Deed to Damnation

The Fates That Be

"But I don't want to go!" She protested.
Ireland had decided to face off with Henry over this matter. October was coming to a close, the trees bare, revealing that winter's slow death was creeping closer. Traveling to the homestead now was a ridiculous idea. Besides, she had just started making progress with Missy and her reading. It had been slow going but the girl had been able to put together small sentences with simple words now.
"You're coming." He growled.
He had taken the liberty of packing her trunk which she was angrily unpacking as he tried to keep his cool.
"I can't." She reiterated. "Everything is going so well! Why?"
"Because.." he barked, throwing a discarded crinoline back in the trunk, "that's going to be your home in the very near future. I swear to Christ, I'm gonna mark your ass!"
The threat was real and it managed to shut her mouth and replace it with a wintery stare instead, made all the worse by the tears he saw well up.
"Stop that shit." He said.
He had lowered his tone but only to get her to not cry. If he had to resort to pulling her across his lap to get her to bow down, he would. That would at least give her something to cry about; and cry out about too. That's how it always ended as he found he couldn't help but explore her intimately as he punished her. And she had accepted it too even though he knew she dreaded the first five minutes.
He crossed the room and ripped a garment from her hands before she could throw it on the floor and grabbed her by the upper arms.
"I hate to tell you but the women have fared pretty well without you for quite sometime and you leaving for ten days isn't going to change that."
"Ten days?" She wailed.
Henry rolled his eyes and began putting all the strewn clothing back in the trunk.
"I'm bringing you there to show you something and I need you to do a job for me." He told her.
So. He's finally going to tell me about the gold, she thought. But she didn't understand why he couldn't just tell her about it and whatever job he just mentioned made her stomach flip with nerves. What could she possibly do in the middle of nowhere?
"You're acting as if you have a choice, Ireland." He growled. "So far you've done better than I thought you would. Don't disappoint me now and make me rethink our arrangement."
Leave it to him to push veiled threats, she thought angrily.
"Here." He said, handing her a simply wrapped package.
He had brought it upstairs the minute one of his men returned from the homestead with it, only to find her throwing her packed garments all over the room. She took it and sat down on the bed sullenly.
"Don't look so upset." He scolded. "You'll appreciate it on the plains tonight."
Ireland sighed, pulled the twine string and unwrapped it. It was a coat, obviously fastened by the natives as it was made with fox and rabbit pelts. She ran her fingers over the soft garment and lifted it up.
"It's warmer than anything Ludy could put together for you." He told her. "And unlike the fur stoles you see on the women in the cities, the animal pelts it's made of fed the tribe's people. They don't waste anything."
She stood and slipped her arms through the sleeves, curious to see how it fit. It was very long, touching the floor and the arms covered her hands completely. Henry moved behind her and flipped the hood up over her head. It was deep and the fur was soft on her face.
"The Cheyenne and Sioux know how to stay warm in the cold months. You'll be comfortable on the trip." He said. "And I'll make sure to heat you up if the coat can't."
She blushed at his teasing.
"We're going now?" She asked, pulling the hood down.
"As soon as you change into that plain, old prairie dress you wore the first time." He answered.
"I want to tell Missy we're going and that I'll be back soon." She began.
"She already knows. They all do. But if you feel like you have to, go ahead. The men are loading up the wagon now. I'll meet you outside."
She wanted to shriek that she didn't care about the gold anymore and that she was needed here, not at a faraway gang hideout in the middle of hostile territory. But instead, she pulled the dress from the armoire and put it on. If she had said that, it would have been Missy that paid the price. She wasn't supposed to know anything about the gold at all.

Missy was able to put her a little more at ease when Ireland came to say goodbye. She talked gently and reassured her that everything would be fine in her absence.
"Miss Ireland, we're all gonna be okay." She said, in her soothing, southern drawl. "You'll be back before you know it."
"Will you keep up on your reading?" She pleaded. "Maybe help Bonnie with hers?"
"I will." Missy reassured. "One half hour everyday before we open."
"And keep your eye on Jordan. She's been shifty through the last couple of evenings. She seems to be attracted to the more dangerous types."
Ireland had noticed that and she was starting to irritate Robyn, who had directly complained about her to Henry. The young girl had been moving in on her regulars and hustling others.
"Brendan and Eddy are here to see after us." Missy comforted. "And I'll talk to Jordan personally."
"She doesn't even belong here. She should be back at her daddy's estate." Ireland muttered.
"Well, she's running from something I suppose." Was the reply. "And talk about running, you should go. Henry's out there waiting impatiently."
Ireland looked out the parlor window to see Henry looking directly at her. He tossed his head towards the wagon, eager to get on the trail.