Starting New., [Annabelle is tagged]

[Gabriel Creed]

Fall 28th, 1868
Late Afternoon

Gabriel was at the mercantile. He had basically just ridden into town. His horse was at the livery and he had gotten a bath, a haircut, and a shave. He was looking around the mercantile when the wanted posters caught his eye. They had a few tacked up to the wall. He examined the faces on them. All looked worn and hard and most likely nothing like the actual men themselves. There was one on there that he recognized. Gavin Thomas. The man used to run with his former gang. That picture wasn't hard to get right. They had hit it spot on. He thought back to the time before he went to jail. He can remember how his picture graced the walls of every mercantile, sheriff's office, and post office from here to Santa Fe. He thought about the past for a minute. It pained him to think of it. He could actually feel the pain in his chest. He took the picture folding it up and placing it in his pocket. Surely they wouldn't mind if he took it. Plus there are probably more around town. He stepped away from the pictures and continued to look around the mercantile. As he looked around he saw a few patrons that had entered. He was really hoping that he didn't stick out like a sore thumb. He'd rather just blend in. This was a new beginning for him.

He reached out and picked up a book. He flipped through the pages before setting the book back. As he walked around looking at the supplies he spotted a young lady out of the corner of his eye. He smiled and turned nodding and tipping his hat. Good afternoon ma'am. As he spoke his Georgian accent came out slightly. He didn't say anything else at the time. He just went back to his looking. There were various supplies such as coffee, flour, corn meal, etc. He was just browsing. He honestly had no place to put things seeing as how he had not been in town long enough to find lodging yet. He knew that he would need to find work and a place to stay. He had some money with him but he not much.

[Annabelle Mason]

It was time to stroll back into town as Annabelle usually did every week. It was time to check into the general store in case she, her father or their servants needed anything. She knew aspirin was necessary and some cough medicine as well. The cough medicine tasted awful but it was the best antidote money could buy. Walking into the store with a pale green dress and her hair curled down, Annabelle was ready to do some shopping.

As usual she smiled warmly at the clerk and bid him good afternoon. He greeted her with a kiss on her hand and she called him a dirty old man before she playfully hit the back of his left shoulder. It was a silly game the two played and there was always mutual respect. Her father contributed much business to Hanna's Mercantile and the owners and workers never forgot that. She walked through the isles while the old clerk looked for her medicinal requests. It was then a man she noticed passing her, tipped his hat and showed his respect. He seem well mannered and without a thought she nodded in appreciation and approval and said "Good afternoon." After he passed her, she wondered who he was. She was sure to have never seen him before. It wasn't like he was from around the area. Since it wasn't her place to pry, Annabelle continued down the isle looking for the usual weekly necessities.

[Gabriel Creed]

Fall 28th, 1868

Gabriel smiled at the beautiful young woman as she greeted him. He hadn't been in town long but he hadn't seen her around the places he had been. He watched her for a moment as he moved past her. He leaned in slightly and picked up a picture. It was a small replica of a painting. He had learned a bit about that kind of stuff from his family. His mothers side of the family mostly. He looked back to the woman. "I couldn't help but over hear your medicinal order over there. I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But if you don't mind my saying. Willow bark tea works better than aspirin. And honestly it tastes just as bad but it's cheaper and works better. And as for the cough medicine. Ginger root and elderberry work just as well if not better and certainly tastes better. Believe me. Mix it up in some tea and it will do you good." He said with another smile. It wasn't a criticism. Just an observation. He wasn't a doctor by any stretch of the imagination but he had experience with those natural medicines being that he had been on his own since he was 15 years old. He shook his head for a moment and then looked back to the woman. "Oh. My apologies. Where are my manners? I'm Gabriel. Gabriel Creed. He reached out his hand to take hers. WHen he did he placed a soft kiss against her knuckle. Who ever said that chivalry was dead? Though he knew that his name was bound to have some reaction. Or so he thought. He had been an infamous outlaw up until a few years ago. He robbed banks and trains, murdered, kidnapped. You name it he had probably done it. They had written about his escapades in novels and newspapers. There weren't many times when he wasn't in the news. Until 6 years ago. He was arrested and sent to jail. But he changed in prison. He became a better person. He holds regret and guilt over what he had done. And so he was back here in Buffalo Creek Bay to make amends and make a new life for himself. Maybe this woman would be a part of that new life.

He smiled and looked around for a moment before looking back to the young woman. "So what is a young respectable lady such as yourself doing in town alone? Don't you know that it's a dangerous place?" He asked his smile never wavering. He wasn't one of the dangers. Not anymore. He gave her his most charismatic smile. He looked into the woman's eyes as he watched her movements. He had taken in her form slowly for a moment before looking back to her eyes. He was never one to shy away from something that he liked and he indeed did feel an attraction to this woman already.

[Annabelle Mason]

"Well since you're warning me about danger, are you saying you're dangerous?" Annabelle smirked at her quick remark and then giggled at the silliness. The random gentleman seemed to be a well rounded person and clearly knowledgeable of remedies. This impressed her, and she was naturally growing a curiosity of the man's background. She assumed that he worked with the natives nearby. The Lakota were very skilled in natural healing, something Annabelle was always fascinated about when hearing it from other people and their travels. There was a sort of unexplainable connection to the Lakota that Annabelle never realized was in her own blood.

Smiling her dazzling smile, Annabelle shook her head and continued. "Ah'm sorry," she said. "Ah can't help but start playful comments. It is very nice to meet you Mr. Creed. Annabelle Mason." She nodded her head in greeting, being polite as all women of her stature did. "Thank you very much for your input. Are you a doctor who works with natural remedies?" Keeping simple conversation with a stranger wasn't difficult for Annabelle. She sort of ruined that habit after she met Zebediah Hunt. He changed many ways of her seeing people and just the world. He introduced a small window of what those who are less fortunate have endured and Annabelle's eyes really opened since.

[Gabriel Creed]

When she asked if he was dangerous Gabriel couldn't help but smile and chuckle a little bit. He shook his head and continued to chuckle a little bit before speaking. "Well that entirely depends on your definition of dangerous." He said with that sly smile. He couldn't help it. He was enjoying the company of this woman that he just met. "I think that the better question is. Are you dangerous?" He couldn't help but make the playful comments as well. He seemed to to be really at ease with this woman for having just met her. When she introduced herself he smiled and nodded offering his hand to her. If she decided to take it he would place and light kiss across her knuckle. That is what is his parents taught him to do with a lady after all. He would release her hand and smile again. "It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Mason. And as for playful comments. I, too, enjoy them. So feel free to make as many playful comments as you like." He said. He thought to himself that she had a beautiful smile but the thought was pushed to the back of his mind when he looked to her eyes and she asked if he was a doctor. He shook his head a bit "No. But I've known a few. And I've come into quite a bit of contact with various natives in my travels. So I've picked up a few tidbits here and there about natural remedies. On the trail doctors aren't so readily available so you kind of have to do things on your own. Lots of experience with that." He said with another nod. He continued to look into the woman's eyes with that handsome smile on his face.

He hadn't stopped smiling since he came into her presence. It was not lost on him that she was the reason and so that made him smile even more. "So. What brings a lady such as yourself to town? It must be something more than shopping for cold medicine and aspirin. Or could it be that you came to town, unbeknownst to you at the time, to share a meal with the most handsome man you ever did meet." He said chuckling again. He was speaking about himself but he wasn't truly trying to be conceited because that wasn't his way. He could tell by the way that she was dressed that she didn't live in town. Her clothes were too fancy and much too beautiful for that. He thought to himself that maybe she was the daughter of a land baron or a ranch owner. By her clothing and her manner of speech he could tell that she was rich. At least rich enough to have attended school. He smiled and again and watched Annabelle. "Now see. Your so beautiful I could swear I've seen you in a painting somewhere." He said with a flirty wink and that smile again. He was always smiling it seems. His day has gotten a whole lot better.

[Annabelle Mason]

This man was very entertaining. It wasn't normal for Annabelle to meet such characters. Especially in such a small town. However as the town expanded, more and more people were beginning to find their way over to Buffalo Creek Bay. And since this was practically her home, she could understand its appeal to others. It was quiet, remote, working and lively at night. Wealthy people from out east were definitely heading more and more west. The world was expanding and still was. After the war, Annabelle remembered seeing traveling soldiers wander through town. Some stayed for a while and headed on their merry way. Few stayed to try and make a living for themselves. Loosing their souls had made them empty and blank. Annabelle remembered their faces and how they always sent a chill down her spine.

Gabriel wasn't one of those men. And Annabelle wasn't able to do anything but smirk. He seemed to be a sharp one. Not very common amongst people who looked like him. At least that was according to her own standards; which in truth weren't much considering she never really lifted a finger in her life. "Me?" she replied while she blinked her eyes semi-innocently. "Dangerous? Now why on Earth would you eva think that?" He was smitten. That much was clear. Annabelle had been around men long enough to read them well. However she wasn't one to pass a good old game of wills and mind. Gabriel seemed up for the challenge in playful banter and since he approved of it, that gave her the go ahead.

It was interesting to hear about his brief tale of how he gained his knowledge in natural remedies. It was something Annabelle always encouraged her father to look into and study. The natives and their culture always fascinated her. But Mr. Mason was a futuristic man. He never cared much about the old ways, rather the new innovative discoveries and investments. Looking at the future America was his business. And he loved every second of it. New medicine, technology, those were the things worth a man's money.

Shaking her head, Annabelle laughed at Gabriel's comments. He did know how to flatter a lady. But Annabelle wasn't that easily flattered. She could tell, or at least believed he wasn't a stranger to the female. Unlike Zeb, he was very comfortable around them. And clearly her status didn't effect him at all. Maybe he believed her to be a challenge? She didn't know. But Annabelle believed everyone had a good heart, and it wasn't very Christian for her to assume he had bad intentions. It was difficult of course considering everything her father always told her about men and their weak ways and how easily the committed acts of sin and gave into temptation. Annabelle had more hope for the male human than that.

"Well aren't you just the sweetest thang," she replied with a wide smile. "I'm sure many women find you to be so charmin'. And honestly who could blame them?" She giggled and started to walk back to the counter. The store owner was waiting for her, ready to let her pay. Annabelle gave him the money and placed the asprin and cough medicine into her bag. "Too bad for you, I'm not one of those many women." She bowed, and gave her his hand since he was rather the gentleman. "It was a pleasure Mr. Creed," she smirked. "Truly." She loved playing around with men. It was rather fun when they showed her something to be interested in. And as much as she was bored with the men within her own class, it looked like the lower men seemed to be worth talking to.

She waited, trying to think of what he might say or think of next.