“The two states are not mutually incompatible,” Josephine murmured, gesturing with a look at the cabinet where the “public” alcohol was kept, for distribution to customers. Marylin took the hint, dabbed at her eyes, and rose to pour Calais another beverage. He held a glass in his hand, but it’d run dry.

Another round of Texian foot soldiers went stamping by, and Josephine moved the curtain again to look.

Fenn Calais grunted appreciatively as his glass was refilled, and after a swig, he informed them, “They’re leaving, or that’s how I heard it. ”

She turned around quickly, the curtain edge still hanging from her hand. “What? Leaving? Leaving New Orleans?”

“Not all of them. Didn’t mean to get anybody’s hopes up. Most of those fellows, though—they’re the ones who came out when Texas went after the pirate bay. Now that they’ve taken it, they’re heading home. ”

“Really?”

Josephine asked. “They’re just … leaving it?”

“They’re sticking a small garrison there, just to hold the place down. But whatever they were looking for, I don’t suppose they found it. ”

“I thought there was no such thing as small as far as Texians are concerned. Least of all when it comes to garrisons. ”

“So take the word small with a grain of salt. I know I did. I’m only repeating what I heard, that’s all. Some of the soldiers are heading out, leaving the bay. ”

Josephine closed the curtain again. “Do you think the pirates will take it back?”

“Eventually? I’m damn near sure of it,” said the old Texian. “If you want my opinion on the matter, I’d guess it’ll happen sooner rather than later. ”

“Why is that?” she asked.

“Because the pirates want it more than Texas does. But like I said, that’s just my opinion. ” He reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a cigar, which he proceeded to cut and clean. Running it under his nose, he took a deep whiff of the rolled tobacco and smiled before pulling out a box of matches and striking one up.

Marylin smiled, too. That silly girl loved the smell of pipe or cigar tobacco. It made Josephine’s eyes itch, but considering how much money Fenn Calais had spent in the Garden Court over the years, it’d be daft to tell him to put it away, so she didn’t. Instead she resisted the urge to peek through the curtains any longer, for it would be suspicious—even to someone like Calais, who probably didn’t care.

Shortly after noon—perhaps half an hour later—Marylin announced herself with a delicate knock on the open office door.

Josephine jumped, for she’d once more been looking out a window—at the side street, this time. Watching the soldiers come and go. Watching the rolling-crawlers make their rounds, escorting the military men on their way through the too-narrow streets.

“Yes?” she asked eagerly. “What news?”

Marylin entered and shut the door softly behind herself. “No news, really. ”

“Have you a message?”

“Nothing written, ma’am. The boy who did the running thought it’d be safer just to whisper. ”

“Did Fenn Calais hear a word of it?”

“No, ma’am. He’s on the second floor with Delphine. ”

“Then what’s this news, or this non-news?” Josephine demanded quietly.

“The Texians leaving town are making the scene too crowded, that’s the word from your brother. The bayou boys are holing up and lying low, with Ganymede inside the New Sarpy storage spot where they put it last night. ”

“Goddamn. ”

“It’s not so bad, ma’am. They got it there in one piece, and everybody’s safe, and nobody bothered them on the way. Everything is fine. They’re just going to wait for one night before they drop her into the river. ”

“That’s cutting it awful close. The Valiant … it won’t give them another night to try. ”

“I know, and they know it, too. But Deaderick said the Texians have been marching along the main road out of Metairie ever since dawn. Maybe they’ll be finished passing through by sundown, and maybe they won’t. Either way, the boys are staying put. It’ll be all right. ”

“It might. ” She sat down and squeezed at the arms of her chair, knotting and unknotting her fingers around the padded rests.

Tags: Cherie Priest The Clockwork Century Science Fiction
Source: readsnovelonline.net