The morning after the children's return was filled will hope and high spirits. Evelyn and Abigail watched over their children as they explored the new camp with excitement, pleased that they got to sleep in a house for the first time in a while. All morning Evelyn avoided Arthur, opting to stay close to Abigail or Sadie, the two women always happy to keep her company. Evelyn noted with regret that her and Sadie hadn't spent much time together lately, so she hoped to rectify that but the woman didn't seem to mind, picking up an easy routine like they had been old friends their whole lives. The one time that she had gotten caught unaware and somewhat alone with Arthur she tried playing it off, giving him a cheerful 'good morning, Mr. Morgan.' and when he'd seemed to try to say something she pretended Annabell was calling for her, a shameful lie for sure.
Her peace was disturbed however when Dutch joyously gathered her, Arthur, Hosea and Bill to announce that they were going clothes shopping, his treat, for the mayor's garden party tonight. Evelyn had completely forgotten.
"Oh I don't know Dutch, I should really definitely stay here don't you think?" She stated, somewhat pitifully. Though she obviously didn't want to face the consequences of her own actions from last night, she also just wanted to be with Annabell as long as possible. She wondered if she could take her daughter along, but decided it would be too risky.
"Nonsense, Mrs. Kings! It wouldn't be a party without you, not to mention you hit it off with Bronte so well last night, it seemed." He chuckled, clapping her gently on the back. She groaned, she definitely didn't want to see Bronte again, she didn't know if she could handle all of his odd leering at her.
So, off to Saint Denise they rode, stuffed into a small stagecoach driven by Lenny, and she wondered where it came from, she'd certainly never seen it before. She was stuffed between Hosea and Arthur, trying in vain to make herself smaller to take up the least amount of space possible and keeping her gaze strictly on her feet. Surely it would've been more comfortable to just ride there on their own and have Lenny meet up later? She was so relieved when the carriage finally came to a stop, Lenny dropping them off at the Tailor shop. Dutch ushered them in.
"Alright gentleman, and lady, go find yourselves something nice. Men, a nice suit, and Evelyn, I trust you know all about the dress habits of the rich folk. You can be our guide." Dutch said.
The men all went to look at suits, and Evelyn browsed through the gowns. It'd been so long since she'd worn expensive silks that now as she trailed a hand over the many gowns she felt slightly overwhelmed. She decided to play it safe and stick with colors that complimented her eyes, like blue or green. Her eyes caught on a royal blue gown, floor length with a deep neckline that stretched into sleeves that hung off the shoulders. It was fitted around the bust much like a corset and instead of poofing out like a ballgown it flowed freely down in an Empire style. Beautiful, comfortable, and simple. She had to get the in-store tailor to make a few adjustments, but within an hour it looked like it was made specifically for her. To pair with it she got simple flat shoes, and petite white lace gloves, and an essential for any look is a matching fan. She looked at the final result in the mirror, hardly recognizing herself. She looked like the woman she was before, when she still lived in the city with her husband but now she had tanned freckled skin and scars. She took her hair out the bun she had been wearing it in, shaking it out so the tresses would fall loosely to just above her rear.
Beautiful. She thought, looking at her reflection happily. The necklace Arthur had given her rested in the dip of her collar bones. She deemed herself presentable and went to find the men, who were on the opposite side of the store also getting adjustments made. Evelyn smiled playfully, they made such a funny picture to her, especially Bill who even in an expensive suit still looked like he belonged in a cabin on the mountains and not a ball. Hosea and Dutch looked like they'd been wearing suits their whole lives, they looked so natural fiddling with the cuffs on their sleeves. And Arthur, well, seeing him in a suit made her cheeks warm and she had to look away lest she get caught staring.
"Don't you boys just look adorable." She teased them. They looked up at her, seeing her for the first time.
"Who are you?" Bill asked dumbly. Evelyn looked at him like he was crazy.
"It's Evelyn, dumbass." Arthur muttered. Bill still squinted at her. Hosea and Dutch gave her friendly smiles, Hosea coming up to her, his arms held open in a 'wow' expression.
"You look lovely, Mrs. Kings!" He exclaimed. Dutch joined him.
"Truly, the Belle of the Ball." Dutch commented. He looked back at Arthur, a smirk on his face. "Doesn't she, Arthur?" He asked mischievously. Arthur cleared him throat uncomfortably.
"'Course, stunning." He said. Evelyn smiled meekly, her face burning.
"You all look absolutely dashing, even Bill." She winked. Bill shifted uncomfortably, making everyone laugh. Finished with everyone's touch ups Dutch paid the shopkeeper for their purchases and they gathered back into the stagecoach.
The ride over was in high spirits, Dutch procuring some whiskey and everyone clinking glasses together as they all laughed. Very quickly they arrived at the mayor's residence, and they were greeted by well dressed servants who greeted them and took their weapons. They were then lead into the party by one of Bronte's servants, the man dropping them off on a balcony, where Bronte was socializing with many other guests. Hosea and Bill opted to stay downstairs, having not met the man before. Bronte greeted them dramatically.
"Ah, the angry cowboys! And their lovely Lady, Mrs. Kings!" He exclaimed. Evelyn politely nodded, plastering a smile on her face. Dutch shook his hand.
"Quite a party you've invited us to." He commented.
"Yes, quite something, although I'm not quiet sure what." Bronte signaled for someone to hand out a box of comically large and expensive cigars, to which Evelyn declined.
"So, all of these people are your friends?" Dutch asked, gesturing to the guests mingling in the garden.
"No, no, not quite... But they certainly are afraid of me." He chuckled, somewhat cruelly. "Like that one, you see there." He pointed at an older grayed man with a top hat. "That one especially. He's the mayor, Henri Lemieux." He went on to point out many of the guests, with their names and points of interests about them. At one point he even hinted at hiring them to kill some poor newspaperman. Thankfully, Dutch politely declined. She was all too relieved to leave the mans company when Dutch said his goodbyes. As they descended the steps Bronte called out to her.
"Ah, Mrs. Kings, maybe save me a dance later?" He asked, smiling. Around him his guests laughed loudly. She forced a smiled and curtsied.
"I wouldn't miss it, Mr. Bronte." She said then quickly took her leave, a chill racing down her spine. Arthur waited for her to catch up and she smiled at him trying to mask her discomfort.
"You could've said no," He commented. she shook her head.
"You can never say no to a man like him." She said grimly. He nodded in understanding. They joined Dutch and the other two outside. She was grateful they had a servant to escort them, the mansion was like a maze.
"Gentlemen, let's ingratiate ourselves. Mr. Bronte so kindly informed us about a trolley, so let's see what else we can discover." Dutch said. He began issuing commands to everyone. "Arthur, you'd be best to go meet the mayor, stay outta trouble and steal nothin'. Hosea, go find us a place to rob. Bill, go out there and make some friends. Evelyn, go gossip with some of the fine ladies out there. Any information is helpful." He dismissed them and they scattered to do his bidding.
Evelyn sighed, assessing her surroundings. There were multiple groups of women, all dressed beautifully in every shade of color. A woman downing a glass of champagne caught her eye, she seemed flustered, her face was flushed red and she angrily tapped her foot. Evelyn casually made her way over to her, snatching a flute of champagne before she stopped to chat.
"May I say miss, that shade of blue is stunning on you." Evelyn said. The woman looked down at herself, then back to Evelyn who offered her another glass.
"Oh, thank you ma'am. You look gorgeous yourself." She said, a bit caught off guard. Evelyn curtsied.
"You are too kind, tell me, are you alright?" Evelyn inquired, adding a concerned lilt to her voice. The woman sighed.
"Ms. Weedie, please. And I suppose I'm fine, but that Mr. Hawksbill is getting on my nerves. He's married to my cousin, who I care for deeply, and he won't stop propositioning me, trying to get me into his bed." She spat with disgust. Evelyn gasped dramatically.
"Whoever this man is, he should be ashamed of himself. To think of you as some common harlot, he truly sounds like a pig." She offered. Ms. Tweedie nodded, exasperated.
"You do not know of him? He is prestigious dog breeder, he supplies many hounds all over the country. Fitting, since he acts like one." She said. Evelyn tucked that information into the back of her head. Rich men and blackmail go hand in hand. She ended the conversation, curtsying gracefully as they said their goodbyes. Igniting the sky were fireworks, a dramatic and beautiful show of lights. She turned to scope out more people when she saw Arthur walking towards her. She felt her palms get sweaty and she swallowed tightly.
"Mrs. Kings, would you accompany me?" He asked, offering her arm. She accepted and he lead her a bit of ways away from the crown. "I found something, but I'll need your help in case something happens." He whispered to her.
"What do I need to do?" She asked.
"If we're about to get caught I'll need you to make a distraction or somethin' just to buy me time." He explained as he watched a servant dressed in all white walk by. Arthur signaled for her to follow. They discreetly followed behind the man, dodging guards and other servants. Soon they were inside of the mayor's mansion, quietly following along.
"Ugh, this house is a disaster." Came a voice from around the corner. Without much time to hide Evelyn pulled Arthur up against her, hiking her leg up around his waist and pulling his face close to hers, her dress slipped up her thigh suggestively. She giggled coyly, watching out of the corner of her eye as a cleaning lady discovered them, then covered her eyes and hurried away from them in embarrassment. Evelyn stayed still for a few seconds, feeling Arthur's gaze on her and his breath fanning across her chest. She pushed him away, blushing furiously and fixed her skirts. Arthur recovered from his shock and nodded his thanks to her, and they caught back up to the servant. He gestured for her to wait at the stairs and keep watch. A minute later he returned, offering her his arm and leading her back to the party.
They returned to the others. "Find anything?" Dutch asked. Bill and Hosea were discussing amongst themselves. Arthur nodded and patted his suit pocket.
"I think so." Dutch looked to Evelyn, who nodded.
"Maybe, something small." She offered. Hosea clasped his hands together.
"I think it's time for us to leave, then." He said and lead the way back to the stagecoach. On the way home they discussed their dealings, Hosea mentioning something about a big city bank, and Dutch mentioning a high stakes poker game and the Trolley station Bronte had informed them of. Evelyn told them about the Dog Breeder and the blackmail, and Hosea commented that it would be the perfect task for Karin, MaryBeth, and Tilly to inquire about. Bill sulked quietly, and she was saddened to hear that his experience was more of being the laughingstock of some frumpy politicians. She reassured him that he looked fantastic, and suggested that they were just intimidated. That seemed to please him, and she smiled.
They arrived home, most everyone was asleep, and Evelyn went to check on Annabell, who was fast asleep in Sadie's arms. She smiled fondly at the picture, wishing she could just keep it forever. She was a little surprised that she wasn't with Jack, though. Opting to leave the girl to her slumber Evelyn headed into the house, happy to be back in her room. She lit the lamp by the nightstand and began taking off her lace gloves, then her shoes. She was startled by a soft knock on her door.
"Come in." She called, expecting it to be Sadie or Abigail. Maybe they woke up and brought Annabell up to the room. Her mouth went dry when instead of either of the women, Arthur's tall form entered the room.
"Arthur..." She stammered.
"Hope I'm not intrudin', Miss." He said, stepping forward slightly. She shook her head, unsure of what to say.
"What can I help you with?" She asked. He looked at her intently.
"I think you know, Evelyn." She swallowed. "You've been avoiding me. Since last night." He said, his voice low. She stuttered, stepping back. Nervously, she paced over to the window, pretending to fix the curtains.
"I-I never..." Arthur paced towards her, catching her chin in his grasp and making her look at him. She shook nervously. His eyes pierced into her, and his breath fanned over her.
"Don't lie to me, Evelyn. What did it mean?" His voice was strained.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Please, forgive me it won't happen again." She whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Arthur seemed confused.
"Sorry? So, it was a mistake?" He asked. He seemed upset, and Evelyn's heart clenched.
"Yes...No! I mean... I wanted to, but it was foolish of me to assume you-" She was interrupted by his mouth clashing over hers. It was her turn to be frozen in shock, clutching to his suit jacket tightly and closing her eyes as he deepened the kiss. She moaned, threading her fingers in his hair. His hands trailed down her back, finding the clasp that kept her dress clinging onto her body. As the dress loosened and began to fall, Evelyn panicked. She clutched it to her chest and broke off the kiss, panting. Arthur looked at her with concern.
"I... I can't." She whimpered. She sat on the foot of her bed, hiding her face in her hands. Arthur, confused, knelt in front of her, resting his hands on her thighs.
"Is... Everything okay?" He asked her. She curled in on herself, wrapping her arms around herself and looking away.
"I'm a married woman, Arthur. Married to a dead man, that I killed myself, a woman with another man's child." She whispered. "I've never even been in love before. I'm scared." Her voice cracked, the words shaky. "I'm scared of what I feel. For you. You deserve someone, a nice girl who isn't so broken with a dark history. Even if it's just for your... Physical needs. I'm afraid I can't be that." Tears rolled down her face. Arthur grasped her face in his hands, wiping the tears with his thumb.
"None of that matters to me, Evelyn. And I ain't just here to satisfy somethin' and leave." He assured her. "I'm afraid of what I feel for you, too. I ain't felt this way in a long time." She looked at him, eyes wide. Slowly he brought himself up to kiss her again, this time soft and slowly. She hesitantly returned it. They broke away, resting their foreheads together, eyes closed.
"Since when..?" She asked. Arthur shrugged.
"Ain't sure exactly. I think when I first really noticed it was the ride home, when we were dealin' with the Gray boy, Beau. When I first knew forsure was when I was dyin' and I heard your voice callin' my name." He chuckled softly. "Didn't think to act on it 'till last night. Didn't even occur to me that a woman like you would want an awful man like myself." Evelyn smiled and kissed his cheek. Her heart was still beating furiously.
"You aren't awful, Arthur. You're the best man I've met, so far." She assured him. He drew back, a playful smile on his lips.
"Even more than that William feller?" He teased. Evelyn slapped his shoulder.
"Mr. Morgan, I didn't take you for the jealous type." She giggled, biting her lip. He kissed her again, trailing his hands down her bare shoulders. She shuddered, letting him remove the rest of her gown. Occasionally he'd look to her for permission, and she nodded, heart beating in excitement and fear. He continued until they were both bare, and he lifted her up to lay her across the bed spread. She kissed him passionately, enjoying his taste of coffee, whiskey, and cigars.
They indulged in each other late into the night, until they both passed out, Evelyn nestled tightly against his chest.
