Set Fire to the Rain 2, Ch. 21 "Esteem"

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.  I am not an expert on Victorian poets or human interrelationships.  Don’t try any of this at home.   Someone could get hurt.

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Kitty sat on the ground leaning against the oak, completely engrossed in her reading, when a rider appeared from the west.  The breeze blowing in the branches and through the rough prairie grass hid the sound of the horse’s slow approach.  The horse and silent rider were upon her before she was remotely aware of it. 

“Afternoon, Miss Russell…”

Startled, Kitty clutched the book to her chest.

“I’m sorry, Miss Russell, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Oh,” Kitty said with great relief.  “That’s alright, Sheriff Ware.  I was just reading and I didn’t hear you ride up.”

The sheriff dismounted and removed his hat.  “I trust you are feeling better these days?”

Once again, the sheriff’s warm, honeyed voice and his unhurried manner of speaking delighted her.  She answered, “Yes, much better.  Thank you for asking…”  The man obviously originated from south of the Mason-Dixon line.

“But you didn’t walk all the way up here by yourself, did you?”  The young lawman’s brown eyes crinkled at the corners at he questioned her warily.

She hastily replied, “Oh no, Sheriff…”

“Please… Call me Virgil.”

“Alright, Virgil.”  Kitty smiled, her blue eyes sparkling at him.  He was such a gentleman.  And he knew nothing about her past.  It was a very great relief to talk to man who didn’t know what she was.  What she used to be, she reminded herself.  Or was it Océane’s voice whispering inside her?  “Doc drove me up here.  As a matter of fact, he’s watching me like a hawk right now.  Right…over…there.”  She pointed.  “Give him a little wave, won’t you, Sheriff?  I mean…Virgil.”

Ware peered across the small valley to the ranch house and saw Doc sitting on the front porch swing, arms crossed across his chest.  Even at this comparative distance, the sheriff thought he looked as though he was ferociously scowling.  Virgil chuckled, then gave the old man a wave.  Doc threw him an annoyed flap of his hand in return.  Kitty just laughed.

Smiling, Virgil observed, “Yes, I can see you’re feeling much better, Miss…”

“Kitty.”

“Kitty…  The last time I saw you, you weren’t doing well at all.”

Kitty’s face flushed.  “Doc says I was pretty sick.  But he and Matt pulled me through all right.”

“You’re very lucky to have such good friends.”  Virgil gazed at the utterly striking red-headed young woman, and was sorry indeed that Marshall Matt Dillon seemed to hold Miss Kitty in such high esteem. 

“Yes, Virgil, I am.  I really am.”  Kitty’s eyes were drawn to the hand holding his hat over his heart.  Half of his little finger was completely missing. 

Virgil followed her gaze.  “I see you noticed my inheritance from the railroad company.”

Kitty’s mouth popped open.  “Excuse me?  Inheritance?”  She was embarrassed that he’d caught her staring.

“Yes, Miss, I worked for the railroad for a time, but quickly discovered it was not for me.  I connected railcars, manually, you see, and it’s very easy to lose one’s fingers if one is not careful.”

Kitty’s mouth dropped open.  “Oh, my!”

“Oh my, indeed.  There’s a saying that you can figure out how long an employee has worked for the railway company by how many fingers he’s missing.”

“That’s terrible!”

“Precisely.  It only took one unfortunate incident to make me realize that life working the rails was not for me.”

Her lips curled into a charming smile.  “I think you’re a very smart man, Virgil.  And I’m glad you’re the sheriff of Cimarron now, and not a poor rail worker with no fingers left!”

Virgil threw back his head and laughed.  “I appreciate that, Kitty.  I truly do.”  He took her hand gently.  “Might I offer you a ride back to the house?  It looks as though it might rain soon, and I would hate for you to get your lovely dress wet.”

Kitty blushed yet again and answered, “Thank you, Virgil.  I’d greatly appreciate it.”  She tipped her head toward the house and continued drolly, “You’ll be saving Doc a little trip, and maybe he won’t fuss at me so much in the bargain.”

Ware chuckled again.  “Yes, I gather that Doc is pretty protective of you, and mighty grumpy at times to boot.”

“He can be,” Kitty grinned, “especially when I’m not feeling my best.” 

Virgil mounted and helped Kitty up in front of him as she hitched up one knee in front of her.  She felt one of Sheriff Ware’s hands wrap warmly around her waist to hold her securely as they rode.  By the time they arrived, Doc had apparently gone to fetch Matt, because he was standing, shirtless, considerably grimy, and sweating, in the front yard with a hammer in his hand. 

“Oh my,” Kitty thought, both because she was admiring his naked, muscled torso, glistening damply in the sun, and also because he looked a bit peeved.  Maybe hitching a ride with Sheriff Ware hadn’t been the best idea after all.

“Matt, you remember the Sheriff?”

“Kitty, I just spoke with him yesterday.”

She coughed a little.  “Oh right.”

Ware started to help Kitty down from the horse, but Matt quickly strode forward and reached up to take her first.  She barely managed to suppress a little squeal when he swept her down off the horse in his big, sweaty arms.  He set her down gently, then put his hands on his hips.  “Where ya’ been, Kitty?”

“Why, Matt, I…”

“You’re too weak still to go gallivantin’ off to who knows where.”

Doc intervened, “Now, Matt, I drove her up to her aunt and uncle’s graves.  Don’t you worry.  I had my eye on her the whole entire time.  Sheriff Ware here just happened by and gave her a ride back.  Don’t get yer dander up, son.”

Matt looked insulted.  “Now, Doc, I wasn’t…”

Sheriff Ware quickly spoke to avoid any further misunderstandings.  “Marshal Dillon, I actually came by to talk to you.”

Matt squinted at him.  “You did?”

“Yes, I’ve got some matters to discuss with you, if you don’t mind.”

Kitty smiled beatifically.  “Oh, he won’t mind.  Sheriff…I mean, Virgil….”  Matt shot her a look.  “Won’t you stay for supper?  Isom is cooking a chicken and my lawyer Irving Hepley will be here as well.”

Ware stammered, “Well, I…”

Kitty gave her best pleading expression.  “Oh, please, do stay.  You and Marshal Dillon can discuss all the matters you’d like.”  She gave Matt a tiny mischievous smile.

Ware answered, “Well, if you insist.”

Matt sighed, “Yeah, we insist.  Come on, Ware.”  He clapped the sheriff on the shoulder and steered him toward the back of the house.  “You know anything about fixin’ barns?”

Doc wrapped a protective arm around Kitty’s shoulders and ushered her toward the front door.  He sputtered, “You almost started a war there, young lady, you know that?  Why, I oughta’ turn you over my knee.”

Kitty threw her head back and laughed delightedly as they ambled into the house to rest before supper.

tbc

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