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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 2816686" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Twenty-seven, “A present for Ruby”, Friday, May 26th, 1882, 6:00 P.M. Jake comments, “I am looking forward to tonight." The meal at the Three Gods Meeting House wraps up and they head downstairs. Ruby is introduced to both Isaac Stevens and his sister Marybeth Osborn as they prepare for a night of gambling. The doors open at 6:30 P.M. and several patrons begin to arrive. Red brings Jake upstairs to the second floor balcony and he gives them a brief description of each patron as they enter. He points out what each knows of Mr. Alistair. He then tells Jake, "A while later I'll have you do a short spell as Mr. Alistair. It's about time that he's seen in the same place as Mr. Patrick, can't be letting too many people figure it out. Tomorrow I'll also ask you to play Alistair for part of the night simultaneous to Mr. Van Horne being out on the main floor." Jake nods in agreement. "I just need to be me when that pretty red head picks her guy for the night. Otherwise, I am happy to assist." "So Jane," Ruby asks when they are alone again, "What were you thinking about the ceremony tomorrow, I mean, what would you like me to do? I can't do what you do." Jane replies, "Just dance with the acolytes. The dresses I've picked out for them and you to wear tomorrow are also not overly revealing, I'll save that for the high holy days. When the show ends just head upstairs with Jake, you're not a Priestess of Aphrodite yet so I don't expect you to mirror us." "I don't think I'll ever be that," Ruby says blushing, "I mean a priestess. I would not be good enough and besides, there is Jake." Ruby is quiet for a moment. "I don't mind whatever dress you choose. Jake might mind but my theory is, if you have if, why hide it? He thought I might be dancing what I danced at the festival and you know how that ended," she laughs lightly. "So, do you actually bring these strange people back to your own room?" Jane replies, "Yes, I bring whomever the Goddess directs me to share my love with. They aren't necessarily all strange people though, this is a member's only club. In the four weeks that we've been open I've brought back two men I knew very well, one I was just acquainted with and one that was a stranger." "What happens if the goddess directs you to bring up someone you don't want to bring?" Ruby asks curiously. Jane replies, "That has never happened, I will always do as my Goddess wishes, although there have been times in the past when a person who I was drawn to by the Goddess has refused to join me in Aphrodite's love." Ruby asks, "Well, what would you do if it did happen? I mean, what if she directed you to bring up Jake?" Jane smiles and replies, "I am confident that she won't, and quite frankly he isn't the one I'm worried about. There is a very good reason why I want you dancing behind me and therefore outside of my field of vision during the final dance." Ruby furrows her brows. "Well, I was really just using him as an example...but what do you mean, what's the good reason? Is there someone in the crowd you were hoping I would take their attention?" Jane says, "Ruby darling, I don't want Aphrodite to draw me to you again. Men aren't the only ones who find you desirable." Ruby is taken aback and stutters slightly as she speaks. "Well, of course I know that... I mean, I have experience... in the past... I mean..." She shakes her long red hair around her, "What do you mean... again?" Jane replies, "Your dance at the Festival was divinely inspired. It drew me towards you while simultaneously turning your lover from you. If the violence of Ares hadn't intervened there is little doubt in my mind how that scenario would have ended." Ruby looks deep into Jane's eyes and feels a slight shiver come over her before she looks away. She swallows hard and has the sudden and powerful desire for a drink. She stands uncomfortably for a few moments, unsure of what Jane was really trying to say. Finally she gathers herself, stands taller and smiles, "Well, that might have been a fun evening but we'll never know now. At any rate tonight and tomorrow should be very fun and I'm looking forward to it. I’ll ask no more silly questions, but I will go and have another drink. I know you have to finish your preparations for tonight." Ruby excuses herself and heads to Mr. Grappini. It had been a while since Ruby felt she had to get drunk and she fought the feeling. She orders a champagne, starts on it, and looks around for Jake. She knew she would have to shake off the feeling if she was going to perform tonight. But the question that ran over and over in her mind was: Was she right? After he finishes speaking with Red on the balcony, Jake goes back to his room to change his clothing. It only takes a few minutes to cleanup and attire himself in his familiar white silk shirt and black linen trousers. On his return towards the large gambling room, he encounters the priestess of Aphrodite. "Could we speak for a few moments? Privately?" She nods her assent and Jake follows her to what he assumes is her private room. Once they are alone Jake begins, "Jane, priestess, I need you to do something for me. Actually it is for Ruby." "For Ruby?" Jane says with a bright voice. "Tell me what you would ask of me." "Ruby has scars on her shoulder and chest, I want you to heal them," Jake says matter of fact. "What you ask is not that easy. I do not have the power to do such a thing. It is not as simple as you make it sound." Jane sounds apologetic. He asks, "You can heal can you not?" She replies, "Yes, I have some goddess given power to heal." "Then I do not understand why you cannot heal Ruby's scars. You are a priestess of the goddess of love and beauty. Who better to remove the scars and bring her back to her natural beauty." Jake is insistent. "No, Jake, I do not have the power to do this. I cannot simply banish the scars from her." Then she looks at him suspiciously. "Why did Ruby send you, why not come herself and ask this of me?" He states, "Ruby did not send me. I have come on my own and did not tell her my intentions." Glancing down, Jake steeples his hands and taps them against his lips. "It is her birthday soon and I wanted something very special, more special than trinkets." He looks up and meets the priestesses gaze and holds it. "Does it take money, is that why you are hesitant? I have money." "No, that is not the problem. I have told you I do not have the power or skill to do this. The goddess has not granted me this gift. I cannot simply banish her scars." Jane is starting to get agitated. "You know I would help Ruby if I could..." "No, I do not know that you would. Prove it to me and yourself. Pray to your goddess and ask for the power or the way." He lowers his voice but the tone is demanding. "Both of her scars came from fighting the enemies of the goddess. One of the bullets could have been meant for you but she was the one brave enough to stand up and show her faith. You may very well be alive today because of her. Who better to receive such a gift, she is clearly favored of the goddess. It seems a small thing to ask for one who risked her life so willingly in the name of the goddess. It seems wrong to me that a scar should EVER mar her beauty." She states, "Jake, no you do not understand…." He interrupts her sharply, "No, Jane, you do not understand. I want this for her very badly." He sighs and eases his tone. "Yes, it is a vain thing but it pains me so when I watch her. They are little enough, I hardly even notice them, but she is terribly distressed over them. She tries to hide them from me, from everyone. She also tries to hide how much they grieve her, but I have watched her. It breaks my heart. Please, Tell me what I must do to make it so. If you cannot banish them then put them someplace else." Jane looks at him questioningly and he responds, "I am just attempting to be creative. If you cannot banish them move them... or something. Give them to me instead of her or figure out something else." Jake steps very close to her. "Now, tell me you will pray. Tell me you will put aside your doubts and ask your goddess for a way. Tell me that you will take my request seriously." Jane sighs, "Jake, I...." but she looks into his eyes. He is hiding nothing now, those brown eyes are pleading and yet insistent and something else. Desperate perhaps? She has seen desperate lust before but this is different. Desperately in love? The priestess of Aphrodite sighs again. "I will pray Jake Cook. I will take your request seriously. I will do what I can but do not raise your hopes. The goddess has her reasons..." At the mention of the goddess a bitter look travels across his face and then departs. "Thank you, priestess. Thank you, Jane." He says to her, and she believes he is sincere. He moves quickly to the door and as he is closing it, he catches her eyes one more time and mouths the words 'thank you'. He stands outside her door silently for a minute, composing himself. He smoothes nonexistent wrinkles from his shirt and trousers. He makes a short shake, almost a shiver, and then walks quickly away. The long walk back to the bar does him good, letting his mind wander. When Ruby sees him walking across the large room towards her he is his old self. Confident, a slight spring in his step, his eyes on her and yet darting about the room taking in every detail of every person. Looking formal in his white and black, and yet not too formal without a tie or jacket. There was something about how he wore his 'poker outfit'; he always had them tailor made and they lay upon him with a comfort and a style like he was born to wear them. He stopped in front of her with a little smile on his face that was not quite a smirk and a twinkle in his eye. "Hi beautiful, buy me a drink? I am feeling lucky tonight." Then he quickly adds, "Heh, standing next to you I feel lucky all the time." Ruby immediately returns his smile with a warm one of her own. She faces the bar, "Mr. Grappini, how do you say 'the love of my life' in Italian?" He responds with a chuckle, "L'amore della mia vita." "Well then," she says, turning back to Jake. "I'd like the finest whiskey you have for l'amore della mia vita." "Right away Miss West, we can't be neglecting someone so important," he says and walks down the far end of the bar. She says, "Now, just how lucky are you feeling? You don't even have your lucky hat on, so it must be pretty lucky. As for me," she cocks her head to the side, "I don't feel lucky, I AM lucky when I'm around you." He says, "All the better then, we can toast to our good luck." While waiting for Grappini to come back with his whiskey Jake says, "Will you be angry with me if I trade five percent from my share in the saloon for the five percent here? We could not have a better partner than he, and it would not be a bad thing to have him turn his attention our way a bit." Jake glances down and drags his boot across the floor before looking up and accepting the glass from Grappini. "I just feel odd simply taking the share here." She replies, "Why would I be mad? It's your shares after all, I don't get to tell you what to do with your business." She holds up her champagne glass and twists and turns it in her hand. "Besides, I am completely and utterly jealous of you being a partner here and all the benefits that come with it and would do the same if I was in your place." "Heh, I am not even sure what all the benefits are." Jake shrugs. "I am just excited to be part of his business venture. It means a lot to me." Jake looks around the place. "After you dazzle them with your performance tonight they will be scheduling you to come back periodically anyway. So we would need a place to stay." Jake grins, "See it all works out." "Well, one of them is that nice dining room upstairs." Ruby is obviously jealous but she pushes the feelings away. Ruby shakes her head. "Enough of that. Let's toast to being lucky and successful." They clink their glasses and toast each other, ending with a kiss. "And I am very happy for you baby, I really am. This place is great." "So, are we staying up late tonight carousing? Drinking, dancing, gambling and all the fun stuff that comes with it? You look so handsome I want to show you off so everyone knows you are mine." She lightly fingers the buttons on his shirt. Jake's smile just grows broader. "The night is young." "Alright darling, good." Ruby finishes off her champagne and places the glass on the bar. "We're going to have to get some of this." She slides off her chair. "I'm going to get ready for the night. I want to play some cards too, I guess after I sing with Jane. Good luck until then." She kisses Jake again then hurries back to Jake's room. She had hung her gowns so the wrinkles of traveling would fall out. She chooses her fairly new and revealing red and black gown <a href="http://fan.inkstigmata.net/satine/89.jpg" target="_blank">http://fan.inkstigmata.net/satine/89.jpg</a> and takes time to style her hair elaborately. She doesn't change her regular jewelry but ends her outfit with a thin black velvet ribbon tied delicately around her neck. When she is satisfied she looks ravishing she heads off to find Jane for the night's performance. Jane and her Acolytes meet Ruby back stage to begin the evening's performances. Ruby is surprised to see an eight-piece orchestra arrive and take up positions on the far end of the stage, as their rehearsals were only with a single pianist. Ruby exclaims, "Wow Jane, I am impressed. You know, I don't think I've ever performed with as many people as you say are going to be here. It's so classy here too, I wasn't expecting all this." She smoothes her gown and hair and smiles. "I'm ready when you are." The evening performance begins. They perform non-stop for the next hour after which point Jane declares a break. The band members all get up to stretch and then head over to the long bar. Jane's acolytes fan out throughout the room, mingling with the customers. There appear to be around 125 people present, with all four poker tables, both faro tables and both blackjack tables mostly full. Jake is now standing with Mr. Michael Patrick, the two of them having moved to a front table during the dancing. "Looks to be going well. Almost time for Jake to head off and take care of a security concern. Perhaps our friend Mr. Alistair will pay a visit to the floor tonight?" Ruby sees Jake and Red together so she swaggers over to them, swinging her hips. She pulls her hair off her face and asks with a smile indicating she already knows the answer, "So, how did we do?" "Marvelous, simply marvelous," Red exclaims. "Why thank you, Mr. Patrick, we do aim to please," Ruby giggles. "So... I want to play some cards and dance tonight. Can you suggest a table for me to start at?" Red replies, "Start with Marybeth Osborne, she'll welcome having a woman at her table." Jake states, "Last time I was here she showed herself to be a fine dealer." "What are you going to do?" Ruby asks Jake. "I wanted to talk to you about something, if you weren't busy. It isn't that important." "I need to address a security concern sometime soon." Jake looks around to make certain no one is nearby. "We can talk before if you like or afterwards. Just do not recognize me if I look different between times." He turns back to Mr. Patrick "Before I forget, you were correct about Richard, he suspects or perhaps is sure and is just discrete." Red says, "Actually that's good, I can train him how to use the Alistair chain as well. As you've noticed, I trust him more than anybody other than you Jacob me boy. We have a loyal partner in him." "I was trying not mention the chain out here on the floor. I figured I would fill Ruby in later. If you trust him that is good enough for me." He makes eye contact with Ruby and adds, "You know about the chain. I will just wear it for a bit tonight, I will explain later." Ruby's brows come together. "I don't really understand Jake. I'll just go play cards. Please don't abandon me tonight though." She looks slightly worried. "No, do not be worried." Jake leans in close and whispers in her ear, "I am just trying to help Red. I will be wearing a disguise for a short while. I will be back to myself after not too long." Ruby waits until Red is done whispering to Jake before speaking. "Alright then darling, wish me luck. Perhaps I'll notice a new admirer if Jane wants me to sing with her again tonight." She offers Jake her cheek and after he kisses her she saunters over to Mary's table. "Miss Osbourne? I'm Ruby West," she says and offers her hand. "I'm here to play some cards, Mr. Patrick sent me to you." She smiles and says, "Ah yes, you're the companion of my partner Mr. Jacob....who I am now told is actually Mr. Cook. Welcome to the Three Gods Meeting House. I'll be pulling together a table in a few minutes. Do you have any playing preferences?" "Yes, I am Mr. Cook's girlfriend. I don't really have a preference, I have experience in a little bit of everything and I'm planning on having some fun tonight. I'm flexible," she smiles. Ruby orders her current drink of choice, champagne, and waits patiently for the game to begin. Jane walks past her at one point and she calls out, "Janie, I will be here playing with Miss Osbourne. If you want me for the next set come and get me, I'll be glad to." The four men who join Ruby at Mrs. Osbourne's poker table include City Councilor Charles Hummel, blacksmith John LaMont, store owner Charlie Seebeck and a cowboy named Ralph 'Texas' Wiley. "Hello gentlemen. Ruby West," she says and offers each her hand and a smile. "I hope you'll go easy on me tonight, I am on vacation," she laughs. They play for the next ninety minutes. The average pot ranges from a low of $ 5 to a high of $ 25. Ruby finds that all except Wiley are good players and he is soon out his $ 100 and gone. By the end of the game Ruby is $ 75 ahead. By her reckoning Osborne is up around $ 35, Seekbeck and Hummel are close to even and LaMont is down $ 10. Ruby is quite excited about her winnings but tries hard not to look for Jake to tell him about it. She knows she might recognize him and give him away, whatever he was up to. Instead she excuses herself and squeezes through the crowd to find Jane. She finds another drink, and then when she does find Jane she asks, "Would you like to do another set?" Jane agrees and the they head backstage. She lets her Acolytes continue to entertain guests on the floor, deciding that this will just be a duet. Ruby smoothes her hair and gown and finishes her champagne. She spins towards Jane, "How do I look darling?" she laughs. Jake asks Red to tell him how Mr. Alistair behaves and where he should put on the chain. Red gives Jake some instructions. They spend the next hour together out on the main gambling floor greeting people and wandering around. Near the end of the hour Ruby and Jane begin singing and dancing up on stage. Red says, "Let's head back out and try to find Mr. Cook." Mr. Alistair nods agreement and follows. Jake Cook returns to the main room dressed as before. Mr. Alistair seems to have retired for the night The Meeting House was packed and was close to the amount of people Ruby had performed for during the festival, which was the largest crowd she had ever commanded. It filled her with confidence and happiness to know she could make so many people happy with something that came so easily for her. Jane and Ruby seemed to have a connection, the complimented each other perfectly with their singing and dancing, and even their looks were different enough to satisfy a crowd. Ruby guessed it all had to do with the goddess bringing them together, but she wasn't sure. She hadn't really known Jane all that long but it was like they had always been friends. The performance, while not a ceremony, and the drink she partook in earlier, made Ruby giddy and lightheaded. Towards the end she starts searching the crowd for Jake, longing to be with him, hoping whatever he was doing was done. After the performance Ruby and Jane head into the enthusiastic crowd. They greet some of the patrons and it takes a while before Ruby finally gets back to the bar. "Mr. Grappini," she says bubbly, "I feel SO great right now! I'm having a wonderful time here. I'd like another drink please." She taps her lips, "You know what? I love surprises, why don't you surprise me with something different." Mr. Grappini laughs at Ruby and returns with some pink looking beverage. Ruby has no idea what it is, but she drinks it down anyway. She orders another champagne for her next. Feeling happy she turns from the bar. Speaking to no one in particular she exclaims, "I don't care what that boy is doing, where is he?" as she searches the large crowd for her man.</blockquote>

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