Hannah shook herself after she got off of the stage in Silver Crest. Actually it had been outside of Silver Crest because the town had imposed a new tax on stages to pay is they drove within the town limits so the driver pulled over on the road outside of town and said the two passengers would have to disembark. He apologized as he went to pull their bags off the top.

Hannah just looked at him in amazement.

"Why are you stopping here in the middle of nowhere?"

He tossed a bag on the ground.

"Because of the new tax…"

"The new what…?"

"Tax…I'm not a wealthy man…got to make a living…"

He tossed another bag on the ground.

"Here take the mail with you," he said, "I'm sorry but you'll have to take any gripes with the town leaders."

Hannah watched as he got up on the wagon. Elias had gotten off too as if nothing unusual had happened to interrupt his trip. He looked up at the driver.

"Just keep heading down this road."

The driver nodded.

"Two miles down it and you'll reach the main street."

Hannah's jaw dropped.

"Two miles…how can I walk that far with my things?"

"It's mostly flat and sometimes you might be lucky and catch a wagon heading into town though with the tax…"

Elias smiled at him.

"Don't worry about us," he said, "We'll be fine from here."

The driver nodded and then tugged the reins on the horses and they trotted off down another road heading through the valley. Hannah just stood there still in shock. How dare this man just drop off passengers in the middle of nowhere?

"Now what…"

Elias picked up his bag.

"I guess we should start walking…maybe we'll catch a ride partway."

Hannah just looked down at her bags.

"I can't carry these," she said, "I guess I'll just have to stay here."

Elias walked over and picked up one of her bags, throwing it over his shoulder.

"We'd better get moving," he said, "any more questions?"

She just shook her head and when he started walking, she fell into it with him. The road led them through meadows and occasional groves of tall trees.

"This…this is the wilderness."

Elias chuckled.

"Not quite…I've been in places where there's no roads just washed out deer trails."

She wrinkled her face.

"Sounds…awful…"

He shrugged.

"I'm a doctor and that's what I do to get to my patients."

She heard the quiet determination in his voice and she didn't doubt it but it had nothing to do with her and what she needed.

"What do you do again?"

She brushed a wisp of hair out of her face.

"I used to be an actress."

He nodded.

"Oh yes…you gave it up for your…fiancé."

She shook her head.

"No we're not engaged…yet…but we will be soon enough."

"Congratulations," he said, "I've never found a woman who can handle my life…my being gone a lot to check on or treat patients…but I love what I do…"

"That's interesting…how much further do you think it'll be?"

"Little more than a mile," he said, "Each step we take will bring us that much closer…"

She just grumbled.

"You think they have nice hotels?"

He paused.

"I'm guessing pretty rustic. It's a mining town after all, carved out of some wilderness by necessity."

"Oh but they got to have at least one major inn or hotel."

He smiled.

"Maybe…I can sleep standing up but I do hope I can find a good meal."

Hannah thought they should have at least a couple of good restaurants. But she probably wouldn't have to wait long for Ethan to come back to her.

They continued on down the road which led to Silver Crest.

Claire watched as Joseph left the exit of the mine that wasn't guarded and crept back where they hid in the brush. Dakota had told him to keep careful eye and Joseph had just retorted.

"I'm not a child. I can do this."

Claire had just told him to be careful. She stood with Dakota and Nellie. But they'd seen a couple of men carrying rifles but Joseph had seen them too and he ducked back into the mine. Finally he made his way back to them.

"Did you bring any?"

He pulled a bag out with more unrefined ore and dirt.

"Some dirt and rock came down," Joseph said, "I don't think it's safe for miners."

Claire sighed.

"It's not safe for anyone," she said, "I don't want you to go back there."

Joseph folded his arms.

"You can't boss me Claire," he said, "I can make my own decisions."

She sighed.

"You were supposed to look after the boys."

"John Taylor said they'd be fine with him," he said, "and besides Hannah's checking up on them."

Claire made a face.

"I know and I hope we don't have to spend too much time longer here."

Dakota sighed.

"We'd better head back to town," he said, "The doctor that Nellie sent for should be on the stage today unless he got delayed."

Nellie nodded.

"I'd like you all to meet him when he arrives," she said, "We'll have a talk and then have him meet the others."

That sounded good to Claire so they all left the brush to head back to town being very careful to watch for Brock or Carlton and their armed men.

"I hope this Dr. Stewart can really help us."

Nellie smiled.

"He's a great doctor and one of the smartest men you'll ever meet," she said, "We met up some years ago when he just finished college."

Joseph piped up.

"He went to learn to be a doctor?"

"Yes Joseph," Nellie said, "but he had spent time growing up helping out a doctor in his town."

Joseph digested that.

"Sometimes I help the town doctor," he said, "We just got one on account of how many people get gut shot and sick…too much for the barber and besides he's a coward."

Claire gave him a sharp look.

"Joseph…"

"It's true…remember when you and George and Mrs. Lawson were in the hotel with the bank robbers?"

"I do…but that was different."

Joseph just scoffed but then he had a different view of that crisis than she did. She hadn't known that it had split the town in half over money mostly until afterward. They'd been acting like they'd all been heroes and Uncle Ethan had taken Amelia to the bank to sort out while keeping customers orderly that before taking her home.

Nellie looked down the road.

"We'd better get on back," she said, "I don't want Brock and Carlton to find Elias before we do."

Amelia just looked at Ethan who'd been silent for a long moment after she'd finally released him. She'd clung to him like she'd never done anyone. She'd always relied on herself and refused to become dependent on someone else especially a man…as her husband had taught her well. She'd grown too close to him and defended him even when she'd had her misgivings and then one morning she'd woken up and he'd just been gone. She'd just closed her eyes to the looks the towns people gave her and her ears to most of their idle gossip. The bank mattered because it was all she had left even as it bound her to the town.

When she'd finally gotten her freedom and left, she found out that there were other things binding her just as tightly to Paradise.

He cupped her face and looked at her.

"I'm glad you told me…"

She probably looked as conflicted as she felt. She felt a release when he'd learned the truth but at the same time, she knew Ethan well enough to know that if he took off, it'd be out to get some revenge. Only in this case one of the men who'd done this to her was dead at her own hand…any others she didn't remember.

"Ethan there's nothing to be done," she said, "I took care of it…and even if I have to pay for it, he didn't hurt Kristin."

"The only people who'll pay for it will be the men who did it," he said, "World won't really miss Reade."

"I know but the law says that those who kill…"

"Amelia it was in defending someone else," he said, "The judge is going to see that."

She didn't sound convinced. She knew that the entire truth about Reade being something other than someone enforcing the law might not come to light. If it hadn't been for Brant wanting to avenge his dead brother, she might already be in some jail waiting for her execution if the judge leaned that way.

"I hope so…"
"I know so Amelia…then when it's done, we'll head back home with the others."

Home.

That word sounded so good to her. Because he was right, Paradise was her home even though it took her a long time to fully realize it. She'd felt so trapped there so long and yet when the town ever threatened to scatter through the winds to the far corners, she always stayed behind even when it meant giving up the man she loved. Though deep inside of her she'd known he'd come to his senses and return to Paradise. After all, like her it'd taken him long enough to realize what the town meant to him. The children's arrival had helped him build a foundation as had the woman he'd fallen in love with.

He kissed her softly on the mouth again and she relaxed against him, as he lay down on the bed pulling her down with him.

"Ethan…"

She tensed enough for him to stroke her cheek with a couple of his fingers.

"Let's just get some sleep okay," he said, "We'll have to leave bright and early in the morning."

So she rested her head against his chest as she'd done before and like before, drifted off to a restful sleep.

Any demons which plagued her safely kept away.