Just a big huge thank you to everyone who left a comment on the first chapter. I wasn't sure I was going to continue this story, but your kind words encouraged me to keep working on a second chapter. :) Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review!

Chapter 2

The tall man with the mustache grabbed the ring of keys and unlocked the cell door. Ava bit back a groan and sank back down on the cot in the jail cell, in too much pain to take advantage of the open door leading to freedom.

The man in black was staring at her and Ava wanted to tell him to buy a ticket to the show, but it came out just as a moan of pain.

It seemed to be enough to move him out of his shock and he ordered the youngest man to go get Nathan. Then he looked back at her, his eyes moving from worry to something that looked suspiciously like compassion.

It was her reaction to that compassion that scared her. She wanted someone to tell her everything would be ok. That she wasn't about to give birth in a jail cell, with no husband, no money, and no home.

"It will be ok, Ma'am." The voice rolled over her, offering comfort. Ava looked over to the preacher. Or who she had assumed was the preacher since she found him in the church. She was starting to have her doubts he really was a man of the cloth. Honestly, she was starting to have doubts about the entire town at this point.

"It would have been ok, if you would have just given me the money," she said. She could have bought a horse and been well away from this town, this jail, and these men. She ignored the fact that she would be in the middle of the wilderness and in labor alone.

"You ever done this before?" the mustached man asked, his voice gentle.

"Yes, I give birth every day of the week, and twice on Sundays," she snapped at him.

He glanced over at the men with him, looking for help.

"So it's your first?" the preacher man spoke.

Ava caught her breath at the start of another wave of pain, though this one was less intense. She managed a short nod.

That was when the younger man came back in, followed by who she assumed was Nathan. She eyed him, wondering what he hoped to offer.

Nathan looked at her and then shook his head and spoke in low tones, but Ava heard.

"I ain't ever delivered a baby, Chris," he said.

"You're the closest thing to a doctor we have," the hard man who seemed to be the leader said.

"Yeah, and I learned it all on the battlefields in the war," Nathan said evenly, casting a concerned look in her direction. "There weren't any babies makin' an appearance on the battlefields."

Another wave of pain, but this one was definitely lighter. Ava blew out a breath and was aware of all eyes turning back to her. She needed to get out of here while she could.

She stood and all eyes fixed on her with varying levels of concern. The youngest of them looked flat out panicked.

"I'll be…" she paused to let a wave of pain pass, then relaxed her features as if nothing had happened, "on my way now."

The man in black blocked her way. "You can't. What'll happen to your baby?"

Ava bristled at the insinuation she wasn't thinking of her baby. Her entire reason for taking his money had been to find a place for her baby. She ignored the fact that she would have taken his money even if she hadn't been due to have a baby any day. Details weren't important right now.

"Thank you for your hospitality," she said, brushing past him. He didn't stop her.

She was almost to the door, thankful she didn't have to stop for another one of those pains when the preacher man stopped her.

"Miss?"

She turned, not bothering to hide her annoyance at all of them.

He pulled some money out of his pocket. Held it out to her.

Ava looked at it. Somehow it was painful to take it outright. When she was asking for it under the pretense of needing it for a nonexistent orphanage, she didn't have to think about what she was actually doing.

She couldn't do it.

But the man gestured for her to take it. "You saw the condition the church was in. Why don't you consider this an advance on your pay. You can help me with some of the projects." A small smile moved his lips. "Would be nice to have a nun around."

Ava couldn't quite hold back her own twitch of lips. She looked at the money again.

This time the man pressed it into her hand. "Now, we'll go see Ezra about a room for the night." He turned to the youngest man. "Go find Mrs. Travis. She may know a mite more about birthing and babies than Nathan does."

Ava didn't want any more help from these men. Especially the one in black. She narrowed her eyes at him and his expression didn't shift, he just kept staring her down with that unreadable expression.

Another pain, and Ava caught her breath lightly, but this one was also easy to breathe through.

"Let's get her settled before she has that baby in the jail," the mustached man said. He stepped next to Ava, offering out his arm. Ava ignored it.

"Just point me to the hotel," she said. She hadn't noticed it earlier, having planned on being long gone from this town.

The mustached man didn't look like he took offense. He opened the door for Ava and started walking alongside her, his steps conspicuously short and slow.

Ava glanced behind them. None of the other followed. She let out a sigh of relief. She would rest in town tonight and get out of town first thing tomorrow. She'd leave the preacher man's money behind on the nightstand. Maybe.

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Chris watched the young woman go, looking more vulnerable without her ridiculous costume, and far too young to be so pregnant. She would be having a baby soon. Soon, but not tonight. There was no end to his relief over that.

The pains seemed to have passed and she was heading toward the saloon with Buck for a room. Chris looked over to Josiah and Nathan, JD having hurried out to find Mary.

"It'll be good for her to stay around here," Josiah said.

That was the exact opposite of what Chris was thinking.

"She can't be moving on with a little one due to be born," Josiah said, seeming to read the meaning behind the scowl on Chris' face.

"She's going to fleece you for everything you have, Josiah," Chris said. Not that it should matter to him. If Josiah wanted to be taken for a fool, that shouldn't be any of Chris' concern.

Josiah looked at him appraisingly. "And if she does, I'll thank the Lord I could help one of His children in need."

Chris let out a snort.

"It might be she was put here to knock down some of those walls you think are protecting you, Brother."

Chris shook his head. He looked at Nathan and saw the same look of pity on the younger man's face as on Josiah's. "I'll see you at the saloon," he said, heading out, the door slamming harder than he intended behind him. If those two wanted to think they were some sort of good Samaritans and let this woman take them for a ride, that was their prerogative, but Chris wasn't having any part of it.

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Ezra shuffled his deck of cards, glancing up when Buck came through the door with a fetching young woman. A fetching and very pregnant young woman. A fetching, pregnant young woman who Ezra could have sworn was in a nun's habit only a short while ago.

He schooled his face to not show any of his questions as Buck and the woman approached his table. "Were you able to reclaim your money?" Ezra asked without interest.

"That's all water under the bridge," Buck said.

The young woman pursed her lips and eyed Ezra.

"Is this your next attempt at drawing pity and misdirecting attention?" Ezra asked, nodding toward her pregnant midsection. "I have to say, it's a stark departure from your first try."

The woman clenched her jaw. She looked up to Buck, easing the tension in her jaw and batting her long eyelashes. "Could we please find this Ezra we're looking for and see about getting a room? I'm rather tired after all the trying day I've had."

Ezra barely concealed his snort of skepticism, but apparently Buck didn't share Ezra's cynicism, patting the young woman's hand and reassuring her.

"Of course, darling. You've had more thrown at you than any young filly should have to deal with in one day."

Ezra wondered briefly if he should remind Buck the woman had brought it all on herself.

"This here is Ezra. He owns the saloon. So we'll talk to him about gettin' you a place to rest your head for the night."

"I'm sorry, we are without a vacancy," Ezra said without looking up from his cards.

"Ezra," Buck said, a warning in his voice.

Ezra glanced up from his cards. "Mr. Wilmington, as charming as this…petty thief seems to be, and believe me," he looked over to her, "she seemed quite delightful as she lightened you and Mr. Larabee of your money, I would prefer to not worry about being robbed blind while I sleep." Ezra nodded his insincere apology toward the woman.

Ire flashed in her eyes for a split second before she blinked her china doll blue eyes. Then gave a little sniff. It didn't take long before tears welled, and Ezra had to admit to a grudging respect for how quickly she was able to work up the show of distress.

"Hey now," Buck said. "There's no call for all that. There's a room right upstairs for you." He fixed Ezra with a look. "Ezra just needs to get the key."

Ezra didn't move, studying the young woman. He wondered what angle she was working and how he could best distance himself from whatever she had planned. Buck was pulling out a handkerchief and she was delicately dabbing at her eyes.

Finally, with a longsuffering sigh, Ezra pushed back from the card table and went behind the counter. He took the key for one of the vacant rooms from a hook beneath the counter and tossed it to Buck. Mr. Wilmington could show the charlatan to her room. He would be downstairs making sure he had everything of value secured.

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