It took a lot of push and pull until the preparations for the Harvest Dance finally began to come together. The two conspirators were patient and relentless in their schemes. Josiah worked on the guilt and reward front encouraging the pious residents of the town and its surroundings to entertain the idea of deserved celebration of their year long efforts. Gemma on the other hand recruited her husband whose enthusiasm served to convince the townsfolk that the very existence of the idea made it their duty to bring it to life. She, at the same time, used the codes of propriety to her advantage thus making her requests impossible to refuse. For those who toyed with the idea, Josiah nailed the coffin of resistance with morality tales inciting Cristian guilt and charity and with a vague promise that this event might encourage a real preacher to settle in their region.

Finally, it was the same terror of ostracizing that the women of the town applied to Gemma that made them support the Harvest Dance. After Gemma secured the attendance of a few local bachelors, ladies eager to present their single daughters followed suit and this in turn inspired more bachelors which inspired more ladies until it created such an avalanche that Gemma began to wonder if she had truly bitten off more than she could chew.

So it came to be not longer than a month after their scheming afternoon that they had encharged most of the town ladies with ensuring appropriate decoration, music, food and chaperoning. Once everybody had their task the competition and fear of failure spurred the ladies on to their common goal.

Gemma took bitter pleasure at the hypocrisy of ladies who not long ago turned their heads away when they saw her in the street and now hurried to her desperately with updates and hitches. When Mary published the official poster in the newspaper, Gemma stopped by to inspect it. When she saw it, the two women shared a triumphant smile and Gemma allowed herself the thought that they might just pull this off.

Four days before the festival, Mary invited Gemma to approve the front page of the Clarion with regard to the festival. Gemma was surprised to be asked and worried if Mary had uncovered something inappropriate about their upcoming festivities. Her worried expression quickly sparked up in earnest joy.

"Mary, it can't be!" the young woman said shakenly.

"I sold the last ticket myself," Mrs Travis informed her with a squeeze of the elbow.

Gemma cast her eyes on the newspaper again.

HARVEST DANCE SOLD OUT!

150th TICKET GONE WITH FOUR DAYS TO GO

"Congratulations," the journalist smiled.

With an added spring in her step, Gemma crossed the road to Mrs Potter's store to make final adjustments to her dress. It was a dark blue satin with an elaborate skirt that was taking Mrs Potter's assistant more than half an hour to secure in place. Lilianna was preparing a heavily ornate corset that gave the dress an air of regality as Gemma walked a few rounds around the shop to test the skirt out. She stopped in front of a full size mirror and wondered how something that looked to rich and took the better part of the hour to put on could ever feel so weightless. She turned her eyes to the window as she waited for the corset and observed the everyday of the main street.

It was comforting to see people go about their daily lives from above. Mrs Potter's fitting rooms were on the first floor and gave a clear view of the town. Buck and JD were walking towards the saloon or the sheriff's office the younger man massaging his eyes and the taller yawning unapologetically. They must be coming back from the late night patrol, Gemma thought. When they turned to the Sheriff's office, they confirmed her reasoning. She smiled lightly at the thought of her two friends who will probably cross the road to the saloon for breakfast before turning in. She decided to drop by to the saloon to greet them no matter who she might run into while there. These were her friends and Buck more than family and she was done with not seeing them enough. Besides, it might still be too early for one of the seven to be up by the time she's done.

Gemma's eyes settled on a ball of desert wind in the distance as she contemplated the rest of her morning. There were probably a hundred details that needed to be finalised and crossed off the checklist that she carried with her everywhere she went. Gemma struggled not to let her nerves get the better of her. One thing at the time, she kept repeating to herself. She had to cross the dress of her checklist before she could run herself of her feet for the next four days. That was the promise she'd made to her husband who insisted she should put the dress on the checklist and procured the elaborate costume for her in the first place. Dutifully, as gratitude for his consideration she pushed other responsibilities out of her mind and focused on the growing cloud of dust instead. It must be the stage, she finally decided as she tried to make up the shape in the distance.

Lilianna finally lifted the corset in awe when Gemma understood what she was looking at. Before Lilianna could say a word, Gemma was already halfway down the stairs of the shop. Mrs Potter squelched in surprise at the sight of the half-dressed young woman swooshing through the front door and out across the main street of the town as heads turned and reputation was lost.

Gemma ran like she hadn't in years and luckily she didn't have far to go. She pushed the door of the hotel with everything she had in her nearly tearing it off. Her eyes locked with those of her husband who often entertained departing guests at the foyer. His smile froze on his face. He didn't get a chance to ask what was wrong.

"Four horses pulling a red and white gilded carriage coming in from the South," she delivered before inhaling.

Montgomery Monterrey's face dropped instantly. The married couple closed the distance between them and pressed each others' hands tenderly. Only they understood the exchange that passed in their looks. Are you sure? and Yes.

Lilianne proved to have more sense than Gemma would have given her credit for. The seamstress was now approaching her with her original dress. Gemma clutched onto her morning dress which confirmed to Lilianne that she had made the right call. This made her more daring and she ushered Gemma in the back to change. They emerged 15 minutes later, Lilianne confident that she could take all the dust out of the satin before the dance and not to worry about a thing. Mrs Monterrey looked pale and distant, lost in a dress that that morning made her look exuberant. She approached her husband who was looking out the side window. He nodded to her encouragingly then hooked her arm and led her out the door.

The carriage had just stopped, evident from the thick layer of dust it was still engulfed by. Many people stopped to spy who was coming out. A few heads nodded when they saw Montgomery Monterrey approach the carriage. It made sense such extravagance was connected to him. He held out his hand and another clad in a white glove used it as support. A cane followed, then a leg in the same colour as the glove. No one in Four Corners had ever seen anyone apart from Don Paolo wear white trousers before. A man toppled out of the carriage and scrambled for the sidewalk like his life depended on it. Gemma struggled with the smile she wore on her face, but she needn't have worried. Nobody was looking at her.

"Mr Montgomery Monterrey Senior," the valet announced to the street and Gemma cringed inwardly. As if it was their cue, a loud murmur spread down the street. Gemma's smile was quickly turning into a grimace she failed to control.

Gemma's husband nodded at her encouragingly before he lead his father inside the hotel. She turned in dismay and greeted the driver who was already unloading the bags from the coach. The valet stayed long enough to inform her of the contents and value of each bag and give her instructions of how they were to be handled.

"The driver is only paid for his intended occupation," the valet insisted coldly.

Gemma smiled without passion. She tried not to let it get to her that she was treated as a bellboy and a thief. The valet got under her skin on the best of days and she could see that that day was not today. She got on with her new set of tasks without a word of protest. She'd spotted Vin taking in the unusual situation from the jail and was sure he would come to find out more if she gave him the least reason to. Buck and JD were already at the carriage with Casey and her friend elaborating on the luxurious craft of the vehicle like they knew anything about it. Gemma ushered the bags and caddies inside before anyone she knew could engage her.