Disclaimer: All the characters from the "Magnificent Seven" T.V. series are property of Trilogy Entertainment, The Mirisch Group, MGM Worldwide.
Ezra Standish did not know how circumstances had transpired to such a state that it not found him in his present situation but for once, Ezra could said with utter certainty that it was not at all his fault. When he had first met Diana Belladonna, he had found her to be a rather charming female with a taste for high culture and a pleasant enough manner. Such gems were rare commodities in the west and Ezra behaved as any southern gentlemen would towards such a find, with typical charm of his own and goodwill. When he saw her in the street, he greeted her and said hello and on the occasions when he was at the hotel fleecing its patrons and she happened to be performing, he remained long enough to take in the performance and applaud when she took her bows. As far as he was concerned, his behavior was entirely innocent and above suspicion.
Of course, how she interpreted that behavior was a matter of opinion.
Suddenly, she was crossing the street just to talk to him and bringing him hot meals when it was his turn to sit watch at the jailhouse. The next thing he knew, she was coming into the Standish Tavern and gracing his patrons with a song or two and then remaining for the rest of the night at his table where she supposedly offered moral support while he took the punters for their money. At first, Ezra simply put it down to her loneliness at being new to town and he had strong friendships with Mary, Alex and Inez to know that he could view women with more than an eye to simply bedding them. When Buck had offered a tasteless remark as to there being something between them, Ezra had merely brushed it away thinking nothing of it.
After all, the advice was coming from the man who until his marriage to the formidable Miss Inez saw every woman he met as a conquest to be made. Thus from Buck, Ezra was unfortunately unable to take the warning seriously. He assumed that the infatuation would pass once the lady became more settled in town and be inundated with suitors who were not so quite overwhelmed by her beauty. She was after all an exotic creature and in a place where men numbered women twenty to one, she could not be without company for long. Besides, Ezra had no need to look elsewhere for beauty when his own love, Julia Pemberton was considered one of the most fetching women in town.
Beauty aside, there was no question of his being swayed by another else because Ezra knew without question or doubt that he loved Julia with all his heart. For a man who considered himself quite the cynic, the idea of true love still filled him with some measure of disbelief. However, whenever he looked into those emerald colored eyes, he knew that he was lost as surely as those poets who wrote their most passionate prose on the subject. Perhaps it was the fact that they were both outcasts in their own way before coming to Four Corners that allowed them the special insight into each other that made their love so abiding. They were both misanthropes who had found family in this small dusty town and were forever bound to it because of that. That was a love that nothing could break, no barrier could tarnish. It was the purest thing that either of them had ever touched in their entire lives.
Diana did not jeopardize that love and Ezra suspected strongly nothing ever would but she did however cause a ripple to appear in the previously flawless finish of his relationship with Julia. At first, the fiery titian haired beauty was willing to tolerate the obvious flirtations reported to her by the gossip mongering harpies who seemed to reside in every small town. The scandalmongers made his encounters with Diana infinitely more sordid that they sounded but fortunately, Julia knew enough about rumor and innuendo to be able to shift through the lies to find the tiny fragment of truth lying within its grains.
Ezra himself made every attempt to assure Julia that she was right in doing so, repeating himself to the point of distraction that he was not at all interested in Diana and the relationship, if any existed at all, was entirely one sided. For most part, Julia believed him but he could tell that the whispers and looks being sent in her direction were starting to penetrate her facade of indifference. Determined to not let things escalate, Ezra began avoiding Diana altogether, much to the amusement of the rest of the seven who tortured him mercilessly with mishievious remarks and gibes. Buck in particular, was relishing the whole affair since he had been the one to warn Ezra to begin with.
Unfortunately, the lady was not about to be deterred. It was with begrudging realisation that Ezra was forced to concede that Diana did indeed have designs on him. When he avoided her, she actively sought him up, making overt and ultimately intimate gestures that could not be interpreted as anything else but her firm desire to have him, one way or another. Ezra was almost starting to feel unsafe walking the streets in the fear that he might run into her. He knew what was to be done of course but the part of him that was raised a gentlemen, that was taught never to be uncouth or coarse to a lady could not bring himself to do what was necessary.
Even Chris Larabee, who seldom gave advice to anyone had surprised Ezra when the two of them had been at the saloon sharing a quiet drink when the others had been scattered to the four winds, running errands on their own. Both men had been engaged in a quiet game of cards with Ezra frowning inwardly at being unable to read those intense eyes that were impenetrable when Chris was determined that no one know what was on his mind, when suddenly the gunslinger spoke.
"Ezra," Chris said in that quiet voice, his eyes still fixed on the cards. "You have a problem."
"I assure you Mr Larabee," Ezra had lied, unwilling to show that Chris had him in something of a conundrum since he could not tell by that stony mask what cards the gunslinger was holding in his hand. "I do not."
Without missing a beat, Chris spoke again. "I wasn't talking about cards."
Ezra raised his eyes upward immediately, brushing the gunslingers own slightly enough to realise what he was talking about. "I see." He answered after a brief pause.
"It ain't my business." Chris stated first and foremost before looking at his cards again.
However that statement not at all comforted Ezra. This was a man who did not like to involve himself in anyone's affairs. That he deigned to speak at all on what was clearly not in his purview brought to home just how serious things were. "Go on." Ezra said in a measured voice, feeling a little anticipation at what Chris was about to say.
"This Diana Belladonna worries me." He answered just before he discarded one card and picked up another from the deck on the felt covered table.
"She is merely a singer." Ezra replied. "Why would a chanteuse concern you?"
"It concerns me because I don't want to see a repeat of what happened between you and Alex, happen between you and Julia."
Ezra's jaw dropped open.
He wondered if it was because Chris had spoken it as casually as he might asking Rain for another drink or the fact that he had actually said it. In either case, Ezra's shock was such that it bubbled to the surface, straight past the cool mask and showed on his face. Of course the man was perfectly justified in what he had said. Ezra could not deny his words even if he wanted to. He remembered all too well that Chris had a ringside view at the debacle that had been the end of his relationship with Alex and the beginning of the one with Julia. He had not acted honorably and he knew it but to hear Chris bring it up so blatantly, left Ezra speechless.
"I assure you," Ezra swallowed thickly when he finally recovered enough to respond. "That this is an entirely different situation. I love Julia."
"And I love Mary," Chris raised his eyes and held his gaze. "But that didn't stop me from sleeping with Laurel Chase."
"You were drugged!" Ezra exclaimed. "That was an entirely different set of circumstances. You had no control over yourself."
"I tell myself that." Chris returned. "I tell myself that a lot. Sometimes I almost believe it."
"You mean....." Ezra stammered.
"No," Chris shook his head. "I didn't want to betray Mary and if I had been in my right mind, I would not have slept with Laurel. I know that much for sure. Unfortunately, I also know that there was a small part of me who was very taken by the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, that might have wanted her in some small way and made her drugs work just a little better than they should have. I lay awake at night thinking about that a lot Ezra and I don't have to tell you its not pleasant."
"What does this have to do with me and Miss Belladonna?" Ezra asked, even though inwardly he knew the answer to that question with far more accuracy that Chris could answer it.
"She is a beautiful woman and when they come on strong, they're hard to resist. I don't have to talk to you about restraint but you have a good woman who loves you unconditionally, who will do anything for you. If you don't care about this Diana, you need to let her know, firmly and decisively before the temptation gets to you."
"I am no good at such things with a lady." Ezra confessed. "My mother seems to be the only one who can inspire such venom."
"Well you're going to have to find it somewhere." Chris remarked. "Julia is doing her best to ignore it, you can see it in her eyes but she's feeling the pressure and I've heard enough talk from the folks in town to know that her reputation is taking quite a beating. Its bad enough that you two have been courting for long as you have but for another woman to appear on the scene and you not doing what is necessary, eventually even Julia's faith will start to shake."
"She has no reason to fear." Ezra declared and he meant it, she did not. He loved her and while was unwilling to say the words out loud in front of Chris Larabee, Ezra was certain the gunslinger knew, just as Ezra and the rest of the seven had always known that Mary was destined to be his wife. "I would not hurt her for anything."
"Men tend to forget that women have as much pride as men, more even." Chris continued dispensing his advice, unaware that with each word he was becoming more and more of a paradox to a gambler who prided himself in being able to read people like the cards he traded in and who had never seen this coming. "I ain't judging you and we're long past the time where I have to threaten you into doing the right thing. We're friends and as a friend, take my advice. Deal with this. Deal with this before it gets out of hand."
When Chris Larabee gave such advice, Ezra was not about to ignore it. Thus he found himself within the confines of the jailhouse, sitting watch over the group of villains who would be facing Judge Travis in the next day or so, gathering up the nerve to tell Diana to her face that there would never been anything between them. However, instead of debating the issue over and over inside his head, Ezra decided that the sooner he did what was necessary the better it would be for all concerned. He was not going to break his Julia's heart for another woman and he was certainly, not going to make her a joke because of his conditioning to treat a lady like a lady even when one did not deserve such courtesy.
He had asked Diana to meet him in the jailhouse in order to get the odious task over and done with. It was quite something that he chose to make this rejection in front of the prisoners presently occupying the cells in the premises but Ezra was not about to let another excuse get the better of him. As the clock ticked by drawing closer and closer to the moment of their confrontation, Ezra wondered if he should not do this thing privately, where she would have sufficient dignity in her surroundings. However, he shook the thought out of his head for this location had been selected for the very reason of expediting matters swiftly, instead of delaying the inevitable by wrapping it around in redundant gestures.
Ezra checked his watch and knew that the time was drawing close and began to wish that it would just be over and done with. He stood up and started to pace the floor, glancing at the men within their cells who knew something was going on but chose not to speak. As it was, the murderous glare they were receiving from the sullen Mr Kitson who had spent his incarceration glowering at them for revealing what they had, ensured their silence.
When he heard the doorknob twist, Ezra had almost jumped.
He knew that it could only be her because the hour had come and there was nothing left but to undertake the task he had set himself, no matter how pleasant it might be. Ezra braced himself, repeating the reminder in his head at not being taken by a pretty face or the tearful flutter of full lashes in his direction. As Chris had so pointedly declared; he needed to handle things before they got out of hand and if his internal conflict was any evidence to go by, it appeared that he was closer to that eventuality than he had previously imagined.
Diana swept into the room, bringing her lavender scent and immediately reanimating the silent prisoners in the cell before Ezra gave them a sharp reminder of their station at this time. She was dressed in yellow, a colour that suited her well and as she entered the room, flashed a radiant smile at him. Ezra retreated behind his desk and made a promise to ensure that the piece of furniture maintain its position between them for the rest of the interview. While he was confident of his own restraint, he could not say the same for hers.
"Ezra," she beamed brightly. "I was delighted to hear of your invitation, even if the surroundings did confuse me a little." She remarked, giving the jailhouse a little bit of a disapproving look before she turned to him again. "How have you been?"
"Well since you last saw me." He said stiffly, hardening himself to her sweet voice or anything else of hers that appeared equally delectable. "Miss Belladonna, I really need to discuss a matter of some importance with you."
"And you have my undivided attention of course," she looked at him, feigning ignorance at what was coming even though Ezra was certain she had to suspect something by his manner. "Please Ezra, won't you call me Diana?'
"No." He shook his head. "Miss Belladonna, I think you have misunderstood the nature of our friendship."
"Have I?" She looked at him innocently. "I don't think so."
"I do." He reiterated and saw the men in the cell sniggering slightly. He gave that an icy glare and turned back to her. "I have no intentions towards you Madam. I am engaged to Miss Julia Pemberton, whom I love dearly. I am sorry if my polite attentions towards you as a stranger in Four Corners was taken as affection. I certainly did not wish for you to be misled in anyway."
"I am not a child Ezra," she rounded the desk and gave him no room to escape from behind it. "I know when a man wants me and you did....you do." She corrected herself quickly. "Perhaps you are engaged to Miss Pemberton but it is a rather lengthy engagement don't you think for such a passionate love?'
Ezra could not deny that but he did deny that the length of his engagement had to do with any misgivings he had about their relationship. It was Julia who wanted to taste some freedom after being a dove caught in a gilded cage for most of her life. As one who enjoyed a carefree existence for most of his life, Ezra could not deny her that and understood all too well what a breath of freedom could do for a person. "That is none of your business." He said sharply.
"I think you do want me," she neared closer. "I think that you are afraid of what this town and your friends will think of you if you admit how you feel. You're more terrified of being the outcast than you are of loving me, isn't that right Ezra?" There was a hint of teasing in his voice.
"No." He hissed and started to push his way past her, not caring or not whether it was gentlemanly to do so. "You do not know me Madam and you never will."
Without giving him a chance to avoid it, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her to him roughly. Uncertain of how to deal with such aggression from a lady, Ezra felt her lips pressing against his even before he knew what was happening. Despite himself, he could not deny that her lips were indeed as soft and tasty as they appeared and as she parted his mouth with her probing tongue, a surge of desire rushed through him despite the deeper instincts that told him this was terribly wrong.
However, not as wrong as when he heard the shattering sound of ceramic against the floor.
Ezra and Diana both looked up and to his utter horror, found Julia Pemberton staring at him, the remnants of the lunch she had brought him spread across the floor, soaking the broken fragments of the plate she had just dropped and caused it to shatter.
"Julia...." Ezra choked his throat into responding.
She did not answer but then she did not need to. Her eyes said everything.
"Julia!" Ezra cried out as he left the jailhouse seconds after she had, not caring whether or not his prisoners were alone with Diana. He burst out of the door to see her widening the distance between them as she fled up the board walk, reacting to his calls to stop with little more than a strained glimpse over her shoulder.
Julia was not listening because she was just too furious. For the past few weeks, she had endured the whispers and the rumors regarding Ezra and Diana spoken behind her back by the gossip mongering contingent of Four Corners who thrived on such fodder. She had endured it because she knew that Ezra would not consciously hurt her, there was apart of her that believed it still but what she had seen in the jailhouse had inspired her almighty outrage after weeks of innuendo. Thus, she wanted to keep walking. She wanted to put as much distance between herself and Ezra until she had time to calm down because she could be wrong and at the moment, her rage was a powder keg about to be ignited.
Unfortunately it was not to be for Ezra was able to catch up with her easily. The situation made it impossible to leave things as they stood and Ezra loved her too much to not make some attempt to explain that what she had seen, damning as it might, was completely innocent or at the very least, one sided. He could not forget the expression of utter hurt and betrayal in her eyes and Ezra knew he never wanted to see it again. If possible he would spend the rest of his life trying to erase it from his memory.
"Julia!" Ezra finally reached and caught hold of her arm.
"What?" She swung around at the contact and glared at him, tears running down her face. Tears she had not even noticed.
"Let me explain!" He said feeling his soul heave in anguish at the pain he saw in her eyes when she looked back at him. Around them, passes by witnessing their exchange knew clearly something was wrong and hurried past, trying not to look at them directly even though they were noticing everything.
"You don't need to." She barked. "What I saw was clear enough!"
"No it was not!" He said starting to feel a little incensed that she could believe the worst of him so quickly but he did not realise that she was riding a wave of anger and that what she had seen had hurt her enough to rob her of rational thought. However, Ezra was riding a wave of his own and was just as blind as she too the escalating situation that was coming with each angry word passed between them. "You did not see her me kissing her!"
"Oh didn't I?" She glared at him sarcastically and unafraid who heard. There were eyes keeping them under close scrutiny but Julia did not care. They had been thinking what was being said this moment weeks before this anyway. "It wasn't your lips on hers?" She asked before turning around to start moving again.
"No!" He grabbed her again, refusing to let her get away that easily. "She was kissing me! I had no choice in the matter." He tried desperately to explain, realizing too late that perhaps he ought to have let her go because she was in no mind to discuss anything with him at this time. By forcing the issue, Ezra had only succeeding in surfacing all the insecurities that Julia Pemberton had kept buried inside of her ever since the first appearance of Diana Belladonna.
"Of course not!" She retorted. "It was obvious she was overpowering you with brute strength!"
"Julia!" Ezra felt his anger burn even hotter by that sarcastic gibe when he was trying so hard to explain. "You of all people should know not to judge a book by its cover."
Julia froze in her tracks and turned around slowly. The rage in her eyes had contracted into emerald fire, simmering with heat and her expression became like stone. "What is that supposed to mean?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"You know what I mean." Ezra responded, guilt and disappointment at her lack of faith had robbed him of the sense to pull back from the periphery.
"You son of a bitch." She replied icily in a low voice that send tingles down his spine and made him suddenly aware that he had crossed a line that should never have been approached, let alone spoken of aloud like this. Without another word, she threw her fist outwards in a roadhouse swing and caught him on the jaw.
The blow she delivered to him took Ezra by surprise and sent him sprawling before he even knew what was happening. There was a sense of disbelief and shock that was almost as potent as physical pain when he dropped to the floor, not to mention astonishment at how quickly things had deteriorated in such a short time. Ezra dropped to the boardwalk and heard the reaction of onlookers who were just as surprised to see the elegant Miss Pemberton behave in such manner as he was. Ezra scrambled to his feet clutching his jaw and the shreds of his dignity, just in time to see her disappearing into the distance, the rustle of her skirt trailing behind her as she ran.
By this time, Chris Larabee had come out to investigate the commotion in the street from the tavern across the way and had seen enough to guess the rest. The gunslinger was almost ready to turn back and return to the cool beer waiting at his table when he saw the sorrow in Ezra's eyes at Julia's departure. The look on his face, though imperceptible most of the time, was painfully easy to read and Chris just knew that if he did not intervene, Ezra was going to do something to make things worse. Against his better judgement, the imposing man in black chose not to retire into the saloon once more but instead stepped into the street to make his way towards the gambler.
"Ezra," Chris spoke up as he saw Ezra dusting his hat a few seconds later after it had toppled from his head, planning to go after Julia.
Ezra was not happy to see Chris. It was bad enough that he had made a complete mess of things with Julia, he did not need to hear Chris reminding him that he should have taken care of things before it had deteriorated to such a state. "Mr Larabee." He said shortly and started walking. When Chris fell into stride with him, Ezra paused and returned the penetrating gaze boring into him.
"I have personal business to deal with. I do not need the company." Ezra answered, trying not to be rude but he was under a great deal of stress and it showed.
"I can see that." Chris said coolly.
His manner, not to mention interference, served only infuriate Ezra even further, which was saying something because Ezra was a great admirer of the Larabee calm and had always thought secretly that the gunslinger would have done very well if he had opted for Ezra's line of work. "Before you even tell me 'I told you so'....."
"I wasn't going to say that." Chris remarked.
"Well you were going to no doubt make me aware of the muddle I have placed myself." Ezra retorted, feeling a pang of guilt even as he said it for not giving Chris the benefit of the doubt.
"Nope," Chris shook his head. "Wasn't going to do that either." However, he was still following Ezra as the gambler made his way to Julia's house behind the Emporium.
"Then what is the reason for this escort?" Ezra demanded as he paused in front of the Clarion News offices, which was on route.
"I gave you some advice once." Chris said simply. "I think you need to hear it again."
"Refresh my memory," the younger man returned with enough venom in his voice for him to feel badly about it later.
"Let her be." Chris looked at him and cut short any thing further Ezra had to say. Seeing that he had the man's undivided attention, Chris continued. "She's in no mind to hear anything that you have to say and you'll make things worse by facing her in the state she's in. Let her calm down."
"Nothing happened!" Ezra cried exasperated. "That woman attacked me in the jailhouse like some kind of a wanton and it is only the very height of misfortune that Julia chose that moment to enter the room!"
Chris grimaced slightly, envisioning the scene in his head and feeling an involuntary pang of sympathy for Ezra as the gambler related his tale of misunderstanding. He imagined what Julia must have seen and how hurt she must be. After Diana's blatant pursuit of Ezra Standish during the past few weeks, Chris could well understand how Julia's whose imagination must already be running away with her, could believe so easily what her heart ought to know with utter certainty. "I believe you Ezra." He offered quietly.
Ezra felt his rage bleed away hearing that from Chris. What was it about the man that made all those who came across him, determined to get his respect and thinking of it as the salve that could heal all wounds when they learnt they had it. Knowing Chris trusted him without question had bound Ezra to the gunslinger as surely as the others were linked forever to him. Hearing Chris say that he believed him was enough to force a sigh of relief from his lips even though the gunslinger's endorsement was of little help to his situation with Julia. Still, knowing that Chris believed him was something of a boost.
"Thank you Mr Larabee." Ezra answered, genuinely touched.
"We all know you love her," Chris continued. "I'm pretty sure when she comes down, she'll remember it too."
"I have never been moved to put a bullet in a woman's head," Ezra growled under his breath. "However, at this time I actually feel capable of making an exception."
Chris who knew perfectly well what it was like to be object of someone's obsession could sympathize with Ezra completely but secretly he prayed that Ezra would never suffer the way he had because of it. Even though she was dead, Chris drew no joy from Ella's demise, not when he knew that she had taken Sarah and Adam with her. "Look, patch things up with Julia first and then think about Diana."
"Think about her?" Ezra gave Chris a look. His eyes were smoldering with anger at what one stupid act of ill restraint from the woman had cost him. He would have his audience with Miss Belladonna, that was for certain and this time, he would have no difficulty in saying all the things he had previously unable for the sake of her feelings. "Mr Larabee, at this stage I am prepared to disembowel the bitch." He said with uncharacteristic coarseness, however under the circumstances, Chris could understand the reason for his ire.
"Well that too can wait," Chris answered with a completely straight face. "Right now, go where ever it is you usually do and calm down. You're a powder keg about to go off." The gunslinger tried to be sympathetic but he could not help resist making one final remark. "Can I ask you something Ezra?"
The gambler looked over his shoulder at the gunslinger. "What?"
"How do you get into these things?" Chris asked with a devious smirk on his face and had to duck when Ezra swung at him.
Karma.
That was what the Buddhists would have called it. Of this Alexandra Styles was never more certain as she listened to Julia Pemberton patiently, while she taped the bruised fingers of the lady's hand. Seated across the table from both of them was also Mary Larabee, who was listening patiently to every angry word passing from Julia's lips. Mary had arrived at Alex's clinic shortly after Julia herself, who had been in something of a state when she burst through the door and scared the hell out of her patient Mr Connelly who had developed a strange malady shortly after engaging in a bit of adultery. Julia who had heard enough to guess the rest, in her furious state, preceded to tell Mr Connelly that he was just like every two timing man that crawled on his belly across the earth like slime. While Mr Connelly chose not to argue the point and made a hasty departure, Alex deduced that Julia was upset.
Listening to Julia with an objectivity that was almost saintly, Alex reminded herself to keep her sarcastic wit firmly reined as Julia continued with her enraged diatribe at women who should be raked over coals for lusting after someone else's fiancée. Fortunately, when Mary arrived, the formidable Mrs Larabee was able to exert the same influence that her husband had over the six men he rode with, when she kept giving Alex's sharp looks to ensure that nothing was said to further provoke Julia into a deeper fit of rage. Alex thought she did quite admirably. However, she could not help being reminded of the time when it was she in Julia's position. And ironically enough, it was Julia who had been the man stealing hussy who had done the same thing to her with Ezra that Diana Belladonna now attempting but not quite succeeded in Alex's considered opinion.
Alex had forgiven Julia for taking Ezra from her a long time ago. This was mostly because at the time Alex was sensing the feelings she had for Vin and though she had not like the way the opportunity to be free to explore the relationship had appeared, she could not deny that she was grateful that it had come. What she had with Vin was a thousand times more wonderful than anything she had ever experienced with Ezra and the truth was, much of Alex's anger towards Julia had been assuaged because of that. In retrospect, Alex felt a sense of happiness towards Ezra to know that the gambler had not shunted aside for just anyone but someone who had captured his heart as irrevocably as Vin had taken hers.
It was with this in mind that Alex knew with absolute certainty that Ezra would not knowingly break Julia's heart by taking up with Diana Belladonna. Diana was nice enough but there was something about her that put Alex on guard and Ezra, who was a better judge of character than she ever would be was sure to notice it, even if he did not voice it. Julia and he were soul mates, anyone who saw them together were certain of it. They seemed to play off each other, two worn people who had given each other's lives spark by their arrival.
"There ought to be a law!" Julia continued to rant as Alex continued to rub salve on her knuckles where her punch had done more injury to her fingers than it probably had to Ezra's face. The unfortunate fact of the matter was simply that women's hands were not made to labour so brutally. Alex continued to nod sagely, saying little as she worked on the woman's injury.
"There ought to be a law against women who go after men who aren't their own!" Julia growled as Mary poured her tea.
The blond editor of the Clarion News glanced at Alex, wondering if it was not a bad idea to put a sedative in the amber beverage. Julia's anger did not burn this brightly very often. Alex, on the other hand, who ran on a very short fuse, lost her temper quite often but when Julia chose to vent her rage, it was for a very good reason and that usually meant that Ezra was often in the center of the maelstrom. "Julia calm down." Mary said in that soothing voice she often used on Billy when he was in the same state.
"Calm down!" Julia stared at Mary as if the notion was simply unthinkable. "That...that....twittering...screeching....off key...."
"Don't forget man stealing." Alex spoke up despite herself and received a glare through Mary's narrowed eyes for her interference.
"Yes, man stealing," Julia agreed without pause. "She's was kissing Ezra and you should have seen the smug look on her face when she saw me! I mean that snake did not even have the decorum to hide it!"
Alex was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from making any statement.
"Well did you give him a chance to explain?" Mary asked, warning Alex from making any remark no matter how irresistible the doctor's sardonic wit may find the moment.
"He said she was kissing him!" Julia exploded, unable to believe that he would have the audacity to even attempt to use such an outlandish explanation.
Mary shrugged and eased back into her chair at the kitchen table of the Tanner residence above the clinic. "It is within the realms of possibility you know?"
"I know," Julia replied because now that she had let lose the litany of outrage that had been simmering inside of her these past weeks, every since Diana had shown her face in Four Corners, her rationality was making a belated appearance. "I'm just so mad and I guess it did not help when he actually said that I should be used to being in this situation."
"He said that?" Alex found her voice. Even she had better sense than that. "He actually said it?"
"Yes!" Julia growled. "I know I am hardly in the position to take the moral high ground on this but I didn't force him into anything! How dare he make that kind of comparison!"
"Oh for crying out loud!" Alex finally groaned.
"Alex...." Mary warned, aware of how caustic Alex could be when the mood took her and this was not the time for that kind of brutal honesty.
"No let her speak," Julia retorted, curious to know what Alex would say. In a twisted way, she supposed Alex would know better than anyone how she felt and was somewhat surprised that any relationship had formed between them at all. Considering the feelings she harbored towards Diana at this time, she could not imagine overcoming the hurdle of abhorrence that Alex must have had for her at the time for them to have any kind of friendship.
"Of course he lashed out at you!" Alex declared, once she was given leave to speak freely. "If this woman did kiss him without his consent, then he was completely innocent of any wrong doing! You walked in at the worst possible moment and immediately thought the worst!"
"He could have fought her off." Julia pouted, not willing to see reason even though everything Alex proposed was logical.
"I once saw Charlotte Richmond kiss Vin without his being able to do nothing about it." Alex returned. "He pushed her off as soon as he could and the delay was only because he did not want to hurt her by shoving her away from him. Vin is a wild and wholly as you can get and he still was civilized enough to know that. Can you imagine what someone like Ezra, whose been raised with all the social graces, not to mention that damned southern chivalry that requires a gentlemen always behave as such to a lady?"
She did make a good case, Mary thought with a little smile and added support to Alex's statement. "She has a point. Julia, I think you walked in at the wrong time. Now you know," Mary looked at her with an expression of warmth, "that Ezra loves you more than anything in the world. He's been through the best and worst of times with you and though he can be an absolute idiot at times, he has always been quick to show you that you have his heart. Is that not true?"
Julia started to groan, realizing that perhaps she had been premature with her accusations. She had not even given him the benefit of the doubt, a thing that he had given her without question on numerous occasions. Considering her past before meeting him, Ezra would have been perfectly justified in being suspicious about anything she did but he never did and suddenly Julia understood how terribly unfair her reaction must have seemed to him.
"Oh god." She dropped her head on the table and started mutter incoherently. "I over reacted, didn't I?"
"Like the South when Lincoln became President." Alex retorted.
Mary rolled her eyes and gave the doctor a look. "Could you possibly be a little subtle? I didn't think she understood you1"
"Hey," Alex returned Mary's impatient stare with one of mischief. "I am fixing her hand and one other thing?" She faced Julia once more. "Don't hit a man in the jaw with your hand when you don't know how to do it. All that does is land you with a busted hand. Be like every other woman who wants to make a man suffer, make him sleep on the couch."
"You make Vin sleep on the couch?" Julia asked, trying to imagine the tracker trying to fit into that uncomfortable divan in the parlor.
"No, his wagon." Alex said with a grin. "That way you don't hear him complaining all night."
Julia giggled at the thought and Mary, seeing that Alex was trying to lift Julia's mood added her own pearl of wisdom to the conversation. "Or you can use a guestroom."
They all laughed, enjoying the moment before Julia dropped her face into her hands and sighed loudly. "God, what did I do?"
"Nothing that's unrepairable," Mary said stroking her hair gently. "He loves you and I'm sure that when he calms down, he'll understand why you acted the way you did."
"She wants him so badly," Julia whispered, unable to deny that she had never felt so threatened in her life. As long as she had remembered, it was someone else who had to worry about their loved one being stolen away, not her. She had been blessed with being spectacularly beautiful and being capable of turning a man's head with a bat of her lashes. How many men had she stolen from their wives, who meant little to her other than the fact that their defection allowed her to believe that she was capable of stealing anyone away? Julia had done the same thing to Alex and it was always the greatest mystery of her life that Alex had put away her hostility long enough for them to be the very best of friends.
"She'll never get him Julia," Mary responded immediately with complete sincerity and faith in the man she considered not only her friend but apart of her rather large and dysfunctional family. "He loves you too much."
"And you're rich." Alex added with a devious grin.
"Heavens!" Mary threw her hands up in exasperation. "Do I have to put a muzzle on you? How can a member of the medical profession be so completely lacking in tact?"
"Practice?" Julia responded, throwing Alex a grateful smile, knowing the doctor's antics were only meant to make her feel better.
"You better believe it," Alex winked.
Far removed from the personal troubles faced by Ezra Standish and his paramour, the fiery Miss Pemberton, JD Dunne was taking his usual walk through town. Brandishing the tin star, he took his usual journey through Four Corners, not portraying the autonomous presence of the law but rather the familiar presence of the seven who protected the town and whose number he was part. Despite his efforts to keep his eye on everything, JD could not help feeling some measure of unease that had not dissipated since he had met Neil Blackwood. How much the encounter had bothered him would surprise the others had they known about it.
Which at this time, they did not.
JD had become accustomed to going to Buck for most of his troubles. The older man was not just a friend but someone whom he could trust to watch his back in any situation and more, even though if he were pressed to admit it, JD would find himself somewhat embarrassed to do so. His feelings for Buck Wilmington had to do with a need that had never been satisfied throughout his young life. When he was a child, he envisioned what his father might have been like and how he would treat JD as his son. JD had spent far too many years, surrounded by boys at that fancy school who had no difficulty in pointing out the reason his mother worked her fingers to the bone was for the lack of a father in their life. Though it hurt to be reminded of the absence, JD had borne it silently for he would not let his ma see just how much pain he was in, for she had so much to worry about as it was. When he had met Buck, the need for a paternal presence in his life was filled for the first time. Even though Buck was
just as adamant as he about denying it, JD sensed that he too, had filled a void inside the rogue's carefree existence.
It was for this reason that JD could not go to Buck even though for the life of him, he could not understand why. Something about Blackwood unsettled him which had nothing to do with the fact that Kitson had claimed that were more dangers to come. JD had reported every aspect of their conversation to Chris and the gunslinger though wary of everyone, had agreed with his assertion that it was unlikely that Blackwood and Kitson had any connection and yet JD still felt uneasy. The night after his meeting with the man, he had been unable to express his fears to Casey who noticed something was not right, just as Chris and Buck had. JD simply brushed their concerns away, assuring them he was fine but in truth he was not. He was far from it.
Finally, in desperation and simply because he needed to hear someone tell him that he was not insane, JD found his usual patrol through town taking a detour towards Josiah's church. When Josiah was not at the Lucky 7 ranch or carrying out duties with respect to peace keeping in Four Corners, the once preacher could be found at the church he had nurtured into its present state of restoration. Josiah had worked long and hard on the place, rebuilding, restoring and making the building into something was now considered the definite altar of worship in Four Corners.
When he entered the church, his nose was immediately assaulted with the scent of wood stain that Josiah was presently applying to the pulpit. A few days ago, the preacher had rubbed back the wooden surface, preparing it for the application of stain that would see it transformed into a rich amber hue worthy of its central position in the church. Josiah looked up at JD and flashed the youngster that slight smile, full of wisdom but always possessing that gentle humor that always made him approachable.
"Hey Josiah." JD greeted. "How's it going?"
"Slowly," Josiah responded, putting down the paintbrush down onto its tray as he stood up. Stretching himself from his hunched over position next to the pulpit, Josiah walked towards the pot of coffee that was resting on one of the pews. "Coffee's hot. Want some?"
"Sure." JD nodded off handedly.
Josiah poured them both a cup and nestled on one of the pews to drink it. The preacher watched JD for a moment and knew immediately that the boy had something on his mind. Obviously JD had come here to talk about it even though at the moment, Josiah sensed he had some trouble voicing it. Knowing JD well enough after three years that the boy could take forever to get to the point unless he had help, Josiah finally made the first move.
"Something on your mind JD?"
JD glanced at him directly and swallowed a mouthful of coffee that made a gulping sound as he did so. "What makes you say that?"
"Its just a question JD." Josiah said smoothly, realizing now that it was something important indeed because JD would have told him by now, having been given the opening.
"I guess it is." JD nodded, unaware that Josiah had him pegged. He paused a moment, running through his head whether or not what he was feeling was nothing but foolishness that a more seasoned man like Chris or Vin would not even give second though to. However, he changed his mind when he saw Josiah waiting for him to answer, knowing with utter certainty that the preacher would never make him feel foolish and give his fears the due consideration it deserved.
"Its crazy." JD stated.
"Crazy like beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Josiah rumbled, really wanting to know now.
Like the rest of the seven, JD represented all of them in the years before life changed them into the men they were now. When they looked at JD, they were reminded of what it was to be young, idealistic and ready to take on the world. There was an unspoken pact amongst all of them that demanded the nurturing of all that potential, to be there for JD and keep him from making all the mistakes they had in their youth. Chris led them and bonded them in ways that cannot be spoken about with chains stronger than steel but JD had given them all something to care about. This brash young man who had come out to the West with nothing more than a dream had united six strangers by their mutual affection for him.
"Its Blackwood." JD finally responded.
"Something happen?" Josiah asked somewhat puzzled. He had the impression that JD had revealed everything about his encounter with the men the last time the seven were all together.
"Not really," JD said wishing he had Ezra's vocabulary so that he could articulate his feelings more clearly. "When I was talking to him yesterday, I had this feeling."
"Feeling?" Josiah probed, wishing JD to elaborate. JD worked on impulses and the fact of the matter as hot headed as he usually was, the kid also had damn good instincts. If he sensed something was amiss, there was usually good reason for it. "What sort of feeling."
"I don't know," JD exclaimed with no small measure of frustration in his mind. "But it's there, this feeling that I can't shake that something ain't right. There are moments I can almost see what it is but not quite. Josiah, am I crazy?" He looked to the preacher in helplessness.
Josiah could see that this was no slight case of anxiety for the boy but genuine fear. He wished he could know what was at the root of it but unless you crawled into a man's skin, his feelings were his own and not even words were adequate to explain them to another. "Tell me exactly what you feel when you get this feeling?"
There was no hesitation when JD answered. "Fear."
"You think he'll hurt you?" Josiah ventured a guess.
"No and yes." JD replied and once again felt exasperated for speaking in such riddles. "The way he talked to me yesterday, it felt like he was trying to get inside my head. Trying to know why I was here, what I wanted out of life, things that men don't talk about."
"Yes," Josiah had to admit, remembering the gist of the conversation as JD had reported it yesterday. "It did seem a might personal."
"When I look at his face and this feeling comes at me, I can't breathe." JD continued to explain. "Its like there's not enough air in the room and I can't breathe and if I get to close, it will come out of the dark and grab me. It scares the hell out of me Josiah and I don't even know what it is."
Josiah could understand why JD had come to him with this instead of Buck Wilmington. Knowing how protective Buck felt towards with JD, a state of affairs that did not change even though Buck had a family of his own, Josiah could imagine how Buck would have reacted if JD had gone to him with this problem. The big man would waste no time going straight to Blackwood and being none too subtle about demanding the reason for his interrogation that left JD so unbalanced. Fortunately, Josiah had no qualms about maintaining his temper during such an encounter and silently resolved to see Mr Blackwood himself.
"Perhaps it is time, we found out exactly what Mr Blackwood is doing in Four Corners." Josiah remarked.
"He said he was here on business," JD retorted automatically, remembering that vague response by Blackwood claiming that he was in town to make the most of the burgeoning business opportunities that were becoming available in the area.
Somehow, Josiah did not believe that simple explanation to be the truth and he was certain that if JD put some thought into it, the young man would feel the same way himself. "I think I'll see if that's true." Josiah answered after a moment, intending to do more than just simply inquire after Mr Blackwood's business interests. However, the time being that explanation would suffice enough for JD's benefit. The young man was anxious enough as it is at being seen as some kind of paranoid without Josiah pursuing the object of his obsession to make him feel even worse.
"What else would he be here for?" JD asked, looking at him.
Josiah could not answer that question but he had the disturbing feeling that perhaps it had more to do with JD than anyone believed.
One of the advantages about being an ex-preacher was that people never seemed to forget that little morsel of fact, no matter how much time seemed to past. Even though Josiah had been not been a mn of the cloth for a long time, he knew that he was still held in the same sort of reverence by the people of Four Corners who could not forget what he had once been. Most of the time, it inspired his annoyance and on other occassions, just plain indifference. However, he had to confess that today was one of those days that proved this part of his past that could not be forgotten had its advantages as well.
When interrogation was concerned, there was no one better than Vin Tanner. The tracker was so attuned to people, observing closely the subtle nuances in mannerism and behavior, so useful when hunting game, that the application to the human animal was damn near invaluable. On this particular occasion, Josiah had invited Vin along to accompany him while he made some inquiries after Blackwood, believing the younger man would be able to spot a lie from a mile away and help him ascertain why the stranger was so interested in JD. Josiah knew that Vin could be counted on to keep JD's confidence with absolute certainty for the tracker's word was not given lightly and it was never broken. Not to mention that Vin who himself was still a very private person, could understand JD's need to keep this silent from the others for the time being. However, the tracker did make it clear that if what they uncovered appeared to place the boy in any danger, they ought to be bringing it to Chris and certainly to Buck, who would never forgive them for not telling him of all people, if JD were in any trouble.
Certain things became very clear from the onset into their subtle inquiries after Neil Blackwood. Firstly, it did not appear that Vin's skill as a student of human behavior was needed since people did not mind talking to Josiah. To his surprise, his tenure in the priesthood had disarmed him to most and they believed that he could be trusted enough to reveal things that one would do to any confessor in a church. Thus it required very little exertion from Vin to inspire the good folk of Four Corners to unburden themselves about their dealings with Blackwood. The second thing which Josiah and Vin noticed at the same time was Blackwood's craftiness at hiding his true purpose in Four Corners and maintaining the facade that he was nothing but a simple businessman in town.
However, once they were able to shift through the talk regarding Blackwood's commercial inquiries, they discovered masked in such talk were usually snippets that did not seem important to those who providing the information but made more and more sense as Josiah and Vin heard the same thing repeatedly. The snippets almost entirely consisted of information regarding JD. Although neither of the lawmen made it known to those whom they were questioning what was the purpose their inquiry, what they were able to piece together made this fact irrefutable.
Blackwood had come to Four Corners for one reason and one reason only, JD.
He seemed to be interested in almost everything the boy had done since stepping of that stage three years ago. He wanted to know whom JD's associates were, what adventures he had faced, he asked about Casey and the incidents that marked the length of the boys' experiences here. The more Vin and Josiah uncovered, the more alarmed they seemed to be at the man's fixation and the worst of it was, that neither of them could understand why. As far as JD knew, he had never met Blackwood and yet was this obviously wealthy and crafty stranger seemed determined to find everything he could learn about him.
"I think its time we went and have a talk to him." Vin remarked after their day's investigation. What they had uncovered certainly warranted such an action.
"I don't think it's a good idea tipping our hand," Josiah advised as they made their way towards the hotel where Blackwood was known to be residing.
"It ain't," Vin agreed wholeheartedly. "But JD's already tried to get him to talk and if the two of us do it, he'll just assume that we're following up the kid's work."
Josiah nodded in approval, agreeable to that course of action. It was not hard to find the location of Mr Blackwood and his constant companion, the man who went by the name of Zimmer. It was late afternoon, almost approaching dinner so it was likely that strangers to Four Corners would most likely be found in the saloon or restaurant. Fortunately, it appeared to the former of the two and thus Vin and Josiah were able to keep their meeting with Blackwood on a somewhat civilized level without appearing as if they had specifically sought him out.
They spotted him immediately, standing at the bar engaged in conversation with his friend, whom the assumed to be Zimmer. Vin could tell that Blackwood noticed their arrival into the saloon almost as quickly as it had taken them to find him. Although he continued to feign ignorance to their arrival, Vin had tracked too many men to miss noticing the subtle flicker of comprehension in Blackwood's eyes as they shifted slightly in his and Josiah's direction. However, anything else was forced away from Vin's thoughts when those eyes were focussed on him, even briefly. For an instant, Vin tried to recall why the man looked so familiar, especially when he had looked their way. Like JD, Vin had never met the man but something about him, sparked a memory. Josiah did not notice it but then Josiah did not study people like Vin did.
Vin remained silent and chose to allow Josiah to do the talking since the former preacher was so much better at it than he was. Vin's strength came in his ability to watch and learn. It was a trait Chris Larabee exploited on so many occassions when he went for the jugular of the enemy with the Larabee glare and allowed Vin to soak up every ounce of reaction for assessment later on.
"Mr Blackwood," Josiah said politely as he and Vin took up residence in the space at the bar counter, next to Blackwood and Zimmer.
Blackwood, who had his back turned to Josiah immediately straightened up and turned around to face the preacher turned lawman. "That's right, can I do something for you?" He asked politely.
"Just being friendly." Josiah drawled as he gestured to the bartender to bring himself and Vin a drink. "You met a friend of ours yesterday."
"I did?" Blackwood responded all innocence. "Who might that be?"
Vin watched Blackwood, feeling increasingly ill at ease because the same familiarity that gripped JD, not extended its cool tendrils around him. "JD Dunne," Vin heard Josiah answer and saw Blackwood nodding in recognition.
"The young sherrif." He replied as a matter of factly.
"That's him." Josiah answered. "He says you're planning to invest in these parts."
"Yes," Blackwood nodded, aware that the two men were attempting to feel him out. He shifted his gaze towards Zimmer long enough to acknowledge the silent game being played. "Railroads opening this part of the West. There's money to be made here." He said indifferently.
"True enough." Josiah agreed. "Still, it is pretty far off the beaten track, even for the Territory. Any particular reason you chose this town?"
"Is this an official inquiry?" Zimmer asked before Blackwood could respond
"Just curious." The preacher answered. "In our line of work, it's an occupational requirement."
"Always want to cooperate with the law," Blackwood remarked with a smile and turned his gaze directly at Vin and telling him without having to say a word that he would not be forthcoming on any information that he did not wish them to have. Blackwood too, was a student of human nature.
They continued this way for a few more seconds, bantering back and forth about inconsequential things until both Josiah and Vin were convinced that though he was a shady character and had reason to cause suspicion in both of them, there was nothing to be served by continuing their conversation. After awhile, the two lawmen departed the saloon altogether, saying nothing until they were well out of a sight and hearing of Neil Blackwood.
Vin shuddered and gave Josiah a look. "That man is dirty, I can smell it."
"Can't say you're wrong there." Josiah was prepared to admit wholeheartedly. He took had felt the same chill being in the man's presence. "Although, now that I think about it, did he seem a little familiar to you?" Josiah turned to Vin and asked seriously.
Vin froze and met the older man's gaze. "Hell yeah." He answered quickly. "I know I ain't seen him before but I feel like I know him. Its been nagging at me."
"I got that same feeling brother." Josiah grumbled, disliking the fact that they were no closer to an answer about Blackwood then when they first started out on this mission. "What does he want with JD?" He asked out loud, not expecting an answer. "I don't think he means to hurt the boy but there's something there." His voice withered away into nothingness when the answer still eluded him. Finally he exhaled loudly, deciding that revelation would come to him when God was ready to make him aware of it. "Who knows?" Josiah joked slightly. "Maybe he's a long lost uncle or something."
Vin turned to him sharply and suddenly everything that he had seen and heard swirled around in his head like a twister tearing up the plains with such ferocity for a minute, the tracker was uncertain of what had revealed itself to him. The swirl of fragmentary information began to piece together like a giant jigsaw and suddenly, Vin Tanner understood.
"Oh Jesus." He whispered softly.
"What?" Josiah saw the color draining from his face.
"Josiah," Vin said quickly. "Did you remember what JD said about his father?"
The question sent shock waves through the preacher's normally serene disposition as he realised what Vin had stumbled upon. He thought quickly, trying to remember what JD had told him in order to extract the information that Vin needed to know. "I'm not sure." Josiah swallowed hard. "I don't think he knew him. According to his mother, JD's father died during the war."
"What if he didn't?" Vin asked, his voice almost a whisper.
"You think Blackwood.....?" Josiah almost gasped but he already knew the answer to that question because he had thought it himself and then he realised why the man was seemed so familiar.
His son had inherited his eyes.
"Yeah," Vin could hardly bring himself to say it. "I think Blackwood is JD's father."