Caroline was now openly laughing at Hettie's contrite act, she was so overdoing it. Even these gullible cowpokes were not going to believe that Hettie was going to actually open a Bible to ask for forgiveness.
"You should join the local acting troupe, old woman. Maybe they might have some appropriate parts for ya? Like a witch...or wait, a fallen woman. You wouldn't even need to pretend playing that," she called out as the whore and gullible cowpoke left.
Cade had indeed backed up Justus though, "Yeah, we really should be going. Nice meetin' you all though."
This place sure had quite the gals alright.
Sally now started on about how long it was going to take, Cade was no doubt confused but Caroline knew what she was on about. The girl did that sort of thing all the time.
"No so sure, think Justus there ain't gonna make Hettie happy this time around," Caroline countered.
"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.
Cade smiled up at her, "Ummm, suppose I could....Just one more though. For the road, ya know. Oh and for Miss Mundee a course. And for you, if yer allowed?"
Caroline was still grinning and glanced up at Sally, now Sally she liked so "Sure thing, if ya want, hon."
"Not so sure, think Justus there ain't gonna make Hettie happy this time around," Caroline countered.
Sally shook her head, amused at the saloon singer indulging her favourite hate (well, maybe after the boss man, Fortner). “Oh, Caroline, you’re just biased, Big Red’s had a very consistent season, I reckon she can pull him off.” she counter-countered. She knew that Caroline and Mr Flandry didn’t like having the prostitutes plying their wares in the saloon. Sally wasn’t bothered by them but then again, she had never really known the place without them, or without the somewhat sinister Mr Fortner in charge.
She suggested the nice-looking young cowboy get another drink while he waited.
Cade smiled up at her, "Ummm, suppose I could....Just one more though. For the road, ya know. Oh and for Miss Mundee a course. And for you, if yer allowed?"
“Oh…” Sally thought she might get in trouble, drinking while she was meant to be working, but Caroline encouraged her.
"Sure thing, if ya want, hon."
“Oh, all right, just a sarsaparilla, if that’s allowed Mr, er, …” she fished for his name.
Justus sighed and offered his arm to Miss Hettie, resigned to at least seeing her home, not that he thought she was in any danger of any danger. But he'd be sure to make quick work of the task, seeing the lady to her door, and that was it.
And now that they were outside, in the open, his libido had a chance to settle, and he had a chance to think. "I'm sure ya meant no harm, Miss Hettie," he assured her, "I know ya gotta do fer yerself, an' make what ya can, an' I'm sure God will know yer penitent an' forgive ya yer sins."
He patted her hand as they walked. "Dear God," he murmured, "see this poor sinner, she's shamed an' sorry fer tryin' ta trick a ol' cowboy who works real hard fer his money, an' who is tryin' his best ta walk th' path of righteousness. She wants ta be good, but Lord, it's so hard sometimes ta do th' right thing, ta resist th' temptation that th' Devil himself puts in yer path. She's gonna try harder, an' I'll do what I can ta make sure she stays on a worthy path!"
And now that they were outside, in the open, his libido had a chance to settle, and he had a chance to think. "I'm sure ya meant no harm, Miss Hettie," he assured her, "I know ya gotta do fer yerself, an' make what ya can, an' I'm sure God will know yer penitent an' forgive ya yer sins."
“Oh Justus, you are so kind and understanding… just being with you makes me want to be a better person” Hettie simpered, hugging herself closer to him.
He patted her hand as they walked. "Dear God," he murmured, "see this poor sinner, she's shamed an' sorry fer tryin' ta trick a ol' cowboy who works real hard fer his money, an' who is tryin' his best ta walk th' path of righteousness. She wants ta be good, but Lord, it's so hard sometimes ta do th' right thing, ta resist th' temptation that th' Devil himself puts in yer path. She's gonna try harder, an' I'll do what I can ta make sure she stays on a worthy path!"
God, he was talking to himself now. Sometimes the ones who talked to themselves could be dangerous, but she didn’t think so in this young rube’s case.
As they neared the side street where the ‘Gentleman’s Club’ was located she skidded to a halt, a fearful look on her face. “Oh Justus, I’m so scared… my heart is racing in my chest… feel.” She took his hand and placed in on her heaving white bosom, although to be honest, you wouldn’t have been able to feel an earthquake through those two massive mounds.
“It’s the old woman who runs the place, you see. She’s real mean, if she sees that I’ve come back without a man she’ll… oh she’ll beat me, Justus, oh, she beats me so bad. You should see my poor abused..." she gulped coyly "... posterior” She threw herself into his arms. It was the performance of a lifetime.
Then she sniffed and looked up into his eyes. There was something about her ginger complexion that made her blue eyes seem bluer than blue, even in the gloaming.
“You’ve been so kind to me tonight… I can hardly dare to ask anything more of you, but… would you…” she hesitated artfully “… would you come in with me and accompany me to my room, and… and just sit with me a couple of minutes before you go? Just so the old woman doesn’t beat me? We wouldn’t have to do anything, except maybe you could hold my hand? I think just having you hold my hand for a few minutes would make everything seem just so much better.” she cooed, keeping his hand firmly on her breast.
She was really on form tonight, that hypodermic of 10 percent solution she’d jammed into her thigh before she came out tonight was really doing the trick.
Justus wasn't sure it she was playing him or not. He did know that some of the 'proprietors' of houses and clubs could be demanding and cruel, but Miss Hettie didn't seem the sort to put up with that kind of things.
No matter, he was content to stand here with his hand full of heaving flesh as she related her tale of woe.
"Well, now, ya see, Miss, if I was just here on a whim, an' not part of an escort fer Miz Pike, I'd take ya up on that, but it wouldn't do fer me ta be goin' inta that sort of establishment."
He shrugged apologetically, then took her hand and kissed the back of it gallantly. "But tell ya what, you have that ol' crone come out an' I'll explain it all ta her."
"Well, now, ya see, Miss, if I was just here on a whim, an' not part of an escort fer Miz Pike, I'd take ya up on that, but it wouldn't do fer me ta be goin' inta that sort of establishment."
Damn!
This feller sure wasn’t making life easy for her, but Hettie Rosenkrantz could not be said to lack either determination or imagination in spades. She was determined to do something with Justus, even if just to rub the self-righteous Caroline Mundee’s nose in it.
“Oh, I understand entirely, Justus.” She gushed, thinking hard.
He shrugged apologetically, then took her hand and kissed the back of it gallantly. "But tell ya what, you have that ol' crone come out an' I'll explain it all ta her."
“Oh, you truly are reminiscent of a White Knight on his stead, rescuing a poor damsel in distress” she simpered while he slobbered all over her glove. “But I’ve got an even better idea… if we go up this side alley we’ll get to a place where I can climb in a window and I can get to my room without her seeing me.”
She peered up the narrow space between the knocking shop and the funeral parlour, which had seen many a seedy assignation in its time “I… Oh, it’s awful dark down there, I'm scared, but if you’d hold me close and keep me safe, I think I can face it. Then you could come right back out and go and look for dear old Mrs Pike.” she suggested.
"Miss Hettie, I do believe you are tryin' ta lead me down th' path of temptation!" Justus peered down the alley, finding it no more dark than any alley during the day. "I don't see no one there, Miss Hettie, an' I can stay right here an' keep an eye for ya."
She was good at what she was doing, and Justus was trying to be polite, but he was running out of options.
"See now, Miss Hettie, yer real pretty, an' sweet an' all, but..." But he hadn't stopped walking, and they were already half-way down the alley. "Um...here, let's sit here fer a bit if ya want ta chat."
He indicated some crates, knowing that chatting wasn't really on her mind, but it was his only offer.
"See now, Miss Hettie, yer real pretty, an' sweet an' all, but..." But he hadn't stopped walking, and they were already half-way down the alley. "Um...here, let's sit here fer a bit if ya want ta chat."
Chat?! She liked the boy but frankly she wasn't here for the conversation.
"Oh Justus, just gimmie a dollar, get your diddler out and do me up against the wall will ya, for Heavens sake!" she blurted out, somewhat losing patience now "Unless you're a..."
The scales fell from her eyes. He whole manner changed and she threw her arms around him like a mother would.
"Oh Justus, I am so sorry. I didn't realise!" she cooed in his ear. She released him and looked up into his eyes, giving him a sympathetic smile. "You should have just said. Look, we can pretend we did something if you like, if you need your friend to think we did. Just, don't worry about it, I know lots of fellers who are... peculiar, and I love every one of 'em."
She took his arm and started to lead him back to the saloon, patting his hand as she did so.
"Now you just let me know if you want me to connect you up with any other fellers o' the same persuasion. Very discrete, like. You'd be surprised at how many pansies there are in a town the size of Kalispell" she told him helpfully.
"Now, Miss Hettie..." She'd gone too far this time, and Justus detached from her and stepped away. "Yer surely not helpin' yer cause. Yer wrong, an' just not every man wants ta...ya know, an' that don't mean he's...that way."
Maybe he was 'saving' himself for the right gal, or maybe he just felt awkward with something so private being made public? No matter, he was done trying to be polite.
"Yer real pretty, Miss Hettie, but..." Well, she wasn't genuine, and while he understood some of why she wasn't, he wasn't interested in her games.
"Now, Miss Hettie..." She'd gone too far this time, and Justus detached from her and stepped away. "Yer surely not helpin' yer cause. Yer wrong, an' just not every man wants ta...ya know, an' that don't mean he's...that way."
"Uh...?" Hettie looked at him like he was a two-headed monster. "Well if you ain't one of those peculiar fellows, why don't you want to have a little fun with me? I can't be that ugly!" she queried, starting to lose her patience now.
"Yer real pretty, Miss Hettie, but..." Well, she wasn't genuine, and while he understood some of why she wasn't, he wasn't interested in her games.
Then it hit her and her shoulders sagged.
"Oh ___, ... you're good aren't you?!" she snarled in chagrin, "Well ____ me, what a waste of time!!!" and with that she turned on her heel and started to march back to the saloon to look for another John, leaving poor old Justus standing in the street - well, poor in some ways maybe, but rich in many others.
