OUTLAW FOR AN INLAW

Drena Hills

My father, I only learned later from strangers, was the most amazing of men; hiding it from us so as not to intimidate or overshadow us.

__

Valerie Dawson

WYOMING

1898

"But Daddy! Annie says I'm just as good as Shaun! And I'm definitely as good as Trev!" she bit back her tongue having been about to say as good as you, but even in the heat of battle knew that was no where near the truth. No one was as good as her father.

"Bridget Genevieve I am not letting you go to war! Where does Annie get those crazy ideas? I swear that woman is insane!"

"But she wrote President McKinley and offered the services of 50 lady sharpshooters to fight in the war with Spain. She's even gonna supply our ammunition and weapons so the government doesn't have to pay for a thing."

"Heyes will you talk to her!" Kid Curry yelled throwing up his hands in disgust.

Hannibal Heyes looked up innocently from the paper he had been pretending to read by the fire to study his 17-year-old 'niece'. She had grown up at some point when they hadn't been paying attention and he smiled pleased with the end result.

She was her father's daughter, no one would deny that. Anyone noting the angry shade of blue her eyes had taken would recognize it as the same one her father's changed to when he faced a man down. It was not a color you soon forgot. The dark curls were her mother's contribution as well as the dainty and pretty way she stood. Most graceful woman he had ever met and next to Annie the most deadly. It didn't help that Kid had treated her just like her twin brother teaching her to shoot and ride and stand up for herself.

No, he couldn't blame Kid completely, he had been just as bad at spoiling his only niece and if truth be told it was he who had taught her to pick a lock, open a safe or never play to an inside straight.

The problem was she was the combined effort of the two of them and it was a formidable combination in a beautiful woman. Heyes shook his head in appreciation of the man who could win that girl's heart and wondered who could live up to the challenge of both the daughter and her father.

"Bridget, ladies don't go to war," Heyes tried.

"Are you saying Annie isn't a lady?" she asked wickedly and Heyes sat upright on this question.

Devious child, he thought trying not to grin. Who had taught her to think and talk so cleverly?

"Annie is different," Kid said.

"You didn't think so when you were kissing her last night!" Bridget said playing her ace card.

Heyes looked up interested. They had known Phoebe Ann Mosee, or as the world knew her, Anne Oakley, for as long as they had been outlaws. Eight years younger than Heyes they had come to appreciate her skill and her wit and obviously other charms as well if Bridget's story was correct.

"Bridg, I was saying goodbye," Kid said and then glared at Heyes as he coughed in disbelief.

"Your just mad cause Shaun and Trev ran off to war and didn't tell you!" Bridget went on.

"Your brother is in enough trouble, you don't need to join him," Kid said now just as angry.

"You see! You always lose your temper!" she yelled.

"I do not lose my temper!" he yelled back.

"You shot out the dining room ceiling when you found out he'd gone!" she continued and Heyes sighed. Thank God he was a peaceable man and hadn't inherited the Curry temper.

"Rough Riders, I swear when I get my hands on Teddy I'm gonna strangle him dead then revive him and shoot him!" Kid said disgusted.

"Look why doesn't everyone calm down," Heyes sighed trying to get a foothold for peace in the door.

"Stay out of this Heyes!" Kid said firmly.

"You just asked me to get into it!" his partner yelled.

"Well then say something constructive!" Kid shot back.

"I would if you would shut up for five seconds!"

It had not been easy raising two children without a mother, three if you counted Lom's son, Heyes' Godson.

But the two men had done their best and while Shaun had turned into a fine young man, a complete replica of his father, Bridget was a little harder to judge. She was a hell of a wrangler, but her body had betrayed her and now as womanhood blossomed she was ill prepared to meet it as a lady.

And he knew Kid felt guilty about that. Sure Clem and Georgette had all done their part to help when they were around, but for the most part her role model had been a couple of ex outlaws, not exactly the hallmark of refinement.

"You're going to school, finishing school," Kid said suddenly.

Both Heyes and his daughter stared at him in shock.

"Soapy recommended one in San Francisco. I've bought the ticket, Mrs. Market will take you there and see you settled," he said indicating the brow beaten housekeeper who only stayed on because they raised her salary every time the ceiling got shot up.

Both Bridget and her Uncle knew that tone. It was one that said the matter was settled.

Tears burned at her eyes as she stared at the man betrayed.

"I think you are awful daddy! If you don't like me the way I am; well it's your fault. You shouldn't have been an outlaw!" she spat out the word not thinking. "What chance did I ever have to be a lady with my father the fastest gun in the west." She said it so scornfully Heyes winced his eyes on his partner.

But Kid remained as always when hurt, unreadable.

"Go and pack Bridget," was all he replied and with a sob she ran from the room.

Heyes let out a long breath and quietly walked over to the cut glass decanter containing the finest whiskey and poured them both two large shots.

They had done well for themselves, he thought looking around the tastefully furnished drawing room. A house in Cheyenne, Denver and San Francisco, with offices in each city to match. They were the premiere security agency in the west, perhaps the whole country. All that since gaining amnesty 15 years ago. It spoke well of their hard work, courage and cleverness.

But it all meant nothing to his partner who sank into a chair by the fire suddenly looking older. First Shaun's flight and now Bridget's outburst had served to cut at him like no one else beside his partner had the power too.

"I spoiled her Heyes. And I failed her," Kid said softly taking the drink his friend offered.

"We both spoiled her, I wasn’t much better, she always knew if you said no she could wrangle a yes out of Uncle Heyes."

"I should have married, girl needs a mother."

"Kid you gave her all the love she could have ever asked for. She's just growing up, rebellion is normal, remember us at that age?"

"And she's embarrassed of her father's past."

That was it. What had always haunted them both. That their mistakes would in someway hurt or disgrace the people they loved. It was a big part of why neither had ever married.

"Hell I never even married their mother," Kid said sinking further into melancholy. "She died alone and I didn't even know Shaun and Bridget existed."

"Yea but when you found out you took responsibility. You could have just wiped the slate clean, but instead you did your best to raise those children and I think you did a pretty amazing job. You have a lot to be proud of."

"Yea one hates me and the other one defied me and runs off to war."

"Kid, Shaun and Trev are men, a good fight is hard to resist. Teddy almost had me convinced to join up!"

They both smiled for a moment at the shocked expression on Bridget's face when the offer had come. They were too 'old' she had said in amazement, when Teddy had begged them to join his volunteer cavalry. But Annie, Annie had smiled and known better.

It would have amazed both his children if they knew the adventures the two men still shared in the course of their work. Very little had changed in 15years. Oh perhaps they were a bit more cautious, thought a little longer, but when it came down to it, both men could hold their own and better in a fight, with a woman and trouble.

"I guess I better back as well if were gonna make that train to Washington. Don’t see why the President just can't tell us the problem over the telephone and be done with it," Kid said finishing his drink and casting a glance upward.

"A month will do her good and then you can come back and spoil her rotten again," Heyes said patting him on the back.

"If you she ever speaks to me again," Kid said mournfully.

"She will, you're irresistible to women, you told me remember?"

*************************

CUBA

2 MONTHS LATER

If he was honest Shaun Phillipe Curry was scared. As he lay in the foxhole his heart was racing. The call to charge the hill was coming and for a moment he closed his eyes and wondered how in the heck he had gotten himself into this mess.

War had turned out not to be the great adventure he and Trev had thought it would be. It was muddy and the hot sweltering tropics only seemed to offer humidity and disease.

He looked over at Trev. His friend gave him thumbs up and a smile, but he could read his eyes and knew he was as worried about the upcoming battle as he was.

It was not their first skirmish, and they had accounted for themselves with honor and quickly risen to be known as the best shots in the unit and the men to follow when things went badly. But alone they had merely felt like two scared little boys trying to live in the shadow of the great men who had raised him.

"How did my father ever do it, face down men, look them in the eye," Shaun had moaned after their first battle. "You ever think your dad or Uncle Heyes was ever afraid?"

Trev grinned, "I doubt it, even when Uncle Heyes jokes about things you can see that look in his eye that no one would dare have the sense to challenge. I remember the first time I found out about your dad and him. I couldn't believe it and then I saw them with those six men that time in town who were picking on that lady. Brother I learned real fast how they got those reputations."

"Your dad as well, outlaw and a sheriff, sheesh, talk about something to live up to."

"I'm thinking of taking that deputy job when I get back to Cheyenne," Trev had said quietly.

"That all?" Shaun had said swallowing a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Trev why don't you just ask her, least wise you'd know if she liked you."

"Can't, not till I can show her I'm man enough for her," his friend had said stubbornly.

Which had been why when Teddy Roosevelt had come to dinner to try and persuade the two older men to fight with him, the boys had jumped at the chance to enlist.

Of course his dad had looked at him like he was crazy, even Uncle Heyes had smiled and said he had time enough to get himself shot at. But he needed to do this, he needed to prove he was a man and war just seemed the finest way to do it.

All he had proven was that he was a fool. But he had grown up in the last couple of months and grown even closer to his boyhood friend. If he lived through this he intended to go home and apologize to his father and uncle and think the next time he felt a need to question who he was.

"There's the call," Trev said rising up. "Watch you back Partner."

"Watch yours," Shaun called back.

Suddenly an explosion went up behind them and they dived into the dirt. Something had gone wrong and the Spanish were now behind them!

*****************************

Bridget took a deep sigh and once more tried to concentrate. Miss Cordelia's Ladies Academy had not turned out to be as dreadful as she had presumed. For one thing she was a natural leader and had an easy charm that made friends without effort. For another for the first time in her life she was out of the watchful eye of the four men she loved best in the world and she was discovering freedom was a wonderful thing. She had also discovered so were the rest of the men out in that world.

She had been disappointed at her first society dance, all those stiff young men in suits so pale and weak-kneed, walk offs the lot of them.

But dutifully she had danced and made them feel at ease and soon she was the hit of the party and every boy was standing in line to dance with the gracious Miss Jones who made every man she danced with feel like she had waited all night for her to ask. She had demanded she be signed in under Jones as a slap to her father and only after doing it did she suddenly regret the impulse when she saw how much the slight had hurt him.

It was so difficult to stay annoyed with him or Uncle Heyes and normally they would have made up in a day, but then she was on the train and he was gone and suddenly being a Curry seemed not so bad after all.

Her father and uncle had built the security agency under the name Smith and Jones and it was quickly whispered about that she was that 'Jones's daughter and her standing increased among those in the know. If anyone was aware that it was Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry who were the power behind the agency it wasn't brought up and she had left them to their ignorance.

Steeling herself she turned with a practiced smile to the next young man waiting for her and stopped surprised.

He was tall and had a self-assured confident smile on his face that she approved of. He took her hand without a word and gained a point when it wasn't sweaty. He was handsome with blue eyes just like her father and a dimple like Uncle Heyes and before the dance ended Bridget had fallen madly in love with Jeffery Michael Harrington the third.

*****************************

Hannibal Heyes had told himself a long time ago he had seen enough of war to last him a life time and as he crouched down in the mosquito infested swamp he knew there was only two reasons he would be facing it again.

The President's request to have him and Kid get the real story behind the sinking of the Maine had not pleased either of them. For one thing if the President wanted them it meant he wanted it kept out of official channels, which meant anyone looking for something past Hearst's yellow journalism was going to be asking for trouble.

But the chance to be at least in the same country as Shaun and Trev had motivated them where money could not and now berating humanity for its constant need to find new ways to kill itself Heyes waited.

They had just been completing their assignment when they heard that a group of Teddy's best sharpshooters were being sent down to hold a hill in the south quarter. Without question they had guessed Trev and Shaun would be in that group. Kid Curry's son might not have his father's speed, magic like that came once in a century, but he was the next closest thing. Trev was no slouch himself having been taught by his father and honed by Kid so there was no doubt they would be in the elite group.

Both men had agreed not to interfere or attempt to bring the boys back, thought Heyes could see it was killing his partner not knowing if his son was alive or dead. He had left Heyes to buy information they needed upon hearing about the upcoming battle explaining he was going to get seriously drunk and not to disturb him. Heyes had every plan to join him until he had overheard a man laugh near him and express amusement at the trap the gringos were walking into down south.

Pleasantly pulling the man aside he beat him into the wall until he had the entire story and then stealing his horse, headed south.

He looked up hearing the explosion and quickly went over the map of the area in his mind. He knew what he would do if he wanted to take out the unit and with a grimace pulled out his gun and started to run.

********************************

Trev went down hard and felt like his head was going to explode. He heard Shaun call his name but all he could see lying on his back was blue sky and white light flashing.

Shaun meanwhile had heard his friend cry and whirled.

They were half way up the hill and it had clearly all gone badly. The call to retreat had sounded, but it made no never mind as the enemy was behind them as well.

Letting out an oath he saw two of the enemy bear down on his friend and dropping to his belly he fired and saw them both fall and then realized in horror he had missed the two other men to the side of him who turned to fire on him.

They never did. Hannibal Heyes, who had learned a thing or two from his cousin appeared from out of nowhere taking them both down and together he and Shaun pulled Trev to his feet and slid him into the fox hole nearest them.

"Where did you come from?" Shaun gasped.

"What you want me to leave?" Heyes grinned reloading and watching as he did.

Shaun felt some of the tension run away from him. There was something about that smile, the way he could look death in the eye and wink at it that just gave you courage.

"How's Trev?" Heyes asked as he fired off four quick shots and a howl of pain followed.

"Feels like my head's been kicked in my a mule, I'm even seeing your uncle," Trev groaned trying to sit up."

"You should know by now Trev that if a Curry is in trouble, a Heyes can't be far behind," Shaun grinned. "Speaking of which where is my dad?"

"Carousing Havana last I heard. We were down here on investigation and I got word your unit had been set up so I thought I'd drop by and join the fun. So no Shaun he didn't follow you down here to haul you back. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't learned it was a trap. Gotta forgive an uncle for caring."

Shaun grinned and nodded. For a second when Heyes had appeared he had felt a twinge of anger that the two men had followed them, but that had passed as common sense had taken its place. True it felt good to know they were there independent of them, but family was family and a man would be a fool not to be grateful for one that would risk his life to help him.

"How we gonna get out of here," Trev said trying to sit up. It was clear everyone had retreated, but them and they were in danger of being overrun at any moment.

"You two are gonna get out of here while I distract them," Heyes said taking Trev's gun and checking it was fully loaded put it in his back belt.

"You can't take on the Spanish army alone," Shaun said desperate. "You'd have to be crazy."

"Shaun, haven't you figured that out after all these years?" Heyes grinned wickedly. "I am."

And with a yell that would have scared a Commanche, he leapt out of the foxhole and began firing.

Worried sick Shaun shouldered his friend's arm and half dragged him out and across the field, waiting to feel a bullet in his back at any moment.

It never came.

Finally he reached the trees where his unit had regrouped and relieved of his friend, was able to turn back and look at what everyone was staring at mesmerized.

He had come from the top of the hill and to this day no one was quite sure how he got there. But what was the most amazing was that it was almost as though Heyes had expected him to be there.

Around him Shaun heard the gasps of awe as his father leapt down, a gun in either hand blazing, taking down every man he aimed for.

Heyes was no less impressive covering him and leaping from rock to tree sending the Spanish into a panic at how many men they were facing.

Finally a second retreat bugle blew, this time for the Spanish and a cheer went up from the bedraggled group of Rough Riders.

"Who the heck was that?" one of the men asked in awe as the two ex outlaws strolled back towards the group reloading their guns and laughing at something the other had said.

"That my boy was Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry and you can thank God and them that your sorry hides are in one piece cause nobody else could have done that," and older soldier laughed.

The group waited until the two men reached them and Shaun swallowed as his father stood before him and slowly put away his gun and then offered up his hand.

"Not bad shooting Mr. Curry," he said swallowing a smile

"Thought the same of you too sir," Shaun said unable to hide his and taking it.

"He's your dad?" someone blurted out.

"No," Kid said draping an arm around his shoulders. "He's my son."

"Well about time you two made it," Roosevelt said coming up. "How's the boy?"

"Just fine sir," Trev said from where he was resting on a tree stump being attended to.

"Good, good, got us a hill to take tomorrow, gonna be a pretty horrendous fight," innocently he glanced over at Kid and Heyes. "Gonna need every man to do it."

"No Teddy," Heyes said firmly.

"Not a chance," Kid told him. "Were not even in your army."

"Couldn't have told me that five minutes ago. Come on boys we can lick them in time for dinner if you two come along and I'll even keep it out of the history books if that will make you happy."

"What will make me happy is to get Trev to a doctor," Kid said firmly.

"I'll be ready to fight sir!" Trev said desperate to stand and show the two men the wound hadn't bothered him at all.

Kid and Heyes both laughed, "Take it easy Trev no one to impress out here," Kid said squeezing his shoulder.

If you only knew the boy sighed.

"What do you say boys, one hill and then we can all go home."

"Where exactly is this hill?" Heyes said fighting interest as his partner rolled his eyes knowing the signs.

"A little place called San Juan."

*********************************

"Say yes Bridget and you will make me the happiest man in all California," Jeffrey said taking her hand.

Bridget stared in feigned surprise at the small velvet ring box that had been opened before her to reveal a diamond ring.

She had half been expecting it after all Jeffrey's hints and for some reason it seemed almost like an anti-climax after the news her family was coming home on the morrow.

"Bridget? Bridget my love?"

"What? Oh I'm sorry Jeffrey what did you say?"

"I asked if you would marry me," he replied a little hurt.

"Oh," she said feeling bad for her rudeness. "Of course I will Jeffrey!" and allowed him to kiss her.

Somehow she had always thought kisses with the person you were going to marry would be a lot more exciting. The one's Trev had stolen over the years certainly had been, why the one he had given her before going off to war had confused her for days.

"I will request your hand formally when your father returns tomorrow," he smiled. "I have been going mad waiting for him to get back, whatever could delay him on that silly little island?"

"Oh just that silly little war," she said and tried to squelch the irritation that had crept into her voice. She was very proud of her father and uncle and brother, and Trev too for that matter. And she had missed them horribly.

She pushed it aside. Jeffrey had never met them; he would be fine once he saw how wonderful they were.

"Ruffians and outlaws," Jeffery shuddered and she looked up startled and then relaxed. "Your father must be dreaming of returning to civilized folk."

She looked at him nervously. She had known eventually she was going to have to break it to Jeffrey who her father was, but the time had just never seemed right.

Squaring her shoulders she moved to tell him when suddenly they were surrounded by friends eager to see if the deed had been done.

Laughing she showed them her ring and for the moment pushed all things outlaw from her mind.

************************

"Sir I wish to speak to you," Trev said coming into the study of the San Francisco home he had come to think of as his own.

Kid looked up interested at this formal approach and threw his partner a glance.

"Yes Trev?" Kid said leaning back and waiting.

"Sir I wish to request your permission to court your daughter for her hand in marriage."

"YOU WHAT!"

In the end Heyes finally got him to stop yelling. Shaun sensing his partner in distress had burst in the door to help him plead his cause only to find unless he yelled no one was going to hear him.

"She is a child, boy, what makes you think she needs to get married…" Kid stopped casting a dark look on the boy that had quelled many an outlaw's heart. "You haven't touched her have you?"

"No sir! Never! She'd have killed me!" Trev said terrified.

"Damn right she would have, my little girl can take care of herself. Married indeed, of all the insane ideas. She's just a baby, why…"

"KID!"

Heyes finally got his attention and he stopped and followed his partner's glance to the open doorway.

His very first thought was Heyes's mother had returned to them as an angel. The Curry blue eyes, the dimple, the dark thick hair. This beautiful enchanting woman could not be his little girl, it wasn't possible.

As for Heyes he merely grinned and shook his head stunned. The rough had finally been polished away to reveal the diamond clearly and it was of the highest watermark.

Three months alone had allowed Bridget to relax and discover her sex was not her enemy and in accepting this she had blossomed into a poised and charming young woman.

"Bridg what did they do you!" Shaun gasped.

"They didn't do anything," his uncle said slugging him in the arm.

"Hello daddy," she smiled and suddenly she was swept up in his arms and being swung around to his laughter and to her surprise a few tears.

"You grew up on me," he said devastated.

"Just a little daddy. Hello Uncle Heyes, I heard you four won the war, smart move putting the leaders of the Devil's Hole Gang in charge. War didn't stand a chance."

"Hello fairy princess is there a man in San Francisco whose heart you haven't stole?" Heyes said hugging her.

"I have to keep up the family tradition," she chided.

"Charm or stealing?" he grinned.

She burst out laughing and hugged him. "Oh I am missed your wicked wit, everyone here is so proper!"

"Hey brat, miss me?" Shaun said tapping her on the shoulder.

She turned and finally got a good look at him. "You look just like dad," she said approving of the uniform and the change in him. "I guess since you didn't get your fool self shot its good to have you back."

"I missed you too," he grinned hugging her.

She then turned her attention to Trev who had felt his world drop out.

Before, before he had a chance. Before everyone saw what he knew, then, and only then did he have a chance of capturing the lady's heart. But now the secret was out and suddenly his job in Cheyenne and the house his father had left him seemed small and insignificant. This was a queen and she could have any thing or any man she wanted.

"Hello Trev, I hear you were hurt, are you okay now?" she asked worried brushing the dark hair off his forehead concerned.

The young man mumbled something and then cast his eyes down giving up.

Heyes looked over at his partner both feeling the boy's pain and realization and Kid made up his mind. Maybe a sheriff in the family wouldn't be that hard to bear after all.

"Trev was just asking me if…" Kid started to say.

"Anyone home? The door was open…" Jeffrey stood in the doorway smiling every inch the proper gentlemen. All four men hated him on sight.

"Daddy this is Jeffrey Michael Harrington the third," Bridget said nervously sensing the hostility in the room.

"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Jones!" Jeffrey said approving the of the well-dressed man and his house and offering his hand.

To his credit Kid took the man's arrival and boldness calmly and merely smiled at his daughter on the Mr. Jones and took his hand.

"Quite a mouthful, what should we call you?" Kid asked.

"Jeffrey would be fine sir, mommy says there is enough formality on the hill all ready."

"Oh does she," Kid said trying not to grin and his daughter knowing the look quickly moved to introduce the rest of the room.

Shaun ignored his hand, Trev was barely cordial, but it was Heyes who scared Bridget the most. Heyes approached him like a mark giving him a warm handshake, offering him a drink and a chair and Bridget felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up on end.

As for Jeffrey he was used to being accepted and certain the men realized how lucky they were that Bridget was seeing such an affluent suitor settled back accepting a cigar and relaxing.

Oh don't relax, she groaned, they will gut you for supper!

"So Jeffrey what line of work are you in?" Kid asked politely.

"Banking and railroads," Jeffrey said proudly.

"What a coincidence," Heyes grinned at Kid. "Mr. Jones and I used to be in that line."

Shaun almost didn't laugh and Trev started coughing.

"Oh really? Why did you give up?" Jeffrey asked interested.

"Reasons of health," Heyes said and Shaun spit out his drink.

Bridget rolled her eyes, it was going to be long evening.

*****************************

"Daddy you and Uncle Heyes did that on purpose!" Bridget said an hour later when Jeffrey had left feeling all was right with the world after securing an invitation to dinner.

"Bridget honey surely you don't really like that pompous little…"

"Daddy not another word, I love him and I am going to marry him!"

She stood and waited for the outburst, the yelling, but to her amazement her father merely smiled.

Bridget had only known her father after time and wisdom had mellowed him. The wild, brash outlaw the dime novels shouted of was a foreign entity to her and she had long since come to believe the stories they and her Uncle told were exaggerated at best.

But if she had known that smile she would have been very very afraid for Mr. Jeffrey Michael Harrington the third.

***************************

"Trev come in," Kid said quietly as the young man entered the room nervously. "Shut the door. I'd like to apologize for my outburst earlier, you came to me in good faith and I reacted like a jealous father I'm afraid."

'Nothing wrong with wanting the best for your daughter sir."

"Ah exactly, which is what I do want, which means if you would like my permission to court my Bridget you have it."

"Thank you sir, but I'm afraid that is probably a mute point now, she's clearly infatuated with Mr. Harrington."

"Ah, infatuated, but not in love, she's a Curry, and while she might pretend otherwise eventually this is all going to wear off and the lady will be bored silly. You willing to fight for her?"

The boy straightened, "Well yes sir, just tell me how."

"I think for that arena we need to enlist my partner's help."

*************************

"Jones? Since when did you decide you didn't want to be a Curry?" Shaun asked his sister as they sat out in the garden on the back swing where they had gone to talk since they were five.

"Oh Shaun it's all so complicated, its not easy having a father who's a legend."

"That never used to be a bad thing."

"And a criminal."

"Bridg dad and Uncle Heyes paid their debt to society a hundred times over for all the good they've done for people, you know that, what's this really about?"

"Oh Shaun," she said looking like she should cry. "It's all a mess I didn't mean to hurt daddy when I called myself Jones…oh all right I did, but not this much and I just wanted to be grown up and a real lady so you'd all be proud of me and…"

"And getting engaged sort of fit that huh?" Shaun guessed.

"Yes."

"You love him?"

"I don’t know. I thought I did, but now I don't wonder if I just didn't love the idea of being in love. He's not like you or Trev…"

She stopped on the name. "Was he really badly hurt in the war?"

Shaun grinned, "Why you care?"

She got up hugged the pillar of the gazebo, "Maybe."

"Look just tell dad you don't like this guy and he and Uncle Heyes will send him packing, heck I'll do it if you want."

"No, no this is my problem and I have to honorable thing. I said I would marry him and it would be wrong to just cast him off."

"Bridget Curry, heartbreaker!" Shaun grinned.

"Ooooo you are awful," she said and then had to laugh. "Oh Shaun what am I gonna do this being grown up is so confusing."

He hugged her and sighed, "So I'm learning little sister, so I'm learning."

************************

Feeling confident Jeffrey Harrington arrived for dinner and was shown every courtesy.

"I must say Mr. Jones I am highly impressed by what I have discovered about yours and Mr. Smith's empire," he smiled as the group retired to the sitting room for cigars and brandy after a dinner that could only be listed as strained.

"Not Smith, Heyes," the dark haired man smiled pleasantly.

"Oh I am sorry, I thought you were Mr. Jones partner."

"I am," Heyes said.

"Heyes, not Hannibal Heyes the train robber? He was wanted for $10,000! He led outlaws!"

"Yea that would be me," Heyes smiled.

The boy got a shade paler. "Oh, I see, Mr. Jones keeps you around for security, as a bodyguard then?"

"No Mr. Jones is pretty good at looking after himself," Heyes said.

'Jeffrey I am sorry this is all my fault, Smith and Jones are the alias's my father and Mr. Heyes used when they were outlaws seeking their amnesty," Bridget said beginning to grow weary of the boy's denseness.

"But that would mean your father is Kid…."

"Curry, yes," she said simply.

Kid smiled at him.

"You’re a gunslinger," Jeffrey said his collar suddenly very tight.

"Well was, I really don't sling many guns anymore," Kid said sweetly.

"Well except for last week, "Shaun said matter of factly. "What did you shoot that guy for again dad?"

"Bridget could I speak with you in private please?" Jeffrey said his voice cracking.

Nodding she led him into the salon and closed the door.

"Your father is an outlaw!" he accused shocked.

"Was an outlaw Jeffrey please do not get so excited."

"Simply unheard of, moving in polite society, a hired gun…" he said pacing.

"What did you say?" Bridget said with the same dangerous look her father had revealed earlier.

"Well I suppose it can't be helped, we'll just have to avoid him, I doubt he moves in my circle anyway."

"My father was never a hired gun."

"Mother will be a big help hushing it up and we'll introduce you as Jones up till the wedding."

"But I am not Jones, I am a Curry!"

"It's all right honey," he said patronizingly. "You can't help who your father is, I promise I will never hold it against you. At least he has money."

*************************

"You really think it was a good thing to let her go in there alone with him?" Heyes asked Kid quietly.

"Why you think he might bring her around to his way of thinking?" Kid asked as something broke against the door.

"Nope," Heyes said as a gun went off. "She knows there's a gun in the desk drawer."

Another shot followed.

Kid winced, "Yea I forgot about that."

The door to the salon opened and Jeffrey tore past them at the speed of light, Bridget on his heels letting one more