To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two

"Dealing Faro in a saloon? That's how you're going to earn money to pay off your debts?" Cassandra questioned doubtfully.

Finnegan nodded as he led her to the hotel bed and they sat down beside one another."Yes. There's no gamblin' involved in dealin' and they've offered to pay me ten dollars a night. Faro is played three nights a week so that's thirty dollars a week or one hundred and twenty a month! I'll have my remainin' debts paid off in no time."

"Why so much?" Cassandra demanded. "Why would you be paid so much money just for dealing cards?"

Finnegan shifted on the mattress and shoved his hand through his dark curls. "Well that'd be cuz a lot of men are killed doin' it but that..."

"No," Cassandra shook her head and stood. "No, you won't be doing that. You were offered a job at the livery..."

"Shoveling horse manure for fifteen dollars a month?" Finnegan snorted and shook his head. "I'll not be doin' that, love."

"Finnegan, I don't want you doing a job that could end with you getting killed."

"Then don't ask me to shovel manure for pennies, Little Cass." Finnegan took her hand in his and pressed a tender kiss to her knuckles. "I promise ya I won't be killed, Cassandra. This is a gentleman's club in the east, not a dirty saloon out in the west. Guns are checked at the door and men simply don't shoot other men here. It wouldn't be proper."

"So a job that could get you killed in a place where I am not allowed to come surrounded by poker, whiskey and lots of scantily clad, attention seeking women?" Cassandra pulled her hand away and went to the window.

Finnegan watched her as she crossed her arms over her belly, which was just starting to round a bit beneath her skirts. Her chin quivered and he knew she was fighting back tears. She might as well have smacked him with her words.

They had been here nearly a month. Finnegan had been doing odd jobs here and there to earn money but had yet to find a suitable job due to his lack of skills at any trade. His father-in-law could have helped him but had refused... the man was just now beginning to stop threatening to kill Finnegan every time him and Cassandra went to the house for dinner.

Truly her parents were coming around. Isobel had even taken Cassandra out shopping for clothing and bedding for the babe. Finnegan had been the picture of devotions for months now but clearly Cassandra still doubted him.

That hurt. Deeply.

"I'm takin' the job at the club, Little Cass, and I'll clean horse manure for pennies on my off days. I have debts to pay and a wife and child to provide for and I'll not allow your doubts and worries that I'll betray you keep me from doing either." Finnegan strode out the door and down the hotel steps. He walked out into the sun and glanced up and down the crowded city streets.

Truly Finnegan loved living in a place like this. A place where there was always something happening. His brother dreamed of ranch life but to Finnegan that sounded like a nightmare and thankfully Cassandra didn't want that kind of life either. There had only ever been one horse Finnegan had been fond of caring for and that horse was at Cassandra's parents house.

Finnegan's only complaint about this place was that it was in the east.... He wanted to live further west. Truly California was where he wanted to go but he had a lot of money to earn before he could ever take his family that far.

Finnegan made his way to the gentleman's club. The sun was beginning to set and he was due to start work. It had been a long time since he'd been in a place like this. He could smell the whiskey and the perfume of the working ladies.