"THREE more mouths to feed Hosea. Arthur— she was a whore then and she's a, well I don't know what."
"The word you are looking for is widow. You watch your damned tongue Dutch. Arthur's sacrificed a lot for us. It's his child, he has every right to take them in." Hosea said as they sat in the cabin, Arthur sitting in the chair opposite.
"I-she watched her husband get murdered by the O'Driscolls. She was raped by them-then, goddam Micah and the girl I don't know. Baby boy was that man's son they killed him." Arthur said, sitting in the main cabin.
"That girl is a spitting image of you." Hosea said as he warned himself by the fire.
"Micah terrified her and when she ran to me. I knew. Micah tried to rape Sadie, with her baby boy and girl in the room. You can't let that stand Dutch."
"Arthur, Sadie can stay in here with you for the time being and the girl. Dutch, I ain't having it." Hosea said, raising his voice an octave.
"I don't like it. You don't need them—
"You let Abigail and Jack stay. If this an issue of me leaving or loyalty, just say it."
"It's not that-
"If you don't kick Micah out, then I'll leave. I know what he's capable of and I'm taking my lot." Hosea said, grim and nodding at Arthur, "there's a code."
"They ain't got no where else or anyone else." Arthur said, softly striking the table, "I'll be damned if I let her go again."
"Let's get off this damned mountain and I will think about it. Micah didn't mean nothin'—
"Stable duty or we both go." Hosea said, wisely putting his hand on Arthur's shoulder.
He walked back to the longhouse where the rest of the gang was sheltering in this hellish blizzard. He opened the door and quickly closed it, with a small thump.
He walked over to where Sadie was being treated by Tilly.
Sadie sat stone faced as Tilly treated her cuts. Abigail had fixed a tea for her to help the body heal.
She shivered.
He put his coat over her.
Karen held Hosea and was rocking him back to sleep. He'd been crying ever since the O'Driscoll's had found them.
Bea was over playing with Jack and Sadie was barely keeping it together. She was thankful. This gang, these ladies had already taken her in and under their wing.
He sat down next to her and she instantly pulled into him. A hug of desperation.
"I thought you was dead. Killed in a fight in Rathskeller Fork." She whispered, gripping tight to his winter coat.
"I know. Is she?"
"Yes, she is yours. A month after, found out I was pregnant, Jake did good with her. This is Hosea, he was born ten months ago. We can stay?"
"Yeah, you can. I'm not gonna ask if you're okay. would you and Bea want to stay with me?" He asked, him feeling her lean into her shoulder.
"I'd like to but after what they did to me-Arthur-I hurt so much. I-They never touched her, I took it all."
Arthur shuddered and hugged her. What else had they done?
"How old is she?"
"Eleven. Those bastards tried to grab her but I didn't give them a fucking chance." Sadie, said gripping him tightly.
"Mama have you seen my storybook? The Otis Miller one with Black Belle." Jack asked as he walked over to Abigail, "I want to read it with Bea."
"I-not now Jack. We need to get you to bed. I'm sure y'all can read tomorrow once we settle in." Abigail said, guiding the boy to his bedroll.
Bea walked over to her momma and sat in between her and Arthur.
"Okay-okay, we're in the main cabin. I'll take the floor and y'all can have the bed. I can add some bedrolls to my list."
"Is he my Papa, Mama? The real one? I miss Papa. Where are we going?"
"We are going to my room sweetheart. I can carry you if you'd like?" Arthur asked as the girl walked to him.
"Okay."
Sadie took a breath and watched as he held her hand. She held her daughters hand tight as she followed behind Arthur.
"Thank you Karen. I appreciate it."
"Anytime. I got bunk down now too. Here he is." Karen said as she handed him the baby.
He helped settle them in and let the ladies take the bed. Arthur held little Hosea and helped him sleep.
He woke early and sat with the small baby boy. It hurt.
Eliza.
Arthur dribbled crackers into the boy's mouth and smiled softly as the boy ate.
"You alive in here?"
"Yep, Hosea look at how little he is."
"I know gorgeous little boy. So, how's she actually doing."
"Slept through the night as well as she could. Can you watch him while I go hunting? We need food and you taught me how to hunt. Worried about Micah."
"You ain't running-not saying nothing if you ar." He paused, "we ain't long if Dutch keeps excusing it. You sure about bison?"
"No-I know there's some bison in the hills up here."
They needed food and with his Krag and an extra saddle bag he headed out.
He went out past Spider Gorge and upwards before veering off the path.
Hunting.
It had always cleared his mind but not after last night.
One bison down and enough meat for the pot.
Beatrice Adler.
Beatrice.
Only two women knew that name and one was long gone, dead and buried.
"Arthur, you left without saying. Dutch sent me to find you. See you back." Charles said, mounted on Taima.
"Needed to get out for a minute. Sadie, I-I offered without thinking. Without even thinking Charles, she knows what I am and yet, she stayed last night."
"She's worried sick about you. Didn't leave the cabin, her daughter was begging her to get out that room." Charles said, lifting the last of the carcasses on top the paint.
"Watcha you callin this old paint?"
"Colter, after this place. He's snowy with some black patches." Arthur said pointing to the muzzle and crest, "got a scar there on the poll."
Arthur stayed silent on the ride back. Charles watched him carefully and saw how he stuck close to the horses. That was until Micah started something.
"Look at the widowed whore—
"I'll kill you. I should have—you fucking piece of shit." She screamed as Abigail held her back.
"You go ahead and try, I'll make that bitch and bastard a real orphan."
"Micah, you should stop." Abigail said, helping Sadie away from him.
Micah slapped her and it went dead silent across camp.
Arthur stopped feeding Colter and went for his revolver, firing a shot straight by Micah's leg.
"What the hell Arthur? The bitch will only slow you down. Same with that whore." Micah said, grumbling as he gripped his leg.
Arthur walked slowly and deliberate. His revolver shining in the snow reflected drift.
"Don't you dare talk like that to her. I'll bury you with Davy. Sadie, let's get in." Arthur said, holstering the pistol and grabbing her by the shoulder.
"Oh that so Morgan? She was real fine last night.
"I'll find a goddamn reason if you don't stay away from her." Hosea yelled as he walked up to Micah and pointed up to the mountain, "we already lost four. You intend to make it five?"
"Sorry boss, I didn't mean no har
"You meant harm by saying it. Go shovel horse shit now or get out." Hosea yelled as he pushed him towards the stable.
"I didn't mean to shoot near him, ya know? It's just after all this—." Arthur said and gesticulates around, "I want to protect you but you don't need it. You'd killed him with ya bare hands."
"I know, I know Arthur. I know what you mean and even after eleven years apart." She touched his shoulder as the bed sagged, "you woulda left him alone."
He just nodded.
"Abigail just lost John and I can see her shooting him too."
"We had so many plans to move forward and out West. Still want to."
"Where does that goddamn bastard get off? I shoulda left him behind but no one left behind for ol Dutch." Abigail yelled as she slammed the door of the cabin and Arthur jumped.
"I'm making a damn point. We have women and children in this camp, there's a goddamn code." She said, sitting next to him, "especially with Mary-Beth and with her. "
"Please don't scalp him—" Hosea said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "although it'd make life easier."
"I'm tempted but I ain't. Unless he gives me a reason. I just need one."
"Grimshaw don't need one. I could see her boiling him." Sadie, said as Arthur chuckled.
"You coming with us for the train? I understand if you won't Abigail but humor an old man."
"And let you have all the fun? Fuck no." She said with a grin, "I ain't going back to what I used to. Men wouldn't be interested in a dried up whore like me."
"Abigail-listen you ain't
"I know what you are trying to do Arthur Morgan and I appreciate it. I do. Do you have any spare bandoleers?"
"All of John's stuff was in Blackwater when we left. I'll pay you back."
"Whatcha you need?"
"Bandoleer, gun belt, and a holster. I have a gun-just no holster."