaning his head against his shoulder and closing his eyes briefly before reaching down for another swig of liquor from the bottle.
Arthur wandered aimlessly along the dirt path between dry fields, each step from the horse was heavy and dull, yet still full of life. The air hung thick and warm, smothering him like a blanket.
It wasn't long until the moon broke free from behind the clouds. It was always dangerous to ride at night but something about it always made Arthur feel free. The landscape was illuminated in a silvery glow, as the odd coyote would call in the distance.
Arthur slowed down as he entered the outskirts of a nearby village. There was hardly any noise coming from inside, and only dim lighting emanating from the windows. He thought to the families that slept as he rode past, if they were warm and safe and if it was a life that he could ever deserve.
He shook his head as he mind drifted back to Mary, wondering how different their lives might have been if he'd stayed. He was young and stupid when their love began and even though he was older now, he still felt just as dumb. He really did love her back then and even though he knew their future was no longer destined with one another, he couldn't help but miss what they had.
He wondered if she felt the same, if she truly loved her deceased husband and was just using Arthur to solve her problems for her.
'Bout right, he thought to himself gloomily. He cursed under his breath before continuing on his way home.
She was right to leave him, he was murderer and a criminal and that was no life for a lady. If she stayed with him, sooner or later someone would come to get their revenge and she would end up dead like all the others.
He trusted Dutch to get them out of this mess, one way or another. Perhaps they really would make it to Tahiti. He chuckled to himself at the idea of him sitting on the beach, a belly full of mangoes and not a care in the world, with a beautiful woman at his side. Just maybe... he thought. Just maybe.