A/N: So we have a new chapter don't ya know. It s more of a meanwhile
chapters for you. But I'm hoping it gives more character background. For
those who wanted to know you pronounce Calyx like Alex with a hard C at the
beginning so it is "Cal-ex" at least that is how I pronounce it. Hope you
all enjoy, thanks for the reviews, no shout outs this time around sorry.
Don't forget to R/R.
As the girls left the jailhouse they were all pretty proud of themselves. "Did you see the look on Jack's face when the deputy told them they were staying for the night?" Hazel asked gleefully. "I thought he was going to punch a wall or something."
"The rest of the guys seemed a bit shocked; I don't think they even thought for a second that the deputy would believe us." Calyx said, before scowling "Well all of the guys except Blink and Ben."
"Those two drunks are part of this too?" Anne asked sniffing in distain.
"That would be my husband," Calyx's voice was surprisingly protective.
The look that Pip gave Calyx showed her surprise, "Yes Spot and Blink are the other two guys who live at the house."
Anne was doing some figuring in her head, "That means that there were seven guys in the house with you three girls?" Her tone was positively scandalous.
"No just the three of us ladies were in the house; the guys have been in the barn since the first day." Hazel said quickly.
"Oh I see," Anne was trying to be a bit more solicitous.
"You ladies do know that those boys are going to be very upset about being put into jail for doing nothing." Chaney finally spoke, concern marring his face.
"But Mr. Sullivan they did do something, they tricked us. They brought us out here under false pretenses." Trish protested.
"That is still no reason to lock up a man, even if it is just over night. I think you girls should go back and tell the deputy to release those boys." Chaney's voice was low as he talked.
"Mr Sullivan, it is just to teach them a lesson, I'm sure they will be out in no time. I'll even go back into town myself tomorrow and make sure they get out." Pip promised sincerely.
"I still don't agree with this, why those boys should suffer over night, just going to jail should have been enough of a lesson." Chaney protested.
"Mr. Sullivan, a true lesson is only learned if they get the impact of the entire lesson." Pip said. Then she looked up to the confused faces of the other girls, "Or something like that." She shrugged sheepishly.
"Fine I'll go into town with you; I need to have a talk with my husband." Calyx said menacingly.
The other girls exchanged looks before they all began giggling. Helen walking as they reached the edge of town. "Where exactly is this farm anyway?"
"About a mile or so outside of town, we should get there before dark." Hazel answered.
"Should?" Michelle's voice shook.
"Well it depends on how fast we all walk. If we keep stopping it will be dark when we get there." Hazel said snidely.
"Well let's get going, I really don't want to be out here after dark." Michelle said rubbing her arms briskly.
"There is no one out here except us. Don't worry so much." Calyx
"Well there is the deputy." Pip said thoughtfully.
"The deputy lives out here?" Helen asked.
"I assume so; he was the guy who escorted Hazel and me to the farm when Spot forgot about us at the station. He said that he lives just past the guys, maybe a mile or so." Pip explained.
"I don't remember him saying that." Hazel commented a joking gleam in her eyes.
"You were too wrapped up in the idea that you might be wrong about Parker and the ad the boys placed." Pip said jokingly.
"Calyx how did you find out about the advertisement, you sound like you are from around here." Trish asked innocently.
Calyx grimaced before admitting, "I didn't know about any advert until after I arrived."
"After you arrived?" Anne sounded incredulous.
"Yes, I'm from New Orleans. I came here to take care of my great aunt. Unfortunately she had already passed on when I had arrived. Ben Conlon was there to meet Pip, but he found me first. I was married to him before I even knew what was going on. Ben-Spot, well whatever his name is, happens to be the most disgusting man I have ever met." Calyx spat venomously.
"Well maybe it ain't a legal marriage" Hazel said suddenly, "Pip is Ben Conlon his legal name?"
Pip frowned; a hesitant pause was evident as she saw the hopeful look in Calyx's eyes. "Yes Ben Conlon is Spot's legal name. He never took our step dad's name. He ran away before he had too. I had to take it, being a girl and all. But I think the older boys were happy that he was never identified as a Donnelly in the papers during the strike. It would have been too embarrassing to them, and their father."
"Strike." Helen seemed to be trying to place which strike Pip was talking about. "You mean to tell me that these guys were involved in the newsie strike two years ago?"
"The ring leaders and they're really proud of it too." Hazel commented. "Don't razz them about it though; they still think that their hot stuff for winning."
"Pip Conlon," Chaney spoke up suddenly. "You any relation to Jimmy Conlon?"
Pip's face was hard now, "Depends on whose asking."
"Well I knew a Jimmy Conlon about ten years ago, pretty popular guy. Well known and well respected. A soft spoken guy, but he probably would have ruled Harlem or even Brooklyn if he was on the outside." Chaney said respectfully.
"Well he never got the chance. Though if you listen to Ben and the others talk, you would think that Spot did it all for him." Pip answered softly. "Like father like son. Spot just knew how not to get caught."
They had approached the out buildings to the farm by that time and Pip was eager to get everyone settled for the night. "Mr. Sullivan you can bunk in the barn. I think the guys had been sleeping in the loft. Just keep an eye out for our cat. She's a bit territorial and I think she's gonna have kittens any day. Breakfast is at sun-up; well make sure to feed you before the guys get here."
Chaney nodded and tipped his had to the girls. The rest of the group trouped toward the house, exhaustion evident. "Pip I think I'm going to make some Johnny-cakes for dinner." Hazel said before her eyes got wide.
The sound of a horse walking up made Pip turn to face the deputy once again. "Evening ladies." He drawled. "Miz Conlon, Miss Conlon can I get a word with you before you eat dinner?"
Hazel spoke quickly, "I'll get everyone settled in and make sure they eat. Take as long as you need." She then shepherded the girls into the house.
Pip smiled gratefully. "So Deputy what can we do for you?"
"First call me Sam I ain't on duty any more." Sam smiled winningly. "I'm actually here about Spot. This ain't the first time I've had to bring him in for disorderly conduct. I was sort of hoping that you ladies being here would end his shenanigans. But they been getting worse. And now he's got Parker involved."
"What sort of shenanigans is my husband involved in?" Calyx asked.
"Well nothing too rough, just drinking too much, and making a nuance of himself. But tonight he and Parker got into a fight."
"Then why were they the only ones in the jail?" Pip asked.
Sam was sheepish, "Because they were fighting each other."
"And what do you suggest I do with my husband Deputy?" Calyx asked with a roll of her eyes.
Sam really began to blush, "I was hoping that...umm...you would give him a reason to stay home nights."
Calyx's eyes flashed, "You are off your rocker," was the only understandable part of her rant as she began speaking in rapid fire French.
"She always do that?" Sam asked Pip in a low tone.
"Only when you get her dander up. At least once a day." Pip confided.
"Well I think I wore out my welcome. DO you want me to stop by before I head back to town tomorrow?"
"Whatever for?" Pip asked.
"I figured you might want to confront your men folk before I let them out." Sam said mater of factly.
"Now that you mention it that does sound like a good idea." Pip conceded.
"I'll be by at sun-up" Sam promised before tugging his had back on his head and turning to leave.
Pip turned to Calyx who had calmed down a bit by now. "I have just the perfect wake-up call in mind." She said with a conspiratorly grin.
As the girls left the jailhouse they were all pretty proud of themselves. "Did you see the look on Jack's face when the deputy told them they were staying for the night?" Hazel asked gleefully. "I thought he was going to punch a wall or something."
"The rest of the guys seemed a bit shocked; I don't think they even thought for a second that the deputy would believe us." Calyx said, before scowling "Well all of the guys except Blink and Ben."
"Those two drunks are part of this too?" Anne asked sniffing in distain.
"That would be my husband," Calyx's voice was surprisingly protective.
The look that Pip gave Calyx showed her surprise, "Yes Spot and Blink are the other two guys who live at the house."
Anne was doing some figuring in her head, "That means that there were seven guys in the house with you three girls?" Her tone was positively scandalous.
"No just the three of us ladies were in the house; the guys have been in the barn since the first day." Hazel said quickly.
"Oh I see," Anne was trying to be a bit more solicitous.
"You ladies do know that those boys are going to be very upset about being put into jail for doing nothing." Chaney finally spoke, concern marring his face.
"But Mr. Sullivan they did do something, they tricked us. They brought us out here under false pretenses." Trish protested.
"That is still no reason to lock up a man, even if it is just over night. I think you girls should go back and tell the deputy to release those boys." Chaney's voice was low as he talked.
"Mr Sullivan, it is just to teach them a lesson, I'm sure they will be out in no time. I'll even go back into town myself tomorrow and make sure they get out." Pip promised sincerely.
"I still don't agree with this, why those boys should suffer over night, just going to jail should have been enough of a lesson." Chaney protested.
"Mr. Sullivan, a true lesson is only learned if they get the impact of the entire lesson." Pip said. Then she looked up to the confused faces of the other girls, "Or something like that." She shrugged sheepishly.
"Fine I'll go into town with you; I need to have a talk with my husband." Calyx said menacingly.
The other girls exchanged looks before they all began giggling. Helen walking as they reached the edge of town. "Where exactly is this farm anyway?"
"About a mile or so outside of town, we should get there before dark." Hazel answered.
"Should?" Michelle's voice shook.
"Well it depends on how fast we all walk. If we keep stopping it will be dark when we get there." Hazel said snidely.
"Well let's get going, I really don't want to be out here after dark." Michelle said rubbing her arms briskly.
"There is no one out here except us. Don't worry so much." Calyx
"Well there is the deputy." Pip said thoughtfully.
"The deputy lives out here?" Helen asked.
"I assume so; he was the guy who escorted Hazel and me to the farm when Spot forgot about us at the station. He said that he lives just past the guys, maybe a mile or so." Pip explained.
"I don't remember him saying that." Hazel commented a joking gleam in her eyes.
"You were too wrapped up in the idea that you might be wrong about Parker and the ad the boys placed." Pip said jokingly.
"Calyx how did you find out about the advertisement, you sound like you are from around here." Trish asked innocently.
Calyx grimaced before admitting, "I didn't know about any advert until after I arrived."
"After you arrived?" Anne sounded incredulous.
"Yes, I'm from New Orleans. I came here to take care of my great aunt. Unfortunately she had already passed on when I had arrived. Ben Conlon was there to meet Pip, but he found me first. I was married to him before I even knew what was going on. Ben-Spot, well whatever his name is, happens to be the most disgusting man I have ever met." Calyx spat venomously.
"Well maybe it ain't a legal marriage" Hazel said suddenly, "Pip is Ben Conlon his legal name?"
Pip frowned; a hesitant pause was evident as she saw the hopeful look in Calyx's eyes. "Yes Ben Conlon is Spot's legal name. He never took our step dad's name. He ran away before he had too. I had to take it, being a girl and all. But I think the older boys were happy that he was never identified as a Donnelly in the papers during the strike. It would have been too embarrassing to them, and their father."
"Strike." Helen seemed to be trying to place which strike Pip was talking about. "You mean to tell me that these guys were involved in the newsie strike two years ago?"
"The ring leaders and they're really proud of it too." Hazel commented. "Don't razz them about it though; they still think that their hot stuff for winning."
"Pip Conlon," Chaney spoke up suddenly. "You any relation to Jimmy Conlon?"
Pip's face was hard now, "Depends on whose asking."
"Well I knew a Jimmy Conlon about ten years ago, pretty popular guy. Well known and well respected. A soft spoken guy, but he probably would have ruled Harlem or even Brooklyn if he was on the outside." Chaney said respectfully.
"Well he never got the chance. Though if you listen to Ben and the others talk, you would think that Spot did it all for him." Pip answered softly. "Like father like son. Spot just knew how not to get caught."
They had approached the out buildings to the farm by that time and Pip was eager to get everyone settled for the night. "Mr. Sullivan you can bunk in the barn. I think the guys had been sleeping in the loft. Just keep an eye out for our cat. She's a bit territorial and I think she's gonna have kittens any day. Breakfast is at sun-up; well make sure to feed you before the guys get here."
Chaney nodded and tipped his had to the girls. The rest of the group trouped toward the house, exhaustion evident. "Pip I think I'm going to make some Johnny-cakes for dinner." Hazel said before her eyes got wide.
The sound of a horse walking up made Pip turn to face the deputy once again. "Evening ladies." He drawled. "Miz Conlon, Miss Conlon can I get a word with you before you eat dinner?"
Hazel spoke quickly, "I'll get everyone settled in and make sure they eat. Take as long as you need." She then shepherded the girls into the house.
Pip smiled gratefully. "So Deputy what can we do for you?"
"First call me Sam I ain't on duty any more." Sam smiled winningly. "I'm actually here about Spot. This ain't the first time I've had to bring him in for disorderly conduct. I was sort of hoping that you ladies being here would end his shenanigans. But they been getting worse. And now he's got Parker involved."
"What sort of shenanigans is my husband involved in?" Calyx asked.
"Well nothing too rough, just drinking too much, and making a nuance of himself. But tonight he and Parker got into a fight."
"Then why were they the only ones in the jail?" Pip asked.
Sam was sheepish, "Because they were fighting each other."
"And what do you suggest I do with my husband Deputy?" Calyx asked with a roll of her eyes.
Sam really began to blush, "I was hoping that...umm...you would give him a reason to stay home nights."
Calyx's eyes flashed, "You are off your rocker," was the only understandable part of her rant as she began speaking in rapid fire French.
"She always do that?" Sam asked Pip in a low tone.
"Only when you get her dander up. At least once a day." Pip confided.
"Well I think I wore out my welcome. DO you want me to stop by before I head back to town tomorrow?"
"Whatever for?" Pip asked.
"I figured you might want to confront your men folk before I let them out." Sam said mater of factly.
"Now that you mention it that does sound like a good idea." Pip conceded.
"I'll be by at sun-up" Sam promised before tugging his had back on his head and turning to leave.
Pip turned to Calyx who had calmed down a bit by now. "I have just the perfect wake-up call in mind." She said with a conspiratorly grin.
