Vika, Sydney, guns, arguments and campfires. Hope you like it :)

5. Unacceptable

Argenta to Southern Trail wayside shelter: 120 miles

'Vika?! What on God's good earth?!' Rose demanded, practically dragging her sister-in-law towards a darkened shopfront across the street. Viktoria was in enough trouble already without the townsfolk of Argenta seeing her arguing with another woman outside a brothel.

'Don't act so surprised,' the runaway shrugged herself free of Rose's grasp, her jaw jutting out in defiance. 'I told you I wanted to help find Dimitri but you didn't listen, so I decided to follow you myself.'

'But how?!' the deputy hissed.

Dimitri's little sister had managed to track them seventy miles across unfamiliar territory, with no chaperone, no money, and no method of transport. If Rose wasn't so angry she'd be impressed.

Vika looked smug. 'I overheard Mr O'Hara say you'd be stopping the first night at Argenta. It wasn't that hard to borrow a horse from the stables and ask for directions when I passed through Saint's Town.'

'You stole a horse?!' Rose squawked, then quickly darted her head around to check she hadn't been overheard by any passers-by. 'Do you have any idea how serious a crime you've committed?'

'I don't see why you're making such a big deal about it,' Viktoria defended herself. 'It was you who gave me the idea in the first place. You stole a horse from my brother the day you first met, remember? Only you did it to run away from Dimitri, and I'm trying to chase after him.'

The deputy huffed in frustration. 'I understand you're anxious to help, but that still doesn't justify your actions. How could you steal from Christian and Lisa when they've just welcomed you into their home? It's completely unacceptable!'

'The stable was full of horses! I bet they wouldn't even notice if one went mis-...' Vika was silenced by a warning frown from her sister-in-law.

'You might feel brave rushing out to find Dimitri while everyone else waits at home,' Rose pushed on, 'but did you stop to consider what torment your mother must have suffered today? Her son is already missing and now she's lost you too. You're not going to like this, Vika, but I have to send you home. Olena needs you. Your place is back at Cottonwood Creek Ranch with your family.'

'But you're my family too, Roza,' the girl wheedled, an injured, pleading expression overtaking her features. 'Let me ride with you and we can find Dimitri together.'

Thanks to a childhood spent butting heads with Alberta, Rose had mastered the subtle arts of argument and persuasion, and she wasn't going to be swayed by Viktoria's passionate declarations or the beseeching look in her doe-brown eyes. 'You're right,' Rose returned the younger woman's gaze unflinchingly. 'I am a part of your family, and as your big sister - and the deputy sheriff of Saint's Town - I'm making the decision to send you back.'

'But, you can't!'

The deputy was unapologetic. 'I can, and I will. We'll both stop in at the telegraph office now to inform Olena that you are safe and that you will be returning home first thing in the morning...'

Vika's shrill cry of protest fell on deaf ears.

'...And then you will come with me to the saloon and apologise to Mr O'Hara for betraying his trust and stealing his lawful property.'

Family or not, Vika couldn't just go traipsing around the Nevada Territory taking other people's horses whenever she liked, and it was far better that she learnt that lesson at the hands of Christian O'Hara than from a stranger who would happily see her swinging from the end of a rope.

'I WILL NOT!' Viktoria refused hotly.

'You will,' Rose didn't bat an eyelid, 'and if you want any supper tonight, then you'll be sure to apologise nicely.'

Half an hour later, Deputy Belikov was seated at a table in the saloon, scraping the last remnants of mutton stew from her dish as she listened to the conversation between Mr O'Hara and his colleagues. Sydney was absent - still occupied at the dressmakers - and Vika sat low in her chair beside Rose, sulking and hungry. (The apology had not gone smoothly.)

'Everything is in place,' said the man who had introduced himself as Raphael Sarcone. He would have been in his early thirties; dark-haired with a broad chest, meaty arms, and eyebrows that reminded Rose of a pair of well-fed buck moth caterpillars. 'We should be ready to depart at first light... that is, if your lady friends have the stamina for a full days' ride,' he cast a dubious glance toward the deputy.

'Miss Sage and I will be ready to travel at dawn,' Rose answered firmly, disliking the insinuation that she and Sydney might be lacking in stamina because of their sex. 'I had a look at Mr O'Hara's map earlier today and saw a settlement ninety miles south of here. If we keep a quick pace and change our horses along the way I think we should be able to make it there before sundown.'

A sardonic smile spread across Raphael's face. 'Ninety miles?! Have you been at the laudanum, deputy?'

His scoff was echoed by the man who sat next to him, Dean Barnes; a younger, leaner military-type with a tinge of ginger through his neatly trimmed beard.

'What's the problem?' Rose challenged them both at once. 'Don't you have the stamina?'

Mr Sarcone fixed her with a condescending look, slowing his speech as if he were talking to a small child. 'We're taking four pack-horses loaded with provisions to last us through winter. We'll be lucky if we make it fifty miles a day, and that's if the weather holds.'

'Fifty?' the deputy physically deflated. Her chances of finding Dimitri were fading with each hour they spent apart, and she was already a full day behind. At this rate it seemed unlikely they'd ever catch up to him. Tears of frustration prickled at the back of Rose's eyes and she dropped her gaze to the table, not wanting the others to catch her moment of weakness.

A hand brushed against her arm - there and gone again in the briefest moment. 'Slow and steady, remember?' Mr O'Hara reminded her quietly. 'If he's out there, you'll find him.'

Rose blinked up in surprise and gratefulness. Ever since their first meeting, Christian had made it a personal hobby to torment and provoke her, yet this was the second time in as many days that he'd shown a genuine display of friendship. It was strange. But not necessarily a bad kind of strange. Well, if Christian O'Hara was putting in an effort to be civil, then she'd better try to be on her best behaviour too.

'Fine. Fifty miles a day it is then,' Rose conceded, 'but not a inch less. I've got a sheriff to find, and you three have got a mountain pass to discover, so let's be quick about it.'

'Yes ma'am,' Mr Sarcone complied, taken aback by the tone of authority in the young deputy's voice, and Mr Barnes quickly added his agreement. Neither of them particularly enjoyed taking orders from a female, but they both realised it was best not to oppose a woman on a mission - especially not when that woman owned a gun and knew where they would be sleeping.

Christian simply nodded, a shadow of a smile at his lips. It was nice to see Rose bossing somebody else around for a change.

There was a lull in the conversation as a serving girl approached, unceremoniously dumping a helping of fruit mince pie onto their gravy-streaked plates before moving off to the next table.

'What's the latest news of the war, Barnes?' Mr O'Hara enquired of his colleague, prodding the pie-crust gingerly with a fork. 'Have you had any word from your brother's regiment?'

'Not for a few weeks,' Dean stabbed at his dessert and gulped down a large mouthful before continuing. 'The Confederate Armies are holding their ground in the south, but our side took a small victory in one of the border states last month. Major General Fremont marched on Springfield, Missouri with a force of twenty thousand men and sent the Rebs running with their tails between their legs. Rumour has it that Fremont is staking to claim Missouri for the Union, and plans to abolish slavery throughout the state before Christmas.'

'Slavery?' Viktoria finally emerged from her sulk to join the conversation. 'But I thought America was supposed to be the land of the free.'

'It's not that simple, miss,' Mr Barnes frowned. 'The North has been working towards the goal of abolishing slavery for decades, but the southern states refuse to relinquish their slave-holding rights. The disagreement couldn't be resolved through negotiation and compromise, so now we find ourselves at war; North against South, American against American. We all hope and pray for a swift end to the fighting, but I fear many more lives will be lost before this conflict is over.'

Vika's expression darkened as she digested the information. 'Before we sailed here, my family lived in a poor farming community in Russia. The city-folk called us peasants - serfs - but we were slaves in everything but name. I never want to live like that again, or stand by and watch while others suffer a similar fate.'

Everyone at the table fell silent, save for a soft intake of breath from Rose. Dimitri had told her plenty of stories about his life back in Baia, but he'd never let on how bad things really were for him and his family. He had borne so much hardship over the years and yet it hadn't defeated him. Somehow it had made him stronger... and gentler.

Rose would have liked to linger on thoughts of her husband, but her attention was pulled away in two separate directions; first to a familiar figure hovering near the bar, and then by a demanding tug at her elbow.

'I've decided what I'm going to do,' Viktoria announced to her sister-in-law. 'If you won't let me come with you to find Dimka then I will make myself useful another way. How far is it to the nearest military outpost, Mr Barnes?' she turned on the unsuspecting gentleman with an expectant stare. 'And tell me, can girls join the Union Army, or will I need to cut my hair short and dress as a man?'

'You will do no such thing!' Deputy Belikov refused point-blank, hearing the echo of Alberta's voice in her own words. 'I forbid it.'

The Russian's dark eyes flashed with disdain. 'And who's going to stop me when you're gone?' she challenged.

'Him.' Rose nodded to a tall man on the far side of the room who was currently making a visual sweep of the patrons at each table. 'Hey, sheriff!' she called out above the clamour of the other diners. 'You lost something?'

Eddie Castile removed his hat, his fingers worrying at the brim out of embarrassment. 'Sorry, Rose. I chased after Miss Belikova as soon as I heard she'd flown the coop. I know you warned me the girl might be trouble, but I didn't think she would try anything so stupid and reckless on the first day.'

'I'm right here!' Vika glared at him.

Rose sushed her. 'It's good you came, Sheriff Castile,' the deputy stood to greet him properly. 'There's a special mission I'd like you to take care of in the morning if you're willing.'

'Of course. Anything,' Eddie was eager to make amends for losing Viktoria, after Rose had expressly asked him to keep an eye on her.

'It may be a job that tries your patience, I'm afraid,' she warned him. 'I want you to take my delinquent sister-in-law back to Saint's Town...'

Viktoria jumped to her feet and let out a string of heated objections, while Eddie eyed her with growing alarm.

'...as your deputy.'

'I beg your pardon?' the sheriff wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly.

Vika's moaning stopped abruptly. 'Wait... what?'

When Rose turned to address the Russian girl her voice was kind but firm. 'I know you want to do something to help, Vika. Well, this is how you can help. Stay at home. Protect your family - our family - and help Eddie take care of Saint's Town. It's my home. It's going to be yours too - so if you feel you have to fight for something, fight for that.'

'You'd really trust me to do this?' Viktoria searched the deputy's face for signs of deceit, worried this might be an elaborate hoax to make her return home without a fuss.

'Yes,' Rose said simply. 'You've already proven you have what it takes. You're resourceful and stubborn. You aren't afraid of riding long distances and I bet you could talk a person into doing just about anything you wanted them to do, which will definitely come in handy on the job. I trust you can shoot?'

'It can't be that hard,' Vika shrugged. 'But I'm great with a knife. Do you want me to show you?' she shifted excitedly, preparing to rush out into the freezing night and give a full demonstration of her skills.

Rose lifted an eyebrow. 'I'll take your word for it. Sheriff Castile can supply you with whatever weapons he deems fit when you get back to the office, and oversee your training in any areas that might be lacking.'

Vika's mouth opened then closed, widened into a grin, then opened again before settling into a stern line. 'Thank you for asking me to do this, Roza, but what should I tell Mama? She'll think I'm lying if I just waltz up to dinner tomorrow night and say I'm the new deputy of Saint's Town.'

Deputy Belikov's fingers flitted upwards, unfastening the six-pointed star from her collar and pinning her deputy sheriff's badge carefully to Victoria's dress. 'Show her this,' she advised. 'And pass on a message from me. There should always be a Deputy Belikov in Saint's Town - first it was Dimitri, and then he passed the job to me. We Belikovs might be away for a while, but until we return, a Deputy Belikova will have to do.'

Rose was nearly knocked over as the new Deputy Belikova slung her arms around her sister's waist and squeezed tightly. 'I won't let you down, Roza... you or Dimka. I promise!'

'We know,' the older girl whispered, holding the embrace a little longer before she prised the clinging limpet away from her. 'Now go and introduce yourself to the sheriff, and remember - you might be the bossy one but he's still in charge.'

An hour later, Rose and Vika retired to the hotel room they would be sharing for the evening. Deputy Belikova swore she felt so jittery she wouldn't be able to sleep a wink, but she was already tucked under the covers and snoring lightly when Rose heard a sound outside in the hall. Slipping into her dressing gown, she padded to the doorway and peeked out to see Sydney Sage struggling into the adjacent room; overladen with her medical bag, a large rectangular package and a tall hat box.

Closing the door softly behind her, Rose hastened to assist Miss Sage with her burdens. 'How on earth did you get a dress made up so fast?' she asked in disbelief, setting the larger box down on the bed and shifting the lid aside to reveal a beautifully tailored riding habit - the Prussian blue fabric and shiny row of buttons reminiscent of a Union soldier's uniform. 'It's exquisite. They must have had a whole team of dressmakers pinning and sewing to have this finished in just a few hours.'

Sydney swooped down to replace the lid on the box and pushed it to the far end of the bed, her lips tight at the corners and the crease between her eyebrows deepening by the second.

'What's wrong?' Rose felt confused. 'Don't you like it?'

There was a uncomfortable pause as Sydney cast a wary eye over the intruder in her room, unsure whether or not it was safe to confide in her. Finally deciding to take the risk, she produced a small, neatly-folded piece of paper and handed it over for Rose to peruse. It was a telegram - made out to the dressmaker in Argenta and marked as received at nine o'clock that morning. The body of the message appeared to be a bulk order for women's clothing, which included; one riding habit, one day dress, two winter coats, night clothes, a hat and a selection of intimate apparel. There was no indication as to who had placed the order, only that the items were to be collected by a Miss Sydney Sage, and full payment had already been arranged.

Rose read through the order, shaking her head in astonishment. There was only one person she knew that was capable of such frivolous generosity. Mr Ivara had really outdone himself this time. 'Well, somebody's looking out for you, Miss Sage,' she responded aloud. 'You must have a guardian angel.'

'He's no angel, I assure you,' Sydney spoke for the first time, unable to conceal the note of emotion that was creeping into her usually-measured voice . 'I can't believe the audacity of him. And he knows my measurements too?! It's unconscionable... unacceptable!'

'Who?' Rose feigned ignorance.

'Adrian Ivara, of course,' the lady huffed. 'We're nearly a hundred miles from Saint's Town and he still won't leave me be!'

Deputy Belikov's eyes dropped back to the slip of paper in her hands, her mind boggling as she estimated how much Adrian's purchases must have cost. 'And I thought it was over the top when he gave me a bottle of perfume!' she said under her breath.

'Mr Ivara bought you perfume?' Sydney wasn't the screeching type, but her voice came out a half-octave higher than usual and her hands stiffened to claws by her sides. 'And what did your husband think of that, Mrs Belikov?'

Rose had conveniently failed to mention Adrian's gift to her husband. The bottle had lain hidden and unused in her delicates drawer for months, until she presented it to Alberta as a farewell gift the day she and Dimitri left for their new life in Silver Springs.

'Well, I happened to be unmarried at the time,' she justified herself, 'but I assure you there was nothing improper about the gift. It was a gesture of friendship, not romance.' Actually, Adrian had been besotted with Rose at the time, but Sydney didn't need to know that. 'He gave Lisa a present that day too - to welcome us both home after Dimitri brought us back to Saint's Town. I don't think I've ever met a more generous man.' That part, at least, was true.

Sydney's brow smoothed a little, though she was clearly still out of sorts. 'Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised,' she muttered, turning back the coverlet on her bed. 'I've no doubt Mr Ivara has given a lot of gifts to a lot of women over the years.'

'Not so many women as you might think,' the deputy responded carefully, noting that Sydney paused from her housekeeping to listen. 'You might have heard... talk about Adrian's past, but he has always behaved like a complete gentleman around me.' That might have been pushing the facts a bit, but judging by the blonde woman's severe expression, Adrian needed all the help he could get.

'Ha!' Miss Sage reached for her pillow to fluff it up; shaking it vigorously then, still unsatisfied, giving it one brutal thump against the mattress that sent an explosion of dust up into the room.

Rose sighed internally. Getting Sydney Sage to engage in a cordial and unguarded conversation was like trying to squeeze blood from a stone. Not defeated yet, she decided to try a more direct approach.

'What exactly is your issue with Mr Ivara, Sydney?'

Bad idea.

'Who said I had an issue with Mr Ivara?' came the hissed reply. 'And if I did, why would I talk to you about it? We're not friends, Deputy Belikov. We've only just met.'

It was true. They weren't friends - only acquaintances, forced together by a shared tragedy. But for some reason, fate had decided that their paths should cross and Rose was determined to make the best of it. 'Okay... but maybe one day we will be friends, and then you can tell me what happened,' she offered an olive branch.

Sydney didn't respond - her eyes focused on the pillow in her hands like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

Rose waited half a minute longer then decided it was time to make her exit. 'Sleep well, Miss Sage. I'll see you downstairs at dawn.'

She already had one foot out the door when Sydney finally spoke up.

'Deputy Belikov?'

'Yes?' Rose turned at her name.

'Do you think...,' the blonde woman glanced away uncomfortably before forcing herself to meet Rose's eye. 'Would you mind coming to the dressmaker's shop with me in the morning? There are several packages still to collect and I'd rather not have Mr O'Hara or the others asking... unwanted questions.'

Progress at last! Rose sent up a silent prayer of thanks. 'Of course I'll help,' she answered warmly. 'It will be our secret.'

The two women shared a tentative smile, then the deputy slipped soundlessly from the room and into her own waiting bed - grateful for the warmth and comfort of Vika's sleeping form beside her.

The ladies were awake and dressed at dawn but, due to various delays, it was closer to nine o'clock by the time everyone was ready to depart.

'Are you sure about this, Rose?' Eddie snatched a glance at the new Deputy Belikova, who was currently regaling Sarcone and Barnes with a thrilling story about the time she'd single-handedly caught and killed a wolf - most of which was probably exaggerated.

'Absolutely sure,' she replied, a sly expression coming over her face. 'Vika won't be able to get up to too much trouble with the sheriff of Saint's Town watching over her every move. Just give her plenty of jobs to keep her busy and I'm sure you'll get along fine.'

Sheriff Castile didn't look entirely convinced but he resigned himself to his fate. 'We'll be on our way then. Good luck on your journey south, Rose,' he shook her hand in farewell.

'Good luck yourself!' she retorted, then approached Viktoria to say goodbye.

'Be good to Eddie,' Rose counselled, when they were out of earshot of the others. 'He might be softly-spoken but don't underestimate him. He's strong and he's fast. I've seen him rope and tackle calves for branding for a whole morning without raising a sweat, and he's a damn fine shot with a pistol too... so don't give him a reason to practice his skills on you!'

'I'd never!' Vika looked offended.

Rose lifted an eyebrow but a smile was lurking behind her eyes. 'Just stay safe, yes?' she wrapped the younger girl in a hug.

'I will,' Victoria promised, her face smushed into Rose's shoulder. 'You stay safe too... and find Dimka... and you'd better come back to us soon or... or I'll get Yeva to put a curse on you!'

Rose tensed, recalling the old woman's parting words. You will be too late to save him. An anxious feeling wormed in the deputy's stomach but she refused to let it take hold. It didn't really matter what the old crone said. They were only words. The only one who truly knew the future was God in heaven, and unless Rose was very much mistaken, God did not wear a Russian headscarf.

'Yeva doesn't scare me,' she declared, pushing the unsettling words from her mind and focusing her whole attention on the vibrant, spirited face before her. 'What scares me is what is going to become of all the young men in Saint's Town when they meet their new deputy for the first time. I fear some hearts will be broken... and maybe some noses as well.'

Vika beamed - clearly approving of both possibilities - then gave Rose on hasty peck on the cheek and bounced off to her horse.

'Well, ladies and gentlemen,' Deputy Belikov announced to her party when Eddie and Vika had ridden out of sight. 'No more lallygagging. It's time to ride.'

They made good progress over the course of the morning, and Rose was beginning to hope they might even pick up Dimitri's trail sometime later that day, but it wasn't to be. The group stopped at every settlement they came to and spoke with every traveller they passed on the road, but nobody had heard news of confederate rebels passing through the area recently - with or without a prisoner in tow. When Christian suggested that they bunk down for the night at a small township after covering only forty-two miles, Rose was too exhausted to protest and fell into bed with a muted groan. 'Tomorrow, cowboy,' she murmured into the pillow. 'I've got a good feeling about tomorrow.'

The second day was much the same, only being a Sunday there were fewer people on the road to question about Sheriff Belikov. With limited interruptions to their ride, they managed to cover fifty miles before seeking out a waystation to stop at for the night. The accommodation was less than desirable - Rose and Sydney were obliged to share a squalid room, bunking together on a mattress that smelt faintly of vomit and stale sweat - but at least they were warm and protected from the miserable winter conditions outdoors.

On the third day the rain set in. It started out as a light drizzle - an inconvenience they had expected and prepared for - but by lunchtime the trail south had turned to a rivulet of slick mud, and they were having to travel so slowly for the safety of the horses that it was no longer viable to continue. Spying what looked to be a large outbuilding set back from the road, the travellers abandoned their journey and made for shelter.

It was a cattle shed - or used to be. There wasn't much left of the main barn. The roof had caved in at one end, and water was sheeting down the buckled eaves to form wide pools on the ground that crept steadily upwards and outwards the longer the deluge lasted. Fortunately, the plank lean-to on the eastern facing of the barn was in fairer condition, and spacious enough to house the whole group comfortably.

'I'll get a fire started,' Mr O'Hara was the first off his horse, fishing a box of matches from his coat pocket as he scoped out the available space. It didn't take him long to settle on a spot that was near to the entrance - sheltered from the wind and rain, but not in danger of sending the whole building up in flames. 'Sarcone, Barnes. Can you salvage some dry wood from the barn? Rose, see to the horses, and Miss Sage, you're in charge of food and coffee.'

They each went to their tasks immediately, too cold to waste energy on talking. If they were back at home, Rose would have been annoyed at Christian for ordering everyone about, but out here she admired his decisive attitude. Over the past few days Mr O'Hara had emerged as the unofficial leader of the group. As the oldest, Raphael Sarcone imagined himself in charge, but this was his first serious venture south of the California Trail and his lack of local knowledge was telling. Dean Barnes was physically capable of any task but suffered from the malady of laziness. Rose was a born leader, but her eagerness to find Dimitri meant she was prone to making hasty decisions and dissolved into a temper at the slightest provocation. Sydney Sage was a diligent worker and had the keenest mind of them all, but she wasn't a team player. Somehow, Christian O'Hara managed to wrangle the bunch of misfits together; keeping them focused on meeting their daily travel goals and diffusing arguments whenever the need arose.

'There's plenty more fuel in there if we need it,' Barnes returned with an armful of wood, dumping it on the ground then seating himself on an upturned crate so he could watch Christian build the fire (offering frequent suggestions as to how it should be done, but not actually assisting in any practical way).

Raphael followed soon after with another pile of kindling, and within fifteen minutes the campfire had drawn all five of them into its welcoming circle; the travellers thawing their frozen hands and faces as they waited for the coffee to boil. Coffee was followed by a bland but filling lunch, and they passed the time with short bursts of conversation - whenever the rain eased enough for them to hear themselves speak.

'So do we camp here tonight, or wait for a break in the rain and continue on?' Mr Sarcone broached the subject. 'I vote for camping here. We're settled now, and I doubt we'd come across a better shelter than this before sundown.'

'But we've barely made it twenty miles!' Rose argued.

'I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr Sarcone in this instance,' Sydney added her opinion to the mix. 'Mr O'Hara has sneezed eleven times since we set out this morning...'

Christian's eyebrows shot up. 'You're counting my sneezes?'

Miss Sage fixed him with a reproving expression. 'You may think you have the constitution of a bull, Mr O'Hara, but none of us can afford to take sick out here. I've only got limited medical supplies in my bag, and if you end up needing more specialised treatment than I can provide it's over a hundred miles back to Argenta or four hundred miles on to Las Vegas. I say we stay here; dry our clothing, get warm, rest. We all need it.'

'I could probably do with a few hours' rest,' Christian admitted, hunching deeper into his collar. 'If we stay here this afternoon and give the horses a proper break then we'll all have the energy to cover more ground tomorrow.'

'Hear, hear!' Mr Barnes declared, showing his approval of the plan by reaching for his flask and taking a long, warming swig of whiskey.

The others were right, of course. It would be unwise to continue on in this weather. But that didn't mean Rose was going to agree with them right away. It wasn't until they'd all finished eating that Deputy Belikov finally caved to the popular vote. 'I suppose we should hang our riding gear out to dry, then,' she got up stiffly and went off in search of fresh clothing and a private place to undress.

It was two in the afternoon. Christian was sprawled out by the fireside, relaxed and heavy-lidded. The week-old newspaper he'd been reading was discarded beside him and his gaze was now lost in the dancing flames; thoughts of his wife and unborn child never far from his mind.

Sydney Sage sat on the opposite side of the campfire, skimming over the pages of a medical book she'd 'borrowed' from her father's collection to fill the time between her nursing duties. The army doctor would be absolutely livid when he discovered it was missing (in the same way he would have been livid when he found out that Sydney had disappeared - not because he cared for her wellbeing, but because she was valuable to him and he hated losing control of his possessions).

Sarcone and Barnes had taken themselves off on a scavenging mission through the main body of the barn - an occasional thump or exclamation alerting the others when an item of interest had been found - while Rose paced slow circles around the fire, brooding.

Instead of easing off, the rain was now pounding down relentlessly, and the deputy was caught unaware when a sharp cracking sound cut through the watery din. She froze mid-stride, hearing back the echo of the sound in her head. A gunshot? A gunshot!

'Get down!' she hissed frantically, pushing Sydney to the dirt as she launched for the Cooper pocket revolver that she'd left on her bedding by the fire.

Christian took a moment longer than Rose to react, blinking into life and snatching for his own gun so hastily he nearly dropped it. 'I can help!' he looked to Rose urgently, but she waved him back.

'Stay here,' she ordered. 'Guard Miss Sage and the horses. I'll...'

Another shot. It hit something this time. There was an anguished cry from Raphael Sarcone in the adjoining building and Rose crossed the room in three seconds flat - edging her way along the internal wall, gun extended, until she'd arrived at the open doorway to the barn.

A third gunshot rang out, followed by a resounding crash, and Deputy Belikov spared one last, tight-lipped look back at her companions then disappeared into the darkness.

Mr O'Hara waited tensely with his pistol at the ready, straining to hear over the battering rain. Suddenly, the sound of muffled shouting broke out, followed by a long, foreboding silence. Horrified, Christian lurched towards the barn door after Rose, and Sydney was madly scrabbling through her satchel for medical supplies when a thundercloud on legs came storming back through the doorway.

'You know what your chucklehead colleagues were doing, Christian?!' Rose screeched, giving the man no time to answer. 'Taking pot-shots at a sheet of corrugated iron hanging from the roof! They wanted to see who could bring it down first and Sarcone lost. Idiots! I thought we were under attack. I nearly shot Barnes in the face.'

There was a shocked silence as Christian and Sydney absorbed the unexpected news, then the dark-haired gentleman set his pistol back in its holster and loped across the room. 'That actually sounds like a good way to let off steam,' he walked past the deputy casually, not wanting to let on how much of a fright she'd just given him. 'I think I'll go and join them.' And he did.

'Men!' Rose dropped her face into her hand in frustration and pinched the bridge of her nose. She could definitely feel a headache coming on. Stalking over to her bed by the campfire, she sat heavily; taking no pleasure in the warmth of the fire or the comfort of the blanket beneath her.

'Here. For the nerves,' Sydney materialised by the deputy's elbow, holding out a small bottle of brandy she'd procured from her satchel.

Surprised by the considerate gesture, Rose accepted the drink and took a liberal gulp. 'Thanks. I needed that,' she handed the bottle back to its owner.

Miss Sage repacked her medical bag carefully and was intending to return to her copy of Inman's Foundation for a New Theory and Practice of Medicine, but she had a last-minute change of mind and approached the woman by fire instead. The false alarm had rattled her more than she was willing to admit, and while she usually avoided the company of others, right now she didn't want to be alone.

'I can't believe those half-wits decided to fire off their pistols without giving us any warning,' Sydney announced, lowering herself carefully to sit beside Rose. 'What if you'd shot one of them? I swear, you give a man a gun and he turns into a swaggering, trigger-happy fool,' she wrinkled her nose with disdain.

'Not all men behave like that,' Deputy Belikov corrected sharply. Dimitri never swaggered. And he was no fool either.

Miss Sage realised her faux pas almost at once. 'Sorry. I meant no offence. It's just... I'm a nurse. I've seen what guns can do to people and I don't much approve of them.'

Rose glanced across at her companion, nodding once in understanding. 'I've seen what guns can do to people too... I've done those things myself a few times,' she added more quietly, 'but as my husband often reminds me - you only harm a man if he won't listen to reason, you only kill him if it means saving others, and you never take an innocent life.'

It wasn't a philosophy Sydney agreed with entirely, but when she nodded to Rose in return a small patch of common ground opened up between the nurse and the deputy that wasn't there before, and the silence that fell between them was not an uncomfortable one.

'The sheriff...,' Sydney spoke up after a time, timid but curious. 'What is he like?'

'Everything a man should be,' the deputy replied softly, her eyes fixed on a microcosmic drama playing out in the heart of the fire; licks of flame furling around one of the smaller logs and eating away at it until it was no more than a warped and blackened shell.

'I've never met a man like that before,' the blonde woman confessed to the flames.

Rose looked up from the glowing embers and studied Sydney's troubled expression. 'You will,' she assured her. 'Or maybe you already have, and you just can't see it yet.'

If Miss Sage reacted, the deputy didn't notice because their conversation was interrupted by another person entering the room.

'Deputy Belikov?' Mr O'Hara's voice had an edge to it. 'There's something you should see.'

Rose was on her feet at once, and the two women followed Christian into the murky expanse of the cattle shed; picking their way over uneven flooring, strips of shredded canvas, and rotting planks of wood to stand with Sarcone and Barnes near the collapsed end of the barn.

'Look,' Mr Sarcone pointed to the ground at their feet.

The dirt had been disturbed by the boot-prints of three men, maybe more; the marks ending a few feet away where rain had turned the ground to mud. Rose squatted down to examine them and her heartbeat surged wildly as she reached out to touch the nearest impression. It was bigger than the others, and something about the shape of the toe and the width of the heel seemed very familiar. Could Dimitri have stayed here? Deputy Belikov's mind churned over feverishly. If this boot-print really belonged to Dimitri, then it meant her husband was still alive and walking. And he'd been here - in this building - maybe yesterday, maybe even as late as this morning.

'Rose?'

Christian was saying something about numbers and distances but the deputy pushed past him, eerily calm, and moved off towards the campfire without a backwards glance. Rolling up her bedding deftly, she was preparing to tie it to her horse when Mr O'Hara decided it was time to intervene.

'Rose. What are you doing?'

'I'm going after Dimitri,' she shrugged his hand off her shoulder so she could resume her task.

'Rose!' Christian insisted, pulling her away from the horse.

'What?!' she glared at him for the delay.

'You can go after Dimitri, but not right now,' Mr O'Hara stated the facts plainly. 'We agreed to wait until tomorrow, remember? I realise you want to rush out there and find your husband, but we don't even know for certain that those prints belong to him... and in any case, it's too dangerous to ride in this weather. I wouldn't ask it of the others, and I'm sure as hell not letting you go out there alone.'

She wasn't listening.

'Be reasonable, Rose. You're no good to Dimitri lost or starved, or if you get thrown by your horse and killed.'

Still no reaction.

'Look,' Christian's frustration was beginning to show. 'If you won't be sensible for yourself, then think of me. If something happens to you on my watch, my wife will literally kill me.'

The thought of Lisa - waiting and worried back at home - was the jolt Rose needed. Closing her eyes tightly, the deputy took several uneven breaths before trusting herself to respond. 'Well you'd better hope it's not raining tomorrow, Mr O'Hara, because I'll be leaving in the morning - with or without you.'

Christian O'Hara wasn't known for his tact, but he nodded obediently and stepped aside.

Rosemarie Belikov wasn't known for her self-control, but she took one last glance at her horse then returned to the fireside and spread out her blanket. 'Mr Sarcone,' she called to the man who had been eavesdropping at the door. 'I believe you were going to make a pot of coffee?'

Two hundred miles away, Lisa O'Hara sat down at the small writing desk in her bedroom. An ache of loneliness tugged at her chest as she turned her thoughts to her absent friend, and she set her pen to paper - writing the words she wished she could have shared in person.

Monday November 11th, 1861

Dear Rose,

I miss you so much already and it's only been three days. I wonder where you are right now, how far you've travelled, if you've caught up with the men who took Dimitri yet.

Olena was beside herself when we discovered that Viktoria was missing, but Yeva assured her there was nothing worry about. When Vika turned up at the ranch on Saturday night wearing your deputy's badge Olena had fifty fits. She said her daughter was too young to take on such a responsibility, in a foreign country to boot. Viktoria wasted no time reminding everyone that she is nearly the same age as you and you're a deputy - and that Sheriff Castile would be doing all of the hard work anyway. Olena still wouldn't hear of it, but Yeva made a some pronouncement in Russian and the matter was settled. I actually think Vika will make a good deputy, but I feel sorry for Eddie. From what I can tell, Vika is going to give him as much trouble as you gave Dimitri.

Lisa smiled wistfully as she dipped the nib of her pen in the inkpot.

You know something, Rose? That first day that Dimitri captured us he was so stiff and formal with me, but whenever he looked at you he sort of... softened a bit. I think he was in love with you even back then. You'd probably say I'm being romantic, but I think you two were made for one-another. You are both such strong people but neither of you is whole without the other. I know I said some horrible things before you left but I take them all back. You CAN save him, Rose. I believe you can do it. I pray to God that you will be able to find Dimitri and return to us as soon as you can. I need my best friend as much as she needs her husband.

Love eternally,

Lisa

.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for all the encouraging reviews/PM's (and a super special shout-out to katnipsc for reading & reviewing every chapter in the DB saga in two days!). All that positive energy has given me a real boost, and I've been pre-writing scenes for multiple upcoming chapters.

New characters - Raphael Sarcone = Ralph/Ray Sarcozy. Dean Barnes had a brief mention in VA - he was a novice in Rose's class assigned to Jesse in the mock guarding assessment. He was pretty dismal.

Sydney - In most of the fanfics I've read, Sydney & Rose are great buddies from the start. I've made my Sydney more standoffish & awkward - like she was with Rose at the beginning of Blood Promise.

Civil War Disclaimer - Apologies to all for my over-simplistic way of explaining the situation to Vika. There was a lot more going on in the lead up to the southern states breaking away from the U.S. (fears of changes to cultural/societal norms, agricultural vs. mechanised approach to industry, anger over nationally imposed tariffs on exports etc.) but slavery is the topic most relevant to my story so that's as far as I'm going to go into it. That said, the CW timelines/battles referenced in the story are based on actual events - minus the VA characters, of course!

Lallygagging - I so wanted to include a Skyrim reference, and then I found this historically-accurate gem XD

Lisa's letters - these will pop up every now and then to let you know what's been going on back at the ranch. Makes you grateful for text messaging & email, hey?!