A lazy breeze blew into Four Corners and brushed against Buck Wilmington. He was sitting outside the sheriff's office, watching the streets with little curiosity. Nothing was happening. The town had been quiet, and Buck was bored. A pretty young lady walked past him and smiled. Buck tipped his hat to her and smiled back.

The stagecoach pulled into town and stopped in front of the line office. Buck watched with interest as the passengers, or rather passenger, disembarked. This passenger made Buck stand up and start smiling. She had red hair, which she wore pulled back, but not up. There was a green ribbon in her hair that matched her light green dress and accented her hair wonderfully. She smiled warily at the coach driver as he handed down her luggage and looked around the town. Buck smiled and decided to help her with it.

Buck started walking toward the stage, and the young lady noticed him. She dropped the suitcase she had been holding and ran toward him enthusiastically. She practically knocked him over when she ran into him, embracing him fiercely. "Darling...I am so glad to see you!" she exclaimed.

Buck looked down at the young lady. "Ma'am," he said, "I think you have me confused with someone else. I don't believe we've ever met." But Buck was smiling broadly. Afterall, the woman was quite lovely, and she smelled like flowers. Holding her was a pleasant, if unexpected, experience.

She looked up at him, but the expression in her eyes was not one of adoration, but one of pleading.

He continued, "Pretty thing like you, I'm sure I'd've remembered." Buck tried to disentangle himself from her arms. But if anything, she held on more tightly. He did not fail to notice her manner. The woman was afraid of something. He figured she must be afraid of something pretty bad to run like she had into a total stranger's arms.

Her eyes darted around town, searching for someone. Then she looked up at Buck and whispered so softly he could barely hear her, "I know you don't know me, but...well yours is the first friendly face I've seen in a while." She looked down, "And I need assistance. Please."

She sounded so forlorn that Buck instinctively put his arms around her for a moment. Then he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back. "My dear, let me get a good look at you," he said to her. "You are a sight for sore eyes."

Buck whispered, "Well, missy, if I'm going to help you, it might be useful to know your name."

She nodded, "Samantha Richardson. What's yours?"

"Buck. Buck Wilmington."

Samantha nodded, "I do apologize if I have embarrassed you. I really am not usually this forward."

"Well, Miss Richardson..." Buck started.

Samantha smiled at him, "Considering how presumptuous I've already been, why don't you call me Sam?"

Buck smiled and nodded, "Sam...you said you needed help. What exactly do you need help with?"

Sam looked around the town, "Is there someplace a little less...conspicuous...we can speak?"

Ezra Standish sat at his usual table in the saloon. No one was interested in playing cards with him at the moment. So he shuffled his cards absently and watched the room. When Buck came in with an unfamiliar woman, carrying a suitcase, Ezra raised his eyebrows, but did not move. However, since it never hurt to brush up on his observation skills, he watched the two closely. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he was watching their body language carefully. Buck sat with his back to Ezra. He looked a bit uncomfortable with what the girl was saying. However, the girl was facing Ezra, and he watched her studiously.

She seemed to be speaking of a man her father had wanted her to marry. She looked down for a moment, and Ezra couldn't see what she was saying, but she appeared uncomfortable. When she looked up, she said clearly enough that Ezra could understand, "That's why I need you to pretend to be my fiancé...at least until he leaves town."

Buck reacted like Ezra expected to the word she chose. Ezra smiled, thinking that that man had a positive aversion to the marital condition. However, that young lady was planning a con with the wrong individual. He was bored. And he really detested being left out of schemes. Ezra stood up and walked over to Buck. He slapped him on the shoulder. Buck looked up at Ezra.

"Are you going to introduce me to your charming companion, Mr. Wilmington?" Ezra asked slyly.

Buck, grateful for a change in subject, said, "Sure. Ezra...this here's Samantha Richardson. Sam...this is Ezra Standish."

Ezra smiled, "Miss Richardson." Then he looked at Buck, "Do you mind if I join you?"

Buck nodded gratefully, and Ezra pulled out a chair and sat down. Ezra winked at Sam, then looked at Buck. "Mr. Wilmington. It seems you are planning a wedding without my assistance."

Buck looked downright uncomfortable. Ezra suppressed a smile. "Really, Mr. Wilmington, a nuptial celebration must be planned with great attention to detail."

Buck whispered furiously, "I ain't gettin' married."

"Of course you are, and I will perform the ceremony."

"Ezra...you ain't no preacher."

Ezra smiled, "Precisely."

Sam looked at him. "I just need him to pretend to be my fiancé until Charles leaves."

Ezra glanced at her. "My dear, a woman such as yourself would not travel to this backwater of civilization to rendezvous with her fiancé unless the wedding were to occur soon after your arrival. Therefore, if you are to convince this Charles of the sincerity of your engagement, a wedding must be planned and carried out."

Ezra was really enjoying this. He hadn't had the opportunity to pull a con in a while, and it was a skill that required constant employment in order to remain sharp.

Ezra continued on. "Buck. You will require a domicile for your beloved. She would not have traveled here to take up residence in the men's boarding house. My dear...I assume you have a dress suitable for the occasion?"

Both Buck and Sam looked at him in shock.

Ezra looked back at Sam. "Do you wish to be rid of Charles or not?"

"Well, yes but...this seems so dishonest!"

He raised an eyebrow to her. "And I suppose you consider masquerading as Mr. Wilmington's intended honest?"

"No but...a wedding is a sacred ceremony...It shouldn't be undertaken lightly!"

Ezra leaned back and looked at the ceiling; really, he was surrounded by amateurs. He looked at Sam with a crooked little smile on his face. "Well, then, consider this to be a staging of a dramatic production. And consider us to be actors performing on stage. Will that suit your notions of propriety?"

Sam considered this, and then nodded.

Ezra smiled. "Now, there are a great deal of preparations to be made if this charade is to be accepted. For one, we have to convince the town not to tell anyone that Mr. Wilmington is a rogue." Ezra smiled serenely, "That, I think, will be the most difficult obstacle in the path."

Buck just stared at Ezra in horror.

Ezra was thrilled. Planning a wedding con-this would take a great deal of skill for it to be believable. A great number of players would have to be involved, and the more players involved, the more elaborate the scheme, and the more elaborate the scheme, the more difficult it was to pull off. And even better, none of the others could object to it. Not even Nathan, who usually found some heretofore unconsidered moral issue whenever Ezra attempted to employ his skills in the service of others.

He looked at Sam. "Perhaps you would be so good as to fill me in on the entire dilemma?"

Sam told him her story and Ezra listened to her. When she was finished, he nodded. A smile was on his face.

"What are you smilin' at, Ezra?" Buck asked.

Ezra turned to him and said, "Mr. Wilmington, I have always wanted to preside at a wedding."

Ignoring this comment, Buck said, "Ezra? What the blazes is a domicile?"

Ezra looked over at Buck with an expression of forced tolerance. "A house. We require a house, and I know just where we can procure one." He looked pointedly at Sam. "You never provided an answer to my previous query: Do you have the proper attire for this occasion?"

She looked away. "No. I had not planned on actually needing it."

"Then I hope that Mrs. Travis is in a generous mood today."

"Mrs. Travis! Ezra, you don't mean on bringing her into this?"

Ezra glanced over at Buck, "This is going to be the social occasion of the year, Mr. Wilmington. And your young bride-to-be will require a bridesmaid. And Mr. Larabee...he should give her away."

Ezra stood up and looked pointedly at Buck and Sam. "Come now, let us go secure your new abode."

Buck stood up sheepishly and started to head out. Ezra cleared his throat. Buck stopped and looked at him, questioningly.

"Appearances, Mr. Wilmington, are everything."

"What now?"

"You must escort the young lady. Offer her your arm."

Buck glared at Ezra, but nonetheless went over to Sam and offered her his hand. When she stood up, he tucked her arm firmly in his own and looked at Ezra, who nodded approvingly.

Mary Travis looked up from her desk when the trio entered. Ezra was attired in a sedate outfit for him-a black jacket with a subtle gray vest and a dark neck bow. Buck was with a young lady she didn't know. From the look of discomfort on Buck's face, she wasn't sure what to expect. She looked at Ezra. She couldn't be sure, but he looked to be in his element. He put on a large smile and approached the desk.

"Mrs. Travis, it is quite a lovely day, do you not agree?" he said simply.

"Why, yes I do Mr. Standish. What can I do for you?"

He smiled again and she began to get a little nervous. "Funny you should ask. This young lady here is in a predicament. And you seem to be the perfect individual to provide assistance."

Mary looked at the young lady.

Ezra looked at Buck and said, "Mr. Wilmington, be a gentleman. Introduce your companion."

Buck glared at Ezra. "Mrs. Travis, this here's Samantha Richardson. Sam, this is Mary Travis."

Sam smiled nervously. "I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Travis."

"Mrs. Travis," Ezra started, "we have a favor of a rather large dimension to request of you."

Mary narrowed her eyes slightly. Ezra was asking her for a favor? "Go on, Mr. Standish."

Ezra stood back and put his weight mostly on one foot. Buck looked at him like he were about to deliver a blow. For some reason, Mary thought that Buck appeared positively sick. She looked at Buck. "Mr. Wilmington, are you all right?"

He just looked at her and said, "It ain't nothin', Mrs. Travis, 'cept ol' Ezra here is making me get married."

Mary looked at him in shock. Of all the seven men who had been hired to protect the town, Buck was the last one she ever expected to settle down. She could see JD settling down. He seemed like he was more that type. But she always thought that Buck was rather untamable. Mary turned and looked at the young lady standing beside him, wondering if she knew what she had gotten her self in to...and if she was ready for it. And Ezra was making him get married? Her first thought was that perhaps Ezra was related to the young lady and Buck had placed her in the predicament. She allowed her distaste for the situation to briefly show on her face.

"Now, Buck," Ezra drawled, "the nuptials are not a bona fide ceremony, so you will not actually be committing yourself to a life of connubial bliss."

At this statement, Mary looked back at Ezra. "Would you mind explaining that comment?"

Ezra sighed resignedly and gave Buck a warning glance. "Mrs. Travis, the young lady in question," he looked at Sam and smiled, "is in a rather disturbing situation which can be relieved by staging a rather convincing ceremony. For this, we require your assistance."

Mary looked at him, indicating that he should continue. So he did. "Mr. Wilmington is posing as this charming young creature's affianced. As a young lady of her quality would not have undertaken a journey of this type unless her fiancé had sent for her, and her fiancé would not have sent for her unless he had secured a place for her, we require the temporary use of your homestead."

Mary looked at him in shock. "You want me to loan you my old house?"

"That is correct. Ms. Richardson would hardly be expected to take up residence at the men's boarding house."

"True, but can't she just stay at the hotel?"

Mary watched Ezra look up at the ceiling for a second; it was if he were trying not to let his exasperation show. "If this is to be believed by the intended party, a certain level of appearances must be maintained."

Intended party? Understanding began to set in. Ezra was scheming to convince someone else that the young lady was no longer available and should be left alone.

Mary nodded. "All right. I'll let you use it." She turned to Sam. "Unfortunately, I am afraid it is in a bit of disrepair."

Sam smiled, "Well, the least I can do then is try to fix it up some. You don't know how much this means to me."

Mary smiled at her and looked back at Ezra. "One other thing, Mrs. Travis," he started. Then she noticed he actually looked embarrassed.

"Yes, Mr. Standish?"

"Well," he started, "For this wedding to elicit credulity, the blushing bride must be suitably attired." She continued to watch him. She had a good idea where this particular line was going, but she was not about to interrupt. "And young Miss Richardson was only just recently made aware that she would be required to participate in an elaborately staged ruse in order to extricate herself as the object of her unintended's affections."

"Go on, Mr. Standish."

He smiled and tilted his head to the side. "Would you be willing to perchance allow Miss Richardson to borrow your wedding ensemble?"

Sam looked embarrassed. "Mrs. Travis. Please don't feel obligated to do this; you've already given me a great deal of assistance."

Mary looked over at Sam, who looked to be her size, and sighed. "Well, it isn't as if I have a daughter that I am saving the dress for." She paused a moment, then added, "All right, on one condition, I get to be your matron of honor."

Sam smiled. "Deal!"

Mary turned to Ezra and said, "Mr. Standish, what exactly is your role in this. Are you going to be Mr. Wilmington's best man?"

Ezra flashed her his crooked grin, but before he could answer, Buck stated, "No. Ezra here is going to marry me. Well... me and Sam."

"Who's going to be your best man, Mr. Wilmington?"

"Aw, he..." he broke off in the middle of a profanity. "I don't know, just yet, Mz. Travis. Just found out myself. Maybe Chris?"

Ezra looked at him and said, "I believe I already suggested that Mr. Larabee would be more appropriate for the role of 'Father of the Bride'."

"Vin?"

Ezra shook his head. "Mr. Tanner's services will be required to perform the musical interludes."

Mary bit back a smile watching this exchange. She'd love to be there when Ezra told his scheme to Chris and Vin.

"Josiah?"

"Mr. Wilmington, I don't think you want him to have any part in this ceremony...It might give it the appearance of legality. It would be best if Josiah presided over the reception."

"What about Nathan?"

Ezra looked over at Mary with a somewhat sheepish look on his face. "Mr. Wilmington, I don't know how appropriate that would be. Not knowing Miss Richardson's pursuer, we have no way of predicting how he would react to a man of color," Mary noticed Ezra had the good grace to wince at the statement, "participating in an occasion such as this. We are going for an air of believability."

"Ezra! That just leaves JD! Dang it all...does the WHOLE town have to know?" Buck practically shouted in exasperation. From the look on Ezra's face, she thought that it might have been his intention all along to have JD act as 'Best Man'.

Mary nearly started laughing at that. "Excuse me gentlemen," she said as she quickly left the room so that Buck would not see her break out into gales of laughter.