Unshaken

The Fine Joys of Tobacco

The next morning, Dutch told Liam to wait until the afternoon to go meet with the Braithwaites so John, Arthur and Javier could steal their valuable horses. He went to the general store in Rhodes around noon to purchase some nicer clothes to meet with the Braithwaites. He bought a blue Opulent vest and some new leather boots. He had the money to spend, since he didn't buy much.

"Do I look fancy, boy?" He asked Colter as he climbed onto him. He rode out towards Braithwaite Manor. He was impressed by the magnificent entranceway to the mansion. The oak trees lining the path to the house was long and bold. He thought it was wasted on the damned family, though.

He approached the guards, checking for Sean and Hosea's horses. "Hello, sirs. I have a meeting with Mrs. Braithwaite. My partners are already here." Liam told the guards. "Alright, go on." A guard said letting him pass through. He rode up to the entrance of the house and climbed off his horse. He walked up the steps and was greeted by a well-dressed servant holding the door open for him. "Ah, please come in, sir." The servant told him. "Thank you." He said walking in. He was now inside and was in awe at the architecture of the home. The ceilings were unlike anything he'd seen before. They were painted with family symbols and such.

The servant opened the door to another room. "A gentleman to see you, ma'am." The servant told Catherine. Hosea and Sean were sitting on a sofa conversing with Catherine and her son. "So, your friend, here, not one of the liquor vendors. Hello." She said in her rich, non-rhotic accent, opposite of Liam's. "Hello ma'am." Liam said respectfully. "Liam, welcome. We were just playing cribbage." Hosea said, setting down his tea. Liam never in a million years thought he'd see any of Dutch's boys having tea with a Braithwaite. "Liam Parker, Mrs. Catherine Braithwaite." Hosea greeted the two. "Nice to meet you." Liam said. "I thought they hanged you already." She told Liam, a stone cold face. "Not yet." He replied. "So this one, is he as young and as dumb as he looks?" Catherine asked Hosea. Liam now didn't care that they were playing the Braithwaites. "Well, he's surely young, but his intelligence is a matter of some conjecture. Some say he is as dumb as he looks, but I think, well, he's not quite that dumb. Though the way he speaks may fool you." Hosea said. Liam rolled his eyes, knowing Hosea was kidding. He had been called dumb before, and knew he wasn't bright sometimes, but he didn't think of himself as a complete idiot.

"So these are the boys going to Caliga Hall?" Catherine asked looking at Sean and Liam. "Yes. We could take care of that for you, but, one hates to be coarse, there is the question of money." Hosea hinted. Catherine laughed. "Oh, we've got money, Mr. Matthews." She said, almost offended. "Paper? Bonds? Metal?" Hosea asked impatiently. "She ain't gonna pay you with a certified check, you Yankee numbskull." Her son obnoxiously butted in. "Ain't childbirth just the most beautiful miracle?" Hosea said, agitated, motioning Sean to leave with Liam.

"Well, Liam." Sean said getting up and exiting the room with Liam following. "Seems a lady can birth monkeys after all." Hosea insulted. They walked outside. "Hop on, I'll fill you in on the way, Little Englishman." Sean told him. "I'll make sure to hold on tight." Liam said. "Oh shut it." Sean griped, getting on.

"Alright, lets get this over with." Sean said as he pulled out of Braithwaite Manor. "You was quiet in there." Liam told him, surprised. "Took everything I had. That son of hers. I'll shove that silver spoon down his throat and pull it clean out of his arse, the smug fucker!" Sean said aggravated. "I understand." Liam said, not surprised. "So what's she got us doing at the Gray's place?" He asked. "She wants us to torch their tobacco fields. Said they ain't had rain in weeks 'round here." Sean explained. "Really?" Liam asked. "Yep. Using that back there." Sean replied pointing at the moonshine in the back of the wagon. "The moonshine?" Liam asked, looking back at the bottles. "Burns faster than kerosene, that stuff. Said it'd be "fitting", she did. All I'm thinking is how about I try "fitting" my boot up your hook nose, you snotty old bitch." Sean said. This caused Liam to laugh out loud.