The group of six began their journey from Ridge City as the sun was sinking behind the mountains. When the moon became their only light, Chris Larabee steered them to a wooded area to camp for the night. It had been a long day, and they were all tired and hungry and not in the mood for conversation. Nathan Jackson took care of their dinner, but they ate in virtual silence. Amelia Eagan sat on the ground, separate from the others, and Chris found a spot somewhere behind her. She could almost feel his anger boring into her from behind. Amelia ate quickly, then decided to retire for the night. There was no reason to stay awake, and she would need plenty of rest to withstand the next day of travel. She began to prepare the bedroll that she had been given, finding it very difficult with her hands still bound. After a couple of attempts, she sighed heavily in frustration and stood up tall and straight, looking icily at Chris.
"Do you expect me to sleep like this, too?!" Her voice pierced the silence and stirred up a few small birds who were nesting nearby. JD Dunne’s shoulders jumped in surprise. Chris just looked up from his reclining position on the ground, not answering for a long pause. She waited impatiently, twisting her wrists a little for emphasis. Nathan's voice came from the darkness across the campfire.
"She won't be able to sleep, Chris," he said, "It'd be better to untie them for the night, at least."
Chris never looked away from Amelia's face, but he finally stood and walked toward her. He moved past where she stood, crossing to Nathan and extending his hand. Nathan handed him the knife he always carried, and Chris returned to Amelia. He slipped the edge between her wrists, the blade gently grazing her skin, and in one quick motion, he pulled the knife upward and slit the ropes. He held both her wrists together in one hand, squeezing tightly, an action which caused her to look up into his eyes. There was fire there.
"If you try anything," Chris said, his voice low and gravelly, "I'll kill you."
The challenge he laid was met by Amelia with an equally fiery gaze. The two adversaries stared at each other, each moment becoming longer than the last, neither willing to look away. Their battle had begun, and both wanted to win. Amelia felt her jaw clench, and she saw Chris mimic that response. They continued to stare at each other, but suddenly Amelia felt a tiny fear run through her spine. She lowered her eyes, accepting the momentary defeat. Chris released her wrists and returned to his position for the night. Amelia stayed in that spot for another minute then resigned herself and prepared a place to sleep. She did her best to get comfortable and finally allowed herself to relax a little.
Amelia’s thoughts returned to the day’s events, each one more devastating than the last. How had it all fallen apart? When she and her brother, Dante, had boarded the train, everything was perfectly in place. Their plan was virtually foolproof, with little margin for error. She had taken great pains to ensure that. But, in one quick instant, everything had changed. The moment Chris Larabee appeared.
How could I have thought I could beat him? she wondered. You know better, Amelia! But you're so arrogant sometimes! And now, look where you are! Sleeping on the ground, surrounded by men who hate you. And Dante... Amelia felt the tears begin to surface as her vision clouded. Dante is dead, and you killed him! If you hadn’t been so concerned with stealing that money from the train, Dante would never have been killed. Now he was being buried in a town he'd never even visited, with no funeral, and no loved ones to pay their respects. How could you be so heartless, Amelia? How could you be so stupid!
She watched the burning campfire until her mind drifted off to sleep. There would be little rest from this point forward for Amelia Eagan. She was a criminal now, attempted robbery; her life of privilege was over, and her future was uncertain. She wasn't even sure where Chris was taking her or what he would do to her once there, but she was certain that he would not let her crime go unpunished. And their history together, their one-time love, was long since forgotten. Chris would have no mercy on her.
Though she couldn't determine the source, something woke Amelia deep into the night. She lay on the ground, searching her surroundings, but never saw anything unusual. Quietly, she raised to a sitting position, pulling a blanket around her for warmth. The camp was still. She could make out Buck, JD, and Nathan on their bedrolls, scattered around the dying fire. She turned and saw Chris behind her, perched against a rock but fast asleep. She knew that Ezra was probably on watch right then, but he wasn't in their makeshift camp. Then she heard the horses stir, and she looked toward them. They were still tied to the same spot they had been earlier.
She noticed the saddlebags of one of her traveling companions. And she remembered the money. These men were responsible for making sure that money, the same money she sought, would be delivered safely to its rightful owner. It was there, in one of those bags. She hadn't seen them put the money away, but she hadn't seen anyone remove a pouch from the horses for safekeeping, either. At least, nothing that could contain such a large amount of money. It had to be there on one of the horses.
Carefully, moreso than she had ever been, Amelia moved toward the horses, searching in the dark for any bag that might carry what she was looking for. She found various saddlebags, but didn't search all of them. She knew the size of her prize and rummaged for the right package. She stepped from saddle to saddle, cautiously approaching each horse so they would not spook. As she stealthily moved behind Chris' mount, she closely watched her footing on the uneven ground. Ezra Standish's voice startled her in the darkness.
"I suggest you return to your post, my dear." Amelia stared wide-eyed at the man who came forth from the darkness surrounding Chris' horse. Had he been there all along? Had he seen her looking through their bags? She could only stare at him, unsure what his next move would be. His green eyes were hollow as he watched her.
"You're much more intelligent than this," Ezra said, "This will not make your plight easier."
For a long moment Amelia stared into Ezra's eyes, calculating his intentions. On the train, they had shared a mutual interest, a flirtation, the beginnings of something affectionate. She might be able to win him over to the idea of letting her get away. Even if she left the money behind, she might be able to free herself from the uncertain future. But, no, there in his eyes she saw a loyalty. It was distant, and perhaps not fully formed, but it was there nonetheless. He would not betray his friends. Not for her.
She stepped away from the horses and walked quietly back to join the circle around the fire's embers. Ezra followed her, not speaking. She opted to sit on the ground at the edge of their camp instead of returning to her bed. She wouldn't sleep again tonight. Ezra settled beside her on the ground.
"I suppose you're wondering why I did it," Amelia began, staring into the darkness in front of them, "Why I tried to steal the money?"
Ezra smiled a little, a hint of a twinkle in his eye. "People do things that are not fully representative of their natural inclinations. I do not need to know."
Amelia turned to look at him. He tilted his head sideways just a bit to watch her out of the corner of his eye. The sly smile was returning. There was an understanding between them that could not be conveyed. And no need. They were very alike in many ways, separated only by circumstance and upbringing. But their innate senses were compatible. Ezra understood Amelia in a way no one had ever bothered to try.
The two of them sat close together, drinking coffee and trying to stay warm. They did not talk much, simply relished the companionship. When it was time to wake JD for his watch, Ezra hesitated a short while. He needed sleep but enjoyed the company of this complex woman. Even in silence. But a schedule was a schedule, and it was JD's turn. Ezra excused himself from Amelia and woke the kid.
Chris remained near the rock behind where Amelia had slept earlier. His long legs stretched out before him, the rock behind his head serving as a pillow, Chris watched Amelia from beneath the brim of his black hat, tilted down so that it virtually covered his eyes. He had not been to sleep yet and wouldn't be trying. He knew her too well to trust her. And he knew that she would take any chance given to grab the money and run. Or just run. Despite the confusion he felt at Amelia's behavior, Chris could predict her moves rather successfully. He would not let her have the upper hand.
While he watched JD and Ezra switch places around the rekindled campfire, Chris's thoughts drifted back to his younger days. It was Amelia who had pursued him, but he had not resisted. She was young and spirited and breathtakingly beautiful, and she had a fire in her eyes that Chris could not ignore. When she approached him in the saloon that day, he hardly had to speak a word. She said little, as well, but her body language revealed her interest. She had a mischievous smile, one that caused the corners of her eyes to crinkle when displayed, and she had the ability to see straight through to a man's soul. Chris had noticed her the moment she entered the saloon, but he didn't know until later that she had followed him there. She had seen him ride into town and immediately set out after him. But she was clever. After she entered the saloon, she sat at a table close to Chris, pretending to survey the room, until her eyes rested on Chris and stayed. He was watching her in the mirror behind the bar, and when she began staring at him, he couldn't resist. He turned slowly to face her, leaning sideways against the bar, one hand curled around a drink. They looked at each other for a very long time. A playful smile danced on her lips, and their eyes communicated the desire each felt. She waited a long time for him to move, but when he never did, she approached him.
Even as a young man, Chris was heart-stopping. Everything about him read dangerous, and people were wise to leave him alone. He held himself aloof, discouraging conversation, avoiding personal contact. But Amelia was intoxicated by that danger. She was a thrill seeker, currently bored with her town's ways and her friends' activities. Chris was exactly the kind of excitement she craved. As she slowly approached him, he remained in his position against the bar. She stopped barely inches from him, her height only slightly less than his, and she stared into his intense green eyes, then took the drink he held and downed it herself. Her gaze returned to meet his, and she noticed his bemused smile. He was amused with her boldness, intrigued by her, and he didn't try to mask his enjoyment. They stood toe-to-toe for an eternity, speaking not a word, with each studying the other and evaluating the possibilities. She stayed with him that night, the first of many to come.
Chris drew a deep breath, returning his thoughts to the present. Those days were a lifetime ago. And he was a different man back then. What had brought them together in the first place was dead and buried. The importance lie in what tomorrow would bring.
JD Dunne sat with Amelia for several hours. Thinking the others asleep, he quizzed Amelia about her life. The disaster on the train disturbed him greatly, especially that her brother had been killed in the fallout. But JD avoided that topic. Instead, he asked about her.
"You're from St. Louis?" he quizzed.
She smirked, remembering her earlier comments. "No, I'm not," she said. "I'’ve been there, but I'm actually from Georgia."
JD's brow furrowed in confusion. He began, "Then why did you..."
Amelia interrupted, "It was a ploy, JD. I was trying to cause a distraction."
"Oh, I get it," JD replied indignantly, "You used me."
Amelia sighed, then looked at her hands. She did not respond.
JD continued, "Why did you tell me you were married? Was that part of the distraction?"
"I never actually said I was married," she countered, "But when you offered it, that seemed a perfect ruse. I don't readily offer my marital status to men with whom I am not acquainted, for reasons you can surely understand. There are a lot of men out there to whose charms I would prefer not to be privy. Men like your friend over there." She nodded toward the sleeping Buck.
JD said, "Seems to me Buck would be easier to handle than men like Chris."
Amelia turned to look at JD with some surprise in her eyes. She said, "I much prefer the distance of men like Chris than the suffocation of men like…Buck… is that his name?"
JD nodded, then shook his head in resignation. He didn'’t understand her. Not at all.
"How do you know Chris, anyway?"
Amelia thought about how much she should say, what she should say. She began, "Well, I suppose the easiest description is that we were lovers once. A very long time ago. We were both very young, and I wanted more excitement than my surroundings offered. Chris came to my town at the perfect moment. I craved the danger back then."
JD smirked, "I'd say you still do!"
Amelia had to smile a little. JD, for all of his youth, was enjoyable to be around. And he said things like they were, for that she could be grateful.
"Yes," she replied, "I guess I still do."
JD had resisted the topic for long enough, so he opened the door. "Why'd you try to rob the train?"
Amelia looked into the campfire, then turned to look at JD. "Starting over," she said. JD wrinkled his brow and asked what she meant. "I grew up on a plantation, owned by my family for generations, but the War destroyed us. We lost all of our crops, our assets, had to let the workers go..."
JD interrupted, an incredulous tone to his voice, "You had slaves?!" JD uncomfortably looked over at Nathan sleeping near the fire. He certainly didn't want Nathan to hear this, having been a slave himself.
A slight bristle creeped up Amelia's back. She set her jaw and said, "My grandfather had slaves. When he died, my father freed them and hired workers. Some of the former slaves stayed on as hired hands, some didn't. My brother and I never had slaves." Her tone resounded with bitterness and anger.
Hoping to ease the tension, JD said, "I thought you were probably pretty wealthy when I saw you this morning. That was my first thought."
Amelia held her head a little higher. "We were, once, but the War took all we had. And the soldiers destroyed our land to the point of uselessness. We had to sell it a few months ago, just to have money for a meal."
JD looked at the ground in front of him. "I'm sorry."
Amelia continued, "Well, it happened, and we had to move on. I tried to get a job, but I had no real skills. Dante and I tried to make some life out of what was left, but things just didn't go very smoothly. Dante tried his best, but we were accustomed to the best things in life, and the transition to nothing was too difficult."
JD jumped in suddenly, saying, "So you tried to rob a train?!"
"Dante worked in the bank. And when he heard about the money being transferred on the train, it just seemed too perfect to pass up. It wasn't supposed to end this way."
"It never is." JD's disgust was beginning to surface.
"It was foolproof. It was supposed to be. We found some men to execute the actual theft, and Dante had the combination to the safe since the bank had arranged for it, and it just should have gone according to plan. No one mentioned the hired guns." She looked at JD for emphasis. "I was never supposed to be near the money. We were just traveling on the train, and when we got to Ridge City, we were going to meet up with the men who would handle the theft. It should have gone by the book." Amelia was shaking her head in frustration, biting her lower lip.
JD didn't say anything. They sat in silence for a few moments, absorbing the conversation, lost in their own thoughts. Amelia spoke first.
"What do you think Chris is going to do with me?"
JD shrugged, "I have no idea. I don't see the point in taking you all the way to Four Corners, myself. He doesn't really tell us what he's thinking most of the time."
Amelia smiled at JD's comment. No, he wouldn't tell you, she thought. He wouldn't tell anyone. You haven't changed that much, Chris Larabee. Not much at all.
As the night wore on, Amelia’s senses grew dull. She eventually relented to her body’s need for sleep, but she was restless. Many times she awoke, always checking her surroundings, aware of everyone’s position. She had not given up yet, but her situation seemed bleaker than ever.
Chris took the last watch of the night, carrying through until dawn. He had never fallen to sleep, but no one would sense it. His adrenaline was running so high that he remained sharp and focused. It was a long ride back to Four Corners, and they would be lucky to make it in one day, but Chris was determined to rid himself of Amelia as quickly as possible. It had been like a bad dream from almost the beginning. He cursed himself for falling for her again, as if he hadn’t learned the first time! She was trouble from the word go, had always been, yet he fell right in step with her as if he had never known her before. If he could just avoid her eyes, he might make it back unscathed. It was simply a matter of will.
The group started out at first light, Chris again leading Amelia’s ride. He had not bound her hands this time, but he watched her carefully the entire time. She was sneaky, and he couldn’t let his guard down. She was also one of the best horseback riders he had ever known, so her trickery would be hard to detect until it was too late.
The trail was quiet, few words needing to be spoken and no one really in the mood for conversation. JD shared with Buck Wilmington a little of what Amelia had told him during the night, but Buck seemed disinterested. He wanted very little, if anything, to do with this woman who had so brutally scorned him. His pride was hurt, yes, but more than that, he was concerned for Chris. There was something far hidden about their relationship that Buck didn’t understand. They had known each other before Buck and Chris had become friends, and Chris had never mentioned Amelia (or Molly) to him. Buck was curious, but he remained isolated from Amelia.
The morning became afternoon, and the group stopped only to escape the beating sun and eat a little something. They continued to ride, despite the heat, until finally some relief came in the shadows cast by a thicket of trees. As they rode past the thicket, the group thinned into an almost single line with Buck at the head and Chris with Amelia at the rear. Amelia had been surreptitiously scanning the trees as they passed, and when she felt the time was right, she jumped into action.
Chris was looking ahead at the trail extending beyond their path, judging their distance from Four Corners and the remaining daylight hours. He momentarily dropped the hand holding Amelia’s reins, more concerned with his task than her horse. Amelia took the opening.
In one quick motion, Amelia pulled her right foot up to hip level, then summoned all her strength and laid a brisk kick into Chris’s side. She used just enough force to throw him off-balance, at which point the reins slipped from his hand and dropped toward the ground. Amelia shifted her weight in the saddle, tugged on the bridle to turn the horse back and spurred him on toward the thicket of trees. She grabbed the reins easily and pushed the horse into a run.
Chris hadn't fallen out of the saddle so he recovered immediately, shouting a loud exclamation as he turned his mount and began the chase. The others heard Chris’s moan as Amelia kicked him and turned to see Chris falling sideways, then Amelia free. They stepped into action with Chris, and soon five men were bounding into the trees after the woman.
Amelia had surprise on her side, giving her just enough time to find some cover within the trees, but that also worked against her. She needed to run, to move very fast, but the dense thicket made that too difficult. She searched furtively for some option that would allow her an escape from the inevitable capture by the men. There was none. She continued to trudge through the trees, grateful only that the men would also have to ride through them in chase. This plan of hers was not the best one ever.
Chris led them into the trees, but once in the thicket they split up to corner Amelia. Buck and Ezra veered right, JD and Nathan continued forward, and Chris moved left to try and come around in front of her. Amelia spotted Buck’s horse in her peripheral vision, and she rode into a less dense area that took her away from him. The clearing didn’t last long, and soon she was surrounded by trees with no trails in sight. She worked slowly to get through them unharmed, careful not to ask the horse to do anything that would injure either of them. But she was not moving quickly anymore and fear began to set in.
Amelia never saw the rider approaching off her right shoulder. She was completely turned around in the middle of the trees, and Chris was able to cut her off from the front. Just as she moved out of the most dense area, Chris charged toward her on his horse. She heard the hoofbeats and swung her head to the right, catching only a glimpse of the man in black as his horse collided with hers and toppled her from her mount. She sailed into the air and landed hard on the back of her shoulder, knocking the breath completely out of her. Chris jumped off his horse just as the two collided, and when Amelia hit the ground, Chris went for her.
Amelia saw him coming this time and tried to rise, but Chris was quicker. He jumped the distance between them, landing directly on top of Amelia. She was already gasping for breath, and Chris’ weight exacerbated the issue. She squirmed some, but Chris took her hands and pinned them to the ground beside her head, then laid himself out flat on top of her body. He pinned every squirming portion of Amelia so that she could not fight, letting the sheer weight of his body render her powerless.
When the others caught up with them, they found Chris lying on top of Amelia, both angry and both challenging the other. But this time, Chris won. As they lay there, he felt Amelia’s body give up, relaxing to the point of becoming limp. But Chris did not move from his position. His face was barely inches from hers, their heavy breaths mingling in the air between them. Chris continued to stare into her eyes, daring her to try one more thing. She gave up. She allowed the tears to fill her eyes, to stream down her cheeks. She relaxed her jaw and unclenched her teeth. She looked into Chris’ eyes and knew she was beaten. For good. Only when Chris saw this definitive defeat did he stand up. He pulled her up with him, still tightly grasping her wrists, and walked back to the horses.
As the day before, Chris bound Amelia’s wrists, this time a little tighter than necessary. He helped her mount the horse, shoving just a bit too hard, and took the reins again. Once settled on his own horse, Chris took one more precaution. He tied his neckerchief around her head tightly, covering her eyes. That was more than Buck thought necessary, and he could stay out of the situation no longer.
"Chris," Buck said, as calmly as he could, "Don’t you think that’s a little extreme?"
Chris’ look bore into Buck, and he replied, "No, I don’t."
Buck said, "Come on, Chris. The blindfold ain’t necessary. She’s beaten! She ain’t goin’ nowhere."
Chris snapped, "Buck! Stay outta this one. You have no idea what she’s capable of. Back off!"
Buck started to protest, but thought better of it. He’d been here too many times with Chris, and it wasn’t a pleasant place. He would save the fight for another time.
The remainder of the journey to Four Corners was quiet and uneventful. Amelia was truly defeated. She was afraid to imagine what horrors lay ahead for her now that she was considered a criminal. Images she couldn’t shake plagued her the rest of the day. Images of aging inside prison walls, behind bars, with nothing to look forward to once she did get out. Her life was over, and she could think of nothing to live for. She’d probably die in prison. Her body slumped forward on the horse for most of the ride to the town.
+ + + + + + +
It was dark when they arrived in Four Corners. Chris had wired ahead from Ridge City to send for the judge, but the only thing that was known to anyone in town was they were bringing a prisoner with them.
When Vin Tanner saw the woman riding beside Chris, bound and blindfolded, clothes torn and tattered, with her hair hanging wildly about her head, he stood from his chair on the boardwalk and moved into the street. Vin watched the faces of his friends as they passed him. Exhaustion etched in each countenance, the five men quietly reined in their mounts and tied them to the rails in front of the buildings. Chris rode further than the others, leading Amelia’s horse, until they reached the jail.
Josiah was standing on the boardwalk, serene yet curious. He had been expecting Chris, but was equally surprised by the prisoner he escorted. As was his nature, Josiah simply waited for Chris to initiate the conversation.
Chris dismounted carefully, his body still aching from his struggles with Amelia, but he did not bother to tend to his prisoner. Amelia sat erect atop her horse, listening intently to the town around her, struggling to catch a glimpse beneath her blindfold. She heard Chris walk up the steps to the boardwalk then quietly begin talking to someone standing there.
Chris’s voice was direct when he said, "You got room in there for one more?"
Josiah Sanchez answered, "Nope. Suppose I could make some, though. Had a few fellas bust up the saloon earlier. Vin put ‘em in here to cool off. They’re asleep now, but I could throw a couple out, if you want."
Chris paused a moment, then looked up at Amelia’s form on the horse. She was exhausted, and Chris could see that the fight was finally gone from her. He said, "Nah, leave ‘em be. I’ll find a place for her. I’m standing guard anyway. Don’t guess it matters where."
Josiah nodded in agreement, his lips pressed together, and his eyes on the woman. "Pretty bad character, is she?"
Chris continued to look at Amelia. There was no smile in his eyes tonight. He replied, "She likes to think so."
Josiah glanced at his friend sideways. Chris had strong feelings for this woman, whoever she was, and Josiah was curious. But he knew when to leave a subject alone. News would travel fast enough.
Chris walked beside Amelia’s mount and reached for her arm. He tugged slightly to tell her to come down, then grabbed her waist and pulled her off the horse. When she was on the ground, he pulled the blindfold from her eyes. Amelia squinted and blinked until her eyes adjusted to the new darkness, and then she looked at Chris. The anger was still there, but he was tired and not interested in anything but settling down. Amelia was ready for the same. It had been a long two days.
Chris took Amelia to the hotel for the night. He first thought he would stay outside the door to her room, guarding it. But he didn’t trust her, and decided instead to stay in the room with her. True to himself, Chris used all his intimidation to keep Amelia in her place. He didn’t untie her hands this time, though he didn’t expect her to do anything, and he didn’t offer to make her comfortable. Amelia didn’t ask. She only wanted to sleep. She lay on the bed, fully dressed, and stared at the ceiling. As she drifted off to sleep, she could feel Chris’s angry stare from where he sat in a chair beside the door, watching her every move. It was another hour before Chris was able to relax just enough to catch some fitful sleep.
+ + + + + + +
Word was all over town by early the next morning that Chris Larabee had a female prisoner holed up in the hotel. Vin had heard the colorful tale from JD the night before, a narrative peppered with JD’s own misgivings about Chris’ treatment of the woman, but Vin knew that Chris was more fair than not these days, so he reserved judgment. He did go to the hotel early to see if Chris wanted some relief. To Vin’s surprise, Chris seemed rested and relaxed. The tension was still present, but sleep had softened some of the hard edges present the night before. The two men retreated to the hallway to talk privately while Amelia remained asleep in the room.
"Thought you could use a break," Vin said to his friend, "I’ll take your place, if you want."
Chris answered his friend without the irritation he’d conveyed the past two days, "I don’t need a break. This is something I gotta take care of."
"Pretty serious?" Vin questioned, trying not to pry.
"She tried to rob the train," Chris said, "Didn’t take to being caught."
Vin smiled just a little, a twinkle appearing in his blue eyes, "That how you got to lookin’ so bad?"
Tiny creases appeared at the corners of Chris’ mouth, threatening to reveal a smile. He answered, "She looks worse."
Vin smiled fully then, and nodded. "Yeah. I saw."
The two men shared a brief chuckle, then just as quickly it was gone.
Vin said, "Well, if you want a break, I’m around."
Chris acknowledged his offer with a slow nod, then watched his friend leave. Before he returned to the room, he drew a long, slow, deep breath. He anticipated another grueling day as they waited to hear from the judge.
Amelia was awake and sitting cross-legged on the bed when Chris returned. They looked at each other a long moment before he closed the door. Amelia could tell she looked frightful, could feel the dust and grit from their journey layered on her skin above the soot from the train ride. Her wrists were raw from the bindings, and her temples still ached from the blindfold that Chris had pulled so tightly. She sighed deeply and looked at her hands. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her, but she resisted stubbornly. Chris saw her reserve being chipped further away, but he was not yet ready to relieve some of her discomfort. He needed to see more proof that she was exposed and remorseful.
After Chris retreated to his sentry position, Amelia stood and began to stretch the tension out of her body. As she stretched her arms above her head, her height seemed to increase two-fold. Chris’ face relaxed slightly as he remembered watching the same scene many times before. He looked away, gazing out the window across the room. He would not give in to any feelings of reminiscence now. This woman was not the same woman who had once loved him at all costs, who had once followed him from town to town in spite of the trouble that followed him. He had enjoyed the company of that woman. The woman who stood before him now bore little resemblance to that person from his past.
Amelia walked to the window and surveyed the street. The town was primitive, but pleasant. Couples strolled down its boardwalks; children played in the street. It had been a long time since she had known towns like this. She smiled at the memory of those towns. If the situation were different, perhaps she could have lived in this town. Her mind wandered to a fantasy as she continued to watch the people below. At first, she didn’t notice the man stop across the street and begin to stare at her from the door of the saloon, but something drew her attention there, and she saw Buck Wilmington watching her. His face did not betray his emotions, but after a moment he tipped his hat to her, and she thought she saw a slight smile cross his lips. She stared after him, long after he moved away, her brow furrowed slightly in bewilderment. She would wonder about that moment throughout the remainder of the day.
A knock on the door of the hotel room startled both Amelia and Chris. Chris motioned for her to move away from the window, then he cautiously opened the door. A beautiful woman with glowing blond hair stood in the hallway holding a tray of food. Her eyes brightened when she saw Chris. Amelia watched her intently.
"I thought you might be hungry," the woman said to Chris. "Vin asked me to bring something for you to eat." A slight hesitation as she glanced over toward Amelia, and then she added, "For both of you."
Chris moved out of the doorway, allowing her enter. She crossed the room, placing the tray on a table, then turned to leave. She couldn’t help but look at the woman Chris held captive in this room. It surprised her to feel a sudden wave of compassion for this woman who looked so crushed and bruised. As the two women surveyed each other, something passed between them. There was a commonality there that both sensed and neither could deny. They didn’t immediately look away from the other. Chris felt a slight twitch in his jaw, then a wave of fear arose in him unexpectedly. He spoke quickly and suddenly.
"Thank you, Mary," he said, "We don’t need nothing else."
Mary Travis turned her head slightly toward Chris when he spoke, but her eyes quickly returned to the woman who stood before her. Amelia looked at Mary once more, then at Chris, and then averted her eyes from them both. Mary drew her attention back and turned to leave. As she passed Chris, she slowed and turned her head toward him. His eyes glanced sideways at her, and he saw the questions in her face. He also saw her eyes narrow slightly as his gaze met hers. She paused a moment longer, then looked ahead again and walked into the hall, closing the door behind her. Chris did not immediately return his gaze to the room but watched the place where Mary had been standing. He felt a nervousness rising in his gut. Mary Travis had something stirring in her head, and, with her position as owner of the town paper, Chris began to worry.
+ + + + + + +
The saloon was quiet after the previous night’s disturbance, but Ezra held his usual place at a corner table. His hands were lazily shuffling his personal deck of cards, and though he appeared disinterested, his attention was garnered by the talk around him. JD was still up in arms about Chris’ treatment of Amelia, despite the many scoldings by the other men to stay out of it. JD just didn’t want to let it go. He held to the position that Chris was unfairly punishing her for a crime that wasn’t actually committed, and he felt that she should be pitied even. She had lost her brother in all of this, and after all, he was her only family, so they shouldn’t allow Chris to treat her the way he was. Nathan asked JD who he thought was going to stop Chris from doing whatever he pleased. Before JD could answer, another voice spoke from behind them.
"I thought I’d try."
Mary Travis looked from man to man around the table as each of them glanced up at her in startled uncertainty. Her resolve was obvious, and they didn’t challenge her. Vin almost smiled at the thought of Mary confronting Chris, but he suppressed it so Mary would not think he was patronizing her. Ezra, on the other hand, stared wide-eyed at the formidable woman before them, amusement not hidden. She never ceased to amaze him.
JD, however, had found a friend in this quest he had undertaken. He stood to face Mary and said, "What are you gonna do, Mrs. Travis?"
Mary saw the eagerness in the young man’s eyes, and any other day she would have been amused with it, but today she was determined. "I’m not quite sure, JD," she said, "But there is no excuse for the way Chris Larabee is treating that woman. No one deserves what he is doing, no matter what they’ve done."
Mary looked at the men around the table once more, then walked from the saloon. JD looked at his friends quickly, then snatched up his hat from the table and ran after Mary. The remaining men could hear JD calling out to Mary, "Did you know that Chris and Amelia knew each other a long time ago? Before Chris was married?"
The three men at the table in the saloon suddenly looked at each other in amazement. Now JD had done it. Of all the things that Mary Travis shouldn’t know, the fact that Amelia and Chris had a history together ranked near the top. In desperation, Buck jumped up out of his chair and chased after JD. Ezra and Vin looked at each other, and Vin shrugged his shoulders.
Ezra said, "Perhaps we should remain here, Mr. Tanner. I don’t believe they will be needing our assistance at this point."
Vin replied, "Reckon not," as Ezra dealt them both a new hand.
+ + + + + + +
Buck managed to intercept Mary and JD before they did anything about the situation in the hotel, but it was Buck who found himself caught in the middle of it. Mary relented about going to Chris only when Buck promised to talk to Chris himself. Now, as Buck climbed the stairs in the hotel, he couldn’t imagine the outcome of the conversation he was about to engage.
Buck’s nervous knock on the door brought a slight stirring inside the room, but no voices could be heard. Are they not talking at all in there? Buck thought. He couldn’t imagine how deep this anger in Chris ran toward Amelia, but Buck had witnessed the rages of anger within Chris for many, many years and knew that there was no end to it. Buck steeled himself for the discussion that lay ahead.
Chris appeared in the doorway, his teeth clenching a little when he saw Buck, and then he stepped into the hall. Buck caught a quick glimpse into the room and saw that Amelia looked the same as she had when they brought her in the night before, the same as she had in the window that morning. Buck’s anger flared within, as well. Before Chris was able to close the door, Buck’s voice could be heard above the noise in the hotel’s lobby below.
"This ain’t right, Chris," Buck said through clenched teeth, "You shouldn’t be keeping her locked up here like that. You haven’t even let her clean up! What’s gotten hold of you?!"
Chris stared with intimidation at his longtime pal, then answered evenly, "This ain’t your business, Buck."
"No," Buck said, "You’re wrong. Yesterday, it wasn’t my business. Yesterday, it was about you and her. Today, I’m makin’ it my business. This ain’t right, and you know it ain’t right."
Chris looked straight into Buck’s eyes, waited a moment, then turned around to go back into the room. Buck grabbed Chris’ arm with a jerk, an act which caused Chris to spin back toward his friend and grab Buck’s arm with his free hand. Neither used much force but the standoff had been declared. They stared at each other wildly for a long minute, each challenging the other to make the first move. Finally, Buck started first.
Without releasing Chris, Buck said, "She’s scared. She’s alone. And she was desperate. She made a bad choice. But that’s no reason to keep her tied up like an animal."
Chris’ teeth were still clenched when he replied, "It ain’t up to me what happens to her, Buck."
Buck responded, "You can talk to the judge. It don’t have to be this way."
Chris didn’t respond, and Buck loosened his grip and removed his hand. Chris did the same. They looked at each other another moment, then Chris turned toward the door again. This time, Buck only spoke to him.
"At least untie her hands, Chris. Give her some dignity back."
Chris listened as his friend spoke but did not turn back toward him. He heard Buck turn and begin to descend the stairs, so Chris went back into the room. He could tell by the look on Amelia’s face that she had overheard the conversation in the hallway. He hesitated a moment in the doorway, then moved back into the hall and began to search for someone. Spotting a hotel maid, he quietly asked her for a knife or straight edge. When he re-entered the room, he crossed to the bed where Amelia sat and cut the bindings from her wrists. He never looked at her. Amelia wondered then what kind of influence this Buck Wilmington could possibly yield that would cause Chris Larabee to do as he said.
Chris’ only words to Amelia at that time were one short sentence in which he told her to follow him. Chris led her down the street to the bathhouse. During this, the middle of the day, the town was full of people. Chris’ hand on Amelia’s upper arm as he led her told the townsfolk who she was, and this caused utter humiliation to Amelia. She tried to hold her head high, but the stares and whispers she saw from the people were too much. She walked the remainder of the trek with her eyes lowered, allowing Chris to lead her wherever he wished. Chris avoided the stares as well, but he held his head even. When they reached the bathhouse, Chris stepped inside first to make sure there was no one there. Then he took Amelia in.
Chris allowed Amelia to bathe in private, but he kept guard just on the other side of the curtain that hung between the tub and the entrance. He had instructed Amelia to get cleaned up quickly; they weren’t gonna be there long. Amelia immediately undressed and sank into the warm water, relishing the moment of luxury. She didn’t know when she might have another chance to bathe like this, so she tried to make the most of every moment. She sank under the water and stayed there as long as her lungs would allow, then surfaced and ran her hands through her hair. She knew she didn’t have time to wash her long, thick tresses, so she opted instead to clean her body thoroughly. She would just cut her hair to avoid having to deal with it. What she wanted most right now was to feel clean again.
When Mary Travis walked into the bathhouse unannounced, Chris’ surprise was evident. He stepped forward before she came too far inside.
"Mary," he said, "you don’t need to be in here."
"Mr. Larabee," she replied, "I intend to deliver these to your… prisoner. Please step aside." The venom was sharp in her tone, especially the last words.
Chris stared incredulously at Mary. The formal use of his name was his main clue of her dissatisfaction, but the tone in her voice bothered him. When did he become the enemy? He spoke quietly to her. "You shouldn’t get involved in this."
Mary turned to him with a cold stare. "I am involved in this. You caused that yourself by bringing her here, to this town. I’m part of this town, and that gives me every right to become involved." She paused a second, then added with force, "Please step aside."
Chris looked at her a moment longer, then moved aside. Mary proceeded to the curtain, then called out to the woman on the other side of it.
"Excuse me, ma’am," Mary said, "I have some things here that you might need. May I bring them inside?"
Amelia had listened to the exchange in the bathhouse, had not missed the tension between Chris and Mary, and was overcome with confusion. She recovered after a minute, then drew her knees up in front of her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, and told Mary to enter. Mary did not look at the woman in the tub, but moved to lay a small bundle on a chair nearby. She spoke to Amelia without facing her.
"I thought you might want some, well, comforts. There is some wash for your hair, and a hairbrush, and a change of clothes that I think might fit you. If you’d like, I can take these other clothes of yours and wash them for you."
Amelia was touched by this woman’s kindness, stunned into silence for a moment. Then she said, "Ma’am?"
Mary looked over at Amelia. The women stared at each other’s eyes, sensing a kinship, a sisterhood. For a moment, nothing separated the lives of the two women.
Amelia smiled at Mary, then said, "Thank you. I would appreciate the clothes being washed for me. And these are true comforts. Thank you very much. This is very kind of you."
Mary returned the smile and said, "It’s the very least I can do." Then Mary added, "I’m Mary Travis."
"Amelia Eagan."
Mary’s smile warmed further, and she said, "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amelia. If you want anything more, please let me know."
Amelia nodded, and Mary left the bathing area. Chris was still standing in the same spot, facing the door. Mary paused only a second as she passed him on her way out.
"She’ll need a little more time to finish," she said to Chris, then proceeded out the door. She turned slightly and nodded, excusing herself with a cool, "Good afternoon, Mr. Larabee."
Chris responded with a quiet, "Mary." A chill ran through his spine as he realized he’d just been put on the wrong side of Mary Travis and her agenda. With a deep sigh, Chris moved back into the bathhouse and waited for Amelia to be done.
+ + + + + + +
Amelia emerged from the building a new woman. The clothes Mary had given her were simple, but very feminine, and Amelia almost felt like herself again. Her hair hung loose and straight down the length of her back, and, although wet, it gave to her an aura of grace. As she returned to the hotel with Chris, Amelia could face the people of the town now, and she even saw a smile from an older woman who stood in the door of the General Store. Amelia felt a slight smile rise on her lips in spite of herself. Just as they were about to enter the hotel, she saw Buck from the corner of her eye. He was watching her intently, and when her attention rested on him, he smiled slightly and nodded a greeting. Amelia could not hide her surprise and found herself staring at him as they entered the building and disappeared from view. Who was this man? And why does he continue to help me, after all I’ve done to him and his friends? Amelia’s thoughts were jumbled and confused about many things in this town.
When Mary brought the evening meal, she did not just leave the tray and exit. Instead, she sat in a chair close to Amelia and began asking where she was from. As Mary sat down, Chris began to speak, but Mary quickly turned her head to him and said, "Yes, Mr. Larabee?" Her eyes shot daggers through him, and he didn’t respond immediately. Then, on second thought, he stood and turned toward the door.
"I think I’ll take a walk downstairs." Chris looked pointedly at Amelia, and she knew from one look that she was not to try anything foolish. Amelia saw the confusion in Chris’ eyes regarding Mary, and it registered right away that Chris held deep feelings for this woman who sat beside her. Amelia felt her heart drop a little, then she looked into Chris’ eyes and nodded slightly. Satisfied with the exchange, Chris went downstairs and out to the boardwalk in front of the hotel.
Mary could tell that Amelia came from a world of class and sophistication the moment she saw her. Despite the beaten appearance, there was a dignity and pride about her that could not be overlooked. Mary saw the pain in her eyes, but she also saw the fear and utter defeat. This woman had given up on everything she had ever known in life, and that saddened Mary. Mary knew the pain of losing all you had hoped for, had worked for, and all you had cherished. She felt a bond to Amelia instantly.
So, when Mary saw that Chris Larabee was treating Amelia as a common criminal, she knew she had to stop it. Maybe Amelia was a criminal. She still didn’t deserve the treatment she was getting. And from what JD had told her, Mary believed that Amelia had simply made a wrong decision out of desperation and fear. She hadn’t even committed the actual crime, either, she understood, although the attempt would surely be punishable. But, then again, maybe not. The judge was, in fact, Mary’s father-in-law, so perhaps she could wield some influence in this unusual situation.
The two women talked cautiously at first, not knowing exactly how intimate to go, but it wasn’t long before they found many commonalities between them and began to speak like old friends. Mary even brought a bit of laughter from Amelia, if only for a moment. And then, after a half hour or so, Mary broached the subject of Chris.
"I was told that you know Chris, from before," Mary’s words were carefully chosen, and she spoke without looking into Amelia’s eyes.
Amelia watched Mary closely, gauging her question and its intent, then let go of her trepidation and spoke freely. "Chris was my first love."
Mary looked up suddenly, then flushed at her own action and looked back at her hands. But she couldn’t hide the smile of embarrassment, so she chose to face Amelia anyway. Amelia had mercy on her and ignored the reaction.
As Amelia spoke, she looked past Mary into the corner of the room, although she found herself seeing into the corners of her own memory. "I knew Chris before he met his wife. In fact, I was with him when he met Sarah. I knew immediately that I had lost him to her." Amelia chuckled slightly. "There was no denying the effect that Sarah had on him. And the worst part for me was that I couldn’t hate her. She was the kind of woman who drew people in, who made you feel loved and cherished from the very beginning." Amelia looked at Mary then, and said, "Like you."
Mary blushed more, then smiled and looked down at her lap.
Amelia continued, "I was wild back then and in search of excitement, and Chris was lost, looking for trouble himself. I was drawn to him and wouldn’t let him get away. I followed him for the better part of a year, riding wherever he rode, living wherever he lived." Amelia smiled, "I drove him crazy. But I loved him, and I didn’t want to be without him. No matter how many times I was almost killed in a gunfight or a drunken brawl, no matter what terrible thing happened, I wouldn’t let him send me away. Finally, he decided I wasn’t leaving, so he taught me how to defend myself and keep myself out of harm’s way. I learned to be pretty good with a gun, and I learned to be a better rider, so he let me stay with him."
Mary’s eyes were glued to Amelia as she spoke, and Amelia finally came back into the present to see it. She smiled at the surprise in Mary’s face.
"Hard to believe?" Amelia asked.
Mary replied, "Well, yes. Somewhat."
Amelia nodded, "I grew up in Georgia, on a plantation that my grandfather built from nothing. I was given the best education, the most privilege, the absolute best that money could buy for a young woman. I was taught that it was most important to marry well, raise a family, and seek a higher place in society, for there will be your rewards and satisfaction. I hated everything about my life. I hated the fact that my family owned slaves, that we had so much when others had nothing, and I hated pretending I was something I wasn’t. So, I searched for the exact opposite. I was barely a young woman, and all I wanted to do was see what else there was in the world outside my privileged status. I found people to teach me cards, and I became very good at it. I learned to drink. I learned to smoke, even, although I can’t say I ever enjoyed that much. But none of it was satisfying, so I looked for more. Chris was exactly what I wanted at the time. His world was terrifying, but it was also exhilarating, and I never wanted to go back to my own life."
Mary interrupted, "But you did."
Amelia nodded sadly. "When we met Sarah."
She paused a moment, wishing back the tears that began to form in her eyes at the memory of her friend. She swallowed hard, then continued, with some tears falling onto her cheeks.
"Sarah embraced me as if she were my own sister. And she challenged me to evaluate what my life really meant to me. When I noticed that Chris was falling in love with her, well, he fell in love with her instantly, but I didn’t want to admit it. When I finally did, I knew I had to leave. He was never going to stay with me, and my pride wouldn’t allow me to be the one he didn’t choose, so I told him I had made a mistake and needed to return to my home. He knew the real reason, he knew that I hated going back there, but he allowed me the dignity of leaving him. I returned to Georgia and forced myself to become the lady my family required of me, and eventually I discovered that I really was that woman, to some extent. I never looked back after that. Until two days ago, when I saw Chris on that train."
Sadness returned to Amelia’s eyes as her present situation came crashing back. She willed herself not to think about it, knowing that she was too emotionally vulnerable to withstand the thoughts at that moment. She fought back the tears when she felt Mary’s hand rest on hers. The comfort of Mary’s touch was exactly what Amelia needed. The two women sat in silence for a long while, one comforting the other with simply one gesture.
When Chris returned to the room, Amelia had regained her composure and was smiling again. Mary ignored Chris as she collected the things she had brought to the room and prepared to leave. At the door, Mary turned to Amelia and smiled. Something told Amelia that everything would work out better than she expected.
+ + + + + + +
Chris was awakened later, in the middle of the night, by the quiet sobbing of his prisoner. He watched Amelia in the dark for a long time, weighing his options. Finally, maybe from lack of rest or just maybe from sheer compassion, he chose to move beside her. He sat on the bed next to her, but didn’t touch her. She was startled at first, then stared up at his darkened figure. They looked at each other in the moonlit room. Finally, after a moment, she sat up in the bed and faced him.
Amelia’s question came in almost a whisper, "Did you ever love me, Chris?"
Chris’s face was shadowed by the darkness, so Amelia couldn’t judge his response until he actually spoke. He said, "Probably. Once."
Amelia’s tears increased silently, and she closed her eyes tightly to stop them. Chris waited in silence for her to continue.
Without opening her eyes, she said, "How did I get here?"
Compassion finally settled in Chris, and he touched her face, cupping his hand under her jaw, then slipping it into her hair behind her ear. Amelia opened her eyes, tears spilling over and onto her cheeks, and she saw the sorrow behind Chris’ gaze. She reached up and took his hand from her neck, then placed it in her lap with her own hands surrounding it. They sat for a moment without speaking, until Amelia felt sure she could continue.
"All I wanted was to start over," she said, "We lost everything, and I just wanted to start over. It seemed so easy, and I just got lost in the whole idea." She bit her bottom lip as it began to tremble. "Now, I have less than I did, and Dante is..." Her voice trailed off as new tears began to surface. She cried openly then, for the first time, mourning all of the things she had lost and all the mistakes she had made. Chris sat holding her hand, but did not offer to comfort her further.
It was a long while before Amelia regained any composure. She released Chris’ hand and wiped her tear-stained face on the sleeves of the shirt she wore. She avoided Chris’ eyes for a long time, but finally looked up when she began to speak again.
"What will happen to me?"
Chris hesitated, then answered, "I don’t know. The judge will be here tomorrow, and it’s up to him."
"But what will you tell him?" she questioned, a small sense of fear rising in her words.
Chris just said, "I’ll tell him what happened on the train."
She looked into his eyes and asked, "And on the trail?"
Chris met her gaze and said, "I don’t see how that’s important now."
Amelia breathed a little sigh, then felt a slight sense of relief wash over her. She looked at her hands, then her eyes traveled from the tips of her fingers onto the bed linens and up to Chris’ image sitting before her. She looked at his strong hand resting on his black-clad leg. Her eyes followed the length of his arm to his shoulder and finally looked up into his face. He was watching her closely. She sighed.
"I can’t believe I kicked you on your horse," she said to him, no hint of a smile.
Chris replied, dryly, "Neither can I."
At that, Amelia did smile, and she saw a slight twitch at the corner of Chris’ mouth, which he couldn’t resist. He smiled back at her, and they both relaxed into quiet laughter.
Amelia asked, "Does it hurt?"
Chris’s eyes danced a bit in the moonlight. "Would it hurt if someone kicked you?" Amelia nodded shyly, then smiled wider.
"Would it make a difference if I said I was sorry?" Her eyes were bright as she questioned Chris. His eyes were mischievous when he answered.
"No. But you can say it."
Amelia smiled, a genuine smile, and said, "I really am sorry. About everything. I know it won’t help me now, but I want you to know that I am. I’d give anything to change what’s happened."
The room settled into an uneasy stillness, and the two former lovers sat in silence. Chris watched her as she battled her own demons raging inside of her mind, understanding the remorse she felt, the desire to change the past. They shared more than just a history; they shared a present, as well. Chris wouldn’t step in the way of the judge and his law, but he knew he would do what he could to help Amelia make the transition to the new fate that awaited her. He felt he owed her that much, if only for Sarah.
Amelia soon fell asleep from the emotional stress, and she slept quietly the few hours remaining in the night. Chris returned to a chair, this time facing the window, legs stretched out and feet propped on the window frame. When he drifted off to sleep awhile later, he immediately fell into a dream of Sarah and Amelia and himself, a long time ago, the way things should have been.
+ + + + + + +
Judge Orin Travis arrived on the stage the next morning. He immediately went to The Clarion newspaper office to see his daughter-in-law. Mary treated him to a nice refreshment, then immediately laid her case in favor of Amelia. If she had any influence at all as the judge’s widowed daughter-in-law, she hoped now would be the time it became useful. Mary told the judge all that she knew about the train incident, that the three actual thieves were still in Ridge City, awaiting trial, and that Chris had brought Amelia here to keep an eye on her. Mary left out the parts about Amelia’s history with Chris, hoping to keep things simple. She relayed Amelia’s desperation, her upbringing and the ravaging of her home by the War, and she told the judge of Amelia’s brother who had been killed in the course of the attempted robbery.
Judge Travis listened closely, if somewhat guardedly, to his daughter-in-law, sensing a protective nature for this woman who had been accused of a crime. When he questioned Mary about her relationship to the woman, Mary said only that she could understand what would make a woman act foolishly when everything in her life collapsed before her eyes.
Mary told the judge that she felt Amelia had already paid greatly for her crime, and she didn’t see the need in making her go to prison for something that actually never happened. The money wasn’t taken, after all, and the three other men had been found to be criminals already, wanted in other Territories for similar crimes. It was Amelia who got caught in the middle of something that was already going to happen, Mary thought, and she just made a bad decision to become involved. Mary said she didn’t think Amelia should be condemned for a bad decision.
Judge Travis took all these thoughts with him as he went to the hotel to visit Chris’ prisoner. Chris and Amelia were lost in their own thoughts when the judge arrived, and his towering presence immediately reduced Amelia to something akin to a scolded child. The judge spoke to Chris quietly in the hall, then came into the room alone and closed the door. Amelia was sitting in a chair near the window, but stood when Judge Travis entered. He pulled a chair from the nearby table and sat directly across from Amelia, looking into her eyes and studying her before he spoke.
"Miss Eagan, right?" Judge Travis’ voice seemed extremely loud in the silence to which Amelia had become accustomed. She nodded, and the judge continued. "It seems that you have made a horrible mistake, a terrible err in judgment."
Amelia wasn’t sure if she should speak, so she simply nodded while meeting the judge’s gaze. The fear of her undecided future lay bare in her eyes.
Judge Travis continued, "I know most of the details from the train, and I am familiar with some of your personal history, but what I do not know is what you thought you would gain by attempting such a crime. Did you not believe that you would get caught in this act, and that you would have to be punished for your crime?"
Though Amelia tried, she could not keep her eyes from brimming with tears. She began to speak, found the lump in her throat too large to conquer, and swallowed hard several times in an effort to answer the judge’s question. The judge watched her struggle and waited.
Finally, in a cautious whisper, Amelia said, "I wasn’t thinking clearly at all. I only saw that I wanted a better life, and I saw an easy way to achieve it. I thought. I just convinced myself that I could do it, and that I wouldn’t get caught. I knew better, but I couldn’t see that side of it. Not with everything else around me at the time."
Judge Travis watched Amelia’s eyes as she spoke. He saw the truth baring itself in her emotions; he saw her remorse and her pain; he saw her desperation and her despair. And as she made reference to losing everything, he saw his own daughter-in-law in Amelia’s eyes.
The judge silently stood and returned his chair to its place underneath the table. Then he crossed the room to the door. With his hand on the doorknob, he looked off into some distance of his mind and spoke without turning to Amelia.
"I will have a decision by the end of today, Miss Eagan. You will remain here."
Judge Travis opened the door and stepped into the hall, instructing Chris to return to his post. The judge said nothing about Amelia to his hired gunman, and Chris did not ask. They would simply wait until he made his intentions known.
The afternoon dragged on for Amelia, who found herself pacing from one end of the room to the other. Chris allowed it for a while, but finally forced her to sit and find something to occupy her attention. She decided to watch the people in the street, thinking it might be her last opportunity for a long while. She felt a great sadness envelop her, and that is where she remained until late in the afternoon when Judge Travis returned.
The judge told Chris to remain in the room while he spoke to Amelia, then stood before the frightened woman as he spoke.
"Miss Eagan," he began, "I am inclined to punish you for your attempted robbery of the safe on the train…" He paused just a moment, then said, "However, you seem to have many advocates for your case, not the least of which is my beloved daughter-in-law, Mary. She seems to think you have suffered a great injustice, and that you have been punished enough already. I do not fully agree with that assessment, but I do believe you have suffered. Now, I understand that the men who were captured with you have committed many crimes not connected to you, and that you were not actually the mastermind behind the train robbery, but simply part of a group. They have not named you in this crime, in fact, but your brother." Amelia’s eyes suddenly flared in surprise, but she said nothing as the judge continued. "Therefore, since no one actually claims you committed a crime, other than possibly bad judgment and the mistake of consorting with the wrong people, I have no obligation to retain you."
Amelia’s eyes widened and she looked past the judge at Chris. Chris’ gaze was even as he watched her, but when she looked closely she saw a hint of relief in his green eyes. Amelia looked back at the judge when she heard him speak again.
"Still, I feel it necessary to demand that you make some sort of amends. As such, I have taken the liberty of securing employment for you in a town not far from here, under strict supervision and with the understanding that you will be on probation for a period of six months. If you can agree to this, then I have no reason to hold a trial for your crime."
Amelia could feel the smile creep into her face, and she chose not to suppress it. She nodded quickly, then said, "Thank you, Judge. Thank you so much."
Judge Travis said, "It is Mary, you should thank. And Buck Wilmington."
Amelia looked at the judge with a question in her face. "Buck Wilmington?"
The judge nodded. "He cornered me in the street this morning and wouldn’t let me rest without pleading your case, as well."
Amelia shook her head in wonderment, but said no more. The judge excused himself, promising to leave all the details with Mary before he left town, and Amelia stood in the middle of the room in shock. Once the door closed and the judge could no longer be heard in the hallway, Chris spoke.
"You always manage to work your way out of a bad place."
Amelia looked up to see Chris smiling at her, so she allowed herself to smile, as well. Overwhelmed, she plopped down on the bed, then fell backwards to lie on her back.
She said, "I can’t believe what just happened."
Chris moved to stand in front of her, his legs brushing against her bent knees, then he reached down, took her hands and pulled her back to a standing position. They stood inches apart, looking at each other for a moment before speaking.
Chris then said, "Don’t waste this second chance."
Amelia smiled at him and nodded, then said, "Don’t worry."
As they stood there, she laced her fingers in his, and looked into his intoxicating eyes. Then she closed her eyes, released a quiet sigh, and moved her head forward until her forehead touched the bridge of his nose.
Chris waited just a moment before he released her hands and circled his arms around her. He squeezed her tightly in a reassuring hug, then relaxed a little and held her against him. She returned the hug and fell into the embrace, finally letting her guard down and emptying her tension into his arms. The door to their shared past finally closed as they stood together in that room while the sun began to set outside the window.
+ + + + + + +
Mary arranged for a stage to take Amelia to her new life, and she raised a little money to help her get started. Amelia was grateful to her for all she had done, but she couldn’t find the words to express it. They ate dinner together that same night after the judge left, and Mary saw the gratitude in Amelia’s eyes. No words were necessary. Amelia saw something different in Mary’s eyes. She saw a lifelong friend and confidante, and she knew that this was only the beginning of knowing Mary Travis. They talked late into the night about their lives and their hopes and their plans, and Mary found it encouraging that Amelia was excited about what now lay ahead. She looked forward to a time, at least six months from now, when Amelia could return to Four Corners, perhaps even move here. Mary’s desire to have a close friend made this thought very appealing.
Although the judge hadn’t ordered it, Chris felt compelled to stay close to Amelia. He trusted her to some degree, much more than in recent days, but he didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone. So, while Mary and Amelia shared a table in the restaurant, Chris stationed himself at another table and ate alone. Mary couldn’t resist the urge to glance over at him occasionally when conversation lagged, and this was not lost on Amelia. She saw some anger in Mary’s eyes still, remaining from what Mary thought was Chris’ ill treatment of her, but she also saw a tenderness there. Amelia realized with a start that she had seen that same look before, in Sarah’s eyes. Amelia was smiling to herself when Mary’s attention returned to their table.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Mary asked her, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
Amelia’s face brightened, "You just remind me of someone I used to know."
"Oh?" Mary replied, "A friend?"
Amelia thought a moment, then said with a cautious smile, "Yes, she was a friend. But I never had the chance to get to know her very well."
Mary reached across the table and placed her hand over Amelia’s, saying, "Well, that’s not going to happen here."
Mary’s smile was contagious and Amelia returned it. The two women regarded each other in silence for a moment, admiring the beginning of a new relationship.
When Mary withdrew her hand and began to lift her fork for another bite of dinner, Amelia said, "You know that Chris has a lot to work through, but he’s a good man."
Mary looked up suddenly, unable to stop the flush that crept into her face. Amelia didn’t make her uncomfortable, but rather continued her thought.
"He’s worth every amount of energy you put into him. This, I know."
Mary responded quietly, and somewhat bitterly, "I don’t know that I want to put that much effort into anyone, least of all Chris Larabee."
Amelia smiled widely, her eyes crinkling at the corners as they always did when she was highly amused, and she said, "I think you already are, Mary."
Mary blushed openly then, looking into her plate of food, unable to cover the embarrassed smile that lit her face. Amelia said no more, but she felt confident that the seed was planted.
+ + + + + + +
The stage taking Amelia to her new home was waiting in the street at noon the next day. Mary had come to the hotel room to help her gather some things for the trip, and the two women emerged from the building arm in arm, talking quietly.
Chris was waiting at the end of the boardwalk, near the coach, and when he saw them he simply shook his head in amazement. Those were two women he would never understand, and he now knew that it wouldn’t pay for him to cross either of them. He resisted a chuckle at the thought of anyone getting on the wrong side of Mary and Amelia.
Ezra stepped forward to meet Amelia as she landed on the boardwalk, and Mary deferred to him as he slipped Amelia’s arm through his and began to escort her to the stage. Quietly, Ezra leaned down and spoke so only she could hear.
"When you return," he began, "and I know you will, we have a game to complete."
Amelia smiled, then turned to look into his clear green eyes. "Yes, we do, Mr. Standish. And I shall look forward to that time with great anticipation." They smiled at each other with genuine admiration, then continued forward to the stagecoach.
When they reached Chris, Ezra stepped away and walked back onto the boardwalk to sit. Amelia stood before Chris a moment, smiling up at him with a newfound respect. Then she stepped forward and placed her arms around his neck, pulling herself to her tiptoes and placing her mouth beside his ear.
She whispered, "I love you," and pulled herself closer into an embrace.
He pulled her closer, as well, and quietly said, "You always did."
Amelia smiled and hugged him tightly, then pulled back and released him. She looked into his eyes one more time, then, in a sudden inspiration, said, "You know, Mary reminds me of someone we used to know."
Chris narrowed his eyes in curiosity, then said, "Yeah?"
Amelia said, "Yeah. And if I was you, I wouldn’t let her slip away."
Chris smiled widely, shaking his head, and in a teasing voice, said, "But you ain’t me."
Amelia chuckled slightly. "No, I’m not. But I know you’re not as stupid as you used to be."
Chris started to say something, then let it go. This could go on forever and now was not the time. He simply said, "Be careful, Molly." The use of his private name for her brought a bright smile to her face, and she turned to board the stage.
As she handed her bag to the attendant waiting for her, she noticed Buck leaning against a post at the end of the boardwalk. She stopped and looked at him, then walked to where he stood. Buck straightened to his full height as she approached. When she reached him, she looked into his face for a moment, not speaking, then into his eyes. Buck didn’t know whether to smile or run away, but he was frozen to the spot in surprise.
Amelia stared intently into Buck’s eyes, and her voice was soft and sincere when she said, "I misjudged you, Mr. Wilmington. And for that, I apologize."
Buck was taken aback only briefly, then he smiled at her and replied, "It happens more often than you’d think."
Amelia smiled, then said, "Well, it shouldn’t."
She touched the side of his face with the palm of her hand, then slowly moved it down the line of his jaw. The tips of her fingers brushed his chin as she said, "You have a big heart."
Buck could not reply. He could only stand as he was, glued to the ground, and watch her move toward him and gently place her lips on his. His eyes closed in response, and, despite his nature, he only gingerly responded to her kiss. When she slowly withdrew from him, he didn’t open his eyes immediately but savored the moment a bit longer. She was waiting for him when he opened his eyes.
Amelia smiled at him, a little embarrassment creeping into her neck, then removed her hand from his face. She backed away slowly, not turning from him just yet, then spoke as she moved toward the stage.
"We missed knowing each other once. I don’t intend for that to happen again. I’ll see you in a few months." And then she turned and boarded the waiting stage.
Amelia looked outside one last time, seeing Mary standing near Chris, and chose to take that image with her to her next location. She smiled at them both, then retreated inside the stage as it began its journey.
JD had been standing near Ezra as the goodbyes were given, and once Amelia boarded the stage, he had to remark, "They’ll be no living with Buck now! Did you see that kiss?! She hated him! How does he do it?!" Ezra did not answer, just merely smiled to himself.
As the stage grew more distant, Mary drew her attention away from it and toward the man standing beside her. She looked up at his profile, noticing a tenderness she did not often see. Amelia’s words played through her mind again, as they had many times since the night before, and Mary found herself wondering if he really was worth it.
Chris turned to notice Mary watching him, and he smiled expectantly at her.
Mary did not flush, but rather said, "Lunch, Mr. Larabee?"
Chris smiled, noting the formal name but sensing a playfulness instead of the icy tone. He responded, "I could eat."
Mary smiled again then led the way across the street. Chris followed close behind, noticing again that Buck was still watching the stage as it drove away. Chris shook his head and smiled at his friend who had become the latest victim of Amelia Eagan’s charms.
The End
