Chapter 12

Bliss could see the pain on Clint’s face as she talked with Minnie. She was better at this than she thought!

“Of course, I don’t think Anna Stevenson should have gone after Mr. Collingsworth in the first place. They were a most unseemly couple. She was the daughter of a rich banker and him the sole owner of the livery. It wasn’t meant to be from the start,” Minnie chattered on.

Bliss nodded and smiled as her friend gave her the highlights of the town’s gossip.

Minnie had shorter brown hair that just touched her shoulders and faintly curled at the end, pale green eyes and a button nose. Bliss had always envied her friend for her beautiful features. Minnie had always seemed to have a man around ready to court her any day of the week, but she didn’t show much interest in any of them that Bliss knew of.

“The new Williams baby was born last month. Quite a cute little girl, I must say…” Minnie rambled on and on about the folks in town, all the while keeping her eye on Clint. The look on her face implied that she disliked the man from the very start, and Bliss had known Minnie long enough to know that she would hear the words behind her gaze.

“Clint, why don’t you roam look around town for a while? I’m sure that I won’t need you while I’m around Minnie,” Bliss offered.

Clint eyed her wearily. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Several reasons. Some of which I’m sure that your friend here wouldn’t like to hear,” Clint sent a pointed look to Minnie, who met his look with a frown.

The two were not off to a good start.

“Minnie knows about the notes,” Bliss informed him.

“Yes, but you never mentioned a gunfighter, Bliss,” Minnie looked over at Bliss.

Bliss looked between Clint and Minnie, feeling the pressure of their gazes.

Oh, she wasn’t on trial, for heaven’s sake!

“Mr. Slade is a new development, Minnie,” She stated before turning to Clint. “I still think it would be a good idea if you got some air. Minnie and I will stay right here.”

Clint looked at Minnie, then to Bliss, then back to Minnie.

“Fine,” he sighed, standing up, “but don’t get into any trouble.”

Bliss nodded.

She waited until the sound of his boots hitting the floor with each step he took faded out of the front door before she turned back to Minnie.

“Bliss, you’ve never kept secrets from me, or I from you. What is going on down at your place?” Minnie asked.

“Daddy hired him to guard me.”

“How could you follow through with this? Your daddy treats you like a child enough. The last thing you need is a gunslinger following you around like a puppy dog,” Minnie protested.

“Mr. Slade is much more disagreeable than a puppy dog, I assure you. The man scowls most of the time and the rest of the time he shows no emotion at all. His conversational skills are absolutely appalling and let’s not even get started on his disapproving attitude about everything.” Bliss crossed her arms and sighed.

“Then why are you putting up with this?” Minnie asked.

Bliss looked her friend in the eye. “Oh, I’m not. If anything his behavior is fuel for my fire.”

*****

Clint sauntered down the street with his hands in his pockets, the evening still early enough for people to be out and about tending to business or shopping. He liked it better out on the Dottie Belle where one had to travel three days to see a strange face.

Spotting Damian, Clint walked at a faster pace to catch up with him.

“Ah, where is Bliss?” Damian asked once he had reached him.

“Talking to some friend of hers,” Clint answered.

Damian nodded.

“I was just about to go get a drink down at the saloon. Want to tag along?” Clint asked.

Damian shoved his hands into his pockets and smiled. “I suppose I could go for a few drinks.”

*****

Bliss laughed at one of Minnie’s stories about her nieces and nephews and their constant chatter about any topic they chose. In her laughing, her gaze managed to land on the tall grandfather clock to her left and she jerked out of her chair.

“Oh, goodness! Look at the time! I’ve spent too much time talking, I’m afraid. We were supposed to be heading back toward the ranch two hours ago!”

Minnie stood to her feet and looked at the clock. “I do believe that I’ve lost track of the time as well. It’s a shame that you have to leave so soon. I do enjoy talking to you.”

Bliss smiled and hugged her friend tightly. “As do I. But, as always, all good things must come to an end. I am dreading the ride back home with those men. One is grumpy, one is silent, and one refuses to keep his mouth shut. It quite the posse that I have.”

Minnie laughed. “How are Colt and Mose? I miss their company.”

“They’re getting along fine. Mose is back at the ranch and I have no idea what has become of Colt. He more than likely got lost in his daydreams and lost track of the time same as we did,” Bliss told her.

Minnie sighed. “I hate that you have to go so soon.”

“I know. See you in another four months?” Bliss asked with a smile.

Minnie hugged her again, and then Bliss was out walking around Plateau looking for the three men who were supposed to be her escorts.

A mighty useless bunch they were.

Suddenly, a loud yell came from the saloon and a man came bursting through the swinging doors. Once he stood from his position on the ground, the man dusted off his hat and walked fast and far away from the saloon. Curious, Bliss approached the doors and peered inside.

The scene was devastating.

Both Clint and Damian were as drunk as they could possibly be, brawling right there in the middle of the saloon. She looked just in time to see Clint pick up a man and throw him over the bar, taking a few bottles out as he went. The one and only smile she had ever seen on Clint broke out across his face as he stood there, punching at every man who tried to challenge him. Damian was no better, sitting at the piano pretending the play the music that was playing on its own. He put a bottle up to his lips and took a long drink. It was a sad state of affairs.

Bursting into the saloon, Bliss walked right up to Clint as he punched a fellow over one of the gambling tables.
“Clint Slade!” She yelled.

The whole room stilled at Clint swayed back and forth in front of her, his eyes glazed over. Damian swung his legs over the bench at the piano and faced her.

“What are you two doing? Where is Colt? Do you know how late we are?” she demanded of them.

Clint blinked a few times as his eyes tried to focus on her. He raised his bottle in the air. “Don’t know, don’t care.”

“You’re supposed to be protecting me! How can you do that when you’re a walking keg of whiskey?” Bliss exclaimed.

Clint shook his head. “No protecting. No guns. Only death.”

Bliss cocked her head at him. What was he talking about?

“Death everywhere. Death in the street, death in the house, death on the roof.” Clint waved his whiskey bottle around.

Bliss drew her eyebrows close together. He was talking nonsense.

“The house smells like leprechauns,” Clint stated as if it were his firm belief as he took another swing of whiskey.

“Okay, Mr. Slade. We’ve got to get you to the hotel,” Bliss said as she wrapped an arm around Clint’s waist and took his arm to wrap around her shoulders. She wasn’t much help, as Clint was much taller than her, but she tried nonetheless.

Damian staggered along behind them, his whiskey bottle in hand. Bliss walked out onto the street and across the road. Darkness had descended over the town and no one was out in the streets. Reasonable people were home with their families. There was nothing reasonable about the situation she had been thrown into.

Clint starting singing some old cowboy song to the top of his lungs about Laredo as they neared the hotel. Bliss rolled her eyes and tried not to breathe in the smell of whiskey that was emanating from him. The big, mean gunfighter from mere hours before was completely gone, and a bellowing, pathetic drunk put in his place. Bliss couldn’t decide which she liked more.

They entered the hotel and Bliss tried her best to sign the registration book. It took more time than it would have under normal circumstances without a big man leaning on her.

Damian was already staggering up the stairs, so Bliss gladly too the room key and paid for the room before taking Clint up after him. The strange look that se had received from the clerk didn’t phase her at this point.

She made it up the stairs and turned Clint to walk down the hall. Clint was still humming.

“Would you be quiet?” she asked.

“No,” Clint shook his head like a child. “I have a lovely singing voice. I sound like pretty canary bird.”
Bliss rolled her eyes.

They reached the room and Bliss unlocked the door. Damian had wandered down the hall and she had to call him back.
The room had two beds, so Bliss pushed Clint onto one and Damian onto another. She wished that Colt was here, but she didn’t have time to go and look for him.

She took Clint’s hat and he tried to sit up. She shoved his shoulders down with her hands.
“Try to sleep it off, Mr. Slade.”

“I… don’t wanna sleep,” He whined.

Bliss turned to go, but his hand caught hers. She looked down at him and his eyes were closed.

“You’re my only friend,” he told her. “My only friend in the world.”

His voice faded as he fell asleep. Bliss felt sorry for him for a moment, but then Damian decided to be the stand-in songster while Clint wasn’t able to perform the duty.

Her night became ten times worse.