𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐩 ✧ 𝐑𝐃𝐑𝟐

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲𝐎𝐧𝐞.

"How was it, Miss?" Hosea asked. Audrey looked up at the old man from where she sat just outside of her tent. She sighed.

"Well, I know how to shoot now," Audrey answered. Hosea chuckled lightly, looking over his shoulder to find Micah leaning against a tree by the edge of camp near the campfire that Uncle was singing at. 

"I've noticed a lovely red mark across his face," Hosea had observed, turning his head back to Audrey. "You know how it got there?"

"Not at all," Audrey answered sarcastically, a grin breaking across on Hosea's face. "He deserved it. He learnt very quick that I do not tolerate men like him."

"I'm sure he did," Hosea nodded while chuckling. "He's been grouchy towards everyone since the two of you got back so I'd say he did learn too quick for his liking," Hosea agreed causing Audrey to laugh. "Anyway, you should get some rest."

"Is Arthur back yet?" Audrey asked him just as he was about to turn away. Hosea stopped himself, shaking his head in response.

"No. Should be soon though," Hosea answered. "You shouldn't worry about him. He knows what he's doing," Hosea encouraged. Audrey thanked him before he left her, herself rising from her chair and moving into her tent to her cot. She laid down, her eyes heavy with exhaustion before sleep took over.

"Were you going to tell me about last night?" Arthur's voice interrupted Audrey from washing clothes. Tilly and Mary-Beth exchanged looks with each other before returning to their sewing. Audrey didn't look at Arthur, she continued to focus on washing the clothes.

"That depends if you were going to tell me about the train robbery," Audrey responded, Arthur sighing in annoyance. There was a silent pause before Arthur started.

"Micah? Really?" Arthur began. Audrey rose to her feet, dusting her skirt off from the dirt she was crouched in before facing him. She placed her hands on her hips. "Out of everyone who could have taken you, Micah took you? And you let him?"

"It's not like I had a choice! Besides, it wasn't so bad," Audrey argued, pouting as she finished. 

"I don't trust him around you, you know that. After how he was saying that we should have killed you instead of giving you a chance, how could you have gone so easily with him?" Arthur argued back. Tilly grabbed Mary-Beth's hand, leading her away from the scene to give the two of them some privacy. Audrey bit her lower lip in frustration before looking back at him.

"I put him in his place. Besides, if anything had happened to me Hosea would have known it was him who did it and he would tell Dutch. You weren't here," Audrey hissed.

"That's not fair," Arthur shook his head. "I was out making money for these people!"

"You mean stealing money," Audrey corrected him causing Arthur to grow frustrated, more than what he already was. His eyes were full of anger, the look of intimidation falling over him but it didn't scare her. She trusted Arthur and she knew he would never hurt her. 

"You're here because people care about you. I care about you. This money is to feed mouths, including yours. To give shelter, including you. To provide guns to protect everyone including you. So don't you start shit talking the money," Arthur warned her. "Without any of this, any of us you would still be with Colm." The truth stung like a bee but it was the truth. Both her and Arthur knew he was right. Silence overwhelmed her before Arthur continued. "Next time just don't go alone with him, please," Arthur said more calmly. 

"Okay," Audrey answered briefly as she folded her arms across her chest. 

"Why you got an interest in learning to shoot anyway?" He asked, an eyebrow raised slightly at her.

"It's something I need to learn. I need to learn to shoot from far as well, not just close up. And I need to protect myself I-" She paused herself, hesitating to continue. Arthur's eyes softened as he began to put it all together. 

"You're scared, ain't you?" He asked her. Audrey's lips squeezed together before she nodded truthfully. He took a few steps forward before pulling her body to his, holding her tight. He rested his chin on top of her head, a hand stroking her hair as her arms wrapped around him, feeling relieved to finally be in his arms again. She was afraid that she was losing him. "I promise this won't happen again, I promise he will never hurt you again," Arthur promised. Audrey looked up at him, Arthur looking down at her.

"Please don't promise something that can't be known," she pleaded. She rested her head against his chest, his heart beating. "Just promise me you'll never leave me," she stated. 

"I promise," he stated as they shared their embrace for a few moments before Arthur broke away. Audrey held his hand as he backed away before her hand slipped out of his, he gave her a small smile before walking away. Audrey wasn't alone for a second before Mary-Beth and Tilly appeared, their faces sprawled with concern and curiosity. 

"You two okay?" Mary-Beth asked her, Tilly and Mary-Beth joining Audrey.

"We are just going through a difficult time," Audrey answered, trying to persuade the two women that things with them are okay. 

"He seemed real upset about Micah taking you out," Tilly noted. Audrey nodded in agreement. "I don't like Micah real much either. I don't think anyone does."

"Except Dutch," Mary-Beth muttered. That was true, Micah was only here because Dutch saw potential in the man. Mary-Beth's face faded from a disgusted look to a small grin. "But I heard you striked him," Mary-Beth giggled. 

"I would if I could but Miss Grimshaw wouldn't let me live up to it," Tilly muttered. Audrey had noticed how much Susan watched the girls and how she encouraged them to work almost to avoid them getting distracted. "But how did you feel?" 

"Great," Audrey answered simply, gaining grins from Mary-Beth and Tilly. "You should've seen him cower after, like a wolf that got a taste of his own medicine," Audrey described. 

"Are you ladies working?" Susan's voice boomed from across the camp. Audrey knew Susan didn't really care whether or not Audrey did some work so she knew Susan wasn't talking directly to her but Audrey liked to help the girls out. "I don't think so! Back to work!" She boomed before Mary-Beth or Tilly could answer. Tilly rolled her eyes before returning to sit on the wooden area the girls sleep on, picking up a shirt she was stitching back together. Mary-Beth sat down on a wooden box, returning to whatever she was making and Audrey decided to get back to washing the clothes. 

"I don't know why she gets so hot-headed about us not working, Molly doesn't do anything," Tilly muttered in annoyance. 

"What is with that?" Audrey asked in curiosity. The whole time she had been here she never saw Molly lift a finger to help anybody. 

"She thinks she's entitled since Dutch has a thing for her," Mary-Beth explained. "Ever since she moved in with Dutch she thinks she is better than any of us," the woman stared at her needle and thread as she concentrated to not prick her finger. 

"Dutch!" Lenny's voice rang out. The three women frowned as they watched Lenny and Karen rush back into camp, heading towards Dutch's tent. 

"What is it, boy?" Dutch asked him, meeting Lenny and Karen half way.

"O'Driscolls are nearby. If we don't do something they could find our hideout," Karen informed, her face stern with determination to keep everyone safe. Dutch nodded.

"Alright. You two stay here, I'll get a group to scare them off, kill them if we must," Dutch explained. "You two just make sure they don't come anywhere close and if they do, you know what to do," he reminded them. Lenny and Karen both nodded before rushing back out. Audrey's pulse began to race as she watched Dutch disappear towards the back of the camp to gather a group.