And here's chapter seven. Goss it'd be nice to wake up next to Remy. Or am I mental?
Deeper Secrets chapter seven: Internal Fires
The next morning, Will and Remy left before the sun was up. Will liked traveling in the dark and said that by starting out early they would get back sooner. Remy didn't mind leaving early so he already had Ace and the Roan out and ready to ride.
"I sees you gots da 'orses ready, Mr. LeBeau," Will greeted and throw a saddle bag over his mount's horn. They walked the horses out, closing the barn door as they went. With the sun not even in the sky yet, the two men rode off.
Ro had awaken that morning in damp sheets, which she later learned was her own sweat. A fever had taken hold of her during the night and she had began to sweat and pant. Her hands hurt, her skin felt clammy and tight. Her breathing wasn't right and her heart seemed to skip a beat, and she couldn't move her limbs, though there was a fiery itch running along her extremities. She knew something was wrong, but couldn't do anything about it. She was barely able to call out to Sarah.
Sarah heard her mistress calling out and had went to check her. She found her laying on her back, shaking. She didn't know what to do, or what was even wrong. All she knew to do was put a wet rag on the young lady's forehead and brought her some water. Jeffery and Jerome were in the far fields today and would not be back until late tomorrow afternoon. None of the young children could help, not the older teens who were busy with their chores and studies. She was alone, taking care of a sick woman she had no clue what was wrong with, and no one would be back by, the earliest, tonight.
Remy had amused Will during the ride, when at a slow pace and the sun was up high enough, by showing him card tricks. They were fairly simple tricks any child in New Orleans could perform, but he still felt proud when Will would laugh and ask how it was down. Remy finally broke down and taught him two of his tricks, the Seven Detectives and The Vanishing Card.
Will was now perfecting his 'Detectives' when they reached the town. They rode over to the general store, dismounted, and tied up their horses at the post and were heading in when John Webster, the mayor of Summitville, came up to them.
"Mornin', boys. What you doin' in town today?" he asked, acting very suspicious.
"We're jus' here to get supplies, sir. That's all," Will said, still obviously scared of the large white man. Remy noticed and didn't like the way Webster was treating his new friend. When John went to strike Will, Remy moved in between.
"None of dat, Mister Webster. Will weren't out of line. An' he's right. We are jus' here t'get supplies. That be all." Remy's hands were restlessly resting against his thighs, ready to fight if it came down to it. He was always ready to fight. That's how he'd been trained.
"Well, now, Mr. LeBeau," Webster said mispronouncing his name, "There's no need in getting defensive. I was just askin' questions." He put hi hands up in defense.
"We don't like questions, Mr. Webster," Remy spat, an unknown anger filling him.
"Is that right? Well, I'll only ask one more. Where's Miss Ro?"
The fire rose in him and flashed out in his burning eyes. He didn't like the way this man said Ro's name. "Miss Ro asked fer us t'come into town an' get supplies. Now, if you'd 'cuse us, we have tings t'do." And Remy pushed Will into the store and went about their business. The mayor of Summitville left, ever more cautious of the stranger.
Once inside, Will and Remy set to work getting their supplies. When done there they walked to the livery where they needed to buy some new barbed wire. While Will fetched their horses and the farrier rung up the price of the barbed wire and other items Remy looked at each of the horses, making quite comparisons of these mounts to his own, Ace.
As he was turning around to pay the bill, his eyes caught hold of something. A small poster pasted to the big door read "Horse Race. This Saturday. Five miles of untouched land. Possible obstacles. Danger." That caught his attention and he read further. "All riders to compete for the purse must sign up at the livery."
"That rave is going to be good," the counter boy said handing back Remy's change. "'Lot of good horses gonna be running. You should come in and see, seeing as how you're jus' passin' through. You'll never see it again."
"And why is that, mon ami?" Remy asked. Jakes Carpenter, the son of the owner of the livery was a small made child of fifteen. With his loose, greasy-looking dark curls and the few freckles on his face he didn't look anything the part. But Remy knew his looks were deceiving. Behind the almond colored eyes and almost perfect smile there was a strength that could only be seen when the youth was around the horses.
"The race only comes around every six years. And you're jus' passin' through."
"Now, how'd you know I was jus' passin' through?" Remy asked pocketing the money.
"Mayor Webster told the sheriff an' I overheard." The boy was innocent, he couldn't know anything. The mayor talking about him with the sheriff, now that worried Remy, but he wouldn't let that show.
"How much is da purse for this here race?"
"Um...I believe ten thousand. Why?"
"Ten thousand, aye? Dat's 'lot of money. They bank pay it out?" Jakes shook his head. "How much t'ride in dis race?"
"Two dollars." Remy took out a roll of his money that he'd used to help pay and laid the charge price on the counter. "Sign me up."
"Okay. Your name...your horse's name...Okay. You're all set. Hand this to my father before the race on race day." Will came up and took the packages.
"Good day," Remy said to the kid, pocketing his ticket. The two mounted up and rode for the plantation.
John Webster, a few minutes later, stepped into the livery. "What that stranger want, Jakes?" he asked the boy brushing the horses' necks.
"He cam to get supplies for Miss Ro."
"Anything else?" Webster pushed.
"Well,...he signed up for the race." Webster took the sign-up sheet and looked over it. "Ace."
It was way after noon and Sarah had not been able to find any help. All of her chores were undone due to the growing need of her to stay by the mistress's side. She was beginning to feel the effects of no food all day and the constant running back and forth. She prayed someone would return soon.
Their ride him had taken longer due to their slower speed, but eventually Remy and Will made it home. While placing their steeds in the barn Remy noticed none of the chores outside head been done. 'Too late to do them.' he thought. "Take care of da horses, Will," he said before knowing what caused him to say it. Something was telling him that something was wrong. Something with Ro. And he would have to find out what.
He laid the packages that were on his shoulders near the entrance and ran up the stairs to Ro's bedroom. When he got there he didn't hesitate and just stepped in. Sarah was sitting on the side f the bed by Ro, wash cloth in hand. Ro had turned onto her stomach and Sarah was washing her back when she noticed Remy enter.
"Oh, thank God above. Finally someone to help me." She ran over to Remy.
"What happened?" he asked shedding his coat and top shirt.
"Tis morning she didn't come down. I heard her call out and found her here, sweating and shaking."
"Have ya got any liquids down her?" he asked sitting where Sarah had been. He heard a soft "Some" then silence. "Goss,..." then he swore in words Sarah couldn't have known. "She's too hot. We got t'get her cooled down. Sarah," he grabbed a hold of her wrist. "Go fill the tub with cold water. And ice if you can. Enough to cover someone." When he released her, she did as told. He turned his attention back to the feverish woman on the bed. "Come on, chere. Remy got to get you into do cold. He needs t'get your fever down." Carefully, without any distractions, he removed the sweat ridden clothes, laid his top shirt over her, then carried her carefully down to the tub.
Sarah had done well. The water was freezing and most if not all of the ice was in the tub. She had obviously ran into Will and was helping him put away the purchases. 'Good.' he thought. That meant he didn't have to worry about them coming in on them. Like it or not, she was their master and there were some things that should be kept personal.
Once he had Ro in the tub, the water nearly over her neck, he took a rag that was close at hand and began rubbing down her arms and legs. He had to get the fever out. It needed to break soon. If she had been like this most of the day, and it hadn't broken yet, there could be trouble. Gently, he let her head rest on his arm, keeping it afloat. He wanted to hold her, comfort her, but knew body heat was the last thing she needed. So he kept his arm under her head and his free one busy stroking her arms and face, waiting for a reaction. "Jus' stay with me, chere. Gambit not gonna leave you side."
End chapter 7. 8 coming. I don't know if those were card tricks back then or not, and I'm not sure if that's how they treated fevers back then. And oh, him mentioning the name 'Gambit' isn't necessarily a good thing.
