Devil's Whore

3.

After Winter left, Mary had to finish her work. She scrubed the cups, she wiped the dust from the tables and mopped the floor. By the midday she was restoring the bar with the bottles from the storage room behind. Suddenly,she heard the door open and slam right back. "Are you sure there's no one here?" A strange man's voice asked and Mary remained hidden there.

"You see anybody around?" Helga's voice sounded from a room. "Nobody's here now," she said and went behind a bar, pouring two glasses.

Mary swallowed hard, but remained hidden and silent as grave. "Spear me the drinks." The man waved at the offer and sat across the bar. "Where I can find Delaney,hm?" He asked her quietly. "Someone said, he was here last night." Hearing his words Mary froze. Who was he? He didn't sound like a king's man or someone from the law.

"Yeah, he was," she nodded and drank one of the glass. "What do you want from him?" She asked first.

"Someone paid a pretty price for his head." The man answered and Mary cupped her mouth. The first thing, that crossed her mind, was to run to tell him, but she knew nothing about him. Not an address, not even if he would ever appear again in this part of the city.

"Oh," Helga devilishly grinned and hummed. "If I tell you, where you can find him, can I expect you to share money with me? I mean. Information has equally same importance as the deed, isn't it true?"

"How much?" The man asked immediately. Mary didn't stay to hear anything else. Firstly, because she was scared to be revealed and Helga would surely send her to the docks if not kill her. She took the back door, that leads on the back alley. She even forgot her coat and the rain already started to pour from the sky. How could she find him, she kept trying to find a way to him, pacing furiously amongst people on the muddy street.

Walking to meet Atticus, to get his horse back, James lost in thoughts was passing the street. Avoiding people's glares. When suddenly it felt, like a whisper in his head told him to turn. He halted his feet and slowly turned his head. In carefull yet rushed pace, he saw Mary crossing the street. He didn't say a word, only his eyes followed her steps. What was she doing there? He pondered and looked around, if he didn't see somebody, who could follow her, because she indeed looked almost scared.

Mary, unaware of his presence, she continued her way back to her house, walking furiously. She was just a block away, when she took the corner and almost bumped on someone. She looked up and saw his narrowed eyes, watching her under his hat. "James!" She exclaimed almost releaved to see him.

"Did something happen?" He asked her calmly, coming closer to her.

Mary wasn't stupid. She knew, that since someone is out there, aiming to kill him, there must be people following him too. "Yes,come with me," she said, looking around for a moment and walked to her small house finally away from the curious eyes. She'd surely be in trouble, if someone sent a whisper to Helga, that she met Delaney again. They walked inside and she closed the door immediately. "Someone came today, asking Helga about you," she told him serious. "He said, someone else gave him money to kill you."

He studied her face curiously. In that moment he couldn't trust anybody. She could be sent by Helga or work for Crown. But looking deep into her eyes, he saw nothing bad. He saw goodness in her eyes. He'd even say a concern. "Did you hear any names, Mary?"

"No.." she shook her head subtly and sighed. "I panicked. I was alone in the storage, when they walked inside and I left from the back door," she simply said.

"You did good. Thank you," he nodded. "It will be better, if nobody sees you with me again."

With his words Mary looked up at him and her face turned serious again. She knew, that she couldn't expect something else from him, but hearing it wasn't making her state better. "Right," she cleared her throat and turned towards the fireplace to lit up the fire.