Chapter 6 - Friends in New Places

                                    

                                          


                          
"Susan!  Abigail!  Get Elizabeth here some warm clothes, and give her a hot bath, she's freezing" Arthur ordered.
                          
Women buzzed over to Elizabeth and tugged her off to one of the shacks, she watched over her shoulder, wide eyed as Arthur made his way into another.  She marvelled at his tall muscular build, and how his eyes, as blue as sapphires, glistened against the sun and snow.  She had saved him, and he saved her in return.
                          
Elizabeth was ripped out of her daydream as she was plunged in a hot bath by a young woman.
                          
"There you go, nice warm bath, get that dirty dress off, you can pick one of mine" the woman smiled 
                          
"Thanks erm" Elizabeth stuttered 
                          
"Abigail" said the woman 
                          
"Thanks Abigail, Elizabeth" she introduced herself confidently yet her body was filled with fear.
                          
Abigail held Elizabeth's tattered lace dress up, and smiled at the embellishments.
                          
"Bet this was a pretty dress before it got ripped up eh?" She exclaimed 
                          
"My favourite one" Elizabeth said, filled with the memories of the day her mother took her to buy it.
                          
Abigail asked how Elizabeth ended up out here and Elizabeth explained, leaving out the part about her trade, she didn't want to be judged before anyone knew her.
                          
"Sounds like you've had quite the welcome here then" Abigail giggled
                          
"The best" Elizabeth said sarcastically and giggled back at her.
                          
Abigail turned to leave, she had brown hair tied up in a messy bun, she looked shy but Elizabeth could sense a strength within her.
                          
After choosing one of Abigail's dresses, again a grey one.  Elizabeth wandered through the camp looking for Arthur. She stood in the middle of the camp and looked around.
                          
"Hiya pretty, who're you looking for?" A strident voice said.
                          
Elizabeth spun round and faced the direction of the voice, "Arthur" she replied
                          
"I wouldn't bother with him, I could show you a much better time" the voice sneered, stepping too close to Elizabeth.
                          
"I'll pass on that offer" she said confidently, shooting down his unsolicited invite.  The invite came from a short man with dirty blonde hair down to his shoulders and a wiry moustache that had some remnants of food in it.
                          
"Micah!" Another voice shouted "Leave her be, she's not interested" 
                          
Elizabeth turned to the other voice, a young black boy stood there calmly, dressed smart and flicking his revolver in his hands.  "You okay miss?" He asked
                          
Elizabeth nodded.
                          
"I'd avoid him as much as possible if I were you, I'm Lenny by the way" he offered out a hand and Micah strutted off.
                          
"I think I'm going to follow your advice" Elizabeth agreed
                          
"If you're looking for Arthur he's in that shack there" Lenny informed 
                          
Elizabeth smiled and thanked him. 
                          
She made her way across the snowy path to the shack, she peeped through the window and saw Arthur sitting down cleaning his rifle, he had on a blue shirt that made his eyes shine and he had his mahogany hair swept back.  Elizabeth knocked sheepishly on the window, Arthur looked up and beckoned her in.  She walked lightly into the room, not wanting to be her usual whirlwind self.
                          
"I-I just want to say thank you for saving me out there" she said
                          
Arthur looked up from his rifle, "No problem, but it should be me thanking you, I'd have been wolf food if it wasn't for you" he chuckled "Come, sit."
                          
Elizabeth made her way over to the chair next to Arthur, she sat as her mother had taught her; one leg over the other; dress skirt pulled over knees; hands placed in lap.  She repeated this to herself in her head until Arthur spoke.
                          
"That dress looks nice on you, it's Abigail's isn't it?" He asked, not taking his eyes off her.
                          
"Yeah erm she said I could have it cause my one got ruined" Elizabeth replied, flustered in case he was cross that she was wearing Abigail's dress.
                          
Arthur leaned in and looked around to check no one was in earshot, "Looks better on you" he smiled and it made Elizabeth grow warm inside.  
                          
"Thank you" she was lost in his eyes, like they had enchanted her, she felt like she couldn't break contact with them.
                          
"Don't tell John though" he mused "He thinks his girl looks great in everything"
                          
Through that comment Elizabeth came to remember that John was the man they were calling for up in the mountains, she tactfully made a comment back to see if Arthur had a girl.  Much to Elizabeth's relief, he shook his head and went back to cleaning his gun.
                          
From outside a penetrating voice filled the calm silence.
                          
"Boys get out here, we have some O'driscolls to take care of"
                          
Arthur jumped up and swung his rifle over his shoulder and placed his hat over his swept back hair.
                          
"Go in the shack with the girls, I've gotta go" Arthur ordered
                          
"Can't I come?" Elizabeth asked, the taste for adventure on her tongue.
                          
Arthur stopped and turned back, he was squinting, his face confused.
                          
"To shoot up a rival camp?" He said dryly.
                          
"Well, why not, you know I can shoot and I can't think of anything worse than sitting around doing nothing, I physically can't" Elizabeth reasoned, pleading with her eyes.
                          
Arthur turned round and signalled for her to follow him, they walked across the snowy path to where the man who seemed to be in charge was standing.
                          
"Dutch, she wants to come" Arthur pointed at Elizabeth and she smiled sweetly
                          
"What?  No!" Dutch shot "When did she arrive anyway?"
                          
"This is the girl I brought in from the mountains a couple hours ago, she shot six wolves, she didn't miss once" Arthur said in a way that seemed to Elizabeth that he wanted her to come.
                          
"Dutch let her come, one less mouth the feed at the end of it" Micah stung. 
                          
"Fine," Dutch sighed as he got onto his white horse.
                          
Arthur unhitched a spare horse for Elizabeth and helped her on.
                          
"Christ Dutch she can't even get on a horse, Morgan's gotta help her" Micah jeered, his voice slimy.
                          
Arthur turned and looked at him, his eyes were like daggers stabbing into Micah.
                          
"Ignore him" Elizabeth cooed as she placed her hand on Arthur sheepishly as she didn't know if it would be accepted or brushed off.
                          
Arthur turned back round and looked at Elizabeth's hand on his shoulder, then looked at her green eyes.
                          
"He's a scumbag Elizabeth" he said "I don't want him talking to you"
                          
Arthur's sudden possessiveness made her tingle, he placed his hand on hers and nodded before mounting his horse.