Innocence Lost

Chapter 8

Hosea and Arthur rode out to Emerald Ranch, as planned to meet up with Seamus.

Seamus worked at the ranch, but had a rather nifty sideline going on.

Hosea was attempting to cut some sort of deal, but Arthur thought the feller was like some sort of yokelly jerk, and almost told him as much.

As usual, Hosea managed to calm the waters, with diplomacy, and Seamus, being the sneaky bastard that he was, said he would deal, but only if they did a job for him.

As it was, the job was dead easy. Rob a house, and grab a stagecoach. They waited until nightfall, then Arthur stripped the house of anything valuable, while Hosea found the stagecoach.

All in all it was a pretty easy nights work.

Once they'd finished, the pair of them rode back to camp.

Hosea was looking troubled.

"What's the matter, Hosea? That was a pretty sweet job we just pulled," Arthur asked him. He did enjoy doing jobs with Hosea. It always went without a hitch, and Hosea always managed to pull them off, with a calmness that Arthur envied.

Hosea glanced at Arthur, not sure whether to tell him what was troubling him. But the two of them were close, and shared a bond, much like father and son.

"I'm worried about Dutch," he said, he paused, "and the girl."

Arthur laughed. "I'd be more worried about the girl, than about Dutch."

Hosea gave him a quizzical look, "what do you mean?" He asked.

"Oh come on Hosea," Arthur scoffed, "you know what Dutch is like with the ladies."

"She's only a kid!" Exclaimed Hosea. "You don't think..."

Arthur laughed, "she may act like a kid, but you saw her on the table at Colter," he said, and raised his eyebrows. "She's definitely a woman."

"Arthur!" he said, obviously shocked, as he was reminded of that evening.

"Nothin' I'm sayin' ain't true," Arthur said. "Granted, she's a bit naive, but not as naive as all that."

"Well nothing good will come of it, that much I do know," Hosea sighed.

Arthur looked concerned,"you didn't tell him that, did you?"

Hosea shrugged. "Well not in so many words."

Arthur whistled the air in, through his teeth, "I bet he's pissed at you." He said, grinning.

Dutch could have stayed with Ella in the glade all night. There was little talk, but there didn't need to be. She made him feel young, and energised. He loved her youthful naivety, and the way she looked at him with adoring eyes. He hadn't felt like this for a long time, not since Annabelle.

The sun was beginning to set, and he knew that it would be foolish to be away from camp, after dark.

He stood up, and took her hands.

"We have to go back now," he whispered.

She looked disappointed, but stood up ,and pressed her head to his chest. He held her close for a moment, then put his hands on waist, to effortlessly put her on the back of the little mare.

He mounted The Count, and they started the short ride back to camp.

They rode side by side, as close to each other as possible. Dutch stroking her leg, or back, or cheek, at every possible opportunity.