MORNING GLORY

Chapter 6

Surprised at the sudden interest, Rachel turned and said, "That's what I said. Is something going on here that I don't know?"

Jesse and Kid exchanged glances. "How does she look like?" Jesse asked, making sure it was the same Louise.

"Long auburn hair, pretty face, petite."

"This is too weird!" Jimmy exclaimed. He had only seen the young woman once, but he was pretty sure it was the same woman that Rachel described.

The riders exchanged glances, knowing full well how hard Kid had fallen for this young woman.

"So y'all know her?" Rachel questioned.

"Sort of," Cody responded. "From Kid's stories anyway."

"What is going on here?" Rachel asked, feeling frustrated with the lack of answer.

"She's Bogg's daughter," Jesse explained.

"Who is this Boggs?"

"The saloon owner."

"You've got to be kidding!" Rachel said, astonished at the revelation.

"She's Boggs's daughter, but no one would have guessed," Jesse continued. "He treats her worse than any of his workers or horses."

Rachel realized that much of Lou's troubles were from Boggs. How horrible! she thought sadly. How could he treat his own daughter like that? "And what does Kid have to do to with this?"

The riders stifled their laughter.

Jimmy finally said, "She's kind of like Kid's love interest at the moment."

"Is that so?" Rachel said, feeling protective of Louise. Although some of her riders looked innocent, she was pretty sure that they were no novice when it came to women.

"Rachel, we haven't done anything," Kid assured her. "We're just friends."

"Listen, Kid, I know you don't mean any harm, but keep in mind that you also have Samantha," Rachel reminded the handsome cowboy who seemed to attract many of the Southern beauties' attention.

"Samantha's also a friend," Kid clarified.

"Well, seeing how you already know Louise, I guess there's no problem with her staying."

Noah nodded. "She's welcome here as long as you approve it, Rachel."

"I'll see you all at dinner," Rachel said before walking out of the bunkhouse.

Jesse finally said, "This is too good to be true." Louise had been a good friend of his ever since he met her. She showed enormous concern for him, always insisting that he took a break or making him promise not to work so hard.

Buck turned to Kid. "I didn't see her face at all. She was covering her face. I guess she was crying."

"Crying?" asked Kid worriedly.

"I think so. Why would she cover her face otherwise?"

"I gotta see her," Kid said, rising from his bunk.

"Kid, be gentle," Jesse advised. "She ran out of the saloon crying for some reason."

Kid nodded, walking out the door. The sight of Lou hanging the sheets that she washed immediately greeted him. He could slightly make out Rachel's silhouette as the woman prepared dinner.

Lou saw the well-framed figure that was becoming familiar to her. She knew it was Kid and wondered how he knew she was there.

As he came closer, he noticed Lou's bruised face and cut lip. He was definitely furious and overwhelmed with desire to raise hell on whoever did such a thing to a woman! "Louise? What happened?"

She lowered her head, but his hands cupped her face, examining the abuse. "I'm fine."

"Who did this to you, huh? I swear I'll kill him!" he said angrily.

"Kid, I'm okay," she said as he wrapped his arms around her. He had no idea how a simple gesture could make her so happy and warm inside.

"Who did this?"

"It doesn't matter," she said. "My father got angry that I wasn't doing my work at the saloon so he kicked me out."

"But he did this before he kicked you out, didn't he?"

"It's all right. I'm used to it."

"Louise, this is wrong. You should never get used to something like this. He shouldn't do this to you. How could he do this to you?"

She suddenly pulled away from him, embarrassed that she had been speaking to him while her face remained buried in his chest. "I'm sorry," she said, trying to regain her composure. "There's a lot of things you don't understand about me. My father and I don't really have a relationship. Since my mother died, he's been angry with me. It's just how things are. I've learned to accept them as they are."

Kid frowned. "Lou, it still doesn't make it right."

"I'm not saying he's right. I just kinda understand why he'd do it, you know what I mean?"

Kid stared at her, knowing he'd never understand something like this.

She sighed, realizing that he didn't understand or want to understand. "I'm sorry if you have to be around me for a while considering that we're neighbors."

He looked at her closely. She was still beautiful despite the evident abuse on her face. "We'll be around eachother more than you realize."

"What do you mean?"

"Rachel didn't tell you? She's the station mistress. She helps with the Pony Express."

"I'm really sorry," she said, thinking that he disliked the idea of her being around. "I promise to find another place as soon as possible. I can probably come back to the saloon."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I don't know. It's kinda hard to explain. I mean you and your friends are not used to having another woman here, except for Rachel of course. I know I can be such a burden sometimes," she said, hiding her uneasiness with a smile.

"Louise, you've got it all wrong," he told her softly. "You're welcome here. We practically know you from Jesse's stories. You can stay here for as long as you want. Don't even think about going back to the saloon. Something might happen to you."

"Something is always happening to me," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you're safe," he said, gazing at her with those eyes tenderly. She felt her heart melt at his loving gaze.

"Thanks," she said shyly. She certainly was not used to the attention he gave her. He made her feel special like she meant something.

"Well, don't work too hard," he said. "See you around."

She watched him go, falling more in love with him. He seemed to be something from her dream. He embodied the gallant and honorable men she read in her books. She hoped she could embrace him again to convince herself that he was not just someone who walked out from her fantasies.

Only two days had passed since Lou moved into Rachel's place yet she already felt at home. She grew familiar with all of the riders, feeling a part of their family. It seemed as if she had always been around them. She sat on the front porch peeling potatoes as Jimmy chopped some wood. Cody read a book, his feet resting on the sack of potatoes.

"Lou, Charlotte's been worried," Jesse informed her.

"I need to talk to her, but I don't wanna be around the saloon right now," Lou explained.

"I tried to tell her you're fine here," Jesse said. "But she still worries. She wants you to come back."

"And what? Get more hassle from Boggs?" Cody said defensively.

"Charlotte said you can come back. Boggs seems to have forgotten about your argument."

Jimmy shook his head, wishing the wood he chopped was Boggs's head. He'd love to crack some sense into him.

"Tell her I'll see her as soon as I can," Lou told Jesse. "Is she okay? Boggs didn't do anything to her, did he?"

"No," Jesse said honestly. "He seems to want nothing to do with anything that concerns you. I hate to say this, but it seems like he's forgotten about you."

"That's all right, Jesse. I've realized that a long time ago," she said softly. Though she thought this realization was going to hurt less with time, it actually hurt more. The thought still disturbed her that she almost cut herself as she peeled the potatoes.

Lou's heart ached as she longed to see Kid. He had left for his ride the day before and was not expected to be back until the day after tomorrow. Although no commitment was made between them, she felt closer to the rider than she ever did to anybody her whole life.

As if reading her mind, Cody said, "Don't worry, Lou. Kid's coming back soon. His lack of action to pursue you is a good indication that he likes you. He's usually like that when he likes a person."

Lou blushed. "So tell me, what's up with him and Samantha?"

Jimmy laughed, remembering Samantha's pursuit of Kid. "Nothing, but that doesn't stop her from coming after him. I don't think Kid minds. I mean Samantha's not bad looking."

Lou nodded, feeling self-conscious. "I guess so." She knew that the winner was clear in the competition between her and Samantha. Samantha was definitely going to come out victorious. Samantha was the symbol of the unattainable and desirable, which was something she was not and could never be.

NEXT

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