Liars And Thieves

Chapter 29

"You really like horses don't ya, O'Driscoll?" Grace called out to Kieran as she approached him. The camp was being darkened as the sun fell for the moon, allowing the moon for it's round before the next day. Kieran flinched slightly, turning around quickly to face Grace. He nodded quickly as he carried a bale of hay past Grace, Grace turning on her heels to watch him.

"I do. My only friends they are, they don't call me an O'Driscoll," Kieran muttered as he placed the bale down in front of some of the horses, grabbing his hunting knife from out of his boot to cut the twine off. "And before you say it, I ain't an O'Driscoll," Kieran continued, Grace clamping her mouth shut as she was about to tease him. "You're exactly like 'im."

"Who?" Grace asked as Kieran hurried past her again, Grace spinning on her heels to watch him. Kieran looked over his shoulder at her before picking up another bale. 

"Who do you think?" Kieran scoffed with a huff as he heaved the bale off of the ground. He hurried away from her, Grace following. "Arthur of course. I save his life and he still torments me."

"Oh he is just joking, just like me," Grace defended. Kieran dropped the bale at his feet, turning around to face Grace with his hands on his hips. "We all are," Grace motioned towards the camp. Kieran shook his head as he marched past her before stopping in his tracks.

"The only one of you lot that is nice to me is Miss Gaskill," Kieran informed. He turned around as Grace turned around to follow him, him facing her. Grace had a grin on her face as she looked over into the camp to see Mary-Beth sitting with Tilly.

"She ain't as nice as she looks. She can rob you without you knowing and she will certainly not allow you to talk cruelly to her," Grace chuckled. Kieran chuckled as well, nodding in agreement.

"I'm sure she can. You all seem to be a gang of different skills. Charles the hunter, you the horse thief, Strauss the money shark. Quite something," Kieran nodded with a small grin. "Oh, also I tended to the horses you brought it just as Hosea asked. They won't need any hay for the night since they weren't fed too long ago," Kieran informed, giving a nod towards the new horses. Grace grinned as Kieran complimented the horses she had bargained for.

"I'd like to keep them if I could but it's best to sell them so the camp gets it's share. Plus I used camp money to buy them-" Grace explained and Kieran raised his eyebrows at her in shock, curious to why she would use the camp's funds. "But," Grace raised a finger up, pausing Kieran. "I know I can sell them for twice as much. It's my speciality. Plus, it'll be like the money never left."

"You're crazy!" Kieran chuckled as he shook his head. "You all are! Guess that's what makes you lot an interesting bunch." Grace chuckled, nodding her head as she agreed to him. She would most certainly agree that they weren't just a normal bunch of outlaws, they were family. Including Kieran. Grace frowned as she began to concentrate as she thought she hear movement in the swamps. Kieran fell silent also, his hand resting above his holster. Grace quickly hurried over to a hitching post, unhooking a lamp off of the post and holding it up to see. Grace could see three horse figures approaching, one glowing white in the dark, the coat of Dutch's horse, The Count.

"Hey! They're back! I think I see Jack!" Bill called out loud enough for the whole camp to hear, alerting everyone of their return. Grace grinned wildly as she saw Jack in John's arms as they rode into camp. Grace and Kieran followed behind the three horses and their riders.

"Abigail! Abigail! We got you your son, everything..." Dutch called out to Abigail.

"We got him!" John interrupted Dutch. "He's fine!" John assured as Jack called out for Abigail. 

"I'm fine, Momma," Jack announced as Abigail approached the bridge separating her from Jack. "They fed me good." Abigail chuckled as she saw Jack as the group dismounted, breaking into a run to greet her son. "Italian food," Jack continued as John lifted him out of the saddle and onto the ground. "You ever eat that?" Jack turned towards Abigail to be immediately grabbed into a hug from the worried mother.