A Not Quite Quiet Day in Pueblo
AN: Although it would be approximately another decade until Pueblo was incorporated as the seat of the county of the same name, it was considered a city according to what I read. Le Bistro is entirely mine based on the name of a local French restaurant. I felt a growing town would attract a restaurateur from NOLA.
The breakfast dishes were cleared. Baby Ricky was freshly changed. All that remained was for the Pence family's houseguests to decide when they'd leave in the borrowed wagon for downtown Pueblo. Matt and Kitty watched as Bill held Dotty's right hand and Laura's waist with his right arm, which also helped support Ricky balanced on his wife's right hip. The family made their way across the front yard at the toddler's slow pace toward the gate into the hotel garden. The Dodge City couple turned back to the house to take advantage of a bit of time alone before they too left.
An hour later Kitty dressed for a morning in town complete with a stylish hat, though she hoped she might find a new one to supplement it. Matt wore his usual tan pants, but since they'd be eating in she hoped a fine restaurant, he also sported his courting coat and a string tie. Anyone watching them drive into the heart of town would think they were a somewhat successful rancher and his striking wife mixing some leisure in with picking up supplies.
The couple left the wagon at a livery that served downtown Pueblo. Matt was willing to pay in advance for a full day's board, but the stableman, who recognized the rig and horse, said he'd hold off accepting payment until they were ready to return to the hotel. He didn't let on about an agreement with Captain's Landing. Guests who chose not to walk from their temporary residence because they'd get plenty of exercise while exploring the town didn't pay as long as they left the wagon for no more than four hours and he didn't have to feed the horse. Under those circumstances there was no charge. If they went over, he charged them the going rate for the oats he placed in the stall bin. In turn Bill's man did the same for those who stayed at a hotel or rooming house in town and wanted to spend time at the Pence complex.
Once the horse and wagon were seen to Matt and Kitty began sightseeing. Out of habit he made note of the location of the county sheriff's office as soon as he spotted it. Despite not yet being incorporated Pueblo was seen as a city that held three times the number of people in the town of Dodge City with its approximate permanent population of 1,000. They put it down to the different reasons for the two places continuing growth and to the railroad heading in four rather than two directions now that the Santa Fe extended beyond the Colorado border into Pueblo. It didn't hurt that Denver was a far shorter train ride from Pueblo than Topeka, Kansas City or Wichita was from Dodge. Still, folks they encountered on the main street seemed friendly like in a smaller town. This helped them find a place to eat that provided good eating and food that was normally unavailable back home. The majority of those they asked suggested Le Bistro, which served both standard American fare and French food New Orleans style.
Kitty found a shop that specialized in women's apparel. It boasted a seamstress, milliner and cobbler specializing in designing ladies' shoes on the premises as well as finished samples of each. She left Matt at the door so he could scout out places more to his liking rather than subject him to the boredom of waiting for her while she shopped. He got a feel for the layout of the small city during the three hours he spent whiling away the time. His wanderings brought him to a pool hall where he spent the last couple of hours before meeting Kitty for dinner at one.
While in the pool hall Matt accepted an invitation to play with a man about 25 years old with an unruly mop of blond hair, a gun worn like he knew how to use it and a badge. He introduced himself as Tom McNally. They'd played several rounds when McNally came out with a totally unexpected remark.
"If you're the man I think you are, my boss received a complaint about you," the deputy related. "I'm not saying you're in any trouble at the moment, but I'd steer clear of the path between the Captain's Landing Hotel and the owner's house. He says you've been seen lurking around trying to get the attention of a good-looking redhead to the point of knocking the gentleman with her, in other words him, flat. He's not making any formal complaint but will if you persist. He figures you're harmless unless you take to wearing a gun."
"Deputy, tell the sheriff he's been fed lies," Matt replied. "Thanks for the game but I promised to meet someone," he said as he put up his cue in the rack then walked out the door.
Matt was unaware that while he was with the deputy the Pueblo County Sheriff followed the outwardly upset stranger for several blocks to Le Bistro. He watched through a side window as Cope Borden pulled out a chair for the woman he took to be the striking redhead the other stranger was supposedly bothering. The sheriff remained in the shadows, fascinated by the scene that played out when the tall man Borden had described strode confidently to the table and simply took the seat the man he followed was about to occupy. Although he couldn't hear the conversation, the sheriff could guess at its content. He watched an angry Cope Borden stomp out of the restaurant. "That redhead sure is one beautiful lady, but I believe she doesn't object to the attentions of the tall man one bit. It makes sense for her to prefer the younger, more imposing and handsome guy to a rather ordinary gun toting older suitor," he thought as he left his less post to walk to his usual less formal and more affordable on a lawman's salary place to eat.
"If you don't leave quietly the owner will throw you out," was the start of the conversation the sheriff could see but not hear. "You wouldn't want the local law to doubt the truth of what you told him," Matt stated to Borden in that quiet voice that could cause a mob to obey.
Cope grudgingly took this skirmish loss, giving no hint that he was deliberately allowing animosity to build up between him and the man he'd told nearly eight years ago that he should have tried to kill him while he had the chance. For now he'd leave the visiting couple to their expensive meal. He was certain Dillon would soon face him in a gunfight at a time of his choosing and away from the center of town. It was pure happenstance he spotted the lawman in the Captain's Landing Saloon. Borden found the redhead just as attractive as he did when he first saw her in Dodge. All he had to do was take care of Dillon in a way that would make the saloon gal his prize.
Later that afternoon the sheriff traded information with his deputy. However, he didn't share his suspicions about what the tall man would do now that he knew about the unofficial complaint against him. He hadn't checked in at the Pence compound for a couple of weeks. It was long overdue. Everything pointed to the trio he'd watched at Le Bistro being connected to the mostly quiet gathering place for folks not planning on staying on in Pueblo. The sheriff sensed there was history behind what he'd been told and what he'd seen despite Borden claiming the big man was a stranger to him.
While the sheriff made his decision Matt and Kitty enjoyed a leisurely meal at Le Bistro. He ordered steak but the cook, chef according to Kitty, seasoned it with more than just salt. It tasted like it had been left soaking in a broth of some kind before he asked for his meal. The spuds were cut up and boiled in what had to be seasoned water. He could see bits of greens stuck to the unpeeled pieces. She ordered chicken with smoked sausage and a variety of peppers cooked in wine served over rice. They shared a bottle of wine the waiter recommended and each other's food, including a baguette, which Matt learned was a type of French roll. The couple finished off their meal with strong coffee and éclairs for dessert. After he paid the bill the couple retrieved the Pence wagon.
It wasn't unusual for Matt to say little when he and Kitty shared a wagon bench. They spent more time communicating via their eyes than they ever did verbally whenever they were alone together. Kitty sensed from his soulful gazes and a few spoken words between mouthfuls during dinner and now as they drove back to their temporary home her companion was holding something back.
"Matt, what don't you want to say aloud?" she asked. "Are your concussion symptoms returning? Is it Cope Borden? I hope it's not a combination of the two."
"Kit honey, those symptoms still show up at times but they're hardly noticeable," he replied, minimizing his ailments as usual. "It's Borden. He's not gonna quit until I face him in a gunfight that the local law will think I started."
"How can you be sure? He backed down in the restaurant."
"If he caused a scene he'd have to admit he wanted you all those years ago and he still does. Remember, he asked if you were my girl. I'm in his way."
"I admit I'm happy being your girl, but I'm not your possession. I love you, which makes me not want you to fight with him over me and possibly be hurt or killed," Kitty replied, giving her man a special smile. "It's hard enough to deal with when you face down somebody as part of your job. As for Cope Borden the best thing is for him to ride away like he did eight years ago."
"I'm afraid your feelings don't enter into it," Matt responded. "He wants to take you away from me and make you his. He's used to ignoring accepted ways to get what he wants. He knows I have every reason to dislike him. It turns out he's right about me regretting not killing him."
Their conversation ended just as Matt pulled the wagon to a halt in front of the stable doors. Since it was late afternoon the stable boy had joined the stableman, who would soon leave for supper with his wife in the small house they owned a short walk further down along the riverbank to the east. With the horse and wagon seen to, Matt took Kitty's arm and escorted her through the gate into the Pence front yard.
Because of the large afternoon meal neither Matt nor Kitty had much appetite. They apologized to Laura assuring her it wasn't her cooking but the big meal they'd eaten in town. While the Pence family dug into their meal they chatted between mouthfuls with their guests about the town of Pueblo and old times back in Dodge.
"Matt, a big man like you might have a hankerin' for some food later. The saloon can provide it along with either whiskey or beer to wash it down. I'm heading there now. The early evening bartender's under the weather so I'm filling in. Join me?" Bill asked, noticing Matt had strapped on his Peacemaker. They headed into the front yard and through the gate by the stable so they could enter the saloon from the alley.