A DATE IN MEXICO

Chapter 9:

Dinner was not a pleasant experience for Alice. Stabbing at her food, though, she tried to eat. She looked up several times and caught Ben watching her. She knew he wanted to say something to her but it was hard for her to let him. He was charming, was different from the prisoner on his way to Contention. He was polite, bowed his head for the blessing, and talked with William and Mark and with Serena. Alice asked him about the drawing of Dan he had made in the Bible.

Ben looked up at her for a moment, deciding how he wanted to answer her. “We were paired up in the bridal suite waiting for the train. We talked for awhile and waited. Dan said he didn’t want to talk anymore so I picked up a pencil and opened the Bible. Wasn’t anything else to draw on." He paused.  "I didn’t know you had the Bible.”

“William brought it home. It’s a very good likeness.”

“I had plenty of time to draw it, but he wasn’t an easy man to draw, lot more to him than I could put on paper.” He spoke softly.

She met his eyes and understood. “Yes, he was,” she said and looked down at her plate.

Serena encouraged the boys to clean up the table as she walked with Ben out to the porch. Alice came to the door, looked at Ben and said that she was going to lie down for awhile.

Serena watched Ben for a minute. “Would you mind if I rode with you to the doctor?”

“I wasn’t planning on going into Bisbee. I’m not a popular feller around here.”

“That’s what I thought. I’ll only be a moment.” She turned and went back inside. Ben stared after her.  What the hell was she up to?

When she came back out she had changed into a riding skirt and had a hat in her hand. “Do you want to speak to William before we go?”

“Miss Evans, I’m sorry but I ain’t goin’ into town with you. It’s likely I’ll be shot.”

“You’re already shot, Ben. I know the doctor. You’ll be safe with me.” She fitted her hat on her head. “Now about William?”

“You don’t want to do this. You don’t want to get messed up with me.” Ben moved close to her,

looking into her eyes.

“I’m afraid I am already ‘messed up with you’, as you put it. William we’re leaving,” she called.

William came out the door. “Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’m going to the doctor with Ben. I thought you might want to say goodbye?”

William gave his aunt a wondering look and asked, “Ben, you’ll come back won’t you?”

“Sure, William, I’ll see you some day.” He picked up his hat and set it on his head. “Tell your Ma I said thank you for the dinner and you, you take care of things, all right?” He shook William’s hand and stepped off the porch walking toward the lean-to.

“Is this your horse?” Serena asked when she saw Nellie.

“This is Nellie. She belonged to a friend of mine. You wanna ride her?”

“If you don’t mind. She’s all saddled up and ready.” Ben held Nellie’s reins while Serena mounted.

He mounted Blackie and rode up toward the ridge, still wondering what the hell he was doing. He watched Serena ride ahead of him, noticing she didn’t ride like Carly. Carly was one and same with the horse, Serena commanded it. She turned her head back toward him and he caught up with her.

“How long ago were you shot?” she asked

“Days, weeks, I don’t remember anymore. Time just runs together these days. What I’m wondering is why you care and why you’re doing this, Serena?”

“A man who is injured and doesn’t take care of the injury is looking for death. Why are you looking for death, Ben?”

“Death’s been looking for me for a long time. Maybe it's time I stood still, let him find me. I’ve seen enough of his work lately.” He looked off toward the horizon.

“Death is always abroad, stalking, hunting, striking when you least expect it, taking the ones

you hold dear. The thing is, Ben, to outsmart him. You are a smart man. I don’t see you turning around and giving him a target. There is too much life in you to be explored.” She looked at him from under the brim of her hat and caught his eye.

They had come within sight of the town and Ben pulled up. “I guess this is where we part company.”

She turned in her saddle and stared at him for a minute.  "You’re afraid, aren’t you?”

“I don’t intend to be chained up again in a lawman’s custody. I appreciate your concern for my injuries, Miss,” he tipped his hat and smiled, “but I’ll be on my way now.”

“No… Ben, I was afraid of this.” She pulled a small Derringer from her pocket and pointed it at him. “I have no intention of letting the law get to you, but you underestimate me. I have other plans for you. My plans do not include pain and suffering. I want you strong and healthy and free.” She gave him a little smile, holding his eyes.

Ben laughed. “And yet you'd shoot me?”

She smiled back. “We are on the way to the doctor and this would only make a little hole, after all.”

He tilted his head and said, "What do you want from me, Serena, that you‘d shoot me for?”

“The pleasure of your arms, the feel of your lips on mine, the warmth of your body. Does that surprise you? Oh, I see it does,” she laughed. “I’ll need you strong and healthy, Ben, so let’s continue our journey.” She pointed the gun toward the town and back at him.

“You just want a roll in the hay? You don’t have to shoot me for that. What the hell are you, anyway?” He sat back on his saddle, staring at her.

“I am a thirty year old spinster, a school teacher who’s wasted her life over a man killed ten years ago. You may think me desperate, but I assure you I am not. I’m just very particular and you interest me. A roll in the hay?” she laughed. “Oh, much more than that. Now let's go make you well.”

Ben parted his lips. He’d never heard such talk from a respectable woman, but then he hadn’t known many respectable women. A school marm? A slow grin crossed his face and he turned his horse toward the town. He would have her before the day was out.

They tied their horses in the back of the doctor’s house. Serena knocked on the door and they were let in through to his surgery. Serena explained he had been ambushed and had wounds that were maybe a week old. The doctor asked Ben to remove his clothes, holding a sheet while he did so. Serena watched from a chair across the room. The doctor looked at the tattered dirty bandages and shook his head. As he unwrapped the bandage on Ben’s arm he stood back. “What in blazes?” The dried bloody poultice stuck to Ben's skin.

“It’s a poultice. I have no idea what it’s made of, some kind of root,” he supplied.

The doctor slowly scraped it away. “Well, it seems to have done its work, but it should have been removed and cleaned.” He brought a pan of water and swabbed the wound. “Bullet wound, looks like it passed through the muscle. “You’re a very lucky man. This could have become infected and may still be on its way there now.”  He applied a salve and clean dressings.

“Now what else have we got?” He examined the burn marks on Ben’s chest. “These are healing. I’ll just clean and apply some salve. Strange marks.” He looked at Ben but no explanation was coming.  “You have a stab wound?” Ben turned over on the table and the doctor unwound the bandage, finding the same dried poultice. He cleaned the wound, poured a disinfectant over it and applied the salve and clean dressings. “I’ll send this salve with you along with some clean dressings.  You change this out in a few days. Don’t let it sit and become dirty."

He noticed the red rings around Ben's wrists, only scar tissue now, and looked him in the eyes. “I don’t know who you are, mister, and I don’t care.” He quoted his price for his services and Ben paid him. “Miss Evans, it's good to see you again. You’ll be careful, won’t you?”

“Oh, yes, Doctor, I am…always. Thank you for your services.” She waited while Ben did up his vest and gathered his hat and coat.

Once out the door, Ben mounted his horse and picked up Nellie’s reins. Serena mounted the horse and held out her hand for the reins. Ben only smiled and moved out down the alley trailing Serena behind.

“Just where are taking me, Ben?”

Ben didn’t answer but continued on down the alley until he got to the back of the hotel. He dismounted and held out his hand for her. She hesitated then dismounted. “Would you be so kind, Miss Evans, to rent a room in this establishment? I would, but I’m known here.”

“I don’t think so Ben…but if I did rent a room?”

“Then I will join you shortly.” He moved up into her face. “Be quick about it.”

“I didn’t plan on this today, Ben. I’d really...I’ve never...I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“It’s your idea, Serena, and I’m liking it more and more.” He bent down and brushed his lips across hers. Their eyes met a second before she closed hers then she turned, walked into the hotel and rented a room for the night.

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