moment.
Townsley rose from his chair and removed his hat, nodding first at the doctor, then Christy. “You ready to go, ma’am?”
Christy shot him a glance, torn between trying to get rid of the man and allowing him to help her. But right now family was uppermost in her mind, so she pushed her concerns about Townsley’s character aside. “Yes. I’m anxious to find my brother.”
He escorted her out the door and down the boardwalk. “It’s across the street on the corner. Can’t guarantee Josh will be at a table right now, but someone might know of his whereabouts.”
They crossed the dusty side street and stopped at a two-story building flanked across the front with large windows. Several decorative pillars propped up the overhanging roof, and a number of rough-clad men stood under the shade of the porch. Loud music blasted out the open door along with brash laughter and the tinkling of glasses.
Townsley touched her arm and halted her. “Why don’t you wait here, Miss Grey?”
Christy scooted sideways and peered around him. At that instant, the door swung open, emitting a miner who appeared to have imbibed liquor beyond his capacity.
The man swerved to pass her and paused, clumsily lifting his hat. “Good day, Miss. If you’re comin’ to work here, I’ll be back. Don’t see women like you around here very often.”
Townsley stepped in front of Christy and placed a hand on the man’s chest, shoving him backwards off the boardwalk. He hit the ground with a loud grunt.
Townsley towered over the prostrate man. “We don’t want you coming back here, mister. Go down the street and try Campbell and Hatch’s Saloon; they cater more to your kind.” He turned around and eyed Christy. “I don’t want to leave you outside. Most men in this town would never touch a lady, but there are those who might say something they shouldn’t. Would you be willing to step inside while I look for your brother?”
Revulsion surged inside Christy, and her stomach knotted. She’d seen far too many of these places and had never planned on setting foot in one again. “I’m not sure.…”
“I have a man inside who’ll watch out for you. No one will get near you while you’re here. I can’t say the same if you stand outside.”
“All right. It seems I must.”
Christy lifted her chin and followed him through the doorway leading into the noisy Oriental Saloon. Her eyes darted around the room, barely grasping the opulence spread before her. A piano and a violin both played a brisk tune not far from the end of the highly polished bar running the width of the room. Lush carpet covered much of the floor rather than the typical rough-cut lumber she’d been accustomed to in businesses like this. The mirror behind the bar reflected the gaming tables scattered around the room, as well as the women drifting from one to another serving drinks. Christy wrinkled her nose as cigar smoke hit her. She’d always hated the smell, and now she remembered why.
Townsley beckoned to a tall, slender man in a dark suit who stood back from a faro table. “Doc, I need you.”
The man called Doc moved forward, his gaze trained on Townsley. “How may I help?”
“This is Miss Grey, Joshua Grey’s sister.”
Christy noted a flash of surprise as the cold eyes met hers.
“I see.” Some other expression crossed his face too. Speculation or anticipation…she couldn’t be sure.
“This is Doc Holliday,” Townsley explained. “He’s usually at the faro table or sitting in a game of poker, but there’s not a man in the place who will trifle with him. You’ll be safe in his care.”
Doc brought his arm across his waist and bowed low. “Pleased, ma’am.”
Townsley dropped his voice, leaning closer to Holliday. “You see Grey today?”
“He was here earlier. Not sure if he’s still around. I’ll stay with the lady while you look.”
“Thanks.” Townsley pushed through the milling crowd.
Christy lost sight of him as he
Townsley rose from his chair and removed his hat, nodding first at the doctor, then Christy. “You ready to go, ma’am?”
Christy shot him a glance, torn between trying to get rid of the man and allowing him to help her. But right now family was uppermost in her mind, so she pushed her concerns about Townsley’s character aside. “Yes. I’m anxious to find my brother.”
He escorted her out the door and down the boardwalk. “It’s across the street on the corner. Can’t guarantee Josh will be at a table right now, but someone might know of his whereabouts.”
They crossed the dusty side street and stopped at a two-story building flanked across the front with large windows. Several decorative pillars propped up the overhanging roof, and a number of rough-clad men stood under the shade of the porch. Loud music blasted out the open door along with brash laughter and the tinkling of glasses.
Townsley touched her arm and halted her. “Why don’t you wait here, Miss Grey?”
Christy scooted sideways and peered around him. At that instant, the door swung open, emitting a miner who appeared to have imbibed liquor beyond his capacity.
The man swerved to pass her and paused, clumsily lifting his hat. “Good day, Miss. If you’re comin’ to work here, I’ll be back. Don’t see women like you around here very often.”
Townsley stepped in front of Christy and placed a hand on the man’s chest, shoving him backwards off the boardwalk. He hit the ground with a loud grunt.
Townsley towered over the prostrate man. “We don’t want you coming back here, mister. Go down the street and try Campbell and Hatch’s Saloon; they cater more to your kind.” He turned around and eyed Christy. “I don’t want to leave you outside. Most men in this town would never touch a lady, but there are those who might say something they shouldn’t. Would you be willing to step inside while I look for your brother?”
Revulsion surged inside Christy, and her stomach knotted. She’d seen far too many of these places and had never planned on setting foot in one again. “I’m not sure.…”
“I have a man inside who’ll watch out for you. No one will get near you while you’re here. I can’t say the same if you stand outside.”
“All right. It seems I must.”
Christy lifted her chin and followed him through the doorway leading into the noisy Oriental Saloon. Her eyes darted around the room, barely grasping the opulence spread before her. A piano and a violin both played a brisk tune not far from the end of the highly polished bar running the width of the room. Lush carpet covered much of the floor rather than the typical rough-cut lumber she’d been accustomed to in businesses like this. The mirror behind the bar reflected the gaming tables scattered around the room, as well as the women drifting from one to another serving drinks. Christy wrinkled her nose as cigar smoke hit her. She’d always hated the smell, and now she remembered why.
Townsley beckoned to a tall, slender man in a dark suit who stood back from a faro table. “Doc, I need you.”
The man called Doc moved forward, his gaze trained on Townsley. “How may I help?”
“This is Miss Grey, Joshua Grey’s sister.”
Christy noted a flash of surprise as the cold eyes met hers.
“I see.” Some other expression crossed his face too. Speculation or anticipation…she couldn’t be sure.
“This is Doc Holliday,” Townsley explained. “He’s usually at the faro table or sitting in a game of poker, but there’s not a man in the place who will trifle with him. You’ll be safe in his care.”
Doc brought his arm across his waist and bowed low. “Pleased, ma’am.”
Townsley dropped his voice, leaning closer to Holliday. “You see Grey today?”
“He was here earlier. Not sure if he’s still around. I’ll stay with the lady while you look.”
“Thanks.” Townsley pushed through the milling crowd.
Christy lost sight of him as he
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