milliways_bar | EP: Kate Barlow | Outside, Stables / Main Bar

It's been a long time since Beaut's had the pleasure of startling the bar with her presence. The front door admits the five-foot cowgirl and her mount, obviously on their way someplace else, depositing them smack dab in the middle of the bar.

Beaut snorts.

"Oh, come now. S'good t'be back, ain't it?"

Kate wins an ear twitch for her trouble. With a chuckle, she sets about navigating the tables and chairs — and waitrats, we mustn't forget them. She'll get Beaut resettled out in the stables and check on the stock, and once she's done there she'll find a calendar. Once she knows the date and has stopped to look for messages in the stables, at the board, or with the Bar, she'll settle in for a while.

Then again, it's such a beautiful evening out. Maybe she'll take advantage of the lingering light and give Beaut a proper ride up the mountain path.

[ooc: I'm so sorry for inundating the bar! I did try to space everything out. ~sheepish~ Post open indefinitely; catch Kate anywhere you like, she'll be making her rounds and she's in a great humor.]

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Her jaw stiffens, expression gone hard.

"That's right. I hope y'can forgive me for hopin' the flood took out more'n a few head of his stock, as nasty as the declaration may be. If rustlers tampered with his cattle, I certainly wouldn't cry no tears."

She sips carefully at her coffee.

"How's your herd now?"

"In decent shape and it ain't as bad as some of the stuff I've thought about him."

"I surely don't blame you."

Vengeance is a slippery slope, but she wouldn't blame William a bit for thinking on it.

"You raisin' anythin' other'n cattle?"

"No, we've thought about but haven't been able to,"

They have a few chickens but nothing that provides enough extra to sell.

Sometimes it's best not splitting your attention between a number of trades.

"Is it mostly due to gettin' the money t'start you off, or is it a matter of what your land'll yield?"

"Bit of both, our land doesn't grow much of anything easily and Ma's got enough to do without frettin' over plants that might dry up,"

They grow a few vegetables for themselves but nothing they have is enough to sell.

"You helpin' her full-time now?"

She knows he's made up his mind as regards his studies, and what he can and can't do in his position. She's still interested, though.

"I have been since the Fall but Mark's been goin' to school as often as he can. Though I keep readin' those books you gave me and finding other ones like them. I just want what's best for everyone."

She picks up a biscuit, smiling softly.

"I'm glad t'hear it. An' I know y'do, sweetheart. Sounds like you could do with some extra help, but I know you're doin' your best."

"Yeah, I know you do. Sorry, I just feel like I'm always explainin' it here and gettin' looks cause I should be in school."

"Oh, William, no."

She shakes her head, setting her biscuit aside.

"I can't speak for anyone else, but as far as I'm concerned I jus' wanna be sure you're gettin' on all right. Yes, I was a teacher, an' I loved it. But Green Lake — it got a lot more commerce, an' the children didn't have so much responsibility as you do. Schoolin' has always come second t'family, t'livin', an' I know your heart's in the right place. Y'don't hafta explain nothin' t'me.

"I'd jus' like t'help, any way I can. Even if it's jus' talkin'."

"I know you do and it ain't ever been you though I worry about disappointing you and everyone else. I know my father wanted more for me and Mark and I'm trying to get that for him."

This time, she sets her biscuit and coffee down to free up her hands, and reaches across to touch one of his.

"Lemme tell y'somethin', sugar. You're gonna hafta do a helluva lot t'disappoint me after how much good I've seen you do. An' I'm certain that goes double for your daddy. When he talks 'bout you boys, y'can see it in his eyes."

"I hope so. Days just get so they blend together and its hard to remember that."

She nods, reflecting back on some of the past months where her daddy's disappointment was a constant refrain in the long hours.

"You're a good man, William Evans. You're still writin' your story. No matter what happens, y'can't erase that good heart."

She taps his chest gently for emphasis. Whether he's to be a rancher or a lawman or a student or any other thing in this universe, there's nothing that could make her disappointed in him.

He looks down at her hand and blinks away tears, "What have you been up to?"

She caresses his downturned cheek tenderly before pulling away, giving him space and making no remark on the tears in his eyes.

"Me? I've been in Galveston. Y'heard of it?"

It's an important place in the cattle community, not to mention the biggest city off the East coast.

All he wants is do to enough and her faith in him is always a surprise.

"Yeah, never been there. It don't make sense to move our cattle that far east, cost of gettin' there would eat whatever profits we made. What are you doing there?" He knows that she's done some things on the wrong side of the law but he hopes she's finding other ways to survive.

"You're better off. Even the Chisholm is a little far for you t'go outside'a Arizona territory. It's a real big help t'ranchers down in San Patricio, though. Y'can get your cattle across the Gulf a lot quicker'n drivin' 'em up an' around."

She bends to pick up her coffee, thinking on his question.

"Right now I'm not doin' much but explorin' the city. You met Butch Cassidy? He works the stables, too; he's out there with me, 'long with a few others."

"There are train yards in Contention, so that's where we usually go. No, I don't think I have. Let me know if you need any help,"

Though he's yet to be able to listen to that train whistle without everything feeling tighter but that's where they go.

She purses her lips.

She can only imagine where his thoughts might be wandering.

"I surely will. I'll be movin' east after a while, on my way to New Orleans. If y'ever wanna come explore the city 'fore I go, or ride a ways through Texas, you're welcome to it."