Song is "My Wild Irish Rose" by Chauncey Olcott.

Chapter 32: The Bombay Shitehawks

Lilly trotted Liath to Strawberry. She had to go find a "Micah Bell" who she couldn't recall, but for some reason, she felt a distaste for the man. Lilly was unsure as to why. She approached the jail but stopped when she saw a man's hands on the bars. That might be Mr. Bell. Lilly got off Liath and started walking.

"Let me outta here, you maggots!" he shouted. Lilly raised a brow and came into his line of sight. "Lilly? Lilly!"

Lilly crossed her arms. She didn't like the look of him. Not one bit. "Mr. Bell. Did ya have a splendid time with whatever it was ya did tah find yerself in jail?"

"Why are you talkin' so proper? You gonna get me outta here?"

Lilly leaned against the wall. "I am unsure."

"Real funny."

"Do I seem like the joking type, Mr. Bell?"

"Yes! You're the prankster, for cryin' out loud!"

Lilly blinked and looked at the other building. She raised her head as a memory came to her. "Oh yes. Hmm. Now I remember."

"What in the hell are you talkin' about, woman?"

Lilly suddenly glared at Micah. "Only Mr. Morgan can call me that!" she snapped. Lilly blinked a few times, questioning herself. "Why did I just say that?"

"Lilly! What is goin' on with you? Did you knock your head loose?"

"I lost me memory, Mr. Bell. I do not recollect very much."

"Oh." Suddenly Micah beamed at her. "We had a thing, you and I," he said.

"What?"

"We had a thing. You and me. Well, you had a thing with a lot of men, but-"

"Excuse me! What thing?"

"Your huntin' game. The flirtin'. Don't you remember?"

"...No. I am afraid I do not, Mr. Bell. Now, I came here tah get ya out but the more ya keep talking, the less inclined I am tah help ya. Now I will return in a few moments."

"I await your return, my pet!" he said with a smile.

Lilly scoffed and walked around the building to the door. "Eejit," she muttered.

How was she going to play this? She could shout. No. Too loud. Fight? No, she might not be quick enough for them not to raise an alarm. Pretend she was a relative? Ugh. The thought made her want to vomit. Suddenly the door opened and a man in a red jacket was standing in front of her.

"Oh, uh, can I help you, miss?" the man asked. Lilly panicked and started singing.

If you listen I'll sing you a sweet little song

Of a flower that's now drooped and dead,

The man went black eyed and frozen. Lilly shut his eyes and walked in. There were two other men in the room.

Yet dearer to me, yes than all of its mates,

Though each holds aloft its proud head.

Lilly power walked to the other immobile men and shut their eyes too. She grabbed the jail cell keys and pocketed them quietly.

Twas given to me by a girl that I know,

Since we've met, faith I've known no repose.

Lilly crept down the stairs, singing louder.

She is dearer by far than the world's brightest star,

And I call her my wild Irish Rose.

Lilly got to the bottom, raising her voice still. The O'Driscoll was slack and dark eyed. Micah was too. She quickly got the keys out.

My wild Irish Rose, the sweetest flower that grows.

You may search everywhere, but none can compare with my wild Irish Rose.

Lilly found the right key and unlocked Micah's cell. She dragged hin out and shut the cell door.

My wild Irish Rose, the dearest flower that grows,

And some day for my sake, she may let me take the bloom from my wild Irish Rose.

Lilly guided Micah up the stairs, still singing loudly. If anyone heard her outside, hopefully they'd be affected.

They may sing of their rose, which by other names,

Would smell just as sweetly, they say.

Lilly got to the upper level, put the keys back into the sheriff's pocket, and brought Micah to the door.

But I know that my Rose would never consent

To have that sweet name taken away.

Lilly opened the door and shoved Micah out before shutting the door.

"Where's your horse?" Lilly asked.

Micah blinked at her. "What the hell? What just happened."

Lilly grabbed him and started taking him to her horse.

"Hey! Get back here!" someone shouted from the jail house.

Lilly and Micah ran. "Your horse! Where is your horse?!"

"Blaylock is at the stables!"

"Ugh!" Lilly sighed and sang once more, helping Micah on Loath and climbing on before singing once more, this time combined with her shout.

HER GLANCES ARE SHY WHEN E'ER I PASS BY

THE BOWER WHERE MY TRUE LOVE GROWS,

Everyone in the whole town stopped moving and the animals started following her as Lilly started trotting through the town.

AND MY ONE WISH HAS BEEN THAT SOMEDAY I MAY WIN

THE HEART OF MY WILD IRISH ROSE

Lilly looked at her map as she sang. "Stables," she muttered. Where the hell were the fucking stables?!

MY WILD IRISH ROSE, THE SWEETEST FLOWER THAT GROWS.

YOU MAY SEARCH EVERYWHERE, BUT NONE CAN COMPARE WITH MY WILD IRISH ROSE.

"Aha!" Lilly found it on the map. She resumed singing and shouting as she galloped through town.

MY WILD IRISH ROSE, THE DEAREST FLOWER THAT GROWS,

AND SOME DAY FOR MY SAKE, SHE MAY LET ME TAKE THE BLOOM FROM MY WILD IRISH ROSE.

Lilly left the town immediately to take the trail to the stables.

It was dark by the time the Morgans found Winton Holmes. He was sleeping...sitting up. And snoring quite loudly. Lilly suppressed a giggle. She walked up to the sleeping man, bent over at the waist, put her hands behind her back, and cocked her head to one side with an evil smile and a devilish twinkle in her eyes. "WAKE UP, YA LAZY FUCK!"

The man startled awake and backed up when he saw her. "Oh! I didn't expect to run into no one out here."

Lilly bit her lip so she wouldn't start laughing. "Ah, yes. Is that why you're all the way out here, Mr. Holmes?" she asked with a polite tone.

"No. I'm trackin' a cougar, a rare cougar. Lilly white coat, the pelt'll-"

Lilly held up a hand to stop him. "Lilly white coat, you say?" She sighed, standing up straight and looking down at him. "What the hell is with these debts and my damn name?" Lilly asked Arthur.

Arthur laughed. "Hell if I know..."

"Debts? Oh. You're with the German?" Winton asked.

"Yes," Arthur and Lilly both said together.

"Well, the pelt alone will cover more than I owe."

"I see. And you want me to kill and skin it. Is that correct?"

"Please. I'm outta work. It's the only way you'll get paid a-and all the hard work's already done."

"Lillian, you are not goin' after a cougar," Arthur said sternly. "I'll go after the cougar and you stay put."

Lilly groaned. "You're no fun." She knew Arthur was right and they did make a deal. Lilly kissed her husband's cheek. "Fine. But I ain't stayin' put. I am comin' with."

"Fine."

Lilly looked at Mr. Holmes. "Well, what are ya waitin' for? Permission? MOVE, YA FUCK!"

"Yeow! Okay!" The man jumped up and started walking. "We'll uh, uh, need our horses. It's, um, quite a trip."

"Yeah, yeah," Arthur complained. Lilly and the men got on Doc and James padded after them as they left the camp.

"How the hell did you do that, Lilly?" Micah asked. "I didn't even know you could sing! And we need to go back for my guns!"Lilly trotted up to the stables and got down. "There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Mr. Bell. And we will once we get your horse."

"Why are you bein' so formal? And when did you get this horse?" Micah asked, climbing down off Liath.

"Mr. Morgan gave him to me. And I am being formal because I am a noble and I do not remember any of you."

Micah gaped at her. "You're a noble?!"

"Shh! Quiet! Where is your horse?"

Micah looked around. "Aha! There he is." The two went into the horse pen to grab him but then someone put a gun to the back of Lilly's head.

"Don't you move," a man said.

Lilly put her hands up amd sighed. "Great."

"I'm takin' my horse back, now leave the nice lady alone, drop your gun, and walk away!" Micah shouted with a humorous threat.

Lilly chuckled. "I could just sing again."

"You could, but where's the fun in that?" Micah said with a silly smile.

Lilly laughed and sighed. "Alright. Your call, Mr. Bell."

"Shut up! Both of you! Right now!" the man shouted. Lilly heard a hammer click. Great. "Step away from the horse or I shoot this siren bitch down."

Lilly sighed. "I am not a siren. I am only a talented individual, sir."

"I said shut up!"

Growling was heard behind her. The man was suddenly dragged down and Lilly turned to see two wolves tearing him apart. She backed up into Micah and he laughed.

"What I know about cats...this one's rare as hen's teeth. I mean, you ever seen an alabaster wild cat?" Winton asked Lilly and Arthur as they headed up a stream.

"The thing about cougars, Mr. Holmes, is that by the time you see 'em, they're already killin' you," Lilly responded.

"That may be, but, this one would be real easy to spot. I been huntin' with my pa, shot all kinds of cats. Never one like this. In another life I'da sought my fortune outdoors, not in the hit, stinkin' belly of a tar pit."

"We ain't interested in your regrets or life story, Mr. Holmes. Just your damn money," Arthur snapped.

"Oh now Arthur, don't be so rude," Lilly teased. "Sir, go ahead and talk. I'm likin' the conversation."

"Ugh, you and your socializin'," Arthur chuckled. "I don't see how you do it."

Lilly smiled at her husband. "Perhaps you should try it sone time, then you wouldn't feel the need to strong arm folks into givin' up money they don't have."

Arthur eyeballed her knowingly. "See, this is why you irritate me."

"Why? Because I'm right?"

"Yes. I hate it when you're right."

Lilly laughed whole heartedly. "I'm sure one of these days you'll be right and I'll be wrong. Just keep workin' at it."

"Hahaha!" Mr. Holmes laughed. "Are you two married?"

"Yes, we are," Lilly said with pride. "Arthur here is the apple of my eye."

"Shut up, woman," Arthur responded with a laugh.

"Oof. It's gettin' cold."

"This is it. Her den. We should leave the horses," Winton pointed out.

Everyone dismounted in front of a dark cave and Arthur and Lilly put on their winter coats. Lilly sighed. "Alright. We gonna lure her out?"

"No," Holmes said, grabbing his lantern. "We're goin' in."

Lilly went bug eyed. "Oh hell no! You are not makin' my husband go in there! Are you feckin' insane?!"

"Well, unless you got predator bait..."

Lilly sighed. She didn't have any on account of never needing it. "Arthur, don't you dare go in there!"

Arthur reached for his gun and lantern. "Relax, we'll be fine."

Lilly sighed. "At least take James with you."

"No! He'll mess up her coat!" Holmes said.

"Well then, I am comin' with!"

Arthur grasped her arm. "Lillian, think of the baby. Please," he whispered. "Do you trust me?"

Lilly huffed. "Not with a fuckin' cougar." Lilly grabbed her bow and went after Holmes. "I am a better hunter than you by far, mo fhear céile."

"Mo bhean chéile, be reasonable! Please!" Arthur chased after her.

"Nope. I am not riskin' the father of me unborn child's life. Do ya hear me, Arthur!?" she shouted. "I won't do it!"

"The hell you won't, woman!" Arthur shouted back.

"Shh! Quiet now. Look, ma'am. We won't be able to miss her, shinin' in the dark. Your husband is right. You shouldn't be riskin' your baby. I got keen eyes. We'll be fine."

"Thank you, Mr. Holmes," Arthur spoke gratefully. "Turns out I am right and you are wrong, Lillian."

Lilly sighed. "Fine. But if I hear a fuss, James and I are comin' in." Lilly bit her lip and kissed Arthur softly. "Please be dog wide." Lilly looked at Winton. "Do not separate, and if ya let him get eaten, I'll kill ya! And if you run into trouble, you shout!"

"Dog wide?" Winton asked.

"Be vigilant."

"Yes ma'am."

Arthur pat her shoulder. "We'll be fine."

James and Lilly stood by as the two men lit their lanterns and went into the pit of dangerous territory. She armed her bow with three improved arrows. "Please be careful," she whispered, aiming towards the cave. When she saw tje lights disappear, she began to shake.

Micah put his hands on Lilly's shoulders. "We better go before we become lunch, Lilly," Micah warned.The lawman screamed as the pair of wolves bit into him. Then there was silence. The wolves looked over and padded playfully toward Lilly. Micah put Lilly behind him. "Easy now. Lilly, get back."

Suddenly, Lilly remembered who the wolves were and laughed. "Brian, James, ya silly boys. Yer frightenin' Mr. Bell."

The pups sat and panted. Micah looked at Lilly. "Friends of yours? Why didn't you say anythin'?"

"I'm...having memory problems, Mr. Bell. I had an, uh, incident."

"An incident?"

Lilly sighed. "I'll explain on the way back to..." suddenly another memory popped into her head. Lilly chastisin' the men for whoever spied on her and Arthur...doin' it. Then she remembered Charles telling her what Micah said about her and Arthur. She shoved him and he fell down. "Ya bloody bombay shitehawk! I'll kill ya!"

"What? Why?! What did I do?!"

"Ya spied on Arthur and I...having...relations! And ya said all those things about shooting him and taking me maidenhood!"

"Oh...that," Micah chuckled. "I sure did."

"YA PERVERTED BASTARD!" Lilly shouted.

Micah laughed. "I love it when you shout."

Lilly blinked a few times, feeling her cheeks flush. "Why?"

"Because it shows how powerful and capable you really are. Does Arthur understand that? Because those days you were missin', all he did was fuss and complain about you. We all looked for you but he was absurdly worried."

"I...I'm sure he does know." Lilly said, unsure of herself. "He was worried about me?" Another memory flashed in her head. The reunion Lilly and Arthur had when she got back from her disappearance, as well as Micah finding her. "You're the one who found me?"

Micah got up and brushed himself off. "Yes. Now, Miss O'Callaghan, you are quite the woman and I adore you to pieces. And if I had my way, then I'da had you all to myself and I would'a shot Arthur and took your virginity. I admit that, but seein' as how sweet Arthur is on you, and you on him, I would never shoot him. He and I are sons of Dutch. I've been a bad boy, but I ain't that bad."

Lilly crossed her arms and scowled. "It's Mrs. Morgan."

"Ha! He works fast. When did this happen?" Micah asked before getting on Blaylock.

"Before my incident." Lilly mounted her horse and growled at Micah. "I hate that man, but I apparently loved him enough to hand fast with him before I..."

"What's hand fastin'?"

"Never you mind. Let's go get your stupid guns. I'll sing again but you should plug your ears before I do that."

Lilly heard a cougar's snarl in the cave and her heart stopped. She didn't hear any shouting or gun shots but James remained calm. She wanted to go in so bad. Lilly lit her lantern and got closer to cave. She set it down to make more illumination by the entrance and backed away, rearming her bow and aiming. More snarls and Lilly shuddered. An abrupt roar, a scream, and a few gunshots were heard.

"James, go!" Lilly shouted, grabbing her lantern and tailing James. They went into the left of the cave. Lilly's heart raced as she heard another shout. Fighting was happening for sure. "James! Go get'em!"

James increased his pace, turned a corner, and Lilly watched as he pounced on the cougar. It really was a white cougar. Lilly saw Arthur in a small corner. His leg was scratched up. Winton was face down in the cave and there was blood under him. Lilly watched as the two animals fought and Arthur spotted her.

"Lilly! Get out!" Arthur yelled.

"Shut up, ya eejit! I told ya tah be careful!"

The cougar slashed James in the face and her wolf howled from the pain, backing up and shaking his head. Lilly let an arrow fly and it hit the cougar's shoulder. It screeched and charged for Lilly.

"Run Lilly!"

Lilly threw down her bow, pulled out two knives, and the two combatants collided into each other. The cougar went flailing into the cave wall. Lilly stared at James who recovered from his wound. "James! Get Arthur out of here!"

James bounded to Arthur and nudged under his arm. "Lilly! No!"

"Go, Arthur! Yer only gonna distract me!"

Lilly!"

The cougar got back up and snarled at Lilly. "I SAID GO!"

The cougar hesitantly took steps. "Lilly!"

Arthur suddenly got dragged by his coat collar in the entrance's direction. He was still yelling for her but Lilly ignored him smirking at the dangerous predator. "Alright, ya bitch. Let's have a bloody go!"

"That was some good singin', Mrs. Morgan. Hoo, I gotta hand it to ya!" Micah said as they escaped the vicinity of Strawberry.Lilly, despite the compliment, was spitting nails. "What the hell was that about back there?!"

"Got a bit wild, alright."

"Making a bloody house call and shooting those two people?"

"Ain't much I care about more than those guns."

Lilly grumbled. She understood the sentiment. "I see. Gifts from a loved one?"

"My father's guns."

"Ah. Well," Lilly sighed as the kept riding. "I can relate to that, but who were those people? Was it really necessary to kill them?"

"Skinny and Maddy? Yeah, Skinny and I ran together for a while. Did a bank job down south, didn't end well."

"I believe I just saw how it fecking ended," she said furiously.

Micah laughed maniacally. "He was gonna let me hang. So was his woman."

"God, I wish I had let you hang! What, between that and your god damn perverted and sick ways!"

"Oh, I ain't so bad, Lilly. But I do apologize. There, are you happy?"

"No!"

Micah laughed again. "There's just no pleasin' some people."

"I dunna know why Da likes you so much. That's the only reason why you didna hang. And the only reason I havena killed ya now is because I owe you fer what ya did up north."

"I thought you had memory problems?"

"It's all coming back, slowly but surely."

"What happened?"

Lilly and Micah slowed to a stop. Lilly leaned over her saddle and rubbed her forehead. "Kidnapped, tortured, poisoned, died, then came back to life," she said matter of factly.

Micah gaped at her. "I don't believe it. You expect me to believe that?"

"No. Everyone else at camp will tell you exactly what happened, but only a few people saw what was done to my..." Lilly paused. "My back."

"Your back?"

Lilly lowered her face. "I was flogged with a barbed whip."

"Jesus. I don't believe that either."

Lilly glared at him, turned her horse to have her back to him, and untucked her shirt. "Take a look for yourself, Mr. Bell."

"Ha! You trust me to not take your whole shirt off?"

"You do that and I will rip your bloody head off," she growled.

"Fair enough," Micah laughed. When he pulled up her outer and undershirt, he didn't say anything. Lilly turned her head and saw him frowning. "...Who did this to you?"

"A man named Brutus. He was under the instruction of a Joseph Pierce. And I have no idea why it was done to me."

"I am sorry, Lilly. This is cruel, even for my standards." Lilly felt him drop her shirt. "I'm givin' you a holster. My way of sayin' thank you."

Lilly turned her horse around. "Seriously?" She wheezed out a laugh. "That isn't enough."

"Oh, alright." He tossed her the holster. "Now, I'm headin' back to my little camp 'round back of Strawberry. Come see me, maybe I can make things up to you?"

Lilly arched a brow. "If you're referring to something foul and scandalous, I-"

"No no, nothin' like that, Mrs. Morgan. I promise."

"Tch. You're not coming back with me?"

"No, I've been a bad boy, Lilly. I ain't seein' Dutch till I can bring him a peace offerin'."

"What did you have in mind for that?"

"A robbery. Bankin' coach comes about this time into Strawberry. I heard one of the O'Driscoll boys yappin' about it while I was inside."

"Huh. A robbery," Lilly said. She was intrigued. "...You want to make things up to me? Let me come with."

Micah smirked with a squinted eye. "You? An amnesiac and a noble? What kind of noble are you, anyway?"

"Countess of Moycullen. The second."

"Hoo! Ain't that somethin'?"

"Look, I heard about Mr. Marston planning a train robbery. I need to relearn how robberies go and I need the money."

"Why?" Micah asked suspiciously.

"I plan on going home to Ireland. I have a...well, I was betrothed to someone since infancy. Plus, I must go reclaim my estate."

Micah laughed. "You are just full of surprises. I like your gumption, Countess. But what about Arthur?"

"Screw him! He's a contemptuously selfish and irritating gobshite! And we were only handfasted. It's not legally binding as a marriage."

"Oh, so you're single?" Micah spoke with a suggestive wink.

"Stop acting the maggot!" Lilly snapped.

"What?" Micah giggled.

"Stop messing around!"

"Oh. Well, let's go rob a coach!"

Lilly scowled. "After you, Mr. Bell."

The cougar and Lilly faced off, circling around. Lilly was glad her eyes adjusted well, even though three lanterns illuminated the area. Lilly smirked with a jerk of her head.

"Come on! Millie up, ya stupid, nutty, albino bombay shitehawk!" The creature snarled and hissed before rushing Lilly again. It tackled her and it clawed her arm. "Fuck!"

Lilly held the animal up and stabbed it in the side. The cougar backed off with the knife still in and she snarled before coming at Lilly again. It tried to bite Lilly's foot but she kicked the cougar with the bottom of her foot. Lilly heard bone crunch. The predator fell down but got back up, its jaw broken and slacked. Lilly scooted back, pulled out her revolver, and shot the animal in the head sever times before it finally was killed.

"Jesus McKinley Christ!" she exclaimed. Just then, James came padding in and licked her face. Lilly went on her back and sighed from the pain in her arm. She looked at it and blinked. It was healing before her very eyes. "Bloody hell..."

Lily heard a groan. She grabbed one of the lanterns and looked for Winton. He had rolled over and was groaning. "Ow..."

Lilly ran over to inspect him. The only damage was a nasty looking cut to his forehead and a scratched up shoulder. "Mr. Holmes! You're alive!"

"Ugh, barely."

"Can you walk?"

"I think so." Lilly held out her hand and Winton took it. She helped him up carefully and he groaned. "Ow...thank you." He looked around and saw the cat. "You got her."

"Yes, but I'm afraid her coat is a little damaged."

"You took her down. That's what...wait, where's your husband?"

"Just outside." Lilly pat James on the head. He no longer had claw marks on his face. Huh. That probably explained how the boys survived being shot by Brutus. Heh. Lilly picked up the dead cougar. "Come on, let's get outta here."

"Gladly."

Winton grabbed the other two lanterns and Lilly's bow, then they went in the direction of the exit. When Lilly turned the corner, she saw Arthur laying down on the ground and she laughed. "Takin' a break, mo chuisle?" Arthur slowly got up and spotted his wife.

"Lillian," he said. Lilly was glad Arthur was okay. She dropped everything and ran to Arthur, holding him as she closed in and shutting her eyes to hold back tears. Arthur held her tightly as if they hadn't seen each other for a whole lifetime. "God dammit Lilly, you scared the daylight out of me! Don't ever do that again!"

"I won't as long as you don't ever do that again." Lilly didn't care about bring scolded. She breathed him in, the smell of pine trees being a comfort to her. "Tá mé i ngrá leat." [I am in love with you.]

"Tá mé i ngrá leat," he replied. "Your arm." [I am in love with you.]

Lilly looked down and saw fresh scars on her forearm. "It's fine. I'm a fast healer," she joked.

Arthur found it in himself to chortled and kissed her. He looked behind her and gawked. "He's alive too?"

"Yes. Now let's get you both to a doctor."