When she stepped into the sun, Gemma understood that her marriage had been losing in value ever since she'd agreed to stay in Four Corners. Their deal had been simple: Montgomery would secure the inheritance of his trust fund and Gemma would get the financial and social security of marriage. In San Francisco, Gemma could rise to her prime with playful magnificence and Monty could finally win the freedom that his father held just out of reach. In Four Corners, Gemma was a social outcast no matter how hard she tried and financially there was not much to gain... Or show in their small community.
Gemma needed a distraction while she waited for the judge. She needed to put her emotions in place and settle her stomach. On instinct she walked over to the saloon. It was a quiet time between breakfast and lunch and only a handful of people kept their own company scattered around the large establishment. To her left, she heard a sound of cracking cards.
"A game of cards, Mr Standish?" she asked to announce herself, not waiting for a reply. Gemma Monterrey sat down on the other side of the table. It took her much longer than Ezra remembered to adjust her gown around the small chair. It was a task she executed with meticulous patience until she was satisfied. It gave the conman time to observe the bright colourful piece she was wearing. The dress was adorned with frills and lace that accentuated the woman's joyful youth. Every dress she owned was a deliberate choice and called for an adjustment in character to match. But not today. Once she was in position, Gemma allowed her thoughts and emotions to flow freely without playing her costumed role.
"Draw or stud?" Ezra offered.
"A gentleman's choice," she said..
The gambler dealt the cards for a five card draw then checked his hand without a comment. For a few rounds, nothing but the minimum passed between them.
"Bet. Raise. Check. Fold. Bet. Raise. Check. Fold."
Even if she'd readied herself, Gemma would have been unable to disguise a pent up sigh of relief upon hearing Ezra speak first:
"Any developments in Mr Monterrey's case? I suspect he is to be released soon?"
If Ezra also suspected that Gemma's sigh had nothing to do with his question, the Southerner didn't let on.
Gemma raised her eyebrows in a dissatisfied yes.
"I'm afraid not all news can be good," the conman announced as he put down a full house. Gemma returned her cards and focused her gaze on the distance.
"I see your hand healed nicely under Mr Jackson's supervision. I couldn't spot you float that king like I used to." Gemma said in lieu of conversation not accusation,
"I assure you, Mrs Monterrey that cheating was not necessary with your nonchalant investment of funds." Ezra goaded.
Gemma's cheeks rose with one of her eyebrows.
"Pray continue," she said.
"You always go big on a weak hand, Mrs Monterrey. That's always been your weakness."
"Has it now?"
"Just like you try to hide your feminine tenderness with explosive force..." the gambler's defence mechanism kicked in. "Sometimes."
Her cheeks dropped slightly at his final remark.
"So you do remember the old times then?"
Ezra stared at his dealt hand.
"Sometimes," he admitted.
Gemma was looking for words with which to continue. She was roused from her concentration by a loud thud with which Inez had put down the second glass of beer in front of Ezra. A few drops touched Gemma's eyes as Inez apologised coldly. The Southerner's own calculating eyes followed the Mexican manager around the saloon, behind the bar and into the kitchen. He glanced back at his hand.
"Fold."
It was Gemma's turn to shuffle.
"So what have you been up to Mr Standish?"
The secretive gambler flinched slightly at such a direct enquiry. It was common knowledge that Ezra Standish kept his cards close to his chest. And his personal information even closer. He did share a lot unconsciously and in half-breath in order to depressurise tense situations or as a punch line.
Since this was the first time that the former lovers were alone since Gemma's return and certainly the first time Ezra was conversing with her directly, Gemma displayed a hunger for anything and everything as long as she could hear it in Ezra's own voice.
"Same old," he began gingerly.
"Playing cards, going on patrol, shooting the less fortunate."
"Same old," Gemma mused.
It felt like such a relief to be able to sit in each other's company again. Ezra offered nothing but commands during their time with the wagon train that Gemma had put so much hopes into. His voice was a tonic to Gemma's open wound that she wasn't sure wouldn't turn poisonous if overused. But caution was not one of Gemma's stronger suits.
"Did I miss much excitement in my absence?" Gemma's voice came out with the last dealt card.
An imperceptible blush warmed her cheeks for a moment. What answer was she fishing for? An encouraging 'no, you haven't missed much' or was she actually asking if her presence was what was missed. Now was Gemma's turn to find her hand remarkably interesting.
"Are you referring to injuries, conquests or conflicts?" Ezra asked.
"Either," Gemma let out a grateful smile.
"Well..." Ezra began. "Mr Wilmington had an unfortunate rendezvous with an angered father that nearly cost him..." he cleared his throat pointedly. "A vital part of his masculine anatomy."
They chuckled together at their friend's penchant for trouble.
"It's a story that encapsulates all of the above."
If Buck never mentioned her this story it was bound to be good. Gemma was excited.
"Proceed with caution, Mr Standish," the former peacekeeper teased as she presented three queens which won the pot.
"As per usual," Ezra began between shuffles. "Mr Wilmington was becoming inseparable from Mr Blackton's only daughter."
"Mr Blackton?" Gemma didn't remember the name.
"Our local lumberjack," Ezra aided.
"One day, all of us were having breakfast at this very table when Mr Blackton entered into the saloon with an axe and a bucket, sat at the table opposite and never took his eyes off Mr Wilmington. All the while, he was decisively chopping what seemed like an endless line of linked sausages."
"When he finished, he called for Miss Rocillos and offered the sausages for that day's dinner. His only stipulation was that Mr Wilmington was served double. As you can imagine Miss Rocillos was happy to oblige seeing that Mr Wilmington is an ever present bee in her proverbial bonnet."
"Mr Blackton then walked up to our table and announced to everyone in the saloon while staring straight into Mr Wilmington's eyes:
"Whoever thinks he can take my daughter for a..." forgive me to quote: "ride has another thing coming. When he swung the axe into the table just next to your elbow there, everyone understood his message."
"Seems like an everyday Buck story so far," Gemma said as she observed the chink.
"Which is why we teased him incessantly for the rest of the week and didn't give the story more heed," Ezra agreed.
"However, a week later, Mr Blackton returned. And this time he had no patience for warnings. He walked straight up to the table in the corner where I was unfortunate enough to be sharing Mr Wilmington's company."
"Oh," Gemma enquired.
"Indeed," Ezra was unapologetic for his remark.
"Because after Mr Blackton walked up to our table, he pressed Mr Wilmington's hand down hard and slammed down his axe even before I had time to trigger my derringer."
"In case we weren't clear, Mr Blackton announced once more:"What goes for my daughter also goes for my wife. Only for my daughter, I chop lower." We let him leave the establishment seeing that his cause looked justified enough and Mr Jackson was... On hand, so to speak who assured us Mr Wilmington was in no danger."
"Good Lord!" Gemma tried to show worry through her amusement.
"Good Lord indeed. Next time you see Mr Wilmington, pay close attention to his left pinkie tip. Or lack of thereof."
Gemma finally surrendered to an uncontrolled fit of giggles and Ezra joined her with an unapologetic smile.
"You look radiant, my dear," he spoke in one of his half-tones. "Time away has served you well."
"My husband's money helped," Gemma folded without looking at her cards.
She was looking at Ezra who was still smiling at his own hand, but his eyes were not focused.
Another splash of beer roused them both from their thoughts. Gemma was not in a forgiving mood.
"Miss Rocillos, if you do that again, you will force me to pull each hair from your head out one by one. Are we clear?"
Inez gave her a disdainful look and disappeared behind the bar.
"She is dissatisfied with me," Ezra admitted.
Gemma to her horror did not need any more words to understand.
"With you? Are you courting Inez?" she gasped.
The poker player had his pokerface securely fastened on.
"We are currently on a hiatus. I am uncertain if... It will continue. Do not fester anger against her. Her behaviour has nothing to do with you."
"Except the obvious."
The former lovers shared a short sad smile.
"It's good to see the two of you lovebirds back together," Buck greeted loudly as he mounted a free chair like he would a horse. "Deal me in."
The two tense bodies were awoken too suddenly from their secluded, guarded world.
"Unless it's private," Buck recanted.
He was about to excuse himself when Gemma beat him to it. Her eyes were fixed on a man walking down main street.
"Your presence will be needed in the jail later on. Excuse me," she finished without acknowledging either of the two men at her table. She took long strides to catch up with judge Travis.
Buck looked at the pale-faced Ezra and decided it was time for some spirits. He made to stand up but his friend and colleague decided to spare him the penance of a raging Inez. The gambler passed the town lothario his flask and they drank together over cards until they were summoned.