Brother

Chapter Ten

It had been a week since I had left and returned, most of the time I would head off to try and find a good score so we could get the hell out of this country. Dutch had given me my space but I could see how much my words had actually hurt him, Arthur went with me most times like the worried brother I never had. The closest people to family I had were the gang, even then I felt alone like that day my mother had been killed and I had fled for my life. Someone nudging my arm shook me from my state of thought, turning my head I noticed Arthur riding beside me with a confused look on his face.

"You alright Grace? You seem distracted," Arthur pointed out, I nodded with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah I'm fine, just thinking of the good old days, back when we actually had the money to leave, back when all these troubles didn't exist, back before I had to slowly stitch up a broken heart," I grumbled, the sight of Rhodes up ahead caused me to slow Quicksilver from a canter to a walk. We didn't live too far from the family feud town, the Gray's were a nice bunch and the Braithwaite's were nasty inbreds with a nice taste in horses. Sadly being a woman on horseback seemed to attract more attention to me than I would have liked, most of the men around here whistled and called for me when I passed which usually made me shudder. Today however was no exception, upon turning the corner into town a middle aged man whistled as he looked me over when I rode past. Arthur moved Falcon closer to Quicksilver in a protective motion and I couldn't help but chuckle, Arthur sent me a playful glare and it reminded me of when we were kids again. From what Arthur had told me since I refused to talk to Dutch we were here to buy supplies and talk with a young Gray boy with a fancy love for a Braithwaite woman, pulling Quicksilver to a stop I dismounted and tethered him to a hitching post before walking inside the general store.

"Ahhh hello there, nice to see you again," the man greeted, I smiled and waved at him as I looked around the store for some supplies I would need. Arthur had gone to get ammo and clothing while I got food and other necessities, after paying the shop owner I placed the food in Quicksilver's saddle bags when I felt eyes on me. Looking around I noticed no one really paying attention which had me on edge, after strapping the saddle bags closed I turned to go find Arthur but was greeted with a hand over my mouth. My heart began to race until I realised who it was, letting out a sigh of relief I pulled his hand from my mouth and looked at him confused.

"We have O'Driscols watching us, stay sharp and don't lead them back to camp," he mumbled as he mounted Falcon, hauling myself onto Quicksilver's back I turned him in the opposite direction of camp which caused Arthur to follow. The hair on the back of my neck began to prickle which caused me to look around, quite a distance back I noticed a group of six men on horse back and I nudged Arthur who turned and beckoned for me to follow him. Turning into the forest we dismounted and sent the horses deeper so if they tried to follow our tracks they wouldn't get far before they found horses without riders, hiding in a bush I held my pistol in my good hand to save my bad arm the recoil. It didn't take long before the six men turned into the trees where we had and I readied myself to shoot, one of them must have seen the riderless horses because they stopped and dismounted.

"Come out you cowards, we know you are here!" One of them snarled, gripping my pistol harder I gritted my teeth as I recognised that voice.

"Fuck off Colm!" I shouted, Arthur glared at me for making a noise but the small group would have found us anyways.

"Oh come on Grace, we just want to offer Dutch a little proposition, if he meets up up by the heartlands near the mountains tomorrow we will speak of a peace treaty!" Colm called, I looked at Arthur and he figured my plan of action.

"Alright, so long as you come alone we will agree to meet you but it's up to Dutch if he wants to bring peace!" I called back, soon enough the six men left and we mounted back up before racing back to camp.

"DUTCH!" Arthur shouted as he jumped down from his horse, I tethered both the stallions and grabbed the saddle bags as I took them to their most needed places. There was talking in the main clearing I didn't bother to listen too since it was really none of my business what they said, I took a deep breath as I felt the familiar presence of Dutch behind me.

"Grace.... I know you hate me but I need your sharp shooter skills so we don't get ambushed..." he almost seemed to coo, I turned to face him slightly and sighed again.

"Alright, I'll come," I reluctantly agreed, my skills were out of whack since my incident but this could help me practice with an injured arm.

"Thank you, just don't forget I still love you...." he sighed as he left, his words struck me like a knife. After the shit I threw at him he still loved me, as much as I hated how he hurt me I couldn't help but feel that tug I once felt. Back when I was that lost little girl so alone and afraid, he had always been there for me and I needed to be there for him. I headed for my tent with my head filled with so many things, with a sigh I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.