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Victoria and Mary had finished getting all the last minute things taken care of at the livery and were now concentrating on getting ready themselves as the clock struck six thirty. Victoria fastened the last button on the back of Mary's dress and came around for an inspection.
"You look beautiful." She said, straitening the lace on her sleeve one last time.
"I can't believe how nervous I am." Mary laughed, her eyes showing her concern. "I have butterflies the size of horses in my stomach."
"Sounds like love to me." Victoria laughed, watching Mary blush. "And who wouldn't, Mr. Larabee is a fine catch."
"You don't have to tell me." Mary nodded. "But I am just not sure if Chris is ready for all this. He would be taking on a lot of responsibility if we were to get together. I have a business and a son, and that would mean he would have to settle down and I am not sure if that is something Chris wants to do."
"Buck said he was married before. If he was willing to settle down back then, why would he be so opposed to doing it again." She looked at her friend in all seriousness. "Mr. Larabee is an honest man, he would not lead you on unless he had honorable intentions."
Mary hugged Victoria in gratitude for her words as well as a overwhelming sense of love for the young girl. She couldn't think of any one she would like to call her daughter more than Victoria, and if by some miracle Chris ever did propose, that is just what she would be.
"Now you finish getting ready. I am going to head over to the livery and greet the guests as they arrive. Mr. Larabee should be here to pick you up soon and contrary to popular belief, you don't want to keep a man as fine as him waiting." And with an encouraging smile she left for the dance.
People were arriving faster, and in larger groups than any of them had expected, paying their money for a chance to sample some of the delicacies laid out before them as well as purchasing hefty amounts of tickets for the raffle. The Martin's were well on their way to financial stability once again and their expressions of pure gratefulness left no doubt in Victoria's mind that it was worth all the hard work they put into it.
Victoria had been milling around so much, keeping things in order and seeing to each detail, that she had not noticed when Vin, Buck, Josiah and JD had come walking in. A few of the other ladies had though, and just as he had predicted, there was soon half a dozen of them fighting for the right to the first dance with him. But Buck told them all to wait their turn, with the most disarming grin, one that would make them wait forever, he headed strait for Victoria.
"Miss Ashford?" He asked, kissing her hand. "May I have the pleasure of the first dance?"
"I would be delighted, Mr. Wilmington." She replied, slipping her hand into his as he caught her around the waist and swept her out with the others.
"Well I be." Ezra said as he and Nathan came up behind the other three. "I had no idea that Buck even knew how to dance."
"A beautiful lady always brings out the best in a man." Josiah said, watching the two as they glided across the floor, Buck holding her hand over her head and spinning her several times. "Care to join me in getting a drink, gentlemen?" He asked.
The five men filed over to the punch table and each got a glass of punch, standing with their backs to the table, watching Buck and Victoria as they sipped their drinks thoughtfully.
Chris and Mary came in just then, getting a full view of the joyous celebration before them. Mary had her hand on Chris's arm, with his other hand placed protectively over it as he escorted her inside. They saw the line of men over by the punch table and headed towards them.
"Everyone seems to be having a good time." Mary commented as they came up to the men.
"Maybe too good a time." JD said in a grumble voice, indicating with his cup towards the dance floor.
Chris and Mary turned and saw what the five men had been staring at. The dance had called for a switch of partners several times through out the song and Victoria was now in the arms of the third man since it had begun. And even though no one cared how many ladies Buck got to hold as he hopped from woman to woman with each call for a switch, they did seem to take offense to the young man who was now putting his hands on Victoria. Mary gave a amused smile as she watched their frown deepen with each passing minute.
Just as Buck and Victoria were re-united on the last switch the song was over and they all clapped their appreciation as they left the floor.
Victoria was fanning herself slightly as they two came over to the punch table.
"I have not danced like that in some time." She laughed.
"Let me get you some punch, Miss Victoria." JD offered, grabbing a cup and handing it to her before anyone could beat him to it.
"Thank you JD." She said, sipping at the fruity liquid. "And Mr. Larabee, I fully expect you to save me a dance tonight, if I can steal you away from your charming companion long enough that is." She looked at the remaining five men. "That goes for all of you as well."
"I claim the first Virginia Real exclusively as ours." Ezra told her, putting in his request.
"Duly noted, Mr. Standish. And I will look forward to it." She looked over at Vin and gave him a sly smile. "And I will be waiting for my payment dance as well, Mr. Tanner. But right now I see that the refreshment table needs my attention, if you will excuse me, gentlemen."
They all nodded as she skipped off, watching her go until she was lost in the growing crowd.
"Payment for what?" Buck asked Vin once she was out of ear shot, a suspicious look coming over his face. Just what exactly did Vin owe his Baby Sister, and for what service?
Vin just gave him a sly smile as he walked away towards the back of the livery.
Buck was not amused, and decided to keep an eye on the young Bounty Hunter. Friend or no friend, he was not going to let him take liberties with Victoria. But his expression soon changed as he spotted the group of ladies waving shyly at him from across the dance floor. He squared his shoulders, fingered his mustache and gave his friends a wicked smile.
"Well, I would love to stand around with the rest of you love sick puppies, but I have several other women who need my immediate attention." Buck saluted them as he went over to the small crowd that had been waiting patiently.
The rest of the men dispersed to other parts of the livery, but never straying too far though for fear they miss out on their chance to dance with Victoria.
"It looks like I have my work cut out for me tonight." Chris said, looking around at all the young men he now saw as 'would be victims' should they make any moves towards his daughter.
"Take it easy, Dad." Mary warned. "She is a grown girl and if you play it up too much she is bound to get suspicious over your protective nature. Just relax and enjoy the dance. She knows how to take care of herself."
"Easy for you to say." He rolled his eyes, his guts tied in knots at the mere thought of his baby girl as the object of so many men's attention.
The dance was indeed a success, everyone having such a good time that the night seemed to fly by. Victoria had not been without a partner all evening, every young man there waited patiently, and some not so patiently, to claim a dance. She had just begun dancing with Josiah, the older man proving himself to be quite the dancer as they circled the floor, when she noticed that the crowd had become unusually quiet around them and were now all looking at the entrance to the livery. Victoria pulled Josiah over a few steps so that she could see between the people blocking her view and immediately saw what had stunned the crowd into silence. At the door, wearing what could be called modest dresses for them, was Jolene and the other two saloon girls, each holding a pie or a plate of something. They looked almost afraid, ready to run, but pride kept them rooted where they stood. Victoria's heart went out to them, seeing that they were trying so desperately to fit into a world that more than likely would not accept them. What angered her though was the thought that most of the men in the town were probably more than casual acquaintances with the girls, yet would probably not even acknowledge them for fear of what the other women there might think. Hypocrites, she thought to herself.
When Vin saw Jolene, he too felt pity for her plight. Even if he had been upset with her for the stunt she had pulled in front of Victoria, she was still a lady and didn't deserve the obvious scorn directed at her. His eyes sought out Victoria as he watched to see what she would do. And he didn't have to wait long.
Victoria excused herself from Josiah and walked over to the door with confidant easy strides, a large genuine smile across her face.
"Jolene, how nice of you to come." And looking at the items they carried she continued. "And thank you for bringing all this. We can sure use it in raising money tonight."
Jolene was again taken back by Victoria's openness and sincere words. The older lady found that she admired this child more than she had thought possible. It had taken a lot for the three of them to build up the courage to come tonight, and she was grateful to the little school teacher for trying to ease their discomfort.
Victoria scanned the crowed quickly, her eyes finding JD, Buck and Josiah and motioning them over with a quick jerk of her head.
"Ladies, may I introduce Mr. JD Dunn, Josiah Sanchez, and I am sure you know Buck Wilmington." Victoria presented, not surprised at how the other girls giggled with the mention of Buck. "Perhaps you could escort these ladies to get some punch, and drop off these delicious looking items off at the refreshment table?"
The three of them each offered their arms to the girls as they were told, giving their most winning smiles as they went. Victoria then turned back to the still waiting crowd.
"What is everyone starting at?" She asked, shaming them for their silence. "Let's get this party going." And with a signal to the band, the music started once again, returning things to normal.
Victoria let out a pent up breath. She had not been prepared for that, but was not regretting her actions one bit as she watched the three ladies smiling and laughing, having a good time. She was very proud of JD, Josiah and Buck, for they rose to the occasion without question, proving themselves to be the true gentlemen she knew they were.
"That took a lot of bravery." She head a voice say behind her. She turned to see Vin standing there, his face a mixture of admiration and respect. "You have a big heart Victoria Ashford. They will never forget what you just did for them….. and neither will I. You are truly a lady in every sense of the word." And placing one arm across his middle, and the other behind his back, he bowed slightly at the waist. "Would you give me the honor of sharing your next dance with me, my lady." His voice low and filled with desire.
Victoria took hold of her dress at each side and gave an award winning curtsey, then held her hand out to him in silent agreement. No words seemed adequate to express how she felt as he took hold of her and lead her to the dance floor.
Out in the middle of the other dancers Vin stopped, facing her as he extended his arm out to one side, relishing the way she let her hand slide down his arm ever so lightly until it was secure in his own. Then placing his other hand on the small of her back, as hers found it's way to his shoulder, they began to move in unison with the music, never letting their eyes leave each other's. This was indeed an enchanted moment.
Chris and Mary had been witness to the scene by the door with the saloon girls, and Mary had watched as Chris's chest had swelled up with pride at what his daughter had done. If he were any more proud he would sprout peacock feathers and start strutting around.
Chris wanted to shout to everyone there 'That's my girl! That is my Christine!' but instead he settled for the knowing glances he and Mary exchanged, realizing that tomorrow would be soon enough for the truth. He was so busy thinking about what the next day would bring that he didn't notice the episode between Vin and Victoria or the events taking place out on the dance floor. But Buck did.
Buck had seen them come out on to the dance floor and was now watching them with the suspicious eye of a doting Uncle. And when he saw the look on Vin's face, he knew it was serious. So excusing himself from Jolene, leaving her in the care of the other two men, he headed straight for Chris.
"I am so proud of her." Chris whispered to Mary unable to keep silent any longer.
"As well you should be." She agreed.
"Maybe it was all for the best? That couple finding her and raising her the way they did. I don't know what sort of job I would have done, raising a little girl on my own." It hurt to think about it, but would the woman she'd have become under his guidance even resemble the one she was now? He would like to think so, that he could have instilled all the values and self assurance she apparently possessed and carried with such ease. The phrase 'I couldn't have done a better job myself' suddenly took on a whole new meaning.
"You would have done a fine job and you know it, Chris Larabee." Mary assured him, not about to let him wallow in self pity or doubt, not tonight.
Buck broke in on them just then, his usually humorous eyes filled with concern and determination.
"We have a problem." He told Chris with all seriousness, sending Chris into instant alert.
"What problem?" He asked, scanning the crowd for trouble.
Buck pointed his finger out at the dance floor, directing Chris's attentions to Vin and Victoria.
"That," He stated. "is what I would call a problem!"
At first Chris didn't see what he was talking about. He saw nothing upsetting. Vin, his trusted friend, a man he respected and admired since he had met him, was merely dancing with Victoria. But the longer he looked at the two of them, the more he began to read in Vin's expression. Could he be mistaken? Could that actually be desire he was seeing flickering like dancing flames behind Vin's eyes? When in the world had this happened? He felt betrayed, double crossed and deceived by Vin, his soon to be former friend. Also his soon to be dead former friend if he didn't stop holding his daughter so close. He has expected this from Ezra or JD, but never Vin.
"So are you going to do something about this or do I have to do it for you?" Buck asked through clenched teeth. "I should have known there was something going on after I found them in the hay together." Regretting that his last words had been out loud as soon as he had said them.
"You found them where?!" Chris asked, raising his voice and causing several people to look over at him. "What were they doing in the hay, and why didn't you tell me about all this?"
Buck opened his mouth to speak, wishing Chris would turn his angry eyes back on Vin instead of him. But he didn't get a chance to speak because Mary stepped between them, placing her hand on Chris's chest.
"Now just wait a second." She ordered, commanding both of their attentions. "Nothing happened between the two of them in the hay that day." She assured them.
"You knew about it too?" Chris couldn't believe what he was hearing. Were fathers always the last to know?
"Victoria confided in me, and if she says nothing happened, then I for one believe her." She dared Chris to call his own daughter a liar.
He found he could put his faith in Victoria, but he didn't trust Vin as far as he could throw him after the seeing that look in his eyes.
"And at the risk of sending you into an early grave, or bringing more trouble down on Vin's head than he deserves, there is something you should be aware of as well." Mary took a deep breath, deciding that he would find out sooner or later, so it might as well come sooner. "Vin is not acting completely un-incouraged." She watched as all the color drained from Chris's face. "Your daughter has feelings for Vin as well."
"I'll kill him." Chris' voice was low and threatening as he made a move towards the dancing couple.
"Don't you dare, Chris Larabee!" Mary warned him, holding on tightly to his sleeve, not letting him go. "If you go out there and make a scene, you will not only be destroying a good friendship you will completely alienate yourself from your daughter. And unless you want to drive her away from you forever, you keep your temper in check and a civil tongue in your head!" She looked over at the still fuming Buck. "That goes for you too Mr. Wilmington."
Chris looked from Mary to the dance floor and back again, turning around in frustration as he raked his fingers through his hair.
"I hate this, I really hate this!" He remembered how he had wanted a son at first, and was now considering going back to that initial preference. With a son he would never have to go through this torture. If he had a son he would be there slapping him on the back, encouraging the exact behavior he was witnessing in Vin. But things were completely different when it was your daughter on the receiving end of such attentions.
"Just calm down and try to relax. You know Vin, he is a good man, you are just blinded to that fact right now. She could have chosen any one of these young men here tonight, but I for one think that Mr. Tanner is hands down the best choice. Vin is your trusted friend, and someone you can respect." She waved her hand around the room. "Would you rather she have picked someone else?"
"Hell yes!" Chris assured her. "At least I could scare them away." He was not so sure he could do the same with Vin. The Bounty Hunter was not one to back down from a fight, he knew that. And unless he was totally reading the situation wrong, he knew he was going to have to confront Vin in the near future……….. and he was not looking forward to it.
"Oh Chris. In time you will see that they make a very nice looking couple. And if Vin is what Victoria wants, and he in turn wants her, you will just have to accept it." Mary hoped her words were helping, but from the new look of fury that just came to his face, she guessed they weren't.
"There is no way I am going to allow any daughter of mine to get hooked up with a man who has a five hundred dollar price on his head!" As soon as he said that, he regretted it. At least he had the good sense to whisper it and not shout the words out loud.
"What?!" Both Buck and Mary said in unison.
"Vin?" Buck couldn't believe what he was hearing. Vin Tanner, a wanted man? And to be worth five hundred dollars?? Good lord, what did the man do……….kill the president?
"I don't believe it! Not Mr. Tanner." You could have knocked Mary over with a feather after hearing that.
Chris felt a little guilty……. but just a little. After all Vin had told him that in the strictest of confidences, not wanting anyone else to know his secret past. But he gave up all rights when he made the mistake of looking in his daughter's direction, lessening Chris' guilt. But if he were spilling the truth, he might as well tell the whole truth.
"Vin may have a price on his head, but he didn't actually do what he is being accused of." He confessed reluctantly. Mary might have started to see things his way, if she continued to believe Vin a harden criminal. "But that still does not erase the fact that he is a wanted man, hunted by every bounty hunter for the tidy sum his dead body would bring. I don't want my daughter to be in any way mixed up in all that, and I can't believe that Vin would even consider such a thing."
"Maybe he told her about it all. Maybe she knows and doesn't care." Mary tried to think of reasonable arguments, but found that she too had growing concerns about Victoria's safety. When someone is hunting you, anyone around you is a potential target. And as much as Mary liked and admired Vin, she could see how dangerous it could be for the young girl.
"It doesn't matter if she knows or not. I won't allow it." Again Chris headed for the couple.
"What are you going to do?" Mary asked, trying her best to stop him, but it was like holding back the tide.
"I am going to dance with my daughter." Chris said, his eyes focused directly ahead.
Vin felt the tap on his shoulder, signaling that someone wanted to cut in. And although the polite thing to do was to step aside, Vin was not about to hand off this dance to anyone. Anyone that is, until he turned and saw Chris standing there.
"May I cut in?" Chris asked, barely able to control his anger now that he was face to face with Vin.
Vin looked at his friend and wondered what had him so worked up. He looked possessively ready to kill.
"Sure." Vin said, looking at Victoria who nodded her agreement. And with an nod, he walked off the dance floor, leaving Chris to step in.
"You need not have cut in, Mr. Larabee. I assure you that I was saving a full dance for you." She was a little disappointed that her dance with Vin had been interrupted.
"I couldn't wait." He told her. Yes, couldn't wait to split the two of them up, he thought.
"Very well then. Let's dance." She smiled, taking his hand.
The two of them picked up where she and Vin left off, and Chris relaxed a little with the music.
"I saw what you did for Joleen. I am proud of you." And he meant it, not just as a doting father, but as a person.
"I only did what I would have liked someone to do for me if I had been in her position. And if you think about it, she and I are just two different sides of the same coin."
"How so?" Chris asked, his eyebrows coming together in puzzlement.
"Well if I had not been found by Emily and Joshua, who were kind enough to take me in like they did, who knows what would have happened to me. I could have easily ended up working in some saloon someplace. Making a living the only way possible. One small twist of fate is all that kept me from taking the same road Joleen is heading down." She pointed out, not noticing the way Chris paled.
She was right and the thought made him sick to his stomach. Without someone to protect her, she could have fallen into the hands of anyone. He said a silent prayer of thanks that the Ashford's had found her and raised her as well as they had. It would have killed him if he had found her working in a come cat house.
Chris' mood had improved greatly by then end of the dance, the image of Victoria working in a saloon having faded in the face of her laughter and merriment, and the two remained partners for the next one as well. By the time he escorted her off the dance floor over to where Mary and Buck waited, Chris was smiling once again.
"You are quite a dancer, Mr. Larabee." Victoria complimented.
"Haven't done it in so long, I am surprised I remembered." He smiled, remembering how Alesha had loved to dance. She would wind up her music box late at night after having put Christine to bed and the two of them would hold each other and dance in the moonlight. Those were good memories, and he would always cherish them. But as he looked over at Mary Travis, who stood near by, he knew that was all they could ever be. Memories. And as he held out his hand to her, he knew it was time he started making new ones.
Mary allowed him to lead her out to the dance floor as the slow song played around them. The two of them had suffered much, seen loved ones die and had felt the heartache when they were forced to go on alone. But as he took her in his arms, Mary didn't remember any of that, she only saw her future looking back at her from behind his dark eyes.
Victoria and Buck stood there watching them, each smiling, but for different reasons. Buck knew he was witnessing a turning point in his friends life. He knew that Chris was at long last putting old ghosts to rest, allowing himself to begin to heal, and he knew the girl standing beside him had had a big hand in it.
Victoria's smile was for Mary. Seeing her friend this happy made this night all the more perfect. She looked around, searching the crowd for Vin, but he had disappeared.
Vin stood out back, leaning up against the livery wall as he stared up at the stars, that had never seemed as bright and brilliant as they did now.
"What are you doing, Tanner!?" He asked himself out loud, wishing he had an answer. Each time he had resolved to stay clear of Victoria, something threw them together, reducing his self control to mush. But as he had danced with her, felt the heat of her body as he held her close and saw the look in her eyes, he knew he was a goner. When had his want of her become a need? A need that he knew he could never fill until he was cleared of the false charges that had kept him on the run. He reached up and ran his hands through his hair, trying to erase her picture from before his eyes, but the feel of his new hair cut only strengthened the image.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sight of an approaching man. Vin straightened out of reflex, only relaxing when he saw that it was Nathan.
"The crowd too much for you in there?" Nathan asked. When Vin nodded he continued. "Me too. I don't like having so many people milling around, makes it hard to keep an eye on your back and you can't watch everyone." When Vin didn't respond, Nathan tried a different tactic. He pulled a small flask out of his pocket and offered it to Vin. "For medicinal purposes." He assured his friend.
Vin took the flask and took a large drink. He thought it might help steady his nerves, but not even the burning sensation it left going down was enough to wash Victoria from his thoughts. He handed the flask back to Nathan, who took a drink himself before putting it away. They were silent for a while longer until Vin spoke.
"You ever been in love, Nathan?" He asked, not looking at him.
"I don't know." Nathan seemed taken off guard by his question. "I suppose I could have been and just didn't know it. But I will have to say that I am rather fond of Rain from the Seminol village. And every time I ride out to visit, it gets harder and harder to leave." He looked at his friend. "How about you? You ever been in love?"
Vin tried hard to remember having ever felt like this before. He had liked a few girls in his time, and been with some who's names he didn't even know, but this ache in his gut, this overwhelming need that Victoria caused inside of him was something new. He was in love all right, but he'd be damned if he knew what to do about it.
Nathan got tired of waiting for an answer and decided the direct approach was the only way he was going to get anything out of him.
"I mean have you ever been in love before Victoria." He looked for a reaction, and he got it. Vin's expression of sheer terror was almost comical. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." Nathan laughed, slapping him on the shoulder.
"Thanks." Was all Vin could think to say.
"It is a powerful thing, love. It can make a man do crazy things, I have seen it before, worse than liquor. But it can also bring the most joy when it is the right woman. A man goes through his whole life thinking he is his own boss, answering to no one but himself until one day, WHAM!" He slapped his hands together, making a loud cracking sound. "Love hits you just like that. You never see it coming, never suspect that such danger can be hidden behind a pair of pretty eyes and a disarming smile. And you may have lived your whole life never giving any thought to falling in love, but when you do, it is only then you realize your life has truly begun." He laid his hand on Vin's shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't fight it, Vin. She's a fine woman." And with that he headed back inside the livery, leaving Vin to ponder his friend's words.
Inside, Victoria and Ezra were enjoying the Virginia Reel together as promised. Victoria felt like a Southern Bell on the arm of the gallant Ezra Standish, magically transported back in time to the antebellum world he had been raised in. She could imagine what a fine figure he had cut at countless cotillions and galas as a young man, and he had only improved with age. She wondered what had caused such a refined gentleman such as he to head out west and take up gambling as a trade. There was so much more to Ezra than met the eye, and she could see how easy it could be for her to fall head over heals for this elegant rogue.
When the dance ended, Ezra pulled both of Victoria's hands up to his lips and kissed them reverently.
"Your grace puts the most regal of swans to shame." He told her, tucking her hand in the crook of his arm as he escorted her off the floor.
"You flatter me too much, Mr. Standish." She laughed.
"There could never bee too much praise directed at you Miss Victoria that was not completely warranted." He assured her. "And I could go on for a week straight and still not cover all your fine qualities."
JD stepped up in front of them at that moment causing the two to stop.
"But I am sure she is sick of your voice already." JD told Ezra, then turned to Victoria with an eager smile. "I believe the next dance is ours."
"So it is, Mr. Dunn." She agreed, smiling once more at Ezra as she took off with JD.
As the night wore on, the dance soon coming to a close, Victoria realized that there was one of the men she had not danced with yet. So searching through the dwindling crowd, she spotted Nathan over at the refreshment table, sampling the remaining pies and cakes.
"Mr. Jackson?" She called, coming towards him. "I have been waiting for you to ask me to dance, but since you seem reluctant to do so, I shall do the asking instead." She had already had the boldness to tell Chris to invite Mary, why not ask a man to dance as well?
Nathan looked around nervously, there was still quite a lot of people milling around and he felt uncomfortable at the thought of what they might think of a black man dancing with a white girl.
"It is kind of you to consider it, Miss Victoria. But I don't think it would be such a wise idea."
"Why not? I don't think you danced once tonight and it would be a crying shame to let such a handsome man like you leave here without at least one turn around the room." She held her hands out to him. "Please Nathan."
"It just wouldn't be proper. It is how things are, how they have always been." He argued.
"And it is going to be how things will stay, unless we change them." She pointed out, her persuasiveness overriding Nathan's apprehension. "Every journey begins with a first step. Dance with me and we can take that first step together."
And as she pulled him out onto the dance floor, Nathan was no longer aware of the people around him, they all disappeared, washed from his concern by the kind words of Victoria.
The two of them enjoyed the dance very much, skipping around the other couples, lost in a world of their own, a world where the color of a person's skin made no difference. They didn't even notices the shocked looks and side glances from some of the town's people, but as the dance wore on, even the most prejudice folks tired of watching and went about their own business. When the dance was over, the two of them laughed their way off the floor, winded after the merry dance.
"Thank you, Nathan. You were wonderful." Victoria said, trying to catch her breath.
"No Miss Ashford." Nathan said, in all seriousness and gratitude. "Thank you."
The last guest was just leaving and the lanterns were beginning to burn low when Victoria sat down for the first time that night. It had been a splendid party, not a morsel of food or a drop of punch remained and everyone had left with a smile. Victoria felt a twinge of pride at how successful things had turned out. She saw Nathan and Josiah over at the money table, counting up the earnings for the evening, and willing her tired legs to hold her, she walked to where they sat.
"So how did we do?" She asked, watching as Josiah laid the last bill down in a very large stack.
"I would say we outdid ourselves boys and girls." Josiah's satisfied smile telling all who had gathered around just how pleased he was. "In fact we exceeded our original goal by an extra one hundred and fifty dollars."
"You're kidding!?" Mary gasped, looking at the stack of money in front of them. It sure seemed large enough to be that much.
"And we owe it all to Miss Victoria and her wonderful idea." JD was quick to point out.
"I refuse to accept all the credit here. It may have originally been my idea, but it never would have happened without all your help. You should all be very proud of yourselves." She insisted.
And they were, and they would be even more so when they presented the Martin's with the money the next day. But that would have to wait until tomorrow, for right now the night was far from over. There was still a lot of cleaning up to do, and the faster they started, the faster they could get to sleep. It was in the early hours of the morning before the nine of them parted ways and each headed for their own beds.
Victoria awoke early, quite a shock indeed after how tired she was the night before. But, not being one to lie idle, she got up to greet the day. The mother cat had taken quite a fancy to her new home and Victoria was having second thoughts about returning her to the livery now that the dance was over. She would give it a few more days before she made up her mind though, figuring by then she would be too attached to them and have to let them stay.
She was heading down to the general store to buy some canned meat for her new pets when the telegraph officer, Bill Todd, came running out to great her.
"Miss Ashford." He called, halting her. "A telegram just came in this morning. It says the books you ordered are in, but they can't find anyone headed this way to bring them for at least two weeks." He handed her the piece of paper that had everything he had just told her written on it.
"Two weeks?" Victoria sounded disappointed.
"Sorry, that is what they said." He shrugged and went back inside.
Victoria hated waiting and she was excited to see what the books were like. She was anxious to start the school up and if she had to wait two weeks for the books only to then discover they were not what she wanted it would take even longer to get things in order and open her doors. This would not do. So walking towards the livery she decided to go get them herself.
On her way to the stables she passed the jail house, watching as the three men sitting outside drinking their morning coffee out of tin cups stood to great her.
"You are up awful early." Nathan said as he, Vin and Josiah came forward..
"I have an errand that can't wait." She told him. "And the earlier I get started the faster it will get done."
"What kind of errand?" Vin asked, her determined expression making him curious.
"I am going to rent a team and drive to Bitter Creek and pick up the books I ordered. They came in, but no one will deliver them for two weeks." She told them.
"By yourself?" Josiah's voice betrayed his concern.
"I can handle a team by myself, and Mary and I made the trip alone." She pointed out.
"Yes, but Mary is more familiar with the territory than you are, and you had each other to rely on just in case something happened." Vin argued, unwilling to let her take off alone. "You best take someone with you."
Victoria smiled a sly smile and looked at the three men with all the innocence of a lamb.
"Then make up your mind who it is going to be, gentlemen. Because I am leaving as soon as I am ready, with or without a companion." She walked between them as she continued towards the livery, not looking back.
"Heaven help the man who tries to tame that wild spirit." Josiah muttered as they watched her go.
Nathan looked over at Vin and wondered if he were up to the challenge. And from the look on Vin's face, he would need some urging to rise to it.
"You better go with her, Vin." Nathan said, snapping him out of his trance. "Josiah and I need to work on the church more, especially if she is all fired up in getting things going for the school."
Vin looked at Nathan, not knowing whether to thank him or punch him. He found himself nervous about spending the whole day alone with Victoria on the ride to Bitter Creek and back. What would they talk about?
Josiah noticed Vin's hesitation and gave him a little push in the right direction.
"You better get moving. Mrs. Travis will have fit if she finds out we let her go off on her own like that. And if Mrs. Travis is upset, then you know Chris will be too. So you better not let her leave without you, friend."
Vin knew he was right and swallowing the nervous lump that had formed in his throat, he followed her to the livery.
"What was that all about?" Josiah asked Nathan after he had gone. "The boy looked like he had sat on a bee when you suggested he go with her."
"He sure did." Nathan chuckled. "But it wasn't that type of insect that bit him I am afraid."
"Could you be referring to the 'Love Bug'?" Josiah asked, making a wise guess.
"You didn't hear it from me." Nathan insisted. But he didn't deny it either.
Vin slapped the reins lightly, urging the horses to pick up the pace just a little. They had been traveling for at least an hour and although Victoria didn't appear to find it strange, they had not said more than a dozen words to each other the whole time. She seemed distracted by the scenery and the occasional bird she would watch in the sky, as Vin struggled to think of something to say.
This was going to be one long day!
Chris had not been able to sleep very well the night before, tossing and turning in anticipation of what he was going to say when he talked to Victoria. He even found himself practicing his words in the mirror as he got dressed. He felt stupid. But he had put it off long enough, he was going to tell her he was her father today if it killed him.
He saw Mary coming down the stairs on the side of the newspaper office that lead to Victoria's apartment as he walked across the street. She had a puzzled look on her face.
"She isn't in." Mary told him, halting his progress. "She must have gotten up early and went out somewhere."
"Then let's go find her." Chris was not pleased about the delay, he had worked up his courage now and he didn't want to loose it.
They searched up one side of the town and then the other, pausing at the church to ask Nathan and Josiah if they had seen her.
"Sure have." Josiah told them. "She was all fired up to go and get her school books from Bitter Creek. There was no stopping her."
"And you let her go?" Chris couldn't believe them, where were their brains?
"Not alone." Nathan was quick to point out. "We sent Vin along to protect her."
Chris was not sure he had heard the doctor correctly. The blood rushing to his head seemed to drown out the sounds around him. Vin and Victoria out there alone? He wondered if this was what a heart attack felt like.
"You sent Vin with Victoria?" He asked in a quiet tone that betrayed his displeasure.
"Sure. Vin is quick with his hands and he knows his way around." Josiah said, his confidence in his friend evident.
That was what Chris was afraid of.
"How long ago did they leave?" He asked, glancing at the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of them.
"A few hours at least. They should be halfway there by now." Nathan was beginning to sense that Chris was upset about something.
"Then there is nothing we can do now." Mary said, taking Chris by the arm and turning him away. "We will just have to wait until they get back."
Chris looked as though he didn't consider that an option, but relented with a nod. Then looking back at Josiah and Nathan he held up his finger sternly.
"You let us know the second they get back in town, you hear!" And not waiting for an answer, he turned and walked back up the street with Mary hurrying to keep up with his powerful strides.
This was going to be one long day!
They had reached Bitter Creek just after noon and by one they were heading back. The books had been exactly what Victoria had hoped they would be and she glanced back at the crate sitting in the back of the wagon with a smile.
"I can't wait to use these this fall." She told Vin, almost giddy with anticipation.
Vin looked over at her, enjoying the expression on her face, like a little child who had just been giving a new toy.
"You like teaching, hu? Seeing others learn what you are trying show them." He deduced. "You must have liked school yourself when you were young."
"Yes I did. I especially loved history." She gave a shy smile and looked down at her hands. "Perhaps because I had no past of my own, I wanted to learn about every one else's. How about you, Vin. Did you like school?"
"Didn't have much time for it growing up." Vin confessed, flicking the reins to stop the two horses from nipping at each other. "Too much work that needed tending to be regular at it." He looked over at Victoria quick to add. "Oh I learned to read and write though, and can cipher pretty well, but not much else took hold. Life taught me what I really need to know in order to survive, how to ride a horse and shoot a gun. I did like geography, reading maps and such, always wanting to hear of someplace new and different than where I was. And it came in pretty handy later when I took up bounty hunting, being familiar with your surroundings helps keep you one step ahead of who you are hunting."
"You were a bounty hunter?" Victoria asked, surprise showing in her eyes.
Vin looked a bit upset with himself for revealing that to her.
"Yeah, for a while. I tried my hand at that after the buffalo started running low."
"I see. A jack of all trades you might say. A bounty hunter, a buffalo hunter and now a peace keeper. What is next on your agenda, a sharp shooter in a wild west show?"
Vin laughed at her suggestion. But the only thing he had on his agenda was avoiding a hangman's noose until he could clear his name.
"I don't have any immediate plans, at least not until Judge Travis comes back to town. After than who knows."
Victoria went cold at the thought of Vin moving on, leaving town and in turn her. She didn't know how she would survive the thought of not seeing him every day. To always be wondering where he was and if he were dead or alive. She shivered as she imagined him somewhere out there, beyond her reach facing the cruel world.
Vin noticed her shiver and mistook it for a result of the cool breeze that had just come up. The day was still bright, but the sun had gone behind a cloud and he could feel the evening chill begin to creep in.
"Are you cold?" He asked, noticing she had not brought a wrap with her.
"A little." She confessed, but it was the icy grip of fear that had clutched her heart making her shiver, not the weather.
Vin reached back behind him and pulled his coat up, handing it to her.
"Put this on. I don't want to have Mrs. Travis yelling at me for letting you catch a cold." He smiled, holding on to one side as she slipped her arms inside, pulling it closed in front of her securely.
Victoria snuggled down into his coat, breathing in his manly sent that lingered on it. The coat was heavy and thick, offering perfect protection against the nippy wind. She closed her eyes and imagined it was his arms surrounding her instead of his coat, sheltering her from harm. But as she wrapped her arms around the front, she felt something hard in his pocket, and pulling it out she saw that is was a harmonica.
"Do you play?" She asked, delighted at the prospect.
Vin looked over and saw what she had found and laughed.
"Some, but not very well."
"I am sure you are great at it. Play something for me, please." She begged, handing it over to him.
Vin hesitated for a second, then taking the instrument he handed the reins to Victoria.
He gave her a one last warning look, as if to say 'you asked for it' before he began to play.
Vin played very well Victoria thought, and as she listened she recognized the song as one she learned as a child. And on his second verse she began to sing along.
Vin's eyebrows shot up as she joined him with her voice. She had a perfect voice, one that he envisioned singing in a choir at some fancy gathering. He continued on with his playing, rewarded for his meager efforts to keep in tune with her.
The two of them kept it up, playing and singing song after song
until Vin had exhausted his repertoire and Victoria thought she was going
to make herself hoarse. But the music had served its purpose and had
broken the ice, and the rest of the trip continued on a much lighter note.
Four Corners Chronicle
'Wanted' page
