HIS TERRIBLE STALL: MARTHA’S SONS BOOK FIVE by Montgomery Laura

Author:Montgomery, Laura
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-09-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The streets were wide in the morning sun and the air fresh and smokeless. It didn’t have the green smell of First Landing, but as they walked through the streets, Peter letting Dean dictate their direction, he couldn’t help but draw comparisons. With its smaller initial population, Seccon had built with more room between the houses. He had yet to see a hovel like those that bordered the city’s farms. The older houses here—like First Landing—contained their share of fabricated brick, but new structures like sheds in back yards shone with paint over wood. Leaves covered front yards, and were full of unidentifiable branches and twigs left in the ground for the insects. There seemed to be a consensus of care that mirrored the WesHem side of First Landing, and he approved.

Dry leaves rustled as they walked through them.

Dean was on fire about the fight, apparently not minding that Peter wouldn’t be around for another one. He reviewed every detail of every blow, apparently having committed much of the fight to memory. “Fighting,” he announced grandly, “is a skill. No denying it. You have to practice, train, learn new techniques, get those into your muscle memory, use them until they’re second nature. You have to be strong enough to last a round. Our rounds are long.” He said the last with a certain pride. “And you have to be able to take a beating. Even when you win you can take a beating. Well, not you.” He waved at hand at Peter’s head. “Your face is still pretty. Even though you did get hit.” Of course, Dean had noticed that.

Peter was having a hard time telling whether his plan to leave Seccon registered with the Secconer. It wasn’t as if Dean was easy to read. The one thing Peter was sure of was that Dean seemed to be trying to check on Peter a lot. Maybe the suggestion of another fight this morning had been meant to keep Peter busy until he gave up on the rifles. Peter was finding it easy to be suspicious of everyone.

“Do you ever enter these things?” Peter asked out of curiosity. He was trying to think of a way to get the conversation around to Dean’s house. He wanted to be invited in. “Have someone else run it while you’re competing?”

“No, no. I’m not good enough.” Dean touched his own split lip. “People come to see good fights. Like yours.” He patted Peter on the shoulder possessively. Peter had the fleeting sensation that he knew what a prize bull felt like. “It’s too bad you’re here for such a short time. Think what the purse would be for your second fight. We’d get an even bigger crowd.”

“It’s not like I can spend the money at home,” Peter said.

Dean looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “You’ve got a good start on having money for living here.”

No, Peter decided. Dean wasn’t concerned about being turned down the night before. He was more determined than that.

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