The next day was a busy one on the ranch. The Kid was preparing to deliver a large number of horses to the army and Lou was preoccupied with Adam, who had a slight cough. It wasn't until lunch time that she was consciously aware of the fact that Melanie had not come to visit yet. Her absences from the ranch were rare these days, but Lou concluded that Howard had probably roped her into lunch with some of the town ladies, as he was wont to do, in order to keep up appearances and their husbands' patronage. She was disappointed she had not come, because apart from missing her company, she was hoping Melanie would watch the children so she could help Kid with the horses. He would be gone at least three days when he and their ranch hand Tom delivered the stock and she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible.

Lou hated it when Kid was away, she had grown to dread his absences since the children were born. She supposed it was his calming force and gentle reassurances she missed when he was gone. Despite two children, motherhood was still new to her and she was often uncertain about her own abilities. Kid never doubted her for a moment and she relied on his faith in her. She had not thought it possible to love him any more than when they had married, but she had soon learned otherwise. She often got the feeling they were two halves of the same person.

To Lou's disappointment, Melanie did not come at all that day. Kid left at dawn the next morning, and it was with a heavy heart that she watched him ride away. She shivered in the cool morning air and walked back to the house, where their Mexican foreman Cholo was waiting with some freshly brewed coffee. Louise thanked him with a smile as she accepted a cup and sat with him in companionable silence as they waited for the children to wake up.

The days seemed longer to her when Kid was not there, made even worse by the fact that Melanie did not come again that morning. Lou began to worry that she had hurt her friend's feelings when she had laughed at her disheveled state after being thrown on their ride. She thought Melanie was not as thin-skinned as that, but then she conceded it had probably been a bit insensitive of her. Lou finished icing a cake she had baked and decided to take it to Melanie as a peace offering. Leaving the children under Cholo's watchful eye with the promise to not stay too long, she drove off in their buggy.

Louise drew the buggy to a halt in the empty yard of Melanie's house. She was disappointed to see the door shut firmly and the curtains drawn, meaning that there probably was no one at home. Still, she jumped down to check just in case. Lou waited after she had knocked loudly on the door, but there was no answer. She was about to give up and go home when she saw a brief flicker of one of the curtains. Peering closer through the lace fabric she could see someone moving across the room.

"Melanie? Open the door, I can see you're in there," she called out. "I'm sorry I laughed at you, it was mean. Won't you forgive me and let me in?"

There was no reply but Lou wasn't about to give up.

"Melly, come on… I made your favorite cake for you. Please don't stay angry… I'm not leaving here until you open the door," Lou stated stubbornly, and took a seat on the front step. She began whistling quietly to herself, knowing that Melanie was probably watching her from behind the curtains.

Finally the door creaked open, but only a couple of inches. Melanie peeked out from behind it and smiled weakly at Lou's beaming face.

"You just don't give up, do you?" she said quietly.

"No ma'am," replied Lou with a grin. "You haven't been to visit so I come bearing gifts to deliver my apologies."

"I'm not angry with you, Louise."

"Good. Can I come in then?"

"I don't think so. I'm not feeling well. That's why I haven't been to see you."

"What is it? Do you have a fever?" Louise asked with concerned, noticing that Melanie did indeed look rather pale. She took a few steps closer to come inside but her friend held the door fast.

"No, I'm fine, I just need to rest. I'll come and see you in a couple of days when I'm feeling better." Melanie went to shut the door, but Lou placed her hand against it to prevent her from shutting her out.

"If you're sick, Melly, someone should be taking care of you. Where's Howard?"

Melanie laughed bitterly to herself at the mention of his name which puzzled Louise even more.

"Melanie, let me in." Lou was persistent this time and she did not have the strength to fight her. Melanie stepped away from the door but then turned her back on her friend straight away.

"Lou, please just go. There's nothing you can do."

But Lou knew that something was very wrong, she could hear it in Melanie's uncertain voice. She had never seen this behavior in her before and was concerned. She placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and forced her to turn around to face her. With a gasp, Lou saw that Melanie's left cheek was stained with a dark, painful bruise and her eye was swollen half shut. She quickly turned away gain from Louise's shocked and troubled gaze, afraid she would break down in front of her.

"Who did that to you?" Lou asked in a whisper, but she already knew the answer. Melanie did not have to reply. "Why did he hit you?"

"I didn't turn out to be the kind of wife he expected, I suppose," Melanie replied with another strange little laugh.

"That son of a –"

"Lou, it's all right. It was my fault," she said hastily.

"Your fault?" replied Lou incredulously and with growing anger at the though of Howard Brooks. "Nothing you could have done deserves a beating. Nothing."

Louise knew all too well what it was like to be hit like that. Cole Lambert had done the same to her years ago and she hadn't forgotten the sensation.

"Not according to my husband," said Melanie tiredly. She had not slept properly in two days, she constantly on edge whenever Howard was around. He had been apologetic the morning after, but not overly so. Melanie guessed he had always had the capacity to be violent, she had just never seen it before. Now she would watch for it always.

Lou paused only a few seconds before she strode towards Melanie's bedroom.

"Come on, pack your things, you're coming home with me."

"What?" She followed her friend into the bedroom, where she was opening drawers and cupboards, looking for a carpet bag. "Louise, what are you doing?"

"You can't stay here with that man, not now. You're coming to stay with me."

"No," Melanie said forcefully.

Lou stopped what she was doing and raised a curious eyebrow.

"I'm not going anywhere. This is my home."

"Melanie, your husband hit you!"

"Yes, he did. He didn't mean to do it, Louise. He was angry with me and he was drunk. He didn't mean to and it has never happened before."

"That doesn't mean it won't happen again! How can you stay with him?"

"Because I have to. Because he's my husband." Melanie sat down on the bed with a tired sigh. "Howard was already here with one of the new town merchants when I arrived home the other day. You know what I looked like. Of course he reacted the way he did."

Louise sat beside her friend and took her hand, her eyes shining with emotion.

"You can't stay here, Melly, what if he hurts you again? You can live with us, you know that. We won't let him hurt you again."

Melanie smiled at her, a sad smile. "You don't understand, how could you? Your husband adores you. But not everyone is as fortunate as you, Louise. I married Howard Brooks for better or worse, I had a choice. And I'll live with the consequences." She squeezed Lou's hand tightly. "I can take care of myself, really."

"What about next time?"

"There won't be a next time. Howard was so sorry about the whole thing he has even arranged to buy another buggy from the livery so I'll be able to get around while he's at the bank. He realizes that I shouldn't be stuck here all day without some means of transportation. So you see that everything will be all right."

"I wish I could believe that," replied Lou half-heartedly.

"Louise, I want you to promise me something. I've never asked you for anything so important before," Melanie said gravely. "Promise you won't tell anybody about this, not even Kid. I can't have people knowing."

Lou did not reply immediately but Melanie's persistent gaze finally prompted her reluctant reply.

"All right, Melanie. But if he ever touches you again, he'll have to answer to me. I won't let him hurt my best friend."

Tears pricked at the back of Melanie's eyes and she suddenly hugged Louise tightly.

"Thank you for being my friend, Louise. It means more than you'll ever know."