"LARABEE'S LADY: THE ELLA FACTOR" – CHAPTER EIGHT
Title: "Larabee's Lady: The Ella Factor"
Author: Michelle Heath
Rating: MA for adult language and situations
Summary: An old flame causes trouble for Chris and Catherine.
Date Written: September 26, 2010
Disclaimer: Chris Larabee, Vin Tanner, J.D. Dunne, Buck Wilmington, Josiah Sanchez, Ezra Standish, Nathan Jackson, Casey Wells, Mary Travis, Nettie Wells, Inez, Ella Gaines, Jack Averell, and The Magnificent Seven are the property of TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM and Triology Entertainment. Other characters, i.e., Catherine Stewart, Jonathan Stewart, Eloise Stewart, Henrietta Wilkes, Miles Kettering, etc. are the sole property of the author. The author makes no profit from this work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story follows my first story, "Larabee's Lady" in which Chris Larabee met and fell in love with Catherine Stewart, Mary Travis' best friend. I didn't like the whole Ella Gaines story line, so I wrote "Larabee's Lady" without bringing Ella into it, but I've decided that maybe she can provide some interesting dynamics.
(Making her way upstairs and to one of the guest rooms, Ella makes sure no one has followed her as she ducks into the room where Fred Keeler is waiting.)
Ella: "Well?"
Keeler: "We got her and her housekeeper, too."
Ella: "And she's not been harmed? No one has touched her?"
Keeler: "No, Ma'am. Did just what you said. Got em' over at that abandoned house other side of the old Seaton place."
Ella: "All right. Make sure that no one lays a finger on Catherine Stewart. If she's harmed in any way it will ruin everything, and I'll kill any man who touches her!
(Chris has posted a watch and, sure enough, just before noon, Jack Averell and his men ride into the front yard of Ella's house. After a brief confrontation with the Seven, they just ride away. All of the Seven have a bad feeling about this. They're all wondering why Jack Averell and his men would just leave without much of a fight.)
Vin: "Somethin's not right here, Chris."
Ezra: "Indeed. Although we are a formidable group of peach keepers, I find it difficult to believe that Mr. Averell would be willing to just . . ride away and leave this alone."
Chris: "I agree, Ezra. What am I missing here?"
Vin: "She's up to something, Chris. I'm goin' to ride over to Red Fork and see what I can find out."
Chris: "All right. I've already told Ella that we'll be leavin' in the morning."
Josiah: "Think that's a good idea. She's got enough hands around here to handle Averell if he comes back."
(Casey Wells arrives at Catherine's ranch and finds absolutely no one there. The front door of the house is standing wide open and Catherine's rifle is lying on the porch floor. Casey goes through the house and is truly alarmed when she can't find a soul. As she steps back out onto the porch, the three hands who buried the mare come back to the barn, and, after speaking with them for a few minutes, Casey is riding as fast as she can to Four Corners. . .
Catherine and Mrs. Tyson are sitting on the floor of an abandoned house not far from Ella's warily watching three of the men who abducted them. Bringing Mrs. Tyson along was a stroke of genius because Catherine absolutely will not do anything to endanger the older woman and the men know it. Although she has repeatedly asked why she and Mrs. Tyson have been taken, the men only laugh and tell her to behave so they don't have to hurt the older woman. Thinking about where they are, Catherine begins to figure out who's behind their abduction and why, and a slow, burning anger begins to build within her. . .
Ella, looking very full of herself, strolls out to the yard where everyone but Vin, are talking and smiles at all of them winningly.)
Ella: "I'd like to throw a little party tonight to thank all of you for chasing off that nasty man."
Nathan: "That's really not necessary, Ma'am."
Ella: "Of course, it is. After all, you'll all be leaving in the morning, and my other guests are so looking forward to it."