The Last Love Of Arthur Morgan

Unexpected Happenstance

Arthur's hands shook as he read the letter that was sent to Lorna. Someone was claiming to be his son, but he couldn't figure out why? He didn't have anything to offer; no money, reputation or security.

Lorna was convinced that this person was his son, based solely on the fact that he mentioned Mary Linton. 

"He ain't my kid." He tossed the letter to the ground.

Lorna bent down to the retrieve it."But he says he is. He knows enough to raise an eyebrow."

"I'm tellin' you right now Lorna, that ain't my kid!"

"Don't yell at me!" 

He laid his head against the pitch fork, his mind reeling - pulling him in fifty different directions. He suddenly felt faint and decided to take a seat on a few bales of hay. 

"I'm sorry."

She walked over and sat beside him."It's okay. We've been through worse, Arthur."

"But why now?" He snapped."I'm...I'm supposed to be dead!"

"Maybe she's telling the truth then-"

"No, nu-uh. This is just one of her stupid little tricks to make my life miserable one more time."

"You're supposed to be dead, Arthur, I don't think you can get any worse than that."

Arthur stopped and stared into the stall of a cow and her calf, trying to process what was just revealed to him. He has another son - that makes three now. He remembered when he thought Isaac was too much for him to handle and now he has three. Three - it just didn't make any sense to him. 

"This is so Mary."

"It does seem strange, but...he said he just found out he was adopted and he wanted to find out who he was," Lorna pulled the picture from the envelope and swallowed thickly."There's a picture too."

He glanced over his shoulder at the picture in her outstretched hand. This made him real - not just in words, but in truth. He snatched the picture from her hands and his blood ran cold. He began to tremble. There was no denying it now, this person - that man was his flesh and blood! His eyes, his hair, his nose and lips....it was all him. 

"Fuck." Arthur breathed.

"I think he's quite handsome," Lorna complimented."Even if his mother is her."

"I-uh...I-" He dropped the picture, as he hurried out of the barn.

"Arthur!" 

Her calls fell on deaf ears as he all but ran out of the barn. Lorna frowned as she bent down to pick up the forgotten picture. If Arthur wasn't going to be the bigger person, she knew she had to be. Her children deserved to know they had an older brother, just as he deserved to know he had siblings and a father who was very much alive. 

Clutching the letter and picture in her hand, she hurried back to the house to try and write a decent letter. She would check on Arthur afterwards, figuring he needed some time to himself to clear his head and come to terms with his new reality.

William was still sleeping and would be for another hour, which Lorna figured would be enough time to write a letter....she hoped.

She sat down at the desk just underneath the window facing the empty field, pulled out a few blank pages and her fountain pen and began writing.

Dear Arthur,

Yes this letter did come as a shock, but I'm not at all surprised. I want to thank you for being honest with me and so kind and considerate in your letter - it's not everyday you come across such people.