A/N: Sorry for the long delay. I've been busy with other stories and things in my life; Lady Prince was on hold for a while. But here is the next chapter. Enjoy!
Chapter Six
Rachel woke the next morning to find only ash remaining in the spot where the fire had been blazing the night previously. The bright morning sunshine made it hard to focus as she got up, searching for Charlie. As usual, Tommy Darden was close by and grinning at her in his ordinary perverted manner. She quickly looked away, crossing her arms and sat up in the spot where she had slept. For a while the other men chatted away amongst themselves, taking very little notice of Rachel. To them she was just a nuisance which Charlie had brought upon them.
"Boss, do you really think it's a good idea usin' her as bait?" Wade's second in command asked him as they stood in the shade of a withering tree, scorched and aged by the summer sun. Absently, Charlie fiddled with the holster of his Schofield, trying not to look Wade in the eyes.
"Why are you so worried about her, Charlie?" Wade asked, smirking from beneath the brim of his hat. "She's no use to us and you know my opinion on women in the outfit. All she's good for is a diversion."
Charlie glanced across to where Rachel was sitting and watched her for a couple of seconds. "You know that ah've always done what you've asked of me, Boss, but ah just think this is wrong. She's only a kid and she's scared."
Ben smiled again and placed his hand on Charlie's shoulder. "We'll ask the rest of the boys and see what they say." Sighing, Charlie watched the Boss walk away and scuffed at the dirt beneath his boot.
As Rachel brushed a hand through her hair and got to her feel, yawning, she noticed Charlie head her way. "You okay?" he asked her, folding the blanket up from where she'd been sleeping.
"I'm alright, thank you," Rachel replied.
"Did you sleep alright?" Charlie asked, turning to her and looking in her eyes. As he looked at her, he felt nothing but guilt. How could he let her be the bait for them? "Ah heard you mumbling again."
Rachel's brow crumpled upon his words. "I just have bad dreams sometimes. But I slept fine. Why are you concerned about me all of a sudden?" she asked, a smile spreading on her face and a giggle threatening to come through.
"Why can't ah ask?" Charlie asked, giving her a smile. "Ah thought women liked fuss."
The outfit left a short while later after packing all of their bed rolls into their saddle bags and making sure they had relieved themselves properly for the long journey ahead. Rachel, once again, rode behind Charlie on his horse. On the odd occasion they spoke to one another. "So what's it like where you're from?" Charlie asked at one point, having grown curious as to exactly who Rachel was and where she was from.
"Well," Rachel began, gripping Charlie's leather jacket tightly. "I'm originally from England and I lived with my mom and dad. We had a lot of family problems start and so I left for America."
Charlie felt a sudden rush of sadness wash over him as he thought on when he left home. It was the day his younger brother, Tom, had died. Charlie had beaten his father black and blue due to all the years he and Tom had suffered, and then set off to find a new life. "What was ya Ma like?" Charlie asked, thinking on the fact that when he left home, he never saw his mother again.
Rachel smiled at the thought of her Mom. "One of the kindest people I've ever met. When I lived with her and Dad, we'd stay up late at night and watch films together. I miss her so much. Why do you ask, Charlie?"
"Ah just ain't seen mah Ma in years," he began, exhaling loudly. "Ah heard she killed herself after ah left."
"I'm really sorry," Rachel said softly, meaning her words. "It doesn't sound much, but I really am sorry."
"Thanks. You're probably the first person ah've met who's given a damn."
The rest of the day seemed to pass quicker than it had done the day previously. The outfit passed old abandoned buildings, fields full of cattle and by the end of the day as the sun began to sink lower beneath the horizon they came across a large house. The building seemed new and outside was a stagecoach. In the distance behind the residence was a stable, and on the air the sounds of horses neighing could be heard. Wade who was at the head of the group guided the rest of the outlaws up the dirt path which lead up to the main door of the house.
"Looks like we're gonna stop here the night," Charlie whispered to Rachel.
As the group of outlaws, consisting of nine men, arrived at the front of the house, Wade got down from his horse and walked to the front door, knocking hard upon it. A few seconds later, a middle aged, grey haired woman greeted the visitors. "Sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but we were hopin' you could put us up for the night. We'll pay you generously, of course," Wade said, giving her a smile and removing his hat.
The woman eyed the men in turn, her dark eyes stern and cold. "How much?" she asked, her small lips pursed together tightly as if she were eating a lemon.
"Twenty dollars for all'a us," Wade replied. "Generous enough?"
"Take the animals round the back. Ah'll get mah son to help you," she said, half hissing and closed the door sharply.
At the back of the large house, a young man in his mid twenties took the horses from the outfit, not asking any questions as he already gathered they were outlaws. Their clothing and the guns at their hips gave their identity away.
Charlie helped Rachel down from the horse and stopped her a moment as she went ahead to walk on towards the house. "Rachel? Take this just in case you come across any trouble," he told her, pulling one of his Schofields from its holster. It rested in his leather clad palm.
"But it's yours," Rachel told Charlie, looking at the gun and then looking back up into Charlie's pale green eyes.
"Ah know it's mine and that's why I'm offering it to ya. Take it," he instructed, grabbing her hand roughly and placing it in her palm.
"Thank you," Rachel said softly, smiling at Charlie. She couldn't understand why his attitude towards her had changed so drastically this past two days. Maybe he was protecting her from the rest of the outfit; she didn't quite know. Rachel looked into his eyes for a moment and searched them for emotions. One minute they were bursting with anger, the next they were saddened by memories from long ago. They were always like a rough sea, turbulent, mysterious and ever changing.
Charlie felt himself grow nervous as she looked at him, as if looking into him, through him, trying hard to read who he truly was inside. He looked away quickly and turned on his heel, heading for the back door of the house. Rachel followed on behind Charlie, looking up at the beautiful sky which was plastered in bright reds, pinks and purples. The haze of the sun was dissolving slowly and the heat was gradually shifting.
Rachel walked through the back door of the house, trailing behind the outlaws. She looked at the walls, noticing old black and white photos of children and a young man. Maybe the lady of the house's husband?
The old grey haired woman suddenly appeared from an ornately decorated room. "You'll probably have to pair up. Ah haven't got enough room for you all to have a room each," she said, beginning to ascend up the stairs in front of Wade.
"That's fine, ma'am. We just need somewhere to lay our heads tonight," Wade replied, following her up the stairs.
The woman showed the group the rooms one by one, walking steadily down the hallway. Paintings and more photographs hung from the white washed walls, and a stale smell hung in the air, almost making Rachel sneeze. "You wanna bunk with me, darlin'?" Tommy asked, nudging Rachel and curling his arm around her waist. Rachel grimaced in disgust as the outlaw's yellow teeth and bad breath.
"Ugh!" she exclaimed, shifting away.
"She's bunkin' with me, Tommy. Leave her be," Charlie growled.
"Come on, Charlie. Why do you have all the fun? Share her around with all of us," Tommy sneered.
Each of the men sought out their pairs, leaving Charlie to pair with Rachel. Together, she and Charlie walked, one after the other, into their designated room. The room was bare, having only a single cupboard, a shelf by the window and a double bed in the centre of the room.
"Thank you for that, Charlie," Rachel said softly, stopping a moment and looking up at him.
"Ah know how Tommy is. He has no respect for anyone but himself," Charlie growled. Rachel immediately dropped to the bed and curled into a foetal position, resting her head on the pillow.
"That is so nice," Rachel said in delight, closing her eyes.
When Rachel finally opened her eyes again, she was looking through the dim light of an oil lamp. There beside her, sat on the edge of the bed was Charlie. In his hands was a book. "Damn it!" he cursed.
Rachel got up, yawning and crawled to the other side of the double bed so she was sat beside him. "Here, let me help you," she said softly, leaning over, brushing his arm and looking at the book. As Charlie tried his hardest to sound out the words, Rachel guided him along assisting and correcting wherever necessary. "Ah can't do this! I'm dumb, let's face it!" Charlie shouted, tossing the book across the room.
"You're not dumb at all!" Rachel exclaimed, picking up the book and placing it back in Charlie's lap. "I know what's wrong and it's not because you're stupid. You've probably got dyslexia."
"What the hell is that?" Charlie asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.
"It's a disorder which means you have problems reading. I've known people with it. Don't be disheartened by it. I'll help you read. I promise when I'm finished with you, you'll be able to read any book you wish." With that, Rachel smiled broadly, placing her hands on her hips. "Now, come on, open up the book and we'll start again."
Charlie smiled at her appreciatively. Why was she being so kind to him when she knew full well what he did daily? All he did was steal and kill. But she still saw him as a person. Rachel saw him as Charlie Prince the man, not Charlie Prince the wanted outlaw.
Suddenly a knock at the door grabbed their attention. Charlie growled to himself, getting up from the bed and stormed to the door. "What?" he asked evilly, opening the door and looking into the eyes of a startled young woman who didn't look much older than Rachel.
"Ah bought your dinners," she half stuttered, her pouting lips quivering. With no other words spoken, Charlie grabbed the food tray and rushed back inside, slamming the door.
For the rest of the evening, Charlie and Rachel remained huddled together over the old, tatty book. A tray of food sat close by within hands reach, and every now and again Rachel or Charlie would grab a piece of bread or a mouthful of meat as they continued reading. No matter how many times Charlie cursed or growled in irritation, Rachel stopped him and reassured him she'd one day accomplish her goal: helping him finally be able to read.
The old oil lamp gave out just enough light for them to concentrate. Charlie's dirty finger traced the lines of words, guiding him along as his eyes and mind tried hard to comprehend the letters typed into the page. Rachel smiled as she noticed a vast improvement in only a couple of hours. He was now able to read a complete paragraph with only a few stumbles. He couldn't read as quickly as most adults, but it was a matter of time.
Charlie looked up at Rachel and smiled, straightening his aching back. "Thank you," he told her quietly. "Ah appreciate this. No one ever had time to sit down and help me like this."
"You're welcome," Rachel replied, closing the dusty book. "I'm not sure how long I'm going to be here, but I'll help you as much as I can. All you need to do is ask."
Bidding her goodnight, Charlie took off his shirt and tossed it over the end of the bed next to his white leather jacket, then pulled off his boots. He eased himself into the double bed, turning his back away from Rachel as not to make her uncomfortable. For a short while he looked out the bedroom window, watching the moonlight high in the sky. Should he tell her about the upcoming raid and Wade's plans to use her as bait? Charlie sighed as he closed his eyes, wondering why on Earth he was becoming so eat up over this. Anyone else and he'd have gladly risked their life, tossing them to the wolves for the money. But this was different.
As Rachel slept behind him, her soft breath wafted against his back. For this first time in his life, Charlie Prince knew that he was letting his feelings take hold of his reasoning. He was allowing himself to develop feelings for Rachel….