This fanfiction is
intended for mature readers due to the vivid depiction of a consensual adult
relationship. The setting is First
Season, post-The Preacher. Keep a careful lookout for handy household
hints for prairie living, and then just ignore them entirely.
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The swaying wagon jolted teeth-jarringly over the unending sea
of grass until Kitty couldn’t wait to arrive at her uncle’s ranch, in spite of
the fact that Matt and Doc had padded the bed with as many blankets, quilts and
pillows that they could rustle up. Doc
sat in back with her, holding her hand but using it as an excuse to
surreptitiously take her pulse from time to time. Solomon Pierce’s ranch was only a few miles
out of town, but it seemed to her it was taking an eternity to get there. She
idly wondered if this was what it felt like to be on an ocean voyage, rolling
and rocking and jerking this way and that.
Doc looked down at her weary face, laying a hand on her cheek, and said
sympathetically, “We’ll be there soon, honey, and then we’ll get you into a
nice, soft bed.” He peered up at Matt in
the driver’s seat and raised his voice to be heard over the racket of the creaking,
lurching wagon. “It won’t be much
longer, right, young fella’?”
Matt called back to them, pointing, “It’s just beyond those
trees. The ranch is pretty close to the
Arkansas. Not long now, I promise.” He glanced worriedly at Kitty’s drawn face
and wished he could speed the horses, but he knew it would just jostle her
more. So he kept the team slow and
steady for her sake.
He’d spent a good part of the day preparing for their
unexpected trip. After retrieving the
key and getting directions from Hepley, he’d ridden several miles out of town
to Kitty’s uncle’s ranch. First he’d explored
the house and surrounding buildings to see what supplies were available and decide
what they might need for at least a week’s stay. He’d even thought to scout out a nice bedroom
and clean sheets for Kitty so the bed would be made and ready for her as soon
as they arrived. The food and other supplies that he purchased
with some of Kitty’s inheritance money were loaded in the back of the wagon
alongside Doc and Kitty, securely covered and tied down tightly.
Matt had sent word to Irving Hepley the day after the fire
that Kitty was ill. In return, Hepley assured
Matt that he would do anything in his power to help Miss Russell. The bank could advance them any funds needed,
and Matt was to send for Dempsey McCray who could get them money and even
deliver food to Dr. Crandall’s office.
Matt didn’t like the idea of McCray getting anywhere near Kitty after
their initial meeting on the riverbank, but he didn’t have much of a choice
since he had to stay with Kitty, and they had to have those things. So, he’d settled for meeting McCray at the
door whenever he’d made his deliveries and not letting the despicable man set
foot inside. McCray made his skin crawl,
his shifty eyes darting to get a glimpse
of Kitty beyond the door, but Matt always gritted his teeth and blocked his
view by moving his own broad form in front of him…the no good son-of-a-bitch.
Afterwards, when Matt was packed and ready to head to the
ranch, he carried Kitty out of Dr. Crandall’s office, bundled carefully in a
blanket, and laid her gently in the wagon bed.
Giving a last little reassuring squeeze of her hand in his, he waited
for Doc to clamber up beside her before he climbed atop the bench in front and
flicked the reins with an anxious backward glance at his convalescing passenger.
That had been an hour ago.
Kitty held her sore ribs as she coughed and prayed that their journey
would soon end. Finally, as if her prayers had suddenly been
answered, Matt called out, “Whoa!” to the horses, and the wagon slowed and came
to a jerking stop. Kitty wanted to sit
up and look around, but she simply didn’t have the strength. Doc patted her hand, saying, “You lie
still. We’ll be right back,” as he
climbed down in the rear. She closed her
eyes tiredly, listening to them talking and then the sound of the front screen
door squeaking open.
Doc gave her one final order, “Sleep, young lady.” Then he said gruffly to Matt, “Don’t you stay
too long, you hear? My patient needs her
rest.” Doc gave Kitty a little wink and
closed the door behind him.
Kitty smiled sleepily at Matt, and he could stand it no
longer. He bent low and brushed his lips
over hers in the tenderest of kisses, cradling her pale face infinitely gently
in his big, calloused hands. He felt her
quick intake of breath and pulled back to see her intense blue eyes gazing at
him earnestly.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For taking such good care of me.”
“Why wouldn’t I take good care of you, Kitty?” He drew a deep breath and added a bit shyly,
“I love you.” He still wasn’t used to
saying those words and it didn’t come easily to him.
Her eyes filled with tears at his utter kindheartedness and gentleness. She felt overwhelmed at the notion that
someone could care for her so much.
She’d been fending for herself for so long now. So long…
The thought made her bone-weary. Suddenly
she yawned and Matt started to rise. Kitty
drew his hand to her chest, holding it over her heart, and whispered hoarsely,
“Don’t leave me yet. Sit with me until I
fall asleep. Please, Matt…”
He brushed a blazing lock of hair off her smooth forehead,
pale beneath a sprinkling of freckles, and reassured her softly, “I’ll sit with
you as long as you want, honey. You just
rest. I’ll be right here...”
tbc
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