Chapter 6: Trouble

A tentative routine of sorts set itself up as the months passed. Nora kept to the endless washing and mending during the days as Andy worked on the other side of the tent or disappeared to prospect in the hills. The prospecting hadn't turned up too much, but fortunately the laundry and whatever else Andy did kept the money flowing.

After all that went on Virginia, Nora knew not to ask too many questions about Andy's work. She had his promise this was a new start, and she felt confident he wouldn't lie to her. They were all each other really had…trust had never been an issue between them. But she still couldn't help her curiosity.

"Andy," she asked over dinner one night, "may I ask what you do when not prospecting? I've heard the sound of breaking glass and bubbling liquids," she met his crystalline eyes, "you're not still working are you?"

"No Nora," he smiled comfortingly, "no, I'm on a whole new endeavor. Something with easy to see merit. Doc Cochran has been to see me, and asked if I can make some sort of vaccine cure for a bacterium found in the creek water. He gave me a sample of water, and I've been working to isolate it and find a non-harmful-to-humans cure." She still looked at him skeptically. "I'm not even close to testing phases, I'm still just trying to see if I can even formulate a solution." Nora's face softened. He wouldn't lie to her.

"I'm sure you'll find one. Sure medicine's not your chosen field, but I've never seen anyone so adept with lab equipment."

"Cochran sure has faith. He's procuring money from somewhere—"

"Andy, you're not making him pay you, are you?" He shook his head.

"No, he insisted since he was taking time from my prospecting, he would graciously fund my efforts."

"Surprising he can continually come up with such large funds."

"Apparently it's a collection from the merchants around," Andy continued on, as he rose to get another helping, "it's something they've all experienced apparently, and would like to find a quicker remedy than just letting it upset their systems."

"Sounds like good work then."

"It's slow going." He joined her at the table. "Any more words from Swearengen?"

"No, not since that one night. And certainly not since you paid him a visit." Andy couldn't help but laugh.

"He probably recognized those symptoms expertly well."

"You didn't use the same stuff you gave him…," Andy nodded his head, "oh Andy!" She laughed, shaking her head.

"It's amazingly simple…a minute amount, not even a drop of cyanide, mix it with anything," he snapped his fingers, "instant stomach-intestine problems for a week." Nora shook her head, grimacing.

"I think I'll pass thank you," she shared a smile with her brother, "let us just hope it doesn't come back to me."

"Why would it?" Andy asked, dismissing the concerned look on her face. "You're over-worrying Nora. He wouldn't dare touch you." She hadn't had the heart to tell him how Al had tried strangling her, and he hadn't particularly noticed the red scratches on her neck.

She sighed before taking another bite, convincing herself Andy was probably right. If they hadn't heard anything from Swearengen by now, then most likely, they weren't going to. Their warning had worked, and Al wouldn't be calling on her for services unless he was fully prepared to pay.

"I think I'll pay a visit to Mr. Bullock after dinner." She said, taking another bite.

"You just be careful." He said, something of a terse note to his voice. He wasn't exactly thrilled that Nora and Bullock spent nights together, but there was only so much he could do to stop her. And she had been married before, so the issue of protecting her virtue was nonexistent. Andy just tried to not think about it, but kept urging her to be careful. Nora couldn't be more pleasantly surprised about the whole thing. "How is the honorable Sheriff Bullock these days?"

"He's well," Nora said, rising to collect their dishes to wash, "Sol's essentially taken over running the store, since he always seems to be needed somewhere for one reason or another."

"Sounds exhausting," Andy said noncommittally, rising, "fool of a good man to take the job."

"Don't think he hasn't had thoughts of regret."

"Well I'm calling it a night," he walked over to Nora, kissing her cheek as she kissed his, "be careful."

"I will," she said reassuringly, "I'll just finish up here and fold the wash on the line before heading out." He nodded silently, smiling almost nervously before disappearing behind the section that was his 'room.'

Finishing up with the dishes took no time at all, and before long she found herself out in the nippy night breeze, folding clean clothes. With each piece she folded, the tingly sensations of anticipation at spending a night in Seth's arms were intensely growing. She pulled down a shirt, her brow suddenly furrowing as she saw Dan Dority fast approaching, coming to a stop just before the clothesline.

"Ms. Hunt, Al wants to see ya."

"Thank you Mr. Dority, I'll be there when I can."

"He's a wanting you now," Dority said, taking a step towards her, looking eerily menacing in the distant firelight, "you best come with me."

"You tell Swearengen I'll be there just as soon as I'm able."

"That won't sit ma'am," Dority wrapped a burly hand around her slim arm, gripping painfully tight, "as I said, you best come with me." He twisted ever so slightly, noticing the grimace of pain flash across her face.

"Alright, I'll come." He roughly released her arm, but stayed close enough to remind her if she tried to run, it would be all too easy for him to twist her arm again. They reached the Gem in almost no time, and Nora felt certain she knew what Al wanted to talk about.

"Nora, Nora, Nora." Al said disappointedly as Dority closed the door behind her, disappearing into the hallway.

"What this time Al?"

"You trying to be cute with me?" He asked, his tone infinitely sharper than before, a dangerous look coming to his beady eyes.

"I'm trying to find out why you sent that no good excuse of a man to physically threaten me if I didn't come right away."

"Some time back, every man who was poured a drink from the same bottle turned up sick the next day, for a week. All with the exact same symptoms…eerily familiar symptoms."

"Can't blame that on me."

"No? But I can sure as shit point a finger at that brother of yours."

"We all need warnings sometimes."

"Warnings?" Al stood up, sending a shiver up Nora's spine.

"I told you last I was here, I wasn't doing any favors. So consider it a warning—you leave me alone, and we'll leave you alone."

"What makes you think you're in any fucking position to make demands?"

"We were able to get that poison in here without you knowing—" He slapped her across the face, cutting off the end of her words.

"You fucking cunt," he spat, grabbing a fistful of her long hair, "I knew you were going to be a pain in the ass." He kicked the door open, yanking her hair first behind him. The whole saloon stopped moving as her scream ripped through the air and he dragged her down the stairs. "Caught us a thief, gentlemen," Al shouted over her screams as he continued yanking her by the hair, "this'll show her, and you all, that thievin' from here, is not fucking tolerated."

The room exploded in hoots and hollers of agreement as Al continued to drag her outside, stopping when he reached the end of the wood porch before it turned into mud.

"Give your brother a message for me…." He reeled back again, striking her hard across the face, knocking her unconscious down into the mud. "Consider this your fucking warning." He hauled back and planted a boot hard into her stomach, satisfied when she gave no response. Without so much as a backwards glance, he turned from her back inside, greeted by cheers of approval from every man and whore present.

Business, that's all it was.

hopefully have the next chapter or two up in a day or two. thanks fer stoppin' by!