"S-she s-said to t-tell me yes or n-no," Willie said.
"How come you're running her errands?"
"I hit her for a j-job, like you s-said." Willie blushed under his
freckles. "She d-didn't have one, not right away, b-but she s-said
maybe she'd think of s-something. She s-said if I was b-broke, which
I am, to come around to the k-kitchen for m-meals. After l-lunch she
g-gave me that n-note."
Willie slid the flask from his hip pocket and took a short drink. Tesno
re-read the note, searching for the sound of Persia's voice in every
word.
"Tell her yes."
Willie nodded, taking a deep breath to chase the whisky. "She's r-right
interested in you. When she found out I rode up here with you, she
asked all about you. I told her when I first s-seen you, you was laying
in the grass naked as a p-pup p-possum."
Tesno gave him a murderous look. Willie grinned.
"She l-laughed like hell," he said.