Lucas took a moment thinking of the blue dressed woman. She'd traveled all those miles, arrived here safely and much to his delight, were more than a bit attractive. Knowing Jim had an eye on her limited his choices of what he would do, but after Jim's return to Stillwater...
After Lucas quiet locked the door, he refilled his glass of Lernid's before settling behind his desk to examine the leather pouch. It showed no evidence of being tampered with. Lucas hadn't expected it to. Anna Ruth Taylor was one of Miss Molly's. No questions about that, though the possibilities of her being a whore were slim... Very slim. Molly would never trust a 'shaded' lady like she did this one... Still, he wondered how she'd been chosen.
The long, slender wooden box gave him pause. It was only the fourth time he'd even seen one like it. Like all the others, it were made of cherry wood and shone soft like a dying red sunset. The red wax seal on the envelope were intact. Opening the heavy envelope, he read the letter twice before striking a sulfur match n destroying the news and instructions it held. Although they'd hoped it wouldn't happen, the country was going to war...
------ 0 ------
Debra Ann sipped at her tea, half listening to the chatter between her two daughters n Luna Garcia. For whatever reason, the women had let go of the problems that had been lingering in the slow warming air when she first arrived. The younger of the Blake n Garcia clan were playing a close by game of tag, some of the girls sitting quiet on the steps of the long porch playing with their dolls. The older boys were watching Luis and Smoke playing horseshoes hoping for either man to invite them to maybe toss a few. The two men shared thoughts as they moved from one end to the other, neither caring two hoots or a damn about the score...
"I em not sure my friend. She were a she-bear all day... Then wanten n needin' after the sun went down..."
The powerfully built man shrugged his shoulders.
"...twice Luis. Neveer twice in manee, manee years."
Luis Tee bent to collect the special made for throwin' horseshoes, handing Smoke his.
"I been with Debra Ann for so long that I figured there weren't any surprises left."
He smiled n winked.
"Then this mornin'..."
The thicker man's toss sent the ringin' sound of iron hittin' steel n then rattlin' around the pounded in metal post some forty feet away. Luis Tee's throw made near the same sound...
*
"More tea Ma'am?"
Connie had been listening some from inside, between the open window n screened door. She'd learnt more about life listening quiet like she was to the older women then all the years of farm living n church n socials n such. Linda Jean looked to her mother. A quick nod answered the unasked question.
"Add a pinch of the lemon grasses from the yellow topped jar."
Connie slow smiled as she headed back inside. She'd already added a pinch at Mrs. Blake's request when she were first charged to make the tea earlier in the day. Linda Jean were working hard to quiet her sister then. Their chatter soon became edged with a soft laugh here n there as the women continued their talk.
"They make no sense Sister. You slow do as they ask n then there's something else."
"Not with Smoke."
"Always with Lucas."
Tiffany Ann bit her tongue before adding,
"Stephen never changes!"
That brought more laughter.
"Girls, the younger ones have been down long enough. You tend to your sister n little brothers now."
The girls knew there was going to be some talk that they weren't to hear. Not one questioned their grandmother. Luna looked to Linda Jean, excusing herself after meeting Linda Jeans eyes.
"I'll keep an eye on 'em Miss Debra."
"Thank you, Luna."
There was an expecting silence until Connie retuned with the tea pot refilled. The very youngest of the Ladies knew her place and left without a word. Debra Ann slow sighed.
"I need your thoughts on something girls."
It weren't what she said, but how it was said.
"I'm having a bit of a quandary with Luis."
Her blue eyes settled on her oldest daughter.
"The only reason I'll be speaking to the both of you is Linda mite have learned some things from Lucas with all those books he reads."
Tiffany Ann, for the first time in many years, had flashes of her first husband Jack Seasons as he slipped through her mind. She bit her lip thinking about him n Jist Bob and Mathew Billings. Both daughters, almost as one, each took one of their mother's hands.
"I-I wish there were a book or another way... I just don't see it. What I Do Not want is judgement. Maybe we can all learn a little something."
Linda Jean took note of her older sister's wettin' eyes and paling face. This was sounding like one of those things the two of them had long ago agreed not to speak of. Taking a deep breath.
"Mama, Lucas n I never Talk about those things. He has his own way n you know that is pretty much that."
Linda Jean slow stood up.
"I keep nothing from Lucas. Never have. I expect what your about to say might be asking me to do that. I think it best I tend to the things that need doing and let you two talk."
She kissed her mother's cheek n met her eyes hoping she understood. The young grandmother smoothed the front of her dress.
"We all do what we have to do Linda Jean..."
She looked up at her daughter.
"... I only asked so you wouldn't feel left out."
She saw J.D. in her youngest's dark eyes. Oddly enough, she understood. She mite be Luis Tee's blood, but she would always be J.D.s daughter...
------ 0 ------
Anna Ruth Taylor was still spell bound. The plain man standing next to her was slow working the scented soap into the thickest washcloth she'd seen since losing her elegant home in the not to long ago. He'd already gentle washed her hair after talking her into yet another new experience. The soft falling water made her feel cleaner than she had ever felt before. It wasn't like a sponge bath where after she bathed, and someone might pour water over her. It wasn't like the small water fall she'd bathed in on her and Jacob's honeymoon.
The water fell gentle when he tugged on the wooden handle attached to a small chain. The water was fresh n near warm as it fell softly over her body. Jim's hands had ruffled her hair under it as she stood in the tiny room. Now they were almost caressing her with the scented soap filled cloth. He was gently cleaning every inch of her alabaster skin: each nook n cranny, her fingers, then kissing the tip of each one. He lingered on her swelling again nipples, under her arms and gently between her thighs. She felt the warmth growing deep inside, same as after when she had begged him to stop the night before after making her feel things she never even imagined.
The water stopped and he knelt in front of her, easing her back against the smooth, wet wood. His tongue was once again searching the tender opening to her body. She felt the heat grow even quicker with the wonderful feelings his tongue drug from deep inside. His touch was like Miss Molly's, though the older woman had never given her near the attention Jim Crawford did. She was somewhere between tender and near sore deep between her now parted thighs. His wide flat tongue slid up and down the delicate skin sending ripples of pleasure like those over the ocean on a quiet day. She mewed like a kitten asking soft for him to stop.
He didn't.
She felt his fingers slow opening her wider, pressing his lips over the hard nub that
turned the ripples to waves. She tangled her still wet fingers in his thinning hair, pulling him closer as she pushed her bottom tighter against his mouth. The waves in her tender little pussy exploded like thunder in her belly. She felt herself sliding down the slick wall. His knurled hands slid upwards, catching her under her arms and then drawing her close. He slow rocked her like a crying child. Then she felt his hard length between her thighs. It felt like he was lifting her up and then closer with it before turning her toward the table that held the few coverings that they'd worn to this special place...
*
Lucas Blake watched as Sally's sweet, pale hips moved slow up down, his steel hard pecker shining as it slid deep inside her weeping, pussy. Her hands were resting on his knees as she slow fucked him, watching the lurid sight of her bobbing up n down in the same mirrors she had so for so long now. It was one of the few things that Lucas had gifted her that first year after their agreement. She watched as he wet his lips watching close from behind her.
She knew Lucas and wanted more, slowly settling on his hips n grinding a bit. Dragging her fingers up over his thighs, she laid back onto his scarred chest. She loved how his hands started the long practice of fondling her breasts and tweaking her hard red tipped nipples. She loved how they made love. She'd never felt closer to him than she did tonight.
They discovered something new: something that would only add to their little adventures.
He'd pooh-poohed her about taking a quick peek at his friend and the new arriving woman as they made love. She'd seen Jim often during the many times he had taken a gal to the special dining room and then to the bedroom off its side. The older man was well learned and an exceptional Lover.
She'd noticed Jim strutting a bit when he arrived to town. She took note of the way he hovered over the blue n black dressed woman. She also knew if there was any way he could bed the younger lady, he most certainly would.
Sally might have known Jim better than Lucas did in some ways. She envied Anna Ruth Taylor in an odd sort of way. Jim was one of the few men she would happily bed if Lucas asked. He was a pussy lapper of the best kind. That man took his time and searched every bit of the gal he was enjoying, bringing them pleasures they never thought of. In certain ways he was a lot like Lucas, paying attention to details n such. But she also knew he didn't have the steel in his backbone or strength of Lucas Blake...
------ 0 ------
Blue stood along the slow-moving stream, one bared foot tite on the ground, the other on a large, water-smoothed rock. The quick made spear were held just above his shoulder as he waited for maybe another trout looking to gather his breakfast from the small eddy on the edge of reflecting daylight. Two good sized fish were already laid up next to the tree where he planned on spendin' the night.
He seen two other trains belching black smoke from their red painted, cinder-stained stack: the brass whistle behind 'em sometimes letting a shrill scream of steam scaring any bird or other critter that might be lingering anywhere nearby. Seemed like one a day would pass, the first going and the next coming from what he figured was Stillwater. Some trains were longer than others carrying everything from folks to cows to horses and once a low flatbed filled with hogs. Blue had never seen five hogs together let alone what must've thirty or more.
A flip of a tail sent the spear's tip through another trout and gave Blue cause to leave the place he'd been hunting for the better part of the morning. Less than an hour later, he was finishin' the last of the trout. The shade of the tree and a full belly slow put him to sleep. The fussing of the Pinto brought him fast awake.
"Hello in the camp!"
Blus stepped up, the leaning Henry rifle against the tree fillin' his hand as he did. A slow-moving man were nearing, leading a black mule with brown stockings behind the Chestnut horse he rode n his rifle's end pointed skyward.
"I got the makin's for sum coffee if you got a pot that'll hold water."
"I do n welcome to ya."
