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The town after being dually impressed with Cody's Wild West show decided to host a dance with the performers as guests of honor. Though pleased that a dance was to be held, Jamie was in a panic since she hadn't thought to pack one of her better dresses. Allie had laughed at her saying, "You know I brought one for you since I knew you wouldn't think to pack one." She hugged her sister adding, "Don't I always think of what you forget, and you did the same for me remember?" When Jamie just stared at her she added, "My pistol and riding skirt you packed. Guess you knew I was coming along all the time." Jamie laughed nervously, "No, I just hoped you would. "Thanks," she said returning Allie's hug. A short time later they stood before the looking glass in their room. As Allie smoothed the front of her dress, she had just one thought on her mind, 'I sure hope Clay asks me to dance.' Jamie actions at that moment imitated her sister's. Her thoughts were of Ike though. They'd had their quarrels and squabbles but he was the only one that understood how much she needed to prove herself. He had complained about her following him around but later he'd laugh about the scrapes she got them in by doing so. Jamie smiled to herself again; he was her best friend and she was falling in love with him. Ike - who'd of thought she'd fall in love with him. "Jamie, did you hear me I said I was ready," Allie said smiling at her sister. Snapping back to the present Jamie replied, "Oh, um, sorry, I was just thinking." Standing she smoothed down her dress again, and looked at her sister, "You look great." "So do you," Allie giggled. "So you finally decided that you love him, huh?" Allie knew what direction her sister's mind had wandered. Sure had taken her long enough to figure it out. She and Laura had known for the last year their siblings were perfect for each other. Blushing Jamie replied, "Is it that obvious?" "Only to your twin and his sister," Allie giggled. "Come on let's see how much trouble we can give Uncle Cody tonight." Jamie giggled,too, "If I look half as good as you do, he'll need Uncle Jimmy's help to keep the fellas away." They left the room, arm in arm, and headed down the short hallway to the stairs. Reaching the head of the stairs, they paused and looked down with smiles at their escorts. Cody was dressed in his signature buckskins, and Ike in his best Sunday suit. Mr. Mosby was also looking very handsome in his knee length coat and best shirt, his tie tied perfectly. Uncle Jimmy stood off to the side with Miss Maddie; he looked more dashing than any of the dime novels could ever describe. Cody moaned upon seeing his beautiful nieces. It was going to be a long night. No wonder Kid and Lou didn't want them going too far from home, they were stunning. Jamie was wearing a wine colored dress that caused her hair to darken, and Allie was dressed in a deep blue that brought out her eyes. They reminded him of Lou when she was younger and what she could have looked like had she been able to be the young woman she was deep down. If she had, they'd have all given Kid a run for his money, not just Jimmy. Jimmy was having trouble breathing, and for the moment forgot the young woman on his arm. Time had reversed itself and Lou was standing before him, however now there was two of her. If only it had been that way, he thought. Shaking the feeling off, he came back to the present. His nieces were their mother all over again, except for their eyes which they had inherited from his best friend. He finally understood Kid's overprotectiveness all these years. Ike though only had eyes for Jamie. She was beautiful. No one had to tell him which one she was since she had worn a similar dress to the last dance they'd had at home. He'd had to watch Andy Cummings dance with her several times that night, tonight though all her dances were going to be his. He watched as she descended the stairs holding Allie's hand. As she reached the bottom step, though she let go of her sister and reached to take his hand, giving him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. "I don't know how Kid does it," Ike heard Jimmy mumble under his breath. "Does what?" Cody asked not taking his eyes off of the twins. "Keeps all the boys away from the ranch with those two looking so much like their ma," Jimmy replied wistfully. "He doesn't," Ike put in from beside them, "Aunt Lou does. None of the fellas in town want to mess with her since she ran off Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill for teaching them how to shoot." "It was his idea," Cody said pointing at Jimmy. "I don't recall you objectin' to the idea," Jimmy replied, looking over at Cody. "Well, look where it's gotten us, escortin' these two beauties to a dance and tryin' to protect them," Cody quipped, back looking at Jimmy. Turning back to the girls he begged, "Ladies, just promise me to behave." Cody groaned as he watched Mosby look adoringly at Allie and offer her his arm. "Yes, sir," they replied in unison not really paying attention to what he said. ******************
The evening had turned out nicely and everyone was enjoying the dance. Jamie had danced almost every dance with Ike. Every time someone made a move to approach Jamie to ask for a dance, Ike had intercepted them and asked her to dance first. Jamie didn't care though, she was enjoying dancing with Ike. As she watched the dancers, she noticed that Allie had once again accepted Clay Mosby's hand. Allie was having a grand time. Mosby was a fine dancer. He had been so kind to her since they had met and she found herself liking his company more and more. She was flattered that he seemed to like her as much as she did him. There was something about him though that made her nervous when she was around him. It had to be nerves she thought since she got this queer feeling in her stomach every time she was around him. Mosby was nervous himself, not since Hannah had he been this attracted to anyone. To him Allie seemed such a contradiction. On one hand she was very much the lady and on the other she was a fantastic shot and could out ride even him. He was sure that she kept a tight rein on a spirit that would rival her sister's if it was ever allowed to break free. Jimmy had been enjoying himself also. Maddie had danced every dance with him and had not asked any questions about Wild Bill. He felt better than he had in years. He was beginning to believe that no one even knew that Wild Bill was in town. Jimmy felt the shell he had built around himself over the years begin to crumble a bit. Cody was having a rather good time himself. It seemed that Miss Florie, one of Miss Twilia's girls, had taken exception to Mosby asking to escort Allie instead of her. Now it seemed the woman was set on making Mosby see what he was missing. Cody noticed though that the only woman the man was watching was Allie. Newt observed it all from the outside door of the livery loft. He watched the town have its fun and Mosby dance with Cody's niece. He'd admit that the girls were very pretty and talented but he didn't want anything to do with them. Getting involved with one of them he was sure would only lead to trouble or getting his heart broke again. No, he was determined never to let anyone get that close again. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a group of riders approaching from the other end of town. One of them sat a horse in a manner very familiar to him. As the group drew closer to the dance, Newt realized it was the one person he still wasn't ready to see, the Captain. He watched as the Captain and his group secured their horses and made their way over to the dance. Newt caught himself about to laugh as he watched Cody's friend Jimmy stop dancing with Maddie as the smallest of the group came toward him. Jimmy searched the dance floor for Cody ready to grab him as he went by. He wasn't facing Kid alone, much less Lou. As Cody danced between him and Lou, Jimmy reached out to grab Cody when Lou's voice stopped him dead in his tracks. "Billy Cody!" she shouted, "Where the hell are my daughters?!" Cody stopped suddenly causing him to step on this partner's toes. "Uh…Lou?" "Who else?" "Look, Lou, I didn't know…" Cody began but stopped as Lou swung at him catching him in the jaw. For a little lady she sure could pack a wollop even after all these years. 'At least she didn't shot me,' he thought. "Momma!" Jamie called as she spotted her parents and ran to them. Kid wrapped his daughter in his arms, noticing that Ike wasn't far behind her. Setting her back from him and smiling down at her, he said, "You look none the worse for your adventure. Where's your…." Kid trailed off when he suddenly spotted Allie dancing with and looking lovingly up at Mosby…Francis Clay Mosby. He stunned the rest of his companions when he made a beeline straight for the couple. Reaching them he grabbed Allie pushing her behind him. Getting right up in Mosby's face and staring him straight in the eye he said through clenched teeth, "Clay, I'll only tell you this once and only once. Stay the hell away from my daughter." His voice was so cold Allie shivered behind her father and jumped when her mother put her arm around her shoulders. Turning back to Allie he said, "Best we get on over to the hotel. We'll be leaving on the next stage." "Kid, what the…" Mosby final managed as he ran his hand through his hair. "Your daughter? I didn't know." Kid didn't even both to acknowledge what was being said to him. He was watching his daughter look at this man the same way his sister had years before. "Alexis, we're leaving now," he all but shouted. Reaching out he took his daughter by the arm and led her away. Allie looked back over her shoulder to see a stunned expression on Mosby's face. Not only stunned she noticed, but pained. She looked up at her father, she'd never in her young life seen him this angry or him behave in this manner. "Momma," she cried as they reached Lou. Taking her distraught daughter in her arms Lou quietly comforted her, "It'll be ok, sweetie." Once they reached Jamie, who was just as stunned as her sister by their father's action, she let Jamie comfort her twin as no one else could. She turned to her husband with concern, since he'd not behaved this way in years. Not since he'd severely beaten Jimmy when he found out about their kiss. "Kid, who's that man?" "Someone from Virginia, someone I use to know," he replied as his eyes scanned the crowd. 'She has to be here somewhere. He'd never leave her behind,' he thought to him self. Turning Kid came face to face with Mosby again. Quietly Mosby said, "She's not here." He tipped his hat to Lou and then the girls, his eyes lingering on Allie. "Excuse me, ladies," he said then turned and headed straight for his club and his best bottle of bourbon. Buck had stood back with Camille as Kid had allowed his temper to get the better of him. It'd been years since anything like this had happened. Getting Ike's attention and moved next to him. "Son," Buck said giving his first born a hug, "have they kept you busy?" Ike smiled. "Yep…um…Dad, could I talk to you about something in the morning?" Ike asked, as he watched the twins and their parents head to the hotel. "Sure," Buck replied as he looked at his son perplexed. "Mom," Ike said as he gave his mother a hug, "sure miss your cooking. Um…see ya'll in the morning." He abruptly turned toward the hotel following the others at a distance. Camille laughed at the look of wonder on Buck's face. "Looks like all our chicks are leaving the nest sooner than expected." Buck paled as she added, "I bet by this time next year we're grandparents." Teaspoon watched his children reunite with their offspring with pride. It looked like the odd bunch that had made a family from strangers were becoming one for real. He smiled, that was something he never hoped for, but his boys and Lou, and his grandchildren were always surprising him. ******************
As everyone was settling in at the hotel and it was quieting down or starting to heat up as the case may be, the livery was seeing its own bit of action. Newt would never admit it but he had gone there to hide from the Captain. He'd watched from the loft as an older man helped a young woman bed down the horses that the Captain and his friends had ridden in on. She was small and looked to be part Mexican, but it was the old man that spotted him. "Newt, that you boy?" Teaspoon called out. "Whose askin'?" Newt replied from his perch in the loft, his hand automatically going to his gun. "Teaspoon Hunter. You might not…" "Delores' friend. You knew Gus and the Captain and…" Newt swallowed hard, he never really talked about her, "my ma." He decided to climb down to see the man he had once known. A slight grin formed as he said, "You and Gus threw me a birthday party once." Newt recalled how close the three Rangers had been. Teaspoon reminded him more of Gus than the Captain. Teaspoon grinned, "What's eatin' at ya, son?" The boy looked like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, not to mention the pain that he bore in his eyes. "Nothing," Newt replied his defenses coming back up. Reaching for the horses he said, "I'll take care of them for you." As he turned to do so he was reminded that they weren't alone. "Agostina, this here…" "Newt Call, I've heard much about you, senor." "Ma'am," Newt nodded and moved past her without a word. Teaspoon decided the two young people were more than capable of taking care of the horses and decided to seek his own room at the hotel. As he left he grinned at the two young people, they'd make a interesting pair he figured. Woodrow's son and Gus's daughter, yep, better than Jimmy and Lou would have made. After Teaspoon left, Agostina watched as Newt began to unsaddle the one of the horses and proceded to do the same with the ones she had. "You're a long way from home," Newt stated as he placed a saddle on the stall wall next to the horse it had been on. "Not as far as you think," Agostina replied tensing at his tone, as she led another horse into the next stall and then stopped as she passed the Hellbitch. Reaching out she scratched the horse's face. "You with the Captain or Teaspoon?" His tone impling more than his words. "Neither, I work at the ranch…" Agostina replied as she moved to lean against a post "Captain, never let whores…." Newt began as he worked to care for another horse Anger and pride taking over her tone, Agostina drew herself up as she replied, "I am not a whore, senor. I am a vaquero and Augustus McCray was my father." Newt stared at the young woman before him. Gus had a daughter, now that was a…no it wasn't, as much as that man liked the ladies Newt was surprised there weren't more of his offspring running around. "He never said anything about you," He stated flatly. "He did not know," her voice was equally flat. Newt began to laugh, something he hadn't done in a long time. "That bunch of rangers sure got around. It's a wonder they were ever able to catch any outlaws, let alone some of the ones they did bring in." Newt was floored when he looked up to Agostina smiling at him. His heart that had been frozen solid for so long began to melt. ******************
After her parents had left them alone in their room, and after Allie had cried herself to sleep in Jamie's arms, Jamie climbed out onto the roof to think. She'd done this since she was a child at home and her father had finally built a balcony outside of her window so she wouldn't fall off of the roof. Staring up at the heavens with the stars twinkling down at her, she could think. As her mind cleared, she thought about what mattered to her most. There was only one answer besides her sister and parents, and that was Ike. She couldn't remember when it became important to her what he thought of her. Or when she had first noticed how handsome he was. He was so like Uncle Buck but seemed to be more at peace with himself than his father was. She sometimes wondered how her mother could have ended up with her father and not Uncle Buck. She had never figured out either how none of the other girls in town had snapped Ike up yet. "A penny for your thoughts," Ike said from right next to her. She jumped causing her to slide down the roof a bit. "Thought I told you about doing that," she grumbled as Ike grabbed her arm to stop her decent. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's ok, I should have expected you or Allie to find me. Are you coming home with us?" she asked a bit afraid that he would stay. "Looks that way, but not because of you. Seems like I have family duties to attend to," he replied, thinking how beautiful she looked in the moonlight, even in britches. Reaching out he tucked her unbound hair behind her ear. "Guess, we need to get back since that must mean Laura and Sam Junior. are getting married," Jamie's words came out in a squeak, since Ike's action caught her by surprise. "Yeah," Ike paused unsure of what to say next, "um…sorry…I've given you such a hard time. I was…wasn't," he couldn't believe he couldn't say what he wanted to. He'd never had trouble talking to Jamie. But then again, he never had wanted to tell her what she meant to him. "I know I haven't been too nice to you either." Jamie looked up into his deep brown eyes ready to say she was sorry when she caught her breath. She was stunned to see the want and love he held there. 'Tell him a voice in her head that sounded distinctly like Allie screamed. "Ike, you've always been so nice even when you were mad at me. Ike, I don't want to be friends anymore…I…I love you," she stammered as she looked away afraid she had misread what she saw in his eyes earlier. "I love you, too," he said without a second thought. Pulling her close, he wrapped his arms tighter around her. As Jamie leaned back against his chest she looked up at him. Not one to miss a chance Ike leaned down kissing her lips. He pulled back and looked down at her, like he'd been struck by lightening. He was surprise to see she was staring back at him. Jamie smiling slyly reached out placing her hand behind his head, pulling him back down to her and returning his kiss deeply. ******************
Toward dawn Camille watched as Ike climbed back through the window of his parents room and went to the door, quietly exiting. She then rolled over wrapping her arm around her husband. She did believe he was sleeping as soundly as it appeared. A moment later she knew he'd not been when he pulled her closer and kissed her. "Ike just came in through the window and left. He was out there all night," she remarked when their kiss ended. "He's fine. I'm sure he behaved himself last night," Buck replied kissing her neck. "I just…" "Worry about him, I know. He was on the roof with Jamie last night," Buck said pulling her even closer and ending any further conversation. ******************
In the room next door, Kid was pulling his wife close, too. "Did you sleep any?" Lou asked. "No," was his simple reply. "Who were you looking for last night?" "My sister. She's not here though." Lou pull away from her husband as she tried to get in a better position to look him in the face, "Sister? You never said anything before about a sister." "I thought she was safe where she was, but he's here….her husband is here but I didn't see her." Pain filled Kid's voice as he spoke. "I'm sure she's fine, Kid. Don't let it worry you," Lou replied trying to feel optimistic. "Jamie didn't come back in last night," he said changing the subject. Lou giggled, "I'm sure she's fine. Ike wouldn't let anything happen to her. Besides when I checked they were sitting on the roof talking." "How was Allie?" Kid knew Lou had checked on their daughters several times that night. "Still in bed, she cried herself to sleep," Lou replied a catch in her voice. "He's too old for her… and married," Kid replied the distance from the previous evening back in his voice. Lou stared at her husband and groaned. "Mosby is married to your sister? Then why was he looking at our daughter like that if he is married?" She exclaimed her temper flaring. "I intend on getting the answer before we leave to your other question," Kid replied with determination. ******************
Chapter 7
Breakfast was a quiet affair as the tension could have been cut with a knife. Lou was still angry with Cody. Kid was still fuming over Mosby being with Allie at the dance, and trying to figure out where his sister was. Mosby sat in a corner at a table alone but the small dining room of the hotel allowed him to watch Allie's every move trying to figure a way to speak to her. Ike was trying to figure out when it would be a good time to ask Kid for Jamie's hand. Newt couldn't stop staring at Agostina and trying to figure out how to approach the Capt. Jimmy was too preoccupied paying attention to Maddie to take note of his friends moods. Teaspoon wasn't and he decided to break the deadly silence. "Pay attention, Buck, this is how you get everyone talking," he said with a wink. With that he picked up his plate got Amanda O'Connell's attention and said, "Sorry, miss, I'll pay for it." And slammed the plate on the floor. Buck sat stunned. He'd never seen Teaspoon do that before. "Now that I have your attention, I believe some conversations are in order. Lou, ladies first, do you have something to say to Cody." "I sure do, Teaspoon." With a too sweet smile she said, "Cody, you ever offer my girls a job without my approval and I will shoot you." "Awe, Lou, Ifin' I'd known they'd runaway then I wouldn't have offered. I'm real sorry about that. I thought Jamie'd take no for an answer," Cody replied honestly and not a hint of his usual cockiness in his voice. "Since when have either one of them taken no for an answer," Lou replied her grin not quite reaching her eyes. "That's settled. Now Ike do you have something to say," Teaspoon asked his grandson. He knew the boy wanted to talk to Kid but couldn't figure out how. "Um…um…" he looked at Jamie and when she smiled at him that was all it took. "Uncle Kid, Aunt Lou, Jamie and I are in love and I would like your permission to marry her." It came out faster than he wanted, but it was done and he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at his father, he added, "I think that the six ponies I got from Red Bear last summer will be a good bride price." Buck couldn't help but nod his approval, he knew that Ike had been offered quite a bit for them before he left and wouldn't sell. He wondered if his son hadn't had this planned. Kid understood what Ike was saying to Buck and didn't take offense. He knew it was quite an honor to him and Jamie. "I don't see a problem, but it's up to her," he replied. Looking at his daughter and the smile on her face was all he needed to be sure she would be happy. Lou nodded her approval to him and hugged Camille who was sitting next to her. "You have our blessing," Kid told Ike with a smile. Jamie asked, "Do I have a say in…" Ike stopped her with a kiss. "That says enough. About time, I might add," Teaspoon said. "That's two down. Now Kid do you have something you want to say." "No," was Kid's flat reply. "Well, I do," Allie said standing up her voice taking on a tone and manner of speech that it only did when she was upset and hadn't had enough sleep, "I ain't goin' home. I ain't leaving until you tell me what is wrong with me dancin'…" Jimmy paled at the use of that particular word and looked at Lou and Kid. Lou had turned a bright shade of red. Kid had too but he wasn't sure if it was because of the memories or the angry look he was shooting at Mosby. "…with a perfect gentleman?" "Alexis, I said we were going home," Kid stated not taking his eyes off of Mosby. "No," Allie replied to her father, "I haven't ever disobeyed you before but you have never been so unreasonable. You always said we should find…." "He ain't no gentleman," Kid stated his southern accent stronger than it had been in years. "I beg your pardon, Kid, but I believe that you are the one that was never a gentleman. You put on airs but your family…" Mosby replied his voice taking on a quality that Kid's hadn't heard in years. Mosby had never used that tone around any of his family but Kid had heard it from others in Virginia. "My family what? Took your leftovers. Does that apply to Mary?" Kid sneered. "Damn you, you don't know everything, Kid. You left, you took Doritha's money and left," Mosby replied as he picked up his hat preparing to leave the dining room of the hotel. "Daddy, please," Allie said quietly. "Tell me what he did to make you hate him so much." Turning to Mosby she asked a note of sadness coming to her voice, "Who's Mary?" Looking at Kid perplexed then angry he said, "I'm sorry my dear but that's a question for your father to answer. Excuse me." Feeling more tired than he had in years, Mosby left the resturant. He couldn't believe Kid had never told his family of the sister he loved more than anything else in the world. Allie looked toward her father for the answer to her question. Kid, not knowing where Mary was just yet couldn't answer his daughter's question or the questioning looks from those around him. "Allie, baby, leave it be," Kid pleaded with his daughter; then he too picked up his hat and left. "Momma?" Allie turned to Lou tears filling her eyes. "I don't know, baby," Lou replied as she opened her arms to her hurting daughter. "We'll figure it out. I promise." Lou held Allie as she started crying again and wonder what was going on with her husband. Looking at Lou, Teaspoon said, "Then I'll leave him to you and see what I can do to help the rest of the family." With that he put on his hat and left, headed toward the livery. ******************
On his way to the livery Teaspoon meet up with Woodrow, "Mighty fine morning' ain't it, Woodrow?" "Fine as can be considerin'," Woodrow replied. "You talk to Newt last night?" Teaspoon asked. "No," was the flat reply. "Now how do you expect to work things out with that boy ifin' you don't talk to him?" Woodrow Call looked at his old friend. It had always been Gus and Teaspoon who pushed him into things he wasn't ready for, or got him drunk enough to do something he didn't want to. The first had been Maggie; he'd slept with her and had fallen in love with her until he caught her with Jake. She swore that she was workin' that it didn't mean anything but it didn't change the fact that he felt betrayed. The next time was after she died; Teaspoon and Gus had insisted that they take Newt, her boy, in. Get him out of a bad element Teaspoon had said and Gus had reasoned that he owed it to Maggie because he had treated her so bad. "What happened to the boy?" Teaspoon asked his old friend. Woodrow looked off into the distantance. "Don't rightly know. When we parted a couple of years ago everything was fine. He had a fine wife and was a deputy marshal here. She was a spit fire of a thing a lot like Gus's Clara. Wouldn't let us part with out giving us what for for being so much a like." Teaspoon looked at this old friend he could tell the situation wasn't sitting right with Woodrow. "Hell, Teaspoon, I even called him son before I left. I thought I'd settled things with the boy. I don't know what happened." "Where's this Hannah now?" Teaspoon asked. "I don't…." "The cemetery over by the church. She died in an explosion," Josiah Peale said from behind them. "It was shortly after you found him. Newt and Sheriff Riddle rescued them from the being snowbound in the mountains. We thought we were doing the right thing in helping them but they were outlaws. They caused a lot of trouble here. Hannah was trying to get Molly away from them and went into the store they were in. Somehow an explosion happened and Hannah was killed with the rest of them. Newt left before she was even buried….before he even healed from the gunfight. When he returned…..well, you see how he is now." Josiah turned to leave. "You blamed him," was all Woodrow could say. Turning back Josiah confessed, "I did for a bit but….." Josiah searched for the right words to say and not wanting to admit to what he had done. "I came to realize that he would have taken her place if he could. He would have gone into the blaze after her if Mosby hadn't of stopped him." "The dandy stopped him?" Woodrow asked. "The place was ablaze and no one could have survived the explosion, it was horrible." Josiah couldn't believe he was talking like this, he'd not talked to anyone about Hannah's death since the day they buried her. "Newt came back a couple of years ago. He'd changed. It's like he looks for trouble, goes after the worst of the wanted that show up. It's like he wants to die." "Anyone try to talk to him?" Teaspoon asked looking acquiescingly at Woodrow. "Maddie's tried, and a few others but most leave him to himself. He and Mosby clash on occasion but have backed each other up when it's important. They don't like each other." "Well, Woodrow, you going to talk to that boy of yours or am I," Teaspoon asked placing his thumbs under his suspenders. Woodrow didn't say it but sure thought, 'Damn, I wish Gus was here. He'd be able to talk some sense into that boy.' To Teaspoon he said, "I'll talk to him." ******************
Later that afternoon, Kid asked Amanda where he could to find Clay Mosby. She had told him at the Ambrosia Club, since he lived there. As Kid walked into the Ambrosia Club he was impressed that Clay had tried to make it look as nice as it did. He spotted the man he wanted to talk to behind the bar but did not see Jimmy and Cody, who were sitting in a corner talking over the night's events, and the morning's too for that matter, events. Clay spotted Kid the moment he walked into the room. Luckily, besides his friends there were only a couple of customers. Setting a glass on the bar, he poured himself a drink, dreading what was to come. Walking up to the bar, Kid said, "As I said last night, Clay, stay away from my daughter." "She's of an age, Kid, she can decide who to see," Clay challenged him. "Where's my sister?" Kid said cutting to the point and not taking the challenge. "Where's mine? Or didn't you ever see her after she ran off with Garth," Mosby replied staring at the man he had once called friend. "Dorthia was killed before the war started," Kid replied quietly. "Garth got mixed up with some outlaws and got himself killed. We tried to protect her but she ran off….I got to her too late," Kid trailed off. Even after all these years it was still hard to talk about. "I wrote your ma." "Mother never said anything," Mosby looked down at his hands, not wanting to go on but knowing he owed it to Kid to answer his question. "Mary's gone. I came home from the war to Hatten Willows burned to the ground and my family slaughtered." He threw back the shot he had poured, reaching down he took another glass out and sat it on the bar, then poured two more shots. He considered telling Kid the details of how he had found Mary and his family but a piece of the gentleman he once was wouldn't allow the words past his lips. "She loved you," Kid said choking back the sob that was in his throat, then killing it with the shot Mosby had poured. "She knew when she was only ten that she would be your bride." "Dorthia missed you when you left," Mosby offered. "I thought, as did Mary, that you would return when war broke out." "The Express and Nebraska became my home. I didn't come back because I had my own family in Rock Creek to look after. I considered it but what would I be going back to fight for? A place that I had run from. To the pity your ma always gave me, to your father looking down on his no-account sharecropper's son. There was nothing for me back in Virginia by the time the war came." Coming back to the present, Kid said, "Stay away from Allie, Francis, she's too young for you, and too good for the likes of you," Kid warned before he turned to leave. Mosby paused for a moment then replied as if nothing else had been said, "I can do as you ask, Galahad, but that doesn't keep her away from me." "Leave that problem to me. It's none of your concern," Kid replied as he shut the door behind him with such force it made the windows rattle. Kid was out the door before he heard Cody choke on his drink. 'No wonder Kid had never told them his name,' he thought. Jimmy though sat stunned. Sister? Kid had a sister. He'd never said anything, and from what he had just overheard she'd been killed during the war. "Galahad," he whispered, then as Cody before him thought, it was no wonder his best friend had never told him his name and had always gone by Kid. Cody smiled at Jimmy. It was going to be too easy. Too damn easy to tease Kid about. Galahad, King Arthur's most gallant and most chivalrous knight. Reading his friend's mind Jimmy said, "Cody, I know what you're thinking but I wouldn't right now. He'd probably clobber you if you did. Don't you think you should recover from that punch Lou nailed you with last night before you go asking for another." "But we've waited all this time, and it's just too easy," Cody replied with a cocky grin. ******************
Woodrow found Newt later that day sitting outside the livery. "Newt." "Captain." Woodrow didn't know where to begin. Standing there he wasn't sure what to say to the boy; Newt had changed so much in the last few years. "What can I do for you, Captain?" "She wouldn't like it." Newt didn't ask who he was talking about. "You didn't know her well enough to say that," Newt growled. Woodrow looked at Newt not sure what he meant. Taking the same tone his son had he growled back, "Knew her well enough. Better than most actually. She wouldn't like what you've become. Hell, she didn't even like it when she found out we were Rangers. She was so angry when she did she didn't speak to the lot of us for a month. Gus changed her mind, explained that we were trying to protect Texas from the bandits. Maggie held it against all of us 'til the day she died. Newt was stunned. He'd never heard the Captain talk this much about Newt's mother. The shell that Agostina had put a dent in last night with her smile, cracked a bit more. Covering with anger he replied, "She wasn't much bet……" Woodrow moved faster than Newt thought he could. He had Newt backed against the front of the livery and by the throat. "Don't ever say a bad word about Maggie. She did the best she could and took good care of you. You wouldn't be here if she'd let those nuns take you to that mission. She made sure you were sent to us when she passed on. I was a fool. She cared but I couldn't get past what she did. But what else was there for her to do. She couldn't take care of you doin' anything else." Woodrow released his son and stepped back ready for the boy to attack. Newt knew the Captain was right and simply replied, "I thought you meant Hannah." "Her, too. And Sarah, and Clara. Hell, boy, they all had a hand in raisin' you." Woodrow thought for a moment then added, "Hannah was just like," he held up his hand as Newt started to protest. "She was as good as all of 'em, boy. I could see it the first time I met her. She had it better than your ma though, she had someone that cared and loved her and protected her. That father of hers allowed her spirit, where your ma's died before he could see her married and taken care of. You'd do well to remember that." Newt didn't know how to reply to what his father had said. He figured that was more than the Captain had said to him the entire time he was growing up. He started to speak, but Woodrow stopped him once again. "I'd like you to come back to the Hat Creek with me. Several of the boys have moved on and I need a good foreman…" "I got my own place here." "Well, half the Hat Creek will be yours someday. The other's Agostina's, I owe Gus that. If you ever want to see what's yours, you'll be welcome." "I'll think on it," Newt replied as Agostina walked out of the livery. She smiled as she observed the father and son. As she began to laugh, they both looked at her. Teaspoon walked up just then and asked her, "What have these two done that's got you so tickled, sugar?" She laughed harder as she replied, "They are just alike, the Captain and his son. They sure make a pair." Newt looked at his father and the memory of another woman saying the same thing flashed through his mind. "You, two, make the darnedest pair," Hannah had said. Newt smiled at the memory, it was the first time since her death that a memory of his dear wife hadn't felt like a knife in his chest. "I guess we do," he said looking at Woodrow Call. "I might ride back with you, just to see the place mind you. I ain't goin' to promise anything, I still have my place here." As Newt turned and walked away, Woodrow did the same thing, only in the opposite direction. "That boy is more like his father than he knows," Teaspoon said to Agostina. "Is that right, senor?" Agostina said smiling up at Teaspoon. Teaspoon smiled down at her replying, "Let me buy you a cup of coffee over at the hotel and I'll tell you more about your pa, Woodrow and me. We had some fine times rangering down in Texas. I might even tell you why they started calling me Teaspoon." He offered her his arm as they turned toward the hotel and an afternoon full of tall tales. ******************
Allie had not left her room since just after breakfast and Jamie couldn't help but worry about her sister. As she climbed the stairs, she tried to think of a way to cheer her twin up. She could feel the ache in her heart that Allie was feeling. She didn't care for Mosby but her father's absolute dislike of him had her confused. Her father had never taken such an instant dislike to anyone. Which was part of the problem. Somehow they knew each other and the dislike came from that. She took a deep breath just before she opened the door of the room and pasted a smile on her face. Of course that wasn't very hard to do since all she had to do was think of Ike and she smiled. "Allie….what are you doing?" she exclaimed as she noticed her sister climbing out the window. "Getting some answers," Allie replied turning toward her. "Dad won't give them to me so I thought I would ask Clay." "So you're on familiar terms with the dandy?" Jamie asked with a smirk. "And you're going to be a married lady. By the way," she said climbing back through the window, "I owe Laura a new dress." "Huh?" Jamie asked confused. "I bet her that ya'll would wait 'til Ike got back to get engaged…" Allie began just to be cut off by Jamie. "Now who's changing the subject? When did ya'll make the bet?" Jamie asked as she shut the door and sat down on the bed. "At the last dance back home. Boy, he couldn't take his eyes off of you and the daggers he was throwing at poor Andy." Noticing that her sister's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, Jamie repeated her earlier question, "How long have you two been on such familiar terms?" Allie couldn't look Jamie in the eye as she sat down next to her on the bed, "You know we've all…." "Allie," Jamie said exasperated. "Don't change the subject again. You know I mean Mosby." "Since we went for a walk the other day. I told him about the ranch and we talked about him and Virginia. I didn't know 'til last night that the boys he grew up with were Daddy and Uncle Jed. He said that his friends left before the war and that he married their sister when she was eighteen and that he loved her very much. She died during the war when his home was burned. I'm guessing she would have been our aunt. But I don't know why Dad dis…. "Hates…" Jamie interrupted. "Ok, hates him so much." "And Dad won't give you any answers, Mom doesn't even know the answers, and that leaves Mosby the only one that can answer your questions. Do you think he knows why Dad dislikes him so much." "I think so. He said something happened and that his late wife's brother ran off a few years before the war. He didn't tell me what it was but he got a far away look in his eyes when he said it. I think it had something to do with his sister," Allie said looking sad. "She ran away too when she was our age with a neighbor's son. Said that she wanted an adventure before she settled down. He really missed her and hasn't ever heard from her again." "Hum," Jamie said as the wheels began to turn in her mind. "I've got an idea but it's risky. We could get them in the same room and eventually they'd have to talk and we could just be passing by and over…." "You mean lock them in a room until they started talking and then eavesdrop on them," Allie corrected with a sly grin. "I don't think it'll work Jamie, with the way they've been looking at each other we'd be orphans before it was over and Mosby'd be dead. Getting serious Jamie asked, "Don't you think that Mosby is a bit old for you?" "No. Age doesn't mean a thing when you love someone. He's kind to me, Jamie, and he treats me so nice. I know deep down he's a decent man. He's told me things, things that I didn't know about the war. How awful it was for most of the south and how much he lost." Allie stood and moved back over by the window. Looking out the window and spotted Mosby headed for the hotel. Walking over to her sister, Jamie put her arm around her. "Then we'll just have to get them both in the same room and hope they don't kill each other before they…." "Jamie, you know it won't work," Allie replied, "Besides I saw Clay headed this way. We don't have time to plan anything." Jamie got a twinkle in her eyes and Allie groaned knowing her sister had just had another of her "brilliant ideas." "You know Ike once said that Uncle Buck told him that Ma got in trouble once and Dad rode out after her. He said that Dad and someone else, you know he never told….." "Jammmieeee….." Allie growled, "I'm sure Clay is on his way up by now, can you get on with it." "Well, when Ma got in trouble, dad and this fella worked out their problems so that they could work together to help her. All we have to do is hide you and let them think that you ran off and I'll…. or you could….. be with Dad most of the time. And when they start working it out one of us will overhear what happened." Allie couldn't believe it. For once one of Jamie's plans sounded like it might really work out. Giggling she said, "I like it….." She stopped when she heard a knock on the door. "Hide behind the door," Jamie whispered. As Allie stepped behind the door, Jamie put on a serious face and opened it. "Mr. Mosby, what can I do for you?" "Umm….Miss Jamie?" Mosby asked unsure of which twin he was addressing but since she hadn't called him Clay he assumed it was Jamie. "Of course." "May I please speak with your sister?" Mosby asked acting every bit the gentleman he was raised to be. "Well, Pa said you couldn't but Allie is….well she does seem to like you," Jamie had started to tell him that Allie was smitten with him but she knew that it would bring her sister out of hiding and they'd never get to the bottom of things. Behind the door Allie rolled her eyes. Could her twin ever keep her mouth shut? "May I speak to her then?" Mosby asked trying not to become exasperated with his lady's twin. "Well, normally yes, but right now I'm not sure where she is. She wasn't here when I got back to the room this afternoon. You haven't seen her have you?" Jamie asked as she gave Mosby an accusing look. "Not since…" Mosby began to reply as Kid started down the hall toward them. "I told you to stay away from my daughter, Clay." "I just wanted to let her know that I regret that things have to end like this," Mosby lied with a straight face. He had intend to let Allie in on the depth of his feelings for her and ask her to stay. "Jamie, where's your sister?" Kid asked his daughter curtly. "I don't know, Dad. She wasn't here when I got back a bit ago," Jamie lied to her father. She really hated this part and knew that she was in for it when he found out she had lied. She noticed then that Allie was no longer behind the door so she really wasn't lying. Jamie took a deep breath; at least she wasn't lying to her father anymore. "You don't think she ran away do you?" she asked. "I'm sure she's around town somewhere. Probably just went out for a walk," Kid said hoping he was right. It wasn't like Allie to run off but then it wasn't like him to not answer a question she asked him. "I'll check the lobby. You check with the family and see if she is in one of their rooms," he told Jamie. "I'll check around town," Mosby offered. "We don't……" "Kid, what's going on?" Jimmy asked as he walked up with Lou. "Momma, we can't find Allie," Jamie said as she wrapped her arms around her mother. "What does she mean?" Lou asked going pale as she looked at her husband. "Allie wasn't in their room when Jamie got back earlier," Kid told Lou. "I was just about to go check the lobby. Clay's offered to look around town for her, and Allie was going to check with the rest of the family to see if she was with them." "She's not in the lobby or the restaurant we just came from there," Jimmy said a note of concern in his voice. "I'll go check with Uncle Buck and Poppa," Jamie said as she pulled away from her mother. "I'm going with Clay to check around town," Kid stated as Mosby started to walk away. Jamie walked toward Buck and Camille's room as the others left to search the town. She felt a bit guilty about lying to her parents and upsetting them but Allie's happiness depended on getting to the bottom of things. She watched as her uncle, parents, and Mosby left the hotel then dashed back to her and Allie's room. "Allie," Jamie called as she entered the room, "they're gone, you can come out now." Allie stuck her head out from under the bed and looked at her sister. "Couldn't let you lie to Dad too much," she said with the same sparkle that Jamie had in her eye earlier. "Come on change into this so you can catch up with them and find out what is going on,' Jamie said as she stripped and flung her favorite pants and shirt to Allie. Allie quickly changed and ran out to catch up with her father and the man she loved. ******************
After about ten minutes of searching she spotted them by the livery. She took a deep breath as she approached them and prayed that she could pull this off. "Jamie, did you find your sister," her father asked as she approached them. "No, sir, she wasn't with any of the rest of the family. Did you have any luck?" she asked nervous she wouldn't be able to pull this off. "No." Kid replied as he noticed the worried look on his daughter's face. Thinking she was Jamie and worried over her sister he added, "I'm sure she's fine, Jamie. Why don't you….." "Please let me come with you to find her, Pa," Allie begged, "I'm scared something's happened to her." "I'm sure she's fin……" Ignoring Mosby least she give away who she was she said, "Pa, please, I promise to stay out of trouble." It was one of Jamie's favorite lines, but not a promise she kept very often. "Ok, but if she's in trouble you have to return to the hotel, while we settle things," her father replied. "But, Pa….." Allie knew that Jamie would argue that she could handle herself. "I know but I want you safe." Kid was getting scared, he'd never forgive himself if anything ever happened to either of his daughters. "I suggest we check the tents first," Mosby suggested praying that Allie was nowhere near that seedy part of town. "Fine, let's get moving," Kid replied as they started toward the tents. As they walked away from the livery with Allie following them, she heard Clay talking to her father, "You know you never needed to leave Virginia?" Kid stopped suddenly, "Your father was talking about having me hung. How could I have stayed? "Old man Evans and his boys came by the day you left and told my father that they had been responsible for the water getting poisoned. Daniel even admitted that he had said he saw you because he was afraid of what might happen to his family if my father had found out. He thought that Father wouldn't do anything to you since you were almost like family. Evans ended up signing over his place to Father in reparation for the loss of the horses." Kid stopped in the middle of the street stunned. "Doritha never said anything about….." Clay stopped and stood next to him. "Look, Kid, I'm sure she would have told you but….." Clay for once was at a loss for what to say to his once friend. He couldn't really say why his sister hadn't told Kid about the Evans. Allie grew angrier by the minute, the more the two men talked. Horses? A misunderstanding? Her father objected to Mosby over that. It came out before she could stop it, "Horses?! You left Virginia cause someone thought you killed some horses? You…….." "He didn't do it, miss," Clay said in defense of his old friend. "It was the boys of another neighbor, and they were very valuable. Folks thought that since my father objected to my sister seeing him that he'd done it. Of course, I knew he could never do it. Your father has a way with horses." "You don't have to tell me that," Allie snapped. For the first time in her life Allie lost her temper then, "You thought he blamed you for the horses. You ran away, just like we did only you had a different reason. So why is he so unfit for…..Allie?" Looking sheepish, her father replied, "I didn't know he didn't blame me. I thought that everyone believed I was guilty. It was a hanging offense." "You would have let them….." Allie stammered. "No, absolutely not. As a matter of fact the morning your father left I convinced mine that any boy that would stick around to care for his mother and sister, and work as hard as he did wouldn't jeopardize that by poisoning the very horses he was entrusted to care for." Turning to Kid he added, "Mother took in Mary after your mother passed, she said we owed your family that. But don't let anyone ever tell you I married her out of pity, she was the light of my life. It destroyed me when I returned to Virginia to find her dead. I could deal with losing Hatten Willows, but my family is a different story. Robert and I…..well, we weren't too honest in our dealing for a while after that." "What changed things?" Kid asked his old friend. "This place….." Mosby said as his eyes took on a faraway look. "I can't believe you two, have you forgotten I'm here!" Allie shouted. "And can I now assume that he is a gentleman and you two have put the past behind you?" she asked her father sarcastically. Kid looked at Mosby saying, "Guess I jumped the gun taking off like that." "I should have spoken up sooner," Mosby offered as he held out his hand to Kid. Kid took it with a smile and held on as he said seriously, "So what are your intentions regarding my daughter? She's somewhat like Mary, but underneath she's more like her ma, who's nothing like Mary. Allie couldn't believe it; here they stood in the middle of the street discussing her. She looked from one to the other fuming. But her anger turned to tenderness as she listened to Mosby's reply. "I thought so. I loved Mary, always will to an extent. But what I feel for your Allie is different. Stronger in ways. I can't explain it to you, Kid, just know if she's mine I'll do everything in my power to make sure she is always….." "Do I not get a say in this?" Allie asked standing there with her arms folded across her chest. Kid looked at his daughter; she was the spitting image of his Lou at that age. "Jamie….." "Darn it, Dad," Allie said angrily, "Horses? You left Virginia cause you thought someone believed you had killed some horses. You didn't stick around to find out if….." "Jamie…." Kid said but she cut him off again. "And you," she said turning to Mosby, "you let them blame him?" "No, I stuck up for him, argued that he hadn't done anything." "Jamie, let's find Allie?" Kid said to his daughter. "And straighten all of this out. "I am Allie," Allie confessed. "Allie? What the hell were you thinking? You had me scared out of my wits, young lady!" Kid shouted at his daughter as Lou and Jimmy joined them. "It was Jamie's idea she said that you made up with a friend of yours you thought was sweet on Ma once when she was in trouble to save her," Allie confessed. Mosby began to laugh as Kid, then Lou and Jimmy turned red. "What's so funny?" Allie asked. Mosby could tell by the look on Kid's face it was a story for another time. To distract Allie, he walked over to her and said, "Think you could live here?" "You going to keep that saloon of yours?" Allie asked. She wasn't sure if she could work running a saloon or even keep house over it. "It is my business," he replied. Allie saw fear darken his eyes for the first time. She could tell he was scared that he could lose her over this. "It's ok, guess I could learn to live with it…..but no whores. I won't have them coming on to my husband." "You have nothing to worry about my dear, Twilia has control of that," Mosby replied, then teasingly he added, "In case you didn't notice I haven't asked you to marry me." Blushing Allie looked down. Mosby gently tilted her face back up to look him in the eye. "Allie McCloud would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" All Allie could do was nod as she heard a squeal from behind her as Jamie and Ike approached them. Mosby kissed her in front of her family, causing her to turn even redder. As they parted Jamie hugged her sister. "See I told you it would work," Jamie whispered in her ear. ******************
As the day approached for the family to return home Lou, Camille, and the twins planned two weddings. One to take place before they left Curtis Wells and one for when they returned to Sweetwater. Allie wanted to go ahead and marry Clay Mosby and begin her new life. Jamie and Ike had decided to wait until they returned home, so they could honor the customs of both families. As the men watched from the bar, Clay got Kid's attention. Looking in the direction Mosby pointed Kid smiled. It was a beautiful site to him one he never tired of his wife and daughters with their heads together planning something. "You know she reminds me a lot of someone I use to know," Clay said with a sly smile. "Yeah, who?" Kid asked not sure he really wanted the answer to that question. "Just a lady who knew everything we were going to do before we did it and kept both of us out of trouble more times than I care to remember….my mother," Clay said slapping Kid on the back. "Looks like life has been a lot better to your Louise." Clay's eyes took on that faraway look that Kid recognized as memories of what the war had cost them. Kid stood staring at his wife and saw the resemblance in her eyes as she looked at Allie and reached to touch her cheek. "Never noticed it 'til now but I have to agree." "I promise to do my best to make Allie that happy some day." "You better cause it won't be me you're answerin' to," Kid said with a grin and pointing at Lou added, "it'll be her. And you don't want to be on her bad side." "That bad, huh?" Clay said with a chuckle. He sobered quickly recalling how Lou had laid Cody out the night of the dance. Jimmy having overheard the conversation said a note of pride in his voice, "Nope, that good." The End |
