Lizzie's Song

Chapter 3- Some Way or Another

When they arrive in the village, Lizzie hops from the driver's seat and slides open the big jail doors so her father can back the wagon into the side of the building. There are more cells than have ever been filled, but it is sheltered and dry. Mr York is proud of the conditions in his jail. He has been careful to make sure that it is possible to separate prisoners. The cells on the outer walls, the hallway wrapped around a courtyard that cannot be accessed by the jail but yet allows in a little natural light from high windows. No prisoner can see another, the cells separated by stone walls.

Opening the doors, Mr York brings Thomas out first. There are guns aimed at him the moment he steps out. Malachi, Nathaniel, Ezra, and Roger stand guard. Mr York, though, is not afraid and he never has been. Malachi and Roger stay with the wagon, guns on Lucille, while Ezra and Nathaniel escort Thomas to the far corner.

Mr York unlocks the cell and escorts his ward to the cot, a firm hand on his good shoulder indicating he should sit. Thomas complies. Mr York removes his chains.

"Lay down, son. We'll send the doctor, and after, if you're hungry, I'll bring you some supper. Justice doesn't move too fast, but we'll take care of you while you wait for the winter assizes up in Carlisle."

Thomas nods, "Thank you, sir."

He locks up and returns to take Lucille to her cell. She stands at the door of the wagon, a statue, waiting. All four men walk with Mr York as he takes her to a cell in the farthest corner from Thomas as possible. He settles her in the cell, sits her down on the cot the same way as her brother, and unchains her. She is still as stone, but there are goosebumps on her bare shoulders.

"I'll bring supper after we remove the knife from your brother's shoulder. Lizzie will bring a blanket for you while you wait." Lucille says nothing, "Justice doesn't move too fast, but we'll do what we can to take care of you until the winter assizes in Carlisle." Still, silence. He leaves with her chains, "Come, boys. Leave her to her thoughts."

While waiting for word from the jail, Alan has made Edith comfortable in the Doyle house's spare bedroom, the lady of the house providing her soup. Alan tells Edith that she needs to flush the poisons from her body for any chance of a full recovery. He expects her to drink as much water as she can while he tends to Thaddeus and Thomas.

Mrs Doyle enters with the pitcher, "Go, tend your patient, Doctor. I'll take care of Miss Edith."

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Just Rebecca, please. No need to stand on ceremony." He smiles as she settles into the chair beside Edith's bed, certain she is in good hands, "Now, my dear, what can I do to make this easier on you?" Her melodic voice lilts, her Scottish accent making her offer even more comforting.

Alan goes down the stairs to the kitchen where Thaddeus sits without his shirt, a wound in his forearm, "So. Tell me about what happened."

"You heard the shot, eh? After we went in the bedroom?" Alan nods, "So I go to get her out, herd her toward the door, as it were, and my guns are holstered. The boys have theirs raised, ready to fire. The woman's slippery. Won't stay in one place. She rushes at me, see, and I do this bit here, twisting so she doesn't just run into me. I mean to push her to the side, shoving her towards the boys. But as I do, she grabs the pistol and, quick as lightning, has it ready to fire. I raise this arm as Mal lunges forward. Ever seen a big man like that lunge? It's like there's a bull headed for you. He nails her, see, right in the shoulders as she fires. Knocks her off course. It all happened a lot faster than it sounds and there I was, bleeding, a new hole in the side of this here arm."

Alan examines the wound and cleans it, bandaging it carefully, "It isn't serious, though. Just a deep grazing, really. Keep it covered, keep it clean, and you'll heal. It'll leave quite the scar, though."

Thaddeus laughs, "Just another story for the boys, Doctor! Now, I think you have another patient?"

"Yes. One that I am not looking forward to treating."

"Well, do what you can for him. He'll answer to the law for justice, not to us. My Rebecca will take good care of your Edith."

"She's not mine. Remember, she's still Lady Sharpe."

Thaddeus shrugs, "Never meant she wasn't also yours."

Alan shakes his head, "Sorry, I don't cross that line."

"Never meant that you did. But wifely reasons aren't the only reason a girl's yours. For example- that girl, Lizzie, she's all of ours. Any one of us boys would shoot a man dead in the eye to keep her safe without a second thought...or bludgeon them into a bloody paste with bare fists, depending. She's our Lizzie. Look, Doctor, you came all this way and ran out in the middle of blinding snow for her. She's yours, some way or another."

"I get your meaning, thank you. But you'll have to excuse me- I have work to do."

As soon as he is out of the house, Thaddeus goes to check on Edith and passes Rebecca in the hall on his way, "She wants more soup."

"Good! Glad to hear she's eating."

"And you?"

"I'll mend. You're right, by the way. He loves her."

"Some way or another?"

"Aye, some way or another."