A/N: You know the drill…I only own Isabelle, yada yada yada…I want to keep typing, yada yada yada…Just keep reading ;)
Chapter 2
The door to the saloon swung open. Ezra looked up from his card game and Buck turned around from trying to charm Inez. A young woman with bright blue eyes and short blonde locks walked in, covered from head to toe in dust and brush. She smiled, her face looking pleasantly refreshed and pink. The two men looked at each other, eyebrows raised, and then back to the girl. She had reached the bar.
"Excuse me?" She looked patiently at Inez, who was polishing a glass.
"May I help you, senorita?" Inez's thick Spanish accent floated into the air of the saloon, now silent because all eyes were on the newcomer.
The smile returned to the young woman's face. "Yes. A shot of whiskey, if you please. Make it a double." She slid to the side of the stool in front of her, slipping gracefully into a sitting position and leaning her elbows on the bar.
Buck slid closer to her, he, too, leaning onto his elbows. "Well, what is a pretty little thing like you doing ordering a whiskey? Shouldn't you be drinking something more," he smiled his trademark Buck smile, "feminine."
Inez rolled her eyes and set the drink in front of her. "That'll be a dollar."
Isabelle shrugged, tossed a bill from her little wrist purse onto the counter, and picked up the glass. She turned to look at Buck. "So, you don't think I should drink this?" She frowned prettily at him. When he nodded, Isabelle smiled and threw her head back, drinking down the sweet and fiery shot. "Well, I think I need another." She slammed down the empty glass and turned her attention back to Inez. "I'll have another."
Buck's mouth flew open and Ezra smiled at the spirited girl. He excused himself from the game and walked over to the bar. He took the seat on the other side of Isabelle, handing a dollar to Inez. "This one is on me," his Southern drawl dripped amusement.
"Ezra, you never part with your money." Buck stood up and hitched his thumbs into his pants.
"Well, when this charming young woman seemed to baffle the great Buck Wilmington, I could not resist purchasing her libation as a thank you for the greatest moment of my day." Ezra glanced at the girl.
Isabelle had downed the second shot and was looking from one man to another. "Wait, Ezra? Buck?" Her eyes lost focus for a slight moment and then snapped back to attention. "You're two more of the seven!" She giggled happily. "I'm Isabelle Manning." She hiccupped. "I'm Mary Travis's little sister."
Buck's grin returned. "I didn't know Mary Travis had a sister. And I didn't know beauty ran in the family."
Isabelle hiccupped again. "Don't you dare! Mary's warned me about you, Mr. Wilmington. And I will not become one of your conquests." She smiled flirtatiously. "No matter how attractive you may be."
Buck glowed in pleasure. Ezra, feeling uncomfortable in the moment and displeased at the lack of attention, cleared his throat. "What brings you to our quaint little town, Miss Manning?"
Isabelle turned her head quickly to Ezra, flipping her hair into Buck's face as he went to lean closer. "I'm supposed to live with Mary for a year to become an adult. Then I get my share of my parents' estate and can move on with my life." Though slightly intoxicated, she saw the spark of interest light in Ezra's eyes. "And don't even think about trying to seduce me, either, Mr. Standish. The man I marry won't have any access to the money." Isabelle slid off the stool. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've already lied to my sister by having a second drink, I don't intend to have anymore."
Isabelle staggered slightly. Ezra and Buck jumped to their feet to stabilize her. The door to the saloon slammed open again and in walked two men. They had guns drawn, pointing around the bar.
"Lord Almighty, kid, would you put that away?!" Buck let go of Isabelle's arm long enough to slap JD on the back of the head.
"OW!" JD rubbed the now sore spot. "What did you do that for?"
"You don't just walk into a saloon, guns drawn! You could start a saloon fight. And any innocent bystander," he nodded to Isabelle and raised his eyebrows, "could get hurt."
Instantly, JD stumbled to put his gun away. Vin slid his smoothly into his holster. "Sorry about that." He tilted his head to Isabelle, lifting his hat slightly. "We just saw a stallion that belongs to a member of the Connelly gang. You know how fond they are of drinking."
Isabelle pulled her arms away from her stabilizers. "What kind of stallion?" She folded her arms across her chest, her eyes furrowed in distaste.
"A black, somewhat wild one." Vin lowered one eyebrow in confusion. "Ma'am, who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Oh, uh, this is Isabelle Manning," Buck offered.
"She is Mrs. Travis' lovely and charming sister." Ezra's smile returned.
"And that horse belongs to a friend." She got up in Vin's face. "And I don't know who you are, but he is not a criminal."
Vin wrinkled his nose, smelling the whiskey on her breath. "My name is Vin Tanner and I was a bounty hunter. That horse may belong to your friend but around here, he's considered dangerous and a criminal."
Isabelle was in shock. After hearing the man's name, she'd stopped listening. She started tipping backwards; all the men reached out to catch her and Vin got there first. He grabbed her up in his arms, the anger from a moment before subsiding as he steadied the inebriated young lady.
Isabelle started mumbling. "No, you can't be. That's not right. It can't be right. I must have had too much to drink. That's got to be it."
The men looked at each other in confusion. Ezra stepped up behind her and put a reassuring hand on her back. "My dear, what ever are you talking about?"
Isabelle snapped her head in his direction. "I don't know. I'm just a little drunk, I believe. Would one of you mind escorting me home?"
"Why, we'd be happy to," Buck said, sidling up behind her, beside Ezra. "Who would you like to walk you home?"
"Oh, I don't care. Anyone…" Isabelle's voice drifted off as Vin's grip firmed around her waist. She slid her eyes upward until they locked onto his bright blue ones. "Anyone except you." She pulled away quickly and attached herself to Ezra.
"Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, it seems I have to escort this lovely lady home." Ezra tipped his hat to his comrades and gently pushed Isabelle out the door in front of him. "Watch your step."
The three remaining men walked up to the bar and sat down on adjacent stools. They were silent as they sipped their beer. JD shifted uncomfortably, glancing from one friend to another. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Why do you think Mary's sister doesn't like Vin?"
"I think it's because I insulted her friend, Mr. Connelly." Vin stared straight ahead, as if in contemplation.
"Despite her low tolerance for alcohol and her defensive behavior, she's quite the beauty." Buck was grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary.
"I'd stay away from that little beauty if I were you." Chris walked up behind them and sat silently next to Vin. He accepted the beer Inez held out to him and stared at the wall, mocking Vin almost exactly.
"Was Mary mad?" Vin continued to stare straight ahead.
"Oh, yeah." Chris smiled. "I don't think we'll be enjoying Miss Manning's company in this saloon for some time."
Grins appeared on all the men's faces. Chris, after a light chuckle, glanced down the row of men. "One thing that baffles me is the screaming."
They all quickly looked at him, concern on their faces. "Screaming?" Buck was the first to question the word.
"Yeah. Isabelle was screaming about some bullheaded cowboy wanna-be who was giving her a hard time."
Vin sighed and went back to his contemplations. "I don't think she liked me."
"That would be an understatement, my friend." Ezra had returned. "I never knew such a pretty mouth could produce so many obscenities."
Buck shook his head. "She's the first woman I've been attracted to that's just like me."
"I'd keep my hands off if I were you," Chris said, taking another swig of beer. "According to Mary, her sister has a questionable reputation. And Mary wants to try to erase that reputation here in Clarion. Meaning hands off. Especially you." He looked directly at Buck.
All the men laughed and finished their beers. There were other things they wanted to ask, other answers they wanted to know, but they had to settle with what they already knew. The rest of the answers would have to come from the source: and she was in no position to answer any of their questions tonight.
A/N: She's not an alcoholic, I swear. She just likes a drinkey now and then. Well, R/R, please!
