“Don’t be stupid, you ain’t gonna shoot me. Put the damned thing away before one of us gets hurt.” Bellowed

the deep voice as it entered the house, the storm outside outlined the figure when the lightning struck. “I…I will do it!” The young trembling voice called out, “He…He got Mama and he ain’t getting me! You ain’t getting me either

mister!” The little boy’s voice cried out holding the colt so tightly that his little knuckles were turning white.

One eye peeked out from under the brim of the old hat and dirty blue handkerchief wrapped around the

strangers’ face. He stood in the doorway so the young tyke couldn’t escape he surveyed the little room. He looked down at the boy after seeing the two bodies on the other side of the room, the man was slumped against the wall with a bullet hole in his chest. The woman on the other hand was in a ball with her

back to the room. “Are you alone?” The deep voice called out after a moment. “No. But I don’t know where my brother is.” The gun was gaining weight in his hands and he was struggling to keep aim. The

tears started to stain his face; no little boy should ever see his mama struck

down. “What is your brother’s name?” “Nick.” Replied the little boy, “He’s 4. I’m Ian and I’m six and a

half.” Ian’s arms finally gave out and dropped to his sides the gun still weighing heavy in his right hand. “You got a last name there Ian?” The man asked calmly, “No, mama never gave us one.” Just as calm fell upon

the boy for a brief moment movement caught the man’s eye and he rushed to grab his gun. The mother’s body began to move and before panic set in a blonde-haired little boy that looked like the first one popped up and looked around. The man gave a sigh of relief not allowing Ian to notice he was actually nervous. “Nick!”

Ian gasped as he dropped the colt and ran to his brother, he pulled him out from under his mother and bear-hugged him. Picking up the gun and putting it in his holster the man looked at the two boys. He took off his hat

and scratched his salt and pepper mop on top his head, “I guess I can’t just leave the two of you here alone.” He sighed. “Go pack a bag for you and your brother Ian I will get some wood to start a fire.” Ian ran to his room and then stopped in the doorway. “Why do you need wood if we are going with you?” Ian looked back at the man with big green eyes judging everything the man had to offer them. “We are gonna burn the house down.” He

choked out. “Not with mama in here!” Ian yelled running back at the man and pummeling his stomach with his tiny fists. The man grabbed Ian’s fists and knelt down to face him man to man, “I ain’t digging no holes.” “Yes,

you are!” Ian yelled back with tears streaking his face again. The man stood up, “No I ain’t.” “Then you pack our things and Nick and I will dig a hole for our mama.” The boys stopped at the front door to watch the wind and rain crash down at their feet. Ian grabbed a small poncho and wrapped his brother in it, “It will help a little bit. Mama

kept a shovel near the chicken coop.” He grasped Nick’s little hand in his and proceeded out the door to the chicken coop. Stomping around for a moment and contemplating everything he had ever done up until this moment the

man turned to their room and proceeded to fill a sack with their needs. Spying a photograph on the nightstand it was of the boys and their mother. The man had no heart to leave it and cramped it in the bottom of the bag and returned to the living room. Leaving the bag on the table he stepped out onto the porch looking for the boys. Spotting them moments later near a large dead tree he took his jacket off and made his way to the boys. Gabbing them up each under one arm he brought them back into the house. “I think it’s time for the two of you to get some sleep.” “I have a job to do!” Ian yelled the man watched the anger and sorrow cover his face when Nick yawned pulling them both out of the trance. “Your job is to take care of your brother. I will take care of your mama, stay in your room and go to

sleep and I will put your mama in the hole you started.” The man’s silver eyes pierced Ian’s soul and he hoped he could trust him. “You promise?” “I promise.” The man stood up and began to leave, “What is your name?” The man stopped. Silence filled the room, his name? Why would anyone want to know his name? It wasn’t anything special and it had no meaning behind it. Finally, “Harrison Ruger.” Fell past his lips and he turned slowly to look at the boys. “I guess that will be your name now too, Ian Ruger.” Ian caught his breath and watched as Harrison proceeded out the door of the small house. As the sun breached the horizon and let in a line of light over Ian’s face Harrison was putting the final stone on their mother’s grave. Ian dressed and ran out the door as quickly as he could to meet Harrison at the tree. He stopped instantly, the youngest ran out and stopped by his brother who was still in his sleep gown. “What do we do now?” Ian asked looking up at Harrison who was covered head to

toe in mud. He scratched the back of his neck and suggested getting her flowers as he cleaned up and prepared to set the fire. Finding an old buckboard, he gathered up his horse and hitched him to it. He gathered what he could of food, and their belongings and threw the two shotguns and ammo he found while scavenging the home and, in the wagon, it went as well. Watching the two little boys place wildflowers on their mother’s grave made Harrison realize that he needed them more than they needed him. Getting Nick dressed and tossing him in the back with their items, Harrison set fire to the house and drove the horse and wagon away. Ian looked up at him after a while. “Will I ever get to see her again?” Not looking at him Harrison sighed, “Hopefully not for a long-time son."

1868

“DON’T PLAY STUPID WITH ME!” Ian shoved the barrel of his gun into the mouth of a man crying for mercy.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about mister honest!” The man cried. The barkeep was wiping a glass clean with a white cloth, “Please for the last time can you do this outside?” Ian looked at him with a twisted face, “You want some of this too Hershel?” The man closed his eyes and let his shoulders drop and allowed for a long sigh before answering. “No Ian I don’t; Aren’t you taking this a little far? Harrison’s been dead for over seven years now.” “BECAUSE HE WAS MURDERED BY THIS ASSHOLE!” “Whose Harrison?!” The man cried, “Oh shut up!” Ian kicked the terrified man off his stool and sat down, the man ran crying from the saloon. “Oh, don’t

look at me like that I let him go.” Ian scowled holding out his hand for a glass. Hershel was not impressed, “Weren’t you an officer in Lee’s army? You don’t act officerly… at least not anymore. Why can’t you be like your brother?”

“WHAT!? Are you insane? He turned blue belly on us and is living it up in Washington licking all their boots! No way in hell would you catch me living like that!” Hershel rolled his eyes, “Oh no an honest living. How terrible.” He

picked up another cup and cleaned it out before filling it and giving it to Ian, “You can’t be a bounty hunter your whole life, you need to settle down and get married.” Ian took a big swig out of the crystal and coughed, “I’m too old

to get married and besides I gotta find who put the bullet in Harrison… Pops back.” Ian looked at the honey-colored liquid in his cup. Hearing a crash and some yelling outside Hershel perked up to see what was going on past the saloon doors when in stormed a young woman repeating every curse word she had ever heard in her life. Hershel sank back to his stool, “You young folk have no manners or decorum anymore.” Ian smirked in his glass realizing that Hershel was over everyone’s bullshit today no thanks to himself he pushed his Stetson to sit on the back of his head so he could see more of what was going on. Hershel glared at the woman waiting for an apology, which he knew wasn’t going to happen. The woman turned red when she heard the barkeep speak the truth. Turning

redder and grinning at the man scowling back at her she made her way to the bar and sat down on the stool next to Ian, her skirts nearly swallowed up Ian’s legs when she settled into her seat. “Let me guess husband problems.” “Oh me? No…no…no…” She turned her head and placed her chin in her gloved palm. A big bulbous man broke through the doors and made a direct line to the young woman, “You have no right to do what you did young lady and you will be severely punished for what you did to your mother and me!” Ian looked at the man from the corner of his eye and then back to Hershel. “Give me two whiskeys. This situation is going to give me a headache.” The large man turned even redder than the young lady and grabbed Ian’s shoulder, “Who do you think you’re talking to?” “Clifford, stop! He didn’t do anything wrong you leave him alone!” The young woman yelled wrapping both her arms around the man’s one. Ian could not have been bothered, he drank both drinks and asked for the bottle. “I am Clifford MacDavonson! I am the bank and mine owner in Kansas and I am well respected in these parts so you better pay me my dues!” The young woman still holding onto the bulbous man’s arm watched for a reaction from the smaller man, he finished what was left in the bottle and snorted. “MacDavonson! That sounds like some bullshit made-up name!” He let out a good hearty laugh. The young woman’s tension eased and she softly smiled at him. “For the

love of God Ian don’t start any more trouble in here what did I just tell you?” Hershel barked trying to pull the bottle from him with no luck. “What is he to you sweetheart?” Ian asked pushing in the cork on the bottle, being caught off

guard she yelped out, “My mother’s husband!” Ian nodded registering the information in his head. Clifford pushed the young woman back, “Enough out of you girl!” She fell right to her butt a few feet away, “Thanks for that.” Ian

said looking back at Clifford, “What was that?!” He yelled in reply to being hit smack dab on the top of the head with the whiskey bottle sending him crashing to the floor near his stepdaughter. Hearing the commotion going on two armed men popped their heads in the front door, “He hit the boss!” One of them yelled. Jumping to his feet Ian tried to flee but the young woman grabbed his leg, “Take me with you!” “No way in hell sweetheart! I’ll pay you later Hershel!” Ian moved her to the side and ran out the back. Hershel tried to yell at him but gave up and went back to his cleaning. The young woman panicked not wanting to stick around for her stepfather to get back on his feet tripped up the two wannabe gunmen and followed the path Ian took. She found him coming out

of the livery yard and ran to stop him, grabbing for the reins of the horse she caught him off guard, “TAKE ME WITH YOU!” Trying to fight the reins away from her, Ian saw a gang filing out of the saloon, “Shit!” He leaned way down and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up in front of himself and spurred his horse to getaway. Chest to chest she wrapped her arms tightly around his ribcage to hold on for dear life. After a few stray bullets caught him off

guard Ian reigned in the horse to a hideaway just outside of the town limits. Ian hopped off the horse first then pulled his passenger off next, “YOU DON’T NEED TO BE SO ROUGH!” “Shut up lady or they will find us.” Ian barked as he led his horse to the brook in the bushes. “I don’t hear anything she replied sneaking up behind him and startling him, “Jesus’ woman, you can scare a man half to death.” Ian dropped the horses’ reins when they got to the bottom of the bank and the horse trotted into the water to drink. “I have a name.” “And I don’t give a shit.” “It’s Audrey Claymont.” “It’s a whole lot of I don’t give a shit.” Ian took his hat off and knelt down by the water and washed his face and head and neck off of the sand that was picked up in their escape. “Where are we going now?” Ian’s head popped up before the sentence left her lips, “We aren’t going anywhere sister, I’m dropping you off in the next parish and I’m gone.” “Why can’t you take me with you? I can help you!” Ian laughed, “Help me with what?” He pushed past her to look out to see if they were being followed yet. The little hiding spot they were in was good cover, he didn’t see the storm rolling in when they took off out of town but now it was nearing them. “I don’t need your help, Darlin.” Ian looked up at the sky and frowned. “Well, we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, storms rolling in we will have to hunker down here.” Ian spat out smacking his hat on his pants to knock the sand off it. “Storm! I don’t have anything to keep me dry, I don’t even have a cape!” She cried grabbing his suspenders and pulling him down to face her. “Not my problem!” He replied covering her whole face with his palm pushing her away from him.

Feeling the wind picking up Ian started to pull some branches down to make a covering and tied the

branches together, the best he could, and put a blanket on top of it just as the rain started. He grabbed his Morgan’s reins and tied him to a tree and covered his eyes then sat down under his shelter. Audrey stood with her arms

wrapped around herself as she watched him the rain has soaked her almost instantly and Ian did everything, he could to ignore her but finally gave in to the guilt and skooched over just enough to make space for one more person, he finally motioned for her and she rushed into his safe space. She snuggled up to him the best she could and even made her way into his coat and got his arm around her to keep her warm. The grin on her face annoyed Ian more than the wet coming off her and soaking his clothes as well. Audrey woke up to the sunlight dancing on her face she was wrapped up in Ian’s coat but no Ian she sat up worried that he left her and made her way out of their shelter and found him down by the little creek with his horse. Ian looked up the embankment to see Audrey staring down at him, he frowned when he noticed her dress was ripped up the front to her knees. Raising his eyes to meet hers he blushed slightly realizing she knew what he was looking at. “How’s your horse?” She asked trying

to ease the tension that was surrounding them. “Oh. Caesar is fine. He managed to not get hurt during the storm.” Audrey handed him his coat the roar of thunder caught them off guard, “Maybe we better find better shelter I don’t

think Caesar can take another night in this weather.” Audrey grabbed her dress, “I don’t think I can either.” Ian sighed, “The only place to get to is in the next town over and that’s probably where they will start looking for you.” “Is

that the only place to go?” Audrey asked as she followed Ian and Caesar up the embankment to the road. Ian looked up and down the road, one way led back to town where whatever Audrey was part of was back there

and the other way was to him dropping her off and going on his way. Helping her up on the horse first he jumped up behind her and grabbed the reins from around her, “Look I’m not gonna do any more for you than what I said I would. I have injunctions of my own to take care of than to help out some girl get away from her ‘daddy issues.” He gruffed forcing his hat down where it was supposed to sit on his head. Audrey quietly contemplated what to say, “I can’t help you? You won’t let me go with you?” “Absolutely not. Like I said I don’t need some little girl tagging along dragging me down and adding me into her problems.” Audrey balled her fists, “You don’t even know my issues.” “And I don’t want to know them.” Tears fell down her cheeks as they grew red and hot, “My daddy was hung for murder! He was framed and he was still hung! I need to clear his name!” Ian sat quietly feeling her

sobbing in front of him. This isn’t my problem he thought to himself, not getting the reaction she thought she would have gotten out of him she threw her hand up in the air and threw herself back on him, “OH woes me! And my poor

father who was…” Trying to hold her still from her antics Ian could see a dust cloud rising behind them, and with the amount of rain they had, he was surprised the dust was picking up as it did. It was probably a posse coming

after her sent by her step-father. As she began to lash around jerking them around in the saddle, he jerked the reins as hard as he could tossing them down the embankment on the other side of the road down to a

ravine. It was about a 50-foot slope that they all slid down and came to a stop at the bottom. “YOU COULD HAVE KILLED US!” Audrey screamed making it to her feet, Ian reached up and pulled her down on top of him as they heard the thundering of the horses come to a stop above them. “I swore I saw something over here!” One of the posse members called out “Ah you’re just stupid!” Another yelled hitting him with his hat. “We need to get her back I want that bounty on her head!” A man in a black hat and coat barked back. “That five thousand dollars will do me a lot of good once I get her!” The first one said back, “I don’t think I want the money… He said she was a virgin… She could be worth way more than that.” The three men talked and started to laugh. “Come on she couldn’t have gotten that far.” “That guy that hit the boss in the head may be helping her.” “I doubt it, Conners, he looked like he

wanted nothing to do with her, he probably dropped her off in the next town over, she wasn’t worth his time.” The men started to laugh. Waiting for it to remain quiet for a while Ian finally let his captive go and got Caesar to his

feet. Audrey stood quietly watching him, she did not know what he would do with the information that was just said about her. Fixing the saddle and patting Caesar’s neck he looked over at her still standing and watching him. “You gonna tell me why that stepfather of yours wants you back bad enough to tell a bunch

of men you’re a ******?” Her face lit up red as ever and she crossed her arms over her chest. Ian frowned looking at her. He turned back to his horse and got into his saddlebags and pulled out some jerky. “I don’t think he’s here for your best interests.” Ian made his way to her and handed her a piece of the jerky which she gladly accepted. She didn’t speak. As much as he wanted her to stop talking now was not the time to bottle it up. If

she had a bounty on her head for her ‘safe’ return he might as well have one on his head. The walk through the

ravine was quiet but the information running through Ian’s head was loud as ever what was the secret behind this little lady with such a big bounty on her and why did her stepfather want her back so bad and why was the word ****** popping back in his head every time, he thought about it? Looking back at her she was still covering her breasts and still red and mad as ever. He had to figure out how to get her to spill what dirty little secrets she was hiding. Finally, he gave up and stopped. She did not notice he had stopped and ran into his back. Rubbing her nose, she took a step back to look at him, lifting the brim of his brown Stetson a few locks of brown hair came popping out.

That amused Audrey enough to lower her guard and let out a small giggle. “Now will you tell me what the

hell is going on? If it will be worth it to risk my neck for you?” Audrey’s blue eyes cut through him like daggers making him feel guilty for forcing her into a corner. Her shoulders dropped and her smile faded. After wringing her

hands together for a few minutes, she finally spoke. “Daddy’s will stated that if I was married before my 22nd birthday all his assets would be given to me.” Unmoved by what she had said he waited for the next part. “If I don’t get married all my fathers’ assets will be given to my mother to do with as she sees fit.” “That doesn’t seem that bad why are you worried?” “Because Clifford would have access to all of it being my mother’s husband and I would be left with nothing. All my father’s hard work would be used to whatever Clifford saw fit and he has already told me that when that day comes, he would put me out on the street.” “Come on I don’t think he would do that to you.” “Then why did he tell a bunch of men I am a ******?” Ian stopped and got quiet. She was right it’s not that that would scare her into coming back but it was meant to keep her away and never return due to the shame of what would come of it if a posse got a hold of her. “I need to clear my father’s name first. I know he was framed I know someone was out to get him because of what he had. My father is no killer Ian and I need to prove it before I can even think about getting married.” Audrey grabbed the front of Ian’s coat to keep his attention. “When is your 22nd birthday?” “In four weeks.” Ian looked at the sky and watched the clouds turn from gray to black, the first few drops of rain hit his face. Letting out a slow deep breath Ian finally asked “So, who was he accused of killing?” “A man named Harrison Ruger.”

Ian’s jaw dropped and he

gave her a good shove backward the wind and rain started to come in heavy on

the pair. The thunder rumbled all around them; Ian could do nothing but stare

at her. The rain came down hard and soaked Audrey’s dress to her so tightly it

looked like her own skin and not a lovely dress it once looked like sitting in

a dress shop window. It was ripped and tattered now due to all the storms that

had come through, the thunder cracked around them as the wind started to pick

up it blew Ian’s Stetson off his head and tumbled quickly away from the pair.

Ian watched her with all the hate in the world building up in himself. “What

did you just say?”

Audrey was confused at

the way he was acting, she didn’t understand why he was so upset, his eyes cut

through her very soul and she began to become fearful of him was he going to

hurt her? Who was Harrison to him? Ian with his head lowered to block the rain

from his eyes pulled out his six-shooter and aimed it at her chest. She tried

to take a step back but the gusts of wind stopped her she was pushed closer to

his strained arm and stopped moving when she was chest to barrel with him. He

cocked the gun not looking at her, the thunder rumbled low through the little

valley shaking the ground around them. He glared at her through his bangs and

the rain, the lightning behind her lit up her face only seeing small features

he hadn’t noticed before she was scared of him; her eyes were a radiant blue

from the tears that made their color more intense, she had a light scattering

of freckles across her nose and cheeks that made her look more innocent.

The rain didn’t ruin her

beauty it enhanced it and he wanted so deeply to ignore the fact that her eyes

were cutting through him like a knife. Her deep inhales moved his gun and his

arm up and down in slow hypnotic movements that he couldn’t ignore, why was he

hesitating? Why wasn’t he putting a bullet in her beautiful chest and watching

her drop dead to the ground and leaving it all here to die in the valley and

move on with his life? This woman was nothing to him, the man that killed his

father was dead. Hung for his crimes she even admitted it. He started to pull

back on the trigger, the hammer moved slightly from its position this was

Audrey’s last chance to save her life.

She put one hand on his

wrist and smiled as softly as she could at him hoping he would take pity on

her, the wind picked up and blew their clothes all about and startled them and

Ian pulled the trigger. Audrey fell to the ground with her dress all about her

and kept her eyes closed, she was going to die in a ditch in the middle of

nowhere and no one knew where she was. Ian fell backward on his rump and looked

at the smoke from the gun then back at the woman motionless on the ground… did

he kill her? NO! he saw her legs move and jumped up and made his way to her

side and moved her skirts away from her face. Giving her a good tap on the

cheek she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him.

“YOU SHOT ME!” she

screamed hitting him in the nose he fell back on his rump again holding his face,

she shot up and jumped on him and hit him again, “What is wrong with you? Are

you a lunatic? You could have killed me!” “That was the point.” He said muffled

by his hand. Wiping the blood from his nose he shoved her off to the side of

him and put his hands on his knees and looked around them. After a pause, he

got up and helped her to her feet. “We gotta find my horse.” “We?” Audrey said

folding her arms in disgust.

“Yes, we! You’re the one

that started all this trouble and scared my horse off. We.” Ian grumbled as he

looked around for his hat hoping it got stuck in some sticker bushes not seeing

it anywhere near them, he made his way back to Audrey and grabbed her arm, and

pulled her along with him. What seemed like forever being dragged through the

valley Audrey noticed something off in the distance, “There he is!” she pointed

past Ian to the giant gray Morgan, Ian let out a long sigh that horse had been

through hell with him during the war and now he loved that horse and was happy

to see him again. Getting closer to him he saw him chewing on his Stetson,

“Good job ‘ole pal.” Ian said patting the Morgan’s face and pulling his hat out

of Caesar’s mouth, he put the crumpled hat back in its place on his head and

climbed up into the saddle, and looked down at Audrey.

She looked pitiful

standing there with her arms folded looking up at him, her dress ruined and

hair destroyed from the last few hours in the wilderness with him. He turned

the Morgan to leave her and stopped when he heard the slightest gasp escape

from her. He rubbed his face twice over and let out a loud sigh, held out his

hand to her and she gratefully took it pulling herself up behind him on the

horse. The Morgan gracefully made his way out of the valley up the sandy

sloping hill and back onto the main road and headed away from the town they

came from.

As the hours went on and

they got comfortable riding together Ian felt Audrey’s head against his back

and remembered his gun, he pulled it out of its holster and pointed the gun in

front of them, and pulled the trigger. Nothing. The rain had infiltrated the

mechanisms and clogged it up, he chuckled realizing that was the only thing

that saved her. Rusted up as quickly as the rain came down. Putting the gun

back in its home, Ian adjusted in his saddle and stretched forgetting about his

rider nearly knocking her off the back of the horse. Throwing his arm back

behind himself he caught her, ‘now I’m gonna have to be stuck like this until

she wakes…’ he thought annoyed with the whole situation.

What would his goody-two-shoes

brother do in this situation? He’d probably try to marry her, bed her and leave

her with a bunch of children to go galivanting back to D.C. where he lives for

the action there. Settling down and living a quiet life was not in Nicks’

vocabulary either. Maybe getting married wouldn’t be so bad… maybe the war

wouldn’t have gone the way it had. Maybe if Johnston didn’t die so early on in

the war they would have had a fighting chance, what if Lee took Gettysburg and

Pennsylvania would that have made a difference? What if Harrison didn’t get

shot? He had always talked about being a grandfather, joking around with him

and Nick wondering which one of them would be wed first.

There were a lot of what-ifs

and getting married was not on his list of things to do. Looking out at the

road ahead of them the town was going to be another three days away, the winds

shifted and turned warm but the dark clouds over the mountains still heavy with

rain were moving in towards them. He needed to find shelter for the night and

get them all out of the weather. Traveling slowly for a while longer Audrey

woke to see a small house off aways barely seen from the road; “Maybe we can

stay there for the night.” She choked out, her throat was dry and it was hard

to speak.

Reaching past her leg

into his saddlebag he pulled out a canteen and handed it to her. She downed to

cool liquid as quickly as possible, water and it was cold it was a great

feeling as it went flooding into her mouth and down her the front of her. Ian

pulled it away from her, “Easy some of us would like a drink too ya know.” He

took a large gulp as well getting the last bit of what was left in it. Stopping

at the steps of the little house Ian saw the remains of what looked like a

pretty devastating fire that tore through the house, the windows were blackened

and a large portion of the roof was missing and the chimney was gone.

“Let’s go a little

further on and see what else we can find if there is one house out here there

is sure to be another. Besides you don’t even know if there is a floor in there

with that kind of damage.” Audrey sighed as to being stuck on the horse for

another hour or so, her bum and hip were getting pretty sore and she needed to

take a break from riding soon. “Can we walk for a bit?” She asked after the

little house they found was long out of sight. Ian looked up at the clouds they

were dark but still off away, he helped her down and jumped down beside her as

well. “I guess we have time to stretch our legs for a bit.” He and Caesar took

off at a good pace leaving Audrey in their dust.

Waiting to see how long

it would take for him to realize she wasn’t next to him he was out of sight.

Audrey folded her arms and scowled as she stomped along behind the big horse

and his man. It gave her time to look around at her surroundings it’s not like

she had anywhere else to go and was over-setting out on this trip, it was nice

that she did have a horse and Ian to keep her company she probably wouldn’t

have fared so well alone. It seemed like endless dunes with red and brown sand

all around the area it was beautiful but she hated being dirty.

Ian stopped and took his

Stetson off his head and scratched his unruly mop of hair and looked around for

anyone that still lived there. It was quiet and off the path, away hidden

between some large overgrown trees, the roof was destroyed like the last house

they were at about an hour away and the barn looked like it was in bad shape as

well. Ian sighed it was better than sleeping in the bushes he thought as a gust

of wind picked up. Audrey stopped by his side and glared at the burnt-out

windows and slowly walked to the door and entered; taking a few steps in she

noticed it was one large open area not like what she had seen in the east. The

living room, dining room kitchen, and preparation area were all in the same big

room, the beds were off to the side one was burnt up and the other still had a

blanket on it. Lighting the cigarette lighter, she took it from Ian’s pack she

walked over to the bed and saw that the blanket was blue, a cornflower blue

with little white flowers. Looking around she found a lantern and lit it and

looked around for more to light up.

Amazingly the damage was

more superficial than anything and the little house was still livable for at

least the night. Ian was wandering the surrounding land and shot two rabbits

and found a small garden off to the side, digging around in the dirt he found

some potatoes and beets, he threw the beets to the side, he hated them. Wiping

the sweat off his brow he saw the little house lit up and walked to one of the

windows and looked in. Audrey was walking around with a lantern and cleaning up

the little house with what she was finding, she cleaned off the little table

and some seats and swept the floor, and fluffed the pillows on the bed like it

was part of her daily chores. Ian chuckled to himself seeing her move about the

house like a housewife knowing that she had a husband and children to take care

of, what was she going to do next pull out a sewing needle and mend his shirts?

He frowned after the thought realizing that he liked the idea.

After several more

lanterns were lit Ian made his way through the door with two stripped rabbits

and a handful of potatoes; “Can you cook?” Audrey looked around her broomstick

at the hairless rabbits on the table and looked back up at Ian. That was all he

needed for an answer, he tore off his coat and threw his hat on the chair

nearest the table, and started to roll up his sleeves. “Can you find a

cauldron? I think I saw a well on the side of the house near the woodpile, you

get the water and I’ll get the wood and start a fire.” She nodded at him and

went in search of what he was asking for.

She returned shortly back

into the light with a huge pot, “I guess once they saw the fire they just left

and didn’t think to try to save the place. There isn’t much damage in many

parts of the house.” She said setting the large pot on the table near Ian he

looked up at the roof over the loft where he thinks the dry goods would have

been stored and thought someone must have started the fire since the fireplace

had no damage and the stove in the kitchen was clean looking. He couldn’t

understand why the windows were blacked out and the roof missing, it had to be

a blast or something… or a cannonball come through the roof to make such

damage. But the war didn’t make it out this far west he thought but he was in

Virginia for almost all of the fighting so he really didn’t know much of what was

going on in the rest of the country at the time. He didn’t say anything to her

and stood up and grabbed the pot and carried it to the well for her. Pushing a

large slab of limestone off the mouth of the well Ian was careful not to drop

it. “I think these people are not originally from here. This is limestone.”

He looked over at Audrey

for a moment wondering if she was curious. “They are from the east. Most

limestone deposits are in the central United States or on the east coast.” She

smiled back at him she wasn’t interested in the limestone but gave him a smile

knowing that he loved telling her the fact. “I’ve got matches in my saddlebags

go grab them for me.” She nodded and went on her way to fetch what he asked

for; waiting for her to return it became darker out only the light from the

little windows was seen. Making her way slowly back to Ian she bumped into him

and he caught her before they both went into the well. Taking the matches from

her he stuck it and dropped it down the well, it didn’t go far and was out

instantly with a hiss.

The water was close to

the top of the well which was good with all the rain that has been in the area.

“Why did you do that?” Audrey asked with pure fascination. “In case there was

gases in there, would have set a fire or blown up in our faces.” She studied

his face for a moment or what little of it she could see. “The Yanks poisoned

the water and killed crops and burned down everything in their wakes, I’m not

taking any chances.” Ian frowned. She could hear it in the tone of his voice.

He was in the war and he was on the losing side. “Are you ready to get the

water and firewood?” She asked sheepishly trying to get his mind out of the

past.

He gave his head a shake

and looked back at her and pushed the bucket into the well. Grabbing the wood,

they needed and began their way back to the house the rain was starting again,

starting the fire as quickly as he could he stood up and wiped his hands off,

and walked to the door. “I gotta get Caesar into the barn. I think it will be

dry enough in there for him for the night.” Audrey watched him grab his hat and

walk out the door. She looked around the little house it was quiet in there and

well lit up for what she found in lanterns; if it was fixed up it would be a

beautiful little house… maybe even a home with children in it.

She pictured Ian walking

through the door with several tiny children running up and attacking him as he

made his way into the tiny home. She smiled then put her hands on her cheeks,

he wouldn’t want that he wasn’t that kind of man not a man she needed she

didn’t know his past or what kind of man he really was and she had to clear her

father’s name before any fantasies of finding a husband and making a home. She

cut up the few potatoes that Ian brought in trying to get her mind off the

little fantasy when Ian came back through the door and began stripping his hat

and shirt off. The rain had started to come downlight and cold, he wasn’t ready

to deal with being sick just yet not in the hands of some girl that didn’t even

know how to cook, she wouldn’t be able to help a sick man. He looked up at her

as he placed his shirt on the chair by the fireplace then looked up at the hole

in the roof over the kitchen where the loft was.

He sighed and made his

way up the steep staircase and looked around for anything to patch the hole.

Audrey sat silently at the table while he worked on covering the hole and then made

his way back down to her, “It’s not much but it will keep us warm for the night

it’s a cold rain. I’m surprised it is for this time of year.” He said putting

his hand on his chin thinking about the weather in the area. Audrey’s eyes grew

large when she saw huge scars on his side and back, she let out a little gasp

that caught his attention. “It’s from the war.” He replied back to her, that

was as much as she figured.

“I was in Fort McHenry

for a while, I got injured before going there some Union boys got a hold of me

and two other men and beat us after a bunch of us got captured at Antietam. I

got a couple of lashes from them and tried to escape and fell off a bridge

during transport to Fort McHenry and they patched me up there and I bribed my

way out.” Ian got quiet for a moment, “They had a lot of Southern sympathizers

there so they weren’t too bad, not like the stories I’ve heard out of Donaldson

or Andersonville.” Audrey grew still and kept watching him his breathing was

slow and deep she could see all the scars and muscles from his back to his

stomach up to his ribs to a large chest and broad shoulders. His body was

covered in scars one that bothered her the most came from his belly button to

his right hip. He gave her a tiny smile.

“I thought it would be

good fun to get gutted like a fish and jumped into a trench with a bunch of

them blue bellies and start attacking them, I landed on a young farm boy no

more than thirteen or fourteen and scared the hell out of him and he just

slashed the hell out of my gut and left me to die.” Ian was quiet for a moment.

“He didn’t even look back to see if I was still alive, he just ran. I got

trampled by a few of my guys then my friend Tommy Fulton found me and managed

to keep my stomach inside me and got me back to our lines and got me to the

surgeon.” Audrey watched him grow quiet he had cut up the rabbits that were

sitting on the table without a second thought and threw them and the potatoes

into the boiling water and went looking for extra stuff in the root cellar they

had found earlier. Audrey sat there silently thinking about everything.

Daddy and Eric fought in

the war on the side of the Union, they were brave and fought for the country

and everything America stood for. Daddy had lost his arm from the elbow down

and Eric was killed with a cannon blowing off his leg, he died with the surgeon

on the battlefield there was no way to save him. Pulling her out of her

daydream Ian made his way up out of the root cellar and added some more

ingredients to the pot. She watched him for a while, was he as evil as everyone

said he was a Confederate soldier were they all monsters? Grabbing the blanket

off the bed and walking back to the table he sat down and looked at her still

trying to understand what he had told her.

“I’m not a bad guy Aud. I

didn’t own slaves my daddy didn’t own slaves and neither did his daddy; we

lived in the middle of nowhere I didn’t know anybody that owned any until I was

in my teens looking for a job when we moved east. I worked with them and I

picked tobacco and cotton, I shoed horses and painted and mended fences I

worked like a dog just like everyone else did.” Audrey looked over at him at

the other side of the table she didn’t hear anything he had said after he

called her ‘Aud’. All she could think of was maybe he did like her even just a

little bit. He gave her a quick little smile realizing she didn’t hear him and

got up to find another blanket for her to keep warm. After eating dinner, they

fell asleep at some point in the night and Ian woke to the pain of being bent

over the table all night. He stood and stretched and looked around for Audrey

she wasn’t at the table, he found her curled up in the bed and draped his

blanket over her got his shirt back on, and went out to check his horse.

The wind was blowing in

warm and the smell of the burnt wood from the house was still sweet and smokey.

The sky cleared up and he watched the moon as full as ever and the stars move

around the night sky. It was quiet in their little oasis and it was nice; he

liked nights like this when everything was still. It reminded him of the end of

the war when he was part of the Wilderness campaign and making his way through

Cold Harbor Virginia; the black flies were worse than being shot at, I think

I’d rather be shot than ate up by those little blood-sucking bastards he

thought to himself.

The fields and wetlands

were the worse the noise of the cannons and gun powder didn’t bother him; at

one point he began to enjoy the smell it covered up much of the dead and

rotting soldiers and animals that weren’t picked up yet by their collective

people. At one point he had helped a Yank who was trampled and got him back to

his line his name was Tyler and he was from Vermont he hated the heat and

wanted to be in a cooler climate Ian felt the same the sweat stuck to his

clothes and wool coat like an extra layer and dreamed of a shave and a bath.

They departed when Ian left him at one of the last bridges that hadn’t been

destroyed and left his new friend there. Ian thought if that was his one good

deed during the war or in this life that would be good enough, even if he

didn’t find the man that killed his father.

Ian sat on the porch

whittling a small stick, Audrey quietly made her way to him and sat down by him

on the step wrapped up in the blanket still with bed head and sleepy eyes. Ian

chuckled at her then quickly turned his gaze away when she was looking at him.

Ian cleared his throat and threw the stick down beside him and finally said,

“Well we only really have a few days to clear your father’s name, where do we

go from here? Where was he tried?” Audrey woke right up and wrapped her arms

around Ian’s neck, “Oh really Ian! You’re going to help me! What made you

change your mind?”

He tried to pull away

from her with no luck and replied, “I gotta do one good deed in my life, might

as well do it now so I don’t have to do it later.” “Oh, thank you, Ian! Thank

you so much! You won’t regret it!” She pulled Ian to him and planted a big kiss

on his cheek and jumped up, “I gotta get dressed I will be ready in a few

moments I won’t slow you down I promise!” Finally getting to his feet Ian

walked back into the little house and went for his coat. His shirt was tattered

and ripped up the back from the storm last night; it was his only good shirt he

owned and hoped that the coat would protect his back from any more bad weather

since his shirt was of no good use anymore.

He was cursing himself

when Audrey walked up and tapped him on the shoulder and handed him something.

“I found a whole chest of clothing. Try it on it may fit. I found a couple of

lovely dresses if you don’t mind me bringing them along with us.” She smiled up

at him when he took the shirt and tried it on. It was a little large for him

but that was good for traveling in his mind. Audrey put the dresses down on the

table they were cornflower blue, golden yellow with brown flowers, and green

with stripes. He began to wonder who these people were when she came back from

the little room she was in and put down two more shirts and two pairs of pants

and a pair of long johns. “I ain’t wearing no man’s britches sister. I’ll take

his shirt and pants but I gotta draw the line somewhere.”

She chuckled at him and

placed them on the bed. Grabbed a blanket and wrapped up all the clothes in it

and gave it to Ian to tie to the back of the saddle. Climbing up onto the

saddle he helped Audrey on behind him, the dress she had on was similar to the

one that got destroyed in the storms it was a little darker blue with white

dots on it and sleeves that stopped at her elbows. Ian thought it to be a

tasteful dress, he didn’t like the ones with poofy shoulders or sleeves to the

wrist he liked to see a little skin even if it wasn’t in the chest area. He

noticed she added the apron to her outfit as well probably trying to protect

the dress as much as possible when it came to being out in the open and rain

and dust.

They had made it a great

distance by the time the sun was above them in the sky. Finding a shady spot to

rest Ian dismounted and helped Audrey down and removed the saddle from Caesar’s

back for a break. “So now that we are part of this campaign where are we

going?” Ian finally said after completing his chores. “Fort Collins.”

“Colorado?! Seriously? That’s six days away sweetheart! I don’t have that kind

of money to get us there!” Audrey sat silently on the log by the brush and then

smiled after a moment. “I can pay you for all your troubles once we get to

Colorado, that’s where my inheritance is as well as information on my father.”

Ian scratched his head

pushing his Stetson farther back on his head; “You can’t pay me if you don’t

get married before getting that inheritance so it will be all for nothing on my

end.” Ian grew quiet for a moment, “Unless I turn you over to your step-father

and he gives me that five grand on your head.” Audrey jumped up, “You wouldn’t

dare! You said you’d help me!” Five grand would be nice to have and would be

more than enough to get him to D.C. to find his brother and let him know about

who was behind the shooting of Harrison. A telegram would be easier but it

would be nice to see Nick face to face again after three years.

He frowned at the thought

of his brother fighting for the Union and doing nothing to save him from

prison. Audrey was beside him hitting him in the arm and chest when he came out

of his thoughts. He grabbed her arms to stop her from hitting him. “I know I

know I said I would help you and I will now stop hitting me.” As they began to

argue Caesar began to walk away from them, looking at each other and then back

at the horse they decided it would be smart to follow him. Caesar had heard the

creek even though all their shouting and went down to drink. “I’ll go grab the

saddlebag you gather up some dry wood and we can make camp closer to the water

away from the path. It will be safer.” He said back to her as he made his way

to their initial resting spot. “What was your father doing at Fort Collins

anyway?” “He was there on business far as I know but other than that I know

nothing of his doings. I know his lawyer is there and his will.” She added as

she handed him a few small branches.

“Branches darling, not

twigs this ain’t gonna keep a fire going all night,” Ian replied breaking one

of the twigs in half. Audrey turned red and went for more wood, Ian pulled his

coffee pot out and frying pan and looked for a little food he had left in the pouch.

“We need to get to a town and get supplies.” He said to her once she came back

with an arm full of branches. “I can see about catching a fish or two I only

have one slab of salt pork left and that won’t feed us.” She put the branches

down and watched him get to his feet and disappear. The sun was nearing the tops

of the mountains when Ian returned to their little camp with a single fish and

rabbit. “It’s not much but it will get us through the night.”

He replied as he made his

way back into the camp and watched her face, “We’ve been here all day I told

you I wouldn’t be a bother to you so why are we camping out all day?” Audrey

sat quietly with her head in her hands waiting for his reply. He cleaned and

gutted his catches and put them over the fire. Taking a deep breath in and

pulling out his cup and pouring the coffee into it looked up at her. “We were

being watched when we left the little house so I wanted to get off the road and

hide for a while. That’s why I was gone so long I was making sure that our

tracks were covered.” “Do you think it’s the people Clifford sent after me?” “I

don’t know. You’ve got such a huge bounty on your head and a target on your

back I didn’t want to take any chances.”

Audrey smiled at him he

did care but she wouldn’t make a big deal about it for him. “I am going to go

wash up, I won’t belong,” Audrey said as she got up and gathered her clothing.

Ian pretended not to care, but he watched her walk towards the water and

disappear behind the bushes. Getting a smug expression on his face he downed

his coffee and followed her. If I can’t touch, I can at least look. He thought

as he chuckled to himself and snuck his way over to her bathing area. He

watched silently as she removed her layers and tried to get in the water in one

swift motion. It was freezing and he laughed to himself when he heard her scream

from the cold. Ian looked up at the sky like he did the night before, the stars

filled the sky as the sun was still setting and it painted the sky pinks

oranges, and purples then turned black and the stars glowed brightly. It was

quiet except for the peepers and the crackling of their little fire. The small

splashes Audrey made helped Ian feel at peace.

He closed his eyes and

listened as much as he wanted to enjoy the view the silence was all that he

ever wished for, in his head it was always loud here it was calm it had been

quiet since she came crashing through Hershel’s doors the other day and he

wanted to savor the silence as much as possible. He heard Audrey coming out of

the water and Caesar clopping around and branches breaking. Opening his eyes

immediately he looked around the area for Audrey and saw her at the bank and

two lanterns on the other side of the creek coming their way, he jumped up and

raced to her as quietly as possible grabbing her around the waist and covering

her mouth he had her and her belongings in the bushes before she could think

twice.

“Shh! Someone is coming.

Look.” He held her close to him when the lanterns came to the water’s edge. It

was an elderly couple and their dog getting water for the night. They watched

them for a while in silence until the lantern light vanished back into the

woods. Audrey pulled his hand off her mouth, “Could you please release me?”

“Why would I do that?” He grinned, she could hear the enjoyment in his voice,

“Because you are holding me and I am not covered, I need to get dressed.” “Now

why would you want to do that? I am greatly enjoying this moment with you.” He

gave her a bit of a squeeze when he was finished taunting her. “Ian I am cold!”

Ian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him as closely as possible,

“Then I guess I will keep you warm then!” “Ian… My breasts!” she screamed

trying to wiggle her way out of his grasp, he was enjoying himself too much to

see the real struggle she was putting up to be free of him.

They sat motionless in

the bush for a while longer the silence around them was defining, Ian softly

moved her hair from her neck to the side of her destroying the barrier between

them. He leaned forward and kissed her neck and shoulder as tenderly as he

could, the kisses made her frantic and her hair stand on end. Her breathing

became erratic and her skin grew hot where he touched her with his lips,

panicking she pushed away from him and ran back to their little camp in the

safety of their firelight. Ian gave her some time to get dressed and forget

about their brief moment together before he rejoined her at the camp. He looked

down at her wrapped in her blanket fiddling with her hair, she refused to look

at him. He got the hint and leaned up against his saddle and covered his eyes

with his hat and folded his arms across his chest and slept on the opposite

side of the campfire.

The morning came on them in

deep reds and purples with a little chill in the air, it brought with it

hooting and hollering from a large group approaching the little camp. Audrey

popped up from under the blanket and smacked Ian in the face when she heard the

pounding of a bunch of horses coming towards them. “Ian! Ian wake up!” Ian shot

up and pulled his gun on her, she pushed it out of her face and lifted his hat

off his eyes. “What!?” She covered his mouth hearing the horses coming he

jumped up and kicked dirt over the smoldering fire and grabbed her to her feet,

“Get everything packed up and I’ll see if they will follow my tracks, I will be

back just pack up quickly and I’ll lead them away.”

Audrey grabbed his arm

before he tried to leave her, “Please come back for me!” He leaned down and planted

a kiss on her lips and ran down to the water to his Morgan and jumped on his

back and took off upstream. Audrey had the saddlebags packed quickly and the

blanket and their clothes wrapped up and ready to leave she hid out near the

water just to be safe. As she hunkered down waiting for him, she realized that

two men had made their way down to the steam before she could think of an

escape.

One man was large and had

a face that was entirely beard and his companion was the complete opposite,

scrawny and hairless and his clothes hung off him like he hadn’t eaten in

decades. They splashed around in the water and began to vocalize their disdain

for their leader. “If I gotta hear one more order from that idiot Major I swear

to Christ I’m gonna shoot him myself.” The larger man said throwing water on

his face. The scrawnier man stood in front of her hiding spot and dropped his

pants to his ankles and began urinating. “I dunno, I reckon he ain’t that bad.

I mean I get paid every month and I gets to go buy things I like.”

The bigger man bent over

the water and began to sniff. He did not enjoy what he was smelling and looked

over to his friend, “God damn it, Fred! I’m washing my face here go piss

somewhere else!” He yelled throwing a large stone at the man with his pants

still around his ankles. “I was just peeing. What’s your issues, Paul?” “Your

piss smells awful you need to get that check! God damn it! Now I gotta wash up

again.”

He yelled throwing

another rock at his companion it went past him and hit Audrey in the forehead.

“Hey, Paul did you hear that?” Audrey covered her mouth after she let out a cry

of pain. Making his way back to the camp Ian stopped in his tracks when he saw

the two men. Realizing they were right on her hiding spot Ian thought quick and

made it up around them and before he could do anything to help Audrey, he heard

another man yelling for the two by the water. “Carter! Miller! Get your asses back

up here now and back into formation! This break wasn’t for you to wash your

asses!”

The two men stopped feet

from Audrey and glared at one another. “I really hate that man,” Paul growled

as he turned and pulled Fred with him back to the one yelling. He had his hands

on his hips and wore his army blues and looked as if he had never seen a day of

hard work in his life. Ian rolled his eyes he hated men like this, didn’t know

how to fight or command, had the cleanest uniforms and the brownest noses. Ian

waited impatiently for the platoon to move on before he made his way back down

to the creek bed. “It’s clear. Come on out.”

Trying to carry

everything out with her from her hiding spot Ian jumped down from Caesar’s back

and grabbed up the saddle and bags and belongings from her. Looking at how

pitiful she looked with her hair a mess from the branches and twigs he turned

to his saddlebag and pulled his canteen out and poured it over her face and

wiped the blood from her forehead. “I took a rock to the face.” He smiled at

her, “I know and you did well staying quiet too; lord only knows what they

would have done to you if they got their hands on you.” Audrey rubbed her right

arm and looked away from him. “Not only do we have to worry about Clifford’s

men we have to worry about the army as well.”

“Why do you say that?”

Ian asked closing up his bag, he turned to her and turned her face to his, “You

don’t like them.” She replied, “I have my reasons for not liking them but they

are the ones that command these lands and are supposed to keep it safe some men

are just evil and will take advantage of anyone. Especially a woman alone in

the wilderness. Don’t look at me like that I didn’t do anything wrong I did my

job as a soldier and that was that.” “I was told Confederate soldiers were

arrested and tried for treason after the war.” “Maybe some but I got outta

dodge as fast as I could and made it out here. Besides my brother wouldn’t let

any of those assholes arrest me anyway, he’s one of them over in D.C. and he’d

stop them.”

Ian winked at her then

helped her onto the saddle and climbed up behind her and took off from the

little creek and followed the mountain range north. By the time the sun was

going down Ian thought it would be good to stop again the wind was beginning to

pick up and it was cold, they were on the outskirts of a town about a mile

away. “You don’t want to sleep in a bed tonight?” Audrey asked trying to

stretch and pop her back. “I have enough money to get us supplies not a room,”

Ian said squatting down feeling around in his bag. “Well, I am tired of

sleeping on the ground I want to sleep in a bed.”

“Well sweetheart start

walking, you may be able to get a bed but I sure as hell won’t.” He grinned at

her, she pushed past him and unrolled the blanket and the clothing she had

gotten at the house and pulled out a little pouch, and threw it at him. He eyed

her as he opened the little pouch and produced three large broaches covered in

diamonds with a large ruby, emerald, and sapphire in the middle of each of

them. “Where did you get these?” He questioned holding one up to get it in the

light better. “I found them in the chest when I was looking for clothing. Do

you think that will get us a room and a bath?”

“Honey, you could

probably buy the whole hotel with these,” Ian replied still looking at the

broaches. Audrey pulled on Ian’s arm begging him to take them to town, her only

convincing was of Caesar getting food brushed down and a clean stall for the

night at the livery. “We need to take these to the pawnshop,” Ian said once

they got on the main street walking towards the town’s hotel. He pulled out the

sapphire broach and kept the other two covered and placed them back in her

hands. “Don’t want anyone seeing what we got or we may get robbed.”

He whispered to her.

“Where should I go waiting for you?” “Come with me you can look around while I

work something out with the owner,” Ian replied putting his hand on her back

and pushing her into the pawnshop. Ian went right to the counter and Audrey

walked around looking at all the trinkets and photographs that were on display

or in cabinets. She enjoyed the glass items and bronze sculptures and feathered

headpieces of the native Indian war chiefs that were probably stolen… “That was

traded to me!” The old man yelled as she got close to the headpiece. “Don’t you

touch it either!” Audrey took a step back, Ian and the man turned back to each

other, “Damn women always touching stuff. You’d think they’d learn by now not

to do that.”

The old man harped; Ian

smiled at the man trying to agree with him to get a better than a fair deal for

the trinket. “Your wife really wants to trade this?” the old man questioned.

“Uh. Yes, we were robbed on the trip out here and that was all we had left of

our belongings and she’s quite set on sleeping in a hotel tonight.” The old man

looked Ian up and down a few times and shrugged. “None my problem but I don’t

have much to trade this is a very good piece you got here. Give me a moment

I’ll be back.”

Ian turned to watch

Audrey as she slinked around the small room trying not to knock anything over

with her dress skirts. She had to touch everything she saw. It was like

watching a child seeing something shiny and new for the first time. The old man

returned and barked at her and she jumped and knocked several items off of a

desk breaking them all. Her face was blood red when she looked up to face Ian,

she quickly made her way out of the small shop and waited for him by the door.

“That’s gonna cost you.” The old man growled. Ian wasn’t surprised but still

made out with a pile of money that would get them to Fort Collins and back

several times.

Opening the door and catching up to Audrey at the end

of the sidewalk he grabbed up her arm and strolled her to the hotel. “We can

get a room and dinner tonight once we get cleaned up. I’ll order you a bath

once I go back down.” Ian placed their belongings in the doorway of their

little hotel room. It was nice forest green wallpaper covered the walls with a

just as dark quilt on the bed. The floors creaked as they walked in it had

enough space for the tub that would be brought up shortly and a chair and small

table alongside the bed.

“It’s only for one night

so don’t get too excited over it,” Ian said sarcastically. “I won’t. I’m just

so glad to not be sleeping outside for once on this trip.” Audrey replied as

she sat down on the bed. The springs were not new in the bed and she sank right

in and got stuck in it. Ian chuckled at her and grabbed her arms and pulled her

out with such force that she fell into his chest. Looking up from his chest to

his face hers began to glow red hot as she realized that she was touching his

bare chest.

She panicked and gave a

good shove to get out of his grasp, “I’ll meet you in an hour?” Audrey nodded

and he grabbed up the spare clothes and made his way to the door. The room was

nice once she looked around it again this time taking her time to really look

at it. The one window was adjacent to the bed and the wallpaper had more

details on it than she previously noticed with outlines of lilies and Japanese

cranes. She was pulled out of her study by a rapid knocking at her door when

several people rushed in with a tub and buckets of water; they left as quickly

as they appeared with no word. Audrey didn’t think much of it and stripped down

and climbed into the warm bath; moments later the old woman that came in

directing where everything should go grabbed up her clothes and took them out

leaving a few towels behind for her.

This was much needed

after the first few days of this journey and Audrey was not going to let it go

to waste. She sat in the tub until her fingers and toes began to prune and then

she remembered what Ian had said, rushing out of the bath she toweled off and

dressed in one of the dresses she had found at the house. The golden yellow one

was her favorite and put it on as quickly as she could and managed to find some

pins to put up her hair in a bun on the top of her head. Looking in the mirror

she frowned. ‘I look like an old maid.’ She thought to herself and undid her bun,

now she looked like a child she began to panic then heard the clock chime in

the hall and gave up and put her hair in a quick braid and ran to the door.

Ian looked at the clock

on the wall and downed his second whiskey. He had only been standing there for

fifteen minutes but his nerves were getting to him. He had been around her for

a few days now why was getting a bath and cleaning up to eat a real dinner so

nerve wreaking to him. Hearing fumbling down the stairs he already knew it was

his companion trying to make it on time. “Ian! I am so sorry I am late I didn’t

mean to keep you waiting!”

He finished his last gulp

and took her arm, “I made reservations before you went up so we should be able

to eat quickly.” He said as she was flattening the front of her dress to look

presentable for dinner. Ordering dinner for the both of them Ian had his

whiskey refilled and was studying Audrey as he sipped his drink. She sat

opposite him at the table and she was playing with the table cloth, she seemed

anxious and uncomfortable and he was glad he wasn’t the only one feeling that

way.

When their dinners were

set before them Ian started to eat, he had ordered the roasted duck with mashed

potatoes and green beans and dinner roll slathered in gravy he was in heaven. Halfway

through his mindless eating, he looked up to see Audrey still staring behind

him and twisting the table cloth. Now he was alone with his anxiousness as he

watched her and she was somewhere else. He very much enjoyed the cornflower

blue dress she wore but the golden yellow one suited her well with her dark

blonde hair framing her face bright blue eyes she was a sight he enjoyed

looking at.

She had probably never

seen a hard day’s work in her life or even slept on the ground before let alone

the frontier and it wouldn’t even show if she had lived out there her whole

life. She was simple in her pleasures and understanding of his silence and ignorance

when it came to caring for another human which he gave her all the credit for

and even only after a few days he thought that he knew and understood her, he

had never felt that way with another human, not even his brother or Harrison.

“Audrey, honey what is going on?” Ian asked in his best manners trying to break

her trance. “The painting.” He turned to see what she was talking about when

the waiter walked back up to offer them dessert.

The waiter noticed what

she was looking at and told her it was of the owner and his partner who

established the town. He put the pitcher of water down on their table and

walked away. Ian looked at the picture of the two men and then back to Audrey.

“What’s wrong?” “That’s my father and step-father.” Audrey left her place at

their table and walked over to it and glared at it for a long while, other

diners started whispering about how weird she was and it was unusual for a lady

to act like that.

Ian paid the bill and

made his way over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders and told her it

was time to go. Making it up the stairs to their room Audrey just stood in the

doorway looking into the green room like she had never seen it before. “I…I

didn’t eat dinner.” She said after a moment. Ian pushed her into the room, “I

had them take it back to the kitchen and send it up with dessert here in a few

minutes. Do you want to tell me what that was all about?”

He asked taking off his

vest and hanging it over the chair. Audrey still stood still in the middle of

the room. Ian unbuttoned his shirt and his pants; he had eaten too much and

crossed his legs waiting for her to answer him. “Come sit down honey and talk

to me I cannot help you if I don’t know what is going on in that tiny little

head of yours.” Without thinking about it she walked over to him and sat on the

edge of the bed. “I didn’t even know my dad and Clifford knew each other let

alone were friends.”

She finally said with her

hands on her knees, she looked at Ian as if he had the answers. Ian put his

hands behind his head and yawned, “Maybe they were friends before you were born

and Clifford stole your mom from your dad.” Audrey glared at him. “I doubt it.

There were another couple of men in the picture but I didn’t know who they were.

I wonder if they had anything to do with my fathers’ conviction?” Ian shrugged

and got up and got the door when he heard a knock on it.

A young boy came in with

her dinner and dessert plates. “I guess that’s my cue for the night.” Ian

tipped the boy and grabbed his vest. “You aren’t staying here?” Ian grinned at

her. “You want me to stay with you in the same bed?” “We slept together out

there.” She replied without thought he grinned at her, “It’s not the same

sweetheart. I won’t be as protective of you in here as I was out there.” “Why

not?” She questioned as her eyes grew larger. “Because you will get more than

just a kiss if I stay here.” Her face grew bright red and she tried to cover

her cheeks with her hands. Ian chuckled and closed the door behind him and made

his way down the stairs back to the dining room, he wanted to take a look at

this painting that made such a huge impact on their dinner.

The dining room had all

but emptied for the night and Ian had the room to himself. Walking up to the

painting he saw Clifford with the big belly and the man on the left of the

painting was Audrey’s father but who were the men in the back? Why would there

be a painting of these men anyway thinking Ian said Audrey said her father was

in Colorado why would he be out here. Ian turned and grabbed a lantern off one

of the tables near him and held it up to the painting and almost dropped the

lantern.

Hearing a commotion, the

hotel manager walked over to Ian to see what the noise was about. “You alright

son?” He asked as Ian turned around pale as a ghost. “I…um got startled when I

saw the painting. I did not mean to alarm anyone.” Ian replied trying to catch

his breath. The man looked at the painting with Ian and sighed. “The two men in

front were business partners, David Claymont and Clifford MacDavonson. The men

in the background are Ted Macomber, myself…” He paused for a moment then smiled

softly, “My lover Harry.”

 Ian looked back at the painting. “What

happened to them?” The man watched him for a moment longer. “Clifford and David

got into some pretty big fights when we were all out here looking to get rich.

Harry and I were going to try to start up a town and bring people in, the train

would be coming through here within two years and he thought it would be a

great way to settle the west and make a good life.” The old man rubbed the back

of his neck. “David and Harry had found a mine and realized it was covered in gold

they swore to not tell Clifford or Ted due to their huge gambling debts they

racked up back east that needed to be settled. They agreed to split all costs

and fortunes between each other fifty-fifty and become business partners and

run Clifford and Ted off.”

Ian looked back at the

old man and then back at the painting. “What happened? Why are you sad?”

“Clifford and Ted figured out their plans and were furious and wanted to get

revenge on them and take everything from them. This was a year after they had

found the gold, Harry and I had already started the process of building the

hotel and livery.” Ian watched as it pained the man to bring up such details of

his past. “Clifford attacked them at the mine with Ted and several other thugs

he hired, and all I know is Ted was killed and Harry barely got away with the

skin on his neck, he came to me and told me to run with him. I told him I

couldn’t leave what we created, this was our home and I had our first guests

and even was able to hire on help. Harry left in the middle of the night before

anyone knew what had happened to David or Ted and what Clifford had done.”

The old man eyed Ian, “It

was a while before I found out what Clifford had done. With Harry gone,

Clifford told the Sheriff that David killed Ted and Harry and took off with the

gold. They were on the run for a bunch of years I don’t know whatever happened

to David but I know Harry was doing well he wrote me once about a terrible

issue he came across one night on the planes and took in two boys.” Ian

chuckled. “I got the notice of his murder five years ago and almost sold the

place.” The old man wiped his tears away. “David was arrested shortly after the

murder and was hung two years later, I tried to stop it but no one would

believe me. Some anonymous tip to several marshals in the connecting states

found David up in Colorado and hung him without trial.”

Ian watched the man get a

hold of his emotions after a moment. “Why would you tell me all of this? I am a

stranger to you.” The old man ignored Ian’s comment and walked back to the

parlor; Ian followed a few steps behind him. “I’m not stupid son. I saw your

last name and put two and two together.” Ian gave him a sheepish grin. “And the

woman?” “Is David’s daughter, I’d know those eyes and nose anywhere.” The old

man smirked; Ian kicked the bottom of the desk for a moment then looked back at

the man in front of him. “As much as I want to talk about Harrison, I need to

keep her safe… I don’t think her father killed pop.”

The old man shook his head

‘no’ in agreement. “There is another issue to this as well,” Ian said shaking

his hat at the old man. “Clifford is her step-father.” The old man’s eyes grew

large. “I…” The man was cut off when a huge crack of thunder shook the

establishment and spooked them both when the doors flew open and someone was in

the entranceway drenched from the rain. “YOU ASSHOLE!” Came the growl out of

the wet figure, Ian and the man looked at each other then back at the door.

Audrey was drenched so through that she could barely walk with how heavy her

dress was and stomped her way to Ian’s side and dropped her skirts on his dry

boots and pants. “Every time it rains you always find a way to get soaked and

force me to get wet with you.”

He put his hands on her

soaked shoulders and pushed her out of his space. The old man went for a few

towels. “What were you doing outside?” Ian asked as he moved her bangs out of

her face, “You didn’t hear the banging upstairs? I broke a lamp and the table

in there when someone came through the window into the room!” “You broke my

table?” The old man whined out as she ripped the towel from his grasp. “How did

you not hear me?” She repeated, Ian scratched his head and looked up at the ceiling

to avoid eye contact with her. “I just assumed someone was having a good time.”

He glanced back down at

her and grinned.” She was clearly not amused by his statement. Clearing his

throat Ian changed the subject. “Well since you’re here now, I found out some

information about that painting but I guess you were finding out some other

information.” The look on Audrey’s face could kill a man at that moment and she

reached up grabbed his collar and pulled him down nose to nose with her, “The

men from the posse found us, Ian! We need to leave!” The old man looked at her

and studied her for a moment. “Your David’s only daughter huh?”

Audrey grew silent. “It’s

ok doll you can talk to him, he’s on our side.” “I…Am his only child. My

brother Eric died in the war.” The old man bent down behind the desk and pulled

out a pile of wrapped letters and untied the string holding them together and

laid them all out on the desk. “Your father and I were in correspondence for

years, once your brother passed, he ran from the army out here that was the

last letters I got from him but he did talk about his beautiful daughter’s

birthday on the 3rd of April hoping to see her before he fled west.”

Audrey was confused. “I was born on the 24th of April. My birthday

has always been celebrated on the 24th ever since I was four years

old…When my mother remarried and became Clifford’s wife.” The old man shook his

head. “The 3rd is tomorrow.” “Your inheritance will be

lost if you don’t get married!” Ian and Audrey began to panic, Clifford was

going to get everything for lying about her birthday. “What do I do I didn’t

solve my father’s murder! How can I get married after that promise and now it’s

too late to get married and all of my father’s hard work will go to Clifford

and my mother and I will be left with nothing!” Audrey put her hands on her

head and began to pace the room. “I believe I can help with that.” The old man

finally said after a few more outbursts from Audrey, “You can? I’ll do anything

to save my father’s fortune and hard work!”

“The reverend Jacob

Taylor owes me a favor; I can have him here in five minutes and marry you.”

Audrey looked at him in awe, “You can? But who would I marry?!” The old man

rolled his eyes at her comment, “You can marry Ian, or I can get the local

drunk Ludwick Coy, who by the way smells like a barn.” Audrey’s face glowed

bright red as she stared at the two men, watching the old man walk out the back

of the room she still faced Ian. “Am I no better than the town drunk?” Ian

asked not looking at her, “Don’t play with my emotions Ian you don’t want to

get married you even said that you were not thrilled with helping me! That I

was more of a nuisance to you than anything!”

She began to pace again.

He smiled softly at her. He did say that but she had ties to Harrison that

couldn’t be overlooked and keeping her by his side he could help her stay safe

from her step-father and still get all the information he needed. He stopped

her in the center of the room placing his hands on her shoulders and held eye

contact with her. “I… I think it would be in our best interest to do this.

Clifford already lied to you about your birthday, he won’t know if you get

married and we can catch him off guard, I’m guessing he is already on his way

to Fort Collins to get the inheritance. Plus, once we get to Fort Collins you

will have a copy of the wedding certificate with the date on it to make it

legal and binding to your father’s wishes.”

Ian backed off a little

bit, “Besides I didn’t say I hated you, I’ve been keeping my distance because I

don’t want to keep my hands off of you. I didn’t think you’d appreciate getting

groped every time I got close to you.” Audrey pushed her bangs back a little

and looked up at him, noticing more of his facial features and characteristics,

she liked the stubble she didn’t notice at dinner let alone the last few nights

they were together, or the scar on his left cheek. He was covered in scars and

realized that he had lived a hard life, she frowned at him.

Had he even known a

peaceful day at all in his life? Would being married give him that bit of normalization

that he needed? He survived the war and lived through that hell, being married

was a totally different animal than both of them didn’t even think about. A

twinkle in his green eyes came out when he smiled. He didn’t smile much but he

was doing this for her, not for the inheritance but for her sake, maybe this

would be good if they get to Colorado and fix everything if he wants to go on

his way after he will be fine to do so she wouldn’t need his help then… that is

if he didn’t want to stay with her. The silence around them was broken when the

old Priest cleared his throat. “I’m only doing this for a favor so the two of

you better get over here or I’m leaving, I hate being woken up this late.”

Ian and Audrey shuffled

over to the man in black and were given their vows and signed a paper as

quickly as the Priest could get them to sign it and he was gone. Ian ran after

him to talk after the ceremony. Audrey stood silently in the parlor with the

owner. He looked down at her wringing her hands together and walked over to her

and gathered her hands in his. “I had this ring made when I was with my

husband. I know it is not spoken of but there it is. Give this to Ian it is

sentimental to him.” “I had no idea.” The old man smiled at her, “You will when

the time comes.”

 He left Audrey’s side when Ian came back to

join them. “Did you at least get her a ring?” The old man asked Ian looked at

him like a child. “No this was kind of spur of the moment…We can get one on the

way out of town in the morning.” “We are leaving?” Audrey asked spinning around

to face Ian, he pulled on his suspenders and grinned at her. “I got a bone to

pick with that new father-in-law I just gained, might be a mighty good time to

meet him.” Audrey folded her arms, “Do you think he had anything to do with my

fathers’ conviction?” “I sure do, and a lot more.”

Audrey rubbed her arms

again then looked up at her husband, “I need to go pack I still have the

dresses upstairs.” “We don’t have time for it we will get you new dresses when

we get to Fort Collins.” He grabbed her hand and started to pull her out the

door, “Ian wait!” she stopped him in his tracks and handed him the wedding

band. “The old man said this may be sentimental to you and wanted you to have

it.” Ian smiled at it and had her put it on his left ring finger. Opening the

door to the hotel they were stopped in their tracks by a large bull of a man.

“Clifford?” Audrey whispered as Ian backed up pushing her into the wall behind

him out of the way of the large man.

He had pushed his way

through the door and stopped and looked at Ian and the tiny head that was

peering up from behind him. “Is she by any chance named Audrey Claymont I was

told she was staying here.” the monstrous man bellowed, “Nope this is Daisy

Florence and we just leaving BYE!” Ian replied pulling her out from behind him

and pushing her through the door. The man grabbed Ian by the shoulder with his

big hand Ian peeked back at the man over his shoulder, “What’s your name

friend?” The bull asked, “My name? Its Uh… Mick… Yeah, Micky Florence nice to

meet you pal but the missus and I need to be going, have a good night!”

They made it around the corner

and hid in between two buildings that were adjacent to the livery. Ian squatted

down behind the building near some barrels and rubbed both sides of his face

trying to figure out what to do. “I don’t know how many men Clifford has

working for him,” Audrey replied folding her arms. He looked up at her and

realized she was freezing she had dropped the towels while they were in the

hotel.

He took his coat off and

threw it around her. “I’m going to cause a distraction.” Ian glanced over at

the livery. “I’m gonna get Caesar and then make it up from there.” Ian began to

move when Audrey stopped him, “You’re just going to wing it?” “What else am I

supposed to do? You need to get to Colorado and I need to find Clifford I think

he is the one that took out Harrison not your father. If I can delay him as

much as possible you can get to the fort before Clifford and not have any

issues between the lawyer and your father’s will.”

Audrey was shocked to

hear that Ian believed Clifford to do something like that. Clifford was an

idiot but he never acted like a killer. “Here is the bag with the broaches in

it and a ticket to get on the coach to get to Beaver Creek it’s a day away from

here I can meet up with you there, it leaves in three hours if you can hide

until it gets here get on it and go.”  “Ian stop!” Audrey yelled after him as he ran over to the livery and

disappeared inside.