Chapter Text
Chapter eighteen.
Laura.
The tense atmosphere in camp was thick enough to cut with a knife.
The bank robbery was at the front of everyone’s minds. The conversation around the camp fire consisted of plans and different strategies for the day. Levi thought going in loud was the right way, but that idea wasn’t very popular among the gang.
“You go in quiet and leave quick” Hosea said when an argument began to break out.
Laura had started to notice it was always Levi that started the arguments in camp. Aided by Mac and Bill the trio seemed to thrive on misery, constantly prodding and encouraging others to have needless fights.
And there was something off about Levi.
He was never in camp and his hostility towards the others was uncalled for. He also made Laura’s stomach turn.
Occasionally he’d try and speak to her only for Laura to dismiss him and get as far away from him as possible.
Levi was higher on the hating list than Arthur, that was for sure.
What didn’t help the situation was that the weather had taken a violent turn. Changing from rain to flurries of thick snow that were sure to become blizzards in the coming weeks. Hosea said so.
To avoid the hostility in camp Laura found herself going out and about more often. That is when she wasn’t doing one of the seemingly endless chores dished out by Miss Grimshaw. Because of her outings Laura had had to adapt her clothing to a life on horseback. She wore spurs everywhere and had stolen a buttoned riding skirt from a stagecoach. She also kept a brown wide brim hat on her head at all times, copying the men in camp.
But the working change was frowned upon by Susan.
“Just because you’re heading out with the men now doesn’t mean you can shirk your duties, dearie” Susan had said in her usual venomous way when Laura had headed towards her tent after the scouting mission with Arthur.
It was a clear warning. No matter what Laura did she was still one of Grimshaw’s girls at the end of the day.
It was on one of her precious days off from working when she found him.
He still had the skinny lanky build of an older puppy. He was nosing through the garbage behind the general store, his light orange fur speckled with snowflakes and dirt.
“Hey, boy” Laura called softly from the alleyway. She crouched down to his level in an attempt to look less intimidating. “What are you doing back here?”
The dog raised his head and wagged his tail nervously at her. He whined and crept forward to sniff her hand before timidly licking her fingers.
Laura smiled. Using some of her money she bought a length of rope and a cut of meat for the dog. As he ate the meat she looped the rope around his neck as a makeshift leash.
“I know someone who’d love you” she said as she led him away from the garbage dump.
*
Arthur and Lawrence were sitting at the scout campfire drinking coffee in companionable silence when Laura returned to camp with her prize. The snow had let up on the ride home, turning the white mounds into slushy piles.
As always when she approached Arthur she took him by surprise at first. But instead of his usual awkwardness that followed, this time his face softened into an expression she barely recognised.
His eyes were cloudy and there was a relaxed set to his face that made Laura feel suddenly shy.
But the moment passed when Arthur spotted the skinny dog at her legs.
“Who’s that?” He was on his feet before Lawrence had even looked over. Arthur knelt down to meet the dog who was now wagging his tail enthusiastically at the attention.
Laura shook herself free from the stupor and quickly stroked the dog between the ears. “Not too sure yet, found him behind the general store” she suppressed a chuckle when the dog put its paws on Arthur’s chest and pushed him down to the wet ground.
Lawrence grimaced. “He’s filthy” he said and stepped back to avoid being hit by the dog's wagging tail.
“Well then Arthur will have to give him a wash and a brush” Laura untied the rope to give the dog free reign. “Considering he’s his dog now”
This caused Arthur to pause his fuss making. He gave Laura a wide eyed look. “You got him for me?”
Laura shrugged. “I owe you. And I’m more of a cat person” the happy swell in her chest increased when Arthur grinned happily and straightened up.
The dog looked up at him expectantly as Arthur wrung his hands in an nervous fashion. “Thank you, I- I’ve always wanted a dog” his throat worked that told Laura he wanted to say more, but the words wouldn’t form properly.
So she just gave him one of her kind smiles and dipped her head in acknowledgment. “Don’t mention it”
Silence thick with things unsaid fell upon the group as Laura and Arthur continued gazing at each other. Lawrence kept looking between them before eventually rolling his eyes and walking off with a groan.
The dog stayed where he was, already loyal to Arthur.
When the silence had gone on for long enough Laura cleared her throat. “Any name ideas?” She asked awkwardly.
Arthur coughed, his breath coming out in billows of smoke from the cold air. “Not sure, it’s gotta sound right for him though” the dog licked Arthur’s hand, the weak winter sun turning his red fur a deep copper colour.
“How about Copper?” Laura said as soon as she noticed the dogs colouring.
His ears pricked up at that.
Arthur smiled again. “Yeah, Copper. It suits him” he looked down at the dog, Copper. “What do you think, Copper?”
Copper barked in what Laura took as agreement and began circling Arthur’s legs, excitedly prancing around in the slushy snow.
As Laura watched the two get more acquainted with each other she thought about the way Arthur’s face had looked upon seeing her walking towards him.
All her life she’d only know people to look at her with anger or loathing, not anything as gentle or warm as all the ways Arthur looked at her.
When Arthur had thanked her for Copper, a small desperate part of herself had wanted him to hug her. It was a longing she’d never felt before, but it had felt so strong it’d nearly taken her breath away.
It was a strange and powerful drug that followed her all the way to the day of the bank robbery.