#archie downes
Yeehawgust Day 29: Fastest Gun In The West
A/N: An AU where a certain event didn’t happen in Chapter 2, and instead Arthur comes to call on the Downses again after the events of “Blessed Are The Peacemakers” in Chapter 3.
July 1899
Downes Ranch, New Hanover
Archie came into the house, his features tense, but he kept his voice low so as not to disturb Thomas’ restless sleep. “Momma, it’s that debt collector again.”
Edith felt her heart in her throat suddenly, swallowing hard. She should have figured he’d come back. When she’d chased him off last time by telling him Thomas was sick, she’d hoped…but no, the likes of people who’d lend money at such punishing rates of interest and send a bully to collect wouldn’t care. Oh, Thomas, you gentle, noble fool. You want to help the world, but did you have to go to the likes of them?
She went out onto the porch, closing the door behind her, making it clear he wasn’t welcome to come in. She saw him there, swinging down from the back of the fancy white mare he’d been riding. Bitterness filled her for a moment seeing the sleek horse. If he could afford such a horse as that, rather than their tired old farm nags, he and his creepy lender Mr. Strauss certainly didn’t need their debt.
“Mrs. Downes.” He greeted her coolly, standing there, arms folded. “I assume you know why I’m here.”
No point with pretense. “Of course I do. The answer is no different than it was before. We have nothing, sir. My husband’s been in bed ever since two days after you threatened us the last time. That’s five weeks if you’re bothering to count. And there’s days I don’t think he’ll ever get out of it again.” She stood there in front of the door, protecting Archie and Thomas both, shocked at her own anger and boldness, but what else could she do? Chances were he’d just shove her aside and do what he pleased and ransack the house, but at least she’d told him how it was. “So take whatever you please, I suppose, you blasted…parasite. Take it and leave us alone.”
It was only as the debt collector came closer and lifted his head, showing his face rather than the brim of his dark hat, that she saw the marks of strain on his face–the exhausted and hollow eyes, the slack cheeks. The way his clothes hung loose as if he’d lost weight suddenly. As if he’d been in bed himself, and she didn’t want to see it. She didn’t want to think of him as a person. She didn’t want to think of him at all.
He just stood there, looking at her, but she didn’t get the sense he was trying to unsettle her with a stare. There was almost an absent-minded, faraway quality to that gaze, as if he was lost in his own mind. Deciding what to do? Deciding what he could take from them? Her eyes dropped to the gun strapped to his hip, breath catching. The casual way he wore it and the well-worn leather of the holster promised her that this was a man who could use that gun with quick, brutal efficiency. This was no tale about some swift outlaw gunslinger, though. This was reality. “What do you want? He’s dying. You think you can beat money out of a dying man?” He’d told Thomas to sell her, to sell Archie–would he actually take them? A quiver of fear ran through her, but she did her best to stay upright, spine straight, and to not look away.
The moment broke, and he was the one who looked away. “Just get out of here.”
“What do you mean?” She wasn’t going to leave Thomas and Archie to this man and some bizarre notion of being a gentleman by demanding the woman leave so he could do his worst to the man and boy.
He looked back at her, eyes narrowing, and there was a harsh edge to his voice when he repeated, “I said, get out of here. Get lost. Take your boy and your husband and be gone in the next day or two, you hear me? I’m gonna tell Strauss you looked long gone when I got here today. But if you’re fool enough to still be here after this, and if you make a fool of me, I promise you, it ain’t gonna be nothing nice.” He shook his head, muttering something to himself as turned on his heel and headed back to his horse.
“Where are we supposed to–”
He didn’t even turn back. “Ain’t my problem!” he barked as he swung up onto his horse.
She wasted no time, heading into the house to start packing. Two hours later, Archie told her he’d found a fancy gold necklace in the yard near where the white mare had been. Whether the debt collector had dropped it accidentally or on purpose, she might never know, but she was thankful for it all the same. It would bring enough money with what little they had to get them somewhere.
