.
Dark Reflection
Chapter 22
"Escape from the Devil You Know"
by Lilyjack
Many thanks to my dear friend BigMommaT for making sure Ruby Moon was a true gem. You are more valuable to me than all the gems in the world, BMT.
And you can thank my bud Chipmunk Charlie for the extra chapter post last night. "Too short"? Really, Chip? This story is over 60,000 words at this point, for pete's sake! But I'm awful obliged that you are apparently enjoying it, friend. Now let's try and get our girl Kitty the heck outta the Long Branch...
ljljljljlj
Kitty Russell's room was shadowy and still as Chester began to slip through her doorway, a strangely silent void amidst the boisterous boozing, gambling and womanizing going on all around, upstairs and down. He took one last sidelong glance down the balcony floor toward Dangler, whose rifle sat propped against the wall beside him, chin bobbing sleepily towards his chest, eyes closed, small snores whistling impressively from his nose. Satisfied, Chester closed the door behind himself and immediately tripped over an object on the floor.
"Landsakes!" he exclaimed in an airy whisper and then wondered exactly why he was being so quiet himself. Maybe it was so he wouldn't surprise Miss Kitty and make her cry out, perhaps awaking the sleeping guard Dangler. Chester stumbled around in the dark, discovered beneath his feet what felt like a ladies' shoe which he carefully moved out of his way and then promptly got his feet tangled in something else made of soft cotton and lace.
Chester chided himself for not tidying things up in here today; instead he'd spent a considerable amount of time preparing for tonight's rescue. He figured an unkempt room was not near as important as his dear friend's welfare. He tried to tiptoe across the floor which presented somewhat of a problem since one of his legs wouldn't bend so good, but he did the very best he could. He heard Miss Kitty stirring in her bed when he raised the window, grimacing when it squeaked a mite.
He knew he would have some explaining to do when she woke up. He hadn't breathed a word of their secret plans to her for fear she might unconsciously speak of it to that black-hearted Blackthorne in her drugged state. He'd barely gotten the window sash raised when a heavy coil of rope came soaring through and nearly hit Chester right in the noggin. Luckily, he had time to duck, snatching his dislodged hat before it hit the floor, and then poked his head out the window to give Deke Bowman the stinkeye. Bowman, holding the other end of the rope, simply gave him a jaunty tip of his bowler from the alley below. Chester waved, a smidgen grumpy-like, untangled his end of the rope and tied it to the post at the foot of the bed, muttering all the while about cowboys with bad aim.
Then Chester quickly turned to the chifforobe and retrieved a small carpetbag, hurriedly stuffing it with whatever clothing he could find. Heaven knows that terrible Phoebe Von Vleck had done stolt all Miss Kitty's purtiest things long ago.
"Miss Kitty," he threw over his shoulder as he stuffed it with stockings, petticoat and a dress. There'd been a time when he would have been too awful embarrassed to even think about such items of a lady's ensemble. But ever since Miss Kitty had been taken prisoner by that renegade Blackthorne, Chester had been taking care of her laundry, including female unmentionables even though he couldn't quite believe it himself. So packing them now was just a matter of routine. "Miss Kitty," he repeated, still stuffing away as he rifled through drawers. "We're here t' rescue you, Miss…"
"What the hell…?" a warm alto voice queried, scratchy with sleep, rising in pitch with surprise. The voice definitely did not belong to Miss Kitty.
Chester's head popped up from his rummaging, stockings hanging over his shoulder and a high-heeled boot in one hand. Ruby Moon was sitting up in Miss Kitty's bed, sheet drawn up to cover her nakedness. She stared at him in the moonlight filling the room, her sleepy, deep hazel eyes darting from him and his carpetbag to the open window with the incriminating rope tied to the bedpost.
Chester sucked in an embarrassed breath and immediately averted his eyes. "Oh my!" he exclaimed.
Just then Deke's head bobbed up over the sill as he made it to the top of the rope, his face flushed with excitement. "Are ya' ready to go?" he asked triumphantly, a little out of breath as he flung an arm over the ledge for support.
"Well, forevermore," Chester muttered, dropping the carpetbag to the floor with a thump and stepping in front of the window in a somewhat delayed attempt to hide Deke's appearance from Ruby Moon. He smiled crookedly and nervously stammered, using one hand to modestly shield his eyes as he spoke, "Uh…Miss…Miss Ruby, where's Miss Kitty?"
The lady on the bed rustled beneath her sheets as she stretched her arm to retrieve her clothing. Chester could have sworn she rolled her eyes at him, although he could not see her so he was just guessing by the particular tone of her voice when she said, "Hmph. I was wonderin' when you'd get 'round to that particular question."
ljljljljlj
Ruby Moon casually sashayed out of Kitty's room and across the balcony floor in her finest red sequined dress, holding onto Chester's arm. They were headed for Ruby's own room, but first they had to get past the dozing guard without waking him. Luckily, the rest of Blackthorne's cronies downstairs seemed to be too preoccupied with their own activities to pay any attention to what was going on upstairs with either the somnolent guard or Kitty's busy bedroom door.
"Just act natural," she spoke under her breath, smiling at Chester as they walked slowly, skirting Big Lola who huffed as she practically dragged a skinny cowboy to her own room.
Big Lola shot crossly to Ruby over her plump shoulder in passing, "Ain't nowheres near m' quota for Sheriff this evenin'. He ain't gonna be happy. Gotta speed this love train up, cowboy. Come on!" Lola's runty cowhand looked a combination of terrified and impassioned, giving a little hoot as the large woman jerked him through her door.
"See?" Ruby Moon murmured as they walked closer to her bedroom where she had told Chester Kitty was. "Ain't nuthin' goin' on up here that don't go on ever' night. We just bizness as usual."
"B…but Miss Ruby!" Chester began to protest quietly. "Why, I never…!"
"Hush now…" she cut off his argument with a squeeze of his arm as they neared the door. She whispered in his ear, "I know you don't, Chester Goode. Here we are now. Maybe we get in and Earl won't wake up after…"
Ruby placed her hand on the doorknob and they heard a voice slur drunkenly, "Heyyy, gimpy boyyy!"
Chester and Ruby locked eyes and froze. They slowly turned to see Dangler, eyelids at half-mast, wavering on his chair as he used his rifle to steady himself.
"How're you plannin' on givin' that fine whore a decent ride…" he snickered as he lazily gestured at Chester's bad leg. "…wi' that gimp leg a' yours, ahh…?"
Chester's stomach turned and his face flushed, not so much for himself as for how that cussed Earl Dangler was talking about Miss Ruby, right smackdab in front of her.
But she seemed to not let it bother her one whit. She let go of Chester's arm, shimmied right over next to Earl and whispered breathily in his ear, "Don't you worry your head none bout him, Earl…Danggglerrr…" She drew out his last name and removed the man's hat, balancing it on the end of his rifle while she threaded her slender fingers through his hair. Earl seemed to be in a trance as she spoke, leaning closer so he could especially admire her voluptuous form. She smoothed a palm over his stubbly cheek. His eyes were glassy, his mouth agape as he stared at the beautiful woman before him. She cooed, "You next, big man? After my gimpy white boy, here?" She hooked a thumb back toward Chester.
Chester's eyes bugged at her reference and his mouth popped open a little. Then he realized he was supposed be playing a role, so he quickly clamped his lips shut and tried to "act natural" just like Ruby had instructed him earlier. He stood up straight, ramming his hands into his pockets like a man who might have some money jingling inside to pay a girl for her services. That made his cheeks burn all the more. You'd think he might've gotten used to all this while working in the saloon for Miss Kitty, but he'd never had to deal with it so personal like. Nosirree.
Meanwhile, he casually sauntered over to the balcony rail and stood there until he caught Bill Pence's eye, then made a subtle signal to send up another of Doc's potent mixed drinks for the guard. This Dangler feller had the constitution of a mule. No telling how many drinks he'd guzzled that evening. Chester himself would have been laid out on the floor if he'd had the same.
When next he turned back to Ruby, she was attempting to disentangle herself from the guard's awkward embrace.
"I'll see you later on, after your shift, Earl sugar…" She was smiling with gritted teeth as she grunted and tried to break free of the happily grinning man with blissfully closed eyes and arms cinched tightly around her waist.
"Oh, my…" Chester hurried forward to aid her, but then was forced to dodge Big Lola dragging her pint-sized companion back down toward the stairs.
"Gun went off too quick and missed the target!" Lola hoarsely whispered none-too-quietly over to Ruby. "Sometimes they're a mite anxious and don't hit the mark…. Bright side, now I kin move on and git closer to makin' Boss happy with m' quota fer the evenin'."
Lola reached over and gave the man's backside a little pinch which elicited a yelp and a giggle. Then she directed her next words loudly to him to be heard above the din in the saloon, "Gotta pay t' play round these parts whether we hit the bullseye or not, don't we, cowboy? You come on back and see me later when yer ready to warm up yer shootin' iron agin, hear?"
Chester just shook his head. Miss Kitty's ladies had never behaved this way. Not ever. This place shore had gone downhill, yes it had. Chester helped to unwind Dangler's arms from around Miss Ruby just as Cross-Eyed Cora brought up another beer from Bill Pence. "Well, lookie here, Dangler. Cora done brought you a nice, cool, frothy mug a' beer to warsh away yer troubles. Didn't ya', Miss Cora? That was mighty thoughty a' you." Chester hastily took the beer and placed it in Earl's hands before the guard could use them to latch onto Ruby again.
Cross-Eyed Cora made a face at Earl, a considerable bad one seeing as how she always wore a plumb confusing expression anyways. A body never was exactly sure right where she was lookin', to tell the honest truth.
Cora huffed, "Well, it weren't my idea. Seems you done forgot all about me since you got this here darkie whore t' please you. So I'm gonna go right back downstairs."
"Oh, goodness gracious me…" Chester ran a hand over his face, embarrassed at the words flying out of Cora's mouth. He shot an apologetic glance at Ruby.
She just shook her head and silently held up a palm, code for "We've got more important fish to fry right now."
Earl protested. He reached out with his beer-free hand and petulantly called after Cora's flouncing form as she retreated down the stairs, "Aw, Cora honey, come on back…!" Sadly shaking his head, he turned up the mug of Dr. Delacroix's special draught, his Adam's apple bobbing as he chugged.
Chester and Ruby took one look at each other and hastily about-faced, slipping silently into Ruby's darkened room while the guard was occupied with drowning his sorrows.
ljljljljlj
Chester quickly perched on the bed next to Miss Kitty, so relieved to have found her safe at last that he hadn't even checked outside the window for Mister Dillon and the wagon yet. She was lying all drawn up in a little knot with her covers pushed aside. When he gently touched her, he found the white cotton nightgown she wore was damp with sweat.
"Miss Kitty?" he called softly, not wishing to startle her, but she didn't respond at all. He reached in his pocket for a clean handkerchief to wipe the perspiration from her face and neck, repeating quietly, "Miss Kitty? Miss Kitty, we're here to git you outta this place, just like I promised…"
She was sleeping so deeply that it was beginning to unnerve Chester. Even in the gray moonlight, he could tell her complexion was ghostly pale, unnatural and pasty. Hastily, he lay a hand on her breastbone to reassure himself that her chest was rising and falling, albeit shallowly and slowly; her heart was beating, but it was difficult for him to detect. His skin prickled with fear. He glanced anxiously back at Ruby standing a few steps away.
Ruby shook her head. "That why she hide in here…and I go in her room. She cain't take no more a' him. She too sick."
Chester nodded his head wordlessly and suddenly realized what a tremendous debt he owed Miss Ruby.
Turning back to the bed, his heart in his throat, he took his dear friend's hand in his and began to recite from memory, his voice trembling, "Hope…is the thing with feathers, that perches in the soul…" His voice caught in his throat and he had to pause and swallow, reaching to smooth back a lock of soft red hair which had escaped the long, messy braid resting on her shoulder. He sighed and continued, "…and sings the tune without the words…"
A hoarse voice haltingly interrupted him with the last verse, "…And…never stops…at all." Dark-circled, tired blue eyes looked up at him.
Chester felt a hand try to squeeze his.
"Oh! Oh my lands!" A beatific smile lit up his face. "Miss Ruby, she's awake!"
Ruby warned, "Hush now. We don't wanna bring nobody else in here, you hear?"
Chester barely heard Ruby. He was watching as Miss Kitty's eyes opened sleepily at last, just barely.
"Oh, Miss Kitty, did you hear me? We're here to take you away from this place!" Chester patted her hand tenderly, afraid he would hurt her.
He had to lean closely to hear her whisper of a reply, "'Bout…damn time…Chester."
Chester laughed and Ruby Moon anxiously piped up, "Come on now, Chester, if you don't hurry, we all gonna get caught."
"Yer right, Miss Ruby. Let's git that rope up here on the double. Miss Kitty, we got us some friends to help out, alright? I'm just gonna go t' the window and fetch a rope so's they kin climb on up."
Ruby reminded him sternly, "And let's do it quiet like since there a guard who may or may not be passed out asleep real close t' this door?"
"Yes, ma'am," Chester replied as he peeped out the window for the wagon, noting the men had restacked the empty crates below this window for climbing. He managed to successfully catch Deke's tossed coil of rope, this time with considerable more aplomb and much to his satisfaction since there were ladies taking note. He tied his end to the bedpost so that the wiry Bowman could climb up once again.
Chester kneeled next to the bed and asked, "You think you kin walk, Miss Kitty? We got us a wagon down in the alley t' take you to safety."
Kitty's voice was a whisper, her words slurred. "I'll…try." She held her hand up for Chester to brace her, but she could not even sit up by herself. He stood, slipping an arm around her shoulders and was shocked at how light she'd become when he lifted her to set her feet on the floor. He sat beside her, straightening her nightgown, pulling it down to modestly cover her legs.
"Thank you…" was all she could manage, and she lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes to rest a moment.
He just sat with his arm around her, holding her, his heart squeezing so hard in his chest for this strong woman who had saved his life when he had first come to Dodge, and now she had been made so sick by this outlaw renegade named Blackthorne. What kind of a man was it who did things like this to women? Unshed tears stung his eyes as he felt Miss Kitty's shallow breaths against his body. Doc would make her well, Chester knew he would. He had to. He swiped a tear from the corner of his eye and noticed Miss Ruby watching him silently.
He cleared his throat self-consciously. "You…you won't tell nobody 'bout us, will ya', Miss Ruby? 'Bout all of us here tonight?"
"What you take me for, Chester Goode?" She put a hand on one hip. "You think I'ma Judas, like that ol' heffa Phoebe?"
Chester hurried to murmur an apology, careful not to jostle Miss Kitty, who had drifted to sleep in mere seconds nestled against him. "Oh no! No, Miss Ruby, I don't think yer anything like her a'tall. I was just a little worried that…"
"You listen to me good!…" Ruby straightened up tall, looking Chester straight in the eye. "That there Sheriff Blackthorne, he think he can buy anybody 'n' get 'em t' talk. But he cain't buy me. Oh, sure, I got these ol' boys thinkin' they kin own ol' Ruby, a lil' bit at a time. But, 'tween Mr. Lincoln's law and my God-give spirit of freedom, don't nobody git nothin' of Ruby Moon that I don't give! Not one doggone thang. 'Kay, Chester Goode?"
"O- Okay, Miss Ruby."
"I care for Miss Kitty, too. 'You-Know-Who' may be mean and big and ugly, but he don' mean nuthin' more than the road slop on Ruby's shoes to me. I may be a saloon whore, but I do know right from the rest of it." Her damp eyes held Chester's. "It ain't been right 'round here for a looong time, Chester. And we both knows it. So… git on with whatcha doin'! I ain't got all night, ya know."
"Yes, ma'am." Chester vigorously nodded his head. "I…I b'lieve you, and I sure am sorry I doubted ya'."
Just then Deke's head popped into the window frame. He panted, "Let's go…"
Chester patted Miss Kitty's hand and said, "It's time t' go. Kin you stand up?"
She answered breathlessly, "I…think…I can…"
Chester kept his doubts to himself, but kept a supporting arm around her waist and helped to lift her to a standing position. She wavered for a few seconds, managed to take one step with his assistance, then two.
"I'm sorry…don't think…I can…" Her knees began to buckle beneath her.
Chester quickly swept her into his arms.
"Sorry…Chester…"
"Don't you worry 'bout it none a'tall, Miss Kitty. We'll take care of you, and Doc will fix you up, good as new. You'll see."
Kitty didn't answer, just wearily closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest as he gently cradled her, marveling that she was as light as a child. She had lost an alarming amount of weight.
Ruby Moon crossed her arms, a stormy expression on her face. She shook her head as she drew closer and proclaimed to Chester, "And now Silas Blackthorne think he can own Kitty Russell and that's jest… jest… wrong! So y'all gotta get her outta here now. Go on, git. 'Fore those trashy white boys come and catch you."
As if on cue, there was a loud banging on the door, as Earl Dangler's voice pleaded drunkenly, "Heyyyy, Ruby doll, I…I think it's my turn!"
"Oh forevermore," Chester exclaimed.
"Don't worry 'bout me. I kin take care a' myself," Ruby stated matter-of-factly. "You go on now, like I said."
The door banged again. "Rubyyyyyy!"
Another voice from outside. It sounded like the big Indian, Comanche Dan, talking to Earl. "Leave Ruby alone. You're supposed to be on duty. Get back to work."
"That gimpy boy cain't be takin' that long…"
"Gimpy? You crazy. Get back to work. Don't make me get Ruby out here after you. Ha, you think I'm tough…"
Someone pounded on the door again.
Chester resisted the urge to hold Kitty more tightly, urgently hissed at Deke still at the window, "I think we need us a distraction 'fore either a' those two come bargin' in here. I b'lieve it's time to signal Mr. Woodall."
Deke turned back and cupped a hand to the side of his mouth, called down to the others quietly, "Call in the Cavalry. Now!"
ljljljljlj
Phoebe Von Vleck rose from her dealer's chair, arched her back and leaned her ample curves over the faro table, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. Hector Groate, wearing entirely too much Captain Rafe's True-Blue Hair Pomade and sweating profusely, swiped an arm over his forehead and reached a slightly trembling damp hand to poke a greenback between Miss Von Vleck's pillowy breasts, a "tip" for being such a lovely and conscientious dealer. When she cooed a "thank you" to him in return and touched his thin lips with the tip of her finger, allowing him to give it a wet kiss in return, Linwood Chaney, Solomon Grundy and the rest of the players at their table immediately began scrambling in their pockets and faro earnings for some cash to hide within Phoebe's plush, womanly attributes their ownselves.
It was then that there was a disturbance heard on the boardwalk, even over the uproarious shouting, laughing and piano playing of the saloon. For at that very moment a beautiful black stallion, gleaming and muscular, entered the swinging doors, eyes wild, head tossing, his rider bent double in order to make it beneath the top of the doorframe, shouting and hooting to beat the band. Customers scattered like leaves in a windstorm to make room for them. The horse pranced and whinnied, his great hooves clopping on the wooden floor, the rider holding aloft a large bottle of Old Crow which he bottomed up to tipple the last drops of fiery liquid corn.
Every last soul in the Long Branch froze like a statue, staring with astonishment at the stranger who was crazy enough, who had the cojones, to ride a horse in here. Everyone including Earl Dangler and Comanche Dan.
Dangler had ceased beating incessantly on Ruby Moon's boudoir door and decided he had best resume his official duties as Sheriff Blackthorne's upstairs guard. He staggered over to the balcony rail to shout drunkenly down to the stranger on horseback, "What in THE hell d'you thank yer a' doin', a$$hole? You cain't come a'ridin' in here like that! Why…"
With that, the stranger slammed his Old Crow empty against the wall, smashing it to shards, while he let out a whoop and his magnificent horse reared and whinnied. They whirled around as one to gather steam and then galloped across the plank floor while cowboys, gamblers, ranchers, and soiled doves parted like the proverbial Red Sea to make way. To every last saloon patron's amazement, the horse then began mounting the staircase like a shining black Pegasus flying heavenward. "Yeehaaa!" shouted the stranger triumphantly, dismounting with a flourish and waving his hat at the top of the stairs while Dan and Earl just stood, arms akimbo, mouths agape. It was then that everyone in the place spontaneously burst into roaring cheers and thunderous applause. The apparently sloshed stranger tottered over to hug the inebriated and dumbfounded guard Earl Dangler while Comanche Dan busily admired the fine specimen of a horse that could mount a staircase so effortlessly.
ljljljljlj
Chester carefully handed Miss Kitty into the grip of Deke's one free arm as gently as if she were a China doll while Deke held tight to the rope with the other. "Miss Kitty, put yer arms around Deke's neck and hold on if ya' can now. He's a real strong feller, and he don't have far to git ya' down. Mister Dillon is standin' on some boxes right below ya'. Yer safe."
Deke's eyes were wide with concern as he murmured to Chester, "I got 'er. She don't weigh hardly nothin'. What they been doin' to…?"
Chester firmly interrupted him, "Hand 'er down t' Mister Dillon now, Deke. Quick. She don't feel none too good and we gotta git 'er t' safety."
"W…wait..." Kitty's glassy, hooded eyes cut over to a silent figure standing behind Chester. She had to take several breaths before she could continue, "Ruby…"
Ruby stepped forward and leaned into the open window to look eye to eye with her new friend. She reached out and put a hand on Kitty's thin shoulder, quickly stating, "You ain't gotta say nuthin'. I think you mighta done the same." The young woman winked a hazel eye at the redhead. "I'ma purty good judge a' character, Kitty Russell."
Kitty's eyes filled with tears. "But…"
Chester stopped her. "Miss Kitty, I'm sorry, we gotta get goin' now. Deke, hand her down t' Mister Dillon. Miss Ruby, you go listen at the door. See what is goin' on out there. I think that Mr. Woodall has ever'body singin' "Little Brown Jug" now if I'm not mistaken. He beats all I ever seen. Worth ever' penny we paid him, 'cept I guess we didn't pay him; it was Mr. Bodkin who paid 'im. Oh, be careful, don't you dare fall, Deke…"
"Horse feathers, Chester. I'm handin' our girl down t' Dillon, dammit – oh, beggin' yer pardon, Miss. Now shut yer pie hole, Chester, so I kin concentrate. Here you go, Dillon. She's all yours. Miss Kitty, darlin', wrap yer arms around his neck and hold tight..."
tbc
ljljljljlj
