The Last Love Of Arthur Morgan

Blessed are the Meek?

Lorna was sitting with Karen and Tilly, mending some of Arthur's shirts that she noticed needed it. He would never ask her to do that, so she had to go behind him and realize it all on her own. She didn't mind it actually, she needed something to do with her free time. Mrs. Grimshaw had put her on light duties since finding out of her condition and she didn't mind that either. But the other girls were starting to notice her lack of chores. They didn't question it, but they were getting irritated.

She and Arthur talked about the perfect time to tell everyone the news. Both concluded that they would, they just weren't sure when. Lorna felt that sooner rather than later was the best choice - their only choice.

"Dutch!"

Everyone turned to see Lenny rushing back to camp, nearly falling off his horse. Dutch and Arthur rushed over to the boy, thinking he was hurt or in trouble. But surely he knew better than to bring any trouble back to camp. Everyone knew that rule.

Lorna cautiously approached the men, careful to not get in direct line of sight, just in case someone aiming for them would miss and hit her instead. Running with a gang for six months really jarred her natural way of thinking.

"They...They got Micah!" He keeled over, panting.

Dutch placed a hand on his back."Who does, son?"

Lenny stood back up."In Strawberry, there's talk of hangin' him!"

"Here's hopin."

"Arthur!" Dutch scolded.

The younger man looked over."What?"

Dutch shook his head."Arthur, I want you go get Micah out of Strawberry and I don't want an argument!"

Arthur exhaled a defeated sigh, not wanting to argue anyway."Fine."

Dutch turned to Lenny."Let's go have a talk, you and I. Maybe a drink or two."

Arthur turned around coming face to face with Lorna. She frowned and bowed her head, suddenly afraid to even look at him. The very thought of him having to break Micah out of jail, escaping what would inevitably come next, was too painful a thought.

"I see you're mendin' my shirts?" He tried changing the subject.

"Is this how it's always going to be?"

He shook out a match that just lit his cigarette."How's what going to be?"

"You having to do all the dirty work? Getting in trouble, having to run from the law? I-I mean I knew that's what you do-"

"Then why're you actin' shocked?"

She bit her lip."I'm just worried."

"Well don't be. I've done this plenty of times before, always come back alive."

"There's a first for everything." She replied stoically.

Turning on her heel she walked back to the tent. Arthur frowned as he watched her walk away, her words burning a hole in his chest. She was right and he hated to admit that. Hated to admit that she probably knew more about this life than even he did.

He took a long drag off his cigarette and dropped it to the ground, crushing it with the blunt force of his boot.

He didn't say goodbye to her, he figured her words were enough of a goodbye, more than enough. He mounted Walker and bid a short farewell to Javier and Charles who stood on watch. He rode down the trail at a leisurely pace, cursing Lorna under his breath. The damn girl knew all the right buttons to push - how to get under his skin. But somehow, it just made him love her all the better.