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Caleb returned her smile, his heart swelling with affection. "The pleasure was mine, Mary-Beth. I hope we can dance again sometime." And Mary-Beth's eyes sparkled with warmth as she heard what Caleb have just said. "I'd like that, Caleb. I will hold your promise."
After his brief but meaningful interaction with Mary-Beth, Caleb felt a warmth in his heart that he hadn't experienced since arriving in this world. The constant danger, the killings, and the harsh realities of life as an outlaw had made him feel numb, but Mary-Beth's kindness and the simple joy of dancing with her had rekindled something inside him.
As he watched her laugh and enjoy the festivities, he couldn't help but smile. However, what Caleb doesn't realize is, his moment of reflection was seen by Karen and Arthur.
She had been sitting on Sean's lap but had gotten up to stand beside Arthur, beer in hand. "Well, well," she said, her quite low voice teasing as she nudged Arthur. "Why don't you look at that, Arthur? It looks like our new friend has taken an interest in our Mary-Beth."
Arthur chuckled, his eyes flicking toward Caleb and Mary-Beth. "I don't think it'll be that easy for Caleb to win Mary-Beth's heart. Let's just see how it goes. Don't bother them, Karen."
Karen hearing that laughed loudly, her voice carrying across the campfire. The sudden outburst caught the attention of everyone, including Javier, who stopped playing his guitar mid song. Karen, realizing she had disrupted the music, quickly apologized. "Looks like the drink's beginning to get to me. Sorry, fellers!"
The gang laughed it off, and the music resumed. Caleb, feeling a bit self conscious, decided to wander the camp again. As he walked, he noticed a figure sitting alone behind one of the tents.
It was Sadie Adler, her posture slumped and her face shadowed by grief. Caleb's heart ached for her. He knew from the game that Sadie was still mourning the loss of her husband and the horrors she had endured at the hands of the O'Driscolls. She hadn't yet transformed into the fierce, vengeful woman she would become, and Caleb felt compelled to offer her some comfort.
He approached her slowly, careful not to startle her. When he was a few steps away, he stopped and spoke in a gentle tone. "Hello, Miss. We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Caleb Thorne. I couldn't help but notice you're sitting here alone."
Sadie looked up, her eyes red and weary. Her voice was raspy, heavy with grief. "Hello. I just wanted to be alone. I'm not in the mood for a party. My name's Sadie Adler."
Caleb tipped his hat respectfully. "Nice to meet you, Miss Adler. I understand. I'll leave you be, but if you ever need someone to talk to or any help, you can come find me. Take the time you need."
Sadie nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Thank you, Mr. Thorne. I appreciate it."
Caleb gave her a small smile before walking away, leaving her to her thoughts. He knew Sadie was guarded and that it would take time for her to trust anyone. For now, he was content with making a good first impression.
As he continued his walk around the camp, Caleb remembered Kieran Duffy, the former O'Driscoll who was tied to a tree behind Pearson's wagon. Kieran had been a likable character in the game, and his brutal death had been one of the most shocking moments for Caleb.
He decided to pay Kieran a visit, though he knew he had to tread carefully. Kieran was still seen as an enemy by most of the gang, and Caleb couldn't afford to appear too sympathetic toward him.
When Caleb turned the corner behind Pearson's wagon, he saw Kieran tied to the tree. The young man looked exhausted, his face pale and his body listless. It was clear he hadn't eaten or been treated well since his capture.
Kieran looked up as Caleb approached, his eyes widening with a flicker of hope as it was an unfamiliar face. So he thought a stranger had accidentally stumbled upon the camp.
"H-Hey! You! Yeah, you, mister! Can you untie me, please? These lunatics tied me up here and have been torturing me!" Kieran's voice was desperate, his words tumbling out in a rush.
Caleb chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Oh, please, mister. Don't think you can take advantage of me. I'm a friend of Arthur and Mr. Van der Linde. Caleb Thorne's the name. I don't know who you are, but if they tied you up here, there must be a good reason."
Kieran's hope deflated as he hear this, and he groaned in frustration. "Goddammit. You're here to play with my hopes, aren't you? Those people must've sent you here to toy with me!"
Caleb raised an eyebrow, his tone calm but firm. "Well, well, easy there, partner. No one's here to play or toy with you, at least, not me. I already introduced myself. It's rude not to return the favor."
Kieran sighed, his shoulders slumping. "K-Kieran Duffy. The name's Kieran Duffy."
Caleb nodded. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Duffy. Now, what got you all tied up here on this tree?"
Kieran's expression darkened. "They all think I'm part of the O'Driscolls! I did ride with them for a couple of months, but I ain't one of them! They just won't believe me!"
Caleb crossed his arms, his expression thoughtful. "There must be a reason they don't believe you. I've heard of the O'Driscolls boys and their leader, Colm O'Driscoll. Nasty bunch, from what I've heard. Is there something you're hiding from them, Mr. Duffy? Something that might make them trust and release you if you came clean?"
Kieran hesitated, his eyes darting around nervously. "I-I don't know nothing, mister."
Caleb sighed, realizing Kieran wasn't ready to talk yet. "Alright, Mr. Duffy. I'll leave you be for now. But if you change your mind and decide to share something useful, let me know. It might just save your skin and maybe your balls."
Kieran hearing that didn't respond, his head hanging low. Caleb gave him one last look before walking away, as he have hinted that he should come clean.
He knew Kieran would eventually reveal the location of the O'Driscoll hideout at Six Point Cabin after being threatened with losing his balls, but for now, the young man was too scared and mistrustful to talk. Caleb decided to revisit the issue tomorrow, after his meeting with Dutch.
Leaving Kieran behind, Caleb made his way to the entrance of the camp where Morgan was hitched. He patted her gently, his voice soft as he spoke. "How are you doing, girl?"
Morgan responded with a gentle snort, nuzzling her face against Caleb's hand. He chuckled and pulled out an apple from his satchel, offering it to her as a treat. "You deserve it," he said, watching as she eagerly munched on the fruit.
After tending to Morgan, Caleb rejoined the festivities, which continued well into the night. The camp was alive with laughter, music, and the occasional burst of drunken singing. Caleb found himself drawn into the revelry, sharing stories and drinks with the gang members. It was a rare moment of peace, and he allowed himself to enjoy it fully.
By the time dawn broke, the party had finally wound down. Exhausted, Caleb retreated to his bedroll, which was positioned in the same spot as before. He fell asleep almost instantly, the events of the day catching up to him.
When Caleb woke, the camp was already bustling with activity. He checked his pocket watch and saw that it was 9 in the morning. Despite still feeling a bit groggy, he decided to get up and start his day. He freshened up using the clean water from the barrel behind Pearson's wagon, splashing his face and running his wet hands through his hair to wake himself up fully.
Feeling more alert, Caleb returned to his bedroll and ate two of the five salted venison strips he had bought earlier. As he ate, John Marston approached him, a casual smile on his face.
"Morning, Mr. Thorne," John greeted. "Just wanted to say you did a good job bringing Sean back alongside Arthur, Javier, and Charles. Though, I'm starting to wish we hadn't saved him with all his nonstop talking."
Caleb swallowed the bite of venison he had been chewing and nodded. "Morning, Mr. Marston, wasn't it?" John nodded, and Caleb continued, "It's what I had to do. Arthur and Mr. Van der Linde asked for my help, so I helped. Nothing to brag about. And just hang on, Mr. Macguire's just trying to, let's say, liven up the camp in his own way."
John chuckled at Caleb's words, and the two of them shared a laugh. As they were laughing, Arthur approached, his expression serious but friendly. "Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen. Caleb, come with me. Dutch wants to speak with you."
Caleb nodded, finishing the last of his venison and standing up. John tipped his hat and said, "Well, then, I'll leave you two to it." With that, he walked away.
Caleb followed Arthur as they made their way to Dutch's tent in the center of the camp. When they arrived, Caleb saw that Hosea was also there, seated beside Dutch. There was no sign of Molly, and the atmosphere was calm but expectant.
Dutch greeted them with a warm smile. "Ah, welcome, son. I hope you had a good rest after our little party last night. And thank you, Arthur, for fetching Caleb for me."
Arthur nodded. "No problem, Dutch." He turned to leave, but Dutch stopped him.
"No, son, you stay. I'd like both you and Hosea's thoughts on the matter I want to discuss with Mr. Thorne here."
Arthur exchanged a glance with Hosea, who gave a subtle nod. Arthur stayed, standing beside Dutch as the three of them turned their attention to Caleb. Caleb, for his part, put on a slightly confused expression, though inwardly he was curious about what Dutch wanted, to discuss but also had a feeling what he wanted to talk aout.
Dutch leaned forward, his tone warm but commanding. "You've given us a big help, Mr. Thorne, in saving Sean. I'd like to thank you personally for doing something that you had no part in and that could've brought you unwanted attention from the law. Isn't that right, Hosea?"
Hosea nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yes, that's right, Dutch. Young man, you've helped us in a big way, and we thank you for it. Arthur here has also told us about your impressive skills with your guns during the gunfight to save Sean."
Arthur nodded in agreement, his expression one of quiet respect. "Caleb's got a good head on his shoulders and a steady hand. He's a natural shooter."
Caleb put on a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his neck. "Why, thank you for the kind words, Mr. Van der Linde, Mr. Matthews, and Arthur. I was just helping a friend who came to me for help. That's the belief my pa and ma instilled in me before they passed away."
Dutch's expression softened, and he nodded solemnly. "That's a great teaching to pass on to their son. I'm sorry to hear about your parents, but I'm sure they'd be proud of the man you've become."
Hosea and Arthur echoed Dutch's sentiments, offering their condolences. Caleb accepted their words with a grateful nod, though inwardly he felt a pang of guilt for fabricating the story about his parents. Still, if it helped him gain their trust, he was willing to roll with it.
After a moment of silence, Caleb spoke up. "Well, Mr. Van der Linde, what did you want to talk to me about? I've been curious ever since you said yesterday that we'd save the serious conversation for this morning."
Dutch chuckled and stood up, his presence commanding as he looked directly at Caleb. "Well, son, I have a feeling that your meeting with Arthur, Uncle, and the girls in Valentine was fate bringing us together. A young man with principles like yours couldn't survive alone out there. Sure, you've got the skills, but you also need people you can trust to watch your back. So, how would you like to join our big family here?"
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Name:Caleb Thorne
Age: 23
Body Attributes:
- Strength: 6/10
- Agility: 6/10
- Perception: 8/10
- Stamina: 6/10
- Charm: 5/10
- Luck: 5/10
Skills:
- Handgun (Lvl 1)
- Rifle (Lvl 1)
- Firearms Knowledge (Lvl 2)
- Past Life Memory (Lvl MAX)
- Knife (Lvl 1)
- Blunt Weapon (Lvl 1)
- Sneaking (Lvl 1)
- Horse Mastery (Lvl 1)
- Poker (Lvl 1)
- Hand to Hand Combat (Lvl 1)
- Eagle Eye (Lvl 1)
- Dead Eye (Lvl 1)
Money: 155 dollars and 41 cents
Bank: 40 dollars, 2 gold bars, and a large bag of jewelry