It had been a few days since Javier had returned the book to Johanna, and she was still muddled over it. Johanna had clung to the book, not letting it out of her sight, afraid to lose it again. While most of the camp had eyed her for it, only Mary Beth and Charles had smiled at her, finding her love for the novel sweet. Johanna and Mary Beth had spent days sitting side by side, each reading their books in utter quiet, simply enjoying each other's company and the words on the pages in their hands. It was nice. Simple. It reminded Johanna of before, when her father was absent from her life, and she had the sounds of her mother's prostitutes floating up through the floorboards.
Johanna remembered how some of the women in the camp had mentioned being jealous of what Johanna had: a good home and a comfortable life. Johanna missed it, too, but she had a newfound freedom she didn't have before. Now, she could walk around without botheration from Elizabeth and even go into town and experience the world outside her bedroom while indulging herself in things she loved.
Mary Beth's loud scoffing and closing of the book in her hands had gained attention from the redhead sitting beside her, Johanna turning to her with a raised brow. "Is the book not to your liking?" Johanna enquired, her eyes flicking down to the book's spine, seeing that it was the book Mary Beth had picked out in Valentine: An Unrequited Love by Mrs Eden Southworth.
"No," The brunette sighed, shaking her head and having the tight curls of her fringe and neck bounce around. "I mean…it's fine…but…" Mary Beth hummed and tilted her head to the side in condemnation. "It's a story about some girl like myself, marrying a man almost three times her age who's wealthy, and she is trying to navigate the social norms of the rich while dealing with her husband's snobby family." The statement had been made with an overly dramatic scoff and a flair of her arms. Johanna smiled at the sight. She enjoyed how animated the brunette became over a simple story meant to entertain the absent-minded. "Why would a woman deal with such annoyances?" Mary Beth groaned.
Johanna hummed in agreement. "Wish I knew. Society isn't easy to deal with even when you have money, and it isn't easily accepting of those of low stature." She closed her own book, turning to give Mary Beth her full attention.
"I heard, that those wealthy can see a poor person even when they're all dressed up." Mary Beth stated, gasping at the thought.
Johanna looked at her, trying not to laugh. "Well, can't you see a rich person by eye?" she inquired. The brunette immediately blushed, her face crimson at the accusation, but Johanna wasn't wrong. Her group of thieves and conmen were well trained after years of law-breaking and stealing to spot someone with the coin, even if they didn't look it. Wealthy folk always had an air of arrogance about them. They had even seen it in Johanna when she'd first arrived, but those thoughts were gone now by most in the gang. Johanna was slowly becoming one of them.
"Shush!" Mary Beth finally scolded, waving a finger at the redhead in a scolding fashion. Johanna couldn't help but laugh, her hand latching onto her mouth to muffle the sound. Mary Beth quickly laughed, too, giggling like young children together. A few had looked over, eyeing the pair oddly, but they didn't care. Johanna couldn't think of a time she'd been so at ease, and to have a friend so dear as Mary Beth was becoming for her; it was something the woman could have only imagined from her bedroom after years of staring out the window to the world below, admiring the other young women who clung to their friends while engaging in conversation and shopping. Johanna's eyes wandered over the camp as their laughter ceased, observing everyone, pausing on Hosea.
Tonight, Arthur, Charles, and John will head down to Scarlet Meadows, boarding the train meant to carry a bunch of rich folk over the border. The women had heard from Karen that Sean had planned to force himself along. The news of that had been unsettling, as the Irishman was both annoying and a risk to have around, an air of bad luck about him. Johanna had mentioned it to Hosea early this morning, concerned that Sean would somehow affect the plan they had arranged secretly, spreading false information to the O'Driscoll Boys. Hosea was adamant that all would be fine, that enough lies had been fed in the letter to Colm for his gang to arrive too late, finding the stalled train and all the loot gone. Johanna admired Hosea's tenacity to remain positive in everything, but she chalked it up to him having a conman past. It gave him a unique insight into others and planning schemes.
"You okay?" Mary Beth asked, nudging Johanna gently when she had noticed the redhead staring off for far too long.
Johanna shifted, her gaze snapping back to the brunette fast. "Hmm?" She hummed, taking a moment for the woman's question to register in the brain. "Oh? Yes. Fine." Johanna answered, forcing a reassuring smile. "Just hoping it all goes well for the boys tonight." Mary Beth smiled, finding Johanna's worrying to be sweet. She shook her head, dismissing Johanna's concerns. She had faith, as did the rest of the camp, and besides, Dutch had assured everyone that things would go to plan, and soon they would be rich again. Dutch was always speaking so proudly about how everything would go right simply because he had a plan, yet he was always careful never to reveal too much of the plan. It was like someone telling you what you wanted to hear, not what you needed. Judging how Dutch stayed in camp, smoking cigars and flirting with Molly, Johanna could see that he was a charmer who would coax others to do what he wanted, compared to her father, who would threaten people with harm or death. She wondered if Dutch would ever resort to the same tactics if pushed enough.
Mary Beth stood, stretching out her muscles, which had become stiff after sitting for so long. Life at Horseshoe Overlook had become comfortable for the gang, many relaxing and letting down their guard when it came to the surrounding area. In their minds, they had escaped Blackwater and the law, far enough away not to attract Pinkertons.
The O'Driscolls had a heavy presence in the area, which put the more notable Van Der Linde gang members on edge when they were alone outside camp. No one wanted to be caught by the rival gang, knowing that Colm would have put a kill order out to his boys.
"It's a breezy day today," Mary Beth commented, sharing the same sentiments as Johanna regarding the activities within the camp lately. Johanna nodded. When the redhead moved to stand, Mary Beth reached out, assisting her friend to her feet. "Miss Grimshaw is going easy on us today. Hasn't bothered us once about chores or cleaning." Mary Beth looked around, spotting the older woman off in the distance, talking with Uncle.
Johanna followed her gaze. "Think she is planning to commence some great evil against us?"
A cheeky grin crossed Mary Beth's face. "You sound like Tilly." She teased. Mary Beth strolled back into camp with a wink and a wave, planning to stash her novel away before checking on the laundry drying in the midday sun. Johanna smiled at the woman's retreating back. She agreed that she did sound like Tilly, and there was no absurdity to it. Susan Grimshaw was a living nightmare, and worse when she was in a foul mood, which seemed to be often. Standing, Johanna brushed down her skirt, removing visible and unseen dirt from the fabric. Making her way through the camp, she exchanged greetings with the camp's inhabitants, sharing a long and knowing look with Hosea. Tonight would test how her father could be manipulated, something she was eager for but also fearful of. One wrong move and her mother was dead. Hosea was confident it would all play out as intended.
Stopping by Pearson's caravan, Johanna looked around again. She could see everyone around the camp, all but Javier. Pearson must have caught on to her staring quickly around the camp because he asked her if something was wrong.
"Javier," Johanna said, looking at the plump man. "Is he out working a gig?" There was a tone of concern in her voice, one she hadn't picked up, but Pearson did.
His lips twitched, trying to fight back a smile. Since the small brawl between Charles and Javier, the camp had been gossiping about Javier and Johanna when neither heard it. It wasn't a secret that Javier was sweet on Johanna, and the woman's worry for the man had Pearson giddy over more gossip to whisper about the camp. "He's on watch," Pearson spoke, gesturing down past where the horses were stabled. Johanna followed Pearson's hand, looking down through the thick trees. "Maybe go check up on him? He has the day shift and missed lunch." It had been a knowing suggestion, with the large man praying the redhead would take the bait. Pearson couldn't blame Javier for going after Johanna. The woman was rather pretty to look at, and had Javier clearly not made his claim, Pearson would have tried to woo her himself. No way was he stupid enough to risk angering Javier. He had seen how skilled the Mexican man was with a knife.
Johanna pursed her lips, thinking briefly. With her book in her left hand, she swiped up an apple with her right and made her way in the direction Pearson had pointed out, not saying anything. Pearson was chuckling like a child as he watched her go, signalling Lenny to gossip. She trod carefully down the well-hidden path, only marked by fresh horseshoe prints and cart tracks through the thick shrubbery and trees. Javier wasn't hard to spot; the dark blue of his jacket was noticeable against the green of nature. He was busy smoking, his weight on his left side and his left hand perched on his belt. He hadn't heard Johanna approaching, only reacting when she greeted him. The shock of her voice had made him inhale incorrectly, causing him to cough until he had settled his lungs.
"Sorry," Johanna murmured, her brows furrowing as she studied him worryingly. He waved off her concern but looked at her expectantly, wanting to know why she'd come and see him. Johanna shifted uncomfortably but extended out the apple towards him. "Pearson said you missed lunch…"
Javier's eyes flicked between Johanna and the apple in her hand. Dropping his cigarette and crushing it under his heel, he took the offered apple. "Gracias." He nodded. There was an awkward silence between them as he bit into the apple. Javier had purposely chosen to stay away from Johanna, thinking that avoiding the redhead would diminish some of the flutters in his chest. His eyes fell to the book in her left hand. Utopia. Ever since he had brought that cursed book back for her, there has been teasing from Sean, John, and Lenny about his feelings for the woman when they would sit around the campfire outside their tents at night. "You…uh…been reading?" He asked, gesturing to the novel.
"Yes," She smiled, cupping the book in both hands and smiling fondly at the book. "I've lost count of how many times I've read it over the years," Johanna explained. It was a truth. She was only nine when her mother first showed it to her, and Johanna had found it hard to put down since first reading it. It was her favourite of all the books in her mother's library. Paddy Lynn had been a dreamer who wanted to live a peaceful life with his wife and daughter. It's why he had left Ireland, escaping the growing conflicts and famine, only for him to be drawn to America's conflicts. The Civil War. An end to slavery. Johanna licked her lips, a thought entering her mind. "Would you like to read it?" She asked, her green eyes flicking to Javier.
He hadn't expected her to make the offer. His eyes flicked to the book, which was now extended towards him. Javier didn't want to give Johanna an answer. When he'd fled to America five years ago, he did not speak a single word of English. It had been Dutch and the rest of the gang that taught him, and growing up in poverty in Mexico, Javier never had the luxury to learn to read, even in his native tongue. It was shameful compared to Johanna. She'd had the opportunity to learn. Many opportunities that he'd never get to experience.
"No." The answer was blunt, and he felt a pang of guilt when the sweet smile dropped from her face. Johanna retracted her hand, tucking the book in close to her chest. When she turned to leave, Javier stopped her. "Wait…" She did as he asked but didn't turn back to face him, just peering at him over her shoulder. Her gaze hardened the longer it took Javier to speak, the embarrassment of telling the truth about why almost too much. Averting his eyes from her, he swallowed and bit the bullet. "I can't read…"
Johanna's face softened, and she turned to face him again. She hadn't even considered that he couldn't read. It was common. Not many knew how to. It was an issue with the working class, especially the impoverished. "Sorry…I didn't think…" She admitted, clearly her thought. Javier waved her off. He didn't blame her. Hosea had seen to ensure many in the group learned to read. Javier was the one who had never taken the initiative to learn. Johanna looked at the book in her hands. She focused hard on the lessons she'd learnt from Utopia. Utopia has no greed, corruption, or power struggles. The people work together to create a place of trust and support. "I can read it to you," Johanna spoke, the words leaving her mouth as if they held their own control over her. "If you want…"
Javier snapped his gaze to Johanna, staring at her with wide eyes. His eyes shifted back and forth between Johanna and the book. It was one of her most treasured possessions, and when he rejected the offer of reading it himself, she offered to read it to him. Javier had never had anyone read to him before, not even his mother or father. If he wanted. He did. "Yeah," Javier spoke giddily but quickly shrugged and looked away, trying to appear relaxed, not overly eager. "If that's want you want."
Johanna sucked in her lips, trying not to laugh at his coy actions. "I don't mind." She breathed, a hint of a chuckle in her words. The tips of Javier's ears turned pink, but he still didn't turn to face the woman. He knew if he did, his blush would only deepen. "I'll see you at dinner, Javier." Johanna nodded, offering a final farewell before heading back to camp. She smiled when she heard Javier call out 'adiós', once again hearing the eagerness in his tone, but she didn't comment further. She was laughing inside at the ruthless man's shyness towards her, knowing it stemmed from his feelings for her. Had Hosea not known who Johanna was at first glance, Javier would have been a suitable patsy to use to her father's benefit.
She frowned at the thought of using him that way. The pang of guilt in her chest was undeniable. Johanna let her eyes wander around the camp, taking in each person she was beginning to build connections to, never having had her own friends until now. At Elizabeth's home, the prostitutes were amicable with Johanna, but at the end of the day, they were her mother's workers, not companions she could put her trust in.
Arthur should have known that the plan would fall apart when Sean decided to tag along. It went smoothly until John sent him off to find the bloody Irishman, having to first save the idiot from being killed, and then the lawmen had to show up. Arthur felt confident when it had just been the two men riding in on their horses. Four against two. Good numbers. Arthur had jinxed it with his big mouth. Another ten had ridden out of the trees, guns ready to shoot the outlaws down. Arthur hadn't even gotten a single shot off before a long bullet had come out of nowhere, followed by a group of O'Driscoll Boys.
Arthur, Sean, John and Charles were pegged in on the small open train carriage, surrounded by enemies and bullet flying. They had to keep their heads low so as not to get shot. Charles had been yelling how they needed to get out of there, which was easier said than done. The idea was to look for a gap, a space they could slip through and escape. Everyone kept their heads down, observing as the lawmen and O'Driscolls fought each other, practically ignoring the men. It worked to their advantage. Dropping down off the flatbed carriage, the men were hunched over as they dashed for the cover of the trees, guns in hand, ready if they needed to defend themselves, but they weren't noticed until they had mounted their horses, the lawmen splitting up, sending a group after Arthur, Sean, John and Charles.
They knew they had to lose or shoot the men off their horses. Couldn't risk leading the lawmen back to their camp, putting everyone else in danger. It took a few well-timed shots over his shoulder, but Arthur got one in the chest and another in the neck, the two men falling limply off their horses. Charles and John had fired off their own shots, the three of them not lowering their guns until in the clear. Being the bad shot he was, Sean hadn't tried to fire his own gun. He'd deal with the ridicule he'd face from it later.
"Whoa!" Each man cried as they settled their horses, taking a moment to breathe now that they were in the clear and remove the bandannas covering the lower halves of their faces.
"That was fun boys. Real fun. I can see why they call you the professionals of the outfit." Sean chuckled, teasing the three men as their horses gathered in a circle. Arthur had groaned at him to 'shut up', wishing for the fool to quiet himself while tossing out an even share to everybody. "At least we made some money…and what did I get?" Sean smiled broadly, his missing tooth showing. "Gotta be a hundred dollars here. Very nice." He flaunted the stack of cash around, making everyone roll their eyes.
"And you weren't even invited…" Arthur rasped. He didn't enjoy how much bad luck the Irishman was.
"What now?" John asked, looking at Arthur, his cut safely stored in his inner jacket pocket. As much as Arthur was eager for another gig, knowing they needed a big score to put some space between the gang and the law finally, he had concerns. Having the lawmen appear as they did was one thing, but the O'Driscoll Boys, too, was over the top. Also, how did the law know they needed to show up in the first place? "Arthur…?" John called out to him, gaining the older man's attention and snapping Arthur from his thoughts. "Was that a set-up? Law turned up real fast." He spoke, mimicking Arthur's concerns aloud for the rest to hear. "O'Driscolls, too."
"I don't know…" Arthur shook his head. He didn't like this, but Dutch needed to be told. "We best head back to camp. We'll go separately. I'll have to inform Dutch." Arthur breathed deeply to himself once the others left, taking the moment of solitude to relax. After encountering Pinkerton's while fishing with Jack, he had already spoken to Dutch yesterday, a request made by the boy's mother, Abigail. Dutch had blown Arthur off. The gang's leader was too prideful to accept that they were in possible danger. Dutch always had a plan, after all. Groaning, Arthur adjusted his hat and pulled on the reins, galloping off towards Horseshoe Overlook.
It was still earlier hours when Arthur returned, passing Lenny, who was keeping watch, and the two sharing a nod. John and Charles had already returned, beating Arthur, yet Sean's horse was absent, meaning the Irish bastard hadn't made his way home yet. Rubbing a hand over his face, Arthur decided to get a few hours of sleep. God knows he needed it. Trudging over to his tent, Arthur tossed his hat aside onto the crate by his cot before collapsing onto the cotton sheets. It hadn't taken long for sleep to take him, his body and mind giving in to the fatigue.
Johanna was scrubbing inside the cooking pot after breakfast, trying to remove the excess porridge, when she heard the raised voices, making her pause and look up. She glanced at Pearson, the man also distracted by the sound. He looked at her, obvious concern and curiosity mixing in his eyes. Pearson dropped his knife, halting the carving of some rabbits for lunch, and Johanna tossed the cleaning rag inside the pot. The two followed the voices, hearing the distinct voices of Arthur and Dutch. They were standing outside Dutch's tent, Hosea with them and Molly watching from within, sitting on the small bed she shared with her lover. Pretty much the entire camp had gathered around. It was rare that Dutch would raise his voice; the man always appeared calm and poised, even when he was angry. Everyone was used to Arthur's aggression.
"I'm just as upset about this as you are, Arthur, but I doubt it was a set-up." Dutch tried to reason, reaching out and grasping the younger man's shoulders. Arthur groaned loudly, almost animalistic, as he shoved his way out of Dutch's arms. He started to pace around, annoyed that Dutch was dismissing his concerns.
Taking a few quick steps, Johanna approached Charles, the dark-skinned man watching the scene with crossed arms and a frown on his face. "What happened last night?" She whispered, knowing full well that the men had a run-in with the O'Driscolls but played it off, acting all innocent. Charles took a deep breath, his entire body moving with his lungs. He didn't look away from Arthur as he spoke, explaining that they had been cornered by lawmen who they assumed had been waiting in the trees for them, and then a group of O'Driscoll Boys had shown up. He, John, Arthur and Sean had been lucky to escape safely. Johanna gazed up at him in shock, her green eyes wide and mouth agape. Lawmen had been waiting for them? It truly did sound like a set-up. Her head snapped towards Arthur, watching as the man continued to yell at Dutch, yet her eyes moved past him to Hosea. The old man was staring at her. After looking at her momentarily, Hosea could see the true alarm in the woman's eyes. Both of them were concerned over the involvement of the law, having only expected the O'Driscolls.
"Listen, everyone!" Dutch said loudly, gesturing to those gathered around, oozing charisma. "We are perfectly safe here. The law can't find us, nor will Colm O'Driscoll and his ilk. Once we get enough, we'll be safely away before anything bad happens." His words were sickly sweet, honey on the ears of those willing to be lulled by his speech. Arthur, Hosea and Johanna were those not easily swayed. Hosea and Arthur had been with Dutch for the longest; they had witnessed how Dutch would lead blindly, his self-confidence and hubris obscuring him from the dangers they had before him. Dutch gestured for everyone to put their concerns behind them and return to their tasks, ushering them away from his tent. Johanna shared a look with Hosea, her eyes flicking between him and Pearson's caravan. He understood immediately. As everyone dispersed, Hosea joined Johanna behind the caravan, ensuring no eyes were on them as they talked.
"The lawmen…" Johanna whispered, picking up the discarded rag and beginning to scrub again. "How did they know?" She eyed the old man from the corner of her eye, studying his reaction. His jaw was clenched, and his hands were on his hips. He didn't know how they knew. Either it was a set-up from the beginning, or someone in their camp leaked the information. "They weren't Pinkertons, were they?" She asked, her face softening as she saw the calculations running behind his eyes.
"No," Hosea spoke, shaking his head. He stepped around the caravan, still in sight of Johanna, and looked around the camp, observing everyone. The gang members were practically acting like they hadn't just witnessed the one-sided screaming match that Arthur and Dutch had given them, instead going on with chores and drinking. "Not sure how they knew, but they knew." He answered, glancing back at the woman. Hosea sighed. He reached out and leaned against a thin wooden pillar holding a tarp overhead. "Do you think your father…?" He started to whisper tensely, eyes narrowing.
Johanna stilled. She took a moment to think about the question Hosea was implying. Would Colm have alerted the lawmen of the plan to rob the train, even if it meant risking his own men? Yes. Colm would do anything to disrupt Dutch's plans. "He's cruel and vindictive enough." She hissed, her eyes dropping, and she began scrubbing again. Hosea frowned, watching as she forced the rag against the iron pot's interior, scrubbing rigorously. Johanna was using her chores to get out her aggression, an action she needed to do, and Hosea didn't dare scold her for it. The gang comprised a mixture of people with mother and father issues, and she was no different. Hosea didn't offer her a goodbye before leaving, giving her the time to work out her anger. But they understood each other. Johanna hadn't betrayed his trust, nor did he outright accuse her.
Hosea needed to strategies further. Even with Johanna's insight and assistance, Colm O'Driscoll was a prickly man to outmanoeuvre. It was a chess game, yet you did not know your opponent's movements until your pieces were knocked off the board. Making his way over to his tent, Hosea sat on a small crate. Leaning forward, his elbows were on his knees, and he rubbed his jaw, feeling the rough stubble on his palm. There was too much going on at once, too many pieces on the board and in play. Hosea looked to Dutch's tent over his shoulder, spotting their fearless leader cuddled up close with Molly, whispering sweet-nothings into her ear as if there weren't sharks in the water drawn in by his blood.
He knew he couldn't act further against the O'Driscolls until he heard back from his contacts. Hosea had met with a few of his most trusted contracts, people whom Dutch and Arthur didn't know. His long years of criminal activities allowed Hosea to meet a range of colourful characters of ill repute, some trustworthy and others he would rather avoid until his death. The three men he'd met with had agreed to look into the O'Driscoll Boys on his behalf, investigating their base of operations and identifying the location of Elizabeth Lynn. They would write back to him with their findings. Hosea wasn't sure how many locations Colm would be operating from or how many loyal followers he had in his gang. It was proving to be a hassle.
Having noticed Hosea's stare, Dutch had left Molly's embrace and made his way to his old friend, an overconfident smile on his lips. "What's on your mind, Hosea? Not thinking about what Arthur told us, are you?" He chuckled, oozing self-assurance.
Hosea frowned. "I am." The answer had made Dutch's lip twitch, but he held onto his smile, yet Hosea could see the frustration burning in his friend's eyes. He had struck a nerve with Dutch. Dutch didn't like being challenged, even by those closest to him. The man saw himself as a born leader. Hosea saw him as just another con man, only this one didn't know when to quit. "You're too sure of yourself, Dutch." Hosea lectured, gazing up at the man with a stern look. Hosea was never intimidated by his friend, even when the scowl formed on Dutch's lips.
"Don't," Dutch hissed. His eyes narrowed, and he pointed sternly down at the greying man. But Hosea just stared back, unaffected.
"The group needs certainty, Dutch," Hosea spoke. His even tone and showing that Dutch's warning did nothing to change his mind. "Blackwater left us scattering like rats, and then we lost Jenny and the Callander boys. We almost lost Sean and John."
"I am giving them certainty!" Dutch spat back.
"Promises aren't a certainty." Hosea scolded. He groaned and rubbed his jaw. He felt a headache from the stress of dealing with Dutch's ego. "You're giving them hope." He sighed, moving to stand. Dutch went ridged, taking the action as an offence, that Hosea was challenging his authority as the gang's leader. But instead of taking it further, Hosea just walked away, leaving the argument before it turned into the possibility of one of them throwing a punch, which Hosea was more concerned would be the one to do. Dutch smirked at the man's back, an air of confidence surrounding him as he assumed Hosea was backing down and running away with his tail between his legs. No one challenged Dutch. It was what their leader knew. He was far too great to be challenged. In another life, the Dutch could have sworn he was the reincarnation of someone historical, like Alexander the Great.
Dutch was smiling when he returned to Molly, his arms outstretched in an awaiting hug, which she was more than willing to give him. Wrapping her arms around his middle and holding him close, Dutch ran a hand over her hair, loving the beautiful woman's attention. To Dutch, he was a hero and father to his gang, leading his loyal followers towards the fame and fortune he knew to be theirs. When Molly pulled away, Dutch cupped her face, and she found herself lost in his eyes, yet when Dutch stared at her, he saw her age. When he had met Molly four years ago, a woman of twenty-three fresh off the boat from Dublin and naive to the world she'd arrived in, he had seen the youthful beauty she was and charmed her off her feet, but now, Dutch could see the faint lines around her mouth, the lack of elasticity in her skin and how it wasn't bright with youth anymore. He knew she knew what he thought. Molly had begun to wear more makeup in the last year, trying to enhance the beauty she was losing.
"Dutch?" She whispered his name, her accent thick, but it could hide the trembling in her voice. She was scared. "Is everything alright?"
Dutch chuckled and forced his smile wider. "Everything is perfect, my love." He boasted, leading her back inside of his tent and guiding her to sit on the bed. "Rest. The sun is far too bright for your complex, my dear." He flirted, treating her like a rose that would wilt under the summer heat. Molly had giggled, and Dutch leaned down, kissing her brow. Stepping away to look back over the camp, his eyes trailing over everyone, his gaze stopped at the women's tent, his eyes on Abigail, Tilly, Susan and Mary Beth, and the two newcomers to the group, Johanna and Sadie Adler. He let his eyes trail over each one. Dutch had no taste for a dark-skinned woman like Tilly, Susan was far too much of a drinker, Sadie was anti-social and aggressive, and Abigail had a child.
His eyes landed on Mary Beth and Johanna, watching the two women chat as they mended some clothes. Both women were quite lovely, young and studious. Either worthy of a good man such as himself. Dutch's eyes narrowed when he spotted Javier lingering near the women, smoking a cigarette while watching Johanna. Dutch wanted to laugh aloud at the scene. While he found Javier's interest in the redheaded woman sweet, Dutch thought a woman like Johanna would never give a man like Javier a chance. Dutch appreciated Javier's skill as a brawler and enforcer for the gang, but compared to Dutch, Javier wasn't a man who could barely understand English, was not educated and was of a poor background, having no success until Dutch rescued him from the squalor. Yes, Dutch was the better man.
It was decided. Dutch would begin to woo Mary Beth and Johanna, seeing who was more keen to become his lover. Removing Molly from his life would come later, once he had secured a budding romance with either young woman.