3. With Fog All Around Us - Dutch x Grimshaw x Hosea

                                    

                                          



Hosea sat on the edge of his bed and she sat in the chair directly across from him. Dutch stood in the corner, looking pouty and unwanted. There was an air of uncertainty about the room. No one quite fully understood the situation besides Miss Grimshaw, it seemed. She relished in the momentary omnipotence of it all, her shoulders kept straight, knowing that she was conducting the order of this meeting, that she had toppled Dutch's throne off the top of his kingdom, if only for a little while. She adjusted her hair pin, taking her good sweet time, and looked only at Hosea.
                          
"The way Dutch sees it," she began. "I'm a ruined woman now. No chance of me finding a husband at the old age of twenty-eight and no chance of me finding a husband that supports my desire to hang on to this gun."
                          
Hosea was dumbstruck. He shot a glance at Dutch.
                          
"So," she said. "Your friend has asked me to join your gang, instead."
                          
Hosea was visibly blown backwards, lifting his eyes again to watch Dutch's ever-changing face.
                          
"As an equal, it seems," she added. "As a real member. He swears that he won't touch me, and that he won't ask me for anything, but I can't trust that. The man can hardly trust himself."
                          
Hosea gave a brief, betraying nod.
                          
"So what I came to ask of you--" she said. "Is can you ensure that Dutch is true to his word? It's not easy for a woman in this world, Mr. Matthews. Be she an outlaw or a noblewoman. Now I'm not saying that we're dainty little things that need protecting, but I am saying, that if it came down to it, I know I couldn't take Dutch here in a battle of strength."
                          
Dutch audibly scoffed. She could sense a frustrated eye-roll behind her.
                          
"So what I came to ask of you is this," she said. "I will only accept Mr. Van der Linde's offer, if you promise me to do your best to ensure he's true to his word. He will never lay a hand on me again, not once. He'll treat me as an equal."
                          
Hosea sat, perplexed. He gave a good long sigh. "You and I both know I can't promise full awareness of Dutch's actions," he said.
                          
"I didn't ask that," she said. "I'm not unrealistic. I asked you to do your best."
                          
Hosea's eyes flicked up to Dutch's, they seemed to be silently conferring over something.
                          
"Are you sincere in your offer?" Susan asked without turning to look at him. "Mr. Van der Linde? Or were you just saying that so that you didn't lose your mind over another woman's departure?"
                          
Dutch gave an irritated cough. "I am as sincere as I've ever been," he said.
                          
Grimshaw rolled her eyes with a little bit of a smirk. Sincere as he's ever been, she thought. What good is that from a man who's never been sincere?
                          
"She makes a fair point, Dutch," Hosea said, leaning closer to Miss Grimshaw. "And I do understand why you've asked her such a question." He scratched his chin, searching for the right wording. "You have a ferocity and a sense of self that I greatly respect. I suppose I hadn't seen it in you until the circumstances forced you to show it. I'm not proud of what you happened to see when you walked into this room not so long ago. I'm not proud at all. But I would be proud to call you one of us, as you do fit in so well, and you do make a wonderment out of camp life."

                          
He stood and Miss Grimshaw stood as well. He offered her his hand and she took it.

                          
"I'll do my best," Hosea said firmly.

                          
"That's all I ask, sir," Susan said.