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Post by Shane Lawson on May 12, 2008 23:41:18 GMT -5
Thursday, March 11th, 18801:35 PMIt was definitely a lazy afternoon along Fremont Street with most of the cowboys hungover or resting up for the festivities that'd come later that evening. For the Saloon owners it was time to clean up and get ready for what would probably be another rowdy night of entertainment, though nothing quite like a Friday or Saturday Night of course. The Ambrosia Club, One of the nicer Saloons along Fremont was fairly idle except for the fewmen occupying the bar and they all worked for Elliot Masters of course. Mister Masters was present as he usually was, seated in his corner table that was reserved for him and him alone. The Ambrosia Club was the nerve center for his business dealings in town and was literally his home away from home. Though he maintained a ranch outside of town, it could be a tiresome journey and was hell on his fine clothes. For that reason he maintained a small room above the bar where he could deal private business or entertain some of his laddie friends when required. His eyes skimmed the headlines of the local Lost Haven Herald, though he usually knew the local news before the paper did, it was the Territory matters that concerned him. Reports of investors from the east coast arriving and trying to tame the frontier concerned him dearly. Though some people dismissed his concern over the arrivial of Cornelius Bartor he believed differently, and knew something had to be done. However he was a fair man usually and would give the Bostonite a fair shot through diplomatic channels, perhaps later today. But for the moment it waited while he considered his options and how to handle the situation.
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 0:03:23 GMT -5
Katie hugged her shawl around herself as she watched the carriage that had carried her to this small rustic town turn into a cloud of dust on the horizon, leaning against the rail of a fence. She'd had to spend fifteen minutes assuring the old man she'd been traveling with before he'd leave a "young girl like herself all alone". Compared to the streets of a New York as a teenager, this was nothing.
Her stomach rumbling brought her out of her revelry and back to the present. She had chosen to rest, for now, in this town. That meant she needed food, lodging, and if the stay turned out to be more long term, some connections with other people. This did not mean she had any concept of making friends, and she did not desire companionship of any kind, but her money wasn't going to last forever. She needed a drink. Scanning the immediate vicinity, she did locate a saloon and made her way to it. She stepped in, squinting as her eyes adjusted from the bright sunshine to the darker interior, and made her way to the bar.
She was the only female here, she noticed, and that did not bother her. While the last thing she wanted was to bring more attention than she needed to herself, it was also something she was quite used to, and so the eyes she felt upon her did not cause her any hesitation as she cleared her throat, and ordered a drink, setting herself on a stool and looking around the room, taking a breath before she started figuring out her next step.
In one corner, she met the eyes of a tall gentleman, rougher than the ones she had "known" back east, but carrying the same air of being above authority. Feeling a chill rush down her spine, she hurriedly avoided further notice by turning back to the bar to pay for her drink, taking a large gulp and wincing at the taste.
All at once the fear that had started to abate once she'd left the last town with a railway came crashing back to her. If they found her, she'd do better to shoot herself with the little pistol she carried than let them take her back. It was simply something that could not happen. She suddenly regretted stopping her travels, it was too close to civilization, someone would notice her, word would get back to those looking for her...
Nothing for it now but to finish her drink and find a room for the night. Hopefully another carriage would come through town that week.
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 0:11:40 GMT -5
""What can I get ya miss?"[/b] Chirpped the Bartender as he laid both hands down on the bar top in front of her. The man was quite tall and if anything a bit odd looking but he did his job well enough. If anything he was a little surprised that a woman of all things would come in at this hour, oh how scandalous that was! But it didn't matter, another body another drink, another dollar right?
From the corner Masters peered over the top of his newspaper at the new arrival, rarely did he ignore anyone who came through his doors and that habit had kept him alive a few times. He too was a little surprised that it was a woman and not that Doctor Franklin or someone else along those lines. "How interesting." he murmued under his breath, keeping his gaze on her for a moment
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 0:15:42 GMT -5
"Ehm, somethin' strong if ye please, and ye wouldn't happen to be able to recommend decent lodgins, would you?" Katie spoke softly, and passed him a coin to pay for herself, clutching her bag a little more tightly after, breathing slowly as she tried to calm down. It had been her decision to flee her captors, to steal their money and leave them both short of gold and of their best whore. There was no going back and there was no second guessing that decision. She was going to have to make this work.
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 0:20:53 GMT -5
The Bartender chuckled a bit. "Well we have a full bar.." he said thumbing back over his shoulder, of course that statement would be quite obvious to her. "I'll surprise you." In an instance like this he could get away with playing with the customers, pouring her a stiff shot of whiskey he sat the glass down in front of her. "Well for best, the Five Graces is just down the street." Lewis paused for a moment, sizing her up. "Of course.. If thats too expensive, Paradise street has some more affordable lodgings.. but thats where the whor.. err Ladies of the evening hang out as well."
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 0:26:53 GMT -5
Katie raised an eyebrow at how he caught himself like he was worried about his language in front of a lady. She was certainly not accustomed to even such forgetful respect from a man, and it touched her a little. Smiling, she raised her glass to salute him and downed the shot, making a slight face as she sat it back down firmly. "Sure, and that was what was needed."
While she wasn't overly anxious to witness the western side of her old profession, she needed to make the gold she had last as long as possible, and so she determined Paradise Street would have to be where she stayed. "I'll be having another of those, if you please, barkeep."
The alcohol had already begun to fortify her courage, and she started to look around the bar again. An inn on Paradise street it would be, for the night at least, and she would be able to buy some decent clothes, look for a job, and maybe find a small house of her own, outside of town. Hope mixed with the fear that still sat in her belly, and she bit her lip. She just couldn't let her guard down, then.
"Who should I be lookin' for if I aim to find a job around these parts, sir?" She asked quietly, leaning closer to him as she watched him fixing her drink.
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 0:39:56 GMT -5
"Sure thing" The Bartender responded smiling, his hand still wrapped firmly around the bottleneck which allowed him to pour another shot quickly. The question about work was rather amusing, Lost Haven was booming and always had jobs for both men and women, though most of the jobs for women involved prostitution of course. "Well Miss there are plenty of jobs around these bars, boom town and all right?" he chuckled a bit, setting the bottle down once more. "Heard Earls Barber shop needs an assistant or some fangled thing," The man forced himself to keep a straight face, everyone knew the reputation of that shops new owner. "General Store does as well, oh what else.. I'd see about a job for you here but we just hir.."
Before Lewis could finish the man in the background cut in. "Oh Lewis, I think you're mistaken." The mans thick Australian accent piercing the conversation, Elliot had been listening in and sizing Kate up the whole time and there was just.. something about her. The mans lips curved into a smile as he approached her from across the room. "I take it you're new here?" he asked, waiting for her to offer her own hand before accepting it. "Allow me to introduce myself, Elliot Masters."
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 0:47:17 GMT -5
Katie had turned to look at the man she had taken notice of before, coolly appraising him with her bright blue eyes. After a moment, she smiled and offered her hand. "Kathleen Parrish. It's a pleasure, I'm sure" She murmered.
She had no qualms about sharing her name. Back East she had been Angel. Nobody had cared to know her name, or who she was, even those whom she worked for. This was one of the things that gave her hope she could be free. "You are correct, I just arrived today, liked the looks of the place. Katie, I said to meself, this could be the life for you." She flashed her eyes and smiled in a slightly airheaded way that men usually found charming. She didn't trust him, and men tended to underestimate pretty girls, so that would be her guard for now.
"Now, what if I may be so bold to ask, was my new friend here mistaken about?"
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 0:55:22 GMT -5
Graciously Masters accepted her hand for a moment as his brown eyes met hers. "A pleasure indeed." he assured her as she told her the short version of her story. Masters chuckled softly in response to her. "Lost Haven has been a new start for many of us, myself included." Which was quite true in his case, everything he'd worked for before he'd lost but now? He was a King. The man couldn't help but continue smiling at her as she spoke, finding her to be charming but he wasn't one to be suckered easily. Masters was accustomed to many kinds of women, but this one? He could fancy her working here.
"Ah, Mister Brubeck here is mistaken.. We could always use another hostesses, though I'm afraid we can only use you at night." If she was one to 'read between the lines' she wouldn't find anything, Masters ran quite a legimiate establishment here and nothing was expected out of the girls who worked there but then again that was in part due to an understanding with Madame Bureaugard who he referred business to. "If you're interersted that is.."
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 1:02:36 GMT -5
"Sure and I'll be thankin' you for the offer, Mr. Masters, and I'm interested indeed, but I'll be wantin' to knwo the type of establishment you run, sir?" She had been manipulated and tricked into an industry she detested once before, and though she knew the whole world was not built around those kinds of business ethics, she would not blindly walk into another such job.
A new start was exactly what she needed, and she could not yet tell if this was a man who could be trusted, as much as she wanted to find such a place, and such people, she had lost faith that such existed, and it would take a lot for her to believe in things of that nature again. Not that you could tell that from her innocent smile, she thought wryly to herself as she threw back her second shot and shifted in her seat as she listened to her what might turn out to be her new employer.
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 1:06:59 GMT -5
The man merely smiled at her, it was obvious to him that she wasn't an utter airhead like some of the women he'd known. "The Ambrosia Club is the finest Saloon in Lost Haven, We have a reputation to maintain." He took a moment to gesture to the fine hardwood furnishings that decorated the room, from gaming tables to the elaborate bar itself it was obvious this was a 'classy joint' but of course even those places had their own dirty side operations sometimes. "All I ask of you is to serve drinks, entertain the men and keep them drinking." The smile distorted into a bit of a wicked grin as his voice lowered to a whisper. "Basically, lead them on until we have all of their money.. Fair enough?'
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 1:16:07 GMT -5
Katie relaxed a little, and tilted her head in agreement. Entertaining and enticing men to drink would be performed with ease for her, although she did not need drunken men carrying stories of her out away. She could manage to do it though, she was bred and trained to empty a man's wallet.
"I'd find that quite reasonable, and I'm sure I'd do a fine job for ye, sir. What would our arrangement be, though?" She leaned towards him a little, the french perfume she had brought with her was a slight seductive scent in the dust and musk of this area, and she looked down and back up at him, playing her long lashes against her cheeks as she bit her lip subtly. If there was anything dishonorable to be required of her from her employer himself, well and fine, but she'd rather know about it up front so she'd know how much to ask for in wages.
She made herself desirable in such a way that it was hard to tell if she did it on purpose, and then she turned back to the bartender, smiling and signaling for another round. She wasn't quite tipsy yet, but between the pleasant prospects and the warm tingle the whiskey had put in her blood, she was starting to feel strangely in her element.
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 1:27:10 GMT -5
"Typically we start our hostesses out at five dollars a week, plus whatever tips you make." And in this town? That was quite fair, and of course the real money was made with tips given the money flowed liberally from the wallets of drunk miners and gamblers. As she leaned towards him he caught a wiff of her perfume which sent a chill down his spine, it was familiar and yet strange but he couldn't put his finger on it. The man cleared his throat trying to regain his focus. "Perhaps you'd like to continue this in private?" he asked her gingerly.
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Post by kitastrophe on May 13, 2008 1:32:51 GMT -5
And there it was. Even though she'd brought on the seduction, she couldn't help but be slightly disappointed her tactics had succeeded, although she was very careful to keep her pleasant expression as she nodded in agreement and shook her skirts as she rose. Ah well, this was man, and this was business, and the way of the world. At least she was damned good at it. "Certainly, and your wages seem quite fair." She'd be as well off as any whore in town without the unpleasant duties if she played her cards right. Maybe she'd end up staying in Five Graces, after all. "I'll follow you, kind sir." She passed another coin to Lewis with a smile of thanks, and looked to Elliot for direction.
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Post by Shane Lawson on May 13, 2008 1:38:33 GMT -5
Though she might've thought she knew his intentions, they weren't all that ilicit. It was very seldomly that he ever discussed business of any sort in the bar, there were to many open ears in this town these days for his tastes. "Right this way Ma'am," he said with a short hand gesture before leading her through a doorway into a back room, if he'd wanted something 'more' from her he'd taken her upstairs.. Though the day was far from over of course, once she was clear of the door he closed it behind her. "I prefer discussing business in private Miss Parrish, It allows us all to be more candid I find." He attempted to assure her that his intentions were noble both in tone and with a quaint smile. "And I'd hate for certain people to overhear.. But are there any other arrangements you're curious about?"
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