"Hosea!" Grace called out as she walked across the camp to the table where most of them played five finger fillet. Hosea looked up from his book, grinning as he closed the book slightly.
"Grace, how are you?" Hosea asked. Grace nodded as she sat down at the table with the book Hosea had lent her in her hands. She placed it on the table while nodding.
"I'm good, I'm surprised we're still here at Clemen's Point," Grace gave her opinion to Hosea. It had been a few days since the Valentine bank robbery. In those few days, Grace had managed to finish Hosea's book she had also overheard conversations in Rhodes when she ran errands with Tilly. She had heard that just south of Emerald Ranch there is a stable and apparently they brought in a whole heap of expensive horses. Grace had a thing for stealing horses and convincing fools to buy them from her. She had also talked to Dutch about it who then told her that she could sell them to Clay and Clive Davies. They buy horses from people so he figured that selling them to those two wouldn't be a problem. "I finished your book," Grace continued, sliding the book over to him slightly. Hosea nodded at her, taking the book and placing it beside him on the table.
"Did you like it?"
"Yeah, it was nice," Grace answered honestly.
"I knew you'd like it," Hosea chuckled, glad that Grace had enjoyed the book he recommended. Grace fiddled with her fingers on the table and Hosea realised something was on her mind. "But, that's not why you're really here. What's wrong, Grace?" Hosea asked, switching on father-figure mode. Grace looked up at him from her hands.
"I'm thinking about robbing a ranch just south of Emerald Ranch. Rich horses, very expensive horses are there. I just don't know if it's worth the risk, we could easily rob a house and get money. I just don't really want to risk getting shot at," Grace explained. Hosea closed his book fully, placing the book on the table before leaning forward in his chair slightly.
"No matter what we do, we'll get shot at. That's just who we are," Hosea began. "Miss, I don't mean to offend you but we ain't no better than those liars and thieves that get hung. We are like them, we just haven't been caught. And why would that be?" Hosea asked rhetorically. "Because we are family and family look out for each other. No matter what, we help each other, even if the plan might get us killed. You just have to decide if it's worth that, risking your family," Hosea finished. Grace nodded at him. "Whatever you decide to do Grace, just know we all will be behind you on it."
"These horses are expensive, maybe some of the best I've seen. I snooped around the other day. They are defiantly well looked after. I know that people would pay top dollar for them," Grace explained.
"Well, it sounds worth it then, don't it?" Hosea questioned. Grace nodded, Hosea had helped her to stop doubting herself. "You're a good woman, Grace. You're smart and you shoot well. I know you'll be fine. Dutch has been real proud of you lately, this'll defiantly be the cherry to the cake," Hosea grinned. Grace smiled, placing her palms on the table and pushing herself up from her chair.
"Thank you, Hosea. Do you know where I could find Arthur? I know he'll want to help me. He enjoys our little horse robberies," I chuckled. Hose grinned before pointing behind him towards the scout fire.
"I think I saw him heading up to the scout fire, possibly to talk to Mrs Adler. Goodluck," Hosea wished Grace luck as she waved to him as she left the table, walking up the small slope towards the scout fire. As Grace reached the scout fire, she saw Kieran, the O'Driscoll sitting on one of the rags, Arthur standing across from him.
"Hey Kieran," Grace greeted. Kieran looked up at Grace, welcoming her before she joined Arthur's side. "Arthur."
"Grace. Did Hosea tell you I was up here?" Arthur asked. Grace nodded.
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
"I saw you two talking, saw him point up towards me. Looked like a serious conversation, everything good?" Arthur asked with a hint of concern in his voice. Grace nodded.
"Yeah, everything's fine. I told him about a robbery I'm looking into. I wanted to see if you'd like to help," Grace explained. Arthur sighed, throwing his cigarette into the fire.
"Another robbery. Let me guess, horses?" Arthur guessed. Grace grinned at him, he knew her too well. Arthur chuckled lightly. "You and horses."
"It's worth it. I've looked at them and everything. They're nice, defiantly worth a lot. Dutch told me I can sell them to Clay and Clive Davies. They're brothers," Grace continued to explain. "Just south of Emerald Ranch the horses are. Not too far of a ride from here."
"Mhmm, okay. Well, I suppose we can," Arthur agreed to the horse robbery. Grace grinned happily at Arthur, grabbing his arm enthusiastically.
"Thank you. Now, let's head out now," Grace began to pull Arthur before she frowned, realising he wasn't walking with her.
"Now?" Arthur asked. Grace turned around to look back at him, frowning.
"Well, yeah! Why not?"
"I've got things to do," Arthur sighed. Grace placed her hands on her hips, staring at Arthur before Arthur chuckled lightly. "Just kidding. Come on then," Arthur joked. Grace slapped him on the arm before walking with him towards their horses.
"You know, Javier and John are looking into robbing horses from the Braithwaites for the Grays," Arthur announced as they mounted their horses. Grace looked over at him as he swung up into the saddle.
"Really? You going with them?" Grace asked. Arthur nodded.
"Yep, when they're ready. Maybe you could too if you aren't busy on the day," Arthur suggested. Grace grinned, nodding.
"Sure. Now, follow me. I'll lead," Grace ordered Arthur. Grace cantered out of the camp, Arthur in tow.
-
Grace led Arthur on the path that led to the stable.
"Alright, this is it," Grace announced as she slowed down to a walk, Arthur catching up to walk his horse beside her.
"What's the plan?" Arthur asked.
"We're just going to go in there, bandannas and guns drawn, demand them for the horse while looking intimidating. If things go to hell, don't kill anyone. They're good people, just knock them out and then take the horses that way," Grace explained.
"Well, I didn't feel like shooting anyone today," Arthur joked. Grace rolled her eyes before pulling up her bandanna. Arthur did the same, tugging it up to sit on his nose. They both drew their revolvers before Grace nodded at Arthur, giving him the signal to go. Arthur and Grace galloped their horses the rest of the way up the path, the Stable coming into view. The two galloped into the small ranch a nearby stable hand was picking up horse manure. He saw the two of them with their guns drawn, dropping the pitchfork in terror.
"Oh my! Oh my!" He started yelling out in fear, drawing the attention of more stable hands. Grace watched as two walked out of the stable, looking confused. They spotted Grace and Arthur, one of them holding up their hands. The other one reached for his revolver.
"Don't you dare!" Arthur scolded. The man stopped, seeing both of the outlaws aiming their weapons at him. He moved his hand away slowly before raising both his hands into the air. Grace rested a elbow on her saddle horn, aiming her revolver at the stable hand in the paddock who was shaking in his boots.
"Move over there," Grace instructed. The man quickly nodded before running over to the other two stable hands.
"This isn't necessary," The calm stable hand called out, the one who was cooperating.
"Well actually, it is. Now, we are going to take those new horses you got," Grace informed.
"What new horses?"
"Don't play dumb with the lady. It ain't nice to lie," Arthur hissed. The man looked over at Arthur, his eyes widened slightly.
"The boss ain't gon' be happy."
"I don't give a shit. Now, get the horses for the lady," Arthur demanded. Grace chuckled at Arthur. The stable hands stood their, looking at each other. "Do you want to get shot? Go!" Arthur roared and with that the stable hands quickly hurried into the stable. Grace swung out of the saddle, handing Arthur her reins to hold onto her horse.
"I'm going to go make sure they don't do anything stupid," Grace informed. Arthur nodded, still keeping his revolver drawn. "Stay here." And with that Grace followed the stable hands into the stable, watching them move to the stalls. Grace spotted the four horses, and watched each stable hand closely, still keeping her revolver drawn.
"What are you-you going to do with them?" One nervous stable hand asked.
"None of your business. Now, why exactly would I tell you?" Grace asked. The stable hand turned to face her, his face pale with fear.
"I-I-I didn't mean anything by it! I-I-"
"Oh shut up and just get the horses," Grace hissed, not wanting to hear him. He quickly nodded, putting the rope halter on the grey horse. He led the horse over to her, handing him the rope. He hurried over to the last stall which had the dark bay horse. One stable hand led over a chestnut and the other led over a buckskin before the dark bay was finally led over. Grace grinned, holding the ropes of the four expensive horses. "See? We can do business without anyone getting hurt," Grace grinned under her bandanna.
"We got a problem out here!" Grace heard Arthur call out. Grace stared coldly at the three men in front of her before dropping the ropes and duel wielding her sawn off shotgun.
"Who is out there?" Grace hissed at them.
"Th-that would be the boss! He went out and got more food for the horses!" The nervous one stuttered. The four horses began to grow anxious as they picked up on the tension.
"It's the boss," Grace called out to Arthur, informing him. She kept her back to the door of the stable, not keeping her eyes off of the three stable hands, especially the one who tried to draw his gun. Grace could hear the boss yelling out in alarm.
"What is going on?" He demanded.
"Oh shut up," Grace heard Arthur sigh before the whack of a revolver was heard before the sound of a thud. The three stable hands eyes widened in shock, hearing the body of the boss hit the ground. They all ran past her, going to go see the boss.
"Oh my!" The stuttery one cried out as they gathered around his unconscious body. Grace led the four horses out, handing two ropes to Arthur who had mounted his horse again. Grace mounted her horse, grabbing the reins that Arthur had tied to her saddle horn. Grace wrapped the ropes of the two horses around her saddle horn so she didn't have to hold onto them. "What'd you do to him?"
"Oh save it, he'll be up in no time," Arthur explained, growing annoyed with him. Grace's jaw dropped slightly when she realised Arthur had focused so much on the nervous stable hand that she noticed the itchy-for-blood stable hand was reaching for his gun again. He drew his gun, aiming it at Arthur but before he could pull the trigger, Grace aimed her revolver at his hand, pulling the trigger. Blood exploded from his hand causing him to cry out in agony. The other two stable hands jump at the gun shot, they weren't aware of their friend.
"See? This is what happens when you're stupid. Now, my friend and I will be leaving," Grace informed, holstering her revolver.
"You bitch!" The man cried out at her, holding his wounded hand. Arthur chuckled before walking his horse, the two horses he led following him.
"Now you have an unconscious boss and an injured stable boy. Be glad, it could've been three dead stable hands and one dead boss," Grace spat at them before following Arthur, the two picking up into a steady canter away from the Stable. Arthur and Grace pulled down their bandannas as they reached the road. "See? That was easy," Grace cheered. Arthur nodded at her.
"What happened to no guns?" Arthur questioned smart-arsely. Grace looked over at him.
"Really? I just saved your ass AGAIN and that's what you have to say?" Grace joked. Arthur chuckled. "I mean, we weren't going to use guns but I didn't want you getting shot and having to listen to you complain the whole ride back," Grace explained.
"That so?" Arthur questioned, not believing her for a second. "Well, let's just get these horses to whoever-"
"Clay and Clive."
"Clay and Clive," Arthur corrected himself. Grace grinned before waving at him to follow her.
"I'll lead the way again." Grace informed before moving into a faster canter, Arthur following behind her.
They arrived at where Dutch had told Grace to go. It was near Clemen's Point but not too close to be worried about. Grace and Arthur rode down to the two, identical-looking, scrawny brothers. Arthur offered to take the two horses from Grace so she handed him the ropes and he led the horses into the yard that one of the brothers were pointing to. Grace dismounted, approaching the one of the clipboard.
"Those look stolen," He observed. Grace's brows frowned as she looked at him. He looked up from his clipboard, looking at her. "It's okay. We take all horses, stolen or not." Grace eased up as she relaxed a bit, turning to watch Arthur ride his horse out of the pen which one of the brother's closed the gate behind him. "I'm Clay, that's Clive. And you two must be bad people."
"Look, how much will you pay?" Grace questioned, ignoring his comment. Arthur joined Grace's side. Grace watched as Clay peered over at the horses, the hand holding the clipboard falling to his side.
"Hmmm. Those are some fine horses, Miss. How much do you want?" Clay asked, still looking at the horses. Arthur stayed quiet, letting Grace negotiate and work her magic.
"Two thousand," Grace didn't hesitate. Clay turned to her, scoffing as he held back a laugh.
"Miss, let's be reasonable-"
"I am being reasonable. Look at those horses, they are the finest in this land. Think about it, you sell these horses a few weeks later for more than what I'm asking, win win for the both of us," Grace convinced. Grace heard Arthur light a cigarette from beside her. "These horses are extremely hot right now... need to stay hidden for a while. I'm not asking you to hide these horses, I'm offering you a deal to own these possibly prize winning horses."
"Make it one thousand five hundred and we got a deal," Clay negotiated. Grace took a small step closer to him.
"I know you want these horses. I'm the seller here so you listen to me. I'll bring it down to one thousand, seven hundred and fifty, no more. Take it or you don't get these horses," Grace warned slightly. Clay stayed quiet, thinking until Clive joined his side before Clay nodded.
"Alright," Clay agreed, turning to the back of his wagon and grabbing a lock box. Grace and Arthur watched as he opened it and grabbed money, counting it as he gathered it. He then closed the box and turned around to them, handing the money to Grace. "There ya go." Grace looked at the money in her hands before slapping it into the palm of her other hand.
"It was nice meeting you both," Grace added before turning away from Clay and Clive with Arthur. She halfed the stack, handing one half to Arthur. "Thank you, Arthur," Grace thanked Arthur as they walked over to their horses. Arthur gave a small nod.
"I don't know how you negotiate like that but, it got us a fair pay. Dutch'll be bowing at your feet soon," Arthur joked as he slipped the money into his satchel. Grace chuckled.
"I'd rather not see that. What are you going to do now?" Grace asked Arthur.
"Probably head back to camp, see if Dutch has anything going on. You coming back now?" Arthur asked. Grace nodded, looking around the land.
"I got nothing else to do, I'll ride with you," Grace answered as she swung up into her saddle. Arthur and Grace galloped towards the direction of the camp, leaving the expensive horses with Clay and Clive while leaving with a large pay.