Kitty shivered. The sun had set, and the cold ground easily penetrated her skirt and undergarments, causing goosebumps on her legs and butt. She'd been sitting here for what – an hour maybe - all because she hadn't gotten those darn horses loose fast enough. When Joshua caught her freeing them, he was furious, but his voice was calm, even creepily friendly, "I may have underestimated you. It won't happen again. You're not 13 any more."
So now she was restrained, her arms shoved behind her, wrists tied to the spokes of a wheel, and Josh was out searching for the horses. She tucked her feet beneath her for warmth, and thought about how Joshua Sharpe, had managed to reenter her life. A little over a week ago, when she arrived at Peggy and Owen's farm, she was shocked by the poverty they'd fallen into into. She immediately set her mind to thinking of ways she might help. Maybe talk to Doc about Petey – have a fundraiser at the Long Branch – something. Joshua appeared out of nowhere that day, but their brief conversations was all but forgotten by time Peggy suggested a ride. It would be a chance to toss ideas around. They stopped to rest, and Peggy held out a canteen.
"Here Kitty, I'll bet you're thirsty."
She was indeed, it was warm for an autumn evening and she gratefully accepted. The water was cool but had a strange metallic taste. Something was wrong. The next thing she knew she was waking from a heavy sleep, in a buggy, with her head on a satin pillow and Joshua Sharpe smiling down on her. She wanted to vomit in his face. Throwing up in anyone's face would have been a first for her, but in her mind Josh held prizes for firsts in her life. He was the first with a leer so intense, it felt like a burn to her flesh. She was just 11 then. He was the first to claw beneath her skirt to fondle tender skin and new grown hair. His slap was the first to sting her face, when she fought his tongue forced into her mouth and down her throat, at the age of 12. And on her 13th birthday - he was the first to throw her down and expose his hardened manhood. She fought with every ounce of strength she had in her thin, young body. He tore at her clothes, determined to be her first and only. The door bust open, "STOP, get out, and don't come back. You're fired." Frustrated he yanked up his pants, the act not complete. She never forgot the rage in his eyes. That was the last time she saw him until he appeared in Meade. He had classier clothes, smoother lines, greater confidence and a lot more money, but he was the same old Josh.
She shifted her legs. There was no finding a comfortable position, but having a moment alone was nice. For days Joshua had been ranting about getting to her Wichita, and on train to New York City, and then on a ship to London. There she'd be the wife he needed and wanted while he ran his shipping business. He didn't say what he trafficked it, but she'd bet money it had something to do with young girls.
Footsteps approached. She looked over and saw Joshua leading two horses into the clearing. "Kitty, I am disappointed in you, and as you can see, you've forced me to be stricter now."
"I hope you'll at least untie me so I can lie down to sleep. I expect we're spending the night here. I know you don't like driving in the dark."
"I'll untie you." He smiled agreeably. "I trust even you understand that it's foolish to wonder off at night. We'll head out first thing in the morning. According to the sign, Wichita is just 3 miles away." He pulled out his pocket knife and cut the ropes that held her to the buggy wheel. She rubbed her blistered wrists, walked passed him with a defiant glare, and grabbed a bedroll and blanket from the buggy.
Josh stared at Kitty as she settled in for the night. She wasn't a slender pre-teen any more, but her spirit was undiminished. Desire surged through his body. He bit down on his lower lip. Blood dripped into his teeth. He wanted her – but – no, not yet – she could get pregnant. Showing up in London with a pregnant woman wouldn't look good to the society crowd. Those people avidly counted months when a baby was born. He'd wait for the fancy wedding he had planned. Then Kitty would be his in every way – forever, just as it always should have been. He grabbed a bedroll and faced away from Kitty, to try and sleep.
Lying awake with eyes shut tight, Kitty let the hours go by until she heard the sound of steady snores, drifting through the air. She opened her eyes and very slowly got to her feet, while trying not to breath. Carefully and silently, she walked, one bare foot after the other, until she found the sign on the side of the road – a hand painted wooden arrow pointing west - Wichita 3 miles. She grabbed the base of the post and twisted with all her might. It inched around with barely a squeak. She pushed until the arrow pointed north east, and quietly went back to bed to get a little sleep. It was almost dawn. Josh would soon be up.
Matt
With the shortest route to Wichita mapped out in his mind, Matt pushed his horse as hard as he dared. It was barely dawn when he reached Elk river, and paused. Cutting across would save the good part of a day, but it was risky this time of year. He watched the rapidly flowing river, and tried to gauge the depth, temperature and speed. The turbulence was daunting, but the summer had been long and exceptionally hot. The water might be warmer and more shallow than was typical this time of year. Was it was worth a chance? With a snap decision, he pressed his horse forward. After two steps back and a slight hesitation, horse and rider plowed ahead. The water was cold, damn cold, and grew deep, way faster than Matt had hoped. Soon up to his waist in icy water, he leaned forward to hold steady. A hoof skidded on the rocky, river bed, as a rush of water smashed against them. His horse's front legs buckled, as if he decided it was time to kneel and pray. Matt pitched sideways, one foot flying from a stirrup. He tried to right himself, but his horse lurched the other way, to find his footing. Matt hit the water hard. Water flowed across his face before everything went black.
Dodge
Doc Adams sat in front of the Marshal's office staring at a newspaper and purposefully ignoring the jangling spurs marching back and forth in front of him. Exasperated, he threw the paper down, "Festus, would you just sit down. Nothing is solved by walking in circles and talking to yourself."
"Doc, ya don't seem ta see the situation clear like I do. We ain't heard a peep outa Matthew about when he's fixin' ta cum back. What if he don't cum back at all, 'cause he don't wanna be in Dodge without Miss Kitty."
Doc let out a long sigh. "Festus, Matt wouldn't desert us like that. Let's be patient, it's not like we have a choice in the matter. Matt couldn't send word from Meade if he wanted to. A little farming town like doesn't have a telegraph office. If he took the time to write a letter, I guarantee he'd be back before the letter got here."
"What about Sam's problem, Doc?" You and me both knowed for a fact he don't wanna be goin' through Miss Kitty's personal stuff, and thar ain't a whole lot of time left fur getting' it done. Sam's pretty much sold every darn thang in the Long Branch, and he'll be handin' the keys over ta the land office so's somebody else can rent out the buildin'."
"Festus, there's nothing we can do to hurry Matt along," Doc got to his feet. "Instead of all your jangling, fretting and marching around, we should focus on what we can do. Let's head over to the Long Branch to see if Sam needs help packing up anything else. Poor Sam has been – well – it hasn't been easy."
Kitty
Still curled up under her blanket, Kitty heard Josh moving about. The smell in the air told her he'd already started a fire, and was boiling coffee. She slowly sat up and massaged her wrists, still raw with rope burns. Josh saw she was awake and walked over carrying a basket. "Kitty, it occurs to me that freeing those horses wasn't your first attempt to sabotage our trip to Wichit, and escape, but it will be your last. One thing females all understand is punishment." He reached into the basket and held out a small, hard biscuit. "This, and only this, will be your breakfast." He eyed her up and down. "In any event, you could stand to lose a few pounds. You've filled out a bit since I saw you last." She bit into the biscuit hungrily and laughed. "Yes, you prefer skinny little girls. A real woman might be too much for you." He raised his hand to slap her, but held back. "Watch your mouth, Kitty. You're mine, and pushing my tolerance is not a good idea. I'll pour us some coffee, and then we'll get going. Wichita is just 3 miles away, and I'll have you on a train before you know it." He glanced at the road sign and frowned. "I could have sworn that sign was pointing in a different direction last night, but how could that be possible?" Kitty smiled. "I can tell you which way Wichita is, but do you trust me?" He glared at her. "Like I said, don't push my tolerance. We'll follow the sign, and be in Wichita before you know it." He filled two cups with coffee and handed her one. "Drink up. I have a good feeling about today."
Matt
A sharp pain in his knee brought Matt back to life. He opened his eyes and squinted against the bright sun. His clothes were soaked, body bruised and one foot hung twisted in a stirrup. His horse paused from nibbling on the grass and calmly looked at his stalwart rider, still attached to the saddle with one foot. Matt gingerly pulled his leg down, and struggled to his feet. He patted his horse on the neck. "Seems I didn't drown. You dragged me to shore. Now that could not have been a pretty sight. I owe you an extra bucket of oats and a carrot." A glance at the sky told him he hadn't been unconscious for long, and he smiled crookedly. Fording the river had saved him time after all. He shed his coat, heavy with water, and rung out his clothes as best he could while still wearing them. The air was cool, but the sun was strong, and would dry him soon enough. He got on his horse and threw his coat across his knees. Daring to hope, he slipped his hand in an outer pocket. Amazingly, the small box containing Kitty's gift was still there. The gift he'd had with him when he got back to Dodge, and was told she was dead. Matt smiled. He'd never been a supersticious man, but the box surviving that river crossing, had to be a good omen. Wasting no time, he veered west. He'd be covering miles of flat, monotonous prairie land now, and for the first time since he set out, fixed his mind on solving another piece of his puzzle – who was this man named Joshua, and how did Kitty know him? He wracked his brains. For nine years he and Kitty had spent hours talking, and sharing their pasts. She told him about Peggy and other friends from New Orleans. She'd described her kind and beautiful mother who died when she was a child. She certainly, mentioned her wayward father, who sometimes left her with a saloon woman named Panacea Sykes. Panacea taught her things a girl should know, and gave her stability of a sort. PANACEA – the name clicked in Matt's head. That was it. A man named Joshua Sharpe ran a poker table for Panacea. He was skilled with cards and brought in lots of money. Panacea was smitten with him until the day she heard Kitty's screams, coming from her bedroom. She barged in, stopped Sharpe from raping the 13 year old, and fired him on the spot. Matt's jaw clenched. That was the man Peggy and Oren had unknowingly turned Kitty over to.
TBC
