Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Deftly, Addy went about tightening the saddle, then making sure that the bridle was properly set. These were actions she'd done since she was a toddler, and really didn't have to put much thought into it.
"There ya go, all ready." Grinning, she nodded to the man, then headed to the tack room to get halters for the stage horses, and hopefully, she'd find another coat stored there...the cold was starting to get to her. It was a pity, though, that she couldn't grab the harness that was there, but there as no room for it in the wagons, and she'd just have to hope it was there when she had a chance to come back.
"I'll get these horses ready, an' just pony 'em back ta where th' wagons are." She glanced at Jay. "So, do ya live here in Whitefish?" she asked as she started to slip a halter on one of the big draft animals.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
"Thanks, mam." Jay said while he stood back and let Addy finish the work, that he should be doing.
For a moment he looked down at the small cat, who had curled up in the sling. He should probably leave her here in the barn, where he found her but the snow was too high for her to survive.
Gently he ran that gloved hand over the small back and decided to take care of her for now.
When Addy asked about his residence, he contemplated lying to her and saying that he lived in Whitefish but other residents would quickly tell her differently. So he decided for a different story.
"No, I wanted to visit my uncle for a while but he doesn't seem to be living there anymore."
He briefly thought about how much of a story he should fabricate. Maybe he should distance himself from the gang with his words.
For now he decided against it.
He took the reigns and walked the horse towards the stable doors but he could hear the wind howling outside. Through the gaps Jay could see the snow traveling sideways.
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
Taking a last look through the tack room, Addy found a poncho that she gratefully slipped on, then she gathered the lead ropes for the three horses that had been in the barn and swung up onto the big coach horse that she'd ridden out. At least the wind was dying down, and she knew it was better down off the hill, in town.
"'Bout an hour's ride," she said as they started out, then curiosity got the better of her. "Where ya from, if ya don't mind me askin'? Don't sound like th' south nor th' north." He had an accent that she'd never really heard before and couldn't place.
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Jay knew that he shouldn't give away any personal information. He'd already given her his actual first name, which was probably a mistake. His origin, however, impossible to hide even though he tried to blend in.
As soon as they left the shelter of the barn, the wind and cold crept right back into his bones. "Oh, I wish there was a warm bath where we're going...your home town."
After a little while he added. "I'm from Canada but my parents were English settlers." That wasn't true but close to the truth. After all his path had taken him through Canada.
"It's even colder up there."
He made a face and pulled the cat a little closer to his body.
The ride was exhausting but at least he had now snacked on some beef jerkey.
"You're the first lady, that I've met who drives a coach. Your husband's?"
Perhaps she was just filling in.
The path took them across some snow covered fields and through a forest where the snow wasn't so deep so they got ahead faster.
"Thank you for your kindness by the way. Sleeping in the barn at such temperatures isn't good for anyone."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"It's even colder up there."
"Colder?" Addy shook her head. "Don't need ta be no colder'n this, thank ya very much! Grew up in Tennessee, got cold, but nothin' like this." She didn't mind the cold to a point, but sometimes it just cut through you and stuck around. "Might could get ya warm bath, but at least ya'll have a warm place ta sleep an' hot food."
"You're the first lady, that I've met who drives a coach. Your husbands?"
"No, I work for a company, but I do own my own freight wagon an' horses, so when I ain't drivin' th' stage, I got that ta keep me busy." She grinned. "Got a husband somewheres, good man, but after we both sobered up th' first day, we decided it weren't fer us an' went out ways."
"Thank you for your kindness by the way. Sleeping in the barn at such temperatures isn't good for anyone."
"I agree on that." Addy glanced at him with a shake of her head. "Blizzard wasn't so bad by th' time it came through Kalispell, so we didn't know how bad it was here 'til word came in, an' then th' drifts were too deep ta get th' wagons through for a couple'a days."
The road topped a low crest, and they could see Whitefish below, in a shambles. Trees were blow over, snow covered ruined buildings, but there were other parts where the snow had been melted by fire. And from here, the rescue activity was evident -- all manner of conveyances, wagons, buckboards, buggies, and people were moving about through the mess.
"That there's th' stage, we'll take th' horses there." She nodded to the bright red Concord stage in the middle of town. "They got food an' such set up in th' church, I hear. We'll see when we get there."
(Moving us into the 'Deadly December' thread)
Retired Characters and NPC Writer.
Addy certainly was an interesting person...drunk marriage and then parting ways. It actually made Jay chuckle a little.
When he looked at the path, the hill and finally the town below it dawned on him that they were not going to her hometown right away but back to Whitefish. He wanted to object because there was a big chance that, despite his bandana and the absence of the others he might be discovered.
But how could he explain that he suddenly didn't want help anymore?
After all the lady was armed and he not willing to shoot her after she helped him, nor was he in any shape to outrun her.
"That's not your hometown, is it?" He played dumb and stopped to look at the scene below.
The heavy snowfall probably made her want to take the main road with the horses.
Silently he contemplated, who could identify him. Most likely only the old lady, who had taken a shot at him. Since she was busy taking care of another woman, she would hopefully not be there.
So he followed Addy down the winding hill. "What are you going to tell them? After all I'm not town folk. I think I'll just ride on. There are people down there, who need help much more than me by the looks of it."
Sit down, shut up, don't touch anythin'
"Tell 'em?" Odd question, but Addy shrugged. "Just that I found ya in th' barn up there. Reckon it was as good a place as any if ya don't have a place in town." She chuckled. "An' that ya went there ta rescue a little kitten, good sort that ya are."
They headed down to the main street of Whitefish, picking their way around the rubble, and Addy was amazed at the destruction that could be seen from this approach. "Likely a good thing ya weren't in town fer that blizzard, like as not would'a been killed." The stage barn had made a good refuge for the kid.