Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" T.V. series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
Julia Pemberton examined herself in the mirror for one last time before she and Inez made their way to dinner, joining Mary, Alex, Casey and Maude who were probably waiting for them in the restaurant already. She saw nothing in the mirror that was of any surprise, she was as always immaculately groomed for whatever the evening held in store for them. Following a repast at the hotel restaurant, the ladies of Four Corners had decided they would linger briefly to witness the card tournament that Alex and Maude would be participating in before moving onto the theatre where they would watch the performance of Cynthia Watson. Casey was eager to attend her first theatre engagement and none of the older woman could deny her the experience, particularly when she was so eager to go.
"Are you ready yet?" Inez asked impatiently as she waited at the door, her annoyance at the delay showing clearly in her face as she huffed by the entrance to the room.
Julia smoothed down the skirt of the deep indigo coloured dress she was wearing and decided that since she was not going to be in the company of a man, it was somewhat redundant that she attempt to look her best. Besides, at that particular moment, she did not have an overtly high opinion of the species on the whole, still unable to forget that Ezra had lied to Maude about her, not to mention keeping the ring he intended to give his future bride a secret from Julia. Each time, that memory returned to her, the beautiful Emporium owner found herself becoming more irate at his duplicity. While they had both admitted to their secrets and she was no one to throw rocks from her glass fortress, she was properly incensed by his actions.
"Hold you horses." Julia grumbled as she emerged from her room after grabbing her purse from the bureau table and hurrying to join Inez whose impatience was starting to show. "You know, I'll be glad when you have this baby."
"Oh really?" Inez said looking at her with folded arms, a universal gesture of sarcasm as far as Julia concerned. "Enlighten me on why?"
"Then you'll just be grouchy instead of constantly annoyed." Julia said with a smile. "Besides, you only want to get out of here because you are hungry."
"You said it." Inez return her smile with one that was lacked with wickedness. "Never get in the way of a pregnant lady and her food. I have seen the menu down there and time is wasting."
"You're scary when you're hungry." Julia retorted as they slipped out the room and she locked the door behind her. "How much more of this do I have to put up with?" She inquired, observing the swell of Inez's belly under the loose fitting dress the mother to be was wearing. In the outfit, Inez hardly looked clumsy or awkward but seemed to glow in the way that was unique to a woman in that state of health.
"Another three months." Inez remarked and let her hand gently caress her stomach as if she shared some empathic link to her baby that Julia could never understand until she had the experience herself.
"What are you hoping for anyway?" Julia asked. "Boy or a girl."
"I do not know really," Inez remarked, giving the matter serious thought for the first time. "I was so busy trying to think about how I was going to provide for it without Buck and everything, I never gave the matter much thought. At this point, I am more concerned whether it will be born healthy. The sex does not really matter."
"There is something poetic about Buck Wilmington having a daughter though," Julia could not keep from teasing. "I believe the Buddhists said it best. It's almost karma."
"Karma?" Inez looked at her, knowing very little about the world beyond hers even though she seemed very wise most of the time. Her knowledge was not about books but about life and Inez was still undecided on which was more useful.
"Yes," Julia answered. "They believe that how you conduct yourself will affect the way your life transpires. They believe if you are good to someone, someone will be good to you, it's a cosmic pay back I suppose." The redhead explained, although she did not think she was very clear. However, what she had intended to say did reach Inez who understood completely.
"You think it would be justice for Buck to have daughter and have to protect her from someone like him?" Inez replied after a moment as continued down the corridor towards the lift that would take them to the lobby of the hotel. After a moment of reflection, Inez found herself responding. "I think I like the sound of that."
"I thought you might." She grinned as they waited for the lift to arrive.
Inez did not make mention to Julia but now that the subject had been brought up, she thought deeply as the to gender of her child, knowing ultimately it was unimportant but in the scheme of things, it was time that she gave the matter serious thought. A girl born to a mother with a sullied reputation would have that mark follow her all her life. It was different for a man who could make his own way in the world. For a girl, where everything depended upon who she would marry when she became a woman, such a stain was not to be taken lightly. Inez was not ashamed of the decision she had made to keep her child and stay in Four Corners but suddenly, she found herself worrying about her child's future.
Of course the simpler solution was to marry Buck who was attempting to make some effort to prove that he could be a worthwhile husband. She knew he loved her and she loved him deeply but she had conditioned herself for so long to stay away and keep him at arm's length that she was almost as trapped in the cycle of her stubbornness as he was. She knew that part of the reason he had become partners with Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner was to prove to her that he was thinking of the future. He could not remain a lawman living on a dollar a day indefinitely. If there was one thing that Four Corners had proved to everyone who had sought refuge in its dusty confines, it was the fact that the town seemed to be a haven for the outcasts.
Amazingly enough to her utter astonishment, she also discovered that he had been keeping his hands off the local ladies. In fact, the rumour she had been hearing of late indicated that Buck Wilmington was no longer chasing every piece of skirt in town and had apparently taken some kind of oath to reman true to her. Inez had almost refused to believe until she tried to recall when she had seen him with another woman since he had learnt about the baby and found to her surprise, that she could not recall him in the company of anyone.
"Julia," Inez spoke after awhile. "You've known a lot of men haven't you?" She asked quietly.
Julia looked at her, trying to decipher what purpose was behind that question. She had never made any secret of the fact that she enjoyed the company of men and it was to her surprise that she found that Mary, Alex and Inez hardly cared. Of course, their initial meeting had made that difficult to hide but they did not treat her like some wanton. She supposed that it could be attributed to their own affairs with the men in their lives but Julia did not believe it was that. All her life, her power to enchant the opposite sex had made her an outcast among the women of her family and the more they ostracised her, the more determined she became to steal their men.
It was different with the friends she considered dearer than sisters. There was no need to steal their men because they did not see her as a threat and furthermore, Julia had finally found the one man who had her heart without question, there was no need to seek another although there were moments when she missed playing the game. "Why do you ask?" Julia asked suspiciously once she redressed Inez's question.
"Do you think Buck can keep it up?" Inez mused, unaware that Julia was not privy to her thoughts of the last few minutes.
"From what I hear, he has no trouble at all." Julia said with a salacious smirk that engendered a sharp look from Inez. "Sorry," Julia apologised quickly. "Keep what up?"
"This act of his of being responsible and not chasing after every woman he sees." Inez remarked as the doors of the elevator opened and they both stepped inside and informed the elevator attendant which floor they wanted to go.
"What makes you think its an act?" Julia asked in Buck's defence. "He has been trying so hard to prove to you that he is not just a big oaf. I don't think it's an act and believe me, I've known enough men in my life to spot a line."
"I can't go on like this." She looked at her stomach and the child that neither could see but whose presence was almost as palpable as if they could see it slumbering in the womb. "Sooner or later, I must be married."
"I know," Julia agreed, even though she hated to admit it. Julia admired Inez a great deal for the decision she had made. A few months ago, Julia had found herself in the same position and had not been able to face the situation with half the courage that Inez was displaying now. She had taken the easy way out and regretted it bitterly, while she would defend Inez to the death over the Mexican's decision to keep her child, they all had to face the reality of the situation sometimes. "You can always count on me to be your friend in whatever decision you wish to make Inez but you know as well as I do that the repercussions of this will not affect you the worst."
Inez swallowed and rubbed her stomach again. "I have been hoping that I could shield my child from that but I cannot even shield myself and I can't leave Four Corners because I have nowhere else to go to raise my child. I have a job at the saloon and it is not the way I wish to find myself when I had a baby but I have no other choice."
"Inez," Julia asked seriously. "Do you love him."
Inez started to pause when Julia cut in abruptly. "Don't think about it," she replied. "Don't put all those logical reasons in front of the question, just answer what I asked, from the gut. Do... you... love him?"
Inez nodded slowly. "Yes." Her voice was almost a whisper. "I love him but I don't know if that's enough."
Julia rolled her eyes. "Listen to me," she said firmly. "I have done things in my life that I am ashamed to admit let alone deal with when I sleep at night. When I came to Four Corners, I was leaving more than my family behind, I was leaving me and I thought that if I wanted that new life, I would have to hide who I was and never let it be known to anyone because the truth was too horrible. Then I met Ezra, who saw through the smiles and the charm because he was exactly the same and you know what I knew I loved him before the sun set that day. I hated that I loved him but the strange thing was, it worked out because sometimes, its just crazy enough to and if you love someone, the rest will work it itself out."
"Ezra is not Buck." Inez pointed out.
"And Buck is not Ezra." Julia countered.
Inez could not argue with that and decided the subject would bear further thought later since they had reached their floor. Pulling aside the lattice network of the elevator door as the main lobby appeared before them, Inez noticed it was no less busier than the last time they had been there. She could see Mary at the other end of the room waiting for their appearance and took a step out of the lift when suddenly, a hand shoved her forward roughly. She stumbled forward as she heard Julia turning to the elevator attended who had committed the act.
"What are you doing?" She demanded angrily when suddenly he grabbed hold of her arm and immediately slid the gate across once again, sealing her inside the narrow space with him.
"Julia!" Inez exclaimed as she saw the door closing behind her when she had recovered her step enough to turn around. Before Inez could do anything else, the elevator was already moving upwards, taking Julia and her mysterious assailant with it.
"Inez!" She heard Julia's frightened cry as the elevator rose to loftier heights, until the redhead's voice was only a faded echo in the distance. Frantically, she slammed her hands on the button that might bring it back to the lobby once more but she knew it was a futile effort.
Mary who had been on her way towards Inez, having sighted her best friend disembarking from the elevator was running through the lobby in an effort to reach Inez. Her rapid pace, as well as Inez's desperate cry earlier had brought the attention of the other patrons as well as the hotel administration to investigate.
"What's happened?" Mary asked, with Casey not far behind.
"Some man just kidnapped Julia!" Inez exclaimed, her eyes still darting up the elevator where the duo had disappeared.
"What?" Mary replied and immediately let her eyes move to the golden hand above the elevator doors, which indicated which floor it had travelled to before coming to a halt. The length of brass did not stop until it had reached the very top floor although Mary did not believe that Julia's kidnapper would remain there very long if that was even his final destination.
"He just pushed me out of the elevator and kept going up!" Inez explained quickly as Mary pushed her way through the patrons and met the hotel manager who had emerged from his office.
"Madam," he declared officiously, being one of those men who spent all his life indoors and would not know a hard day's work even if it bit him on the rear end. "You and your companions are creating something of a commotion."
"I'm sorry about that," Mary barked, not about to tolerate any of this. "Unfortunately, your elevator attendant is the real culprit since he chose to kidnap my friend."
"I beg your pardon?" He stammered, his face almost turning ashen at the prospect. "I assure you that our employees come at the most stringent hiring process. Why I check their references myself..."
"I don't have time to debate the issue." Mary said abruptly. "You need to get your security people to block of all the exits out of this place so he doesn't try to leave with her? Miss Pemberton is a person of some importance and if anything happens here, I'll have a Federal Judge in here to review your conduct in this matter!"
He swallowed hard, deciding he was not prepared to call her bluff because whatever the motivation, the guests of the hotel were ultimately his responsibility. "I'll take care of it immediately." He said straightening up immediately, full of false bravado. "I assure you that your friend will not be taken out of this hotel."
However, Mary had a feeling that this was not all the point of the exercise.
Half an hour later, Mary reported to Maude and Alex who had been waiting in the hotel restaurant with puzzlement why their companions had yet to arrive, what had happened. For most part, the older woman took it with amazing calm even though they were all aware of whom was responsible for this and why. Maude should have expected this. Somehow, the moment she had seen Jethro on that train, she guessed that this would happen. Now it was here and it was up to her to clean up the mess since it was hers to begin with.
"What are we going to do?" Alex asked as they sat around the table they should have been dining at for the evening meal, instead of trying to figure out their next move in order to help Julia.
"I don't know," Mary said honestly, taking a sip of water from her glass. "The hotel manager says no one has left the hotel."
"So they might still be here." Inez declared. "That would make sense. Why go through all the trouble of trying to sneak Julia out of the hotel when its just as simple for him to hide her in a room somewhere and wait out whatever it is, they're planning."
"How did Lewisham find out of about Julia anyway?" Alex asked no one in particular when suddenly, she noticed Casey's stricken expression. The girl appeared so distressed that Alex was moved to respond immediately. "Casey, what's wrong?" She demanded, unable to fathom the sorrow on her face.
"It's my fault!" Casey exclaimed with anguish crushing her youthful features. "I told him about Julia and Ezra!"
"Oh Casey," Mary sighed, knowing the girl would not have done so intentionally but that did not lessen the impact of what had came out of her unwitting disclosure.
"I didn't meant to!" Casey continued to ramble on. "We were talking near the theatre and it just slipped out, I didn't know it meant anything until Julia was taken. Alex, I'm so sorry!" She wailed, almost in tears from what she had done.
"Hush now," Maude said soothingly, unable to bear the girl's guilt because Lewisham would have found out anyway at some point. Casey had just narrowed the margin of time taken for him to learn the truth. Maude had no doubt that if he could not have manipulated her this way then he would have found another, perhaps one even more lethal. "Its not your fault and no one here believes that." Maude remarked with more tenderness than she felt even though she was seething inside at Jethro's actions.
"Absolutely," Alex offered the young woman a look of understanding, completely aware of how innocently phrased words could create such mischief. "Besides, its pointless debating the how of the situation but rather the why?"
"Agreed," Mary nodded, squeezing Casey's shoulder and showing her that she no more blamed her for Julia's kidnapping than anyone else at the table. "Right now, we have to know how to get hre back."
"I'll go to Lewisham," Maude said firmly. "I'll go to him and see what he wants." Maude surprised herself at the admission, because she really did intend to do just that. She would go to Lewisham and beg if necessary for him to release Julia Pemberton. If Ezra was so guarded about telling his own mother about the young woman, Maude could only fathom one reason for it.
Ezra hated showing weakness to Maude Standish. It was neither his fault or hers that he was this way. All his life, he had lived in her shadow. When he was a boy, he lived with the stigma that someday, he would grow to be just like her. Maude had been selfish in her youth when Ezra was a child and she admitted that had she known what she did now, she would not have left him in the hands of her relatives. He had spent years in their keeping until Maude realised what he had been enduring and decided to take him on the road with her. She could guess the cruel taunts and the jibes that he was nothing but a grifter's son. In the dark recesses of her mind, where she visited only at night, Maude had some idea of the hell Ezra had suffered growing up as the unwanted child of a mother who cared only for herself.
Even when he was older, she was always there to cast a blight on everything he was . First she made him what he was, which effectively meant moulding him in her image and was forced to confess rather shamefully that she infected everything that meant anything to him, even the saloon he tried so hard to make a success. Her interference had cost him ownership of the establishment and damn near any semblance of feeling they might have had for each other. It was no wonder he did not tell her about Julia, look what happened within a few days of meeting the young woman? Maude knew that if anything happened to Julia on account of her, she could never do enough to earn her son's forgiveness and she was not about to risk his love.
Not even for her own pride.
"Are you sure Maude?" Inez asked, wishing it did not come to that but for the moment, they needed to know what Lewisham's intentions towards Julia and what was the whole purpose of her kidnapping.
"I have no other alternative," Maude replied, trying to sound brave. "If anything happens to Julia, Ezra will never forgive me. Our relationship is tenuous at best and I am unwilling to risk destroying what is left because I could not give in. Besides, it is my fault that Julia is in danger."
To that, none of the women at the table could disagree but that did not change things as they stood. However, Mary was unwilling to simply wait until Lewisham produced Julia whenever he felt that satisfaction had been achieved. "In the meantime," Mary declared. "We need to find Julia ourselves."
"If she's still in the hotel, that makes things somewhat easier." Alex agreed, all thoughts of her participation in the tournament forced from her mind with the advent of her friend's kidnapping.
"But how do we look in every room?" Casey looked to her older companions because she could not imagine how they could accomplish the undertaking of Mary's suggestion.
"I don't know." Mary mused, easing back into her chair. "But if he's not taken her out of the hotel then she's still here and we will have to search all the rooms."
"Mary, this is a big hotel. It could take us hours." Alex pointed out. "Not to mention the fact that we don't have access to any rooms except our own."
"You won't have to." Maude interrupted their deliberation. "I'm going to Jethro Lewisham and agree to whatever demands he makes for Julia's return and that's all there is to it."
"Maude," Mary placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, revealing that Maude's sincerity was not in question and none of them questioned it. "We know that you want to do what is best but we don't know what this Lewisham wants and the price he demands for Julia's return may not necessarily be one that you can pay."
"I cannot let him harm her. Ezra would never forgive me." Maude said softly.
Mary could not argue with her on that fact, considering the depth of the relationship shared between Julia and the gambler. For some reason, two morally bereft individuals had filled a need within each other than made them not only better people, but also taken a way that isolation that had been part of them for so long. Ezra who always seemed to be an outcast even though he rode with the seven had been much happier since Julia came into his life. Everyone who knew him with any intimacy could see that he truly loved her and Julia's personality seemed to match Ezra's almost like a glove.
"I have an idea." Inez spoke after a moment, adding a much-needed glimmer of hope in their presently gloomy circumstances.
"What is it?" Alex asked first.
"I know how we can get into the rooms. At least some of us." The Mexican barmaid allowed her gaze to sweep across the table, hoping her suggestion was not as outrageous as it was going to sound when she voiced it.
"Well I won't be able to do it of course," Inez continued explaining while avoiding the gist of her plan. "In my condition, it would just give the whole thing away, not to mention Julia's kidnapper has seen me so he'll know something is wrong the minute he lays eyes on me."
"How?" Mary sat up in her chair and leaned across the table, her brow knitting in confusion as she noted the deliberate attempts by Inez to stall at telling them.
"But you, Casey and Alex should manage just fine." Inez spoke hastily, almost ranting her words faster than her mind could keep up. "I can look at the open places in the hotel, you know boiler rooms, basements that sort of thing..."
"How Inez?" Alex asked again, her voice starting to exhibit her suspicion.
With a loud sigh, Inez told them.
"Oh No..." the doctor started to groan as they all looked at Inez blankly. "Does this humiliation never end?"
"Not bad." Mary was forced to concede even though she was not looking forward to participating or carrying out any part of it. Unfortunately, at this time, it appeared that they had little choice. If they wanted to recover Julia at all, this was the route they were going to have to take and it seemed no one had any better ideas. "It could actually work."
"Why did I know you were going to say that?" Alex grumbled, not at all impressed with Inez's brilliant suggestion even though like Mary, she had to admit they had little choice in the matter. "You know, I would love our weekends to go smoothly just once without us having to play dress up!"
"I think its fun." Casey spoke up, with a grin.
Mary, Maude, Inez and Alex looked at her at the same. "Fun?" It was Mary who asked.
"Yeah," Casey smiled, "I ain't been in so much trouble in all my life or have this much adventure."
"Happens to us all the time." Alex sighed. "All right," she looked at her other companions. "I suppose if we're going to do this, we better start now."
"Right," Mary nodded. "Maude, you go and see Jethro Lewisham and see what he wants. Try and get him to meet you down here. I'm not too happy about you being alone with him for any reason."
"I can handle myself." Maude said slightly offended that this young woman would presume to tell her how to conduct herself. She was no amateur.
"I'm sure you can," Mary said not too kindly, since she was in no mood to argue with the woman. "You've done swimmingly so far. However, for the moment. You will send a message to his room and have him meet you here. We've got enough to worry about with Julia missing without having to worry about you as well."
Maude bristled but could not deny Mary's words and despite the slight to her ego, she had to admit that Mary was right. Lewisham was unpredictable and that made him dangerous. She had no idea what kind of game he was playing but she had no intention of being at a disadvantage any more than she already was. "Fine." Maude retorted. "As you wish."
Julia was not happy.
In fact she was far from it. Tied to a chair inside a room, where her jailer kept close eye on her as she struggled to break free of the ropes that kept her trapped, Julia's humour at her situation was just about exhausted. How is it that they never seem to be able to have trouble free vacations? She was wearing soundlessly under the rag tied across her mouth, wonder if it would have shocked her captor to hear the language she was so vehemently uttering.
"No use struggling ma'am." Coltrane remarked as he noted the redhead struggling in her chair. For himself, he had ordered food prior to their arrival here and was taking full advantage of room service and all its accompanying benefits. "You might as well sit still for the time being."
Julia's emerald coloured eyes flared and she said something that did not at all sound polite through the gag although Coltrane could not make out what it was. Instead, he shrugged and down his glass of whisky while continuing to feast on the meal before him. "Suit yourself." He retorted, guzzling his food in a manner that indicated he was not one for manners. "But you cause me any more trouble than necessary and I got ways of making you sit still I guarantee you ain't going to like."
That made her stop struggling immediately, mostly because she did not want to find out what those ways were and the threat seemed ominous enough. She glared at the man and remained seated, trying to think her way out of present predicament. Shortly after he had kidnapped her into the elevator, the man had gagged her and brought her to this room and while Julia had not been able to see what room number it was, she knew she was on one of the highest floor of the hotel building. It was to her greatest chagrin that there would be no rescue forthcoming from Ezra and somehow, she did not think Mary was going to pull another rabbit out of her hat as she had done with Alex and Sheriff Pierce. However Julia was going to get out of this situation, she would have to do it on her own.
At the moment, the chances of that appeared remote since she was bound and gagged. It was the cloth that was tied around her mouth that hindered her non-existence efforts the most since she was unable to use her baser talents to free herself from confinement. Somehow, she had to convince him to remove the gag and started thinking furiously on how she could accomplish this minor feat. She glanced at him surreptitiously and saw him guzzling his food and found herself understandably repelled. He was not an attractive man even though he was huge and appeared as if he could break her in half should she make any foolish attempts at escape.
Julia coughed.
It was a light cough to begin with. She created just enough of a rumble in her throat to show that she was being irritated by the cloth and trying to hide it. He looked up at her long enough to ensure that she was not making some effort to be difficult before he returned to his almost empty plate. Julia paused a moment before starting to clear her throat again, pretending that the gag was hurting her throat but she was attempting to stifle her coughs so that he would not think she was making trouble. After a few minutes, he looked up at her again, having heard the muffled cough and irritation in her throat.
"What's wrong?" He demanded roughly.
Julia shook her head as if to answer that nothing was the matter. However, she still made those pathetic gagging noise, which only served to shorten his patience in trying to understand what she was saying. Finally, he pushed himself out of his chair and advance to her. His massive form towered over her as approached and made Julia rethink this idea of trying to escape because he was physically very imposing.
"I'm gonna take this gag off," he remarked as he knelt down before her. "You give me any trouble and I'll hurt you." He said firmly. "Make no mistake on that. Man who hired me, didn't say what state you had to be in when it was all said and done."
Julia nodded slowly in a gesture of compliance as Coltrane started removing the gag from her mouth. Once it was removed from her lips, Julia immediately started taking deep breaths, feeling glad to free from the infernal piece of cloth. She took a few more hungry gasps of air before raising her eyes to meet those of her captor and flashed him something of a grateful smile. "Thank you." She said softly, adding just enough suggestion in her tone to indicate she was not just grateful but interested in a way he had not anticipated. "I would have done anything to be free of that thing."
He stood up abruptly, unable to deny the seduction in the tone of her voice was not compelling, if indeed that was what it was. No one could blame him for the reacting this way after all, she was a exceedingly beautiful woman. He had noticed it earlier but upon closer observation had realised that she was far from just fetching. "Just make sure you keep quiet." He grunted as he returned hastily back to his seat, aware that she could make him compromise this whole job if he did not ignore her.
Julia watched his reaction, knowing perfectly well that she had captured his interest enough to cause him to become just a little bit hot under the collar and decided she would have to keep stoking that interest until it evolved into a means of escape. The idea of even touching him was repulsive but Julia was a realist and a survivor. She had one weapon in her arsenal and for most part, it often worked to get her out of more trouble than she would let anyone know. Of course, the very idea of touching him in any shape of form was enough to make her stomach turn but Julia nonetheless had a very strong constitution.
"So how long do I have to stay here?" She asked, keeping that sliver of seduction in her voice as she spoke.
"No more than a day, I'm told." He replied, seeing no reason why she should not know. It might help in keeping her still if she knew she was not going to be incarcerated for very long.
"Well that's a relief," Julia let out a breathy sigh. "I think I can endure a day in your company Sir." She smiled.
He looked at her oddly as if uncertain of how to take that remark. "Whatever." He remarked abruptly, not knowing what else to say.
"I don't suppose I could get something to eat?" Julia asked with a careful bat of her eyelashes.
"I ain't stupid enough to let you loose." Coltrane retorted, side stepping her obvious attempt to have her loosen her bonds.
"I did not expect you too." She said smoothly, perfectly prepared for the response. "You've got some pieces of fruit there, maybe you could just feed it to me."
"Feed it to you?" He swallowed.
"Yes, just put it to my lips and let me do the rest." She smiled.
Tentatively, he picked up a piece of sliced apple and brought it forward. His fingers were almost trembling when he held the fruit to her lips and watch them part as she started nibbling on it. Of course, she did this most erotically, performing the act with light flicks of her tongue and sensuous movement of her lips that kept him utterly mesmerised before she finally consumed it all. Coltrane's Adam's apple was bobbing up and down nervously, not to mention anticipation when she asked again.
"Another." Julia smiled and decided that this was going to be a lot easier than she thought.
Maude Standish saw him enter the dining room after the rest of her companions had gone. As ordered by Mary Larabee, Maude had reluctantly summoned Jethro Lewisham to the table, in order to find out what his intentions were regarding this kidnapping of Julia Pemberton. While they were preparing to being the search of the hotel, it was part of Maude's role in this divisionary tactic to stall for time to find out what exactly was Lewisham's plan. Obviously, he wanted vengeance for his humiliating defeat at her hands in New Orleans but Maude knew her mark very well. While it would hurt her relationship with Ezra should anything happen to the fair Miss Pemberton, Lewisham did not gain anything by that except the satisfaction of knowing that he had done this thing. However, Maude never thought that would be enough for the man.
Jethro sighted her immediately and made his way across the floor of the restaurant before joining her at the table. He walked in with such arrogance, it looked as if he was joining the lady at her table for a dinner engagement, instead of discussing his terms of blackmail. Maude hid all signs of hostility from her face, learning that the best way to proceed in a uncertain situation was to play it cool until she could decipher his intentions.
"Maude." He tipped his hat slightly and then removed it all together which was the proper custom for a gentlemen to do so in front of a lady.
"Jethro." She replied. "I'm glad you came."
"I imagine you would think so." He said with a smile and gestured a waiter forward. A smart young man approached their table and was given an order of drinks by Jethro before withdrawing again, leaving them to their privacy.
"One of my companions, Julia Pemberton has been kidnapped." Maude began.
"Yes I heard," Jethro smiled. "Tragic."
"Jethro," Maude continued. "I am no fool. I know you are responsible for this."
"Perhaps I am and perhaps, Miss Pemberton has decided to take a turn of the city, one can never say really." He met her eyes with a widening grin of triumph which only further infuriated Maude, even though she hid her anger well beneath a veneer of southern charm.
"We both know that you did." She insisted. "Now why don't you save us a lot of time by merely telling me what it is you want?"
"I like you Maude," he said sitting up in his chair. "You were always direct and to the point, except when you were cheating me in front of the entirely of New Orleans society."
"I had a good run of luck." Maude feigned ignorance to that. "It happens."
"I am not a fool madam," his expression darkened. "After the fact, I took time to learn about your reputation to discover that you are no amateur when it comes to games of chance. You have acquired most of your properties and fortune through such means, which is why I know that I was always an intended victim. You fleeced me as completely as you did all those other fools you have encountered in the past."
Maude did not take offence at his words, considering he had said nothing that was untrue. She was not ashamed to deny it and was pleased that no charade was required in her further dealings with him. "And now you have kidnapped Julia for what? To make me suffer for that interminable mistake?"
"If I did arrange it, then I suppose that I would be in a unique position to gain the advantage, wouldn't I?" He said before picking up his glass of cognac and taking a sip.
"I guess it would." She sighed, wishing he would just get on it with it because her patience was wearing thin. "Although if you harm one hair on her head, my son would hunt you down and kill you." Maude declared.
"He would never get close enough." Lewisham retorted. "And I have more than enough men at my disposal to ensure that he never even try. Besides, I do not wish it to come to that if it can be avoided and I assure, that it can is entirely up to you."
Maude knew that he was not making an idle threat about Ezra and even though her son had the companionship of six very capable men with whom he rode, she was not about to risk his life for anything. It was bad enough that she had embroiled Julia Pemberton in this kind of danger but to know that she was responsible for Ezra's own peril was more than she was willing to endure. As much as she hated it, she was going to have to play Lewisham's game to save both her son and the woman he loved.
"All right," Maude replied, conceding defeat in the heavy sigh and the slump of her shoulders. "What would you have me do?"
"Now that's the spirit," Lewisham grinned again, triumph exuding from every gloating nuance of his face. "I knew that once you understood your situation you would be eager to deal. I always knew you were a reasonable woman, Maude."
"Get on with it." Maude hissed, wondering what was worse. The fact that she was force to capitulate to his demands or the incessant gloating that he was inflicting upon her now.
"It is nothing too demeaning or odious I assure you," he continued in that infuriating voice of complete victory. "I would like you to enter the tournament as you had intended. I will be doing the same."
Maude felt her stomach lurch inside her skin because she had some idea of where this was going and did not like what she would be required to do. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to listen as he lay down his demands, feeling impotent with fury that she could do nothing to stop him. If there was one thing that Maude Standish despised most of all, it was being bested and this man had all the cards and she had no choice but to obey. "And?" She asked slowly.
"The manner of the competition will see to it that within the course of the night, you and I will face each other at the same table. When that happens, I expect you to emerge from our tournament the winner. I wish to beat you Maude, I wish to beat you in front of all your fellow gamblers, in front of your peers. I want you beaten by a mark and I want them all to see it. You see Madam, after what transpired in New Orleans, I feel it only fitting that I return the favour."
"I see." Maude said quietly, knowing that what he intended to do would humiliate her as publicly as she had done him in New Orleans and understood at last, what it as he had to gain by kidnapping Julia. "What guarantee do I have that you will let her go after that?"
"None." Lewisham said curtly. "However, if it matters any to you. I give you my word that following your defeat, I will have her released within the hour."
Maude nodded and ventured to ask. "What if I don't agree to this."
His face became that of stone. "If you do not agree to what I want, then I promise you that by the time you move onto your next opponent, she will be dead. You can explain to your darling son, how you allowed the woman he loved to die for the sake of a poker game. I am certain that he will be more than understanding regarding your decision."
As much as Maude might loathed to admit it, it appeared that Lewisham was right in that sense. Ezra would never forgive her if Julia Pemberton was found dead on an account of her refusing to be beaten in a poker game, reputation or not. She had no choice but to agree to what Lewisham demanded, even though it stung to the very core of her that she was required to make such a choice.
"It appears that I do not have much of a choice, Mr Lewisham." Maude said icily, unable to look at his face because the urge to claw his eyes out with her nail was overwhelming.
"No you don't," he agreed readily and drained whatever was left in his glass before he rose to his feet. Now that he had sufficiently enjoyed seeing her squirm, he looked forward to their next meeting where he would have further cause of relish when she was forced to endure defeat at his hands in front of her fellow gamblers and conmen. Picking up his hat, he straightened it on his head before bowing graciously as he prepared to depart.
"Until next time, Mrs Standish."
"This is so embarrassing." Alex replied as she and Inez started pushing the trolley along the first floor of the hotel, whilst wearing a maid's uniform. Inez remained in her own clothes and only separate from her whenever someone else was approaching. Having slipped into the maid's quarters earlier, she, Casey and Mary had borrowed three uniforms and then reported for duty where she was handed a trolley of fresh towels and other hotel accessories and a heavy set of keys to next three floors of the building.
"Relax," Inez hissed as they started searching the room. At this time of the evening, most of the hotel patrons were downstairs, enjoying dinner or partaking in the entertainment to be found in the establishment. Where the rooms had been occupied, Alex had merely hung her head down, placed fresh towels in the place before making a hasty retreat. "You're doing fine."
"I am so glad you think so." Alex retorted, unable to deny that she was hating the indignity of all this. Wasn't it bad enough that she had been locked in jail once this trip. If someone were to suspect that she was anything more than what she appeared to be, Alex could very well find herself back in another cell, this time with legitimate charges of misconduct. "As a doctor, this is incredibly demeaning."
"Oh you'll get over it." Inez sighed, having heard this complaint every time they prepared to breach the door of another room that required inspection. "Think of it this way, at least you don't have to do this for a living."
Alex could not argue with her there but she still loathed playing the part of maid. Unfortunately, this charade would continue until they searched the hotel thoroughly and found some traces of Julia. Picking up two more towels, Alex headed towards the next door with her skeleton key and knocked loudly on the door. "Room service." She called out, waiting to see if there was a response. After a moment, it did not appear to be and Alex continued to unlock the door to make sure.
Inez waited patiently in the hall as Alex investigate the room for the next few seconds before emerging once again, without the benefit of the towels, deciding it might improve the chances of not being discovered if she at least did some of the things a maid was supposed to. As it was, Alex felt ridiculous in this maid's cap and dark uniform but conceded that it was necessary for the charade. She hoped Mary and Casey had better luck.
"That one is clear." Alex retorted. "Did you have any luck downstairs?"
"Not at all," Inez frowned. "I checked the back rooms in the kitchen, store rooms, even the basement and was told by one very annoyed janitor that the place was off limits. Luckily, I manage to check the place out before I actually got found out so that's clear anyway."
"So they're definitely in the hotel rooms." Alex decided. "Any clues as to what we will do if we actually see her?" The doctor inquired since this was mostly Inez's plan.
"I suggest a discreet exit before we go get hotel security." Inez replied.
"In that case stay out of sight when I go into the rooms," Alex suggested. "If I don't come out, you can go for help."
That was a good idea because at not time did any of the women intend to confront Julia's kidnapper on their own. The incident with Sheriff Pierce was all the excitement they could endure for this particular weekend. As it was, Inez did not believe for one moment that that they would ever go on a vacation alone again. Their track record for these excursions was never any good and this weekend was proof enough of the fact that even unintentionally, they had not trouble landing themselves in hot water. Inez supposed if there was some consolation to all this, it was the fact that Chris Larabee and his men would never know it.
"I wish the men were here." Inez nevertheless replied, even though the thought to the contrary had just crossed her mind. "They'd have this dealt with in a minute."
"Yeah," Alex nodded ruefully as she took more towels of the trolley and prepared to make a repeat performance on the next room. "Chris does have a way of making these things uncomplicated as hell. I would have loved to have Vin around when we ran into that sheriff. He was very creepy."
"What did he want with you anyway?" Inez asked, having never gotten a satisfactory answer regarding that particular aspect of the break out in Coventry.
"I don't know," Alex said genuinely perplexed. "I think he sort of liked me which is quite a horrifying concept." She admitted with a slight shudder. After Randall Mason, Alex found any man with an unusually strong interest in her to be rather disconcerting. It was a situation that Inez herself was very familiar with, considering her own experiences with Don Paulo's son. "Hopefully, when we get back to Four Corners, we can talk to Chris about doing something to help those poor people in Coventry."
"You're up." Inez reminded and Alex felt silent as she stepped up to another room and knocked lightly before calling out. "Room service."
"I need to use the water closet." Julia announced after she had been sitting in the chair for more than two hours. The muscles in her rear end were numb and she sorely needed to stand and stretch her legs a little. For the last hour or so, she had been carefully using every seductive trick in her arsenal to make her jailer drop her guard and for most part she had succeeded. He had fed her and allowed her to keep the gag off but now it was time to make another request of him and she hoped she could be convincing enough to make him believe that this was no trick.
He stared at her critically, trying to assess whether or not she was attempting some form of trickery or whether the request was genuine. Still, there was hardly anywhere she could go even if he were to permit her the use of the water closet. Their room was situated high above the ground and the only window in the small room was barely large enough to let light through, let alone a woman with all her finery and coverings to slip out. Besides, there was nowhere for her to go but down even if she did make the foolish attempt and it was not a journey she would survive.
"You make one wrong move and you'll know about it." He warned as he finally made his decision. Circling around her in the chair, he knelt down and loosen the ropes around her wrist, keeping careful eye on every movement she made as her hands were finally free.
Julia stood up immediately, feeling like a cat that awoke from a long sleep and shook some feeling back into her legs. "Thank you." She said gratefully and started towards the room where the amenity in question was awaiting. He shadowed her closely, proving that he did not quite trust her yet and hesitated when she moved to close the door behind her.
"I assure you Sir," Julia replied as she saw his hand on the door as she attempted to close it. "I am a lady and I must insist upon my privacy in some things. Besides, where on earth do you think I could go?" She looked at him in question, complete innocence on her face as she asked.
"Okay," he finally relented pulling his hand away from the door. "But you try anything funny and I will break down the damn door, you hear me?" He threatened with complete sincerity in his eyes as he glared at her and left Julia with no doubt that he was making the warning with complete menace.
"I swear on my honour." She replied with as much dignity a lady of her station could offer. Except of course she had no honour, never did and had no problem with swearing upon it if it meant that he would let her shut the door.
Julia closed the door behind her and immediately looked around the small room. There was a small latch on the door knob that allowed her to lock it from the inside and she did so immediately, knowing that should he decide to barge in, she had no way of stopping him. The frame and the door itself seemed to be weak, not at all the sturdy construction that she was accustomed to in Four Corners. The water closet in her room had a window and Julia knew that she could fit in easily. She had a small frame that was hidden beneath the dress she was wearing and peered out the glass opening to see if escape was possible. The ledge that it emptied onto was narrow and dangerous. It did not help that they were quite a distance from the floor, she could see people moving up and down the street below her and knew that it was this way or not at all.
"What are you doing in there?" Coltrane demanded.
"I'm almost done, can a lady have a little moment to herself!" She pretended to feign outrage as she proceeded to lift herself through the window, while telling herself repeatedly, not to look down while she was doing it.
She slipped through the window fairly easily and had no idea how she manage to remain on the narrow ledge when she left the room behind her. With her back pressed up against the side of the building, Julia had barely enough space for herself to move. She supposed it was some consolation that her small size allowed her to traverse the narrow ledge because there was no way her jailer would be foolish enough to follow her on this near suicidal course. Julia started moving slowly away from the window, intending to put as much distance between herself and the room as possible.
She reminded herself not to look down but it was difficult to keep her eyes from the ground. As it was dark, no one had noticed her presence yet but it did not help that a light wind was blowing at her and bird seemed to be taking up residence along the ledge and seemed to fly in all directions upon her approach. She could hear him demanding where she was and knew it would not be long before he broke into the room and discovered what she had done. Julia had no wish to fall prey to him once again.
Perhaps fall was not the best words to use in this instance...
Damn!
Coltrane swore under his breath when he banged on the door and the lady inside showed on signs of emerging. He should have guessed that it was a trick. She had been priming him with her purdy voice and the way she worked her lips when he had fed her. Coltrane felt singularly incensed at having fallen to the most common of feminine tricks and despised being bested by a woman. He was about to kick the door to the room open when suddenly, he heard a slight knocking on the door.
"Room Service." A decidedly feminine voice sang out.
What else could happen? The man groaned as he crossed the floor in a number of long strides and almost pulled the door off its hinges when he opened it and found himself staring a pretty blond with towels in her hand and wearing a maid's uniform.
"What do you want?" He growled at her but had no effect in intimidating her by his hostile manner. Instead, she brushed past him and stepped into the room.
"Room service Sir," she said brightly. "Just replacing your towels." Her eyes studied the length of the room and caught sight of the chair and the ropes that hung off it. Mary pretended not to notice and placed the towel down on the near by side table before making a hasty retreat out of the room once again.
"If you need anything further, be sure to let us know." Mary kept her voice neutral when suddenly Coltrane placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, completely aware of what she had seen.
"I don't think you're going anywhere." He said tightening his hold around her when suddenly Casey stepped before the doorway with the gun they had taken from the sheriff aimed firmly at his chest.
"I think you're wrong Mister." Casey warned, staring at him with just as much intent to shoot him as he intended to keep Mary prisoner. "Let her go."
"You must be her friends." Coltrane grizzled, visibly angry if the dark storm on his face was an indication of his emotional state at this point. He released Mary seeing Casey cock the gun once more, inciting him to hurry up and release the woman. However, without warning, he shoved Mary hard, sending her straight into Casey who reacted by pulling the gun back in case she accidentally pulled the trigger. The momentary distraction was all Coltrane needed and he started towards them.
"Run!" Mary ordered Casey as the young girl lost her grip on the gun and realised that they were both defenceless against the hulk coming at them. Without thinking, Mary pushed the trolley in front of him. The heavy metal frame slammed into Coltrane, forcing him against the wall. The big man reeled from the impact and recovered quickly. Mary paused long enough to see him getting to his feet before she started running, taking the same route down the hall that Casey had taken.
Coltrane was torn at who to pursue. Did he chase after his prisoner or did he go after the women who could bring the law down on him. Deciding it matter little which he picked, he went after the prey he could see first and ran down the corridor taken by the two women who had discovered his secret.
Julia looked at the drainpipe with dismay.
It ran down the ledge and would have to be passed if she was to make it to the other side of the hotel. For some reason, her kidnapper had yet to come after her or even attempt to make an appearance at the ledge. His absence was even more disconcerting than any attempt he made to pursue her. She could not understand what he was doing and expected a hand to pop through these windows at any moment and drag her back inside.
Once again, she scolded herself for looking down and Julia took another deep breath to steady her nerves. She could do this. Slowly, she turned around on the narrow walkway, trying to keep her jittery nerves to a minimum as she found herself facing the wall. Taking another deep breath as her nails dug into the stone as if that would stop any descent should she slip, Julia inched one foot out from the safety of the ledge and tried to slip it past the drainpipe while maintaining her footing of her present location
The metal felt smooth as she forced her body past it, placing all her weight on the foot that was all the way across already. She slid across the wall and the drainpipe, keeping her body pressed up against the wall as firmly as possible when suddenly, she heard something crumble. Julia eyes moved to her foot as she saw in slow motion, the ledge giving way beneath her booth. Fragments of stone crumbled as she found herself standing on nothing and struggled valiantly to grab something and keep herself from falling. Her hands wrapped around the length of drainpipe but the weight of her body pulling against it snapped the clamps holding it in place.
Julia let out a short scream as she felt air beneath her and had a thousand frantic thoughts running through her mind as she envisioned her end coming to greet her in a rush of air and the hard slap of the ground beneath her. However, she did not continue to fall even though what she felt beneath her feet was not ground but air.
The drainpipe had indeed detached from the side of the building but it had not snapped off. Instead, like her, it was dangling precariously over the ground. Julia looked down and realised she was hanging in midair high above the ground below. As he hands dug into the metal, she could think of only one thing to do.
Scream and scream very loudly.