Although they arrived just before 5, it took their guests another half an hour to start to arrive. Gemma toyed with the idea of standing at the gate and smiling into every viper's face to remind them on whose charity their daughters were really presented to society, but her duties made her change her mind. In the end it was Lilianne and Mary who shielded the arrivals from Josiah's overgrateful outbursts of welcome and joy. And it was a joyous occasion. The music was lively and the people cheerful. Inez's beer and spirits helped settle nerves and the abundance of food accompanied conversations. There was a pleasing promenade between the food tents, the lake stroll and the dance floor. Gemma found Josiah and they gleamed at their success.
"Congratulations, preacher," she said. "You've gathered quite a congregation here."
Josiah held out a glass to her.
"To your invaluable assistance, sister Gemma."
They drank with joy and pleasure.
"There ain't no such thing as building bonds between the flock. Oh, yes!" Josiah said and walked away. Gemma suspected he might have started on the liquor much earlier in the day. She made a note to keep an eye on him in case his mood turned sour.
***
It was past 8 o'clock. The sun was beginning to go down and Gemma decided it was time to start lighting the gas lamps. Not wanting to spoil anyone's fun, she began the task herself and immersed herself in the meditative escape it was giving her. By the time she finished, the night had covered the field completely and the warm glow of the lamps painted the faces of the partygoers with soft pads.
"Give me the matches," Gemma heard a voice behind her.
She wasn't surprised to see Mary holding out her hand with determination. Gemma released the matches without a fight.
"I'm done."
"Yes, you are. The lights are up, the people are fed, the music is pleasing and you need to sit down and get something to eat," Mary observed.
"And drink," Buck finished for her.
Gemma was about to say something but saw that Mary wasn't having any of it.
"This dress is not really designed for sitting."
"You should be dancing," Buck saw an opening.
"Not before she eats, Mr Wilmington."
"In that case, you'll make sure I don't disappoint Buck, Mary? He only has until his patrol at 10."
Vin and Nathan took the first part of patrolling the town while most of its residents were enjoying the festivities. It was a calculated decision from Chris who was kind enough to give the town lothario a taste of the fun, but ensure the chastity of the ladies when night fell. It was better not to poison the party with jealousy or reputation fights.
The journalist understood Gemma's thought process and conceded her defeat. If she was to get Gemma to relax, she had to take up Buck's dance offer.
"Certainly," she agreed and the ladies smiled again. Neither remembered when they were so self-satisfied last. And it felt good.
The town womaniser led the blonde woman to the dance floor and Gemma moved towards the food tent. It was almost empty now both of food and of people. There were just some sandwiches left and Gemma suspected they were turning dry anyway. She considered her options because she knew that she wouldn't be able to lie to Mary if she asked her what she'd eaten. She considered asking one of the remaining people clearing the grill if there were any leftovers in the back when a dark figure stirred next to the sandwiches. In the corner at the back of the table she saw Chris Larabee balancing his feet on the chair in front of him.. Gemma picked up a few cheese sandwiches finally realising how hungry she really was then walked over towards the shaded figure. She focused her gaze on the dance floor as she ate. Everything was going so well that it encouraged her mischievous mood. She chanced her arm and spoke to the town sheriff.
"You should ask Mrs Travis to dance before she's forced to come over and ask you herself."
Chris Larabbee looked up at her from the corner of his eye but there was no anger there.
"She seems to be enjoying herself just fine."
"But she keeps looking over here and she ain't looking at me," Gemma added innocently and as if on cue Mary's eyes darted towards them and then back at her dance partner.
The blonde man shifted uncomfortably, but didn't say a word. Gemma took it as a good sign so she continued.
"And if you're not careful, she might have to resort to jealousy. And you'll have to pry her from Buck's dead hands before you get another chance."
Buck was getting that predatory look in his eyes. The song was finished and Mary made an attempt to leave the floor but Buck clasped her hand and led her to another dance. The town newswoman darted their corner of the tent once more. The man in black glanced at his sister-in-law again as if he hadn't expected such wisdom from his left.
"How quickly you learn," he said simply.
Gemma battered her eyelashes and made the most innocent face she could muster.
"Whatever do you mean?"
Chris smiled cautiously. "Just yesterday I was tucking you in with tales of prince charming and you turn out to have the mind of the wicked stepsister."
She was beyond thrilled with how everything was going. Chris' mood was the cherry on top. It was the first time since she returned that he mentioned their life together as a family and it comforted his sister-in-law beyond words.
"The fairy godmother, I'd like to think!" Gemma giggled.
"I should think not," Chris fired back.
God, she'd missed that. It felt so good that it stung. To lose a sister and nephew was difficult enough but to also have to lose him. It was unbearable.
Chris had become overprotective at first, overbearing next and out of reach last. Gemma tried to keep tabs on him after he left the homestead but until she ran across himself and Buck in Four Corners on the day they were riding out to the Seminole village she had no luck at all. Through necessity and poor choices, Gemma became an accomplished gunwoman by their next meeting and insisted on adding her services to the seven men. Naturally, he opposed to it, but Gemma hung on. Larabee reasoned with judge Travis not to encourage his sister-in-laws ideas of serving with the rest of the unofficial guardians and traditionalist that he is, the judge agreed. At first. Because God help you if you stood between Gemma and her goals. She could sweet talk a one-legged man into chewing his remaining foot if she decided to. And in the end she proved an excellent filing assistant, ladies' prison guard and at times an undercover worker.
"You're so much like your sister," Chris Larabbee said as he regarded her.
Gemma blinked, touched by his words.
"I don't think she'd agree," she sighed.
Chris didn't shift his gaze.
"She always found something or another wrong about me. She was right."
Gemma took a drink from Chris's glass. It still wasn't easy to deal with her sister's ghost.
"She was as proud of you as she was of Adam," Chris said with his matter-of-fact voice. It didn't leave room for discussion. He reached out for a clean glass and filled it.
"She was just trying to raise you right. She succeeded," he passed the glass over and reclaimed his own. Gemma drank swiftly, but still couldn't find the strength to talk. Instead she extended her hand to Chris and he pressed it gently before kissing it.
"It's nice to see you like this. I haven't seen this Chris in a long time."
"I've been right here," Chris shifted his eyes away.
"You know that's not what I mean," Gemma said without anger.
"I know," he said barely audible and focused on the distance.
"I..." Chris started. He was about to try to put into words how sorry he was for not being there for her. How much he regretted her falling in with the Clayton gang. He wanted to ask for forgiveness for turning her into a gunwoman, for keeping her in Four Corners, for putting her in Ezra's path, for opposing Ezra as her beau. He wanted to say how sorry he was that she felt she needed to get married to a man who couldn't be a husband to her to find a family.
Before he could form his torrent of thoughts into sentences, he was interrupted by the sweating and gasping Buck.
"In case you two thought this was a funeral, it's a summer party. So get those long faces off and put on some sunny dispositions."
His delivery was cheerful and it was obvious he was happy to see his two friends share a moment of intimacy. He downed a glass of beer while Mary opted for punch.
"Mary, help me out with these two!" he pleaded.
Chris and Gemma exchanged a look. Gemma had been right after all. Chris shifted out of his chair and for a moment it seemed like he was going to walk away without a word as was his custom. Instead he extended his hand now, perhaps boldened by the caring exchange he had with his sister-in-law and asked Mary to dance.
Buck in turn smiled at Gemma and was about to sweep her away in the same direction when JD interjected with a life-or-death courting question and pulled him away. Gemma laughed at the thought that JD believed that Buck's advice was his best chance.
As she took in the scenes of delight around her, Gemma felt tiredness wash over her. She wasn't ready to risk sitting in her dress because the skirt was so frigid and the waist so elaborately twisted that she was certain she wouldn't succeed. She moved down to the shaded part of the tent led by the idea to lean on the bannister and continue enjoying the sight of people having fun. She was about to put her plan to action when she heard the flutter of shuffling cards two bannisters down. Obscured by the shadow sat Ezra Standish and Gemma, encouraged by her fortune, the talk with Chris and the liquor, walked towards the man in the shadows. She took a swig of her drink as she walked and left a tiny amount at the end of her glass just in case.
"Not joining in the festivities, Mr Standish?" she asked. Gemma was sure Ezra had heard her approach but he got flustered for a moment as if surprised nonetheless. He was probably deep in thought.
"I've been run off my feet by the Charlston sisters," Ezra said putting the cards away in favour of his hip flask. "I decided to retire before their enthusiasm finished me."
Gemma laughed softly. There were six Charlston sisters between the ages of 6 and 16 and Ezra was notoriously soft with children.
"And what if they play the polka?" Gemma teased.
"In that case I will be faced with two options: evacuate from town or end my existence," Ezra deadpanned with a toast. They drank together. Gemma smiled because Ezra was enjoying himself.
"How will you choose?" she continued in fake horror.
"The proximity to the sisters will be the deciding factor."
Gemma laughed heartily at the gambler's answer. After a shaky start, the man next to her had become such a staple in Four Corners that she doubted neither residents nor his own insecurities would drive him out any time soon. She was pleased for him and it warmed her heart.
Her laughter drew the gambler's eyes to Gemma. He allowed himself to take her in gently but studiously for the first time that evening. Ezra Standish did everything subtly so his gaze didn't persevere. He turned his eyes to the dance floor before he spoke:
"You look magnificent, Mrs Monterrey."
