“Loveless,” he replied. “Long time.”
“Aye,” Broderick spat.
He hadn’t frequented these places since he had started his lucrative business. He had no need to be here any longer. He wasn’t interested in what they had to offer, especially now that he had his eye on a potential bride.
“I be here to claim me favor,” Broderick started, when a woman who was all bosom and smile brought him a glass of beer.
“What is it ya want?” Ewing spoke with very little mouth motion, so Broderick had to listen very carefully to know what Ewing was saying.
They both knew what the favor was, even though neither of them was all that willing to walk down that particular memory lane.
“I lost somethin’,” Broderick explained. “And I need you to find it.”
“That ain’t what I do.” Ewing slammed the empty glass against the wooden table, then called for another round, which was brought forth immediately. He smacked his lips at the refilled glass.
“Listen,” Broderick hissed, losing his patience. “I ain’t in the business of caring what ya do or don’t. I’m ‘ere claimin’ and you better pay up.”
Ewing gave him a long look, the eye above that scar squinting a little.
“What is it?” he asked again, as rowdy laughter spilled all around them.
“A white girl,” Broderick started. “She be as white as an angel. The darn bitch escaped, after everythin’ I’ve done for ‘er.”
“So, why do you need her back?”
“Because I paid for ‘er and she be mine!” Broderick growled, like a hungry dog defending his bone, vowing to gnaw at it. “Mine, til the day ‘er white eyelids close over those blue eyes!” He slammed his fist on the table, but Ewing didn’t even wince. “You need to find ‘er for me. Whatever ya need, I got the money. Just… find ‘er and bring ‘er to me!”
“If she’s as white as ya say, she won’t be that hard to find.” Ewing shrugged his shoulders, downing the rest of his drink.
“Don’t underestimate this girl.” Broderick shook his head. “She be sly like a fox. The worst of ‘em all are the ones that bite the hand that feeds ‘em!”
Ewing just nodded to this. Broderick didn’t care if he agreed with him or not. That was irrelevant. All he wanted was his help in finding her. He would do the rest. And enjoy it, immensely.
“We be puttin’ up a show down in Weselton.” Broderick got up. “I’ll be waitin’ for ya.”
“I’ll be there,” Ewing agreed.
Huddling his coat around his small-framed body, the one that was such a torment to him all of his life, Broderick rushed out of the tavern. He returned to the place where they had set up, on the outskirts of the neighboring town, Weselton, and found the rest of his wonders gathered around a fire.
No one had noticed him arrive. They all seemed to be deeply immersed in a conversation, and he believed he heard Rosalie’s name being spoken. So, he decided to use their lack of focus to his advantage. He slithered behind the nearest tree, crouching down. He was close enough to hear everything they were saying.
“I wish there was a way we could find out where she is,” the bearded lady spoke.
What Broderick always marveled at was that her lips were always rouged and yet, none of it ever transferred onto her beard.
“We might be putting her in danger that way,” the strong man reminded her. “You know why she fled in the first place.”
His shadow appeared to be that of a mountain. And that was exactly how strong he was, a mountain able to lift insane weight.
“We should have helped her,” she spoke again, regretfully.
“But how could we?” Annie, a girl born without arms, interfered. “Look at us. We are also at the mercy of that man, and there is nothing we can do about it. At least, she tried to get out and be free. In my opinion, she is the lucky one, whatever happens to her. We should all be worried about ourselves...”
She was the youngest of them all, and Broderick’s newest addition to the circus. Still, none of them brought in nearly as much income as Rosalie with her white skin and features of an angel. He knew he had to get her back, whether she wanted to come back or not.
He crouched down a little lower, wanting to see if any of them might mention something worth hearing. But all that followed was just them being sorry for not helping their friend. He had no use for such wailing.
Carefully, he returned to his wagon, vowing to give them all a piece of his mind in the morning, and punish them.
