He shook his head. “I’ve been hearing rumours out of Cheyenne. City folk are looking to buy claims around Ironwood, but they’re keeping it on the downlow. They’re offering less than the purchase price, but most are desperate enough to take it.”
Alice regarded him. A new seam of coal hadn’t been discovered in Ironwood in years, and most thought their claims weren’t worth the paper the deed was written on. Some still toiled on, more out of habit than anything else. Seth, though, had been convinced his claim was different, and Garrett through his testing thought the same. It could be these city folk knew something the people of Ironwood didn’t…or it could be they were just rumours, and only that.
Crossing her arms, she rubbed the bend of her elbow. Garrett had spoken before about Winchester Coal wanting to do business in Ironwood. She knew the Winchester man stayed at the Bartel boarding house, and he was looking to go back East with his family on account of the lack of interest he gained from Ironwood folk. If it had been Winchester again, Garrett would have just said. This, then, could only be something completely different. “Anything else?”
“Cornish- and Welsh-men are setting up camp on the edges of town, almost like they’re biding their time. If I had to guess, I would say a coal-mining company is looking to set up in Ironwood, and one day soon. They’ve paid those men their passage from Cornwall and Wales, and now they’re setting them up as cheap labour.”
“Winchester Coal?”
He shook his head. “Something larger than Winchester.”
Larger than Winchester. Christ Jesus. Winchester were the biggest player in all of Wyoming, perhaps even in Colorado as well, and for this company to be bigger meant they were probably based in the East, in a city like Chicago or even New York. If they were, they would have more money than God and the will to use it.
“Do you think I should sell?” she asked.
His hand tightened around his glass. “It ain’t my decision.”
“No. But I would like your opinion.”
He looked her direct. Bright blue eyes, the colour of the sky on a cloudless day, held hers. “I think there’s coal in your claim, Mrs Reynolds. I think I’ll find it, and when I do, you can make a better-informed decision. At the very least, they won’t be able to only offer a pittance.”
She nodded, her thoughts a tumble. Turning her contemplation to the saloon, she noted Llewellyn still occupied his table, still with a glass full of whiskey. She needed a distraction, and she had promised him a drink, hadn’t she? Llewellyn, if nothing else, was a distraction.
“If you have the time and the inclination, come by the claim.” Garrett’s blue eyes held hers steady. “It may be it will put your mind at ease.”
“May be it would.” She offered him a wan smile. “Thank you, Garrett.”
He tipped his head, his gaze sliding again to where Pearl was.
Murmuring a farewell, she made her way to Llewellyn’s table. The carpets muffled the click of her heels as she weaved through the patrons, and she nodded greetings to those who gave them. These greetings didn’t deter her from her purpose, and she arrived before Llewellyn’s table without his notice. She counted that somewhat of a feat, what with how he regarded the Diamond and her guests with such intensity. “Good evening, Mr Llewellyn. May I join you?”
Head swivelling toward her, he wore a look fraught with surprise before he covered the expression with an empty-headed grin. “Why Mrs Reynolds, thisisa pleasure! Of course, dear lady, please sit.” Jumping to his feet, he rushed to the chair before her and pulled it out.
Hesitant, Alice sank into the chair he held. When was the last time a man had pulled a chair for her? Maybe Seth, when she had first come to Ironwood, however that was so long ago, it could be she confused what she had imagined with what had occurred. Manners and being all polite and such were of value, but they weren’t necessary. In Ironwood, sometimes you needed only what was necessary. Not that she required a man to hold her chair for her. She had two arms, and they worked as they ought. She could hold her own damn chair.
Llewellyn bounded back to his seat, and grinned as he folded his arms on the table. “To what do I owe this pleasure, Mrs Reynolds?”
His grin made her heart leap. Damn his prettiness, she’d have to be stone not to respond. “You seemed lonesome, Mr Llewellyn. What more reason is required than that? It seems to me you’ve been working on your glass for a mighty long time, though. Can we interest you in something a bit fresher?”
“Oh, I couldn’t trouble you.” Leaning forward, his dark eyes lured her to conspiracy. “I’ll tell you a secret—I cannot abide the stuff. However, I do believe one can train oneself to like things, do you not agree?”
See, now, this was why she was suspicious. He said all the right things, made all the right actions, but for a second—forlessthan a second—amusement burned in his eyes, almost as if hedaredher to share the joke. It was like when his accent slipped all over again. Sheknewthere was something beneath the buffoon, someone a hell of a lot smarter than he would have her believe. And if he weren’t a fool, then her damn inappropriate thoughts made sense. He weren’t what he was supposed to be, and of course she would find that intriguing.
Well hell. She would have to think on this a spell, and what such a thing might mean that she thought him so pretty.
As for the moment, his deception only made her want to pierce it. “I reckon you might be right. Why don’t we freshen your glass, and then we’ll see if we can’t teach you to adore something new.”
His eyes widened slightly. Quickly, though, he recovered. “It sounds a delightful plan! But I fear you have a task before you, to teach me such a thing.” Here he laughed heartily, but she fancied she heard an uncertainty laced beneath.
That decided her. She would try to befuddle him some. If nothing else, it would be entertaining to see if he could maintain the façade with a few drinks in him.
Gesturing to the barkeep, she maintained a genial smile as two glasses and the best bottle of whiskey the Diamond had were brought to the table. Llewellyn watched all this avidly, as if every action was of the utmost interest. He was good, she’d give him that. Taking up the bottle placed before her, she poured a finger of whiskey for both him and herself and set his glass before him.
Picking up the glass, he sniffed it cautiously. “While I do enjoy trying new things and learning a new appreciation for said things, I cannot believe I shall ever like this drink. It is a terrible failing on my part, but I’m sad to say I do not think my opinion shall change.”
“Come, you’ve not given me a chance to change your mind.” She traced the rim of the glass with her finger. “Once you allow the flavour upon your tongue, I’m certain you’ll swoon with delight.”
He seemed fascinated by the path of her finger on the glass. “If you believe so, then I will do my best.”
