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<blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2131363" data-attributes="member: 8530"><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-two, “The Fiancée”, Saturday, March 11th, 1882:</strong></p><p></p><p>It is Saturday and it’s their busiest night, so the crowd will probably start early plus Ruby hasn’t eaten anything in a while. She looks both ways to make sure no one is looking then slips back onto the main road. She arrives back and the Lucky Lady and quietly eats something small for dinner.</p><p></p><p>It starts to get towards evening. This is the week that Helen and Stanley Barker perform at the Lucky Lady rather then the Comique. The Barkers arrive early, at around 6:00 PM, so that can have a nice dinner together and then have Stanley play piano during the hour before Job Kane's poker game begins. Tonight they have a guest with them. </p><p></p><p>Ruby and Nanuet are just finishing their meal as the trio enter the Lucky Lady and the guest turns out to be a Mr. George Eastman, a successful photographer and businessman from New York. When Ruby last saw him he also happened to be her fiancée. Helen grins and calls over "Why Constance Grace, please feel free to join us, I believe you already know my cousin George."</p><p></p><p>Ruby stops dead in her tracks. She knew Helen didn't like her and now she knew why. Her thoughts race “Of all the cities in the country... you have to be kidding me.” Nanuet looks at yet another stranger who has come into the Lucky Lady. Speaking to no one in particular Nanuet mumbles, "Well Promise City is becoming quite the popular place all of a sudden isn't it. And I see Ruby is making friends again. Great."</p><p></p><p>Ruby walks slowly over to them. She keeps her eyes set on George. She ignores Helen's smug look. "Mr. Eastman," she holds out her hand to him. George stands and has to restrain himself from grabbing her. "Constance! I thought....well....nevermind what I thought. It is so great to see you again. We need to talk of the future.....I have so much to tell you. I understand that you got impatient with my world wanderings, but that's over now! And my company is a great success, darling, I can now offer you that fortune that you've always wanted!" His outburst is so loud that every patron in the place has heard it. Helen says, "Sit down Georgie, you're making a fool of yourself."</p><p></p><p>Nanuet furrows his brow and he almost falls over the chair he was moving when he hears Mr. Eastman's outburst. He heads over to Ruby to see if she needs help and to try and figure out what is going on. "George, I mean Mr. Eastman," Ruby says slowly, "It has been a long time, over four years... I'd like to hear of your adventures but..." Ruby stops. "Do my parents know I am here?"</p><p></p><p>Helen says "No, after your full name was printed in the paper and I realized who you were I contacted Georgie directly." He says, "Yes, I was in San Francisco at the time. I haven't been back in New York in months. But I can send off a telegram to your parents tomorrow if you'd like. They are such wonderful people! And I know that your mother would welcome an opportunity to re-plan the wedding. She said that she's saved all of her purchases from the last time."</p><p></p><p>"No!" Ruby said quickly, "No need to contact my parents." Ruby's stomach felt sick. This was the wrong time and place for any of this. "George, I think you misunderstood." She saw his face and was having a hard time finding the right words. "Er, I don't think anything from when I was fourteen would fit me, don't I look different to you? You don't even know me." "Ruby, is everything OK? Who is this guy and his he bothering you?" Nanuet says loudly as he steps up next to her. He looks around the room for Jeff and Luc. </p><p></p><p>Luc leaned against the bar watching like an owl. It was all familiar to him. Another town, another saloon. Being a bouncer was what he knew well. Grab their gun and toss 'em out. But in here he wouldn't need to worry about the gun. No one except him and Mills had one. He sipped his beer and had been nursing it for about an hour. The mug was over half full. He liked it like this. Nice and easy. Standing their his thoughts drifted to Henry. The old dwarf had treated him like a son. Luc sighed and thought of the day he could return and run the saloon with Henry.</p><p></p><p>George stammers, "Constance, I could never forget you. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think of you. And yes, I can see how you've....blossomed! Constance, seeing you again has made me the happiest man on earth." Helen tugs at his shirt "Georgie, sit down!" "Mr. Eastman," Ruby stood up straight, "There has to be some mistake. This is the worst timing for any of this. Did you really think you were going to come here and... and...what? I don't even know. I need some air." Ruby pushes her way through the now crowded saloon and out to the front porch. She starts biting her lip and fanning herself while pacing back and forth.</p><p></p><p>Will you please sit down Georgie!" Helen exclaims. Nanuet snarls "Yeah Georgie, sit down. Don't you even consider following her. She doesn't want your company now. I don't know what the situation is, but just leave her alone for now." He does and mutters "Why yes, but Constance..." Helen interrupts, "Was surprised to see you." Stanley states "We should have warned her. I thought that the surprise was a bad idea." George says, "But I should.." Helen interrupts again, "You should eat. She's obviously overwhelmed with seeing you again. Give her a chance to come to her senses and she'll return. In the meanwhile, let's have a meal." Sonoma waits on the table and takes their order.</p><p></p><p>Ruby was utterly overwhelmed. She wanted to be in her bed, with Jake beside her. That was her wish, to stay in bed forever and never deal with marshals and crazy old arranged marriages. Ruby sighed. So much for wishing, foolish girl, it never got you anywhere before. Ruby put a smile on her face and made her way back into the Lucky Lady. She made her way over to the bar and grabbed a whiskey that was sitting there. It was going to be a long night. She headed outside to think. </p><p></p><p>Back at the El Parador, Kate and Gonzales were upstairs in his mansion. Gonzales is excited about modifying the magic item for her. He takes the clip and casts a spell on it. He then says "Come over here". He casts another spell over a silver bowl and fills it with water. He tells her "Say 'show me my thought' to the bowl, it is receptive to them now. Then picture exactly what you want the new you to look like. I will then get a good look and cast it onto the clip."</p><p></p><p>Katherine focused her mind and created an image. The woman she imagined was a bit taller than her, but not much. She had wide blue eyes and hair the color of honey fixed in a half up, half down style. Her figure was rounder than Kate's own, although not quite as generous as Ruby's. "As long as I get to dream, I might as well dream big," she said with a little blush.</p><p></p><p>Mr. Gonzales studied the image, then turned the clip in his hand. He held the other over it and spoke the words that completed the spell. "There, try that," he said and handed her the clip. Kate slipped it into her hair and spoke. She looked down and saw the new figure. She could see the ends of blonde curls resting on her shoulder and the deep blue of the dress. "I don't think anyone will mistake this girl for Katherine Kale." </p><p></p><p>Gonzales says "Now she needs an appropriate date to accompany her." He says puts a ring on his finger and says ""menehune akahele kultihin". He transforms into a very tall rugged muscular cowboy with long blonde hair, clean shaven, with deep green eyes. He is wearing a tan cotton shirt with a beaded swirl design on it, a thick leather belt and darker brown work pants. His feet are in a large pair of brown leather cowboy boots. "Howdy Ma'am, name's Tex" he says with a thick Texas drawl.</p><p></p><p>Kate laughed at the drawl. "I suppose I'll need a new name too. Do I look like a Madeline? Madeline Anders?" She smoothed her skirt with gloved hands. "Well Tex, would you care to escort Miss Anders to the Lucky Lady?" Madeline Anders and her friend Tex make their way over to the Lucky Lady. As they near the porch they see Ruby out pacing on it. Madeline almost says something but Tex stops her. The two walk past and into the saloon, Ruby being too mentally distracted to have noticed them.</p><p></p><p>Luc walks up to the big man " 'Scuse me sir," Luc says trying to look friendly.... which was an effort, "Could you roll up your sleeves and pant legs please." Luc tucks his thumbs into his gun belt as he looks at the big man. Nanuet looks at "Tex" oddly. He thinks to himself, “Isn't that the disguise that Jake was using the other day? Jake's in jail though isn't he. Oh, it must be Mr. Gonzalez using it then? And who is that woman with him? Have to keep an eye on them.”</p><p></p><p>Tex looks Luc down and says "No sir, I don't believe I will do that. I intend to keep myself fully dressed at all times while inside of this saloon. Feel free to pat me down, I left all of my weapons back at the hotel. Madeline, you go pick us out a nice table while I get things squared away with this little man." "Of course, my dear," she said sweetly, trying to soften her own accent. She went to a nearby table.</p><p></p><p>Luc laughed. The kind of laugh a man does right before he lays someone out." Well sir I may not have your size but even a rattler'll kill a bull with the right strike." Luc says tipping his hat up to look at the big man. At 6 foot Luc felt 4 foot compared to the big man. </p><p>" Hold yer arms out and keep still," Luc says as he readies to pat the big man down," and don't take this personal."</p><p></p><p>Nanuet approaches, "It's OK Luc, I know him. He's fine, let him in." Addressing Tex, "How are you today sir? What brings you to the 'Lady' this evening. And I don't believe I have met your lovely companion." Tex says, "Oh I believe that you have Sir, we've both been in town for a while." He holds out the chair for Madeline as she sits. Tex then whispers to Nanuet "Why is Ruby so upset?"</p><p></p><p>"Ahhh" Nanuet says with a hint of comprehension in his voice nodding to his companion. "The man there with the Barkers must be an old acquaintance of Ruby's. He put her out of sorts, besides the other situation. I am sure she just needs a moment to gather her thoughts." Madeline nodded back and whispered, "He made a scene of some kind?" Nanuet replies, "Yes he got very excited when he saw her. Said he could never forget her and made like he wanted to grab hold of her. Helen kept him in check but there was definitely something odd going on. They seem to know Ruby's family too."</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, back at the Marshall’s office, Chester opens Uncle Tom's Cabin. He thinks, “Wonder how things are going at the Lucky Lady. Ruby was looking very nice tonight. Jake really is a lucky guy.” In the other cell Jake was just lying down. It was a strange feeling, speaking in your mind to someone who you think is there, but not knowing if anyone is listening. Not knowing if the little bit of information you had painstakingly gathered was enough to make a difference or even was delivered. Helpless was one feeling that Silver Jake Cook didn't deal with very well. Angry wouldn't bend his bars, despair wouldn't unlock the cell, sadness wouldn't transport him like Gonzalez's unsettling spells, and worry wouldn't make Ruby safe. </p><p></p><p>He drank his bourbon like it was coffee, grateful to have it. It was not his style to escape into a bottle. He drank because he liked it, he acted when he had to, he escaped when the odds were bad. He sat in his cell because he had no other choice, but his turn would come. His turn always came. Though he knows she couldn't still be reading his mind he thinks, be careful Ruby.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Silver Moon, post: 2131363, member: 8530"] [B]Chapter Twenty-two, “The Fiancée”, Saturday, March 11th, 1882:[/B] It is Saturday and it’s their busiest night, so the crowd will probably start early plus Ruby hasn’t eaten anything in a while. She looks both ways to make sure no one is looking then slips back onto the main road. She arrives back and the Lucky Lady and quietly eats something small for dinner. It starts to get towards evening. This is the week that Helen and Stanley Barker perform at the Lucky Lady rather then the Comique. The Barkers arrive early, at around 6:00 PM, so that can have a nice dinner together and then have Stanley play piano during the hour before Job Kane's poker game begins. Tonight they have a guest with them. Ruby and Nanuet are just finishing their meal as the trio enter the Lucky Lady and the guest turns out to be a Mr. George Eastman, a successful photographer and businessman from New York. When Ruby last saw him he also happened to be her fiancée. Helen grins and calls over "Why Constance Grace, please feel free to join us, I believe you already know my cousin George." Ruby stops dead in her tracks. She knew Helen didn't like her and now she knew why. Her thoughts race “Of all the cities in the country... you have to be kidding me.” Nanuet looks at yet another stranger who has come into the Lucky Lady. Speaking to no one in particular Nanuet mumbles, "Well Promise City is becoming quite the popular place all of a sudden isn't it. And I see Ruby is making friends again. Great." Ruby walks slowly over to them. She keeps her eyes set on George. She ignores Helen's smug look. "Mr. Eastman," she holds out her hand to him. George stands and has to restrain himself from grabbing her. "Constance! I thought....well....nevermind what I thought. It is so great to see you again. We need to talk of the future.....I have so much to tell you. I understand that you got impatient with my world wanderings, but that's over now! And my company is a great success, darling, I can now offer you that fortune that you've always wanted!" His outburst is so loud that every patron in the place has heard it. Helen says, "Sit down Georgie, you're making a fool of yourself." Nanuet furrows his brow and he almost falls over the chair he was moving when he hears Mr. Eastman's outburst. He heads over to Ruby to see if she needs help and to try and figure out what is going on. "George, I mean Mr. Eastman," Ruby says slowly, "It has been a long time, over four years... I'd like to hear of your adventures but..." Ruby stops. "Do my parents know I am here?" Helen says "No, after your full name was printed in the paper and I realized who you were I contacted Georgie directly." He says, "Yes, I was in San Francisco at the time. I haven't been back in New York in months. But I can send off a telegram to your parents tomorrow if you'd like. They are such wonderful people! And I know that your mother would welcome an opportunity to re-plan the wedding. She said that she's saved all of her purchases from the last time." "No!" Ruby said quickly, "No need to contact my parents." Ruby's stomach felt sick. This was the wrong time and place for any of this. "George, I think you misunderstood." She saw his face and was having a hard time finding the right words. "Er, I don't think anything from when I was fourteen would fit me, don't I look different to you? You don't even know me." "Ruby, is everything OK? Who is this guy and his he bothering you?" Nanuet says loudly as he steps up next to her. He looks around the room for Jeff and Luc. Luc leaned against the bar watching like an owl. It was all familiar to him. Another town, another saloon. Being a bouncer was what he knew well. Grab their gun and toss 'em out. But in here he wouldn't need to worry about the gun. No one except him and Mills had one. He sipped his beer and had been nursing it for about an hour. The mug was over half full. He liked it like this. Nice and easy. Standing their his thoughts drifted to Henry. The old dwarf had treated him like a son. Luc sighed and thought of the day he could return and run the saloon with Henry. George stammers, "Constance, I could never forget you. Hardly a day goes by when I don't think of you. And yes, I can see how you've....blossomed! Constance, seeing you again has made me the happiest man on earth." Helen tugs at his shirt "Georgie, sit down!" "Mr. Eastman," Ruby stood up straight, "There has to be some mistake. This is the worst timing for any of this. Did you really think you were going to come here and... and...what? I don't even know. I need some air." Ruby pushes her way through the now crowded saloon and out to the front porch. She starts biting her lip and fanning herself while pacing back and forth. Will you please sit down Georgie!" Helen exclaims. Nanuet snarls "Yeah Georgie, sit down. Don't you even consider following her. She doesn't want your company now. I don't know what the situation is, but just leave her alone for now." He does and mutters "Why yes, but Constance..." Helen interrupts, "Was surprised to see you." Stanley states "We should have warned her. I thought that the surprise was a bad idea." George says, "But I should.." Helen interrupts again, "You should eat. She's obviously overwhelmed with seeing you again. Give her a chance to come to her senses and she'll return. In the meanwhile, let's have a meal." Sonoma waits on the table and takes their order. Ruby was utterly overwhelmed. She wanted to be in her bed, with Jake beside her. That was her wish, to stay in bed forever and never deal with marshals and crazy old arranged marriages. Ruby sighed. So much for wishing, foolish girl, it never got you anywhere before. Ruby put a smile on her face and made her way back into the Lucky Lady. She made her way over to the bar and grabbed a whiskey that was sitting there. It was going to be a long night. She headed outside to think. Back at the El Parador, Kate and Gonzales were upstairs in his mansion. Gonzales is excited about modifying the magic item for her. He takes the clip and casts a spell on it. He then says "Come over here". He casts another spell over a silver bowl and fills it with water. He tells her "Say 'show me my thought' to the bowl, it is receptive to them now. Then picture exactly what you want the new you to look like. I will then get a good look and cast it onto the clip." Katherine focused her mind and created an image. The woman she imagined was a bit taller than her, but not much. She had wide blue eyes and hair the color of honey fixed in a half up, half down style. Her figure was rounder than Kate's own, although not quite as generous as Ruby's. "As long as I get to dream, I might as well dream big," she said with a little blush. Mr. Gonzales studied the image, then turned the clip in his hand. He held the other over it and spoke the words that completed the spell. "There, try that," he said and handed her the clip. Kate slipped it into her hair and spoke. She looked down and saw the new figure. She could see the ends of blonde curls resting on her shoulder and the deep blue of the dress. "I don't think anyone will mistake this girl for Katherine Kale." Gonzales says "Now she needs an appropriate date to accompany her." He says puts a ring on his finger and says ""menehune akahele kultihin". He transforms into a very tall rugged muscular cowboy with long blonde hair, clean shaven, with deep green eyes. He is wearing a tan cotton shirt with a beaded swirl design on it, a thick leather belt and darker brown work pants. His feet are in a large pair of brown leather cowboy boots. "Howdy Ma'am, name's Tex" he says with a thick Texas drawl. Kate laughed at the drawl. "I suppose I'll need a new name too. Do I look like a Madeline? Madeline Anders?" She smoothed her skirt with gloved hands. "Well Tex, would you care to escort Miss Anders to the Lucky Lady?" Madeline Anders and her friend Tex make their way over to the Lucky Lady. As they near the porch they see Ruby out pacing on it. Madeline almost says something but Tex stops her. The two walk past and into the saloon, Ruby being too mentally distracted to have noticed them. Luc walks up to the big man " 'Scuse me sir," Luc says trying to look friendly.... which was an effort, "Could you roll up your sleeves and pant legs please." Luc tucks his thumbs into his gun belt as he looks at the big man. Nanuet looks at "Tex" oddly. He thinks to himself, “Isn't that the disguise that Jake was using the other day? Jake's in jail though isn't he. Oh, it must be Mr. Gonzalez using it then? And who is that woman with him? Have to keep an eye on them.” Tex looks Luc down and says "No sir, I don't believe I will do that. I intend to keep myself fully dressed at all times while inside of this saloon. Feel free to pat me down, I left all of my weapons back at the hotel. Madeline, you go pick us out a nice table while I get things squared away with this little man." "Of course, my dear," she said sweetly, trying to soften her own accent. She went to a nearby table. Luc laughed. The kind of laugh a man does right before he lays someone out." Well sir I may not have your size but even a rattler'll kill a bull with the right strike." Luc says tipping his hat up to look at the big man. At 6 foot Luc felt 4 foot compared to the big man. " Hold yer arms out and keep still," Luc says as he readies to pat the big man down," and don't take this personal." Nanuet approaches, "It's OK Luc, I know him. He's fine, let him in." Addressing Tex, "How are you today sir? What brings you to the 'Lady' this evening. And I don't believe I have met your lovely companion." Tex says, "Oh I believe that you have Sir, we've both been in town for a while." He holds out the chair for Madeline as she sits. Tex then whispers to Nanuet "Why is Ruby so upset?" "Ahhh" Nanuet says with a hint of comprehension in his voice nodding to his companion. "The man there with the Barkers must be an old acquaintance of Ruby's. He put her out of sorts, besides the other situation. I am sure she just needs a moment to gather her thoughts." Madeline nodded back and whispered, "He made a scene of some kind?" Nanuet replies, "Yes he got very excited when he saw her. Said he could never forget her and made like he wanted to grab hold of her. Helen kept him in check but there was definitely something odd going on. They seem to know Ruby's family too." Meanwhile, back at the Marshall’s office, Chester opens Uncle Tom's Cabin. He thinks, “Wonder how things are going at the Lucky Lady. Ruby was looking very nice tonight. Jake really is a lucky guy.” In the other cell Jake was just lying down. It was a strange feeling, speaking in your mind to someone who you think is there, but not knowing if anyone is listening. Not knowing if the little bit of information you had painstakingly gathered was enough to make a difference or even was delivered. Helpless was one feeling that Silver Jake Cook didn't deal with very well. Angry wouldn't bend his bars, despair wouldn't unlock the cell, sadness wouldn't transport him like Gonzalez's unsettling spells, and worry wouldn't make Ruby safe. He drank his bourbon like it was coffee, grateful to have it. It was not his style to escape into a bottle. He drank because he liked it, he acted when he had to, he escaped when the odds were bad. He sat in his cell because he had no other choice, but his turn would come. His turn always came. Though he knows she couldn't still be reading his mind he thinks, be careful Ruby. [/QUOTE]
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