[He wonders, for a second, what it is about her that he finds so compelling. Her strength, her intelligence, the sheer dissonance between their worlds, the way her mind works: the way she speaks to him, the words she says, they keep drawing him in. She asks her questions, leans on the tables and she looks completely out of place but not so at the same time.
He'll give it more thought later, because Tommy needs to know why people are in his life, so that he doesn't run the risk of being overtaken again.
For now, he smiles like he's at a fair and his job is to charm people into buying his wares-- he takes the few steps onto the podium and picks up the chalk from its little box to the side. He starts writing, quickly and methodically: Epsom, Ascot, Cheltenham, Liverpool; underneath each location, names: Monaghan Boy, Cobweb, Ormonde, Hurry on. There's numbers to the side, and he finishes off with a flourish.
With a jerk of his head, he invites her up there with him.]
Usually have a lovely assistant by me side, of course. [He leans against the stepping stool, watches her as she inspects his writing. He'd heard her say 'a turn with a woman' and he itches with questions and concern, but tampers the instinct.]
It depends on how good the rumors have gotten. A week's worth of pay, sometimes more. More often less. The men 'round here don't have much to spend, and their wives run a tight household lest they spend it all on whiskey and horses.
[spam]
He'll give it more thought later, because Tommy needs to know why people are in his life, so that he doesn't run the risk of being overtaken again.
For now, he smiles like he's at a fair and his job is to charm people into buying his wares-- he takes the few steps onto the podium and picks up the chalk from its little box to the side. He starts writing, quickly and methodically: Epsom, Ascot, Cheltenham, Liverpool; underneath each location, names: Monaghan Boy, Cobweb, Ormonde, Hurry on. There's numbers to the side, and he finishes off with a flourish.
With a jerk of his head, he invites her up there with him.]
Usually have a lovely assistant by me side, of course. [He leans against the stepping stool, watches her as she inspects his writing. He'd heard her say 'a turn with a woman' and he itches with questions and concern, but tampers the instinct.]
It depends on how good the rumors have gotten. A week's worth of pay, sometimes more. More often less. The men 'round here don't have much to spend, and their wives run a tight household lest they spend it all on whiskey and horses.