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Chapter 19

WARNING:  This chapter contains another NC17 moment.  If you are not 17 don't read any further.
If you are over 17 and you do read this chapter I will warn you also,  that Mr. Heyes gets a little naughty, so if that will spoil your image of him or damage your girlhood fantasy of what he is to you, please skip that part.  But read the rest of the chapter as it will be important to future chapters.  Again, I tried to be passionate and tasteful without being vulgar in my NC17 moment.  And if anyone would like to leave a comment  (stop with the Horshack routine, Clarissa, and put your hand down.   I know you'll leave me a comment) please do so at the bottom of the chapter.  Thanks for reading. :')



What time was it?  Kid took the  watch from the pocket of his pants which lay folded on the floor next to his bunk.  The bright light of the full moon coming in the glass window pane allowed just enough light to see.  Three a.m.  What had awakened him, he wondered.  He usually slept the sleep of the dead unless there was a disturbance or loud noise.  He shrugged and rolled onto  his side.  The bunk across the room was empty, the cover thrown back, where Heyes had obviously gotten up.  Where was he at this hour?  What was he doing?  What a stupid question, he thought.  This was Hannibal Heyes he was talking about.  Sleepless should have been his middle name.  Kid swung his feet off the side of his bunk and pulled his pants on over his red union suit.

The full moon gave an eerie glow to the world outside.  He scanned the ranch.   He didn't see Heyes anywhere.  Just then the orange glow of the end of a cigar near the corral caught his eye.   He strolled across the dirt drive and through the grassy yard in his socked feet, to where Hannibal Heyes leaned against the corral fence.

"What are you doing awake?"  Heyes asked before the Kid even reached him.

"Wondering what the heck you're doing, that's what."

Heyes took a long draw of the cigar then exhaled the pungent smelling smoke into the dark air around him.  "Couldn't sleep."

"Well, I gathered that much, Heyes.  What's keeping you awake this time?"

"Tomorrow."

"Now don't you start too.  It's enough that Evie's about to drive me crazy with not eating and sleeping because her aunt's coming tomorrow.  I don't need you starting too.  First she's nervous and then you're nervous because she's nervous.  All this nervousness is gettin' on my nerves."

"I was just thinking, Kid,  what if she's right?  What if it was a mistake asking her aunt to come out here?"

"You're not buying into that nonsense are you?  Look, Heyes she's just scared that's all this is.  No body's crazy about venturing into the unknown.  She'll be fine once her aunt's here and she sees she's not some three headed ogre."

"I know that Kid, I'm just worried about her because she believes it."

"Is that why you're out here in the middle of the night then,   worrying about Evie."

"That and I'm watching her window.  I told her if she had the dream again to light the lamp and I'd be there."

"Oh, what are you planning on doing, jumping all the way to the second floor window?  Georgia won't let you any where near her bedroom in the daytime, what makes you think she's gonna let you in this time of night.  The slightest movement in that house and she'll wake up.  And you do know that Georgia's room is right below Evie's, don't ya?   I don't know about you but I wouldn't want be on the receiving end of that broom if Miss Georgia catches you."

"Kid, have you forgotten that we used to break into banks.  How hard can it be to slip into a ranch house and creep upstairs without waking anybody?   This is me you're talking to, remember.   I'm a professional.  And I haven't lost my touch."

"Well, here's your chance to prove that theory,"  Kid pointed to Evie's window  on the second floor at the side of the house.  "The light just came on.  Need me to spot you or run interference."

"Nah,  I can handle it."

"Alright then , Heyes.  It's your hide."   He started back towards the bunkhouse then stopped to add,   "Just, uuuh, stay outta trouble will ya."

"I'm not afraid of Georgia."  Heyes swatted the air with his hand to dismiss the thought.

"You gettin' caught by Georgia ain't the kind of trouble I'm talking about, Heyes."

A mischievous grin made its way across Heyes'  face before  he padded across the yard in bare feet.  He knew the kind of trouble the Kid was referring to.  Being alone with his sweet Evie in the middle of the night, in her bedroom.  He was probably asking for trouble.  He'd try his best to stay out of it but, he wasn't making any promises.

Kid watched as Hannibal Heyes skillfully and silently disappeared behind the large oak front door of the McCreedy home.  "Sure hope that broom don't find its way to your backside, Heyes,"  he said to himself.

Heyes tiptoed to the staircase on bare feet.  He hadn't put on his boots for fear they would make too much noise on the wooden floors.  The first five steps were silent.  The sixth step however creaked like a rusty door hinge.  He cringed and waited.  Nothing.  He decided to take the rest of the steps quickly two at a time.  He stood now outside her door.  The soft glow of the lamplight spilled out from under the door.  Whew.  Made it.  He opened the door to her room just enough to slide through. Facing the door he pushed it together gently.  With a self satisfied smile he turned to face the room.   His breath caught in his throat for a moment.  He had not been in this room since the first night Mac had shown it to them.  Georgia wouldn't allow him in here.  But he had not been able to shake a vision of Evangeline lying in the center of that frilly pink bed with its gauzy bed curtains billowing in the breeze.  That vision had haunted his dreams ever since he'd first seen this room.   And now he stood here in her room in the middle of the night and there she sat.  In the center of that frilly pink bed.  Her eyes all sleepy looking, her hair all mussed and hanging loose.  How in the world she managed to make a high necked, long sleeved white cotton night gown alluring, he didn't know, but somehow she was doing it.  His whole world seemed to tilt on its axis.  She stretched out her arms and beckoned him with a come hither motion of her fingers, like a child reaching for its mother.  But there was nothing parental about the longing she stirred inside of him.  

He had come.  She hadn't know if he would.  He had told her if she had the dream again, to light the lamp in her window and he would be there.  But she had not wanted him to sacrifice a night's sleep waiting for her to light the lamp.  But he had.  Seeing him stand here now in her bedroom, where he wasn't allowed to come,  her arms felt suddenly achingly empty and the space between them seemed vast.  And so she summoned him with her outstretched arms.  As he crossed the room to close the distance between them her eyes drank in the sight of him.  Her lungs seemed to be too small.  She couldn't get enough air.  And her heart was pierced with an undefineable yearning.  He wore only his Henley undershirt and his buff jeans .  He wore no belt and the top two buttons of his jeans were unfastened.  As he tiptoed across the floor on this cute bare feet, she thought him unbelievably adorable and undoubtedly desirable.

At last, he reached her and sitting on the edge of the bed leaned into her waiting arms.  They were content for a long while just to hold each other.  Both sighed heavily when he finally released her to look into her eyes still puffy with sleep.

"You have the dream again?"

"Uh huh."

"Same as the other ones?"

"Yes.  Mama was here.  Saying the same thing over and over.  'Don't let her get  off the train. Don't let her get off the train.  She's trouble.  Don't let her get off the train.'"

"How can I make you feel better?"

"Just being here does that.  But I really meant when I said.  I didn't want you staying up all night just for me.  I'm a big girl.  I can handle a silly old dream."

"I know you can.   But I never sleep that good any way, you know that.  And besides, any opportunity  I can find to be alone with you, I'm gonna take it.  You're worth losing a little sleep."

"You just don't know how much I love you,"  she cooed as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.  As he held her his hands stroked her thick shiny hair.   They each inhaled deeply of the other's scent.  He smelled of clean soap, leather, after shave and sweet cigars.  His nostrils were filled with her provocative musky floral essence.  His nose found it's way into the curve where her throat met her shoulder.   He planted playful kisses there as he spoke against her soft skin,  "I really love this perfume you wear."

A deep throaty chuckle bubbled from her throat as she leaned her head back giving him better access to her sensitive throat.  "That's funny, because I don't wear perfume," she said huskily.  When his mouth ceased its delicious exploration of her neck she opened her eyes to find him staring hungrily at her.

"Then, lady, you got some sweet smelling skin."   Their eyes locked for a brief moment, before they both moved toward each other in a frenzy of desire.  Theirs  mouths fell hungrily together in a deep scorching kiss.  His tongue seeking and finding hers.  She eased back onto the mountain of pink lace and ruffled pillows, drawing him with her, their fevered mouths never parting.  When he felt her small hands grasp the hem of his shirt and begin to tug it upward, he broke the kiss to help her get rid of the only barrier that separated her from the one thing she craved at this moment.  His skin.  God, how she wanted to be closer to him.  She wanted to somehow be absorbed into his skin, to be a part of who and what he was.  She couldn't get close enough.  Her hands were everywhere, measuring the deep cleft of his back, the breadth of his strong shoulders, the powerful arms and chest.  She  revelled  in the feel of his tanned skin stretched taut over lean hard muscle.  It was like iron wrapped in velvet, she thought.   But still not close enough.  She put her hands on his waist and tugged him in the direction of the big bed's center.  He obliged her and stretched out in the center of the bed beside her.

They lay facing each other.  Endearments and phrases of love and desire that they could not express with words passed between them as they gazed at each other with passion clouded eyes.  She finally let her eyes leave his and travel down the length of him as he lay there bare chested, the top buttons of his pants undone, like a door left ajar in invitation to what lay beyond its borders.  He was beautiful.  He was perfect.  She wanted to tell him so, but she was afraid if she tried to speak no words would come out.  And so she showed him instead.  Her  lips found their way to his throat placing tentative small kisses there.  His sharp intake of breath encouraging further exploration.  She felt a surge of feminine power and her hands and mouth began a journey that would take her down over his muscled chest, his rippled flanks and his flat belly.  The growing evidence of his desire was there mere inches from her face as she familiarized herself with the sprinkling of dark hair that surrounded his perfect little belly button.  She hesitated, not yet ready to take that bold of a step.  And so she made her way back up his hard torso to find his mouth eagerly awaiting hers once more.

She had surprised him yet again.  He lay there unable to move, transfixed by the vision of her and her sweet lips plying his body with nibbles and kisses.  Her hands warm and eager.  My God this woman was going to be the death of him.  He stifled a groan when her exploration took her close to that most male part of him.   He saw her momentary hesitation as her gaze fell to his groin.   She was bold yes, but not yet that bold.  As her lips found their way to his mouth once again,  he grew impatient and decided it was his turn to do a little exploring.  He turned with her pinning her beneath him.  As she bent her knees to accommodate his weight between her thighs her gown slipped down in a pool of white around her hips.  He touched every inch of her exposed skin with his eyes, before allowing his hands the pleasure.  He let his hands travel up her shapely calves to linger on her firm thighs.    She was so soft and smooth.

No other human except her mother, and that vile hideous Harlan had ever seen or touched her naked thighs before.   The sight of his dark manly hands on her soft creamy skin, had her throbbing in places she'd never throbbed before.  The only thing separating  the most secret and feminine part of her from him was the white cotton material trapped between them.  The very thought made her ache.   "Why do you make me ache so?"  She was thinking out loud not really expecting him to answer.

But he did.  "Show me where it aches and I'll kiss it better."  His voice, deeper than usual, made her quiver all over.  Did she dare?  Did she dare show him the places where he made her ache?  She decided she should test the waters of her own bravery first.  She placed a finger tip to the side of her throat.  He removed her hand and planted a wet open mouthed kiss to the spot.  He looked down at her, waiting.  She placed her finger to her cheek.  Another kiss.  Then to her lips.   Another knee weakening kiss.  He looked at her this time with a challenge in his eyes.  How far was she willing to go.  Her breathing was heavy, her chest heaving  as she slid her  trembling hands down the front of her gown to cover each of her breasts.   The look in his eyes as her shaking hands found their way to her aching breasts almost knocked the breath completely from her.  It was a raw primitive need she saw there.  But it wasn't frightening.  It was exciting.

He slowly removed her trembling hands and spread her arms out to the side.  Then he began  the  torturous slow process of undoing the ruffle laden row of buttons that held together the front of her gown.  The few minutes turned into an agonizing eternity for both of them until he finally had the last button undone.  As he kneeled above her in the center of the bed strewn with lace and fluff, and  the sheer pink curtains hanging around them,  he parted the bodice of her gown.  His hands brushed her soft womanly skin as he moved the material out of the way.  And when it was open, he was spellbound by the sight of her.  She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.  He sat back for a long moment and just devoured her with his eyes.  Perfection was the only word he could think of at this moment.  The picture she created lying there on that mountain of frills and fluff with her arms spread wide, her hair spilling all around her and her heaving breasts, heavy with passion exposed for him to see and touch and taste,  was almost more than he could take.

But he kept himself under control, remembering that this was all new to her.  He leaned over and kissed her forehead, then her eyelids and then her nose, before gently kissing her lips, assuaging any fear she might have.  But when he looked in her flushed face he saw only love, trust and desire.    He brushed the back of his knuckles along her cheek and her chin, then over her throat and across her chest.   Her breasts quivered in anticipation of his touch.  The reality of it when it came however, made her gasp.  His knuckles barely grazed her already beaded nipple.  It hardened further at his feather like touch.  He moved to the other breast  with the same results.  Then he turned both hands so that he held each of the perfect globes in the palms of his hands.  He massaged her wanting flesh until a small moan escaped her throat.   "Is that better?" he asked in whisper.  She would try to speak, if her suddenly dry throat would permit.  "No, actually your making it worse," was her whispered reply.  If the almost painfully delightful things he was doing to her throbbing nipples now didn't help soothe the ache, she didn't know what would.  But he did.  She was shocked, then dazed, then overcome with delight  as she watched his dark head descend and his mouth took the place of his hands.  It was as if lightening was coursing though her body, creating a pathway of heat from the spot where is mouth tormented her to the spot at the apex of her thighs where his pelvis now held her captive.  He worried first one breast and then the other, drawing the tips into his greedy mouth like a baby seeking its mother's milk.  She never knew it could be like this.  Never knew anything could feel this good.  Her head tossed, her eyes squeezed shut.  She felt like the walls were all on fire.  She never wanted it to end.  In her fury of desire to keep his mouth from leaving her aching breasts she brought her outstretched arms down to cradle his head to her.  In doing so, she knocked the alarm clock off the bedside table.

It hit the floor with a loud clang.  They both sat bolt upright.  Staring at each other with stricken looks, they waited.  At first they thought they had dodged the bullet, but then they heard the unmistakable sound of feet padding quickly through the house downstairs.

They jumped from the bed like it was full of rattlesnakes.   "Oh, my, God,"  she hysterically whispered her hands fanning the air.

"Where's my shirt,"  he mouthed as he frantically searched.

He retrieved his shirt and pulled it over his head then hastily refastened the buttons that Evie's shaky hands were unable to fasten.

"Blow out the lamp,"  he said.

They both rushed to the lamp and extinguished the light.  Heyes tiptoed to the door and turned the key in the lock.

"Get under the bed,"  she whispered.

"That's the first place she'll look.  Besides I don't think I'll fit."

They both turned around and around in the dark room lit now only by the splashes of moonlight coming through the windows for a place to hide.  There was none.  Then they saw the orange glow of the lamplight coming down the hallway outside her room.  "Miss Vangeline, you alright in there?"

Heyes motioned for her to go ahead and answer her.   Her voice sounded strange and absurdly loud as she called out,  "Yes, I'm fine.  Why?  What's wrong?"

The door knob giggled.  "What's this door doing locked.  If'n that young man is in there,  I got my broom right here ready to beat him all the way back to that bunkhouse.   Somebody better be lettin' me in this room right now."

There was no other option.  He lifted the window and straddled the sill.  Then he carefully lowered himself to dangle precariously from his fingertips down the side of the house.

When he was out of sight, Evie went to the door and turned the key.  Miss Georgia stood there in her nightcap and gown with a scowl on her face.  "What's goin' on in here?"

"I  don't know what you mean.  I was sleeping."

"Then what was that God awful racket I heard.  Woke me from a dead sleep."   She stepped into the room and scanned it.  Then with her broom in one hand and her lamp in the other, she swept under the bed.  Whew.  Close one.  Then she saw the clock on the floor.  "This must be what I heard.  Didn't this wake you up?"  she asked with a suspicious glare.

"I must have knocked it off when I was having  a dream."

"You still having that same dream, child?"

Evangeline was a good student.  When Hannibal Heyes was teaching her the ins and outs of dodging the law, one of the things he taught her was how to lead people's attention to where you wanted it to be.  She slowly eased herself into a position next to the chaise lounge forcing Miss Georgia's back to the window that said outlaw now dangled from.  She had to get her out of here quick.  She didn't know how long he was going to be able to hang on out there.

"Yes, it was the same dream."  She produced her best distraught face and placed a fretful hand to her forehead.  "I think maybe some hot tea might calm my nerves and help me get back to sleep."

Heyes could hear the conversation taking place inside.  Evie made him proud in her attempt to draw Georgia away from the window and out of the room. But if she didn't get her out of there soon, it would be too late.  He was loosing his grip fast.  Each second was like an hour as he fought to hold onto the window ledge.

"You let Miss Georgia go down and fix you some right up.  I'll have it up here in a jiffy."

"No!  I'll come down and help you with it."

Oh, no.  He wasn't going to make it.  He didn't want to look over his shoulder.  He didn't want to know how far the fall was going to be.  He mentally prepared himself for the impact of the hard earth.

"Suit yourself then."  She started towards the door.  Evangeline's sigh of relieve turned into a gasp of horror when Georgia stopped just short of the doorway and turned toward the open window.  "No wonder you been having strange dreams,  sleeping with that draft coming in here.  Next thing you know you'll be catching your death of cold."   She marched determinedly towards the window.

Suddenly Heyes felt something solid under his feet.  He hazarded a glance over his shoulder.  There was the Kid bracing a ladder against the house.   Heyes let the air escape his lungs as he scurried down the ladder and onto the ground.  Kid grabbed the ladder and they ran like scalded dogs to the bunkhouse.

Miss Georgia stuck her head out the window and surveyed the yard outside as Evie stood with her mouth agape.  "Sho is a big ole bright moon out tonight."  She shut the window and headed into the hallway.  Evangeline stood rooted to the spot, too scared to move.  "Well, child, you comin'?"

"Uh uh uh,"  she stammered not sure what to say or do.   "I've changed my mind.  It's too much trouble to make tea at this hour."  She faked a yawn.  "I'm sleepy again already.  I'm just gonna go back to bed."

"Child are you sho you feelin' alright?"

"I'm fine, Miss Georgia.  I'm sorry I woke you.  Thanks for checking on me.   Good night."   She closed the door and rushed to the window, threw it open and peared over the edge.  He was gone.  Had he fallen?  Was he hurt?   Oh, my Lord, had she just lain in bed with him and had he done all those deliciously forbidden things to her?   She felt weak all of a sudden.  She needed to lie down.  But she so wanted to find out if Hannibal was alright.  Did she dare take the risk of sneaking out of the house.  Georgia was bound to hear her if she did.  She  decided she would take the risk.  He was worth it.  Look at the risk he had taken just to come and comfort her tonight.  And boy had he comforted her.  She was heading to the wardrobe for a pair of shoes when she heard a ticking at the window.   He was tossing pebbles against the glass.   She hurried to the window and opened it.  He stood below her in the moonlight, still bare footed, still adorable.  "Are you alright?"  she said just loud enough for him to hear.

"I'm fine.  Kid saved me with the ladder."

"Oh, good,"  she breathed in relief.  "Georgia didn't see you, we pulled it off.  Tell Kid I said thanks."

"I will.  Hey,  I didn't get to tell you.  I love you."  Then he smiled that smile that outshone the brilliant moon.

 Her heart was absolutely bursting with love for this man.   "I love you, too.  Now get out of here before Georgia and her broom catch you."

She blew him a kiss before he spun around and disappeared around the corner of the house.

No matter who or what got off that train tomorrow, as long as Hannibal Heyes was with her, she didn't give a tinker's damn anymore.  And she'd be damned before she'd let anybody take him from her.

                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Well, did she see us?"   Kid asked from his bunk when Heyes came back in the bunkhouse.

"Nope.  Whew, but it sure was a close one."

"Yeah, you owe me one.  Again."

"Evie said to tell you 'thanks'."

"You can both thank me by letting me get some sleep.  I gotta be heading out in a couple more hours if I'm gonna make it to Cold Springs by eleven."   He scooted down under the covers.  "And another thing Heyes,  if your gonna sneak into her room again, just use the ladder and go through her window.  It'll save me a lot of time and lost sleep."

"Who says there'll be a next time."

"I know you, Heyes.  There'll be a next time."   Kid rolled over to face the wall.  He was asleep in seconds.

Heyes sat there in his lonely bunk,  wishing he could go back up that ladder and finish what he and Evie had started.  He missed her fiercely already, just minutes after leaving her.  He remembered the feel of her in his hands and the taste of her on his lips.  He closed his eyes against the onslaught of emotions that bombarded his senses.  Desire and passion where there of course, but it was the force of the love he felt for her that had his head spinning.   And that love is what kept him from grabbing that ladder and going to that window right now.  He knew if he went to her she would not turn him away.  And the consequences of taking that step were irrevocable.  He wouldn't force those consequences on her.  Not when he wasn't in a position to offer her any kind of security for the future.  Without the amnesty, he couldn't even think  about making her his wife.   Had he really just used the word wife?  How had things changed so drastically in just  a few short months.  That September day when he'd found her in that valley, he never would have dreamed of looking at a woman with commitment or marriage in mind.  But when he thought of being separated from her it made his heart hurt and his lungs tighten.  He didn't really believe in the nonsense of her dreams, did he?  No,  he didn't.  He wouldn't.  He wouldn't entertain any thought that something was going to happen to keep him away from her. He  may not be able to marry her or offer her the riches and privilege that Mrs. Olivia Vanderbilt could,  but he could damn sure love her more than anyone else and for as long as he wanted.  Nobody, not even the woman getting off that train could change that.

                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Olivia Hope Sanders- Vanderbilt stepped off the train and onto the dusty platform of the train depot.  With lace gloved hands she adjusted the dainty plumed hat that sat atop her mounds of blond curls, and smoothed the wrinkles from the skirt of her pale blue silk chiffon suit.  The exhaustion she felt after traveling by train for three days was exceeded only by her anxiousness to meet her niece.  Her large blue eyes scanned the platform for any sign of a young woman who might be her. But of the many people there,  few were females and all of them were either too old or too young to be her nineteen year old niece.  A frown pinched her lovely arched brows and turned down the corners of her full pink lips.  She looked up at the sign, "Cold Springs."  This was the right town.  She checked the watch pinned to her lapel.  She was on time.  Where then was her niece.

As the throng of disembarking passengers began to dwindle,  she noticed the man leaning against the wall next to the ticket master's booth.  He was staring at her.  He pushed himself away from the wall and started towards her. She looked him over with appreciation as he approached her.  He was a striking figure.  He walked with a cocky arrogance.  He looked dangerous but not threatening.   He wore a gun low on his right hip strapped to his leg.  His hat pushed back on his head.  He was lean and fit.  And quite handsome.  When he stopped directly in front of her, she had to tip her head back to look at him, not that he was really that tall, she was just a petite five feet two inches.   She was met with the most startlingly blue eyes she had ever seen.  A slight shiver ran up her spine. How odd, she thought.

"Mrs. Vanderbilt?"  he inquired.

“Yes.”

“Welcome to Cold Springs, ma’am."  He removed his hat revealing his abundance of dirty blond curls.  "I’m Thaddeus Jones.  I’m here to escort you back to Red Rock.”

"You're Mr. Jones?  I was expecting someone much older.  And I was hoping my niece would be with you.  Is she here in town?"

"No, ma'am.  She stayed back in Red Rock with Mr. Smith.  She's most anxious to meet you."  It was a half truth.  Evie was anxious, but not in a good way.

"And I her.  I must apologize for not replying to your telegraph sooner.  I was in Bowling Green, Kentucky when you sent it, and you had addressed it to my older sister, Libby.  It took a while for the message to be forwarded to me in Kentucky.  My sister was taken ill many years ago and is no longer able to take care of important matters like this and all the family responsibilities have fallen to me.  But as soon as I received your message,  I started making arrangements for my niece to come to Nashville.  And for the remains of my sister and my nephew to be exhumed and brought home where they should be."

"I'm very sorry for your loss, ma'am,"  he said with sincerity.  But it didn't go unnoticed that she had not included Evangeline's father in those plans.

"Thank you, Mr. Jones."

For such a beautiful and fairy like woman, she certainly had a chilly disposition, Kid thought.
"Are you traveling alone Mrs. Vanderbilt?  Is your husband with you?"

"I have been widowed for sixteen years.  Yes, I am alone.  I'm forty one years old and I run several banks and a newspaper.  I hardly need a chaperon."  For some reason she felt oddly self conscious of her age and her appearance as she stood here in front of this young handsome man.  She knew she was being a little cold towards him, but something about him unnerved her.

A lady banker and newspaper baron.  How fascinating, Kid thought.  "I hope it isn't too forward of me to say that you certainly don't look forty-one.  I would have guessed you to be about thirty."

She actually laughed.  It was a deep musical laughter that Kid Curry found very appealing.  In fact he found almost everything about her physical being appealing.  She was tiny.  She barely came to his shoulder.  He could span her waist with both of his hands.  And her hands and her facial features looked like they belonged more to a child than a grown woman.  Add to that thick honey blond hair,  large blue eyes and a bow shaped mouth and  the sum was a very enticing package.  If the package just weren't covered with frost.  What a waste he thought.

"You, boy!"  she signaled to a teenage boy who was passing the depot on the crowded street.  "Come here and help with my bags!"

As Kid and the boy collected Olivia's considerable baggage and loaded them into the rear of the surrey,  Mrs. Vanderbilt supervised their every move.  "No, don't put that one on the bottom.  And that one needs to ride in front with me.  Don't toss those around so.   It contains precious family heirlooms.  Please, be careful, young man."   Kid couldn't keep his eyes off her.  She was mesmerizingly beautiful.  Maybe the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.  But she was also one  the bossiest and most austere.  She was clearly a woman who was in charge and liked having her way.  But she was also generous.  He saw the five dollar gold piece she placed in the boys hand as she thanked him for his help.

"How was your train ride?"  Thaddeus asked after riding for several miles in silence.

"Honestly,"  she sighed,  "it was horrendous.  A married couple with seven rambunctious children boarded in Oklahoma.  Perhaps you saw them.  They got off the train just before I did.  The poor woman couldn't keep them under control and her husband wouldn't help her at all.  They climbed the seats and hung from the curtains. Just thinking about it now gives me a headache."

"Do you have children of your own?"

"No.  I never had children.  My husband died before our second anniversary.  And I've never remarried."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you.  It was a long time ago.  Since my father died and Libby became ill, I've had to take over the family businesses.  I don't have time to think about much else.  This trip to collect my niece is the first time I've been away from home for something other than a business transaction or corporate meeting since....well, I don't remember when."

"Then you'll enjoy the peace and quite at the ranch.  Mr. McCreedy has the guest room all made up for you."

"Mr. McCreedy?"

"Patrick McCreedy.  He owns the ranch where you'll be staying,  if you accept his invitation of course.  There's a nice hotel in town if you'd rather have your privacy."

"Wherever Evangeline is, that's where I want to stay."

"That would be the ranch then."

"So, Mr.  Jones, have you gotten to know my niece well?  I'd like to know a little about her before I meet her.  I don't even know what she looks like."

"Well, I must say, that beauty runs in your family.  She's just as beautiful as you."

"Thank you,"  she managed after the shock wore off.  She hadn't thought of herself as beautiful in a long time.  Dear, Lord her face felt hot.  Surely she wasn't blushing.

Kid Curry smiled to himself when he saw the flush on her cheeks.  Maybe he could melt a little of that frost.  He didn't know if he could but he could sure have some fun trying.

As they rode along the rest of the way to Red Rock, Thaddeus shared many of the experiences he'd had with Evangeline and Joshua.  He didn't however let her in on the fact that the afore mentioned were now in the throes of a blossoming romance.  He thought it best if she found that out on her own.

Every mile that they traveled, a little more of the frost melted.  Kid's natural charm and easy going presence had her laughing by the time they arrived in Red Rock.  She found him funny, charming and very handsome.  He in turn was becoming quite intrigued by the sprite like beauty who was the head of a family and four  businesses.  And he found her much more beautiful when her face was smiling and laughing instead of pinched in a cold,  distant scowl,  as it had been the first hour he'd known her.  He thought he was going to like Olivia Vanderbilt quite well.  He just hoped her stubborn niece would too.

                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heyes stood on the front porch of Mr.  McCreedy's house watching as the fringed canopy of the surrey that would bring Olivia Vanderbilt face to face with him came into view over the hilltop.  He was nervous.  He felt like  one of the horses they had trained, getting ready for inspection by a prospective buyer.  He didn't know why he felt like he needed her approval.  But he did.  He wanted Evie's aunt to like him.  But more important than that, he wanted Evie to like her.  She had been upstairs all afternoon getting ready for her first meeting with one of  her few remaining kin folks.  She hadn't eaten anything all day, complaining of nausea and a headache.  She had fretted for hours about what to wear and how to fix her hair.  He took out his pocket watch or the umpteenth time and checked the time, knowing already it was only a minute past the last time he'd checked.  Four forty-five.  Kid had gotten her here right on time.

"Right on time, I see."

The voice of Patrick McCreedy sounded behind him.  "Yep.  Guess you better tell the ladies they're here."

As Mac went back inside to inform the ladies that their guest had arrived, Hannibal Heyes reminded himself that he was a safe cracking,  train robbing, former leader of the Devil's Hole gang.   A mere slip of a woman wasn't going to rattle him.  What did it matter what she thought anyway.  As long as Evie loved him and he and the Kid where safe from the law, life was good.  No matter what this woman thought.  But it sure would make things easier if he got off on a good foot with Mrs. Vanderbilt.  If she liked him, Evie would like her.

Big Mac and Georgia joined him on the porch just as Kid brought the surrey to a halt in the dirt drive cutting across the front yard.

Evie had been watching the approaching buggy from her bedroom window upstairs.  The same window Hannibal had dangled from last night.  Recalling the events of the previous night made that tightening feeling come into her womb again,  and in her heart.  It made her even more determined to stand her ground and by her man.  He had been so sweet and attentive to her all day.  He knew she was nervous and he was doing his best to put her at ease.  "She's only a woman.  She's just here because she wants to be a part of your life.  Just meet her and get to know her.  Trust your instincts.  They're usually right."    His words of wisdom echoed in her brain now as she watched the surrey get closer and closer.  So that was her.  She was too far away to make out any detail of her appearance, but she didn't appear to have horns or cloven hooves.   And there was no black pointed hat and broom.  "She's only a woman."  Hannibal's words continued to echo as she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time.  She had to admit, she looked quite beautiful.  She had allowed Georgia, after considerable prodding, to truss her up in a corset.  Her waist appeared tiny, her hips and breasts generously full.  She had chosen the most expensive gown that Mr. McCreedy had purchased for her.  And it was the most beautiful.  It was the only silk gown she now owned.  It was a deep scarlet with a print of small golden flowers.  It was adorned with golden silk bows at the end of her three quarter length sleeves and at the neck line which came just below her collar bone.  Georgia had used the hot iron to curl her hair and it was pinned atop her head in a mass on cascading ringlets.  She heard Mac's voice summoning her and Georgia to the porch to meet their guest.  Trust your instincts.  God, let me have the right instincts.  And tell Mama I wish she were here.  She spun on her heels and headed out the door and down the stair case.

Big Mac stepped from the porch to meet his guest as she came towards the house.  Heyes was struck speechless for a moment as Kid escorted her up the walkway.   The image of Lilly Webb, her blue eyes pleading for him to save her children as she lay dying, sprang to vivid life in his head.  This woman looked just like her.  The same pixy like figure,  blond hair and alabaster skin.  She was a handsome woman, dressed in expensive clothes.  She had a regal air about her and despite her size had a very commanding presence.

"Mrs. Olivia Vanderbilt, I'd like you to meet Mr. Pat McCreedy."

"Welcome, Mrs. Vanderbilt.  Please consider my home your home."

"Thank you, Mr. McCreedy.  For your hospitality and for your unmatched generosity to my niece.  If I can compensate you in any way...."

He held up his hand to stop her.  "It's been my pleasure.  Having Evangeline here has been like medicine to these tired old bones.   And this is Miss Georgia Moon.  She runs the house.  She'll attend to anything you might need."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Vanderbilt,"  Georgia said, slightly intimidated by the rich looking lady.

"Pleased to meet you, Georgia.  And please everyone call me Olivia."   Her eyes came to land on the gentleman still standing on the porch.  Just like Mr. Jones, he was a striking figure.  He had an aura of confidence that demanded her attention.  And a face that had probably lured many an unsuspecting woman into his arms.  The kind of man a woman should probably keep her distance from.

"Olivia,"  Kid continued with his introductions,  "this is Mr. Joshua Smith, the man who is responsible for saving your niece's life."

Heyes removed his hat as she extended her hand to him. When he took her tiny gloved hand in his she grasped it in both of hers and squeezed.  "Mr. Smith, I owe you a debt of gratitude I could never repay.  If there is ever anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

"That's not necessary, ma'am.  It was my pleasure.  Anybody would have done the same thing in my position."  And a whiskey voice that had probably seduced many a willing woman onto her back, she thought.  I surely hope my niece has not succumbed to his obvious charms.

"I'm not so sure about that Mr. Smith,"  she said with a smile.    "From what Thaddeus has told me, you risked your life to save her.  Most people would have..."

All eyes moved to the screen door that opened.  Evangeline stepped out from behind the safety of the screen door she'd been lingering behind for the last few minutes.  She walked to stand beside Joshua, wrapped her arm around his and interlaced his fingers with hers.  She wanted to send Mrs. Vanderbilt an unmistakable message.  She loved this man and nobody was taking her away from him.

The smile momentarily disappeared for Olivia's face as she witnessed Evangeline's public display of affection.   She bristled slightly.    So, she had succumbed.    She quickly  regained her composure and smiled again.

"Olivia, this is Evangeline,"  Kid offered.

"Evangeline,  I'm so very glad to finally meet you,"  Olivia said as she stepped up onto  the porch to approach her niece.  "You're more beautiful than Thaddeus described you."

Evie crushed Joshua's hand in a death grip, shocked to see her mother's face on another human being.  She even sounded like her mother.  Joshua had to pry her hand from his when Olivia appoached her with arms spread wide, clearly expecting to embrace her niece.

"You look just like Mama,"  Evie finally said breathlessly after half heartedly returning her aunt's hug.   Her hand returned immediately to Mr. Smith's.

"Yes, we heard that quite often when we were young.  Although I always thought your mother to be much prettier than I."  Try as she might she could not keep her gaze from falling to the pair of hands clutched together between them.

An awkward silence hung in the air as Evangeline just stared at the woman with her mother's face.   Georgia, seeing the difficulty of the situation, stepped forward.  "You must be plumb wore out after such a long trip.  Why don't y'all come on in and sit down while I get some cold lemonade.  You boys go fetch the lady's bags."  She shooed them along with her hand while she directed Olivia into the MrCreedy home.

Evie held tight to Joshua's hand, not wanting to let go.  "It's alright, sweetheart.  Go on inside.  I'll be right there."   She reluctantly released his hand and entered the house.

 Evangeline's clinging to Joshua and his endearments to her had not gone unnoticed by the perceptive and intelligent woman who now sat in the parlor sipping a glass of lemonade, while her only niece regarded her with near disdain.  Everyone had been so kind to her so far, except the one person that mattered.  Perhaps the shock of seeing her mother's face on another person was too much for her.  Or perhaps she was still grieving heavily for her family.   She had envisioned their first meeting many times, and every time it was a bittersweet moment full of tears and laughter.  But never had she imagined she would be met with a sullen, glaring young woman who barely acknowledged her presence.  She felt like she had been forced to step into the role of mean banker come to take our home away....A light went off in her head.  She watched as Thaddeus and Joshua entered the room and Evangeline's face softened and relaxed.  Mr. Smith came to sit beside Evangeline on one of the large sofas.  The body language, the unspoken words that passed between them,  let her know that this was the obstacle in her way of a relationship with her niece.  Evangeline feared being taken from this man she had come to rely heavily upon, and apparently had strong feelings for.  Hhhmm?  What to do about that,  she thought.

"Mr. Smith?"

"Please, call me Joshua."

"Joshua, I have a gift for you."  She rose and went to the trunk that had been placed in the entry way.  She returned with a small square package wrapped in brown paper and tied with string.

"Ma'am that really wasn't necessary.  You shouldn't have done this."

"It hardly equals what I owe you.   You went to measures above and beyond what most people would have to see my niece safe and this gift is just a small token of my and my sister's appreciation."  She held it out to him.  "Please, take it."

As she watched Joshua remove the wrappings from the package, Evangeline studied the woman who had given it to him.  She didn't look evil.  She didn't appear to be mean.  In fact she looked like an angel.  Just like her mother had.  And she was being very thankful and generous.  But the devil had been beautiful too, hadn't he.  She wasn't ready to trust her just yet.  And she had seen the look on her face when she'd grabbed Joshua's hand.  She didn't approve.

When the wrappings were removed, Joshua lifted the lid of the little box.  Nestled inside a puff of cotton padding was a solid gold pocket watch.  The case was engraved with an ornate swirling design and hung from a sturdy gold chain.  It must have cost a fortune.  It was the finest watch any of them had ever seen.  It was nicer than Mr. McCreedy's, and that was saying something.  Thaddeus gave a long slow whistle as he looked over Joshua's shoulder at the  expensive gift.  Joshua opened the cover and found it had real gold hands as well.

"It's Swiss.  The best they make.  There's an inscription inside,"  Olivia said, smiling at her obvious success at picking the gift.

 Joshua opened the watch and read aloud the inscription inside the cover,  "With deepest gratitude from the Sanders Family 1880."    He grinned sweetly as he looked over his shoulder at Evie.  He thought he saw the hint of a smile at the corners of her mouth as well.  "Thank you, Olivia."

"I have gifts for you too, Evangeline."  She produced several packages in various sizes and laid them on the coffee table in front of Evangeline.  When she didn't immediately pick one up, Olivia chose a small one and laid it on her lap.  "Please, open this one first.  It was my favorite and I just don't have the patience to wait while you open the others."

The package was opened to reveal a sterling silver broach shaped like a grand piano, encrusted with diamonds.  Evangeline smiled in spite of herself.  It was gorgeous.

"You like it, then?"   Olivia asked hopefully.

"I love it.  Are these real diamonds?"

Olivia exhaled in relief.  At least the girl had spoken to her.  "Yes, they are.  Lilly was a gifted pianist.  She could play like no one else.  I'm sure you know that already.  But I thought this would be a pleasant reminder of your mother."

Evie clutched the broach in her fisted hands and held it to her breast.  "Thank you.  I'll cherish it always."

"Evie's pretty good on the piano too, you know,"  Thaddeus said.

"Oh, really?  That's wonderful.  I'd love to hear you play.  Would you do me the honor, Evangeline?"  her aunt asked motioning to the grand piano at the far end of the room.

Evie looked to Joshua, who mouthed the words "go on"  as he gestured to the piano.  She rose and silently walked to the piano she now considered an old friend.  As  she began the first strains of her favorite, "Moonlight Sonata,"  everyone gathered around the piano.  Before the song was finished, Olivia was in tears.  Seeing clearly that her niece's talent far surpassed her sister's was a source of pride, sorrow and joy all mixed up together.  She requested the Bach that had been Lilly's favorite.  Again she was moved to tears.  By the end of the third piece,  Evangeline had made room for her small aunt on the bench beside her where they played a duet that she and her mother had played together so many times.  This was followed by several Stephen Foster selections which everyone sang along to.  Both women had laughed and cried by the time Georgia announced that supper was on the table.

By the end of the meal, Evangeline had decided that her dreams had been just that...dreams.  Not messages from her mother.  Though they had seemed so real and so vivid, she was trusting her instincts like Hannibal had told her to do.  And her instincts told her that Olivia was not here to cause trouble.  She was here because she wanted to be a part of the life of her sister's only living child.  And while she could see that it annoyed her slightly that she had developed such a strong attachment to the man who had rescued her, a man she at first suspected was a womanizing scoundrel, she could also see that she was  beginning to change her mind about him as they shared conversations  about banking and safes.  Evie had to smile to herself when Olivia expressed how impressed she was at Joshua's knowledge of the many available brands and types of safes.  If you only knew she thought.   And Olivia could not disguise her disappointment that Evie had not fallen  into her arms in a heap of distress,  seeking comfort from her.  But what she didn't understand was that Evangeline had already been through the grieving process and was now in the process of healing.  And Joshua had been the balm that helped heal her wounds.  But as the evening progressed Olivia began to see a side of her niece she had not yet seen and it only emerged because of the man who sat beside her.   She could see that he had genuine feelings for her niece and that made her more tolerant of Evie and Joshua's seemingly uncontrollable need to be constantly touching each other.

In fact Evangeline and Joshua had noticed a little touching going on themselves.  Every time Thaddeus made a funny remark she was swatting his arm or touching his shoulder.   She laughed flirtatiously at every little thing he said.   And Thaddeus was taking advantage of every opportunity to be funny and charming.

As the hours wound down,  Olivia became increasingly exhausted and bid everyone good night, but not before procuring a promise from Evangeline that they would meet in the morning for breakfast.

"Would you mind helping me upstairs with my bags, Thaddeus?"

"It would be my pleasure, ma'am."

Joshua and Evie giggled at the two as they stood on the porch saying their customary good night.  "Where we that obvious?"  she asked as she held on tight to him her head on his chest.

"I sure hope not.  If we were I don't know how anybody stood to be around us.  But according to Thaddeus and Sally, we were pretty obvious."

"I think I like her," she told him as she looked up into his beautiful face.

"Good.  I like her too.  Still believing those dreams?"

"No.  I'm trusting my instincts like you said.  And my instincts tell me that she's a good person.  She's my family.  She must be good.   So unless Mama was referring to another 'her' who was on that train,  my dreams were just that...dreams."

"Good."  He kissed her soundly on the lips.  "Now go and have some good, happy dreams for a change."

Dreams she had alright.  But they were not happy.  Here mother was there again.  But different this time.  "Things will be fine.  Stay away from Smith.  Everything will be fine if you'll stay away from Smith."  She awoke with a gasp.  She had dreamed of her mother again.  She wasn't as frantic this time when she'd spoken.  But she was insistent.  And still very vivid and almost real.  Stay away from Smith.  What did that mean?  Surely she wasn't referring to Joshua.  It made absolutely no sense.   Well, she knew now that all of her dreams were just nonsense.   After all that she and Joshua had been through,  and knowing how they loved each other,   her mother and father had to be looking down on them with joy and approval.  Her dreams were just the result of nerves.   She wasn't even going to tell anyone about her dreams this time.  She would keep it to herself.  She fell back on her pillows, but sleep didn't come.  She was afraid now to sleep.  She didn't want to hear those words again.  Even if they were nonsense.  Because nothing, not even a message from her mother, would keep her away from Mr. Smith.

Miles of Dimpled Smiles

All Pete lovers, unite!  From now on as a Pete lover all my smiley's :)  will include a dimple :')!   Join me in making the world a more dimpled place.

Miles of dimpled smiles to all :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :') :')
Karen :')  Love you Peter!

Soundtrack Selection for Chapter 19

I have always loved this song.  It is so passionate and full of emotion.  Just like Heyes and Evie when they are together.  It conjures up images of lovers in the throes of passion.  I can also picture Evie playing  Chopin's "Prelude in C major" which plays at the beginning and end,  and provides the harmonic scheme for the entire song.  One of my all time favorites.  And it also asks the question I'm sure you're all wondering.  Could this be the magic?  Will it be the moment of truth for our couple?  You know the answer....you'll just have to wait and see. Enjoy.

If you're enjoying my blog, please hit the +1 button below.  It's kinda like the "like" button on facebook.
Thanks, everybody for reading.

Peace and love,
Karen
Love you, Peter.

Update on Chapter 19

Boy, that Hannibal Heyes just really gets me going.  I just finished a steamy part of chapter 19 and I think I need a cigarette.  And I don't even smoke.  Okay I'll dumb it down to my level.  I need chocolate!!  It's 95% complete.  I should be able to post it by Sunday night, maybe sooner.  We'll just have to see.  Until then, however,  I'm including a larger version of the eye candy I posted to the side.  I hope you all have steamy dreams of Outlaw McDreamy tonight.  May he be wearing his cowboy hat and a dimpled smile.  And nothing else.  (I'm such a bad girl).

Comfort for the Grieving

In light of a recent conversation I had with a reader and fellow Peter enthusiast, I felt compelled to share this song. I don't know how any of you feel about messages from the grave or anything like that, but I do feel that sometimes inexplicable things happen to us that we have to chalk up to the supernatural,  or as I prefer to call it "of the spirit realm"  as opposed to the "worldly realm."  One day shortly after rediscovering Peter in early 2010, I was driving home from work and I was overwhelmed with grief.  It was as though I were mourning Peter's death for the first time all over again, only this time with the heart of a grown woman and not the heart of young girl.  And so I wept inconsolably in my car while  driving home from work.  Stopped at a traffic light,  I sobbed and asked, "Why, Peter, why?"   Then an inexplicable voice inside my head said simply, "Turn on the radio."   I had not had the radio on and had not given it a thought since I was in the midst of my sorrow.  And so I heeded the voice, feeling I should, and this song was just beginning to play. I had never heard the song before, but as I listened to the words  my spirits lifted and my grief became less.  Was it Peter's spirit telling me not to be so sad, or just a coincidence?  Well,  I'll let you decide that for yourselves.  But the reader I shared this experience with was grieving for Peter all over again just like I was.  It is very difficult for me to share it with you now, as I fear what people will think or how they will judge.  But if there are others out there grieving for Peter, then maybe they will find comfort in the words of this song as well, especially if he sent them our way.   But for myself I'll just say,  right back at ya, Peter.  I will see you on the other side.  This song is for you.  And for you, Kat.  Remember what Peter said, "Be happy!"

The Lesson

This is a very short, quicky I wrote in about fifteen minutes.  There's nowhere to fit it in the story, but I found it too funny not to share.





"No!  You're gripping it too tight,"  Kid admonished.

"I'm sorry.  You know I've never done this before,"  Evie grumbled defensively, her eyes cutting sideways towards Heyes who sat close by watching.

"Wanna try mine?"  Heyes asked hopefully with a raised eyebrow.

Kid just shot him a disgruntled look, frustrated that his partner had interupted.

"I'm sorry for fussing.  You're doing fine.  Now, take hold of it again.  Gently this time."

A satisfied  smile crossed his lips.  "That's it.  Much better."

Her hand began to shake.

"Don't be so nervous,"  Kid crooned giving her shoulder an affectionate encouraging rub.   "Use both hands if you need to."

"I still think she should be learning with  mine,"  Heyes pouted, clearly annoyed  at not receiving the attention he felt he deserved.

"Heyes, yours is too big for hands as small as hers.  Let her get some experience with mine first, then she can ease her way into handling one as big as yours."

Heyes let out a frustrated "humph,"  crossed his arms over his chest and pursed his lips.

"Besides, you're making her nervous.  Why don't you leave and let us have some privacy,"  Kid complained.

"Yes, you're making me nervous.  And I'd rather you didn't see me handling one for my first time when I'm so awkward and clumsy."

Heyes' smart alec retort died on his lips when the familiar voice of Mr. McCreedy's cook, Miss Georgia Moon bellowed from the ranch house,   "Y'all quit foolin' with them guns and get on back to the house.  Supper's on the table."

Chapter 18

This is a long one, y'all.  Not many pictures in this one.  Sorry.  I may add more later.  Peace and love.



The town of Alpine, Texas was  behind them now as they headed northwest towards Buckton.  Two days on horse back then a day on the stage and they would arrive in Red Rock where Mr. McCreedy would be waiting for them.  There really wasn't any need to go to Big Mac's now, since he had already paid both the boys what they had earned, but Big Mac had insisted that they come to his ranch for some well deserved home cooked meals.  But  Heyes had a feeling there was more to it than that.

After a tearful goodbye to Sally and Jenny, who was traded in for a gentle black mare for Evie to ride, the threesome were on their way.  It was the perfect time for Evangeline to be schooled by Hannibal Heyes in the art of dodging the law.

"Now remember, what do you not want to do when we ride into a new town?"

"Draw unnecessary attention to myself?"

"What else?"

"Get involved with other people's problems."

"And?"

"Act guilty or suspicious, especially if there's a lawman around."

"Good.  Now what do you want to do when we get into a new town?"

"First, check out the sheriff's office, or find out who he is.  Then if that's all clear, you  check the streets to see what are the quickest routes out of town, just in case.  Make sure to note where the livery is and where the train and stage depots are.  Then you check into the hotel and ask for a room with a view of the street. Tip the clerk to ensure that he doesn't tell anybody your staying there, and so he'll tell you if anybody asks for you.   Make sure to note all the exits out to the hotel and always keep the door locked."

"And one other thing.  Stay out of saloons."

"Since when do you two follow that rule?  You were both in the saloon at Alpine just this morning before we left."

"Oh,no.  That rule applies only to you."

"What if it's an emergency?"

"You don't go into a saloon.  Got it?"

'Fine,"  she grumbled.

"Now I'm gonna teach you what to do if we do have to high tail it out of town.  First...."

And so the lessons continued throughout the first day.

The second day Evangeline listened intently as the boys shared stories of their adventures from their early outlawing days,  to the days in the Hole, to the many people they'd met since they'd been trying to get their amnesty.

"You mean he fell for that?"  Evie asked incredulously as they rode along at a good steady walk.

"Like a rock."  Kid said.

"It was a thing of beauty.  The look on his face when Kid turned over that king of clubs,"  Heyes added, a big smile on his face.

"Daddy taught me to play Montana Red Dog when I was a little girl.  And he also taught me to only play it with people I could trust.  So what did you two do with all that money?"

"Uh, we didn't get to do anything with it.  Good ole Doc Beauregard stole it back from us,"  Heyes said.

"What?"  Not again she thought.

"Yeah, he stole it from us.  Well, actually he stole it from Jason who had stolen it from us.  And then got himself killed,"  Kid added.

"Killed?  Jedediah Curry  you didn't..."

"No.  He got himself killed trying to pull his own con with Montana red dog.  But not before he left all of the money to the building of the Chauncey Beauregard wing of a hospital."

"How many stories is this now that you've told me about your getting rich then getting busted?"

"We don't like to keep count.  It's too depressing,"  Heyes said.  "At least we've got plenty of cash right now,  and it's a good thing too, 'cause the first thing we're gonna do after we get to Red Rock is buy you some new clothes.  As much as I enjoy seeing you in that tight fitting dress,  I don't really like other people seeing you in it."

"I guess I'll  just have to keep wearing your jacket to cover me and only take it off when we're alone,"  she said suggestively.

"Now, that's an idea I can live with.  Especially the alone part,"   Heyes returned with a devilish grin.

The affectionate, joyous smiles the couple shared turned quickly into frowns of disbelief, as the unmistakable sound of a pistol being cocked echoed loudly in the air.

That unmistakable sound was followed by an unfamiliar male voice,  "I wouldn't make too many plans on spending that money, mister."

Kid reached for his Colt  just as a young man stepped suddenly from the roadside brush and pointed the cocked pistol  straight  at his two companions.  "Don't reach, mister, or I'll shoot your friends."  Kid's hand stilled then went into the air along with Heyes' and Evie's hands.

The boy was young, probably fifteen or sixteen,  with blond curls that hung almost to his shoulders and brilliant blue eyes.  The rest of his face was covered with a dusty bandanna.   Then a second male  voice came from behind them.  "We'll just be taking all of that money now,"  The second bandit came around from behind them to stand beside his partner,  a shotgun in his hands.  He was slightly taller than the other with straight stringy  black hair and dark eyes.  He also wore a dusty bandanna over his nose and mouth.

"Everybody off them horses,"  the dark haired one ordered.

As they dismounted Heyes

"You boys hungry?"   Heyes

"Shut up!"  the dark one yelled.  Clearly the one in charge of this gang of two he ordered his partner,   "Get their guns Georgie."

The blond one relieved Kid and Heyes of their pistols and took the rifle from Evie's saddle.

"Now empty your pockets."  the dark one demanded.

 Again the ex-outlaws conversed in silence.

Kid tried to reason with the young robbers first, "Look fellas, we'd be more than happy to help you out.  Give you a little stake for some food and a bath.  But if we give you all our money you're gonna leave us stranded.  We got the lady here to look after and we still got quite a few mile's ride to get to Buckton.  It'll be dark and she'll be wanting to stay in a soft bed.  You understand don't you?"

Neither of the bandits spoke.  The blond named Georgie began the pat downs.  He started with Kid.  When he got to the roll of bills in Kid's vest pocket his eyes practically bugged out of his head.

"Looky here, Jake.  Must be three or four hundred."  He shoved the loot into his pants pocket.

Then he began his pat down of Heyes who stood in front of Evie shielding her.  When he found nothing he put the end of the pistol's barrel against his chest.  "Where is it?"

Heyes flashed one of his most innocent charming smiles.  "Where's what?"

"Your money.  And don't try to tell me you don't have any.  We've robbed plenty of people and there's no way you three are traveling together and you're letting one man hold all the cash.  So where is it?"

When he didn't immediately reply,  the young thief aimed his pistol at the ground between Heyes brown suede boots and fired.  Evie screamed and jumped back.  Heyes wanted desperately to call the boys' bluff.  He didn't think they would shoot anybody.  But then again it depended on how desperate they were.  And he couldn't take any chances on Evie getting hurt.  With a sigh of resignation and  a firm set to his jaw, never losing eye contact with his would be assailant,  he said,  "My left boot."

"Wooo hooo!   Gotta be another four or five hundred.  Jake this is the biggest score we ever made!"   Georgie ran  back to his partner, who showed no emotion as he stood there pointing the shotgun at his three marks. "That's good, Georgie."  He motioned towards Evie with his weapon.  "What about her?"

Heyes took a step backwards as she took a step forward closer to him.  "She doesn't have any money or anything worth stealing,"  Heyes said with conviction.

"We'll be the judge of that mister,"   Jake said.

Georgie stood only inches in front of Heyes and laid the barrel of the pistol on his left shoulder so it pointed directly at Evie's head.  "Now, pretty lady, give me all your money."

"Like he's already told you, I don't have any money,"  she said angrily, her chin lifting slightly in defiance.
"How old are you two anyway?  You should be ashamed of yourselves.  Do your mothers know where you are and what you're doing?"

The gun was removed.  The boy looked like he'd just been slapped.  The young thief started to back away.  "We ain't got no mothers," he said bitterly.

The two older more experienced ex-thieves  exchanged another look.

"Now get face down on the ground over there, all of ya,"  Jake ordered.

The three trudged off the road and lay face down on the grass.  Then they heard the thud of  something hitting the ground then the sound of running horses,  and then silence.  Heyes looked up and searched the area.  "They're gone."

They stood there for countless moments, staring at each other, looking exactly how they felt - broke, busted and disgusted.

With a dejected sigh, Kid said solemnly, "At least they left us our bags."  He walked over to where their belongings lay in a heap in the middle of the dirt road.

Evangeline looked at Heyes.   He gave her a half-hearted smile, then held his arms wide.  She stepped into them without hesitation.  "Why did they take all the horses with them?  Why couldn't they have left Rusty?  He took care of me when I was with Harlan you know?"

"I'm not sure why they took all of them.  It slows you down leading a horse by rein.  I'm sure they wanted to get out of here quick."

"We wouldn't have dared steal any body's horse when we were first starting out,"  Kid said as he walked off the road to rejoin his companions.  "Just shows you how much times have changed since we started out in the business."

"Why wouldn't you have stolen a horse?    Can't you sell them for a lot of money?"  Evie asked Heyes.

"Oh,yeah, especially a horse like Rusty.  But for stealing money you only go to jail.  For stealing a horse they hang you."

"Your so wise in the ways of the world.  I love that about you.  But what are we going to do now?"

"I don't rightly know.  We'll have to walk on into town and figure something out there."   He looked down into her lovely face, so full of trust.  "I don't want you worrying about it though, alright?"

"I'm not worried.  Like Jed has said before, 'You always think of something.'  There's nothing you can't do."

He hoped his complete lack of faith in himself right now didn't reveal itself in his face.  Because he honestly didn't know what they were going to do.

"Well at least they didn't search our bags.  We still got a little food left.  And they didn't find your mother's locket.  We may as well rest here a spell, have some lunch,"  Kid said.

Evie studied her two companions as they ate cheese and apples under the shade of a mighty oak. "I've been thinking.   And I believe the two of you could have kept them from robbing us so easily if you had tried harder.  I just don't think you wanted to."

The partners looked at each other, then at her.  "What's that supposed to mean, are you losing faith in us, Evie,"  Heyes asked around a mouthful of food.

"No.  I have complete faith in both of you.  I just think that you let those two get away with what they did because you looked at the two of them, all dirty and hungry and desperate,  and you saw yourselves.  You saw young Hannibal and young Jed.  And you let them get away because you've been in their shoes and you felt sorry for them."

Neither man spoke.  They knew she was right.  When the two young bandits had appeared in front of them side by side, it was like they were seeing themselves fifteen years ago.  And while they would have gladly helped the boys out if they had asked, they also understood why they hadn't asked, but demanded instead.  They had probably been rejected so many times when they had asked for a helping hand that they had finally decided not to ask anymore, but just to take.

"Disappointed in us?"  Heyes asked.

"Nope.  I think I love you both ever more."

                                            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had never been to this town of Buckton before.  They weren't sure what to expect.  The sun was low in the sky when they walked  into town,  trail dusty and tired.  They only had about an hour of daylight left.  They needed to think of something quick.

After checking out the sheriff's office and deciding all was clear, they stood in the alley way between the saloon and the barber shop discussing their options.

"You got any ideas,"  Kid asked.

"Nope."

"We got anything in any of our bags worth selling?"

"Just Evie's locket and ring that belonged to her mother.  I'm not even going to suggest it."

"Maybe you could try that egg trick again."

"Maybe.  If I could just get enough to get into a poker game."

Evangeline stood behind the boys listening as they talked over their options.  She  took a moment to look around.  It was a nice little town.  Prosperous and lively.  It had three saloons.  The saloon they stood next to was abuzz with activity inside.  She ventured up to the swinging bat wing doors and peeked inside.  Her face lit up.  Did she see what she thought she saw?   She watched for a moment.  Yes, she did.  The boys were still discussing their options.  She searched  the saddle bags and pulled out her hairbrush.  She removed Joshua's tan jacket she had been wearing to hide her tight fitting dress and threw it down next to their other things.   Then she checked her reflection in the window of the closed barber shop.  She brushed her hair until it shone and pulled it back with her grandmother's hair combs just like Sally had done. Then she adjusted her bosoms to give just the right effect.  She smoothed the wrinkles and dust from her skirts.  Then she pinched her cheeks and bit her lips so that both were rosy and red.  When she was satisfied with her reflection,  she took a quick glance at the boys.  They weren't paying her any mind.  Joshua was going to be mad.  She was breaking one of the rules.  But wasn't this an emergency.  He never really said she couldn't do it in an emergency. And if she pulled it off,  maybe she could prove to them that she wasn't going to be a liability but  that she could actually be an asset.   She took a deep breath, plastered a beguiling smile on her lovely face and entered the saloon.

"What about the five pat hands trick?  You never lose at that one."

"It's worth a try I guess.  I wonder if Evie's father ever taught her that one?"   He turned to ask her and found her gone.

"Where'd she go?"

They looked up and down the street.  No sign of her.  Then they heard an explosion of raucous laughter from inside the saloon.   Blue eyes met brown.

"Aw, no,"  Kid said.

"If she did, I'll........"

They entered the smoke filled saloon.  It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim light.  When they could see clearly they scanned the room.  Their attention was immediately drawn once again by an outbreak of robust male laughter.   To their left, at a table in the front corner of the room,  six men sat,  completely enchanted and mesmerized by a beautiful young woman who sat with them dealing a deck of cards.

Kid's protective instinct kicked in and he started towards the table, intending to escort Evie outside.  But Heyes' hand on his arm stopped him.  "Just wait, Kid."

They walked to the bar and leaned casually against it so they could see and  hear everything that was going on at the table.

"Why, Mary Lou and Sue Ellen are never gonna believe it when I tell them that I actually learned to play... poker."   She whispered the last word as if it were scandalous to even say out loud.    "They will be so jealous."  Evie was excitedly jabbering, in a flawless southern accent.

"If I hadn't snuck out of the hotel while Aunt Lucretia was napping I would never have found myself here with you boys.  So remember, mums the word or Aunt Lucretia will be so angry with me.  But I just couldn't go back to Savannah and not be able to tell the girls in my quilting bee that I had gone inside a real authentic western saloon and learned to play poker with real authentic western cowboys."

"It's our pleasure ma'am,"   said one cowboy with a goofy grin on his face.

"You can play with us anytime you want, Miss Savannah from Savannah,"  gushed another, who was practically drooling.

"Why you boys are just the sweetest things,"  she smiled sweetly as she batted her lashes and leaned slightly forward, exposing her creamy cleavage to their view.   Heyes groaned deep in his throat.  What did she think she was doing?

"Now I've given everyone five cards, so now what?"  she asked.

"Now you make a bet if you think you've got a hand that can win,"  explained another smitten cow poke.

"Oh shoot.  I plumb forgot to bring my reticule with me when I was sneaking out.  I don't have a penny of money on me."   She stuck her lip out and pouted.   Immediately coins were being placed in front of her.

"You can borrow some of mine, Miss Savannah."

"I've got some extra you can have."

"Me, too.  You can borrow some of mine."

"Thanks, just all to pieces.  Why, I've never met such generous gentlemen in my entire life.  I'm just ever so grateful.  Now how much should I bet?"

Heyes and Kid watched in awe as she ran  the  perfect con.  The men at the table were so smitten by her charm and beauty, they didn't even notice when she stacked the deck to give herself an unbeatable hand.

"I got a full house Miss Savannah,  I probably have you beat,"  said a young cow hand apologetically.

"Oh, poo.  I did get beat.  You said a full house beats two pair?"  she gave her best pouty frown.

Heyes was horrified.  Surely she had not just ran a perfect con only to lose the money with a lousy two pair.
"I'm afraid I've only got a pair of fives and another pair of fives."

The table again erupted with boisterous male laughter.  "No, Miss Savannah, you win.  That's called four of a kind."   The pile of money was shoved in front of her.   She repayed all of the borrowed  money and still had plenty left over.

 "Oh, this is so much fun.  I think I'd like to play again.  I think I like being the one who doles out the cards best."

"That's called dealing, Miss Savannah."

"Oh, yes, right, quite right.  Shall we play again gentlemen."

In an hour she had won over two hundred dollars.  As she leaned forward over the table, displaying yet again an abundance of her milky white bosoms, she raked in her winnings.  The men at the table were so spellbound  by the charmingly lovely and witty Miss Savannah that they never knew what had hit them.  And they didn't appear to care even if they were aware they had just been had.

"What can I say boys?  I guess I'm just having what they call beginner's luck,"  she drawled as she scooped in her winnings.  "Oh, my look at the time.  I must be getting back to the hotel room before Aunt Lucretia wakes from her nap."   All the men rose from their chairs when she stood.   "Thank you, gentleman for making my trip to the west one I shall never forget.  When I get back to Savannah,  I'm going to tell all my friends about you."   She blew a kiss in their direction before cramming both hands full of bills and coins.  She walked slowly to the door with a deliberate sway to her curvaceous hips,   leaving behind six dumbstruck, google eyed cowboys, and two awed and impressed ex-outlaws.

Not wanting to be obvious that they were following her out,  Kid and Heyes just stood there and watched as she sashayed out the door.  As they watched the heavy doors swing back and forth,  they both sighed heavily in unison.

"You know what, Heyes?"

"What?"

"I'm gonna give up the search for the perfect woman."

"Why?"

 "Cause she just walked out the door.  And you saw her first."

Heyes couldn't keep the proud smile from splitting his face.  This young woman was one surprise after another.  He loved that about her.  She had single handedly won enough money to get them a hotel room and food for the night, buy their stage tickets in the morning and still have enough left to last a few days after they got to Red Rock.  She simply amazed him.

"It appears her father wasn't the only one to teach her a few things, though.   I think her mother may have taught her a few things too,"  Kid said.

"Yeah I noticed.  I just wish she hadn't shown so much of what her mother taught her,"  he said with annoyance,  as he recalled the abundance of cleavage she'd exposed to the men at the poker table.  "Come on, Kid.  She'll be waiting at the hotel."

As they left the saloon and headed down the street to the hotel Kid said, "You're not gonna be too hard on for doing that are you?  I know you're upset with her for going in the saloon, but weren't you just a little impressed."

Yes, he was impressed.  But, he was still going to remind her rather firmly that she was never to go into a saloon.  This was twice now.  And he was going to let her know just how risky it was to go into a place like that and pull a con without consulting him first.  And he was going to make her put that jacket back on and it wasn't coming off until he'd bought her a decent dress.  Only then would he let her know just how brilliant he thought she was.  "Truthfully, Kid....it was absolutely genius."

Kid chuckled.  "Yeah it was.  Ya know, Heyes,  I was thinking.  She just made a lot of money in less than an hour.   If our amnesty doesn't come through maybe...."

Another of Heyes' "don't even say it, Kid"  looks  stopped him  in mid sentence.   "No?  Oh, well it was just a thought."

                                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was Evangeline's first time on a stagecoach.  She kept her head out the window almost the entire ride.  The scenery they passed as they made their was northwest  was the most beautiful and breathtaking she'd ever seen.  They passed by majestic mountains, sweeping valleys and multicolored canyons.  But the most spectacular sight of all was one that also had the boys enthralled.  It was a herd after herd  of wild mustangs running free through the canyons  and up into the hills.  One herd in particular was led by the most magnificent black stallion they'd ever seen.  Heyes was enraptured watching her enthusiasm and her joy at each new discovery she made on their journey.  He loved seeing her so happy.

They arrived at the Red Rock stage depot  around five that  evening.   A driver was waiting for them with a surrey to bring them to Mr. McCreedy's ranch.  When they arrived the robust older gentleman was genuinely glad to see them.

"Welcome, Miss Webb, welcome.  Come in boys and make yourselves at home.  Georgia will have supper on the table shortly.  In the mean time, let's all go into the parlor.  I just had some cigars delivered all the way from Virginia. "

Mac led them  into the parlor where he offered the boys a cigar.  Evangeline let her gaze travel leisurely around the spacious room.  Mr. McCreedy's home was very warm and inviting.  Rich dark wood floors, huge fireplaces with stone hearths, lots of windows with heavy brocade drapes.   The furnishings were beautiful and expensive looking.  As the boys lit their cigars and discussed the many wild horses they'd seen on the ride up to Red Rock,  Evangeline admired the handsome collection  of artwork on display in the large parlor.   That's when she saw it.  It stood in the corner at the far end of the room.  It was polished to a mirror like finish.   The deck leaning back casually in invitation.  She walked to it almost entranced.  She had seen drawings and had heard stories but she'd never seen one in real life.  She ran her fingers along the shiny slick curvature of its side.   She caressed the glossy wood.  It's lid was propped open  exposing the hammers and strings, the plates and dampers.  As she stood in front of it, she felt as if an old friend, long forgotten was standing in front of her.   Seating herself on the cushioned bench she let her fingers span the keys,  reacquainting herself with ebony and ivory that she hadn't realized she'd missed so much.  She sat in front of the grand piano, hypnotised by it's beauty.  The only piano she'd ever played was the old upright one that had been her mother's and the ancient relic they had used at her church.  She had always dreamed of playing a grand piano.  The sight of her hands on the white keys was so familiar except for the silver ring that now surrounded her left ring finger.  How she wished her mother were here to share her first experience with a grand piano.  This is for you, Mama. As soon as she struck the first note, it was as if everything else in the world disappeared.  It was just her and her music.  Her beloved music.

"Mighty fine, aye, boys?"  Mac asked the boys as they enjoyed the expensive cigars.

"Yep, mighty fine, Mac.  Now about those mustangs....."

All conversation stopped and all eyes turned to the far end of the room at  the first melodic sounds of the piano music.     All three men traded surprised looks before gathering around the piano to listen.  All stood spellbound as they watched and listened to  Evangeline play.

Hannibal Heyes had never seen a more delightful sight than the sight of her at that keyboard.  Her eyes were closed and she was bent low over the keyboard.  She seemed to feel each note.  Her facial expression changed with the tone and inflection of the music.  Her fingers worked magic on the keyboard.  The music she drew from that piano was unlike anything he'd ever heard.  He didn't think she even realized they were standing there listening.  She was simply magnificent.  Another surprise.  Something else to love about her.

When she finished, she opened her eyes to find all three men standing there staring at her speechless.  "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. McCreedy, I hope you don't mind.  I should have asked you first.  It's just been so long since I've played and I've missed it so."

"It's perfectly fine my dear.   You may play as much and as often as you like.  I only bought this piano to fill this empty corner.  I never did learn to play.  And I don't think I could play like that even if I had learned. "

"Thank you.  I do enjoy playing."

"How come you never told me you could play like that?"  Heyes asked.

"I believe I did tell you I played.  I told you my mother said I was a prodigy."

"Yeah, you said you could play, but I didn't think you meant, play.  I thought you meant like, "Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair."    She played the the first few bars of the song.

"Or 'The Camptown Races,' Kid interjected.   She played a few bars of  that one as well.

"How many songs do you know in your head?"

"A lot.  I remember most of the songs that I used to play back home.  I can read music and I can play by ear.  And once I learn a piece I usually don't forget it.  Mama and Daddy said it was a very rare ability."

"Play something else.  Something like that first song you played."

"That was Bach. It was Mama's favorite."  A melancholy smile creased her lovely face for a moment.    "How about some Mozart? 'Sonata in C."   She began the lively masterpiece and played it without missing a note.
When she was playing it was like she was in a trance.  The song ended with an eruption of applause from  the three gentlemen.  She captivated them yet again when she played her favorite piece by her favorite composer, Beethoven's "Fur Elise."  She thought she could have played all night, and might have had it not been for the announcement that supper was on the table.

"Supper's on the table.  Y'all come on and don't let it get cold."   The announcement was made by Mac's cook and housekeeper, Miss Georgia Moon.  Georgia was an emancipated slave who had come west after the civil war.  She had showed up on Pat McCreedy's ranch and asked for work.  One taste of her southern cooking and Mac had hired her.  She'd been running his household now for fifteen years.  She had her own room just off the kitchen at the back of the house.  She was a petite woman in her late fifties with dark brown skin and eyes.    "Well, Mr. Jones, it's good to have you back wit' us.  Sho' hope you'll be stayin' longer this time."

"It's good to be back Miss Georgia.  I've missed all that good home cooking."   Kid patted  his stomach for emphasis.

"Don't look like you missed too many meals to me,"  Miss Georgia said skeptically as she looked Kid Curry's fit muscular frame over.  That comment put a smug grin on Heyes' face.  But it  quickly disappeared when Miss Georgia eyed him closely and said,  "But this one here....you need some of Miss Georgia's good home cookin' for sho.  Now sit on down there all of you.   Especially you young lady.  You can't be 'spectin' to find you no husband being all skinny like that.  Men folks likes a woman they can hold on to, not one that's gonna be pokin' him with bones when he go to  huggin' her up.  Well, don't just stand there lookin' stupid.  All of ya sit."

"Yes, ma'am,"   all three said as they hurriedly took their places at the large oak dining table with Big Mac at the head.  They ravenously dug into plates piled high with fried chicken, roasted sweet potatoes,  turnip greens, creamed onions and cornbread.  The meal ended with hot apple dumplings.

During the meal Mac asked about their trip up from Alpine and was troubled to hear of the highway robbery that had left them penniless.   But he had to laugh out loud when the boys recounted Evie's successful swindle of the unsuspecting cowboys.  When Evangeline treated him to an energetic description of all the wondrous sights she's seen on the stagecoach ride,  the subject of the wild horses came up again.   He too had seen them and was very interested in the possibilities they presented.  With that in mind he made the boys a proposition. If the boys could wrangle some of those mustangs,  he  would supply the corral and stables,  feed and equipment for them to break the horses.  They could have the empty bunkhouse all to themselves.  Apparently there was a huge market for western colts and there were plenty of them free for the taking out in the hills and canyons.  After the horses were broken then sold,  the boys would split the profit with Mac fifty fifty, in exchange for using his corral,  stables and bunkhouse.   It would be a perfect arrangement.  And an opportunity for the boys to earn an honest living while doing something they loved. As many wild horses as there were out there, and considering the amount of time it would take to train them to harness and saddle it could turn into a long stint of employment.   Staying here on Mac's ranch instead of in town, meant there was little chance of running into anyone who might recognize them.  As Evie listened to the men make plans for wrangling and training horses and lining up potential buyers, she couldn't help but wonder what all this meant for her. Where would she stay?  Did she figure into the plan at all?

As if reading her thoughts, Big Mac announced,  "As for you young lady,  I've got a surprise for you."

He motioned for them all to follow him.  He led them up the stairs and down the hallway to a corner room at the back of the ranch house.  He opened the door and allowed Evie to step inside first.  Her breath caught in her throat.  She stood inside the most gorgeous room she'd ever seen.  The large bed in the center of the far wall  was covered with a pink lacy spread and piled high with pillows.  The tall bed posts supported a canopy and shear pink drapes that hung to the floor.  A chaise lounge sat by the fireplace to the left of the bed, a large cherry wood wardrobe stood in the far right corner and to her immediate right a vanity table with attached wash basin.  Next to the bed was a night table and a standing mirror.  A large window to the left of the bed and another to the right of the wardrobe were dressed with frilly pink curtains.  There was a Persian rug on the floor.   She felt like she had stepped into a fairy tale.  She sun around with a questioning yet hopeful look.

"It's yours if you want it.  I'm extending an invitation for you to stay here at the ranch as long as you need to.  I don't figure it will look too proper for you to be staying in hotel rooms or bunkhouses with two young men.  This house has four bedrooms and servants quarters, but there's only me and Georgia here.  The whole place was going to waste.   I have a library full of books,  you can study any subject you like.  You can help Georgia out around the house if you want.  And you can play that piano all day if you like.  And the boys can come and visit any time they want.  In fact,  I insist that they be here for breakfast, lunch and supper.  When they're not out wrangling them wild mustangs that is."

"This is so generous of you, Mr. McCreedy.  I don't know what to say."

"How about 'Yes, thank you',"   Heyes said when she looked at him as if asking permission.

She couldn't control the laughter that bubbled up inside her.  "Alright, yes, thank you."  She laughed out as she threw her arms around Big Mac's neck and kissed his cheek.

Pat McCreedy blushed slightly at the young woman's display of gratitude. "Well, that settles it then.  You'll all stay here starting tonight.  And tomorrow we're going into town and see about getting you all the things a young lady needs.  Dresses and stockings and hats and all those  things like that.  My gift to you."

Again Evie didn't know what to say.

"I knew you had another reason for bringing us out here.  And I always knew you were just a big old softy, Mac,"  Heyes said to the older gentleman as he shook his hand in appreciation for what he was doing for Evie.    "We  had to go into town tomorrow anyway and report everything that happened.  We were kinda hoping you'd go along with us to the sheriff's office."

"Oh, sure.  And don't forget, Thaddeus, you're my nephew."

Evie looked at the three men, puzzled.  "It's a long story,"  the Kid said.

                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


It was getting late.  She had expected them back by now.  They had been gone three days this time.  Usually they would only be gone two days and would come back with at least two mustangs.  But a few times they had come back with as many as five.  She was always happy to see three or more.   That meant they were closer to their goal of fifteen mustangs and the end of the times she and Hannibal had to be apart.  She had begun more and more over the last month since they'd been at Big Mac's ranch to think of him as Hannibal.  That's who he really was after all.  But she only called him that in private moments when they were alone.  Which wasn't often.

When the boys were out wrangling mustangs, she spent most of her days helping Georgia with the household chores and most of  her evenings reading from the enormous collection of books in the library.  But she ended every day with at least an hour at the piano.   If she couldn't have her Hannibal here at least she had her music.  The nights when he was gone were the longest nights for her.  She had never been apart from him for this long before and she missed him so.  The sun would be gone soon.  She knew if they weren't here by sunset, they probably wouldn't be back until tomorrow.  That thought made her breathe a little funny.  It was as if the thought of being apart from him knocked the breath from her.  She could feel the twinge of sadness starting to take root inside of her as she faced the probability of another night without seeing his face and hearing his voice.  Another night without one of his goodnight kisses that he always gave her on the  front porch before he followed Kid to the bunkhouse for the night.   Kisses that were lasting longer and  growing deeper each time they shared one.   Thinking of his kisses made her miss him to the point of physical aching.  God, please let them come home tonight.   Her small prayer was answered immediately as she saw the two familiar riders coming down the hill towards the front gate of the ranch.

She ran to meet them.  Heyes leaped from this horse's back to sweep her up and into his arms, where he kissed the breath out of her.  "I've missed you so much.  What took you so long this time?"  she asked when he finally let her come up for air.

"Take a look."   She followed his gaze to where Kid still sat in the saddle holding onto the reins of two horses.  One was an average sized red and white pinto mare, a beauty who would probably be used for breeding.  But the other one made her gasp.   "You got him!" she exclaimed with excitement.  It was the black stallion.

He pranced and jerked his head defiantly against his leads.  He was not a happy animal right now.  It was all Kid could do to keep him under control.  "We better get him in a stall before he gets too out of hand,"  Heyes said as he remounted and took the stallions leads from Kid.  Evie gave them a wide berth as she knew the mustangs were unpredictable when they first brought them in.  And this horse was large, powerful and mad.

After making gluttons of themselves on the sumptuous meal that it had become customary for Evie and Miss Georgia to fix when they came back in from the canyons,  the boys sat on the porch smoking one of Mac's finest cigars.  Evangeline joined them after helping Miss Georgia with the cleaning up.  She sat on the porch floor at Hannibal's feet and laid her head against his thigh, while he absent mindedly ran his fingers through her glorious hair.  She listened as they made plans for breaking the stallion.  It was going to take a while.  They had fifteen mustangs now to train.  They wouldn't be going out again until they had at least four of them trained and ready for sale.  They figured it would take at least a month.   A smile spread across her face and a warm glow spread through her chest.  A month without having to wave goodbye to him.  A month of good night kisses.   She was so happy.  She was so in love.  Life was good.

In fact, life was almost perfect.  For Kid Curry there was good honest work he enjoyed doing, a soft readily available bed, three meals a day and a town full of bad poker players and pretty girls just a thirty minute horseback ride away.

For Hannibal Heyes,  working with horses and making a living at it was not even like work.  He loved it.    Kid was content and he wasn't crabbing about not having a bed to sleep in or food to eat. Here on the ranch the constant worry of being spotted was gone.  It felt good to be able to breathe easy for a change.  But most of all, there was Evie.  His sweet, beautiful, amazing Evie.  She was the reason he woke up every morning and rushed to the house for breakfast.  Kid rushed for the bacon and eggs.  Heyes for the glorious hair,  womanly curves and sweet smile.  He loved seeing her so happy.  The only time she  wasn't smiling was when a rider came out to the ranch with a telegraph.  It had been six weeks since the telegraph to her family in Nashville had been sent.  Although she never said so, Heyes knew that she was glad that no reply had been sent.  Every time someone rode in from town with a telegraph he watched her hold her breath and witnessed the anxiety that pinched her face.  Until it was revealed the telegraph was not a reply for Thaddeus Jones.  Only then would she relax and exhale in relief.  He and Kid had talked about it and had decided that her family must not care and that if they hadn't heard from them by now they probably weren't going to.  He would have to share that with Evie.  It would put her mind at ease.

But he didn't get the chance.  Everything changed on that Friday afternoon in early November.  A rider came in from town with a telegraph for Mr. McCreedy.  Evangeline sat on the corral fence watching Hannibal and Jed work magic on one of the wild horses.  She was so captivated by the sight of Hannibal Heyes riding the rowdy bucking bronco, wearing only his Henley undershirt that stretched tautly over his lean muscular torso,  that at first she didn't even notice the rider when he approached the ranch house.  But when she saw Big Mac approaching the corral out of the corner of her eye,  she became concerned.  When he waved the piece of paper in the air to signal Kid to come over to the fence, she became scared.

Heyes jumped from the mustang's back to join the two men at the fence.  His eyes locked with Evie's as Mr. McCreedy announced that the message was for Thaddeus Jones.

Kid took the paper and read it to himself.   He looked at Heyes, then at Evie, then back to Heyes.

"Well, what's it say?"  Heyes asked impatiently.

"It's from a Mrs. Olivia Vanderbilt.  Says she's your aunt and she's coming to Red Rock to meet you."  He looked at Evangeline as he spoke.   "Says she'll be arriving in Cold Springs on the 11:00 a.m. train this Tuesday."   He held the piece of paper out to her, thinking she would like to read it.  She drew back from it slightly as if it were a coiled rattlesnake ready to strike.  Heyes took it instead and read it.  Evie spun her rump around on the fence rail and jumped to the ground and made her way silently to the house.

Heyes climbed over the fence and ran after her.  He entered the house and was met with the haunting melancholy notes of a Beethoven piece she loved so much.  This piece she only played when she was feeling blue or upset.  "The Moonlit Sonata"  he thought she had called it.  He let her finish the piece before he came and sat on the corner of the bench beside her.  "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"She's going to ruin everything.  I just know it.  Everything is perfect.  You're perfect.  Our life here is perfect.  And I know she'll come in here and start trying to make all these plans for my life and she'll ruin everything.  And I know she's going to treat you like a bug on her shoe.  Just like they treated my daddy.  She'll find some way to take you away from me and then I'll hate her for it."

"Hey, no body's gonna take me away from you.  The only thing that could make me leave here without you would be a posse.  So there's no reason for you not to give her the benefit of the doubt and at least meet her.  Who knows, you might love her to pieces."

The look she shot him said, "I doubt it."

"Tell you what.  The train doesn't come to Red Rock.  She'll be arriving in Cold Springs.  That's about a half days ride from Red Rock.  We'll send the Kid to fetch her and it will be Tuesday night before she gets here.  Then when she gets here I'll turn on the old Hannibal Heyes charm."   He beamed his most unnerving smile.  "She'll love me to death.  I mean, really, who could resist dimples like these?"

She smiled in spite of her mood.  "She had better be able to resist them.  Because if she loves you and your dimples too much,  I'll have to kill her."

He had lightened her mood and put her mind at ease and he was glad. But he could tell something still bothered her.

She stood and crossed the glossy wood floor to stare out the glass pane of the French patio doors that lead to the veranda at the back of the McCreedy ranch house.  Miles and miles of alternating hills and woodlands and desert stretched as far as the eye could see.  How easy it would be to get lost out there.  Well, maybe not lost, just not found by anyone you didn't want to find you.  She heard his approach and felt his presence directly behind her.  She spun around and threw her arms around his neck and standing on her tiptoes crushed his lips with an open mouthed kiss.

She took him by surprise.  At first he grasped her waist to set her away, knowing she was desperately grasping for him in this moment of fear and uncertainty.  But the fevered urgency of her kiss had him encircling her waist and lifting her tight against him.  He returned her fevered kiss with all the hot urgency she was displaying.  Need  built up inside of him.  It had been building up for weeks now.  Every night when he said goodbye to her in the dark corners of the front porch the kisses they shared had grown longer, deeper and more passionate.  Her hands had grown increasingly more bold, exploring his chest, his back and even his back side.  He in return had done his own exploring.  Learning the feel and shape of her through the layers of clothes and under garments.  But the way she was kissing him now was different.  She was kissing him as though she would never be able to kiss him again.

She broke the kiss and pulled away from him.  She took both his hands in hers and walked backward, her eyes never leaving his, and using her bottom pushed open the double French doors.  She felt the heat of the afternoon sun on her back.  She saw the heat of his need for her in his chocolate eyes.  She took a semicircular path around the open door and backed herself against the outside wall  of the house, next to the doorway.  He braced his hands on the wall on either side of her head, his lips hovered a whisper above hers.  "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"  He growled the words huskily into her open mouth that stood poised waiting for his to plunder.

"Yes,"  she whispered, "Sally enlightened me."  She felt more than saw the slight smile that parted his sensuous lips, before he closed the scant distance between their mouths.  He pinned her to the wall with his hard lean frame.  He trailed kisses along her jawline down to nibble her delicate earlobe.  She clung to his broad shoulders as his mouth found and did delicious things to a sensitive spot on her neck while his skillful hands came to cup the underside of each of her breasts.  She pulled the hem of his white undershirt, damp with perspiration from working in the afternoon sun, and let her hands find their way underneath to the smooth heated skin of his belly beneath.  She could feel the muscles contract at the first touch of skin on skin.

The contact of her hands on his bare flesh was like fuel to a flame.  It ignited something inside of him.  He was  overwhelmed by the emotions and the need this woman stirred up inside of him.  She had never been this bold before, especially in broad daylight.  Only moments ago she had been distraught, now she was like a lusty little vixen, out to stake her claim.  He didn't know what had brought on such wild and reckless abandon from her. He was so enticed by her right now, he didn't really care.

She wanted him so much.  She really did.  She wanted to know what the end result of all the delirious sensations he produced in her would be.  She wanted to belong to Hannibal Heyes in every way possible.  Then nobody would dare try to take her from him.  But she was also afraid.  And she wasn't absolutely sure she could take it as far as it could go.  And she knew he would never let it go that far unless she was absolutely sure.  And she knew she could never fool him.  He would know if she was ready for that step or not.  But she was also afraid that if she didn't allow herself to become a complete part of him in every way,  she might be forced to leave him.  Which scared her more?  Losing her innocence or losing him.

"Let's leave here,"  she rasped breathlessly as his mouth continued a heated exploration of her  collar bone and the rounded tops of her breast which peeked from the top of the scooped neckline of her dress.  His head came up and he stared at her with an unspoken question in his eyes.

"Go get one of the horses and I'll go pack some things and we'll just ride out of here.  It'll be just you and me on the back of a horse, out in the wilderness.  Just like before.  We'll go where nobody can find us."

Now he knew what had brought on this wild and reckless bout of foreplay.  She was trying to seduce him, so he would ride off with her and she wouldn't have to face her aunt.  "Nobody, huh?  Don't you mean so she won't find us?"

She looked away, not wanting him to see in her eyes how right he was.  She began anew her wanton exploration of his chest and belly, hoping to drive him to distraction.  She did not want to talk anymore about her.  But it didn't work.  He took her wrists in gentle hands and ceased her explorations.  She knew she couldn't fool him.  She let her hands drop to her sides.

As he pulled his bunched up shirt back down over his naked torso, he studied her face.  It was flushed with the heat of desire, her lips red from the force of his kisses.  "You know you really are quite the little con artist.  Was all that just to get me so worked up I'd leave here with you, have my way with you and then be obligated to make an honest woman of you?"

She hung her head shamefully.  He was too smart to fool.  "Was it working?"  she gave him a coy impish look from under the veil of her lashes.

"You know it was.  But , sweetheart, running away is not the answer.  Neither is sacrificing your virtue just because your afraid of what might happen.  Why are so afraid?"

She started to cry, "Something's going to happen. I can feel it.  I just know it.  Something's going to take you away from me."

"I'm all for believing in instincts, but what makes you think that one woman can cause anything that would take me away from you.  She doesn't know who I really am.  She can't say you aren't being provided for.  And unless she's a heartless old prune, she's going to see how much we love each other.  She's the only blood family you've got, and you shouldn't deprive her of the opportunity to get to know how wonderful and amazing you are.  Will you give her a chance,  for me?"

She smiled ruefully as he gathered her in his strong arms.  She could never say no to anything he asked of her.   "Only for you,"  she managed to whisper into his shoulder.  She held onto him tightly as he rocked her in his comforting embrace.  She would try to ignore the prickling feeling at the back of her mind for his sake.  But it was there never the less.  Had been there since she'd seen that piece of paper in Mr. McCreedy's hand.  Trouble was coming.  And it was arriving this Tuesday in Cold Springs, Texas on the 11:00 a.m. train.