My Angel ( book 3 of the Loving You Series)

Chapter 3.

June 10th, 1883, Virginia City, Montana.

"Must you go out west, Byron? You know that your father would rather have you stay here with us here in the city, then to seek out your fortune in the gold fields. Your father just told me yesterday night, that he was thinking about telling our lawyer to pass on the deeds of our house, lands and properties to you, since he is considering retiring soon." Teresa Paisley pleaded to her eldest son. Byron glanced at his mother and heaved a sigh. He was getting bored with city life, and when his best friend's brother mentioned that he was heading out west to go mining for gold, the idea of a new life peaked his interest.

Teresa noticed that Byron wasn't listening to a word she said, so she decided to try a new tactic. She got up from where she was sitting on the settee and made her way over to where Byron was sitting. She then reached out and snagged him by the ear and pulled hard, hoping that this slight pain she was causing him would offer any indication that she was at last getting some sort of reaction.

"That hurts mamma! What did you do that for?" Byron asked her.

"You were obviously distracted son, and it annoyed me you were not listening to a word I said, so I decided to do something to gain your attention. As I was saying; Have you forgotten your betrothal with Miss Elena Bryant? You're father has had that engagement in mind for such a long time. His partnership with Elena's father is on tenterhooks right now and won't be solved until you and her are married." Byron rolled his eyes and heaved another deep and long sigh. He turned his gaze to his mother and after straitening his jacket, he stood before her to let her know what he wanted; And not what his 'Father' wanted.

"You know as well as I do, that Elena Bryant has no feelings for me, mama! We may have been betrothed since birth, but she has her eyes on someone else anyway. Besides I am now twenty six. I want to control my own life! You still have my other two brothers to inherit father's business dealings anyway." At that moment, his father walked into the room and Byron could see that he heard the last part of his argument with his mother and was not pleased.

Lawrence Paisley stepped forward, enfolded Teresa in a loving and gentle embrace, then he turned his attention to his eldest son. "Sullivan is not ready to inherit, my boy and you well know it. You are well aware that Sullivan prefers to spend his time and my money on the ladies of ill repute. And I would rather not leave my vast majority of my fortune to him, even if he desires me to do so. As for Landon, he has decided that he would rather be a doctor rather than a politician like me. In fact, Landon is heading out west to apprentice in Bannock with Doc Brown.

When he heard the name of the town where his younger brother would be heading too, an idea popped into his head. He knew that the gold mine that his friend mentioned, was close to Bannock, and Byron couldn't and wouldn't pass up this opportunity.

"Then allow me to accompany Landon then. I could watch over him since I am his eldest brother. You wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious youngest son would you mamma?

Lawrence was uncomfortable to hear the tone in his son's voice as he spoke to his mother. But when he cast his gaze to Teresa, he could see that Byron was right. If anything happened to Landon, Teresa would never recover from his loss. So against his better judgement, Lawrence silently nodded to Byron and allowed him to accompany his younger brother out west.

June 13th, 1883

Three days later.

As the train traveled closer to their destination, the anticipation of arriving at a new part in his life caused Byron's heart to race faster. He cast a glance at his younger brother, and he could still see that Landon was still holding onto his anger. Byron exhaled a frustrated breath and sighed loud enough that he finally gained Landon's attention.

"What do you want brother? I'm currently busy reading, hurry up to what you must say so that I can get back to my pamphlet."

Byron eyed his brother and whistled.

"My, my. Look who got up on the wrong side of the bed, LAN!"

Landon threw aside his pamphlet on the seat next to him and immediately got up from where he was sitting and demanded that Byron would stand up so that he could deliver a blow he so richly deserved. He was annoyed first of all by the nickname he used on him. Then he was annoyed by the fact that his own father, a man that Landon highly respected, didn't think that he could survive out west on his own, that he had to send his eldest brother along as an escort and babysitter.

Byron got up from where he was sitting in a calm demeanor. He knew that Landon wasn't too pleased to have him along with him. At twenty-one, Landon thought that he knew the world. unfortunately, since he was older, Byron could easily see that his brother was hopefully naive.

Byron held up his hands in a surrender gesture and smiled at Landon. He was able to block the punch that Landon through his way and he was about to wrestle him to the ground when he saw the unhappy glances from the other passengers on the train. He hesitated for a brief moment, then he swung his arm about Landon's shoulders and notably forced his brother to regain his seat.

After they were seated, Byron eyed his brother, and after retrieving the flask of whiskey from his jacket pocket and after taking a swig from the thing, he replaced the cap and handed the flask to Landon. Landon hesitated for a second, then he swiped the silver flask from his brother's out stretched hands and took a drink himself.

After swallowing the last of the whiskey, Landon wiped at his mouth and threw the now empty flask in his brother's direction, hitting him squarely in the middle of the chest, and after hearing him grunt in pain, Landon grinned and released himself of all his anger.

"Better?"

Byron asked as he rubbed the newly sore spot on his chest. Landon smiled and sighed.

"Yes. I still don't understand why father didn't trust me enough to head out west on my own!"

Byron unlocked the kinks in his neck and gulped a little.

"Actually, I persuaded father to let me accompany you because he wasn't going to allow me to venture out and seek my fortune, so when father mentioned how you told him that you would rather be a doctor than a politician, I decided too."

Landon held up his hand, closed his eyes and sighed and interrupted him before Byron could continue speaking.

"Let me guess, you decided to latch on to my coat tails and hitch along for the ride."

Byron nodded.

"Well then, I welcome your company brother. Although I do feel sorry for Sullivan when father decides to cut off his allowance so that he can rear him up as the next family heir!"

Byron laughed hard and was soon joined by Landon's laughter.

"Yeah, I can't wait to hear about that in mother's next letter."

Byron said as he continued laughing despite getting more dirty looks from the other passengers who rode the train with them.