such as I need large names to give us weight and consequence.“
“You’re teasing me.“
“I say thee nay, dear Lacey. I would not tease the person with whom I intend to spend the remainder of my days.“
Lacey’s eyes widened. “You saying you mean to marry me? We just met, here, now.“
“But the heart knows, sweet Lacey. And it is ancient in its knowledge! I have no doubt our essences danced together in the stardust eons before this wondrous night.“
“But how would we live?“ Lacey asked.
“My dear, surely you have heard of J.T. Farnsworth, world-famous scribe?“
Lacey stared at him, a blank expression on her face.
I am a wordsmith, my dear. A spinner of yarns! A weaver of tales! A pugiling pontificator!“
Lacey yielded no reaction.
“A writer,“ Farnsworth grumbled.
“—A writer?“ Lacey asked, scratching her head. “Of letters and such? I just don’t think—“
“My father is filthy rich , Lacey. Help me get out of here, and his gratitude would be without end.“
The light of greed filled Lacey’s eyes.
“Lacey!“ Garrett’s voice shouted from downstairs. “What the hell’s taking you so long, woman?“
Farnsworth’s eyebrows pyramided in expectation. “Yes, then—?“
Lacey looked Farnsworth up and down.
“You swear on the name of the baby Jesus your daddy is rich?“
“My dear, I don’t see what such frivolities—“
“Do you fucking swear it or not?“
Farnsworth sighed.
“Very well, then. I swear it on the name of the baby Jesus .“
“Swear what?“
“That my fucking daddy, as you say, is rich. Do we have a deal, then?“
“You bet your cute, rich ass we have a deal, Mister, uh, oh, Jonathan .“
“Excellent.“ Farnsworth held Lacey at arm’s length. “Here is the plan: you must lift the key from that jackanapes of a bounty hunter. When he and everyone else are asleep, secret your way back in here and then we shall abscond for my home. Agreed?“
Lacey nodded, but she would never have a chance to fulfill the bargain.
Neither of them would.
Farnsworth brought Lacey in close and kissed her full on the mouth. Whether by choice or habit, she accommodated him.
“Lacey!“ Garrett called. “Get your ass down here! Now!“
“I got to go.“ Lacey pulled away from Farnsworth and grabbed some towels from a cabinet across the room.
“Until tonight!“
Farnsworth blew Lacey a kiss as she exited. When the door was shut, he danced a jig, the shackle at his ankle rattling with the effort. Then J.T. spotted the knife still lying out of reach on the floor and cursed.
“A mazing—“ Corporal Martinez said. He held a candle in his hand so that he could examine the doc’s patient more closely. Night had fallen, and though no one in the saloon knew it yet, death followed close behind.
“Fucking unbelievable is what it is!“ Hank said. “His guts were lying out all over the table, and now he’s sitting up—?“
Doc Howard wiped his bloodied hands with his apron. “Just goes to show you, never underestimate the Irish!“
Hank cursed under his breath as he stomped off.
The doc placed his hand on his patient’s shoulder. “But I must admit I’ve never seen anything like you, lad.“
The patient—Private Hector Sanchez—lay upon the saloon table propped up on one elbow. He absent-mindedly stroked the blood-stained bandages wrapped around his midsection with his free hand.
“Like the wounds was healing up faster than I could sow ,“ the doc said.
“It ain’t natural.“ Hank stood beside Gertrude and Reverend Phillips at the piano, Lacey’s arms encircling his neck.
“Fucking right it ain’t natural.“ Robby joined at the others by the piano. “ Goddamnest thing I ever did see.“
“Mr. Garrett,“ Captain Arrington said, his voice a knife’s edge. “If you have any modicum of influence over these men, I suggest you tell them to keep their opinions to themselves.“
“Hush,“ Garrett whispered through gritted teeth.
“You’re teasing me.“
“I say thee nay, dear Lacey. I would not tease the person with whom I intend to spend the remainder of my days.“
Lacey’s eyes widened. “You saying you mean to marry me? We just met, here, now.“
“But the heart knows, sweet Lacey. And it is ancient in its knowledge! I have no doubt our essences danced together in the stardust eons before this wondrous night.“
“But how would we live?“ Lacey asked.
“My dear, surely you have heard of J.T. Farnsworth, world-famous scribe?“
Lacey stared at him, a blank expression on her face.
I am a wordsmith, my dear. A spinner of yarns! A weaver of tales! A pugiling pontificator!“
Lacey yielded no reaction.
“A writer,“ Farnsworth grumbled.
“—A writer?“ Lacey asked, scratching her head. “Of letters and such? I just don’t think—“
“My father is filthy rich , Lacey. Help me get out of here, and his gratitude would be without end.“
The light of greed filled Lacey’s eyes.
“Lacey!“ Garrett’s voice shouted from downstairs. “What the hell’s taking you so long, woman?“
Farnsworth’s eyebrows pyramided in expectation. “Yes, then—?“
Lacey looked Farnsworth up and down.
“You swear on the name of the baby Jesus your daddy is rich?“
“My dear, I don’t see what such frivolities—“
“Do you fucking swear it or not?“
Farnsworth sighed.
“Very well, then. I swear it on the name of the baby Jesus .“
“Swear what?“
“That my fucking daddy, as you say, is rich. Do we have a deal, then?“
“You bet your cute, rich ass we have a deal, Mister, uh, oh, Jonathan .“
“Excellent.“ Farnsworth held Lacey at arm’s length. “Here is the plan: you must lift the key from that jackanapes of a bounty hunter. When he and everyone else are asleep, secret your way back in here and then we shall abscond for my home. Agreed?“
Lacey nodded, but she would never have a chance to fulfill the bargain.
Neither of them would.
Farnsworth brought Lacey in close and kissed her full on the mouth. Whether by choice or habit, she accommodated him.
“Lacey!“ Garrett called. “Get your ass down here! Now!“
“I got to go.“ Lacey pulled away from Farnsworth and grabbed some towels from a cabinet across the room.
“Until tonight!“
Farnsworth blew Lacey a kiss as she exited. When the door was shut, he danced a jig, the shackle at his ankle rattling with the effort. Then J.T. spotted the knife still lying out of reach on the floor and cursed.
“A mazing—“ Corporal Martinez said. He held a candle in his hand so that he could examine the doc’s patient more closely. Night had fallen, and though no one in the saloon knew it yet, death followed close behind.
“Fucking unbelievable is what it is!“ Hank said. “His guts were lying out all over the table, and now he’s sitting up—?“
Doc Howard wiped his bloodied hands with his apron. “Just goes to show you, never underestimate the Irish!“
Hank cursed under his breath as he stomped off.
The doc placed his hand on his patient’s shoulder. “But I must admit I’ve never seen anything like you, lad.“
The patient—Private Hector Sanchez—lay upon the saloon table propped up on one elbow. He absent-mindedly stroked the blood-stained bandages wrapped around his midsection with his free hand.
“Like the wounds was healing up faster than I could sow ,“ the doc said.
“It ain’t natural.“ Hank stood beside Gertrude and Reverend Phillips at the piano, Lacey’s arms encircling his neck.
“Fucking right it ain’t natural.“ Robby joined at the others by the piano. “ Goddamnest thing I ever did see.“
“Mr. Garrett,“ Captain Arrington said, his voice a knife’s edge. “If you have any modicum of influence over these men, I suggest you tell them to keep their opinions to themselves.“
“Hush,“ Garrett whispered through gritted teeth.
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