Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to CBS, Trilogy, the Mirisch Group and a whole host of other people with more lawyers, cash and sense than I. No copyright infringement is intended or should be inferred.
In the aftermath of destruction, when the dust had cleared and the debris had stopped falling around their ears, blame would be placed and responsibility denied by all parties. Although considering how the entire situation had played out, the assignment of blame seemed rather incidental in the events preceding it.
Mary Travis was restless.
The weekly edition of the Clarion News was out and she had time on her hands. Billy had returned to his grandparents with the end of school break and Mary was feeling his absence most profoundly. Studying the work on her desk, Mary realised with surprising speed that it was an endless paper trail that would cease only after she was either dead or insane, whichever came first. At this moment, the odds on favourite appeared to gravitate towards insane.
She started work that morning with the best of intentions. There was the bookkeeping to finalize and orders to fill. For next week's edition of the Clarion News, there was research required for an editorial she planned to write, not to mention editing Mrs Potters apricot chicken recipe for publication. Hardly the stuff to give anyone inspiration, she decided.
After forcing herself to do the work for almost half the day, Mary's mind began to wander. Why did she need to be here? It was a beautiful July day outside. Through the window, she could see the sun shining luxuriously across the town. People were moving up and down the street. Horses and buggies would pass through her gaze at random intervals. In the distance, she could hear children laughing somewhere. In the sunlight, the harsh, rugged frontier appearance of Four Corners seemed to evaporate and took on a vista that would give poets and writers, much reason to prose.
And she was in here, trying to make apricot chicken sound exciting.
Was it her or was there something truly amiss in her life? In truth, Mary knew she had a better time of it than most widows. She was a talented, well-educated businesswoman who was young enough to put all these qualities to use. Yet today, she felt trapped inside these four walls and escape was not simply a matter of walking out of the room and doing something else.
She had to get out here.
She felt trapped in her own skin, trapped in the persona of Mrs Travis, community leader and all round pillar of Four Corners. Today, that title felt like an ever-tightening noose around her neck. She wanted out. Not forever because there was something in her that favored the challenge of Four Corners. However, in being Mrs Travis, she felt as if Mary had become lost in the mixture and she needed to breathe one in a while. Even if it was for a day or so.
She put down the pen she was about to dip into an inkwell and stood up from her desk. How long had it been since plain Mary Travis had a day to herself?
She tried to remember and was disturbed when she could not.
Suddenly a thought came to mind, an epiphany really. She glanced out the window once more and studied the sun's position in the sky. Dusk would not arrive for a few hours. If she packed a bag and started riding within the hour, she could be in Sweetwater by nightfall. The town of Sweetwater, with its enormous hotel and excellent room service, in walking distance she might add from the local theatre she had never chanced to visit, might be exactly what she needed. She could spend the night, enjoy a show and then do some shopping in the morning and be back before tomorrow night. The idea was tantalizing to say the least. However, there was still enough of Mrs Travis' sensibility in place to question the impulsiveness of the act. Perhaps it was not wise for her to just up and leave. There could be an urgent crisis requiring her presence in town. However, even as the thought crossed through her mind, she knew that she was just making excuses.
With the seven men who acted as the law in the town of Four Corners, there was rarely a crisis that they could not handle without her assistance. Besides, she was only going to be gone for a day or more. What could possibly happen in that time? As the decision began to take firmer hold of her mind, Mary wished Inez were in town. She was certain the Mexican would have enjoyed the trip as well. Unfortunately, Inez was on a journey of her own. Since it was impossible for Inez to return to her hometown because of the bad blood between herself and the local Don, she rarely had the opportunity to visit her family. Thus, Inez and her family met a town near the US-Mexican border so they could visit without causing further enmity with Don Paulo's father, who still blamed her for his son's death.
It took half an hour of packing and unpacking her bag, trying to decide if she was going to take this trip. Finally, Mary put on her travelling clothes and walked out the door towards the livery, carrying a small carpetbag with the essentials for an overnight stay out of town.
No one questioned the pretty blond widow as she made her way down the street. People knew she made trips to Eagle Bend and Bitter Creek to visit Billy and get printing supplies. Mary was glad for the indifference. At the moment she was not in the mood to explain her actions and even less inclined to justify her impulsiveness to anyone else, since she did not quite understand it herself.
"Hey there Homer." Mary said affectionately to the beautiful roan horse that she had stabled here. The animal was more than pleased to see her as Mary ran her fingers against the smooth skin of its elongated nose. The horse nudged up against her, rubbing its head against her shoulder in a gesture of welcome.
"Are you ready for a little trip?" She asked as she prepared the animal for riding. She did so hope the theatre was performing a play tonight. She was in the mood for some make believe.
As she harnessed Homer, Mary made a mental checklist of what she was going to do this evening. A nice hot bath in one of those fancy tubs with the claw legs and running hot water flashed into mind. She had not decided that she would order room service or whether she would go down for dinner. With these possibilities running through her mind, Mary unconsciously hastened her preparation to leave.
She decided against taking her buggy because it would take too much time to harness and Mary wanted to be in Sweetwater as quickly as she could. Preferably before saner instincts got a hold of her and she changed her mind. Finally, Homer was saddled and ready to go when Mary fastened her bag securely onto the back of the saddle.
She was so intent on working that she did not notice someone else arriving in the livery. "Hello Mrs Travis."
Mary looked over her shoulder and saw JD Dunne, the young sheriff, leading his own mount into its stable for the day. She flashed him a smile as she greeted him politely in return. "How's things?" She inquired, tightening some straps on the underside of Homer's graceful body.
"I was out riding with Casey." The young man replied.
It was hard to imagine JD as sheriff sometimes and she knew many people who felt disconcerted seeing him wear that Silver Star so proudly. However, Mary knew that once JD had a few more years' experience underneath his belt, she did not doubt he would be the best sheriff Four Corners ever had. As a part of the seven, JD had the instruction of experienced mentors who ensured his safety as well honing his skills for the future he had chosen for himself. Although Mary believed JD would surprise them all one day, the boy was hot headed as all young men his age. Fortunately, he was tempered with a streak of kindness and sympathy that was rare in any man.
"How is Casey today?" She inquired.
"She's okay." He said finding it difficult to speak about the young woman who was his first real love, judging by the effort he went to impress her. "We had a picnic by the river."
"It's a good day for it." Mary commented and turned back to what she was doing.
It was at this point that JD started to notice that Mrs Travis was preparing to leave. The bag she had stored on her horse Homer and the clothes she was wearing indicated that it was an overnight trip. "You're going somewhere, Mrs Travis?"
"Yes." Mary replied shortly. She knew if she told him where she was going, it would be around town by the time the sun set. No doubt, JD would bring news of her departure to the seven and where it went after that, was anyone's guess. She led the horse out of its stall and proceeded towards the door, showing JD she was not prepared to answer any more questions.
"Where?" JD pressed, not recognizing a silent 'none of your business' even if it came up and bit him on the rear.
"Out of town." Mary said trying not to become annoyed by his prying.
"Where out of town?"
She took a deep breath and knew he would not rest until he got an answer. Perhaps, telling him might be a good idea. After all if anything happened to her during the ride there and in this country, that was not a remote possibility, it would be good if someone knew where she had been headed.
"Okay, Sweetwater." She finally conceded, turning around to face him. "I'm going there on some private business and I prefer if the entire town was not privy to that, Mr Dunne."
"Sure Mrs Travis." JD said uncertainly, his curiosity burning now but recognized the fiery glare in her eyes enough to know that it was unwise to pursue his interrogation. Mrs Travis was a formidable woman at the least of times. JD did not wish to be present to see how she would react when fully provoked. "Did you let Chris know?"
It was possibly the worst thing he could have said.
Mary glared at him with enough venom for JD to swallow thickly and thank god he had not opted to leave his gun belt at the jailhouse today. Fearfully, he glanced at his side and felt relief when he saw it in his holster.
"This is none of Mr Larabee's concern." She said coolly, feeling her back straighten in irritation. "He is not my lord and master and I am not required to check in my whereabouts with him or anyone else. I am adult woman who can go where I please, when I please without the permission of Mr Chris Larabee. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes ma'am." JD nodded quickly, deciding that he was not prepared to argue with her on this point.
"Good." Mary cleared her throat, realizing she might have over reacted slightly. She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks but then Chris Larabee had a tendency to effect her that way. "Now, if anyone wants me I will be in Sweetwater until tomorrow afternoon. However, pending a crisis of biblical proportions, I do not want to be bothered."
With that, Mary Travis turned on her heels and stormed out of the stable, trailing a wave of gold hair behind her.
"Gentlemen," Ezra Standish announced to his friends from behind the counter of his saloon. "One of the drunks who had the misfortune to be ejected from this establishment a short time ago, had first imparted to me that the Davis gang may be in the vicinity."
"The Davis gang?" Nathan Jackson, the local healer, looked up at the southern gentlemen in question. "Who are they?"
"Bank robbers." Buck Wilmington said from across the table.
"That's pretty sketchy from a drunk." Chris Larabee remarked. The gunslinger did not look up from his book when he spoke. He was enjoying the relative quiet from the half-empty saloon on this sunny day. Most of the regular patrons were taking advantage of the sunshine. Thus, the seven were using up some well-deserved recreation time during the brief intervals that appeared in between the crises that seemed to occur regularly in Four Corners.
"I thought it was worth noting." Ezra replied. With Inez visiting her family, the gambler had taken point behind the counter for the duration of her trip. She had not wanted to leave the saloon in his hands but Ezra had managed to convince his partner that she need not worry about finding the place burnt to the ground when she returned. Ezra had the sneaking suspicion that Inez believed he was incapable of running the place without her.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Chris replied smoothly and went back to his book. He seriously doubted the validity of that information, however. Last he heard during a visit to Purgatory, the Davis gang were heading down to Mexico after a substantial bank heist. Still, nothing was ever set in stone and rumors had the disadvantage of being largely unsubstantiated. Stories had a tendency to alter when passed by the word of mouth. Although he did not voice his concerns, Chris nevertheless filed the information away for the moment.
Only four of the seven were currently present in Ezra's saloon. Josiah was working on his church and Vin was at the Indian reservation, visiting Chanu and Kojay. Buck Wilmington who would normally be chasing every skirt in the country area was remarkably sedate today. No one wanted to say it out loud but they knew he was missing Inez. Ever since her arrival, Inez had become Buck's Holy Grail. She was one of the few women who had not fallen to Buck Wilmington's charm and that fact alone was driving the poor man insane. His tenacity to win the lady was beyond stubborn, although Inez had made it perfectly clear that she was not at all interested. With Inez out of town, it seemed Buck had lost his reason for being. He had been moping around the place with such gloominess that his friends were starting to believe his feelings for Inez were more intense than he had led them to believe.
"Hi guys." JD's voice announced his arrival.
A chorus of greeting rippled through the room as the young man went to the counter to get himself a drink.
"How is the lovely Miss Wells?" Ezra asked politely.
"She's fine." JD said somewhat distracted. He was still thinking about his exchange with Mrs Travis and he wondered whether he ought to tell Chris about it or not. Mrs Travis had been adamant about not being bothered but JD was torn between his loyalty to Chris Larabee and his instructions from the lady.
"You seem distracted son." Ezra pointed out, seeing the slight confusion on his face. "I assume everything is alright?"
"Its fine." He replied as Ezra slid him a shot glass of whisky.
By now, the others had looked up from their card game at him. In some ways, they all felt protective towards JD who was the youngest in their group. The boy had been raised by his mother all his life and often showed his lack of male influence by the naivete he displayed. "JD?" Buck who was closest to him inquired. "Come on now, inquiring minds want to know, what is it?"
JD shrugged, his eyes involuntarily moving in Chris' direction. Although the gunslinger did not look up, JD was sure he was listening. "Its nothing really."
"It doesn't sound like it." Nathan remarked.
"Well, its Mrs Travis." He said reluctantly.
Everyone glanced in the direction of Chris who was still reading his book, seemingly unconcerned. "What about Mrs Travis." Chris asked, his voice indifferent as always.
"She's gone."
"Gone?" Nathan exclaimed. His voice was certainly more animated that Chris. Of all the men in the room, it was Nathan who knew Mary Travis the longest. He considered her a fine woman and an even better friend. When he had first arrived in Four Corners, it was Mary Travis's friendship that had paved the way for his acceptance in the town. "What do you mean gone?"
"She said she was going to Sweetwater." JD replied. "She had a bag packed. I think she was planning on staying there."
Chris looked up from his book but he did not meet the eyes of his friends. His gaze seemed fixed on the door way instead. By now, they were aware that JD had his undivided attention.
"Did she saw why she was making this journey?" Ezra asked, knowing that Chris wanted to know even if he was unwilling to sound excessively concerned about the good widow.
"Private business she said and she didn't want the whole town knowing about it." JD offered, remembering the look in her eyes when she told him to keep her trip to himself. The young man was not only unhappy at breaking his word to her but he did not like facing her when she returned. "She said that unless there was...." He tried to recall her exact words. "A crisis of biblical proportion, she did not want to be bothered."
"When did she leave?" Buck inquired. This was unusual behavior from Mary Travis. Under normal circumstances, it was a habit of hers to inform the seven that she was leaving town. He could not understand why she would feel it necessary to depart without telling them. It was very unlike Mrs Travis.
"Just a while ago." JD replied, feeling more uncomfortable the further he betrayed her confidence.
"Hell," Buck grumbled. "Its late in the day to make a run to Sweetwater on a buggy. She wouldn't get there until well after dark."
"She didn't take the buggy." JD informed Buck dutifully. "She was riding side saddle."
"She might make it to Sweetwater before dark then." Nathan remarked digesting that information. "Horse back cuts the trip down a couple of hours." He said as a matter of factly, to which the rest of them agreed.
"It appears that the lady is on a mission." Ezra replied. "Perhaps we should allow her to maintain her privacy, since she made it clear she did not require interference."
JD nodded in agreement. He wished he had not brought it up at all but if Chris were to find her gone and then discovered JD had known about it, he would have been in worse trouble. Although it was indeed an unenviable position to become caught in between Chris Larabee and Mary Travis.
"She's a grown woman." Chris said quietly. "She can do what she wants."
"That's exactly what she said." JD attempting to lend support to Chris' reasoning. "She said Chris was not her lord and master and didn't need his permission to go anywhere."
"JD." Buck grimaced as the words tumbled out of the young man's mouth before anyone could stop him. It took a further instant before JD realised that what he had inadvertently blurted out. As he saw Buck expression, JD was mortified that he had been so loose lipped.
Chris put his book down and stood up from his chair.
Buck knew him well enough to know exactly what the man in black was about to do. "Now Chris, think about this."
"The Davis gang." Chris said simply. "They're out there."
"You said it was a rumor." Buck reminded him.
"That was before that damn woman was riding out there alone." Chris retorted. "Its not safe for her."
"Mrs Travis can handle herself." Buck insisted. "You got out there and she will not appreciate it."
"I'm not going to get her to be popular." He said stubbornly.
"You shouldn't be going out there to get her at all!" Buck exclaimed, getting out of his chair and striding towards Chris. Chris was a master all right, a master at self-denial. He would go out there and retrieve Mary Travis, causing serious danger to whatever semblance of relationship the two possessed. He would do so simply because he believed he was doing the right thing and not because he had any deeper feelings for the woman.
"Chris, I'm your friend and I'm telling you, don't go after her." Buck spoke with more force than any one of them had ever seen him display. More than anyone, he wanted to see the relationship between Chris and Mary grow. His friend needed to heal after years of mourning for his long lost wife. Although Chris did not blame him for Sarah's death, Buck could not deny that he was the one who persuaded Chris to stay in Mexico that fateful night. If he had let Chris go then maybe, they could have been home in time to save Sarah and Adam.
Of all the seven, it was Buck who first realised the feelings Chris Larabee had for Mary Travis. Women tended to be shy away from Chris' dark persona. However, Mary showed no fear nor would she be intimidated by his brooding manner. She was without doubt the most determined woman that Buck had ever encountered and certainly one of the most beautiful. It was almost inevitable that Chris would fall for her. Chris Larabee had a weakness for strong women and Mary was as independent as they came. Their battle of wills was almost a thing of legend in this town.
Chris and Buck held each other's gaze for a long uncomfortable moment before Chris broke away first. "You're right." He said conceding the point. "She can take care of herself."
"Sure." Buck declared, still a little surprised that Chris had given in so easily. Normally, he would be the one to break first.
"I'm going home." Chris let out a sigh of resignation. He picked up his book and slipped on the black duster draped across the chair near his table. "If anything turns up, you know where to find me."
"Sure." Buck repeated, still unsure of the game Chris was playing. Buck was still staring after Chris had disappeared through the front door.
It was about a full minute after the entire scene when Ezra spoke up. "I will wager $20 that Mrs Travis will be returning to Four Corners prematurely."
JD looked at Ezra in confusion. "But he said....."
"I'm in for that bet." Nathan grinned.
Buck sighed realizing that it could not have been that simple. Chris Larabee and Mary Travis. It would have been a nice idea. "I'll raise you another $10." He said gloomily.
Almost an hour of riding and Mary felt better than she had in a long time.
It was truly a beautiful day and as the sun moved across the horizon, preparing to disappear beneath the mountain ranges in the distance, she knew it was going to be an equally beautiful night. Mary loved this country. Before Steven had died and when Billy was visiting his grandparents, they would take evening rides like this to enjoy the sunset. It saddened her deeply that he would never enjoy an amber sunset ever again nor would he ever know how she had kept their dream of the paper very much alive.
The more distance she put between herself and Four Corners, the farther away Mrs Travis seemed. Out here, in the rolling plains of the Territory, where man had yet to conquer or tame this rugged land, it was easy to find oneself. Homer moved at a lethargic pace and Mary saw no reason to hastened him forward. She was enjoying the time too much to forced it along quickly.
Mary rode on into the evening, her mind lost in images of faraway places and a time long before her arrival at Four Corners. Memories of Boston flashed in her mind, interrupted occasionally when she needed to concentrate on riding, instead of daydreaming. She recalled sunny days like the one where the heat was not so merciless and there were tall elm trees over head and carpets of lush green grass beneath her feet. It was sometimes difficult to acquaint herself with that fresh young girl with her parasol and fine linen, who dreamed of a more challenging existence. The irony of it brought a smile to Mary's face.
Mary could not deny that she craved the excitement that came from living in Four Corners, despite its harsh realities. She was always at her best when there was a challenge to overcome and she was proud of what she tried to accomplish in Four Corners. Mary had come to the West with her late husband out of mutual love of adventure. Life in Boston had suited neither one of them and they had come to Four Corners to build something they could be proud. Of course, life rarely transpired the way it should and the loneliness that overwhelmed her in the wake of Steven's death had almost defeated her proud spirit.
It would have been simpler to give in after his death and admit defeat, however Mary could not force herself to lead a mundane existence. She demanded excitement and she enjoyed the newfound independence once she had stopped mourning for Steven. However, sometimes, it was necessary for her to shed the responsibility she had assumed to remember who she was. It was easy to become so lost in one's grand ambitions to forget the person dreaming it.
Suddenly, she heard the distant sound of hooves galloping over the distant hill. She pulled the reins and brought Homer to a halt, knowing that it was probably just another rider. Mary's curiosity got the better of her as she waited as the hoof beats came closer and closer. The rider at this point was just another speck in the distance and it was not until she saw the horse to be a black gelding did Mary start to have ugly suspicions.
No, it couldn't be.
With his black duster trailing behind him, Chris Larabee spotted the woman on horseback and immediately headed in her direction. As he neared, Mary seemed to be staring at him with a blank expression on her face. Her eyes were wide as she recognized him but narrowed the closer he approached. Suddenly, the warning Buck had tried to make earlier in the saloon returned to haunt him and he wondered if this had been such a good idea after all.
She did not say anything as his horse came towards her because she knew it would be jumping to conclusions if she naturally assumed that he came out here because of her. Chris often took trips out of town and there was no reason to think that this was not one of those occasions. He said nothing until his horse had ambled next to her and there were within touching distance of one another.
"Mr Larabee." Mary said with a calm and measured voice, forcing herself to remember the advice she had just given herself about jumping to conclusions. "What brings you out here?"
"I heard you left town." Chris answered with just as much calm.
"Yes," she nodded. "I was going to Sweetwater for the evening."
She saw curiosity flash in his eyes but it vanished almost instantly. "The Davis gang has been spotted in the area. I came to bring you back. You can go to Sweetwater tomorrow morning with an escort." His voice indicated that he was not asking her permission.
Remember, benefit of the doubt, Mary thought to herself as the ire bubbling inside her. Perhaps he truly believed that there was some danger to her life. "I see." She responded struggling to maintain her composure. "I thought the Davis gang was in Mexico. The last letter I received from the Judge indicated that the gang was hiding out since a posse of federal men got on their trail."
"Better safe than sorry." He replied, reaching for the reins of her horse.
Mary did not stop him. "Could you tell me where you got this information from?" She stared at him intently.
Chris did not meet her eyes and told Mary a great deal. "Someone in the saloon."
"One of the men?" He knew she was referring to the seven.
"No," he shook his head, wondering where she was going with this. She was unusually calm. In fact, he had expected her to be furious but she was quite pleasant. "Someone else."
"Who?" She asked sweetly.
"Just someone in the saloon." He replied, starting to the see the storm that was bearing down on him from behind her eyes.
"In the saloon," she nodded. "He would not have been inebriated at the time, would he?" Her voice remained as smooth as silk, rivaling for his own for intensity.
"A touch." Chris realised that the storm was about to break. He kept a firm grip of the reins because he sensed the tone of the conversation was going to take a decidedly volatile turn. "We should get going."
"Let me understand this," she exhaled as she began speaking, her voice rising with each word she uttered. "You rode all the way out here to take me back on the word of a drunk?"
"We don't have time for this." He said abruptly. "Its going to be nightfall soon."
"We'll make time." She fairly snarled and took the reins back again. This entire situation was unacceptable as it is without him treating her like a child.
He almost jumped from the intensity of her anger. "No we won't." He replied just as firmly. "We're going." With that he snatched the reins out of her hands and started leading Homer in the direction of Four Corners.
"I am going to Sweetwater, Mr Larabee." She grabbed the reins with fire in her eyes. "I will see you when I get back."
"And I say you're not going." Chris insisted with just as much determination. "It ain't safe."
"The only one who is in any danger is you!" Mary shouted. With that, she dug her heels into Homer and sent the horse bolting forward at top speed.
Chris looked at her widening the distance between them and swore under his breath, before digging his spurs into his own horse and going after her in pursuit.
Chris was a much better rider than she was and he was able to catch with Mary in a matter of minutes. Sidling up next to Homer, Chris wrestled the reins away from Mary and forced the horse to follow his own animal as it changed direction away from Sweetwater to Four Corners.
"Chris, this isn't funny." She protested barely containing her fury as they continued back towards Four Corners.
"We're still going back." He replied, his eyes fixed firmly ahead.
"Who do you think you are treating me like this?" She demanded. "I'm a grown woman, capable of making my own decisions and taking care of myself. I have business in Sweetwater."
"I'm sure you have but its nothing that can't wait until tomorrow morning, when its safer for a woman to travel."
Mary felt her cheeks flush with indignation but with Chris firmly holding Homer's reins, there was little she could do. "Whether it is safe to travel or not is know of your business." She argued. "For your information, I have plans in Sweetwater that cannot wait until tomorrow."
"With who?" He said faster than he should have. It was the only time during this conversation that he had turned to meet her gaze.
"Its not your concern." She hissed vehemently. Suddenly, she had an inkling of what this was all about and knowing that just made his behavior more reprehensible. However, she was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that just yet. "Suffice to say, I cannot be late so if you don't mind, you'll let me get on my way."
His features hardened by the thought of letting her go to Sweetwater now. When had she been there in the last few weeks to meet anyone? As Chris stared at her intently, he racked his memory for some instance when someone could have appeared out of nowhere to justify a secret meeting in another town? The thought of Mary being with someone else created such a sick feeling in his stomach he could hardly breathe. How could she go off with someone else? Did she have no idea about how he felt? Logically however, Chris knew he had no right to expect any kind of consideration from her since he had never actually told her how he felt.
But she supposed to know!
"Who is he?" Chris asked quietly.
"No one you know." She retorted. It was not exactly a lie.
"If he were any kind of man he wouldn't be expecting you at this hour." He said glaring at her.
"I think I am the one best to decide that." She said sharply. "Now will you please let me go." Mary hoped playing the illusion of a phantom suitor would force Chris to let her be on her way. More than ever she needed the promise of room service and an evening to herself. After this, she was beyond angry. Her mind was actually turning numb from being so enraged.
Chris ignored the request. If he had lost her to another man, so be it but there was no way Chris was going to make it easy for his rival. "You can go to Sweetwater tomorrow. I'll have someone escort you."
"I do not want an escort!" Mary exclaimed, blood rushing to her cheeks until her face was almost crimson. "I want to go now!"
He said nothing and allowed her to scream at him for another few minutes. They had progressed far enough towards Four Corners for the town's light to become myriad speckles in the distant dark. The sun had well and truly set now and with bitter disappointment, Mary knew he had won. Even if she rode at full gallop right this moment, she would not make it to Sweetwater to enjoy any of her plans. She was so angry at him she was almost to the point of tears but stubbornness refused to give him that power over her. A thousand frustrated emotions stabbed at her and his flagrant violation of her personal liberties was beyond her understanding.
Why did he feel it so necessary to protect her? Even when she did not wish it? On some level, Mary knew he cared. She could see it in his eyes and she would be lying to say that she was not attracted to him. She was not blind and he was terribly handsome, not to mention the fact that he had the uncanny ability to say the right things when she needed to hear it. Mary had heard the rumors whispered about her relationship with Chris and for most part, she ignored it. On rare occasions, she could feel the fire of his smoldering passion looking straight through her with those impossibly blue green eyes of his. During those moments, she would have been ready to fall into his arms if he would promise her anything.
But that did not give Chris the right to behave as he had now.
Nothing did.
The journey back to town was quiet. Mary had given up the idea of going to Sweetwater once the sun had set on the day. The cold silence between them after this point, made even Chris uncomfortable. There was an unconscious realization that perhaps he had gone to far. As they reached the livery, Chris wished she would say something but each time he looked in her direction, she would give him that icy stare that would make any apology seem pointless.
Besides her anger, Chris was engaged in thoughts about who her mysterious suitor had been. Judging from the small bag she had carried, she had not planned to stay long. Only one night. He wondered if she had intended to spend that night with the man. Images of soft caresses and her breath against someone else's skin chilled his blood. He glanced at her and saw her looking into the night, her eyes glistening with the barest hint of moisture and immediately felt it penetrate his heart more accurately than any bullet. Her disappointment only reinforced his belief that there was someone else and that she was heartbroken at not being able to meet with him in Sweetwater.
Once they reached the stables, Mary dismounted first and gave him a glare that would freeze water. She said nothing as she unpacked her bag and dropped it onto the dirt ground.
"I'll take care of the horses." He offered and was rewarded by a venomous look of fury before Mary picked up her bag and disappeared out the stable doors. He stared after her, telling himself that he had done the right thing. It was too dangerous for her to go traipsing to Sweetwater so late in the day. She could have been hurt. This country was none of its violence, particularly to unarmed women. Chris knew he had been right to go after her and bring her back to Four Corners.
Yeah and someday, pigs will fly.
Chris decided that she would be mad at him for a few days and then get over it. She was too warm a person to be mad at anyone for too long. Besides, he remembered the number of times when they had argued and she always seemed to be okay after a day or so. The wisest course of action at this moment would be to stay away from her until her anger had subsided.
He returned to the saloon in time to see money changing hands from Buck to Ezra. When he walked into the saloon, he noticed a number of guffaws being hastily stifled at his presence. None of the regulars met his gaze but there seemed to be something funny going on. Walking towards Buck and the others, he saw people turning away, unable to meet his gaze. While he was accustomed to people looking at him in fear, something about their manner now indicated this was an entirely different situation.
"You did it didn't you?" Buck looked at him critically. He seemed to be the only one of the seven who did not find something enormously funny. Even Vin and Josiah were attempting to control their amusement.
"What?" Chris said evasively and went to the bar. Automatically, Ezra handed him a bottle.
"You went and got her didn't you?"
"I thought it was a good idea with the Davis gang and all." He explained weakly. It was an excuse and he knew it. Chris poured himself a shot glass of whisky and downed it with one toss of his head.
"I told you." Ezra grinned.
"Told him what?" Chris straightened up with a menacing gleam to his eyes.
"That's you'd go get Mrs Travis." Ezra replied. "Buck here didn't think you would."
Chris did not meet Buck's gaze but he did feel somewhat foolish at being so predictable and his oldest friend appeared to be the only who had not believed it.
"Uh Oh." Vin said suddenly and the room felt silent. Chris looked over his shoulder and saw Mary standing at the door. She normally did not come into the saloon after hours but the look in her eyes spoke volumes regarding her state of mind. Chris decided that if he was going to get yelled at, it was best to get it over and done with. Turning around, he waited patiently as she marched up to him and began her tirade of indignant rage.
Mary marched up to him and stood before Chris for a moment, saying nothing. Her knuckles were clenched so tight that there were almost white. He had seen her that angry only once, when she had discovered her husband's killer.
"Mary...."
Without warning, she pulled her back and struck him square in the jaw. It was almost a road house swing, with enough force behind it for Chris to lose his footing and fall backwards, hitting the back of his head on the bar counter as he went down.
"Bastard." She swore in a most un-Mary like voice before turning on her heels, satisfied that she had humiliated him enough to compensate for the embarrassment she faced at having been dragged back to town.
Chris stared after her, so overcome with astonishment that he did not react for a few seconds. The rest of the seven and the patrons of the saloon were also gawking in similar shock. They seemed to be frozen in place, moments after the scene with their eyes wide open and their jaws agape. When he recovered, Chris jumped to his feet and hurried out the saloon, determined to have Mary explain herself.
Mary was half way across the street when he caught up with her.
"Mary!" He called out.
She stopped long enough to flash him a cold stare before continuing towards the Clarion.
"Look I know you're angry...." He started to say.
"Angry!" She whirled around. Her eyes blazed in nothing less than pure outrage at his estimation of the situation. "I'm not angry you son of a bitch! I'm furious!"
Chris could only stare as she let loose a string of words that embarrassed even him. The suspicion that he had perhaps crossed the line in his behavior earlier returned to him with just as much turbulence as Mary's disposition.
"Let's take this inside." He took her arm and started leading her towards the Clarion's office.
"Don't touch me!" She yanked her arm out of his grip and slapped him across the face. "I can get there without you touching me!"
His cheek stung from the sharp blow and Chris started to feel his own controlled emotions beginning to give way as she stormed across the road and disappeared through the Clarion's front door. Everyone on the street was watching the commotion with fascination. Chris looked over his shoulder to see that the rest of the seven had emerged from saloon with something bordering amusement and concern on their faces.
"I don't think she wants to talk to you, Chris." Buck grinned. He loved Chris like a brother but Chris had been way out of line today and it was time he took his medicine. Buck just never believed Mary could administer it so well.
Chris gave Buck an icy stare through narrowed eyes before striding after Mary.
"Do you think we should step in?" Nathan asked slightly concerned about Mary's well being. In all the years he had known Mary Travis, he had never seen the respectable widow so enraged or passionate for that matter about any subject. Although she was truly magnificent in her fury, Nathan did not wish to be in the receiving end of all that animosity.
"Not a chance." Vin said automatically. "I ain't getting in the crosshairs of that mess."
"Agreed." Ezra replied with a bemused smile. "Besides, Mr Larabee is quite capable of taking care of himself and if not," he added with widening smile. "Nathan has plenty of bandages."
Chris walked into the Clarion and barely missed being hit by a bottle of ink. It shattered on the wall next to him, creating an ugly blue stain as thick rivulets ran down the floor. "Are you crazy?" He glared at her as he saw the flounce of her skirt, disappearing up the hallway. "You could have taken out my eye!."
"I was aiming for your head!" Came the distancing cry of response.
Chris slammed the door loudly before following her into the parlor. When he got there, she had a fresh new selection of projectiles to hurl at him. A plate came gliding towards him. Chris dropped to his knees, avoiding it safely as it crashed somewhere behind him. Cups, plates, and figurines followed it and just about anything Mary could get her hands on. The sound of smashing objects started to become deafening as Chris weaved and dodged, feeling like the painted duck in a shooting gallery. The floor became covered in the debris of broken objects and Chris wondered if it was all possible to reason with her. He started to think that may be he ought to leave and let her calm down.
"You're being childish." He declared and then winced, realizing that it was absolutely the worst thing to say to her at this moment.
"I am being childish?" She roared. "Me? I am not the one who behaved like a insufferable, thick headed, arrogant, boorish...." She was starting to run out of words and decided throwing something else at him was definitely in order. Her parlor was an unholy mess of broken porcelain covering the wooden floor. She turned around to pick something else when Chris crossed the room before she was able to throw. He grabbed her in a body tackle, knocking them both onto the divan before she could hurl the delicate porcelain figure at him. Instead it fell out of her hands and smashed against the floor.
"Get off me!" She shouted as he pinned her down with his weight against the soft cushioned upholstery.
"Not until you calm down!" He retorted.
She dug her nails into his hair and yanked a fist full of blond strands, knocking his hat the floor. Chris shouted in pain, grabbing her wrists to make her stop. Mary struggled harder and brought up her knee. She missed his groin by a fraction but caused enough pain for him to roll off her. She stood up shakily and started moving away from him. Chris who was doubled over from her most recent blow, grabbed her ankle and pulled back with more strength that he intended. Losing her balance, Mary hit the floor with a loud whack that made her see stars for an instant. She felt warm blood run down her nose.
"Mary?" Chris called out, suddenly afraid that he might have hurt her. She lay on the floor for a moment, dazed when Chris staggered towards her. Her blond hair was completely freed over her shoulders and a thin line of red, oozed out her nose. When she saw him approach, Mary rolled onto her back. Mary let him reach her before she kicked out her foot and connected with his ankle, bringing him down with a heavy thud. When she saw him hit the space beside her, Mary got on her hands and knees and started crawling away. However, Chris did not intend to let her escape and he lunged forward, despite his throbbing foot. He wrapped his arms around her waist and yanked her backwards. Forcing her back against the floor, Chris straddled Mary and pinned her down very easily.
"Take it easy!" He hissed.
Somehow, she squirmed a hand free and struck him across the jaw but this time, Chris was ready for it. He recovered with enough time to regain hold of her free hand before she hit him again. He was inches from her face when Chris felt her teeth sink into the soft flesh of his throat.
"Bitch!" He swore, feeling blood but not letting go. He could feel her struggling to get free underneath him, fighting him with each ounce of strength in her body. Suddenly, to his surprise, he realised all this activity was making him feel and entirely different sensation altogether. He felt her breathing heavily against his and found himself secretly savoring her breath against his skin.
"Get off me." She demanded, feeling the weight of him against her body too pleasant to correspond with anger she felt towards him at this moment.
"No." Chris said quietly. Suddenly, she saw the cool aloofness in his eyes melt and for the first time something emerged that was completely unexpected. He looked at her with something akin to hunger and Mary became very conscious of his body so close to her. Her mouth suddenly felt dry and she saw his reaction to their closeness to understand that they had passed some invisible barrier between men and women, seldom noticed until long past.
"Mr Larabee." She started to become nervous. The dissipation of her rage had returned some sense of propriety to her. Mary could not deny that he was affecting her. She was still angry at what he had done but for some reason the fire of that rage had all but disappeared, replaced by an even more volatile and perilous mix.
To Chris, Mary never looked more beautiful. Even though her golden hair was a tangled mess and then was blood running down his nose, he found her utterly mesmerizing. Her blue gray eyes were watching him closely now and her cheeks were flushed pink. The electrifying intensity of the sensations generated by this sudden intimacy was effecting her as well and Chris saw her lips quiver in something akin to anticipation and fear.
Chris wondered how those lips tasted and then realised that there was only one way to find out.
He leaned down and forced his mouth against hers in a kiss of passion. He felt her struggle briefly, her hands protesting under his wrists before the struggle waned and her lips parted wider for his probing tongue. With a growl, he dove in once permission was given to do so. Chris forced his tongue past her inviting lips, exploring her mouth with animal intensity.
Mary could hardly breathe. She felt him in her mouth and knew in an instant that she had always wanted him there. Her body reacted to him far more efficiently than her astonished mind was capable. Almost with a will of its own, she felt her body arch against his, pressing against the muscle of his taut body. Somehow, her hands became free and she wrapped them around his back briefly, before she decided she wanted to feel skin.
Chris felt her hands moving past his duster, pulling his shirt loose and then a surge of excitement as her hands run over the muscle of his bare back. He withdrew long enough to take a breath before he kissed her again, taking from her all that he could. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as he continued kissing her, never for a moment imagining that any kiss could be hold so much power over him. His lips moved down her neck and tasted the sweet flesh of her neck, as something to be savored.
God, he never thought, never imagined she could feel so wonderful.
Chris had dreamed at night about what it was going to be like making love to her. He had lain awake in his bed, imagining how she would feel beneath him. Chris had fallen asleep on fantasies of how breathlessly Mary would call out his name the first time he slid into her body. Until now, Chris realised how shallow those visions had been. In comparison to the reality of it all, they were pale shadows.
Somehow, the buttons to the top of her dress came undone. Chris hardly remembered removing them but his breath held as he caught sight of the alabaster skin beneath the material. His mouth moved down her collarbone, tracing an invisible line of kisses until he reached her cleavage. She was wearing something beneath, a thin layer of lace that tore easily when he tugged at it. When his mouth reached erect flesh, she released a moan of pleasure. Chris almost came completely undone by that sound.
"Oh god Chris." He heard her moan and felt himself hardening to the point of madness.
"Mary." He whispered. "So beautiful." Chris gasped as she felt her fingers tracing the skin beneath his waist. Her touch felt like fire. Chris looked into her eyes and saw her passion. She wanted this as much as he did and like him, Chris did not believe she could wait.
He moved off her and said softly. "Turn over."
She let out a deep breath of anticipation and slowly rolled onto her knees. He could not believe this was happening. However as he slid his hands under the layer of skirts and felt the soft flesh of her thigh, he knew this was too wonderful for any fantasy or dream. Removing all their clothes and moving to a more private place would drive them mad with desire and it was obvious neither could wait any longer. Mary looked over her shoulder and in her eyes, he saw the same wanton desire.
When he slid into her for the first time, there was no doubt or hesitation. Chris closed his eyes as he fought to keep himself from becoming lost in the incredible sensation of her. He wanted this to be just as wonderful for her as it was for him, and for that, he would not rush. He would make her never regret the decision to be with him in this way. Chris felt Mary's body stiffen as she threw her head back and he buried his face in that mane of glorious golden hair.
God, the pleasure of it.
He had to bite down from crying out himself. It had been so long, so very long that he had felt anything while making love to a woman. All those times he had spent with working girls and felt little more than a need satisfied or hunger satiated. Nothing more nothing less. He had not given himself completely over to anything since Sarah had died and everything since had been almost obligatory. All that time wasted on meaningless paid encounters, searching to feel something when here was Mary. Mary who could make him feel so alive by just being herself. Since the day he had met her, she had aimed sunshine into his despairing soul with no idea of the salvation she brought with her breezy smile.
Chris heard her call out his name, as he trusted deeper into the core of her. Each stroke was an epiphany of pleasure that carried them both farther and farther away from all the things that bound them to the sorrows of this life. He was not a sentimental man by any means but he knew without doubt that he had loved her and had from the very beginning. He heard Mary cry out softly. His name sounded heavenly from her lips. She gasped out with more passion, until the sound of her heaving breath became his world. When Chris felt Mary reach that last wave, when she was so taut with ecstasy that she was no longer conscious of anything but his name, he finally gave in to his own release.
Chris felt all the air escape his lungs when he finally came crashing down. His bones seemed to disappear as he collapsed on top of her breathing hard, with sweat running down his skin. He heard her whimper slightly and withdrew because he wanted to hold her close and look into her eyes when he told her how he felt. She shuddered as he pulled back and turned her slender waist towards him. Chris saw the hungry gleam in her eyes, the glistening skin and the full lips, parted slightly as she drew breath to pace the heart beneath her half exposed chest.
"Mary...." Chris started to say, wondering if words could adequately express anything. In all his fantasies, he had never imagined their first time together would resemble like this. If anything, Chris wished it was done with a little more finesse.
"Chris! Mrs Travis? Are you alright?" They heard the familiar voice of Buck Wilmington call out.
Chris and Mary looked at each other struck with the same thought. In the mad scramble that followed, what transpired between them was shunted aside in the desperate attempt to conceal it. Mary brushed down her skirt and hastily buttoned her dress, hoping she did not appear as guilty as she looked. Although guilty was rather a strong word. She had no regrets over what happened. Nevertheless, she had no wish to explain it to Buck Wilmington since Mary Travis was still rather overwhelmed by the sudden change in the status quo between herself and Chris Larabee.
By the time, they heard Buck stepping through the front door to investigate, Chris and Mary were properly attired. As much as to people who had spent that last half hour raising hell and then coming to peace in a most novel approach could be.
"We're in here, Mr Wilmington." Mary answered with as much poise to her voice as she could muster. She could still smell Chris scent on her skin and the memory of his touch was vivid in her mind. For most part however, she conducted herself quite convincingly. She did notice that Chris had done up the middle buttons of his duster and had pulled the brim of his hat low. The shadows cast by the hat on his head, hid much of his face.
Buck walked in gingerly, seeing the damage leading to the parlor. Behind him, Nathan followed just as quietly, taking note of the destruction with less calm than Buck. Consciously he knew Chris would never hurt Mary but than Mary had been pretty ornery herself. Rage like that had a tendency to bring out the worse in the best of intentions.
Buck surveyed the parlor upon entry, seeing Mary's face tinged with embarrassment? However, that observation gave way to the smear of blood running down her nose and the bloody marks on Chris' neck. Hell, it was a good thing he arrived or else they would have torn each other a part. Fortunately, the room appeared to have taken the brunt of each's fiery temper. It looked as if someone had picked it up and shook it like a rattle. There were broken pieces of porcelain and other materials on every inch of floor.
"Mrs Travis." Nathan said alarmed at the sight of blood. "Are you okay? You're bleeding."
Instinctively, Mary reached for her nose. "I'm fine," she replied. "I lost my footing." She said somewhat evasively. It was mostly true anyway.
Nathan did not seem satisfied with that answer and he turned a critical look at Chris. "What about you?" He asked, taking note of the blood on Chris' neck.
"Just a scratch." Chris replied giving Mary a look. Something past between their eyes at the moment and Buck could have sworn he saw the faintest hint of a smile on Chris' face. Mary too, appeared just as determined to hide the upturned corner of her lips.
"Is everything okay now?" Buck asked completely puzzled. He was somewhat taken back by how civilized the room had suddenly become. Judging by the way they were looking at each other, they must have come to some kind of apology but the dynamics of it were beyond his understanding. Then again, Chris Larabee and Mary Travis were a strange pair. It was probably why they seemed so right for each other.
"Certainly Mr Wilmington?" Mary said pleasantly. "Whatever gave you the idea that it wasn't?"
Buck let out an exasperated sigh and gestured to the room. "Well ma'am, if you don't mind me saying, I've seen bar room brawls that turned out better than this room."
"Mr Larabee and I were having an altercation." She replied, struggling to keep this explanation somewhere in the realm of possibility. She really hated that Chris was not helping. He merely stood leaning against the wall, letting her deal with his inquisitive friends. "Which has now been resolved. I thank you for your concern but if you don't mind, I have some cleaning up to do." She said this all in one breath and was absolutely amazed that the words 'I had sex with him' did not start flashing across her forehead.
"You sure Mrs Travis?" Nathan inquired further, feeling as if they had come in on the last act of play and had no idea what was going on.
"Absolutely," Mary smiled. "Gentlemen?" She walked forward, careful not to step on any broken pieces as she navigated through the room to usher Buck and Nathan out.
"Chris, you coming?" Buck looked at Chris.
Mary turned to see Chris faltering for the first time. She knew Chris took her reputation seriously although Mary had to admit feeling more protective of her privacy than any slurs her good name might suffer because of him. Mary could tell he wanted to remain because she remembered the look in his eyes after their lovemaking. Chris was ready to tell her something when Buck had made his unexpected arrival. She looked at him, facing away from the others, so that only he could see. Mary gave him a warm and her eyes told him she understood. It could wait until tomorrow.
Chris gave her a long look before that indifferent expression on his face fell into place once more. "Yeah," he said quietly. "I'm coming."
Perhaps that was not the best choice of words.
"Damn Chris." Buck said as he, Chris and Nathan left the Clarion behind them. "What the hell happened? Did you hit her?" Judging from the dark expression on Buck's face, it seemed as if he really believed that Chris might have caused the injury to Mary's nose.
"No." Chris said feeling a hint of annoyance that Buck could even suggest such a thing. "She slipped on some of the stuff she was throwing at me. She was pretty mad at me, remember?"
Buck did in fact and shed the thought completely at that point. Considering the temper that Mary Travis had displayed so spectacularly. Had Chris raised a hand to her, Buck had no doubt she would have shot him with that huge double barrel she kept in the office.
"So you apologized." Nathan ventured a guess.
Now it was Chris' turn to feel somewhat guilty. "Something like that." He answered vaguely and cleared his throat uncomfortably. As they neared the saloon doors, Chris turned to Buck. "Buck, you got any cigarettes?"
"Yeah sure," Buck reached into his coat and started to retrieve it when suddenly, he paused and looked at Chris. "I thought you quit." He asked puzzled as he produced the pack.
"I just feel like one now." Chris replied tersely and snatched the crushed pack from Buck's hands. "I need something to eat ....."
Buck and Nathan froze in their steps as an impossible thought formed in their heads. Both men looked after their friend as he disappeared through the doors of the saloon and then glanced over their shoulders to the light in the Clarion's window. They looked at each other for a moment and then pulled back dismissing it completely.
Buck and Nathan stared at each other and declared in unison. "Nah....."
Mary slipped into the tub, enjoying the luxuriant feel of soapy water against her skin. She let the warm water caress her skin and felt strangely contented. As she replayed the events of the day, one in particular, she wondered what ramifications this would have on the rest of her life. She knew she loved him, probably had from that first moment. It was impossible not to really. However, she wondered what tomorrow would bring.
Strangely enough, leaving the mess downstairs would have normally been impossible for Mary Travis. She was too ordered and meticulous to the point of insanity. However after Chris, everything had faded into inconsequence. Even marriage and reputation seemed far away and it was to her surprise that Mary realised that these things that held little importance at the moment.
That she loved Chris Larabee was.
Tomorrow, she would deal with their relationship and the future of it. It had taken her a long time to accept Steven's death and to build a future for herself. It had even taken longer to realize she could go on without him and Mary had become used to being independent. At this moment, she was not entirely sure she was ready to give it all up for Chris Larabee yet.
Still, she thought with the smile belonging to cat who ate the canary;
He sure beats room service.
In the wreckage of what had been, the chaos that rose immediately following the collapse was as much an enigma to all parties as the event that precipitated it. Admission, it seemed was only one part of the puzzle and for the two involved, appeared to be simpler of the obstacles faced. The larger hurdle once truths were excavated, was living with what had transpired between them.
Mary Travis woke up that morning and felt strangely refreshed.
Without even remembering why, she padded down the stairs, looking forward to the day, the events of last night still an obscured fog in her head not yet put into proper place by her memories. Dressed in nothing but a sheer nightgown, she made her way to the kitchen, feeling ravenous but extremely invigorated. It was only when she happened past the parlor that Mary froze and it came tumbling back to her with every delicious detail intact.
Oh that.
Mary paused at the entry to the room, staring in silent contemplation at the destruction wrought within its confines the night before. The floor was still covered in broken pieces of porcelain and some furniture had been knocked over. The room was a frightful sight indeed and she wondered how many irreplaceable pieces had been shattered in the rage of last night's events. Nevertheless, she felt no mortification at the damage, not when she looked at the place where she and Chris had made love.
Mary leaned against the doorway, twisting a lock of gold hair in her fingers as the images flashed through her mind, bringing a smile to her lips. She glided to the kitchen, going through the motions of breakfast, savoring the sensual memories he had left her with the night before. Although Chris had departed early, he really did not have a choice with the unexpected arrival of Buck Wilmington and Nathan Jackson, Mary was not angry with him. Disappointed perhaps, but not angry.
It had been a big step for him; she understood that much about him to realize. For three years, he had been living with the grief of a family lost and the guilt that came with not dying with them. Mary had seen him crawl inside a bottle for the sheer ache of that loss and for a man who was used to being in complete control of everything, it was a hard thing to overcome. Mary, who had not been given that advantage until after Steven had died, could empathize with his pain even if she could not fully understand it.
Strangely enough, she felt more clarity about things this morning than she had felt in a long time. Suddenly, the future took an unexpected gradient and nothing in her life was a certainty any more. The unanticipated turn was somewhat liberating. For once, there was no set path to follow. What happened from here on would occur at her own pace and Mary felt quite comfortable with that. She nursed a brisk cup of tea over a breakfast of hot cakes, feeling in no particular mood to get the day started. Her workload had not altered from yesterday since she had taken care of all pending matters just before she made her decision to go to Sweetwater.
She peered out the window and saw that it was still early. Mary was an early riser and the sun was not long in the sky. Four Corners had yet to emerge from slumber as the streets outside were unstirred and quiet. Mary wondered if Chris had opted to remain in town or had he gone home to his place. It was hard to imagine Chris Larabee liking any town long enough to settle, let alone buy property. She wondered now if that had been part of an unconscious desire on his part to begin living again. After all, he seemed to be edging to that conclusion for some time now. According to the records Steven kept on Chris and others like him, Chris Larabee was atypical of most gunslingers in the Wild West.
At least until he arrived in Four Corners.
There was no actual death certificate for Sarah and Adam Larabee. Other than a notation somewhere that they had been buried, there was nothing to mark the existence of the family he missed so dearly. When she had first learnt about them, Mary had made discreet inquiries and learnt that prior to his marriage, Chris had wandered around a great deal. The years with his wife were the only ones where he had remained anywhere long enough to put down roots. After her death, Chris had returned to type and his reputation as one of the most fearsome gunslingers to ever ride through Territory was reaffirmed in every town that he happened upon.
Buying property in Four Corners was a tremendous step for him. Mary knew that. She was struck with the realization that last night was more an experience for him that it was for her. Women were more resilient about such things while men tended to hide their confusion under a veil of masculine self-assurance. She had seen men who braved bullets and fought bare knuckled with little fear of injury of death. However put a situation before them where they might have to confront their emotional side and you never saw a bigger bunch of cowards. She wondered if Chris felt that kind of fear. Their relationship had progressed in steps and there was no doubt that they had taken a rather large step last night.
While she felt no fear or reservation about her feelings for him, Mary wondered if it would be wise to pull back a little. After all, here was a man who had difficulty expressing the most minute feeling unless the woman in his life was willing to punch his lights out first and demolish her parlor in the process. Mary wanted him in her life but she did not frighten him away with too much, too soon. Besides, Mary had grown accustomed to her independence and Chris's future in her life was vague at this point. In truth, she had no real idea how he felt other than what her instincts told her.
Perhaps, she needed some time to herself as well.
Maybe she would take that trip to Sweetwater after all. Suddenly, Mary Travis felt the need to indulge the feminine side of her personality. A little shopping, maybe a new dress and some quality time alone would not go astray at the moment. While she no longer felt the pressing need for room service, Mary did not mind losing herself in anonymity for a while. Perhaps, this time she would even make it half way to Sweetwater without Chris dragging her back to town like an errant schoolgirl. Mary could not help smiling when she thought of their exchange in the saloon. No doubt, Four Corners would have much to gossip about for some time.
Let them, Mary thought rebelliously as she went to get dressed.
She was going shopping.
Chris Larabee slept in.
This was hardly unusual for him since most days he rarely woke before noon. For once however, his reason for sleeping in had nothing to do with becoming completely smashed on bottles of whiskey the night before. Despite the fact that it habitual for him to crawl to bed in a drunken stupor, Chris had remained sober when he entered the room he had rented above the saloon for the night. Unfortunately, sleep did not come easily to a man preoccupied with thoughts of creamy skin and white gold hair. As the night progressed, sleep refused to come. Chris found himself spending most of the time tossing and turning in his bed, trying to get some control over the emotions that were threatening to drive him insane.
It was impossible to sleep when his mind was filled with Mary.
Her touch was still vivid in his mind and each memory of their love making, only made it harder for Chris to sleep. There more he tried not to think of her, the more he could taste her on his lips and hear her breath purring in his ears. He closed his eyes and he could still hear how she called his name as her body moved in rhythm with his. By the time Chris had buried his head under a mountain of pillows, he was so aroused he could barely think. He had not felt this ridiculous since he was sixteen and he did not intend to satisfy himself as he had done as a teenager.
The indignity of that was even too much for him.
At one point, he had been tempted to go over to the Clarion and pound on her door until she let him in. He imagined Mary standing by the door in a sheer nightdress with her golden hair splayed against her bare skin and found himself in an even worst state than before.
It was approximately three o'clock in the morning when he decided to get a bath. A cold one.
Fortunately, by that time, the saloon was empty and the seven had disbanded. A bath, as much as he wanted one, was impossible at this time of night so he had to settle for standing underneath the water pump behind the saloon. He let the cold water rinse over his skin already wet with perspiration, all the while telling himself that he was not going to the Clarion to wake Mary up at this hour. As much as he wanted her, he was not going to be so presumptuous as to think that she would appreciate the intrusion just because he could not control his baser instincts.
He returned to his room and was once again plagued with the same desires once he lay down on the pillow. Chris still had difficulty coming to grips with the fact that the moment of complete surrender between them had taken place on the floor of her parlor, on top of broken porcelain and shattered figurines. How they had not cut themselves to pieces was a minor miracle.
Who would have imagined under that prim and proper exterior of high-buttoned dresses and conservatively worn hair was such an exciting creature? Chris had suspected it. He had seen sparks of it surface occasionally in her blue gray eyes but never realised it existed with such intensity behind that seemingly modest façade. In every sense of the word, Mary Travis was a lady. However, she was also a beautiful, sensuous woman whose depths he was only starting to realize. The fact that she had shattered what sense of reservation and control he had over his emotions when it came to her, was proof of Mary's power over him.
When Chris finally slept, he was almost grateful for the black sleep devoid of dreams. After the night, he simply did not have the energy to cope with his feelings for Mary inside the dreamscape as well. It would have been simpler if he had just returned home and spent the night there. However, when Buck and Nathan had unwittingly walked in on them, they had been forced to leave great many things unsaid. Part of his insomnia could be contributed to his guilt at knowing he had made love to this woman and then left her without so much as a word to her about his feelings.
Women like Mary Travis did not give their affections easily and they certainly did not share their bed with anyone who was not their husband. That she had allowed him to make love to her was a testament of her trust in him and Chris did not intend to betray that faith. He wanted her to know that this was not just another meaningless encounter to him although he was sure Mary knew all this already. Still, telling her was the proper thing to do.
When Chris awoke and learnt what time it was, he cursed at himself. He had not meant to leave speaking to Mary so late. The restless night's sleep taunted him with aching joints and lethargic limbs. He staggered out of bed and got dressed quickly, hoping she would not be too upset with him. After seeing just how spectacular her temper was when she was properly infuriated, Chris had no wish to be on the receiving end of any further hostility.
The saloon was relatively empty at this time of morning. Most of the drinking crowd would not arrive until late afternoon. For the majority of Four Corners residents, today was a working day and drinking could wait until the sun started to set slightly. As always, Ezra was holding court at one of the tables, hustling those fool enough to play poker with him out of what money they had. Buck and Vin were present staring uncertainly at the breakfast they had been forced to prepare themselves, now that Inez was away. By the look on their faces, it appeared they were missing the culinary expertise of the Senorita very much about now.
"Hey Chris." Buck greeted teasing the burned egg on the plate with obvious reluctance to eat it.
"Morning Buck, Vin." Although he did not greet Ezra, Chris nodded in the man's direction. However, he could smell hot coffee brewing and noticed the pot on the counter. As Chris made for it, he hoped that it was in better shape than their breakfast. Pouring himself a cup, he was pleased to see that it was still hot although as coffee went, he had tasted better. Nevertheless, the beverage did its job in dispelling any lingering effects of his bad night.
"You recovered from last night?" Buck could not resist teasing. Chris's dispute with Mary Travis was the subject of much discussion following the event, particularly among the seven. No one had ever seen the widow so angry and there were not many people who could take a shot at Chris Larabee without ending up dead or worse. If anything, Mary had proved to most of Four Corners last night that she was capable of giving as good as she got. Although Buck had never voiced it to Chris since the similarities would have disturbed him, Mary's temperament was not unlike Sarah's. Sarah could be quiet and demure when she wanted to be but Buck had been privy to some fiery confrontations between husband and wife.
Chris gave him a dirty look but Buck was not to be deterred. Vin said nothing as always but Chris detected the faintest trace of a smile on the tracker's lips. Ezra ever the consummate actor, remained completely focussed on his card game without raising an eyelid in response.
"She was calm when you left?" Vin remarked having heard the story from Buck and Nathan.
"Pretty much." Chris said quietly, having no intention on letting any of them in on what truly happened between him and Mary.
"I never seen her that angry." Buck sighed, pushing the plate away and turning to face his companions. "She's a hellcat when she wants to be."
"That's one way of putting it." Chris remarked with a little smile. Instinctively, he reached for his jaw even though the effects of her blow had disappeared long ago. However, what he remembered most about the evening would be little more than a smile on his face that none of his friends would ever understand.
"Whatever you said must have smoothed her feathers," Buck replied, reaching for the coffee pot instead. "I saw her riding out of town this morning, looking as pretty as a picture."
Chris turned to him sharply. "Out of town?"
"Yeah." Buck nodded, immediately detecting the sudden surge of tension in Chris' voice. "She was on that buggy of hers."
Although the others did not notice his fingers tightening around the cup with such force that his knuckles were white, they did notice the menacing gleam that suddenly appeared in his eyes. "She's gone to Sweetwater." His voice was as neutral as always but that did not mean much when it came to Chris Larabee.
"I think she was heading in that direction." Buck replied, becoming more confused by the stormy expression on Chris' face. Even Vin was looking hard at Chris wondering what on earth Buck could have said to warrant the mood that was rapidly accelerating into full blow rage.
"I see." Chris said barely managing to control his anger. "Fine." He rose from the bar stool. "She wants to go to Sweetwater, I can live with that." He growled. "I don't have no claim on Mrs Travis." With that he strode out the saloon without saying another word.
Buck, Vin and Ezra looked at each other for a second. It took them another second before Buck let out a weary sigh. It was almost like a sixth sense he had about Chris. The gunslinger could be so damn predictable at time. He started rubbing the ridge of his nose before looking at Vin. "You feel like going to Sweetwater?"
Vin who was almost as unreadable as Chris sometimes, nodded in response. He had seen the look in Chris' eyes as well and like Buck had the same notion about what Chris was about to do. "Maybe we can get a decent breakfast up there."
"Breakfast hell," Buck shook his head as he jumped of his stool and strode out of the saloon. "She only hit him last time. This time she'll kill him!"
"Good luck gentlemen," Ezra bid them adieu as Vin followed Buck out of the bar. The gambler had no intention of becoming embroiled in this affair. He doubted Chris would appreciate the interference anyway and besides if things went as badly as Ezra suspected they would, he should remain behind to hold the fort.
Besides, someone had to deliver the eulogy.
He could not believe it.
Chris made his way to the livery hardly aware of anything other than the fact that despite everything they shared last night, Mary had still gone to Sweetwater. Undoubtedly to keep the meeting she had missed because of him. Chris was tempted to get on his horse and ride out of Four Corners forever without looking back. What need did he have of Mary Travis anyway? He required no one and had been doing quite well on his own for the past three years. What need did he have of some headstrong, independent, stubborn woman who did not have an ounce of loyalty in her entire body! As he thought that, his mind involuntarily added, her soft, sensual body.
Stop it! Chris told himself forcefully and focussed on the issue at hand. Why was he opening himself to fresh pain by allowing Mary into his system? He had been reasonably content without her presence in his life. If anything, she had only served to complicate his existence not simplify it. Last night, Chris was ready to believe that there was one person in the world who could ease the empty ache inside his soul where Sarah and Adam had been. Now, the hurt was even worse. He did not understand betrayal for it was not in his vocabulary to be deceptive. Sure, he knew how to spot it in others. It was his gift to know what it was without ever feeling it himself. Chris Larabee went through most of his life that way, being able to see in others what he could not allow himself to feel.
As he stood there in the livery, preparing his horse to leave Four Corners perhaps forever, Chris noticed his fingers fumbled as he handled the straps of the saddle. It almost felt as if they were resisting his will for a purpose of their own and invariably his mind drifted to Mary, who was no doubt in Sweetwater now, with someone else.
The realization made his stomach hollow as if someone had put a bullet through him. After being trapped for so long in an emotional vortex, the pain she wrought with her betrayal was unbelievable. He could barely sense anything except for this sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that she might completely beyond his reach. Chris paused a moment, allowing himself to catch his breath, crushing the images of her from his mind with ruthless efficiency.
It could have almost worked if Chris could deny the extent of his feelings for her. Inwardly, he had always known that if he and Mary became involved, it was a relationship from which he could never away. That had been part of the reason why he had stayed away from her for so long. After losing Sarah and Adam, the fear of exposing himself to that kind of hurt was almost as terrifying as feeling it. Still, no matter how hard he tried, Chris found himself drawn to Mary almost involuntarily. He had fought how he felt, for a time he had absolutely refused to even acknowledge it but it was a losing battle almost from the beginning.
With a sudden start, Chris realised he could not let her go, not even now. Chris was not prepared to be hounded by dreams of her the rest of his life. He was not going to live his life trying to replace Mary with an endless string of working girls as he had tried when the wounds of Sarah's loss were still fresh. What they had shared the night before was real, he refused to believe anything else. There were certain things that Chris Larabee relied upon with unswerving faith. In the last year, Mary Travis had become one of those things.
Whoever this person was in Sweetwater, he had no right to Mary. If Chris had to go to Sweetwater to prove it, then let the dice roll because he was going.
"Chris." He looked up to see Vin and Buck approaching through the livery doors.
"Buck?" Chris greeted, somewhat puzzled by their presence. For some reason, Buck seemed worried and although Vin did not show it, Chris sensed he was concerned as well. "What's happened?"
"We can't let you go to Sweetwater." Buck dispelling any illusions as to their intention in Chris' mind.
"You know how Mrs Travis was last night. I know you feel for her but you go riding in there after her and she'll horsewhip you for sure."
"To say the least." Vin added with uncharacteristically solidarity at Buck's side.
"This ain't none of your business." Chris turned away from both of them both, reminding himself they were only trying to be helpful and ignoring the annoyance that was creeping into his disposition.
"You're my friend and that makes it my business." Buck said following him. Buck Wilmington did not like to interfere with Chris Larabee's business. Chris had a tendency to react with extreme prejudice to those who took it upon themselves to interfere in his business. It was not untrue to say that provoking Chris' temper was like prodding a stick at a rattlesnake. Potentially fatal. However, Buck did not intend to allow a re-creation of that ugly scene between Chris and Mrs Travis either.
"I am going to Sweetwater." Chris said firmly with enough menace in his voice to send lesser men scurrying except neither Vin or Buck could be considered that.
Buck knew Chris well enough to know that when his friend was like this, there was no convincing him otherwise. However, Buck was not willing to give up either. Mary Travis was the best thing that ever happened to Chris Larabee. Even if Buck was forced to intervene at a risk to life and limb, he was not going to let his best friend do something stupid. Buck was not going to let Chris jeopardize a relationship with the widow, which was practically made for him.
"Then we'll go with you." Buck stated.
"No you won't." Chris warned, wondering what was running through Buck's head. Usually his friend's interest did not extend beyond the next good looking woman that caught his eyes. What had made him Buck Wilmington's favourite charity all of a sudden?
"Don't argue with me on this." Buck said with enough determination in his voice to ensure that Chris did not doubt for a moment that he was absolutely serious. "You go alone and we'll follow you."
Chris let out an impatient sigh of frustration. He did not have time to deal with this. He had to get to Sweetwater fast before Mary did something they would both regret. "I don't have time to deal with you two. Now you are not following me to Sweetwater. This ain't none of your business."
"You ain't going by yourself." Buck said holding firm. He tried not to be swayed by Chris' nearly murderous glare but this was too important. "Damn it Chris, do you want a repeat of what happened yesterday?"
"Of course not." Chris returned sharply. "But this time it's different, we..." Chris caught himself before he revealed more than he should have. As the moment, his relationship with Mary was nobody's business but his own. However, he did not have time to waste arguing with them on the point. Time was becoming short. He could not understand what was going through their minds and in all honesty, he really did not care. The only thing of any concern to Chris was getting to Sweetwater. He had to have this out with Mary or he was going to go crazy and probably kill everyone doing it. At the moment, Buck was looking like a good first victim.
"Fine." He snapped. "Do what you want."
Completely unaware of the storm that was coming in her direction, Mary Travis enjoyed her day in Sweetwater. With blissful unawareness, she walked through the shops of the large town, becoming lost in the throng of women shoppers. Sweetwater was one of the largest towns in the Territory and acted as a nucleus for numerous smaller settlements in the area. Four Corners had the fortune to be located at an intersection point where Eagle Bend, Sweetwater and Bitter Creek were all in easy reach. Although Eagle Bend was closer and Mary knew the town from her frequent trips to replenish paper supplies and other printing materials for the Clarion, Sweetwater offered more variety.
There were rows of shops selling all manner of things from haberdashery to fine linen. Mary knew of a few dress shops that actually imported European fashions but the prices for these were so out of her league, she decided not to torture herself. In truth, Mary preferred cotton to taffeta anyway. It was one thing to be well dressed in the city but an entirely different matter to be so in a small town. Besides, the local climate made taffeta insufferable and Mary rather liked the cool of cotton and silk against her skin. She spent most of the morning browsing from one shop to another, trying on things and purchasing the items she did like.
The time to herself was exactly what she needed. Although some would not believe that anyone could clear their head being bombarded by shop assistants and dressers, Mary had managed to come to several conclusions about her relationship with Chris Larabee. She valued her independence for being able to up and go to Sweetwater at a moment's notice like this, something she did not want to lose. Chris had never confessed to being restrictive, although he could be considered territorial at times. She wondered why he had been so upset about her decision to go to Sweetwater yesterday.
Although there was a part of her that would never admit it, Mary did feel somewhat gratified that he had been so afraid for her safety that he had come after her. She reminded herself to tell him exactly what the purpose of the trip had been since the poor man thought she had come here to meet someone. The idea was so laughable that she wondered how someone as centered as Chris Larabee could have such a wild imagination. Perhaps she would buy him something to make up for the ruse. A new shirt came to mind preferably something that was not black. What was that man's fascination with that colour?
Oh dear god, I'm picking out his clothes.
Mary shook the thought out of her head when she stopped at Sweetwater's fanciest hotel for lunch. The restaurant was all fine tablecloth and polished cutlery. Seeing the extravagance of the hotel's decor and furnishings around her made her yearn for that big bathtub with the claw legs not to mention the excellent room service the hotel was known to have. However, Mary brushed all these considerations aside because she knew she had to get back to Four Corners.
She and Chris Larabee had some unfinished business to deal with.
After lunch, Mary went to the local Emporium where she treated herself to a new dress and some linen. The dress was sapphire blue with the elegant design with of a scoop neck. It had taken some convincing from the shop assistant to buy the thing because Mary could not even imagine what occasion would warrant a dress like this. It was the kind of dress that one wore to a formal dinner or for someone special. She had remembered standing by the counter wondering if the relationship she had with Chris would qualify. Somehow she could not picture him with flowers and the intention to court her.
It was almost mid afternoon when Mary decided that it was time to be heading home. She certainly did not want to travel in the dark, even if it seemed unlikely that the Davis gang was at large in the area. Generally, she had enjoyed her day in Sweetwater. She had bought the dress she intended, a new nightgown and some perfume. Carrying an armful of parcels tied with string, Mary made her way to the livery where Homer had been stabled for the day.
"Mary?" She heard a voice call her name.
Mary peered over the parcels she was carrying and immediately recognized a familiar face standing before her. The sight of the young man immediately plunged her into memories of her life when Steven was still very much apart of it. Although he looked different from when she remembered him, Mary was still able to recognize the man through his dark tweed suit and bowler hat. That hat reminded her of the one worn by JD Dunne. He stared at her through a pair of steel rimmed glasses that hid his hazel eyes.
"John?" Mary said with a smile of genuine happiness. "I didn't know you lived in Sweetwater."
"We moved from Eagle Bend a few years of ago." He replied just as happily. He noticed the packages she was carrying and immediately stepped forward to assist. "Let me help you with those." He offered and took some of the boxes from her. At least she could now speak to him without being forced to over her parcels. Once he had nestled the packages comfortably in his arms, Mary's old acquaintance fell into stride with her as she continued through town towards the livery.
"Thank you," Mary said gratefully. "As you can see, I've been busy today." She indicated to the boxes in her arms with a shy smile.
"Sweetwater's good for that." John agreed. "Beth always says that this town is an oasis in the wilderness."
Perhaps a little grandiose for Mary's own taste but Beth often leaned towards flowery language. "How is Beth?" She inquired.
"Beth is terrific." John answered. "Moving out of Four Corners really agreed with her."
"I'm glad." Mary replied, remembering Beth's fragile constitution. She had never really been accustomed to the harsh frontier existence and viewed Four Corners to be a little more than a notch above the wilderness.
"Mary," John said suddenly serious. "I was terribly sorry to hear Steven. He was a good man." His face shown genuine sympathy that was far more tangible than some of the condolences she had received when her grief was fresh. In those days, Steven's loss had the power to bring tears to her eyes by just someone mentioning his name. In more recent times, Mary judged her recovery by how she was able to handle such statements.
The momentary wave of sadness that usually overtook her during these occasions was dispelled quickly and indicated to Mary that she was recovering quite nicely. In any case, Steven would not want her to grieve forever. "Thank you." Mary replied in what was almost an automatic response for such occasions.
"Do you still have the paper?" John asked, choosing to move past what seemed to be an awkward moment of silence.
"Yes," she nodded. "I decided to keep it. It didn't seem right letting it go to someone else. The Clarion always meant so much to Steven and I wasn't ready to give it up."
"If anyone can make it work, I'm sure it was you." He said warmly. "I learnt everything I knew about the paper business from you and Steven. I work at the Sweetwater Times now." John announced proudly.
John Wentworth and his family had been residents of Four Corners when Steven and Mary Travis had first arrived in the frontier town. The Wentworth's owned a small parcel of land outside town. Had they remained, they would now have been neighbors with Chris Larabee. John's father had been a man of the land for most of his life but John was ill suited to follow in his footsteps. Possessing a love for books, John wanted to write and Steven who was never one to discourage anyone from following their dreams, offered the young man a job at the paper.
Although never happy at his son's choices, Jason Wentworth did nothing to stop John from learning the newspaper business. When the old man passed away, there seemed little reason to keep the farm and eventually John Wentworth moved on.
"Well John," Mary said genuine happy that he had not wasted the opportunity Steven had provided him. "I'm proud of you."
The younger man smiled, trying not to show that her remark had affected him. "How is Billy? I'll bet he's growing like a weed."
"You have no idea," Mary laughed, picturing her son the last time she saw him. Billy had looked more like Steven then she had ever remembered. In the wake of all the events changing her life in the past 24 hours, Mary had almost forgotten how her relationship with Chris Larabee would effect her son. She made a mental note to write Billy a letter when she got home tonight.
Suddenly out of nowhere, Mary found Chris standing right in front of her.
"Chris!" Mary exclaimed. Although surprised to see him, she could not deny the sudden but pleasant flutter in her chest as his presence.
However, before she could say another word, his fist slammed into John's face and sent the young man sprawling.
The trip to Sweetwater was anything but pleasant.
Chris made it extremely obvious that he did not wish either man's company as he said virtually nothing throughout the entire journey. The silence among the three normally close comrades were almost stifling and further convinced Buck that he and Vin had made the correct decision in following Chris to Sweetwater. There was something going on with Chris that was making him crazy. This much Buck had deduced. Although he showed no outwards signs that anything was wrong, Buck Wilmington knew better. Very few people could see through the wall Chris built around his emotions, even before Sarah had died. She was perhaps the only other person besides Buck who could read Chris' moods.
And perhaps Mary Travis.
There was no doubt in Buck's mind that Chris was in love with Mary. There were not many women who were attracted to Chris' brooding and somber nature. Women tended to view him with a mixture of apprehension and outright fear. However, Mary was neither afraid nor intimidated by Chris Larabee. She stood up to him the way no one did, even members of the seven.
"Chris." Buck said as they reached the outskirts of Sweetwater some hours later. "What is this all about?" Buck's patience was a well run dry by this point. He was amazed that Vin was able to handle the silence. Then again, getting conversation out of the young tracker was almost as laborious as getting Chris to talk when he was in one of his black moods.
"None of your damn business." Chris said not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice. He did not appreciate Buck and Vin forcing their company on him like this. His business with Mary was private and he had not wished to conduct it in front of an audience.
"Come on Chris!" Buck shouted with uncharacteristic vehemence. Chris turned to him with mild surprise and even Vin was looking at him with a raised brow. "You can't go after her and drag her off like you own her! You ain't got the right to treat her that way."
"That is not your concern." Chris glared at him. "Mary and I have things to discuss."
"Like you did last night?" Buck turned an accusing eye at him. "Your discussion split blood! I can't imagine come you two didn't kill each other but I know if you charge into Sweetwater, carrying on like you're fixing for a fight!"
"I am not fixing for a fight." Chris insisted. "Mary and I are just going to talk." That was sort of true anyway, Chris thought to himself silently.
"Like hell you are!" Buck declared, not fooled for a minute. "This is Buck, Chris. I know you and I know what you're like when you got something in your head! She's my friend too and I won't have you treat her the way you've been. You were way out line yesterday and you are way out of line now!"
"Stick your nose out of my business Buck," Chris warned with enough of an edge in his voice to make it a threat. "I warned you before about that."
That just about did it for Vin Tanner.
"All right that's enough from the two of you!" Vin cut through their bickering with a tone of command that made both of them fall silently immediately.
It was not often that Vin cared enough to voice his opinion on anything but things had deteriorated so badly that he actually feared irreparable damage to the longstanding friendship between Buck and Chris. Obviously, something had transpired between Chris and the widow that was making the normally level headed leader of the seven insane with jealousy. However, that did not give Buck license to ram his meddling down Chris' throat as well.
"First of all," Vin said firmly, now that he had their undivided attention. "Chris you are going to find Mary and you're not going to do anything stupid. She is not your wife and you have no right to intrude on her. Is that clear?" The young man said with enough an edge to his voice that not even Chris was about to argue with him. Vin Tanner may have been younger than either Chris or Buck but that was wisdom in his eyes that was beyond his years.
"Buck," Vin turned to the big man. "You and I are going to wait at the nearest place we can get something to eat and that is all."
Buck wanted to protest but Vin's demands were acceptable. Although Buck did not like it, he could not deny that it was the best thing to do. "Alright." Buck nodded, conceding defeat.
Vin looked to Chris. "Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah," Chris let out a sigh. "That will do fine."
Actually, Chris wished that neither Buck or Vin were anywhere in the vicinity of Four Corners but at this point, he had to take what concessions he could get. Chris would have enough difficulty dealing with his rival for Mary's hand, whoever he might be. However both Vin and Buck were right in fearing his temper in this situation. His feelings for Mary were so potent that Chris' normally sound judgement was all but discarded.
As they approached Sweetwater, Chris promised himself that when he saw her, he would talk and nothing else.
Just talk.
"Chris Larabee! What are you doing?" Mary exclaimed as she saw blood gushing out of John's nose.
Chris did not answer her. Instead, he strode past the scattered packages and dragged the confused man to his feet. John Wentworth was dazed and uncertain of what was happening, his glasses had fallen from his face and he had difficulty seeing anything in front of him. People had started to gather around at the commotion as Mary stared mutely at the proceedings, unable to fathom what was occurring before her. However the moment she saw John's blood smeared across his face, Mary was prompted into action. Mary dropped the parcels in her arm and ran forward to grab Chris's arm to let John go.
"This is the man you're meeting?" Chris turned an accusatory eye at her. "He's a kid!"
For a moment, Mary was at a loss to understand what he was talking about when suddenly it dawned on her that what was running through his mind. For a moment, she could only stare at him in astonishment because the anger in his face was real, just as real at the unfounded belief.
He could not be serious!
She thought wildly to herself and then saw the menacing gleam in Chris eyes as he turned his attention back to John Wentworth. Knowing what Chris Larabee was capable of when provoked, Mary did not intend to let him vent his misunderstood fury on her old friend.
"Let him go!" Mary demanded with barely concealed fury.
Chris turned to her and Mary saw that a flash of pain in his eyes. It vanished almost immediately and that detached wall over his emotions descended in its place. Mary felt dismay at its appearance but at the same time, she was too furious to care how badly his feelings might have been hurt. His behavior excused nothing.
"Fine." Chris said coldly and released John, who fell backwards into the dirt. The former Clarion apprentice fell down on his rear and held his bleeding nose in his hands as rivulets of red ran down his fingers from his shattered nose.
"You want him, you can have him." She heard Chris say as he walked past her. Mary did not respond as she dropped to her knees by John' side. Chris remained long enough to meet her gaze before he stormed away, in the direction of the livery. Mary wanted to go after him but she was not going to leave John Wentworth bleeding in confusion after what Chris had done.
"Oh John," Mary stammered as she scrambled for her purse for a handkerchief or anything who would stem the blood. She could see the ugly contusion of a broken bone across the bridge of his nose and felt awful that she had inspired such violence. "I am so sorry."
"Tho wath thap?" John managed to ask, now that he had managed to regain some composure.
"Who was that?" Mary sighed wondering how to best answer that particular question. "Just a friend." She responded after a few seconds of thought. It was the best description she could come up with under the circumstance.
"A fwend?" He looked at her with eyes wide. Mary noticed his glasses nearby and reached for it. She placed it on his face and immediately saw John beginning to focus.
"Its a long story." She replied. "Let me get you home." Mary offered helping him to his feet.
However, John did not seem eager to accept her help. She could hardly blame him of course, considering her lover had just punched him silly. John stood up shakily, reassuring her that he was all right to get home on his own.
"But John...." Mary stammered. "You really shouldn't be on your own."
"Its okay." He answered, wanting to be away from her and her ominous friend in black.
As John Wentworth hurried away, looking badly shaken and holding her soiled handkerchief to his bloody nose, Mary could only watch helplessly as he disappeared into the crowd. With his departure, she no longer held the interest of Sweetwater's residents and began collecting the packages strewn over the ground. Mary was almost in tears as she gathered her belonging and started back to the livery. As she noticed the eyes of the dissolving crowd around her, Mary could not remember feeling so humiliated in her life.
Mary turned away from the scene carrying her parcels in as much of a daze as John Wentworth had done a few moments earlier. Her mind was unable to register the stupidity of what she had just witnessed.
What on earth was running through Chris' mind?
Despite her rage at his behavior, Mary could not completely disown herself of any responsibility in this whole affair. To some extent, she knew that this was her fault. When she had inferred to Chris that she might have been someone in Sweetwater during their ride back to Four Corners yesterday, she had done so to lash out at him. He had behaved like a possessive juvenile and so Mary had wanted to teach him a lesson. Nevertheless, she had thought him perceptive enough to see through the ruse. After all, this was a man who could spot a lie from a mile away. How many enemies had he killed because of his uncanny ability to weight the odds of their deceit? How many times had he saved Four Corners because he was always two steps ahead of the people who would endanger it?
Whatever reasoning she used, Mary still came to an unhappy conclusion. Chris Larabee thought so little of her that he would believe her capable of running to the arms of another man after what they had shared the night before.
"Mrs Travis!" She heard Buck Wilmington calling after her. Buck's booming vice snapped her out of her thoughts and returned Mary to the present. She gazed over her shoulder and Vin and Buck approaching her.
Oh great. Mary groaned upon seeing the two men. The rest of the Three Amigos.
She continued onward until they caught up with her. Neither Buck nor Vin missed the cold glare she had given them as they called out her name. Obviously, Chris had already put in an appearance.
"Mrs Travis." Buck tipped his hat and Vin followed in a similar gesture. Have you seen Chris?" Buck asked the pretty widow even though it seemed to be a moot point.
Mary swore under her breath at the sound of Chris name and whirled around to face him. A package flew out of her grasp as she did so. Vin dodged in time to catch the flying parcel but Mary seemed hardly concerned by its loss. Judging by the crimson flush of her cheeks and her tightened jaw, Vin estimate she had larger concerns on her mind.
"Of course I saw Mr Larabee." She hissed angrily. "He just assaulted an old friend of mine not more than ten minutes ago."
Buck winced.
"Oh." He managed to say being able to visualize the entire episode without needing to hear any details from Mary. "I'm sorry ma'am," Buck said sincerely. "I tried to stop him from coming after you. He just got it in his head and wouldn't let it go. Man's more stubborn than a mule." His voice trailed into an incoherent mumble. His moustache seemed to droop with regret and Mary felt a little of her annoyance fade.
"This friend of yours," Vin ventured a guess as he liberated her of some packages. "A man?"
"Yes!" Mary retorted with frustration. "He's an old friend of my husband's. John Wentworth used to work at the Clarion, I just happened to meet him while I was doing some shopping today."
"Shopping?" Vin and Buck exchanged glances as if some truth had suddenly shown its light upon them. Had her reasons for coming to Sweetwater be that simple? This whole mess had been because the lady had decided to take a day to shop? The absurdity of the situation was not loss on the two lawmen.
Mary did not miss the look they were giving each other. "Yes shopping!" She exclaimed with exasperation. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her and she looked at them. "What did you think I was doing here?"
Both men shifted nervously. They had suspected what Chris had obviously if erroneously assumed, that Mary had come to Sweetwater to meet someone in particular. Judging by the way he had behaved, they could see no other reason why their leader would become so threatened with Mary taking a trip out of town. She had left Four Corners on her on numerous occasions with Chris barely batting an eye at her departure. Sure, he usually drowned himself in whiskey until she came back, but for most part, Chris had never been fired up enough to go after the lady.
Mary did not need to hear their answer because she could see it in their eyes and because Chris's behavior had more or less confirmed the fact. Her jaw dropped open in outrage. "You think I came here on a secret rendezvous with some man?" She demanded in mortification.
Buck knew better than to answer that question but Mary required a response and so he responded with something that would not upset her too much. He hoped. "I know that what Chris thinks." Buck admitted feeling terribly embarrassed at what was apparently turning to be a terrible misunderstanding. It would almost be funny if Mary was not so angry and Chris did not genuinely believe there was another man in the equation. "Did he hurt your friend badly?" He asked sheepishly.
"Chris broke John's nose!" Mary nearly roared in reply.
"That's not too bad." Vin said trying to pacify the furious woman.
Actually in Chris' case, that was true. Chris could have hurt the man far more seriously if he truly wished. The leader of the seven had a tendency for overkill and he did not like to gamble on the odds unless he had a chance to even them out first. He was like this when he was in complete control of his faculties and Mary was the one subject on which Chris could not apply his well-honed intellect. He reacted to her on an emotional level although he tried very hard to show otherwise. Considering his state of mind when he attacked his potential rival, Vin wondered if John Wentworth had any idea how lucky he was.
"Not too bad?" Mary rolled her eyes, unable to believe that all that blood could be considered minor. An image of John's bloody face returned to her. With a loud sigh, Mary faced front once more. "Now I'm going to have to go home and write a letter to Beth." She grumbled as they reached the livery.
"Beth?" Buck asked starting to become terribly amused by this whole debacle. Privately, Buck was not going to let Chris live this down for the next six months at least.
"John's wife!" She glared at him.
"Oh this just gets better." Buck started to chuckle, succumbing finally to the whole absurdity of the situation. "So let me get this straight. You were shopping all day in Sweetwater and you meet this friend of yours at the exact moment that Chris finds you?" He could keep the grin from stealing across his face.
"I see nothing amusing about this Mr Wilmington." Mary gave him an icy stare.
"Of course not." Buck said trying to put on sober face but was not quite able to manage it. The urge to laugh was overwhelming. "Its tragic."
They found Chris in the stable, preparing his black gelding for the ride home. Man and woman regarded each other like opposing armies on the battle field. Their eyes held for only a moment before Chris turned his attention back to his horse and Mary strode past him with her parcels. She went towards Homer, who was outside being hitched to her buggy by a stable hand. Her head held high in proud dignity.
Vin exchanged knowing looks with Buck and then let out a low whistle. "This is going to be a long trip home."
If the trip to Sweetwater had been silent then journey home was positively funeral.
Although they rode side by side, neither Chris nor Mary had spoken a word to each other. The few attempts Buck and Vin tried to make conversation were met with cold silence or plain indifference. After a while, the two lawmen decided to give up all together. They allowed a sizeable gap to form between themselves and the sparring duo. Buck hoped the enforced solitude would give them the nudge to resolve this argument. However, he was not particularly hopeful that any peace would be declared. The tension between Chris Larabee and Mary was so thick that it could have it could deflect bullets.
Besides if Buck had any sense of Mary Travis at all, he knew she would not remain silent for very long. Even now, he could see the strains of keeping her rage bottled up inside beginning to buckle. Eventually, she would vent the full flow of her outrage at Chris. Buck almost felt sorry for him. In any case, Vin and Buck had enough sense of self preservation to be well out of the way when the storm finally hit.
Chris said nothing even though he took up position next to her buggy. He did not look at her but he suspected she was angry. Chris had learnt over the last year that Mary Travis had varying degrees of mad. There was the slightly annoyed which she displayed often, particularly when they were in the midst of an argument. He knew that side of her well. She never kept it inside for long and she did not hold a grudge. The furious Mary Travis he had seen last night and when her husband's killer had sent a thug to dispatch her son in similar fashion. Certainly his jaw would never forget it.
And then there was this.
The 'so angry she could not speak' Mary. He encountered that one for the first time when they were returning to Four Corners yesterday. In fact, it seemed quite ironic that he was witnessing it again as they made the same journey. He looked over his shoulder and saw Buck and Vin at a respectable distance behind them and snorted to himself.
Cowards.
Despite the silent treatment, Chris felt no guilt at what had taken place. He had every right to be angry although he did wonder why she was here and not with that stranger. Chris dispelled the obvious answer because he was certain of what he had seen. Adding further to his belief of her infidelity was how she had defended the man after Chris had hit him. It stung him to the core that Mary had gone to the stranger's side and not to his. Perhaps, it was best that he knew how she felt about him now rather than later.
"You are coming with me to Sweetwater next week." Mary said suddenly. Her voice was a thin line of focused calm. She did not look at him when she spoke.
"Why?" Chris snapped bitterly. "You've made your choice. If that kid is what you want, you're welcome to him." He decided he had nothing of which to be sorry. She was the one who betrayed him with someone half her age! It was disgraceful. Suddenly, everything he knew about Mary Travis was in question and that made it all the more easy to leave Four Corners forever.
He saw her back straightened as if she was about to say something in response and then decided better against it. After a moment, she spoke again. "No." Mary began again, battling to control her temper. "You are coming with me to apologize to John." The tone of her voice indicated that this was statement was not open for negotiation.
Chris opened his mouth to tell her what she could do with that idea when Mary finished her sentence.
"....and his wife Beth."
Chris blinked.
Wife?
Oh hell.
"Beth?" His voice was barely a whisper. It suddenly dawned on him what was coming. Oh hell.
"Yes," Mary turned her head slowly as she cast her gaze on him for the first time. Her blue gray eyes were smoldering with white heat. "Beth Wentworth who used to be Beth Danvers when she lived in Four Corners."
"You mean his wife is a friend of yours?" Chris's voice almost quivered. He suddenly had a terrible feeling that the furious Mary was about to make a belated appearance.
"Exactly Mr Larabee," Mary nodded sharply, with a hint of superior triumph in her voice. "I came to Sweetwater for the same reason I did yesterday, to shop and take some time for myself. Obviously that did not happen yesterday and today," she took a deep breath. "I woke up feeling happier that I have felt in a long time." Her eyes softened when she said those words. "When a woman feels like this, she rarely likes it to end so I thought I might do the shopping I did not get a chance to do the day before. I wanted a new dress and perhaps a little something to impress the man in my life. It was just an unlucky coincidence, for John anyway, that I happened to meet him on the street!"
Oh hell.
Those two words seemed to be in a constant loop in his head. Chris did not know what else to say. How could he have been so wrong and worse yet, how the hell could he get out of this with some dignity intact? "So you didn't go there to see him." He said after a moment and then grimaced at the stupidity of the statement.
"I am not even going to dignify that with a response." Mary stared at him with merciless eyes. She paused a moment and added. "However, I have to ask you one minor thing." She pulled the reins gently and Homer came to a stop. Alongside her, Chris' horse did the same. Mary knew she was not making this easy for him and she had no intention of doing so either. He should be crawling under her boot for his presumption.
What were you thinking, Larabee? Chris asked himself silently. How could he even imagine Mary capable of such an act of deception? She had always been honest with him and when it counted the most, Chris had believed the absolute worst of her. Now she was staring him with those killer eyes, probably wondering if he could be gutted alive. His insensitivity and his blatant emotionalism horrified Chris. He should have known better than to think Mary would consciously hurt him. Chris wondered if he still remembered how to grovel.
"Yeah?" He asked almost fearfully.
"What kind of woman do you think I am!" She stood up on the buckboard and grabbed Chris' hat from his head before swatted him with it several times. "Do you think its easy for me to just reach out to you! You're about as receptive as brick wall and about as much sense, after what you did today! I am a respectable woman Mr Larabee, I do not throw my affections about in all directions to anyone! I care for you and only you! Would you please get it into your thick head that there has not been anyone since Steven's death. Nothing even remotely resembling what I feel for you!"
"Mary, I'm sorry..." Chris stammered, trying to let himself be heard while she yelled.
"Sure you're sorry now!" Mary shouted, barely registering the apology. Birds had flown out of the trees from the loud clarity of her voice. Chris looked up in the air and saw a flock descending quickly. He almost wished he was with them.
Mary was not done with him however. "I love you, you mental pygmy!" She exclaimed with little difficulty now that she had the force of so much anger behind her words. "I have always loved you! Do you think for a moment that I would have allowed you to make love to me if I did not feel that way!"
In the distance, Buck Wilmington's voice cried out following the silence of that statement. "I knew it!"
This was followed by an equally silence breaking hiss by Vin Tanner. "Shut up Buck!"
Mary stopped short at that remembering they were not alone. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she looked at Buck and Vin's direction. She could see the smile on Buck Wilmington's face from this far away.
When she turned back to Chris, she saw him regarding her. His breath escaped his body, as if for a moment, he had doubted that she shared his feelings. However, the look of understanding was soon followed with the barest hint of a smile. "You love me?"
"Of course I love you!" She shouted in exasperation before falling down on her seat again. "Exactly what do I have to do to prove it you?"
Chris thought a moment and than replied. "Can I have my hat back?"
She paused and looked at the hat in her hand and found her anger dissipating. Mary shoved it back at him but was unable to keep from smiling. Suddenly, everything that had transpired seemed no longer important in light of that revelation. Chris Larabee was smiling at her. It was not one of those pale smiles he sometimes delivered but one meant only for her. Chris smiled so rarely that it had the invariable effect of becoming infectious. "You're such an idiot." She shook her in a resignation to her feelings.
"So I've been told." Chris agreed. His blue eyes were showing his affection for her clearly now. "A number of times today." He added.
There was a moment of silence when Chris summed up the courage to say what he had been feeling for so long. Perhaps if he had simply told her what she inspired to begin with, it would not have led to him making a complete jackass of himself. Nevertheless, even now after she had told him what he dreamed of hearing for so long, Chris found it difficult. There was so much behind those three little words and a part of him feared saying it. Those words would place him on a road to which there was no return and would also be a final parting from Sarah and the life he shared with her. However, he had promised himself that he would not disappoint Mary Travis ever again. She had allowed him into her heart without reservation or fear because she loved and trusted him.
Chris closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and did something he had never done before. He took a leap of faith.
Without uttering another word, Chris climbed off his horse and got into the seat next to her on the buggy. Before she could speak, he grabbed her by the arms and pulled her to him. For a moment, with their bodies pressed up against each other, Chris wondered if speaking were the best way to continue. However he knew better. He would never be able to say what he wanted to with as much meaning or depth. It was Mary's turn to be thrown off balance. Part of her still felt anger, still wanted to resist and retain the last vestiges of dignity she had left before he tore that away too. When Chris looked into her eyes, he could see that resistance giving way to what she truly wanted.
What she truly wanted was him.
He did not know whether he made the decision consciously or not because if that was what Mary wanted then he was going to give it to her. Without warning, he pressed his mouth against hers with savage intensity. She could not resist him of course, that at least Chris had expected. Her lips opened for him as he kissed her hard and passionately. Allowing himself to act purely on the desires of his emotions, it felt as good to release his passions after denying them for so long. His arm slid around her delicate waist and his fingers moved through the softness of her silken hair. He touched her the way he always wanted to touch her. Chris could not get enough of her lips against his and would not leave it even though he was straining for air. However, remembering that Buck and Vin were somewhere behind them, Chris pulled himself away from her reluctantly.
"I love you." He said suddenly.
Mary did not look at him but she blinked hard. How long had she waited for him to say that? It seemed like to her like an eternity. "I guess you know I love you." She replied, resting her head against his shoulder.
"I was so afraid Mary," he explained. "I've spent my life believing that if I didn't feel I would be safe. I wish I could say that I've only been this way since Sarah and Adam but that would be a lie. I've always felt like a part of me had died a long time ago. When I met Sarah, I knew for the first time what it was to live and not just exist. When she was taken away, I never wanted to feel that kind of pain again. I knew I couldn't live with it. Then when I met you and it all came back to me but I was still afraid. I survived before Sarah and after her because I didn't feel. I didn't know whether I wanted to love that way again. I know how much pain I've put you through because of that, but please believe me when I say, I never meant to hurt you Mary."
Despite herself, Mary felt tears in her eyes and she struggled to maintain her composure. Her fingers tightened around Homer's reins as she searched for a response. Mary Travis had waited so long to hear those words that even now, they seemed unreal. She looked away and felt Chris' hands taking the reins from her.
"Mary?" He asked concerned when she did not answer.
She looked at him with those incredible eyes of hers and Chris saw they were filled with tears. She tried to smile but could not quite manage it. Chris thought she never looked more beautiful and he leaned over and pressed his lips against hers in a lingering kiss. Even now, he could smell the scent of her skin and he was reminded of how she felt the night before. He knew he never wanted to be without her ever again.
"Marry me." He said when they parted.
"No." She whispered breathlessly.
Chris raised a brow and looked at her critically. "No?"
"Not yet." She smiled meeting his eyes with a meaningful gaze. "This is still pretty new to both of us and I think we should go on as we are for awhile anyway. You're not planning on leaving Four Corners in a hurry are you?"
Chris shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of." He knew he would never leave her again. Not while there was a breath in his body.
"Good." Mary beamed at him. "How about some dinner when we get back to town?"
"I could eat." He nodded as he climbed out of the buggy and then tied the reins of his horse to a railing.
"Then maybe a little desert after." She gave him a look full of suggestion.
"Mrs Travis," Chris said with a bemused smile. "I am wise to your to ways."
Mary laughed as Chris climbed back into the buggy and they were on their way again. She slid over and allowed him to take the reins. She rested her head against his shoulder and marveled at the sunset in the distance. It never seemed more beautiful than at this moment. Suddenly, Mary remembered something. She reached into the back of the buggy and searched for the particular parcel. "Here, I got this for you." She produced a small package wrapped in brown paper and secured with hessian twine.
Chris took the parcel from her, exchanging it with the reins to Homer. "What is it?" He inquired as he started untangling the knot around the brown paper.
"Don't you want to be surprised?" She replied as she got Homer moving again.
"Never been good with surprises." He looked at her as a matter of factly, as if it was something she should have known about him after all this time.
"Its a shirt." Mary answered.
Chris met her gaze sharply as if there were something distasteful about the whole situation. "You buying me clothes?"
Mary rolled her eyes in resignation. "Just drive the buggy, Chris."
THE END