Next day

“So you took Abigail and Jack to town?!” Mary teased and laughing handing her the coffee teased back, “I was thinking of you all of last night!” she laughed back before being serious for a moment stated, “Thanks for that, she hasn’t really been out since Jack was born and as you can tell she gets very frustrated with anything and everything and Jack... well he needs to know there is something more to life then the gang and crime!” I nodded before retrieving a package from my pocket handed it to her, “A little present for you! I told you I was thinking about you!” I watched as she tore open the packaging before sliding the item out of the box smiled in disbelief to see the luxurious silver fountain pen engraved with her name in gold, "You shouldn't have, it must have been expensive!" "You deserve it!" she blushed before studying the item asked, "For what?" "I don't know... for looking good?" she laughed kissing my cheek allowing me to hold her hands in my mine, "I owe you... if you need anything I will see to it!" I nodded before pulling out my journal asked, "Want to make some easy money?" "Doing what?" "Making sure my rope don't snap..." “Where is it?” “Near Cotorra Springs, if we leave now, we can spend the night in Valentine... if you want?” she nodded before smirking asked, “What? Going to treat me for a meal?” “That and more!” I smirked before seeing her blush before looking back as Dutch walked up annoyed, “Micah’s been arrested!” I nodded before finishing the stew spoke, “Doesn’t surprise me, he’s a loose cannon...” “We need to get him back!” “Go on then... we will just add another crime to your growing list!” “Not going to arrest me, are ye?” “Not until the innocents are safe then I’ll bring all the **** in! Anyway Mary get your things!”

“Miss Gaskell are you going to do any work today are just going to talk to the men! Clothes need washing!” “I’m sorry Miss Grimshaw I am going out to make some money with James!” “I need you here!” she glared at James who attaching the rope to his horse packed away the map and holstering the shotgun and dynamite, “I’m sorry Grimshaw but I need her help!” “Is it really worth going after?” “A couple hundred dollars for the camp... I think so!” “Can’t you take Lenny or something?” “All out on jobs or got bounties on them! This item can be very valuable so the last thing we need is heavily armed looking gunslingers riding along the road!” she sighed before looking at all the work asked, “How long for?” James thought about it before thinking about it said, “Time we get there do the job that will be near sunset, so we will stay in Valentine for the night then I can check my mail in the morning and be back by the afternoon!” “Fine go!” Mary smiled grabbing her journal spoke, “Thank you Miss Grimshaw!” “And hurry on back!”

“Taking the wagon?” “Don’t need it... have you ever ridden a horse?” she shook her head before walking over to Alice stared at the giant beast, “Will you help me?” James nodded before boosting her foot laughed when she tried lift her left leg over the other side of the of Alice, “It won’t go...” “That’s because you have to side saddle in a skirt!” “I’d feel safer not sitting like that?” James looked at her trying to move her skirt but deciding against it helped her down took Lenny’s trousers off the line, “Put these on!” she nodded walking to his tent when he was met by Abigail who leaning against Alice holding a young Mare, “Going to give Mary a riding lesson?” “Always helpful!” “Here take this Mare, she has a soft spot for her!” “Yep, I saw... what did she call her? Snowdrop or something” she laughed before seeing Mary return from the tent and smiling nudge James whose mouth dropped seeing the shapely legs and bum of Mary who blushing once more coughed to draw his eyes from her legs and back towards her face, “Sorry... I just haven’t seen your legs before” “Which gives you a reason to stare?” “Of course not Miss. I’m sorry!” “We are bringing out Snowdrop? Can I ride her?” Abigail laughed before being joined by Tilly cried, “Snowdrop? Who calls a horse Snowdrop?” “She has white flecks on her!” “I call mine Alice...” “James that’s different, it’s a real name, not something you name a kitten...” Mary looked down embarrassed again but wrapping his arm around her James defended her choice, “Her horse, her choice...” she pressed her hand to her shoulder lightly holding his hand before asking sweetly like always, “So can I?” “Unfortunately not yet. She hasn’t been broken in for long. You’ll ride Alice, I will ride Snowdrop up and then back to Valentine; that will give her enough experience in having a rider on her back then you can ride to camp” “You want me to ride Alice?! She’s more defiant than the Count. She’s thrown Arthur, Micah and Dutch off her!” “She’ll be fine trust me! Come on let me give you a boost!” she stepped forward looking into the horse’s eye who stared back at her before stamping her hoof to protest slightly remained still when Mary slid her leg over, “Told you! Good girl!” he muttered patting Alice, “Now you Mary!” Mary leaned over patting Alice whose head moved slightly feeling the unfamiliar smaller hand but looking straight back forward watched as James mounted the smaller horse who tried buck him, “Wow girl, wow! Easy does it!” he adjusted his position as the horse tried to once more but Snowdrop looking at Alice immediately stopped when Alice unleashed a deep neigh, “Thanks Alice! Come on then Mary or we will never leave!” “What do I do!” “Leave it to me!” and whistling Alice started to follow her master’s trail.

“Relax Mary, Alice won’t throw you!” “But she did to Arthur and Micah, even Dutch!” “And John, Lenny, Bill and Javier. Hosea was smart enough not to try. Alice is very particular on who she likes to mount her. Hell Dutch even tried to propose the Count and her as breeding partners!” “What happened?” “Alice kicked the Count in his face! She is very very fussy!” “Has anyone else ridden her?” “Charles managed to after I reassured Alice, she’s given Jack a lift but apart for that no; I think it’s because she knows who I like and dislike and takes them as a sign on who to let ride them and who not to!” “Had her long?” “Since I was 13, been with me ever since and has saved me a few times carrying me back to town or to help. I repay this with the attitude of if anyone harms her I harm you!” she patted Alice again as her book started to slip from her blouse, “Can you store this?” “How’s the writing getting along anyway?” taking it, “I don’t get much time. “It’s just foolish fantasies” as Susan says!” “No it isn’t, it’s a dream and you have the right to keep a hold of them. Why don’t you work on it now?” “Whilst riding?” “Let Alice do the work. Put your arm through the reign and use your legs to squeeze into the horse, I hardly ever ride holding the reigns anymore... just keep looking up every so often so you can see if any obstacles are coming up!” and taking a breath she let go.

“Told you; Alice will be fine” Mary smiled patting the beast before returning to her writing stated, “I can’t believe how well trained she is!” “Yeah, she’s a great companion” he smirked seeing her work hard at her novel saw her look up allowing him to pinch the book from her hand and ride off, “Hey give that back, it’s not funny! What did he do...” she looked down before remembering he held the reigns slapped them down and clung on as Alice sped up racing down the road to find her master. She rode up and seeing Snowdrop resting and the man reading the page out loud, “The Wild West is just as wild as the name suggests and the Princess was on the run for see didn’t want to marry the prince. The Princess however had caught another’s eye, the eye of the local outlaw unshaven and despite his bluntness was sweet on the sweet Princess” she looked down before sighing spoke, “I know! I know it’s terrible... it just keeps me going through the hard time!” he turned the next page before snarling at the second handwriting growled reading it and tearing the page out shut the book with a thud and handed the book back spoke, “I like the idea, not my personal taste but I like it!” she clutched it before seeing him hold the page up he spoke, “I will have a word with Grimshaw about this!” “You don’t have to James...” “I don’t but I want to! Come on let’s do this job!”