After he'd brought Emma back to Cactus Flats from her sister's home, Angel Eyes went out alone for several hours each day. Within a week, he'd found a suitable job - with his reputation, he could pick and choose the opportunities that came his way.
Emma awakened one morning to find him already dressed and packing his travel gear. He was very private about his work. Even though he'd told her what he did for a living, he was of the opinion that the fewer details she knew, the better.
She accepted this on one level, but her inquisitive nature naturally wanted to know more.
"I'll pack you some food for the trail," she told him as she put her dressing gown on and stepped into her slippers.
"Obliged," he replied, as he continued to stuff essential items into his saddlebags. The previous evening, he'd checked to make sure his weapons were in top working order, which saved time getting ready this morning.
"Do you know how long you'll be gone?" she asked as he took the time to pour himself a cup of coffee.
"Probably no more than a week or two, depending on how long I have to track the target and find the best opportunity to complete the job," he told her.
"Stay safe," she said as he got ready to leave a few minutes later. His horse was already saddled and ready to go.
Giving her a brief kiss, he assured her, "I always look out for myself first." After a moment, he added, "Take care of yourself while I'm gone. I'll stop by the mercantile on my way out of town, snd send Tom to stay with you while I'm away."
And with that, he was gone. Emma watched him as he cantered down the lane until he was out of sight.
As she waited for Tom to turn up, she poured herself a cup of coffee, then had a bite to eat. She was a bit aggravated that Angel Eyes didn't tell her he had a new job until she woke up to find him packing, but knew it was nothing personal against her. It was just how he'd operated for most of his life and that he trusted her as far as he was capable of. She knew it took a lot for him just to tell her how he made a living. They had an odd relationship, but it certainly beat living in that cramped bedroom over the mercantile with her younger sister.
As the days passed, Emma slowly adjusted to Angel Eyes' absence. She mostly stayed at home, as she didn't want to chance running into the two old gossips again. Her mother had heard some of the gossip they'd already spread, which cast doubt on her widow status, saying she wasn't mourning properly.
Janie came to see the new house and to check on the baby again. Everything continued to be fine. She and Tom sneaked into town one night after the mercantile had closed to have dinner with her family. Her mother loaded her up on leftovers that would last her and Tom a couple of days.
Angel Eyes came home after a week and a half. He said nothing about his just completed job, except to report that it went off exactly as planned. He was especially amorous his first night back, something that Emma appreciated.
He got another job within two weeks and the cycle began anew. Emma was resigned to it by now, but especially looked forward to their reunions. This pattern continued until just before the baby was born.
Two weeks before her expected due date, Angel Eyes temporarily ceased seeking new jobs, so that he was guaranteed to be there when the baby arrived.
He continued to go to town each day, just to get out of the house, but typically didn't stay away as long as before. He'd have a few drinks, nursing them along slowly, as he listened to the chatter of male voices. Sometimes, he played a few rounds of poker when Jesse was in town, but usually did not interact with the locals otherwise.
Emma would have a good meal waiting for him when he returned to the house, with the meals increasingly being supplied by her mother as the due date drew nearer.
One day, not long after starting his sabbatical from work, they woke up late, after having an amorous evening the night before. As she made their breakfast, she asked, "Can you get a few things at the mercantile when you're in town. I made a list."
"Sure," he agreed. "I'll do it on my way back." After a pause, he added, "I'd better get going. Janie is coming over, right?"
"She should be here any time," Emma affirmed.
He went to the stable to saddle his horse, and as he came out, saw the young midwife approaching on her own horse. Satisfied that Emma was in good hands, he rode off toward town.
Once in town, he made a brief stop at the post office to see if he had any mail. There was none, so he went to the saloon to unwind for a while. As was his common habit, his thoughts began to wander as he took his usual spot in the corner of the room with his back to the wall.
Now that he'd spent some long periods of time with Emma, he realized they had very little in common. Oh, sure, he really enjoyed their intimate moments together and, as far as that went, they were compatible. But he was unaccustomed to the give and take of ordinary domestic life and it was beginning to show. He'd never before needed to exert patience with others and was having a difficult time of it.
He'd had a very difficult upbringing, very different from the wholesome family Emma had grown up in. He would have liked to have been able to tell her more details about his work, but knew she simply wouldn't be able to understand. It was like how he wasn't really interested in the anecdotes of her family life she'd told him, as it was foreign to his existence. He was anything but wholesome.
He knew the only thing holding them together was the child they created and he was committed to seeing that it had a better childhood than he'd had. Beyond that, he would protect the mother of his child, but he had no intention of settling down with her.
Emma had even suggested that he might want to open a gunsmith shop and give up being a hired gun. He'd quickly nixed that idea, telling her that he might consider that when he got too old to be a gunslinger, but not now. He was what he was, good at what he did, and wasn't the least but ashamed of it.
"Hey, Sentenza!" Angel Eyes looked up to see Jesse Bannister standing in front of him. "You looked like you were a million miles away when I came in."
"Yeah, well," he said, not really wanting to talk about it. Changing the subject, he asked, "You just get into town?"
"I just ate at the cafe, but I got off the stage right before that," Jesse reported. Not waiting for his friend to respond, he continued, "You'll never guess what I heard when I was eating."
"No, I don't imagine I will," the other man retorted, rolling his eyes. "Spit it out."
"I was sitting there minding my own business, enjoying my meal, when I heard these two old hens gossipping about Emma," Jesse told him.
"What did they say?" The hired gun leaned forward so others in the saloon would not easily hear.
"They were telling anyone who would listen that she wasn't really a widow, but that she was a shameless hussy who'd gotten herself knocked up by an outlaw and was now openly living with him on the outskirts of town."
"Interesting," Angel Eyes said, running a finger across his moustache. "Exactly what I predicted would happen. I told Emma her mother's cockamamie story wouldn't hold up."
"Do you care?" Jesse asked.
"Not especially," the other man said. "But I imagine it could make things difficult for Emma, especially awhen I'm not around. But she probably won't care, either. She enjoys being daring and shocking people. I think that's part of why she picked me."
Their talk moved on to other things and, after finishing another drink, Angel Eyes got up to leave.
"Got to run," he told his friend. "See you soon."
After leaving the saloon, he headed to the mercantile to get the items Emma wanted. As he walked down the board sidewalk at a brisk pace, he ran headlong into the old gossips Jesse had mentioned. Everyone in town knew the two busybodies, so he had no trouble recognizing them.
They recoiled from him, for once, at a loss for words. Both women knew exactly who he was and his sinister facial features did nothing to reassure them.
Baring his teeth in a malevolent grin, his eyes bore into them with the intimidating stare he used to get information out of people when tracking his targets.
"Good afternoon ladies," he said, his tone carrying a low undercurrent of menace. "You both look to be in good health" After a pause, he added, "I hope you stay that way."
Pinching the brim of his hat, he said, "Take care now." As he continued down the sidewalk, he gave out a mocking chuckle, loud enough for the now-terrified women to hear.
He wouldn't kill those old biddies; it was enough to make them think he might. As he entered the mercantile, he thought this would be a good story to tell Emma once he got back to the house.