The Last Love Of Arthur Morgan

The Princess and the Frog

Lorna came to me last night, asking to go for a walk. Said she was lonely and couldnt sleep. I was already awake, I couldnt sleep myself.

She told me about the O'Driscoll's her beau was family with, one of them happens to be Colm. Go figure.

But we talked less about the O'Driscoll's and more about ourselves. I found out she's an only child, her momma died when she was a child - her daddy remarried and she has three step-siblings now.

Apparently her daddy is a tobacco farmer. Real rich. Real famous in California.

Lorna's an interesting person to say the least. Beautiful too. Everyday she seems to get prettier and prettier, but maybe it's just me. After all, I tend to fall for a pretty face but a not so nice heart.

Hopefully our talks will continue - I actually enjoy talking to someone for once.

Arthur lit a cigarette as the camp settled down for the evening. His lantern was off now that his journal was away and only the orange glow of his cigarette illuminated his tent. He preferred it this way. He could see out but no one could see in.

Lorna had since moved her tent closer to his, saying she felt safer that way. Apparently she was more afraid of her ex-beau than she let on, but Arthur was good at reading people - he could see it in her eyes and the tremble in her voice.

He didn't mind her being so close to his tent, it's just that her being so close made it harder for him not to think about her. His thoughts seemed to be going there lately, ever since he found her and brought her back. Nothing too offensive - not at first. But since just last night, he's thought about taking her over a barrel a couple of times. And once down by the lake, in a tent with a fire going just outside. He didn't know what had gotten into him, he never thought about such things before; and he had plenty of opportunities to.

"Arthur?"

He heard the whisper before he saw the silhouette standing at the entrance of his tent. He budded his cigarette out on the wagon wheel behind his head.

"Lorna?" He sat up."What's wrong?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to take another walk?" Her voice trembled a bit. He could tell she was upset.

"Sure." He grabbed his hat and pulled on his gun belt.

He grabbed the lantern off the table and lit it - it instantly illuminated the entire tent and he turned to Lorna, only to see her face wet with tears.

"Hey." He cooed, reaching out to her."What's wrong." He gently pulled her into his tent.

She sniffled."I got a letter from Thomas today, he knows where I am."

Arthur frowned."How?"

"I-I don't know!" She cried into her hands.

Arthur wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer."It's alright."

"No it isn't." She sniffled."He's brutal, just like Colm. He'll kill me. Especially now!"

"Hey now." He used his finger to lift her chin."Ain't none of that gonna ever happen. Not with us. If he has a problem with you, well he's just gonna have to take it up with us."

She wiped away her tears."...He's the one thing that scares me most in this world."

"Well you don't have to be afraid here."