CHAPTER 4
Rachel met Buck when he returned from his run. "Good evening Buck, was everything okay?"
"As usual, thanks", he replied politely but distantly.
"Can you come in the house to me please? I have to show you something "
"Agree. I'll fix the horse and I'll join you "
"Fine, I will wait for you"
Buck did not really want to go to Rachel because he feared she would still go on the attack with the story of D.J., but he didn't want to oppose her, on the other hand she had nothing to do with it.
He arranged the horse, washed his face in the basin of water and then went to the woman's house and knocked.
"Come on Buck, come in."
"What do you have to show me?"
"Sit down Buck. I want to let you read something "
"What's this?"
"The article by D.J. She brought it to us this morning. Read it, please "
"Still with this story, Rachel? I already told you that I don't want to know anymore, please leave me alone "
"It costs you nothing to read it and you will realize that you were wrong"
Buck got up, dropping his chair: "I don't want to read it, I don't care" and left slamming the door
"Buck!" Rachel called back but he was already headed for the bunkhouse.
"Big head, you'll have to realize you're wrong!", she yelled after him.
At dinner, no one mentioned D.J. and the article, but everyone anxiously awaited the next day to read the published article.
The next morning, Jesse was assigned to go to Tompkins to buy the paper. When he returned, he entered the bunkhouse like a fury and said: "There's nothing here, they haven't published it."
"Let me see", Jimmy said, snatching the newspaper from his hands. He placed it on the table and everyone, except Buck who was in the stable, wanting to be alone, leafed through the newspaper: from the article by D.J. there was no trace.
Rachel dropped into her chair and exclaimed: "What a mess! Evidently Stevenson wanted a junk article along the lines of Marcus' novel and when he saw that D.J. had a historical cut, he has thrown away. I have to go to her, I'm afraid he asked her to rewrite it and she refused. If so, she lost her job and I wouldn't want she to do anything nonsense ".
"I'm going with you", Lou said.
"No, I better go alone. Do me a favor Lou, if I'll be late, you make lunch for the kids. "
"Okay", the girl agreed.
Rachel rushed out to get the gig and sped off to D.J.
Buck saw her leave in a hurry and went into the bunkhouse to ask what had happened.
"She's going to D.J. Mr. Stevenson hasn't published her article and Rachel fears she's been fired. Read it Buck and you'll see you've misjudged her ", Lou said.
Buck said nothing, went out and fetched his horse. He needed to take a ride. As he headed he didn't know where, he thought about everything that was going on. Was he perhaps wrong about D.J. and were Rachel and the boys right? It was odd indeed that Mr. Stevenson hadn't published the article. He didn't know what to think, he just needed to be alone.
Rachel reached D.J. She knocked and heard no answer. Worried, she decided to enter.
"Permission, is there anyone? D.J., I'm Rachel, can I come in? ".
D.J. was upstairs in the bedroom packing her bags. Absorbed in her thoughts and still with tears in her eyes she hadn't heard a knock on the door.
"Come in, Rachel, I'm upstairs."
Rachel walked in, closed the door and went upstairs. When she entered the bedroom she realized that her fears were well founded.
"What are you doing? It went badly, right? "
"What does it look like to you? Mr. Stevenson wanted a junk item, Buck was right. When I refused, he fired me. I just have to go back to Italy. Nothing is holding me here anymore. The only thing I regret is leaving you, but I have no alternative "
"Wait D.J., don't rush things."
"What should I wait for Rachel? I no longer have a job and I have no one to lean on, the money I have is enough for me just to go home "
"You could come to the station and then we'll see."
"With Buck not talking to me? No, thanks Rachel, but I couldn't ".
Rachel walked over to her and squeezed her arm in affection. Then suddenly an idea came to her and said: "Do you trust me?".
"What do you have in mind?"
"I can't tell you yet, I don't want to give you false illusions, but please make me a promise. Wait a few more days to leave. I want to try something ".
"What?"
"Please trust me, promise me you won't leave? It doesn't cost you anything to wait a few days. Promised? "
"I Agree".
"Well. You will soon hear from me ".
Rachel left the house and ran to the station. It occurred to her that Teaspoon had told her that a famous New York publisher had been staying at the saloon for a few days: she wanted to bring him the article by D.J. to see if he could make a book out of it.
Arriving at the station, she was attacked by the boys who asked her what she had learned. Rachel quickly recounted everything saying she would explain the details to them later. She took the article by D.J. and went to town. She was lucky enough to find the publisher at a game table in the saloon. She approached him and asked him to speak to him. The man did not let himself be begged, as a beautiful woman asked for his attention and offered her a drink. Rachel politely accepted and explained her idea. The man, Mr. Smith, read the article and found it very good, so he told Rachel that the following week he would meet D.J. to know her and evaluate a possible collaboration. Rachel was delighted, but instead of going to D.J., she returned to the station. She absolutely had to talk to Buck.
When she arrived, he had just returned from his ride, his ideas still confused. Rachel went to meet him and said: "Now come immediately in the house to me and listen to me carefully, without saying a word."
Buck tried to protest but Rachel was adamant.
"Listen to me and don't try to protest until I'm done. I have been to D.J .: she is collecting her things and preparing to return to Italy. She wrote the article on the Pony Express, which you didn't want to read, exactly as she told you. The editor of the newspaper did not find it intriguing and gossipy enough and told her to rewrite it by scanning and invading your lives. She refused and was fired. She has nothing left to do here and she is about to go back to where she came from. Now I want to know from you what your intentions are. I have a solution in mind that could help her to get another job and I have already moved in this direction, but if you intend to treat her again as you did in the last period, then it is better that she goes away and does a new one life elsewhere. I don't know her very much but I bonded to her and I see that she is suffering because of you and honestly does not deserve it, she has always been honest with us and this situation has shown it. So, what are you going to do? ".
Buck was speechless, he listened to Rachel's outburst and gradually realized he was a perfect idiot.
"I'm sorry Rachel, you were right. I don't know what came over me, I didn't want to suffer like I did with Kathleen and I didn't want to believe that D.J. was different, but now I understand how wrong I was. Please tell me how we can help her ".
"If you remember, Teaspoon told us that a famous publisher has been staying in the city for a few days. I reached him and let him read the copy of the article that D.J. had left for you. Mr. Smith found it good and wants to make a book out of it, he is willing to meet her on Monday. She doesn't know yet because I first wanted to understand what your intentions were ".
"It would be wonderful if she succeeds with this project. Let me go and tell her it, I have a lot to forgive myself. As long as she still agrees to talk to me ... "
"Please, Buck, don't make her suffer again. Tell her to come by tomorrow morning, so I will explain everything in detail. ".
"I Agree. Thanks Rachel, you are a friend ". Buck kissed her on the cheek. He then went to wash. The boys noticed his behavior and agitation, but preferred not to ask questions so as not to hurt him more than he already was in those days.
When he was ready, he took the horse and headed for D.J. Rachel explained everything to the boys who breathed a sigh of relief.
As he walked over to the girl, Buck thought about what to say to apologize, only now he understood how wrong he was and how much time he had lost. When he arrived at the house, he found no one outside and thought she was into the home. He went to the door, knocked, but got no answer. He tried to enter but the door was closed. A shiver of terror ran through him: he feared that the girl was already gone. He thought about where he could look for her and was about to go to town when he had a presentiment: what if ...
He quickly launched his horse as if he wanted to fly. When he reached the river, where they had first met, he found her sitting on a stone with her gaze lost in the water. She hadn't even noticed that someone had arrived. Buck coughed to get her attention. D.J. turned and when she saw him she was surprised. She exclaimed: "Sorry, I'm leaving right away, I know you don't want to talk to me" and stood up.
Buck replied: "No, don't go, I was hoping and praying to find you here."
"Really?" she asked amazed.
"Yes, I went to your house and I didn't find you and for a moment I feared you were gone, then something inside suggested me to come here."
"I'm actually about to leave. Rachel asked me to delay my departure for a few days, but it's settled now so you won't have me around anymore. But why were you looking for me? What did I do this time? ".
"Oh nothing, you've never done anything wrong, I'm an idiot and now I understand. Rachel explained everything to me. I'm mortified, I can't even explain why I behaved like this and was so hard on you. Will you ever be able to forgive me? "
D.J. felt her knees buckle and tears began to gush from her eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. When he saw her crying he approached her; he wanted to hug her but didn't dare and just said: "Excuse me D.J., I don't want to see you cry because of me anymore".
"Oh no, Buck, these are tears of joy. I no longer hoped to hear these words ".
He handed her his handkerchief and said: "Rachel contacted a publisher in town, made him read your article and maybe you can get a book out of it. This would allow you to get a job again and not leave, as long as you want to ".
"What? Are you kidding me?"
"No, but she better will explain it to you. She told me to come to the station tomorrow morning and she will tell you everything. If I understand correctly, that man wants to meet you on Monday ".
"But it's fantastic!".
"Yes and I would say that it is time to celebrate". Buck nearly held his breath and said to her: "Can I invite you to dinner in town tonight? I want to be forgiven and celebrate the news of the book ".
"Do you really want to have dinner with me in town?"
"If you want it too"
"I would really like it and I would be honored"
"Well", Buck said in obvious embarrassment, "I'll pick you up, say by half past six?"
"Okay and thanks"
"Thank you for giving me a second chance."
She smiled shyly at him, he reciprocated, mounted a horse and told her: "See you tonight then" and then set off at a gallop.
To D.J. it seemed she was dreaming, it didn't seem true that Buck had changed his mind about her and asked her for a date. She took her horse and rushed home, where she got ready after taking a hot bath. She decided to wear a simple pale blue dress, graceful but not flashy, and eagerly awaited Buck's arrival.
The boy, having arrived at the station, went into the hut like a fury and understood that he owed everyone an explanation. He quickly recounted his meeting with D.J., apologized to everyone for his behavior and then took his leave to get ready, amidst the jokes of the boys, but this time he did not react, he deserved it. He wore the black jacket for special occasions and a white shirt, combed his long black hair, took the gig and at 6.30 o'clock he arrived at D.J.
He knocked on the door and when she opened it he was speechless, so much so that a simple "Hello" came out.
"Hi", she replied shyly.
"So, are you ready?"
"Ha ha", she replied. He held out his arm, escorted her to the gig and helped her up. On the way, Buck apologized again and again for his behavior, but she reassured him that she didn't want to talk about it anymore.
Dinner was enjoyable and fun. After the first embarrassment, the two had melted and relaxed and resumed chatting with confidence as during the days when Buck had helped her to fix the house. He asked her how far the work had come and was amazed to learn that it was all over, when he went to her he didn't even realize it. She told him about the days when the couriers and Lou had helped her and explained the fight with Mr. Stevenson well. He apologized again and began to melt a little and to tell her some episodes of his childhood among the Kiowa.
After dinner, Buck took her home and when it was time to say goodbye, he said: "Thanks again for giving me a second chance, I promise I won't hurt you anymore."
She smiled and approached him to give him a kiss on the cheek but he surprised her by placing his lips on hers and melting into a kiss that was first shy, but then passionate.
When their lips parted, she said: "This time don't run away."
"No, I won't do it again, I promise you."
She kissed him again and then said in his ear: "Stay with me tonight".
He looked at her stunned and did not know what to say, then tried to stammer: "But I can't, what I do with the boys, they will wonder where I am and they will worry".
"I think they will imagine very well that you stayed here ...", she said maliciously, "but if you don't like it, it doesn't matter."
He looked into her eyes, then picked her up and headed for the door of the house.