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                                        THE JUDGE KNOWS BEST

                          MARY BOLTON & ROBBIE WOOTEN


The breeze blowing around the dirt streets of Four Corners was warm.  There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.  Buck Wilmington and Vin Tanner, two of the seven peacemakers that had been hired by Judge Travis, to see that the law was carried out in the little town, made ready to transport a prisoner.  They weren’t expecting any trouble during their trip.  The prisoner was an older gentleman that had been caught stealing from his former boss.  He’d been sentenced to a few years in the prison some 300 miles away.  They were both looking forward to a little rest away from their lawmen duties.  Judge Travis stepped out of the jail onto the porch steps.

“You boys look ready to ride.  Wouldn’t be a mite anxious to get away from our lovely little town would you?”

“Well Judge, it’s been a while since we took a trip!  Being a lawman can keep you a might tense!”  Vin Tanner smiled his way as he cinched the strap down on his saddle.  He was medium framed, sandy blond hair, the trapper and sharpshooter of the seven.

“Well I know you boys need some time off.  I think Chris and the others can watch over things here.  Why don’t you two take a little time getting back?  Enjoy yourselves for a few extra days.”

“You shore Chris ain’t gonna mind us doing that?”  The tall slim cowboy named Buck Wilmington, asked.

“Have you forgotten that you all work for me?  I can make decisions around here as well as Chris does!  I say you two need a break!  Now are you going to argue with me?”

“Yeah Buck!  Keep your mouth shut!  It might be nice to not have to ride at break neck speed to get back here!  Might stop off some wheres and enjoy a little entertainment in another town for a few days!” 
 
“Entertainment huh?  That entertainment gonna include that of the fairer sex?”

“It just might!  I ain’t sure what we might encounter on our way back!”  Vin looked his friend’s way.  He knew that he could talk Buck into anything if women were involved!  Besides he wouldn’t mind a little female company himself!

“You know, you might just be right there old buddy!  Sounds like a plan to me!”
Buck sent the judge a smile that would charm the clothes right off any female, and turned back to readying his horse.

Judge Travis shook his head, all the while grinning.  “You, Mr. Wilmington, need to find yourself a little lady and settle down!”

“Me?  Settle down?”  Buck pointed to himself and looked at the judge as if he’d lost his mind. “I don’t think so!”

“That’s right Judge!  What in the world would the women of Four Corners do without the charms of Buck Wilmington?” Vin asked him.

“Maybe be better off?”  He said that to himself.  Clearing his throat, he looked towards Vin. “He isn’t the only one that needs to be thinking on the lines of settling down!  You do as well, Mr. Tanner!  I used to think that I would never settle down.  That I’d never find a woman that I would be content to spend the rest of my life with.  But I did!  Life tends to not last very long in our world!  We all need to grab life and live it to the fullest!  No matter what anyone says.  Living it to the fullest means living it with a woman that can make you the happiest man on the face of the earth!”  Judge Travis smiled as he remembered his lovely wife Elizabeth, who had gone to meet their maker several years before without him.  He knew that he would never meet another to take her place.

“Well, that might work for you Judge.  But I ain’t so sure I’m gonna find a woman like that!”  Vin thought on it for only a second before he stepped into the stirrup and seated himself in his saddle.

“Oh, she’s out there!  She’ll knock you off your feet one day, young man!  Mark my words!”

“Well, what’s say we get started looking for her Vin!  I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to get our prisoner delivered so we can find these women that Judge Travis says is out there!”  Buck grinned at his partner and reached for the saddle horn.  In one graceful motion, he swung himself up into the saddle.  They had a long ride ahead of them!

Judge Travis brought out their charge and placed him on the horse between Vin and Buck.  “You boys be careful now.  We’ll see you two in about three weeks.”  He waved as they started off out of town.  He hoped that they didn’t get into any trouble with their entertainment!



Some three hundred miles away in Willow Springs, Colorado, there were two young ladies that were getting ready to start a new life.

Hannah McTavish was day dreaming as she looked in the store windows of the little town.  She had money, but she was saving it for the purchase of a wagon and horses so that she and her best friend Abigail Stewart could leave Willow Springs for good.  Her mind started working over time as she thought of their life up until then. 

Abigail Stewart, better known as Abbie, and her constant companion since she was no bigger than a grasshopper, Hannah McTavish, were looking to start a new chapter in their lives.

The two had been best of friends since they had been thrown together in the orphanage at Willow Springs.  Their parents had died of the fever when they were traveling with a wagon train west.  Not having any other family, there had been no choice but to place them in the orphanage to be cared for.  They had grown up there, being looked down upon by the town’s people from the very beginning.   One would have thought that people would be understanding, when they learned of the fate of the many children that were left homeless by disease, starvation, Indian raids, the list went on and on.  But the town’s people turned up their noses.  Not wanting to associate with the likes of children that were beneath them.  You didn’t know anything about their families, where they had come from, what they would grow up to be!

Hannah and Abbie had learned to cope with the people of the town.  They went to church on Sunday’s, but were always treated as outsiders.  No one speaking to them.  Both had decided at an early time in life, that once they were old enough to be on their own, they were leaving Willow Springs for a new place.  A place where no one would know they were orphans.  A place they could start a new life, and not be looked down upon.

Once the two of them were old enough to work for a living, Hannah had been able to get a position at the local laundry.  Mrs. Worthington had taken her under her wing and taught her how to sew, along with doing the chore of laundry for the numerous town people.  Mrs. Worthington had been widowed years before.  Not having any children of her own, she had taken a liking to Hannah.  She was one of the few in town that had a kind word to say.  Hannah was good with a needle and occasionally would be lucky enough to have one of the ladies ask her to make a dress or alter one for an up coming dance or event in town.  She knew that when the time came to move on to a new place, she would be able to sew and make a living.  She was very beholding to Mrs. Worthington.

Abbie, on the other hand, had a love for teaching.  She had wanted to teach the children in the town.  She'd been teaching the ones at the orphanage for some time.  But when she’d inquired of the mayor if she could start a school there, she’d been quickly told “No, she wasn’t qualified to teach!  Just because she was doing it at the orphanage didn’t mean she knew enough to teach their children!  Besides, she was an orphan herself!  What made her think that she could teach anyone anything?”  It had broken her heart, but she had continued to help the ones less fortunate.  The ones that would never see the inside of a school house.

A few weeks later, an acquaintance had told her about a town named Four Corners, Arizona.  The last time they had been through the town, they had seen a notice in the paper that they were looking for a schoolteacher.  The headmaster at the orphanage had been happy to write a letter of recommendation for Abbie, and she had quickly sent a wire off to the telegraph office in the town.  She once again had hopes that her dreams would come true.

Hannah was pulled from her musings as she heard her friend coming before she saw her.

“Hannah!  Hannah!  I got it!  Judge Travis wants me to be there in two weeks!”  She raced around the corner of the building and skidded to a stop in front of her.  Several of the town people looked their way and shook their heads at her behavior. 

Reaching out an arm, Hannah had hugged Abbie’s shoulders and they pressed their heads together over the telegram that she held.

“Miss Abigail Stewart…stop….would be honored to have you…stop…as new schoolteacher…stop….not many students…stop….little town is growing…stop…need you here in two weeks…stop….if possible….Judge Travis……stop.”

“Oh I know you’re excited!  I hope this town needs a seamstress!”

“You know they will!  I sent him an answer back already!  I didn’t want him to offer the position to someone else!  What’s say girlfriend?  Ready to pack up what little we own and head for a new life?”

“You bet!”  Giggling like two little girls, they headed for the orphanage to tell the good news.



It had taken several days for Abbie and Hannah to get their belongings packed, purchase a wagon, two horses, and enough beans, flour, and bacon to hold them until they reached Four Corners.  Hannah had exactly enough money to acquire what was needed.  They would worry about other things once they arrived at their destination.

Their first day out on the road was a long one.  It would be the first time that they had traveled anywhere.  And they were a little apprehensive about spending the nights alone on the road.  But they would over come that, just as they had every thing else in their lives.

They made camp a little before dusk, both worn out from bumping around on the wagon seat all day.  Hannah looked for firewood to get a fire going, and Abbie mixed the ingredients to prepare biscuits to go with their meager supply of beans and bacon.  The evening was warm, and they decided that they would sleep under the wagon on their mats instead of inside. 

As the fire burned low, Hannah looked towards her friend. “Have you ever thought what it would be like to fall in love?”

Abbie looked her way startled.  Fall in love?  Would that ever happen to either of them?  “I don’t know.  I guess I have.  The way we were treated in Willow Springs didn’t give us much chance to get to know anyone.  I guess it’s in the back of my mind, but I didn’t dwell on it much.  How bout you?”

Hannah smiled.  “I guess I’ve spent too much time reading fairy tales!  I keep seeing this man in my dreams, riding up on a white horse and chasing all my enemies away!  Taking me in his arms and loving me for the rest of my life!”

“What does he look like?”  Abbie rolled over onto her stomach and propped her chin on the palm of her hand.

“I’m not sure.  Maybe tall, dark, beautiful eyes…you know the kind that softens, when he looks at you.  The kind that just want to make you melt into a puddle at his feet!”

“You think someone like that could exist?  I mean, sure it was in the books we’ve read, but in real life?”

“It’s a nice dream!  Who knows, he might really exist!  He might really be out there some where waiting on me!  We can’t live alone all our lives!  After all, we never had a ma and pa to love us!  Would it be too much to ask to have someone love us now that we’ve grown up?”

“No, you’re right.  There has to be someone out there.  Maybe that’s why we’re doing this.  Making this move I mean.  Maybe your hero on a white charger lives in Four Corners!”

Hannah turned over onto her back, and pulled the blanket up under her chin.  “Well, I guess we’ll find out.  Once we get to this new place, I plan to get to know everyone in that town!  We might not be rich, but we’re just as good as the rest of them!”

Abbie sighed.  “It’ll be different there Hannah.  You’ll see!”  She settled down herself to sleep.  Her mind wandered over what Hannah had asked.  Would she fall in love?  She would love to have a home with a white picket fence.  Her dreams were filled with an image of a man with a soft voice, and a halo that seemed to surround him. 

   

Buck stretched his long frame, tall in the saddle.  It seemed they had been riding forever!  The day had been a dreary one.  It had rained up until just about an hour before.  He was ready to stop, make camp, and dry out.  There were only a few more hours of day light left.  He glanced over towards his friend who had been rather silent most of the day, not that his silence was unusual.

“You bout ready to call it a day?  My backside is numb from riding in this saddle!”  He rose up slightly and rubbed his backend.  Buck grinned.

“Yeah.  Looks like most of the rain is over with.  There’s a grove of trees up ahead.  We can camp there for the night. Tomorrow we should be able to make it to Kade’s Gap.”

Buck rubbed his hands together.  That meant a hot bath, whiskey, and plenty of women to warm his tired body! 

“Bout time we made it back to civilization!  This sleeping on the hard ground without a soft body beside me is getting old!”

Vin laughed.    “And the Judge expects you to settle down with someone….just one someone??”  He shook his head.

“Well, I cain’t help it I like the ladies, or they like the ole’ Buck here!  I ain’t lookin’ to get attached to no one woman!” 

Vin smiled.  Buck Wilmington was known as the ladies man of the group.  He could charm the garters right off anything female! “Yeah, and what happens when she walks in your life and all them other women don’t look so good to you no more?”

“Ah, that ain’t never gonna happen!”

“If you say so!  Ain’t you never heard the sayin’, ‘never say never’?”

“Cain’t say as I have, why?”  Buck looked his way as they rode into the grove of trees.  Pulling up his horse, he swung off to the ground and stretched his legs.

“They say if you say “never say never”, that’s when whatever you are talking about surely happens! So don’t go sayin’ you ain’t a gonna fall in love!  You will for sure!”

“Well look who’s a talkin’.  Think the Judge done decided you needed to get hitched as well!”

Vin had gotten off his horse and was unsaddling Peso.  Pulling the saddle from his back, he turned, talking as he placed it on the ground.

“Personally, I think the Judge is barking up the wrong trees here!  Ain’t none a us ready to do this settling down thing!  Sides, being the peacemakers of Four Corners, it can be a dangerous job!  Hate to make a widow outta someone right after the wedding!”

“Yeah, and I ain’t giving up all them ladies in Four Corners!”  Buck scratched his chin.  “What would they do without me taking care a their needs?  Why, they’d cry themselves to sleep every night if’n I weren’t there!”  Buck shook his head as if he were feeling sorry for them all!

“You’re hopeless, Wilmington!  I swear you got only one thing on your mind!”

Buck laughed.  “What’s wrong with that?”  He was silent a moment, looking thoughtful.  “Well, most a the time I have that on my mind!  But I do have to look after JD from time to time!  The boy needs someone to hold his hand now and again!”

“But he’s learning from the best!”

Buck strutted around for several minutes.  Looking like a cocky rooster.  “I know I am the best at more than one thing, ain’t I?”

Vin laughed and shook his head.  “I was talking about all of us Buck, not just you!”

Buck ignored that comment, and continued talking.  “I gots to teach that boy bout them women though!  Teach him how to love ‘em and make ‘em all just crazy with desire for you!”  Buck had that dreamy expression on his face as he talked.

“See, I told you!  You’re hopeless!”  Vin threw his bedroll at Buck, startling him from his daydreams. “I’ll finish with the horses. Go get us some fire wood.  It’s getting late and I’m hungry.  Been awhile since breakfast!  It’s your turn to cook!”

“My turn?  How’d it get to be my turn?  You know cooking ain’t my favorite thing!  Now if we were….”

“WILMINGTON!  I know what your favorite thing is!  But right now, my stomach is beginning to talk louder than your bragging is!”  He sent him one of those famous tracker looks that meant business.

“Okay, Okay, I’m going!”  Buck mumbled as he headed off into the trees for what he hoped was some dry wood.

Vin finished unloading the horses and hobbled them near by in the sweet grass.  He was worn out from riding and sleeping on the ground for nearly a week and a half.  At least Jake Roberts didn’t give them any trouble.  They had him to the prison in record time.  He was feeling anxious, and he guessed it was because he knew that he had some time off and here he was wasting it riding with Buck!  Tomorrow, that was when he planned to sit back and take it easy.  Kade’s Gap was a small town, but friendly.  He’d been there several times before, and there were several ladies that he enjoyed keeping company with.  He was basically a loner, but from time to time, he did enjoy the company of a soft companion.  Not like Buck who wanted it all the time!  He shook his head again as he thought of the man.  Oh well, things would change one day.  At least for Buck.  But he wasn’t planning on letting it happen to him.  He was better at being a loner.  Fewer people got hurt that way.  He would just spend his life growing old by himself!

The fire burned low.  Buck lay on his bedroll watching the dying embers.  Sleep was eluding him this evening.  He could hear Vin’s soft snores, and knew that the trapper was sleeping peacefully.  Tomorrow they would be sleeping in a soft bed instead of on hard ground.  He would find someone soft and better looking than Tanner to keep him company for the night!

Those thoughts drifted away though, and he had a strange feeling.  The same feeling that he’d had when Vin had sent him after firewood.  They’d been talking about falling in love.  That idea scared the begebers out of him!  He’d never been one for settling on just one woman.  He was the kind of man who needed lots of women around. 

Falling in love…yeah right!  Not this man!  He brushed the thought away, turning over to try and sleep.  But it was no use.  The thought wouldn’t go away.  Was there really someone out there for him?  Just one someone?  It hardly seemed possible. He blew out a long breath and turned over again on his bedroll.  Pulling his hat low over his face, he refused to think about this matter any longer.



Hannah and Abbie stretched as they woke from another night on the hard ground.  It would be wonderful to get to their destination and have a real bed to sleep on.

“We should be there in another four or five days.”  Abbie looked out over the flat land that was all you could see for miles.

“You okay?”  Hannah could see the frown that covered her friend’s face.

“Yeah, just feeling a little jumpy this morning is all.”

Hannah stirred the coals from their fire the night before and started the coffee.

“We’ll soon be in our new home, with new friends, a new life!  It’s gonna be wonderful.  Stop all this worry!”

“Oh, I’m not worried about Four Corners.  I just have this unsettled feeling inside this morning.  I can’t put a finger on it.  We’ve been really lucky since we left Willow Springs. No trouble.  What would happen if we ran across bandits, or a wagon wheel came off, or one of our horses went lame?”

“My hero on a white horse would ride up and rescue us!”  Hannah laughed at the look on Abbie’s face.  “Well, you asked!”

Abbie sighed.  “I know.  You’re putting a lot in faith in this man on a white horse thing aren’t you?”

“I still think he’s out there!  I just gotta find him!”  With those words she started cooking their morning ration of bacon and biscuits.

Abbie moved over to the trees by the stream to take care of her morning needs.  She still had an uneasy feeling.  Maybe after they got on their way again she would forget about it.  No use in worrying over something that you couldn’t see.



On a hillside, not far away, two escaped outlaws sat watching a small covered wagon as it made its way down the dirt path that people called a road.

“You still see ‘em?” 

“Yeah.  They ain’t strayed off the road to Four Corners.  Must be where they’s headed!”

The two rode a little further ahead, until both men could see the lonely wagon on the road below.  They had happened upon the wagon late the day before. They had spent the night and half the morning watching to make sure that no one was joining up with the two women.

They couldn’t believe their luck coming upon two women alone.  This would be almost too easy.  They would take anything of value the two might have, and anything else that interested them once they were in their company.  It had been a long time since either of the men had had the pleasure of a woman’s company.  These two had to be anything but ladies.  Who in their right mind would let two women travel alone out here?  They had to be whores, traveling to a new town to find work!

“Let’s take ‘em now!  I ain’t had me a woman in a long time!” He was nearly drooling as he watched their wagon move along at a slow pace.   He started to head off down the hillside, but his companion reached out and caught the reins of his horse before he had a chance to get very far.

“No!  We cain’t do that yet.  We need to make shore there ain’t nobody joining up with them!  If they’s headed to Four Corners, it will take them another four or five days to get there.  We gots plenty of time.”  He spat out a long stream of tobacco juice and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.  “Yeah, we got us plenty of time.  We’ll descend on them two whores before they knows what hit ‘em.  And we’ll have a grand ole time showing them what real men is like!  We might even agree to take them along with us if’n they is real nice like!”

“It’s gonna be nice having a woman under me again!  That stay in prison weren’t what I bargained for when I agreed to help Percy rob that train!”

“Weren’t my idea a fun neither.  Cain’t believe how lucky we was to see a chance to escape from that prison guard.  Reckon his head is still hurting where you whomped him upside his ole noggin!”

“I did good didn’t I Clem?  Paw woulda been proud of the way we skipped outta there!”

“Yeah, he woulda been!  Come on, they’s a getting too far ahead a us.  We don’t wanna lose ‘em!”



It was nearing lunchtime.  Hannah’s stomach grumbled.  “I’ll be glad when we can get something to eat besides beans and bacon!”

“Me too!  Looks like a nice spot up ahead.  We’ll stop there and let the horses rest a spell.”


“Clem, I’s cain’t wait no longer!  I’s got to have a piece of that one with the long blond hair!”  He sent his brother an angry look.  “You can sit up here on this horse and watch all day, if’n you like.  But I’s headed down there to where them two lovely pieces of heaven is riding in that there wagon!”  At that, he headed off before his brother could grab hold of his reins.

“Damn it Lester!”  He didn’t have a choice but race down the hill after him.  Now was probably as good a time as any, to join up with them two pretty whores.  But this weren’t exactly the way he’d planned it!”



 Abbie was about to pull the wagon over into the grove of shade trees when she heard riders coming up fast behind them.  Looking around the side of the covered wagon, she felt that nagging sensation of unease once again.  What could they possibly want? They were gaining on them really fast. Abbie had swung back around on the wagon seat, dread filling her insides.  Nothing good could come of this.  “Oh God!”  She slapped the reins on the backs of the horses.

By the time Clem had caught up with his brother, the wagon had taken on an extra burst of speed.  Lester pulled his pistol out of its holster, and started shooting.  “Don’t go hittin’ them pruddy whores now Lester!”

“I ain’t!  I’m just gonna scare ‘em a little!”


“What is it?”  By now Hannah had heard the sound of horses and the panic in Abbie’s voice.

“Remember when I told you this morning that I had an uneasy feeling about today?”  Hannah nodded.  “Well I think I just figured out why!  There are two men coming up real fast behind us.  Can you reach the rifle?”

“I think so.  What could they want with us?  We haven’t got anything of value in this wagon!”

“They don’t know that.  An I don’t think they just want to pass the time of day with us!  Especially since one of them is shooting at us!”

Hannah reached into the wagon and pulled out the rifle.  “Here, give it to me and take the horses.”  She handed over the reins, taking the gun in the process.  Hannah stole a side ways glance at Abbie.

“Do you know how to fire that thing?”

“No, but now’s as good a time as any to learn!”  They had been way too embarrassed to tell kindly, old Mr. Smith they knew nothing about fire arms when he had insisted they take the rifle for protection.  Now Abbie wished that they had swallowed their pride and asked for instructions on how to shoot the thing!  She stood up balancing herself on the seat, leaning against the covered top of the wagon.

The two men were gaining quickly.  They looked very menacing, but Abbie wasn’t about to let that keep her from trying to save them.  How did she fire a rifle?  She at least knew that she had to aim at what she wanted to shoot.  So she tried to sight down the barrel as best she could while still trying to keep her balance on the bumpy wagon ride.  She steadied the rifle and squeezed the trigger.  The kick of the rifle, when fired, nearly sent her off the wagon.

“ABBIE!”  Hannah screamed as she quickly made a grab for her friend and tried to keep the horses reins in her hand at the same time.  The shot had gone wild, not hitting anything.  Abbie climbed back up onto the seat with Hannah’s help to try again.

“Theys shooting at us!”  Lester yelled at his brother.

“They can shoot all they want.  But that ain’t gonna convince us to let them get away.  I ain’t scared of no two bit whore!”  Lester took aim and shot towards the wagon again.  The shot hit the cover to the left of the one standing up firing the rifle.  “Be careful Lester!  A dead whore ain’t gonna do neither a us any good!”

Abbie screamed as she ducked down when the shot hit too close for comfort. 

“You okay?”  Hannah glanced her way quickly. 

“Yeah.  But I don’t think we stand a chance!  Where’s that hero on that white horse you mentioned?”  She stood back up and took aim again.

Hannah looked quickly skyward.  “Lord if ever I needed that hero on a white horse, now is the time!”  Slapping the reins on the backs of the horses she willed them to go faster.



Just across the way, Vin and Buck were traveling at a much slower pace.  They knew they would be in Kade’s Gap before night fall.  At the sound of the first gun shots, they both pulled the horses to a stop and listened.

“Sounds as if it’s coming from over that next rise.”

“Let’s check it out!”


The two brothers split up, coming up on both sides of the wagon at the same time.  A very dirty looking man, dressed in what looked to be rags, reached up grabbing hold of the frame of the wagon.  Startled at his appearance, Hannah whipped the reins across the backs of the horses again.  Hope against hope that the speed would cause the man to lose his balance and fall before he had a chance to finish his climb.  But it was no use. In seconds, he had pulled himself up on the side of the seat, shoving Hannah over and jerking the reins from her hands.  She immediately started beating him with her fists.  But he only laughed at her as he fought for control of the horses.  Before long he had them slowing down.

Abbie screamed and tried to kick the other man off  the opposite side of the wagon as he pulled himself up beside her.  Reaching for the gun, they wrestled for it several seconds. “Give me the gun whore!” He was much bigger and soon had the rifle pulled from her hands.

“I’m not a whore!”

He tossed the rifle into the back of the wagon.  “Coulda fooled me!  It ain’t natural for two women to be out here traveling alone unless you two is soiled doves!  No man in his right mind would let you be out here alone!”

The wagon came to a shaky stop, and the man roughly pulled Abbie down onto the ground with him.  The hat that she wore had fallen off her head and was hanging down her back.

“Oh Clem, look a here!  Look at all this blond hair this here whore’s got!  Ain’t it pruddy?  And smells good too!”  He was busily wrapping it around his fist and bringing it towards his nose, breathing in the smell.  Abbie was hitting him with her fists, shoving at his chest, trying to get away.  There was no way that she was going to let this filthy man touch her. 

“Let me go!  What do you want with us?  We haven’t got anything of value.”

“Now that, little Missy, is your opinion!  I can see a lot you two whores got that we want!”

“We’re not whores!”  Hannah twisted around and tried to slap Clem across the face.

 He quickly caught her hand before it connected with his face. “Oh feisty!  I like ‘em feisty, Lester!”  He pulled her up against him and she nearly swooned as the odor from his body and breath hit her full in the face.  He tried to kiss her, and she quickly fought back by reaching up and racking her fingernails down across both sides of his face.  He howled out in pain and backhanded her across the mouth.  “You little bitch I’ll teach you to do that to a real man!”

Hannah wiped the corner of her mouth.  She tasted blood where he’d hit her.  No one was going to treat her this way and get away with it.  Grabbing hold of more courage than she knew she had, she spat at him.  “Real man?  You have got to be kidding!  You’re not a real man!”

“Guess she ain’t never had a real man before big brother!”  Clem snickered as he rubbed his face where her nails had scored  it.  

Lester leered at Abbie.  “Bet this one ain’t neither!”  He once again pulled her towards his body and started kissing her neck.  Abbie twisted in his grip and stomped on his toe at the same time.  She broke free for only a second and tried to run.  It was to no avail.  Lester reached out and caught the front of her blouse.  It ripped straight down the center.  Abbie screamed as he tried to pull her back, but he missed again.  As she ran, her legs got  tangled up in the long skirt that she wore.  She fell to the ground and her knees scraped painfully on the rocks.  She scrambled across the ground, on hands and knees, trying to get up and away from Lester.  But he was on her again in seconds, pulling her to her feet She clutched the material of her blouse together over her breasts.

“Oh don’t fret none!  What I gots in mind for you, you don’t need to cover them pruddy things up!  I want to see them freed outta them women’s things anyway!”


Buck slapped the reins on either side of his gray as he heard the scream that had obviously come from a woman.  There was something going on.  There was a woman in trouble, and he wasn’t going to abide that.  He was going to rescue her if there was any way.  He left Vin almost in the dust.


Hannah was fighting the same battle.  How were they ever going to get out of this mess?

“Let me go you good for nothing snake!”  Hannah tried to get away.  But she was running out of ideas.  The man was so much stronger than she was.  She was no match for him.

“I ain’t lettin you go a for I have my fill a you!  I cain’t let no pruddy little thing like
you get away from me!  You need a real man to show you what real lovin is!”

He shoved her off the front of the wagon and she landed on the ground nearly face first.  A groan escaped her as the wind was partially knocked out of her.  Jumping down, he hauled her to her feet and started dragging her around to the other side of the wagon. He twisted her arm painfully as he pulled her along, her feet digging into the dirt.  She hoped that it would give her some leverage, but it didn’t accomplish anything but kicking up dust. She knew that she had to do something to distract him.  As she was being tugged along behind him, she realized that his gun was still in the holster on his hip.  Quickly she reached up and pulled it from the holster before he realized what she had done!
He felt the gun come out of the holster, and letting go of her arm, turned around quickly.  She was holding it with both hands and pointing it towards him.  Her arms were shaking with the weight of it.

“Give me back my gun whore!  You ain’t got the guts to shoot me!”

“Don’t be to sure about that!”

“You know you want ole Clem here to show you what real lovin is all bout.  Give me that gun so’s I can teach you what a real man is made of!”  He reached out for the gun and Hannah stepped back a step.

“Don’t.  I swear I’ll shoot you!”

“No you won’t!  That things too heavy for you!  You cain’t hardly hold it up straight!”

“Don’t push your luck!  Abbie might not have hit you with the rifle, but the distance between you and me is a lot shorter!  You want to chance me not being able to hit you?”

He stood looking at her, swallowing.  He was uncertain what she might actually do.


Lester pulled Abbie closer to him.  She was fighting to keep her breasts covered, and he was fighting to pull the blouse from them.  “Come on sweet thing, it’s gonna be real nice if’n you’ll just let me take control!”

“I’m not letting you touch me!  Turn me loose!”

“No way, honey!  You’s gonna be mine!”  He was trying to pull her arms down to her sides so that he could finish pulling the blouse away from her breasts.  Once again she stomped on his foot, and he loosened his grip on her arms.

Just then both Hannah and Abbie heard more horses galloping towards them.  No, there couldn’t be more men out there!  If there were, there would be no hope.  They couldn’t fight off more.

Hannah looked up, distracted by the arrival of others, and Clem reached for the gun in her hand.  She wouldn’t let go, and they started to scuffle over it.  She vaguely noticed that one of the riders rode a horse that looked nearly white.  But she couldn’t concentrate on that matter right then.  Her life depended on keeping her hold on the gun.

Clem pulled her closer. “Give me the gun!”

Vin and Buck quickly pulled their horses up and jumped from the saddles.  They surveyed the problem and quickly realized that there were two young women in a heep of trouble. 

Vin headed in one direction, Buck in the other.

Abbie fought the man with all her might.  She was holding the front of her blouse together with one hand and clawing with the other. Her nails were her only defense.  He let go of one of her arms to shield his face from her fingernails.  As they connected with his eyes, Lester flew mad and drew back hitting Abbie square in the eye with his fist.  The last thing she saw before she hit the ground was a man standing behind Lester.  His form blocked out the sun, but it looked as if there was a halo around his head and shoulders.  Was he her savior or her angel of darkness? 

Vin swung the larger man around and threw a punch squarely in the jaw.  He staggered a few steps and fell over Abbie’s body that had landed in a heap on the ground.  Vin quickly pulled him back to his feet and they fought one another for several minutes, fists connecting with flesh more than once.


Hannah was still struggling over the gun with Clem.  She knew if she let it go, he might kill her.  Clem inched his fingers up the barrel and turned it away from his chest.  As Buck stepped up behind them, the gun went off in the struggle and the bullet hit Hannah in the shoulder. She screamed in pain and crumpled to the ground clutching her shoulder.  Landing, her head hit a large rock.  She was out cold!

Buck jerked the man around and his fist connected with his face.  They scuffled for a few minutes.  Throwing punches and ducking from time to time.  Buck glanced towards Vin.  He seemed to be holding his own.  The other woman was down on the ground as well.

Vin wanted to beat the man to a pulp for hitting the defenseless woman as he had.  He made short work of him, dodging all his punches.  Before long, the man was running for his horse that was standing idly by at the side of the dirt path.   Vin started to head over to help Buck out, but quickly realized that the other man was high tailing it towards his horse as well.  Buck picked his hat up off the ground and dusted it off on his leg.

Vin turned back to the woman that was lying beside the wagon.  He realized, as he looked down at her, that she was very beautiful.  She had long blond hair that was spread out around her on the ground.  Her dress had been torn, but her breasts were still covered by the ladies undergarments that she wore.  He reached for her and eased her into a more comfortable position.  He patted her lightly on the cheek, trying to roust her from her faint.  He didn’t really think that there was anything wrong with her other than the punch that she had received.  Her eye was quickly turning purple.  He didn’t see any blood anywhere as he checked her over.  He leaned down and nearly whispered in her ear, “Ma’m, you okay?”

Abbie could hear a soft voice close to ear.  Who was it?  She opened her eyes and fear engulfed her.  She knew the last thing she remembered was defending her virtue against that horrid man.  She quickly sat up and threw a punch that landed Vin unexpectedly in the dirt!

He sat looking at her, a startled expression on his face.  He couldn’t blame her.  He knew she was scared.  She’d been fighting for her life. Vin quickly put his hands up, palms toward her to try to convince her he wasn’t going to harm her. “Ma’m, it’s okay.  I’m not going to hurt you.”  He eased back up in front of her.  “Ma’m?”

She shook her hand.  It was throbbing where she had punched him.  She’d had no idea that she could hit someone hard enough to knock him to the ground.  She watched him with wary eyes.  He was dressed in buckskins and had the look of a tracker that she had once seen in town.  He wore a hat and had light brown hair that fell below his shoulders.  His eyes were the bluest that she’d ever seen.  His soft voice reached her ears again.

“Ma’m, I want to help you.  Please trust me.”  She looked around him and saw Hannah lying on the ground.  She wasn’t moving.  Was she okay?  There was another man kneeling down beside her.

“Hannah!”  Abbie started to move towards her. “Don’t you touch her!” she yelled at the man bending over her. The quick movement made her swoon.  She reached up to touch her forehead with her hand as she swayed.  Vin quickly reached out to steady her.

“Don’t worry none. Your friend’s in good hands.  Buck ain’t gonna hurt her.”

She wiped her face with her hand. It came away covered with dirt. Looking down, she remember that her blouse was torn.  Embarrassed, she clutched the pieces together. Vin noted the stream behind them.  “Why don’t’ you sit back down and let me get you some water,” he suggested. Seeing the wisdom in his suggestion and since the world wouldn’t stop spinning around, she nodded her head. He searched for something to put water in.  Seeing a pot hanging just inside the wagon, he hurried for it and the stream.

Buck had moved over to the young woman that was lying on her side.  She was beautiful.  She had long auburn hair and seemed to be tiny in frame.  She was even more beautiful than Inez!  He reached out to touch her face and wasn’t surprised at how soft her skin felt under his fingertips.  Rolling her onto her back, he realized that she had been shot.  He swallowed quickly.  She was still breathing. He could see her breasts rising and falling with each intake of air.  He wished that Nathan were there.  He would know exactly what to do.  Lifting her carefully, he noticed that the bullet had exited from the back of her shoulder.  So at least he wouldn’t have to dig the bullet out.  Examining her further, he found a large goose egg on the back of her head.  Pulling his hand away, it was covered with blood as well.  That would explain why she was still out of it.  She had undoubtedly hit her head on a rock, when she’d fallen.  Looking up he noticed that Vin had moved to the stream.  The other young woman was sitting up looking his way, but it seemed as if she was  having trouble focusing.  He nodded towards her and then yelled to Vin.  “Bring me some of that water.  She’s been shot!”

All Abbie heard was the word ‘shot’! “Oh God, Hannah!”  she screamed  as she got up and staggered towards the man that was kneeling beside her friend.  Her head was pounding. Abbie forced herself to focus on Hannah’s deathly pale face. She couldn’t lose her friend.  How would she make it without her?  She started to collapse, and Buck reached out to catch her as she nearly fell onto the other woman.  Her torn blouse forgotten.

“She’s gonna be okay,” he quickly tried to reassure the lady. “She’s lost some blood, but I don’t think it’s too much to worry about. She ain’t gonna die.  We’ll get the wound cleaned up and a bandage on it.  Don’t worry.  She your sister?” 

“No, but she feels like it!  Are you sure that she’s going to be okay? You aren’t lying to me, are you mister?” Tears ran down her cheeks as she clutched at his shirt front.  Buck reached out to wipe some of the tears away, and then slowly loosened the death grip that she had on him. Her eyes looked frantic. He thought that she was trying to decide if she was going to believe him

“My name’s Buck, ma’m. I ain’t lyin to ya. She’s done been shot, but the bullet went through her. I just gotta fix her up.  Vin ‘n me’ll take care of her….of you both! Ya gotta believe that. We ain’t gonna hurt you,” he told her again. He had to make sure that got through to her. After her experience, he wasn’t sure what she was thinking. “Will you let me help your friend, ma’m?”

She looked at him and then down at Hannah. Could she trust these two men? Were they just acting like they were going to take care of them and then when she turned her back, try to take advantage of them? Looking back in his eyes, she could feel herself being drawn in. There didn’t seem to be any lies in his eyes. He didn’t look away from her, but held her gaze. The man called Vin had come back up and was bent down next to Buck, setting the pot of water on the ground between them. She had to trust these two. What other choice did she have at the moment? Hannah needed some help. These men seemed capable.

“Okay, Buck…but I’m gonna be watching you close.”

“That’s fair,” he told her nodding his head.

Vin pulled the bandana from around his neck.  Wetting it, he handed it to Buck, then he cupped some water in his hand and gave Abbie a drink.

“Thank you.” she whispered.  Then worriedly looked back towards Hannah.

“How bad is it Buck?”  Vin looked concerned Abbie noticed, as she watched both men. Had Buck lied to her about the seriousness of the situation?

“Bullet went clear through.  Don’t think it will give her much problem.  She’s got a goose egg on the back of her head that’s bleedin.  Both gonna need to be cleaned up and bandaged.  Not so sure we can carry her all the rest of the way to Kade’s Gap.  Know of any where round here that might be shelter for a few days until she’s fit for travel?”

“Yeah, I think there’s a miner’s cabin up the path a few miles.  Don’t think anyone’s usin’ it right now.  Don’t recall seein’ anyone there the last time I was through here.”

“Okay, then let’s get her in the wagon and see if we can find it.  She’s gonna need some attention right soon!”  Buck leaned down to easily pick the young woman up into his arms.  She was light as a feather.  As he looked down at her still form, his heart went out to her.  As long as he was there, she didn’t need to worry about anyone or anything else hurting her.

Vin reached down to help Abbie up.  She hesitated for a moment, once more pulling the front of her blouse together. He knew that she was still fearful of letting him and Buck help her and her friend  “Honest ma’m, we ain’t gonna hurt you none.  Buck ‘n me are lawmen.  We’re here to help!” He could see that she was still wagging war with herself over this, but she nodded and took the hand that he offered her. 

Buck settled Hannah inside the wagon.  Abbie crawled in with her, not wanting to leave her side.  Vin tied Buck’s horse to the back of the wagon and after Buck had climbed into the wagon seat, he mounted his horse.  They rode together in silence.

Abbie could see out the front of the wagon from where she sat with Hannah.  She studied the man’s back that was to her.  He was tall, dark, and cut an imposing figure.  Neither of the two gentlemen had tried anything.  Instinct was telling her that she could believe them and that they would take good care of Hannah. 

Hannah groaned, drawing Abbie’s attention to her.  She was very warm as Abbie felt her forehead.  She closed her eyes and said a prayer that her friend would be okay.  She didn’t know how in the world she would make it if something happened to her.  They were in this together…had been through everything together.  She didn’t know if she could make it on her own or not!  Abbie didn’t think she would have the courage to face this new world on her own without Hannah. She reached in the trunk beside her and pulled out another blouse. She quickly changed, in hopes that the man driving the wagon wasn’t paying her any attention.

It didn’t take long to reach the cabin that Vin had mentioned.  There didn’t seem to be anyone around.  But to be sure, Vin pulled his gun and went to check out the inside of the place.  Things inside were covered with dust.  That was a pretty good indication that no one had been there in quite a while.

Before Abbie was hardly out of the wagon, the man called Buck had Hannah inside.  The man named Vin had the quilt off the bed, and it dusted off before she could enter the cabin.   Together they started a fire, drew water from the well to heat and found a clean place for Abbie to sit.  The cabin wasn’t that bad.  It had a wood stove, several shelves over the stove, a bed, table and chairs, large fireplace, a cot, and even a few chairs in front of the fireplace.  Hopefully whomever it belonged to wouldn’t mind if they borrowed it for a few days.  Abbie looked worriedly over at her friend.

“Buck’s pretty good at doctoring.  He’ll take care of her….Miss…uh…..”

Abbie realized that he was asking her what her name was.  “Abigail Stewart.  Most call me Abbie.  That’s Hannah McTavish. Is there anything I can do to help you out?”  There were tears in her eyes and Vin’s heart clenched in his chest.  He sat down beside her and reached out to take her hand in his.

“Buck’s taken care a us plenty a times when our healer friend Nathan weren’t around. He’ll take care of her too! She ain’t no different. Try not to worry Abbie.”  He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile while he patted her hand. She sighed wearily.

“Thank you……both.”

He nodded.  “Name’s Vin Tanner.” He patted her hand once again and got up to see if there was anything else that he could do to help Buck out.  Nathan had given them a few medical supplies to carry along with them, just in case.  Buck sent Vin out to gather them from his saddlebags.

Abbie was sitting by the fire.  Her head was pounding from the blow she’d taken.  Otherwise, she was beginning to calm down from the encounter.  Buck was quickly checking Hannah over again.  The water was heating, and he would soon be cleaning her wounds and getting them bandaged.  

Looking closely at her wound, he realized that he needed to get her dress off of her.  Some of the material had entered the wound with the bullet. He started to remove the dress himself.  After all it wouldn’t be the first time that he’d seen a woman in the state of undress.  But he had a feeling the young woman sitting in front of the fire wouldn’t take too kindly to his doing that.

“I could use your help here a minute Darlin,” he said glancing at the blond woman. Abbie looked his way wondering about his use of the word darling!  It made her feel a little uncomfortable, but she wouldn’t worry about it then.  Hannah was more important.  “I either need to cut the dress up more so that I can clean that wound, or take the dress off her.  I didn’t figure you’d want me to do either.” 

“I’ll take it off of her,” she immediately offered, knowing that Hannah could repair it. They also didn’t have many clothes, so she didn’t want her friend to have one less dress. She leaned over and started to unbutton the buttons on the front of the dress. 

Buck helped her as best he could.  He helped to raise Hannah off the bed so that Abbie could pull the dress off of her shoulders.  As Abbie stepped away from the bed, holding Hannah’s dress, she remembered some cloth that was out in the wagon.   “I’ve probably something that you can use for bandages if you need them.”

“That would be a big help.  Could you get it for me if you’re feeling steady on your feet? He asked as he took her hand to help her up. 

He noticed that she flinched as he touched her hand.  “Your hand okay?”  He looked at it a little closer.

“It’s fine.  Just didn’t know my own strength!”  With those words she moved to the door.  Vin came in as she went out.  He smiled her way, and she shyly moved around him. 

For a moment he stood in the doorway watching her move towards the wagon. He had a funny feeling when he was close to her.  There was just something about her...something in the nice way she talked and acted. It reminded him a little of Mary back in Four Corners.

The water was hot enough and Buck was busily cleaning the wound on Hannah’s shoulder.  He was glad that she was still out of it.  It would be causing her some pain if she weren’t.  He looked up and caught Vin watching Abbie.  “Pretty lady.”

Startled Vin looked his way, a little embarrassed at being caught staring.  “What?”  He moved over to the bedside and handed the supplies to Buck.

“I said, Abbie’s a pretty lady.”

“Uh, yeah.”  He was rubbing his jaw absent mindedly as he glanced once again towards the door.  Buck grinned.  It was a little unusual for Vin to be taking notice of a lady.  It wasn’t that he didn’t like them, he just didn’t choose to get close to any of them.  He was a loner.

Buck noticed a large red spot on the side of Vin’s jaw.  “That outlaw back there deck you a good one during that fight?”  He leaned in to get a closer look, but Vin moved quickly away from him.

Vin was blushing again.  What was with him today?  “Weren’t the outlaw….it was Abbie!”

“ABBIE? That little blond thing that couldn’t hurt a fly?”  Buck looked out the door towards the wagon where the young woman had gone.  “That woman decked you that hard? Why would she do that?”  Buck chuckled and shook his head.  That was what she’d meant about not knowing her own strength.

“Yeah.  She landed me in the dirt! I think she was afraid when she opened her eyes and saw me sittin there with her. That outlaw knocked her out, and all she remembered was fightin him before she passed out.”

“You ain’t jokin are you?”

“No.  When she came to, I could see the panic in her eyes.  She musta thought she was still fightin off that outlaw.  She swung at me before I could get outta her way!  Landed a powerful punch on my jaw, and I sprawled out in the dirt!”

Buck snickered.  “Well, what was it the Judge said?  Some woman would come along one day, and she’d  sweep you right off your feet!”

“That ain’t funny Buck!”  Vin looked angrily at his friend.

“Don’t mean for it to be.  You seem a might taken with her is all!”  Buck moved back to take care of Hannah.
 
She returned with the bandages and stood close by as Buck finished cleaning the wound, stitched it up as best he could, put some ointment on it from the supplies he had carried with him, and placed a clean bandage around it.  Then with some help, he turned Hannah on her side, being careful with her shoulder and took care of the gash that was at the back of her head.

“Will she be okay, Buck?”

“Darling, I think she’s gonna be okay.  Just have to watch her close, make sure she don’t have no fever.  She should come to by morning.  She took a nasty bump on the back of her head.”

“Thank you.”  She smiled slightly.  Her head was hurting again.  “Got anything in those supplies for a headache?”  She looked hopeful.

“There’s some leaves in there to brew some tea.  Nathan uses it for head pain!”  Vin reached for the pouch and headed for the fire.  In moments he had a cup of tea in her hand.  “Drink this, then lie down for a little while.  You need some rest.”

“But Hannah…..”  She glanced towards her friend.

“Buck and me’ll watch her.  Don’t worry.”  He settled her on the cot that was in the corner of the room on the other side of the fireplace and laid a light blanket over her.  Abbie thought that she’d only close her eyes for a minute and give the herbs time to work on her head. She thought she could trust the two men, but she would still listen to what they were saying and doing even though she couldn’t see them. Her eye hurt pretty bad too, come to think of it.


Vin stood by her side for a moment more, making sure that she was going to settle down and rest. When he was convinced she would, he left the cabin and went to see about the horses.  He needed to put some space between them for now.

Buck sat in the chair beside the bed.  Hannah.  That was a lovely name.  It matched the lovely young woman that it belonged to.  She groaned and he leaned nearer to check her head.  It didn’t seem overly warm.  Hopefully she wouldn’t develop a fever. He brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face, and her beauty once again stuck him.  She seemed so young, and he wondered about her.  He glanced towards Abbie who had fallen asleep on the cot.  He appreciated her beauty too. Where had the two of them been going?  What were they doing out there all alone?  It didn’t matter though. All he knew was that he was going to protect them.  He knew they’d been scared to death by the outlaws. They had probably never come in contact with anyone like those two men before.  He and Vin were going to have to keep a close eye on things while they were there.  Since they had ridden off, there was a chance that they might still be around and try something else. There was no way that he was going to let anything happen to these two ladies!  They would have his and Vin’s protection for as long as they wanted it, even if it meant personally escorting them to their destination.

Vin fed and watered all the horses and turned them out into the corral to the side of the house.  He’d moved the covered wagon over to the side yard and planned to make a small camp there.  He wasn’t one for sleeping indoors much.  He would feel better out under the stars.  He could leave Buck inside to take care of the women.  Of course he was finding out he wouldn’t mind getting to know Abbie a little better.  No! Dang it all! He had best stay away from that.  He didn’t need another broken heart.  He’d made a mistake by letting a lady named Charlotte into his affections and it hadn’t worked out and it was finally beginning to fade.  There didn’t need to be another in his heart so soon…..maybe not ever.  He sighed as he stood, one foot perched on the corral fence. 

“You look lost in thought!”  Buck came over and stood beside him.  “See you found some where to put the horses up for a few days.”

“They ought to be okay out here.  Thought I’d sleep out by the wagon, keep an eye on things.”

“Yeah, I figured you would.  You might want to be on the alert.  You know them outlaws run off, but we don’t know which way they might a went.  They might be waiting on a chance to show back up and cause more problems.”

“You think they mighta thought Abbie and Hannah had something of value?”

“Ain’t sure.  But more’n likely they’d discovered them traveling by themselves and thought they’d take advantage of ‘em!”

“Wonder what they was doing out here alone?”

“Ain’t sure.  Guess once they get over their scare maybe they’ll tell us bout it all.  I just know I ain’t bout to let them two come back in here and hurt them two pretty ladies! Least ways not while I’m here!”

Vin looked out over the mountain range. “This place looks like it mighta been a home to someone for awhile.  It looks too well taken care of for just a miners cabin.”

“Well, to whomever left it empty, I’m beholden to ‘em!  Not sure Hannah would have made it to Kade’s Gap.  She ain’t come to yet.”

“She will.”  Vin noticed that Buck seemed concerned.  Then again, he shouldn’t be surprised.  After all, Hannah was a woman!  Buck thought most anything that was female was beautiful!  “Long as she has you to take care a her, she’ll be okay.”  Vin slapped Buck on the back.  “Guess we should gather up some wood.  Won’t be long a for we need to be thinking about something to eat.  I’ll go see if I can catch a rabbit or two.”

At that Vin headed off into the woods and Buck started looking for some firewood.  Luck was on his side as he found a large stack on the other side of the house.


It was late afternoon when Abbie jerked awake.  She had no idea how long she had been asleep.  Looking towards the window, she could tell that shadows were beginning to fall.  It wouldn’t be long before night was upon them.

Delicious smells greeted her nose, and she looked towards the wood stove.  Vin was stirring something in a large pot.  What ever it was, it smelled wonderful.  Her stomach growled.  It had been so long since she’d eaten anything but bacon and beans, that most anything would have tasted good!

Movement to her right caught her eye.  Buck was standing over Hannah, touching her forehead.  She sat up and was a little dizzy.

Vin saw her and was by her side in a second. “You feeling better?”

She looked up at him and nodded.  “A little dizzy.  Guess I sat up too fast.  My head isn’t hurting, so the tea must have helped.  Something sure smells delicious!”  To confirm her words, her stomach growled loudly again.  Abbie laughed as she looked up at Vin embarrassed.  He was smiling at her.  The sound of her laughter was like music.

“I’d say you were feeling better.  Rabbit stew will be ready shortly.  I was able to find a few things on the shelves to put in it.”

“How is Hannah?”  Buck had moved over to stand beside Vin.

“She’s about the same.  Hasn’t come to yet.  But it may be tomorrow before she does, with that lump on the back of her head.  That stew’s smelling good Vin.”  Buck rubbed his stomach.  “Gonna need me some a that pretty soon!”

“Be ready shortly.”

“Is there still water?  I’d like to wash some of this dirt off my face and arms.”

Vin quickly moved to the fireplace and picked up the pot.  “I’ll get you some.  Not much left in here.”  He headed out the door and Buck grinned.

“You got that boy stepping round like I ain’t never seen him a fore!”

Abbie blushed.  “I appreciate what he’s done for me…for us.  What both of you have done. We’re beholden to you both.”

“Don’t worry none, darling.  Ain’t no woman gonna be mistreated while Buck Wilmington is around!  I’d be willing to bet that Vin feels the same way.  Especially since he seems to think you’re special!”

She was blushing again as Vin returned with the water.  “Once you’ve eaten, if you need something out of the wagon for tonight I’ll help you get it.  We’ll probably be here for a few days until Hannah can travel”

“Thank you,” Abbie whispered as she took the cloth and water that Vin offered her.  She winced as she washed over the part of her face that the man had hit with his fist.  She touched it lightly with a fingertip.

“Gonna have a right pretty black eye there.”  Buck smiled at her.  “But it will be gone in no time.” 

She frowned as she finished washing off her arms.   She knew that she had been luckier than Hannah had been.  At least she wasn’t fighting for her life because of a gunshot wound!

Evening fell quickly.  The rabbit stew that Vin had made tasted wonderful.  Abbie ate until she felt like she was going to pop.  Buck tried to spoon a little of the broth into Hannah, but she didn’t take much.  He hoped that she would come to by tomorrow.  She still didn’t seem to have a fever and he was thanking the stars above for that.

“Buck’ll clean up the dishes won’t you?”  Vin looked his way and grinned.  “I promised Abbie I’d go with her out to the wagon to get a few things.”

“Well, I guess I can this time!  Just don’t go making it no habit!  You know how I feel bout doing them woman chores!”   He came away from the bed where he’d been trying to feed Hannah.

“I’ll be feeling better tomorrow Buck.  I promise to take up the woman chores for you!”  Abbie smiled his way, and he felt his insides tie themselves in knots.  She sure was a pretty woman.  He glanced towards Vin and knew by the look on his face that he was thinking the same thing.  This might be a good thing for Vin.  He needed to come out of that shell he’d hidden in since Charlotte.

“Come on, we better get outside before he changes his mind!”  Vin stood up and moved to open the door for Abbie.  She proceeded him towards the wagon.  She stopped for a moment and gazed up at the stars.  “Beautiful evening.  I’ve come to appreciate the evening during the last few days while Hannah and I traveled.”  She walked on, not waiting on him to reply.  As she stepped up to the back of the wagon, she spoke again.  “Everything we own is in this wagon….”

Vin wasn’t sure if she was talking to him or not. Just in case she was, he didn’t want to appear rude, so he answered,

“Person don’t need much in way of belongings to make him happy.  A few friends is all you need!”  He smiled her way and she returned the smile.  It lit up her entire face. 

“I think you’re right Mr. Tanner.”  She was silent for a moment.  “Hannah, in there, is the best friend I have in the entire world.  Together we can get through anything!  We’ve come this far, we’ll make it the rest of the way!”

“Call me Vin, and I’d like it if you counted me as one of your friends!”

She smiled again, suddenly realizing that she was feeling more relaxed around him.  “You know, that might be possible!  We owe you our lives!  Friendship shouldn’t be a problem!”  She climbed into the wagon with his help and started handing things out to him.  She took a few clothes for both her and Hannah, then passed a few pots and pans towards him.

“We have a little beans, bacon and flour left.  We can contribute that to the rest of the rabbit stew.  I have to admit I was getting quite sick of beans and bacon!  Your rabbit stew was delicious!”

“Beans and bacon beats beef jerky any day!”  He laughed as she gave him a funny look.

“And I thought having to eat nothing but beans and bacon for the last week had been terrible!”

“Well, when you’re traveling on the road, on horseback, it’s hard to carry much with you in a saddlebag!”

“I guess it would be. I’ll be glad when we get to our destination and get settled in. It’s been an adventure, but I’m ready for it to be over. Especially with all that has happened.”

She had stepped back out of the wagon and they walked together towards the corral. It was so nice out an Abbie was enjoying this man’s company. She didn’t want to go back in yet. Vin was trying to decide if he should ask her all the questions that he wanted to know the answers to, when her gasp startled him. They had stopped at the corral.

“You okay Abbie?” Vin sounded concerned.

“One of you rides a horse that’s white!” She looked his way startled.

“Well, actually it’s gray. But you can’t really tell since it’s dark. Why? That’s Buck’s horse!”

Abbie laughed suddenly. “You are going to think that I am being silly when I tell you this. Hannah and I were talking one night about our lives and what we thought the future holds. She told me that she was waiting for her hero to ride up on a white horse and chase away all her enemies! That there would be someone out there to love, someone very special and he’d ride up on a white horse! I kept teasing her about the man on the white horse. In fact I even mentioned him when we realized that we were going to be attacked by those men. That it would be a good time for him to appear! And low and behold, he did!”

“No, I don’t think that. It’s not silly to want someone to love you and be there to protect you. Especially out here. In fact, Buck is probably the first to tell you straight up, he’s her hero on a white horse! Buck’s not gonna let no woman be mistreated.”

“You’re the same way, aren’t you?” she asked him.

“I guess I am. I don’t like seein’ no one taken advantage of.”

Abbie realized that here she’d been running off at the mouth while he stood there patiently holding all of hers and Hannah’s things.

“I guess we’d better go inside,” she told him. She figured that because he was so polite, he’d stand there all night if that’s what she wanted to do.

He followed her in. Buck hadn’t moved from his place by Hannah.

“Everything okay?” Buck asked.

“Far as I can tell, but I’ll be keepin’ an ear open all night. Buck, can you leave Hannah with Abbie for a bit? Abbie, maybe you can do what you need to do and make sure Ms. Hannah is comfortable whilst Buck and I check everything out around here,” Vin suggested as he set all of their possessions on Abbie’s cot. “Do you have enough water?”

“Yes, we’re fine for now,” he was assured.

Buck stood up and stretched, reaching for his hat. He knew that Abbie would appreciate some privacy while she changed for the night.

Abbie didn’t know how long they would be gone, so she quickly did her nightly ministrations, put on a sleeping gown, and then saw to Hannah. She rinsed her face off, happy that her forehead wasn’t warm. She looked comfortable.

“I sure do wish you were awake, Hannah,” she told her as she sat down and took her hand. “Your hero on his white charger really did rescue you. He’s here, and he’s one of the handsomest men I have ever seen. He’s just like you described him. His name is Buck, and just wait until you see him. He’s got a friend named Vin who’s not bad looking either and has the nicest voice. I want to trust them Hannah. But I just don’t know yet. That’s why I wish you were awake…they’ve promised to protect us..say they’re lawmen.” She stared hard at her friend, but she just slept on. “Well, you rest easy. Buck says that you’ll wake up tomorrow.”

Abbie pulled the blanket up to her chin, squeezed her hand and tucked it under the blanket.


“How long do we need to give Abbie?” Buck asked Vin as they stood by the corral. Nothing had seemed amiss.

“I’m not the woman expert here,” Vin reminded him dryly.

“Ain’t Hannah beautiful?”

“That she is,” Vin agreed.

“Abbie too, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, Abbie too.”

“I guess we shore is lucky that if’n we had to rescue two women, they were two beautiful women!” Buck smiled.

“That is true,” Vin nodded his head.

“So when you were out here with Abbie, did you n she….?”

“She ain’t that kinda woman, Buck,” he warned.

Buck smiled to himself. Vin was interested if he was going to defend her.

“Oh I agree. Miss Abbie speaks special…like she’s been educated. “Don’t she remind you of Mary?”

“Yeah, she does at that.”

“So that means that Miss Hannah is probably like her.”

“That would follow.”

“Have you noticed that Miss Abbie’s hair is pure spun gold? I bet it feels like silk in your fingers.”

“Now ya got your sights set on her too?” Vin asked indignantly, not sure how he felt about that.

“Nope - just wonderin if you did?”

Vin shook his head as he said, “Don’t need no woman in my life right now.”

“The judge sez you do.”

“The judge don’t know everything. I travel alone. You know that.”

“Maybe it’s time to change that.”

“Already tried. Ain’t gonna try agin.”

“That’s plum stupid. There’s nothing better than a warm and soft female body layin next to yours.”

“I ain’t arguin’ bout that. I just ain’t planning to put my boots by someone’s bed permanent like.”

“You got that part right,” Buck laughed. “I guess that Abbie has had enough time. You comin’ in?”

“Nope. I’m headin’ to the wagon. See you in the morning.”

Buck watched him walk off. The boy was hooked. But would the hook stay in? If anyone needed a loving hand, Vin Tanner was the one.


Buck walked in to find Abbie in bed with her back to the room, and Hannah covered up very primly. She’d banked the fire for the night, and turned the lantern down low. That was okay. He was tired out anyway. It’d been a long day. He quietly laid out his bedroll, pulled his boots off, and laid down. He looked over at Hannah and sighed. Tonight he’d been hoping to be making love to a nice, soft lady in a nice, soft bed. Nothing like sleeping on a hard floor with no warm body next to his. But he knew, if he’d been given the choice, he would rather be here. He would never, as long as he had breath in his body, let a woman get hurt if he could help her out. No, he’d done the right thing. And maybe Hannah would wake up tomorrow. He sure would like to see what color eyes she had.


Vin pulled his blanket firmly around him, happy to be breathing the fresh air with only the stars over him. He’d been cooped up in that cabin way too long. It must have started to make him crazy since he’d been having strange thoughts about Abbie. He looked up at the stars that they’d both been looking up at. Yes, her hair was like spun gold, and yes it had been soft, he thought as he smiled to himself. He heard her gentle laughter again and saw, in his mind, how her face lit up with her smile. A yearning so strong filled his soul for this woman. He shook his head to banish the feeling. Charlotte. He pictured her in his mind. He’d loved her from the first time he’d seen her, but look where it had gotten him. She’d been married to an abusive husband, but had decided to stay with him. Their time together had been so special. She’d almost had him believing that they could make it work. No…never again.


Hannah raised her hand to her aching head and moaned a little. Why did it hurt so bad? She sensed a presence next to her.

“Sssh, Darlin…it’s okay. You’re okay. I ain’t gonna let nuthin get you.”

A soft male voice. Did she know him? She must. He called her Darlin. Content because it felt so right, she let herself drift off again.

Buck watched her as a small smile crossed her face and she went back to sleep. He’d hoped that she’d wake up and take some liquid. Her forehead was still cool. He guessed that she’d be okay until morning.


Abbie stretched as she opened her eyes a crack and saw the sun streaming through the dirty window. At that moment, the door opened and Vin came quietly into the cabin. If she hadn’t been awake, she wouldn’t have heard him. Seeing her awake, he came over to her.

“I just checked around outside and there ain’t no one around. There’s a creek and an outhouse out back. I’ll make sure no one bothers you.”

Gratitude filled her up. Vin’s hair looked wet, so she had a feeling that he might have taken a swim in the creek. Briefly she wondered what his naked body looked like, and she felt her face warm. She quickly ducked her head and busied herself looking for her clothes.

“Thanks, Vin. I’ll be fast, and then I’ll get breakfast started. I feel much better today.”

She grabbed up her shawl and wrapped it around her. Vin was trying not to stare at her in her nightdress that showed off some of her curves. He followed her out.

“How’s your head and your eye?”

“Both are sore. But it’s better.”

“You sure you’re okay to cook?”

“Definitely. I’m not an invalid, and I’m a fair cook. I want to do something to help out here.”

“Okay, then. Well, you go on. I’ll stand out here and keep watch.”

“Thank you.”


Hannah yawned loudly, which woke Buck up instantly. He sat up and hurried over to her side.

“Hey Darlin,” he cooed to her. “Are you gonna wake up for ole Buck?”

Her eyes flew open, and she tried to sit up and move away from him. Instead she winced, but held her hands up, which were clenched into fists. Then she looked confused, but didn’t put her fists down.

“Who are you? What did you do with Abbie? Where’s those other disgusting men? ABBIE!” she screamed. “ABBIE…ABBIE!!!”

“Damn you’ve got a set a lungs on you, Darlin! Calm down! I’m not gonna hurt you. Abbie’s over there, but I don’t know how she’s sleepin through your caterwallin!” he looked anxiously at Abbie’s cot, but saw it empty. Hannah looked that way too, and didn’t see her friend.

“You’re lying. Where is she? ABBIE!” she screeched as she took a swing at him. Buck ducked quickly.

“Ya gotta stop that. You’re gonna hurt your shoulder again. It’s okay. Abbie is here!”

“What the hell is goin on in here?” Vin asked as he came running in. “Who’s yellin?”

“Who’s he? Who are you? ABBIE!”

Abbie, with her heart in her throat, came running in as she was buttoning up her dress.

“Hannah! It’s okay…I’m okay…really!” she said as she ran over to her friend and hugged her carefully. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you woke up.”

“Abbie? You’re okay? Really? Where are those outlaws? What happened?”

Abbie sat on the side of her bed, but kept hold of her hand.

“I’d like to introduce you to Buck Wilmington and Vin Tanner,” she said as she pointed at each one in turn. “These two came to our rescue before those outlaws could have their way with us. Unfortunately in the scuffle, you got shot in the shoulder and banged your head as you fell down. Buck and Vin found this cabin, and Buck took care of your shoulder and your head.”

“Your eye…what’s wrong with your eye?”

“That disgusting man I was fighting with hit me. It will be okay. I’m fine. Really. I was just so worried about you.”

“These men…can we trust them?” she whispered into her ear.

“I think so. They say they’re lawmen,” she whispered back. “And they’re real nice. They’ve taken real good care of us.”

Hannah finally took a good look at Buck. He was still kneeling by the bed. He was incredibly handsome with a droopy moustache, dark and expressive eyes, and dark hair. Her eyes moved to the man by the door. He was in buckskins, with dark sandy blond hair. She thought he had sky blue eyes. They both looked as if they were very nice, and they both had concerned looks on their faces.

“I do apologize to you, Buck. I was startled when I woke up.”

“That’s okay. How ya feelin’?”

“A little weak. My shoulder feels real stiff and my head hurts. How long have we been here?”

“Just a day,” Abbie told her.  “We thought we might stay here a couple days until you feel more up to traveling.”

“We?” Hannah asked. “What about these gentleman? Surely you must have been heading somewhere when you flew to our rescue?”

“Yes ma’m. We was heading home to Four Corners when we came upon you,” Vin stated.

Vin thought that the two women were going to break their necks as they quickly looked at each other and seemed to have a silent conversation with their eyes. What was that about? It almost reminded him of the way that he and Chris, the head lawman, communicated.

Vin cleared his throat because Buck seemed to be in a daze.

“Abbie - why don’t you take Hannah outside. She might need some fresh air..that is if Ms. Hannah thinks she can get up. I’ll be happy to start breakfast.”

“Okay,” Abbie said, knowing that she and Hannah needed to talk. “Do you think you can get up, Hannah? It’s not a far walk.”

“If you help me, I’ll do fine.”

Abbie slowly got her up and let her sit on the edge of the bed for a few moments. Buck quickly got to his feet and helped her stand, keeping a protective arm around her until she stopped swaying. He hovered next to her until she walked out the door.

“They’re brown. Did you see ‘em?”

“Brown? See what?” Vin asked, still wondering about the ladies and what they hadn’t said.

“Her eyes. They’re brown.”

Vin just shook his head as he started the coffee.

“Did you notice anythin’ when I mentioned we was headin to Four Corners?”

“Her skin is like porcelain,” he said as he watched them walk slowly toward the back of the cabin.

“You’re thinkin’s all in yer pants agin,” Vin told him with a laugh.

“So what are yew jawin’ about?” Buck said, finally giving Vin his attention when the ladies were out of sight.

“When I said we was headed to Four Corners, the ladies looked upset or somethin’ is all.”

“Maybe you imagined it? I didn’t see nothing.”

“Because you was staring at her eyes,” Vin smiled shaking his head.

“I wouldn’t worry none about it. It’s not like we have to worry bout them bein’ bank robbers or nothin’.”

“I guess,” said, deciding to let it go for now.


“You sure you’re okay to be out here?” Abbie asked Hannah. “The outhouse is only about 10 more feet.”

“I’m fine - just a little weak. They’re going to Four Corners, Abbie. They seem real nice and friendly. Do you think we can trust them?”

“We’ve had to up till now,” Abbie sighed, “But I really don’t know that much about them. They seem to be kind. They haven’t tried anything at all with either one of us, so it appears that they are gentlemen. Vin said that they’re lawmen, but they don’t wear a badge that I’ve seen. They scared off those outlaws. Everything points to the fact that we can trust them.”

“But what if they find out we’re orphans? What if they start looking down at us because of that?”

“Maybe the people in Four Corners are different. Let’s give it another day or so and see what happens. I do think we can trust them though, but a little more time won’t hurt none.”

“Isn’t Buck the handsomest man you’ve ever seen?” Hannah asked her as they got to the outhouse.

Abbie turned her toward the corral.

“What do you see, Hannah?”

“Horses….oh my! Is that a white horse?” she squeaked. Her grip tightened on Abbie’s hand.

“He belongs to Buck. Hannah…Buck is your hero on the white charger who came to rescue you from those outlaws. Now I don’t usually believe stuff like that, but it’s just like you said. He was on a white horse, even if Vin says it’s gray, and he did rescue you from the clutches of that awful man. AND he’s pretty darn handsome,” Abbie laughed.

“It’s all like I’ve seen it in my head ever since I was a little girl. Do you think he’s the one?”

“Now that I don’t know. Only you and him can figure that one out. How about you use the outhouse before you keel over and I have to carry you back in?”

“Okay, but did you notice how good lookin’ Vin is?” she giggled.

Abbie made sure that Hannah finished her ablutions and brought her back into the cabin. The scene she walked into made her laugh. Vin was frying up some bacon, while Buck was attempting to make some biscuits. He had more flour on him than in the bowl.

“Mr Wilmington…if you’ll help Hannah back into bed, I shall take over for you,” Abbie offered.

Vin’s head came round as soon as he heard her laughter. It did funny things to his stomach.

“Gladly, Darlin’” Buck told her as he put a steadying arm around Hannah’s waist and started toward the bed.

“Could I sit in a chair for awhile?” she asked as she looked up at him. Having his strong arm around her waist was about to make her swoon.

“Why sure,” he told her as he led her to one.

Abbie finished measuring ingredients, mixed them up and rolled them out, all the while being very aware of Vin Tanner standing not three feet from her. He worked with efficiency, but so far hadn’t looked at her. She guessed he had his mind on what he was doing, and there was nothing wrong with a man who chose to be silent.

Vin knew every move that Abbie made. She was humming a little tune to herself as she worked. She certainly seemed to know what she was doing with that biscuit dough. She patted the dough out flat and then used a coffee mug to cut them out with. Her hands mesmerized him. They looked so ladylike. She finished her biscuits and put them on a rack in the fireplace. Suddenly her eyes were on him.

“Do you think we could warm up what’s left of the stew?”

“Well, we coulda, but I think Bucklin ate it up for a midnight snack,” he stated dryly as he looked over at his friend.

Buck just grinned evilly as Hannah and Abbie chuckled.

“Then biscuits and bacon it is,” Abbie decided as he paid attention to her biscuits. Vin finished the bacon, and poured coffee for all of them. Abbie turned her biscuits and it didn’t take long for them to finish baking.

She and Vin worked well together, serving everyone their portion.

“Why Miss Abbie - these are about the lightest biscuits I’ve ever ate. Ain’t they Vin?”

“They’re right good,” he agreed as he smiled at her.

“Thank you for the compliments,” she told them.

“I wish we had some of the apple jelly that she makes. It’s a good combination,” Hannah praised enthusiastically.

Abbie shot a look over at Hannah. What had gotten into her friend? They usually didn’t brag on each other.

“Oh my, that would taste mighty fine,” Buck agreed.

“You must give me your address then. Perhaps I could send you some,” she commented, looking at Vin.

“Buck can write that down fer ya. My scribbling ain’t too readable,” was all he said.

They finished up and the others were lingering over coffee, when Abbie got up and began to collect the dishes.

“I’m going down to the creek and wash these off.”

“Vin, why don’t you carry that heavy fry pan for her?” Buck suggested.

“And what are you so busy doing?” Vin asked, irritated that Buck seemed to be doing all he could to throw him together with Abbie.

She threw a worried look Hannah’s way. Hannah, being the good friend she was, started to get up,

“I can help….”

“No!” all three said with one voice, which made them all laugh.

“I’m quite capable of carrying the fry pan along with the dishes, Buck. I’m not delicate and won’t break under the strain,” Abbie said as she reached to pick it up.

Vin looked at Buck, who unusual for him, was not jumping up to help a lady. He sighed to himself. The gentleman in him would not let her carry all those dishes by herself, plus he still wasn’t sure it was real safe outside for a lady alone. He reached for the pan and picked it up before she could.

“I’ll help you out,” he told her as he picked it up. She just shrugged her shoulders and followed him out the door.

“Really, I can do it on my own if you have something else to do, Vin.”

“I ain’t got nuthin’ else to do. It’s just not like Buck to want to sit so much.”

Abbie knelt down at the creek’s edge, grabbed a handful of sand, and began to scrub the dishes.

“I think that it’s more like he wants to sit with Hannah. He seems to have a hard time taking his eyes off her.”

He sat down on the bank next to her.

“I think you’re right,” he laughed softly as he took off his hat and placed it next to him.

Again, all the questions that he wanted to ask her went through his head. They were all just sitting on the tip of his tongue. But just as strongly, was the knowledge of how he loved his own privacy and didn’t like folks to pry into his business. So he respected that right for other people.

So he compromised with himself.

“I hope there ain’t no one worryin’ bout you and Miss Hannah. This is goin’ to put you a few days behind your schedule.”

She rinsed the dishes and set them on some moss to dry, then sat down a few feet from him.

“No. There isn’t anyone worrying about us,” she assured him, “But we do have to be somewhere in a week or so. Don’t worry. It will all work out like it’s supposed to.”

“That’s good.”

“What about you, Vin? Do you have someone worrying about you?”

Maybe if he shared some information, she would feel inclined to do the same.

“Not so much worryin’ as getting mad cause we’re not back yet. You see, in Four Corners there’s seven peace keepers. Me ‘n Buck are two of them. Chris is our leader. Judge Travis hired us, and before me ‘n Buck left, he told us to take some time off. Only he didn’t let Chris know till probably a couple days after we left. He’s gonna have our hides when we get back.”

“He sounds like a formidable man…this Chris.”

“Yeah, I reckon he is a formidable man,” he agreed.

“But you like him?”

“Yeah. He’s covered my back many a time. I trust him with my life.”

She was nodding her head up and down.

“That’s the way I feel about Hannah, only she’s got a real sweet disposition.”

“So where do you hail from?”

Abbie didn’t see any harm in that question.

“Willow Springs. Hannah and I have lived there most of our lives.”

“So ya grew up together?”

“Yes, we did, .since we were little girls.”

“Now I woulda thought you come from back East with the way you talk so fancy like.”

“Really? I guess originally I did. My parents were from Boston, but they were on a wagon train heading west when I was quite small. I don’t remember Boston at all, so I don’t think that it really counts.”

“I guess that’s why you talk fancy. Because your momma raised you to talk like that.”

He saw a cloud go across her face, but she quickly erased it.

“Yeah, maybe that’s it,” was all she said. Then just as quickly, “Do you think we could go for a walk and explore a bit? I feel like moving around a bit. I’m not used to so much sitting.”

“Even better, why don’t I saddle up some horses? Buck would let you borrow his white charger if’n you’d like to go for a ride.”

Her eyes twinkled.

“I’d really like that.”

“Good. I’ll let Buck know.”


Buck had thought he was going to have to drag Vin out of his chair to get him to go with Abbie!  What was wrong with that boy?  Buck, himself was still sitting at the table, a coffee cup in his hand.  He couldn’t drag his eyes away from Hannah!

She was still in her nightdress, and he was thinking thoughts he probably shouldn’t be thinking!  After all, she seemed a might young and innocent.

Hannah knew he was staring at her.  It made her blush all the way down to her toes.

“Mr. Wilmington, do you always sit staring at your female companions?”

“It’s Buck, darlin’, an I do if she’s as pretty as you are!”

“Now Buck, I’m sure you know a lot of ladies prettier than me!”

“Oh no!  Ain’t a one I know, can hold a candle to you darlin’!”

Hannah blushed again.  She knew he was just saying those things.  Buck, from what she’d already seen, seemed to be one who liked to sweet talk the ladies.  Or at least he seemed to be doing an awful lot of that to her an Abbie!  She knew she was way too young and inexperienced to ‘hold a candle’, as he’d said, to any of the ladies she was sure he knew.  Why, he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen!  There was no doubt in her mind that he had women hanging all over him in Four Corners!  Once they arrived there, he would forget all about her, she was positive.

Buck had been watching all the emotions play across her face.  She was frowning at present.  “Darlin’ you all right?  You gots an awful big frown on that beautiful face a yours!”

Hannah shook her head slightly.  She had to stop this day dreaming.  “I’m fine.  My mind was just wandering.”  She glanced down at what she was wearing.  “I guess I should get dressed.  I can’t sit around here in this all day.”

“You still need to take it easy for a spell.  But why not let me go ahead and check that shoulder a for you change.  That way it’s done for the day!  I need to see that my doctorin’ did a good ‘nough job!  I need to change the bandages at least.”

He got up from the table and helped her to her feet.  There was his strong arm around her waist again!  She sort of hated getting to the bed so quickly!

After she was seated, she reached to unbutton the buttons that ran from the collar to the waist of the nightdress.  A pain quickly shot through her shoulder all the way to her fingertips.  A sharp intake of breath had Buck quickly back to her side from the table where he had been cutting another length of cloth for a clean bandage.  He saw the pain on her face.

“Here, here, let me.  I’m pretty good with buttons!”  He reached up and undid the first two.  As he continued down the front, his fingers trembled slightly as he caught a glimpse of the tops of her breasts.  A want rushed through him.  He slowly took a deep breath, then helped to ease her arm out of the sleeve and move the top down over her shoulder.  He had to get a tight rein on his emotions.  He couldn’t have his way with this woman like he wanted to.  Something inside told him she wasn’t like the others!

Undoing the bandage, and trying not to think about the soft skin he was touching, he looked carefully at the area around the wound.  It looked much better than he had expected it to.  There was no puffiness, or redness.  He touched it lightly and was glad that there wasn’t any excess heat coming from it.  From all indications it would heal quickly.  “Oh it’s lookin’ real good today!”

Hannah glanced down at the ugly, purple wound in her shoulder.  Panic hit her.  It was the first time that she had seen it.  To her it looked horrible.  “Are you sure it’s okay?”

“It looks fine darlin’!  I don’t see any swelling, or any more bleedin’.  The stitches are holding nicely.  I’d say you were on your way to a full recovery!”  He looked up into her eyes, from his spot on the floor and he nearly stopped breathing.  Her brown eyes turned towards him, and if he hadn’t been in the floor already, he would have fallen there.  Their faces were mere inches apart. 

Hannah was thinking how beautiful his eyes were, and that soft voice of his.  It sent shivers up her spine.  Her eyes settled on his mouth.  What would it be like to be kissed by that mouth?  Would his thick moustache above his firm upper lip tickle?  She swallowed quickly and glancing up, she found his eyes gazing at her.  She had to get a firm hold on her emotions.  A blush was quickly stealing across her features.  “I…uh….”  She didn’t know what to say.

“I better get that clean bandage!”  His insides were jerking and he nearly fell over the chair in his haste to get to the table.  He took a few seconds longer to collect the cloth and ointment.  Then once back at her side, he took his time, willing his hands not to tremble too much that she might notice.  Finally he checked the lump on the back of her head.  She winced when he touched it.  “I’m sorry.  I ain’t meaning to cause you undue pain.”

“I know.  It’s just tender is all.”

He was pleased that the lump had gone down and decided that the cut on the back of her head didn’t need another bandage.  He stepped away and replaced the medical supplies back in the pouch he’d been carrying them in.  “I’d say Nathan would be right proud a my doctorin’!”

Hannah pulled the nightdress back up as best she could without putting her arm back through the sleeve.  She looked his way.  “Nathan?”

“He’s one of the other lawman in Four Corners.  Peacekeepers, Judge Travis calls us.  He’s also the man that we all go to for healing when we need it.”

“He’s a doctor?”

“No, just a healer.  Learned his skills on the battlefield.  Couldn’t ask for better, as far as doctorin’ or a friend!”

He stood for a moment longer looking down at her.  His heart was still pounding.  “Well, I guess I’ll go find Miss Abbie for you.  Shorely they’re finished with them dishes by now!”

She nodded and watched as he headed out the door.  Lord but that man was a distraction!


Abbie and Vin were making their way back across the yard, when Buck stepped outside. 

“Miss Abbie, Hannah would like some help gettin’ dressed.  I changed her bandage.  Shoulder looks much better today!”

“That’s good Buck.  I don’t know what we would have done if you two hadn’t shown up!”  She smiled sweetly as he opened the door for her and Vin to pass through.

“I’ll leave you two ladies alone for a little.  I’ll ask Buck about the horse.”  He smiled towards Abbie and she felt a little weak in the knees.  Then tipping his hat towards Hannah, he slipped back out the door.

Buck was standing a little ways from the cabin, gazing towards the creek.  There were several shade trees down there.  He decided that he and Hannah needed to go in that direction for awhile.  She needed to be outside in the sun’s warmth.  It would help in the healing of her shoulder.  They could take a blanket down and sit for awhile.

Vin walked up, touching Buck on the shoulder.  He jumped, looking startled in his direction.

“A might jumpy ain’t ya?  Ain’t like you to not hear me come up behind you!”

“Off with my thoughts!  Sides you livin’ with them Indians taught you to sneak up on a person!”

“While that might be true, I think you done went and got love written all over your heart, not to mention some other parts a your body!  You ain’t payin’ attention like normal!”  Vin grinned as Buck shot him one of those looks.

“I ain’t in love!”

“Coulda fooled me!  I’ve seen the looks you been givin’ that pretty little filly in there!  If you ain’t in love, then why you so jumpy?  Somethin’ happen ‘tween you and Miss Hannah?”

“Nope!  Now when do you think somethin’ coulda happened?  I like to had to drag you up outta that chair in there to go out and help Miss Abbie with them dishes!  You crazy?  You got this beautiful woman all to yourself here, and you don’t want to spend time with her?  You need to make the most of the time whilest you can!”

“All right…just stop right there!  You pryin’ in my business again!  If I do or I don’t spend time with Abbie, it’s for me to decide!  Now stop tryin’ to tell me how to do things!”  He stood there for several seconds with a deep scowl on his face.  He hated it when the others tried to meddle in his business.  “Look, is it all right if’n Abbie uses your horse?  Thought we’d take a ride and for some strange reason, she wants to ride on your white charger!”

Buck grinned.  “So’s you ain’t gonna spend no time with her huh?”

“BUCKLIN!”

Just then Vin’s words penetrated Buck’s thick brain.  “My white what?  My horse ain’t white!  It’s gray!  She color blind?”

“No, she ain’t.  But seems that white charger out in that corral has a very special meaning to at least one a them ladies in there!  I told her I didn’t think you’d mind if’n she rode your white charger!”

Buck was looking at Vin as if he’d lost his mind.  All the while Vin was grinning like the cat that ate the canary!

“What on earth are you jawin’ about?”

Vin shrugged his shoulders.  “Ain’t rightly shore.  You’ll have to ask Miss Hannah if’n you want to know!”

“What?”  Buck looked really confused.  Vin turned and headed for the corral, snickering to himself.  Looking back over his shoulder, he asked again, “So, can she ride your white charger?”

A look of confusion still on his face, Buck nodded his way.  “Yeah, yeah!”  Then turned mumbling “White charger?” Still shaking his head.

It was all Vin could do not to laugh out loud.  He’d teach him to meddle in his business!


Abbie smiled Hannah’s way, as she reached for one of the clean dresses that she’d brought in for her the night before.  “You feeling okay?  You’ve got this strange look on your face.”

“Oh Abbie, I got such strange feelings floating around inside me.  Buck’s so, so….”  Her voice whispered in wonder.

“He’s so handsome, so wonderful, so charming, so….”  She grinned at her friend.  “Should I go on?”

Hannah scowled.  “You’re making fun of me!”

“No I’m not!”

“You can’t tell me you aren’t feeling some of the same things about Vin!”

Abbie was silent just a little too long.  Then she mumbled.  “Well, maybe….”

Hannah giggled at the look on Abbie’s face.  “See, it’s not just me!”  She sighed.  “I never really thought I’d meet someone as handsome as Buck.”  There were stars in her eyes.  Hannah wondered if she looked that way when she was close to Vin.

“I never dreamed it could happen either.  Vin is so kind and gentle.  He makes me want to be around him all the time.”

“Abbie, I’m scared.”

“Scared?  Of what?  Buck and Vin aren’t going to hurt us!”

“No, I’m not afraid of them.  I’m afraid of the feelings that I’ve got churning around inside!  Just a few minutes ago, I was having thoughts about kissing Buck!  I haven’t ever wondered what it would like to kiss someone before!”

Abbie smiled.  “Don’t worry none.  Truth be known, I could think on those lines myself where Vin Tanner is concerned.  All I have to do is let my mind wander on it’s own.  Vin Tanner is definitely special.  God has placed us with these two men for some reason Hannah.  We have to trust him to show us the way.  Through all the years that we’ve been together, he hasn’t failed us yet.  I don’t think he’s about to now either.  After all, he sent you that hero on a white horse when you asked!  Right?”

Hannah laughed.  She knew Abbie was right.  She would just take things one moment at a time.

Vin had the horses ready and waiting when Abbie came out.  She’d told Hannah that they were going for a ride and would be back soon.  Hannah watched from the window, as Vin helped Abbie to mount the white horse and they rode off.  Now she was all alone with her handsome hero!

Buck had been watching Vin with Abbie.  They seemed comfortable with one another.  She was definitely good for him.  He glanced towards the cabin.  There was so much that he wanted to ask that little lady inside.  She’d already taken his breath away….could he contain himself all afternoon if she were by his side….alone?  He pulled a tight rein once again on his emotions!  He had to remember that she wasn’t like all the others.  That scared him!  But not enough that he was going to give up this time with her!  He hurried inside.

It didn’t take much to convince Hannah that she needed to spend some time outdoors in the warm sunshine.  In fact, she loved the idea.  She stood by the cot that Abbie had used the night before and picked up the blanket that was folded at the bottom.  They could use it to sit by the creek.

Before she could protest, Buck had come up behind her and scooped her up into his arms.  “Let’s go enjoy that sunshine darlin’!”

“Buck I can walk!”

“I know you can darlin’!  But if’n I let you walk, I don’t have the chance to hold you close in my arms!  You’re as light as a feather!  Let ole’ Buck carry you outside!”

Hannah smiled up into his eyes, and shifted so that she could wrap her arms around his neck.  She was loving this attention.

Buck gazed down at her as they stepped out the door and he nearly tripped going down the steps as she shifted in his arms and brushed her breasts against his chest.

“Now Buck, don’t drop me!”
 
Laughing, he steadied himself.  “Oh I wouldn’t dream of it darlin’!”  It didn’t take nearly as long as he hoped to reach the creek!

He spread the blanket out and placed her in the center.  “Now, lean back and enjoy all this nature that God has blessed us with!”

She smiled his way.  “You certainly have a way with words Buck!”

“Ain’t hard when I have such beautiful inspiration by my side!”  He smiled her way.

They were silent for a few moments and Hannah did just as he suggested….took in the beauty of their surroundings. 

“I’ve never seen anything as breath taking.  I’ve never been anywhere except Willow Springs.  Hard to believe there is so much beauty out here!”

“So you’re from Willow Springs?” 

“Yes.  Grew up there.”

“You met Abbie there?”

She glanced his way.  He seemed genuinely interested.  She didn’t think there was any harm in answering a few questions…provided he would answer some of hers!

“Guess you could say we met on a wagon train headed out here from the east.  We became inseparable, and have been that way for nearly nineteen years!  Don’t know what I would have done without her.  She’s my strength.  I guess she’s the sister I never had!”

Nineteen.  The wheels were turning in Buck’s mind.  So he’d been right.  She was young and innocent.  But she was still the most beautiful lady he’d ever laid eyes on!

“You ain’t got no one waitin’ on you no where?  I mean, a lady as beautiful as you darlin’, ought to have men swarming round her like flies!  You got nectar as sweet as sugar!”

Hannah could feel herself blushing again.  “No, there isn’t anyone, anywhere, waiting on me.”

“Well, I don’t understand that!  Were all the men in Willow Springs blind?”

“Most of the young men there didn’t live in town.  I never really came in contact with a lot of people.  I guess that’s why Abbie and I were so scared when those two men attacked us yesterday!  I never want to meet anyone like that again!”

Buck sighed.  “I’m just glad that we came along when we did.  Something much worse mighta happened to you than just a gunshot wound to your shoulder.”

“How true that is!  If my hero hadn’t appeared on a white horse, we both might be dead right now!”  Hannah looked out over the creek.  “You’ll never know how beholden we are to you and Vin.”

“Hero on a white horse?”  Those words had made Buck’s ears perk up.  He’d been wondering how he was going to find out about it.

Hannah looked his way startled, then embarrassed.   “I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have said that!”

Buck had stretched out on his side.  He looked up at her.  “It’s okay.  Tell me.”  He’d almost whispered it.  Hannah swallowed quickly.  There was that soft voice again.  Did he know what he was doing to her insides?

“One night, when we couldn’t sleep, during our traveling, Abbie and I were talking.  About our lives up until now and what we thought the future held.  I guess the conversation went to dreams we had and I told her I was waiting for someone to ride into my life and chase all my enemies away.  That he’d ride up on a white horse and be my hero!  Funny as it sounds, I even asked God to send me my hero on a white horse, when everything was going on yesterday!”  She laughed.  “I was so shocked when Abbie told me that one of you rode a horse that was almost white.”
“Actually, he’s gray, but that’s okay!  I like the sound of being your hero on a white horse!  As long as I’m around, I’ll chase away all your enemies!”

She smiled.  “Thank you Buck!  I don’t think I’ve ever felt so protected!”

He reached up and caressed her cheek.  She leaned into it for a moment.  This man was really special.  Would he be the one that chased away all her enemies from now on?  She shifted on the blanket and searched for something to change the subject with.  These thoughts would only get her in trouble.

“Tell me about Buck Wilmington.”

“There ain’t much to tell darlin’.  It cain’t be interestin’!”

“Let me be the judge of that!”  She smiled his way and he forgot for a moment what he’d been about to say.  He cleared his throat and looked out over the creek.

“Well, you already know I’m from Four Corners.  I’m one of the seven peacekeepers there that Judge Travis hired to keep things under control.   We’ve been there nearly a year now.  It’s a peaceful little town most of the time.  But there are times that we have to take care of trouble makers.”

“Sounds like it could be dangerous.”

“Can be.  But we all look out for the other.  Guess we seven are really all that we have.  If we didn’t have each other, we’d be in a lot of trouble!”

“Tell me about the others.  I already know about Vin, and Nathan….”

“There’s Chris Larabee.  Guess you could say he’s the leader of the group.  I’ve known him a long time.  He’s had some hard times.  Lost his wife and son.  Lots of demons he has to deal with.  But Chris is strong.  He’ll always come through on the other side.  Then there’s Ezra Standish.  He’s our resident gambler!  Loves playing cards and tricks on people.  He’s from the south, and has this southern drawl….gets right interestin’ sometimes just listenin’ to him spout off them words a his!  Then there is Josiah Sanchez.  Josiah is our spiritual advisor!  Though he won’t admit it!”

“A preacher?”

“Well, not ‘xactly!  His father was a minister and he spent a lot of time doin the missionary thing.  You’ll find out he likes to drink and he likes to chase the women from time to time.  But he’s always there when you need to talk about God or anything else.  He stays at the church in town, but he don’t do services or anything like that.  Maybe one day.  He’s been working on repairin’ things there.  Not sure what them folks of Four Corners would think if the ole’ bell rang on top a that church on Sunday moring!”  Buck got quiet and thoughtful for a moment.
Hannah was busily counting on her fingers.  That only leaves one.”

“Yeah….JD.  He’s a green horn from back east!  He joined us seeking adventure.  The rest didn’t want him to be a part a us…but there was just somethin’ bout that boy!  He’s young … close to your age.  I took him under my wing.  He just thought he knew how to ride and shoot when he arrived out west!  Been many a time he nearly got hisself killed, or one of us!  Have to say I’ve taught him a thing or two in the short time we’ve been together.  But it’s gonna take a long time a fore he’s as good as ole’ Buck here!  But he’ll be all right, it’s just gonna take some time to work out that green horn in ‘em!”

Hannah laughed.  It was the most beautiful sound Buck had ever heard.  “They all sound interesting.  Just from listening, I’d say you seven were a close knit family.  You need that.  I envy it.  I wish Abbie an I had someone that cared as much as it sounds like you seven do about one another!”

“Just like I said….we’re all each others got!”

“There isn’t someone special in your life in Four Corners?”

Buck looked back up at her.  How did he answer that?  There were a lot of ladies in Four Corners that were special….but not like she was referring to.  He had a spot in his heart for them all.  But there wasn’t really one that was more special than the other.

“No. Ain’t no body “Special”!”

Buck sighed and lay back on the blanket.  “It shore is peaceful here!”

Silence fell around them.  The sun warmed her, and Hannah was feeling drowsy.  Buck was lightly snoring beside her.  She glanced to her right.  He had the look of a little boy in sleep.  Not a care in the world.  She reached over and lightly brushed a stray lock of dark hair out of his eyes.  He stirred slightly, and she smiled.  There was a lot to learn about this man that had rescued her and her best friend.  What did the future hold?

Buck woke slowly.  There was a hand tucked under his chin.  He glanced to his left and smiled.  She was sleep.  A slight smile on her face.  His chest swelled as he thought of her calling him her hero!  Could he live up to that?  He sure hoped so.

He reached out and touched her cheek.  Leaning up over her, he had this huge urge to kiss her beautiful lips that were slightly parted in sleep.  Should he?  Would she slap him if he did?  His fingers caressed a line over to her mouth and he traced her bottom lip with his fingertip.

Hannah woke to a light touch on her bottom lip. For a moment she kept her eyes closed.  She knew when she opened her eyes, that Buck was going to be the first thing that she saw.  And he was.   He smiled. 

“You’re even more beautiful when you sleep!” 

She really didn’t know what to say to this man.  She was afraid that her inexperience would show if she tried to say something back to his compliment.  Instead, she blushed.  It wasn’t something that she had to think about.  This man just seemed to cause that reaction every time he said something to her!

She sat up, looking around.  There was no sign of Abbie and Vin, so they must not have made it back yet.  She reached down and pulled off her shoes. 

“I think I’ll go stick my feet in the water.  Want to come?”

He sat up, reaching to pull off his boots.  “Why not!” 

In just a few seconds, Hannah was seated on the bank with her toes in the ice cold water.  Buck had rolled up his pants legs and stepped full into the creek.  “Ohhhh weeeee darlin’ this water shore is cold!”

She laughed as he made motions of shivering.  He smiled.  Her laughter was the most beautiful sound he’d heard in a long time.

“Oh look Buck….fish!”  She pointed out into a deeper section of the creek.   “What kind are they?”

Buck went a little closer for a better look.  They of course scattered when he made ripples in the water.  “Look like trout!  Be good for supper!  Wonder if I can catch any?”

“With what?  You don’t have a pole!”

“My hands darlin’!!  Ole’ Buck here is good at lots of different things!  Sit back and watch!”  He placed a finger over his lips for her to be silent and he stood very still waiting for the fish to come back near him.

Hannah watched just like he’d told her, but it was awfully hard to contain her laughter!  He made a good show of trying to catch fish.  Before long he had water dripping off the sleeves of his shirt, and his pants were nearly soaked even though he’d rolled the legs up to the knees.    Hannah was just about to tell him he should go back and see if there was a pole at the cabin,  when to her amazement, he dipped his hands in the water and a fish went flying up onto the bank beside her!  Her mouth flew open in surprise.

“See, I told you ole’ Buck could do this!”  He grinned and she clapped her hands for him.  He took a quick bow and turned back to the job at hand.  It took him a little while, but before long he had five or six fish lying on the bank.  Hannah couldn’t believe how quick he was.  She knew that she could never have caught those fish with her hands.  She doubted she even could have with a pole!
“One more ought to do it.  Be a nice change from rabbit stew!”  He grinned her way again, as he turned back to the creek.  “There goes a big one!  Come back here you slippery varmint!”  It was just a little quicker than Buck was and he made a sudden right turn to try and catch the fish.  But his bare feet slipped on rocks covered by mud and his feet flew out from under him.  In seconds he landed on his back in the creek with a thud!
 
A groan soon followed the spray of water that flew up all around him, hitting Hannah’s skirt.  As quick as she could, she got to her feet and stepped carefully to where he was lying on his back in the water.  For a moment she thought that he might have gotten seriously hurt.  His eyes were closed and he wasn’t moving.

“Buck, are you okay?”  She was now standing over him, looking down with a worried expression on her face.

He opened his eyes and groaned again.  “I don’t think I broke anything, ‘cept my backside sure hurts sitting on this here sharp rock!”  He reached under his rear and extracted the said rock, throwing it to the side. He then tried to get up, but the rocks were too slippery.  He fell again with a splash.  Hannah couldn’t contain herself any longer.  When he fell again and a new spray of water flew every where, she almost collapsed into a fit of laughter.

In between breaths she nearly whispered, “I do believe…… Mr. Wilmington….. you’re all wet!”

He looked up at her, with a devilish grin on his face.  “Well darlin’ I think you need to help me up!  Don’t look much like I can do it on my own!”

She reached down with her good arm and grasped his hand.  Once more he made a show of trying to get up, but of course he couldn’t find his footing and he landed on his backside in the water.  Only this time…..he took Hannah with him!

She landed with a thud right on top of him!  The water splashed up around them, soaking  the bottom of her dress.

“Now who’s all wet?”

“You beast!”  She pounded his chest with her fist.  Luckily, the fall hadn’t hurt her shoulder since she’d landed right on top of him. 

He was laughing as he reached up and caught her fist, and pressed it down against his chest between the two of them. “I might be a beast, but you shore are pretty when you’re angry!”

Suddenly, Hannah realized where she was.  Her body was stretched out on top of his and there were parts of his body intimately touching parts of hers.  She needed to get up.  But she didn’t want to!  Looking down into his face, she saw a look of what she thought might have been desire in his eyes.  Dropping her fist, he reached up with both hands, and took her face between his palms, pulling her mouth down to his.

Hannah hadn’t been expecting the kiss, but it was exactly as she’d thought it would be.  The moustache tickled slightly, but she didn’t have time to think further on it.  His mouth was firm on hers, and she seemed to melt into him.  It was the most sensual feeling that she had ever experienced.  She didn’t want the kiss to end.

Buck hadn’t thought before he acted upon the feelings that were churning inside him.  When she’d landed on top of him and started hitting him with her fist, her body had begun to slide over his intimately and he couldn’t help himself.  He wanted to kiss her sweet lips.  He wanted to see what they tasted like….and he had done just that.

He slowly pulled away from her.  Looking up into her eyes, he watched as a look of wonderment flashed across her face.  Her fingers touched her lips and she didn’t move.  It had been her first kiss.  Buck knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt.  He was tempted to taste those trembling lips again, but decided that he shouldn’t do that right then.  He was already in enough trouble with his feelings for her.   He didn’t want to scare her off by being too aggressive.  But before he removed his palms from her face, he lightly caressed her cheeks. 

“We better get back to the cabin and change.  I wouldn’t want your shoulder to stay wet too long!”

She knew that he was right, and she reluctantly got up, trying not to fall.  Reaching down she helped to pull him to his feet.  He smiled.  “Thanks darlin’.  Let’s get them fish back and cleaned before Vin and Miss Abbie returns.  We’ll surprise them with an early supper of fish!  I’ve worked up an appetite!”

She nodded and holding her hand, they moved towards the bank.  It didn’t take long for Buck to find a stick to string the fish on.  While he was busy with them, Hannah gathered up the corners of the blanket.  She left her shoes and his boots wrapped inside.  It was much easier to carry them that way.  Together, the sloshed up the hill towards the cabin.

“I bet we look a sight!”  Hannah glanced his way, wondering what he was thinking.  He’d been so quiet since he’d kissed her.  Had she done it right?  Was he disappointed?  Even though she was having these thoughts of doubt, she couldn’t tamp down the feelings soaring inside of her.  She’d just had her first kiss…..and it had been perfect!!


 “This is really pretty countryside,” Abbie commented as she looked around her.

“It warn’t like this around Willow Springs?” Vin asked, never having been through her town.

“No, Willow Springs is much flatter and dustier looking. Around here you’ve got green and some hills.”

“Willow Springs sounds a bit like Four Corners.”

“Tell me a little about your town, Vin.”

He glanced over at her to see if he could detect anything other than reasonable curiosity. She was looking at him with a question in her eyes. Maybe he’d imagined that whole thing between her and Hannah.

“It’s nuthin to brag on. But it’s growin’ and Mary’s tryin’ like the dickens to make good things happen.”

“Mary?”

“She runs the newspaper in town, and is a real nice lady. She has a son and I think wants it ta grow for him. Chris is kinda sweet on her,” he admitted.

“And is she kind of sweet on him?”

“Oh yeah,” he laughed.

Abbie loved to see him laugh. The dimples in his cheeks were deep, and they were showing themselves now. Plus the laughter lit up his whole face.

“Laughing changes you,” she told him with a smile on her face. “It makes you a whole different person.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing,” he told her.

“Don’t worry. It is!” she told him. “Do you think it would be okay if we left the road and headed towards that hill over there?” she pointed.

“Yer on the white charger,” he teased. “You can go anywheres you want.”

Her laughter rang like a bell as she turned Buck’s gray toward the hill and lightly kicked her heels into him. He took off like a flash, and Vin urged his mount to follow. Abbie had never felt so free as she did with the wind blowing her hair out in back of her. Buck’s horse was a fine animal as he raced her to the top of the hill. Vin had just caught up to her when she reined in at the top.

“Oh look, Vin…there’s a house down there. Let’s go say hello,” she said as she started down the hill.

“Hold up, Abbie,” he commanded. He was never one to just go and say hello. You didn’t know what you were riding into unless you took a few moments to observe the surroundings and see what was going on. She stopped her horse and turned back toward him as he looked down at the little ranch home. There was no smoke coming from the chimney, no horses in the corral by the house. It appeared to have an air of neglect coming from it. He nudged his horse forward slowly. “I don’t think that there’s anyone to say howdy to. Come on,” he said, assuming she wouldn’t question him, and just follow him down.

Vin pulled up in front of the house and called out “Hello in the house.” There was no answer, but he wasn’t surprised. He dismounted and helped Abbie get off her horse.

“Didn’t anyone stay in this valley?” she asked him. “I can’t imagine setting all of this up and then moving on. This looks to be a lovely home.”

“Maybe the folks that done lived here were old and one a them passed on. Maybe the other didn’t want to stay,” Vin suggested.

“Maybe,” Abbie said as she looked in the window. It was devoid of any furniture or personal possessions. She watched as Vin went around one way, so she went around the other, planning to meet up with him in the back. As she rounded the corner, she came upon a very neglected kitchen garden. “Why those look like carrots,” she muttered to herself, as she reached down and pulled one up. It brought a smile to her face. There were several more. Getting down on her knees, she saw some potato vines which had almost taken over the garden. These yielded quite a few small specimens of the vegetable. She found a couple handfuls of beans and some radishes.

Vin had been scouting in the back, and came around the corner, only to find Abbie down on her hands and knees, crawling in the dirt. Abbie had seen movement out of the corner of her eyes, and looked up to find Vin standing there looking down at her.

“Vin…look at this. We’re going to be feasting,” she said excitedly as she held up what looked like an assortment of vegetables. “I don’t think that the owner would mind sharing this bounty with us.”

His heart almost stopped. She had dirt smudged all over her face, but it was lit up with an inner glow. He could tell how proud she was to have found this food and be able to offer it to the group. He had never seen anyone look so beautiful in his entire life.

She faltered as she saw the intent look on his face. Thinking she had done wrong, she looked quickly away as she dropped the vegetables.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have dug them up and assumed I could take them,” she told him as she nervously rubbed her hands together.

“What?” he asked her.
“The look on your face…you looked so serious and all….”

He mentally shook himself for causing her any upset. In the space of a moment, he’d taken the light out of her eyes. He dropped down next to her.

“Abbie…look at me.”

She did. “That wasn’t what I was thinkin’. I was thinkin’ how proud I was of you for findin’ this for us. You’re right. We’re gonna be feastin’ on this stuff. You done good.”

He could see her really looking at him, trying to decide if he was telling her the truth. She must have been satisfied with what she saw because she smiled at him. He got the strangest feeling in the pit of his stomach, and his heart thudded dully in his chest. He needed to back away from her before he did something stupid.

“Okay. So how do we get all of this back with us?”

“We kin put it in the saddle bags. Let’s gather it up and carry it out to the horses.”

Abbie started to gather it in her skirt. She stood up and held it out so Vin could finish putting all the vegetables there. It didn’t take long for them to transfer the food to the saddlebags.

“Now let’s go find us some water so we can get all that dirt washed offa ya,” Vin told her as he cupped his hands together so she could get a leg up on her charger.

Abbie kept stealing glances at the handsome man riding next to her. He seemed oblivious to her attention, but she couldn’t help herself. When he had been kneeling down next to her in the garden, she’d surprised herself by wishing he would kiss her. But he’d pulled away instead. She wished that she was more experienced with men, but her experience could be written in one sentence. Abigail Stewart had never been alone with a man. She giggled.

“What’s funnin’ ya?” Vin asked her, anxious to share the joke. Abbie had gotten so quiet. Maybe she was still upset because of what had happened in the garden.

“Nothing really. I just had this absurd thought is all. What’s that up ahead? Is it a lake, do ya think?”

“Yeah, that’s where I have us headed so you kin wash up a bit before we head on back. I don’t want Buck ‘n Ms. Hannah thinkin’ I was draggin’ you through a mud puddle.”

It didn’t take long to get to the lake. There was a slight breeze blowing, and Abbie was wracking her brain with something clever she could say to him. They walked to the edge of the lake and she knelt down and splashed some water on her face. That felt good. She took a drink, splashed some more on herself, then wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

“Better?” she asked looking up at Vin with a smile. Her smile froze. The sun was at the back of his head, and there was a halo around his face, with his light colored hair in the periphery of the vision. Where had she seen this before? It came to her quickly…her dream of her ideal man…the one that looked down at her…the one whose face she had never seen.

Vin laughed down at her.

“You missed this big spot by your nose…here…” he said as he took his bandana off, got it all wet, then knelt next to her and cupped her chin in his hand. He gently rubbed the spot away. “There. You’re just about perfect now, Abbie.”

She blinked rapidly and brought his face into focus. Once again, he was so close to her that his blue eyes swallowed her up. She wet her lips with her tongue nervously.

Vin watched as her tongue came out and tantalized him as it moistened her lips. His breath caught.

“Do you know how beautiful you are?” he almost whispered as a force more powerful than he was, pulled his lips to her. He could taste the wetness on her lips, as he caressed them with his. He could have sworn that her lips kissed him back. He slowly pulled away from her, and her eyes were wide with surprise. Her finger reached out and traced his lips very lightly, before she caught him with a surprise of her own and laid her lips on his. His arms crept around her, and when she pulled her mouth away, she laid her head on his shoulder.

Vin’s breath was coming in fits and starts. No woman had moved him like this. Not even Charlotte. Her lips had tasted so sweet, and her body fit well against his. She hadn’t kissed him like she’d known what she was doing, but she had done well enough. Had she ever been with any other men?

Abbie just smiled to herself. Her first kisses. And how perfect they had been. She had liked the feel of them and she liked having this man hold her against him. Was this what heaven was like?

Vin could feel her pull away from him. She nervously smoothed her hair as she looked at him with that beautiful smile on her face.

“So, did I get the dirt off?” she asked, not sure what to say.

“Yes,” he chuckled as he looked at her face, then shyly at the ground. “The dirt is gone.”

“Then perhaps we should get back? I don’t want Hannah to worry about us.” Vin was surprised at how quickly she wanted to get away from him. Was she upset?

She jumped up quickly and headed for the horses. Vin was quicker though and reached out his hand to stop her.

“Abbie…I didn’t mean to take advantage of you …”

If she’d had any doubts about this man, any at all, they just flew out the window. He was a true gentleman.

She reached up and softly kissed his cheek.

“You didn’t. Can you help me up on my horse?”

Which he did.

They headed their horses toward the miner’s cabin, when Abbie asked,

“You said that you and Buck are peacekeepers. And you have mentioned that Chris is the boss of the peacekeepers. Sounds like there might be some more of you?” she invited.

He squinted as he scanned the horizon, as he forced himself to move away from the kisses they’d shared. He still wasn’t too sure how she had accepted them. And he wasn’t near as experienced with women as Buck.

“Four more…Nathan, Josiah, JD, and Ezra.”

“Is the town so crime ridden that there is a need for 7 of you?” she asked, a bit alarmed.

“It has its problems, but it’s getting’ better. Sometimes there ain’t enough to keep us all busy. Other times, we have our hands full. Jest depends on who’s around.”

“Tell me a little about the other four, please?” she asked prettily. She figured if she kept talking to him, she wouldn’t have to think about the fact that she’d just thrown herself at this man.

He thought about it for a minute.

“Nathan is real gentle like mosta the time. He’s our healer. He takes care of us and fusses over us like a mother hen. He likes everyone treated fair like. Josiah comforts us. He’s the one we talk to if’n we have problems and such. His pa used to be a preacher ‘n I think some of it rubbed off on him. JD is just a greenhorn kid, but he’s gettin’ better. Buck watches out for him.”

“Only Buck?”

“Buck’s the one with the most patience, but I guess we all look out for him. And last is Ezra. He’s always schemin’ and trying to find a way to take our money away from us. He dresses fancy and is good at cards. And ya know Buck ‘n me. Last is Chris, but he’s fore-middle-bul,” he stated, quite proud of himself for remembering the big word she’d used before.

“It sounds as if you like all of them.”

“Yes, I do. They’re my friends. We all trust each other when it counts.”

Something with the way he said that caught her ear, but she wasn’t sure why it had.

“And given your occupation, I guess that’s what counts.”

“I guess,” he replied.

“Can you tell me a little bit about you?” she asked him.

“There ain’t too much ta tell. I moved around a lot in my life. I was workin’ at the general store when I met up with Chris. We saved Nathan from getting hung - seems some cowboys was upset that he didn’t heal up one a their own. That’s when our peacekeeper group begun.”

Abbie had a feeling that there was much more to this man than what he had said. She also had a feeling that he wasn’t one to just talk on and on about himself. Yet, she wanted to find out all about him…what he had experienced in his life. But she bit her tongue. She knew that right now, it wasn’t going to happen. So instead, she thought about his kisses and how good they had felt and how they’d made her toes tingle. What affect had they had on him? She’d like to ask, but didn’t think that was proper talk between a man and a woman when they didn’t know each other too well.

Vin shifted restlessly on his horse. Abbie had suddenly gone silent, and normally, that was okay with him. He wasn’t a big talker, and especially didn’t like talking about himself. But Abbie usually had something to say, and it worried him that she was content not to speak to him. Was she thinking that she’d be glad when they finally got to their destination? When she would be away from him? Right now he knew that the ladies’ safety depended on him and Buck. He was sure that they knew it too. Was she only tolerating him because of that?

Abbie kept sneaking peaks at Vin. He was a fine figure of a man on a horse. If she had to guess, she’d say that he’d spent all of his life in the West and he was very comfortable here. He probably liked to be on his own a lot, but he was a very likeable person. And he was so handsome. Of course, it’s not like she had a lot of men to compare him to, but from what she had seen, he was the most handsome man she’d ever run into. Then there were those sky blue eyes….eyes that she realized were watching her closely. A smile was lurking about his mouth as he leaned on his saddle horn.

“Ms. Abbie….you was real far away there. Ya feelin’ okay?”
She could feel her cheeks get warm to have been caught staring at this man so blatantly. Vin saw the color and couldn’t figure it out. He reached for his canteen, pulled the stopper and handed it to her.

“Maybe some water would help?”

“Thank you,” she told him as she reached for it and took a long swallow to cover her discomfiture. “I’m fine now.”

“We should be getting close to the miner’s cabin. See? Look over yonder,” he pointed. She followed his finger and saw the cabin.

“What’s that over all those bushes?” she asked momentarily confused.

“Reckon we’ll find out in a bit,” he told her as he urged his horse on. Getting closer, he realized that it was clothes…he recognized Bucks, and wasn’t that the dress that Ms. Hannah had been wearing this morning?

“That’s Hannah’s dress,” he heard Abbie state. “I wonder what happened?”

To Vin, it seemed real obvious…but wait, this was Ms. Hannah, who had seemed quite virginal…but then there was Buck and that animal magnetism he was always talking about. Had he persuaded Ms. Hannah? Had they come back too soon? And was Abbie, who was dismounting from her charger going to walk in on something that she would find indecent? Wanting to save her, he quickly dismounted and stood in front of her. Maybe if they made a lot of noise, it would give Buck and Hannah time to get in the all together.

“I really had a nice time, Ms. Abbie,” Vin told her as he took the horses reins from her hand. He raised his voice a little. “Why don’t I hand you the saddle bags with all of our food in it?”

“Okay, Vin,” she said, wondering why he was suddenly acting strangely.

She waited patiently while Vin seemed to turn all thumbs as he attempted to get the saddlebags off the horses.

She heard the cabin door open, and then,

“What’s wrong with you boy? You tryin’ to raise the dead?” from Buck. “What if Miss Hannah had been trying to get some rest?”

Vin turned towards Buck, who looked fully dressed. Then at Ms. Hannah who was standing slightly behind him. She was all dressed too.

“I’m sorry Ms. Hannah ifn’ I disturbed you,” he said as he touched the tip of his hat in her direction.

“You didn’t. But you aren’t going to guess what Buck did.”

“The laundry?” Vin guessed as he pointedly looked around him at all the clothes that were spread all over the bushes.

Abbie giggled when she saw the pained look that went across Buck’s face. The later opened his mouth to speak his mind to his friend, but Hannah excitedly cut in.

“No, but I can understand why you might think that. He caught fish! With his bare hands! Lots of ‘em. And that’s what we’re having for dinner tonight. He caught them and cleaned them and they’re ready to be fried up. Isn’t that the most amazing thing? With his own hands!” and she looked up at the man with this adoring look on her face, her hands clasped under her chin.

“Bare hands?” Vin asked Buck. Buck was looking like a rooster about to burst, his chest was puffed out so much. Vin had been the one who’d taught Buck how to do this.

“Yes, his bare hands. He just stood there so still like and just scooped them on out.”

“Scooped them out?” he asked, “’magine that!” he said shaking his head. He was trying desperately to keep from laughing. Hannah looked up at Buck as if he had invented this trick.

“Well, I guess that we need to thank you heartily, Buck. You have given us something different for dinner. I would have loved to have seen you do this,” Abbie praised. “So how did the laundry end up out here?”

“Oh that!” Hannah dismissed. “We had a little accident in the creek. Buck tripped, and then I did and then…well, we both got wet. I just wish you could have seen him catch those fish!”

Buck felt like the big man and provider. He could tell how impressed Hannah was with him. He hadn’t meant to make her feel that way, but he was glad that she did. It never hurt to do what you could do impress a woman - especially one that tasted as sweet as she did.

“Ms. Abbie found us some food too,” Vin stated proudly, somewhat fed up with Hannah going on and on about Buck’s fishing abilities.

“What did you find for us?” Hannah asked her friend.

“Some vegetables in a long neglected garden. We’ve got carrots and potatoes and a few radishes…some beans.”

“Why we’ll have a feast tonight, won’t we?” Hannah smiled up at Buck. It warmed his heart to see her enthusiasm.

“Yes, we will,” he smiled back at her as Vin handed the saddle bags to him and started to lead the horses away.

“Was Samson good to you, Ms. Abbie?”

“Is that your horses’ name?” she asked, and when she saw his nod, “Yes, he was quite the gentleman and a joy to ride. Thank you again for letting me have the use of him for the afternoon.”

“He never minds having a pretty lady sittin’ on him,” Buck assured her graciously.

“Let me get our dinner started. I don’t know about the two of you, but I’m hungry,” Abbie told her. “Are the fish in the cabin?”

“They’re waiting for you,” Hannah told her. “Would you like me to help?”

“No. It sounds like you’ve done enough for one day. Why don’t you keep me company while I cook?”

“I’ll go help Vin with the horses,” Buck said as he headed towards Vin, curious as to what might have gone on between his friend and the beautiful blond.


Abbie put some bacon grease into the skillet and set it over the fire to heat. She cleaned off the vegetables, and put them into a little salted water to boil.

“Okay Hannah. You’re all dreamy looking. Buck must have put those stars in your eyes,” Abbie said as she decided that she really should make up some biscuits. Those men could get mighty hungry.

“He kissed me, Abbie. Down by the creek. He’d fallen in and I tried to help him up, but he pulled me down on top of him. I was feeling some mighty funny things. And then he kissed me - full on the mouth. It was so perfect Abbie. But then the strangest thing happened.”

“What’s that?”

“He didn’t say anything about it. He just told me I should get changed before my shoulder got too wet. It was so special for me, Abbie. But what if it wasn’t as special for him? I think he’s seen a lot of women in his time. He talks so smooth and whispery and all…” Hannah drifted off as she traced her lips with her finger tip.

Abbie didn’t doubt at all that Buck wasn’t a lot more experienced than Hannah. But from what she’d seen of the man, he seemed to have a good heart.

“Do you think he has anyone special in Four Corners?” she asked her starry eyed friend.

“No, he doesn’t. I already asked him.”

“Then maybe he just didn’t know what to say to you. Maybe he got all choked up in the specialness of it, and it was just something he couldn’t talk about.”

“Maybe,” Hannah agreed.

“Did he try anything else?”

“No. We just came back here and talked a bit.”

“I don’t think that it’s anything to worry about then,” she assured her. She only hoped that she was right. She’d never seen Hannah like this before.

“So what about your ride with Vin? Did you have a good time?” Hannah asked her as she watched her friend finish making the biscuits and then she put them on the fire. Abbie wiped off her hands, and sat next to Hannah.

“I got my first kiss too!” she squealed softly. “Oh Hannah…it was so perfect. Vin kisses so good, and he held me for a little bit after it. I think I could have stayed there all afternoon in his embrace, but then I started to think that he might think I was a loose woman. So I pulled away first. I think he got the wrong idea. I think he thinks that I was upset because he kissed me. He tried to apologize for taking advantage of me, but he didn’t. I really wanted him to kiss me.”

“Vin’s kinda shy, I think. Maybe he’s not real experienced either.”

“He’s definitely more experienced than I am. I just don’t want him to think that I’m angry with him.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, Abbie. You’re not acting like you’re mad at him. That should get through to him at some point.”

“I hope so.”

“Do you think they’ll kiss us again?”

“I hope so,” Abbie giggled. Hannah joined her as they quickly hugged each other in their joy at the day’s events.



”I’ll take care of Samson, if you get Peso,” Buck told Vin, as he uncinched the saddle and pulled it off his horse. Vin threw him a rough piece of cloth to rub him down with.

“So’d ya have a good ride?” Buck asked innocently.

“Yeah. Pretty country round here.”

“Did Miss Abbie enjoy herself?”

“Acted like she did,” was his only comment as he rubbed Peso. Vin knew why Buck was out here. He was on a fishing mission to find out what happened between him and Abbie. While there was a part of him that wanted to tell him and ask his advice about the way she’d pulled away from him after their kisses, the major part of him knew that asking his advice would be an invitation to disaster. “You ‘n Ms. Hannah have a good time catchin’ all those fish?” he asked him pointedly.

“We shore did. She’s the sweetest little heifer I ever laid eyes on, I do expect.”

“That’s what you always say, Buck,” Vin laughed as he just shook his head.

He expected protest, but there was no comment. So he looked up to see the larger man staring off into space, the rag in one hand, his other hand just lying on Samson’s back.

“Ya got them love eyes again!” Vin said, shaking his head.

“Me? What bout you? You go staring after Ms. Abbie with them cow eyes a yours!” Buck threw at him. “Peers to me, I ain’t the only one with love eyes.”

Vin prided himself on being expressionless around people. He didn’t want anyone to know what he was feeling, and usually he was quite successful with it. He knew that he had growing feelings for Abbie. But he knew that they were pointless. He needed to do a better job of covering them up.

“Peers to me that you are. I’m gonna go wash up in the creek for supper,” was all he said before he left Buck standing there. Buck watched him go, shaking his head. Damned if his friend wasn’t so convinced that he needed to live his life by himself. The peacekeepers had all been surprised when Vin had let in Charlotte. But when it hadn’t worked out for him, Vin had buried his heart real deep. Buck gave a speculating look at the cabin. Would Ms. Abbie be special enough to make Vin want to have a partner in his life?

He rubbed his hand through his hair. And that left him. And Ms. Hannah. Oh that lady was the sweetest, most innocent creature he had ever met. Dang! J.D.! She and J.D. would be perfect together. Why hadn’t he thought of that before? They were both of the same age. J.D. wasn’t seein’ anyone special. And Ms. Hannah was a real lady and would add some refinement to J.D.’s life. Yes, the first opportunity he had, he’d have to figure out a way to send J.D. to wherever he and Vin escorted the ladies.


“This is mighty fine grub, Ms. Abbie,” Buck told her with a smile. “You’ll make someone a mighty fine wife one day.”

Abbie noticed that Buck looked over at Vin and winked. Vin, who’d made it a point to sit on the opposite side of the room from her, only looked away.

“Thank you for the compliment. And thank you again for the fish. It was nice to have something different.”

“Since you done the cookin’, I’ll do the washin’ up,” Vin said as he started to gather all the pots and plates up.

“I can do that, Vin,” she protested.

“I know you can,” was all he said as he finished gathering and headed toward the door. “That was a right good meal,” he added before he left.

“He’s right. It was,” Hannah added as she yawned. “I don’t know why I’m so tired.”

“I think it was all that fresh air you had today,” Buck suggested.

The three of them sat around, talking, but Hannah kept yawning.

“Why don’t I let you help Ms. Hannah get ready for the night?” Buck offered.

“Thanks. I think that she does need to get to bed,” Abbie agreed.

Buck put his hat on, touched the brim of it towards both of them, then walked out.

Abbie helped Hannah to the outhouse and back. Then she helped her into her nightgown, and into the bed.

“I’m sorry that I’m so tired early in the evening.”

“Don’t you worry about it. Your body is healing right now, and you have to follow what it’s telling you to do. You were up a lot today. The extra rest will do you good. I’m sure Buck will want to say goodnight, so let me go and find him for you.”

Abbie put on her shawl, and stepped outside. The stars were out, and there was a slight chill in the air. She looked around and saw Buck leaning against the corral fence, communing with the horses.

“She’s in bed,” Abbie told him as she came to stand next to him. He had watched her approach. “I thought you might want to say goodnight before she falls asleep.”

“I’d like that.”

“Do you know where Vin went off to?”

“Maybe he’s still down at the creek?”

“I’ll try there then.”

“Jest be careful walkin’ down there. I don’t want you to stumble and mess up that pretty face of yours somemore,” he smiled.

“I’ll be careful. Promise.”

“I kin walk you down there if you’d like.”

“Ever the gentleman,” she chuckled. “I’ll be fine. You go and talk to Hannah!” she told him as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You’re a good man, Buck Wilmington.”

He just smiled and reached out to touch her arm before he headed for the house.


Vin heard her coming before she spoke his name. He briefly wondered if he should stay silent, but then figured she might get scared if she couldn’t find him. His feelings were all jumbled up.

“I’m over here, Abbie,” he told her as he stood up so she could see him better.

“I was beginning to worry that maybe you fell in the creek and drowned.”

He could hear the laughter in her voice.

“I was jest sittin’ here and thinkin’ is all.”

“Oh. If you’d like, I’ll take all the dishes and pots back, and you can stay out here for as long as you like,” she told him, curious as to what he was needing to think about.

Once again he was filled with such a warm feeling for her. Other women would have asked what he was thinking about or would have ignored what he said and just stayed with him. She was willing to let him be alone if that’s what he wanted.

He turned to her, “Abbie?”

She moved a little closer to him. “Yes, Vin?”

“There’s stuff I wanna say to you…but I cain’t find the right words…” he said as he reached out and ran his hand over her golden locks. He pulled her head towards him and placed his mouth firmly over hers. He felt her returning his kiss, and his heart sang. She wouldn’t do that if she was mad at him, would she?

She let her arms snake around him and she moved as close to him as she could. She loved the full-length contact with him. He pressed his mouth harder against hers and he felt her open up to him. He wanted to take the kiss deeper…Oh how he wanted to. But she wasn’t experienced. Until he decided what he was going to do, he owed her the safety of her innocence. He slowly pulled away and held her. He liked that. Her soft body and its curves pressed against him made him want this woman like he’d never wanted any other.

“Come on. I’ll walk you back up. I want to make sure you’re safely inside before I turn in for the night,” was that his voice? He sounded like he’d been running a few miles.

“Okay, Vin.”

He picked up the dishes, and she slipped her arm through his. They headed back up to the cabin.


“Now is there anythin’ I can get for you, darlin’, before you go to sleep? Some water? Anything else to eat? Anything?” he asked hopefully. He wanted her to stay awake a little longer…wanted to talk to her and just be in her presence.

Hannah knew that she was drowning in those eyes of his. He looked so concerned - like he really wanted to get something for her.

“A little water would be nice, Buck,” she said, not really wanting any.

He eagerly poured her a cup and handed it to her with a flourish. Hannah took a sip, and then placed it on the table next to the bed “for later” she explained to Buck.

“Are you comfortable? Your pillow fine? I can plump it up for you,” he offered.

“That would be nice, Buck,” she said again, knowing it was perfectly fine, but not really wanting him to leave her.

He put a lot of energy into fluffing her pillow, and she gave him a smile when he replaced it.

“I guess Ms. Abbie will be back soon,” he said as he sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand.

“I reckon she will, Buck.”

“I guess I should let ya settle down a bit, so you can close those beautiful eyes of yers,” he sighed.

“Okay,” she said reluctantly.

She knew she was staring at his mouth, but how did you get a man to kiss you? How had it happened this afternoon? One minute she’d been looking at him, the next he’d been kissing her.

Buck recognized the hungry look in her eyes as she looked at his mouth. Was she trying to tell him that she wanted him to kiss her again? Was that something he wanted to do since he had decided that she’d be perfect for J.D.? But when had he ever been reluctant to steal a kiss from a pretty girl no matter what her age was.

“Good Night, Darlin,” he whispered to her as he leaned down and softly caressed her luscious lips. Her arms were immediately around his neck, pulling him closer. Oh, he was in heaven. And the thought of heaven brought him up quick. What would Josiah’s God think of him plundering this virginal girl? On no! That wasn’t something even he could do. So very reluctantly, he pulled away a couple inches.

“Now you go to sleep, Darlin,” he said as he kissed her one more time quickly, then pulled the blanket up under her chin, and got up as the door opened to admit Vin and Abbie. Yeah, she’d found him, and he was looking considerably happier.

“Do you want to come out and help me bed down the horses so Ms. Abbie can get ready for bed?” Vin asked him as he set down all of the pans and dishes.

“Shore,” he said as he followed him out of the cabin.

“And I don’t want to talk to you about Ms. Abbie neither!” Vin told him pointing a finger at him as they headed for the corral.

Buck put up his hands. “I wasn’t gonna ask!” he defended himself.

Vin just laughed.


“He kissed me again,” Hannah told Abbie happily as the door closed behind Buck and Vin.

“Me too. I mean, Vin kissed me too,” she sighed as she sat down on her cot. “What are we going to do, Hannah? What if they really do have special ladies back in Four Corners? What if we never see them again once we get there?”

“I don’t think they’re lying to us, Abbie. Buck wouldn’t do that. When he looks in my eyes, I can see that he’s speaking the truth. Can’t you tell that with Vin?”

“I’d like to think that I can,” she replied as she changed into her night gown and crawled under the covers. “Vin’s pretty wonderful.”

“So is Buck,” Hannah yawned. “Good night, Abbie.”

“Night,” she said as she rolled over on her side. She had wanted to think about Vin, but she drifted off as soon as she closed her eyes.


Buck came in as silently as possible, not wanting to disturb the two ladies. They both looked as if they were sound asleep, Miss Abbie on her side facing the wall, and Ms. Hannah laying on her back, looking as innocent as the day she was born.

He laid out his bedroll, pulled his boots off, and started to lay down, but something stopped him. Hannah’s breathing changed slightly, so he decided he’d sit up next to her for a bit and make sure she was okay.

She sure was a pretty one with the sweetest tasting lips. J.D. would be lucky to have her. Yes, he would. But that thought really bothered him fierce. Which was stupid. After all, he was 27 years old. She was only 18. She was much closer to J.D.’s age. Dagnabbit! There was that feeling again…almost like everything in him rebelled to even think he could just turn her over to someone else. After all, he was the one who had rescued her. He was the one who had cared for her and nursed her and worried over her. He was the one who had kissed those luscious lips. Not J.D. Not any other man. This woman was special, and somehow she had gotten into his heart. That thought should have scared him. But it didn’t. Not yet. It’s not like he was planning on marrying her or anything. But he sure would like to keep company with her. Who knows what might happen a couple years from now? And why couldn’t a 27 year old care for an 19 year old? He was sure that it happened all the time.

But then there were all the other ladies in Four Corners. Could he just give all of them up? For this little lady laying here? Could he?

He honestly didn’t know. He’d have to think some more on this. But for now, he’d best get some sleep, if he could. He softly kissed her forehead, and laid down on his bedroll. Sleeping on the floor was getting old, he grumbled to himself. He looked over in Abbie’s direction. She appeared to be okay. He briefly wondered what Vin was thinking tonight, given the direction his thoughts had taken.

Oh well, that was Vin’s problem, wasn’t it?


Vin didn’t light a fire. He wanted to sit alone in the dark and look up at the stars. Abbie’s face danced in front of him. He shook his head as he took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair.

If he’d been able to find the words, what would he have told her down by the creek tonight? That he cared about her? That he didn’t want to let her out of his sight? That no matter where she was headed, he’d be happy to go there with her? Every detail about his life up to this point? What kind of fool was he being? What kind of life could he possibly offer her? He had a price on his head. He was wanted dead or alive. For all he knew, he could get together with her and then be killed by some bounty hunter out to get the $500 reward on him. He’d let Charlotte in. But part of him wanted to let Abbie in like he’d never let another woman in. The thought shook him up. It was best just to let her go on with her life and he go on with his. But how could he let her just leave his life in a couple days? How, when all he wanted was to touch her and hold her close?

Vin sighed heavily and laid down. This kinda thinking wasn’t doing him or anyone else any good.


Morning found both Buck and Vin up early.  Neither had slept well the night before, and neither was in a cheerful mood!

Vin had already taken care of his morning needs and had been down to the creek to try and wash some of the sleep from his eyes.

Buck slipped from the cabin, trying not to awaken the two ladies and was standing, one foot propped up on the corral fence.  His mind was still wrapped around the beautiful auburn haired lady. 

What in the world was he going to do about her?  He watched the sun come up and ran a hand through his hair.  He never would have dreamed that a woman would have kept him up all night like this!  Sure, he’d spent many a night in the company of a woman, and he hadn’t slept a wink.  But never had he tossed and turned all night because he couldn’t decide what to do about one!

Vin spotted Buck by the corral, and could tell by his stance that something wasn’t right.  He moved over to stand beside him and Buck nearly jumped out of his skin when he spoke.

“Mornin’!”

“How many times I gotta tell ya not to sneak up on me like that!  It’s gonna git ya kilt one a these days!”  He’d reached for his gun, only to realize that he’d left it inside!  That wasn’t like him at all!

“Guess today ain’t the day fer that!”

“You’re jist darn lucky is all!  What you doin’ sneakin’ round here so early anyways?”

Vin could tell by his tone that he wasn’t happy.  Well that was fine.  He wasn’t thrilled either!  “I ain’t sneakin’ round! Why ain’t you got your gun on?  That ain’t like ya to forget!”

“Don’t matter none why I ain’t got it!  Why you out here so early?”

“I slept out here! Remember?  Vin scowled his way. “I came to check on the horses.  Been down to the creek.  Ya need to take them horses out and hobble ‘em in that grassy field over yonder by the creek.  There ain’t nough grass left in there for’em!”

“There is so!  There’s plenty a grass in there!  You want ‘em to eat out in that field, you take ‘em out there!” His voice had rose pretty loud.

“I ain’t got time!  One a us needs to go huntin’ and get somethin’ else to eat!”  Vin glared at Buck.  What was his problem this morning?  He was being down right nasty.

“Well I caught the fish yesterday!  Did a pretty darn good job, accordin’ to Miss Hannah!”  He smiled in spite of himself, then as if remembering he was talking to Vin, the smile fell from his face and he was glaring again.

“And jist who was it taught ya how to catch them fish that way?  Weren’t somethin’ you learned yerself!”

“Maybe it weren’t!  But Miss Hannah shore thought it was somethin’ I just thought up right outta the blue!  And don’t you go tellin’ her no different!”  He poked his finger in Vin’s chest to make his point!

Vin pushed his hand away.  “I wouldn’t dare spoil them adorin’ looks she sends your way!  Makes me right sick to watch!”

“Oh and I guess that ain’t adorin’ eyes I see that prutty Miss Abbie sendin’ your way?  Or are you jist to busy lookin’ the other way to see ‘em?”

“You keep Abbie outta this!”

“Then you keep Hannah outta it too!”  They stood there glaring at one another.  Neither knowing what the other was upset about!

Hannah an Abbie had awaken moments after Buck had slipped outside.  Hannah sat up stretching on the side of the bed.  Her shoulder was feeling much better today.  Reaching for her shawl, she knew that she needed to visit the outhouse before she tried to dress.  Abbie decided to walk with her.  Opening the door, they could hear loud voices coming from the corral.  Looking at one another, they made their way around the side of the house.

Vin and Buck saw them at the same time.  Turning they nodded towards the ladies and lowered their voices.  “I ain’t takin’ them horses out to that field!  They can eat what’s in the corral!”

“Fine!  After breakfast I’ll go huntin’!  At least we’ll have somethin’ to eat tonite!  If’n them horses fall dead from starvation on the way back to Four Corners, it ain’t my fault!”  With that, Vin stomped away.  Buck watched him leave.  Man, what a way to start the day!

Hannah an Abbie had moved on towards the outhouse.  “Wonder what that was all about?”

“Something must not have set well with them this morning!”

“You don’t think they’re mad at us do you?”

Abbie looked her way.  “Now why would they be mad at us?  When we all settled down last night, seems everything was all right between us!  Don’t worry no more about it!  I suppose they get upset with one another at times just like we do!  We can’t be happy with every situation!”

The ladies had breakfast nearly ready when Buck and Vin finally made their way into the house.  They are least had smiles on their faces for the ladies when they came in.

“Mornin’ darlin’!  Sleep well last nite?”  Buck beamed towards Hannah.  He wanted to rush over and pull her into his arms and kiss her lips.  But some how he refrained
from doing it.

“Slept very well thank you.”  She smiled and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest.  She was so beautiful.

Vin was watching for the other side of the room.  He shook his head.  Buck had it bad.  Maybe that was why he’d been in such a foul mood this morning.  Heck, maybe they were both having some feelings they didn’t know how to handle!

Abbie stepped over closer to Vin.  “Could you watch the bacon for me a second while I turn the biscuits on the fire?”  She smiled sweetly at him and his breath caught.  She was so beautiful.  What was he going to do?

“Shore.  Don’t look like Buck or Hannah cares if we have burned bacon or biscuits this morning!”

Abbie giggled.  “I think you’re right!”  She stepped towards the fire and busied herself turning the biscuits so they wouldn’t burn.  But her mind wasn’t on the food.  How could a man be so good looking?  He made her weak-kneed!

 The men tried to make conversation with the ladies over breakfast. They were still feeling a little out of sorts with one another, but didn’t want it to reflect on their beautiful companions.

“How’s your shoulder this morning Miss Hannah?”  Vin looked her way across the table.

“It’s feeling much better.  Not nearly as stiff.  My head isn’t hurting either.  I’d say Buck was a pretty good doctor!”  She smiled his way, and Buck was quickly basking in her glory!

Vin shook his head.  He wasn’t sure which of them was more hooked!  “Well, if’n you’re a feelin’ that good, we can probably be headed outta here tomorrow!”

Hannah shot Abbie another one of those looks.  Abbie shook her slightly.  They needed to tell these men where they were headed, but now wasn’t the time.

Vin didn’t miss the exchange this time either.  What was going on with these two?  Once again Buck didn’t seem to have noticed anything unusual between them. 

“Well, if you think I’m ready to travel.”  Hannah said slowly as she looked towards Vin with a troubled expression on her face.

Maybe she was just worried about those men being out there that had attacked them.  “Miss Hannah, don’t go worrin’ bout them men that attacked you.  They ain’t been back around since we been here.  Buck an I’ll escort you to where ever it is you need to go.  They ain’t gonna bother you no more!”

Hannah smiled.  “Thank you Vin…..and Buck!”  She reached over to squeeze Buck’s hand that was lying on the table between them.

“Why don’t I check out yer shoulder and see what it looks like this mornin’! Then we’ll make a decision on the travelin’.  But Vin’s probably rite.  I’m shore Chris and the boys think we done got lost out here!”

“Now ya know the Judge told ‘em we’d be a while gettin’ back!”

“Yeah, but I ain’t so shore Chris woulda liked that idea!”  Buck looked Vin’s way.  “But Four Corner’s is usually a quiet town.”

Hannah moved over to the bed and Buck gathered the supplies that he would need to change the bandage on her shoulder.  Abbie cleaned up from breakfast and Vin headed out to do some hunting.

Careful not to hurt her, Buck undid the bandage around her shoulder.  It still wasn’t showing any signs of infection and wasn’t swollen very much any more.

“Lookin’ good darlin!”

Hannah looked down at the wound and was surprised at the change in it since she’d first seen it.  Buck was right.  It was looking much better.

“I’d say if’n you take it easy again today and keep building your strength back up, we should be able to start out tomorrow.”

Hannah felt a little uneasy as she thought of going to Four Corners again.  She hadn’t let herself think about the new town much since meeting Buck.  He’d taken up so much space in her head, there hadn’t been room to think of anything else!

Buck noticed that she’d gotten quiet.  “Everythin’ alrite darlin’?”  He looked up from her shoulder.  The urge to kiss her almost made him forget what he was supposed to be doing.

Looking up as well, she forgot her worries.  She couldn’t think straight all of a sudden.  “Sure, uh…”  She had to think of something intelligent to say, or she was going to make a fool of herself.  All she wanted to do was throw herself into his arms!  Feeling her face getting warm she asked;  “Do I need to put all those bandages back over it?”

“I think it would be alrite to just put a few of these over it.”  He placed a few of the clean strips of cloth over the wound and helped her to get her arm back into the sleeve of her dress. “Now, what’s say you and I take a walk.  That sunshine does ya good!  Remember?”

She smiled.  “I’d like that Buck!”


Abbie had been busy cleaning up the little cooking area.  She smiled their way as they stopped in front of her holding hands.  Buck had strapped on his gun and reached over for his hat.

“Where are you two off to?”

“Gonna take a walk.  Maybe see if’n we cain’t find somethin’ to add to supper tonite!”

“That would be wonderful.  I have enough vegetables left.  I think I’ll make a pot of soup or maybe even rabbit stew if Vin brings back some rabbits.”

“He will Miss Abbie.  We’ll be back soon!”  With that, Buck opened the door for Hannah and they headed off out towards the creek.
For a moment Abbie stood by the open door and watched them walking together.  Hannah was holding on to Buck’s hand, looking up at him with a beautiful smile on her face.  He was telling her something and being very animated about it.  In seconds Hannah was laughing at his tale.

Abbie smiled.  She knew that Hannah was happy.  In fact she was happy also.  She knew that they had talked about their dreams of the future.  But she hadn’t put much stock into them happening…at least not any time soon. 

She closed the door and picked up the broom that she found standing in the corner by the door.  Not thinking about it, she started to clean up inside the cabin.  What would she and Hannah have done if Buck Wilmington and Vin Tanner hadn’t come into their lives when they had?  They both might be dead now.  Funny, how things happened.  She knew that they happened for a reason.  Everything in life had a purpose.  You might not know what that purpose was, but it happened for some reason in the grand scheme of life.  Sure, she and Hannah had not been given the easiest road.  But they had made it up until now.  Life in Four Corners would be much better for them.  Plus, with Vin Tanner close by, Abbie was sure that her life would be looking up for many days to come.  The man was a dream come true.  She just hoped that the dream didn’t blow away like so much dust in the wind!


Vin rode Peso off in the opposite direction that he and Abbie had rode the day before.  He missed two rabbits because his mind wasn’t on what he was doing!  He could not get Abigail Stewart off his mind!  He still felt like if he could have found the words last night by the creek, that he would have told her how he was feeling.  He would have invited her into his life.  That he would follow her anywhere that she wanted to go.  But he knew that he couldn't do that!  At least not until he could find a way to clear himself of the murder that he didn’t commit!  

But Abbie, she was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen.  He didn’t know where she and Hannah were headed, but he didn’t think that he wanted her to just walk out of his life for good.  Was he being foolish to think that some where down the road, there might be a way for them?  A chance to live a normal life together?  Charlotte was the closest that he’d ever come to sharing his life with someone.  He knew that if she hadn’t been married that he would be with her right now.  But she hadn’t been free.  Even though he’d had feelings for her, they didn’t seem to compare to what he was beginning to feel for Abbie.

And what was going on between Buck and Hannah?  Had he and Buck been so at odds with one another this morning because they both were warring with themselves over the women that had entered their lives?  He needed to talk to someone.  But he couldn’t with Buck.  Maybe after he got back to Four Corners, he and Chris could sit and discuss this.  Chris wouldn’t make fun of him, or push him to make a decision.  He would just give him some solid advice.

He shook his head to clear it.  He’d been riding for nearly an hour.  He had to get his mind on what he was doing, or there wouldn’t be anything for supper tonight! 

Abbie had finished cleaning the cabin and decided to go down to the creek and wash out a few things for herself and Hannah.  What little they had was quickly becoming dirty.  She wouldn’t be able to do a complete washing of their things until they reached Four Corners.  But she could wash out a few of their undergarments and a spare dress for each of them.  There were plenty of bushes in the back of the cabin that she could spread them over to dry.  They wouldn’t be out in the open for Buck and Vin to see back there.

It was peaceful down by the creek.  Abbie slipped off her shoes and sat for a little while dangling her feet in the edge of the water.  She wondered what Four Corners would be like.  Would they have a house for she and Hannah to live in since she was the schoolteacher?  They usually provided a place for the teacher to live in small towns didn’t they?  She was anxious to meet the other peacekeepers and see if they were anything like what Vin had described to her.  Would she and Hannah have problems meeting the town’s people?  Would they treat them equally?  She sighed.  Here she was thinking about things, that she knew there was no sense in thinking of.  Things would be totally different there and there was no use in beating a dead horse.  It would all work out.

Getting up, she reached for the soap and the articles that she wanted to wash.  Feeling the water splash on her hands and arms, she realized a bath would feel wonderful.  After Hannah returned, she would have to suggest that they bathe in the creek.



Buck and Hannah walked slowly for almost an hour.  They were silent a lot of that time, just enjoying one another’s company.

“Buck tell me some more about your town.  What’s Four Corners like?  Since I’ve never been anywhere other than Willow Springs, I don’t know what other places look like.”

“Well, it ain’t no big place!  It’s like most other towns I guess.”

“But Buck, I’ve never seen other towns!”

Buck grinned.  His mind really wasn’t on what she was saying!  It was in places it shouldn’t be!  “Oh yeah, I’m sorry!  Well, it has a general store, a saloon, a hotel, sheriff office and jail, a church and a one room school house.”  He thought for a moment.  “Oh, and a newspaper!”

“Really?  Willow Springs wasn’t big enough for a newspaper!  That’s wonderful!”

“Mary Travis runs it.  She’s a rite nice lady.  Been a widow for awhile now.”

The name Travis sounded familiar to Hannah, but she couldn’t remember why.
“Widow?  How sad!”

“Yeah, she’s got a 6 or 7 year old son.  She’s the judge’s daughter-n-law!”

That was why the name was so familiar.  The judge was the one that had hired Abbie. 

“She hasn’t found a new husband for herself in Four Corners?”  Hannah watched Buck for a reaction.  Was he interested in this Mary Travis?

Buck smiled.  “Well, I think she’d like to say she has.  But he’s a mite hard headed.  She hasn’t convinced him yet!”

“Him who?”

“Chris!  She’s sweet on him!”

“Isn’t he sweet on her?”  She softly let out the breath that she’d been holding.  “Chris is the leader of the peacekeepers, didn’t you say?”  Hannah looked his way and he nodded.  “Is he a hard man?  Someone once described a person to me as a hard man.  He wasn’t very happy with things it seemed.  Didn’t smile very often.  It was like he carrying the weight of the whole world on his shoulders.  Is Chris like that?”

“That mite describe him.  He was married onct.  He lost his wife and son in a fire.  He was away at the time and he blamed hisself for it.  At times, I ain’t shore he’s forgiven hisself for it, even though it weren’t his fault.  He’s had a lot of demons to deal with since then and it’s gonna be awhile before he’s ready to love again.  One day he’ll change.”

“I’m sure it takes a while to get over something like that.  Especially if he blames himself for what happened.  Is Mary a hard worker?  I mean, does she spend a lot of time working on the newspaper?  Maybe she should spend more time with Chris.”

Buck smiled.  “Sounds as if you mite be tryin’ to match make!”

She laughed.  “I don’t even know these two people!  But it just seems they might need a helping hand is all! That they need each other!”

“She’s a rite busy lady.  Trying to get new folks into town.  She writes really well, and the paper is known all over the territory.  I ain’t so shore Chris is ready yet!  One day he will be and Mary will be there when he is.”

“I hope he doesn’t make her wait too long, if they are meant to be together!  I haven’t had a lot of happiness in my life time and I just think everyone deserves a chance at happiness!”

Buck grinned.  “Yeap, you’re match makin’!”

“Oh I can’t match make Buck!  I don’t know enough about love myself to try something like that!”

They had stopped walking.  She was standing in front of him, looking up into his eyes.  He reached out and caressed her face.  “Ain’t no time like to present to learn darlin’!”

For a moment, she held her breath.  Would he kiss her again?  She certainly hoped so.  She loved his kisses!  She could feel his mouth inching closer to hers.


Buck’s insides were warring with his conscious that was telling him that he didn’t need to be doing this!  But he wanted to kiss those sweet lips again so bad!  What was the harm in one quick kiss?  His lips slowly covered hers and Hannah couldn’t help but melt against him.  He pulled away slightly, taking a deep breath.  He didn’t really want to step away from her, but he knew that he needed to put a little space between them.  The wrong part of this was it wasn’t just a quick kiss.  He wanted it to go on and on!  Taking her hand, once more, he led her on through the meadow.

“Come on darlin’.  Let me tell you bout Ezra’s saloon!”

Hannah moved on with him, trying to get her mind on what he was saying.  It was hard after his kiss.  Her body was betraying her.  “Ezra’s….saloon?”

“Yeah, he loves to gamble, and always had a card game going on. So he decided that Four Corners needed a saloon, so he opened up one.  He loves to play cards, and win everyone’s money!”

“Do you, uh, gamble much Buck?”

“No, I usually jist sit back and watch.  Been asked to hold the pot more’n onct when there was a big game going on.  But I ain’t much for gamblin’.  I’m in the saloon because that’s where most a us take our meals.  Bout the only decent place in town to eat.”

“None of the other peacekeepers are married either?”

“Nope.  Ain’t found that special someone yet, I don’t guess.”

They walked on a little ways before Hannah spoke again.  “I thought a saloon was a place where most men went to get drunk, have fights and such!  At least that was what we mostly saw in Willow Springs!  I don’t see you as that kind of person.”

“No darlin’ I ain’t!  I’m a peacekeeper.  Shore, I like to drink now’n then.  Play a few hands a cards.  But I’ve got better things to do then loose all my money to Ezra!  He’s a card shark.  What little the judge pays me, I try to keep!”

They were close to the stream again and Hannah spotted something that looked like berries.  “Oh look Buck!  Is that blackberries over there in those bushes?”

“Looks like it!”  They moved over to them and Hannah pulled one off the bush and popped it into her mouth. 

“These are wonderful!  Try one!”  She pulled another one and proceeded to place it in Buck’s mouth.  His lips closed over the berry as well as her finger.

“Ummm, I ain’t so shore which is sweeter.  Your finger or the blackberry!”

Not knowing what to say, or do for that matter, Hannah slowly pulled another berry and examined it closely, rather embarrassed.  “These would make a wonderful pie if  Abbie had enough of them.”  She looked up at Buck.

“Well we could pick some for her, but I say we eat a few more first.  They shore are good!”

Before long they were feeding one another.  Juice was running down the side of Hannah’s mouth, as Buck kept popping berries in every time she opened it.  Of course she was doing the same to him.  “Buck stop!  I’ve got juice every where!”  She wiped her hands on the side of her dress.  Picking another berry he started throwing them up into the air, trying to catch them in his mouth before they could hit the ground.  He was doing pretty well, but his face was quickly being covered with purple splotches where the berries were hitting him on the face when he missed. 

Hannah giggled.  “You look like you have a bad case of the purple berry disease with all those purple splotches on your face!”

He reached up to wipe the juice from his face, as he missed another berry and it hit him square in the eye.  He looked closely at her.  "I think you have the same disease darlin’!  In fact, you look rite cute with all that juice all over your face!  Bet you taste rite good too!”

Leaning near, he reached out and placing both palms on the sides of her face, he pulled her closer, dropping quick kisses on different spots of her face.  She closed her eyes and just enjoyed the feel of his lips on her face. A thrill rushed through her body.  Feelings she’d never felt before were churning inside.  What was he doing to her?

His kisses became slower, and his mouth covered her parted lips.  His tongue crept inside her mouth, and touched the tip of her own.  A jolt of electricity ran through her.  She suddenly pulled away from him, taking a ragged breath and trying to calm her racing heart.

“Darlin’ you cause such feelings inside me!” 

She leaned her head against his chest.  “Buck, I’ve never felt this way before.  I’m not sure….”

“Shhh, it’s okay darlin’!”  He held her close for a few more seconds.  Then he stepped away from her.  “We better git Miss Abbie some of these berries if’n you want a pie.  I guess we can put ‘em in my hat!”  He pulled his hat off and offered it to her to fill.  He could wash it out in the creek later.

Her hands trembled as she started to pick the berries.  What she really needed was to run off some where and get her head together.  Buck definitely caused her emotions to run wild!

Buck watched her trembling hand.  That was how his insides were feeling.  No, he couldn’t turn her over to JD or anyone else for that matter!  She had to firm a hold on him!

Vin had gotten a couple of rabbits and decided to head back.  He’d sort of straightened out things in his head for now.  Abbie was beautiful, but now wasn’t the time to get involved any further with her.  Maybe one day, he would find a way to clear his name.  Maybe then they would have a future together.

Abbie had just finished spreading the laundry out over the bushes in the back when Buck and Hannah returned.

“Bout time you two came back!  I’ve cleaned this cabin top to bottom and even done some laundry!”

“I’m sorry we were gone so long Abbie.  But look!  We found blackberries!  Do you have enough flour left for a pie?”  Hannah handed her Buck’s hat with a look of accomplishment on her face.  Juice was beginning to run through it onto the floor.

“I think we better get these into a bowl.  I probably have enough flour for a small pie!  Thank you both!"” She took the hat and headed to the stove.  In seconds she’d given the hat back to it’s owner. “I think you better go wash this out before you try wearing it again! Looks like both of you ate as many of those berries as you picked!”  Abbie laughed.

“They were awfully good!  But you’re right, Buck’s hat isn’t the only thing that needs a bath!  I’ve got berry juice every where!”

“I was thinking how wonderful a bath would be while I was washing out those few things for us.”

“Why don’t you two ladies get your things together while I wash out this ole’ hat.  Then I’ll keep an eye out while you two have a nice long bath in the creek.  You can enjoy it for as long as you like.  Won’t be nobody round to bother you!  Promise!”

Abbie looked towards Hannah.  “That sounds wonderful!  Don’t we still have some of that soap we made in the wagon?”

“I’m sure we do!  I’ll get it and the towels too!”

It didn’t take long for Abbie and Hannah to gather what they needed and head for the creek.  As promised, Buck chose a spot close to the front of the cabin, but not very far from the creek, to sit and make sure that no one bothered the ladies.

“This place is so peaceful.  I sort of hate to leave it tomorrow!”  Hannah looked towards Abbie.

“I know.  But we have to get on to Four Corners.  Judge Travis is going to be expecting me in just a few days.  If I don’t show up, he’ll give my position to someone else and we’ll be back where we started again!”

“We have to tell Buck and Vin where we’re headed before in the morning.  They’ll be asking if we don’t.”

“I know.  I guess it’s time we informed them that they are going to have us as the newest members of their little town.”  Abbie smiled.  “I think our lives are going to be very happy from here on out!”

“Especially if Vin is around?”  Hannah looked towards her friend.  She was blushing.

“That might have something to do with it.  I want a lot of things to happen between us.  But I’m just not sure how to make it happen!  He’s so quiet.  We’ve talked, but he hasn’t told me a whole lot about himself.  Of course I haven’t even told him where we’re headed, so I guess I have no room to talk, do I?”

“I know.  I feel the same way about Buck.  We’ve spent several days with them.  Perhaps tonight is the night that we need to spend a little time talking about ourselves and our future.”

Hannah got up from where she was sitting on the ground.  She’d pulled her shoes off and started to undo her dress.  A bath was sure going to feel nice.  It had been nearly a week since she’d washed her hair.  She was glad that she had remembered to bring the comb from the wagon.

It took all the will power that Buck had not to sneak a peek at Hannah. He was hard pressed to keep his seat on the other side of the rocks that he’d settled down in front of.  After the kisses that they had shared, he knew that he was wanting more from her.  What would she look like?  All that creamy, white skin of hers.  He wanted to touch all that skin.  But should he?  This was about to drive him crazy!  What was his problem?  With any other lady, he would have already had his way with her.  But with Hannah, he knew it was different!  She wasn’t any other lady!  She was special.  And he liked the way that sounded.

Vin rode up to the backside of the cabin from his hunting trip.  Everything seemed to be quiet.  He noticed that someone had done some laundry and spread it out over the bushes to dry.  There were several dresses and a few ladies under garments.  He wondered for a moment what Abbie would look like in them.  But he pushed those thoughts aside.  He couldn’t spend time thinking like that if he were going to hold to his decision!

He noticed that Buck still hadn’t put the horses out into the meadow by the creek. But that shouldn’t surprise him.   Maybe he should do that himself before evening set in.  At least give them a few hours of grazing in the sweet grass.  He turned his horse out into the corral with the others and took the rabbits into the cabin.  No one seemed to be around.  Where could they have gone?

Throwing a little water from the pot by the stove onto his face, he noticed that someone had picked some blackberries.  Those would go good with the meal that night.  It had been awhile since he’d tasted any of those.  Drying his hands, he opened the door.  Was that Buck that he saw sitting over by the rocks in front of the creek?  Where were the ladies?

“You done went and lost Miss Hannah and Miss Abbie?”  Vin had stopped in front of him.  His hands were on his hips.

Buck stood up.  “Nope.  They’re takin’ a bath in the creek!  Told ‘em I’d stand guard and make shore no one bothers ‘em!  But it’s takin’ all the will power I got to not take just one little peek at Hannah!  I done tasted them sweet lips a hers.  I bet the rest a her looks and tastes just as sweet!”

He started around the side of the rocks and Vin reached out to grab his arm.  “Buck you cain’t do that!  That’s invading their privacy!  You promised not to bother ‘em!”

“I weren’t really talkin’ bout me and you!”  He grinned.

“No Buck you cain’t!”

“Come on now Vin!  You cain’t tell me you ain’t wondered what Miss Abbie looks like without all them clothes on!  I can already imagine what Hannah looks like.  All that creamy, white skin a hers!  I bet Miss Abbie would look mighty beautiful too!”

His instincts were to punch Buck for that remark.  In fact he started to draw back, when he realized what he was doing.  “Ya ain’t gonna go gaping at Miss Abbie!  She ain’t yours to gape at!”

“Ya tellin’ me she’s yours?”

“No, I ain’t tellin’ you that!  But you ain’t gonna go round them rocks and take no look  at her!”

“Believe me.  If’n I go round them rocks, it won’t be to take no look at Miss Abbie!  Not with Hannah there in the all together!  You know you want to take jist one little peek!  Come on Vin!”


Hannah had stepped down into the water and was washing her hair.  The water felt so good against her skin.   She’d never bathed in the creek before, but that didn’t matter.  What mattered was being clean!  She took special care not to rub her shoulder too hard.  She still couldn’t believe the difference in the wound now and two days ago when it had happened.  She would have to get Buck to re-bandage it if he thought that it needed it before she turned in that night.  For now it felt good just letting the air blow across it.

Abbie was a little slower at undressing.  She slipped off her dress and was starting to undo the buttons of her under garments.  “How’s the water?”

“Wonderful!  Come on in.  I’ll be finished with the soap in a second!”



Buck had shook Vin’s hand off his arm.  “If’n you ain’t gonna slip and get just one little peek, I am!  You sit here and wonder what she looks like!  I ain’t a gonna tell ya!”  With that Buck quietly slipped around the rocks and inched his way over to where the ladies wouldn’t see him.


Hannah was standing with her back to him.  But he could see the side of her breast and the curve of her hip.  There was something about a woman’s hip that he loved.  He loved caressing it when he was making love to her.  His eyes fell to her backside and his fingers ached to slide down over that beautiful white skin.  Lord she was gorgeous.

Vin couldn’t stand it!  All he could think about was Buck standing there looking at Abbie!  It made him madder than a wet hen!  Quickly he slipped around the rocks and came to a sudden stop a few feet behind Buck.  He’d never seen anything as lovely as the vision before his eyes.

Abbie was just stepping out of her under garments and walking slowly towards the water.  The curve of her breasts and her backside were nearly more than Vin could stand.  The want that rushed through him was more powerful than anything he’d ever felt before.  Forget her and not get any further involved with her for now?  He didn’t think that he was going to be able to hold himself to that promise!  Good thing he’d only made it to himself!
 
Both men stood rooted to the spot.  Taking in the beautiful scenery in front of them.  The ladies continued with their bath with no inkling that they were putting on a show.

Buck glanced towards Vin and wasn’t surprised at the look on his face.  He’d seen want in a man’s eyes before.  But he didn’t think he’d ever seen it so all consuming.  Did Vin have any idea that his feelings were showing so plainly?  He didn’t think so.

As hard as it was to tear himself away, he knew that they had better get back to their post before the ladies spotted them.  He touched Vin on the arm and he jumped.  Buck motioned for him to follow, and with one last look towards Abbie, he did just that.



Hannah had stepped from the creek and reached for the towel to dry with.  Wrapping it around herself, she reached for the comb and was soon working all the tangles out of her long tresses.  Her scalp was still a little tender and she took her time. 

Abbie joined her on the bank and reached for the mirror.  She gave herself a critical look.  “Does my eye still look bad?”  She glanced towards Hannah.

“It’s beginning to fade.  Don’t worry.  In a few days it will be gone.  I’m sure that Vin thinks you’re beautiful even with that shiner!”  Hannah smiled. 

“How can anyone think I’m beautiful?”  Abbie frowned.

“Everything about you makes you beautiful Abbie.  I don’t think there is any question that Vin Tanner thinks it.”

Abbie laughed.  “Just like Buck Wilmington thinks the same about you!”

“Who would have ever thought!”

“Not me, that’s for sure!  Wonder if he’s back yet?”

“He probably is, with something for supper tonight.  The man is a good provider Abbie.”

“So’s Buck!  A lady couldn’t go wrong with either of them around!”

“There’s still a little of the soap left.  Do you think Vin and Buck would like to use the last of it?”

“You might offend them if you tell them you think they need a bath!”  Hannah giggled.

“You might be right!  Maybe we can tell them we left it by the creek in case they have a notion to use it!”


Both men were sitting in their watchful places when the two ladies came back up from the creek.  Their hair was still damp, but they looked heavenly. 

“You’re back Vin!”  Abbie had walked over to him and was smiling sweetly up at him.

Vin just stood there gazing down at her.  A look of wonder on his face.  He couldn’t seem to get the image of her stepping into the creek out of his mind.

Buck looked on with amusement.  Then he glanced towards Hannah.  She was watching Vin an Abbie as well.  Stepping closer, he leaned down and smelled her still damp hair.  It was curling wildly around her face.

“Ummmm.  Got any more of that wonderful smelling soap left?  I’m a thinkin’ a bath might not be so bad!  Even if it is in the middle of the week!”

Startled, Hannah looked up at him.  “Actually, we do.  I left it and some extra towels down by the creek.  I was going to mention it to you.  I feel so much better after getting that berry juice off me!”

“Well, I think I’ll go enjoy that creek myself!  How bout you Vin?”  He looked over and was surprised to see that neither he nor Abbie had moved.  “Vin? (No answer!) Hey Vin!”

Vin looked over Abbie’s head at Buck.  He shook his head, trying to clear it.  Where in the world had he been?  Off with thoughts he shouldn’t be thinking!  “Yeah?”

It was all Buck could do not to laugh at the look on Vin’s face. “I’m gonna go take a dip in the creek.  Miss Abbie and Miss Hannah still got some a that soap left.  Thought I might wash off a bit!  Wanta join me?  Gonna be time to be thinkin’ bout supper soon!”

At the mention of supper, Abbie seemed to come out of her daydreams.  “You two go on.  Hannah and I do need to start supper.  If I’m going to make a pie with those blackberries it will take a little while for it to cook.  Can we sit out under the stars tonight and eat?  I’m feeling closed up in the cabin!”  She knew that she was running on about nothing.  But standing there so close to Vin, she’d gotten lost in his eyes.

“Don’t see why not.  We’ll be back up shortly!”  Buck smiled again towards Hannah and he reached for Vin, pulling him along behind him.


By the time the men were back from their bath in the creek, the ladies had things already started for supper.  Abbie had made the pie and it was baking to a golden brown.  The vegetables had been washed and cut up.  Ready to be placed over a fire.  Vin cleaned the rabbits and Buck built a fire in the pit out by the wagon.  Before long, a wonderful  smell was drifting up from the big pot that hung over the fire pit.  Rabbit stew with plenty of vegetables was going to taste wonderful tonight!

It was nice sitting around the campfire.  There was a feeling of closeness that didn’t seem to be among them, inside the cabin.  Vin was sitting beside Abbie by the fire.  Darkness was beginning to fall around them.  The stew was almost ready. 

“I should go get some bowls.  My stomach is growling.  This stew must be ready!”  Abbie laughed.

“I’ll help you!”  Vin got up and pulled her to her feet.  He didn’t let go of her hand as they walked towards the cabin.  It was semi dark inside, and Vin reached for the oil lamp that was sitting on the table.

“We should have lit these before we went out.”  Abbie was holding onto his sleeve.  A little afraid of the darkness, that was quickly enveloping them.  After lighting the lamp, Vin turned to her.  Looking down, his eyes came to rest on her lips.  They were slightly parted and he couldn’t resist pulling her close to his body and kissing her.

Abbie melted into him.  Why did she always feel that she belonged in this mans arms?  He could wisk her away so quickly from any given situation with just one kiss.

“You’re so beautiful Abbie!”  He held her close for a moment.  Just enjoying the feel of her in his arms. 

Abbie cleared her throat.  She knew that if she stood there much longer in his arms, that she was going to do something that she wasn’t sure if she should or not.  Reaching for his hand, she pulled him towards the shelves in the kitchen.  “Come on.  I can’t carry all these bowls and spoons out by myself.  Besides, if we don’t soon get back out there, Buck and Hannah are going to come looking for us!”  She laughed nervously.

“Mite not be so bad for ‘em to come lookin’ for us!  I sorta like havin’ you to myself!”

Abbie looked down at her feet.  She could feel her face turning pink.  “We, uh, better get back out there!”  She reached for the bowls and a few other things that she handed to him.  Then she gave him a slight push back towards the door.

Vin smiled.  He knew that she was innocent and he liked that in her.  He loved to see her cheeks stained with the blush his words caused.


Their meal was wonderful.  Buck just kept talking about the stew, and of course the pie that Abbie had made from their blackberries! 

“Now wait a minute here.  How’d these get to be your blackberries?  Didn’t all of you go pickin’  ‘em while I was out huntin’?”

“Uh….not ‘xactly!”  Buck looked Vin’s way.  He suddenly knew that Vin wasn’t going to be very happy with him.

“Buck and Hannah took a walk this morning while you were out hunting Vin.  They came across the berries while they were out.  Isn’t it wonderful that they found them?”  She was smiling at him and he didn’t want to have words with Buck over this.  But he wasn’t happy in the least that Buck had left Abbie by herself at the cabin while he and Hannah had been out together!

“I guess it is!”  Vin shot Buck a look, his tone a sarcastic one.

Buck swallowed quickly.  That one look sent a shiver down his spine.  Vin wasn’t nearly as good at those looks as Chris was.  But he’d been hanging around the man that could send you a look that could chill you all the way down to your toes when he felt like you’d done something that you never should have even thought of, much less considered doing!
Buck looked back up from the bowl he was holding in his hands.  He sort of gave Vin what he hoped was an apologetic look.  He hadn’t meant to leave Abbie alone.  He just hadn’t been thinking.  Or as the other seven and especially Vin would say…he’d been thinking with what was in his pants and not his brains!

“Sorry Vin!”

Vin sat looking at him for another moment or two.  Then he nodded.  He had gotten his point across and that was all that mattered!

After cleaning up the dishes, Vin treated them to a little playing on the harmonica.  It was something that he usually didn’t do when anyone else was around.  But he felt the need to serenade Abbie!

She was loving it.  She watched him as he played a soft, sad tune.  This was a side of him that she hadn’t glimpsed in the last few days.  Buck and Hannah were sitting cuddled together, by the fire.  Abbie could tell that Hannah would be happy to sit there forever!

The sounds of the night closed in around them, and Abbie sighed.  She’d never thought that she’d enjoy the outdoors as she was now.  If these two men were there, she had a feeling that she would be happy most anywhere!

Buck leaned down and kissed Hannah’s nose.  Her eyes were closed and her head rested on his chest.  She could feel his heart beating underneath her cheek.  It was a steady, comforting feel.  She felt protected, and very cared for.

“Darlin’, you ready to go inside?  It’s getting’ late.  If’n we’re gonna leave out tomorrow, you probably need to get some rest.”

Hannah sat up reluctantly and stretched.  “If I have to!  I really don’t want to leave this.  I love sitting here snuggled close in your arms!”  She smiled up at him.

“Ummm, I like havin’ you in my arms as well!”  He leaned near and captured her lips with his.  Come on, I’ll walk inside with you.”


Vin was sitting there holding the harmonica in his hand, his legs stretched out in front of him.  Abbie was tucked in close by his side, her head on his shoulder.

“You play beautifully!  I had no idea you knew how!”  She gazed up at him.  A smile touched his lips.

“Just something I picked up somewhere along the way.  Don’t usually play for nobody but myself.  Guess you must be special, huh?”

She was startled.  “You don’t even play for the rest of the peacekeepers?”

“Nope.  Never thought I was good ‘nough to show off or anythin’.  Didn’t figure anybody would want to hear something like that!  I just felt the need to play tonite.  Even Buck ain’t heard me play this thing!  Unless he’s been slipping round an not tellin’ me!”  He slipped it into his pocket, grinning.

“Well it was very beautiful and I’m honored that you think I’m special!”

He sat looking down into her up turned face.  “Not just special…very special!”  It had come out as a whisper.  Abbie felt mesmerized.  She didn’t think about it, she just leaned up and slowly kissed his lips.

“Thank you.  No one has ever told me that before!”  He smiled again as he pulled her a little closer against his side.  He could sit here and hold her all night!


Buck escorted Hannah back inside the cabin.  It was a little cool, so he threw a couple pieces of wood onto the fire, fanning the flames.  “That should keep things warm in here.  I’ll go out while you get ready for bed.  I should check on the horses anyway.  We’ll be leavin’ early I ‘spect.”

Hannah didn’t want him to leave.  She searched her mind for reasons for him to stay near her.  “Could you look at my shoulder and see if it needs to have a bandage on it?  I didn’t put anything on it after my bath.”

He smiled.  “Shore darlin’!”  He moved over to her side and she unbuttoned the top of her dress, carefully taking her arm out of the sleeve.

Buck examined the area closely.  It didn’t seem to be any worse since there hadn’t been a bandage over it all afternoon.  “I think it will be okay til the mornin’.  We can put a bandage on it before we leave.  Mite do it good to go uncovered for awhile.”  He smiled at her.  “Now you get ready for bed.  Miss Abbie should he in here any minute.”  He squeezed her other shoulder and started for the door.

“Buck, stay with me a little longer.  Vin an Abbie looked mighty comfortable out there.  It might be a while before they say their good nights.”  She hesitated a moment.  “I would just like your company!”  She looked his way in hopes that she wasn’t being too bold.  There was just something inside that didn’t want him to leave.

For a moment he stood looking at her.  If the truth were known, he wanted to stay near her all night.  To hold her in his arms, and make sweet love to her.  All afternoon, he’d seen images of her in the creek.  All afternoon, he’d had to tramp down feelings he had building inside for her. He could at least sit with her until Abbie came in.  He knew he couldn’t do anything else right now.  Not and chance Abbie walking in on them.

“Okay darlin’.  Come on, we’ll  sit by the fire.”  There was a rocking chair that had been shoved in the corner.  Buck pulled it in front of the fireplace.  Sitting down, he reached up for her and pulled her down into his lap.  She settled into his embrace as if she’d been sitting in his lap for years.  They fit so well together. Buck sighed, resting his head on top of hers.



Vin was enjoying his quiet time with Abbie.  But he knew that it was getting late.  “I guess I should see you back to the cabin.  I think we’ll be leavin’ early in the mornin’.  Four Corners is at least two more days away.  Of course you know it doesn’t matter.  Buck and I will see you and Miss Hannah to where ever you’re goin’.”

Abbie looked up at him and whispered;  “I know.”  She didn’t want to go inside.  She didn’t want to leave the safety of his arms where she’d been sitting for the last hour.  But she felt that she couldn’t demand his time if he wasn’t willing to give it.  She got up and waited for him to join her.

The walk to the cabin was way too short.  He held her hand in the crook of his arm, willing his feet to move slower.  How could he convince her to stay with him for just a little longer?

At the door of the cabin, he leaned near and kissed her cheek.  “I’ll see you in the mornin’.  Send Buck out so you can get ready for bed.  I ain’t shore why he ain’t been back out to bother us any how!”

“I’m sure that he and Hannah aren’t aware of anything but each other.  Isn’t that how young love is supposed to be?”  She smiled shyly towards him.

“Yeah, I guess so.”  Standing there in the moonlight, he had such a huge urge to pull her close once more.  All he wanted to do was kiss her till this ache inside went away.   Neither said anything.  He reached up and caressed her cheek, then backed away from her.  “Get some sleep.”

“Okay.”  She sighed as she opened the door and stepped inside.  She wished that she were more experienced in this relationship thing.  She would know exactly what to do.  She knew what she wanted to do, but she didn’t feel like she should push herself on Vin.

It was dark inside the cabin.  The oil lamp that Vin had lit before they had eaten, had nearly burned out.  Where were Buck and Hannah?  The only other light was from the fire.  Whispered voices startled her.  Movement caught her eye and she realized Buck and Hannah were sitting together in front of the fire.

She tried not to listen in on their hushed conversation.  She felt like she was intruding on a very personal moment.  She also wished ten times over, that she were still out there with Vin.  She felt lonely but wasn’t sure why since Buck and Hannah were in the same room.   She heard their whispered voices again and this time she caught an “Oh Buck”, and only a second later, an “Umm, darlin’ you’re gonna cause all sorts of problems if’n you don’t sit still!”

Making a decision, Abbie quickly changed out of her dress into her nightclothes.  Buck was preoccupied, she knew that he wasn’t paying her any attention.  Reaching for her shawl, she slipped it around her shoulders.  Opening the door, she slipped back outside.  She’d give the two by the fire a little longer before she forced them to part for the night.

Buck was enjoying the feel of Hannah in his lap.  Not being able to help himself, he leaned near and kissed the side of her neck.  A shiver ran down her spine and Hannah snuggled a little closer.  The movement caused her to brush her bottom across Buck’s lap and he could feel his reaction as it grew with each soft touch.  Lord forgive him for the thoughts he was having!

They had both heard Abbie come in, but neither was willing to move from their cozy spot in front of the fire.

“You are so beautiful darlin’!”  Tilting her chin up with his fingers, he kissed her lips slowly.

She sat still for only a moment as she let him kiss her.  Then she was kissing him back in earnest.  She heard him groan, and she wondered if she’d done something wrong.  He didn’t stop his sweet kisses, so she dismissed the sound as one of pain.  The kisses became deeper and she parted her lips against his.  Remembering the touch of his tongue against hers in an earlier kiss, she bodly let her tongue slip inside his mouth

He was surprised by her admissions.  Earlier today he could have sworn she’d been a little put off by his kissing her that way.  Her arms had crept up around his neck and she was kissing him kiss for kiss.

“Oh Buck!”  It was getting harder to breath.  What was he doing to her?  She had an urge to touch all of him.  To kiss every inch of his wonderfully strong body!  What was she thinking?  She’d only had thoughts like this after she, Abbie and some of the older girls at the orphanage had been talking about what it would be like to have a man make love to you!  Some said it would be worse than the fires of hell!  While others held a dreamy look and spoke as if it would be the most wonderful event in their lives.  Hannah had a feeling the later would be the correct assumption if you went with the feeling that she was having then.  She moved slowly over Buck’s lap and he drew in a sharp breath. 

“Ummm, darlin’, you’re gonna cause all sorts of problems if’n you don’t sit still!’  His lips caressed hers again.  His own breath coming quickly.  His entire body was on fire with want for her. 

After a few seconds, Buck pulled back from her.  Looking down, he wasn’t surprised to see passion in her eyes.  If he wasn’t careful, this was going to lead up to something that he wasn’t sure Hannah was ready for.  But he just couldn’t help himself!

“Darlin, you cause such feelings in me!  I jist want to hold you in my arms and never let you go!”  The words had been a whisper and he leaned near again to kiss her neck.  From there he kissed her ear, her cheek, her eyes, her nose. He wanted to taste all of her.  His hand moved down over her shoulder and lightly caressed her right breast through the dress that she wore.  Hannah thought she was going to explode with all the new feelings rushing through her body.

Buck could feel her excitement growing with each kiss.  He wondered if she would ask him to stop?  And if she did, could he?  He was afraid that he couldn’t.

“We better git up from here a fore I do somethin’ I ain’t gonna be so proud a myself for in the mornin’!”  He tried to calm his insides while Hannah was busily wondering if she’d done something that he hadn’t liked.

Scooping her up, he rose from the chair and carried her towards the bed.  “I best go out and let you two change for bed.  I still need to check on them horses!”  He smiled down at her.  If he didn’t get away and calm down, he knew that he wouldn’t be responsible for what happened between them.

Hannah looked over his shoulder. She was startled to see that Abbie was no where in the cabin!  A dress lay across her cot.  It appeared that she had already changed and then slipped outside once again.  Neither had heard her leave!

“Buck, Abbie isn’t in here!”

“What?”  Startled, he made a complete circle with Hannah still in his arms.  “Now I know I heard her come in!  I’ll go see where she went.”

He turned back towards the bed, swinging her around in his arms, he let her slide down the length of him to the floor.  The sensation of their bodies rubbing together was nearly more than Hannah could stand.  She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling, and it caused her body to move once more against his.

Buck groaned again. Everything inside of him was standing at attention! “Darlin’, I ain’t got ‘nough will power to act like a gentleman much longer!  You shore are temptin’ me with your charms!”

Hannah grinned up at him, as she ran her finger across the side of his cheek.  She suddenly felt very wanton!  “No one ever told me I had charms before Buck!”

“Then all them men must be blind!  Cause darlin’ you got charms just oozing outta every part a your body!”   He leaned near to kiss her again and she felt as if she were drowning!  He pulled his lips from hers only to kiss her quickly again.  “I gotta go find Abbie for you!”  He knew he had to go.  He grinned. Just one more kiss.

Hannah knew he was going this time.  There would be no stopping him.  She reached for his arm as he turned.  “Buck, don’t go.  I’ve never been with a man before, but I want to be with you tonight.  Please don’t go looking for Abbie.  She’s not what I want or need!”

“But what if she should come back and find us together?  Are you shore you want to do this?”  His heart was in his throat, as his mind began to comprehend what her words had just told him.  She wanted him to make love to her.  Lord knew he wanted to!

“I’m not worried about Abbie, Buck.  I’m more worried about pleasing you.  I’m not experienced like all the other women you’ve had in your life time!”

Buck could tell that she was really worried about it.  She looked down slightly, wondering if maybe she had been wrong to tell him what it was she really wanted.  He lifted her chin with his fingertips.  “You’d beat ‘em all hands down darlin’!  No doubt in my mind!  If’n you’re shore this is what you want….”

“Yes Buck.  I want to spend the night in your arms.  Abbie will understand if she comes back.”

“Maybe she’s with Vin.  He can keep her company.”  He knew what thoughts had been traveling round in Vin’s head all afternoon since the bath at the creek.  Maybe he would act on them.

Hannah nodded and he reached out to once more unbutton the buttons of her dress.  He helped her get her injured shoulder out of the sleeve and pushed the top of the dress down to her waist.  Leaning near, he started kissing the bits of exposed skin as he unbuttoned more buttons that held her lacey undergarments together.  Before long her breasts were his to gaze upon.  He’d seen the curve of them that afternoon, but it hadn’t done them justice.  He leaned closer, dragging his tongue across each nipple.

“Oh Buck!”  She trembled as he cupped her breast and brought his lips to them once more. Kissing each and rubbing his face on them.

She reached up to unbutton the shirt that he wore.  Her fingers were trembling so much, that it took her forever it seemed to unbutton just one button.  Buck quickly took over for her.  “Let me darlin’!”  He caught her hands and held them to his chest for a moment.  Then he pulled his tucked in shirt from his pants and undid the buttons in mer seconds.  Stepping near again, she brushed the shirt off his shoulders and it was soon in the floor.

Before she realized it, Hannah was standing by the bed, completely unclothed.  Buck drew in a breath as he looked at her.  “I thought you were beautiful before darlin’!  But I was wrong!  You take my breath away just standing there!”  Her breasts were high, her stomach flat, her legs were shapely (and he wanted to feel them wrapped around him), and her hips, oh he loved her hips.  He stepped closer and caressed them with his hands.

Her hand slipped down his chest to linger at the top of the pants that he wore.  He’d had his fill of looking at her, now it was her turn.  “I know I’ve never done this before Buck, but I think you need to finish undressing.  At least I hope you do!”  She smiled up at him then kissed his chest, her tongue sliding across one of his nipples.  “I want to see and feel all of you too Buck!”  She couldn’t believe that she was saying such things as he smiled and turned from her to finish undressing.  It took a few minutes of tugging and pulling to get his boots off.  Then his pants were in the floor.  She knew that she should feel very uncomfortable standing there in the nude, but she didn’t have time to consider all that.  Her senses were all captured by Buck’s every moment.  When he stood up, Hannah couldn’t believe how beautiful he was!  Beautiful wasn’t the correct word to describe a man, she knew.  But she could think of no others at the moment!

She’d known he would be a perfect picture!  Something inside and had just told her he would be!  His shoulders were broad, his arms strong, his chest was covered with a light sprinkling of dark hair.  His hips were tapered to just the right size and when her eyes traveled lower to the part of a man’s body that she’d never ever seen before, she nearly swooned!  With trembling hands, she reached out to caress every inch of him like she’d thought of doing.  His skin felt so good under her fingertips.

Buck picked her up suddenly and placed her in the center of the bed.  He joined her and was almost immediately covering her body with soft, wet kisses.  He started with her lips and worked his way down to her toes.  He caused her to giggle when he touched a ticklish spot and sigh when he found her most sensitive areas.  She felt as if she were on fire, his lips branding her everywhere they touched.

Once down to her toes, he started his sweet torture again as he worked his way back up her body.  His hands followed his lips, coming to rest on her thighs.  She was holding her legs tightly together and he gently caressed them apart.

“You’re so lovely.  Let ole’ Buck take you to the stars darlin’!”  She wasn’t sure exactly what he had planned, but once he started working his magic over her, she knew she was lost.  His lips kissed the inside of her thigh, his fingers found her wetness at the junction of her legs.  He slowly caressed her and she groaned.  When his fingers entered her body, and his lips followed, she nearly came off the bed.

She reached down to pull him up her body, but he declined the invitation.  “Not yet darlin’!  Let me show you what lovin’ is all about!”  And he proceeded to do just that!  When he finally moved up to her mouth once more, Hannah was weak from all the feelings that had coursed through her.

He’d made her feel so wonderful.  She wanted to do the same for him.  She reached out with a more steady hand now, and covered his hardness.  She felt as if another person had taken over her body.  There was no question what she would do next.  She instinctively knew.  Moving her hand up and down the length of his shaft, he groaned once again.  Leaning near, she started kissing his chest, nibbling places here and there along his side.  The entire time her hand was still caressing him.

“Darlin’ I cain’t hold out much longer here!”

He flipped her over onto her back and covered her body with his.  “I don’t mean to hurt you none, but you know this next step is gonna hurt.  It’ll be over in jist a second.  You’re shore this is what you want?”  He felt he needed to give her one more chance to say no. He didn’t want to stop, but he would respect her wishes if it were her choice.

“I’m sure Buck.  I need to become a woman for you!”  With those words, she arched her body up to meet his.  He moved his body so that he his hardness lay just between her legs.  Slowly he entered her a little at a time, hesitating and then entering her again a little further each time.  The sensations were filling Hannah to near bursting.  It was even harder for Buck to take his time with her.  He could feel himself entering her deeper with each thrust and he knew where he wanted to be.

Hannah couldn’t take his hesitation another time.  He was driving her wild.  The next time that he started to move, she reached up and grasp his rear, pulling him closer, forcing him to enter her body fully.  A pain ripped through her and it felt as if she’d been torn apart.  A sob escaped her throat and Buck lay perfectly still, kissing away the tears that escaped her closed eyelids.

“Shhh, it’ll be over in a second darlin’!  Jist hold still for a minute.”   He hadn’t realized what she was going to do when he’d felt her hands on his backside.  But it was over now, and a door had been opened to something wonderful!

She found that Buck was right.  The pain sub sided and she could feel him deep within her.  Moving created a new sensation and in seconds they were dancing that age old rhythm of love.

She could feel something mounting inside of her.  Something rushing up from her toes.  She was going to overflow at any given moment.  But she instinctively knew that was a good thing!

Buck could tell that she was close to that point of no return.  In seconds he was moaning out her name as he filled her insides with his seed of life.  She was only seconds behind him with her first climax.  She pulled him a little closer and rode the waves of passion to the very end.

When their bodies finally slowed, Hannah knew she’d never experienced anything like that before.  He held her close as their breathing returned to normal.  He knew this woman in his arms was like none he’d held before.  He leaned near and nuzzled her neck.  It had been so beautiful between them.  The next time would be even more so.

Hannah was lying wrapped securely in his arms.  He had whispered sweet things in her ear and made her feel like the most wonderful woman in the world!  Woman…she wasn’t a child any longer.  She was a woman, a woman in love!  That thought scared her.  She knew she loved Abbie and she loved her in return.  But that was different, a different kind of love.  Did she have a chance of holding Buck’s love?  She wasn’t so sure she even knew how!  And tomorrow, tomorrow they started again for that new life!  She didn’t know how it happened, but one minute she was awash in happiness and the next she was crying against Buck’s chest.

Buck was shaken from his daydreams by wet tears on his chest.  Was that a sob he’d heard?  He couldn’t believe his ears!  No woman had ever cried because of his loving before!  Of course he hadn’t had very many virgins in his life.  Most were experienced in the art of love.  Had his been that bad this time?  He’d enjoyed it.  Hadn’t she?  He raised up, pushing Hannah back on the pillow so he could look down into her eyes.  The light was so dim in the cabin, he could barely see her.

“Darlin’ was ole’ Buck’s lovin’ so bad that it done went and broke your heart?”

He looked so worried, it just made her want to cry that much harder!  What could he do to make it up to her?  Did she regret it now that it was over?  Had he hurt her?  Women praised him for his talents!  But in all honesty, he knew this wasn’t just some other woman!

“Hannah please tell me what I did wrong!  I cain’t stand to see you cry.”  He pulled her back into his arms, wrapping them around her.  Smoothing the hair over the back of her head.  Rocking her as if she were a child.

“Oh Buck..there are so many emotions churning inside of me!  I’m…..I’m scared!”
“Shhh darlin’.  There ain’t nothin’ to be scared of!  I promised I’d be your hero on that white charger, didn’t I?  What ya got to be scared of?  What’s bigger than ole’ Buck here?  I done promised nothin’ would hurt you if’n I was around!”  He was still holding her close and she tried to get her tears under control.  She needed to tell this man everything and now was the time.

She took a deep breath and rose up so that she could look down into his eyes.  A few tears still slipped down her face and he reached up to wipe them away.  He was lying on his back and as usual, he totally took her breath away!  She wanted him to be her hero.  But would he still want to be once he knew all about her?

“Buck no one other than Abbie has ever cared if I lived or died!  In the last few days, you’ve shown me something that I never knew existed.  That there was someone else out there that cared.  It has me so over whelmed, I don’t know how to feel.  Tomorrow once again, we start out again for a new life.  In a place, neither of us knows a whole lot about.  I’m so scared!  I’m scared people will still hate us.  That they’ll act as if we don’t exist like they all did in Willow Springs!”

“Darlin’, I don’t understand.  How could anyone hate you?”

“For what I am!”

“For what you are?  A beautiful young woman?  It doesn’t make sense!”

“Buck, Abbie and I are orphans!”

“So?  There are a lot of orphans out here!  This life is hard darlin’!  There are a lot of families come out west to make a new life.  It’s better out here, so they’re told.  Then they git here and somethin’ happens.  Indian raids, outlaws, sickness, being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  No matter what, it leaves a lot of children homeless.  There is always someone who steps up and takes ‘em in.  Or there are the mission orphanages.  Just cause you’re left alone don’t make you some disease ridden soul!”

“Tell that to the good people of Willow Springs!”  Her voice held a sarcastic tone, but she looked as if she might cry again at any second.

“You mean the people of Willow Springs acted that way?”  He shook his head.  “If’n that’s so, I’m glad I live in Four Corners!”

“We were unwanted, we had no one, and no one wanted us!”

He listened in almost disbelief as she told her story.  His heart went out to her and he wanted to protect her even more.  “Oh darlin’ I’m so sorry that life has treated you this way.”  She’d been lying across his chest as she told him and he encircled her with his arms.  “I’m so sorry.  I wish there was somethin’ I could do.  Someway to prove that all people ain’t like that!   Didn’t it make any difference that Mrs. Worthington gave you a job?  Didn’t the folks in town realize you were jist someone that wanted to be a part of their town? Belong there?”

“They didn’t care Buck.  We even went to church on Sunday and they wouldn’t even speak to us!  Acted as if we weren’t there!”  She fell silent for a moment.  Buck could tell that it wasn’t easy for her to tell him all this. “It became even more apparent when Abbie went to the town’s council and asked if she could open up the one room school house and teach the children of the town and the orphans as well.”

“What did they tell her?”  Buck had a feeling he already knew the answer.

“That she wasn’t good enough.  She was an orphan herself.  What made her think that she could teach their children!  What made her think that she knew enough to even consider being a teacher?”

“There are a lot of cruel folks in this world!  Most towns would be thrilled to have someone that would want to teach their children!  Out here there ain’t a lot willin’ to take on that chore!”

“Abbie went back to the orphanage and kept teaching the little ones there.  They appreciated what she was doing if no one else did!  We thought we were stuck there, until someone we knew happened through town and told Abbie about a place that needed a schoolteacher.  Abbie applied and we were on our way when we were attacked.  I spent all the money I had saved up working for Mrs. Worthington to buy the wagon and horses.  Everything we own is in that wagon.  It isn’t much!”

“It don’t matter none Hannah.  What matters is you are headed for a much better life.   Where is this town?  You know Vin an I will escort you anywhere you two are goin’!”

“I know.”  She was silent for a few seconds.  “Buck, we’re going to Four Corners!  Judge Travis hired Abbie about three weeks ago!”

Buck’s heart nearly stopped.  Had he heard that right?  “Four Corners?”  He whispered it.  He wouldn’t have to tell her good-bye?

Hannah wondered if this was a problem.  He didn’t seem happy.  After what had just happened between them, would her living in the same town cause a problem for him?  Had he lied to her?  Was there a Mrs. Wilmington?

“On darlin’!  This is wonderful!  I’m tellin’ you rite now, Four Corners ain’t like this Willow Springs!”  He was smiling, getting excited as he spoke.

“Are you sure Buck.  I don’t think I can live in another place like that!  No one is going to know but you and the Judge that we came from an orphanage.  The headmaster there wrote him a letter of recommendation about Abbie.  So he’ll be aware of it.”

“Hannah, stop all this worrin’ rite now!  I’m tellin’ you, Willow Springs is nothin’ compared to Four Corners!  The people there are gonna welcome you with open arms!  They’re gonna be thrilled that a teacher has come to town!”

“Do you think they’ll be work for me?  A place for me to belong as well?  I can’t do anything but sew.”  She looked down at his chest and she suddenly felt out of place.  Would there already be someone there that did all the sewing and mending for the town’s people?

Buck lifted her chin with his fingertips.  “Of course there will be a place for you darlin’!  And more important, I ain’t gonna have to leave you in some other town!  I’ll still be able to see you!”

“You sure you want to do that?  I mean, now that you know what I am!”  She bit her bottom lip as she looked down at him.

“Oh darlin’!  It don’t matter none to me!  I didn’t know my daddy, and my ma, she died early in my life!  I know some a what you’re goin’ through!  I’m gonna be your hero on that white charger til you git tired a me!”  He grinned up at her.  “No more talk ‘bout me not wantin’ to be round you jist cause you ain’t got no kin folks!  Four Corners is gonna take you and Abbie in like you’ve been there forever!”

“You really think the rest of the peacekeepers will like us?”

Buck laughed.  “I’m tellin’ you everyone will!  And that JD, he’s gonna think you’re the prettiest little thing in this world!  But if he thinks he’s gonna step on my toes, he’s got ‘nother think comin’!  I ain’t gonna let him close to you!”  He reached up and ran a finger down her nose. 

Hannah laughed, finally feeling better about things.  “Thanks Buck.  I guess I just needed to get everything off my chest.  I’ve been holding it in for so long!”

He smiled as he leaned up and kissed her lips.  “Hannah, I’m a good listener.  I ain’t always got the best advice, but I’ll always listen!  Now, it’s getting’ late.  We better get some sleep.  Mornin’ will be here in no time!”

“As long as you promise not to leave me.  It feels very nice having your arms around me!”

“I ain’t thinkin’ bout going no where darlin’!”

Pulling the cover up over them, Hannah snuggled closer to his chest.  She wasn’t going to worry about her new life any longer.


 

Vin stood by the door to the cabin after Abbie walked thr-1ough it. He was having a hard time walking away from the door. If he did, that would sever his connection to her for the night. He shook his head in frustration and forced himself to walk away. He slowly walked around the perimeter of the cabin to make sure all was well, but he didn’t feel as if anything was amiss. So he shook out his bedroll between the fire they’d eaten at and the large wagon wheel, and set himself down on it.

But he wasn’t tired. His nerves were on edge and it was all because of that beautiful lady going to sleep in the cabin. He shook his head again. What good did it do him to think about her? She wasn’t in his league at all. She was probably the most innocent lady he’d ever met, with a smile as sweet as a honeybee. NO! Damn it all. As far as he was concerned, tomorrow they were going to head out for wherever the ladies wanted to go. Hannah was doing better. They could make the trip.

Did he really want that? Did he want to just drop Abbie off in some strange town where he’d never see her? He was sure that as soon as he and Buck left, all the available men of the town would be hanging around her, trying to win her favor. But at least those men would have a future. What did he have? A job as a peacekeeper in a town that was a little too rough around the seams? A price on his head that meant on occasion, men came looking to kill him. He took his hat off and tossed it aside as he ran his fingers through his hair. Maybe he needed to make a promise to himself and make it stick this time. He needed to ignore the fact that her  kisses were the sweetest thing imaginable and that her body looked like it was crafted from the finest porcelain. She needed to be with someone proper. Not someone like him.

His ears heard the faint sound of the cabin door whispering open. Was Buck coming out to keep him company? He turned expectantly and felt his heart leap to his throat as what could only be described as a vision stood by the door. The vision, seeing him, sent a shy smile his way and started walking toward him.

Vin swallowed hard as Abbie appeared to float across the ground. She had on her white nightdress, and a shawl that slipped down off her shoulders as she approached him.

Abigail stopped as she got to his bedroll and like always, was overwhelmed by the depth of his eyes as they looked up at her.

“Do you care if I join you?” she asked him as he quickly stood up. Those eyes appeared to be staring through her.

“I thought you was getting ready to go to sleep,” he smiled down at her, happy that she had come back out to be with him.

“It was stuffy in the cabin, and I just had the feeling that Buck and Hannah wouldn’t mind if they had some time alone…” she drifted off. “Umm…do you mind if I sit down?”

Abbie broke away from his gaze. It had started to make her heart beat faster.

“No, but it’s a mite dirty.”

“I don’t mind a little dirt now and again,” she told him as she settled down on his blanket. It was much cooler outside. She could hear night sounds all around her.

After she had taken her place, Vin also sat down, but he had left a decent amount of space between them. Only an hour ago, she’d been in his arms, but then she’d been properly dressed. He felt that since she was in her night dress, he should keep his distance.

“I think there’s a little coffee left. Would you like me to heat it up for you?” he asked, feeling uneasy.

“No, I’m fine.” Her gaze wandered. It wanted to look at the man sitting next to her, since his face was so pleasing to her eyes. Instead, she forced herself to look up.

“I think I know why you like to sleep outside at night,” she told him softly.

“You do?”

“Look at all those stars. Aren’t they beautiful?”

But Vin wasn’t looking at the stars. He couldn’t tear his vision from the lady seated next to him. Her blond hair was almost glowing in the firelight. Without thought, his hand reached out to touch it. Would he get burned?

“They sure are,” he said as his finger touched a strand. It felt so silken to his calloused fingers.

Abigail jumped as she felt the touch. “Vin?” she questioned, looking at him.

He quickly pulled his hand back.

“I’m sorry Abbie. I don’t mean to be taking no liberties with you.”

“No, I mean that felt right nice. I don’t recall any other man wanting to touch my hair,” she told him shyly.

“I don’t know why not,” he mused as his hand reached out to caress a strand. “Your hair is like spun gold that feels like one of those fancy silk scarves. I like to feel it.”

She just smiled at him and didn’t move away.

“I guess it’s lucky I have the hair then. Maybe everyone will look at it instead of at my face. I must look so ugly with this shiner!” she said, pointing to her eye.

With any other lady, Vin would have known that she would be expecting a compliment about her looks. But not Abbie. She didn’t have that in her.

He moved closer to her, and with his hand, turned her face towards the fire so he could see her eye better.

“It’s starting to fade. By the time you get to where you’re goin’, folks won’t even know you had it.”

She searched in his eyes for the truth.

“Really, Vin?”

He could feel himself drowning in her eyes. He’d heard Buck saying that about women - that he had drowned in their eyes, but he’d never known what he’d meant. Now he did. He couldn’t take his eyes away from hers. His brain was telling him to pull away. But he didn’t seem able to listen to it.

Abbie saw the look in his eyes as he started to move closer to her.

“Vin?” she barely whispered as his lips brushed hers.

Vin steeled himself for the slap that he knew he deserved. This all felt different. This wasn’t like normal. He knew that beneath the night dress she didn’t have much on, so he should be giving her some space. He was taking advantage of the situation, and that wasn’t like him. He was surprised at how much he wanted to take advantage of her though.  All he wanted was to reach for her and hold her and run his hands all over her. But the slap didn’t come. Her face looked surprised as her fingertips covered her mouth.

“Sorry, Abbie. I do apologize..” and he got no further as she threw her arms around him and found his mouth with hers.

In the instant after he had kissed her, Abbie had decided that this was quite possibly the man she had been waiting for her entire life. All the other times he had kissed her, one or the other had stopped it. But this was night. This was different. It was like they were the only two people in the world. And now that he was sitting six inches from her, she was not going to let him get away nor miss this chance to find out what love was all about.

Vin’s head started to swim as her soft lips molded to his. He eased her mouth open with his and tasted her tongue with his. A startled sound came from her, and that caused him to wake up and come to his senses. What was he doing? What were those promises he had made to himself?

He quickly pulled away from her, stood up and walked a few feet away. Abbie quickly followed him and laid her hand on his arm. She could feel how tensed up he was as he breathed hard.

“Vin…tell me what I did wrong. Was I awful? I know I don’t know all that much about loving, but I’d sure like to learn.”

He turned to her and gripped her shoulders with his hands. He held her at arm’s length.

“You don’t know what you’re askin, Abbie. You ain’t been touched by a man before. You don’t know what it’s all about. I’m not the one that should teach you. You should want a good man to teach you - someone that ain’t been around as much as me. You deserve the best, and the best ain’t me.”

He said that with such intensity, he was shaking. She reached out and caressed his cheek with the palm of her hand.

“Oh, Vin, you are the best man I have ever met. You rescued Hannah and I and have taken good care of us when you didn’t have to. I think that you care intensely about the people you love. You are kind hearted and compassionate. Your eyes see all. You’re right that I haven’t been touched by a man before and that I don’t know what it’s all about. But I can’t think of a better man to teach me what it’s all about,” here she felt her face get warm and she was sure it was red as a beet. She couldn’t believe that it was her, Abigail, that was being so forward. But she had vowed to start a new life. She wanted Vin to be a part of that new life.

“How do you know that I won’t just have my way with you and when Buck ‘n I git you to where you’re headed, I’ll pretend like I don’t know you?” he forced himself to say, already knowing that if he laid with her, he’d never look at another woman again.

“I don’t know that, but I guess that I’m bettin’ on the fact that won’t happen.”

“And if it does?”

“Then I will just remember this as the best moment of my life, Vin Tanner.”

He released her shoulders and cupped her face with his hands. His sky blue eyes looked deeply into hers.

“Are you sure, Abbie? I cain’t give you your first time back after I take it away from you.”

She closed the gap between them and wrapped herself around him.

“I’m real sure, Vin.”

“It could get a mite chilly out here.”

“Then you’ll just have to keep me warm.” She smiled up at him.

In her entire life, she’d never felt so safe. But the way he snuggled her against him and protected her in his embrace - she knew that nothing could ever harm her again.

Their mouths met as he backed her toward his bed roll. She was a fast learner, and drew his tongue into her mouth. She felt herself falling as his strong arms lowered her down to the blankets. He pulled away from her long enough to take the shawl from her shoulders. She took this as an invitation to push his fringed jacket off his strong shoulders. With shaking fingers, she unbuttoned his shirt and his long johns and ran her hand over his chest. Was this her? Was she really being this bold? Her finger tips felt a light sprinkling of hair across his chest. She pulled herself up to kiss where her fingertips had been. She could smell the light scent of her soap on his body. She heard his breathing change as she pushed his clothing off and it fell around his waist. He leaned over to kiss his way up her neck, before becoming thoroughly familiar with her ear. Vin’s hands were roaming over her, and the first time one grazed her breast, her body felt a tingle go down to her toes. She knew that she should feel shy with him, but she didn’t.  Wouldn’t the people in her old town have much to say about the new Abbie now? That thought made her smile.

Vin knew he had to take it slow, but it was hard. He hadn’t been with a woman in some time, but Abbie was so special, how could he not give her what she needed? When he felt her breathing quicken, he reached his hand underneath her gown, caressed her breast and twirled her nipple in his fingers.

“Oh, Vin, that feels so good!” she sighed. She reached down and pulled her gown over her head and looked at him expectantly. Close up, he was seeing what he’d seen from a distance as she had walked into the creek. It almost took his breath away..

“Abigail - you’re beautiful,” he barely breathed.

She smiled at him.

“Vin, I want to see all of you. Can I now?”

He figured that was fair since she didn’t have anything on. He pulled his boots off, then stood to get rid of the rest of his clothes. Her eyes never left his body, and they looked with wonder at what his clothes had been hiding. She saw a few scars, a couple marks that could only be where bullets had gone into his body, and his erect manhood that was waiting for her. Vin could see from the look in her eyes that she liked what she saw, and she opened her arms to him. He lay down gently next to her and thought that this must be what heaven was like…the naked skin to skin feeling with a woman you would give your life for.

His mouth found her nipples that were erect and waiting for his tongue and his teeth. He could hear little sounds coming from her throat as her hands wandered over him, down his back and over his butt. His erection felt so tight, that when she finally ran her hand over it, he thought that he would explode. Her hand wrapped around him, and ran up and down the length of his shaft.

How did she know how to do this? How did she instinctively know what to do to turn him inside out with want for her? He moved his hand down her body and over her most sensitive area. She moaned as he rubbed her and felt satisfied when he’d encountered her wetness. He slowly pushed a finger inside her wetness, and Abbie was rubbing against his hand as he moved it in and out of her. By the look in her eyes, he could tell that she wanted him…him, the man…not someone that the townspeople had made up. She wanted who he was…just plain ole Vin. He thought his heart would burst with all the feelings he had flowing out for her.

Abbie had never had any idea that making love could be so wonderful and have so many intense feelings involved with it. Vin kept kissing and caressing her. She could feel the tension building inside of her, and when she thought she would scream from it, he covered her body with his.

He caressed her face and looked down at her.

“This part is going to hurt. But you just hang on. It will feel better soon, I promise,” he purred to her as he started to kiss her. She felt his hardness go between her legs and felt him place it just inside of her. He began to move slowly in and out and it felt so good, but she tensed. She and the other girls had talked about this and whispered about it in the dark. Abbie opened her heart and drank Vin in as she wrapped her legs around him and thrust against him as hard as she could. She felt something inside of her pop and felt a pain sear through her body. She forced herself to block it out as she just continued to let Vin into all the pores of her body. And he was right. In moments, the hurt faded.

This had to be the bravest woman he’d ever met. He knew what she had done, and he respected her for that. It made him want to give her everything within him as he moved in and out of her. She moved with him as he moved faster and harder. He prayed that she was feeling as good as he was, and when he could feel the muscles around his shaft clench him and grab at him, he knew she was. He let himself go then as he plunged as deeply into her as he could.

Then breathless, they just laid in each other’s arms.

As his breathing returned to normal, Vin pulled his blanket over them and then pulled her close to him, wrapping himself securely around her.

Abbie was overwhelmed with her feelings for him. That had been the most incredible experience of her lifetime. What good had she ever done to be with this man?

Unnoticed, a couple tears went slowly down Vin’s face. He felt as if he had finally come home. The only other time he remembered feeling that way was when he lived with his ma, back when he was small. With her he had felt loved and secure. He had felt safe. But now, he knew a contentment he hadn’t felt since his ma had died.

She snuggled as closely against him as she could, wrapping her arm around his slender waist as she rested her head on his shoulder.

“Vin, I want to know all about you…where you’re from…what your life has been like…”

Surprisingly, he realized that he wanted her to know about him…to see if she could still care for him if she knew it all.

“I was born in this tiny little Texas town you probably ain’t heard of. I never knew my pa. But my ma…she was rite special. When I was 5, she got real sick and her pa made us come and live with him. Soon after that, she died. It was consumption, they said. My grandaddy didn’t care fer me much. He used ta beat me all the time and make me do mosta the work around his farm. He’d tell me over and over how I warn’t no good and I’d never amount ta much. I ran away when I was 10 and been on ma own ever since.”

Stricken, she looked up into his eyes. “Oh Vin! How awful for a child to have to go through that. And how awful you couldn’t count on your own grandpa to take care of you properly.”

He could tell how angry she was for him. Somehow that made him feel better.

“So how did you survive?”

“Any way I could. I worked my way around, cleaning livery stables, done some buffalo huntin’, lived with some Indians for a time learnin’ their ways of huntin, trackin’,and other things, been a bounty hunter, and when I met Chris, I was workin’ at the genral store clerkin’”

“And then you became a peacemaker and settled down?”

Vin sorta laughed.

“I ain’t settled down too much. There’s somethin’ else I gotta tell ya…when I was bounty huntin’, I was after this murderer called Eli Joe. He knew it and set me up. He murdered a clerk in Tescosa, Texas, and framed me for it. Now I got a $500 bounty on my head. I’m wanted dead or alive, Abbie.”

Abbie wrapped herself tightly around him, suddenly fearing for him.

“But you were innocent. How come they didn’t know that?”

If Vin were asked later, what moment he realized he was in love with Abbie, this would be that moment. He knew there was no doubt in her mind that he was innocent and hadn’t murdered anyone.

“They didn’t care ta know. They jest want to hang me.”

“So how are you a peacemaker with a price on your head?”

“Funny, ain’t it? I have a feelin’ the judge who hired us know’d about it. But I also think he know’d I didn’t do it, so he’s keepin’ it our little secret.”

“So you’re safe while you’re in Four Corners?”

“As safe as I can be.”

“And Eli Joe…do you know where he is?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, “He came gunnin’ for me. He didn’t want me round no more since he knew I was tryin’ to find him so I could clear my name. Chris ended up killin’ him to save me. Chris always watches mah back.”

“Oh…so now there’s no way to clear your name?”

“There has to be. I ain’t gonna rest until it’s clear. I don’t want my ma’s name to carry that shame on it.”

“I understand why you would feel that way. Maybe there is some way I can help you? I don’t know what I can do, but as the saying goes, two heads are better than one.”

Vin smiled into her hair as he kissed the top of her head, wondering at what she’d just said. She wasn’t afraid. She was willing to help him fight his battles. She didn’t want to run and get as far away from him as she possibly could.

“Maybe you’re right,” was all he said.

They laid in silence for a few moments, Abbie thinking over all he had told her, Vin savoring the fact that she truly did accept him for what he was. But he knew that there was more to be said.

“Abbie…what about you? Who are you? Where are Buck ‘n I taking you and Ms. Hannah?”

“I’m Abigail Stewart. I’m almost 19. You know where I was born and how I ended up out here. What you don’t know is that both of my parents died of the fever on the way out here…” and she proceeded to tell him in great detail her story up until she and Hannah had made the decision that they had to leave Willow Springs and how they felt because none of the orphans were accepted by the townspeople. She told of teaching the children and hearing about an open position for a teacher in another town, applying for it and getting accepted.

“So yer a teacher. Imagine that!” he smiled into her hair. “So where is this town that had the good sense to hire you?”

Abbie pulled slightly away from him again so she could look into his eyes. What if he really had taken advantage of her thinking that in another couple days he’d be rid of her? She had to see the look on his face when he knew.

“Your Judge hired me, Vin. Hannah and I are on our way to Four Corners.”

And she waited.

Surely Vin hadn’t heard right. Here he’d been thinking that he might have to pull up stakes to be by her, but she was going to be right in his town! He could feel a smile going across his whole face.

“Now that’s a rite piece of good news, Abbie!” he told her as he kissed her soundly. “You’ll be livin’ in my town!”

Relief washed over her.

“Yes, it appears as if you won’t be getting rid of Hannah and I that easily.”

Vin caressed her cheek.

“Now why would ya be thinkin’ that I’d want to be rid a you? I’ve just found you,” he told her softly as he began to kiss her in earnest again. She returned each kiss and wrapped herself around him as he once again became part of her. Being a little more knowledgeable this time, she felt like she was a better participant in the love making process.

Vin happily let himself be consumed by this woman. She didn’t hold anything back, and he liked the passion that she displayed to him. It made him feel good to know how much she wanted him and was willing to give him.

Again, after they climaxed, he held her closely to his body. On her part, Abbie felt so safe and so protected.

“Vin?”

“Um hum?” he asked drowsily as he snuggled against her warmth.

“Four Corners…do you think they’ll accept Hannah and me? I mean, I’m okay if they don’t accept me, but it means a lot to Hannah that they do. I don’t want her to be hurt anymore.”

“She’s your best friend in all the world, ain’t she?”

“Yes - there’s never been a time that she hasn’t been there for me.”

“Don’t you worry none. Four Corners ain’t like Willow Springs. I’m an orphan…so is Buck and JD and Chris and Josiah. No one looks down on us cause of it. They won’t look down on you two neither. They’ve been lookin’ for a teacher for a long time. No one wanted the job till you. They’ll be pleased to have you.”

“Okay..I won’t worry then. But I was wondering something else.”

He raised himself up on his elbow and gave her a questioning look. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever talked this much to anyone before. But he was finding that he didn’t mind.

“Do you have a best friend too?”

He gave his head a slight nod.

“Yeah - Chris. He ‘n I can read each other and we know’d what the other is thinkin’ without havin’ to say anything. I trust all the boys, but Chris….well, I just know that no matter what happens, he’ll be there backin’ me up. I guess he’s like the brother I ain’t never had.”

She smiled in understanding. “I can’t wait to meet Chris.”

“He’ll like meetin’ you, I expect.”

Abbie suddenly yawned loudly, then blushed at her lack of manners. Vin leaned down and kissed her gently.

“Now let’s go to sleep. We don’t want to burn too much daylight afore we get ready to leave.”

She turned on her side, and her back was to his front, as he tucked her in close to him. He pulled his blanket over them, wrapped his arms securely around her, and gave a contented sigh as he felt sleep overcome him.


Buck came to consciousness slowly, smiling at the feel of a soft woman in his arms. What a good way to begin his day before he had to face Chris ‘n the boys. As he became more aware of things, that didn’t feel right to him. He couldn’t remember ever waking up with any woman feeling so cozy and warm and loved. His smile got bigger as he remembered just who was lying in his arms. Hannah.

He started to nuzzle her neck. She turned in his arms, and opened herself to him.


Abbie slowly opened her eyes and found herself looking into Vin’s sky blue ones. He gave her a slow, sensuous smile. She could feel his hardness lying against her leg. She ran her hand up and down it, and was rewarded with a groan from the man next to her. Raising her leg over his, she invited him in. He accepted the invitation.


“Oh Buck!” Hannah groaned as she reached her climax and held on to him tightly. Rolling off of her, he pulled her onto his chest.

“Woman, you are darn good for me,” he told her.

She gave him a sloppy kiss, then gasped.

“Oh my! What must Abbie think?” she whispered in Buck’s ear, too embarrassed to look over towards her friend’s bed.

Buck could have slapped himself. It was bad enough that he had left Ms. Abbie alone when he had taken Hannah walking, but now to offend her female sensibilities by making love with her in the next bed? What had he been thinking? No…he knew what he’d been thinking. Usually he was more considerate though. But Hannah seemed to make him lose all good sense. Vin would have something to say, for sure, over this one.

“Maybe she’s still asleep,” Buck whispered hopefully back to her.

They looked at each other, and then in unison, slowly turned their heads to look towards Abbie’s side of the room.

“Oh no. She’s gone! Do you think she snuck out when we started? She must be so embarrassed.”

Buck just sighed heavily.

“Vin’s goin’ to have my hide,” Buck said as he sat up and reached for his clothes. “Why don’t you get dressed? You probably want to splash some water on ya?”

“Yes, I would, but I don’t want you to have to face them on your own. I was part of this. I should go with you and offer my apologies too.”

“But I shoulda know’d better,” he told her.

“I should have too!” she told him stubbornly.

“Darlin’, you sure are cute when ya git all puffed up like that,” he told her as he leaned over to kiss her.

She just wrapped her arms around his neck to return kiss for kiss.


“That’s a rite nice way to wake up in the mornin’” Vin told Abbie as he caressed her hair.

“It is, isn’t it?” she agreed with a giggle. “But I think we’d better get dressed before Buck and Hannah come looking for us. I hate to know what they’re going to think of us, spending the night together.”

Vin saw the frown on her face as she sat up. He sat up next to her. He didn’t want to ask her, but he had the need to know.

“Do you wish we hadn’ta done it?”

The softest smile covered her face as she reached her hand out to cup his cheek.

“I don’t regret a thing, Vin. Last night was the highlight of my life so far.”

He turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand, touched to his soul by her answer. He just nodded his head and pulled his clothes on while she did the same.

“Abbie?”

“Yeah, Vin?” she asked as she stood up and picked up her shawl.

He stood next to her and hugged her to him.

“It was the highlight of my life so far too.”

Warmth infused her body down to her toes.

They heard the cabin door start to open. He kissed the tip of her nose, gave her a wink, and stepped back from her.

Vin watched as Buck and Hannah, holding hands, walked up to him and Abbie. They looked nervous, but he couldn’t figure that out.

Buck cleared his throat nervously.

“Ms. Abbie…I’s sorry for what you had to listen to this mornin’. I lost mah head, and Hannah was just so fetchin’ and well…I’s sorry. A gentle woman such as yerself shouldn’ta had ta listen to that. And Vin, I deserve what ya want ta do ta me.”

“Me too, Abbie. I’m sorry. Forgive me?”

Vin and Abbie looked at each other, both confused. Then it hit Vin and he knew what Buck had meant, and he started to laugh from deep inside of himself. Buck’s head snapped to attention. He’d never heard Vin let loose like that before. What had gotten into him? This was going to be bad.

Abbie had reached out to take Hannah’s hand to ask her what they were talking about.  Hannah was blushing furiously, and then, Abbie knew. She laughed too.

“They don’t look upset,” Buck whispered loudly to Hannah, feeling somewhat relieved.

Vin struggled to regain his composure.

“Abbie - why don’t you and Hannah do your mornin’ stuff? Buck and I will tear down the camp.”


“I’ve never seen Vin act so happy,” Hannah told Abbie as they walked to the creek.

“Me neither,” Abbie admitted as they stopped at the creek’s edge.

“About last night, Abbie. I know I owe you an explanation..”

Hannah was surprised when Abbie hugged her tight.

“No you don’t because if you explained, I’d have to, and I don’t know if I have one. You see, I was with Vin all last night. When I came in for the night yesterday, you and Buck were sitting together in the old rocking chair, and you were kissing and stuff. I didn’t want to disturb you so I changed and went back outside to be with Vin. I really wanted to be with him. And I was. Just like you were with Buck.”

They both smiled widely at each other.

“Was it wonderful for you? Because it was for me. Buck is everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a man. He’s my knight in shining armor. He’s strong and handsome and gentle and caring and funny and so wonderful…”

“I know the feeling. I feel the same way about Vin. It was pretty wonderful. And now, I’m going to strip and take a quick bath,” she declared as she took off her nightie and jumped in. The cold water made her catch her breath, but it felt good to wash the sweat from her body. Hannah followed suit. However, they didn’t dare stay in too long in case the men came looking for them.


“Bucklin, I ain’t shore what ta do with you,” Vin chuckled again as he started to make his bedroll up.

“I guess I deserve what ya want ta give me,” Buck told him.

Vin looked at him as he tied the roll tightly and set it against the wagon wheel. He made sure the fire was out, then moved over to his friend.

“She warn’t there,” Vin stated as he headed for the corral to check on the horses. Buck followed him.

“Well I know’d she warn’t there. That’s why I’m apologizn’” Buck stated indignantly.

“ I meant Abbie was with me all night. She warn’t in the cabin. There ain’t nuthin to be sorry for, Buck.”

Buck opened his mouth to say something as he gave a startled look at Vin, turned to look back at the horses, then turned to Vin and was still speechless.

“You did it? You ‘n Ms. Abbie? You???” he finally sputtered out.

“And what’s wrong with that?” Vin asked with an arched eyebrow, not sure to be upset or not.

Buck hastened to explain his remark. “I know’d ya really care about Ms. Abbie. Any fool can see that. But after Ms. Charlotte. I know’d a man has needs ‘n all, but ya don’t take yer needs out on women such as Ms. Abbie. The Ms. Abbie’s are keepers. Aw hell, Vin, what I mean is that after Ms. Charlotte, we all figgered that you would just satisfy yer needs with another kind ‘o lady.”

Vin nodded his understanding of what Buck had said. He decided not to make a comment.

Buck wasn’t sure how to take that.

“You ain’t gonna desert Ms. Abbie when we get to Four Corners are ya? I mean, you do know’d they’s goin’ to Four Corners?”

“I know,” he stated simply. “I ain’t sure what’s gonna happen when we get to Four Corners.”

Buck realized he’d have to take that for an answer. But he knew Vin. Vin always did what was right. And Vin would do what was right for him and Ms. Abbie.

His thoughts turned to Hannah, and he felt himself go warm inside. He propped his boot on the bottom rail of the fence. Here he was, ragging on Vin about his intentions to Ms. Abbie. And he didn’t know himself what his intentions were to Ms. Hannah. Just thinking of her name filled him with happiness and the knowledge that just hearing her voice or seeing her face would fill him with joy.

“Vin?”

The man looked at him.

“Did you love Ms. Charlotte?”

Now where was he going with this?

Buck quickly put up his hand because he sensed that Vin wanted to let loose on him.

“I know’d how ya feel about tellin’ yer private thoughts. But I have all these conflicting feelin’s for Hannah. If you loved Charlotte, how’d ya know? I mean ya know me. I like the women, and I like bein’ with the women, and I shore ain’t never thought I’d ever want to park my boots permanent like with any woman…but Ms. Hannah…she’s something special. So do ya mind answerin’ ma question?”

Vin stared unseeingly at the horses. Memories of his short time with Charlotte went through his head. Not all of them were pleasant memories though. And now Buck, of all people, was asking his advice. Buck had more experience with women than any of them had. And that very same Buck was asking him for wisdom. Buck would laugh if he knew how little experience he’d actually had with women. But he felt honored that Buck would trust him enough to ask him what he thought. He deserved an answer.

“I loved Charlotte,” Vin told Buck softly. “I guess I know’d I loved her because it was a different feelin’ from any I’d ever had around a woman. I just wanted to be around her and touch her. I woulda followed her to the ends of the earth even though I know’d it was wrong ta do. It was right that she stayed with her husband.”

Buck nodded, aware of the gift Vin had bestowed on him by sharing a very private part of himself.

“I guess what I’m tryin’ to say is that you just know because it’s so different from what you usually feel when you’re with a woman.”

“I think I need to chew on that for a time,” Buck admitted, “But right now I need coffee.”

“I’ll get it goin’. Abbie should be up soon to fix breakfast. We need to hit the trail. We’re burning daylight.”

Buck just nodded as Vin headed for the cabin.


Vin stoked the fire and put the coffee on to boil. Abbie and Hannah slipped in. Abbie threw a warming smile his way, and he felt it just wrap around him. She started to fix their breakfast while Hannah began to pack up everything. Buck came in at that point, and helped Hannah carry things out to the wagon. He then bandaged Hannah’s shoulder after letting them all know that it was healing well and shouldn’t be giving her any more problems. They ate in silence, cleaned the cabin, washed up the dishes, and made ready to leave.

Buck and Hannah had carried the last load out. Abbie looked around the cabin to make sure that they had everything and were leaving it the way they’d found it.

“Ready?” Vin asked her, as he stood by the door. Ever since she’d left his embrace, he’d felt a distance from her even though she smiled frequently at him. Had he only imagined their closeness?

She turned wistful eyes his way.

“This is going to sound silly, but I was just standing here wishing that we never had to leave this place. It turned out to be a very special place, Vin.”

“To me too,” he told her as he hurried over to her and hugged her close. She responded by holding him tightly. No - the closeness was still there. “Maybe some day the two a us could come back.”

“I’d like that,” she told him truthfully.

He captured her mouth with his and thoroughly ravaged it. If they didn’t have to leave, he had a feeling this would have been the start of another session of love.

“Come on. We need to go,” he told her huskily, loathe to break away from her.

She stood on tiptoe and kissed him quickly.

“Okay. Now I’m ready.”


Hannah tucked the last pot away, and stood at the back of the wagon.

“Do you need some help down, little lady?” Buck asked her as he held his hands up to her. Of course she didn’t, but who could resist that look he was giving her.

“Why yes, kind sir. I do believe that would be most helpful,” she said, giving him permission to grasp her around her waist and lift her down.

“Now I think that I should get payment for helpin’ ya down,” he told her with a little boy smile.

“Oh? And what would that payment be?” she flirted blatantly.

He appeared to think real hard on it.

“I think that a kiss should cover it.”

“I just happen to have a few of those laying around,” she giggled as she moved closer to him and moved suggestively against him.

“Now Darlin’, we cain’t have none ‘o that!” he scolded with a wink.

Because he knew if she rubbed anymore against him, he would be mightily embarrassed when Ms. Abbie and Vin came out of the cabin. To distract her, he started to kiss those delectable lips of hers. And of course, this meant that he lost track of everything, but the woman in his arms.


“So Buck, ya gonna help me hitch up the horses?” Vin asked rather loudly as he slapped him on the back, which caused him to jump sky high.

Buck whirled around.

”I keep tellin’ ya to quit sneakin’ up on me like that. I swear, Ms. Abbie, one a these days, I’m gonna shoot him!”

Abbie was trying very hard not to laugh.

“Please don’t, Buck. I kinda like him.” And she batted her eyes at him.

That made them all laugh. The men went to hitch up the horses to the wagon, and then they saddled their horses. Buck helped Hannah up to the wagon seat. Vin followed suit with Abbie.

“Buck, I’m gonna ride ahead and scout around ta make sure things are okay.”

“I’ll stick close to the ladies,” Buck promised.

Vin smiled at both ladies, tipped his hat, and galloped off. Abbie slapped the reins across the horses’ back, and the wagon took off with a lurch. She had volunteered to drive, not wanting any strain to be put on Hannah’s shoulders.

Hannah and Buck chatted about inconsequential things as they rode along the road. Every now and then, Abbie commented on something, but was fairly certain that Buck and Hannah only saw each other. However, she was aware that a part of Buck was always alert to what was going on around them.


Vin saw nothing amiss as he did his scouting, thus doubled back to find the ladies and Buck. He chose to keep himself hidden though. He desperately wanted to get a hold of the feelings that were inside of him and come to some sort of conclusion.

First, the facts: he thought that Abigail Stewart was a most remarkable woman. She could cook and clean. She was beautiful and gentle and caring. She had a most pleasing personality. She accepted him for what he was and appeared to support his efforts to clear his name. When he hugged her, they fit together well. When they were naked in bed, loving each other, he felt as if the sun, the moon, and the stars were all rolled into one and she was giving them all to him. She was smart and sophisticated and was a teacher. Abbie was brave, setting out with her only friend in the world to start a new life in some unknown town. She would make any man proud to have her by his side.

He frowned as he thought of the bad stuff next. He could get killed at any time by some trigger happy bounty hunter. He’d been a wanderer all his life, never staying in one place for very long - that is until he’d found a place with Chris and the other peacekeepers. Mary was teaching him to read, but he still wasn’t too good at it. He couldn’t even write his name. He hadn’t told Abbie that. What would she think with all the book learnin’ that she had?

So he came to the conclusion that she truly deserved someone much better than him. What could he offer her? He lived out of a wagon himself. He didn’t own much of anything. He didn’t have much money. Most of what he owned was carried with him. He couldn’t picture any of the other peacekeepers with her, but he knew that they’d swarm around her like bees to honey. There were men in town that had money and no ties. He knew that Seth, at the general store, would make a good husband for her. And Reese was working over at the bank - why he’d make a good choice too.

Before he realized he was doing it, he was shaking his head at that stupid idea. When he did realize it, Vin gave a rueful chuckle. How in God’s name could he just let her walk away from him to one of those other men? How could he stand to watch another man hold her hand, or stroll down the street with her on his arm? And how, knowing that he was the first man to sample her love, could he live with the fact that another man might lay with her.

He knew that she’d be better off without him. He knew that she could do much better than him. He knew that she should have the riches of the world bestowed on her. But the simple fact was that he loved her, more than he’d ever loved any other woman. More than he had loved Charlotte. Abbie filled up the holes inside of him. He knew that he could be better with her by his side. With Abbie, he’d felt peace for the first time in his life.

Nodding his head, he urged Peso forward. Suddenly he had to be near her again.


Abbie had been scanning the horizon, wondering when Vin would return to the group. So she wasn’t surprised when she saw him sitting on his horse further ahead of them on the road.

“Bout time ya came back, pardner,” Buck told him. Anythin’”?

“Nope. It looks pretty quiet. I don’t expect ta have any trouble,” he said as he fell in next to Buck, having already been warmed by Abbie’s welcoming smile.

“That’s good news,” Buck told him.

“Why ya got a purple hat, Buck?” Vin asked him, knowing full well why he did. He also knew how much Buck loved his hat, and the tease in him wanted to remind Buck of his misdeed yesterday.

“I ain’t got no purple hat,” Buck told him.

“Did ya tell yer hat that?” Vin questioned innocently. “Cause it shore looks purple ta me.”

Buck grabbed the hat off his head. He had been hoping that the blackberry stains had faded a bit in the sun, but nope - they were still quite visable.

“Ya can hardly see um,” Buck stated as he pushed the hat back on his head.

Vin appeared to carefully study the hat. Buck didn’t even look at him.

“I don’t see how you’ll be able to face Four Corners again with a hat lookin’ like that,” Vin nodded sadly.

Abbie and Hannah has seen the twinkle in Vin’s eyes when he’d started on Buck about his hat. They were softly giggling behind their hands through the entire exchange.

“Mah hat is jest fine!” Buck stated firmly as he kicked his horse’s side and took off at a gallop.


Vin looked at the ladies and gave them a triumphant wink, to which they giggled.

“You ladies doin’ okay?” he asked the two of them.

“We’re fine, Vin. Do you think you should try to catch up with him?” Hannah asked, a little worried.

“I’ll ride up a ways, but I don’t want to get too far ahead a you. He’ll be fine, Ms. Hannah. Don’t you fret ‘bout it.”

And he trotted off ahead of them, but they could still see him.


Makin’ fun of his hat! Well, he’d just see about that! Buck was fuming over Vin’s teasing. He had a feeling that Vin wasn’t going to let this one go. He shoulda known better not to leave Abbie on her own. It was a lesson he wouldn’t soon forget, and Vin was determined to make sure of that. Part of that, he knew, was because Vin had some strong feelings for that lady. He’d seen it written all over Vin’s face, heard it in his voice, and saw it before his eyes last night. He’d been with her all night. Maybe there was some hope for happiness for that boy yet.

And if he thought about Abbie, quickly his thoughts turned to the sweet Hannah who had his insides all twisted. He didn’t know what was coming over him. No woman had ever affected him this strongly before. Oh sure, on occasion he would think that the woman he had just slept with would be nice to wake up to for the next few mornings, but he’d never thought that he’d ever meet just one woman who he’d want to wake up next to every morning for the rest of his life.

He smiled as he thought about his night with Hannah…and how she’d just known, somehow, what to do to please him. He was glad that she had such a sense of fun and that she seemed to love to laugh. He liked her loyalty to Abbie and how the two of them always worked as a team. He liked her sense of adventure and her willingness to try new things. She appeared to like listening to his stories and encouraged him to talk about himself and what his life was like. He also had a feeling that once she knew Chris and Mary, she would not rest until she had the two of them together.

Hannah had every personality trait that he loved in a woman. So what did all this mean? If Vin had known he was in love with Charlotte because it was different with her, than maybe what he was feeling was love for Hannah. She was certainly making him think of things he’d never thought of before - had never wanted before.

But could he be with only one woman for the rest of his life? Could he give up all the other ladies in Four Corners? When he traveled, would he be able to resist all the ladies that seemed to want his attention? He turned in his saddle and looked back at the wagon. The object of his thoughts saw him do this and waved at him. He gave her a big wave back as he immediately felt the want to hurry back to her side. He was definitely too far away from her.

“I ain’t never felt this way before!” he said to himself as he turned his horse and stopped and watched the wagon get closer to him. “I must be in love!” he stated in awe.


Vin trotted up to him,  “You okay pardner? You look like ya swallowed a fly.”

Buck turned his horse back around. He and Vin were about 100 feet in front of the wagon.

“Do ya think I might have problems stayin’ with one woman?”

“Well, you have been with quite a few. They seem ta flock to ya - must be that animal magnetism you’re always talkin’ ‘bout.”

“I do like women,” Buck smiled. “That’s why I was wonderin’ if I could be with just one for the rest of my life.”

Vin thought on it for a few moments, not sure how to say what he felt Buck should hear.

“Did ya ever stop to really think on how you was brought up?” Vin asked.

“Yeah - it was rite special,” Buck smiled at the remembrance of his mother. “My ma was a saint.”

Vin took his cue from Buck, knowing he had to tread carefully.

“You was raised ta think that it was normal to fulfill your needs with a lot of different women. Mosta us was raised with the notion ya grow up, find that special lady, and then get married and let that one woman be everythin’ to us. So I can see why you’re wonderin’ if you can be with one woman.”

“My ma did her best,” Buck wanted to make sure that Vin understood.

“And she done good. You’re a good man, Buck. I ain’t sayin’ her way is wrong. I’m just sayin’ that I know why you’re wonderin’ that.”

Buck nodded his head.

“Do ya think I can? Stay with one woman?”

“I think only you can decide on that. I think if you want it bad enough, you can do anythin’ includin’ stayin’ with one woman.”

Buck just nodded his head, knowing he had to think on it some more. But what Vin said made sense.

“It’s gonna be dark in a couple hours. I’m goin’ huntin’ for supper. I’ll meet back with ya further down the trail.”

“And Buck?”

“Yeah, Vin?”

“It’s purple,” he laughed as he kicked Peso and off Vin went.

Buck just shook his head. Vin wasn’t going to let this go! He decided that he should wait for the ladies to catch up with him. They’d gotten a late start this morning, so they’d be one more day on the trail before they arrived in Four Corners.


“Wonder what they’re talking about?” Hannah asked Abbie when Vin joined up with Buck and they started to ride side by side. Hannah had been in hopes that Buck would rejoin them.

“Who’s to say? I’d like them to be talking about us, but they’re probably discussing their favorite fishing hole or something,” she giggled.

“What happens when we get to Four Corners, Abbie?”

Abbie had been gazing at Vin, deciding that he cut a fine figure on a horse.

“I guess we find the judge and find out where we’re going to live…clean the place up…get some food - stuff like that.”

“You’re always so practical,” Hannah commented, then giggled, “I meant with Buck and Vin. Do we go our separate ways, only seeing them when we pass on the street? Or will they want to see us all the time?”

“Oh,” Abbie said in a small voice. “I don’t know. Vin and I didn’t talk about that. We talked about how special it had been. We talked about our lives. We talked a little about Four Corners, but only what the town is like. We didn’t talk about relationships or anything.”

“Buck said he wasn’t seeing anyone special, but what if there is some lady who thinks she is special to him? What if he’s been seeing someone casually or something?”

“It could be the same way with Vin, too. I don’t know how to answer that. And I don’t know how to ask him.”

“Me neither,” she said, “But I think that I love my knight in shining armor.”

“You’ve picked a good man to love, Hannah. I think that Buck has strong feelings for you too. I’m sure that he will want to keep seeing you when we get to Four Corners. As for him seeing other ladies, I bet that he is popular. He’s so outgoing and all.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Hannah looked stricken.

“Hannah…you said he told you that he wasn’t seeing anyone special. Therefore, he didn’t leave anyone behind pining for him to come back home. I know he really cares for you. I am sure he will want to be around you,” Abbie told her, hoping that made her feel better.

It must have because Hannah smiled. “When you put it that way, I do feel much better. So what about Vin?”

“He acted like it was all real special to him. But I’m just so ignorant in the ways of men. I know what I’m wishing for. I’m wishing that when we get to Four Corners they have this nice little house waiting for us. I’m wishing that I have lots of students in my school, and that you can start taking in seamstress work. I’m wishing that Buck comes courting for you, and that Vin does the same with me. I guess I’m wishing for one of those fairy tale endings where we live happily ever after.”

“I like what you’re wishing. I want all that too. So do you love him?” Hannah asked, nodding toward Vin.

“I think I do,” she said softly as she watched him wheel his horse away from Buck. He said something and laughed before he headed away from them again. “He’s like no one I’ve ever met before. I feel so safe when he’s standing by me.”

“Yeah, I feel that way about Buck, too. Oh, here he comes,” Hannah stated, knowing that girl talk was over.

“Ladies,” Buck said, touching the brim of his hat.

“Where did Vin take off to?” Abbie asked him.

“He thought we might like some fresh meat for supper, so he’s off to get some.”

Abbie nodded her head.


It wasn’t long after that when Vin arrived back with a couple rabbits slung across his saddle. They halted travel for the night. The men unhitched the horses and tied them close by. Buck soon had a campfire going. Vin skinned and dressed the rabbits, and soon had them roasting over the fire. Abbie put together some biscuits and heated some beans. Hannah realized that even though she was sick of beans, they tasted very good out in the open air as she sat next to Buck.

As darkness closed around them, Vin pulled out his harmonica and started to play some tunes. Buck put his arm around Hannah and pulled her close into his side. He sighed in contentment. After a day in the saddle, it was nice to have this woman at his side.

Abbie tucked her legs underneath her and leaned against a large rock as she watched Vin play. She wondered where his thoughts were as the music came from the instrument. And did he only know lonely sounding songs? Was that the way his life had been up till now?

Vin enjoyed sitting in this group of people, having this time away from Four Corners. He missed Chris, but he wouldn’t trade anything for this time with this group. Reluctantly, he put the harmonica away. He definitely wanted to get an earlier start in the morning so they could be in Four Corners by late afternoon.

“I think we need to call it a night,” he announced. “Hannah - I think that you should sleep in the wagon tonight. You don’t need to be sleeping on hard ground with that shoulder of yours.”

Vin stood and picked up his bedroll.

“We’ll be up on that hill if you need us afore morning,” Vin said as he held his hand down to Abbie and helped her up.

Buck and Hannah watched them walk away.

“I guess this means that I can stay in the wagon tonight if you’ll have me,” Buck smiled down at Hannah.

In reply, she kissed the lips that were just above her face. Buck quickly stood up, helped her stand up, then swooped her up in his arms and carried her to the wagon.


Vin and Abbie silently walked up the hill. Abbie thought she knew why he wanted to be up here. When she looked up at the sky, the stars seemed closer. Being in nature seemed important to him, and she didn’t mind that. He spread his blankets on the ground and turned to her.

He wrapped his arms around her and slowly kissed her.

“I wanted to do that all day,” he softly spoke in her ear.

“And I’ve wanted you to do that all day,” she replied.

“I guess I shoulda asked you if ya wanted to be with me tonight before I carted you up here.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” she told him as she started to unbutton buttons.


As Buck pulled out of her, Hannah was reluctant to turn him loose, so she kept her arms around him and rolled onto his chest. She grinned impishly down at him.

Buck just groaned and wrapped his arms around her and started to kiss her all over again.


Vin liked the feel of Abbie in his arms. He didn’t think that this was something that he would ever get tired of.

“Abbie, this is darn near perfect. I’ve got the stars above me, and I’ve got your warmth next to me,” he told her as he kissed her sweet mouth.

“Yes, it is darn near perfect,” she agreed with him as she burrowed further into his shoulder.

“Today while I was out ridin’, I was thinkin’ about what’s gonna happen when we get to Four Corners.”

“I was thinking about that today too, Vin,” she told him.

Vin was suddenly nervous. He felt like he had made a life changing decision.

“I know in my heart that I might not be the best man for ya. There are lots a men in town that would be a lot better for you. But I don’t think that any of those men can offer you what I can offer you.”

Abbie pulled away from him so she could see his face. The moonlight illuminated the intense look that was there.

“What can you offer me, Vin?”

He cleared his throat.

“I ain’t got many worldly goods, so I can’t offer ya much that way. But I can offer you my heart. I love you Abbie. I think I did from the first moment I saw ya fightin with that outlaw. I’m askin’ if I can court you when we get to Four Corners. But before you answer me, I gots to tell you one more thing about me. This might be important to you since you’re a teacher ‘n all.”

“What’s that, Vin?”

“I can’t read too well, and I can’t write my letters at all. I ain’t never had no one to teach me until Ms. Mary came along. She’s just started to teach me how to read, but maybe I could talk ya into takin’ over for her.”

Abbie’s heart had almost stopped when Vin had told her that he loved her. But she could see the worried look go across his face. She wasn’t surprised to find out he couldn’t read or write. If he’d left home at 10, and had only worked in the fields before that, when would he have had the time to learn?

“I would be honored to teach you how to read and write, Vin. I would also be honored to have you court me when we get to Four Corners. As far as I’m concerned, you are the best man for me and I don’t want to hear anymore foolish talk against that. I love you too, you see,” she told him softly, as she caressed his cheek.

Instantly, the worry on his face was gone as a happy smile replaced it. He reached for her, knowing that he’d never have to be without a home again.


Buck had just about been ready to fall asleep. His arms were wrapped tightly around Hannah, and he was feeling mighty satisfied in the loving department. Then he heard a soft,

“Buck?”

“What, Darlin’?” he asked as he cuddled even closer against her warmth.

“Tomorrow, when we get to Four Corners, what’s going to happen?”

“Now I told ya not to worry none ‘bout that. The townspeople are gonna love ya. You’ll do your seamstressin’ and have lotsa customers. It’s gonna be okay.”

“I wasn’t worried about that, Buck. I meant about you and I. Will I get to see much of you after we arrive? I know that it’s not lady like to ask a man something like that, I expect…”

He kissed the top of her head. In the past, if any woman had bothered to ask him this, he would reassure her that of course she would see lots of him. A lot of times, he meant it when he said it, but then some new lady would come through town, or one of his past lovers would give him that special smile, and he’d lose his head and forget whatever promises he had made. And he knew he made those promises, knowing he’d probably break them. But with Hannah he was finding that he didn’t want to lie to her. She was so innocent.

“No, it’s flatterin’ you askin’ me that. You don’t got to worry none ‘bout that either. I’m a peacekeeper, so I’m always close by. And I plan on showin’ up on your doorstep most nights,” he said by way of reassurance.

Hannah pulled away from him.

“So you’d want to keep seeing me? You’re not just saying that. Because if you are, I’d want to know the truth.”

Buck’s large hand reached out to her and caressed her hair as he looked into her eyes. He had a feeling that he’d never get tired of that face.

“I’m tellin’ ya the truth, Hannah. You’re one lady I ain’t gonna lie to. Swear. You will see a lot of me. I want to keep on seein’ ya. After all, ain’t I yer knight in shinin’ armor?”

She believed him. So reassured, she snuggled back against him.

“Yes you are. My first and only one,” she said into his shoulder.

He kept stroking her hair until he could tell that she had drifted off. However, now he was wide awake, and he knew that it would be awhile before he drifted off. The images of all his women were in his head, haunting him. He cared for all of them, and knew they felt the same about him. He also knew that none of them were expecting anything from him. Was that how he wanted to live out his life? Going from woman to woman? But could he stay with just one until the day he died? The woman in his arms was special. That much he knew. He thought over all that Vin had told him today.

He had a feeling that Vin had met the woman that he could make a home with. Nope, ole Vin wouldn’t be leaving Four Corners anytime soon. Buck was happy for the tracker. More than any of them, he was the one that deserved happiness with a special woman. And maybe if Vin settled down, Chris would give it more serious thought with Mary Travis. That woman had the patience of Job as far as Chris was concerned, but he wasn’t sure how long she was willing to wait for the serious gunfighter. That would be a good match too. Nathan had a lndian lady that he loved and would probably marry one day. J.D. was too young to get hitched. So that left him, Ezra, and Joshia.

Heck! They could worry about their own selves. How was he going to solve the dilemma that he was in? Vin had given him good advice. Hannah was one special, loving, caring lady. Any man would be proud to have her. And if he didn’t keep his promise to her, he had a feeling that there were quite a few men in town who would be more than happy to take his place.

Yes, Hannah was different, all right. She would never have the personality of the working ladies. She would never be sophisticated like Ezra’s mother. But she was sweet and adorable and seemed to think that she cared about his scruffy ole hide.

But could he be with just one lady for the rest of his life? He always came back to that one question. He had to decide this. And he had to decide it soon.

The sky was just beginning to turn from night to dawn when Buck finally drifted off into a troubled sleep.


Hannah woke, still snuggled in Buck’s arms.  She smiled to herself as she looked his way.  He was so wonderful.  Just gazing at him made her heartbeat quicken.  He was most definitely, the man of her dreams.  Leaning over, she started kissing his chest.  Buck’s eyes slowly opened as he felt the butterfly kisses scattered over his upper chest.  His eyes felt heavy.  He hadn’t gotten much sleep, so it would be a long day.  He gazed down at the top of Hannah’s head, and he could feel her working her magic over him, as his body came alive at her touch.  She was so gloriously beautiful!  As she moved up his chest, he took her fully in his arms and made love to her.  He was certain he would never be able to get his fill of this sweet woman..and that, in itself, should tell him something!

As their bodies slowed, Hannah looked down into Buck’s eyes.  Her heart was in her throat.  “Oh Buck, I…..” then she froze.  Twenty questions flew through her head at once. Should she tell him she loved him?  What if he wasn’t ready to hear that?  What if it was a mistake?  What if telling him how she felt scared him off?

“Yes Darlin’?”  He’d seen the confusion cross her face.

“It..our..our loving is so special.”

He had a feeling that wasn’t what she’d been about to say to him at all.  He didn’t think their loving being special, was what she’d been about to discuss with him.  The confusion was still on her face, and he leaned near to kiss her waiting lips.

“Yes Darlin’, our lovin is very special.  Fact is, I ain’t never felt the way I feel with you in my arms!”  Buck was surprised at his own admission.  He suddenly felt flustered.  He needed to get up and pull his thoughts together.  In less than half a day, they would be in Four Corners.  “Come on Darlin’, day lites a wastin’!”  He sat up pulling on his clothes.  Hannah wondered at his abruptness, but she pushed it aside.  Maybe he was just worried that Vin would find him being lazy.


Vin woke to the beautiful colors of dawn.  For a moment, he lay still, savoring the wonderful feelings he got from holding the woman he loved in his arms.  Today they would reach Four Corners, and everyone would be totally amazed that he had decided to court someone.  Most had figured he had given up on women after Charlotte.  Even he had thought that he had.  But it had taken some time and a woman named Abigail Stewart, to prove to him he could love again.  He felt her stir at his side, and he leaned near to kiss her up turned face.  Her eyes opened to take him in. 

“Good mornin’.  Are you ready to travel the last few miles to your new home?  We should arrive there early afternoon.”  Abbie smiled sleepily.  “Oh yes, with you by my side, I can conquer the world!”  She kissed him, then propped her chin on the back of her hand that was lying on his chest.  Looking into his eyes, she nearly whispered, “Funny, I was so worried when we started out on this journey.  But my entire attitude has changed, as well as my life!  And it’s all because of a quiet tracker from Texas, that happened by, and saved my life!”  She softly kissed his lips and for a moment, just lay in his arms.

She hated to leave this quiet spot.  She knew that the day would soon be starting. She moved against him, and Vin could feel his body come alive at just one touch.  In only seconds she had enfolded him in her body, and he never wanted to leave that wonderful place of love.

The sun was on its ascent into the sky when Vin began rolling up his blankets.  He hadn’t meant to take so long getting up.  But Abbie was hard to resist!  Chris was bound to accuse him of getting soft, if he learned he wasn’t up until the sun had fully broke the horizon!  But these last few hours before they reached Four Corners would be the end of their “alone” time.  Once in town, everyone would be there wanting to meet the new teacher and see what she was all about.  He sort of hated to let go of her, even if it was for only a little while.


Buck had the coffee going when Vin and Abbie walked up to the wagon holding hands.

“Mornin’!  Sleep well?”

“Very well Buck!  And you and Hannah?”  Abbie was all smiles as she looked his way.

“As well as two opossums snuggled in a knot hole!”

Vin burst out laughing at Buck’s words, and Abbie just shook her head.  Buck was still startled to hear the laughter come so freely from Vin.  This woman was certainly good for his friend.

Hannah poked her head out of the back of the wagon.  “What am I missing out there?  You three are having entirely too much fun!”  She smiled, as Buck reached up to help her down.

“Did you and Buck sleep in a knot hole last night, Hannah?”

She looked confused.  “I don’t think so!”  She gazed up at Buck since she was still standing in his arms.  He’d been reluctant to let her go after helping her down.

“Buck was saying that the two of you slept very well, just like two opossums in a knot hole!”  Abbie laughed.

“Oh, I see!”  Hannah looked back at Buck.  “Well, I don’t know about sleeping in a knot hole, but the wagon was very cozy!”  She stood on tiptoes and kissed his lips.  They lingered over the kiss, and Vin cleared his throat.

“Uh, we, uh.. need to eat and head out!  You two keep this up, and we won’t make Four Corners today neither!”

Buck laughed again.  “Ya know, he’s probably rite!  Let’s git movin’!”  After another smile his way, Hannah turned to help Abbie throw together some breakfast, and Buck swatted her on the rear.

Hannah turned and quickly reprimanded him.  “Now Buck…mind your manners!”  She grinned, letting him know that she wasn’t upset.

“But Darlin’, I jist cain’t help myself!”  He winked at her, as she turned once more towards the fire.

“We haven’t got enough flour to put together another batch of biscuits.  But there are a few left from last night.”  Abbie announced as she looked around at their meager supplies.

“That’ll be enough.  I think I have some beef jerky to go along with ‘em.  When we git to Four Corners, we can git a full meal at Ezra’s!  I’m shore they’ll all be wantin’ to eat and git to know you two ladies!”  Vin smiled as he pulled a pouch out of his saddlebag, handing it to Abbie.

 “I hope they like what they see!”  Abbie looked his way.

“They will Darlin’!  Don’t neither a you two go worrin’ none bout that!”


Before long they had eaten and were ready to travel the last few miles of their trip.  Vin and Buck hitched up the horses and saddled their own mounts.

The men rode a little ways ahead of the wagon for awhile. Vin was about to go do his usual scouting up ahead, when he glanced over towards his friend.  He seemed to be deep in thought.

“You come to any decisions bout Miss Hannah?  Ya look like you’re way out there somehwheres!”

Buck sighed and glanced back over his shoulder.  They weren’t that far ahead of the wagon, and he could see the two ladies talking to one another.

“I still ain’t shore Vin!  Been thinkin’ on them lines we talked bout yesterday.  I know my Ma done all she could fer me a fore she died.  Her life style weren’t like most.  You was rite.  I guess I jist ain’t never found someone that I thought I’d want to have round me all the time.  A woman that I’d want to wake up with every day fer the rest a my life!  But ya know, this mornin’, when I woke up and she was all warm there beside me, I had these feelin’s that went through me.  Don’t think I’d ever git enough of that sweet little lady!  There ain’t another one like her any where!  At least not that I found!  It’s a scary thing to make a decision to park ma boots ‘neath someone’s bed!  I ain’t never done it a fore!”

Vin felt for his friend.  He knew that Buck was really having a hard time with this.  He also knew that he could probably talk from now until a month of Sunday’s had passed, and it wouldn’t make any difference what he said.  Buck had to make the decision on his own, or he wouldn’t be happy with it. 

“It’s scary.”  Vin smiled.  “But ya know, I told Abbie that I loved her last nite!  That was jist ‘bout as scary!”

That made Buck snap out of his pondering.  He swung around to look at Vin.  “You did what?”  The look that he sent Vin’s way was one of shock, but a slow smile played around his mouth as he watched the expressions play across his friend’s face.  He could tell that he was very happy.

“I told Abbie that I loved her!  I also told her that I wanted to court her!”

“Court her?”  Buck looked startled.  “Court her…….I hadn’t thought a that!”  The wheels started turning in his head.  Why hadn’t he thought far enough ahead to come up with this idea?

“Yeah, ya know, take her places,  pick her flowers, take her little gifts, spend time together, just me and her.  You know how to do that.  Or ain’t ya never courted no one a fore?”   Vin suddenly had a feeling he knew what Buck’s answer would be.  No wonder he was having such a problem with this.  Here he’d thought Buck had all this experience with women.  Maybe he did have experience, but maybe he wasn’t as knowledgeable as everyone thought.

“Well, no!  Spent a lot a time with women, but ain’t never courted one!  That ain’t usually what’s on ma mind when I’m thinkin’ bout a woman.  I’m thinkin’ how good it’ll…”

“That’s okay Bucklin!”  Vin held up a hand in his direction, smiling all the while. “Ya ain’t gotta tell me the details!  I know what’s usually on yer mind when a woman’s around!  But ya already admitted that Miss Hannah is different from all them others ladies ya spent time with.  You could court her, an if’n it didn’t work out, you could always change yer mind. What ‘cha got to lose?  Ya ain’t gonna know till ya tried!  But deep down ya already know Buck!  Miss Hannah and Miss Abbie are both very special ladies.  You and me, we ain’t that special!  But these two ladies think we are!  I’m some lowly tracker from Texas with a price on ma head!  Sure I’m a Peacekeeper, but that’s bout all I got goin’ fer me!  And you, movin’ round from place to place, ain’t found somewhere till now, to stay fer awhile.  Lots a women in your life to enjoy, but ain’t one no more special then the other.  Ain’t you ever wanted to settle down with someone and raise a family?  Have somethin’ real special with someone?  You member how special it was ‘tween Chris and his wife and their son, Adam?”

Buck frowned.  “Yeah, but he ain’t got that no more!”

“True, but he could have it again if’n he’d let himself!  Ya know Mary loves him!  She jist gotta convince him she’s what he needs!”

Buck looked ahead of them and then back over his shoulder towards Hannah, stretching his tall frame in the saddle.  “Maybe you’re rite Vin.”

“I’m gonna go scout up a ways, you think on it some!  We’ll be in Four Corners a fore supper time!  I plan on lettin’ ‘em all know Miss Abbie ain’t theirs fer the takin!”  At that he kicked his horse lightly and headed off up the dirt path.

Buck watched him go.  He’d done it again.  Vin had talked more in the last ten minutes about himself, then he’d heard him talk in a month!  Buck smiled.  It had taken a lot for him to do all that talking.  He had a feeling that Vin knew more about women then he thought he did!  At least the ones that counted!


Abbie had a smile on her face that had been there since climbing into the wagon seat.  She couldn’t get her mind off her time with Vin.

“You know, I’m aware that our new lives are going to be wonderful, but you haven’t stopped smiling since we started off today!  Is there something you aren’t telling me?”  She didn’t answer her.  “Abbie…Abbie…are you listening to me?”

“What?”  She realized that Hannah had been talking to her.  She nearly laughed aloud.  “I’m sorry Hannah.  I’m just so happy!  Everything looks so much more beautiful today!  The sky is a shade bluer, the birds are singing sweeter, there are no clouds in the sky, and I’m in love Hannah!  In love with a man like none I’ve ever met before!”

Hannah smiled. She believed that Abbie would have jumped up and shouted if they hadn’t been on a moving wagon!  Before she could say anything back to her, Abbie was rushing on.  “And he told me last night that he loved me, and he wants to court me!  Me, Hannah!  He wants to court ME!”  Abbie had this dreamy look on her face.  Hannah wasn’t sure if she were even aware, she was driving the wagon!  Good thing the horses had no trouble putting one foot in front of the other!

As Hannah started thinking about what Abbie was saying, the smile sort of fell off of her face.  Vin had told her he loved her already?  And had told her he wanted to court her?  Vin was so quiet.  She was surprised that he had done that.  Why hadn’t Buck? He wasn’t the quiet, shy type like Vin seemed to be!  Her mind went back to that morning when she had awakened.  She’d wanted to say those three words to him, but wouldn’t because he hadn’t mentioned a thing about loving her.  What was she doing wrong?   Abbie was so thrilled, and she was happy for her…but….

Abbie realized that Hannah hadn’t said another word.  What was wrong?  She glanced her way and was shocked to see the frown on her face.  Here she was all wrapped up in her happiness, and she hadn’t noticed that there might be something wrong.

“Hannah?  What’s wrong?”  She could tell that she was looking ahead of them at Buck.  Had something happened between them that she hadn’t told her about?  She’d seemed very happy this morning.

“Abbie, I don’t know.  I’m thrilled for you.  Don’t misunderstand.  You and Vin are perfect for one another!  You couldn’t ask for a better man!  Oh, I don’t know!”  She gave her an exasperated sigh. “I guess I’m feeling a little left out here!  Buck hasn’t mentioned how he feels about me yet!”

“Hannah, you worry too much!  The man cares about you! Anyone who takes the time to look can see that!   Maybe he just isn’t one for rushing into things when it comes to matters of the heart!”

“I probably shouldn’t have done this.”  She looked down at her hands. “But last night, I asked him what would happen when we got to Four Corners.  Would he still want to see me after we got there?  I guess I’m just afraid that there’s someone waiting on him there, that he hasn’t told me about.”

“But he’s already told you there isn’t anyone special in his life!  I don’t think he’s lied to you.”  Abbie looked her way.  Hannah was looking ahead of them to where Buck and Vin were riding and talking.  Could he feel her eyes on his back?  Did he have any clue what sort of turmoil he had her best friend in?

 “He swore last night, that he wouldn’t lie to me.  That he would want to still see me once we got to Four Corners.  That he planned to show up on my doorstep most nights!”

“Then don’t fret so Hannah!  He’s not gonna trample on your heart. Give him time.  Maybe he’s never been in love before.  Maybe it’s all as new to him as it is to you!”

“Now Abbie,”  Hannah threw her a look, “Smooth talker that he is!  I think we both know he has had a lot of women before me!  I’m not so knowledgeable where men are concerned.  I don’t know how I’m supposed to be feeling, what I’m supposed to be doing here!  But Buck’s not an innocent….like… I am…..”  He voice trailed off, and Abbie glanced her way.  The frown on her face had gotten bigger if possible.

“Oh Hannah, it doesn’t matter how much you know, how many times you’ve been with a man.  It’s how you feel inside about that person.  Maybe Buck has been with a lot of women!  But having lots of women, and being in love with just one, are two different things!  He’s never found the right one….until now!   It’s gonna be all right Hannah!  You’ll see.  I think you and I are doing exactly what we’re supposed to do.  It’s all new to us, and it will all work out!”

“I almost told him this morning that I loved him.  But I wasn’t sure if I should or not.  I opened my mouth and those three words just wouldn’t come out!”

“You’ll know when the time is right.  Don’t rush it.  Let it happen, as it should.  Maybe you aren’t sure yourself and that’s why you couldn’t say it.”  Abbie reached over and slipped her arm around her shoulders.  “I have a feeling before long, a certain Mr. Buck Wilmington will be professing his love to you!”

“Oh I hope so!  I want to be as happy as you seem to be!”  Hannah hugged her.

“You will be!  I’m telling you, it’s gonna happen!”

 “I didn’t mean to spoil your happiness!”  Hannah reached up and wiped a tear from her eye.  “So tell me, how’d it happen?”  She gave her a big smile. “How’d he tell you he loved you?  What’d he say, how’d he act?”  She wanted Abbie to know that she was happy for her.

Abbie smiled, giving her friend another hug.  “It was so wonderful….”  They talked for nearly another hour before they saw Buck and Vin headed back their way.


Buck had deliberately stayed in front of the wagon so that he could make a decision.  Vin’s last words had stuck in his head. “I plan on lettin ‘em all know Miss Abbie ain’t theirs fer the takin!”  He was right.  That was what he needed to do himself.  If he didn’t let them know right up front that Hannah was taken, then all the single men in Four Corners were going to be sniffing round her doorway!  He didn’t want that to happen.  Besides, Vin had made another good point. In his heart, he knew that he wanted to settle down. He’d just never let himself think on it for very long at a time.  He wanted to have one special lady, and raise a family.  Have a place to call home instead of moving from town to town.  Four Corners was growing steadily.  He couldn’t think of no better place to settle down.  And he couldn’t think of a better lady to settle down with than Hannah McTavish.  She was everything that he wanted in a woman.  Even though it was scary to think about being with one woman and pledging his love to only her, he knew that Hannah had worked her way into a place that no other woman have ever occupied in his heart.  Yes, he loved her.  And it was time he told her.

As he turned his horse around, Vin came up on the other side of him.  “Four Corners is just over that ridge.  We’re almost home, Bucklin!”

Buck smiled his way.  “In more ways than one Vin!  In more ways than one!”  He kicked Samson in the side and the horse sprinted towards the wagon.  Vin wondered what that had been about as he hurried to catch up with him.

“Ladies.”  Buck nodded their way as he pulled up close to the wagon.  He smiled towards them both, but Abbie could see that special smile that he reserved for Hannah alone.

Vin rode up on the other side of the wagon.  “Four Corners is just over that ridge there.”  He pointed in front of them.  “Are you ready?  Last chance to turn around and head back to Willow Springs!”   He almost laughed as he looked at them both.  He knew that neither of them would ever go back to Willow Springs!

“I don’t think that’s an option, Vin!”  Abbie looked towards Hannah.  “Is it Hannah?”

“No way!  Let’s go meet everyone!  I’m excited!”  She smiled towards both men.

“Uh, Darlin’, uh, could you ride with me a spell?  I have somethin’ that I need to talk with you bout a fore we reach town.”

Abbie had stopped the wagon.  Buck was looking at Hannah intently, and she shot Abbie a questioning look.  She motioned for her to go on, and smiled.  She didn’t think that she had anything to worry about.

Buck had gotten down from his horse and helped Hannah from the wagon.  He easily scooped her up and placed her on Samson.   Then he quickly sprinted up behind her, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist.  Turning the horse, they rode away from the wagon.

Abbie glanced towards Vin.  He was watching Buck.  “Would you like to ride with me for awhile?  Since Four Corners isn’t that far away, I don’t think you need to be scouting this close to town.”  She smiled prettily towards him and he couldn’t resist that smile.

“I’d love to little lady!”  He slipped from Peso’s back and led him to the back of the wagon.  After securing him, he hurried back to the front.  “Slide over and I’ll drive them horses!”  She smiled again and handed him the reins.

In moments they were slowly moving on their way once more.   “Are ya nervous?”  Vin looked over at her, and he felt his insides clench.  She was so beautiful.

“Maybe a little!  I guess anyone would be, moving to a new town, meeting everyone, hoping they like you.”

“They’ll love you!  How many times Buck ‘n me have to tell you that?”

Abbie looked down for a moment.  “I’m sorry Vin, it just comes from the lives that we’ve lead up till now.  I am expecting things to be more than wonderful in Four Corners!  After everything that you have told me, I’m sure that Hannah and I will fit in just fine.”

“And I am gonna let all them men know that you are taken!  They ain’t gotta chance!  No need in even sniffing round your doorway!”

Abbie blushed as she looked up into his eyes.  “Oh, I don’t think there would be any of them hanging around my door!”

“Oh there would be!  I could name six or seven that wouldn’t waste a minute’s time getting’ over there!”

Abbie laughed.  “Well, don’t worry about that!  I’ve found exactly what I’m looking for!  I’m not planning to take on any new suitors!  They’ll just have to be disappointed!”

Vin smiled and reached for her hand.  He slipped it in the crook of his arm and patted it lightly.  “Oh they will be!  But I’ll be a happy man!”

For a moment she gazed ahead at the scenery.  It was hard to believe that she was almost to her new home.  “Vin, will there be a place for Hannah and I to live?”

“I ‘spect the Judge has taken care a that.  I know there’s an empty house right on the edge of town.  Ain’t nobody lived there since we’ve been in Four Corners.  It needs a little repair work, but that won’t be no problem!  The boys and me, we’ll have it fixed up fer you two in no time!  You’ll probably want some new curtains and such..you know them things a woman wants to make a house a home!”

Abbie laughed.  “Sounds like you know a little about them woman things!”

“Yeah, well my Ma, she was real picky bout her windows.  She didn’t want nobody peeking in at nite.  She was always making new curtains and such.”

“Well, Hannah can sew.  I’m sure we’ll have beautiful curtains.  And thank you in advance for offering to help us get things fixed up.  We might be able to do the woman things, but I know for a fact, neither one of us knows a thing about using a hammer and nails!”

Vin laughed.  “Well I ain’t shore, but I think I can promise there will be plenty of people round to help!  I cain’t wait to introduce you to the rest a the Peacekeepers.  Especially Chris.  He’s gonna love you!”

“I can’t wait to meet them either.  If they are your friends, then I know they’ll be mine too!”

Vin stopped the wagon on top of the rise and they looked down at the town below. 

“There it is….your new home…Four Corners!”


Buck had ridden slowly away from the wagon.  He didn’t know where to begin.  Heck, he didn’t even know how to put into words what he wanted to say to her.

Hannah was worried.  Was this where he confessed that there was someone in town that had claims on him?  That he had lied to her about not having someone special in his life?

He took a deep breath and the words just started tumbling out of his mouth.  “Hannah, a fore we git to town, I got to tell you somethin’.  I..I ain’t never done this a fore…I ain’t never found nobody I wanted to ask ….oh hell!  Hannah I love you!  Can I court you?”  There, he’d said it!

Hannah had been steeling herself for the words that she thought he was going to say.  That he loved another, that what had happened between them had been fun, and he’d enjoyed it, but it couldn’t continue once they reached Four Corners!  When his words reached her ears, she was so shocked; she nearly fell from the horse!  She turned so quickly; she nearly lost her balance. 

Buck reached out to steady her.  Her face held a shocked expression.  Buck couldn’t understand why she would look like that. 

“What….what did you just say?”  Surely she hadn’t heard him right.

“That I love you, and I want to court you!  That is okay, ain’t it?”

He looked so worried.  Hannah laughed out loud!  Turning as best she could on the horse, she threw her arms around him.  “Oh yes Buck!  Yes!”

He laughed as well.  For a second, he had been afraid that she didn’t want him.  Hugging her close, he slipped from the horse and helped her down.  There were tears slipping down her cheeks.

“Hannah, what’s wrong?”  He reached up to wipe away the tears.  His eyes were filled with worry.

“Oh Buck, I was so certain that you were going to tell me something entirely different!  I wasn’t expecting this at all!  I’m sorry, I don’t mean to cry!”

“What were ya expectin’ Darlin’?”

“For you to tell me that there was someone in Four Corners that you had neglected to tell me about.  That you really had someone there that was waiting on you!”

For a moment he thought of Inez, and Rachel, and Sally, and Audrey.  But then he pushed them aside.  None of them could hold a candle to this little lady standing in his arms.  They would be disappointed that he wouldn’t be coming around to warm their beds at night any longer.  But none of them pined after him when he was away on business for the Judge or hunting down some criminal.  He knew that they saw other men in town.  Hannah would be all his…there wouldn’t be any other men that he had to worry about.

“Darlin’ I done told you there weren’t no one special in my life!  I know most a the women in town, but ain’t a one a them that compares to you!”  He leaned down and kissed her lips.  Her arms crept back up around his neck.

“So all these women are gonna hate me for taking you away from them?”

Buck looked down into her up turned face.  “They’ll git over it!  Sides, all them single men in town are gonna hate me for riding into their midst this afternoon with a beautiful woman an informin’ ‘em that you belong ta me!  I ain’t bout to let them any where near you little lady!  They’ll know rite off who you belong too!”

He picked her up and swung her around.  Placing her back on the ground she leaned up on tiptoes and kissed him.  “You don’t have to worry.  I’m not looking for anyone else!  My knight in shinning armor will take care of all my needs!  Buck…”

“Yes Darlin’?”

“I love you and I’d be honored to have you court me!”

He smiled broadly at her, then let out a whoop that startled Samson so bad, he leaped several feet away from them!  Buck laughed as he reached for both his horse and his woman.

“Let’s go so I can introduce you to the rest of the Peacekeepers!  They’ll never believe that Buck Wilmington is in love!  Heck, even I cain’t believe it!  But I ain’t never been so happy!”   He kissed her happily again, and helped her back up onto Samson.  He soon was seated behind her and pulled her back against his chest.  They headed for the wagon that was stopped on the rise over looking town.


Down in Four Corners, “JD” Dunn , the youngest of the Peacekeepers, paced in front of the Sheriff office.  He was getting worried.  His best friend, Buck Wilmington, along with one of the other Peacekeepers, Vin Tanner, had been gone nearly three weeks.  They had been transporting a prisoner for Judge Travis.  He knew that the Judge had told them to take their time coming back, but they should have been back several days ago.  He knew that both Vin and Buck weren’t known for being lazy and shrugging off their duties.  They were as loyal to their job of Peacekeepers as the rest of the five were.  So he was beginning to think that perhaps something might have happened to them.

Chris Larabee stepped out of the office onto the boardwalk where JD was standing.  “Son, you got a bad case of the nerves today?  You ain’t sat down since I been in that office!”

“Just worried is all.  You think maybe somethin’ mite a happened to Buck and Vin?  Shouldn’t they have been back by now?”

Just then Josiah Sanchez walked up.  “Are you still fretting over them two, JD?  They’ll be fine!  Judge Travis told ‘em to take a few days off.  Buck’s probably been shacked up with some, fine lookin’ woman somewheres!  And Vin, well, he’s probably sleeping out under them stars and playing that harmonica to some coyote, if’n it’ll listen!  Jist takin’ it easy!” Josiah grinned.  “We all need to do that now ‘n then!”

Chris agreed with Josiah.  He had been missing Vin something terrible.  They had been best friends for a long time.  Even though Vin was quiet most of the time, they still could communicate with one another using few words.  It was just a comfort to have your best friend close by.  “I wasn’t real happy to learn that the Judge told ‘em they could take a few days getting back.  But he does have a say so over us all!  And we’ve been lucky that nothing major has taken place while they’ve been away!  It’s been almost too quiet in this town!”

“But you know things can happen when you least expect ‘em to!  They mite be hurt out there somewheres!”

“JD, if’n somethin’ had happened to ‘em, I’d know. I ain’t had no bad feelins!”
Chris sat down in the straight backed chair and leaned back against the wall on its two back legs.  

“But what if’n somethin’ has happened and your gut feelins ain’t rite?  All sorts a things can happen out there!  If they ain’t back by tomorrow, cain’t we at least ride out a ways and see if we see anything of ‘em!”

Chris pushed the hat back away from his eyes.  He’d been thinking how nice a nap would be, if JD would just shut up!  “No JD.  We ain’t gonna go huntin’ ‘em.  Not unless they ain’t showed back up by next week!  Then I mite think on them lines.”  Chris pushed the hat back down over his eyes.

“He’s rite JD.  I’m shore they’re fine.  I’m going over to Ezra’s for some lunch.  Want anything Chris?”

“Nope.  But could ya take JD with ya?  I ain’t never gonna git a nap with him yapping!”

“Okay, come on JD.”  Josiah reached out and placed a big hand on the back of his neck, starting to steer him towards Ezra’s saloon.

“No! I ain’t hungry!  I think I’ll saddle up ma horse and ride out a ways.  Chris is rite, it’s too quiet in town!”

“Well, suit yerself!!  But don’t go getting in no trouble out there!”  Josiah shook his head and started off once more for the saloon.

“Don’t you go off far JD!  Your shift starts in another two hours!”  Chris spoke from under his hat.

“I ain’t Chris, promise!”  JD watched as Josiah disappeared into the saloon.  He didn’t really want to ride out of town, he didn’t want to eat lunch, he wasn’t really hungry, but there was nothing else to do.  He was bored.  He didn’t care what they said, he had a bad feeling that wouldn’t go away.  But Chris was the leader.  You did what he said or got in big trouble.  He didn’t want to get in any trouble if he could help it!  But where was Buck and Vin?  If they weren’t back by this time tomorrow, he might just take off on his own and go look for them.

Looking off towards the west, something caught his eye.  “What’s that up there on that rise?”  He shaded his eyes, stepping off the boardwalk.  

Chris sighed and pushed the hat back away from his eyes again, looking towards the area that JD was pointing to.  “Looks like a wagon.”   He covered his eyes once more.  Would JD never go away?  There were times that he would love to tie the boy up and leave him setting for awhile somewhere out of everybody’s way!  But Buck would never let him get away with that!  He liked the kid too much, a fact he didn’t totally understand!

JD gave him a disgusted look.  Well if he wasn’t interested, he sure was!


Both Vin and Abbie had looked towards Samson as he cantered up beside the wagon.  Abbie could tell that Hannah looked extremely happy.  She and Vin had both heard Buck’s whoop of happiness moments before.  So whatever they had talked about must have been good.

“Are the four of us ready to go down into Four Corners and introduce them to their new schoolteacher, their new seamstress and OUR ladies?”  Buck seemed really proud to announce that bit of information!  Hannah smiled happily up into his eyes.

“I should say so!”  Vin whipped the reins across the horses’ backs, and they started off once more, a big smile on his face.

Hannah settled back against Buck’s chest once more, as they rode down the rise towards town.  Her heart was happy, and she suddenly remembered what Abbie had mentioned earlier about the sky being bluer and the birds singing sweeter.  She’d known what she was talking about!

 “Chris, that looks like Buck’s horse!  Ain’t that Buck’s horse?”  JD suddenly came alive.  He was almost animated as he started jumping around in his excitement.  “And that looks like Vin’s horse tied to the back of that wagon. There’s two people on the wagon seat.  Who are they with?”  JD was straining his eyes to see, but it was hard to tell with the sun shining directly between them and the wagon.  He shaded his eyes.  He didn’t know if he were more excited that they were actually back, or that they had two ladies with them!

Chris sat the chair back down on all four legs and got up.  His nap forgotten, as he watched the wagon approaching.  It did look like Vin and Buck were back.  And it was obvious that they had two ladies with them

As the wagon got closer, JD could see that Vin was driving the wagon, and there was a blond headed lady sitting by his side.  Buck had another lady riding in front of him on Samson.  She was dark headed. “That’s them all rite!”


As they neared the town, both Abbie and Hannah were busily looking around.  It appeared to be a nice place.  They could see the church, the hotel, and there in the middle of it, was Abbie’s one room schoolhouse!  She smiled.  It looked wonderful.

Hannah turned and looked up at Buck.  He smiled at her and leaned near to kiss her temple.  “Welcome to Four Corners little lady!”

“Thank you kind sir!  I think I’m gonna like it here!” 

Vin could tell that Abbie was looking things over.  He knew when she had spotted the schoolhouse.  Her hand had tightened on his arm.  He patted it again.  “Does it look like you thought it would?”

She smiled.  “Oh yes Vin.  It’s a lovely place!”

Vin turned the wagon down towards the sheriff’s office.  He figured that most of the Peacekeepers would be there this time of day.  Besides, he really wanted Chris to be the first one that he introduced Abbie to.  Through all of this, he’d wished that he’d had Chris there to talk things over with.  Now that he’d made the decisions, he wanted Chris to be the first to know what was going on.  He’d really missed his best friend.

JD couldn’t stand it any longer. “I’ve got to go find everyone!”  At that he flew down the street yelling at the top of his voice.  “Buck and Vin are back! Ezra, Josiah, Nathan where are you?  They’re back!”

“No JD!”  But it was too late.  He’d hurried away before he could stop him.  There was no doubt that the other peacekeepers would be there soon.  When JD was excited, you could hear him from one end of town to the other!

Chris stepped off the boardwalk and stood in front of the sheriff’s office.  He waited for the wagon to come to a stop, then he moved to stand with a hand on the rump of one of the horses hitched to the wagon.  Chris could tell already that there was something different about his friend.  Who was this lady sitting beside him, an arm laced through his?

Vin smiled warmly at Abbie, then after taking her arm from his, jumped down from the wagon.  Chris reached put to grasp his hand, but in seconds they were hugging one another.  “It’s good to see you both back safe!”  He nodded towards Buck, who acknowledged him with a nod as well.

Turning back around, Vin reached up to help Abbie down.  Chris watched, as he didn’t let go of her once her feet were firmly planted on the ground.  “I’d like you to meet Miss Abigail Stewart.  This is Chris Larabee.”

A big smile immediately spread across her face.  “So you’re Chris?  I’ve heard a lot about you from Vin!  It’s so good to finally meet you!”

“A lot about me from Vin?”  He reached out and took the hand that she offered and shook it.  “I didn’t know anyone could git more’n two words outta him at a time!”

Abbie smiled and slipped her arm back through Vin’s.  “You’d be surprised what a little persuasion can accomplish!”  She smiled up into Vin’s eyes, and Chris didn’t miss the love that he read there on both their faces!  He couldn’t believe this!  Vin was in love!  He didn’t think it was going to ever happen again after Charlotte!  Chris reached out a hand and squeezed Vin’s shoulder.  He was happy for him, and Vin read that in his eyes. If anyone deserved happiness it was Vin.  He hoped that this lady would be good for his friend.

“Miss Stewart is the new schoolteacher that Judge Travis hired!”

“He’ll be glad to know that she’s arrived.  He told me about her jist yesterday!”

Buck had helped Hannah down from his horse.  “Come on Darlin’, time to start meetin’ the Peacekeepers!” They walked around the front of the wagon and stood beside Abbie and Vin.

Buck cleared his throat.  “Chris, this here is Miss Hannah McTavish.  She and Miss Abbie are best of friends.  So Miss Hannah will be living here in Four Corners as well.  She’s a seamstress.  Told her there’d be lots of customers fer her in town!”

Hannah offered her hand to the man in black.  He was exactly as Buck had described him.  “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Larabee.”

Chris shook her hand, and didn’t fail to notice that Buck hadn’t let go of her at all since they had walked up.  He had a firm hold on her.  But that wasn’t unusual for Buck.  He  acted this way around most ladies.  But he thought that he was detecting something a little different around the edges for him as well this time.  Was it possible that Buck had fallen under the spell of a woman?  “Welcome to our town ladies!  I’m sure you’ll like it here. Why don’t you ladies come inside the office?  The rest of the Peacekeepers should be here shortly.  JD rushed off to inform them that you had arrived!”

“Ohhh, that boy!  Ain’t shore what I’m a gonna do with him!” Buck stated with a laugh. He’d missed his friend a lot.

“He’s been pacing the boardwalk this morning worried sick over you two!”

“He knowed we can take care a ourselves!”

“Told him that, but you know how he is!  Thought somethin terrible mite a happened to you.  Looks like somethin happened, but it weren’t terrible!”  He smiled towards the ladies, as he opened the door for them.

As Buck stepped through the door behind Vin, Abbie and Hannah, he looked back towards Chris.  “I’d be willing to say it was the best thing that’s ever happened to either a us!  Specially since it’s put this little lady by my side!”  Hannah smiled up at Buck and he offered her a chair.  Yeah, there was something unusual going on here!


Judge Travis had been in his office.  He’d seen the wagon drive up and had watched as Vin and Buck had helped the ladies down and introduced them to Chris.  He hadn't missed the looks that the four were giving each other.  Was it possible that they had taken him up on his advice?  Had they met someone that had sparked an interest?  Someone that they might be thinking of spending enough time with to actually get serious and marry? He needed all seven of his Peacekeepers in Four Corners.  What better way to make sure they stayed, than have them settled down, marry and start a family there? He'd give them a few minutes and then go over and see who they were.  Perhaps one of them was the new schoolteacher that he’d been looking for.



JD hurried back down the street.  Ezra and Josiah had been easy to find.  They were both in the saloon.  But he’d had to track through several buildings to find Nathan who was buying supplies at the general store.  At present they were following him, or at least he hoped they were.  He wasn’t about to wait on them.  He burst into the sheriff’s office a smile as wide as the door on his face.

“Buck!  It’s bout time you two got back!  I was getting worried somethin’ mite a happened to ya!”

“Son, we can take care a ourselves!”  Buck stepped over towards the younger man, grabbing him around the head and shoulders, tussling with him, a smile on his face. 

He knocked his hat off and JD leaned down to pick it up, Buck still picking at him.  “Would you stop Buck!”  JD sounded a little irritated as he retrieved his hat and brushed it off.  “It’s good to have ya both back safe!”

Just then the other three joined them and both ladies looked at the assortment of men assembled in the doorway.  They were pretty sure who was who from listening to Vin and Buck describe them.  They all welcomed Buck and Vin back with smiles all around.  Then they stepped over for introductions to the two very beautiful ladies in their midsts.

“Introduce us Buck!”  JD grinned as he pulled his hat off his head once more, gazing at Hannah.

“Don’t go gittin no ideas son!  You best back off!”   He gave him a stern look.

“Ah Buck, I already knowed she was attached to you, but at least you can introduce us!”  He grinned again.

“Yes Mr. Wilmington.  I do believe you need to spread some introductions all around!  You have two very lovely ladies here!”  Ezra smiled their way. 

The ladies knew that this was Ezra.  There was no way he could be anyone else.  They had been told about his expensive red jacket that he was always wearing and his fancy southern talk.

“Well, guess we could do that!  As long as you all know she’s spoken for!”  He smiled at Hannah, and she returned the smile quickly.

Vin, who had been standing behind Abbie’s chair, a hand resting on her shoulder, stepped in front of her and reached for her hand, bringing her to her feet.  Buck noticing the gesture, sprang to action and did the same with Hannah.

“Gentlemen, this is Four Corner’s new schoolteacher, Miss Abigail Stewart.  Judge Travis hired her, and we encountered her and her best friend here, Miss Hannah McTavish on the road in a rather unsuitable situation!”

“How terrible.  I am to assume that you two gentlemen took care of this unsuitable situation!”  Ezra looked their way.

“Of course we did Ezra!  What do you take us for?”  Buck looked his way as if he couldn’t believe he’d asked that question.

“Tell us bout it Buck.”  JD requested his eyes alight with anticipation.

“Later son.  Right now we need to git these introductions outta the way and git these two lovely ladies some lunch.  It’s been a mite long since they had somethin’ to eat!  Miss Hannah and Miss Abbie, these fine gentlemen are the other four  Peacekeepers.  Josiah Sanchez, Ezra Standish, “JD” Dunne, and Nathan Jackson.”

Everyone crowded around the ladies and Buck and Vin were pushed aside for the moment.  Chris stood watching the two of them.  He could tell that neither were happy about the situation, but would put up with it for the moment.  Buck had laid his claims on Hannah already.  Would Vin stake his claim on Abbie?  He had already seen how he felt about her.

“Miss Stewart, can I escort you to the saloon for some lunch?  Ezra’s place has the best food in town!”  He reached out and took her hand in his.  She smiled politely at him, but turned her eyes to Vin.  He slipped up and placed an arm around her waist.  The others watched in stunned silence as he smiled down at her.  They’d only seen Vin act this way with one other woman.  Apparently, Miss Stewart had won their friends heart! 

Just then, the door opened and Judge Travis made his entrance.  Everyone made room for him to step into the office.

“Good afternoon gentlemen.  Mr. Wilmington, Mr. Tanner, it’s good to see you’ve returned.  Hopefully there were no problems.”

“No, all went well Judge.”  Vin reported.

“Well, who are our lovely guests?”  The Judge smiled towards the ladies.

“Judge, this is your new schoolteacher, Miss Abigail Stewart.”  Chris had stepped around the desk.  It seems that Vin and Buck came upon her and her friend, Miss Hannah McTavish, in a spot of trouble.  But they took care of it and have escorted them here without any further complications.”

“Wonderful!  Miss Stewart, welcome to our fair town!  As soon as we settle a few things here, I’ll show you to your new home and you can get settled in.”  He reached for her hand.

“Thank you so much Judge Travis.  I hope that it’s okay that Hannah has come with me.  We’ve been best of friends forever, and I couldn’t leave her behind in Willow Springs.”  She smiled sweetly at him.

”Of course my dear!  There is always another place for someone new in our town!  Welcome to you as well, Miss McTavish.”

Hannah smiled his way and took the hand that he offered her.  Then she glanced up at Buck.  He was smiling down at her.  Slipping an arm around her waist, he pulled her a little closer against him to whisper, “I told ya it would be okay!”

The Judge didn’t miss this and glanced over at Vin.  It appeared that these two ladies had worked some magic over two of his Peacekeepers!

“I need to speak with Mr. Wilmington and Mr. Tanner for a few moments.  Why don’t the rest of you take these lovely ladies to get some lunch, or at least something cool to drink.  The trail can get mighty dusty.”

“Sure Judge, we’d be honored!”  It took only a second for the Judge to realize that the other four men were going to fight over the chance to get to escort one of the ladies down the street.  He nearly laughed as JD stepped up to Miss Stewart first, but Ezra pushed him away, reaching for her hand.  He slipped it through the crock of his arm and patted it lightly.

“This way ladies, to my establishment!  I’ll make sure you have a wonderful meal!”

He started out the door, and Vin’s voice stopped him.  “Don’t you go lettin’ anythin’ happen to that little lady, Ezra.  You wouldn’t want me to ruin that flashy red coat a yours!”

“Note taken, Mr. Tanner!  I will give her my utmost protection until you can join us!”  He tipped his hat, and they headed out the door.

JD had turned to Miss McTavish, but Josiah had already stepped forward and asked Buck if he could escort his lady to some lunch.

“Of course Josiah.  If she ain’t safe with a preacher, she ain’t safe with nobody!”  He smiled her way and winked.  “See ya soon Darlin’!  Oh, and Nathan, after she eats, check on her shoulder.  She had a bullet wound, but I think I did a purdy good job takin’ care of it!”

Hannah smiled towards Nathan.  “He did a wonderful job taking care of it!”  Buck’s heart swelled.  He loved it when she praised him.  She sent Buck a brilliant smile.

Nathan laughed at the look on Buck’s face.  “I’ll be shore I do that Buck!  And I mite need to look at that big head a yours too!”

Buck looked his way confused, but when the others laughed, he knew what he had been referring to.  He laughed too.

Nathan started to head out the door and noticed that a disgruntled JD lagged behind.  “Come on JD, you jist have to be faster round here if’n you want the girl!”  Laughing he grabbed his arm and shoved him out the door in front of him.  JD nearly tripped and turned to give Nathan a dirty look.  Nathan just laughed all the harder at him.

For a moment the four men left in the office watched the others leave.  Then Judge Travis cleared his throat.  “I assume there were no problems with the prisoner.”

“None a tall.”  Buck smiled.

“Good.  I knew I could count on you two.  You have those signed papers from the prison?”

Buck patted his shirt.  “Out in ma saddlebags.  I’ll go git ‘em!”

He headed outside and the Judge looked over at Vin.   “Miss Stewart is a lovely lady, Mr. Tanner.”

Vin smiled. “She is Judge.”   

Judge Travis nodded and stepped out onto the boardwalk to look for Buck.  He was standing at his horse’s side, a hand in one of the saddlebags, but he was turned, watching the ladies walk down the street on the arm of Josiah and Ezra.  They appeared to be pointing out things as they walked along.  JD was jumping around in front of them, like a little young pup begging for attention!

The Judge stepped off the boardwalk and patted Buck on the back.  He jumped and looked his way startled.   “Amazing isn’t it?  This powerful love that sweeps over you!”

Buck’s eyes turned once more towards Hannah.  “Yeah Judge, it is.  What was it you said a fore Vin and me left…I needed to find a woman and settle down?  I think I mite a found her!”  Buck smiled broadly.  “All these men round here better not think they can step on ma toes!  Done told her I was gonna court her!”

“That’s wonderful son!  Every man needs a woman to make his life complete!  I’m happy for you!  Looks like I knew what I was doing when I sent you two boys off on that job for me!”  He smiled as Buck finally handed him the signed papers that he was waiting on.  “You gonna have a lot of unhappy ladies here in Four Corners when they learn you’ve settled on just one lady!”

Buck smiled.  “That’s okay Judge.  Seems my heart done told me this is what I ought to be doin!”


Vin was standing at the window watching Abbie as she walked down the street on Ezra’s arm.  He knew that he would take care of her.  Chris came over and placed a hand on his shoulder.  “You got that look in your eye.  The look they tell me I had when I fell in love with my Sarah.  I’m happy for you, Vin!”

Vin smiled as he turned towards his friend.  “She ain’t like anyone I ever met a fore.  Even Charlotte.  She’s even different than her.  I don’t think I could ever find anyone more perfect fer me!  I told her I wanted to court her.  I done made some heavy decisions whilst I was away.  Wish ya had been there to help me make ‘em!”  Vin frowned.

“Looks like you did a fine job makin’ ‘em on your own.  She’s got that same look in her eyes too.  You’ll make a good couple! Come on let’s go git some lunch!  I want to hear all about how you two met these two beautiful ladies.”  He patted him on the shoulder and they stepped out to join the Judge and Buck.


Judge Travis had a big smile on his face, as he patted Buck on the back.  “Buck tells me that he’s planning on courting that pretty Miss McTavish.  Something you want to tell me, Mr. Tanner, about out new schoolteacher?

“Guess you was rite all along Judge!  Told me she’d sweep me off my feet when I weren’t spectin’ it!  That’s exactly what she done!  Told her to spect me over at her new place real often!  I’m plannin’ on courtin’ her as well!”

“That’s wonderful!”  He patted Vin on the back.   “It looks like the Judge knows best, after all!”

They all laughed and Chris, Vin, and Buck headed down the street to join their ladies.
Judge Travis was about to head back in his office to finish up the paper work on the prisoner when he noticed that half way down the street, his daughter-n-law Mary, came out of the newspaper office.  She slipped her arm through Chris’ and headed on down the street with them.

It looked as if two of his Peacekeepers had taken his advice.  That was a start!  Now if only he could just get Chris and Mary together……they would be so good for one another!

Shaking his head, he headed for his office.  When were they all gonna learn…..
The Judge knows best?



THE END

August 22, 2003

COPYRIGHT - M BOLTON & R WOOTEN - 2003


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