Polite Banter...5 liters...
“You know, I met Carrington once. Eustice, who names their child Eustice without knowing at the outset that he’s going to wind up an idiot or a monster. He came here on business when that girl upstairs was still crawling on all fours. He was looking to secure interest in his little trash mine. He’s a short man, I don’t abide short men, they’re like small dogs, always barking and underfoot. He was conniving and didn’t have an honest bone in his body but my nephew fell for his little dream, hook, line, and, sinker. I can’t imagine why Carrington didn’t marry the girl himself just to get closer to the family name?”
"Garrett goes back to worrying at the embroidered bit of cloth. He goes back to passively listening to the old woman blather on. “Carrington is sly, least that’s the talk I know. He also has a wife, some withered third daughter of a cattle rich family who reside in Ridgeway, she’s not much younger than you or so I’m told.”
"The old woman scowls, “Well, Mr. Gibson. You’ll get no added payment from me, not for saddling me with two more mouths to feed. It’s best you leave now, there’s no room in Vantown for hired muscle or professional vagrants.”
“No ma’am, that’s very true, this town is already drowning in professional vagrancy.”
"Garrett doesn’t wait for the old woman to register the insult, he isn’t listening when she starts croaking for her precious boarder, Robarts. He’s already in the entryway and opening the front door of the manse. He doesn’t slam the door with its precious stained-glass inlay but he’s not careful as he shuts it behind him."
"Meeks is the only one left waiting by the cart and the camels. He looks past Garrett to the front porch of the manse and doesn’t budge as Garrett closes on the camels and their ties.
“It’s time I headed out.” Garrett doesn’t wait for the man to hand over the leads as he seizes hold of them. Meeks looks beyond him to the porch a few seconds longer before he speaks. “Well, uh, safe travels.” The shit eating grin and the man’s arrogant tone, held apart, aren’t enough to make Garrett wonder but put together they spell out a clear threat. Garrett nods and smiles, careful to speak only after he’s gotten the camels turned to the left and already stepping forward. “Yeah, be sure to watch out for your friend in there, Hiram.”
