about it, but the thought nagged at her as she walked through the dusty street.
All too quickly, she found herself standing in front of Ben's Print Shop once more. Around her, the unwashed denizens of Albuquerque went about their daily business. Horses pounded up clouds of dust beneath their hooves as they plodded along, heads bowed beneath the sun's glare. She squinted up at it from beneath her parasol. The woman had spoken of the man-demon needing to avoid sunlight. Hot as it was, at least she should be safe during the day. Feeling a bit better at the thought, Victoria returned her gaze to the saloon's batwing doors. Her fist clenched in determination, and she marched onto the wooden sidewalk and into the Print Shop.
The same sickly smells waited for her inside, along with the same haze of smoke. Cora had fewer patrons at this hour, it seemed. Only two of the tables were occupied, and both groups were far less energetic about their games than they had been the day before. Cora herself stood behind the bar, caught up in an argument with one of her patrons. Victoria stepped up to the bar a short distance from them and waited.
"Ain't possible," Cora said.
"I'm telling you, it's true," the man replied. He was somewhat better dressed than the other patrons, and his squawking accent - similar to the ones she'd heard in New York City - set him apart from the drawling locals. "Some fellow in Germany has done it, or so I hear."
"What's it look like?"
"It has three wheels, and a bench on top for two people. The thing that makes it all work is behind the bench."
"Where he can stuff himself a midget or some such to make his foolery look real," Cora said. "Ain't nothing but a big old trick of the eye, and you're a damn fool for letting it take you in, Booker." She caught sight of Victoria then. Her eyes lit up, and she motioned for her to join them. "This here's a right fancy lady from England. She'll know if you're telling true or not."
"Victoria Dawes," Victoria said, offering her hand.
"Robert Booker," the man replied. "I take it you've met our lovely Cora?" Victoria nodded. "Well, I'm her business partner here at the saloon. She pours the drinks and tames the drunks, and I make sure her finances are in order."
"I also provide the color," Cora said. "Folks keep coming in because they like my jawing. Only interesting things you can ever say is outlandish yarns like the one you was just telling."
"It isn't a yarn," Robert insisted.
"We'll ask Miss Fancy here." Cora grabbed Victoria's hand. "Is there any such thing as a horseless carriage?"
"A what?"
"A carriage what moves with no horses or nothing pulling it."
Victoria blinked. "Not to my knowledge, no."
"Ha!" Cora shoved Robert with her other hand. "See there? If Vicky here ain't seen one, they doesn't exist."
"My name," Victoria replied, "is Victoria."
"Whatever. You proved my point."
"I don't think the opinion of one young woman, however refined, proves your point," Robert said. "No offense, ma'am," he quickly added.
"None taken."
"Enough of your manners and your yarns," Cora said. "I ain't going to stand here and watch you make moony eyes at pretty ladies. I got a business to run."
Robert blushed. "Yes, well, see that you do. I don't want to lose out on this venture, not with new devices rolling out every day. Think of all the opportunities!"
"I got your opportunity right here," Cora said, lifting up a bottle without a label. She pulled out the stopper and took a drink.
"That's a day's profit right there."
Cora laughed. "I only drink the stuff the rest of the boys ain't man enough to stomach." She offered the bottle to Victoria, who shook her head earnestly. "More for me, then."
"Well," Robert said with a sigh, "no use correcting an old dog. I'll leave you two ladies to your whiskey. Don't forget our meeting on Friday, Cora. We still need to decide how best to invest this month's surplus."
"Long as it ain't magic carriages," Cora said. Robert rolled his eyes, nodded to Victoria, and left. Cora took another swig from the bottle, eyeing the young woman. "So, Miss Fancy, what brings you back here? I thought I was nice and plain in our talk yesterday."
"You were," Victoria said. "I understood you quite clearly."