Birds of a Feather

Lenny

Lenny followed Dutch and Bill in riding to Lagras. He wasn't exactly sure what they were doing yet. It didn't matter to him either way. He was excited to be included in something that Micah got publicly rejected over.

When they arrived at a small shack, Lenny thought it time he figure out what was going on. "Say, Dutch, what's the plan?"

Dutch hitched his horse and told him, "We're paying Mr. Bronte a visit."

"What are we going to do?"

"Scare him. Maybe ransom him, if it comes to it." Dutch faced him with a fierce expression. "Mostly, we're gonna make sure he knows he set up the wrong men."

Lenny nodded. He'd been hoping they'd get revenge over that trolley fiasco. The three of them had nearly been killed that day.

As they strolled up to the dock, Dutch asked, "Bill, what do you think of that Charlotte woman?"

Bill shrugged. "Eh, you know me, Dutch. If they gotta be around, I'd rather they kept their traps shut and did something useful, like house chores or cooking."

Dutch chuckled. "I am inclined to agree, to a certain extent."

Lenny held silent. He wasn't as jaded as these two about women. Though only one woman still had a clutch on his heart, if he was being honest. The image of Jenny and the feelings attached hadn't faded.

Brown hair that she never put up, so it was always being thrown back when she laughed, which she did often. She had a loud laugh, contagious. She wasn't the prettiest of the girls, but she was always smiling, which Lenny thought made up for it.

Lenny was a fool for not expressing his feelings to her sooner, for not saying anything when he had a chance. He'd had it and missed it, a week before she'd been killed.

It was at their camp in Blackwater. Miss Grimshaw had ordered him to collect Jenny for dinner, as she hadn't been around all day. He'd found her down by the water, sitting on a rock, by herself for once. That had bolstered Lenny to finally admit his feelings for her.

But when he approached her, he could tell something was wrong. Her arms were wrapped around her knees in a protective gesture. She was watching the sunset, deep in thought. Her usual happy grin was no where to be found.

Lenny didn't know what had happened, what she was thinking, but he dejectedly determined it wasn't the right time for pouring his heart out. He called her name and her friendly smile was back in place. She hopped down from the rock and that was that. His lost opportunity now stuck in time forever, never to be resolved.

"My Annabelle," Dutch was saying, dragging Lenny out of memory, "Now, she was a fine woman. She could cook, clean and love unconditionally. All without any backtalk."

"I'm glad that Molly's gone," Bill said, probably thinking of all the arguing her and Dutch got into. "Uncle said she was on a rampage before she left. Hitting and yelling at him to stay away from that Charlotte."

Dutch asked sharply, "She spoke to Mrs. Balfour?"

"Yeah, I guess." Bill shrugged and asked excitedly, "So, Dutch, what's Tahiti like anyhow?"

Dutch had turned contemplative a moment, but at Bill's question, answered, "I have no idea, but I hear it's paradise."

Dutch had mentioned Tahiti a few times now. Lenny didn't know anything about it either, but he thought Dutch would have a clearer picture as to where he wanted all of them to end up.

Lenny tried not to frown as he unexpectedly heard Pa's voice in his mind overlapping Dutch's conversation with Bill.

"You're gonna meet folks in this life that talk real pretty, but listen to them closely, son. Really listen. Because if they're talking, but they're not saying anything new, they're just thinkers, nothing more. You follow the men of action. Or better yet, you be that man of action."