Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 1881493" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter Fifty-one, “The Pianist”, January 7th, 1882:Ludwig Von Beethoven had written five piano concertos and the one that Stanley Barker was now playing was the final of these. Of all the concertos this was the only one that Beethoven had never performed in public due to his declining hearing. It was written most likely in 1809, the year that Beethoven's contemporary Joseph Haydn died. Haydn's death and funeral had a profound impact on him and it is said that much of the piece reflects those emotions. Concerto Number Five in E-Flat was first performed in 1810. Jake didn't know any of that history, but he was familiar with this piece of music. It was one that his perfectionist piano teacher had loved and had forced Jake as a boy to spend hours at the keyboard attempting to learn. So Jake was aware that this was a very long piece of music, taking just under twenty minutes to play, and that the pianist had another six or seven minutes to go until he would be finished.Kate poked her head into the kitchen and saw Maggie tidying up. "Do you have a moment?" Kate asked nervously as she stepped inside. "I wanted to talk to you about the new addition. You see, when you first mentioned it, I thought you intended to put in rooms for rent." She paused and took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't about to hurt Maggie's feelings too much. "Well, anyway, I wanted to tell you how grateful I am that you want us to come and stay here. You've been so kind, and I can't say how much I appreciate it. But I think we must continue to stay at the El Parador. I hope you're not very disappointed."  On impulse Kate reached out and took Maggie's hand. "I think you should add that third floor and make it a lovely home for yourselves. Why should you have just the one room? You could have a parlor, and a large, peaceful room for yourself."Maggie replies "Tom is too practical to add on extra space for just us and his Father would never approve of more space for us either. We could rent out more rooms, but I really think that you and Ruby should both reconsider. The El Parador is no place for a lady. You probably don't realize it, but they actually have harlots living there." She pauses for effect at that, assuming that this will be a revelation to Katherine. Maggie continues "I'm sure that neither you or Ruby would ever really be comfortable staying at a place that promotes prostitution. You two have been staying there now to be near your friend Jake, but there will be room for him here too, as long as he doesn't do as bad at the poker table tonight as he did yesterday.  Oh, I'm just teasing you, I'm sure we can find something else for a nice man like him to do around here other than gambling. It may just be that poker is not his game. Cousin Teddy will be coming out next week with Tom's Father to help build the new floor. Teddy deals a card game known as Faro, which he might be able to teach to Jake.   Trust me, you will all be much better off under the same roof as Tom and myself. I can hardly wait, I've missed having a friend to talk to.""Maggie, I'll be glad to come over and visit you every day if you like. In fact, I'd hoped you wouldn't mind if I stopped by tomorrow to play the piano, just for myself, to practice you know. But I really believe we must stay at the El Parador. I believe Ruby values her freedom to come and go as she pleases without worrying anyone, and I must learn to live on my own for a while.  And of course, there is Nanuet. He is not employed here, and the El Parador is the only place where he can stay.  I'll ask Ruby if she wants to reconsider, but I don't think the answer will change. I'm so sorry to disappoint you, I didn't know it meant so much to you."She replies "Oh, I've just been lonely I guess. Seeing Flossie again last night just brought back all the old memories. We were best friends and nearly inseparable. I guess it's just selfish of me to want another relationship like that again.   Kate replies, "It's not selfish at all. Everyone deserves a good friend. But we can be good friends without living under the same roof." Kate leaned forward and kissed Maggie's cheek. "I've been learning all about lonely, Maggie, and I don't like it either." Kate paused a moment. "I know why you want us to come here, but why is Mr. Whipple willing to spend so much to bring us here?  Maggie replies, "It won't cost that much, as we will be doing the labor ourselves. Only the supplies, and since the lumberyard and brickyard owners both play here Tom thinks he can get a good price." Oh, and of course you are welcome to come over here tomorrow. Sundays is the light day of the week, as we don't even open for business until suppertime.  My Father believed that regular church attendance was important and hosted Sunday services at his Tavern and Inn in Denver, and I've attended services ever since. We don't have a Greek/Roman church in this town as of yet, but on one Sunday a month a traveling priest holds services at the town hall. On the other Sundays Tom and I attend a weekly prayer service that Judge Lacey runs next door at his store. If we're not around when you want to use the piano just go next door and get us and one of us will unlock the saloon for you."Ruby winks at Jake, gets up and goes looking for Katherine. She hears her in the kitchen talking with Maggie, overhears some of the conversation and decides to let Kate handle it.Kate says, and if it's not too nosy of me, what was the falling out between he and Flossie about?"  Maggie’s face goes pale and Katherine senses that she has hit upon a very sensitive area. But Maggie then immediately recovers and gives the explanation "They had a disagreement over some advice that Tom's Father had given to him. We should both get back outside, they will be need waitresses about now."  "Of course," Kate said mildly. She put her arm around Maggie's waist and they left the kitchen. She went about her work as the music wound toward it's ending. Maggie was holding something back about Flossie. She looked over toward Tom Whipple. Maybe it really did have something to do with his father's advice. Or maybe it had to do with Tom's wandering eye. She shook her head. She'd have to wait until the night was over and see if Ruby noticed anything."Of course," Kate said mildly. She put her arm around Maggie's waist and they left the kitchen. She went about her work as the music wound toward it's ending. Maggie was holding something back about Flossie. She looked over toward Tom Whipple. Maybe it really did have something to do with his father's advice. Or maybe it had to do with Tom's wandering eye. She shook her head. She'd have to wait until the night was over and see if Ruby noticed anything.Ruby realizes that Kate is busy so she goes back over to where Jake is sitting. She puts her head near to Jake’s and whispers… ”Jake, what are we going to do tomorrow? I don’t think the coach leaves us much time to find and talk to Earp and the girl and we can’t be gone forever or Kate will be suspicious. She’s probably suspicious at it is…” Jake scratches his beard a moment and then says, "One of us needs to get to the coach people tonight. We'll bribe them to leave earlier tomorrow morning and to make good time. And we'll also have them depart late from Tombstone." He smiles an evil looking smile. "I would imagine all that hard driving on the way over will require some wheel maintenance." “Jake!” she says narrowing her eyes. “You rascal!” Ruby pauses to think it over. “…But it works,” she says with a crooked smile to match Jake’s.  "I don't care what time we get back, although any other customers might. Heck, we can buy all the seats if we had too, although we can probably do the convincing at a minimal cost. Just cause we have the money doesn't mean we should be in a rush to spend it. Whoever gets a break first should go take care of it.  Oh I have plenty of things I want to spend money on and that’s not one of them. If you do go let me know and if you don’t see me around that means I went. Ok?” Jake nods his head in agreement. Ruby decides while she is waiting to sing to introduce herself to the people sitting at Job's / Jake's table. She walks over and sits in Jake's empty seat. She turns to the ranchers. "Hi, I'm Ruby. And you are?" She does keep one eye on door to the kitchen, waiting for Katherine to come out.The woman totally ignores her, continuing to watch the piano playing, but the four men at the table all give her their undivided attention.  "Al Brower," the relaxed man says, "I've been here every night this week to hear your pretty little voice but we've never been formally introduced." The two cattlemen introduce themselves as Tempel Morand and Bart Hoople.  The man in the bow tie says "And you must be the Ruby West I've heard so much about. Tell me Miss West, where is it that you are staying here in Promise City?"  Ruby turns to face him. "And you are?" she says smiling sweetly.Al Brower laughs and says “Nothing devious about his question Miss West. Eddie is the postal clerk for the United States Post Office here in Promise City. He just wants to know where to deliver any mail that he gets for you.” "Oh I'm sure I won't be getting any mail. No one knows I'm here. But if Eddie wants to bring me something he can bring it here." Ruby winks at him.  Ruby continues to flip her hair and flirt with the men at the table until Jake is ready to start his game. She does keep an eye on the mysterious woman.The pianist stands up. The woman sitting at Job’s table leaps to her feet and begins a round of applause. The others at that table also stand and applaud and others in the room join in the clapping. The man steps away from the piano bench and takes a bow. Maggie walks over to the man as the applause dies down and the players at Job’s table retake their seats. As the woman moves to sit down again Jake gets a brief glimpse of her right leg through a slit running up the right side of her skirt. What has caught his attention isn’t the momentary look at one of her shapely legs but rather the pearl-handled revolver strapped to the outer side of her high leather boot. Three things to remember, Jake says to himself. Carries a gun, a pearl handled gun, and is right handed. He waits patiently for his last player like it was a card being dealt.Maggie announces “Once again we are pleased to have Stanley Barker share his musical talents with us. Those of you who do not know Stanley should make it a point to stop by his photography studio over on Sierra Street between Front and Allen. It’s the best photo studio in town. Stanley will be back later this evening to play for you again.”"He's here every Saturday?" Kate whispered to Maggie. "I may have to start coming down early to listen." Maggie replies, “Yes, he is a marvel at the keyboards. My playing is mediocre at best compared to his. After we lost Flossie his Saturday night concerts were a gift from the gods. That was the only night of the week where we would have more patrons than you could count on your fingers. He refuses to put out a tips cup or take any money for his playing. All that he asks is for me to say a few kind word about his photography studio and at the end of each night for me to play a few slow songs for him and his wife to dance to.”"Oh, that's lovely," Kate said quietly. "Is that her at Jake's table?" she asked, even as she remembered dancing with Tom and blinked back the tears that threatened. She definitely needed a quiet day, Kate thought to herself. She must be terribly tired to be so emotional.Maggie replies, “Yes, that's her. Her passion for poker is second only to her passion for her husband. She’ll only allow him to play during breaks in the poker game since she refuses to split her concentration between what she calls ‘her two loves’. That usually means he only gets do short pieces until after the game is over. Tonight was a real treat for him, getting to play two long pieces in a row. They make a very interesting couple. She’s thirty-eight years old and he’s only twenty-three. They’ve been married for a little over a year now but they’ve worked together as business partners for close to five years. When they’re here she insists that he keep a physical distance from her until after she is done playing poker, since she says that he throws off her concentration. But that changes the instant they hit the dance floor together, when they both act like a couple of lovesick school children.”Kate picked up the tip cups and put one of the stage for Ruby and the other on top of the piano. Ruby was still talking at the table, so Kate played some pretty German folk songs while she waited. There was no way she would play any classical following Mr. Barker.</blockquote>

Verification