It is so hard when you have a thousand things to type and no time to type them. And you can't decide which to type first. I have got to stop writing. My hands hurt. Oh, suck it up, girl. Here's the second chapter of Deeper Secrets. I actually finished writing it a day or so ago, and got really happy and giddy, then all sad. Muses are funny, aren't they? On to the story.

Deeper Secrets chapter two: First Ride

They made it to town, in silence. They had left their horses outside the apothecary, where she had showed him how to tie his horse properly. Inside, she had handed her list to one of the apprentices working there. Sam, the owner, came from the back. "Hey there, Miss Ro. In to re-stock?"

"Hey, Sam. Yeah. Ah had to double muh order. We've had more accidents the way this weather's been."

"This drought one week, down pour the next. It's getting to everyone." His southern drawl matched her own. "Who's your man friend, Ro?"

"This is Remy. He's a ranch hand passin' through."

"Nice to meet you, young man." Sam greeted shaking Remy's hand.

"Likewise." his accent voiced.

"You're not from around here, are ya?"

"No, mon ami. I'm passin' through."

"Hope your travels go well. Okay, Ro, your total is 23.50."

"Shoot. All Ah've got is 15.30."

"No, chere. Ya had me hold some, remember?" He handed her the remaining amount. She paid the bill, he grabbed the package and they left with farewells from Sam. Outside, she loaded the parcel into the saddle bag and mounted. They rode over to the hotel and stopped for lunch. When they were finished, they re-mounted their horses and rode home.

When they reached the plantation, it was dark and the evening chores had been done. She could smell Sarah baking in the kitchen. They rode up to the barn and dismounted. As they were taking the tack off their horses, Ro said, "A perfectly good day wasted." Remy didn't say anything to that. He just quietly put Ace in his stall.

That night they both ate in the small kitchen alone. Ro had dipped herself a bowl of the chili Sarah had made. Remy, after cleaning up, joined her in the kitchen. "What's for supper?"

"Beef chili. It's one of Sarah's best meals. Ah, uh, Ah forgot to thank you...back in town...for the money. Ah woulda had it, but..."

"T'was no problem, chere. Remy jus' happy t'help." He smiled at her. She went back to eating. When she had finished, she rinsed her bowl in the pail of water and put it away. Before she walked out, she told Remy to throw the water out after rinsing his dishes.

The next morning, Ro woke to an unfamiliar smell. Throwing on a lite summer robe, she went to investigate. She didn't think to look at the room where the stranger slept. She reached the kitchen, the smells playing games with her senses. She turned to enter and was met with the sight of Remy, the stranger, standing at the stove, his old pants and a sleeveless shirt on, with a ladle in his hand. "Mornin', chere. Hope I didn't wake you." He greeted then turned back to the stove.

"Nah. Nah." She said moving closer. "Ah woke up an' smelt something different. What is it?" She was standing at his right shoulder. He looked over, unexpectedly meeting her stare. This was the closest she had ever come to him. "Specialty from where I come from, chere. Care to fetch Remy some fire wood for da stove?"

"Sure." she answered and walked to the wood pile. That's when he noticed her attire. Soft pink summer gown made of the softest cotton, probably grown here, and the lite, see-through summer robe that matched. Of course she was barefoot and her hair was in a loose ponytail. He smiled in-wardly at that.

"Here." she said as she placed the small pieces into the stove.

"How 'bout ya pour us some drinks, den sit down, chere." A small smirk growing on his face. "Da rest is up t'Gambit." He cursed in-wordly. Not that name. He scolded. If she noticed the name change, she didn't say. He went on with his cooking.

After pouring two glasses of milk, Ro sat down with hers at the end of the table. Shortly, he placed two plates down and filled them with the breakfast he had made. "A healthy helpin' of Remy LeBeau's Southern Breakfast Gumbo." He took a bite, and was obviously enjoying himself. A little shocked, she cautiously took a bite. The different spices played games with her tastebuds. She took another bite, then another. "Slow down, chere. It ya not use t'the spices day can burn ya." Then it happened. She swallowed her previous bite and felt the spiciness of it all. Quickly, she took a drink of milk.

"You're right, sug. This is really good. Where'd ya get the spices?"

"Remy can't go wit'out his spices." He smiled again. They spent the rest of the morning in silence.

When breakfast was done and the dishes cleaned, Ro went up stairs to change. When she came back down she met up with Jeffery. "Hey, Jeffery. Sorry 'bout yesterday, sug. That mayor gets on my nerve."

"I understand fully, Miss Ro."

"How's Will doing?" She asked scratching below the white strike.

"He'll be fine. He was jus' scared, is all." Jeffery looked around. "How's the stranger doing? Remy is it?"

"Yeah. We'll see how he does today after some real work. At least he can ride a horse." She looked down from Jeffery's warm brown eyes to the ground. "Ah didn't have enough money to buy the medical supplies. And Ah wouldn't have if he hadn't come along."

"What do you mean? If he hadn't come along?"

"Ah left the money he paid for rent here. If he hadn't paid that Ah wouldn't have had enough."

"But you still didn't." Jeffery pointed out.

"He paid the rest of the tab. Said Ah gave him the rest to hold."

"Why'd he do that?"

"Ah don't know. He may not be all bad."

"Now don't go losin' your pretty head over this stranger without checking things out first." Now he seemed more like a father figure.

"Ah won't. You've always taken such good care of me. Thank you." and she hugged him. About that time Remy came out, dressed in work clothes. He walked over to the pair. "Ready to work?" She asked throwing him leather gloves.

"At your service, chere." and he bowed with this.

She ignored it out wardly, but enjoyed inwardly. "Are the wagons ready?" she directed to Jeffery.

"Ready and waiting, Miss Ro. Ready and waiting."

End chapter two. Three coming. This one was shorter, but that's okay. I received a suggestion about adding in about the political status of the time period, and I took that into consideration (and that she should have a manager or something) but this story is about Ro and Remy. The fact that there's slaves is just there. Don't know how else to put it. Enjoy!