"I'll ask around," Justus told her as he led the horse into the sunlight, "it's far enough off I can work some extra, so I don't think it'll be a problem."
It would give him some time to plan what to wear, and, well, what to do. He could ponder things out, then ask Mrs. Pike to send a note for him. Probably be good to take her to supper, but that shouldn't be the Lickskillet, since she worked there, and certainly not a chop house at a saloon, but the hotel was pretty expensive. Well, he'd worry about that if he could get the night off.
"Is this theater place in town?" He looked back at her, pleased to see she was doing all right...she had moxie! "Or do I need ta see about gettin' us a buggy?" He hoped not, that was an extra expense!
" ... - - - ... "
"... course, in them days there was only really the Chisholm Trail and the Goodnight Trail...."
Standing by the buggy, Muley's words swept over Hector unheard as he watched Justus lead the horse out of the stable. Mounted side saddle, Constance looked like a beautiful medieval Queen!
He felt a combination of attraction to Miss Staub and resentment for the simple cowboy whose attentions she had accepted. It was the usual green eyed God - Jealousy. He owned it. It was illogical, he knew, and it wasn't Justus' fault. But he was lonely: why didn't girls like him? He had been intimate with Miriam, and she had rejected him... there must be something wrong with him.
He shrugged. Maybe tomorrow he would meet the right girl; maybe in a week; maybe next month. No, he decided that May would be his lucky month. For some reason that comforted him.
"Is this theater place in town?"
"Yes," Constance then explained it's exact location by mentioning the buildings on either side of it. ooc: Damned if I know where it is!
He looked back at her, "Or do I need ta see about gettin' us a buggy?"
"A buggy? Good heavens, why? I live in town with my uncle. You can ride into town then stop by to escort me to the theatre. It's not a long walk. Cowboys can walk, can't they?" she teased.
"Or I can meet you at the theatre door?" she offered but that was hardly proper date behavior.
"I can walk!" Justus defended, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. He was accustomed to being teased by the other hands, but it was different coming from Constance. Still, he knew she was just goading him, and he didn't mind one bit!
"I can pick ya up!" he insisted, "maybe even a little early if yer a mind ta have supper at th' Lickskillet." He grinned. "I hear th' waitress is kinda cranky, but th' food's real good!"
"I can pick ya up!" he insisted, "maybe even a little early if yer a mind ta have supper at th' Lickskillet."
"Oh?" Constance hadn't considered it.
He grinned. "I hear th' waitress is kinda cranky, but th' food's real good!"
"What?" Constance faked a mix of shock and anger, "Where do you hear that? Yes, the food is excellent but the waitress is the best part of the experience. Good service, fascinating conversation, and there are some who even say she is pretty enough in a fashion."
"Oh, well, you know, they'll say anything they have to to keep customers." He gave her a cheeky grin as stopped by the wagon and turned to help her down. "Guess we'll just have to see."
He reached to help her to the ground, looking down at her for a few seconds before backing a step and shrugging. "I'll let'ch know if I can't make it, but I don't think it'll be a problem. Thank ya fer comin' out ta tell me. Nice day fer a drive, though."
He glanced at Hector and gave him a nod, not sure if he was feeling a twinge of jealousy or not.
"Oh, well, you know, they'll say anything they have to to keep customers." He gave her a cheeky grin as stopped by the wagon and turned to help her down. "Guess we'll just have to see."
"They huh? Are you saying that Mrs.Lutz and I are liars? Watch it, cowpoke," Constance grinned then allowed him to let her down with a firm grip on her waist.
"Thank you, kind sir. I like the horse too. Thanks for showing him to me," she paused to pat the huge animal on its long forehead, "Nice horse."
"I'll let'ch know if I can't make it, but I don't think it'll be a problem. Thank ya fer comin' out ta tell me. Nice day fer a drive, though," Justus said his goodbyes then. Least for now.
"I sure hope so, I for one am looking forward to this. Both the performance and the company," she let him know.
As for nice day for a drive, she disagreed but wasn't going to tell him. It was too brisk and she had been cold the whole trip and now would have to repeat the journey. Still, if he did take her to the play, it would all be worth it.
She turned then to Hector, "Are you ready then?"
" ... - - - ... "
She turned then to Hector, "Are you ready then?"
Hector, after returning Justus Gibbs' curt nod with one just as curt, had been sitting on the buckboard with studied indifference. The main thing was to look like he wasn't interested in the slightest in the shapely and pretty Miss Constance Straub. He pretended to find the backside of the horse that was pulling the buggy much more interesting a prospect to contemplate.
Jealous as he was of Justus, he also felt an odd sort of fellow feeling: he found himself almost willing the lunk to give the girl a kiss, just a peck on the cheek. Anything!
Well, the feller had more self control than he did.
He nodded at Constance's question and gave the horse a loud "Hup!" and tugged the reins a little.
Hector waited a good while, in fact until they were past the Rockin' P sign before he finally asked Constance "Well, how'd it go?"
At the exact same time, Muley Dickens was sidling up to Justus.
"Well, son, how'd it go?"
@[Wayfarer]
Once firmly seated, Hector urged the horse on and soon enough they left the ranch behind, beginning the ride back to town. It was just as cold as before but somehow Constance had a warm feeling inside of her just from spending time with Justus. Back home everyone would be horrified she was mingling with such a bumpkin but she no longer cared. She liked him, so far. And it seemed like he liked her right back. Maybe the upcoming theatre date and dinner would turn out such that she would now have herself a beau.
Hector then spoke up, "Well, how'd it go?"
"Quite well, thank you. He seemed quite confident he could make the performance and we had a nice little talk, the three of us," answered the young woman.
"That would be myself, Justus, and Muley, his horse. Muley didn't have much to say though," she smiled, in a very good mood now.
Watching as the wagon pulled away, Justus was mulling over the brief visit with Miss Constance, feeling a bit warm and fuzzy, yet trying to deny that he felt anything, much the less fuzzy. After all, she'd just come out here to pass on information about the show, right?
But he'd enjoyed having her here, showing her how to help groom Mule, helping her get comfortable around the beast. And as pretty as she was, she was confident and brave, and how could you not admire that?
"Well, son, how'd it go?"
Startled, Justus jumped a little at the intrusion, not sure how to answer the question, especially without having the leisure to think on it.
"It went all right," he muttered with a shrug, "she come ta give me a message 'bout some sorta play thing some fancy gal from back east is doin'." He looked at Muley. "She sat on Mule fer a bit, real good, since she's afraid'a horses."