*Hi there. :) This work is also on Archive of Our Own (Ao3), another fan fiction site that allows for inclusion of pictures and links in chapters. Whenever there have been pictures in a chapter that I couldn't include here but did so on Ao3, I include the link to Ao3 here so you can see it. You just need to copy and paste the link and remove spaces, since does not allow me to share links.*

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Summer of 1882

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Arthur felt his horse slacken just a bit and nudged him into a quicker pace. He felt his pulse quicken as he did it. It had been two days since he'd last seen Mary—two days too long.

He slowed to a trot as he reached the edge of the town nearest camp, called Moffett Landing—her hometown. They'd first met here a number of months ago after he and the Van der Linde gang had arrived and pitched camp in the woods outside the northeast corner of town.

She was the only one in town who knew the Van der Linde gang had arrived, only one in town who knew what he did for a living; and she hadn't scorned him—at least not yet.

Mary was the noblest, kindest person he knew. He wanted to do right by her. It turned out his friendship with an eighteen year-old girl was the purest thing he'd ever known. He hadn't felt this way about anybody before.

The two of them had become close and were now taking every opportunity to see each other. Mary had shared things about her childhood with him. He had told her what he remembered of his parents (though almost all of it was not good) and about how he owed everything to Dutch for taking him off the streets when he was fourteen and about how he felt about the gang—how it was nothing short of his family—and still she had not shied away from him. She had even introduced him to her father and younger brother, Jamie. Arthur thought Jamie had taken a liking to him, though he couldn't say the same about her father. He was very cold and aloof whenever Arthur came around. Arthur was determined to show him, not simply tell him, that he wanted the best for his daughter.

Arthur hadn't told one person at camp about him and Mary. Even so, the two women wouldn't leave him a moment of peace, pestering him to tell them why he, "looked like a circus performer with that smile smeared across his face," why he was "scurrying and pecking at his clothes and hair like a chicken with his head cut off," and why he was away from camp more than usual these days. He knew it couldn't be long before there was a new rumor spreading about him through camp, this one true.

When he thought about how strongly he felt for Mary, how quickly they had become close, and how honest he had been with her, he shuddered to think how Dutch would respond if he knew. It went without saying how reckless it was to tell even one person about the gang who didn't need to know, much less a person Dutch had not yet personally vetted and deemed trustworthy.

Arthur passed a few farms until he came to the heart of town and turned a couple corners, following the lane until he arrived at the local mercantile, their in-town meeting place. He grinned when he saw her waiting under the awning. He dismounted and hitched his horse to the post.

"Well, isn't it a fine day to see you here, Arthur Morgan!" she said beaming. "Missed you," and she immediately took his free hand in hers.

He smiled as he said, "It's only been two days, Mary!" in spite of himself. "Surely you've had enough to occupy yourself in that time."

"Sure!" she said. "But the fact remains." She slid her arm into his, and they fell into an easy step down the boardwalk.

"How's Jamie?" he asked.

"He's well. Been talking about wanting to buy a horse. I suspect that's due to admiration of you on yours," she grinned.

"Man's gotta have a reliable horse," he said.

"He does see you as more of his idea of a man than he does father, I think. He looks up to you."

"Boy's gotta have a strong man to pattern himself after. He's gonna look somewhere."

"Daddy won't have it. Our barn hasn't hasn't seen a single horse, hardly an animal since mama died. Anyways, I think he resents you for it."

"Well, I'll try not to resent him for resenting me," he chuckled. "What do you have planned for today, Miss Mary?"

"I need to pick up a book at the book shop," she responded.

"How convenient a coincidence!" he said in an elaborately sarcastic tone. "I was just on my way there."

Mary smiled and played along, "Why, sir, what book is it you're looking to read?"

"Aw, I'll stick to the paper. That oughtta do me."

Seeing him look away, she tried to reassure him. "I'll purchase you one, if you like." She said smiled and continued looking forward as they walked.

"Oh, it's not that," he said. "I got some cash on me."

"Well, I know you can read," she said leaning into his arm, jokingly alluding to the letters they had written and left for each other in their secret drop, even with as often as they tried to meet.

"Oh, I can read just fine," he said. "Can write just fine too. I just ain't never read a full book before," he chuckled breathily.

"Why not?"

"Oh," he sighed, "I s'pose it's 'cause I never actually finished school. Had to leave when I was twelve."

She slowed to a stop, causing him to stop, and she looked at him. "That's sad."

With anyone else, he would've taken it as a sardonic jab at his honor and intelligence. But with the look in her eyes, he never questioned her sincerity.

"That makes me sad, Arthur."

He cocked his head to the side and nodded slightly as if in admission of the pathetic nature of his childhood and schooling. "Reckon it was the way things had to be," he said as they continued walking. "My father was killed that year. I was on my own. Had more important things to think about than books and primers. Like…where I was gonna sleep that night, where I was gonna find food…generally how I was gonna stay alive."

"And you've been fighting ever since," she said. "I'm so sorry, Arthur. No child should have to face that. Certainly not alone."

"Wasn't always alone. There were other kids, you know, on the streets. Then a couple years later I met Dutch. Dutch took me in. Took me under his wing."

She nodded.

"Dutch and Hosea taught me to read better than any schooling ever did. We just didn't have many books lying around," he chuckled. "So I never been exposed to all those fine, classic works of literature or high thoughts," he said throwing a hand up in a grand gesture, "that maybe you were if you had books growing up. Never had the time."

"Oh, darn!" she snapped her fingers. "You know you've really missed out on works by great men like Shakespeare, Swift, and Hawthorne!" She chuckled, then looked over to see his blank expression. "They're duds," she said. "I'm joking." His face softened with understanding. "I think you'd like Dickens, though," she said.

"Maybe we can read together sometime," he said.

She smiled and looked up. "I'd like that."

"What book are you picking up now?"

"The Condensed Guide to Modern Horticulture for the Amateur."

"Horti-what?"

She laughed. "It's the study of the science and art of gardening."

"Gardening? One thing I can't help you with. Maybe you can teach me."

"Maybe with this book I can," she grinned.

He thought for a moment as they walked. "Hey, Mary…you ever thought of going to university?"

She looked at him, her eyebrows gathering. "Why?"

"You're just so smart, I bet you'd do great. I wouldn't want you to hold yourself back from anything that could be good for you."

She tilted her head a bit. "Father brought it up last month. He thinks I should go." She looked down for a moment as they walked. "I just…I'd like to wait and see where life leads before I make a big decision like that. It's a lot of money."

"Don't think about the money. Do you want to go?"

She lifted one shoulder and looked at him. "What I want is to stay in the here and now, with you," she said with a gleam in her eye.

"Fine by me," he smiled. As they looked forward, a tall, thin man in a top hat and suit came striding toward them. "Oh, look at this dandy," Arthur said under his breath, but loud enough for Mary to hear. She stifled a laugh and nudged him with her arm.

Mary addressed him as he approached. "Good morning, Mr. Linton. I don't believe I've had the opportunity to introduce you to my friend…Tacitus." Arthur and Mary looked at each other, and her eyes pulsated wide for the briefest moment.

"Tacitus Kilgore, pleased to meet you, sir," Arthur said, sticking his hand out to him.

"Tacitus! What an interesting name!" Linton said as he shook Arthur's hand.

"Mr. Kilgore, this is Mr. Barry Linton, owner of the local millinery shop," Mary said.

"Ah…millinery?" Arthur said. "You like them hats I see," he said with a smug grin.

"Why, yes, it's my business!" Linton smiled thinking he'd made a good joke as he touched the brim of his hat with his gloved hand. "Miss Gillis, it's so good to see you. I was wondering if you'd consider accompanying me to the ice cream social next week?"

"Oh, uh…actually, I'm afraid I have a prior commitment that day," she said in a confident tone with a bright smile.

At the question, Arthur squinted an eye at the man, but Linton was absorbed in Mary.

"Oh, all right. No trouble. Perhaps next time," Linton said.

"Perhaps," Mary said graciously.

"Where are you off to today?" Linton asked.

"We're just on our way to the book shop," Mary said quietly.

"Oh! I love books!" Linton said. "I do love books. You should see my home library. Every sort of book, books on every topic!"

"Oh yeah?" Arthur stepped away from Mary and next to Linton so that they were both in her view. "What's your favorite writer?"

"Oh, that would be a tough one, but I'd have to say…" Linton said scrunching up his face with his hand on his chin, "Shakespeare! Shakespeare, of course. It'd have to be Shakespeare."

To cover the laugh Mary gave through her nose, Arthur said quickly, "And what do you think about Swift?"

"Jonathan Swift? Oh, Gulliver's Travels is one of my favorites! A joy to read, sir! Absolutely a joy!"

Mary bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"And what of Hawthorne?" Arthur asked, peering at him.

"Well, The Scarlet Letter is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels in all of literature," Linton said, and Mary's face turned pink as she fought to keep from giggling, "though it is a rather dark, gothic novel, I find."

Arthur nodded. "Thank you, sir. I'll try to keep your recommendations in mind next time I'm considering what to read…and what to avoid," he said as he stepped back in place next to Mary.

"Oh, please do! You won't be disappointed, I can promise you that," Linton said. "A very well-cultured friend you have here, Miss Gillis!"

Mary pulled both lips inward past her teeth, smiled, and nodded. "Mm-hm."

"What book is it you're picking up today?" Linton asked.

Seeing Mary was unable to speak, Arthur looked at Linton, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Horticulture."

"Ah! One subject I cannot add to. I'll let you both be on your way. Good day," he said tipping his hat as he walked between them.

Arthur touched the brim of his hat and turned to watch him pass.

As soon as they saw him turn a corner, Mary let out an enormous, hearty laugh. "Arthur!" she laughed, pushing him as she continued walking.

"Ugh! What a half-wit if I ever saw one!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Arthur! He's a…nice man," she giggled.

"Ice cream social, he wants you for!" he said moving in front of her so she had to look at his face. When he elicited another laugh from her, he was satisfied and fell back into step beside her. "Pray, Miss Gillis, what is this 'prior commitment' you have planned that day?"

She went beet red as he took her hand in his. She rested her head on his arm as they walked toward the book shop.

Once inside, she stepped up to the front desk and requested The Condensed Guide to Modern Horticulture for the Amateur, saying she had ordered it to be delivered and giving her name.

The clerk went to the shelf and returned to place a thick tome on the counter.

"That's 'condensed'?" Arthur said and Mary laughed.

"And one copy of A Tale of Two Cities, if you have it," she said.

"Of course," he smiled and returned with the book.

Mary took it and immediately put it in Arthur's hands. "Dickens," she said.

Arthur looked confused. "But…we were supposed to read this together," he said.

A smile slowly broadened across Mary's face at the words, and her eyes twinkled. She rose up on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.