Read Online No Less Than the Journey by E.V. Thompson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: E.V. Thompson
Ads: Link
working.’
As Wes digested this confession, Anabelita said, ‘I really am very grateful to you … may I call you Wes? The young man was hurting my arm very much. Had he continued to twist it for a few more minutes it is likely I would not have been able to deal cards comfortably for a few days. As it is… I will take the rest of tonight off. By tomorrow I will be fit and well once more.’
At that moment there was an outburst of sound from the crowd about the roulette table as a number came up on which one of the players had placed a large sum of money.
‘It’s noisy in here. When I’m working I don’t notice it, but it’s difficult to have any sort of conversation … shall we go outside – that’s if you are quite happy to talk with me … but perhaps you would rather I didn’t bother you?’
‘You’re certainly not bothering me,’ Wes assured her, hurriedly, ‘In fact I feel privileged to have your company all to myself – but let me buy drinks and we can take them out to the rear deck space with us.’
‘Taking drinks is a great idea,’ Anabelita agreed, ‘but you won’t need to buy them. After what you have done tonight you will not need to pay for any more drinks while you are on board the Missouri Belle. ’
It would appear that someone had already briefed the bartender in the saloon. Pouring generous quantities of bourbon into two glasses, he passed them across the bar to Wes, explaining, ‘These come with the compliments of the company, sir. We all appreciate what you did for Anabelita. She’s very popular with all of us. Despite the complaint by the Senator’s son, she doesn’t have a dishonest bone in her body.’
‘Thanks, I’ll tell her what you’ve said about her. She’ll be well-pleased.’
Anabelita had chosen to sit in an open-sided deck-space behind the saloon. Above it was the top deck of the paddle-steamer, where the pilots’ house was situated.
The only light here came from the night sky, through the open sides. The lack of lanterns was intended to deter mosquitoes and other night insects that might otherwise be attracted to them.
Anabelita was waiting for him in one of two comfortable seats placed close to the stern rail. Here, noises from the saloon and the tinkling of an out of tune piano being played on another deck of the vessel were lost in the sound made by the paddle-wheel at the stern of the Missouri Belle as it thrashed the muddy waters of the river into a foaming wake.
There were possibly a half-dozen others sharing the deck space, but their features were lost in the darkness, their conversations impossible to be heard.
Placing a drink in Anabelita’s hand, Wes warned her, ‘I don’t know how used you are to hard liquor, but I should take it easy with this one. The bartender is obviously a fan of yours, he’s given us both enough to floor anyone not too used to drinking.’
Her teeth showing white in the darkness, Anabelita replied, ‘That will be Frank. He takes a fatherly interest in me – as he did with the girl from whom Lola took over as a croupier. Sometimes, if it was quiet out here when we closed the tables the three of us would sit here for a while to slow down – and watch the sun come up if it had been a particularly long night.’
‘How did you come to be gambling on a riverboat in the first place?’ Wes asked. It was more to make conversation than for any other reason. Lola had already told him how Anabelita’s career had begun.
‘That’s a very good question,’ she replied ruefully. ‘As a young girl I thought I was going to be a schoolteacher. At least, that’s what my mother always told me. She was teaching in a Mexican school in California when she and my pa met up.’
‘I believe your pa was already a gambler then?’
There was just enough light for Wes to see her head jerk up in surprise at his question. Then Anabelita asked, ‘Was it Lola who told you about my pa being a gambling man?’
‘Yes, she’s been
As Wes digested this confession, Anabelita said, ‘I really am very grateful to you … may I call you Wes? The young man was hurting my arm very much. Had he continued to twist it for a few more minutes it is likely I would not have been able to deal cards comfortably for a few days. As it is… I will take the rest of tonight off. By tomorrow I will be fit and well once more.’
At that moment there was an outburst of sound from the crowd about the roulette table as a number came up on which one of the players had placed a large sum of money.
‘It’s noisy in here. When I’m working I don’t notice it, but it’s difficult to have any sort of conversation … shall we go outside – that’s if you are quite happy to talk with me … but perhaps you would rather I didn’t bother you?’
‘You’re certainly not bothering me,’ Wes assured her, hurriedly, ‘In fact I feel privileged to have your company all to myself – but let me buy drinks and we can take them out to the rear deck space with us.’
‘Taking drinks is a great idea,’ Anabelita agreed, ‘but you won’t need to buy them. After what you have done tonight you will not need to pay for any more drinks while you are on board the Missouri Belle. ’
It would appear that someone had already briefed the bartender in the saloon. Pouring generous quantities of bourbon into two glasses, he passed them across the bar to Wes, explaining, ‘These come with the compliments of the company, sir. We all appreciate what you did for Anabelita. She’s very popular with all of us. Despite the complaint by the Senator’s son, she doesn’t have a dishonest bone in her body.’
‘Thanks, I’ll tell her what you’ve said about her. She’ll be well-pleased.’
Anabelita had chosen to sit in an open-sided deck-space behind the saloon. Above it was the top deck of the paddle-steamer, where the pilots’ house was situated.
The only light here came from the night sky, through the open sides. The lack of lanterns was intended to deter mosquitoes and other night insects that might otherwise be attracted to them.
Anabelita was waiting for him in one of two comfortable seats placed close to the stern rail. Here, noises from the saloon and the tinkling of an out of tune piano being played on another deck of the vessel were lost in the sound made by the paddle-wheel at the stern of the Missouri Belle as it thrashed the muddy waters of the river into a foaming wake.
There were possibly a half-dozen others sharing the deck space, but their features were lost in the darkness, their conversations impossible to be heard.
Placing a drink in Anabelita’s hand, Wes warned her, ‘I don’t know how used you are to hard liquor, but I should take it easy with this one. The bartender is obviously a fan of yours, he’s given us both enough to floor anyone not too used to drinking.’
Her teeth showing white in the darkness, Anabelita replied, ‘That will be Frank. He takes a fatherly interest in me – as he did with the girl from whom Lola took over as a croupier. Sometimes, if it was quiet out here when we closed the tables the three of us would sit here for a while to slow down – and watch the sun come up if it had been a particularly long night.’
‘How did you come to be gambling on a riverboat in the first place?’ Wes asked. It was more to make conversation than for any other reason. Lola had already told him how Anabelita’s career had begun.
‘That’s a very good question,’ she replied ruefully. ‘As a young girl I thought I was going to be a schoolteacher. At least, that’s what my mother always told me. She was teaching in a Mexican school in California when she and my pa met up.’
‘I believe your pa was already a gambler then?’
There was just enough light for Wes to see her head jerk up in surprise at his question. Then Anabelita asked, ‘Was it Lola who told you about my pa being a gambling man?’
‘Yes, she’s been
Similar Books
