Rud and the Damsel

Chapter 41 - Charlotte Reacts

It was decided Billy and Alice would spend the night at Bessie's along with Rud and Patience.  Ollie and Martha would ride down to Charlotte's later to tell her what was going on, then Martha would spend the night at Charlotte's. Ollie and Martha would come back to Bessie's in the morning. Ollie did not think Bessie or Martha would be in any danger but he would stay at Bessie's for a few days just in case. Rud was sure Charlotte would invite them all to stay with her, but Rud knew Bessie was not going to abandon her home.

Rud took a horse and scouted several miles up and down the road to get a sense of who was out there. He did not see another soul on the road within miles of Bessie's house. Rud figured the men were probably camped somewhere along the side of the road. Rud doubted they were paid enough to spend their nights in one of the taverns, although they would visit the taverns from time to time for supplies, information, and refreshment.

Rud thought about going to the closest tavern to look for them, but given his previous experiences, it would not be a good idea to attract any attention. If or when the uncle's men did find them, Rud wanted to fight on the ground that gave him the advantage, his valley.

They still had to get through this night, though. Rud would be on guard duty first, and Billy would relieve him about 2 am. Patience joined Rud on the porch as he sat and watched the road. She sat next to him, laid a blanket over them both then rested her head on his shoulder. Rud teased her about not drooling on his shirt like she had when he first brought her home. Patience responded, "Ladies don't drool."

Rud smiled, leaned down, and kissed her head as she tightly gripped his shirt. Patience had a lot on her mind. When Alice and Martha's father came, there had been no warning. But now Patience had plenty of time to think about what might happen when her uncle's men found them.

Would it be the warehouse all over again for her and possibly Alice, would she lose Rud and Billy forever. Patience had good reason to be afraid. But she was not the same person she had been that day by the docks. This time she would be armed and fight like she had everything in the world to lose because she did.

About 2 am, Billy and Alice came out on the porch. Billy said, "Our turn." Rud woke Patience, handed Alice the blanket, and led Patience to one of the bedrooms. Rud woke shortly after dawn and went to the porch to check on the doves. Alice was lying against Billy's side with the blanket tucked tightly under her chin. She was looking up at Billy as they whispered to each other.

Rud knew they had spent the entire time talking and jokingly said, "Hey, you two were supposed to be watching the road, not whispering all night." Billy said, "Two raccoons and one possum. Alice named the possum 'sneaky'. There is nothing else to report." Rud said, "I guess the raccoon I saw earlier came back with a friend. Alice didn't name them, did she?" Alice replied, "No, I don't like raccoons."

* * * * *

Shortly after breakfast, Ollie and Martha rode up, followed by Charlotte and two of her men. Charlotte's men were well armed, had their bedrolls, and looked like they were prepared to stay awhile. Bessie was her dear friend, and Martha was becoming the daughter Charlotte never had, if they would not stay with Charlotte, Charlotte was going to do what she could to make sure nothing happened to them. Charlotte directed her men to the barn while she went inside to see Bessie.

Billy and Alice had the horses saddled and tied up in front of the porch. Ollie had brought an extra horse and told Billy it was for Alice. Ollie said if they needed to escape, it would be better for everyone if he and Alice were not riding double. Billy and Alice agreed.

Charlotte asked Rud to stay with her until this passed. Rud thanked Charlotte for looking after Bessie and Martha, but if trouble was going to find them, the valley was the best place for them to be. Charlotte told Rud not to worry about Bessie or Martha. Then Charlotte added, "If you end up in a fight in my hayfield again, they will fight all of us this time."

The gravity of the situation was not lost, though, and everyone hugged, knowing it may be the last time they saw each other. Ollie shook Rud's hand and said, "Whatever you need." Rud thanked Ollie and led Patience, Billy and Alice onto the road towards home. Rud rode out about a hundred yards ahead of the others to give them time to turn and escape if needed. They passed a few wagons, but there was no sign of the uncle's men.

* * * * *

Rud did not see any signs of mounted riders having come into the valley since Billy had ridden out the day before, but he and Billy carefully searched the cabins and other structures before letting Patience or Alice dismount. Rud, Patience, Billy, and Alice spent the next four nights in the hide. They took care of the animals and did the required chores during the day, but were always armed and never alone.

The fifth day Ollie rode into the valley. Those men had been going from farm to farm asking about William and Patience Billings or any young girl or boy new to the area. They had stopped by Bessie's and asked to water their horses. Bessie said they could, then they needed to be on their way. When one saw Martha, he had ridden over to her and boxed her in against the porch with his horse.

Ollie was on the rider in an instant. Ollie pulled him from the saddle and was beating him while Charlotte's men, who had appeared suddenly, held the other riders at gunpoint. Ollie would have beaten the rider to death had Martha not asked him to stop.

The eldest of Charlotte's two men said Martha was his daughter, demanded the men be on their way, and promised if he saw them again, he would kill them on the spot. The leader apologized and said it was a mistake. They were looking for a young orphan girl, and Martha looked the right age. One of the riders kept apologizing, saying what happened was not what they wanted. They just needed to find the missing boy and girl.

As the uncle's men continued going from farm to farm, Charlotte's men followed, staying just close enough for the uncle's men to know they were being watched, and making sure they got the message they were not welcome. Charlotte's men followed them back to the edge of town. They did not know if anyone told the uncle's men about Patience or Billy, but for now, they had left the area. Rud hoped that was the end of it, but deep down he knew they would be back.

Rud asked if the uncle's men had gone to Charlotte's. Ollie laughed and said he had told Charlotte what happened to Martha and when those men started down the path to her house, Charlotte came out shooting and cursing them as cowards for attacking a young woman.

It was a bit far for her shotgun, but she peppered them good. Ollie said Charlotte was madder than he had ever seen her. Those men wanted nothing to do with this mad woman who was cursing them and peppering them with shotgun pellets, and they rode off at a run.

Rud said he would have liked to have seen that. Ollie said, "For an old woman, there was still a lot of starch in her petticoat, and she can curse better than any man I have ever met!"

Rud thanked him for the news and asked him to stay and eat with them. Ollie said no, Martha was cooking him dinner, and that was something he could not miss. Alice brought up the horse Ollie had loaned her for him to take back. As the sound of Ollie's horses crossing the rocky hill towards his home echoed through the valley, everyone looked at Rud. Rud said the men would be back, and they needed to be ready.