Chapter 5

                                    

                                          
"Goswal must be real dull if you're riding all the way out here for a beer," John laughs as they all sit at one of the tables after a couple of drinks. All of them except Dutch, who remains off to the side. He lights a cigar and sits back in his chair, seemingly observing Ada. It's time to put her skills of remaining emotionless to good use.

                          
"Oh, it is," she sips at her beer and keeps her full attention on the three men sitting opposite her at the table. "Everyone in that town knows everything about each other, sort of takes the fun out of going out." 
                          
"That makes it sound like you're up to no good," Arthur laughs through his strong southern accent. 
                          
"It does, doesn't it?" she laughs in agreement. "No, I just don't like being watched." If Dutch is going to insist on observing her instead of being social, she decides she'll speak her mind indirectly. And yes, she's aware of the irony considering the reason why she's here in the first place. 
                          
Arthur presses his lips together and nods his head as he reaches for his beer, as though he felt the tension in the room rise following her comment. 
                          
"They clearly ain't getting drunk enough if they got time for gossiping," John says. He, on the other hand, doesn't seem to notice the shift in the atmosphere. 
                          
"Agree," Ada smirks and sips at her beer. 
                          
"What is it that you do, miss?" Trelawny asks. 
                          
She relaxes into her chair and turns the beer bottle round in her hand. "It's a bit embarrassing really, I don't actually work," she fakes a slight blush. "I have some inheritance from my parents that I'm living off. I – well. I can't seem to decide what I want to do," she lies, dead parents are a great conversation killer and will put a stopper in any further questions. 
                          
"That so," Trelawny nods. 
                          
"Well, what are you good at?" Dutch's voice asks from the side of her. 
                          
If Dutch wants a performance to watch, that's what she'll give him. "I'm demonstrably untalented, I'm afraid," she says without turning her head to him. 
                          
"Then what do you do in your spare time?" she sees him lean forward in her peripheral vision, resting his forearms on his thighs. 
                          
"Nothing exciting. I enjoy walking, reading, and spending time with my horse. I can play a little guitar, too," she adds on. Played, before her mother passed. She's the one who taught her, and since Ada lost her music never sounded the same. 
                          
"I wouldn't call that untalented," Javier interjects. "You will have to play with me some time, mi hermosa." 
                          
"You play?"
                          
He nods, "I do, been playing since I was a boy." 
                          
"I'm sure you'd put me to shame, I'm really not very good," she chuckles and sips some more of her beer. "Well anyway. I'm sure you understand, a woman in today's society has limited options for employment." 
                          
"You'll have to marry rich," Arthur jokes. 
                          
She scoffs and shakes her head. 
                          
"Not the marrying type?" asks John. 
                          
"I don't have time for all that, I'm afraid. I can think of much better uses for my time." 
                          
"All that?" Dutch echoes. Ada finally turns her head to look at him and raises her eyebrows for him to elaborate. 
                          
"Ain't no finer thing than being in love, miss," he says. Ada can't help but wonder, is he being serious? This man is an outlaw. He robs people and has no consideration for others. Yet here he is, preaching to her about her life choices. Trying to convince her that he even knows what love is; she can hardly imagine him being capable of loving another that deeply.