Idle Hands ~ Chapter 2
Angela Manning stretched herself and looked out at the day through a slit in the curtains. She sighed to herself frowning slightly.
"Leave it," she barked, as a maid went to take the breakfast tray.
"Fetch more pastries and then, start running my bath." She instructed as she once again sat to nibble on toast and preserve.
"Ugh, and bring another pot of coffee, this is foul" she said putting her cup down into the saucer.
Angela was beautiful to the untrained eye. She had white porcelain like skin and glossy chestnut coloured hair that fell in curls around her heart shaped face. But looking closer at this delicate creature, there was a hardness to her eyes and mouth. She would tell you she doesn't suffer fools gladly, the truth was that she was a cold hearted creature with little compassion. Her staff were forever on edge, subject to her moods and whims. Many a morning a maid hurried about her bedroom trying to do something right for her mistress with unshed tears brimming in her eyes as Angela chipped away at her confidence reprimanding her constantly and calling her every name under the sun.
Today was a good day, she just barked orders and read the gossip column in the morning paper.
She emerged from her room dressed in an elegant silk creation from Paris. The low but modest neckline was finished with fine Irish lace and the bead work on the bodice took some skilled seamstress hours to complete. The whole ensemble smacked of affluent elegance.
~o~
"You're finally awake. Well it is only mid day after all," her brother called to her from his place on the settee. He was draped on the furniture with one leg slung over the arm.
"I've been up since early morning brother looking over our finances," she told him as she went to the mirror and tidied her perfectly set hair.
"Liar, what do you know about finance, Father takes care of all that. All you have to do is look pretty and marry well. You won't have many burdens in your life sweet sister,"
"And what burdens do you have brother, we are not likely to run out of wine anytime soon or those powders you procure from the apothecary."
"I need them for my back pain as you well know, besides its really none of your business."
She flounced over with a deep sigh and took her place on the chair opposite.
"Oh let's not start, it's so tedious. We have been effectually banished to this awful town, we must just try and make the best of it."
"Yes maybe it's as well to let Father cool a bit. Perhaps some distance would be a good thing for now. I was becoming bored with society in San Francisco anyway. A new start might be just the thing. I may even take up hunting" He smiled.
"What were you doing this morning, I heard you go out earlier." She asked.
"Oh just driving around, trying out the new buggy."
"Is it good?" She asked, not really interested.
"It's alright, there was another one at that livery stable with brown leather seats and gold rimmed wheels. I probably should have gone for that one."
"Get it when you go back," Angela suggested.
"If it's still there." He said, his plump face looking rather child like.
He thought for a moment and then grinned slightly "I saw one of the Cartwright's while I was in town."
"Well," she leaned towards her brother.
"Oh yes, Father would approve of him no doubt. I could see them both talking for hours over fine brandy discussing business, politics, the war, I think he was the one father met up with in San Francisco, he fits the description."
"Is he handsome?" Angela asked, fiddling with the beads about her neck.
"I dare say, but I hear he is married these two years. Tough luck there sister."
"Humph, what care I for a dirty cow hand when there are such fine men to be had in San Francisco. Oh dear brother I'm so bored here. The same old tea parties, and the balls ugh, if you could call them that. These country dances are positively wild. I was afraid for my life. I shall go out of my mind if Father does not come to his senses and return us soon."
Vernon went and stood before the blazing fire.
"So you say you are bored," he asked.
"Well yes, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes I am, but I've been amusing myself as usual with my scientific study." Vernon said with an affected air of intelligence.
Angela sat straighter, her curiosity peeked.
"Really, who this time," she asked, smiling.
"Why, Adam Cartwright."
"What have you found out," she asked excitedly.
"Not enough yet, not nearly enough. But enough to test my theory once more. He has a near perfect life. How many moves would it take to unravel it, that's what you have to ask yourself. One day I shall write a detailed thesis on the subject."
"I wish to join in." She announced with a gleam in her eye.
"Can't you follow your own pursuits." He stated with irritation.
"Oh it will be so much more fun. We can work together."
"It's not meant to be fun, it's scientific, a study of the human experience. How many moves would it take to unravel a life."
"When do we start," she asked still smiling with renewed energy.
Vernon shrugged "Today, we begin gathering information today. In a small town like this it shouldn't be too much trouble."
~o~
Vernon went out that afternoon with renewed purpose and bought some plain work mans clothing. Not enough people knew him to see so he fitted right in at the saloon that night. Nobody knew him as the rich new comer staying at the large estate house at the edge of town. He rented himself a nag at the livery stable to finish the average man look. He found there were any amount of ranch hands and miners only too happy to talk about Cartwright as long as the whisky was flowing. Some held grudges and went on for hours but most spoke well of him considering him a fair man who worked as hard as any of his ranch hands. But one old man, a good friend of Benjamin Cartwright gave him all the information he needed. Vernon was starting to see Adams first weak link. And that weak link was his little brother.
