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Caiyan set his tin cup down and pulled a flask from his jacket, unscrewing the cap.
“Whatta ya say we go check out the ladies?” He took a pull from the flask, offered it to Sam.
Sam hesitated. “I don’t drink much.”
He angled it my direction.
I grabbed the flask and took a mouthful of the moonshine, let it burn down the back of my throat. A calm followed, and I was grateful. I lowered the flask, and Caiyan watched me with cool, curious eyes. I handed the flask to him, and he turned his attention toward Sam.
“You ever felt the smooth skin of a woman’s breast?” He asked Sam.
Even in the darkness I could see Sam’s face turn pink.
“What about you, Doc. What kind of woman do you like?”
I coughed into my hand. “Not sure.”
Sam’s eyes grew wide. “You never been with a woman neither, Doc?”
I can honestly say, “Never.”
“Men have needs. Let’s go get you two some experience.” Caiyan started to walk in the direction Will had indicated.
“I don’t need any experience,” I said to him.
“You got a woman back home?” Caiyan asked.
“No.”
“What about you?” he asked Sam. Sam shook his head.
“Well then, Will had a point. What if you get shot dead without ever feeling a woman underneath you?”
“I’d go to heaven?” I said more than asked.
Caiyan’s sense of urgency had me guessing this was not about the women, and I should follow his lead and see where it took me. I hoped directly to the seer.
“Crimany!” He tugged on the sleeve of my jacket, and I followed him with Sam slinking alongside me.
Chapter 20
Icarried the lantern to light our path to the Soiled Doves. We passed tents with groups of men biding their time by cleaning guns, gambling at cards, and playing music. The sweet, bluesy sound of a harmonica played an upbeat version of a tune I recognized as Dixie. Gertie was right. It would be hard to give Longstreet the order to move more of these men to the front lines.
As we approached a cluster of wall tents, a sturdy woman dressed in satin and lace sat in a high-back chair outside the first tent. I didn’t miss the pistol holstered on her belt, or the knife secured to her right leg that peeked out from the ruffle along the hem of her dress as she uncrossed her legs.
Grunting and moaning came from the tents around us and I felt Sam cringe beside me.
“You men looking for a go with a few of my doves tonight?” the woman asked.
“Yes ma’am,” Caiyan responded. “Are you Miss Maggie?”
“The one and only. Show me your money.”
Caiyan retrieved a small roll of Confederate dollars, and the woman licked her lips.
“They’re busy. Wait over there by the tree and I’ll call you when one’s available.”
We moved to the location she indicated. I overheard the woman holler into the tent. “Make it quick, we’ve other customers.”
