Thank you for the amazing response to chapter one :D

2. Delayed

It was first light, crisp and still. The O'Hara's and their household staff were still abed, but Rose stood out on the front porch in her dressing gown, hugging her arms around herself to keep warm as she watched her husband readying his horse.

Sheriff Belikov had agreed to meet with the commanding officer at Fort Freemont to get the latest news on Union troop movements and discuss any common threats in the local region. The timing of the meeting wasn't ideal. Dimitri would have to ride like the devil in order to make it to the fort and back again before his family were due to arrive at Cottonwood Creek Ranch, but at least this way they would be able to enjoy their long-awaited family reunion without further interruption.

After making some final adjustments to his saddle, Dimitri crossed to where Rose was waiting on the bottom stair and pulled her into a lingering embrace. 'Make sure you go back to bed as soon as I'm gone and enjoy another hour's sleep,' he murmured, dropping a kiss into her hair. 'You've certainly earned it.'

Rose hid a wolfish smile in the collar of his leather duster. Last night's outdoor tryst had inspired a repeat performance as soon as the couple retired to bed, and only half an hour ago Rose had awoken to the sweet, lazy roll of her husband's hips behind hers. At this rate they were bound to be expecting triplets.

'A sleep-in sounds nice, but it's no fun without you,' she tipped her face up to peck him on the lips. 'And besides, there are dozens of last-minute jobs that will need to be done before your family arrives in a few hours' time.'

'Our family, remember?' Dimitri corrected her, an almost shy expression coming over his face. 'Are you looking forward to meeting them?'

'Of course I am,' she assured him quickly, even though she was beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed by the prospect of gaining a mother-in-law, a grandmother, three new sisters, a nephew and two baby nieces - all in one go. 'But I hope to goodness their English is better than my Russian, because I only know about ten words and half of those aren't fit to say in front of your mother!' she joked to cover her nerves.

The sheriff looked alarmed. 'I know the words you're talking about. Please don't say them in front of my mother.'

'Keep your shirt on, cowboy,' Rose grinned, amused that her giant of a husband was still just a little boy at heart who wanted to please his mama. 'I promise I'll keep the colourful language to myself if you promise to hurry back as soon as you've finished at the fort. From what you've told me about your grandmother, I might need some back-up.'

Dimitri tightened his arms around her once more. 'I'll be back by noon at the very latest, I promise,' his voice was warm and reassuring. 'And even if Mama and the girls arrive before I do, you'll be perfectly fine. Their English is already better than mine was when I first came to America, but if you have any trouble being understood, I'm sure their chaperone, Mr Mazur, will be able to translate. Just give everybody my love and tell them I'm on my way. You can start lunch without me and I'll join you as soon as I can.'

He found his wife's mouth then; one slow, deep kiss turning into a series of playful pecks - neither of them willing to release the other to leave.

'Off you go then,' Rose eventually conceded, giving the man a light smack on the rump to get him moving. 'I love you, Sheriff Belikov.'

'As I love you, Deputy Belikov,' he gave her one last peck then headed off to do his duty.

Rose fully intended to have an early breakfast then help Lisa put the final touches to the guest bedrooms, but when she returned to her own room to get dressed and make up the bed the blankets looked so warm and inviting. She crept under the covers with a sigh of pleasure - figuring a few more minutes' sleep wouldn't hurt - and the next thing she knew there was somebody rapping at her door.

'Time to get up, lazybones,' Christian called sharply to rouse her. 'My wife told me not to disturb you, but I'm genuinely afraid of what you might do to my house and person if I let you miss your breakfast.'

He could have said: 'Good morning, Rose. Breakfast is on the table if you'd like to join us,' but he enjoyed provoking her and found her passionate reactions a source of never-ending entertainment.

'You should be afraid!' Rose warned in reply, trying to disguise the sleepiness in her voice.

Perhaps she could have said: 'Thank you, Christian - I'll be down directly', but she was still miffed at his piggish behaviour after dinner last night and far from ready to consider a truce.

There was a snarky laugh from the other side of the door, and Rose waited until the sound of footsteps had receded down the hallway before she threw off her blankets in a panic and hurried to get dressed. Her new family was arriving in a few hours and she'd just slept away most of the morning.

Finally dressed and ready to join the O'Hara's for breakfast, Rose paused at the washstand and observed her image in the mirror with a critical eye. She couldn't help thinking her simple winter day-dress was insufficient for such an important occasion. Maybe Lisa could lend her something nicer? She shook her head. Dimitri's family were from a humble background and would probably prefer to meet her just as she was - without any borrowed finery or added airs and graces. She'd just have to get by on her natural charm. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her chin to look at her reflection once more and caught the sparkle of self-confidence in her deep, brown eyes.

'Go get 'em, deputy,' she counselled the girl in the mirror... and that was what she told herself again two hours later, when she heard the sound of a coach pulling up outside.

'ROZA!'

The moment the horse-drawn coach drew to a halt, a young woman about the same age as Rose leapt down from where she had been seated next to the driver, rushing over to throw her arms around the deputy.

'I can't believe it! You're just how he described you!'

'You must be Viktoria,' Rose laughed as her youngest sister-in-law proceeded to hug the stuffing out of her. 'Welcome to your new home. This is Lisa O'Hara - my best friend and your hostess at Cottonwood Creek Ranch.'

The Russian girl pulled back a step and clasped Lisa's hands. 'Thank you for letting us stay.'

'We are very glad to have you,' the pregnant woman beamed. 'How was your journey?'

Rose was too distracted to focus on the light conversation, her heart lurching strangely as she recognised small traces of Dimitri in his sister's features; the slope of her forehead, the angle of her nose, the way her right cheek dimpled slightly when she smiled. There were differences too. Vika's face was rounder, her eyes wider, and the brown hair that peeked out from beneath the edges of her Russian headscarf was streaked with strands of gold. Seeing so many of Dimitri's little quirks reflected in the face of another, Rose wondered briefly what family resemblance she herself had inherited from her natural parents - wherever they were now - and what traits she and Dimitri might one day pass on to their own children.

'Look! The others are getting out now. Will you introduce us?' Lisa's voice brought Rose back from her private musings, and she turned her attention to the remainder of the travelling party.

Abraham Mazur's coach was an exquisite creation painted in an eye-watering red with bright yellow wheels. It was drawn by six, sleek horses and piled high with luggage. A boy of about ten had clambered up onto the roof to retrieve several suitcases, and was now passing them down to a wiry, wild-looking man who Rose guessed to be in his early fifties; his long, grizzled beard and ponytail nearly as eccentric as the fringed deerskin outfit he was wearing.

'That's my nephew Paul up the top - he's Karolina's son,' Viktoria explained as they approached the group clustered around the carriage, 'and the man with the bags is Pavel. He and Mr Mazur travelled with us from Russia. He doesn't talk much,' she shook her head when Lisa motioned to greet him.

Rose eyed the man curiously. When Dimitri was organising his family's passage to America, Alberta had recommended a lawyer by the name of Abraham Mazur to handle all the immigration details. Rose had never met Mr Mazur or his travelling companion before but she guessed they must have been charging an arm and a leg for their services, seeing as they had sailed all the way to Russia to accompany the Belikovas on their voyage to San Francisco.

'Come and meet my sisters,' Viktoria stole Rose's attention away again, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards a pair of women who were waiting nearby to receive their bags - each with a baby clung in their arms. Just like Vika, they each wore a richly coloured headscarf knotted under their chin, but were otherwise dressed in a similar fashion to the American girls. 'This is Karolina and her daughter Zoya... and this is Sonja and her baby Katya!'

Karolina and Sonja both looked weary from the journey but pleased to meet the Americans all the same. 'See, Zoya? This is your Aunty Roza,' the toddler's mother announced to the child on her hip, her voice gentle and measured like Dimitri's but with a much thicker accent.

Zoya looked across at Rose with huge brown eyes then buried her face in her mama's shoulder, overwhelmed by all of the new things around her.

'Don't mind her,' Karolina apologised. 'She'll love you when she gets to know you.'

Even as she said it, the little girl turned her head to peek at Rose, her face splitting into a wide smile when her new aunt made a silly face.

'She's beautiful,' Lisa reached out to stroke Zoya's hair, her hand fluttering down to rest on the top of her rounded stomach as her gaze shifted to the sleeping baby in Sonja's arms. 'And look at this little darling. How old is she?'

Sonja appeared to be more withdrawn than the other sisters, but her eyes lit up at the praise for her daughter. 'Six months - a year younger than her cousin. Would you like to hold her?'

Jealousy coiled in the pit of Rose's stomach as she watched her friend eagerly take the child, cradling her so naturally and swaying from side to side. In a matter of months Lisa would be doing this with her own baby, but it would be a lot longer before Rose might get the same opportunity. The moment the thought crossed her mind she chided herself for being so petty. Lisa and Christian deserved a family of their own... and with any luck, Dimitri's enthusiastic 'practice' regime might have already worked its wonders. A smile broke out across her face at the thought, and that's when they were joined by a middle aged woman who had just emerged from the coach.

'Our Roza!' Olena Belikov hurried over to daughter-in-law, reaching out to cup the girl's face in her hand. 'Look at you. So beautiful. My Dimka is a lucky man.'

'I'm the lucky one, Mrs Belikova,' Rose amended, though she was secretly pleased by the compliment. 'You have raised a wonderful son.'

The older woman beamed in acknowledgement. 'Call me Olena, dear... or Mama if you like - everybody else does!'

'Could I help you with your bags, Olena?' Rose offered, remembering that they were all still standing out in the cold. 'You must be tired and hungry after your long journey.'

The woman shook her head. 'Dimka will help me,' she glanced around, searching for the figure that was notably absent. 'Where is that naughty little boy? He should be here to meet his mama.'

Naughty? Little? Boy? Rose repressed a grin, unable to see her manly, towering, sheriff husband as any of those things. 'Dimitri is...'

'Otlozheno,' a shrill voice cut through the air, and they all turned to see a short, thin, elderly woman stepping down from the coach.

Yeva may have looked frail, but when a richly-dressed, exotic-looking gentleman - presumably Abraham Mazur - offered his hand to steady her descent, she swatted it away and proceeded toward the group at a surprisingly nimble pace.

'Babushka says Dimka has been... delayed,' Vika translated uncertainly.

Rose could have sworn she saw a fleeting look of worry pass between the Belikova women. Or maybe it wasn't worry. Maybe it was disappointment. They had been waiting nearly four years to see him, after all.

'Yes, it's true,' the young deputy hastened to set their minds at ease. 'Dimitri has been out this morning attending to some important sheriff's business, but he asked me to pass on his love and say he will join us as soon as he can. I'm sure he won't be too much longer.'

There was an awkward silence as the travellers absorbed the unexpected news, but Lisa stepped in with her usual grace and tact to save the situation.

'Why don't we all go inside now and get you settled. My housekeeper has prepared a hearty meal for us to enjoy, and your rooms are set up and ready should you wish to rest after you've eaten.'

Olena recovered her manners quickly. 'That sounds lovely, thank you. We will see Dimka soon enough, and in the meantime there is so much to talk about. Come, children,' she picked up her own modest suitcase in one hand and Sonja's in the other, indicating for Viktoria and Paul to assist with the remainder of the bags before following their hostess toward the house.

Rose hung back a minute longer, watching with curious eyes as Mr Mazur fell into step beside Yeva, until, to her embarrassment, the finely-dressed gentleman glanced back suddenly and held her gaze. Feeling awkward and exposed, Deputy Belikov shifted her attention quickly to the bearded man who remained by the carriage and approached Pavel to instruct him where to stable the horses. 'Please come and join us when you are finished,' she encouraged him, but the man remained silent so Rose took her leave and hastened to catch up to her new family.

Pavel watched the last of the group go inside then looked up at the sky with a grimace. There would be rain tonight. Sheriff Belikov had better get himself home well before nightfall if he wanted to stay safe and dry.

'So, tell us about your family, Roza,' Vika pressed, dunking a slab of corn bread in her second helping of beef and potato stew. 'Do you have any handsome, unmarried brothers?'

'Viktoria!' both of her sisters exclaimed at once, horrified at the girl's forward behaviour.

'What?' she shrugged. 'I bet you two were thinking the same thing!'

Karolina wasn't remotely interested in any of Rose's fictitious unmarried brothers, having already lost two husbands - the first to the Crimean War and the second to cholera, but Sonja had been secretly hoping she might come across a nice American man to provide a 'proper' life for herself and baby Katya. Olena had begged her daughter time and again to reveal the identity of Katya's father so he could be made to take responsibility for the baby, but Sonja refused. She'd already grown up in a household with one abusive man, and she had no intention of putting her own child through the same ordeal.

'No brothers, I'm afraid,' Rose apologised. 'Or sisters, for that matter. It's just me and my mother.'

'Your mother?' an unfamiliar voice spoke up from the far end of the table and Rose turned to see Abraham Mazur studying her intently, his black eyes probing and expectant.

Something in the lawyer's gaze made Rose feel uncomfortable and she hesitated before answering the question. Her family history was common knowledge to most people in Saints Town but it still felt inappropriate to be discussing her 'situation' in polite company. 'Alberta Peterson - I believe you know her? She raised me since I was four.'

Understanding flickered across Mr Mazur's face. 'And your natural parents?' he pushed on with his enquiry. 'What happened to them?'

Rose frowned, annoyed by the unwelcome intrusion into her private life, but aware that her entire extended family were also waiting to hear her response. 'I don't remember much about my birth parents - except from stories I've been told about them,' she admitted. 'I'm not even sure if they are dead or alive.'

The sudden hush that fell over the group was broken by Yeva, who rattled off a string of words in Russian, her beady eyes fixed on Abe Mazur.

This time it was Sonja who provided the translation. 'Babushka says, Mr Mazur should be able to help you with that.'

Deputy Belikov shifted her attention from her sister-in-law to the old woman across the table, narrowing her eyes. 'What do you mean?' Rose had been warned about Yeva's mysterious predictions, and she refused to be duped by the ramblings of a old crone - even if that old crone was now her grandmother.

'Mr Mazur is a lawyer,' Olena interjected quickly, seeing the tension begin to prickle between the headstrong pair. 'A man of influence. He was able to use his connections to organise our safe passage from Baia to Hamburg, and then on to America. Perhaps he might also be willing to help you find your lost family?'

Rose stiffened in her seat. When she was younger she would have given anything for the chance to find her mother and father - to ask them if they'd loved her once and if they still thought of her sometimes - but over the years she'd come to see that dream for what it was; just a dream.

She shook her head and mustered a smile. 'I have Alberta. I have Dimitri. I have Lisa. I have all of you,' she looked to each of the faces gathered around the table. 'That is all the family I need.'

Lisa O'Hara moved from her place at the head of the table, swooping down to wrap her friend in a tight embrace. 'And we are lucky to count you as one of our family too,' she declared, drawing a chorus of agreement from the Belikovas. 'Now, would anybody like a bowl of stewed fruit and custard?'

It was moments like this when Rose remembered why she loved her best friend. Lisa might be frivolous and self-absorbed at times, but she always knew when Rose was feeling moody or vulnerable, and had a way of buoying her spirits like nobody else could.

Conversation died down for a short while as they all tucked into their dessert, but a question from Karolina soon had everybody's attention away from their plates and focused squarely on Deputy Belikov.

'So how did you and Dimka meet?' she began her sisterly interrogation. 'Was it love at first sight?'

Rose bit back a grin. 'Not exactly. The day I met Dimitri I was actually trying to jump out of a window to avoid him,' she confessed, with a sidelong glance to Lisa.

'And then you stole his horse!' Mrs O'Hara added, her pale eyes dancing with fun.

Somebody coughed and Rose looked across the table to see a queer expression on Yeva's face. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but for the briefest moment she thought the sour old biddy actually looked impressed.

'Dimitri tied me to his belt to stop me from escaping that night, and locked me in jail a week later for running away again,' the deputy recalled with a smirk, those early memories amusing in hindsight - though she had been outraged at the time. 'So no, I wouldn't say it was love at first sight - that came later... But it was a different story for Lisa and her husband Christian,' she added mischievously.

The Belikova women turned as one to their hostess, and Viktoria couldn't resist the bait. 'Tell us, please!'

Lisa blushed. 'I was swimming in the creek one day and my skirt got caught on a branch under the water. I nearly drowned, but Christian dove in and saved me. He proposed a week later.'

The female guests aahed at the sentimental story, and little Zoya - who had been sitting in a wooden highchair by her mother, listening to adults' conversation as though she understood every word - chose that moment to clap her chubby hands together, shrieking happily at the adoring laughter she received as a reward. The child was brought out of her chair and passed around the table until she was claimed by her grandmother; Olena jogging the toddler on her knee to keep her entertained while the grown-ups continued to talk.

'And where is your husband today, Mrs O'Hara?' Abe Mazur queried. 'I haven't had the pleasure of meeting young Christian, but my sources tell me he's quite an interesting fellow.'

Interesting is one word for him, Rose's scoffed privately, while wondering exactly what 'sources' the lawyer was referring to.

'My husband is about to commence a survey mission for the Government of California, finding a new southern pass through The Sierras,' Lisa explained. 'His team ride out on Monday, so he's gone into town this morning to stock up on supplies for the journey. I'm sure he will be glad to make your acquaintance when he returns.'

Mr Mazur smiled indulgently and leaned back in his chair, as relaxed as if he owned the place. 'My companion Pavel has lived and worked everywhere from The Sierras to The Appalachians and just about all the places in-between, haven't you Pavel?' he nodded to the man who had been an invisible presence at the table until now. 'You and Mr O'Hara should get to know one-another. You might be able to trade stories.'

Rose hadn't heard Pavel utter a single word since he'd arrived at the ranch two hours ago, so the idea of him trading stories with Christian - another one of God's antisocial creatures - was extremely unlikely.

The bearded man thrust his chin forward in acknowledgement, but if he said anything Rose wasn't sure, because baby Katya awoke just then from her nest of blankets in the corner, and began to cry. Sonja moved quickly to attend to the child, and Lisa took that as her cue to call an official end to lunch.

'It has been wonderful sharing a meal with all of you, but I expect our guests would like some quiet time to unpack and relax in their rooms. Christian and I have vacated our own bedroom for the mothers with babies, as it is the largest in the house. Olena and Yeva, we've put you together in the guest room on the first floor - that way you won't need to use the stairs.'

Dimitri's mother nodded gratefully, overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of their hosts.

'Viktoria,' Mrs O'Hara continued. 'You have the room next to mine. It used to belong to my brother Andrew, so I apologise if it is not to your taste... And Paul?' she turned to the boy who had been quiet and well-behaved all through lunch - mostly because he was stuffing his face with food the entire time. 'You can choose if you'd prefer to bunk in with your Aunt Vika or take your mattress into Christian's study.'

'My own room? Really?' Paul's eyes were wide as saucers - clearly his decision was already made.

Lisa laughed. 'Well, you'll have to share it with Mr O'Hara during the daytime while he's home, but as soon as he leaves on Monday it will be all yours until he gets back again in a few months.'

The boy jumped up from his chair and punched the air in victory, while Viktoria held a similar (though more surreptitious) celebration of her own. This would be the first time in her entire seventeen years on this Earth that she'd had a bedroom to herself.

Despite her gentle temperament, Lisa was a natural leader. Within minutes she'd organised to show Paul, Olena and Yeva to their rooms, and delegated Rose the job of assisting the Belikova sisters to their bedrooms upstairs. (Abraham Mazur and Pavel were not lodging at Cottonwood Creek Ranch, but had elected to take a walk around the property before heading into town to stay the night at Adrian Ivara's hotel).

'This is your room, Vika,' Rose stopped in the doorway to usher the youngest of the three sisters inside. 'You can put your things in the closet and there is clean water in the jug on the washstand if you'd like to freshen up.'

Viktoria stepped over the threshold and looked around in wonder. 'This is all mine? I think I've died and gone to heaven!' she ran into the room and flopped face-first onto the double bed, groaning in pleasure.

Rose tried to keep the surprise from showing on her face. The room was spacious enough, but it was sparsely furnished and even in the middle of the day it felt like walking into an ice-box. Dimitri's family home in Baia must have been very modest if Vika found this luxurious by comparison.

'Well, I'll leave you to it,' Rose announced, leading Karolina and Sonja to the main bedroom on the opposite side of the hallway. 'And this room has been set up for you and the babies,' she invited the women inside, placing their suitcases at the foot of the double bed.

'Look, Karo,' Sonja breathed, pointing out the crib that stood against the far wall, before creeping over to the smaller rocking cradle by the bedside and running her hand over its smooth, wooden headboard. 'This is... too much,' her voice was tight like she was going to cry.

Diplomacy wasn't Rose's forte, but she didn't want Dimitri's sister to be upset on her very first day at the ranch. 'If you don't like it, I'm sure Lisa won't be offended. Is there something else that would suit you better?'

Sonja shook her head hurriedly. 'I didn't mean that. I only meant... we never had things as fancy as this back at home. I even can't believe this is real.' She retrieved a knitted blanket from her suitcase then crouched by the cradle and placed her squirming baby inside - tucking the blanket over Katya so only her face was peeking out then rocking the little bed back and forth to the sound of the child's contented cooing.

'The cradle was made by Lisa's father - for when she and her brother were babies,' Rose explained, her hand unconsciously smoothing over her own flat stomach as she watched the mesmerising movement of the crib. 'We found it stored in the loft above the stables and brought it down to be ready for Lisa's own baby, when it arrives.'

'So she is pregnant,' Karolina exchanged glances with her sister. 'We thought she was but didn't want to ask in front of the men. How far along is she? Mama can help with the birthing if she needs a midwife.'

'And we both know a lot about pregnancy and babies,' Sonja added. 'If she has any questions she can talk to us.'

Rose smiled at their generosity. 'I think she'd like that. She's five months along now - due at the end of February.'

'So soon!' Karo lowered Zoya into the crib, giving her a knotted rag-doll to play with and returning to sit on the bed. 'But enough about Mrs O'Hara. What about you?' she raised an eyebrow, looking eerily like her brother when he pulled that same expression.

'What do you mean?' the younger woman's heart beat a little faster under her sister-in-law's penetrating gaze.

Sonja joined the assault, steering Rose across the room and forcibly seating her on the bed. 'How is married life treating you, Mrs Belikov?'

Rose had a hideous flashback of the talk she'd been subjected to when Alberta first learned that her daughter had become a woman. It was awful enough Alberta and Lisa knowing the sordid details of her personal life - but now she was expected to reveal all to Dimitri's sisters as well?

'It's... great?' she shrugged, not wanting to give away any more than she absolutely had to.

The sisters looked to one another meaningfully then back at Rose. 'Well, if you need any pointers, Sonja and I have experience,' Karo began. 'Don't look so shocked, Roza. This is what sisters are for. Tell us everything.'

'Everything!' Sonja echoed playfully.

That old fantasy of being interrupted by a band of raiding Indians seemed pretty good right now, but Rose was saved by a squeak of the floorboards outside the door.

'Yes, tell us, Roza!' the eavesdropper stuck her head into the room, her face contorted with mirth.

'Out Vika!' Sonja squawked.

'Shoo!' Karolina jumped up to push the girl back out into the hallway. 'You know more than you should already! You don't need any more encouragement,' she called after her little sister, closing the door firmly before returning to interrogate her captive.

Rose somehow got through their barrage of questions, and counted herself lucky when Katya started to grizzle again. Sonja picked the baby up and put her to the breast, and Rose took that as her opportunity to leave.

'Thank you for the... advice,' she grimaced, although the conversation had not turned out to be quite as horrifying as she'd expected.

'That's what sisters are for, remember?' Karo wrapped her in a hug, her tone turning serious as she pulled back from the embrace. 'Thank you for making our brother happy again. He became very bitter and angry after his friend Ivan was killed. Mama was worried he'd changed forever, but you brought him back. We will always love you for that.'

Rose didn't know how to reply, so she simply nodded and saw herself to the door. 'I'll be downstairs if you need anything, or Lisa is just across the hall.'

The Russian women both thanked her again and she slipped quietly from the room, wondering what she could do to fill the time while she waited for her husband to return.

Where are you, Dimitri? Rose frowned as she saw the clock on the mantle by the dining table. Twelve thirty. He said he'd be back before noon but there was still no sign of him. The morning with the Belikovas had gone off without a hitch, but it would have been so much better if Dimitri had been here to enjoy it too.

Not really knowing what to do with herself, Rose spied a bowl of apples on the table and was reaching out to grab one when she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye.

'You back again, freeloader?' she greeted Mr O'Hara, who had returned from his trip into town wearing a new suit and his usual sarcastic expression.

'You still here, glutton?' he arched an eyebrow at her.

She poked out her tongue and slumped in the nearest chair, staring at the piece of fruit in her hand but not sure if she actually wanted to eat it.

'Sick of the in-laws already, huh?' Lisa's husband sauntered over and picked up an apple for himself, leaning forward with his arms resting on the back of a dining chair and taking a bite.

Rose eyed the man suspiciously. It wasn't like him to initiate small talk. 'Of course not. It's just...,' she wavered before letting her guard down a fraction. 'It's just that there are so many of them. I'm not sure Dimitri will have much time left over to pay me any attention now.' She'd meant it in jest but there was an element of truth behind the sentiment.

Christian scoffed.

'What?' Rose didn't like the condescending look on his face.

'Nothing,' he smirked, scraping back the chair he'd been leaning on and easing himself onto it; crossing his legs at the ankle. 'Aren't you going to ask me how my trip to town went?'

The deputy was instantly on alert. 'Why? What happened?'

Christian took a slow bite of his apple, making her wait. 'Well, I checked in on Mr Castile at the sheriff's office...'

'Was there a problem?' she asked sharply. Eddie Castile wasn't officially a deputy, but the cowboy had filled the role on several occasions while Dimitri was working in Silver Springs with Micky Tanner, and had agreed to watch over things while Dimitri and Rose were enjoying their family reunion.

'Not as such,' Christian replied vaguely. 'Though he did say Adrian Ivara dropped by after closing time last night, singing the drunken praises of Miss Sydney Sage. Apparently he was raving on about a mad plan to sell the saloon, to prove to the lady that he has mended his decadent ways and is worthy of her heart.'

Rose rolled her eyes. A year ago it was Rose herself that Adrian had been fawning over, but now it was the prim and proper doctor's daughter who had become the object of his intense affection. Unfortunately for Adrian, though, Sydney held the playboy in poor regard and he had his work cut out for him trying to convince her - and her unpleasant father - that he was a suitable match.

'Oh, there was one other thing,' Christian drew a folded piece of paper out of his coat pocket and dangled it just out of the deputy's reach. 'I stopped in at the telegraph office and found this waiting for you. From your sheriff.'

Deputy Belikov snatched at the telegram. 'Give it here!'

'Uh-uh. Manners,' he tutted, using the long reach of his arm to hold the message hostage.

'Please,' Rose hissed, through gritted teeth.

'Much better,' the man relinquished the telegram, watching on with mild interest as his wife's friend greedily scanned over the typed words.

CHANGE IN PLANS (STOP) BACK BEFORE DINNER (STOP) LOVE (STOP)

'When did you get this?' there was a note of accusation in Rose's voice. 'You couldn't have sent word sooner? I've been telling Dimitri's family all morning to expect him any minute and now he might not be back for another few hours?'

Christian seemed unconcerned. 'Sorry, but I had my own business to attend to. If you miss him so much, why don't you go and meet him on the road?'

The look of annoyance melted from the deputy's face as she paused to consider the suggestion. 'That's actually not such a bad idea,' she admitted. It was unlikely she would be needed for the next an hour or two. The Belikovas were all resting in their rooms, and Lisa would be able to keep them entertained if they woke before she returned.

'You can thank me later,' Christian quipped. 'Now, get out of here before my wife catches you, or you'll be stuck talking to her for hours. I'll cover for you while you're gone.'

'Why are you helping me?' Rose frowned. 'You're never this nice.'

Mr O'Hara's mouth pulled up into a wide smile. 'Who said I was being nice? I just want you out of my house!'

'Oh shut up, Christian!' the woman pushed her chair back and made a hasty exit.

Within fifteen minutes, Deputy Beikov had changed into her riding habit and readied her horse. She took off in the direction of Fort Freemont at a trot, but increased to a steady lope once she'd left the farms and houses of Saint's Town behind her - eager to rendezvous with her husband. After two hours of riding, Rose passed a small cluster of homesteads and outbuildings by the side of the main trail, and immediately afterwards she spotted a lone rider approaching from the opposite direction.

'Howdy stranger!' she called out, beaming as Dimitri brought his horse up alongside hers.

'Howdy, yourself,' he reached out to squeeze her knee, his expression baffled but intrigued, like he'd just happened across a beautiful mirage. 'What are doing here, Roza? Is everything alright? How did the morning go?'

'Everything's fine - amazing actually. I just couldn't wait to see you,' she traced her fingertips over the back of his hand, exploring the familiar contours of his tanned skin. 'Everybody is waiting for you. What kept you so long?'

He clasped her hand in apology. 'A group of renegades were sighted last night within ten miles of Fort Freemont, heading south to join the Confederate Army. The officers asked me to ride out with them to apprehend the defectors. We did a full search of the area but found no trace of them.'

A crease appeared between the deputy's eyebrows. 'Is there any threat to Saints Town?'

Dimitri shook his head. 'They're keeping away from the bigger settlements to avoid being caught, so we should be safe enough. I only hope...,' he paused, one finger raised as he cocked his head to listen.

This time Rose heard it as well - a woman's voice, muffled and desperate. Sheriff Belikov dropped his wife's hand and turned his head swiftly, his eyes alighting on the nearest structure. It was a large barn set a quarter of a mile back from the road, probably belonging to one of the of farm houses Rose had passed earlier.

'Stay here - and that's an order,' Dimitri swung down from his horse, handing her the reins and pushing his duster back to reach for the revolver at his hip. 'I'll scope out the building on foot and signal if I need back-up.'

Rose's frown deepened but she didn't argue with him as she once might have. A woman's life might be at risk. There was no time to waste. 'Be careful, cowboy,' she cautioned him, shifting the reins of both horses into one hand and reaching down to stroke his cheek with the other.

'Of course, milaya,' he pressed the hand briefly to his lips then released it, turning away from her and stalking towards the barn.

Deputy Belikov watched after him with a growing sense of disquiet. She'd seen her husband walk into dangerous situations countless times before, and she trusted his judgement implicitly, but something felt... different this time. Wrong. With every step that Dimitri took, the uneasiness gnawing at Rose's gut burgeoned into a choking fear that she couldn't ignore a moment longer. Orders be damned! Tethering the horses to a nearby tree, she drew her pistol from its holster on the saddle and ranged after her husband to be close-by in case he needed her.

'Stop! No more!' the pleas grew clearer as she neared the barn, and the deputy's stomach heaved as she made out two figures struggling in the shadows.

A woman was on the floor of the barn with her skirts up over her knees, trying to get away from a man in a blue uniform - a Union soldier with captain's stripes on his sleeve - who was kneeling at her feet with his shirt untucked and his pants around his ankles.

'Stay still, girl!' he pushed her back to the ground. 'We aren't done with you yet!'

We? Rose thought in horror, every impulse urging her to run and aid the poor woman, but Dimitri had cautioned her to wait and she had to trust he would signal if he needed her help.

'Get away from her,' a new voice carried out across the eerie winter landscape, and Dimitri came into view; standing at the entrance to the barn with his gun trained at the back of the raper's skull.

The soldier didn't even turn around. 'Private Cartwright is next. Wait your turn,' he dismissed the threat, leisurely standing to pull up his trousers and straighten his uniform while the woman at his feet sobbed silently into her the crook of her elbow.

The sound of Dimitri's revolver being cocked finally got the desired reaction. The Union captain slowly lifted his hands, his body tense and still.

'I said, GET. AWAY,' Sheriff Belikov commanded, voice rough with anger and disgust.

Rose had taken cover behind a water trough less than a hundred feet from the barn - eyes vigilant, gun at the ready - but there was nothing she could have done to prevent what was about to happen, and no possible way for her to go back and change it.

'No. You get away from Captain Darnell,' Private Cartwright slunk out from the shadows of the barn, his revolver aimed at the sheriff.

Dimitri caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Quick as a flash, he swung his gun to the left and a shot rang out - the young Private crumpling to the ground with a bullet hole torn through his chest.

But that one, small lapse in attention was all the raper needed. Captain Darnell dropped to a crouch and drew a tiny derringer pistol from his boot. Then he pressed the trigger.

Rose's mouth opened in a silent scream as she watched her beautiful, brave, beloved husband turn towards the oncoming bullet.

Dimitri's head jolted back like a puppet on a string and he fell heavily to the ground; a trickle of blood seeping from his hairline, down his cheek and onto the cold, hard earth below.

.

Author's Note:

Holy hell. Shit just got real. This isn't going to be a fluffy story about how Rose and Dimitri sailed through their married life and got up to crazy adventures with the gang, or a compilation of Romitri's sexual exploits in their attempts to get pregnant. This is going to be a story about family, friendship, longing, despair, hope and love. I want to make you feel something. Are you feeling it yet? Well there's a whole lot more to come!

Now I've gone and shot Dimitri in the head, the ball is in your court. You can...

a) turn off your computer/phone in disgust & refuse to read another chapter (please don't do that - all is not lost!) OR

b) trust that I have a fearful & wonderful plan for this story... To quote a favourite line from Deputy Belikov - 'When have I ever let you down?' :)