Chapter 10

Jack's arms flapped around in confusion for a moment or two until he remembered that he was supposed to be acting the part of Ebony's boyfriend. It wasn't as if she had kissed him for real, it was all part of an act to keep those guys away and, if he was being honest, he'd rather that then have to face the three of them. He loosely draped his arms around her, still a little abashed and afraid to touch her for some reason he could not explain to himself let alone anyone else should they ask, and tried to return her kiss.

Ruby watched from the end of the bar, laughing to herself. It was weird, she thought, they're total opposites, but they make such a great couple: Jack being so honestly confused, shy and hesitant and Ebony being, well just Ebony: impatient, unabashed and determined. If she didn't get her guy this way, she'd keep trying until he figured it out.

Even after all these thoughts had rambled through Ruby's head, the pair still stood there, Jack looking only slightly more at ease with the situation than he had previously, with one of Ebony's hands resting on his chest and the other on the back of his neck. Ruby glanced out of the saloon doors and saw that the three men had disappeared. She considered telling Jack and Ebony, and letting Jack escape, then thought better of it and quietly left.

A few moments later, the kiss ended. Ebony laughed and wiped her lipstick off Jack's mouth with one of the bar cloths. Jack leant back against the wall.

"Are you okay?" Ebony laughed.

"Oh, I-I'm fine," Jack replied, shakily, his face still showing the same pallor it had that morning. Even the sarcasm in his voice was less cutting than usual. "J-Just a mixture of that headache, the reappearance of three rather burly blokes I tried to knick a horse off and being jumped by you."

"I didn't "jump" you!" Ebony replied indignantly. "I did give you a fair warning."

"Yeah, w-well you'll be laughing on the other side of your face next time you look in a mirror!"

"Lipstick?"

"How'd ya guess? W-Wouldn't have anything to do with the mess of it on me, would it?"

"Something like that. I'll go fix it."

"And I think I'll go see what's for lunch. Other than me!"

Ebony smiled as she walked up the stairs. At least that sarcasm proved he didn't hate her: she wouldn't have got away laughing if he did.

Jack, meanwhile, wandered into the kitchen and slumped down on a stool near where Ruby was busily preparing some vegetables.

"Are you alright? Jack, you look terrible!" Ruby raised her eyebrows as she watched the pale-faced young man sitting staring off into space.

"I-I'm fine," Jack muttered in reply, turning his attention onto the vegetables. "D-D'you need a hand with anything?"

"Headache still bothering you?" Ruby looked Jack over critically: he did not look well at all. "Or is that just the effect Ebony has on guys?"

"Huh!" Jack laughed. "It's the headache. I-It is partly Ebony; but mostly, it's the headache."

"Okay, well, you could bring me in some water if you feel up to it?"

"L-Like a headache is gonna prevent me bringing in a bucket of water! The well is out back, right?"

"Yeah. End of the vegetable garden."

"I'll be right back."

Ruby laughed. Jack was the only person she knew that, when they were feeling under the weather, would rather work it off than curl up in bed being pampered! She finished chopping the vegetables and headed back to the bar just as Ebony was returning, her makeup once again perfect.

"Well?" Ruby questioned, settling herself on a stool, ready for gossip.

"Well what?" Ebony replied coyly, leaning on the bar.

"You know very well what! You didn't have to kiss him like that!"

"I did so!" Ebony replied, with mock indignation. "I had to put on a convincing show for the boys now, didn't I?"

"They weren't even there for most of it!"

"Well I couldn't know that, could I?"

"Well I guess not, being ever so slightly distracted! Now tell me!"

"Tell you what?"

"Did he kiss you back? Was there any spark there? Come on, I am deprived of any form of gossip or girl talk out here; you are not gonna hold out on me with this!"

"Ha!" Ebony smirked. "Well, he did kiss me back."

"And?"

"And that's it. He only kissed me back to make it look real," Ebony's face fell slightly. "No other reason."

"He'll come round, honey."

"No, he won't. Not until he's over Ellie anyway and that won't be for a long time."

"Maybe. But you've gotta try. If you don't try, you'll never know."

"And if I let myself fall for him, then can't get him to love me back? Ruby, I don't want to go through that! I've been insane once, I don't want to risk my sanity on a guy!"

"Look to me like you're too late to worry about that: you've fallen already."

"I'll talk to him," Ebony murmured after a moment's thought. "See if I can find out what he's feeling."

"He's out getting water for me just now, if you want to go after him."

"Yeah, I'll do that," Ebony smiled a little and pushed herself up from the bar. "Strike while the iron is hot, as they say."

Just as Ebony turned to head out to the kitchen and back garden, the door swung in towards the bar and Slade rushed through, Jack's limp body in his arms.

"Slade!" Ruby cried, getting up from her stool.

"Jack!" Ebony screamed and rushed forward. "What happened? Is he okay?"

"He's unconscious," Slade looked strangely at Ebony as he answered, then shifted his gaze to Ruby. "Those three guys we all know and love were beating him up. Out by the well. They ran for it when they heard the bike."

"He's room 29," Ruby told him, rushing past into the kitchen. "Top floor. Sorry. I'll get the first aid kit."

"Room 29," Slade mumbled. "Great!"

When Ruby joined Slade, Ebony and the still unconscious Jack in Jack's room, she had the first aid kit in one arm and a bucket of water in the other. She set them down by Slade.

"I'll go get the lunch sorted," she said, heading back to the door.

"Sure," Slade replied. "Ebony, go with her. I'll see to Jack."

"No, I wanna stay," Ebony whispered, tearfully. "It's my fault they went for him."

"I'm gonna have to clean his wounds. I think he would prefer it if you didn't watch this."

Slade's tone was gentle and persuasive. Ebony, looking up to Ruby and seeing her nod in agreement, nodded slowly and got to her feet. The two girls left the room together, Ruby's arm supporting Ebony's shoulders.