Cowlarado and Elizabeth walked back to the Tumbleweed Saloon, Elizabeths' hand in the crook of his elbow. This was gossip worthy contact for an unmarried lady. The gossip mill started churning when Cowlarado was brazen enough to kiss Elizabeth on the street, before leaving. Lily looked up from polishing the bar to see Elizabeth almost float inside.

"Cowlarado cool his head a little?" Lily asked cautiously.

"Oh yes." Elizabeth said dreamily.

"What has your horns in the clouds?" Lily asked with a smile.

"Promise you won't make a fuss or tell anyone?" Elizabeth asked, looking Lily in the eyes. Lily nodded and went to close the great doors. There weren't any customers this time of day.

"So? What is it that has you so nervous?" Lily asked eagerly.

"Nervous? I'm not nervous. We just can't let anyone find out until after the trial." Elizabeth said and then sighed happily.

"Find out what?" Lily asked, getting antsy.

"Cowlarado and I are going to be married." Elizabeth said happily.

"You and Cowlarado? You've only known him for a few days, honey." Lily said uneasily.

"We spoke about it before we got to Cowtown. He was going to marry me if I was with calf anyway." Elizabeth said with a shrug.

"He took advantage of you?" Lily asked, getting angry at Cowlarado for ruining Elizabeth and then dangling marriage only if she was pregnant.

"Oh no. After the first kiss, it was my idea too." Elizabeth said with a grin. "He can be persuasive though." she added with a wicked grin. Lily looked at Elizabeth like she had grown another head.

"Honey, Cowlarado does this all the time. He promises a lady something and the next thing she knows, he's taking her best friend round the town. He's not going to marry you. Not when you're giving him everything he wants from you." Lily said softly and sighed. "He's known as a ladies bull and a play bull."

"I know. I also know that he wired his parents in Bullston to inform them that we were going to be married here and have a big reception there. But as it stands, we may have to go to Bullston to get married. His closest friends don't seem to think much of him at all." Elizabeth said hotly and got up to leave the Tumbleweed.

"Do you even know his name? Has he told you who he really is yet?" Lily asked, trying to get through Elizabeths' thick skull.

"As a matter of fact, Lily, I do know who he is. And he knows exactly who I am. So does his mother, or she wouldn't have fainted when she read his wire. He's from a very old, very well known family and so am I. I would be his sister, if my mother had married his father when they were younger. They attended Bullston elite schools, and were sent to all the same functions. Women for husband hunting and bulls for trophy wives. My mother eventually married my father, when his father married his long time Bullston sweet heart." Elizabeth said coolly, "So yes, I know who Cowlarado is. I know where he came from and where he's going to go. I'm going to be there every step of the way." she added and flounced out of the Tumbleweed.

She realized she had no where else to go when she was on the side walk. She saw the young calves out playing and watched them, with a small smile on her face. After a few minutes she walked off to the ladies store and went inside to look around. She was immediately aware of the stares and whispers that hit her from behind. Keeping her head held high, she looked at the fabric and incidentals for a lady's daily use. She came across yards of spider fine lace, and a lovely blue silk.

"That's been marked down." said the store clerk. "It's been sitting on that shelf for months."

"I'll take it. Oh, do you do credit? I have no money here in Cowtown." Elizabeth asked hopefully.

"I'll open a tab for you. Name?" asked the clerk, she was a pretty little ewe.

"Elizabeth Cowthers. Of Cowlumbus, Cowhio." Elizabeth said and watched as the girl pulled the slim bolt of silk off the shelf and wrapped it tissue paper. "And four yards of that lace too, please." Elizabeth said quickly. The girl nodded and measured it out carefully, then wrote down how much Elizabeth owed on a new piece of paper.

"Shall I have it delivered?" asked the ewe.

"I'm staying with Miss Lily. Have it sent there please." Elizabeth said with a nod and left the store. Whispers escalated from the small sitting room in the store, when she left. Elizabeth shook her head, at least here, the ladies would wait until her back was turned, to start gossiping about her.

She went into the grocery and dry goods store, looking around for things she might use after she and Cowlarado built their home on her land outside of Cowtown. She smiled at the young goat clerk, and went up and down the aisles. Everything was dreadfully out of fashion and so old as to be useless. This wouldn't do. Elizabeth began thinking and purchased a stationary set from the store on credit. She'd have to send to her grandfather and have thick hardwood lumber sent down. Her grandmother would know what was needed to furnish an enormous sprawling ranch house. A few rooms would be set aside for future children and guest rooms. Elizabeth thanked the comet that she had paid attention to her close friend Howard, he was training to become an architect and had taught her basic floor planning and design.

As she headed back to Lilys' home, she was fully occupied with thinking on how she should decorate Cowlarado's study. By the time she set the stationary on the desk in the little room she was staying in, she had planned out most of the ground floor of her imaginary home. Of course, she'd have to hire maids to help keep it all clean, a cook staff to handle the feeding of the staff, and a stable crew. She was going to get here mule back from the public stables. She wondered if she should send for her maid from the city, or do without. She didn't need anyone to tie a corset, she was never squeezing into one again, but having someone help with her hair and basic cleaning would be a relief. She briefly considered setting up a nanny on notice, but discarded idea. She and Cowlarado would raise their own children.

Elizabeth then realized something, Cowlarado worked as a deputy, he'd need to be close to town, not an hour away if Moo ever needed him in a hurry. Elizabeth thought for a while. The ground the church was on was lovely and relocating the church wouldn't be difficult, since the cemetery was outside the town. Elizabeth set the idea aside for now. Lily had wanted her to help in the saloon, to earn her keep. Lily didn't accept credit, so Elizabeth was expected to help in the saloon when Lily asked. She dressed in the pink dress Lily had lent her for working in the saloon, and sighed. In a weeks time, she wouldn't have to work if she didn't want to.

Cowlarado walked into the saloon, behind Moo and Dakota. They always went to the saloon for dinner. They sat down at their usual table and waited for Lily to come over. Elizabeth did instead, and she looked frazzled.

"You doing okay, there Miss Betty?" Moo asked, surprised at Elizabeth's appearance.

"Lily is a slave driver. And I'm not very good at anything outside embroidery frames and lace bobbins." Elizabeth grumbled setting down flatware. "I spent most of my life learning how to tell others what to clean. I never thought I'd be doing it."

"You were spoiled." Dakota said with a gentle chuckle.

"I enjoyed being spoiled and shallow. I never had to do anything that would put so much as a hair out of place." Elizabeth said archly. "But if I'm going to live here, then I'm going to learn how to do all of this, until I'm good at it." she added firmly.

"You plan on staying? This ain't really a place for city ladies. Everything will seem harder for you." Moo cautioned.

"Why Marshall, are you so eager to see me gone?" Elizabeth asked with a sweet grin. "Because I'll stay, just to spite you." she grinned at Moo, who was now chuckling at her. Cowlarado and Dakota laughed, as Moo attempted to look put out, but only laughed a little more.

"So what can I get you gentle bulls?" Elizabeth said, feeling Lily's eyes on her back.

"Three sarsaparillas, and what's the special tonight?" Cowlarado asked, Elizabeth smiled at him, and he grinned back.

"The dinner special, is green bean casserole, with biscuits, and for dessert, lemon meringue or peach cobbler. I'll warn you now, Lily had me make the biscuits. They look okay, but I'd be careful." Elizabeth warned with a playful wink.

"Well, I'll have the special." Moo said, he was echoed by Dakota and Cowlarado.

"Three sarsaparillas and three specials. Will you like dessert tonight, gentle bulls?" Elizabeth asked brightly, when Lily passed by. "I'm telling you, she's a mean boss. Sure she's nice outside when she isn't working, but just let her get you to work for her." Elizabeth whispered fearfully, gaining chuckles.

"We know all about Miss Lily being tough to work for. You're preaching to the choir, sweet heart." Cowlarado said shaking is head ruefully. Elizabeth huffed and left to get their orders filled. She also went to the bar and got the sarsaparillas.

AN.

Ah yes, the dreaded work. High society women never worked unless they were restless and their families allowed them the opportunity to do so. They were always kept doing secretary work, whether they were good at it or not. The only reason Lily owns the Tumbleweed is because the studio who made the show needed a strong lead female to balance their strong lead males. Kate is the balance to Cowlarado and Dakota as she is both tomboyish and ladylike, where they are a roughrider and a high class gentleman. In the show, Cowlarado shows good intelligence that wouldn't come from a whole life spent living on the range, or even in the country. And what real cowboy carried a guitar in place of extra supplies? Unless he made his living off that guitar, he wouldn't have it with him often. Things like that would be expensive.