The Letter

I found a letter over by the window this morning. How it got there I don’t know. Nobody’s been by today… or yesterday, even. Setting aside that little mystery, I figured I’d better open it.

Dearest Mister Valance, I am writing this letter in the hope that we can part as friends. Though I told you I am betrothed to another, I fear I did not explain myself very well. As I told you, my dear friend Cecile has let me live with her these past few weeks. What you don’t know is this arrangement has allowed me to be nearer my fiancé and to see how our new house is progressing. As a stranger in these parts I was delighted when Cecile offered to show me around and introduce me to her friends. I readily agreed, little knowing I’d be laying myself open to the charm of a rogue with the devil in his eye. As my trips to your porch became more regular, I told myself we were only having the kind of fun a girl is entitled to before she settles down. I deceived myself. Our picnic at the lake was the most beautiful, most perfect, most wonderful day of my life. It was also the saddest day, because that’s when I realized someone would get hurt. And the very next day, that someone was you. I’m sorry I hurt you Levitt, really I am. Just know that a piece of my heart is forever yours.

With deep affection

Miss Houston

This is no place for a woman, anyhow. The barn ain’t safe, the door’s falling off the outhouse and the well’s only good for holding mud. The only time there’s any water down there is after the rain and even then, it’s only for a day or so. Most of the time I have to bring my water up from the creek, like I did this afternoon, and a tiresome chore it is too. 

There was a familiar buggy outside the house when I came back. Then I saw the door open and I’ll admit my heart skipped a beat as I hurried up the steps and went inside. 

‘Why Mister V, just look at you. I didn’t expect you to lick me all over like Nameless did, but you might’ve pretended you’re pleased to see me,’ said Cecile. 

‘Howdy Miss Cecile, I’m sorry, I thought…’

‘It’s okay honey, I know what you thought. How you been?’

‘Fine. You?’

‘A little tired, maybe, but I can handle it. Anyhow, let’s not beat about the bush. I’m here to see if you’ve got a reply for Houston yet. That poor child’s eating her heart out and I can’t bear to see her suffer any longer.’

‘A reply to what? The letter she wrote? You gotta be kidding; I only saw it this morning.’

‘This morning? I dropped it off two days ago.’

‘Well I didn’t see it until… wait a minute. Two days, you say? That’ll be the day I came back from town and saw Cheyenne hightailing it across the plain. And if you were here at the same time then I guess that explains what I found under my pillow. Huh! No wonder you’re tired.’ 

‘Oh Mister V, you do know how to make a girl blush. What can I say? Love is love and we were slaves to our ardor.’

‘Well I don’t want Cheyenne’s ardor in my bed. Use the barn next time.’

‘I will. Now what have you to say to Houston?’

‘What do you want me to say… thanks for kicking my insides out, I hope you’ll both be very happy?’

‘Don’t be bitter Mister V; you’re better man than that. You could start by agreeing to meet her.’

‘What?’

‘She hasn’t put it in writing but I know that’s what she wants.’

‘That ain’t how I read it. I get a little piece of her heart; her fiancé gets a big piece of everything else. That’s how I read it.’

‘What she says and what she means ain’t always the same thing. Half the time she’s just trying to convince herself.’

‘Is that so? Well the part about her living with you so she could be nearer to Mister Wonderful sure convinced me.’

‘Pah! She’d have gone home weeks ago if it hadn’t been for you. You’ve never seen Robert, have you? Well I have and I don’t like him. He’s calling on Houston almost everyday now, supposedly to tell her how the house is coming along, but he’s just keeping an eye on her. I don’t like the way he clams up when I enter the room and I don’t like the way he whispers when I leave it. In my own home, too. Did you know Houston’s father was rich? You can bet your life Robert does. Anyhow, are you gonna meet her or not? 

‘No’

‘What if I promised to cook you something nice and hot?’

‘I’d say you were sneaky.’

‘I’d call it persuasive. What’s your favorite meal?’

‘Steak and onions.’

‘Then you’ll agree to one little meeting?’

‘Where?’

‘Down by the creek.’

‘Can’t you just bring her here?’

‘No, it’s too risky now Robert knows about you.’

‘He knows about me?’

‘Houston told him. She figured telling him herself and playing things down might head off any trouble later. As far as Robert’s concerned you’re just a whiskey soaked bum that happens to be an friend of mine, but if he thought Houston was slipping back here, so close to the wedding and all, well...’

‘A whiskey soaked bum, huh? Alright, when do I meet her?’

‘Early tomorrow evening. I’ll be here in good time to see you get your steak and onions before you set off.’

‘With potatoes and plenty of gravy?’

‘Sure, if that makes it a deal?’

‘Okay, it’s a deal.’

‘Good, then maybe you’ll seal it by handing over a (cough) certain item of clothing of mine?’