Fifth story in the Second Chances series.

Follows Someone to Watch Over Me

Author’s Note: Thank you to LaraMee for the title collage. I love it!

"Ummmm…my dear, you are spoiling me," Ezra moaned again as her fingers slid over his back, kneading at the tight muscles.

Mary leaned forward over his back from where she sat straddling his thighs and whispered close to his ear. "You might think you are being spoiled, but I'll have you know I expect you to return the favor. After all, I'm the one who has been working the press all day."

"I will repay the kindness with interest," he promised. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he stretched his back and closed his eyes in contentment.

"Don't expect me to forget you said that," she warned. She sat back up to continue rubbing his back and shoulders. Long, slender fingers worked over the sinewy muscles and paused to knead at a particularly tense area until he was completely relaxed. A sly smile curved her lips when she noticed the goose-bumps that sprang up when she trailed one fingertip lightly up his back, starting at his waist and ending at the nape of his neck.

"I would not expect you to forget." His voice took on a sultry tone and he quivered with anticipation when he felt her fingers retrace their path. Shallow gasps mixed with a soft moan punctuated the silence of the room. "You should be considering how you would like to collect the debt." His breath caught when a sudden shiver ran through him, making it all too apparent that Mary's caresses were sending clear messages to more private parts of his body. He caught her hand when it once again reached his shoulder and pulled it forward far enough to delicately kiss each fingertip. "As much as I would love to have you continue all night, I think it is time we switched places."

"You'll get no argument from me," she said and carefully shifted to lift one leg over him so he could move. The mattress dipped from her full weight resting on one knee, throwing her off balance.

Ezra rolled over and grabbed her before she could topple over, only to pull her across his lap and claim her lips with his. When he leaned away, he looked at her intently. "What time did you say the stage is due in tomorrow?"

"Around three o'clock," she replied breathlessly.

Green eyes sparkled with mischief and he smiled knowingly. "Then there is no reason for us to have to go to sleep too early." He bent his head to nuzzle and nibble at the side of her throat and smiled against her skin when he felt a slight shudder course through her. A light flick of his tongue against her pulse spot had her arching her neck to bare more of it for his attentions.

"No, I just need to be sure… ummm… that feels nice." Mary's fingers found their own way into his thick chestnut locks and entwined themselves through the short tresses.

Strong hands leaned her back far enough to allow him to kiss his way down her throat, and on down to take one rosy nipple in his mouth. He felt her shiver at the contact and drew her closer when she arched her back and pressed her breast more firmly to his eager lips. He treated himself to one more swirl of his tongue around the taut nub, and then he let go. "Lie down here and let me take care of you." He patted the bed next to where he sat holding her in his lap, invitation written in his vivid green eyes.

She slid off his lap, reluctant to leave his embrace, but she had to leave the circle of his arms in order to collect her backrub. Ezra straddled her thighs like she had his and set to work massaging her knotted muscles. "My dear, it seems that your knots have knots," he observed.

"You are such a sweet talker," she teased. A soft sigh slipped out followed by a sudden flinch. "Ohhhhh…that hurts!"

Ezra eased up somewhat on the tense muscle he had been stroking deeply with his thumbs. "I did not intend to hurt you. Should I stop?"

"No, don't stop." She glanced at him over her shoulder and smiled. "It hurts a little at first but then when it finally relaxes it feels so good." She inhaled slowly and let out a deep, satisfied moan for emphasis when she stretched experimentally.

Ezra resumed working on her tense shoulders, but not without a stern warning. "Be sure that you tell me if I cause you that much discomfort again," he admonished "I want this to be enjoyable for you, not to cause you pain."

"I promise, but I think that was the worst spot, so it probably won't happen again. Ummmm... now that is wonderful," she said as he firmly rubbed the full length of her back with his palms and then began to work them in slow ever-growing circles that eventually wrapped over her ribs. "I'll give you all night to stop that."

~M7M~

Judge Travis leaned forward and patted the big black gelding on the neck when the animal snorted unhappily. Both man and horse hated traveling at night. The light of the half moon helped a little, but they had to stay on the road instead of taking the shorter route cross-country. "I know you're tired, but it won't be much longer." He pulled out his watch and twisted to try to see it in the dim moonlight, but he couldn't make it out.

He stuffed the watch back in his pocket and let his mind drift back to the letter he had received the day before. His stomach clinched, giving him a queasy feeling when he thought of what was in it. How was he going to handle this if it turned out to be true? The pressure in his chest grew, the closer he got to Four Corners, and try as he might, he just couldn't swallow the lump in his throat.

An overwhelming need to know what was really going on had caused him to leave a day early and try to squeeze one and a half days’ normal travel into one very long day. It hadn't quite been daylight when Evie saw him off that morning. The Judge looked up to study the position of the moon. It was already up when it had grown dark and now it was near its zenith. Grudgingly, he had to admit that it looked like it was going to be approaching midnight when he reached the town.

Justice snorted again and tossed his head, pulling his rider's attention back to the present. "We'll be there soon and you can have a nice long rest." He rubbed the big animal's neck fondly. "We could have been there by now if we had been lucky enough to have a full moon tonight."

~M7M~

Ezra bent over Mary and smiled at the shiver that coursed through her when his warm breath teased her bare skin. His lips rained soft kisses up her back, letting them trail up over her shoulders to her neck. She sighed and shifted restlessly under him. "Are you attempting to thwart my attentions, my dear?" he asked huskily.

"No. I was trying to turn over so I can enjoy your attentions even more." Her voice took on a sultry tone as she wiggled suggestively against him, aware of the effect the movement had on him.

The gambler chuckled when Mary groaned in frustration as he continued to sit on her legs, effectively pinning her. He pushed himself up to rest his weight on his hands where he pressed them against the mattress beside her ribs, enjoying the feel of his swollen shaft lying nestled in the cleft between her cheeks. Ezra pulled back slightly and then leaned forward again, causing his ridged manhood to slide along that little valley. "Just what kind of attention would you prefer?" he asked, as he continued to tease her with his engorged shaft.

"You know what I want," she murmured, enjoying the sensations he was creating.

"Do I?" he asked.

Still unable to turn over, Mary reached back and wrapped her fingers around him before he had a chance to pull out of reach. "Yes, you do."

Ezra gasped and chuckled at her reaction then lifted enough of his weight off her legs to let her turn over beneath him. Before she had completely settled on her back, he bent to claim her lips with his and was rewarded when she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer to deepen the kiss. When she finally let him up for air, he grinned at her, showing off his dimples. "I do believe I am beginning to remember. Perhaps I could do with a little more reminding."

"You could, could you?" She caught him off guard and pushed him off of her. Moving quickly, she managed to swing one leg over his until she was once again straddling him, only this time he was on his back. Mary placed one hand firmly in the middle of his chest to hold him down. She knew if he really wanted up there was no way she could stop him, but she also knew that he liked for her to take the lead part of the time. His swollen manhood rested against his belly tempting her with the glistening drops forming at its tip. The temptation proved to be too much for her.

Ezra groaned loudly when he felt her slim fingers wrap around him again and stroke his shaft a couple of times before she let her thumb slip over the flared head to tease at the slit in the tip. No sooner had she spread out the dewy drops that gathered there than she found they were replaced with more. Her fingers continued to coax more thick fluid from him until she had him slick with his own essence, and he twitched in her hand as he fought to keep control. "Mary!" he gasped. "Oh, good Lord, I need you."

She smiled, pleased that she could create such a need in him. Never had she felt this much control over a man, and she found she enjoyed it. "What do you need, Ezra? This?" She leaned forward to tease at one dusky nipple with the tip of her tongue.

"Ummmm… yes," he admitted breathlessly.

"And this?" Her tongue traced its way upward to the curve of his shoulder and neck then moved to tease at his pulse point. He shivered beneath her and she felt his engorged manhood quiver against her belly where it was trapped between them.

"What about this?" She lifted herself up over him and positioned him at her entrance with her free hand, while she balanced herself with the other hand that was still planted firmly on his chest.

Ezra watched her through eyes darkened with passion. He held his breath hoping she would continue. When she began to ease down, impaling herself on his shaft, he moaned and reached up to hold her by her hips urging her to take him deeper. "Ohhhh…yes," he groaned.

Mary sighed when she felt him fill her, reveling in the feeling of completeness being with him created. "Is that what you need?" she asked, her voice made husky by her own arousal.

"What I need, my dear, is for you to move before I lose my mind." Ezra emphasized his need by pressing up against her. He urged her upward with only a little guidance from his hands, knowing that she knew what to do since she had done it before.

She allowed herself to slide back down to take him in again, before pulling up until only the flared head remained inside. Everything else was forgotten as they established a rhythm, which grew in tempo and in urgency with each stroke. Mary could tell by his ragged breathing, and the involuntary sounds he made that he was close, much closer than she was. She slipped one hand down between them to rub that small sensitive bud that was nestled within the folds of her womanhood, trusting him to keep her balanced as he guided her. Her own breath came in short gasps as she brought herself closer to the edge, only to topple over it when she felt his seed pour out deep within her. They both cried out when the first shuddering spasms of their shared release swept over them.

Ezra wrapped her in his arms when she collapsed limply against his chest. Both lay gasping for breath as their sated bodies quivered in the aftermath of their lovemaking. It took several minutes before he found the strength to reach out for the sheet and flip it over them to ward of the chill as their sweat-drenched skin dried in the cool night air.

As much as she loved the feel of him still inside her after they made love, Mary rolled off of him. His breathing hadn't settled back to normal as quickly as it usually did, and she didn't want to add any more strain by continuing to lie on him. She curled up against his side and rested her head on his shoulder, letting one hand rest on his chest in a position that was intimately familiar to both of them.

Ezra absently stroked her hair and sighed in contentment. "As much as I will miss making love to you after I leave here tomorrow, I think I will miss feeling you in my arms the most of all," he confided.

She glanced up into those vivid green eyes and saw the love deep within them. So many comments had made her think that he really did have feelings for her. He had never come right out and told her that he loved her, but then she hadn't been able to tell him how she felt either, at least not when he was awake. "I'll miss being in your arms," she admitted.

They snuggled closer and let sleep claim them, glad for this night together before they were forced apart by the Judge's visit tomorrow.

~M7M~

The sound of the bedroom door being thrown open startled them both from sleep. "Orin!" Mary grabbed the sheet to pull it farther up to cover them and stared wide-eyed at the man standing just inside the door. "What are you doing here?"

The judge stood staring at the couple in the bed, his face growing redder by the second. Shocked speechless by the sight, his jaw clenched and he shook his head in disbelief.

Ezra hugged Mary closer in an effort to keep them both calm. "Judge Travis…" he began, hesitantly.

"Don't say a word!" His voice rumbled through the room. "You have the audacity to lie there with my daughter-in-law and…" He clamped his teeth together and paused in an attempt to control what he was saying. After a deep shuddering breath he tried again. "Get out of this house." Though his voice was deceptively quiet, it carried a tone of foreboding that made Ezra and Mary shrink from his words.

"Orin!" You can't come in here and order people around!" Mary exclaimed.

Travis turned his attention to her. "Don't say another word! My grandson gives me the right to see that he is raised properly." He turned back to the gambler and repeated. "Get out of this house."

Ezra tensed but refused to move. "I think not, Sir. I have no intention of leaving Mary to face your ire on her own."

She didn't want to face that anger alone either, but she knew her former father-in-law well enough to know that he would calm down faster if the gambler left. "Ezra… go…I'll be all right."

"You really want me to leave you?" Hurt clouded his expression as he waited for her reply.

"No, of course I don't, but it would be best if you do. I'll talk to you in the morning." She tried to sound reassuring.

"I don't like this," he insisted.

"I'll be all right." She was still shaking and she was sure he probably noticed it. Reluctantly, her arms loosened their hold on him.

The look in her eyes sent out mixed signals. On one hand they seemed to beg him to stay, but on the other hand they begged him to go." How can you ask me to do this?" he asked.

"Because I know you trust me enough to believe me when I say that it is the best thing to do."

"You are sure?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I will go, but because you asked me, not because I was ordered to leave," Ezra said. He pulled the sheet aside and sat up, making no effort to hide his nakedness. There was no way he would let Mary or the judge think he was in any way ashamed of being there with her. He took care to dress fully, not leaving out anything. When he sat back on the edge of the bed to slip his feet into his boots, he turned to her. "I'll pick up the rest of my things tomorrow," he said, as he brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and bent to give her a lingering kiss.

"Meet me for breakfast?" she asked as she took his hand.

"I would love to." He gave her fingers a light squeeze and then let go. He got slowly to his feet and faced the judge. "I am leaving the premises at Mary's request; however, if any harm befalls her, I will not hesitate to come for you." The threat was evident in his deceptively calm voice.

"You dare to make threats to a Federal Judge?" Travis growled.

"Only if that Federal Judge acts in such a manner as to warrant such a threat." He locked eyes with Travis and refused to let the older man see how intimidated he really felt by his presence. With a curt nod, he left the room.

The judge listened to his footsteps recede down the stairs and through the house. At the sound of the back door closing he turned his attention back to Mary. He stood glaring at the young woman in the bed. "I thought better of you than this," he spat out at her. "How could you lower yourself to this kind of behavior, especially with someone like him?"

"What do you mean, 'someone like him'?" Mary asked defiantly.

"He's a con man! He can't be trusted and he is using you. I thought you were intelligent enough to see through him, but obviously, the desires of the flesh have clouded your good judgment." Travis paced the room, his steps sounding ominously loud in the still of the night.

"He was good enough to see that Billy and I reached you safely," Mary reminded him. "He saved my life on the way back, too, not to mention that he kept me safe when those men were out to blackmail you," she added in Ezra's defense.

"There was something in it for him or he wouldn't have done those things," the judge insisted.

"Orin, he isn't the same man that he used to be when he first came here. He's changed, and I thought you were starting to realize that after the way you acted toward him recently." Mary tried to reason with him, but she felt at a real disadvantage lying there naked in her bed with him pacing around her like a caged bear.

She glanced down and saw her dress lying in a heap next to the bed and reached down to grab it. Careful to keep the sheet pulled up, she worked the dress over her head and buttoned it quickly. Once she was clothed and out of the bed she felt less threatened.

"I treated him like a guest, nothing more."

"You treated him like an equal," Mary snapped. "Not that it really matters what you think of him. It's my life, Orin. I loved Steven, but he's gone. Nothing we can do will bring him back, and I can't spend the rest of my life grieving."

"I don't expect you to, but I do expect you to set a proper example for my grandson, not behave like some cheap saloon girl!" He stopped pacing right in front of her. "I'll not allow it! You might not care about your reputation, but I do care about how it affects my grandson," he seethed.

"Orin, you don't control me," she tried to keep her tone steady, but she didn't succeed very well. Tears threatened to spill down her cheeks and she struggled to keep them at bay. His words hurt her deeply, but she did not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"Don't take that tone with me," he warned.

Mary's mouth gaped open and she looked at him in disbelief. "I am not a child to be scolded like this in my own home," she huffed.

"Then stop acting like one!" he shouted.

"I am not the one throwing a temper tantrum," she snapped back, "you are."

He heaved a heavy sigh, squeezed his eyes shut, and clenched his teeth to stop the words that he wanted to say. Finally, he spoke. "We are getting nowhere like this. I have ridden since before dawn, and I am going to get some sleep. I'll talk to you in the morning." With that he turned and strode out of the room. Ordinarily, he would have stayed in Billy's room, but this time he needed to put some distance between Mary and himself. He made his way out and across to the hotel. He was exhausted, but he doubted that he could get the image of his daughter-in-law in bed with Ezra Standish out of his mind so he could sleep.

~M7M~

Mary finally gave up trying to sleep and got up. She took extra care in getting dressed and fixing her hair. She didn't want the Judge to find any other reason to fault her today, and any slip in her appearance would simply be more fodder for his comments about how low she had sunk. It was still too early to meet Ezra for breakfast, so she settled for making a pot of coffee, grateful for its stimulant effect, as she stifled a yawn.

Her sleep-deprived mind tried to grasp onto just what had happened there last night. She had so many unanswered questions, but top on the list was, why had the judge arrived early and why had he pushed himself to make the trip in one day? It was like he had been trying to catch her at something, and he had succeeded. She wasn't ashamed about the Judge finding out that she was involved with Ezra, but it had been embarrassing to actually be caught in bed with him by Billy's grandfather. Mary knew that it was all going to come out into the open soon anyway. All she had really been trying to do was give them both time to figure out their feelings. Orin had a reputation of being a fair man, but this was a totally new situation, and it was hard telling how he was going to handle it.

After three cups of coffee, she couldn't wait any longer and made her way over to the saloon. If she knew Ezra, he probably wasn't sleeping either. It was still early enough that the only one in the barroom was Inez, and she smiled warmly at her new friend and confidant.

"I would say, buenos dias, but it does not look like it is so good. Is everything all right?" Inez asked.

Mary shook her head sadly. "No," she sighed. "The judge came into town late last night." She saw her friend's eyes grow wide and nodded. "He came straight to the house and…well…"

"Señor Ezra was still there?"

"Yes, and it didn't go over well with Orin, to say the least." It felt good to have someone she felt she could trust to talk to. She couldn't remember the last time she had had the comfort of a close female friend.

"I can imagine." Inez patted Mary's hand and smiled encouragingly. "Everything will be all right. He might be angry now, but he will understand."

"I hope you're right, but you weren't there last night to hear the things he said to me after Ezra left."

"Señor Ezra left you there to face this alone?" The pretty Mexican woman was shocked to hear that.

"He didn't want to, but I insisted. I knew Orin would never start to calm down as long as he was there," Mary answered.

"Ah, I see."

"Do you know if he is awake yet?" she asked.

"I doubt that he ever went to sleep," Inez said, confirming Mary's own suspicions. "He most likely was too worried about you. Why don't you go up and get him, and I'll fix you both something to eat?"

"Thank you. We shouldn't be long," the blonde responded then went upstairs and made her way quickly to the gambler's door.

He opened the door immediately at the sound of the light knock. "Mary! Are you all right?" he asked as he gathered her into his arms. For the first time he didn't worry about who might see them when he hugged her to him.

"I'm fine," she answered and tipped her face up to his for a kiss.

"How bad was it?" Ezra searched her face for any sign of what she might have gone through. "Did he hurt you?"

"He didn't hurt me, but he was awful," she admitted. "I never would have thought Orin would say some of the things he did to me." The tears she had managed to hold back the night before filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks when she blinked.

"I am truly sorry. You would not be forced to endure this if it were not for your association with me," he said.

"Don't say that." She pressed her fingers against his lips to stop him from saying more. "You're not to blame for any of this."

"Mary, I 'm not the kind of man…"

"No. Don't even finish that. You want to know what kind of man you are?" She saw a flicker of fear in his eyes when she asked the question. "Well, I'm going to tell you whether you want to hear it or not. Ezra, you are better man than most men could ever dream of being. No, don't hang your head. Look at me." She paused until he looked back up at her. "I know in the past you did some things that you regret now, and that is just one way that I know you have changed. The old Ezra wouldn't have had those regrets would he?" When he shook his head in reply she continued. "Would the old Ezra have put his life on the line for the people in this town, or for anyone for that matter? Did you have anyone that you could say was a true friend?"

"No," he admitted.

"Look at how far you have come. You have the friendship and respect of the men you work with. These men trust you with their lives and that kind of trust is hard-earned. I've seen you risk yourself for each one of them at some point, and you've risked your life for me more than once. You have more honor in you than any three good men combined, but you just can't see it in yourself, and you keep hiding behind that image you created for yourself. Don't sell yourself short, Ezra. The people of this town accept you just as you are. They have grown to respect and trust you, just the same as Nathan and the others have. They all need you. I need you."

"You can't really mean that." He looked at her in total disbelief.

"I mean every word of it and more. Orin might be hard to handle right now, but he'll just have to get over it. It's my life not his, and I am the only one who can make decisions on how I plan to live it. I know you have worked very hard at keeping everything quiet to protect my reputation, but you don't have to. I am not ashamed of anything we have done, and I don't care who finds out." Mary watched him as he struggled with accepting her words.

Finally he looked her in the eyes and smiled nervously. "Does that mean that I have your permission to court you openly now?"

Mary nodded and blushed slightly from the warmth his simple request sent rushing through her. "I would like that very much."

"Well then, my dear. Care to officially step out with me, and join me in breaking our fast?" His emerald eyes regained their sparkle as he held his arm out for her to escort her down to breakfast.

Inez had been watching for them and when she saw them heading to the stairs she ducked back into the kitchen for their plates. She had kept them warm for them when they hadn't made it back down sooner.

Ezra had just taken his own seat after helping Mary with her chair, when plates heaped with eggs, bacon, and biscuits were set in front of them. "I did not think I could possibly feel inclined to want anything to eat after the night of worry I just had, but I suddenly find myself famished."

"Did I hear someone say he is famished?" Josiah said, as he joined them. "Mind if I join you two?"

"By all means, please." Ezra motioned to one of the empty chairs.

"So, what was this I overheard about a night of worry?" the preacher asked.

The gambler glanced at Mary for some clue of how she wanted him to respond. She simply shrugged, letting him know it was up to him, and then added softly. "They will all find out anyway."

"Judge Travis arrived in town very late last night," he told the older man. "For some reason he felt compelled to come straight to Mary's even at that late hour."

"You both all right?" Nathan asked as he joined them at the table. "Sorry, wasn't tryin' to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help hearin'. I can only imagine how the Judge reacted, and what my mind comes up with isn't good."

"We're fine, and it wasn't good." Mary looked down at her hands for a moment before she pulled herself together and continued. "I never dreamed that he would come in before tomorrow since he was bringing Billy, and the last thing I expected was for him to show up around midnight."

Nathan's eyebrows shot up in alarm and he turned to look at Ezra, the unspoken question hanging between them. All of the peacekeepers knew that he had still been staying with Mary even though he was well enough to be on his own again.

The gambler blushed, turning nearly as red as his coat, and cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Not to fear, Mr. Jackson. His timing was a bit off."

"What happened?" Josiah asked.

"I was evicted from the premises."

"The Judge threw you out?" Nathan asked.

"No, he tried, but Mary threw me out," he replied and reached out to take hold of Mary's hand and give it a slight squeeze. "I wanted to stay but she insisted it would be better if I left." He sighed heavily, and felt his chest tighten when he thought about having to leave her there alone with the judge.

"She was probably right," the preacher commented. "Did it help?" he asked Mary.

"I don't know, maybe in some ways, but not in others." She paused a moment and considered her answer. "I don't think anything would have helped much."

"Maybe he'll be more reasonable after gettin' some sleep," the healer suggested.

"I hope so."

"One thing is for certain," Ezra informed them. "I will not leave her to face him alone again."

~M7M~

Judge Travis checked his watch as he left the restaurant and decided it was late enough to go back to talk to Mary. Maybe they would be able to talk more civilly after they had stayed clear of each other for a few hours. He couldn't say it would be better because they had had some sleep, because he didn't sleep a wink after that scene with Mary and Ezra.

He let himself in the front door of the Clarion office and went straight back through the door to the living area. There was no sign of her in the kitchen so he braced himself and went up to her room, figuring he would find her there asleep after such a late night. She wasn't there either.

Travis clenched his teeth and bit back the curse that threatened to escape his lips. The woman had no shame; even after being caught the night before, she still headed straight for the gambler this morning. There was no doubt in his mind that, that was where he would find her.

His boots thumped on the wooden steps as he stormed down the stairs. The bell on the front door jangled wildly when he yanked the door open and slammed it back shut behind him.

~M7M~

Inez watched from the bar as the Judge stormed through the batwing doors and stopped in his tracks when he saw that there was more than just Ezra sitting with Mary. She headed him off before he could reach the table. "Señor would you like breakfast?"

Travis turned a cold gaze on the pretty barkeeper, and she shivered slightly under his scrutiny. "Coffee," he said flatly.

"Si, un minuto por favor." She made a quick retreat to the kitchen for the coffee and got back to the main room just as the judge stopped next to the one occupied table and stood glaring at Mary and Ezra.

The gambler looked steadily back at him, expression tightly controlled as he nodded toward an empty chair on the opposite side of the table. "Care to join us?" he asked, hoping the older man would refuse.

Orin moved to the chair and sat down without saying a word. He nodded curtly to Inez, acknowledging and clearly dismissing her with that one simple action. The mug was left untouched for the moment as he focused his attention on Mary. "We have some things to discuss in private."

"No, Sir, you don't," Ezra interceded.

"I was not asking your permission," the judge shot back at him.

"Orin," Mary said more calmly than she felt. "Anything you have to say, you can say in front of them."

"I don't believe that you mean that." Travis eyed her closely before he continued. "Then again, all things considered, I suppose you could have become that brazen."

Ezra made a move to stand and confront the judge, but Mary's hand on his arm stayed the action. He looked at her questioningly. "My dear, you surely don't expect me to sit here and let him talk about you in such a manner?"

"They are only words, Ezra. And, words can't hurt me," She gave his arm a light squeeze and slid her hand down to wrap her fingers around his, grateful for the reassuring contact.

"There you are wrong. Sharp words from a sharp tongue can cut deeper than any physical wound." He knew this from firsthand experience, and he didn't feel that Mary deserved to go through any of it.

"Only if you let them," she responded. It was hard to keep the quiver from her voice when she spoke, but she wouldn't give her father-in-law the satisfaction of seeing how much he had truly upset her.

"Judge, you know we all respect you and think you are one of the most fair-minded men we have ever met," Josiah spoke up to take some of the attention away from Mary for a moment. "I would like to believe that I am going to be able to keep thinking that."

"Josiah, I know you mean well, but this is none of your concern," Travis warned.

"If something affects one of us, it affects us all. That makes it my concern," the preacher pressed the point.

"Mr. Sanchez, thank you for your show of support, but for now perhaps we should give the judge the opportunity to say what he came to say," Ezra said. The look in his eyes expressed his gratitude when he caught the big man's gaze and held it a moment, before he looked at Travis and raised one eyebrow in question.

The judge shook his head in displeasure. "I tried to spare you some humiliation, but since you don't seem to worry about your reputation, neither will I." He leaned forward as he spoke. "I was prepared to forget this whole incident, if you came to your senses, but I don't think that is going to happen. Apparently you have lacked considerable discretion." He glanced at Josiah and Nathan as he spoke. "The stage is due in around three. You have until then to consider what I am about to say." He paused to be sure he had her attention. "I will not have my grandson raised by a wanton woman."

Mary lurched forward in her chair and stared at him wide-eyed. "Are you threatening me?"

"Take it how you will," the judge said as he rose and headed out the door.

"What do ya think he means by that?" Nathan asked.

Ezra hugged Mary close to help still her shaking. "We'll work this out. You are Billy's mother and one of the best mothers I have encountered."

"You got that right," Nathan agreed. "Ya think he might be plannin' on tryin' to take Billy?" When the others nodded, his jaw clenched and a determined glint filled his dark eyes. "Ain't no way we'll let that happen. He's got no right to go threatenin' ya like that."

"He is a federal judge, Mr. Jackson. For all intents and purposes, he is the law here, but I concur." He pulled back enough to look into a pair of frightened blue eyes. "Judge or not, I will not let him take your son."

~M7M~

Mary watched anxiously as the stage rumbled to a stop in front of where they waited. Ezra waited with her, and she could see the other men all positioned nearby. She knew that fact wasn't lost on the judge either. He stood several feet away, but she noticed him glancing around looking for each of the seven.

"Mama," Billy called and waved to her from the window of the stage.

"Billy!" She grabbed him and hugged him close as soon as his feet hit the ground. "How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm all right, but you're squishing me," he told her with an exaggerated groan.

"Let me look at you." She held him back at arms’ length and looked him over. "I do believe you have grown these past few weeks." Mary looked past her son to see his grandmother step down from the stage. "Evie, it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too. You look so much better than you did when you brought Billy to us. You're feeling better now?" The elder Mrs. Travis hugged her daughter-in-law and glanced over her shoulder at her husband, who stood separate from everyone else.

"I am much better now. You look great! I have missed getting to see you as often as I used to." Mary really loved Evie Travis. She knew it was fairly unusual for a daughter-in-law to get along so well with her mother-in-law, but they had been among those exceptions.

"We'll just have to make sure it isn't as long between visits next time. Now, dear, I really do need to freshen up a bit from that long ride."

When his wife started to take Mary's arm and turn toward the Clarion office, he stopped them. "Evie, we are staying at the hotel this time. Come with me." The judge watched her look from Mary to him and back again as she tried to piece things together to figure out just what was going on. "Evie…" he said again, as he picked up her bag.

"I'm coming, Orin." She turned back to the young blonde for just a moment. "We'll talk later."

When the two started toward the hotel, they could still hear some of what was happening behind them. Evie glanced back over her shoulder when she heard Billy's excited shout. "Ezra! Lookit what I got." He pulled something from his pocket and grinned up at the gambler.

"And what pray tell do you have to show me?" Ezra squatted down to bring himself closer to eye level with the boy.

"It's a buckeye," he explained, handing it to the con man. "Grandpa says they come from back East and that they're s'pposed to be good luck.

"I am quite impressed. Has your good fortune increased since you came into possession of this miraculous item?" He grinned at the kid, flashing his gold tooth in the process.

"Huh?"

The gambler chuckled and smiled affectionately at the boy. "Have you been having good luck?" He rephrased the question for his young friend.

"Uh huh. Look! I found a penny." He dug in his pocket until he found his treasure to show Ezra. "Is that enough to get a candy stick?"

"I do believe it is, but you should ask your mother before purchasing sweets."

Billy looked up at his mother, eyes bright and full of delight. "Can I, Mama? Please?"

"May I," she corrected, "and yes, you may. But, I want you to come straight home afterward."

Evie laughed softly and glanced at her husband. "He really does like Ezra. He was as excited to get home to see him as he was to see his mother." She stopped talking when she saw the dark expression cloud the judge's features. "What's wrong? I can't remember you ever acting like this around Mary and Billy."

Travis pursed his lips and considered her question a moment. "I think this is something for us to discuss in private. We'll talk when we get to our room."

They continued on in silence until they had made their way up the stairs and were behind the closed door of the hotel room. "All right, we're here. Now, I want to know what's going on."

The judge hesitated, then reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out the letter he had received two days earlier. He handed it to his wife and watched her when she moved closer to the light coming in the window so she could see to read.

She frowned as she read the unsigned note. "Who sent this to you?" she asked when she had finished.

"I don't know who it was," he admitted.

"Well, you don't honestly believe this do you? It has to be someone who has some reason to want to ruin her reputation." When her husband didn't respond, she pressed harder. "Orin, you aren't taking this seriously are you?"

He sighed heavily and turned to face his wife. "I'm taking it very seriously."

"Orin…"

"I know you don't want to believe it," he interrupted. "And, as much as I hate to say it, it's true."

"What? No… I don't believe that based on something someone sent in a letter," she said defensively.

"I walked in on them," he said flatly.

Evie's mouth dropped open in shock. "When?"

"Last night. That's why I wanted to get here first. I had to find out if there was any truth to this." He plucked the letter from his wife's hand and shook it in her face causing her to step back from him. "I'll not have my grandson raised in that house. Even after I caught them, she still headed straight for him this morning."

"Just what are you planning to do?" she asked, alarmed at his attitude. "Orin, don't do something you'll regret later."

"I had hoped to talk some sense into her before this got too far out of hand, but it is already too late for that. Even if she gave her word that she would stop this wanton behavior, I couldn't be sure she would keep her word once we were gone again." He paced the room as he spoke and finally stopped at the window. "Billy has to come back home with us. I will not leave him to be raised in such immoral conditions."

Evie, stared at him, struck momentarily speechless, before coming to her daughter-in-law's defense. "You can't take him away from Mary. She's his mother!"

"I can, and I will. Mother or not, she is not fit to raise our grandson."

"Have you talked to them, or have you just jumped to conclusions?" She asked hotly. "Just what did you walk in on?"

Judge Travis stared at his wife in surprise. She never raised her voice to him. "I walked in on them in bed together," he blurted out. "There is only one conclusion to get from that."

"Did you talk to them?"

"Of course I talked to them! He threatened me, and she told me it was none of my business," he huffed. "Well, it is my business. It affects Billy, and that makes it my business."

Evie stepped closer and laid a gentle hand on his arm. "Orin, if you calm down and really think about this you'll probably feel differently."

"I will not, and I can't believe you would condone such behavior." He looked at her like she had suddenly sprouted a second head.

"I am not saying that I condone it, but we both know Mary. She would never do anything to hurt Billy in any way." She looked at him imploringly.

"I won't have that man involved with raising my grandson." He was nearly shouting now. "He is nothing more than a gambler and a con man. There is something in this for him or he wouldn't be interested in her. He has corrupted her and she has no remorse for her actions whatsoever."

"Ah, I think I see the problem now," Evie said as she nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, it's about time you saw that I'm right."

"I didn’t say that I thought you were right. I said I see the problem." The puzzled expression on her husband's face prompted her to go on. "You're prejudiced"

"I most certainly am not! How dare you accuse me of something like that," he growled.

"It isn't really about the fact that Mary is involved with someone, it's about who she chose to get involved with. You can't see beyond his past and you are letting that color your good judgment," she insisted.

"Evie, he's a con man. He's only out for himself!"

"Why can't you give Mary credit for knowing what she's doing? Have you even considered that maybe she knows more about him than you do? People do change. If he hadn't changed do you think he would still be here?"

"You don't know him. He will never really change. He might make people think he has, if it suits some purpose for himself, but deep down he'll always be a con man," Travis insisted.

"Orin, you have always looked at all sides of a situation. Don't change that now. Promise me that you'll find out more about this before you do anything," she reasoned.

Travis sighed again and reluctantly nodded. "All right; for you, I'll check things out, but nothing is likely to change my mind."

"But, if something does change your mind, you'll drop this idea of taking Billy away from her." It was not said as a question. It was one of the few times Evie Travis had stood up to her husband.

Continue

Comments to: Luna6438@aol.com