Ghosts of the Past [RDR2]

Chapter 10 - To See is to Think

"Well ain't this a nice surprise, Miss Levenson," Arthur greeted the lady as she entered town on horseback. The day was bright and beautiful, he took a moment to appreciate the sky as Rosemary joined beside him and rode together through town.

"During the day and everything, Mr Morgan." She teased back "And here was me thinking I'd only ever know you in darkness. Whatcha got there?"

This question brought a heat up Arthur's neck as their eyes fell down to something still stowed in Boadicea's saddle bag "I thought maybe you... Well I saw 'em and I thought these were pretty, then I thought you're pretty and..."

Rosemary giggled, leaning over and taking the bouquet of flowers from his saddle and kissing his cheek in one motion. "Thank you very much, Arthur. They are beautiful." she bent her head down to breathe in the flowers "Did you steal 'em?"

Arthur laughed again as they rode up to a hitching post and dismounted "I would never steal a gift for you.." He answered, helping her down by lifting her easily off her Mares back. "Where I got the money to buy 'em is a different question."

His heart lifted as she laughed. The moments when his own stupid jokes managed to make her laugh were some of the best. "I won't ask." She sighed, holding the fresh Bouquet in her arm with a smile as she looked up into Arthurs adoring gaze "Seeing Arthur Morgan in the daytime - what a truly new experience."

"I guess I'm a little less pretty in the daylight." He shied away, hand immediately moving to the large scar on his chin as he spoke.

Rosemary pulled his hand away "Still just as handsome as you were in my daddy's stables." She countered and nodded her head to ask to walk.

So Arthur led her down the main street, offering her the crook of his arm to hold. All was good.

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The camp's atmosphere was oddly strained why Arthur and John arrived back at camp, two deer carcasses stowed on their horses. People were talking in undertones, worried expressions on their face and Dutch spoke calmly, an air all 'all is well' around him. A Keen set of eyes scanned the camp for the cause of the commotion, and landed on Hosea laying on the medical tents cot with half a trouser leg cut and a freshly bandaged wound on his upper leg.

The pair jumped down from the horses, John having spotted the same thing, and walked quickly over to the group "Hosea, you a'right?" Arthur asked first, approaching the small group of chattering men.

"Arthur, ma boy!" Dutch replied "Hosea has been patched just fine. Ain't got nothing to worry about." He had a big, genuine grin on his face.

"Got shot." Hosea explained "What I get for doing the right thing. Poor woman was getting robbed - and not by us. I just couldn't stand the sight."

The tended wound drew Arthur's attention most. It was not the work of the Reverends shaking hands. This was very well tended "What, you get checked out by that doc in Valentine?"

"Funny thing," Hosea pushed on "Woman I saved? She's some kinda fancy progressive doctor. Ended up back at camp where she patched me up like she'd been doing it her whole life."

Worries set into his mind at this, images of Rosemary tending his shoulder ten years ago, or cleaning cuts he might have had one night he showed up. It couldn't be her. If it was, perhaps Arthur would have to believe in a god as these encounters could not just be coincidence. "Who was she?"

"Pretty girl." Dutch hummed appreciatively "Kind too. Said that she wanted to help. Said Hosea was a good man and good men deserve kindness." Like a nail in the coffin, Arthur stepped back "You alright, son?"