Prologue
Papa's Little Dove

The dress mocked her.

Fashioned from silk and delicate embroidered lace, the quality of which was equal to none, it was perfection from the puffed sleeves to the mermaid skirt that swept the floor. The neckline plunged enough to show her ample chest, and the bodice would cling tightly to her impossibly slender waist when worn. It was a gown to tempt men and envied by women.

In it, she was the fairy tale princess in one of those books Papa used to read her as a child. For her special day, he wanted a dress worthy of her, a gown befitting the most beautiful young bride to ever grace the halls of the family parish church. The emerald necklace belonging to her mother and her grandmother sat around the neck of the dressmaker's mannequin, joining the dress in its elegant display. Somewhere on her dresser was a pair of matching earrings, equally expensive.

To Julia, the dress and everything with it was a death shroud.

Slipping all the jewellery into a small velvet box, she proceeded to the mannequin and took the necklace to be worn during her wedding and placed it with the others. It was the second to last bit of business remaining before she left this house forever. Snapping the lid shut, Julia took a final view of the room in which she had grown up. It had been her castle for so long, the ivory tower she occupied as a tenant and never much liked the rent she was required to pay.

This day was always inevitable.

For years, she'd deluded herself with the hope his money would be hers when he died. As long as she could remember, his fortune was the Holy Grail she would use to make her own choices. It was why she tolerated the price of that inheritance for as long as she had. 

Her mother, whom she had never met, passed on early in life. Eleanor died bringing Julia into the world, and at the moment where souls pass each other through the threshold of life and death, wife and babe exchanged places in Donald Avery's heart. From her first spirited cry, she became her father's sole reason for being. In the daylight, he lavished his little daughter with every scrap of time possible as proof of his undying love for a woman who died too early.

But in the dark, his love had a price which Julia paid once the lights dimmed and the house was quiet.

To survive him, she became cruel and selfish, taunting the relatives around them with the freedom of her unbridled lust for life. A passion which led her to cultivate dalliances with any man who sparked her interest. Better to be the abuser than the abused. It aided her cause she was an uncommonly beautiful creature capable of manipulating men with a knowing smile and well-placed whisper.

Hers was hair like fire, yet not at all vulgar and crass, but subtle in the way copper shimmered under sunlight. Her emerald coloured eyes showed high intelligence, although she was never encouraged to use it for anything but manipulation. Her skin was flawless due to a lack of employment in any activity that might be considered work. She was created for the sole purpose of seduction, and she knew how to be nothing else.

Julia wielded her power like some men commanded armies, sending others forward to die willingly on the battlefield. For many years, she used the men in her life the same way. For a taste of her skin, they would do and say anything, and she enjoyed her power over them. It inflamed her with a fire nothing could abate, and she had yet to meet a man who was not a fool. Her father continued to adore her and was completely blind to how much she hated him.

By the age of 25, it had been years since she dreaded the turning of a lock in the night. She suspected his appetite skewed to a meal much younger than her and Julia was grateful for it. Their mutual secret meant she could fend off any attempts by him to marry her off and Julia waited in patience, for his eventual death so she could take the fortune she'd earned with her innocence.

But he wasn't done with her yet.

With his health beginning to deteriorate and the realization his days were soon ending, he decided to spare his sweet Julia the agony of loneliness by choosing her future.

His name was Roderick Packard, and he was deemed "new money" to the circles of blue blood society. He was not quite forty, coarse and completely unrefined, but he was also frightfully rich and in need of a wife who would make him acceptable to the world to which he aspired. From the moment Julia met him, she loathed him as much as she despised her father. The very thought of his big, rough hands on her made the revulsion in her stomach surface with such intensity she could barely breathe, and somehow, against all expectations, her Papa had promised her to him.

Julia accepted the proposal quietly, never allowing her father to know just how much she hated the idea. Her relatives, enjoying what they felt was her deserved comeuppance, gloated over the marriage with obvious delight. Julia accepted the situation and allowed the preparations to proceed, all the while wearing the mask of the gracious and dutiful daughter. The wedding day drew closer, and tomorrow she was expected to wear this gown to willingly enter a life of slavery.

It was past midnight when she made her way down the darkened hallway to Papa's study. As expected, the servants and the family were safely tucked away in their beds, unaware of her movements. She was dressed in dark clothes not really her colour, but she wanted to fade into the background, at least until she was out of Philadelphia. Confident no one was about, Julia stepped inside the elegant confines of her father's study. There was no need to light the lamps, she knew the layout of the room from memory.  The moonlight pouring through the glass doors was just bright enough to offer further illumination.

The safe was hidden behind her mother's portrait, and before she took it from the wall, Julia paused to take a final glance at it. Her mother stared back at her without judgement, giving Julia comfort on those rare occasions when the night terrors had become too much. She wondered if Eleanor Avery had fled just like her, dying to escape.

Removing the painting, she turned her attention to the safe behind it. She retrieved the combination a few days ago while Papa had gone to visit Roderick Packard to discuss the fortune she would be inheriting once they married. No doubt, Packard would have total control over it, she thought bitterly.

Working quickly, she soon had the heavy door of the vault open. Inside were several inch-high stacks of fresh, crisp bills. Papa did not entirely trust banks, so he always kept enough in the safe to ensure his financial security in the event the establishment attempted to leave him penniless. She knew there was something in the vicinity of $50,000 inside the vault and Julia wasted no time liberating its entire contents.

Suddenly, the room flooded with light. Julia spun around and saw Papa standing before her in his nightclothes with a bewildered expression on his face.

"Julia? What are you doing?"

There was no point in lying.  She could see his eyes darting from the empty safe to the leather case in her hand. Very quickly, he would guess her purpose.

"I am leaving Papa," she remarked neutrally. Julia had hoped to avoid this encounter, but now it was here, she supposed she owed him the truth.

"Leaving?" he stared astonished. "You are to be married tomorrow!" he took a step towards Julia. This too, was something she anticipated, and her fingers slipped into the small purse she was carrying.

"Stop where you are, Papa." The derringer stared him in his face before the old man had been aware of his daughter reaching for it inside her purse. The astonishment in his eyes defied description.

"What is the meaning of this?"  His shock becoming anger.

"The meaning of this Papa," she said as she moved slowly towards the glass doors, "is that I am leaving this place, and I am never coming home."

"But Roderick..." he stammered, quite unable to believe his cherished daughter was pointing a gun at him.

"Is a pig and before I let you prostitute me to him, I would rather eat this bullet first. Goodbye Papa." 

"Julia, you're not leaving! We will talk this out!"

 He could not let her go! 

"No!" she said sharply, swinging back around to aim the gun at him again. "Don't assume I won't use this Papa." 

The ice in her voice was enough to convince him that she would indeed pull the trigger, even if he could not fathom how his daughter had become this cold-blooded thief standing before him. 

"I'm not a little girl anymore, and you have made me very capable of pulling this trigger."

He cringed at that. "You're my little dove..."

The phrase made her skin crawl.

"No more," she said firmly. "I endured you for years because I believed your money would be mine. It is an inheritance we both know I've earned. I'll not stand by idly and let you sell me to another man, who'll take control of my fortune and lay claim to my body. The days when I fear a doorknob opening in the night is over. So yes, I am leaving, and I'm taking what is mine. You will never see or hear from me again. Goodbye."

With that, she turned on her heels and walked through the glass doors.

He watched her disappear into the night, still coming to grips with the sting of her words. What had he done that was so terrible? He'd only loved her. Just as he would have loved her mother. The anguish clutched his heart with such pain, for a moment Donald Avery believed he would die. Stunned, he walked to the open vault and saw that she had only taken the money and left the other valuables within. With trembling fingers, he closed the safe door with a soft clang as it locked again and replaced the picture keeping it hidden.

The agony inside his chest went unabated, even when he staggered to his desk. He sat on the leather chair, unaware the cold night air was blowing through the open doors. The only thing in his mind was how terribly wrong he was about his daughter and what that misjudgement was going to cost him.

He knew, without a doubt she meant what she said. Julia Avery would not grace these halls again.

He could have her brought back, but if he did, she might speak about their unique relationship and people wouldn't understand. They never did.

Easing back into the leather chair, he ignored the heart crying out it's warning as it stiffened in pain. It was broken and there was no reason to pick up the pieces. He closed his eyes and waited for the black to take him away to a place where Julia did not hate him anymore.

Chapter One
The Wild, Wild West

"Miss Alex! You can't go up there on your own!" Nathan Jackson ran after Alexandra Styles as she walked down the boardwalk, clutching her worn doctor's bag. It was early morning in Four Corners, and his exasperated voice carried across the length of the town, alerting passers-by to the argument moving quickly towards the livery.

"Look," Alex paused and turned wearily to Nathan, "you can't go because Mrs Doherty won't let a man treat her. I know the journey is a day's ride, but I'll make it. I’ve ridden trails in England and Europe on my own. I can do this myself."

She was dressed in the riding clothes brought from England even though the weather was too warm for it. Despite the end of summer, the chill had yet to settle into the fall. In truth, she was not that good a rider and did not relish making such a trip alone. Nevertheless, Agnes Doherty, a septuagenarian whom Alex saw regularly, did not come in for her monthly examination. The woman had a bad heart and lived alone. Stubborn and headstrong like Nettie Wells, Alex liked her and worried she might be hurt with no way to get help.

Nathan cursed out loud. “The Territory ain’t like those fancy trails in Europe! It's pretty nasty! I ought to be going with you."

"But you can't," she countered, turning to face him. "There are three cases of yellow fever in this town with idiot patients who won’t let a woman near them, so you have to treat them. Besides, I'm the only one who can see Agnes, so I'm going to have to go."

With that, she resumed walking once again.

Nathan uttered a frustrated sigh and shook his head as he continued after her. She was right. Even Chris Larabee was aware of the situation when he took the others to escort the stage into town. For the past two weeks, the stage routes were being ambushed somewhere along the trail from Sweetwater, with lives lost.  With Vin in Purgatory getting a lead on who might be responsible for these robberies, Chris knew how important it was for Nathan to remain and aid the sick.

However, Nathan was not about to let Alex go riding off on her own either. This was the Territory, where a woman, especially one as beautiful as her, was in real danger of coming to harm. Unfortunately, she possessed a healer's instinct as strong as his, which meant she often went where angels feared to tread. He supposed her dedication ought to be admired, but right now, it was just going to land her in a heap of trouble. 

"I appreciate the concern Nathan," Alex smiled at him warmly.

Since her arrival in town, Alex developed a close friendship with Nathan. He reminded her so much of her father it was like having William Styles back again. They not only worked well together professionally, but also understood what it was like to be an outcast among their peers. In their kinship, they became more than just friends. They were family.

"You appreciate it, but you're gonna do this fool thing anyway."

"That's right," she winked and resumed walking down the boardwalk, even more determined than ever.

“Lord give me strength."

"Howdy Nathan." Vin Tanner's voice suddenly came up out of nowhere scaring the bejesus out of him. Nathan spun around to offer the tracker a sharp glare.

"Will you not do that! If I had a gun, I would have shot you dead!"

The tracker had the most annoying habit of being able to sneak up on you without giving away the slightest hint of his presence. Nathan supposed it was what came from tracking buffalo and people, but sometimes, when Nathan’s nerves were like they were right now, it was damn annoying.

"Okay..." Vin took a step back looking at him with a raised brow. Nathan was not usually this upset for no good reason. "Something wrong?"

"No," Nathan shook his head, feeling immediately sorry for biting off Vin’s head like that. It wasn’t Vin’s fault he was just a naturally stealthy person. "I thought you were in Purgatory getting leads on these robberies."

"There ain't none" Vin frowned unhappily. "If there is, they did a pretty good job of hiding it. I think I done talked to half of Purgatory and nobody knew anything about who's been robbing these coaches. I tell you, it’s like they vanish into smoke after the job."

"My three cases of yellow fever are still pretty bad," Nathan sighed, not being able to offer Vin any help. "I need to be close to town and Miss Alex has got it in her head to ride to the Doherty place by herself to check on Miss Agnes."

"Alone ?" 

Vin knew the terrain well. The Doherty homestead was in rough country, with rocky, uneven ground that was challenging for an experienced rider, let alone a novice mostly accustomed to riding in a wagon.

"Yeah." he nodded, looking at the tracker unhappily. "Mrs Doherty won't see no one but her, so I can't go and have her stay with the yellow fever cases either.”

He glanced in the direction of the livery and saw Alex almost reaching Yosemite’s stable where her horse Calliope was kept. Suddenly an idea came to him.

"Vin, you can go with her.  It’s too late for you to meet Chris and the others."

Vin did not like that idea at all. Not one damn bit.

"No," he quickly stepped back as if the suggestion was hot water scalding his skin. "She doesn't like me too much Nathan.  She won't go for it."

It was such an awful excuse, but it was all Vin could come up with on the spur of the moment.

"I'm asking you to escort her on a ride, not marry her! What is it with you folks today? Why has everyone got to give me an argument?" The healer boomed before grabbing Vin by his jacket and tugged him along as he continued after Alex.

"Nathan, this ain't a good idea" Vin protested as he was dragged down the boardwalk by the determined man.

"I'm not listening to you!"

Nathan knew if he let go of Vin, the man was only going to think of a reason to squirm out of this task. Vin and Miss Alex had never really gotten along since her arrival in town. They were so different they reacted to each other like fire and oil. No matter what the subject, it was always guaranteed to end up in an argument. Although he did not wish to inflict their company upon each other, Nathan knew this was the only solution. At least with Vin escorting her, Nathan didn’t have to worry about any harm coming to the good doctor. Besides, Vin knew that part of the country better than anyone else. He could make the trip go considerably faster, which was some consolation, Nathan supposed.

By the time they arrived at the livery, Vin had used every possible reason he could think of to avoid accompanying Alex Styles to the Doherty place. Unfortunately, Nathan heard none of it. The healer merely nodded patiently and then continued ignoring every single word Vin spoke before repeating the tracker was going .

Vin was starting to wonder if he really ever had a choice.

"Miss Alex, look who I found to go with you," Nathan announced proudly when they reached Alex saddling her horse in the livery.

Alex started to turn and then stopped short when she saw Vin standing there. Her expression unreadable, she spoke calmly to Nathan. "May I speak to you outside Mr Jackson?"

"No." Nathan shook his head, not about to be drawn into another argument about the suggestion. "Cause you're only going to try and talk me out of it. Vin is going with you."

"I don’t need a babysitter," Alex stated firmly.

For weeks now, after an odd exchange at Nettie Wells’s home, Alex and the tracker had been giving each other a wide berth. While the moment between them was entirely innocent, the heated emotions engendered by it certainly was not. Now whenever Alex saw Vin, she was filled with confusing emotions that made her stomach flutter and her pulse race. It made utterly no sense whatsoever and was in direct contradiction to the feelings she had for Ezra. Thus, spending a whole day riding with him, where there could be a repeat of what happened, was only courting peril. 

“I can take care of myself without needing a man to escort me around like I’m some kind of prized animal!”

"That does it,” Vin bristled in annoyance, just as uncomfortable as she about this. "Get someone else. I just rode back from a den of thieves and outlaws meaner than spit. I ain’t going out on the trail so I can spend the whole day listening to that !"  

Vin started to head out of the livery while Alex turned back to her horse.

"HOLD IT!" 

The command in Nathan’s voice, rarely used to such a degree, startled both Vin and Alex enough for them to turn around. When they did, the duo found themselves facing the healer who was staring at them like two children throwing a tantrum.

"Now I don't care what petty snit you two have got going," Nathan's eyes darted to Vin and then to Alex. "But you are going with her," he glared at the tracker and then Alex, “and you are going to let him escort you, or else I’ll tie you down in the saddle and let him lead you there!"

"I’m fine with that.”

Nathan silenced Vin with a look that would have made Chris Larabee proud.

"Do I make myself clear?" He dared them to defy him on this point. It was not often that Nathan was this riled up, but when he was, he had no patience for any further protest. Besides, Nathan had enough to do without the two of them behaving like spoiled brats.

"Yes," Alex mumble somewhat reluctantly.

"Yeah." Vin nodded a moment later.

"Good," Nathan smiled broadly, his pearly white teeth against his mahogany-coloured skin made it almost a grin. "Now have a pleasant trip."

Stagecoach robberies usually took place in a set pattern. Outlaws waylaid the carriage on some forgotten track and ransacked all the passengers' belongings until they found something of value. On some occasions, they shot someone if the victim made an attempt to flee or put up a fight. Most of the time, the passengers knew it was best to give up without a struggle to avoid giving the gunmen a reason to fire.

Not these outlaws, Chris Larabee thought, as he and the four unofficial peacekeepers of Four Corners lay in wait for the arrival of the Sweetwater stage.

Most outlaws had a reputation somewhere, even if it was merely drunken talk over a bottle of piss-poor whiskey. Nothing was known of this group. The men robbing the stagecoaches throughout the area these past weeks were professionals, this much Chris was sure.  The varmints knew precisely who was on the stage, and they knew what they were looking for, even before they hijacked it. This suggested to Chris they had become expert through experience. 

The only thing Chris couldn’t figure out was what possible reason the outlaws could have to kill everyone they robbed. 

In the first ambush, the gang murdered everyone including the driver. There were five people on the stage, and all of them were shot, including a seven-year-old child. The infamy of it incensed everyone because it was a completely unnecessary act of violence. Vin examined the tracks when they came upon the scene and knew no attempt was made to interfere with the criminals. The passengers accepted the robbery and allowed the outlaws to pick their belongings clean.

But they were gunned down anyway.

The slaying sent shock waves throughout the area for good reason. Every lawman from Four Corners to Eagle Bend was on the alert for the gang, whoever they might be. The lack of witnesses kept the trail cold. Approximately a week after the first robbery, another coach was attacked, this time leaving Four Corners to Bitter Creek. Once again, the stage was detoured to a disused trail before its occupants were slaughtered. Like the first incident, there were no survivors, and the body count rose to eight.

This time, Chris Larabee was taking no chances. Other towns were guarding their stagecoach trails and Chris did not intend to let Four Corners become the latest victim of this vicious spree. The body of the child killed in the first robbery struck too close to home, especially after Mary's miscarriage almost six weeks before. While she seemed recovered, Chris didn’t forget the look in her eyes at the news of that dead child. The boy was no older than her son Billy.

"They should be here soon," Josiah commented, staring up the trail from their hiding place in the trees.

"Unless someone got to them first." JD pointed out that grim possibility and engendered a frown from the older members of the group. No one liked the idea of what that would mean. This whole stakeout was meant to be a preventative measure, not a clean-up operation.

"Always an optimistic soul ain't ya?" Buck patted the young man's back.

"Sorry." JD apologized, not wishing to sound as if he was a pessimist. He didn’t think it should be right for anyone to be killed in cold blood the way these victims had been. It left a bad taste in his mouth, how anyone could be so callous. He wanted to find those men just as much as the others, it was just the waiting he abhorred.

"That's perfectly all right, Mr Dunne," Ezra remarked, understanding the boy meant no harm. He was young and felt things deeply. There was a time when they all felt this way, even if none of them would admit it now. "These are unscrupulous men indeed. There is no reason to assume they may not have altered their patterns."

"What do you mean?" Josiah turned to the gambler sharply.

"He means," Chris answered before Ezra could, his eyes never moving off the trail of the anticipated stagecoach, "if they're willing to kill a stage-load of people to hide their identity, then they're smart enough to change tactics to throw us off their trail."

"Precisely," Ezra said with a slight tip of his hat at his leader's direction. "Spoken like a true commander of the field."

Chris did not react to Ezra's compliment if that indeed was what the gambler was aiming for. Instead, he fell silent, watching the road and listening carefully. Realistically, if the stage were waylaid, they would only know it if they were close enough to hear the gunshots. Chris hoped it did not come to that.

"These varmints need stringing up," Buck stated with more venom in his voice than he usually cared to show. The outlaws were most indiscriminate about whom they killed and finding the bodies after their massacre, left an image in Buck’s mind he could have lived without.

"We'll oblige them for sure when we find them."

Chris could understand the feelings of those around him and knew these murderers stabbed at the very heart of what they tried to accomplish in Four Corners for the last year. By their presence, the town was a safer place, and each man felt a certain amount of pride in that. All of them considered Four Corners their home now. Chris, in particular, had reason to keep it safe. Billy often returned home by stage, and if they could not put an end to this, his trips home would be less frequent. After her miscarriage, Mary needed to see her son without fearing for his safety.

Time lapsed slowly, and before they knew it, the stage was late. A few minutes stretched into five and then ten. When it was twenty minutes, Chris knew he was not waiting any longer. Digging his heels into his horse, he tore out of their hiding place, giving his companions little warning of his intentions. Accustomed to his behaviour by now, the others quickly galloped after him. 

They hadn’t travelled far when they heard gunshots in the distance. The sound made them ride faster, racing against time as they tried to reach the stage before it was too late. Chris, as always, was in the lead with JD keeping pace easily. The only reason Chris outdistanced him was because the gunslinger had a head start. Under normal circumstances, JD was capable of riding them all into the ground. Amazingly enough, this was a skill developed in an Eastern school. 

The terrain was dry, with the surrounding trees undergoing the process of autumn discard. Leaves covered the ground in an array of bright, vibrant colours. Against the backdrop of a clearer sky than any found across the country, the effect was nothing less than breathtaking. 

The gunshots had travelled some distance to reach them, but Chris knew it was not far enough away; they would not reach the beleaguered stage in time.

As they neared the source of the gunfire, the shooting stopped abruptly. It was followed by the terrified scream of a woman.

"Down there!" Chris pointed to a narrow trail away from the main track, just tight enough to fit the stagecoach. The carriage was shrouded by thick bushes and shrubs after being forced off the path if the leaves and broken branches were any indication. If Vin were present, he would be able to tell Chris in an instant. Without the benefit of the tracker, and with the urgency escalating, Chris was forced to go on instinct.  

As they broke through the thicket, Chris became aware of hoofbeats that did not belong to his companions. Straining to see through the dense foliage in front of him, he saw riders in the distance, making their getaway. He counted at least five, and they saw Chris. They began firing immediately but were too far away to make an accurate shot. By the time he broke through the worn path of leaves and branches, Chris knew they were long gone.

The realization of this escape made Chris swear until he saw the stagecoach and the bodies.

Christ, not again.

Grimly exchanging glances as their mounts slowed to a trot towards the crime scene, they all feared the worst. The stage lay tilted slightly to the side on uneven ground. The horses harnessed to the wooden carriage were stamping their feet in distaste, made uneasy by the scent of death in the air. 

The luggage scattered in the surrounding area seemed to confirm this fact. Ransacked suitcases and trunks were strewn about the ground in an expanding field of debris. It spoke in hushed tones to the violence committed in this grove, far away from civilization. Personal belongings trampled underfoot by the outlaws and their horses, covered the ground as the lawmen dismounted and neared the silent carriage with growing trepidation.

"We're too late," Buck whispered. 

He did not want to face another scene of carnage as they did twice before. It twisted his insides when it soon became painfully apparent this was precisely what they would find. The scene before them was no different than the last time, only the location and the faces had changed.

"We don't know that," Josiah said quietly, but no one seemed to speak up in agreement. The outlaws left no survivors previously, and there was enough evidence before them to indicate this time was no different.

Chris looked around, convinced he heard the cry of a woman shortly after the shots. He strode forward, unafraid of anything that could be waiting for him inside the carriage because he and horror were old acquaintances. After finding Adam and Sarah's charred bodies in what was left of their home, nothing had the power to frighten him after such a discovery. 

As he rounded the carriage, he caught sight of a woman.

Upon his approach, she looked up at him with the most astonishing emerald eyes he ever saw. They were filled with tears, and those perfect lips seemed to quiver with sorrow as she wept for the four bodies on the grass. Her long, copper-coloured hair was loose against her white skin, which was understandably pale considering the tragedy before her. She did not seem hurt, but the top four buttons of her blouse were undone, revealing enough cleavage to give him concern.

"You scared them away," she fumbled for those buttons with one hand, while the other picked up the gloves resting on a nub of rock nearby.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" Chris worried that the men who had murdered these people, an elderly couple, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the stagecoach driver and a boy not much older than JD, might have harmed her. It was nothing less than a miracle she was alive, although if they had intended to have their way with her, she might be happier with the alternative.

As it was, all the victims were shot in the back of the head. Chris could see the sickening moisture of pulp on their skulls and stepped in front of the woman, obstructing the grisly scene. He knelt down on the grass to help her up.

"They wanted to force me..." she exclaimed clearly distraught, shuddering visibly by the odious notion. The tears started running down her cheeks faster now making them sparkle with lustre.

"You're safe now ma'am," he reassured her, placing his hands on her shoulders to help her to her feet. She slid up with him, never more than a hair's breadth away. Chris could smell the scent of lavender and wondered wildly whether she bathed in it or was it merely perfume. Suddenly, he noticed he was becoming too aware of her and took a safe step back.

"What happened here?" Chris asked, noting the look of surprise on the faces of his companions. Chris was not usually taken in by a pretty face, and he shot them a warning glare about what they could do with their opinions on the matter. Hell, she was a beautiful woman, and he wasn’t blind. Besides, Chris was allowed to look if not touch. 

He was almost grateful when Buck Wilmington closed in on them, knowing his old friend was in a better position to be of comfort to the lady than he was. For obvious reasons, she made Chris feel uncomfortable, but some not so apparent that put him on guard. Was it right to complain she wasn’t killed like the others? Why was she spared?

Buck handed her his handkerchief and produced his most charming smile. She was, in Buck’s opinion, the most dazzling creature he had ever seen, and he had considerable experience to be able to make that comparison.

"Now darling," he said with the warmth that Chris would not show, "we're the law in these parts, and we're here to protect you." He gestured towards the others, who were spreading out over the crime scene to make a thorough examination. Only Ezra and Chris remained.

"I was so scared!" She spoke with a soft and breathless eastern accent, holding onto Buck's linen handkerchief like it was made of silk. "They killed everyone for no reason. They forced the coach to this terrible place and killed the driver! Then they made us all climb out while they went through our things, trying to find our valuables. After they took everything, they started shooting." 

Her resolve broke then, and she descended into tears, taking refuge in Buck's comforting arms.

Buck was genuinely touched by this poor woman's ordeal and gave Chris a look of helplessness as she wept. Chris rolled his eyes, seeing Buck's interest was more than just offering comfort until he noted Ezra’s expression of quiet amusement.

Chris had no idea what the gambler found so entertaining with four bodies and a woman who was frightened out of her mind. Chris made a mental note to be let in on the joke when they returned to town. After the grisly work they would soon have to perform with collecting and returning the bodies to Four Corners, Chris was going to need a little levity. Sometimes Ezra's ability to remain so detached surprised even Chris Larabee.

When she composed herself again, she continued her story, drying her tear-filled eyes as she spoke. "They were going to force themselves on me! I fought them, but there were five,  and all I managed to do was pull off one of their masks. I saw one of their faces very well."

That immediately caught Chris's attention. Finally, an eyewitness who could identify one of these bastards! He strode towards her again. "What exactly did you see ma'am?"  

"Now Chris," Buck eyed him with reproach. "The lady's been through an ordeal. Can't we spare her this until we get back to town?"

"Yes," Ezra said for the first time. "We wouldn't want this delicate flower to wilt under such strong interrogation. I am certain she will accommodate our questions after she has had a moment to regain her strength."

There was something in Ezra's voice that made the gunslinger look over his shoulder. For a moment, he could not tell if Ezra was serious or not. It sure as hell sounded to Chris like Ezra was almost enjoying this poor girl's suffering. Buck seemed oblivious to it, but Chris had learnt enough about Ezra to pick up the subtle inflections in his voice. This was one of those moments when Chris could not decipher his intentions. Chris was at a loss whether to beat the crap out of Ezra or demand an explanation.

"I don't see why not." Chris conceded, still somewhat bewildered by Ezra's attitude. "They're long gone anyway. We couldn't catch up with them even if we wanted to."

"May I have the honour of your name, ma'am?" Buck inquired, realizing proper introductions had not been made.

"Why certainly, I am Julia Pemberton of Pennsylvania."

"That’s a mighty pretty name, Miss Pemberton," Buck said, taking her extended hand and kissing it in that most cosmopolitan way.

Chris and Ezra exchanged knowing glances, deciding Buck had no shame. Granted this female was especially fetching, but Buck might have found a better venue to nurture a future dalliance. For a moment, it seemed neither were aware four bodies were lying in the dirt only a few feet from them.

"I am Buck Wilmington," Buck introduced himself with a smile before turning to his friends. "That there is Chris Larabee and Ezra Standish."

She turned to them. "You are my knights in shining armour, all of you."

Chris cleared his throat and replied uncomfortably, "We should get you back to town Miss Pemberton."

For obvious reasons, Chris did not trust Buck alone with this young woman. When his old friend was anywhere in the vicinity of a beautiful female, Buck didn't have the sense God gave a dog. Chris did not want to chance Buck being distracted on the unlikely chance that those killers were still out there. She was the only witness to the murders, and Chris was not going to risk her safety for any reason.

No, Buck was not the best choice to escort Miss Pemberton to Four Corners. If she could identify even one of the men carrying out these vicious crimes, then she needed to get there alive.

"Ezra," he said quietly motioning the gambler closer. "Take Miss Pemberton into town. We're going to need the coach to transport the bodies."

"Certainly Mr Larabee," Ezra turned to the young woman wearing that same bemused expression Chris was at a loss to explain. What was it he was seeing?

"But Chris!" Buck protested almost immediately for reasons that were obvious to all except the young lady. "I can do that." He marched up to the gunslinger to prove his point, casting another smile in the lady's direction, assuring her he would handle this slight problem of her escort.

"Chris, what are you trying to do to me?" He hissed quietly, grabbing Chris's arms and veering him out of Miss Pemberton's earshot. "Are you trying to ruin my chances with her? That is the most gorgeous filly that ever walked the earth!

Chris shook his head in disbelief, wondering if Buck was serious. It took less than a second for Chris to realize he was.  

"Buck," he said calmly, not in the mood for this when people were dying because of the Seven’s inability to reach them in time. "I ain’t having this conversation with you. I need you here, with your brain any place other than where it is right now. She goes with Ezra."

Buck opened his mouth to protest and saw the icy glare Chris was giving him. It was a lost cause, and he knew it. 

"Fine," he said gruffly, throwing Ezra an unhappy scowl. "But I'll never forgive you for this."

"I'll try to get over it." Chris returned, taking a step towards the slightly dishevelled Miss Pemberton. "Ma'am, Ezra here will take you to Four Corners, if that's agreeable."

The young woman looked at Ezra as if noticing him for the first time. Her eyes held Ezra's gaze for a few seconds before she looked graciously at Chris once more with that near-perfect smile on her lips. 

"That would be most accommodating, Sir."

Chris walked towards Ezra to have a private moment with the gambler as the lovely Miss Pemberton gathered her belongings from the coach. Predictably Buck was in attendance, providing support to the young lady as they steered around the grisly collection of bodies. By now, Josiah returned and was performing last rites over the dead, even if they were somewhat belated. JD found a quilt from the discarded belongings to cover the bodies to spare Miss Pemberton from witnessing the scene any further. 

"Don't let her out of your sight," Chris instructed Ezra, who was still watching the woman under Buck's ministrations. "If she saw them, there's a chance they might come back to finish the job. They've been pretty determined to hide their faces, I don't think they'll appreciate having a witness around to identify them."

"I will ensure the young lady is properly supervised. Mr Tanner should be in town by this time so we can deal with anything should it arise." Ezra reassured the gunslinger.

Chris nodded before letting out a deep sigh. "There ain’t no call for this.”

With that, Ezra could not disagree. The carnage resulting from a mere stage robbery was disturbing. There was no reason to kill. From what little Miss Pemberton was able to impart on them, the outlaws had taken precautions to hide their faces. Why do that if the intention to kill was always there? Ezra could understand Chris's puzzlement at the unnecessary shedding of blood and the total lack of discrimination in the victim's selected.  "It does seem somewhat overkill for a mere act of theft."

"Overkill is an understatement," Chris snarled. "They kill women and children." His voice was a hard line of barely concealed anger, which was rare for Chris Larabee in Ezra's opinion. Chris had a tighter rein on his emotions than most people Ezra knew. If the gunslinger had chosen to make gambling his profession, he would have had the most perfect poker face.

"There is going to be an outcry until we catch these villains." Ezra reminded. Lawmen in all the surrounding towns, including Four Corners, were under intense pressure to end these killings. It produced unprecedented cooperation between local lawmen in all the communities, and it was more than just being about who caught these men first but ending the threat of them.

"I know" Chris nodded somberly. "I'm starting to think this is not about a robbery."

Ezra looked at him, interested in where that well-honed intellect was leading Chris Larabee. Ezra had seen Chris given clues that were absolutely meaningless to the others, only to craft an entirely plausible theory. He had a logical and deductive mind capable of taking apart a problem to its bare elements and then devising an equally reasonable solution. If Chris thought there was more to this than just petty theft, then Ezra believed him with complete faith.

"She's a pretty woman," Chris remarked glancing in the direction of Miss Pemberton who was returning with a small valise in her hand and Buck playing escort.

Ezra had to agree with him with the change of subject and his observation of the young woman. Miss Pemberton was charming. He found himself invariably comparing her to Alexandra, who was very attractive herself, except Miss Pemberton knew she was beautiful and Alex viewed her features as another reason why she was not taken seriously as a doctor.

Still, Ezra had to admit, those copper coloured locks were quite mesmerising...

"Mr Larabee, as Mrs Travis's beau, you should not be noticing such things."

Chris scowled at him because the gunslinger truly detested that word. It was a  full month since Chris and Mary went public about their relationship, and even if the town was hardly surprised, Chris found people who previously avoided him were now speaking to him like they were old friends.

Suddenly, he was being invited to church socials and asked to participate in local events. He was actually invited to a barn raising a few days ago. Chris could still remember the laughter when Buck heard that. Not to mention the invitations to dinner whenever Mary was out of town for the day. For some reason, they believed he was incapable of feeding himself when she was not around to cook for him. Nevertheless, he bore the embarrassment in silence even though it gave the rest of the seven much fodder for amusement.

"I have two words for you." Chris glared at him.

"I think I know what they are." Ezra chuckled.

"Well Mr Standish," Julia announced her return with another one of those practised smiles meant to dazzle, "I am in your hands."

Ezra smiled faintly, trying to remain polite even though he was perfectly aware of what was going on. "I shall try to handle you delicately," he responded with every ounce of southern chivalry in his voice.

Buck kept his frown in place, clearly unhappy that Ezra was escorting her to town. Ezra wished he could tell the tall cowboy that he had no reason to worry. After all, he already had the affections of a woman he cared for deeply, he was not foolish enough to toss everything aside for someone who appeared to be more window dressing than an actual person.

"Miss Pemberton," Buck said to her, "it would be my pleasure to call on you in better circumstances."

"You have been most kind, Mr Wilmington," she gave him a look of suggestion hinting her interest was more than just fleeting. "I should be delighted to have your company at a later date."

Buck grinned at that, thrilled with his success. He offered a triumphant look in Chris and Ezra's direction before Chris finally stepped forward and took him by the arm.

"Come on, Buck." He towed his old friend away from the engaging Miss Pemberton.

"I'll see you in town!" He cried out as Chris distanced them both from Ezra and her.

"Are you ready Miss Pemberton?" Ezra said, shaking his head as he turned around and walked towards his horse, making no offer to help her with her valise.

She was waving goodbye to Buck when she noticed Ezra leaving. With the slightest hint of a frown, Julia hurried after him, somewhat confused that her usual repertoire was not working with this dapper young man.

Julia knew the type of course. She had met a few Southerners in her lifetime, although she could not say she had ever slept with one. He was a southern dandy, probably used to mint juleps and sitting on the porches of large plantations while their slaves fanned the heat from their 'oh so gentle' brows. Julia did not like their way of life. The women in that world were even more repressed than the blue-blooded aristocracy she just escaped.

They did not speak immediately after departing from the site of the latest murder but rode in silence for some distance. Ezra tried not to pay attention to the way her hands were wrapped around his waist or how she placed her breath near his ear. He smiled faintly at the obvious tricks, wondering how long it had been since he last fell prey to such blandishments. 

To her credit, she played it well. Any woman who could make Chris Larabee notice her was quite formidable indeed. When Ezra scratched the back of his neck in irritation as a subtle signal for her to stop whatever it was she was trying to do to him, he heard the slight huff of disappointment.

"Have I done something to offend you, Mr Standish?" she asked in that sweet voice of hers.

"Not at all, Julia," he replied as they moved out of the wooded grove and rejoined the main trail back to town. After what they had discovered, he was looking forward to dinner with Alexandra. "I am, however, curious."

"Curious?" He did not need to look behind his shoulder to know she was looking at him with a look of wide-eyed innocence.

"Yes," Ezra nodded. "I've never met any villain who, intent on violating a woman, is good enough to allow her the time to remove her gloves and place them aside."

For a few seconds, she did not answer. When she did finally respond, her voice was full of wounded indignation. "Whatever do you mean? Those men were going to rape me!"

"I doubt it,” Ezra replied. “You’re not the first woman these men have encountered during these robberies, and no violation occurred on those occasions. I suspect you bought yourself some valuable time by being a little more accommodating."

"How dare you!" 

Ezra felt a sharp slap on his back, to which he only grinned wider.

"You vile beast!" Her anger was quickly followed by the predictable onslaught of tears.

"You are wasting your time."

"You are a horrible man!"  

"You misunderstand me, Julia," he replied calmly, showing no indication of being the least bit affected by her tears. If anything, it only served to confirm his suspicions. After being raised by Maude Standish, Ezra was accustomed to every act of guile by a conniving female, known to man. "You did the intelligent thing. You used the resources available to you and escaped the encounter with your neck in one piece. You bought yourself some valuable time with the ploy. Although had we not come along, I am certain they would have killed you anyway."

There was a slight pause before he recognized the sounds of a nose being blown and sniffles subsided, followed by the heavy sigh of a charade dispelled. 

"Are you going to voice these suspicions?" 

"Of course not," Ezra replied, unsurprised by this sudden about-face. "Call it professional courtesy."

"Professional courtesy?"

"Yes, Miss Pemberton, if that is really your name, I have been in this game when you were still deciding what to wear on your society debut. It is my gift to spot a con a mile away, and you, my charming Julia, were  impressive."

“Well, I do try,” she said with a smile.

"Brava," he chuckled. "Truly, you should be on the stage. I shudder to think what new depths of vile you could bring to the role of Lady Macbeth or perhaps even Helen of Troy."

Julia didn’t know if she ought to feel angry or amused by his ability to see straight through her. She often expected suspicion from women because they felt so intimidated by her, but it was novel coming from a man. He was absolutely correct of course. When the stage had been robbed, and Julia saw what they did to the others, she made them the only offer she could to save her life. As odious as it was, she would have allowed those men to touch her, even if it was a stall for more time while she came up with another plan.

"And how did you come to be the law around here?" Julia questioned after a moment, suddenly curious about him.  "You hardly seem the type to be playing constable."

"I seem hardly the type for many things" Ezra deadpanned, glad she dropped her attempts at trying to trick him. "Let's just say, even a con man needs to retire. I own a saloon in town, and it is in my best interests for law and order to be maintained. Until our arrival, there was a decided lack of it in Four Corners."

"So I've been made aware," Julia replied. Her annoyance at him fading because it was liberating to be herself for a change, without the persona she was forced to maintain around men to get what she wanted. "I would not have bought the Emporium if I had known this area was running rife with highwaymen."

"The Kendall Emporium?" Ezra said with some measure of surprise. "I am sorry to tell you that particular establishment was burnt down.” Ezra thought back to that terrible business with Victoria Kendall and her vendetta against Mr Larabee.

"I know, but it will soon be rebuilt and open for business."

"You selected a very unusual choice for a new business," he remarked. Personally, he didn’t see the lady as the type who would be interested in business. Women like Julia Pemberton preferred being waited on hand and foot, to be adored up close and adorned in the best.

He wasn’t wrong, Julia had to admit. What had been in her mind when she bought the property? Julia wanted somewhere far away from the world of Philadelphia, and the Territory was the perfect place to hide from the likes of her father, and possibly Roderick Packard should he take it in his mind to find her. After all, she had left him at the altar, and he struck her as the kind of man who would be small enough to crave vengeance for his wounded ego.

Before her flight from Philadelphia, she read about the opportunities found in the Territory, with the coming of the railroad. While it would have been easy for her to jump a steamer and cross the Atlantic, Julia had found the idea of building something in a new frontier challenging. She was through being cared for and pampered. From now on, she was taking charge of her life.

"I agree" Julia replied after a moment, “but it shows promise and I wanted to build something on my own, without anyone telling me how to do it or whether or not it's proper."

Ezra raised his brow at that remark. "My dear Miss Pemberton, you surprise me. It appears that you may not be as shallow as you seem."

"Why thank you, Mr Standish," she produced a genuine smile instead of one for the benefit of others. "I am so honoured you have favoured me with some measure of depth. The lawyer who sold me the business was not so optimistic. He believed a woman of my delicacy would not enjoy a place like Four Corners."

Julia did not add that at the time, she had been sharing the delightful Mr Porter's bed, and he practically begged her to marry him by the time she boarded the train to Eagle Bend. He would have said anything to keep her, and she was never one to squander a good accountant.

"On the contrary," Ezra answered, oblivious to her current line of thought, "Four Corners seems to attract strong women. As you will later learn, and it is a fair warning to you now, Mr Larabee is involved with a highly spirited newswoman who wields considerable influence in town. My own business partner is a lady. My saloon would probably fall to pieces without her, and we have a lady doctor.”

"Oh, that’s a shame," Julia said disappointed that the beautiful Mr Larabee was taken. Usually, that would not stop Julia, but she could not afford to alienate an influential member of the community in which she was trying to establish herself.  Alas, Mr Larabee , she sighed. It was not to be.

"One other thing," Ezra warned since they were now having this very frank conversation. "Mr Wilmington considers himself to be quite the ladies man, and while I believe his interest in you may be purely carnal, he does seem more taken than usual. If you have no serious affections for him, I would prefer you did not trifle with his feelings. He is my friend, and I would not appreciate it if you hurt him."

"Why Mr Standish," Julia returned coyly. "Perhaps, this is motivated by a little jealousy?"

Ezra laughed. "Hardly Miss Pemberton. I am engaged elsewhere.”

"Truly?" she asked, her interest suitably piqued. Ezra Standish was a most intriguing man. Despite his manner of supreme confidence and his clairvoyance in reading her so accurately, Julia sensed intriguing depths to him.

Now that she was aware of him being forbidden fruit, he just became a lot more interesting.

Chapter Two
Witness

Peso, the horse, was not happy, but then neither was Vin Tanner.

The ride to Agnes Doherty’s place began with silence with neither Alex nor Vin speaking unless it was absolutely necessary. After begrudgingly forced to obey Nathan’s demands, they set out from Four Corners, trying not to fall into old patterns by antagonising each other. Since that business at the creek by Nettie Wells’ property, Alex and Vin had given each other a wide berth, recognising they had strayed into uncharted waters.

Along with the awkwardness between them, the situation was not improved by the unseasonably hot day. Their journey to Black Peak Mountains, where Agnes lived, would require the crossing of the Badlands, an unforgiving stretch of dry flat terrain with baked mud and no water until Whisky Creek. While they were accompanied by shady trees and cool grass plains early on in the ride, by the time they crossed over, the temperature was rising into the air as waves of shimmering heat.

Vin tried not to notice Alex suffering under her heavy riding cloak although he questioned, why in the hell was she wearing something so ill-fitting for the weather. He could see the perspiration glistening against her golden skin as she struggled with the temperature, all the while trying to conceal her discomfort. If nothing else, he admired her stubbornness. This was a woman who refused to show weakness under any circumstances.

She followed  him for the first hours of the ride and Vin would glance over his shoulder occasionally, to see how she was faring as he led them through the bitter landscape. Vin wondered if it had yet to occur to Alex their trip would most likely end up becoming an overnight stay, because she wasn’t a strong enough rider for them to make it back before dark. Coyotes made it a point to scavenge at night, searching for animals dead or dying from dehydration or sunstroke, whichever came first.

As it was, Peso was expressing his annoyance with disgruntled whinnying at being forced to cross the mud cracked ground.  Once past the Badlands and Whiskey Creek, a steep trail awaited them before they’d reach Agnes’ farm. It was not a farm, really. Just a homestead on the side of Black Peak Mountain. Richard Doherty believed there was gold in its hills and wanted to remain close to the mother lode he never found.

"How are you doing Alex?" Vin finally broke the silence when they left the Badlands behind. He wiped the sweat from his brow beneath his favourite slouch hat. They were not that far from Whiskey Creek, and Vin knew they would have to stop to water the horses and take a break. Vin needed one before the trek up Black Peak. Personally, Vin was looking forward to the interlude, and by the looks of her, so would Alex.

"I'm fine, Mr Tanner."  

Behind Vin’s horse, Alex decided she was at the end of her patience in regards to her wardrobe. Firstly, her riding cloak was going to have to go. For someone who dressed for practicality, she cursed herself for being remiss in not buying new clothes to suit the climate of the Territory. The cloak which she wore when riding in England was entirely inappropriate for this heat.

As a doctor, she knew if she did not shed the thing, she would be in real danger of dehydrating. Still perched atop Calliope, Alex divested herself of the garment. Beneath the cloak, she was dressed in a white cotton shirt buttoned up high, a maroon coloured vest, and a long dark skirt. Undoing the top buttons of her shirt, she let out a sigh of relief when fresh air breezed down her chest. It allowed her to maintain her modesty and achieve some comfort.

Vin craned his neck to watch her perform this little task behind him, admiring the slender neck exposed by the part of white cotton while glimpsing enough cleavage to be tantalised by what he imagined instead of seeing. Catching himself, he shook the thought out of his head, once again furious for allowing himself to fall into this situation.

"Whisky Creek is up ahead," Vin announced, deciding it was best if he looked ahead and not anywhere else. "We'll stop there for a while."

"You know," Alex sighed, feeling a great deal more comfortable now and a lot less hostile, "if I weren't sure Agnes was in trouble, I wouldn’t mind going for a swim.”

Vin resisted the urge to conjure a mental image of what that would look like.

Instead, he regarded the noonday sun and squinted away the bright glare in his eyes. "I can't say I blame you. Today’s a scorcher. Don't feel like fall at all."

“It never gets this hot in England. All that happens during autumn is rain and fog,” she dug her heels in and prompted Calliope forward. Throwing him a sidelong glance, Alex wondered how he could remain so unaffected with that thick buckskin coat of his. While there was a thin film of sweat covering his skin, he showed no other signs of suffering in this temperature.

Autumn? Vin knotted his brow until he realised she meant the fall.

Once they were riding side by side, Vin was able to admire the skin exposed by her unbuttoned shirt collar before facing front immediately, abashed by his behaviour. More so because she was oblivious to it, or more importantly, oblivious to him .

"This is nothing. A couple seasons ago, it was so hot we had grass fires. Killed a lot of livestock and people too. Land's harsh if you ain't ready for it."

"I know. That's why I'm worried about Agnes." Alex frowned, recaling how the woman looked during her last visit into town. Nothing Alex could do would convince the lady to remain in Four Corners with the condition of her heart the way it was. Now Alex was painfully aware of how extreme heat like this could exacerbate an already tenuous state of health. As it was, she secretly feared it might be too late.

"She's very old, and her heart is not good. I tried to talk her into staying with Nettie or somewhere in town, but she's thick-headed and stubborn.”

"Well, you ought to know.”

“I’m a doctor, I’m trained to help when I can. Agnes is my patient and my responsibility,” Alex huffed and then added, “You know I could have made this trip on my own. If Nathan were not so damn protective, I would have."

"You would have gotten lost in an hour, and I'd still have to come looking for you. This saves time.”

Alex bristled and then for reasons she could not explain, said smugly, "I'm sure Ezra would have done it.”

Now it was Vin's turn to bristle, feeling that involuntary pang of jealousy at knowing it was Ezra who had her affections and not him. "Then Ezra would get lost, and I'd still have to come find you both .”

Alex glared at him with annoyance. How did Vin Tanner become one of those unexpected mysteries of her life? Of the seven, he was the one she least understood. From all accounts, when Vin was not around her, he was a man of few words, unflappable and stoic. The only time he seemed to be vocal was when he was around her, and their relationship seemed to consist of verbal jousting where they were trading barbs at each other. It was familiar and comfortable.

Until that night at Nettie’s place.

Alex still didn’t understand what happened between them. One minute she was standing by the creek, overwhelmed by the surgery she was forced to perform on Ezra and the next thing she knew, Vin was there, soothing her trembling hands.

Blushing at the memory, she was grateful her colouring hid her reaction from him.  The tracker was staring at her thoughtfully with those blue eyes of his. Once again, she had to look away, confused because she knew she cared for Ezra and enjoyed spending time with him. God, she even considered sharing her bed with the gambler and would have gone through with it already if not for one little thing.

Ezra never made her breath catch the way Vin did when he took her hand that night.

Noticing his silence, Alex let out a sigh, not wishing to expend the energy being mad at him. "Let's just call a truce, shall we? At least for the rest of this trip. It's hell enough as it is."

"We can always turn back?"  Vin winked at her.

"Now see," she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "What am I going to do with you?"

“I got a few ideas,” he was grinning at her wolfishly.

"In your dreams Mr Tanner, in your dreams" she laughed indulging his flirtation a little.

Vin knew he shouldn’t be baiting her like this because he derived much pleasure from it, but he was convinced she enjoyed it also. Of course, she had no idea how he truly felt about her, and Vin was more determined than ever not to reveal his true feelings.

Still, there were moments when he saw something in her eyes, where they touched something in each other, and she recognised it too before inhibition and obligation to Ezra forced her to brush it away as little more than imagination. Everything she did and said made Vin twist with a desire so intense it was hard to breathe at times. From the day she breezed into town, he was just as mesmerized as Ezra, but circumstances placed the gambler in a position to win her favour first, and so Vin stepped aside.

Because he was not going to behave like he had with Charlotte.

He genuinely loved Charlotte, loved her with a passion so fierce it robbed him of all good sense until he realized what he was trading for that love. Keeping Charlotte meant losing the friends who had taken away the unbearable loneliness of his existence, and his self-respect at knowing he stole another man's wife.

When he sent her back to her husband, Vin knew it was not only for her sake but for his as well. Later on, he questioned if Charlotte was searching for something her husband could no longer provide, and he was just convenient. Hell, that whole trip with the wagon trail had gotten all of them thinking about putting down roots with someone special. Even Chris.

But as much as Vin and Alex argued, he admired her as more than just the object of his affections. Here was a woman whose concern for others was forcing her across the Badlands because it was in her nature to heal. She burned with such dedication, it engendered the fierce desire in him to protect her from those who would take advantage of that kindness.

Vin had not encountered many women in his life. Except for Charlotte, the women he knew were mostly paid for. Living alone, the chances to get to know women were hard, especially when there were so few of them in the Territory other than working girls. Since living in Four Corners, it just did not feel right to take up with them not like when he was living his nomadic existence, where he was allowed some measure of anonymity. Vin was a private person and felt it was no one's business but his own with whom he kept company.

Now with Alex around, he could not even take comfort in the girls at Purgatory because he just knew he would end up wanting it to be her. Sometimes, when they were arguing, Vin would find himself wondering if Ezra had made love to her yet.

The thought was enough to make him sick with envy.

"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be leading this expedition,” Alex teased, oblivious to what was going on in his head.

Blinking, Vin realized he was lagging and immediately nudged Peso forward to take up position next to her once more. She looked at him with a meaningful smile, and he wondered what she was thinking.

"Sorry, I'll try not to get left behind."

"You better. I wouldn't want to have to come looking for you."

Vin could only laugh. "I feel safer already."

It was early afternoon when Ezra and Julia finally arrived in Four Corners. Overhead, the blue sky vanished and was replaced by thick clouds, amassing to chase the sunshine away. Although it had yet to arrive, there were the signs of an impending a rainstorm. The air felt damp as Ezra observed the cumulous overhead becoming thicker with each gust of strengthening wind. Considering what Chris and the others would soon be escorting to town, the weather seemed to suit the occasion.

In anticipation of the coming storm, people were beginning to get indoors. It was a weekday, and usually at this time, the streets were crowded with people going about their business. Now, he could see them scattering to their houses as he and Julia rode by. Some paused long enough to take note of the beautiful stranger nestled comfortably behind him, but their curiosity was soon outweighed by the low rumble of thunder in the greying sky.

"What a charming town," Julia remarked, her green eyes surveying the community in which she had placed so much hope. It was, as she expected, one of those dreary rural towns where everyone was either a farmer or a farmhand. It was the kind of place where someone of her refinement could sweep into town and establish herself quickly with a bit of coin.

"It has its moments" Ezra did not miss the distaste in her voice.

Their journey back had been illuminating, and while Ezra did not know exactly everything about Julia Pemberton, he did know this was a woman accustomed to getting her own way in all things. Judging by the advances she made to him on the ride to town, she had very little scruples and even fewer inhibitions. To a certain extent, he was almost curious to see how she would fare in Four Corners.

In some ways, she reminded him of Maude, though he was not about to make mention of that. Still, she lacked the killer instinct or the Machiavellian cunning of his mother because no one had actually said no to her in her whole life.

"There is your Emporium," Ezra pointed out as they trotted past the burned-out wreck of the Kendall Emporium. The place was hardly in any position to provide a fitting first impression, but when Ezra glanced over his shoulder at Julia, he was surprised to see her expression was thoughtful, not dismayed.

The structure was still intact after the fire set by Victoria Kendall, and although it was in severe need of repairs, the building appeared sound. Four Corner's fledgling fire service had done an admirable job of dousing the flames during the fire. While they were unable to save much of the stock, the walls were still standing and required only minor reinforcement to make the building safe.

"I'm afraid it's not much to look at," Ezra added as he looked over his shoulder at her.

To his amazement, Ezra saw those incredible eyes light up as she studied the building. He could actually see the possibilities of the place dancing in her eyes as she stared at it. That surprised Ezra because she struck him as manipulative and shallow, with the arrogance that only came with being one of the idle rich. Yet when she stared, Ezra realised she was serious about building something for herself in this town.

"It doesn't matter" she replied quickly, sounding like an eager teenager when she spoke. "I have the capital to restore the place. Perhaps I’ll hire a dressmaker on-premises who can do alterations and have a little place for tea for customers.”

"An audacious plan.”

"Not audacious, just common sense. It is done in the city all the time. I do not intend to do anything that grand of course, but smaller and more personal. Communities like this do not take well to strangers, so I am going to have to get some local support. Who was this friend of Mr Larabee's again?"

"Mary Travis" Ezra replied, trying to hide his surprise by the enterprising nature of the chameleon-like Miss Pemberton. "I had no idea you were so determined."

"I am done allowing anyone to tell me what I can or cannot do," Julia stared at him hard. "All my life, all I've ever heard is how I don’t need to think or just wait until I get married, to do anything. Maybe if I can make this work, it will not matter how pretty I look."

Ezra could understand the need to be more than what everyone expected you to be. Had not his life followed the same path? Ezra was raised to believe he was going to be bad from the day he was born because he was Maude Standish’s son. First by the relatives on whom he was thrust upon and by Maude herself, when she decided he was old enough to learn the trade. Until he came to Four Corners, Ezra Standish never believed he could be anything else.

To his utter horror, Ezra realised he was warming to this little schemer.

Deciding a change of subject was definitely in order since he was not about to chart these waters with her, Ezra snapped his heels against his horse and moved it quickly past the Emporium towards the hotel.

"I am assuming you kept your finances in a bank and not on your person?”

"What fool would?" Her gaze was still fixed on her Emporium and what it was soon to become.

Ezra had no comment. He kept his money tucked safely in his right boot at all times. He trusted neither wallets nor banks. "I shall take you to the hotel where you can refresh yourself."

"You were meant to protect me," she reminded.

"The hotel is presently occupied by a good assortment of individuals. I am certain that if outlaws were attempting to do away with you, they would allow some time to pass before making an attempt. In any case, I will not be very long. I need to confer with my associates and apprise them of the unfortunate situation with the stage."

"Yes, that was awful," Julia admitted with a shudder. 

Even when she pulled a gun on her papa, she did so believing the shock alone would have kept him from trying to interfere with her departure. She had never killed anyone in her life and had no desire the first to be her misguided father.

"They will be coming into town soon," Ezra replied unhappily. He would have to ask Mrs Travis for a manifest of the doomed passengers to present to the undertaker.

"Are you going to see your lady doctor?" Julia asked with a hint of jealousy. Throughout their journey, she hated how he refused her advances and the affection in his voice when he spoke about this Alexandra. Disappointed, Julia lamented the one interesting man in town being taken! How very inconvenient.

"That is none of your business," Ezra suddenly regretted speaking so much about Alexandra to Julia. He could not explain why.

"I didn't mean to offend," she pouted slightly. 

"I told you," Ezra caught a glimpse of it and rolled his eyes, "that does not work on me. Your power to move me, Miss Pemberton, is slight."

She let out an audible sigh of resignation. "You cannot fault a lady for making an attempt.” And then as quickly as her mood had darkened, it brightened up again. “So, where shall we have dinner?”

"Dinner?" Ezra met her gaze sharply. "I believe I am otherwise engaged."

"You are meant to protect me. I did see those killers, you know the only eye witness?”

Damn, she was correct. Ezra could not ignore the truth of that statement. Chris wanted her protected and explicitly instructed Ezra not to let Julia out of his sight. As much as Ezra wanted to go find Alexandra, he had a responsibility to the leader of the seven. It had taken a long time for Ezra to earn Chris's trust again, and for some unfathomable reason, the gambler was not about to squander it.

"You do seem to have a point,” Ezra frowned, knowing she had him over a barrel in this instance. "I will accompany you to your hotel and allow you to freshen up, but I warn you, if these men intend to harm you, we may have to move you to a safer location."

"Mr Standish," Julia grinned with triumph in her voice, "I am in your hands."

"I am rejoicing inside.”

The rain started to pelt down in huge pregnant drops by the time the stage made its arrival in Four Corners. News of the robbery reached the community, Despite the storm, people were on the street when the carriage rolled into town, escorted by the lawmen. Residents stood on the boardwalk under shop awnings, they peered through their windows and out their doors, observing in silence the unofficial cortege moving through the muddy streets.

Mary Travis stood outside the door of the Clarion watching Chris Larabee leading the solemn parade through the centre of town. She could tell from this distance he was angry, even though nothing reflected in his face. The others with him were also gripped in melancholy, and she felt sympathy for their feelings at their failure to prevent the killings. Even though their actions saved one victim from death, it did not lessen the fact four others had died.

Chris raised his eyes as he passed the Clarion on his way to the undertaker. The rain spilled over the brim of his hat as he searched the faces and saw the only one he cared about. Mary was staring at him, her blue-grey eyes conveying the sorrow she felt for the victims and for him. Chris was warmed by her concern. She knew he had a tendency to blame himself for these things and was always on alert to give him a sharp kick to his senses whenever she felt he deserved one.

Unfortunately, this time nothing was going to help until he found these murderers.

He saw Nathan standing at the top of the stairs leading to his infirmary, wincing at the sight of the stagecoach. He did not seem surprised, which meant Ezra had given him fair warning of what they would find. Senseless death bothered Nathan the most and Chris could understand why he was so driven to save every life, no matter what the consequences to himself.

As they passed by the hotel, Chris saw Ezra and Julia Pemberton together. Chris tipped his hat at the gambler as they passed and was glad to see the gambler following his instructions to keep the young woman safe. Julia's eyes were fixed on the carriage, and Chris reminded himself he would need to question her once this particular task was done.

It was a miracle she survived the killing spree. 

Actually, it was no miracle at all. It was the outlaws' lust that saved her. That and the timely arrival of the seven. Miss Pemberton could give them an accurate account of what transpired from the time the stage was forced off the track until the last gunshot was fired at the final victim. More importantly, she could give them a place from which to begin their search for the murderer.

"We've got to stop this" Buck said riding alongside Chris as they made the last leg of their journey.

Through the teeming rain slowly gaining momentum with high winds whipping it into a thunderstorm, he saw his friend's eyes were just as hollow as his. Buck hated senseless killing.

"You and me both Buck" Chris remarked, hating the look he saw on people's faces. Even though they did not speak it out loud, Chris could see the accusation in their eyes. He and the other six represented the law in Four Corners and were charged to protect the citizenry from the scum committing the murders.

No doubt, the sheriffs in Bitter Creek, Sweetwater, and even Eagle Bend were feeling the same pressure.

"I hope Vin found something in Purgatory," Buck remarked.

Now that he mentioned the tracker, Chris realized he hadn’t seen Vin when they entered town. Chris felt a flare of hope that Vin might have remained in that shantytown of outlaws and bandits because he might have a solid lead on some information. At the moment, Chris was ready to ride out with his men to scour the plains until they found something.

He did not want another experience like this again.

"I didn't see him around, He might have found something if he's still there."

"Let's just hope nothing found him.”

"Cut it out, Buck," Chris looked up at him. "You're a lousy pessimist."

Buck managed a sad smile and wiped the rain from his face. "Well, I can't let you have you hogging it all can I?"

Arriving at the undertaker, the tall thin man in the customary dark suit made Chris uncomfortable. The undertaker always studied him as if he were readying a box for Chris. Right now, Chris wanted to be as far away from him and his establishment as possible. He wished to get out of the rain, where he could drown in a bottle of whiskey and be with Mary, and he wasn’t very particular in what order that came.

More importantly, he wanted to speak to Julia Pemberton and to hear her account of what she saw, because Chris Larabee sure as hell was not going to make this ride again. The next time he rode into town bringing bodies, it would belong to the outlaws who did this.

*****

An hour later, the group found themselves in Mary Travis's kitchen after the grisly work of delivering the bodies was concluded. Mary wired Sweetwater to inform them of the murders and to ask for a passenger manifest. As she brewed coffee and handed them towels to dry themselves, Chris had Ezra bring Julia Pemberton so she could finally relate her account of events and offer some description of the man she had seen.

Since it appeared Vin had not returned from Purgatory with any useful information, the young woman's eyewitness recollection was all Chris had to solve these murders.

"Boy it's really coming down out there," JD stared out Mary's window at the garden outside. Sheets of rain shimmered through the air as the grass drowned in puddles until the patch of green turned the soil into mud. The wind was howling, and JD saw trees battling the gusts as leaves struggled to remain on the swaying branches. There was no sign of any sun, and the heavy dark clouds were being whipped by the wind into a wild frenzy.

Ezra said nothing but his thoughts were with Alex at this moment wondering whether or not she was all right. He was none too happy to learn of the quest she embarked upon earlier this morning, and though he was certain Vin would see no harm come to her, the ferocity of the storm was worrying.

"We can hear it, Mr Dunne," Ezra said with a little more sharpness to his voice then he intended. Immediately after, Ezra felt guilty when he saw JD's fallen expression. "I apologize, my young friend, I didn't mean to bite."

"That's okay, Ezra." JD nodded in understanding and realized he should be quiet anyway while Chris was trying to conduct his questioning of the lovely Miss Pemberton.

"I'm sure she's fine, Ezra," Mary said quietly. "Vin knows what he's doing."

Ezra offered the pretty widow a warm smile and understood then what Chris Larabee loved so much about her. Mary Travis was one of those rare people who saw the best in everybody and whose desire to help was tempered with a genuine kindness that was all too lacking in this world. He supposed anyone who could bring comfort to the tortured soul of the gunslinger must be pretty exceptional.

At this moment, Ezra thought she was too.

"You are a lady without peer,” Ezra took her hand and kissed it gently.

Mary laughed softly before they both turned their attention back to Julia, who was seated at the kitchen table with Buck nearby as if he was standing guard in case Chris's questions became too hard. Mary could tell by the look in Chris's face her lover was almost at the end of his patience with his old friend’s interference.

"As you can tell ma'am, this ain't the first stage that has been robbed. We've had two other hits in two weeks with almost a dozen people dead."

"How awful" Julia exclaimed, her lips quivering in typical doe-like fear. "I am fortunate to be alive."

"Yes, you are darling," Buck said interrupting before Chris could ask another question. "It would have been a loss to men everywhere."

Although no one voiced it, almost everyone in the room had their personal reactions to the display. Josiah merely shook his head in disbelief. Nathan stifled a silent snort of derision. JD watched the master at work in fascination, while Ezra and Mary exchanged glances that spoke volumes. Chris just glowered.

Miss Pemberton returned his smile with a quick bat of her lashes and revelled at how easy it was to make men like this squirm. "Why Mr Wilmington, you are so sweet."

"Buck" Chris said almost as sweetly. "Can I see you for a moment?"

"Sure, Chris" Buck followed Chris as the gunslinger walked him towards the back door.

"What's up?"

Chris opened the door suddenly and shoved Buck outside without another word. As Buck opened his mouth to speak, Chris cut him off abruptly. "Get out and don't come back until I'm done."

With that, Chris Larabee slammed the door.

Mary gave Chris a look of dismay. "That was rude."

"But not undeserved" Ezra pointed out. "Mr Dunne perhaps you ought to join our local Lothario and smooth his ruffled feathers at the saloon. Tell Inez the drinks are on the house."

"Sure Ezra" JD glanced at Chris, who nodded his permission for the young man to go. No doubt, Buck would be incensed, but he knew Chris well enough to realize when he was becoming a strain on the gunslinger's patience. In a moment, the young man had slipped out the door, and Chris resumed his interrogation without interruptions.

"Why Ezra" Josiah looked at him in surprise. "That's uncommonly generous of you."

"Not really" Ezra returned. "Inez knows which bottle to use when the drinks are free."

"Now," Chris turned his attention back to Julia, who was watching the interplay between the group with some amusement, "Miss Pemberton, can I ask what you saw?"

Dropping the charade of feigned gentility, Julia decided Mr Larabee's patience would not extend to her if she chose to play the wounded bird. She could see the intensity in his eyes and knew this was not a man to be trifled with. He wanted answers, and she had no doubt he would keep her here until he received them.

To a certain extent, Julia did want to help him find the murderers who slaughtered those innocents on the stage with her. She wanted those men to pay for her humiliation, and on a lesser note, the lives they took. Besides, it might be one way to show Ezra Standish she was not all bad.

"Certainly, Mr Larabee" Julia nodded, her voice sounding all business now. The change was almost instantaneous, and everyone in the room noticed it. Only Ezra was unsurprised. However, his eyes kept darting to the window while thoughts of his lady doctor no doubt filled his mind. "As I told you before, we were only a few hours from Four Corners, and the driver had told us we might even arrive ahead of schedule."

"We heard gunshots," Julia said, remembering the fear in the carriage as the first sounds erupted...

Mrs Henderson squealed in fright, dropping her velvet purse onto the floor as her frantic eyes looked to her husband. Unfortunately, he was just as scared. Both of them were past the day where adventure or excitement held any sway for them. They had the look of urbanites, with their store-bought clothes and the slight tinge of accent that might have been Irish.

She remembered the couple prattling on about seeing the country, now the factory was sold and the children were at school. She had not paid much attention because her mind was still preoccupied with her escape from Philadelphia. She banked the stolen money almost immediately under the name of Pemberton, a former lover from years past. Julia Avery had ceased to be for the last six days.

"Be calm love," the old man said "if it's a robbery we can handle that. We've seen them in the city, haven't we?" He tried to sound reassuring and held his wife's hand in his as if willing his strength into her frail disposition.

She nodded meekly, but the fear did not fade from her face and was not likely to with the sudden surge in the speed of the carriage

Julia looked out and saw the horses thundering alongside the stagecoach, a problematic accomplishment with the stage rocking dangerously from side to side as it trundled across the uneven terrain. She peered out of the window long enough to see a branch snapping in her direction before a strong arm yanked her back into the carriage.

"Stay inside, Miss!" The fourth passenger ordered as she fell back into the cushioned seat.

"I think there are five of them, Mr Baker" Julia reported, starting to feel the charged excitement of the whole situation. She had read about stagecoach robberies in the west but to actually experience one was another thing entirely.

Suddenly, the group found themselves tilting to one side of the carriage as the stage made a sharp turn. The gunfire ceased for now, but the carriage was on different terrain for it no longer swayed from side to side but shuddering as if the ground beneath was hard and rocky. Mrs Henderson started to whimper in fright and no matter what her husband said, could not keep her from crying out each time that they hit a particularly nasty bump.

By now, Julia was using the walls to keep herself from being shaken into nausea. The novelty of the experience had faded into genuine terror that her life might be in danger. Suddenly, she remembered the little money in her purse. The bulk of the fortune stolen from her father was now sitting in a bank awaiting use in her new life when she arrived at Four Corners. She slipped what notes she possessed into her boot, prepared to leave a few sheaves to satisfy the thieves.

"It's slowing down!" Mr Baker announced, and Julia realized he was correct. The shuddering was abating, even though they were treated to a few jumps and rises over the next few minutes before the carriage came to a complete halt.

Julia resisted the urge to look out the window even though from what she was able to observe from her seat, they had undoubtedly moved off the main trail. This new place was densely wooded with branches and trees looming over the coach. For a few minutes, no one spoke as they listened carefully to horses soon surrounding the stationary carriage. There were voices here and there, angry, deep voices spoken with a Southern and Texan drawl. The words were clear, and the threat was even more explicit.

Inevitably, they heard the soft thud of the driver dismounting the front of the carriage before hearing a loud booming voice shout at them from outside the door.

"Get out! All of you!"

Reluctantly, Baker went first. He was the only able-bodied man in the carriage, even though he had confessed to being a travelling salesman. His fear was apparent by the way he kept straightening his tie. Julia followed him next because she wanted this over and done with. Let them finish their thievery, she cared little for the pittance she would lose, even if they did find the money in her boot.

The five were staring at the passengers when they emerged, studying all of them carefully as if look alone could decide how much each of them was worth. They shoved the stage driver into the forming group. Their clothes were nothing unusual for men of this region. All, however, wore hats with bandanas hiding their faces. Julia knew immediately all of them were professional outlaws, except for one. His fingernails were clean and manicured while the others were covered in dirt. She took a gamble he was the leader and filed that information away for future use.

Mr and Mrs Henderson were the last to emerge, and upon their arrival, the four with the dirty nails begin ransacking the luggage loaded on the upper side of the carriage. The leader started to rummage through their wallets and purses, taking cash only and discarding the rest. His men conducted their search and were not very thorough. They created more mess than finding anything of value. Very soon, the grove was covered in an array of objects, clothes, brushes, shoes and socks that Mr Baker sold to general stores across the Territory. The passengers watched and waited, knowing that this could not go on forever.

The leader called out to the pack after a while. His voice sounded muffled through the cloths. He told them that it was enough, it was time to go. The others disembarked the carriage and came to join him at his side. There was a moment of pause when Julia tried to comprehend what they would do next.

When they killed Mr Baker, it was almost a complete surprise to her.

Julia was so horrified by the sight of blood exploding from his head, spraying the coach with his flesh and grey matter she barely had time to scream before they turned the gun on Mr Henderson. What she could not do, Mrs Henderson was able to produce in a loud and piercing scream that seemed to fill the world. Birds were startled out the trees, frightened by the sound of violence. Mr Henderson took a bullet to the head and had no time to utter a cry as it tore through his head and took away his life before he even hit the dirt.

Mrs Henderson was hysterical by the time the leader did the same thing to her. The shrill cry cut short by the eruption of gunfire. The kill was almost execution in style, with one bullet to the head. Julia had been around enough guns in her life to know that the shots were not random. She had little more than a moment to spare when she saw that gun move in her direction before she cried out in desperation.

"Wait!" she called out, gambling her life on the most fragile of all enchantments.

He paused, if only because he was curious as to what she would say.

"I'll do anything if you leave me alive" she reached for the hair perched upon her head and removed the pin holding it in place. Copper coloured hair fell around her shoulders as her fingers moved to the high buttoned blouse she was wearing. Her fingers trembled as she loosened them and watched the reaction of the men before her. By now, she released enough buttons for them to have a clear picture of what she was offering. The leader's eyes met hers, and she knew with certainty he would take the bait.

Slowly, she removed her gloves as he came forward, the others were watching with leering eyes while their guns were aimed at her direction. He buried his face in her chest, and she tried to quell the revulsion at feeling his lips tasting her skin. Her eyes were fixed on the bodies before her, so she knew what she risked was far more than her dignity.

Suddenly, hoofbeats could be heard in the distance. The noise was loud and fast approaching them. The leader recoiled, raising to shoot when suddenly, he realized his bandana had slipped off his face in his moment of lust. Julia saw that he was a young man, clean-shaven, no more than twenty-five, with dark hair and sharp blue eyes. He raised his gun to shoot when the others hurrying to their horses, barked at him to get moving.

She saw the confusion on his face as he tried to decide what to do, while the thundering horses in the distance became visible. With a look she could only describe as anguish, he turned and fled...

For the delicate sensibilities of those present, Julia sanitised certain events in the telling of the tale.

This was really starting to turn into a bad idea.

Unfortunately, by the time Alex Styles made this discovery, it was far too late to turn back, and she was not prepared to face the embarrassment of admitting to Vin Tanner she might have made a mistake. Perhaps it was not so wise setting out from Four Corners to render aid to Agnes since at the moment, Agnes might be in a better situation than the one Alex and Vin found themselves.

While they were crossing the Badlands, the temperatures had soared so high it was almost stifling to breathe the warm air in their lungs. Once they spanned its expanse, Vin noticed a sudden shift in the wind, and by the time they reached Whiskey Creek, he predicted a change of weather was coming.

After a short interlude at the waterway, Alex was eager to continue their journey, even though Vin was becoming increasingly worried about the dark clouds in the sky. She didn’t share his concern, since the grey skies, so commonplace in England and cooling air, served to make the journey more hospitable in comparison to what it had been earlier. However, by the time they reached the foot of the Black Peak Mountains, it began to dawn on Alex what Nathan meant about the terrain being treacherous.

Alex spent most of her life in carriages, as was the custom for women in the Old World. Riding like this was a relatively new experience, and she had not been forced to test her skills to the fullest until this moment.  She also knew Vin was conscious of this point and saw him keeping a close eye on her as they started up the steep incline. The track meandering through the dense growth barely allowed space for a horse and rider, let alone Agnes's wagon. She wondered how the old woman did it.

It made matters even worse, those harmless grey clouds overhead soon evolved into a raging thunderstorm that battered them relentlessly with huge raindrops that soon became sheets of water pouring from the heavens above.

Vin kept glancing over his shoulder at Alex in concern because it was plain she was having trouble staying on Calliope. With the terrain the way it was, if she were to fall, she could injure herself severely. He could tell she was afraid, but her stubborn pride was keeping that fear silent. Vin considered his options before finally addressing the issue.

"I think you should ride with me.”

"Ride with you?" she looked at him uncertainly. "Why?"

"Calliope is making me nervous," Vin produced a lie she would accept without thinking he was casting aspersions on her ability. "I don't think she's handled this kind of track before. When a horse gets skittish like this, they're liable to throw the rider off. This ain't the place for you to take a tumble."

Alex could not disagree with him as she examined the treacherous slope on either side of the trail, obstructed by shrubs, trees and the occasional rock protruding from the shale ground. She did not relish the injuries she would sustain if Calliope did indeed do what Vin feared. Alex knew her inexperience would keep her from remaining in the saddle if the horse displayed such behaviour.

"What about Calliope?" she felt a little more anxious than she would like to admit. 

"I'll tether her to Peso and just lead her along." Vin offered as he brought the gelding to a stop in the middle of the track. He looked up into the sky and could see neither cloud nor sky. The whole world above was nothing more than a canvas of grey raining down upon him. He climbed off the horse and felt his foot sink a little into the muddy ground.

Behind him, Alex followed suit. The riding cloak she’d put back on when it started raining, now hung off her like a blanket of water.

Vin stared for a moment, taking note of just how soaked she was since the shirt she wore was now plastered to her skin, leaving nothing to the imagination. Vin shook the effects of the tantalising image from his mind and returned his attention to her horse.

The whole procedure took a few minutes, and when Calliope was finally tethered behind Peso, Vin climbed back onto the animal and offered his hand to Alex as she climbed up to him. It took a further few seconds for Alex to position herself comfortably behind him before she slid her arms around his waist.

The moment he felt her arms around him and the weight of her chest pressed against his back, Vin realised just how bad an idea this was. He froze, feeling her warm breath against his ear, the sensation magnified because they were both wet and cold and naturally drawn to the heat of each others bodies.

"Come on Peso," he urged the horse forward as he reminded himself to concentrate on getting her to the Doherty place and ignore any stirrings inside him that could become downright uncomfortable if he wasn’t careful.

Alex said nothing as she held on, but that awareness of him invaded her senses. She tried to ignore the delightful smell of him so near, and the taut muscles of his stomach as she hung onto him, knowing with every fibre of her being she ought not to be feeling such things. It was wrong. It was carnal desire because of their closeness that is all. Alex explained away the reaction was purely physical, almost scientific.

This was what came of keeping Ezra at arm’s length and no doubt once she and Vin returned to Four Corners, everything would be normal again. All this was, was the rain and cold, she told herself firmly. Nothing to do with Vin Tanner at all.

Except her stomach was fluttering again.

When Vin and Alex finally arrived at the homestead, they were not only soaked to the skin but chilled to the bone. There was no light to welcome their arrival, and the whole place seemed so quiet it sang a foreboding note. The house was not very big, and it was difficult to see the lay of the land in the pitch-black darkness. Thankfully, Vin had an excellent night vision.

"Stay where you are," he ordered as he climbed off the horse.

"You will not get any argument from me," Alex replied, feeling very tense with all the darkness around her. Was it possible Agnes was hurt or dead? Why were there no lights?

"That's a change.”

"You are funny," she rolled her eyes.

Vin soon became little more than a vague shape walking towards the outline of the house. She could hear the trees rustling in the distance and listened to what she guessed might be the sound of a shutter banging against the window. She swallowed thickly feeling a little anxious.

As he kept walking, Alex called out, "Mr Tanner?"

"Yeah?" he turned, reaching the front door.

"Talk to me, would you? I'm not my best in the dark."

"I think you'd do just fine in the dark."  

Even if she couldn’t see it, Alex knew he was grinning.

"Will you just go find Agnes!" Alex groaned in exasperation. After the ride they had just taken together, his flirtations were getting on her nerves.

“Going" he chuckled and twisted the doorknob before gaining entry into the house which was little more sizeable than a cabin.

Alex heard the door swing open and his footsteps as he disappeared through the entrance. There were a few seconds when she lost sight of him entirely and could hear nothing but the hooting of owls and thunder clapping in the night. She told herself he was quite capable and nothing could possibly happen to him inside a house. 

Even if it was a house belonging to a frail and helpless old woman, still missing and potentially incapable of stopping anything from harming her if it set its mind on doing so.

In fact, the more Alex travelled along that line of thought, she realized it could be watching her right now, using the sound of pouring rain to mask its approach towards her, having waited until Vin was far enough away to...

"Alex.”

Alex jumped out of the saddle at the sound of Vin's voice and slipped unceremoniously off Peso thanks to the slick leather of the seat. Vin caught her before she hit the ground, but the unexpected weight tipped him over, and they both landed on the wet earth.

"Really Vin! Must you just sneak up on me! You scared me half to death!” She growled as she picked herself up off him.

"You know," he grumbled standing up, feeling just as cold and miserable as she was.  “It would be a lot easier if you'd just admit this was a bad idea."

"Agnes was in trouble!" 

"Well she ain't here!" he snapped, feeling his ire surge as well. They were out in the middle of nowhere, caught in a storm because she was too pig-headed to consider the possibility that Agnes may have left for some other destination.

"What do you mean she's not here?" Alex snapped as she swept past him and made her way to the house.

"I'm telling you, she ain't in the house!" Vin repeated himself as he followed her. "It doesn't look like anyone has been here! Did you ask around town before you decided to come out here?"

Alex froze in her steps. She turned around slowly and looked at him. Well in his direction at least. It was still very dark.

“It never occurred to me...." she realised with dismay. “Agnes always comes to see me when she's in town."

The words died in her throat because she had not anticipated that the old woman might have returned to Four Corners. Of course, it was possible but unlikely because Agnes was very set in her ways. Still, her habits were not set in stone.

"That's just great!" Vin was visibly angry at being dragged out here without her checking all the possibilities. "So as far as we know, Agnes could be living it up in the hotel in Four Corners?"

"I suppose," Alex bit her lip guiltily, feeling somewhat ashamed and unable to refute his anger because he was entirely justified. She had not checked, and she should have. Now they were in the middle of nowhere, a day's ride from Four Corners and stuck with each other!

Could it get any worse?

"Well, that's it," Vin throwing up his hands in surrender and exasperation. "I'm going in there to get dried off and warm. Are you coming?"

“Obviously. I'm not going to stay out here."

"Good," he grunted as he strode past her. "We're going to have to spend the night."

Alex stared as she watched him go.

Yes, it could get a good deal worse.

Julia slept alone.

Not only was she unhappy to be without company in her hotel room, worse yet it was not Buck Wilmington’s presence she craved. The man had been at her side all night while Ezra withdrew to his saloon, where he was no doubt waiting for the return of his precious doctor.

For some reason, he no longer wanted the responsibility of guarding her, and it was a task Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne was eager to take on in his absence. Julia felt the sting of rejection for the first time in her life and came to the firm conclusion she did not at all like it.

She tossed and turned in her sheets, knowing there was no reason for her to be enduring the night in solitude. All she needed to do was crook her finger, and Buck Wilmington would be more than happy to oblige. He was mildly attractive and had all the indications of being an exciting lover if she chose to allow him the pleasure. Except there was only one problem.

She wanted Mr Standish.

In her entire life, she had never had a man say no to her advances, no matter how overt she behaved. Not only did he reject her favours, but he also acted as if she were a sheet of transparent glass, to be seen through with absolute ease. She knew he was aware of her as a woman because not even his nonchalance could hide his reactions to her. However, his desire was tempered with the knowledge of what she was, and that kept him away from her. Julia had known him for less than a day, but already she was more intrigued by the gambler than any man she had ever met in her life.

She knew she could break down his defences, provided his doctor stayed away from town a few more days.

Tomorrow, she would move her belongings to the home of Mary Travis to stay until the outlaws were caught. For the moment, Chris Larabee believed she would be safe in the hotel. Knowing Ezra was more vigilant than Buck in her presence, the gunslinger appointed both of them to guard her during the night. Thus both Ezra and Buck took a room at the hotel and were no more than two doors down from her bedroom. 

Chris doubted that anyone would make an attempt on her life so soon, but he wanted to take no chances. Although it was quite apparent that nothing she did would ever turn the gunslinger's head from the formidable Mrs Travis, Julia had come to possess a healthy respect for him. She had no doubt he would find those outlaws eventually. It was just a matter of time.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a doorknob twisting through the continuous pitter-patter of rain against the ceiling. She sat up immediately, wondering if it was Buck showing more backbone than she believed he possessed by attempting a midnight dalliance. She would not mind his attentions really since it appeared sleep was not forthcoming, and she needed to release the pent up desires inspired by Ezra Standish.

Besides, it might even prove mildly entertaining.

As the crack of the door widened, Julia lay back in bed, rolling onto her side as she removed her nightgown and tossed it aside in anticipation of the man's arrival. However, it opened just wide enough for her to see a gun barrel making its appearance instead of a man. It took a few seconds to register the danger before the gun discharged. Julia let out a short squeal of fear, rolling off the bed onto the floor with a loud thud as the bullet tore through the pillow where her head would have been. Feathers and cotton erupted from the burnt fabric, drifting through the air as he cocked his weapon and fired.

Julia screamed again as the second gunshot was heard, this time it shattered a window and created a spray of glass on the floor. She cringed further beneath the cover of her bed, trying to think where she had kept the derringer and realizing with dismay it was in the trunk on the other side of the room. Missing a second time, the shooter did not bother to make another attempt as the pounding of approaching footsteps signalled the arrival of her guardians from down the hall. Julia let out a sigh of relief, hearing their impending arrival while scrambling for her nightgown.

"You check on Miss Pemberton!" She heard Buck cry out as he ran past her room, continuing down the corridor in pursuit of the assassin who almost ended her life. Julia thanked God she had been unable to sleep, knowing that had the murderer caught her unawares, she would be dead by now.

"Julia!" Ezra called as he burst through the doors. Ezra's eyes searched the room and feared the worst when he saw feathers and cotton floating across the bed and floor from the punctured pillow.

Julia stood up to show she was unharmed while at the same time slipping her nightgown over her naked form. When she pulled the fabric over her head, she observed Ezra who was barefoot and wearing only pants with an unbuttoned shirt hanging loosely from his muscled body. He let out a sigh of exasperation at the sight of her undress before remarking sarcastically. 

"I was going to ask if you were alright, but somehow a more important question just came to mind."

"Really?" she asked, trying to sound brave, but the attempt on her life had shaken her as she climbed over the bed to avoid the broken glass on the floor. "What would that be?"

"Do you always sleep in the nude?" he asked, seemingly annoyed even as his eyes were moving up and down her body, revealing his interest was more than just curiosity.

"I thought it was Buck!"

"Well naturally that explains everything," Ezra deadpanned and then asked in a more serious tone. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she said, hugging her body as she felt the slight chill in the air. "I'm fine." She could not tell if it was because of the temperature or the experience she had just endured. Julia sauntered towards Ezra until she was standing inches away from him. "I would have preferred it to have been you." 

Ezra almost threw up his hands in exasperation.

"Please, do not embarrass yourself." He started towards the door, suddenly feeling like he needed to help Buck.

"Embarrass!" She exclaimed in outrage. "Why can't you admit you want me? I could be your greatest experience. I could be the one to tell your grandchildren about!”

Ezra's expression was unfathomable. "I have no affections for you, Miss Pemberton. I have been charged to protect you because it is my duty to do so. Nothing else."

"It's wouldn’t be so bad," she purred as she approached him. "I will still respect you in the morning."

Ezra felt her soft skin against his own and immediately felt unspoken desires flare up inside him. However, he forced them aside ruthlessly because he was not going to betray Alexandra Styles, no matter how much of a temptation Julia Pemberton was proving to be. It was bad enough he recognized a kindred spirit in those amazing emerald eyes, but now she was offering herself to him, and Ezra was only human after all.

God, he wished Alexandra were here.

"Get dressed. We need to find you some other accommodation. This establishment is obviously not safe after this recent intrusion."

At that moment, he saw Buck walking down the hallway. Buck’s return indicated he was unsuccessful at capturing Julia's would-be assassin. Ezra swore under his breath, knowing this was just the first of these attempts. While Julia lived, the killer risked exposure, and that was good enough reason in Ezra's opinion to remain vigilant protecting her. Buck swiped the wet hair from his face, and it looked like he was soaked to the bone in his long johns.

"He got away," Buck announced unhappily. "Varmint had a horse waiting for him."

"I am the last one to question a gamble, but this attempt has a hint of desperation in it. After all the outlaws' efforts to remain anonymous, I am surprised they made such a foolhardy attempt."

"Is she alright?" Buck asked, itching to enter the room to see for himself.

"As well as she can be" Ezra grumbled unable to hide the chagrin in his voice which Buck immediately picked up on. "We need to remove her from the premises."

Buck nodded in agreement. "Damn that was fast. How did word get to them so fast she was here?"

Ezra could not answer that question and had a feeling that Chris was right. This was more than just about a robbery. The problem was if it was not about theft, then what was it about?

Chapter Three
Forces of Nature

It was quite possibly the most uncomfortable night Vin Tanner ever spent anywhere.

This included the time he was thrown into a Mexican jail in the heat of summer with two drunks who threw up repeatedly throughout the night, and then wallowed in their vomit while they slept. Vin remembered the foul stench that almost made him beg for a hanging as the sound of flies buzzing around the piles of regurgitated mucus, hounded him into the night.

This was slightly worse than that.

The trip to the property was difficult enough with the constant arguments and the heavy tension of unspoken attraction between them despite Vin's refusal to act on it, or Alex's tenacity for self-denial. The idea of spending an entire night with her, in the same room, since Agnes's cabin gave them no privacy, both terrified and excited him at the same time. Vin Tanner did not want to be in this predicament, and he was sure by now neither did Alexandra Styles.

After they entered the cabin and Vin lit a lamp to illuminate the room, Alex realized just how difficult the next few hours were going to be. Although she was committed to her courtship with Ezra Standish, she found Vin compelling in a way that was becoming difficult to ignore the more time she spent alone with him. Her feelings laid in wait for weeks now, simmering under the surface, like the depths of that creek where this began.

Obviously, Richard Doherty's dream of gold never matured since the cabin was barely functional. There was a wood floor, and the room had a stone fireplace on one end and a bed on the other. A round dining table with chairs stood before the stone hearth and a small space for cooking. It was confining enough to ensure Vin and Alex would be very aware of each other with absolutely no room for escape.

Alex still felt a little strange using the cabin without Agnes’s permission. Even though there was little choice in the matter, she felt uncomfortable about trespassing in someone’s home. Agnes might not appreciate the intrusion. Then again if Agnes were to appear and threw them both out, Alex would not mind either.

Vin could tell Alex was uncomfortable by the way she was pacing the floor while he was trying to light a fire. Agnes left plenty of wood in the wood box next to the fireplace leading Vin to conclude her trip if she did indeed leave for Four Corners as he suspected, was a hasty one. He hoped the woman was alright.

Occasionally, Vin would catch a glimpse of the doctor glancing at him with a look in her eyes devoid of her usual defiance. In fact, she looked nothing like the confident, no-nonsense woman capable of sewing up flesh like he darned his stocks. Instead, she reminded him of a young deer, skittish and afraid of every sound. Vin wondered if he did not frighten her a little. Although he pretended not to notice, Vin could see her shivering in her clothes and worked harder to get the fire going.

"We're going to have to get dry," Vin commented after the kindling caught alight. The twigs quickly ignited the heavier logs, wrapping tongues of amber flame around the bark as the fire began its work. Within minutes, he was savouring the feel of the heat radiating from the roasting pieces of wood, deciding this moment would only be fully complete if there were coffee to accompany it since he could use a cup about right now.

"I know," Alex agreed, aware if they did not get out of their wet clothes, they were in real danger of becoming ill. Somehow on top of everything else taking place today, being held up here for days to recover from a nasty cold was not an experience she wanted to endure. She needed to return home as soon as possible, away from this place, and more importantly, away from him . As it was, the idea of being trapped here in this cabin for the whole night was making her anxious. "We're going to catch something if we stay in these clothes much longer."

"I have some fresh clothes in my saddlebag. What about you?"

"This is it." Alex frowned, gesturing to her wet clothes while feeling supremely foolish for not bringing extra garments with her. At the time, she really thought she’d be back in a day and felt ridiculously stupid by that misjudgement.

Vin was sure she was blushing but did not press the point because the situation was awkward enough as it was.

"We'll think of something later," he muttered before excusing himself to go tend to the horses.

The tracker stepped out onto the porch, taking a breath of the damp night air. Now more than ever, he wished Nathan had found someone else to escort Alex to this place. Someone safe and reliable like Josiah or Chris, anyone but him. How was he going to manage the entire night with her alone?

Vin stepped from under the porch and let the rain wet his skin, cooling the heat of his turbulent emotions. Even when he was with Charlotte, Vin never felt anything remotely like this. Vin knew what it was like to want someone, but this was the first time he ever hungered for them. He stood under the rain, allowing the water and the wind to sweep his mind into a calmer state of being. It ran down his face, allowing Vin to taste its refreshing moisture in his throat before he released a deep breath.

He could do this.

The barn lay in the distance, and although Vin did not wish to make the walk across the muddy track, he was unprepared to leave Peso and Calliope out in the open to endure such inhospitable weather. He led both the horses into the barn and noticed with a frown; there was no wagon in sight, or any horse to pull it. The stables appeared empty, and upon further investigation, Vin learnt the most recent spores were a few days old. With rising annoyance, Vin was now almost certain Agnes Doherty was either in Four Corners or in some other town. Wherever she was now, the old lady left some time ago.

Cursing silently to himself, he retrieved his saddlebags and realized on his way back, he should have asked her if there was anything she wanted from her own. Bristling at the thought they made this journey for no good reason, and were now stranded here for the night was just intense enough for Vin to not really care. Besides, the woman didn’t even bring a change of clothing with her! With that in mind, he doubted she had anything in her saddlebags that would be of any real use tonight, and since there was only one bed, Vin thought it wise to bring his bedroll with him. 

Before he started entertaining ideas that would get him into any more trouble than he already was. 

The first thing he noticed upon returning to the cabin was the pleasant smell of piping hot coffee. The aroma tantalised his nostrils, filling every corner of the cabin when he came through the door. The next thing Vin noticed after that initial enchantment was Alex was making it, and she was doing it wearing nothing but a blanket over her wet undergarments. Her clothes were hanging neatly across a chair in front of the fire and Vin could only stare as he saw the enticing sheen of her damp hair against her bronzed shoulders.

She caught the expression on his face and the unmistakable desire in his eyes. Her cheeks flushed with heat at the unexpected reaction before she recovered enough to respond, wishing to propel him past the moment. "Would you like some coffee?"  

"Yeah," he said quickly, trying to hide what was so apparent on his face. "It might just make up for all the hell you've put me through today."

He came forward and accepted a cup from her while Alex took up position next to the fire, kneeling close enough so her face was bathed with the amber glow.

"You are never going to let me live this down are you?"

"No,” he wasn’t about to lie to her about that. “Especially since it looks like Agnes has up and gone away," he downed a mouthful of coffee, allowing it to warm him inside on its way to his belly.

"What do you mean?" She looked at him hard, hating the triumph in his voice.

"I mean her wagon and horse are gone," he exclaimed, remembering how annoyed he was to be in this untenable situation for no good reason at all.

"I'm sorry to inconvenience you," Alex huffed, rising to her feet with great dignity while clutching the blanket around her as if it were protecting more than just her virtue. "I thought she was in trouble."

"You thought wrong.”

"Look," she glared at him, really upset now, "I didn't need you to come out with me."

"I didn't need me to come out with you either," he rose to his full height and stared down at her. "But it wouldn't be so bad if you could just admit this was a bad idea." 

Vin wondered if she had any idea what kind of position she placed him in with her impulsiveness. Vin did not want to be alone with her, where her very presence taunted him with such desire he could barely think, and yet were he to succumb to it, he would end up betraying a friend.

Alex stared at him, her eyes blazing. "Never.”

This was a bad idea, and Alex knew it, but she was not about to tell Vin or let him know she felt the same way. He was unbearable enough knowing she had dragged them into this mess, but to admit defeat before him as well, that was even worse. Thanks to her, they were now trapped in this cabin until morning at least, far away from home and about to kill each other. She was prepared to admit responsibility. She just was not ready to do it to him .

Just like at the creek, Alex suddenly realised Vin was standing only inches away from her. She could smell the musk of his wet buckskins, and the scent of his skin taunted her. She stared into the depths of his blue eyes.  Once again, he was taking her in with that same unreadable expression that so mesmerized her at Nettie’s. This was wrong, and she knew it, but he smelled so damn good it was impossible to pull away.  

Drawn to each other in a bruising kiss, its power over them was near total. 

When Alex’s confusion gave away to consent, the growl of urgency escaping Vin made her lips part for him like a sensuous flower. With hungry pleasure, she savoured his tongue probing past her lips, stroking the inside of her mouth. He tasted her like she was something beautiful and exotic. Lost in the yearning for him, Alex felt her cheek caressed the stubble on his face, as his lips took from her everything they wanted.

Vin moved his hand across hers, sliding over her fingers gently to coax them into releasing the blanket held between them like a shield. When she relaxed her grip and let the coarse fabric slip to the ground, Vin tugged at the thin straps holding her camisole over her shoulders. His mouth was still on hers when he swept away the lace to bask in the glorious sight of perfectly formed breasts. Seeing them bare and ready to the touch undid his control. Kissing her again, his palms engulfed her nipples with hard caresses.

"Oh Christ," Vin mumbled in her ear as his fingers enclosed their softness and felt the distinct nub of taut flesh, making him groan with craving. “Alex…”

"Vin," she whispered, but the words died in her throat as his mouth slid down her neck.

Vin was holding her shoulders carefully as he worked his way down her neck so she would not squirm away. The feel of erect nipples rubbing against his shirt was making him wild with hunger. Vin's mind was so far away at the moment, he could scarcely believe this urge to take her was coming from inside him. Even with Charlotte, there was some measure of control, some restraint to keep him  centred on what he was doing.

Wit Alex, his desire was all-consuming, his passion was like a force of nature sweeping him away. All of her was much better than he imagined. Her scent, her taste and her touch brought out in him a raw craving for her he never dreamed existed. As his mouth took one tight nipple past his teeth, Vin heard her whimper softly as she arched further into his mouth. God, he wanted her so much...

Suddenly, Alex shoved him away violently and ran out the door before he knew what was happening.

It took a moment for Vin to get past the throbbing haze of raw desire to realize she had run from him. The door was wide open as he stumbled outside after her, trying to ignore the physical discomfort at the abrupt end of his intense arousal. Alex had not gone very far, she was only a few feet away from the door, letting the rain soak into her skin.

He knew she was crying even before she turned around to look him in the eye.

She stood upright, covering herself as best she could with her arms, an expression of intense shame etched in her face. The sight of it drove a stab of pain through Vin's heart when he finally understood without her having to speak,why she had pulled away.

"I'm sorry Vin," she wept softly. "I want you so much it hurts, but this isn’t right. I made promises to Ezra, and I can’t just disregard it!"

Alex wasn’t stupid. She knew perfectly well what would happen if what went between them continued. Alex understood the friendships of the seven, the bonds forged between these men who were like brothers. From Ezra to Nathan, she cared about them, cared about the women who loved them and knew if she did this, she would be the cause of a fracture that might never be repaired.

Vin tried to hide the anguish in his face and thought he did quite an admirable job of it. Of course, she was right. He valued Ezra's friendship too much to throw it away like he almost certainly would if he made love to her. Vin was not willing to steal another man's love again. He learned that much from Charlotte.

"Come inside," Vin said evenly, trying not to show how much this hurt him but understanding he had brought this partly on himself. He made the first move. "I promise I won't do anything."

She nodded slowly, fearing nothing of the sort from him because he was an honourable man and no matter what she might tell herself later, Alex knew Ezra would never make her feel the way Vin did.

*****

The following morning saw not the rising of the sun but the continuing fall of rain.

The Territory was accustomed to enduring worse weather than this in its time, so a hard fall rain was considered little more than a staple of the season. Usually, it would be tolerated with little more than a shrug by its inhabitants as one of those things that came with living in the Territory. Except this time, with everything taking place around him, Chris Larabee really wished it would clear up.

While Chris was confident Vin could handle almost anything thrown at him, he was unable to deny the concern he felt by the prolonged absence of the tracker. Chris was reaching the point where he would be unable to simply shrug off the situation, but that moment had yet to arrive.

With the attempted murder of Julia Pemberton the night before, it was apparent the threat he perceived was not a product of his imagination. He believed the attempt was inevitable even if he did not expect it to arrive so soon. The young lady spent the night at Mary's, but it left a great deal to be desired as a hiding place. Most people knew Mary's connection to the seven, not to mention to him personally, and it would not take a great leap of deduction to guess Julia would take refuge in her home.

Fortunately, it was Mary who finally produced a solution by offering the use of the old Travis place. Since the fire that almost killed Chris and Billy when the discovery of her husband's killer had come to light, Mary conducted enough repairs to ensure it was habitable. She intended to rent it out for extra income since she had no intention of ever living there again.  

While Julia did not appreciate the idea of being moved so far out of town, she accepted her life was under real threat after the attempt the night before. Much of her annoyance was due to her impatience to begin work on restoring the Emporium. Still, Chris was adamant she remained under protection since she was her only link to the murderers.

Besides, he never really liked that Emporium anyway.

"It's not much," Mary confessed as the two women arrived at the property that afternoon escorted by Chris, Josiah and Ezra. Buck and JD were making the rounds through town, trying all their contacts again, now they were armed with new information about one of the men they were hunting.

Obviously, the killer knew Julia would be taken to Four Corners, but Chris was surprised he would risk coming into town so soon after the robbery and murders. It indicated to Chris there was some importance attached to him not being identified, beyond the obvious fear of capture. If he was desperate enough to come into town, then maybe he was desperate enough to make a mistake. In either case, Chris was leaving no stone unturned.

"It will do Mrs Travis," Julia remarked politely, even though the place did look primitive. She supposed this sort of rustic dwelling was typical of country homes. Considering it was a good idea to keep in the woman's good graces, Julia resisted the urge to tell Mary how she really felt.

"I have tried to keep the place up since the fire," Mary explained as they pulled their cloaks tighter before making the dash from the wagon to the front porch to avoid the rain. "But I really must confess I have personal reasons for not coming here more often."

Mary and Julia trudged over the muddy ground, raising their skirts high enough to avoid getting dirty before arriving on the porch.

"Why don't you sell it?" 

"I thought about it, but I decided I would keep it for my son Billy. This is his home too, and while I find it difficult to be here, he may not." Mary let her gaze sweep across the spread and felt a tinge of sadness when she remembered how Steven loved this place. They had ridden across the area, searching for the perfect home to raise their family when they came across this patch of earth with its trees and green grass, falling in love with it at once.

"I'm sorry," Julia said automatically, detecting the grief in the widow's eyes. "I appreciate your hospitality," she remarked, realizing now how difficult it must be for Mary Travis to be here.

She was starting to understand Ezra's sentiment towards these people, even if he seemed in every way the scoundrel. It was not the security of a home or his precious Alexandra that kept Ezra bound to Four Corners, it was the camaraderie of the people around him. He wanted to belong, and Julia supposed she could understand that too.

It led Julia to the understanding if she wanted him, she would have to become a part of his world.

"Well it can't be a good endorsement of Four Corners to be caught in such awful circumstances," Mary continued speaking, oblivious to Julia's thoughts at this moment. "Here you are choosing to invest in the local area and have all this happen to you. It was the least I could do."

"Well, thank you," she was genuinely touched as Chris and Josiah emerged from the house.

"Is everything alright?" Mary asked the gunslinger. The lawmen made a quick inspection of the place, making sure it was fit for Julia's use.

"Seems to be," Chris said shortly. "We've made sure there's plenty of firewood and supplies for the next two days. We'll be taking turns keeping watch on you."

"Including Buck?" Mary could not resist teasing him on this point, and even Julia had to chuckle slightly.

Chris gave Mary a look. “No.”

Buck would be too distracted by Miss Pemberton's charms to be an effective watchdog. The men who robbed the stage did not believe in taking prisoners as their actions so far proved. As sure as he was about Buck, the man lost all good sense when it came to women. Buck's attention was prone to wander in the presence of a pretty face, and Chris was not putting him in a position to get his head blown off, as well as the person he was charged to protect.

"I need him to go to Purgatory, maybe see if anyone matching Miss Pemberton's description has blown in since Vin left."

"I wonder how Vin's doing," Josiah said in that deep voice of his while peering over the porch to take note of the rain that showed no signs of abating. The wind was picking up again, and around them, the trees were swaying back and forth from the rising gale. It only brought home to them the missing friends who should have been home by now.

"Considering he and Alex are together, probably not well," Mary laughed and then turned to Julia to explain the joke. "They don't exactly get along."

"That's putting it mildly" Josiah sighed. "Even if he were shot to pieces, bleeding to death and strung by his toenails, he would still rather have Nathan fix him up instead of Doctor Styles."

"You know," Julia found herself commenting, "there's a fine line between love and hate."

From an outsider's point of view, it was evident something was happening between Alexandra Styles and Vin Tanner, Ezra had no idea about. The gambler at this moment was riding along the perimeter of the property, ensuring no one had seen them arrive.  

"I hope it's not that fine." Chris frowned, hoping her observation was wrong, but her offhand comment hit home.

Vin had a history of reaching for unattainable women. Charlotte came to mind most prominently. Even though the relationship had disaster written all across it from the very beginning, Vin plunged in headfirst, utterly oblivious to the consequences to himself and to Charlotte. Of course, the others were perfectly aware Charlotte was using the tracker. Her unhappiness with her husband made Vin's sensitivity an attractive alternative, and it still angered Chris to know the hurt she caused Vin when it finally ended.

While Vin never confessed to having any feelings for Alex Styles, not that he would talk to Chris anyway, the gunslinger was forced to admit he did get very vocal around her. Watching Vin and Alex battle it out was sometimes reminiscent of his arguments with Mary. God, he hoped it was not that reminiscent because like Charlotte, Alex belonged to someone else.

"Amen to that," Josiah said, thinking the same thing. 

Mary did not want to remain at the property for too long, so she and Chris returned to Four Corners while Josiah and Ezra began the first watch. The two men immediately began playing cards, an enterprise that bored Julia to no end. She walked through the house, being driven mad by the incessant fall of rain dogging her arrival at Four Corners. She wanted to be in the town where she could begin work on her emporium and make a start on the new life she fled Philadelphia to begin.

She lapsed into silence, lamenting the fact she had run from Philadelphia to be free of one man only to become imprisoned by another.

"You seem awfully quiet my dear," Ezra remarked, noticing her pace the floor like a caged cat. Somehow the analogy suited her. Despite the fact he appeared wholly fixed on the hand before him, Ezra noticed her movements across the floor. When she was quiet and not flirting shamelessly, Ezra was able to see the beauty that undoubtedly brought so many men to their knees. Yet there was also strength in her, and Ezra suspected it was mettle underestimated because Julia was so beautiful. He wondered why she fled from her past. Although she had confessed to no such thing, he knew she was running.

She had the manner of someone who did not want to look behind her.

"I am just thinking about your robberies."  

"It's a bad business" Josiah commented. "They've killed women and children, old and young. There doesn't seem to be any set pattern."

"Yes," she nodded, unafraid of speaking about such grisly business. After seeing the deaths up close, very little could shock her. "It seems extremely random, and like overkill."

Ezra turned to her sharply, as if she had said something important, but for the life of him, he could not understand why. For a few seconds, he said nothing as the thought moved around his head, trying to find substance. Finally, it slipped away completely and whatever was left was only an uncomfortable taste in his mouth he could not quite fathom.

"So, where are you from Miss Pemberton?" Josiah asked since the silence in the room was making the atmosphere somewhat awkward.

Ezra watched her for a reaction because it was the one subject Julia seemed reluctant to discuss, her origins before arriving at Four Corners. Suddenly, almost as if it were a mask she was slipping over her features, Julia produced a persona capable of handling Josiah’s inquiry convincingly. It was almost entertaining to watch, Ezra thought. 

"I am from Pennsylvania." Julia approached the duo before settling into one of the empty chairs to observe their card game for something to do.

"You came out here all on your own?" Josiah said with surprise, because she was really a young woman, despite her looks. It did not seem proper for a young lady of her breeding to come to such a frontier place like the Territory.

"I had to. My father had this odd idea I should be married." 

Julia saw no reason to hide that part of her past. If they had no names to trace, her privacy was still ensured. Besides, she liked the calm of the preacher for some reason. Surprisingly, Josiah reminded her of her father in the days before his darker impulses came to light. In the days when she still trusted him.

"Really?" Ezra found himself asking with more interest than he ought to feel.

"Yes." Julia brightened by his concern. Was Ezra jealous? She did so hope he was. "He arranged a marriage for me to this most odious man. Of course, he was rich but truly unredeemable in any shape or form. I loathed him from the moment I laid eyes on him."

"I gather you told your father you weren't going to marry this man," the preacher guessed.

"Eventually." Julia allowed herself a satisfied smile remembering the look on her father's face when she made her announcement to depart. She would have almost risked telling Packard to his face just to see his reaction. "He did not understand and decided to disown me."  

"That is unfortunate" Ezra said barely concealing his disbelief, even if he wasn’t going to expose her to Josiah. "How did you manage?"

"I had a rich aunt, who refused to see me ruined," Julia glared at him with a well-hidden scowl aware he saw right through the lie. "She left a sizeable trust at my disposal, and I heard about the opportunities to be had in the new West, I came here."

"The new West is somewhat overrated," Josiah pointed out as he finally showed Ezra his hand. "Too many folks come out this way, expecting to find streets paved with gold and then learn otherwise. I do hope your situation turns out better than those poor unfortunates."

"I don't want to find streets of gold," she replied, knowing his words were only out of concern. Julia found herself warming to the preacher and felt it necessary to justify her actions. She suspected it took quite a bit to earn this man's respect and for some reason, Julia wished to. "I just want to build something of my own that does not require me marrying wel, or having some man to look after me forever. I'm done with relying on the opposite sex for assistance." 

Then with a sweet smile, she added. "After this situation is resolved, of course.”

“Of course,” Ezra replied with a smile and wish the affection he felt for her would simply go away. 

"You ready?" Vin asked Alex as he peered through the cabin door.

"Yes," she nodded, allowing her gaze to sweep past the rustic home that was the scene of so much turmoil the night before. It had gone by quite innocently with Vin honouring his word to keep his distance, not that she ever doubted he would. The atmosphere now hung with an uneasy silence that neither was willing to break.

As she walked out, Alex pulled the door closed behind her, hoping it would not only keep away intruders but also trap the secrets within. Vin said very little to her throughout the remainder of the night. However, Alex had no doubt she was in his thoughts since he was most certainly in hers. She had no idea how she allowed things to progress as far as they had, and now was at a loss at what to do. No matter what, Alex could not ignore how Vin made her feel. She never had a lover before, but last night, if it were not for her obligations to Ezra, Vin would have been her first.

She forced all these thoughts away when she joined him outside, unable to hide from the knowledge things between them could never be the same again, not if she wanted Ezra in her life. She pulled the hood of her cloak and saw he already mounted Peso and was waiting patiently for her to do the same. Neither could meet the other's eyes because the memory was too fresh. Alex hurried past him, saying nothing as she climbed on Calliope, so eager to begin this journey back to Four Corners that she barely noticed the rain on her skin.

Right now, the most important thing in her mind was to return to Ezra and never think of what happened last night again. In time, she might let go of the guilt that would follow her whenever she looked at Vin and remember what almost was.

The effects of the terrible weather did not abate with their departure and only seemed to increase the atmosphere of unresolved tension between them as they descended the steep hills. The wind howled its protest as the horses moved slowly down the sharp incline, trying to navigate the ground of shale and rock. In some places, the shale had washed away so thoroughly the soil lay exposed until the rain invariably turned the clay into mud. As they continued down the main track, Vin was very conscious of the trees whose branches were twisted so viciously by the gale, they hung precariously over the path threatening to fall at the slightest gust.

The path had deteriorated badly, with trees uprooted and were now lying stretched across the muddy track. It concerned Vin enough to forget the night before and focus on the problem at hand. He knew it was for personal reasons they both wanted to return to Four Corners, and for the most part, Vin was the first to admit it was safer they be around their friends instead of alone. However, he was starting to see the danger in continuing. The storm was quickly turning into a calamity that could cause them serious harm if they kept going.

"Alex," he looked over his shoulder and saw her wiping wet strands of hair from her eyes as she tried to see through the rain pounding at her relentlessly. "We can't keep going."

Alex nodded, half expecting this because she was not blind to the weather. It did seem treacherous out here, and the clouds overhead showed no signs of dissipating. The storm had dug its heels in and did not appear as if it would yield for some time. While she was fearful of what else might occur between them, she would not gamble with their lives again. Had she listened to him earlier on, they would not have found themselves in the present situation.

"Is it safe to turn back?" It had been a struggle trying to reach this far. Although she did not have the expertise with the land he had, Alex knew the road, now a slick, muddy mess, was too dangerous to cross.

Vin considered the possibility. He would have preferred to find shelter somewhere and wait until the worst of it passed by, but the weather was too harsh for anything other than the sanctuary provided at Agnes Doherty's farm. However, they were also halfway down the hill by now, and it would be too difficult to backtrack. The only choice was to continue down to more solid ground. At least then they would not be in danger of taking an unfortunate tumble if the horses missed their footing.

"We'll keep going until we get to the bottom of the hill."

"Are you sure that's wise?" She swept her gaze across the somewhat treacherous terrain.

"We're more than halfway down," he nudged Peso forward. "We'll take shelter once we get down this hill."

"If you say so," Alex answered sceptically, feeling a little uneasy with the whole situation as it stood. She was afraid if Calliope slipped, she would not have the expertise to keep the horse under control and could be unseated. Alex was aware of the terrible injuries resulting from such falls.

After a moment, she nudged Calliope alongside Peso, feeling the need to clear the air. They had been avoiding any conversation for some time now, and she thought that they needed to speak of it before returning to Four Corners. "

"Mr Tanner, we need to talk."

Vin glanced sideways and said simply. "I think you can still call me Vin."

“I wish you would not make this so hard."

Vin returned her gaze with some irritation. "I ain't making anything hard. Looks to me like we said everything we needed to, last night."

Well, she could not fault him on that brilliant deduction. "I realize that, but I don't want you to think I do this sort of thing all the time. I care for Ezra."

Vin flinched slightly at her saying those words. How many times was she going to rub that in his face? He was aware of how things were. While he might not like it, Vin accepted it was how it was to be. 

"Look," he glared at her feeling a little more hostility than he intended, "you and Ezra are together . I know that. I always knew that. You don't need to explain anything or make right what happened. I reckon it's best if we just leave it be."

"Fine," she whispered softly, stung by his rebuke. Alex wanted to apologize for her behaviour, but she’d unwittingly upset him again. Digging her heels into Calliope, she sent the horse trotting forward, leaving him behind because it was apparent he was hurt. 

"Alex!" Vin called out before she got too far ahead of him. The track was unsafe as it was, without her trying to traverse it on her own. She may be an excellent doctor, but she was unskilled at reading the land or seeing the danger in the tracks.

No sooner than he spoke those words, Vin watched in horror as the ground beneath her fell away in a loud rumble. The weight of animal and rider loosened the last clumps of earth holding the trail together, and the soil tumbled free in a wall of mud. She barely managed to utter a scream as both Calliope and Alex disappeared into the wake of the landslide. The horse struggled to drag herself back to the top of the peak frantically before her weight dragged her down with the rest of the mudslide. Alex, on the other hand, was already swept downward. She disappeared in the descent of mud and earth.

Peso reared on his hind legs as he staggered backward in fright, utterly aware of what he had seen. Vin managed to stay on the horse, but he lost sight of Alex disappearing down the hill.

"ALEX!" 

His voice was almost a scream as he leapt off Peso and ran down the track, hoping she was riding the crest of the landslide and not buried under a ton of soil. If that happened, there was no way he could reach her before she suffocated.

Vin skid down the muddy incline, calling out her name but seeing nothing but ragged holes against the hill where constant erosion and water seepage had collapsed its insides. The sudden avalanche was soundless, except for a low rumble that died almost as quickly as it began. In the aftermath of the radical shift of earth, the hills returned to the sounds of wind blowing through the trees, rustling leaves and water falling pitter-patter against the ground. His heart was pounding as he felt the slippery mud beneath him, adding speed to his rapid descent.

For a moment, blind panic gripped the tracker when he could not see her. The idea she might be buried so far beneath the soil he could not reach her terrified him to the core. There was only one thing worse than knowing she would never be his, and at this moment Vin knew perfectly well what that was.

It was knowing Alex was dead .

"Alex!" he called out, feeling a cold fist tightening around his heart as he landed on the mound of wet soil that had piled in the wake of the collapse. 

Calliope was lying on her side. The mare was covered in mud and raised her head weakly as she tried desperately to rise to her feet. As Vin scrambled over the dirt towards the animal, he knew Calliope would not be able to stand again. The break in her leg was evident from where he was. Vin paused as he reached the animal, running his hand over her wet flank, hoping the touch would soothe her fear. He could see Calliope's nostrils flaring as she struggled to rise, followed by the plaintive nicker of despair when she could not. It stabbed at Vin's heart to see the animal in such torment, and knew his course was clear.

Sliding next to Calliope's head, he ran his hands over her, trying to calm her down and keep her from making another attempt to stand. She breathed easier at the feel of human contact, unaware even as Vin was trying to soothe her fears, he was reaching for the gun in his holster. He kept the weapon out of the animal's sight, moving it gently into position so Calliope would die without the fear that came before the end.

"It’s okay girl," he said quietly. "No more pain."

With that, he pulled the trigger. 

The sound exploded in the air, cutting through the fabric of all other noises with the overwhelming ability exclusive only to guns. Startled, birds flew out of the trees overhead, frightened into the rain by a sound almost as loud as a thunderclap but not quite as comforting as all things in nature tended to be. Calliope's eyes glazed over as her head dropped back into the earth, a thick rivulet of blood exuding from the entry wound as Vin drew away from the carcass.

Suddenly, he heard a weak voice and remembered Alex.

"Help." 

Vin saw an irregular shape of mud and earth heave, not too far from him. Jamming his gun back into his holster, Vin pushed himself down the slope, allowing the dirt to carry him down toward the moving shape jarred into consciousness by the sound of the gunshot. He reached Alex as her head lifted into view, followed by her arm trying hard to break free of the mud.

"Alex!" Vin grabbed the exposed arm and immediately began digging up the soil around her. She was not buried deeply at all, but the weight of mud and clay against her cloak made mobility difficult. Vin sank his fingers into its woollen fabric and yanked hard backward, splattering himself with mud as he swung it aside. Pulling her gently by the arm, Alex rolled out of the earth, coughing hard as she tried to expel the dirt in her throat. She was completely covered with mud, and her hair was stuck to her scalp in thick, grainy strands, yet Vin thought she had never looked more lovely.

"Are you hurt?" he asked as he rolled her onto his lap.

It took a moment for her to answer as she stirred from the dark nightmare of sand and mud. Vin saw no signs of broken bones or detect any blood as he held Alex, who was trembling in his arms. However, she was so covered in mud it was difficult to tell.

"No," she coughed, expelling more earth from her mouth. "Not really. My leg hurts. Am I moving my ankle?"  

"Yeah." Vin nodded worriedly, seeing her foot move. "It's moving."

"Then it's just a bad sprain," she muttered as she decided to lie perfectly still in his arms for a moment. Her head was swimming, and she felt the pain of cuts and lacerations across her arms and chest. "What happened? Did I slip?"

"No," Vin shook his head, brushing a smear of mud from her face. The raindrops were washing some of it off her skin but not enough. "Landslide."

"Oh," she nodded still quite dazed, her eyes closed. "I thought I was shot for a minute there. I thought I heard a gunshot."

"You did," Vin said sombrely. "Calliope was hurt really bad."

Her eyes opened at the understanding of what he was trying to tell her. "My horse...."

"I'm sorry, Alex," he started apologizing, hating to tell her such news after her terrifying ordeal. "Her leg was broken. It wasn't right to leave her in so much pain."

Alex looked away, trying to hide the tears that filled her eyes at the news of the mare's death. True, she was not the best rider and horses in general, tended to frighten her a bit, but Calliope was the first horse Alex ever bought herself. Mary and Inez had gone with her to the Roberts Stud in Bitter Creek to buy the animal. Alex remembered running her hands over the smooth sheen of the animal's flank and knowing with some unexplainable instinct she could get along with the mare.

"Was it quick?" She managed to ask after a while.

"I made sure it was," Vin reassured her, able to see how the loss of the mare was affecting her. He had Peso longer than he could remember, and considered the horse not just his main form of transport but a trusted companion. Peso shared Vin’s life with him when there were no other to share anything. He would feel just as devastated by the loss of that devoted animal.

"Thank you," Alex whispered and lay on his lap for a moment before struggling to sit up.

"No, you sit still for a minute," he rested a hand on her shoulder to keep her where she was. "Just catch your breath while I figure out what we're going to do next."

"Okay," she nodded, grateful he was here with her. After a moment, she spoke. "Vin?”

"Yeah?" he asked distractedly as his eyes surveyed the terrain for an alternate route down the hill. He no longer wanted to take the main track because it had been cleared of trees and lay open to the elements. Such factors allowed the rain to seep through the soil and create the calamity that almost killed Alex a moment ago. He was not risking her life like that again. He was supposed to be the best damn tracker in the Territory so if there was a safe way down this mountain, Vin Tanner was going to find it.

"Do you think horses go somewhere when they die?" She asked quietly, needing to believe Christian dogma was wrong, that animals did have a soul, and there was a paradise waiting for them at the end of their lives.

Vin looked down at her in surprise, thinking how far removed she seemed from the efficient doctor who was used to giving him orders and going off to tend all kinds of ills without fear of God and heaven. He wondered if Ezra ever saw the vulnerable side of her Vin was often fortunate enough to glimpse. The gambler never seemed to be around for those occasions because he always needed tending in some way, and it occurred to Vin she was probably so strong for that very reason.

"I reckon so," Vin answered softly. "I think there's a place for everything that lives and breathes. Just because we don't know about it doesn't mean it ain't there. We don't know where heaven or hell is meant to be either, but we still believe."

"I called her Calliope after a Muse. I always thought it was a pretty name, and she was such a beautiful horse."

"It's a pretty name."

"Vin?" she asked again, this time looking at him directly. "Is that short for Vincent?"

Vin stared at her because he honestly did not know. Before his mother died, she imparted to him he was a Tanner, specifically Vin Tanner. He was too young to remember much else about his life with her, except she sort of reminded him of Nettie Wells. There were no records or papers to contradict the claim, and he went through his life needing no proof to know he was a Tanner.

"I don't know," he shrugged, wishing now he did.

She smiled at him and touched his face. "It's a nice name too."

By the time the sun set on the day, Chris Larabee knew one thing, he was going to find Vin Tanner and Alex Styles.

He could not explain the instinct telling him they were in trouble, but he learned never to question it. True, the Doherty place was almost a full day's ride from Four Corners, but he knew Vin, and even with the rain, the tracker should have returned to town by now. With the outlaws responsible for the stage robberies and murders still at large, Chris was painfully aware of how much danger Vin and Alex could find themselves if they were to encounter these men.

With Nathan and JD taking up the watch at the Travis place, the rest of the seven were gathered in the saloon around their usual table. As usual, Buck was disappointed he was not assigned guard duty over the fair Miss Pemberton and had the strangest feeling Chris did not entirely trust him. Nevertheless, it allowed Buck to make the trip to Purgatory where he was able to meet some willing female company, as well as stumble across a vital lead on the outlaws.

"I'm telling you, Chris," Buck said with a smile as he leaned across the bar, waiting for Inez to bring his drink, "I was cooking today. By the way, Lydia says hello."

Chris frowned at the mention of the working girl he visited a few times in the past. Chris had not called on her since he and Mary started their relationship, and felt a little uncomfortable at the mention of her name. He knew Buck was just throwing that at him in payment for keeping him away from Julia Pemberton.

"Get on with it" he growled, slapping a card onto the table as a discard. He had little patience with Buck’s prattle, with Vin and Alex yet to return.

"Right," Buck continued, taking some satisfaction in his annoyance and feeling suitably vindicated. "Anyway, I met this girl, and I'm telling you she had the best..."

"About the robberies Buck!" Chris glared at him. "Jesus!"

"Okay, okay," Buck winced, trying to pacify Chris when he realized just how black a mood his friend was in. By the looks of Ezra and Josiah, the condition seemed to be catching. "You know there was a time when this used to be such a happy group."

"Maybe," Inez announced, finding time to serve him his drink now, "if you just tell them what they want to know and stop flapping your lips about your many conquests, they might be happier."

"Jealous darling?" He gave her one of his suggestive smiles. "All you gotta do is say the word."

Inez rolled her eyes in disbelief, slamming his glass down in front of him, spilling most of the white frothon the table, before sweeping away to deal with the rest of the customers. Buck sighed, knowing it was just a matter of time before she succumbed to him, but wished the wait wasn’t so long.

"Mr Wilmington." Ezra finally spoke, exuding calm even because, like the rest of them, Ezra wanted to know what Buck learned in Purgatory. He was in the same frame of mind as Chris Larabee, although he had better patience than the leader of the seven. "It would be a great help to us all if you just told us what you have discovered."

"Sure." Buck sighed, deciding that there was definitely no room for levity with this group tonight. "As I said, I was cooking tonight," he picked up his drink and came to the table. He flinched a moment at the wet around the glass and wiped his hand on his coat after setting it down again. "I ran into this working girl Elisa after I said hello to Lydia. She keeps her ears open for information while she's with her customers, tries to make money off what she can sell, so Lydia tells me."

"The throes of passion can loosen the tongue," Josiah remarked and then added. "Literally."

"Exactly, I had to pay her a couple of bits, but I managed to find out she knows this dealer who supplied horses to five men each time they went out on a job. He wouldn't say much except he knows they're up to no good because they're always after fresh horses and paying him in cash. That's why he can afford to come see her as often as he does."

It was not much of a lead, but Chris admitted it could be something. One of the reasons why it was so difficult to track these men was because they never seem to be riding the same animals. It was smart, changing mounts after each robbery. He knew how distinctive some animals could be, making it easy to identify the owners. Everyone in Four Corners knew his black gelding on sight, as well as Vin's horse Peso. "Does he have a name?"

"No." Buck frowned, wondering if that omission by Elisa was intentional or not. She claimed she did not know, but he had the feeling she was trying to coax him into paying more for the information. "But she did say he was coming back tomorrow."

"That's the first real evidence we've had since this began." Josiah looked at Chris, who had to agree with the preacher.

"Buck, you go back to Purgatory and wait this guy out," Chris said fingering his cards with mild attention to the game since his mind was singularly focussed on how they would deal with this potential lead. "When you get him, I want you to make it very clear if he doesn't tell us everything he knows, we'll take him in as an accessory to the fact."

"Can we do that?" Buck stared at Chris.

"I don't think this town is going to take to kindly to the man who supplies these bastards with their horses so they can do their killing." Chris looked at the other two men who nodded their agreement at his sinister intent. "You tell him we'll haul his ass into town and let a lynch mob deal with him."

"You're a vicious man," Buck grinned.

"But he does have an excellent feel for strategy," Ezra grinned with a slight tip of his hat to Chris in admiration, which the gunslinger returned in kind.

"In the meantime," Chris put his cards down. He couldn't concentrate on the game when there were too many other concerns on his mind at the moment. "You mind taking a ride with me Preacher?" Chris glanced at Josiah.

"Where are we going?" Josiah inquired, still looking at his own hand.

"I want to take a ride to the Doherty place" Chris confessed. "Vin and Alex should have been back by now."

"I'll come with you" Ezra suggested, glad someone was thinking along those lines other than him. He did not want to sound like the worried suitor, but with another night descending upon them and no sign of either Alexandra or Vin, Ezra could not help being concerned.

"No, I need you to stay with Julia," Chris said automatically, knowing how distracted a man worrying about a woman could be on the trail. "Besides, Nathan may need to get back to town to tend to his yellow fever cases, and JD needs someone to ride shotgun with him."

"I could do it," Buck offered enthusiastically.

"No, you can go to Purgatory," Chris said without even looking back at the man. "You got a job to do there."

"But Chris..!" he protested, sounding like a little boy.

"I don't want to hear it, Buck" Chris repeated with enough of an edge to his voice to make it count.

Buck knew the tone well enough to know it was pointless trying to change his mind. "You are really starting to cramp my style."

"You'll survive," Josiah remarked with a hint of a smile. "Besides, I get the feeling she's not interested in you Buck."

"What do you mean?" Buck demanded, horrified by the notion someone may have already obtained the young lady's affection during his absences. Even Chris stared at Josiah in surprise, while Ezra seemed more glacial than ever.

"I think she has a taste for something Southern," Josiah glanced in Ezra's direction.

"That is your imagination talking Mr Sanchez," Ezra protested immediately but knew he did not sound convincing. Josiah was correct of course, Julia wanted him and only him. While it did something to the ego to know that, considering that Alexandra was out there braving God only knew what, it made Ezra feel terribly guilty to think some other woman was vying for his attention.

"Is it?" Chris looked at him with one of those shadowy smiles. "She did ask for you specifically to guard her."

Ezra shifted in his seat. "That is not my fault." The gambler threw down his cards, disliking the tone of this conversation immensely. He was having enough difficulty with the subject of Julia Pemberton without it becoming a matter of public debate. “Mr Larabee, I feel you should omit me from guard detail."

"Can't," Chris said simply, not allowing Ezra to squirm out of it that easily. "With Vin gone and Nathan needed in town for doctoring since Alex is not here, we're pretty shorthanded."

"What is it with you?" Buck accused Ezra. "You're always getting the best ones!"

"I am not getting anything!" Ezra protested with uncharacteristic emotion. "I am not the least bit interested in the charms, or anything else for that matter, of the fair Miss Pemberton, no matter how many times she offered me her attention during the night!" 

It took a second for Ezra to realize what he had said before noticing the amused expressions on Josiah and Chris, not to mention the angry glowering on Buck's face.

"She asked you to sleep with her?"  

"I have nothing further to say." The gambler rose to his feet. "I shall ride there now and perform the task you have set for me, Mr Larabee. Would you please find Alexandra?" 

With that, Ezra stormed out of the room, leaving an air of astonishment behind.

"I knew it" Buck grumbled after he left. "This is all your fault, Chris."

Chris turned to him incredulous. "How?"

"If you didn't insist on keeping her away from me, she wouldn't have fallen into Ezra's arms. It’s bad enough he's got that pretty doctor to himself and now Miss Pemberton too? You know Chris, you ought to pay more mind to those of us who haven't found the loves of our lives. After all, you've got Mary now, so you can't appreciate the problems the rest of us have to go through." Buck was rambling, but he was genuinely disappointed to think once again, another beautiful woman had slipped out of his reach.

"Buck, just get riding to Purgatory" Chris sighed wearily, suddenly feeling he was the keeper of an insane asylum.

"Fine," Buck stood up from the table, "send me away like I'm some wayward kid."

"It would help if you stopped acting like one," the gunslinger pointed out.

"I know when I'm not wanted." Buck huffed with offence and took the same route Ezra had just taken, storming out of the saloon with Josiah and Chris staring after him. Their gazes were still fixed on the batwing doors after the tall man had left. For a long moment, neither said anything.

"You know something, Josiah?" Chris was still staring out the door as if he could see through the wood at Buck saddling his horse and preparing for his journey to Purgatory once again.

"What?"

"Thank you."

Now Josiah did turn to the gunslinger, feeling some confusion for gratitude he had not earned. "Thank you?"

"Yeah," Chris nodded, picking up his glass because he really needed a drink now, "for being the only one other than me who’s older than twelve."

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