Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of violence.
Background
Roseanna Carter is relating a story of shenanigans and hijinks on the frontier to her grandchildren.
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Chapter 12- Continued
Field five miles north of Pittsburgh
Godfrey Smythe looked down at the bloody mess that was Bear Rogers. It was obvious the man wouldn’t be making the trip without holding them up for at least a week.
“Damn Doo Carter,” he thought.
Rogers had yet to stir, and Carter and his party had been gone over an hour.
“I’ve got to get this rabble moving and catch up to Carter or he’ll disappear into the wilderness,” he thought.
A man stepped up to Smythe. He looked and moved like a rat, and he smelled like he’d never taken a bath. Smythe tried to recall his name.
“Flanders, would you get some help and take Mister Rogers to the doctor?”
Amos Flanders grinned revealing a mouthful of blackened stubs.
“Sure thing boss, are we to wait for him?”
“No, return here. We need to get on the trail.”
Flanders scuttled away and returned with three men. They hoisted Rogers onto a mule.
“Let’s get packed up, men,” Smythe yelled as he walked through the sleeping bodies and returned to his tent.
Roseanna had been watching the whole exchange. She turned to Richard and whispered, “We should have left with Doo.”
Richard was still in shock over the savagery which Doo had employed on Rogers.
“I think we’re safer here than with him.”
It was Roseanna’s turn to be shocked.
“Are you going to protect me from this scum?”
“They’re Smythe’s men, they won’t touch you.”
Roseanna looked at the stirring men. One was rubbing his eyes then he got a glimpse of her, his jaw dropped as he appraised her.
“Godfrey, it’s awful nice of you to bring along some entertainment, but did you only bring one?” the cretin yelled.
Twenty sets of eyes swiveled towards Roseanna. She felt her face turning red and felt as if she was standing naked in front of them as they leered at her.
She wouldn’t have trusted any of them farther than she could throw them. Richard’s words didn’t give her that warm and fuzzy feeling that she wouldn’t be molested by any of the scum Smythe had hired.
She thought about taking off on her own to catch up with Doo, Janie, and Clancy but quickly dismissed it. She looked at her brother with disgust.
“He should have stood up for me to that cad,” she thought.
That would require Richard mustering up more courage than he had ever displayed in his life.
“He’s a coward through and through,” ran through her mind.
As the camp started coming to life Roseanna saw men getting up from their blankets, taking two steps and relieving themselves in full view of her.
Roseanna blushed then turned her back to the leering men.
“Hey, Purty Thang, don’t you want to see whut I got fer ya,” one of the men yelled.
Roseanna felt more heat creep up her throat to her cheeks.
“Say something Richard.”
“What would you have me do? Go thrash him?” Richard asked.
“They’re treating me like a tavern wench, are you going to let them talk to me like that? Father sent you along to protect me,” Roseanna said as she fixed him with a glare.
Richard started to feel uncomfortable. He broke out in a nervous sweat. He hadn’t wanted any part of this expedition but his father had threatened to cut him off if he didn’t come along.
Roseanna could see the conflict inside of her brother as he stood rooted in the spot. She had almost decided to confront the man when, to her total surprise, Richard made a move.
“Here now you brute, you can’t talk to my sister in such an uncouth manner.”
The man turned to a companion and asked him, Whut’s uncouth mean?”
The other man had no clue what it meant, but he knew it wasn’t good.
“He just called you a skunk,” he said with authority.
“Well I ain’t going to stand fer that,” he said and drew a knife and advanced towards Richard.
“I’m gonna carve you up, Mr. Fancy Pants.”
He’d taken two steps towards Richard when he heard the very loud and audible “click” of a rifle being cocked.
“Mister, if you take one more step I’ll blow a hole in you,” Roseanna said.
“You better lower that rifle, Missy.”
“Not hardly,” Roseanna said.
“Ooo whee Bert, she’s fixing to blow out your wick,” one of the crowd crowed.
“Drop the knife or I will shoot,” Roseanna warned.
Bert didn’t believe she’d make good on her threat, he took a step towards her.
The look of surprise on his face was priceless when Roseanna’s ball took him in the chest. Roseanna calmly went about the business of reloading her rifle. Smythe erupted from his tent.
“What in God’s name is going on now?”
Richard was glaring at his sister, he knew this trip wasn’t going to be anything but a pack of trouble.
“That ruffian was going to carve Richard up with a knife, I told him to stop or I’d shoot. I guess he didn’t believe me,” Roseanna explained.
“Y-y-you shot him?” Smythe was incredulous.
“Yes I did.”
This trip was starting to become more of a headache than Smythe could ever have anticipated. He looked at Roseanna and sighed.
“Is there a way we can avoid any more violence until we can get where we’re going?”
Roseanna furrowed her brow and pondered on it for a second.
“Keep this scum away from Richard and I will do it,” Roseanna answered.
“Agreed.”
Smythe stomped away towards his tent.
“We’re leaving in 15 minutes, get it packed up,” Smythe bellowed.
“Smythe! What about poor Bert a-layin there?
“Is he dead?”
“Deadern’ a doornail.”
“Bury him.”
“Why me?”
“You asked so it must matter to you.”
“Not enough to bury him, why not have the wench that shot him bury him?”
Roseanna had finished reloading by this time, she leveled the rifle at the man who called her a wench.
“Sir, I’m not a wench and if you call me one again you’ll be joining your friend in the afterlife.”
The muzzle of the rifle looked like a cavern and twice as dark. He quickly reconsidered his choice of words, there wasn’t any backup in this she-cat.
He removed his hat.
“I apologize for my insulting words, Ma’am, if you don’t mind I’ll bury my friend over there under the trees.”
“Be quick about it, you heard Godfrey, we’re leaving in ten minutes.”
“Yes Ma’am.”
He put his hat on, bent over and grabbed the body by the arms and started dragging it away as fast as he could move.
Richard had snapped out of his trance.
“I thought you felt safer when Carter was here?”
“I did, but God helps those that help themselves.”
“You don’t need Carter to protect you?"
Roseanna grinned.
“Nope.”
Author Notes
I know it's been awhile since I posted a chapter, it's been a busy summer.
Cast of Characters
Doolittle Carter-Extremely blessed and lucky frontiersman
Roseanna McCallister-- heroine
Richard McCallister-- Roseanna's milquetoast brother
Janie Wolfe-Heroine, wise beyond her years, intuitive, follows her instincts
Swooping Eagle= Shawnee Warrior, vengeful but listens to the voice of reason
Mighty Beaver- Delaware Warrior, funny sense of humor
Clancy Sinclair-Happy -go-lucky friend of Doolittle
Godfrey Smythe- Ferret faced cad
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