chapter 4

Audrey woke up sore as she could be and made it to her

feet, her legs were sore from staying in one position all night. Hearing the

hustle of everyone moving around early in the morning she remembered the ticket

in her pocket to get on the stagecoach where she was to meet up with Ian.

Racing to the coach with her ticket in the air she managed to get there before

they were off. They looked at her in surprise when she had no luggage or

carry-on bag but didn’t question her, she probably thought they were thinking

she was getting away from something bad like an abusive relationship or debt

which usually happened around there. Audrey sat by the window and fell asleep

she was only in the coach with a man and a woman and a child so she ended up

having all the leg room she wanted due to the family wanting to keep close to

each other.

          Ian sat

up slowly and rubbed his face it was swollen pretty well, getting caught by the

big guy last night didn’t help much but he did find out that they were working

for Clifford which was a bonus. Ian rubbed his left cheek for a while

remembering the lost a tooth in the brawl and managed to escape and hide in a

barn on the outskirts of town. He was, unfortunately, going to have to go back

and find Caesar they got separated in the heat of the fighting. Six against one

Ian chuckled to himself he always liked odds like that. He was able to shoot

one of the men that had pulled a gun on him and injured two before getting shot

himself which wasn’t anything new to him just nicked his leg and he was able to

wrap it up well.

Pulling the straw from

his hair he saw the ring Audrey had put on his hand. Shit. He had forgotten

that he told her to keep going without him, it was still early he wondered if

he could meet up with the coach, they could have only been an hour or so away

at this point, but finding his horse was the first matter of business to deal

with. Leaving the hayloft and sneaking around the old farmer milking his cow,

Ian made his way back towards town before almost being run over by a huge black

and red stagecoach racing into town. It kicked up the dust so high that Ian

couldn’t see where it was going but was interested in why they were coming in

such a hurry that he quickened his pace to see who was in it.

          Getting

to the union station before anyone evacuated the coach Ian saw the large bull

of a man walk up to the coach with three or four of his cronies and wait. The

coach door flew open and none other than Clifford MacDavonson climbed out and

greeted the men, following him was a red-haired woman in a dark green dress her

hair was up and looked a mess she was crying loudly over something before

Clifford couldn’t yell at anyone before the woman stormed past him into the

saloon next to the station. Clifford had fled before the shoot-out happened to

come into the town looking like an innocent man with his poor worried wife.

Ian crept in closer to

hear the men, “I don’t care what it takes I want my daughter back this instant

she is too delicate to be out here lost in the wilderness her poor mother is

losing her mind!” He yelled with exuberance, then leaned closer to the bull-man

and whispered, “I don’t care what happens to the little shit I just need to

find a body and I will be set and I will get the inheritance that should have

been mine anyway. So, find me a body NOW!” Clifford yelled pulling on the bull

man’s ear almost ripping it off his head. “What if she’s still alive?” the big

man asked his boss. Clifford turned back to him and got belly to belly with

him, “Then make sure she isn’t.” Ian’s eyes grew large, Clifford didn’t want

her back or shamed he just wanted her dead and completely out of the picture.

          Ian

turned to get up and leave and was met with a rifle in his face. “Shit,” Ian

growled under his breath, the weaselly little man grinned at him with all four

of his teeth bared for the world to see. Ian turned up his nose at the man and

tried to get away but the man was just as agile as he was. “You gonna go real

nice like or am I gonna get to shoot you again?” The man said mockingly to Ian who

was not amused by being shot by a man like this. “I don’t suppose you got a

smoke do ya? I’d rather get one last drag in before I die.”

Ian requested trying to buy

some time to think of an escape. The man huffed and started to dig in his

pocket when he let down his guard and rifle Ian jumped at the opportunity to

grab it and got stopped with a second gun pulled out of his pocket. “Didn’t

think you were gonna fool me huh?” Ian rolled his eyes and backed up against

the wall of the saloon with his hands up. “I guess I can’t get that smoke now

huh?” Ian joked; not amused at the joke the man hit Ian with the butt of his

rifle and Ian instantly dropped to the ground.

          Waking

up a while later Ian grabbed a hold of his jaw, another hit like that, and the

thing was sure to tear off he thought to himself. His head was pounding now and

it was getting hard to see out of his left eye, what a way to go he thought I

haven’t even been married a whole twelve hours yet. Ian chuckled at himself and

spit a little blood out that began pooling in his mouth. “I should turn you

over to my boss but you aren’t worth anything so I’d much rather have fun with

you before I end you.”

Ian looked up and shook

his head slightly to get his bangs out of his eyes, he was planted on the

ground barely holding himself up by one arm. “What kind of fun you talking

about pal?” Ian choked out trying to get in a more comfortable position. “The

real fun kind.” The man grinned and licked his lips at Ian; he gave a good

shake with disgust. “So, you better get up and walk back over to that barn I

saw you come out of this morning.” “Could you just shoot me instead?” Ian asked

trying to get to his feet.

          The man

hit him again with the rifle, “I ain’t into that kinda thing, I like the

struggle.” Ian fell to the ground and was grabbed by the back of his shirt and

pulled to his feet. From the window of the hotel, the old man saw the whole

incident between the two men and grabbed his rifle from behind the desk and

followed them. The barn was silent the old man and cow were gone and the barn

was closed up tight, Ian was shoved in and he fell to the ground in a heap of

dust.

          “I’d

sure like this the easy way, you might as well take them britches off yourself

to get this moving faster.” “You gonna treat me to a nice dinner after this? I

sure could go for a steak.” Ian mocked trying to get back to his feet but was

unable and fell on his backside. “You ain’t getting no steak that’s for damned

sure!” The man grabbed Ian by the thick fluff on his head and started to

unbutton his pants, Ian tried to push the man away but was out of energy, the

man kicked his arm away from stopping him and grabbed himself and pulled it out

of his pants to show Ian.

          With

what little energy Ian had left he frowned at the man and looked up at him, “I

hope that you bathe before you do this to women, that stench is just Gawd

awful.” Offending the man as best as he could the man let go of himself and

punched Ian in the face so hard it turned him right around to land on his

belly. “You hit like a woman.” Ian coughed out spitting up more blood, he

turned his head to the side to breathe a little better.

“I’m tired of your shit

boy!” The angry man reached down and grabbed Ian’s trousers and started yanking

on them, getting loose his suspenders the man was able to pull Ian’s pants

slightly down before pulling on himself to get hard. Before the man could

finish getting Ian’s pants down, he felt the cold barrel of a shotgun on the

back of his head, hearing it being cocked he let go of Ian and put his hands

up. “I think it’d be in your best interest to leave town now before I blow a

hole in your head the size of Kansas.” Not looking back the man nodded his head

and fixed his pants and grabbed for his rifle. “Leave it.” The voice bellowed

and the man left his rifle and ran as quickly and as cowardly as possible from

the fear of God put into him by the mysterious voice.

Ian woke up in a big

fluffy bed several days later, he looked around the room and what was on him,

the room looked like the one Audrey had rented but smaller and the bed was in

the middle of the room with a green quilt with little pink flowers. There was a

small table with one chair and a white dresser with a mirror on it. Ian could

see himself; two black eyes a swollen face and covered in bandages. What the

hell happened to him, trying to get up the door quickly swung open to see the

old man. “What is the meaning of this?” “My name is Michael if you’d like to

know.” The old man said as his greeting. He set down the fresh bandages and

food at the end of the bed and pulled the chair up to the side of the bed to

look at his patient.

Michael frowned at him

and Ian thought the worse, “Did he?” Michael shook his head ‘no’. “I made sure

to stop him before he could do anything to you besides throwing a punch.”

Michael’s frown stayed on his face. “I don’t think you needed another scar, not

one like that at least.” Ian laid back in the bed and put his arm over his forehead.

“Well, I guess that was one thing Harrison didn’t see either. He didn’t see any

of it, this was during the war.” Ian looked back over at Michael he was looking

out the window.

“You were my Harry’s son

and I want to think of you as the same, I don’t have any family out here and by

the looks of it neither do you. You’re gonna have to go get that little lady

when you’re feeling better.” “I can’t wait. I promised her I’d meet her

tomorrow morning at the next stage stop.” Ian protested. “You aren’t healthy

enough to ride, besides you’ve been out for five days now.” Michael spit back,

“Clifford wants her dead.” Ian finally said after a brief pause. “Dead?”

Michael repeated Ian nodded.

“That’s when that ole

bastard caught me. Aud left that morning on the coach, I’m guessing Clifford

doesn’t know that she’s gone yet.” “He probably already knows, since she was

attacked in your room that night he may have already talked to the stage and

found out where they are heading ‘worried about his step-daughter’ no less,”

Michael said using air quotes to get his point across.

“Exactly! That’s why I

need to leave now. What if they ambushed the coach?” “They have armed guards on

them,” Michael replied pushing Ian back into the bed. “She’s my responsibility

now and Clifford has to be the one to answer for pop’s murder!” Ian tried to

push Michael away from him with no effect. Michael sighed at him. “I will only

let you leave in the morning if you go to sleep right now and sleep through the

night it’s the only way you are going to get any healing started.” “I still

need to find Caesar; I need to leave now.” Ian fought back Michael shook his

head ‘no’, “I already got him back in the livery he’s fine. Sleep now and I’ll

be back to rewrap your wounds.” Michael got up and left the room in three quick

strides. Ian laid back and looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

          Audrey

had slept for what seemed hours before the coach stopped for its first break so

the guests could get out and stretch their legs. Being the last one out of the carriage

she walked around and smelled the air and stretched it was nice being out of

the cramped area. The family that was riding with her stayed close together and

the three other men taking care of the coach were all doing their duties of

keeping the passengers safe and making sure their ride and animals were well

cared for. Audrey took a look around and walked off away for privacy and went

to the bushes to do her business when she came back out and the coach was gone.

“I was gone for five minutes!” She yelled as she watched the trail of dust

follow them.

Audrey started to recite

all her favorite words and kicked a boulder and hopped around holding her foot

for a time. She slumped down on the rock and waited; she wasn’t quite sure what

she was waiting for but she didn’t think it’d be in her best interest to

continue, on alone. The dark clouds that were settling on the land made the

green of the pines stand out in vibrant colors with the golden color of the hay

that was growing for miles around her. It was beautiful there but lonely she

had no idea where she was or what was even out there. Would she meet any

natives? Were there even any in the area or bandits roaming around? She had

nothing to protect herself with and was left in the open.

          She finally

gave in to the pains in her stomach and went searching around in Ian’s coat

pockets looking for anything that resembled food, finding the broaches she

sighed. “A lot of good this will do me out here.” She wrapped them back up and

put them back in their place and found one last pocket with a bit of jerky in

it. Eating it like it was the last bit of food she’d ever have she got up and

searched the area for anything else that was a resemblance of food. With no

luck, she sat back down on the rock and waited. Hopefully, another stagecoach

would be coming through in a few hours.

          Waking

up to the sounds of brawling and yelling Audrey popped her head up from behind

the rock and saw two men in the center of a circle of a group of ten or fifteen

men, fist fighting. She couldn’t hear what was being said but knew it wasn’t

going to be good with the way the fight was going the smaller man was winning,

he had knocked the bigger man to the ground and was punching him in the back of

the head. “I need to get out of here,” Audrey said getting up from out of her

hiding spot turned to see a large figure towing over her. “Oh my!” She said

loudly as she backed up and was stopped by the rock, the figure grabbed her by

the shoulders and dragged her to the group.

          “Look

what Paco’s got!” One man yelled from the group as Audrey crossed her arms over

her chest protecting herself from unwanted hands and eyes. “What do we got here

boys?” A larger bearded man asked grabbing Audrey by the chin and lifting it to

get a better look at her face. “What’s your name beautiful?” “Daisy,” Audrey

replied looking around the man at the crowd. “Don’t worry about them sweetie, I

just want to talk.” He grinned at her turning her face back to him to only look

at him. “You will be my guest.” He said ‘thoughtfully’ as he rubbed his hand

from her thigh up her back, she tried to smack him but he easily stopped her.

          The man

frowned at her when he caught her arm, “You’re hurting me!” She cried out, “You

will not be treated as kindly as you are now if you try to hit me again little

lady. These fellers haven’t seen a woman in months.” They all started to

chuckle at the man’s comment to her. He leaned down to her for only her to hear

and whispered, “Some want to give you a good time…the others like a struggle.

It’d be of good interest to you if you do as I say and no one else will touch

you.” She tried to pull away from his grasp only to be held tighter.

          A red

and black stagecoach came around the bend taking its time and slowed down and

stopped at the crowd. Audrey stood still as the door opened and a large belly

emerged from the opening. The stagecoach rocked back and forth as the man got

out and stood glaring down at her. “Clifford.” She choked out as he positioned

himself in front of her. “This is Daisy…” The large man that captured her

started to say before Clifford cut him off. “She’s obviously lying you twit.

It’s good to see you again my lovely step-daughter, I’ve missed you.”

He stated putting his

hands in the front pockets of his black velvet vest. “Is my mother with you?”

“She’s asleep right now so distraught over her only daughter running away with

some stranger maybe never to be seen again.” He smirked at her as she started

to wring her hands together trying to think of something clever to say but nothing

came to mind. “Come on. We need to get to Fort Collins to get me that

inheritance, I need your signature on the paperwork that’s the only reason I’m

bringing you along.” He turned to get back in the coach when Audrey decided to

stall him, “I’m… I’m married.” It stopped him in his tracks he turned and bent

down to her face “Come again, dear?” “I’m married Clifford and you cannot have

my inheritance.” She said firmly to him he stiffened his back and looked at

her.

                    “Where is your proof then.” He sneered

looking at her fumbling around in her large trench coat finally pulling out the

paper she showed him the marriage certificate. Pulling it from her grasp he

yanked out his glasses to take a better look at it, he began to laugh. “You

haven’t even been married twenty-four hours yet! You must have forged this name

on here! This is a fake child don’t play with me.” He tore up the wedding

certificate and threw it on the ground, Audrey fell with it trying to grab all

the pieces. Clifford grabbed her up by the back of the coat and ripped her from

the coat and threw it into the bushes and shoved her into the coach. Audrey

tried to stop him from shoving her she started thrashing around, “Let me go!”

She shook the whole stagecoach with her antics with no means of escape. The

wagon and the posse took off and made their way towards Colorado.

          Ian

rose slowly the next morning he had been hurt a lot worse than he thought, he

was sore from head to toe. He was able to get his pants and boots on before

Michael came busting through his door with more bandages and food. Michael

stopped in the doorway and studied Ian for a moment, “You aren’t seriously

thinking about leaving?” Ian chuckled then held onto his side for a moment. “I

don’t need you to be a mother hen, Michael, I’ve got it. I just need to get on

the horse and I’ll be fine.”

Ian glared up at Michael

withholding his shirt, “My Harry would not be happy if I just let you waltz

right out of here in your condition.” Michael replied as Ian reached out for

the shirt, “Your Harry would have just gotten up and walked past you and got on

his horse and left.” Both holding onto the shirt started to laugh, it was nice

having a connection to Harrison again especially when Nick was so far away. “I

promise I will take it easy.” Ian finally said pulling the shirt from Michael’s

grasp. “I thought as much I will pack you some extra food and clothes.” Before

Ian could protest Michael was up and out the door.

Taking his time getting

down the stairs Ian met Michael in the parlor where Michael was looking up at

the painting, turning he looked over at Ian and smiled. “Harry said he fell in

love with you and your brother, he didn’t save you out of pity. He saved you

out of love.” Michael frowned. “I wish he would have been able to come back but

with that bounty on him and David it was hard for him to even try to come

back.” Ian put his hand on Michael’s shoulder and reassured him that he would

come back.

The young boy that

brought Audrey’s dinner up to her the other night met him at the front of the

hotel with Caesar, Ian slowly made his way down the steps of the establishment

to meet his old friend. Patting him on his nose Ian smiled, “It’s good to see

you again old pal.” Michael had wrapped Ian’s right arm to his stomach so he

had to take a couple of test jumps to get up on Caesar’s back and get situated,

“You could have just used the steps.” Ian grabbed the reigns in his left hand,

“And look like an old woman, no thanks.” Ian took the sack Michael had prepared

for him and turned to leave. “One more thing,” Michael called out.

“This was Harrison’s. I

pulled it out of our chest it’s not being worn so you might as well have it to

keep you warm.” Michael handed up Ian a dark leather trench coat and new

Stetson. Giving Audrey his coat and losing his hat all on the same day was

putting a damper on his mood, he smiled as he touched the leather. “I think

he’d be proud of you,” Michael said holding onto Caesar’s reigns while Ian put

his left arm through the sleeve and wrapped the rest of the coat around his

shoulder. He placed the hat on his head and fit like it was made just for him.

It was dark brown like the coat but had white and blue beading around the hatband.

“I’ll clear pops name and

get Clifford the justice he deserves.” Ian bellowed as he spurred Caesar into a

gallop and took off riding like the wind. Michael stood and watched him for a

long while. The housemaid came out and stood by his side. “I’m proud of you.

Finally giving up that old hat and jacket. It will be good for you to finally

move on.” She folded her arms and watched as Ian vanished in a cloud of dust.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. That hat and trench coat were brand

new I just picked them up this morning. I ain’t giving Harry’s stuff up, not

even to his son, don’t you have some cleaning to do Margret?” Margret shook her

head in disgust with her boss and left him alone in the road.

          Ian had pushed Caesar as hard and as long as possible when

he took his first real stop, seeing all the tracks in the area from where the

wagon had come to a stop, he hoped he would find something. Getting off Caesar,

the horse fell to the ground in a huff with all the dirt floating up around him

he rolled back and forth several times, “Dramatic much?” Ian asked as he

smacked his hat on the side of his leg knocking the dirt off it and trying to dry

the sweat from the sweatband and liner. He walked around the area around the

horse looking at the tracks. Two sets of wagon tracks and a bunch of horses and

hoof prints were all over the area much of the grass was laid down due to the number

of people in the area. Ian was impressed at how long the markings lasted for

him to get to them, he was hoping these were the only tracks and not some new

coaches that passed by in the last few days going to other destinations in the

area.

          Ian sat down on a large rock and took in a deep breath, the

hay, and the evergreens radiated through his senses. It was beautiful there,

quiet like he liked other than the wind blowing through the branches of the

trees and the peepers in the shadows. Ian laid back and covered his face with

his hat and fell asleep. Getting some of the most restful sleep of his life he

refused to move even when Caesar began nudging him. “Go away. I’m sleeping.”

Ian barked pushing Caesar’s head away from him, the horse tried to nip at his

shirt getting his full attention when he realized it was silent now.

The wind stopped blowing

and the peepers were now quiet, Ian sat right up and looked around. He didn’t

hear or see anything when he made his first initial look around but hearing a

gun being fired right at him threw him back in shock spooking Caesar to run off

again. Sitting up and pulling his hat off his head Ian gave a curse about the

horse running again. “Damn horse made it through the war and is spooked by a

rifle blast.” Ian was reaching around to find a rock to throw at the person

that shot at him and grabbed a piece of clothing. Catching him off guard he

looked down and realized it was his coat that he had given Audrey.

Searching the pockets, he

found the broaches but found the jerky missing. At least she wasn’t mugged He

thought. Folding up the jacket and making his way over to Caesar who had found

some green grass he put the coat in the saddlebag when an old hunched-over man

made his way to Ian’s side. “What did you do that for sonny?” Ian twisted

around so quickly he caught the old man off guard, “You shot at me you old

asshole! What did you do that for?”

          “You looked like a bear; I was hoping for bear stew for the

next few weeks.” He leaned back on his rifle and scratched his beard with his

free hand. “Did you see anyone come by here recently?” “Mayhap.” The man

replied. Ian sighed, “Come on you old fart this is important!” Ian barked

shaking the coat at him, the old man just glared at him, “I’m no old fart I’m

in my prime! Fifty-seven years old if you believe it!” He yelled popping his

back and waving his rifle around his head.

          “If’n, you want to know if there been any people here it

will cost ya.” The old man slinked his way over to the rock and climbed it so

quickly Ian didn’t know how to react when the man and him came nose to nose.

“Back off!” Ian yelled pushing the old man back off the rock, Ian moved from

his spot and stepped over the old man who grabbed his left leg. Ian’s shoulders

dropped and he looked up at the sky. “Gimme some food you crap! You lost me a

bear!” “There was no bear in the first place you old ****!” Ian yelled trying

to kick the man off his leg.

          Dragging him a few yards towards Caesar, Ian finally got

the man to let go and pulled out the package that Michael had made him and

threw the old man a wrapped-up brick, and put the rest back in the saddlebag.

Tearing into the package the old man started to eat quickly, after getting his

fill and licking all his fingertips he burped and scratched his stomach while

Ian became more annoyed. “There were two coaches here a few days ago. A pretty young

woman with strawberry blonde hair got left behind from the first one and the

second one came by pretty shortly after and picked her up like they knew each

other.”

          “Two wagons? I knew it!” Ian said thinking out loud. He put

his fingers to his chin and the old man did the same. “I’m wondering if that

bastard Clifford found out that she escaped the other night during the

fighting.” Ian still having his fingers on his chin began to pace the small

area that he was in with the old man. The old man snuck into Ian’s shadow and

mimicked his movements. “That would mean the man that tried to kidnap her out

of our hotel room must have been working for Clifford and informed him… but

that would mean he would have been in the same area as we were…” Ian paced a

little while longer while his shadow copied every move he made. “Then he has

got to know she was heading to Colorado to try to get her inheritance. He must

be taking her there to force her to give it to him!” Ian turned and relayed his

question to the old man. “But he can’t get anything because she is married.”

Ian stood up and looked at the clouds rolling in.

          The old man began cleaning his ear with his pinky and

looked at Ian looking puzzled at his situation. “Well, it’s no problem of yours

sonny she ain’t your woman.” He took a ripped piece of paper out of his pocket

and blew his nose into it. Ian stared dumbfoundedly at him, “She is my wife you

twit! I wouldn’t be out here for no good reason dealing with your shit.” The

old man ignored the statement and continued to crumple up the paper and throw

it on the ground. He grabbed another one out of his pants pocket and Ian caught

a glimpse of writing on it. Ian grabbed the paper from the man’s clutches and studied

it for a moment. Ian saw his name on it.

“That’s my nose wipe!

Give it back!” The old man went into a rage and jumped at Ian to grab the piece

of paper from him, “MY NAME IS ON IT!” Ian hollered holding it high up over the

old man’s head. Finally falling off of Ian the old man scratched his backside

and wabbled over to the rock and climbed up it. Proud of his victory Ian went

back to his paper and studied it carefully, it was ripped to shreds, “Where are

the rest of the pieces?” Ian asked as he looked around, the old man ignored him

for a moment, “I’s only had them two pieces.” Ian wasn’t going to touch the one

the old man blew his nose into. “I’m taking this, I think this means Audrey and

her stepfather met up here and he wasn’t having anything to do with this.” He

finished saying as he waved the ripped corner of the marriage certificate

around before shoving it in his pocket.

          Ian gathered up his stuff and got Caesar situated and

mounted him, Ian stopped and looked at the old man still laying out on the

rock. “I’d say thanks for the help but you just delayed me longer.” The old

man’s big shaggy grey eyebrow rose and a brown eyeball shown through the hairs,

“That man that you is following has about fifteen armed men with him, you best

be watching your arse if I was you.” The old man stretched and stripped off his

britches and threw them to the wind, to show the world his nakedness. The pants

flew right into Ian’s face. With a deep sigh, Ian ripped the dirty pants off

his face and threw them to the ground as the old man danced on the rock,

“Follow the river bear man!” He hooted as Ian turned his Morgan towards the

river as directed.

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