Chapter Text
“Are you completely sure?”
It’s a risk, questioning Dutch openly on a plan like this. Dutch tended to take offense to such things, he prided himself in his schemes, but you really couldn’t help the question from falling out of your mouth once he explained what he had in mind. The objects you held felt like they were burning a hole in your palm, considering how tightly you had clenched your hand around them and how much you didn’t want to be holding them. Though, it seemed Dutch was more reserved, almost strangely defeated that he was doing this.
“It’s what we got,” he explained with a small shrug, “You can run a good con, I know you can. That’s all that’s happenin’ in the long run.”
“I’m good at...playing injured or stumbling around drunk, not…”
“It ain’t my call,” Dutch said, raising his hands somewhat as he came forward before placing one on your shoulder, “Trelawny’s the one that’s got us talked into this, but he got carried away with the story.”
We. There is no we.
“Why can’t Trelawny do it, then?” you asked, raising your arms in a half shrug, “If he’s busy spinning stories that don’t involve him having to follow through, why should we pick up his mess?”
“Trelawny makin’ a mess? That ain’t new.”
The new voice had you shaking your head, Dutch shifting his attention to the man who had approached his tent from behind you as he give him a small chuckle, taking a puff from his cigar as he passed you.
“Arthur, finally,” he stated, casting you a glance as you turn around to level him with a tight lipped stare, “It’s a con, it’s not that big a deal. Please.”
“Can’t we alter it somewhat?” you asked, tilting your head, “I...I don’t know, rich siblings looking for board? Cousins on some way to a family reunion? Uh…”
“You can come up with all the alternatives you want, but Trelawny’s already sold them on a story and you’re just gonna have to play a role,” Dutch stated, “I can’t do anythin’ but I know it’ll be worth all the sufferin’ it’ll bring you.”
“Don’t mock me,” you stated, letting out a sigh. This felt like you were fighting a losing battle, but accepting the reality of it was frustrating to say the least. It was just a con, it could be worth...pretending for a couple days until you could get what you came for but...
They couldn’t have come up with another story?
“The hell are you two talkin’ ‘bout?” Arthur asked, finally breaking into the conversation again as you opened your palm again, two gold bands sitting there after Dutch had placed them in your hand earlier as he explained he had a job for you.
You had wanted to do more than just some petty theft and cons for a while, but this just felt like the universe was mocking you for your efforts. Dutch’s continued explanations were starting to feel like nails on a chalkboard.
“Congratulations, son!” Dutch replied, as if reading your thoughts and making the situation all the more exhausting for you, “For a week, you are a married man.”
“What?” Well, at least you weren’t the only one blindsided by this whole thing.
“For the last time this afternoon, Trelawny has found an interestin’ lead that could get us a lot of money if you both keep your eyes and ears open , but to get you in there he’s...already set the pieces up. You two are newly married, on a honeymoon. He has more details on what you’re really to be there doin’, but that’s the story he’s told me."
“You didn’t tell me it was a damn honeymoon…” you muttered, pressing a hand against your eyes in frustration.
“Well, surely there’s gotta be somethin’ else, someone else to do this with her…?” Arthur offered up, glancing back at you as you dropped her hand against your side as you glanced off toward some curious faces.
“Both of you, please. Enough. It’s a con, both of you have been on plenty of those. Just keep them fooled until you can find the money, and go,” Dutch stated, sounding like he was growing all the more frustrated with the situation, “Believe me, if I could let you two go as a travellin’ business sellin’ snakeoil, I would, but it’s not gonna work this time and I’ve already got people workin’ on things.”
“Well, shit…” Arthur muttered with a sigh, not even looking at you anymore. Really, you couldn’t blame him but at the same time…
“It’s only for a couple days, you two can stay on seperate sides of the camp after. Trelawny’s waitin’ in town with a stage, so it’s best you two gather yourselves and go.”
“Oh, I got words for him, too…” you muttered, but you knew when you were told.
It...it was a con. It was more involved than laying on the ground, crying over a ‘busted’ ankle or saddling up to a bar to chat up some drunk people out of their money. You...well, you can’t say it was a real marriage, you wouldn’t be a real wife to someone and...you could just focus on the money and hold a hand and smile every now and then. Right? Christ
You gathered as much supplies as you thought you would need, picking up your weapons from by your bedroll. You rolled the revolver over your in your palm, not sure when you might need it but...well, might as well. With a sigh, you tucked it into your gunbelt and turned to leave.
“Enjoy your honeymoon! Never thought we would see the day…” Karen called out, giving you an amused grin as you turned to glance back toward her.
“You’re lucky I need to leave so soon,” you replied back, half serious. It was going to be a long week.
The ride into the nearest town was a long and silent one.
You couldn’t say you knew Arthur that well, honestly. There had been the odd greeting in camp or passing conversation he got involved in, but otherwise you spent a good chunk of your time trying to avoid getting bossed around by Grimshaw at camp and the other half trying not to get shot in some half cooked robberies made by Sean or someone else. Doing this alone with him? It was uncomfortable. Would be uncomfortable if it was just a normal job at this rate. Arthur was tense, could see it in the way he rode his horse and couldn’t seem to look you in the eye or say anything more than a couple tense words about the situation.
He seemed bothered, which you expected, but…
It was no point trying to pull it apart at the moment. You would have to do the same with yourself. Dutch wasn’t wrong, you weren’t a stranger to a con but you usually didn’t go full dramatics like this or drag other people into them with you unless you had to. However, you knew Trelawny. Unfortunately so. He was the one who introduced you into this whole group, or rather Dutch. He was impressed and now you were regretting letting him know that you were a good pick for something like this.
“If you wanna turn tail and run, hide out in the wilderness for a couple days, I won’t say anything,” you offered up, trying to lighten the mood. You had to try. You hated feeling like this and being in situations like this.
You watched as Arthur’s head inclined a moment as you spoke before he let out a quick huff, a touch amused. It was enough.
“Naw, I’m thinkin’ they’d see right through that…”
“So you’re really okay with all this, then?” you asked, tilting your head.
“Not really, but I’m thinkin’ we ain’t got much choice.”
“We always have a choice…” you muttered, shaking your head, “Guess...well, guess it’s hard to back out of it.”
“How, uh...how you feelin’ on this?”
“Don’t like it. I never liked doing cons like this, might be some romantic in me but...I dunno, never liked it. Still, it’s a con. Figure...we can just hold hands or lean against each other when people are looking too long and then forget the whole thing happened once it’s done.”
“Yes, like every newly married couple…” Arthur returned sarcastically, causing you to narrow your eyes at the back of his head. What, did he want you to play the new wife with stars in her eyes? That would make this all the less uncomfortable, surely.
Still, you let the conversation drop as you entered the town, headed toward the station where a stagecoach was waiting along with a familiar figure. You could feel your stomach drop, knowing you would likely have maybe a day to settle the feeling in you and then you would have to put on a convincing act. Trelawny stepped away from the couch, waving toward the both of you as you approached.
“Ah, here you are. Now we can finally get this show on the road…” he started, picking up two cases as he handed you and Arthur one each, “Some clothes to help better fit in, and I trust one of you has the rings…”
“Yes,” you stated, trying not to let the defeat into your tone, “I have them both with me right now.”
“Wonderful. Now, there will be a town a couple hours in that we will stop at to change, get you both settled with clothing that doesn’t look so...well worn and then we will head up to the boarding house.”
“So you gonna tell us what’s so special ‘bout this place?” Arthur asked, his voice gruff and impatient, “Cuz’ I’m thinkin’ you’re just playin’ a game with us and if it ain’t worth the dress up…”
“It is, dear boy, it is,” Trelawny stated with certainty, holding his hands behind his back and lowering his voice some, “It’s a rather well established house, run by two very wealthy people. I managed to talk with them both the last time I was there, the lady of the house especially, and she is very much a romantic at heart. If you can sell her on their story, she’s willing to open the doors at a very low price for newly weds. However, I have done all the hard work, all you two have to do is fall into the role.”
He said that like it would only be so easy. Hell, maybe it would be for anybody but you but…
“Very wealthy?” you repeated, Trelawny nodding his head.
“They keep most of the money in a room upstairs, but...well, the husband is a paranoid fellow. I haven’t a clue where he keeps the key and that room is almost always locked, so that’s why we can’t just sneak in there at night and relieve them of their goods.”
“Great…” Arthur muttered, “So, we just...charm em with how in love we are and they’ll just give us the key?”
“No, but you’re in the right spirit,” Trelawny stated, “Now, shall we? It’s a long ride and getting to this town before nightfall will be a challenge.”
“You’re coming?” you asked, tilting your head.
“Of course! They’re expecting me and my wonderful cousin and her beloved,” Trelawny stated, patting you on the shoulder with a gloved hand, “Any reason to further solidify the story.”
“Alright…” you muttered around a sigh, looking down at the case in your hand before begrudgingly moving into the stage. If they were a rich as was being suggested, perhaps Dutch was right about this being worth the headache already settling.
You just knew once the change of clothes happened, there was a part to play and you weren’t sure how you managed to get dragged into this, or how Arthur felt about the whole thing. Still, you could at least savor the last couple hours of journey before all of that started happening.