The Course of True Love
​
-2-
​
Later that night, Hannah insisted Thaddeus get some supper she’d set out for him, while she took a turn sitting with the patient.
Curry looked doubtful, but Hannah jostled him out of the room and closed the door firmly on him.
She crossed to the bed and sat down on the chair Thaddeus had just vacated, eyeing the patient anxiously. Joshua, Thaddeus had told her his name was. He had a strong fever and tossed and turned in the bed, trying to throw off the blankets.
Hannah wrung out a cloth and bathed his forehead with it.
Curry walked back into the room some time later, as Hannah was wrestling the bedcovers back into position on the bed.
“You should have called me.” said Curry, moving to help her straighten the bedcovers.
“I can manage.” replied Hannah.
“You go and get some rest.” Curry told her, escorting her towards the door.
“Alright. But I’ll come back later, to give you a break.” She crept out, closing the door quietly behind her.
Curry watched over Heyes, bathing his fevered brow and replacing the blankets when he threw them off.
Heyes began to talk in his sleep, and to mention things that might give people a clue to their real identities, so, when Hannah came back, he insisted that he could manage, and sent her back to bed.
Curry watched over Heyes until the early hours of the morning. Heyes seemed a little quieter then and Curry, unable to keep his eyes open any longer, fell asleep where he sat.
Just after dawn, Hannah opened the door and peeped in. Seeing Thaddeus sprawled across the bed, asleep, she crept in, took the cloth still in his outstretched hand and sat down in a rocking chair by the window, watching them both.
A while later, Heyes let out a groan and Curry woke, with a start, reaching for his gun.
“Hannah...” he said, seeing her sitting there, “How did you get in?”
“I opened the door and walked though it, how else?” Hannah smiled.
“Sorry. It’s just that I usually hear people come in.” Curry replied, replacing his gun in it’s holster.
“You must have been tired.” Hannah offered an explanation.
“Yeah. I feel as if I’ve just gone ten rounds in a prize fight.”
Hannah laughed, “I know what you mean.” she said, getting to her feet and putting her hand to Heyes’ forehead.
“He’s a little cooler now. He should sleep a while. Let’s go and have some breakfast.”
“Alright.” Curry agreed, getting to his feet and following Hannah out of the room.
* * *
“What was it that the two of you argued about?” Hannah asked as they drank coffee after finishing breakfast.
Curry sighed and shrugged, “Joshua can be a bit… stubborn…” he began, "He had a bit of a… dispute with this guy a while back, who swore to kill him if he ever saw him again. Fortunately, we heard the guy went to Mexico, or somewhere, shortly after, and we didn’t see him again until a couple of weeks ago, when we ran into him in Cheyenne…"
“And…?” said Hannah, when Curry trailed off into a thoughtful silence.
“We, left town in case he recognised Joshua and we’ve been on the move pretty much since, trying to put plenty of distance between him and us. But for some reason, when we got here, Joshua refused to move on.” He shrugged, “We argued about it, and I left town.” He sighed heavily, “I told him if he didn’t see sense and come with me, I wasn’t going to be around to pick up the pieces…“
“But you are, aren’t you?”
“Hmm?”
“Picking up the pieces.”
“Oh. Yeah, I guess I am.” Curry smiled now, “Still, he’d do the same for me.”
“You must be very close.”
Curry shrugged, “We grew up together. I guess we have a lot in common. Our folks had neighbouring farms in Kansas, and we used to play together as kids.” Curry’s expression clouded, “Then raiders came one day… and killed our folks… just like that.” he snapped his fingers.
“How awful.” gasped Hannah.
The Kid gave what was intended as a dismissive shrug, but it spoke volumes as to the pain the words he was saying still caused, even after all these years.
“It seemed it, at the time, but we soon learned that no amount of grieving could bring them back, and we sort of went on from there.” He gave a sorrowful sigh before adding, “Never had a real home since then.”
“I’m sorry.” said Hannah.
“That’s O.K.” Curry made a visible effort to lighten his mood,“You said your folks are dead too?”
Hannah nodded, “Yes. Pa died when I was six. He was a semi-invalid and my Mother died seven years later of a heart attack. I’ve lived here, in their house, ever since.
“Haven’t you any ambitions?” Curry asked.
“Oh, I wanted to travel, maybe even go to New York to teach in the schools there, but I don’t suppose I’ll ever get there.”
“Who knows?” said Curry, “You may do, one day. You never know what you can do until you try.”
“Maybe.” Hannah smiled.
* * *
After breakfast, Curry and Hannah went back up to the bedroom to check on Heyes’ condition.
“I think he’s coming round.” said Hannah, bending over him.
A few moments later, Heyes opened his eyes and gazed vacantly around the room.
“Are you alright?” Hannah asked.
“Wh-where… am I?” Heyes croaked, looking confused and more than a little afraid.
“It’s alright, you’re safe here.” Hannah told him, “Look, here’s a friend of yours.”
Curry smiled down at him, “Are you O.K. Joshua?” he asked.
Heyes looked puzzled.
“Wh-where… who… I…” he lifted a hand to his head, trying to think straight.
“Relax.” said Hannah, pushing him back down against the pillows, “It’ll come back to you soon.”
“Who are you?... Where am I?” Heyes asked again, looking panicked.
“Sssh, don’t worry.” said Hannah, “You had a nasty bang on the head. Just lie back and rest and we’ll explain it all to you.” She moved to draw Curry aside.
“It must be that bump on the head. It’s made him lose his memory.”
Curry looked anxiously back at Heyes.
“Look, why don’t you go take a walk and I’ll explain everything to him.”
“I…” the Kid began, doubtfully.
“Go. He obviously doesn’t remember you and he might find it more reassuring for a woman to talk to him than a strange man.”
“Well, alright.” muttered Curry.
He went downstairs to collect his jacket and hat and headed into town. He went across to the telegraph office to wire Lom Trevors of the situation. He puzzled for some time on what to write. Not only were they expensive to send, he had to choose his words carefully lest anyone should find out their true identities.
After some thought, he wrote
‘Sheriff Trevors. Porterville. Wyoming.
Lom. Smith injured in my absence. Lost memory.
Staying here for now. Will be in touch. Jones.’
Unable to think of a better way of putting it, he sent the cable and then headed across to the saloon for a drink, while he brooded on the situation.
When he arrived back at Hannah’s, she was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, waiting for him.
“Well?” Curry asked.
Hannah shook her head, “He doesn’t remember anything. Not even his name. But he will, eventually.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Yes.” Hannah smiled, “It’s rare for people to lose their memory completely. I’m sure it will come back to him, in time.”
Curry nodded, thoughtfully.
Presently he said, “Did I hear you mention some logs you wanted chopping? I may as well make myself useful while I’m here.”
“Right this way, Sir.” Hannah made a mock salute and led the way round to the back of the house.
​
* * *
After two weeks, there was still no sign of Heyes’ memory returning. He was up and about now, but was still fairly weak from the effects of his injuries and Hannah was endeavouring to feed him up with her home made pies and pastries, to try and “put some meat on his bones” as she put it.
Curry put a wager on with her that she wouldn’t succeed as he had always been of a slight build. Hannah accepted his wager readily, dismissing his theory as “a lot of nonsense”
“Neither of you eat enough I doubt.” she said, “You can’t possibly have a stable diet moving around like you do.”
Curry smiled, “O.K. Have it your own way, but you’ll lose your money.”
Curry was finding it difficult to deal with Heyes’ condition. Heyes was friendly towards him, but distant, and, while Curry wanted to talk to him about their lives, in the hope of triggering his memory, he was reluctant to talk about who they really were in case Heyes unwittingly said something to Hannah, not realising the trouble it could cause. Nor was talking about them as Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones ideal either, since it could prompt Heyes to ask some awkward questions, and he didn’t want to mention their families since, if Heyes didn’t remember they were dead, it could be very upsetting if he asked for details about them, so he kept his conversations limited to day to day topics.
Hannah seemed convinced that Heyes would recover his memory eventually, but, as the days passed with no sign of it, Curry was becoming increasingly frustrated and also anxious about the length of their enforced stay in Denver, worried that, the longer they remained there, the more chance there was of someone recognizing them.
He brooded on the situation as he spent time doing Hannah’s chores, while she worked at her part time job teaching in the local school. His nights were spent by Hannah’s cosy fire. Later, when Heyes had retired to bed, he and Hannah would go to her room and make love. Curry had fallen head-over-heels for Hannah and wasn’t sure whether he wanted to leave even if Heyes recovered his memory.
One morning a few days later, on returning from the telegraph office after sending a wire to Lom to update him on Heyes’ condition, Curry had a suddenly prickly sensation down his back and a strong feeling of being watched. Turning, he could see no-one, but the feeling persisted and he had a sinking feeling that, maybe, Bill Burton had arrived in town and was spying on him.
Curry had wondered whether Burton had been responsible for shooting Heyes but, if he had, he surely wouldn’t have left him there at the bottom of the embankment. He would have taken him in to the Sheriff’s office. So Curry had to acknowledge that the culprit must be someone else, although he couldn’t imagine who.
The feeling of being watched persisted and Curry paused and looked around him again, but still could see no-one. With a shake of his head, he turned and headed back towards Hannah’s house.
The atmosphere there was also becoming strained as Heyes continued to treat him virtually like a stranger, someone he’d just been introduced to, and, try as he might, Curry hadn’t been able to get past that and connect with him on a personal level and he was getting fed up of it and it was beginning to show. Even Hannah had noticed how irritable he was becoming.
After some thought, he decided to ride over to Porterville to see Lom and discuss it with him. Lom was the only person he could be open with, and the break might do him good.
After supper that evening, when Heyes had retired to his room, he told Hannah of his plans to go and visit a friend of his for a few days.
Hannah eyed him curiously, but all she said was, “Don’t stay away too long.”
“I won’t. If Joshua asks where I’ve gone, tell him I’ve gone to visit Lom Trevors.”
“Lom Trevors?”
Curry nodded, “Yes. He’s an old friend of ours. Maybe he might remember.”
Hannah nodded.
* * *
Lom Trevors was shaving in his office when Curry walked in.
“Thaddeus!” He threw down his towel and extended his hand, smiling broadly. Curry shook it.
“Hi, Lom. How’s things?”
“Fine. Just fine.” smiled Lom, “Have you eaten?”
“No, not yet. I only just got here.”
Lom summoned his young assistant, “Here, boy, take this money down to Hop Sing’s takeaway and bring us back some lunch.”
“Sure, Mr. Trevors.” The boy took the money and went out.
Lom perched on the edge of his desk.
“How’s Heyes?” he asked.
Curry shrugged, “I don’t know, Lom.” he sighed.
“He’s alright, isn’t he?”
“Oh, physically, yes, he’s doing fine, but it’s the way he can’t remember anything that gets me. It’s just like... well… talking to a ghost… knowing all about someone’s life and yet not being able to communicate with them. It’s driving me crazy.” He shook his head in frustration.
“I’ve dropped as many hints as I dare, hoping something would trigger a memory but…” He paced around the room before stopping to slam his fist against the wall, “Hell, I feel responsible, somehow. If I hadn’t stormed out the day we argued, this might not have happened.” He sighed and shook his head, “And he thinks I’m the one who needs keeping out of trouble.” He muttered under his breath.
“I had to come here to get away for a while as much as anything.” he continued, “If I’d stayed there another minute I think I’d have flipped, y’know?” he growled.
“Hey, now, Kid, aren’t you over reacting a bit...”
“No! Damn it….” snapped the Kid. Then, realising, “Hey, I’m sorry, Lom, I didn’t mean to yell…” he rubbed a hand over his eyes.
Just then Lom’s assistant came back in with their lunches. Lom took the containers and then told the boy to take an hour for his lunch. The boy collected his things and left.
“Sit down.” Lom told the Kid, indicating a chair next to his desk, “I didn’t realise it had got to you so bad.”
Curry sat.
“Now,” said Lom, as he dished out the food, “tell me the whole story, from the beginning.”
Curry explained, as they ate.
“Well, that’s about it Lom.” he said, as they finished their meal.
“Hmm.” said Lom, thoughtfully.
“What worries me,” said Curry, “is that this memory loss thing might be permanent. Hannah said it’s unlikely to be, but it’s been weeks now and he doesn’t remember a thing. If he stays like that, I don’t think I can stay with him any longer.”
“But, why?” frowned Lom.
“Why? Have you any idea what it’s like having your partner treating you like a complete stranger? It gives you the urge to want to beat some sense into them…” He sighed, “Heyes was always so… full of life… but now… he’s like an empty shell.”
“I can see your point.” Lom said thoughtfully, “But if ever Heyes needed someone, now is that time. He might not know who he is, but someone else might recognize him, and without his memory he could walk into all kinds of trouble.”
Curry sighed, heavily, “Yeah, I know.” he nodded.
“How long can you stay for?” asked Lom.
“I promised Hannah I’d be back by the end of the week.” replied Curry.
“Hannah?”
“She’s the girl whose house we’re staying at. Her Uncle’s the doctor there.”
“You like her?” questioned Lom, noting the slight smile that came to his lips as he spoke of her.
“Yes.” Curry smiled, “A lot.”
“A lot?” Lom raised an eyebrow.
“You old rogue.” grinned Curry, “You’re not getting me to commit myself that easily.” He made a friendly punch to Lom’s arm.
“You don’t have to, Kid.” Lom gave him a knowing wink, leaning back in his chair.
Curry rolled his eyes.
“Look, Kid, I know it’s difficult at the moment, but Heyes really needs someone looking out for him, and I’m sure he will get his memory back eventually. The best thing would be for you two to get back on the road so you can explain things to him without the risk of him putting his foot in it.”
Curry nodded, “Yeah, but how am I going to do that? I mean, he doesn’t remember me or anything about our life. I can’t just say ‘It’s time we were leaving’, can I?”
Lom nodded, thoughtfully, “That’s true enough, but you should know him well enough to get round that. It’s only his memory he’s lost, not his personality. Use a little imagination.”
“You forget, Lom, he’s the one with the imagination.” quipped Curry.
Lom grinned, “Well, why not bring him over here for a ‘vacation’? You can tell him I’m a friend of his and that coming to see me might help him recover his memory. You never know, it might be just the thing to trigger his memory, familiar surroundings.”
“I’ll try.” Curry sounded doubtful.
“Now, don’t be such a defeatist, Kid. I’ll expect to see you in a couple of weeks.”
“O.K, you win.” smiled Curry, “I’ll get him here, somehow.”
“That’s more like it.” grinned Lom.
* * *
​
When Curry arrived back at Hannah’s house, she ran out to meet him.
“Hello.” she said, kissing his cheek.
“Hello, Hannah.” Curry replied, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately.
“You look tired.” said Hannah as they broke apart.
“I’m O.K, he said, as they strolled up the path, “Any change?” he nodded towards Heyes who now appeared on the doorstep.
Hannah shook her head, “No. He did ask where you were, but he didn’t seem to know who your friend was.”
Curry sighed.
“Hello, Thaddeus.” Heyes smiled as they approached.
“Hi.” Curry smiled, searching Heyes’ eyes for some sign of recognition and finding none.
“How was your friend?”
Curry winced at the ‘your’ friend, but merely smiled, “Oh, he was fine.”
Later, after they’d eaten, while Heyes was out of the room, Hannah quizzed Curry about his trip.
“Is he a good friend of yours?”
“Who?” Curry looked puzzled.
“Lom Trevors.”
“I wouldn’t have gone all that way for a social call if he wasn’t, would I?” replied Curry.
“Who is he?”
“He’s a Sheriff.”
“A Sheriff?” Hannah’s eyes widened, “Did you go to tell him about what happened to Joshua?”
“Partly.”
“Oh.” Hannah looked thoughtful, “It seems a long way to go for a ‘social call’. Couldn’t you have just sent a wire?” she asked, questioningly.
“Hannah, what are you getting at?” Curry snapped, alarm bells beginning to sound in the back of his mind.
“Nothing.” she replied, avoiding his eyes.
“You’re asking an awful lot of questions. Any particular reason?” he asked, suspiciously.
“I’m just interested.” retorted Hannah, getting to her feet, “I do like to know a little bit more about the men I’m living with than just their names.” She threw saucepans in the sink, “Do you think I’m some kind of hussy who jumps into bed with just anybody?”
Curry looked away, and Hannah began to wash up the saucepans. Neither spoke again for the remainder of the meal.
Later, Heyes announced that he was going up to his room to take some sun on the balcony.
“I’ll come with you.” said Hannah. She glared at Curry, “You’re better company than some people I could mention at the moment.”
“Well, I’m going to the saloon.” growled Curry.
Hannah stalked off with Heyes, her nose in the air.
Curry picked up his hat and stepped outside, slamming the door so hard behind him it was a miracle it stayed on its hinges.
He headed down to the saloon and ordered a whisky. He downed it in one gulp and ordered a second. He stood with his arms folded on the counter, hunched over the glass, staring moodily into the amber liquid as he brooded on the situation back at Hannah’s.
Eventually, he downed the second drink and paid for it before picking up his hat and leaving the saloon to head back to Hannah’s having decided to explain to Heyes that Lom was his friend, rather than just Curry’s, and that he had invited him for a visit.
He strolled along the street, lost in thought. Suddenly a voice behind him said, “Jest hold it right there.”
Curry stopped walking.
“Now turn around, real slow.” the voice ordered.
Curry turned round, only vaguely surprised to see Bill Burton standing a few yards away. While he’d never met him, his sheer size was a giveaway to his identity.
“Well, Mr. Jones, or whatever you call yourself. You sure are a difficult man to pin down.”
Curry said nothing, watching as Burton’s accomplices gathered in a circle around him.
“You and your partner managed to get away from me in Cheyenne. Took me a while to catch up with you.”
“Partner? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” bluffed Curry, “I’ve never met you before in my life.” he added truthfully.
“Technically, that’s true.” Burton admitted, “But I’ve had the pleasure of your partner Hannibal Heyes’ acquaintance. He ripped me off in a poker game, before I knew he was Hannibal Heyes. I plan to turn the both of you in for the reward, as a sort of compensation for what he cost me.”
“Hannibal Heyes? The outlaw? I’ve never even seen the guy.” scoffed Curry.
Burton merely shook his head reproachfully, “I saw you two together, in Cheyenne. But you managed to slip away before the Sheriff could arrest you.”
Curry stared at him, unable to come up with any comment to counter Burton’s words.
“So, where is he?” said Burton.
“Who?”
“Your partner, Hannibal Heyes.”
“My partner’s name is Joshua Smith, and he left town.” replied Curry, hoping to throw him off the scent.
“Really?” Burton raised an eyebrow, “I heard he met with a little... accident... and weren’t in any fit state for travellin’.”
Curry’s eyes widened, “So it was you who...” he began, before breaking off abruptly, realising he’d given himself away.
“Unfortunately I caint claim credit fer that,” Burton made an attempt at a smile, revealing tobacco stained teeth, “’twas my buddy Jake here who took a pot shot at your partner. But he was on his own at the time and couldn’t manage bringing him to us.” He sighed, “By the time he came to fetch us and we went back to get him, some kind Samaritan had come to his aid.” He glared at Curry now, “He aint at the doc’s, so, where is he?”
“I told you, he left town.” growled Curry.
“Why is it that I don’t believe you?” asked Burton.
“Believe me or not, it’s the truth.”
“Seems like I’m gonna have to use a little... persuasion.” said Burton, drawing his gun with surprising speed for a man of his size.
He pointed the gun at Curry and squinted down the barrel.
“Shoot me if you have to, but I’m telling you the truth. We had a... disagreement... and split up. I don’t know where he is.”
​
Up on the balcony, Hannah came out of the bedroom from talking to Heyes and noticed the small crowd in the street. She caught her breath when she recognized Thaddeus in the centre of the circle of men.
“Thaddeus!” she cried, her hand going to her throat, “Oh, Joshua, come here quickly.”
“What’s wrong, Miss Hannah?” called Heyes, getting up to come and look.
Burton chewed his lip as he studied Curry, “I’ve heard tell that you’re a pretty fast shot.” he said presently.
Curry said nothing.
“If that’s true, you’re probably a better shot than I am.” said Burton, folding his arms.
“So?” said Curry, wondering what Burton was planning.
“So...” Burton gave a wink “... we give you a slight handicap.”
Too late, Curry realized what was going on. He whirled around to fire at the man behind him, who Burton had signalled to inflict the “handicap” but before he could pull the trigger a shot rang out and Curry sank to his knees with a yelp of pain.
“O.K. boys, I won’t be needin’ you for a while.” said Burton, his gaze fixed on Curry, looking forward to becoming famed as the man who killed the infamous Kid Curry.
His men vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
“Now, get up and face me like the lying little toad you are.” Burton demanded.
Up on the balcony, a stunned Hannah and Heyes watched the scene unfold. As Burton’s accomplice shot at Curry, Heyes underwent a transformation, like someone snapped out of a trance.
“Kid, no!” he gasped, shaking his head in horror as he reached inside for his gun.
“Get up, I said!” bellowed Burton, as Curry remained on his knees, hunched over in obvious pain, his gun on the ground in front of him, where he’d dropped it.
Suddenly, a shot rang out. Burton staggered backwards, holding his shoulder and looking around in astonishment for the gunman. Another shot rang out sending up a spurt of dust in front of his boots.
As a third shot slammed into the ground a few inches in front of Burton, his accomplices suddenly reappeared and, surrounding their leader, hustled him away, looking nervously around them for the mystery gunman and wondering if they were next for a bullet.
Hannah was amazed. She stood, speechless for a moment, as Heyes threw down the gun and sank heavily onto a chair looking confused. Then, her thoughts returned to Thaddeus and turning on her heel she ran out of the room and down into the street, where one or two cautious residents were beginning to appear.
“Thaddeus!” she dropped to her knees beside him, “Are you alright?”
Breathing heavily he lifted his pain filled gaze to hers, cradling his right arm, which was bleeding profusely, “Was that..?”
“Joshua?” Hannah nodded, “Yes... I can’t believe it...”
“No... nor... can I...” Curry muttered and then fell into a dead faint.
Together, Hannah and one of the residents, who had come to see what had happened, picked him up and carried him over to her Uncle’s office.
“Hannah, my dear. What trouble have you been causing now?” smiled her Uncle as Curry was laid on his operating table.
“That man has been following Thaddeus and Joshua.” Hannah explained breathlessly, “He accused Joshua of cheating him at cards and swore he would kill him if he ever caught up with him. Will he be alright?” she nodded towards Curry, “He just collapsed.”
Doctor Marston placed his stethoscope to Curry’s chest and listened for a moment.
“Yes, my dear. He just passed out from the shock that’s all. Now, let’s have a look. Would you get him a glass of brandy from that cupboard over there?”
Hannah moved to obey while Doctor Marston examined the wound.
“Hmm.” Turning, he reached into his bag for a pair of small forceps. “The bullet has chipped a little piece off the wrist bone.”
Curry began to come round, “Wh-what hit me...?” he groaned, followed by a loud “Owwwwww” as the doctor probed around the wound.
“Now, young man, keep still a minute while I stitch this up.” said the doctor, his attention on his work.
Hannah handed him the brandy, “Drink this.” she told him.
Curry propped himself up on his elbow and took the glass with his good hand, downing the brandy in one gulp.
“Was that the man that you told me about?” Hannah asked now.
Curry nodded, gritting his teeth as the doctor worked on stitching his arm.
“There, lad.” The doctor straightened up, “You’ll be laid up for a while, but it should heal perfectly well.”
Curry sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the table, “How long?” he asked, as the doctor wrapped his wrist tightly in a bandage.
“Oh, a few weeks I’d say. Now, you just sit there for a few minutes and collect yourself.”
Hannah sat down beside him, “I think Joshua is alright now.” she told him, “When that man shot at you, he seemed to wake up somehow, like he’d come out of a trance, and ran inside, picked up his gun and fired at him.” She shook her head, “It all happened so quickly.”
“I’m sure glad he did, or I wouldn’t be here now.” Turning to Doctor Marston he said, “How much do I owe you, Doc?”
Doctor Marston shook his head, “Any friend of Hannah’s is a friend of mine.”
“Thanks, Uncle Matt.” smiled Hannah
“Yes, thanks, Doc. That’s very good of you.”
“You take it easy now, and don’t try using that hand for a while.” Doctor Marston told him.
Hannah took Curry’s arm and led him towards the door.
“Are you feeling alright now?” she asked, as they made their way back towards her house.
“Yes, I’m fine.” he replied. Presently he began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” asked Hannah.
“It’s just so unusual, to have someone to fuss over me.” he told her, “If I’d been with Joshua he’d have been laughing his head off at me now, for passing out like that.”
Hannah smiled.
They arrived back at the house and went upstairs to Heyes’ room. He was sitting in a chair on the balcony, his arms folded on the wooden railing, his head pressed into the crook of one elbow. As he heard their entrance he jumped to his feet.
“Are you alright?” he asked worriedly.
“I’m fine, Joshua.” smiled Curry, hoping that his use of Heyes’ alias would remind him not to use their real names in front of Hannah.
“Thank goodness.” Heyes sat down on the edge of the bed looking relieved.
“How about you? Are you O.K?” asked Curry.
“Yeah... I think so...” Heyes nodded, “Things are a bit... fuzzy... but they’re coming back to me.”
“Do you want me to stay a while?” asked Curry.
“Thanks, but I’d like a bit of time alone... to try and get my head together...”
“Sure. We’ll be right downstairs if you need anything.” He took Hannah’s arm and led her towards the door.
In the doorway he turned back to look at Heyes, “Are you ready to move on, or do you need to stay a while longer?”
Hannah lowered her eyes.
“Whatever you think is best.” Heyes said quietly.
“We’ll talk about it some more later, when you’re feeling better.” said Curry. He closed the door and they went back downstairs.
“So, this is goodbye.” whispered Hannah.
Curry sighed, heavily, “Hannah, I...” but Hannah rounded angrily on him.
“How can you... stay here for all these weeks and then just pick up and move out, just like that,” she snapped her fingers, “without a single thought for my feelings?”
“Hannah, I thought I’d made you understand...” Curry began.
“Understand what? That you’ve just been using me so that your friend could stay here?”
“Oh, Hannah, you know damn will that’s not true. I told you I couldn’t stay. I was all set to leave the day Joshua came here. You surely didn’t expect me to walk out, the state he was in when your Uncle brought him here, did you?”
“So, you don’t need me as much as you need his friendship?”
“That’s not fair.” said Curry, “The reasons I can’t stay aren’t what you think they are.”
“Aren’t they?” Hannah glared at him.
“No, they’re not.” He sighed, “Hannah, I wish I could make you understand. I don’t want to leave with any bad feelings between us...”
“If you must go this way, there can’t be anything else between us.”
“Why?”
“Because... I love you.”
Curry, shook his head, “Hannah, are you trying to force me into something I’m not ready for?”
“No.” she whispered, looking defeated, “I guess I know, in your own way, you do love me a little?” she eyed him hopefully “But I can’t understand your reasoning. I thought you were happy here, with me?”
“I am, Hannah, but I can’t stay here, however much I might want to.”
“You want to?” Hannah seized hopefully on his words.
“Please, Hannah, don’t put words into my mouth.” replied Curry, “I have been happy here, but I can’t stay.”
“Is that your last word?”
Curry nodded, “I’m sorry, Hannah. Truly.”
Hannah shook her head, before turning and running out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
“Hannah, wait...” Curry hurried to the door, but Hannah had disappeared upstairs.
Up in his room, Heyes had heard their heated exchange and could now hear Hannah crying in her room and felt guilty that he was the cause of their conflict.
* * *
Next morning, Curry went to Heyes’ room early.
“How are you feeling?” he enquired.
“I’m alright, Kid. Everything’s a lot clearer today.”
“You remember everything?”
Heyes nodded, “Pretty much. I’m assuming it was Burton who shot me?”
Curry shook his head, “It was one of his accomplices. But he was alone and couldn’t take you back to their camp, so he went back to get help, but when they returned you’d already been taken into town.”
“I see.” said Heyes.
“After you fired at him, his men came and took him away, but I doubt that will have dampened his resolve to come after us again. But there were too many witnesses around for him to risk doing it again in this town. He could still have turned me in for the reward money, but he wants you too, and so far he hasn't found out where you are, so he's biding his time until he can take the both of us.
“I guess.” Heyes acknowledged.
“So, the sooner we leave town, the better.” Curry continued, “So, if you’re ready to move on, so am I.”
“Are you sure, Kid?”
“Yes, why?”
“Well... I couldn’t help overhearing you and Hannah talking last night.”
“We have to leave sometime, why make it harder by staying any longer than we have to?” said Curry, “If you’re up to travelling, I’d like to leave right away, before Burton comes looking again.”
“I’m fit enough. But what about you? How’s that hand?” Heyes nodded to his bandaged wrist.
“Oh, it’s OK. “ replied Curry, “The doc says it’ll be stiff and painful for a while but it’ll be fine in a couple of weeks. Thanks, by the way, I mightn’t be here now if it wasn’t for your intervention.”
“That makes us about even then.” replied Heyes, “Hannah told me you sat with me all night.”
“Well, you might have put your foot in it if I hadn’t” said Curry, “You were rambling a bit.”
“Even so, you needn’t have stayed after what I said to you." said Heyes, “I’m not sure I would have.”
Curry shrugged.
“Are you sure you want to go?” asked Heyes. Curry might not admit it, but Heyes could see how much Hannah had come to mean to him, and how much he meant to her.
Curry nodded, “There’s no point staying any longer. I can’t be with her... with anyone... until, after, we get the amnesty.” he told him, “Anyway, I promised Lom we’d go and see him for a while. He was worried about you.”
“Lom, worried about me? I don’t believe it.” laughed Heyes.
“I don’t suppose you’ll believe I was too?” Curry asked now.
“No.” laughed Heyes, but with a knowing twinkle in his eye.
“Well,” sighed Curry, his expression becoming sombre, “if you want to get your things together, I’ll go and say goodbye to Hannah.”
Heyes nodded, “O.K” He watched curry leave the room, a sympathetic look on his face.
Curry went downstairs and into the kitchen, where Hannah was cleaning up. She turned to face him as he entered the room.
“I’m sorry about last night.” she told him.
“So am I.” replied Curry.
“You won’t change your mind?” she enquired.
“I’m sorry, Hannah, I can’t.”
“No, I suppose catching the notorious Kid Curry for a husband was a bit too much to expect.” she said quietly.
“Hannah!” gasped Curry, “How did you...?”
“I’m a woman,” Hannah replied, “it wasn’t too hard to work it out.”
“But how? I mean...”
“Lots of things.” replied Hannah, “For a start, you friend said a lot of things the night he was brought here. At first, I thought he was talking about someone else, but the more I watched, the more obvious it seemed. The way you’re always moving around, the way you always reach for your gun when anyone startles you... so, I checked the wanted posters and the descriptions fitted you. Joshua even called you ‘Kid’ yesterday when he saw you get shot.”
“In a way, I’m glad you know, Hannah.” Curry told her., “Surely you can understand, now, why I can’t stay here.”
“I suppose so.” she nodded, “But I couldn’t let you go without a fight.”
Curry laughed and reached out to pull her into a bear hug, “I know I said I was a drifter and always will be, but that’s not totally true anymore. You made me want to settle down, and if I could stay here, I would.” He pushed her to arms length and looked into her eyes, “Hopefully, in the future, things will change, and I’ll be free to stay.” he told her.
“I’d like that.” she told him.
He bent to kiss her and she hugged him.
“I’ll come and visit you next time I’m around these parts.” he told her.
“Any time.” she whispered.
He took her hand and led her outside, where Heyes was securing their belongings to their horses, which Curry had earlier fetched from the livery.
“Are you ready, Thaddeus?” He enquired, as they exited the house.
“It’s O.K Heyes, you don’t need to pretend. Hannah knows.”
“But... how?” Heyes looked confused.
“It’s alright, Mr. Heyes, your secret will always be safe with me.” she winked at him.
​
“Well, thank you, M'am.” Heyes tipped his hat to her, still looking puzzled as to how she knew their identity. He climbed onto his horse as Curry turned to face Hannah.
“Well, goodbye, Hannah.” he said, softly. “Or should I say au revoir?” he smiled, before turning to mount his horse.
“Goodbye, and thanks for everything you’ve done.” said Heyes, “It’s much appreciated.”
“It’s nothing.” Hannah waved away his thanks, “I enjoyed every minute.” she added, with a pointed look at Curry.
“Well, Goodbye.” said Heyes, turning his horse to ride away.
Curry winked, mouthing “au revoir” as he turned his horse and trotted after Heyes,
They rode down the street without a backward glance, while Hannah stood watching, tears trickling down her cheeks. He hadn’t said he loved her, but she knew in her heart that he did and that was enough. Leaving was as hard for him as it was for her, but she knew he had no choice, and she was grateful to have had these past few weeks with him.
​
​
​
