Jud
Jud could sense his presence before he opened the door. He put his hand on his Colt .45, flung open the door, and lifted his gun.
"What're you doin' here?"
"Please accept my deepest apologies" El Gallo offered. "I truly meant no harm."
"You told her…you ruined everythin', I thought you was supposed to be discreet. You kept sayin' the plan would work, that she'd love me. What was the point if you was just gonna go ahead and tell her?"
"I know; it was a mistake. You see, I assumed she knew." He tripped over his words before Jud could interrupt. "Most men in your situation have a closer relationship with the girl in question beforehand, a relationship such that the young lady isn't even all that surprised when the truth is revealed to her. I assumed you two were close enough, or at least had grown close enough this last year, that you would have confessed all to her and she would understand and forgive all."
Jud stared, skeptical of his motivations, skeptical like he should have been all along. "No, you just wanted her for yourself. Can't get away with pretendin' otherwise no more. You thought that'd work, just showin' up here? Thought you could talk her into goin' with you?"
He had the decency to not deny it, at least. "I want to help you. I made a mistake, and I truly would like to make it up to you."
"No"
"Please, I made her fall in love with you once, I could do it again; I would be willing to stage another, a more dramatic, abduction free of charge. I could show her the world, show her everything wrong and frightening in it so she'll long to be back on the farm with you. I could show her things so awful, do things to her so horrible that being back in your arms, back in the American heartland will be the only balm to soothe her. I've done it before, and it's worked, believe me."
Jud didn't even think about it. "No, no, you're crazy. You put her through enough. You can't do that to her."
"But don't you want her to love you again?"
"Yeah, 'course I do. Just not like that again. Not with your help. You gotta get out. Never wanna see you back here." Jud raised his gun.
"Your wife made that same threat, but somehow it was less convincing coming from her."
Jud shook his head. "Nah, she'd kill you if she had the chance. You don't know her like I do. Don't know what she's capable of. But while you're here, I might just be the one to kill you first. Maybe that'd be the thing to get her to love me back, what do you think?"
El Gallo slunk out, and Jud watched him go to his wagon. Jud aimed his Colt .45 at El Gallo's head, itching to pull the trigger, to make sure he never returned. He lowered his hand, however. The last thing Laurey needed was a husband in jail. Eventually, the rapid beat of his heart slowed and he turned back to the farmhouse; he wouldn't tell Laurey what happened, but he had to stay with her, make sure she was safe, even if she didn't know the dangers out there.