A tall, black man with premature graying hair stepped out from the darkened interior of the barn as she and Lightning approached. He wore a heavy apron, denims and a faded cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up over massive biceps. Lou slid off of Lightning's back as the man walked toward her.
"What can I do for you?" the man said. "Name's Trevayne Oakes, this here's my livery."
"How much to put my horse up for the day?" Lou asked, lowering her voice.
"Four bits. That includes a proper rubdown and a bit of molasses with his oats." Trevayne answered.
"Sounds fair. I'll return for him around seven." Lou told him, digging into her pocket and drawing out two quarters. "Don't suppose you know of a good boarding house around here? One that's clean and doesn't cost too much?"
Trevayne took a moment to study Lou, as if sizing her up before he answered. A moment later he said," Sure do. My sister Treva tends a boarding house about three blocks from here. Turn down that street there and follow it till you come to a white house with green trim. Tell Treva that Trevayne sent you and she'll do you up nice."
"Thanks." Lou told him, removing her valise and bedroll from Lightning's back and starting in the direction that Oakes had given her.
It didn't take Lou long to find the house that Oakes had described. A pretty black woman in a red calico dress and crisp apron answered the door after Lou's knock.
"Can I help you?" the woman asked.
"Are you Treva? Trevayne said you had a room for rent." Lou told her.
That's right. Why don't you come inside?" Treva said, opening the door wider and ushering Lou inside. Lou stepped into the foyer of the house and Treva closed the door behind her.
"Now, why don't you tell me exactly what my brother said?" she asked Lou suspiciously.
"Only that you had a room for rent. Although I got the impression that he was giving me a once over before he answered. " Lou replied.
To her surprise, Treva burst out laughing. "Sounds like Trevayne alright. He doesn't tell anyone new about my boarding house lessen he's checked them over first. It's his way of protecting me, even though I can shoot better than he can!"
Lou laughed along with Treva, then said," I've a few of those back home."
"It must be even more frustrating for you, being a man and all." Treva said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.
"You have no idea." Lou commented.
"Now that we've done our laughing for the day, why don't you follow me into the parlor. I imagine that you're pretty anxious to get some sleep. You appear to have taken a long ride." Treva said and led the way into a bright and airy room filled with wicker furniture and plants.
She removed a ledger from a desk and handed it to Lou. Knowing that she couldn't sign the ledger under McCloud, Lou used Boggs. Just using the name of the evil man who had helped conceive her made her cringe, but Lou knew that the other riders wouldn't think of looking for her under that name. After signing her name and paying the dollar for the room, Lou followed Treva up the winding staircase and down a hall. She immediately approved up the small clean room decorated in white and blue the color of Kid's eyes.
"Water closet is down the hall on the left if you'd like to take a bath before you leave. Dinner's at one and supper's at six. If you'd like I could send someone up around five-thirty or so to wake you."
"That'd be fine. " Lou said.
Treva closed the door and Lou locked it behind her. Lou decided to forgo the bath in favor of washing up in the basin. The water was cool and refreshing to the touch. When she was finished washing up, Lou poured some water into a glass and drank it thirstily down. Next she stripped down to her longjohns and crawled onto the bed and under the soft quilts. Thinking that she would only sleep a few hours, Lou closed her eyes and fell asleep thinking about Kid.
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