There's No Place Like Rhodes (Book 2)

Intervention

Arthur and Benjamin worked together to extract Miss Jones from the wagon, where she'd passed out completely on Charlotte's shoulder. Arthur managed Karen himself in getting inside the cabin. After he settled her in her bed, Charlotte took over. She undid Karen's hair, removed her shoes and covered her with a blanket before she eventually joined Benji in the kitchen.

Certainly, her next concern was Arthur. She wanted to make sure he hadn't overexerted himself in pulling Karen onto and from the wagon, and carrying her inside. However, he'd left the house to unhitch Vee from the wagon and unsaddle Jane, and hadn't yet returned.

In the kitchen, Benji leaned against the door, watching Arthur outside through the window with narrowed eyes, his mouth set in a grim, thin line. It wasn't the openly curious study from earlier today and she wondered at the change.

"What are you doing?" she asked her brother and he jumped in place.

He recovered quickly enough and asked abruptly, "Who exactly is Arthur, Char?"

She moved across the room, heading for the fireplace and feeding a log to the dimming blaze. "Please don't start this again."

"I'm serious, Charlotte." Benji followed her over, stopping at her side. "Miss Jones said some curious things."

Charlotte waved a hand. "There were a lot of curious and silly things tonight."

Unfortunately for her, Benji wasn't prepared to let this one go and his face reflected a somber earnestness. "Miss Jones claimed Arthur is an outlaw."

Was, she wanted to amend, but that would be admitting truth to the statement.

"She said she is one too," he added.

"Like I said, dear brother," she replied evasively, "a lot of silly things."

"You're telling me that's not true? That she was lying?"

He was pinning her down because he knew she wouldn't lie, especially to her own brother. Charlotte bit her lip, unsure of what to say.

"Karen weren't lyin'."

Her concentration was so focused on Benjamin that she hadn't noticed Arthur had entered through the back door.

"I am an outlaw," continued Arthur, "and so's she."

"In that case," Benji's posture straightened defensively. "I don't think you should be around my sister."

Charlotte's mouth parted open in shock at his misguided assertion, not expecting from him a blatant attempt to manage her life.

"It ain't about what you like, boy." Arthur spoke before she could think of a word to refute it. He shrugged off his coat, hanging it up by the door and facing Benji again. "You ain't got a say in it."

"M-mother and Father won't like it."

"We gonna get into this again?" Arthur crossed his arms. "I reckoned we settled all you and your brother's nonsense the day we met."

"Certainly, a criminal would have me reconsidering my previous stance."

Charlotte knew Arthur didn't like being backed into a corner, no matter who it was. He gritted his teeth. "Is that so?"

"Benji," Charlotte scolded, laying a hand on her brother's arm. She didn't want this to get any more out of hand. "Enough of this. What's got into you?"

"Charlotte, you shouldn't keep company with someone dangerous."

"You're being ridiculous. Arthur's been here for several months now and I've not been in any sort of danger."