Carrying her in his arms

Marie started panicking as they got near. A deadly silence engulfed the air. The gentleman who had pulled her onto his horse had an arm tightly wrapped around her waist protectively, in order to stop her from falling. She didn't think much about this action, more preoccupied in her worry and fear of something scary to have happened to her mother.

Arthur was mildly surprised at her indifference to his bold action. He did not anchor any hidden intention to his action; for some reason he felt the need to be protective of her. She was different, more independent than most females he had encountered, exciting him to solve her as a mystery.

They reached the place, Marie jumping off the horse with ease and frantically began searching for her mother. However there was no one in sight. The stagecoach, her companions, her mother and those muggers; everything had as if dissolved in thin air, without leaving any traces.

'What is the meaning of this, Miss Marie?' Arthur asked in a suspicious tone. He was confused; doubtful of his impulsive decision to trust her. What if he had stepped on a mine, falling into danger's grasp, dragging his companions along as well?

Marie looked up at him, desperation, and hopelessness written all over her face. Her eyes reddened, and once the first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Marie fell to the ground, gripping the mud tightly, crying with a force of a person vomiting on all fours.

Arthur was helpless, watching the poor fille cry so miserably. It was painful to see her like this. He just couldn't help sitting down beside her, and embrace her, knowing that his companions' eyes were on them. He let the torrent of her tears to soak through his shirt, felt her clench her fists, not knowing whether to swear angrily or to give up hope all together. He could hear her silently screaming, suffocating with each breath she took holding onto her self-control. Running his fingers through her hair, time and time again, he futilely attempted to calm the silent war within her mind.

Marie felt a crushing weight on her heart, as the truth sunk in. She was too late; she had lost her mother to those rogues. Screaming in her heart, she suddenly felt too weak and was mildly aware of someone hugging and comforting her. But the pain was too much to bear, and slowly from the internal storm she sunk into a black space, lifeless and empty. It was like the bed of the ocean, where she was conscious of nothing, could think of nothing; only drift weightless on what seemed to be the calm waves of the vast, endless ocean, carrying her away from reality, from all of the agony.

The girl had gone limp in his arms, from the exhaustion of all the crying. He asked the others to camp in that area since it was growing dark and wait for the girl to wake up. They could interrogate her later. Carrying her in his arms, he could literally feel the bones in her petite figure. Lightly laying her on his bedspread, he went out to eat some turkey, hastily prepared by his friends, around the fire.

They had been eyeing him curiously all the while. Arthur was well-acquainted with their wild imagination, and knowing the source of their curiosity, declared, 'please rest your minds at ease. I certainly do not have any such intentions that you accuse me of with those looks.'

It was his younger brother who spoke finally. 'Brother, you have never taken interest in women. But today, I saw it in your eyes that you hold a fancy for her. Please don't deny it.'

Arthur was tongue-tied. He had always had a good relation with his brother, and he knew that denying him was almost meant like lying to himself. But he couldn't possibly agree to him either, since he wasn't familiar with his own feelings. The girl had stirred some unknown emotion in him, but he wasn't sure if it was really affection. 'Non (no), my dear young brother, I am certain it is not any fondness. I believe that my actions were merely out of humanity.'

Thames was kind of disheartened. He really wanted to believe his theory, because his brother's aloofness towards women, had always induced gossip amongst people of his sexuality. He had a really hard time convincing them that his brother was just waiting for the right time and moment. 'Okay, if you say so,' was all he could manage after the disappointment.

Arthur had not missed his brother's sullen expression, but he didn't get time to think, because a small figure suddenly approached him, emerging from his camp.

Her eyes were bloodshot, eyelids puffy and face, red and blotchy. It was a pitiable sight, and only a cold-blooded creature could have not been moved by it.

'Can you help me find my mother, Sir?'

The look of despair on her face left Arthur feeling powerless. It was as if he was under some spell, forcing him to assent to her wishes. But he was not spelled enough to let go of the wits that he so prided upon.

'What will you give me in return?' He spoke as if they were the only ones present. 'You must very well be aware that I have helped you a lot so far, in the end finding nothing that you spoke so desperately of. I am surely inclined not to trust you any further, lest you lead us all to a trap. So even if I should perhaps show you more sympathy, what is the guarantee that I am not making a huge blunder?'

Marie had been unsure of asking such a favor from the beginning. He was a stranger, and he had helped her beyond his means already. She did not know what had happened before or after she fainted. She was only certain that in this wilderness there no one except this person who could be trusted. Hearing his blunt response, for the first time in her life she was unsure of herself. She did not know how to reply. So she simply took off her few ornaments, purely of gold, passed on from her mother, and handed them to him. 'These should be quite worthy.' She gave him her address, and asked him to get money from there.

'That is all I can bargain for at the moment.'

Arthur sensed her despair, and sincerity. He said, 'Okay, but my companions shall not accompany us. This is only between me and you. What do you want me to do?'