'What can we do to help?' Jimmy asked. 'Name it, Frank. We owe you more'un one favor.'
'You'll be well paid for this, I assure you. Want to stand guard at the Browning house?'
'Consider it done. Have you talked to Mrs. Browning about it?'
'I'll do that right now. You boys get dressed and we'll walk over together.' Frank smiled. 'That is, as soon as I find out where she lives.'
* * * *
It was the grandest house in the town, naturally, with a sturdy iron rail fence around it. The gate was locked. A cord was hanging out of a gap in the fence, and Frank pulled on it.
A man dressed in some sort of uniform came out and stood on the porch. 'Yes? What do you want?'
'I'm Marshal Frank Morgan. Here to see Mrs. Browning on a matter of great urgency.'
'I'll tell her, sir.'
'Got to be one of the servants, I guess,' Frank said to Hal and Jimmy.
'Must be nice,' Hal said.
'I reckon,' Frank replied.
'I never been in a house this grand,' Jimmy said. 'Y'all stomp your boots a couple of times to get any horseshit off of 'em.'
Frank smiled. 'Good idea. We don't want to leave tracks on the carpet.'
Conrad came out onto the porch and down the walkway to the gate, and he took his time doing it. As he was unlocking the chain he said, 'I do hope this is important, Marshal. We were in the middle of dinner.'
'Hell, it's eight o'clock,' Hal said. 'Y'all hadn't et yet?'
'Eight o'clock is when most civilized people sit down for dinner,' Conrad told him.
'Pardon the hell outta me,' Hal muttered.
The interior of the home was elaborately furnished. There were paintings on the walls, and vases and various types and sizes of sculptures on itsy-bitsy tables and pedestals.
'La dee da,' Jimmy muttered, looking around him as they were led into the dining room.
'Don't knock nothin' over, you clumsy ox,' Hal told his partner. 'And don't touch nothin', neither.'
'Speak for yourself, you jumpy moose,' Jimmy responded.
Vivian rose from the longest table Frank had ever seen outside of a banquet hall. The chandelier over the table must have cost a fortune. Its glow made the room as bright as day. Vivian smiled and said, 'Marshal Morgan.'
'Evening, ma'am,' Frank said, taking off his hat. 'We're sorry to disturb you, but something came up I thought you ought to know about. This is Hal and Jimmy.'
'How do you do, gentlemen?'
'Fair to middlin', ma'am,' Hal said.
'OK, I reckon, ma'am,' Jimmy told her. 'Shore is a nice place you got here.'
'Thank you. Would you gentlemen like something to eat, or some coffee?'
'Coffee would hit the spot,' Hal said, ignoring the dirty look he was getting from Frank.
Viv picked up a little silver bell from the table and shook it. A servant appeared almost instantly. 'Coffee for the gentlemen, please, Marion.'
'Yes, mum.'
'Sit down, please,' Viv said. 'Do make yourselves comfortable.' She looked at Frank. 'What is the matter of great urgency, Fra' -- she caught herself -- 'Marshal?'
'Yes,' Conrad said, entering the dining room and sitting down. 'Do enlighten us.'
Frank resisted an impulse to slap the snot out of Conrad. 'Jimmy and Hal here are going to be your bodyguards for as long as you stay in this area, Vi' -- Damn, but it was catching -- 'Mrs. Browning.'
'Oh?' Vivian said, staring at Frank. 'Don't you think I should have something to say about that? And what makes you think I want or need bodyguards?'
'Yes. And I must say I quite resent your coming in here and giving orders. I am perfectly capable of looking after my mother,' Conrad said haughtily.
'Shut up, boy!' Frank told him. 'You couldn't look after a lost calf.'
Conrad's mouth dropped open, and he started sputtering and stuttering.
'Close your mouth,' Frank said, 'before you swallow a fly.' He turned his gaze to Vivian. 'I just shot three men tonight, Mrs. Browning. Killed one, and wounded the other two. They were planning to kidnap you.'
--------
*Nine*
Terms of employment were quickly agreed to, and Frank stayed with Vivian while Hal and Jimmy returned to the hotel to get their belongings. Vivian wanted them to stay in the house, but both gunhands shook their heads at that suggestion. They would stay in the carriage house, behind the main house.
