Charlie spent her Saturday riding her horse, and helping Maria in the kitchen. In between those things, she played with the barn kittens, and

helped Johnny tend to Gurth's chest cut.

She felt mostly happy, and not too worried about the mean red-headed brothers. If they got into trouble with their father, well, that was their

own fault, wasn't it? Happy as she was on that Saturday, enjoying her freedom in the sunshine, Charlie couldn't feel too worried about

anything. Even if the boys were mad at Charlie for tattling on them, she thought she could handle them.

Charlie kept those good, positive feelings right up until church services the next morning. Sandwiched in between Murdoch

and Teresa, she let her thoughts wander, and then her eyes, as well. Charlie found she liked looking at the stained glass all around.

She was doing that very thing, looking all about, when she saw the two brothers, sitting to the left, across the church aisle.

They weren't directly over from the Lancer church pew, but across and back one, so Charlie had to turn her head just a bit.

The younger one, John, stuck out his tongue at Charlie. Charlie didn't fancy having Murdoch see her return the same to the boy, so

she settled for giving him a glare full of distain.

After that, Charlie tried to stare straight ahead, and keep her eyes from returning to Monte and John. That was more difficult than

it seemed, however. She kept swinging her eyes back to the boys.

Standing, and sharing the hymn song book with Teresa, Charlie felt Teresa give her a nudge in the ribs. She swung her gaze up to

Teresa, and received a forehead-knitted frown, and a brief nod towards the song book.

When the worship service was over, and folks began filing out of the church building, Teresa said, "What did you keep looking at?"

She said it quietly, and Charlie answered just as quietly. "Those horrible boys-one of them kept making faces at me."

"Oh. Well, they won't be so full of vinegar once Scott talks to their father about what they did," Teresa said.

That made Charlie's nerves begin to jump again.

By the time she and Teresa had worked their way thru the throng of church-goers, they saw Scott already in conversation with a

man, over to one side of the church.

"Is that Monte's father?" Charlie asked Teresa.

Teresa looked, and then said, "It is."

"Come on," Teresa said, and Charlie followed her, reluctantly. She would have preferred standing and watching the

ongoing conversation. And possibly, even listening, if she could have gotten close enough.

She was standing with Teresa, under the shade of one of the trees, while Teresa talked with a couple of her friends.

"Monte! John!" came a hollering voice. The two boys, who'd been scuffling with some of their own friends, looked

towards their father, and he beckoned with his hand.

The boys ran towards their father, and Charlie turned completely around to look, not even caring if she was seen doing so.

Feeling nervous, but yet a bit glad at the same time, that the boys were going to get what was coming to them, she watched

with interest. She felt the interest thru the continued conversation, while the boys' father talked to them, looking serious. There

was a lot of hand flapping on the boys' part, and many head shakes.

And then.

"Charlie!" Scott called across the church yard. And then, Scott was beckoning to her, as well.

The interest and satisfaction faded away. Charlie felt only nerves as she walked over to the group. She went to

stand beside Scott, and felt his hand go to her waist. Both boys were still looking to be 'full of vinegar', as Teresa had said.

Monte was looking especially satisfied, a smirk on his face. As if he knew something that Charlie didn't.

Feeling pricklings of misgiving, Charlie looked up at Scott, and Charlie could see that he was tense.

But the other man spoke to Charlie first. Quickly.

"Scott says you had a run-in with my boys," Mr. Johnson said.

Charlie nodded, and tried to meet his eye. "Yes, sir."

"And in the process of that run-in, your horse was hurt?" he asked. Though more of a demand, Charlie thought.

She nodded again, and looked at Scott.

"The boys say you ran your horse right up on top of them," Scott said. His voice was quiet. Steady. But Charlie heard the

unspoken question behind his words.

"She did!" Monte declared. "I thought she was gonna ride right over us!"

"I was not!" Charlie declared hotly, glaring at Monte. "I just wanted you to stop throwing rocks-"

"It was only at old Wolfie, Pa, just like I told ya!" Monte said, his voice rising over Charlie's.

"I know, boy. Never mind that now," Mr. Johnson said.

Charlie couldn't believe it. It sounded as though Mr. Johnson thought nothing of his sons tormenting an old man.

"They were chasing him, and throwing rocks at him," Charlie began.

"That's been discussed already, young lady," Mr. Johnson said. "Now, we're talking about what happened with your

horse."

Charlie opened her mouth to say that Monte had hurt Gurth with one of the rocks he'd had in his hand, or something, but

Scott pressed on her waist, and Charlie looked up at him.

"Did you ride up nearly onto the boys?" Scott asked. "Charge at them with Gurth?"

Charge? Charlie felt her face flame hot.

"No!" Charlie denied.

"She did, and that's why her horse got cut! I put out my hand to keep her from tramplin' me!" Monte said.

"I wasn't going to trample you," Charlie said, with spirit, but the knot in her stomach began to hurt.

"Says you!" Monte jeered.

"Hush, boy," Mr. Johnson said, reaching out to cuff Monte's ear.

Scott was still looking at her, intently. "Charlie?" he asked.

"I didn't charge at them! They were waving their hands around, slapping at Gurth."

"You practically ran us over!" John accused.

"I was close to you-but I wasn't running you over," Charlie returned. "And I didn't charge at you!" She swung her eyes to Scott.

"Alright," Scott said. He looked calm. And steady. And believing.

"That's a lie!" Monte shouted.

"If Charlie says she didn't charge at the boys, then she didn't," Scott said, his tone even.

Charlie felt a quick rush of pride at his belief of her word. Just before Monte said, "She did, though!"

"I said to hush, boy. Get on to the wagon," Mr. Johnson ordered.

Monte went, plainly unhappy, and that left John, who took over glaring at Charlie.

"It seems like we have a standoff here, Scott," Mr. Johnson said. "I say, kids will be kids. I reckon this is just a case of a squabble

amongst young'uns."

Scott didn't deny, or confirm that. He said, "I wanted you to be aware of what happened."

"Sure thing. My boys won't be tossing any more rocks." He clapped Scott on the shoulder, and then walked off to his

own wagon, John trailing along behind him.

Left there, with Scott, Charlie was quiet for a few moments, as was Scott. There were only a few folks left about now, since most

had departed with their families. Murdoch and Teresa were already in the buggy, Charlie could see.

"They aren't even going to be in any trouble," Charlie said, very quietly. "Their father just-" she hesitated. "He just acted as

though it was nothing!"

"Come on," Scott said, and began to walk across the church yard. At the buggy, Scott paused.

"Everything alright?" Murdoch asked, his forehead lined with concern.

Scott gave a brief nod. "See you at home," he said, and turned to Charlie. "Are you riding with Murdoch or with me?" he asked.

"With you," Charlie said, feeling subdued.

She followed Scott to his horse, and after he'd mounted, he put a hand down to her. Charlie took it, and he swung her up behind

him.

A couple of older women, just now coming out of the church, waved, and Scott waved back.

"I believe their father takes it more seriously than you think he does," Scott said, after they'd ridden for a few minutes in

silence.

Charlie gave a 'hmm' sort of sound.

"They shouldn't throw rocks at that man," she said.

"No. They shouldn't throw rocks at anyone," Scott said.

"They're bullies," Charlie said vehemently.

Scott didn't say anything then, and Charlie pressed her cheek against his back.

"Thank you," she said then, very softly.

"For what?"

"For defending me the way you did. For believing me."

In response, Scott gave the hand she had wrapped around his waist a pat with his own.

"I mean it, though, Scott. Katherine never would have believed me, or defended me that way-"

"It's alright, Charlie."

After a few more minutes of peaceful riding, Charlie spoke up.

"I didn't charge at them,"

Confused, Scott turned a bit in the saddle to look at her. "I thought we'd already settled that you hadn't," he said.

"Yes. But-" she let her voice trail off.

"But, what?" he prompted.

"I did ride up-really close to them," Charlie said, sounding hesitant.

Scott turned to face forward once again. And was quiet.

"I wasn't going to trample them," Charlie went on. "I just wanted them to stop throwing the rocks."

"What is it you're trying to say, Charlie?"

"That-" she paused. "That maybe I shouldn't have ridden so close to them. Maybe Gurth wouldn't have gotten cut if

I hadn't."

Scott was quiet again, for several long moments, and Charlie felt her stomach began to do the flops and flips it did when she

was feeling unsure.

"Are you sorry?" she asked. "That you stood up for me?"

"Of course I'm not."

Charlie tightened her arms around his waist, as he went on. "You reacted too quickly, probably, and you shouldn't have tried to deal

with them by yourself like you did. But-" he paused.

"But, what?" Charlie asked.

"But, I'm not certain that I wouldn't have done just the same at your age."

Charlie gave him a grateful squeeze. Feeling as though things were right in her world, at that moment, anyway, she said, "Could we go

fishing this afternoon?"

L