"No, wasn't the beginning. As for Eliza, maybe she loved me, don't know for sure, we cared for one another but, my whole being was for the gang and she knew it. She and Isaac, the boy, were robbed and killed some years later. Came back one time and found two crosses outside the house. Learned from a neighbor what happened. Solidified my loyalty to the gang even more. Then, later, I met Mary."

Arthur finished washing the soap from the medicine seller's hair, pressed a kiss to his shoulder and wrapped an arm around him.

"She was a woman of high breedin' you might say, her parents hated me, her father especially, knew what I was. Still, we was in love, for a long time. And after what happened with Eliza, I didn't want to feel that heartache again. Hosea had left the gang for a time, married, figured it was okay for me to do the same. Dutch never protested. So, I asked Mary to marry me." he smiled. "We was young and happy, looking foreword to livin' together and all that. But, of course, great ol' dad weaseled his way in. I couldn't provide for her, spent every dime of my money on that ring and he knew it. Mary eventually relented and well, we broke."

Arthur sighed and sat back with the other man in his arms.

"After that I swore to myself to keep to the gang. Only thing that mattered. Only loyalty mattered. Was my undoing I guess. Blackwater might have been the start of things between Dutch and I, but I didn't see it for myself until it was too late. Until he strangled an old woman, until he walked away from helpin' me when I was a knife's edge from death, until he gave up John for dead, until he refused to help Abigail..."

Resting his arm on the edge of the tub, he dipped his fingers in the soapy water, still warm enough but they'd have to get out soon. "Weren't until that day we last met that I knew loyalty and so many years beside him didn't matter no more."