"So now, Justus, you gonna give Annie some business?"
"Oh, well..." Not that Justus was particularly against spending time with Miss Annie (he couldn't help but wonder if she was as wild as the mare from the Rocking P's remuda), but it was something he thought should be more...well, private, and not announced to a whole saloon full of drunk cowboys.
Fortunately, he was saved from a reply when Tight Green Dress sashayed in, gushing about Cade, but then focusing on Justus, extending her hand that easily directed his gaze along the arm and to the pale flesh that was fighting with the narrow frame of lace...
Suddenly remembering his manners, one of the few good things his pa taught him, Justus staggered to his feet, nearly tipping his chair as he reached for her hand. At that point, he wasn't exactly sure what to do, so he shook it by the fingertips. "Miss Hettie. I'm Justus, an' this here's Cade..."
Suddenly remembering his manners, one of the few good things his pa taught him, Justus staggered to his feet, nearly tipping his chair as he reached for her hand. At that point, he wasn't exactly sure what to do, so he shook it by the fingertips.
Hettie let him move her arm up and down like a water pump and successfully hid her amusement at the rube’s attempt at gallantry.
“Oooh, what a firm grip!” she sighed.
"Miss Hettie. I'm Justus, an' this here's Cade..."
“Oh, I already know all about Cade!” Hettie winked at the cute young cowboy. “It’s you I’m longing to know more about, Justus.” Looking at the ungainly young cowhand like he was the most fascinating creature in the world.
“But please don’t stand on ceremony, sit right down” she said, pushing him back into his seat. She then looked round with a frown “No seat for Hettie? Oh well, I’ll just sit on your knee, shall I, Justus? We’re all friends here, after all.” she smiled and plonked her big backside down on the lad’s lap. The chair legs creaked a little.
“Oooh! I expected it’d be soft but you’re all hard and bony, isn’t that funny? Lemme just get comfy…” she grunted as she wiggled her butt around “… maybe you’d better put your arm around me so I don’t fall off” she suggested. "I wouldn't want to be known as a 'fallen woman'."
“Oh, I already know all about Cade!” Hettie winked at the cute young cowboy.
"You do?" Cade knew nothing about this woman, had never met her. And when he was in the room with Annie, they didn't really do much talking about anyone or anything. Just got right to it.
“But please don’t stand on ceremony, sit right down” she said, pushing Justus back into his seat. She then looked round with a frown “No seat for Hettie?"
Caroline looked up, "Nope, guess not. There are other tables though."
"Oh well, I’ll just sit on your knee, shall I, Justus? We’re all friends here, after all.” she smiled and plonked her big backside down on the lad’s lap. The chair legs creaked a little.
"Well, not ALL," Caroline commented dryly.
“Oooh! I expected it’d be soft but you’re all hard and bony, isn’t that funny? Lemme just get comfy…” she grunted as she wiggled her butt around “… maybe you’d better put your arm around me so I don’t fall off” she suggested. "I wouldn't want to be known as a 'fallen woman'."
"Even though you are one," Caroline gave the woman a smirking smile.
"Oh, um, Miss Hettie!" Justus' face turned as bright red as the woman in question's hair as she plopped on his lap, stirring things that were best stirred in private! "Yer, um...'comfy', I hope?"
At least Caroline seemed to sense that he wasn't comfy, but was trying to remain polite and controlled, but it wasn't easy. "So, um, can I buy ya a drink, Miss Hettie?" He'd had enough himself, in more ways than one, but if it would lighten the situation a little...
"So, how ya know Cade there? He ain't been around town much more'n me, an' most'a that's business." Deflect attention!
Hettie brushed off Caroline's comments, she was used to them and, quite frankly, in her profession nobody lasted long who wasn't pretty thick skinned. Also, she thought she could guess at the reason that the girl was so down on ladies of her particular calling.
She concentrated on preparing Justus.
"So, um, can I buy ya a drink, Miss Hettie?"
"Oh no thank you, Justus, but aren't you just the most perfect gentleman for asking?! No, you see, I'm the kind of girl who never lets a man spend money on me without giving him something tangible in return." she smiled genially.
"So, how ya know Cade there? He ain't been around town much more'n me, an' most'a that's business."
Hettie laughed "Oh, I only mean I can see the kind of man Cade is. I'm pretty good at reading a man's character, you know. But you, Justus, there's something 'different' about you, something mysterious and intriguing. I'd do anything to get to know you better." she flattered him. They weren't meant to openly solicit so she took advantage of her closeness to him to whisper in his ear.
"It's usually $2 for ten minutes or $4 for half an hour, but I'll do you half an hour for $2 because I really, really like you." she confided, doubling her normal price and then halving it.
Then she said out loud. "Say Justus, it's a little stuffy in here, I don't suppose that you'd be gentleman enough to escort me back across the road? I think I need a little lie down. Whatdya say?" she asked lightly.
@[Bongo] Wayfarer
Yes, Cade wanted to know also how this woman claimed to know him, cuz that was a lie.
She explained it, kind of. He wasn't sure he understood it but it vaguely sounded insulting to him. Annie treated him nicer. But he wouldn't argue with a woman. It was obvious the saloon girl did not like this Hettie though.
She then whispered in Justus' ear so he couldn't hear what was said. Though he could guess. Caroline only confirmed it.
"Oh here comes the part where she tells her victim the prices but gives him a great deal though because she thinks he's something special," Caroline announced.
"They do that every time," she huffed.
Seemed that Caroline knew what Miss Hettie was up to, and it actually made sense to Justus, since he didn't think he was anything that special, and he understood that the ladies were primarily interested in making money.
But the girl had specifically asked him to see her safely across the street, presumably 'home', and he couldn't honorably turn her down, could he?
"I can see ya safe home, Miss Hettie," he agreed, trying to nudge her from his lap, "but then Cade an' I gotta be on our way. We brung Miz Pike ta town an' she'll be about wantin' ta get back home before dark." He glance hopefully at Cade.
Hettie was furious inside, that wasn’t the first time Mundee had interfered to try and stop the working girls picking up a John. Really, what was her problem? After all, they didn’t go around blabbing that Caroline was bilking the customers under false pretences, coaxing them to buy her coloured water under the pretence of getting her ‘drunk ‘n’ willing’.
Still, she handled it with her usual professional aplomb: after all, if life handed you lemons, you just had to convince people that lemons were worth their weight in gold, (screw all this ‘making lemonade’ stuff!)
She affected to be stung by guilt at Caroline’s words and pulled a face of remorse, throwing her face on the young cowpoke’s chest and gripping him close as she sat on, well, not quite his knee.
“Oh Justus, dear Caroline is right, it was all just a ploy… I am that desperate… can you ever forgive me? I think you will, for I can tell that you are a good man, Justus a good, good man.” she even managed to squeeze out a little tear.
“I think I’d better go home and think about what I’ve done and get out my bible and pray for forgiveness…” she glanced nervously at the swing doors “Oh, I hope I don’t get attacked again. People can be so cruel to we poor unfortunates who have fallen on hard times.”
"I can see ya safe home, Miss Hettie," he agreed, trying to nudge her from his lap, "but then Cade an' I gotta be on our way. We brung Miz Pike ta town an' she'll be about wantin' ta get back home before dark." He glanced hopefully at Cade.
She slid of his lap (there was a slight twanging sensation as she did so – must’ve been one of her corset bones) and she stood before him, her not inconsiderable bosom heaving, and stooped down taking his hand; how the heck her boobily-joobilies stayed contained in their encasement of crinoline was a miracle of sartorial engineering. “Thank you, Justus, you are a true gentleman of the old school. And I’ll make sure you’re back in plenty of time for Miz Pike. Shall we?” she cooed.
She walked out arm in arm with the young cowman, sparing only a second to give Caroline a triumphant smile and poke out her tongue.
As they hit the fresh air, Hettie took a big breath and put her arm through that of Justus and sighed “Oh Justus, isn’t this a lovely evening?” as they walked across the road. “I wish we had longer together, when will you be back in town again?” Hopefully next payday, she pondered.
As soon as Justus and Hettie had exited, Sally Cutts, with a big smear of what looked like soot on her nose, swooped down on Caroline and Cade.
"27 minutes past!" she panted, looking at a very battered old pocket watch in her hands, of the type given to old soldiers on reaching so many millennia of service, it had clearly once had a very thin patina of silver on it, but now mostly showed the cheap metal beneath.
"Hmmm, if he went out with Big Red, I reckon he'll be gone 'till just on the hour." she frowned. This obsession with timing the gentlemen was getting out of hand, but she had to have a hobby, and this one was free, at least. Waiting on tables, cleaning spittoons and doing the odd lady's hair didn't earn her a lot.
Her eyes darted between Cade and Caroline.
"You'd better have another drink, Sir, I think your friend might be some time... oh, and I guess you'll want to get one for the lady?" she suggested, looking at the handsome young cowboy with big brown saucer eyes.