Chapter 5
Isabelle felt relieved as she walked up the main street of Clarion. Her arrival had been surrounded by such a huge cloud of dust that she was unable to see anything in the small town. Now that she was free of the room her sister had left her in, and seeing as it was such a lovely day, Belle intended to have a look around.
Belle walked up the street, smiling at people as she passed. As she walked along the boarded streets, she felt as if she was being watched. Looking up the road, she saw Vin Tanner leaning on the post she had left him at, right outside the jail. She smiled shyly at him when he nodded his head toward her. She decided she didn't want to speak to Vin again until she was absolutely sure she had her bearings. Instead she turned off the main road and took the side street up to the livery stables.
Belle entered the barn and walked directly to the stall that had held Connelly's beautiful black stallion. It was indeed empty this morning. That put a damper on Isabelle's mood. She really felt like a ride today. However, since the horse was gone, Belle walked up to another black horse and began to stroke its nose.
"Don't go spoiling my horse now."
Belle whirled around, hair flying over her shoulder. Her face went from scared anxiousness to a friendly smile. "Why, Mr. Larrabee. I didn't even realize this was your horse."
"Yeah, that one's mine. And that one," he pointed to a black beauty nearby. "That's Vin's."
Belle felt her face get warm. She looked away from Larrabee. "Isn't that interesting? Do you always corral your horses so close together?" She patted the horse on its nose.
"Usually. Makes it easier for when we ride out." Larrabee walked over to where she stood and leaned against his horse's stall. "Does Vin know?"
Belle looked up at the man, her eyes widened in shock. "Does Vin know what, Mr. Larrabee?"
Larrabee smiled at her in a knowing way. "How much you care about him."
Belle looked away from him again. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."
"I highly doubt that."
Belle whirled toward him, her face flushed in anger. "Mr. Larrabee, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not the type of girl who feels much of anything. Or did my agreement with Terrence Connelly not prove that?" She took a step toward the door.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Belle." Larrabee's voice sounded sincerely sorry. He was silent for a minute as Belle looked around the stables at the horses and equipment. Then he cleared his throat. "You know Connelly will be back, don't you?"
"I assumed as much." Belle sighed. She faced him. "What do I need to do? Turn myself over to him? Keep running? I made a deal."
Chris took a step closer to her. "You know as well as I do that Connelly wasn't going to keep you as a cook and clean for long. He was going to find another use for you."
Belle laughed coldly. "You make him sound so sinister. He's no different than any other man I know." She took another step closer to the Seven's ringleader.
"Pretty cynical point of view for a girl so young." Larrabee hooked his fingers onto his pockets and stood his ground with only a few inches between them. They stared each other down.
"Is it?" Belle didn't flinch under Larrabee's gaze. "I don't think so. When every man I've ever met only wants what my body can give him."
"Well, maybe if you offered something other than your body, they wouldn't act like that."
Belle looked shocked. She fell back against the nearest post and sighed. "You're probably right." She looked up at Larrabee and smiled. "However did we get on this topic, Mr. Larrabee?"
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe we ventured into it because you denied caring for Vin."
Belle threw her hands up in surrender. "Alright, you caught me. I like Vin. He's a nice man. Smart and sweet." Belle's features softened and she smiled sweetly. "Mary used to write me letters about you. All of you. But none of them compared to the ones she sent my mother. They were…inspiring." She returned her attention to the nearest horse: Vin's. Patting the horse's nose, she went on. "My letters were full of adventure, excitement. The things that Mary thought I wanted to hear."
Larrabee smiled. "Of course. You are the rebellious one."
Belle laughed. "I guess. But the letters to Ma, they were incredible. Pages upon pages of sweat, blood, tears. The honest truth about the Seven of you." She whirled around and looked deep into Larrabee's eyes. "The story that touched me the most was about this sweet, soulful man. A man who was believed guilty, yet fought for his innocence. A man who respected women, and protected the weak. Who was deep and caring. Who even though he was around thirty, he still wanted to learn to read." Belle's eyes started to shine with unshed tears. "I fell in love with this ideal man my sister painted with her words."
Larrabee smiled and nodded his head in encouragement. "Your sister is capable of pretty incredible things."
Belle nodded. "I had this image of him. You know how girls can be." She chuckled. "I couldn't wait to get here to meet him. And along the way, I met Terrence. He was just a way to get here faster. When I got here, I didn't know where to start. So I went to my liquor. And I saw him." Belle's voice was shaky when she took her next few breaths. "He was better than I had pictured. And standing there next to him in the saloon, I got scared. More than scared; I was terrified." Belle shook her head in frustration. "I feel like I've met my match, Mr. Larrabee."
"Is that a bad thing?" Chris Larrabee had never been so amused. "Maybe you should tell Vin?"
"Tell me what?"
Belle and Chris turned toward the door to the stables. Vin was standing there, hand hitched into his waistband. He was looking from one to the other, curiosity written all over his face. Belle looked from Vin, to Chris, horrorstruck. Chris's amusement was growing by the second.
"Tell me what? Chris? Belle?"
Belle cleared her throat and both men looked at her. "Tell you I'm stealing your horse for the afternoon." She opened the stall holding Vin's stallion and went in, preparing to outfit the horse in its riding gear.
"Oh, I don't think so, miss." Vin came up and took the bridle out of her hands. "You can take Chris's horse." He nodded toward the nearby horse. "I'll take mine and ride with you. Keep an eye out for Connelly."
Chris's eyebrows went up. "Offering my horse?"
Vin turned around and narrowed his eyes. "You were going to let her ride off with mine."
Chris smiled. "Well, all right. But if the horse throws her, it'll be on your head." He opened the stall for his horse and began to put on the riding gear.
Belle stormed playfully into the stall. "Don't worry about the horse throwing me. I can handle myself." She mounted the saddle and rode the stallion out of the stable, Vin right on her heels.
A/N: Progressing slowly, but it's getting there. now you all know that she loves Vin…yay! He's adorable…I love him…R/R.
